News from the Institute for Leaders in Development

Community-Centric Fundraising

Led by Andrea Pacheco, ILD '20, Development Director, Project Angel Heart and Amy Daly, ILD ' 14, Communications and Development Consultant

The Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) movement began with the work of Vu Le and his colleagues in the Northwest in 2015. Today, the movement has spread across with country with local chapters popping up, including one right here in Colorado. CCF is grounded in 10 principles with a central focus on race, equity, and social justice. Since the movement began, they've learned that when organizations continue to center these values, greater retention of BIPOC fundraisers follows.

Key Questions to Consider
1. Are you aware of the power dynamics and imbalances that exist within your organization and your community?
2. Donor-first language is pervasive. Do your communications encourage the "savior myth" that centers the donor as the superhero? How does this approach reinforce or impact power imbalances?
3. How could your communications reflect that you equally value all members of your community?
4. Do we value time equally as money?

If you're just getting started with these principles, remember that everyone has ability within themselves to start to make change. If you were able to make a 15% shift, what would that look like? It might include changing the images you use or way you offer tours to avoid poverty tourism, or shifting from "you" to "we" language, or publicly supporting social justice movements and denouncing acts of hatred.

Engaging Donors of Color

Led by Renee Ferrufino, ILD '16, Vice President of Development, The Women's Foundation of Colorado


To engage with donors of color and build meaningful relationships, organizations must show a commitment to understanding different cultures and their unique values around giving. For example, many diverse donors give to houses of worship or religious groups that play an integral role in their lives and their communities. You may also learn that these donors value and give to organizations that focus specifically on their own race or ethnic group as well universities or educational programs providing opportunities to first-generation college students.

Build authentic relationships with your donors of color and create an inclusive culture among your board of directors to encourage these donors to take leadership roles. In its June 2021 report on board composition and practices, Board Source noted that 78% of board members in its survey sample were white. Similarly, a recent survey by the Center for Effective Philanthropy found that of 218 foundations that responded, more than half (57%) had fewer than 25% people of color representation on their board. Yet, research shows that organizations with more BIPOC leaders on their boards express a stronger commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion internally and to racial justice being incorporated as a programmatic priority externally.

What can you do? How do you "walk the talk"?

• Let the community drive your program choices and seek donors who align with these needs and your mission.
• Use tools like "Awake Awoke To Work" from the Kresge Foundation.
• Allocate the time and resources needed to be successful.
• Transition your leadership from the mindset that this work can be finished. This is forever work.
• Create an organizational action plan.

All the Resources! 

These speakers shared numerous resources with the class. Add these links to your bookmarks--stat!

• AFP Code of Ethical Standards
• AFP Donor Bill of Rights
• Colorado Nonprofit Association's Principles & Practices in Nonprofit Excellence
• APRA's DEI Data Guide
• AHP Professional Standards of Conduct
• Association of Donor Relations Professionals Ethics Statement
  
• Apra Due Diligence Toolkit
  
• Apra Ethics and Compliance Toolkit
• Association of Advancement Services Statement of Ethics
• CASE Statement of Ethics
• Independent Sector's Principles for Good Governance
• National Council for Nonprofits

Ethics in Philanthropy - A Panel Discussion

Led by Erin Osborn (pictured left, right), Director, Prospect Research, Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation;

Amy Stewart, (pictured middle, right) ILD '12, Senior Director, Philanthropic Development, Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation;

Lindsey Hersey, (pictured right, bottom), Human Resources Director, Dumb Friends League

Key Takeaways

• It's important to have conversations about ethics regularly and to update your policies to ensure that they are legally compliant, but also in keeping with your mission and values. 
• You will sometimes be put in a position where you are educating a donor, boss, or community member. Talk about the likelihood of this situation ahead of time so that you are prepared. Having strong policies and great resources at the ready will be helpful. 
• The key ethical concern in DEI data collection is that it must be self-identified/self-disclosed.

Clifton Strengths & Strengths-Based Leadership 

Dr. Ellen Winiarczyk, Director, Nonprofit Studies Program, University of Denver University College 
[pictured right]

• A strengths-based approach is really impactful for teams. A much-loved example is Lessons from Geese, including the importance of standing by each other when one is weak and when one is strong.
• Operating in your "strengths zone," you may find improved: confidence, direction, hope, kindness, and a greater chance of good health outcomes in life. 
• Using this tool can increase employee and team satisfaction.
• Effective leaders surround themselves with the right people and build on each person’s strengths
  • Diversifying team members' strengths activates innovation, adaptation, and ability to deal with changes
  • Broader groupings of a team’s strengths contribute to overall success

What's next? The cohort will receive a chart of everyone's strengths so that they're able to connect with and use one another as resources throughout the year.

Meet one of Colorado's Early Philanthropists of the Mining Era

Clara Brown came west and became a successful business owner...she was also extraordinarily generous to others in Colorado. Learn more about her by visiting Colorado Women's Hall of Fame. Clara is also mentioned in several books about this chapter of Colorado history.

History of Philanthropy in the US

Rebecca Arno, Chief Impact and Innovation Officer, Barton Institute for Community Action [pictured right], led the morning session, which provided an understanding of how the third sector came to be and how the history of charitable giving in the U.S. created the environment we have today.

The Role of Women Throughout History
The Smithsonian article, "The Storied History of Giving in America" includes diverse perspectives about the role of women in philanthropy. Interestingly, social activist Emily Bissel worried that women getting the vote would take away from their power in the charitable space.

A few decades later and thousands of miles away, a group of young activists in New York’s Chinatown also understood the connections between access to health care and equal citizenship." The group formed what would become the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center that still exists today.

Consider the Role of the Government in Forming/Balancing the Nonprofit Sector

(1) Regulation of influence (laws allowing and prohibiting lobbying); (2) Taxation (early tax laws spurred the creation of major foundations); (3) Involvement in addressing social issues: Hoover’s “low-cost governance” vs. Roosevelt’s “New Deal"

Philanthropy isn’t just for the wealthy

Early examples of mass philanthropy include campaigns to support the Red Cross and other public health campaigns.
Narratives of philanthropy are diverse and inspiring, a few groups to know:

Black Resilience of Colorado | Latino Community Foundation of Colorado

Native Americans in Philanthropy

Introducing the Newest ILD Class

Congratulations on your Graduation!

The Class of 2023 graduated May 16th at University of

Denver. ILD was pleased to welcome Lorii Rabinowitz, Chief Executive Officer of Denver Scholarship Foundation as the keynote speaker. Lorii recognized ILD, including alumni who've worked on her team for their achievements and dedication to this important and fulfilling work. Jeremy Johnson spoke on behalf of his class perfectly summarizing the ILD experience from the excitement at the beginning, to the numerous opportunities to learn from one another throughout the year, to the Capstone project and presentations.

Alumni, volunteers, board members, faculty, sponsoring organizations and guests of our alumni enjoyed the evening reception. We are happy to welcome each of you to the ILD alumni community!

Graduates front row left to right: Sam Lincoln, Sarah Korn, Chrsti Meyer, Jenna Kamlet, Leslie LeFever, Jeremy Jones. Back row left to right: Gaby Garayar, Jenny Martin, Aimee Quadri-Chavez, Theresa Garcia, and Maggie St. Clair.

Not pictured: Marsha High III

Led by Gordon Smith (below left), Associate Vice President, Planned Giving, National Jewish Health | Also featuring panelists Krista Boscoe (below center), Director of Development and Kevin Mullin NMN CFRE, ILD '13 (below right), President, Estes Park Health Foundation

Many of you have had the chance to learn from Gordon over the years. You likely remember one his donor stories--relationships built over many years in support to National Jewish. Once again, Gordon led the class through the basics of planned giving, with the goal of helping each participant become more confident in asking for planned gifts and also leveraging these gifts as part of a blended gift. Dispelling the persistent myth that planned giving is just too complicated, he makes the topic approachable as he shares his expertise.

Panelists Krista and Kevin both manage successful planned giving programs in smaller shops, with fewer resources and staff time to allocate. Class members learned how each decides which elements to outsource versus complete in-house to help save time. As we've heard throughout the year, carefully planning your time and managing your calendar is another important part of making time for planned giving.