As competition for the charitable dollar continues to heat up, Southwest Florida nonprofits are asking some very fundamental questions about new ways to raise funds to support their missions. Over the past year, Cape Coral Community Foundation has helped more than 100 nonprofits get past “we’ve always done it this way, we’ve tried that before, and fundraising is so hard.”
Because of this direct experience working with nonprofits to increase their capacity, people have asked me to put together a list of impressive fundraising professionals.
This is not an exhaustive list or hardcore research. The list was put together simply by asking participants in our nonprofit members' program, an annual membership program for nonprofit executives and fundraising professional who look to the Cape Coral Community Foundation for leadership in the areas of how to raise more money, build their board of directors and recruit and retain more volunteers.
What makes a successful fundraising professional?
The love of humanity is in all walks of life and in fundraising professionals; especially those who work in Southwest Florida, there are some very talented people raising money for nonprofit organizations.
Fundraising is a tough job. The hours are long, fundraising professionals spend many days away from home building relationships on behalf of their organizations, and unless you work for one of the top nonprofits in the region, the pay is not always glamorous.
The timeframe required to cultivate donor relationships is long and tiring, and if you ask any fundraising professional why they have chosen this career, they will tell you, you do it for the love of humanity and a chance to see problems solved, and lives changed for the better.
Fundraising is an honorable job, and for professionals to find success, they must receive support, training and a healthy work environment.
The top 20 Southwest Florida fundraising professionals are:
1. Stefanie Ink Edwards, Community Cooperative
2. Z. Allen Abbott, Cypress Cove
3. Tracy Connelly, Guadalupe Center
4. Susan Suarez, Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida
5. Jeff Muddell, Lee Health
6. Aaron Lapp, Conservancy of Southwest Florida
7. Darlene Grossman, Hope Hospice
8. Jan Sommer, Quality Life Center
9. Gina Lombardo, Bishop Verot
10. Vickie Rydz, Goodwill of Southwest Florida
11. Angela Melvin, Valerie’s House
12. Teresa Stohs, Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples
13. Karen Watson, Our Mother’s Home
14. Nickole Hendra, Dress for Success
15. Amy Ginsburg, Southwest Florida Symphony
16. Sara Jordan, Habitat for Humanity
17. Miriam Pereira, Harry Chapin Food Bank
18. Megan Rose, Flourish Now
19. Renee Pesci, Florida Repertory Theatre
20. Allyson Ross, Pace Center for Girls
Michael Chatman is president & CEO of the Cape Coral Community Foundation, the global center for generosity, and can be reached at michael@capecoralcf.org, on Twitter @michaelchatman. The foundation is located at 1405 SE 47th Terrace, Unit 2, Cape Coral. For information, call 239-542-5594 or go to www.capecoralcf.org