As September sets in, dropping temperatures and falling leaves signal the arrival of Autumn.  And even though the trees and bears are getting ready to rest, the final months of the year can be especially demanding for nonprofits—a time when organizations work hard to engage donors, meet fundraising goals, and close financial gaps.

That makes this an apt time to focus on fundraising, and we are excited to welcome Jumping Mouse Children’s Center Executive Director Jeff Cain to lead a workshop at JCF on Fundraising 101: A Practical Guide to the Elements of Fundraising.

This introductory, half-day course approaches fundraising through the lens of identity and belonging, offering a relationship-centered framework for engaging donors and building trust. Jeff will introduce seven practices that high-performing nonprofits use consistently over time to strengthen donor relationships and generate more funding.

Jeff’s presentation draws from his book, The Forgotten Foundations of Fundraising: Practical Advice and Contrarian Wisdom for Nonprofit Leaders, as well as 25 years of leadership and consulting experience across the business, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors. In addition to leading Jumping Mouse, Jeff is principal of Lemolo Bay Advisors, a fundraising consulting firm serving nonprofit organizations whose missions are “unambiguously good.”

It appears this topic struck a chord: our first workshop filled quickly! We consistently hear from organizations that they are seeking support with their fundraising and we want our nonprofits to have strong development programs and partnerships that help them generate the resources they need to do their good work in this community.  Bringing leaders together to learn from and with each other is one way JCF can build our collective capacity for changemaking work.

We are pleased to offer a second session of Fundraising 101 with the same content in mid-October. The seminar is free and open to nonprofit organizations serving Jefferson County.