Connected Philanthropy

Facebook fundraising can be a rewarding way to involve people in positive change. Learn how it can be used for peer-to-peer fundraising, Giving Tuesday campaigns, birthday fundraisers, and more!

Sean Kosofsky | Mind the Gap Consulting

Sean helps nonprofit leaders develop the mindset, tool set, and skill set to increase funding and impact. he is a strategic advisor offering coaching, consulting, and courses that transform your nonprofit’s capacity and performance. Sean has worked in and led nonprofits for 30+ years and specializes in helping young and small nonprofits accelerate their results.

Links:

Web address: NonProfitFixer.com

Email: [email protected]

Social Info:

• X: @NonprofitFixer
• LinkedIn: bit.ly/MTGLINKEDIN
• Facebook: fb.com/mindthegapc
• IG: @nonprofitfixer

Free download on how to run facebook fundraisers: https://www.nonprofitfixer.com/8-expert-tips-to-raising-10k-with-facebook-fundraisers

https://www.nonprofitfixer.com/best-resources

Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com

Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram

Website: Foundant.com

Hear community foundations discuss which systems and processes they are using to create space for the essential, impactful work supporting they do.

Topics:

• fund minimums
• how to deal with inactive fundholders
• grant catalog feature
• tribute donors
• individual giving is trending down in the us
• engaging young people
• how to balance learning and daily work

Links:

• Upcoming Coffee Talks: foundant.com/events/
• Giving USA Study
• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

Hear new granting strategies, and hear from other GLM/SLM users on some of the processes and tactics they are using to get maximum value out of their Foundant solutions.

Links:

• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

Join us as we explore the world of affinity programs and how this innovative approach can facilitate stronger connections with donors and save nonprofits time.

Jenni Craig, President

Jenni is a skilled fundraiser with 16 years of experience in higher education. Throughout her career, she has successfully raised millions for institutions through strategic, affinity-based programs that focus on donor belonging and retention. Jenni recently launched her own company, Affinity Makers, to share her fundraising strategies and expertise with nonprofits around the country. Together, with her husband Jeremy, Jenni is the co-founder and co-owner of Copper Bottom Craft Distillery, producing award-winning rum and vodka in the Daytona Beach area. They have three daughters: Carmen (8), Mason (6), and Brooklyn (1).

Links:

• email: [email protected]
• https://www.copperbottomspirits.com/
• LinkedIn:
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/affinity-makers/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenni-craig-bb48157/
• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

What is technology planning and why is it important? Learn why this is one of the most neglected aspects of operating a nonprofit and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Karen Graham | Karen Graham Consulting

Karen is a speaker, trainer, writer, and consultant with expertise in technology leadership and innovation, nonprofit software, and digital strategy. Her consulting work includes strategic technology roadmaps, development of knowledge resources, and leadership coaching. Karen was the Executive Director of the national nonprofit Idealware, and has held leadership roles in capacity building, arts, and human service organizations as well as a software startup. She holds an MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of St. Thomas.

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karentgraham

Assessment Links:

• Tech Impact’s Online Technology Assessment: https://techimpact.org/assessment/
• TechSoup’s Digital Assessment Tool: https://assessment.techsoup.org/
• NTEN’s Tech Accelerate Assessment: https://www.nten.org/accelerate
• A simple strategic tech plan template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19Xy2laJ8zVwirY6q_FjoB839GsBlIMopFJhrTSzLGng/edit?usp=sharing

●      Specific blogs/webinars on the topic:

• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-nonprofit-organizations-lack-tech-plans-how-fix-karen-graham/
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-user-adoption-keeps-tripping-us-up-how-your-nonprofit-graham/?trackingId=e6avhZ7QRVWyNiH4boPpKQ%3D%3D
• Using a technology skill map to plan your nonprofit career journey: https://resources.foundant.com/vimeo-all-educational-webinars/using-a-technology-skill-map-to-plan-your-marketing-fundraising-or-communications-career-journey

• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

Thanks to many studies and research, we have much more information about giving trends, donor behaviors, and motivations that can inform how we best engage with our donors. This episode dispels common fundraising myths around recent trends in fundraising, donor motivations, ways donors give, and changing donor demographics.

Barbara O'Reilly, Founder and Principal | Windmill Hill Consulting

Barbara O’Reilly, CFRE understands that fundraising is much more than just raising money. It’s about enabling donors to realize their philanthropic dreams for issues that are most important to them and to be part of the change they want to see in the world. She brings to her clients nearly thirty years of major gifts, annual fund, and campaign fundraising experience at major non-profit organizations including Harvard University, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Oxford University in England, and the American Red Cross. She is an AFP Master Trainer and a frequent guest presenter on various webinars. Her consulting firm, Windmill Hill Consulting, helps non-profit organizations of all sizes cut through the noise and develop a profitable fundraising strategy that focuses on the resources, skills and tactics they need to build more effective donor relationships and catapult their revenue.

Links:

• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

Change is the only constant in life. How do you decide which change to embrace and which to dismiss as a fad? Which changes—whether systems or processes—will create space for the essential, impactful work supporting your mission? Tune in to this episode to learn how to identify, prioritize, and embrace it.

Brad Ward, Regional Director, Community Foundations | Foundant Technologies

Brad joined the Foundant team after years at the Council on Foundations as the Lead Strategist for Community Philanthropy, with a keen focus on Community Foundations. Brad is also a former community foundation CEO who led the merger of two community foundations in Indiana and has firsthand experienced with the complexity of big change at a community foundation. With over 2,500 volunteer service hours across Europe, United States, and South America, Brad cares deeply about place, the connections and commitment of the people within their communities, and how important place and belonging matters. Brad resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his wife, two children and rescue dog, and is eager to support community foundations with innovative technological solutions to advance the field.

Links:

• Recorded Webinar: Getting Back to Philanthropy: Identifying, Prioritizing, and Embracing Change to Move Forward
• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

Marie Palacios, Lead Consultant | Funding for Good

Marie is an expert facilitator, certified by The Institute of Cultural Affairs in the USA, in evidence-based facilitation practices known as the ToP Method. She combines proven facilitation methods and her passion for community to facilitate dynamic and productive meetings. Marie enjoys facilitating community organizing, advocacy, consensus building, and action planning workshops for diverse organizations across the nation. Over the past two decades, Marie has worn every hat imaginable in the nonprofit world: volunteer, board member, program director, executive director, and development consultant. Her nonprofit specialties include strategic planning facilitation, program design, board development, grant writing, and messaging. Marie is bilingual and uses her Spanish skills to provide language access services for businesses and local government sectors, teach Spanish for Professional Courses, and coordinate missions in Latin America through her consulting company, MP Pro Consult. Marie is a native of Morganton, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband and three children.

Links:

• Web address: www.fundingforgood.org 
• email: [email protected] 
• Steps in Strategic Planning Blog article: https://fundingforgood.org/steps-in-strategic-planning/ 
• Get a free Strategic Planning checklist: https://fundingforgood.org/strategic-planning/ 
• If you know a consultant who is growing their business and seeks to grow their network, please share: Nonprofit Consulting Conference: https://fundingforgood.org/npcc-online/ 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/fundingforgood 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandapearcefundingforgood/ 
• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

Building grantor/grantee trust is a process that goes far beyond writing a check. It takes intention and thoughtful connection. A panel of private funders share stories about unique ways they are bringing community members into the grantmaking process and building better relationships with their nonprofit partners.

From community involvement to focus groups to centering racial equity in their granting work, these funders are tackling difficult challenges with small changes while working within the constraints of their “traditional” funder role. Instead of saying, “we can’t change because we have to answer to our board,” they’re saying, “we can make small, creative changes when we are patient and focus on the outcomes the board expects instead of the things we’ve always done.”

Speakers:

Danyelle O’Hara | Community Relationship Officer

Ambar Hanson | Community Relationship Officer – Philanthropy

Karyn McKelvey | Grants and Program Manager, Laird Norton Family Foundation

Topics:

• Doing away with written applications in favor of a video call to reduce the applicant burden
• Implementing declination grants of up to $2,500 for applicants who don’t receive funding
• Bringing community members onto grant committees to represent populations served
• Understanding how to move slowly but with intention

Links:

• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com

Learn from your peers how they have created communication practices across departments and job types at their organizations. This webinar was originally recorded on 5/11/2023 and was moderated by Alyse Braaten

In this coffee talk, we hear grantmakers, scholarship providers, and community foundations share challenges they've faced with internal communication and strategies they use to overcome them.

Alyse Braaten, Manager of Client Success | Foundant Technologies

Born and raised in Bakersfield, California, Alyse has deep roots and strong connections to the nonprofit sector. Having worked in the field of college access and scholarships for over 10 years, with a focus on students residing in California’s Central Valley, she believes in the power of scholarships to uplift students, families, and communities. Before joining Foundant, Alyse spent three years with the Kern Community Foundation managing their grant and scholarship giving, as well as nonprofit relationships. Alyse joined the Foundant team in 2017 as a Client Success Manager (trainer, consultant, and emergency support provider) for Grants and Scholarships. After training and advising hundreds of clients, she led the Community Foundation Grant/Scholarship Client Services Team. Her passion for community building, professional development, and real-world impact has helped form the service philosophy for Foundant’s Client Success team. Areas of expertise: scholarship and grant process best practices, team building, remote work, and demystifying complex systems to foster accessibility.

Links:

• Quiz
• Communicate For Good Webinar Recording
• Compass: Connect with other members of the philanthropic community at Community.foundant.com
• Social: Follow Foundant Technologies on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and Instagram
• Website: Foundant.com