Morning Keynote: Resourcing communities: The role of fundraisers in the social change ecosystem

Fundraisers can play an important role of connective tissue between donors, funders, and those closest to the problems our organizations aim to solve. What is our role now and how might it change in the future? How can we partner with donors in ways that honor their investment and make sure resources are really going to systemic change? What lessons do we need to learn and unlearn? Why are we fundraisers?

Farra Trompeter, co-director, will explore this in conversation with Shawnda Chapman, director of innovative grantmaking and research for The Ms. Foundation for Women and Mari Eva Mendes, chief development and communications officer for Girls for Gender Equity. Together they’ll discuss the need to question traditional approaches and apply newer models including community-centric fundraising and care-based philanthropy.

Learning objectives:

1. Explain the harmful impacts of traditional donor-centric fundraising and the need to build on trust-based philanthropy
2. Energize attendees with new ways to approach donor and community engagement
3. Provide attendees with frameworks and principles they can use to question or shift their practices
4. Reconnect attendees to what led them to pursue a career in philanthropy and fundraising