Fundraising in today’s complex landscape demands a fresh approach to donor communications. Nonprofits of all missions share a similar challenge: How can we rekindle the passion of our long-time donors while inspiring a new generation of supporters for our cause? In this interactive webinar, you’ll learn a new values-driven framework for thinking about your donors, and how to translate this approach into powerful messages that uniquely connect to your donor types, helping draw them immediately to your cause—no matter what fundraising effort you’re leading.
When you place your donors’ values at the forefront of your strategy, you develop messages that not only seek support, but also inspire action, solidify loyalty, and nurture a community dedicated to advancing your mission.
Join us as we break the traditional fundraising mold to build a fresh fundraising strategy and message framework that prioritizes building meaningful connections.
By the end of our workshop, you will:
1. Learn the pitfalls of traditional fundraising models especially when it comes to attracting new donors.
2. Transform your fundraising by turning your donor profiles into rich and robust values-based personas that will help you develop a campaign that connects with them.
3. Leverage your organization’s core values in your fundraising strategy to create authentic donor messages that reinforce what you uniquely stand for.
Zach Hochstadt, Founding Partner & Creative Director
Zach Hochstadt co-founded Mission Minded in 2002 to provide nonprofits with the highest level of brand, strategy, messaging, and design. Today, the award-winning agency serves some of the nation’s most respected organizations in education, health, social services, and more!
Zach has particular expertise in brand strategy, messaging, and naming. He’s led big communication projects on behalf of clients like Colorado Health Foundation, Khan Academy, and Children’s Museum of Denver.
Prior to founding Mission Minded, Zach worked in several boutique agencies before joining the American Red Cross. Appointed by Mayor Hancock in 2014, Zach serves as the board chair for Denver Preschool Program.
Tia Robinson, Strategist
As strategist, Tia takes the time to fully understand clients’ needs to create compelling brands and strategies that help take client’s missions to the next level. She’s led transformation donor campaign projects on behalf of clients like University of British Columbia and Wesleyan University.
Tia started her career at DonorsChoose on the business development team, where she helped partners meet their philanthropic and business goals through research and data analysis.
Outside of work, Tia is a member and alumni of Prep for Prep, a leadership development program that offers promising students of color access to an independent school education in New York City.
Too often, evaluation is placed onto nonprofits by funders with limited resources to meaningfully engage with it. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Nonprofits and fundraising professionals can take back control of the evaluation and learning process. Evaluation and learning can be used by nonprofits to connect with their purpose, understand their impact, and connect with their communities. By doing this, nonprofits can more effectively tell their story and engage with funders that are aligned with their mission, rather than trying to align with funders’ mission and evaluation expectations. In this session, we’ll explore how nonprofits can take control of the evaluation process, a framework for engaging in meaningful learning and evaluation, and how nonprofits can use this process to engage funders.
Laura Sundstrom is your partner on your organization’s learning journey. She is the Founder & Principal Consultant of Illuminary Perspectives based in Denver, CO. Laura elevates the expertise of the individuals and organizations she works with and those impacted by the work, all in service of strengthening process and impact. With over 15 years of experience in the evaluation and nonprofit fields, Laura brings a broad range of experience and expertise to her perspectives of evaluation and learning. She has worked in the fields of philanthropy, health care, housing, hunger, youth development, and violence prevention, to name a few. Laura holds a Bachelor’s in Women’s and Gender Studies from Beloit College and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Michigan.
Laura brings the curious and humble mindset of a learner to her work. Laura seeks to partner with individuals, organizations, and communities to advance their equity and justice goals, rather than enter as an “expert” seeking to determine what is good or bad. Through these partnerships, Laura is skilled at asking questions that challenge assumptions and spark deeper reflective.
Outside of learning and evaluation, Laura spends her time staying active and enjoying the beautiful hiking Colorado has to offer, teaching yoga and meditation, going on walks, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
#GivingTuesday, the biggest giving day of the year, is just months away. We’re kicking off the countdown with a session to teach you how to maximize the time you have left and lay the foundation for a successful day of giving.
We’ll explore the important role your website plays, powerful tactics you still have time to implement and the essentials for an integrated communications plan. Let us help you create a successful #GivingTuesday strategy that lasts well beyond a one-day event.
Kiersten Hill, Director of Nonprofit Solutions at Firespring
Kiersten Hill is Firespring’s Director of Nonprofit Solutions. She has almost 2 decades of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising before joining Firespring. She has raised over $20 Million for Nebraska nonprofit organizations and has worked to better train and equip nonprofit leaders and Boards of Directors. Kiersten made a move from nonprofit management and fundraising to Firespring with the goal to help assist, educate, and equipt nonprofits at a larger scale.
She is a rising thought leader and frequently speaks to nonprofit groups and other organizations about marketing, fundraising, board development and organizational change. Last year alone, Kiersten has presented in-person and virtually for more than 75 webinars and 16 nonprofit conferences. Kiersten is also a Storybrand Certified Guide and has led nonprofits in storytelling workshops as well as individual coaching. Kiersten’s presentation style is energetic, authentic, and easily relatable as she has walked years in the audience’s shoes.
Dana Bacardi, Senior Vice President of Philanthropy at Strat Labs
Dana Bacardi has 15 years experience in the nonprofit sector where she has specialized in several aspects of fundraising as VP of Development and later as VP of National Expansion with a national non-profit organization supporting families and children facing critical illness. Helping to grow the organization from the ground up, she has hands-on experience with everything from donor engagement, corporate sponsorship strategy and community events, to board development, grant writing, and major fundraising campaigns. Dana graduated with a Business Management and Communications degree from Bentley University in Boston. She began her career in the tech and wireless industry in Boulder, Colorado before moving into the non-profit sector in 2007. Dana is goal oriented, results driven and passionate about bringing people together for a greater good.
Melissa Shane, Vice President of Philanthropic Services at Strat Labs
Melissa Shane has extensive knowledge in the nonprofit sector with over 22 years of experience in fundraising, board development and management, philanthropic investment, nonprofit case support, and donor strategy. The last fourteen years of her career have been in-house at a large elite university and Illinois’s most extensive hospital system. She began her career in public affairs consulting in Washington DC and Chicago, where most of her clients needed expertise in nonprofit strategy and cause marketing campaigns, sprinkled in with a bit of politics and corporate foundations.
End your 2023 fundraising on a high note and learn how to optimize your short-term fundraising campaigns.
You’ll explore:
Upgrade your year-end giving (including #GivingTuesday) and let us help you create a successful strategy that lasts well beyond a one-day event to end 2022 strong—and start 2023 even stronger.
Kiersten Hill, Director of Nonprofit Solutions at Firespring
Kiersten Hill is Firespring’s Director of Nonprofit Solutions. She has almost 2 decades of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising before joining Firespring. She has raised over $20 Million for Nebraska nonprofit organizations and has worked to better train and equip nonprofit leaders and Boards of Directors. Kiersten made a move from nonprofit management and fundraising to Firespring with the goal to help assist, educate, and equipt nonprofits at a larger scale.
She is a rising thought leader and frequently speaks to nonprofit groups and other organizations about marketing, fundraising, board development and organizational change. Last year alone, Kiersten has presented in-person and virtually for more than 75 webinars and 16 nonprofit conferences. Kiersten is also a Storybrand Certified Guide and has led nonprofits in storytelling workshops as well as individual coaching. Kiersten’s presentation style is energetic, authentic, and easily relatable as she has walked years in the audience’s shoes.
Discover best practices, tips, and tricks for utilizing social media as a powerful fundraising tool! In this webinar, we’ll show you how to optimize your nonprofit’s online presence and share easy-to- implement strategies for attracting and converting donors on social media, both through organic posting and paid advertising. With over 4 billion users across platforms, now is your chance to expand your reach and amplify your voice, and fundraise for your mission.
Christine Vottima, VP of Strategy and Marketing at Strat Labs
Christine Vottima has worked with a large variety of organizations, ranging from nonprofits and start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations. She began her career in the B2B technology and cybersecurity industries and has since supported organizations within industries such as health, wellness, fashion, and more. Combining her education in Marketing and Psychology with her career experience, her true passion lies in marketing strategy by finding unique routes to market and new ways to reach target audiences.
Lexie Robles, Director of Marketing at Strat Labs
Lexie Robles has worked exclusively within fast-paced startup agencies, making her keen on strategic development, client experience, and team processes. She has developed and successfully launched digital marketing and communications strategies for various industries, such as hospitality, rehabilitation, mental health, senior housing, wellness, and more. Being Floridian and Puerto Rican, Lexie is passionate about approaching marketing with an inclusive lens and crafting stories that powerfully connect with each unique audience segment.
Your Year-End Appeal can make or break your annual budget. This session will review the elements you want to consider as you develop a strong appeal to maximize fundraising in Q4.
Kevin L. Mullin, MNM, CFRE
Kevin serves as President of the Estes Park Health Foundation in Estes Park, CO. He is also an adjunct professor of Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Denver. He has over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and fund raising, having previously served in leadership roles at multiple local and national organizations. Kevin has a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from Regis University and holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation. He has also earned a Master of Nonprofit Management degree and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Capacity Building from Regis, and is a graduate of the Institute for Leaders in Development at the University of Denver.
Shifting demographics, social events, and the pandemic have altered the way individuals and corporations view philanthropy. To effectively reach and engage donors, organizations must understand and adapt to these changes. This session explores donor motives, generational differences in philanthropic approaches, and ways grantmakers are altering their funder-grantee relationships. You’ll learn simple steps your organization can take to improve your resource development effectiveness.
Dan Prater, Senior Managing Consultant at FORVIS
Dan is the Senior Managing Consultant at FORVIS. He provides consulting services to numerous nonprofits and governmental organizations throughout the United States. His services include strategic planning, board governance, leadership transition, and organizational assessments.
Dan has an extensive background in nonprofit leadership and higher education. He was the founder of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Drury University (Springfield, MO). He co-created the university’s popular Master of Nonprofit and Civic Leadership degree and continues to serve as the lead instructor in the program.
He has been a leader in various nonprofit organizations, mostly in the areas of poverty, child abuse, and domestic violence.
Dan is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops throughout the nation. He has been published more than 50 times on nonprofit industry topics.
Search 1000+ funder and grant profiles – Community Resource Center’s comprehensive database has funding opportunities, including traditional foundations and trusts, corporate sponsorships to government loans and grants all supporting Colorado nonprofits.
Colorado Nonprofit Association members receive exclusive discounts on their Colorado Grants Guide subscriptions.
For new subscribers: Members receive 10% off their subscription by using the discount code CNAnew at the time of purchase.
For renewing subscribers: Members must reach out to Marcy Mitchell at guide@crcamerica.org to get your 15% off discount code.
Purchase or renew your subscription here.
Questions about the Colorado Grants Guide? Email guide@crcamerica.org.
Join the Colorado Gives Foundation to learn more about the tools and tactics your nonprofit can use to raise more this Colorado Gives Day and year-round. Not on ColoradoGives.org yet? This session will also cover the changes to enrollment that make it even easier for your nonprofit to join this statewide movement of generosity.
Colorado Gives Day is your chance to be a part of the largest nonprofit-support movement in the state. Enroll, update your account, access donor reports, leverage valuable fundraising and marketing tools – and make good happen for your organization!
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To help you dedicate more time to engage with donors, Colorado Gives has created a marketing toolkit to successfully promote and raise awareness for Colorado Gives Day. With a range of resources, including pre-made templates and materials, you can easily communicate with a consistent brand and message.
Jordan Brown, Nonprofit Success Manager, Colorado Gives Foundation
Success is the name of the game for Jordan who joined the Foundation in December 2022 as the Nonprofit Success Manager with the Colorado Gives 365 team. She brings over a decade of marketing, sales and partnership experience helping nonprofits make the most of online giving platforms. Before joining the Foundation team, Jordan was the manager of Enterprise Strategic Accounts for NeonOne and the Philanthropic Partnerships Manager for MightyCause which is the platform that drives ColoradoGives.org. Jordan has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies & English from Washington College. She participates in her community by actively supporting the Chaffee County Community Foundation.