THE JUNE DIGEST 

Nominations Now Open for AFP's 2024 Distinguished Fellows

AFP's Distinguished Fellows Program recognizes individuals who have made significant leadership contributions to philanthropy and the fundraising profession, and who continue to advance ethical and effective fundraising through their volunteer and advisory work. The designation represents the pinnacle of service to AFP and the profession, and to the tenets of giving, volunteerism, and philanthropy. They are now accepting nominations for the 2024 class of Distinguished Fellows to be recognized at ICON 2024. The deadline for submission of completed nominations is October 1, 2024. Click here for more information.

"A More Meaningful Board Treasurer"

Written by Sue Greenberg, Executive Director of Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA), this blog post discusses the evolving role of the treasurer in nonprofit organizations, highlighting how treasurers start with significant financial duties but often see these responsibilities diminish as organizations grow and tasks are delegated to staff. It emphasizes the need for nonprofits to redefine the treasurer's role to ensure active and effective financial oversight by the entire board, suggesting changes like setting term limits, improving role clarity, and providing ongoing financial education for board members to maintain fiscal health and accountability. Click here to read the full article. 

"Where Strategic Philanthropy Went Wrong" 

This article from the Stanford Social Innovation Review critiques the ineffectiveness of strategic philanthropy in achieving national societal improvements. It advocates for a shift to 'empowerment philanthropy,' focusing on supporting communities to find their own solutions and fostering self-determination. This approach prioritizes local empowerment over traditional top-down funding methods that often overlook community-specific needs. Click here to read the full article.

"Here We Go Again (and Again and Again): Let’s Stop Looking for the One ‘New Approach’ to Philanthropy" 

This article from The Center for Effective Philanthropy argues against the pursuit of constantly new approaches in philanthropy. Buchanan emphasizes that the quest for a revolutionary new method often overlooks the effectiveness of existing practices that are already helping achieve significant impacts. He advocates for focusing on and improving these proven strategies rather than always seeking to reinvent the wheel. This approach encourages a more grounded and realistic perspective on philanthropic effectiveness​. Click here to read the full article.

"Small Tokens of Appreciation Can Motivate Lapsed, Uncommitted Donors,

Study Finds"

This article, published in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, discusses the findings of a recent study that reveals small thank-you gifts can significantly boost donations from uncommitted and lapsed donors. The study showed that incentives particularly increased engagement among infrequent donors without deterring regular donors. Additionally, the findings suggest that openly advertising such incentives can enhance donor motivation, contrary to the fear that it might cheapen the act of giving. This approach could help nonprofits and educational institutions make their fundraising efforts more cost-effective by selectively targeting less frequent donors with small gifts​. Click here to read the entire article.

Illinois Arts Council Reboots

The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) has announced sweeping changes in its grantmaking, including a streamlined 3-year cycle for general operating support. The application deadline is July 19, 2024. Jackie Banks-Mahlum, IAC’s southern region program director, will review the council’s grant opportunities and is looking forward to connecting with creatives, art educators, nonprofits arts orgs, and other community-based arts programmers. Click here to view the guidelines.

Productive Living Board for St. Louis County Citizens with Developmental Disabilities Offers Grant Opportunity

The Productive Living Board (PLB) has announced funding opportunities for projects related to transportation and outreach that increase awareness of and accessibility to services, as well as projects on housing that foster independent living, and more. Letters of Intent are due by Friday, July 12, 2024.  Click here for more information. 

REGISTER - The Rome Group's 2024 Philanthropic Landscape:

Leveraging Technology for Radical Connection

Nathan Chappell, SVP of DonorSearch AI, is a globally recognized authority on the intersection of AI and generosity. Join us for a keynote that explores the current state of AI in fundraising and its transformative potential for the charitable sector.  Using current data and analysis, Philanthropic Landscape attendees will understand the importance of measuring and prioritizing connection and discover which technologies can help them work smarter, not harder. In addition to the keynote presentation, The Rome Group will share the findings from the Giving USA Report as well as results from our annual survey of local nonprofits. Click here to learn more and register.

REGISTER - Spectrum Marketing Conference

The Nonprofit Marketer's Network of STL has announced their annual Spectrum Marketing Conference will be held on October 18 at Webster University.Spectrum is the premier location for professional development for nonprofit marketers and communicators. This day-long event is filled with best practices and cutting-edge ideas from leading minds and voices in the nonprofit marketing sector. Click here to register and view for more information.

REGISTER - AFP LEAD 2024 Conference

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has announced the dates for their annual LEAD conference. LEAD 2024 will take place in St. Louis, MO on October 16-18. AFP reports they are currently accepting proposals for education sessions. Click here to register and view the detailed event schedule.

SAVE THE DATE - Grant Professionals Association (GPA) 

2024 St. Louis Chapter Conference

St. Louis Regional GPA Chapter is hosting their annual conference on September 13, 2024. Attendees will explore the intricate web of grant funding, harness the power of grant professionals, and build a brighter future for organizations and communities. The conference's Call for Presenters deadline is July 15, 2024. Click here to learn more.

Nonprofit Job Openings 

See the latest opportunities to serve your community. 

The People Section

Congratulations to the following individuals who are starting new roles in the St. Louis nonprofit community.

Charmain Aaron, Vice President of Engagement, Greater St. Louis, Inc.

Irene Alberro, Chief Administrative Officer, Every Child’s Hope

Caron Bacon, Director, Evaluation & Learning, BJC Community Health Improvement

Doneisha Bohannon, Director, Community Health Initiatives, BJC HealthCare

Claude Bond, MBA, Director of Development, Flance Early Learning Center

Pete Cerone, Acting Executive Director, Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation

Abbie Enlund, Vice President of Philanthropy and Development, KidSmart - Tools for Learning

Stephanie Grise, JD, MBA, EVP, Chief Operating Officer, St. Louis Development Corporation

Lisa Iken, Executive Director, Kirkwood School District Foundation

Nicole Kozma, Director, Schools & Outreach Programs, St. Louis Children’s Hospital/ BJC Community Health Improvement

Katie McGovern, Director of Major Gifts, Parkinson's Foundation

Kelly McKay-Gist, Vice President of Health Equity and Culture, St. Louis Integrated Health Network

Kate McKearn, Chief Executive Officer, Eye Thrive

Heather Mueller, Assistant Director of Development, Forsyth School

Christopher M. Nolan, Director, Community Benefit Anchor Initiatives, BJC Healthcare

Tamyka Gilliam Perine, Executive Director, Gateway Early Childhood Alliance

Alexa Richards, Career Development Coach, Rung for Women

Katy Robertson, MBA, CFRE, Director of Development, Rx Outreach

Julie Scott Soffner, President of the Office of Catholic Education and Formation, Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation

Joslyn Stone, Walk Manager, Alzheimer’s Association

Sarah Topal, Executive Director, Criminal Justice Ministry

Christina ‘V’ Verbarg, Development Manager, Rung for Women

Queenie Vesey, Food & Farm Specialist, A Red Circle

Robert C. Vogel, Chief Development Officer, The SoulFisher Ministries

JoJo Weatherspoon, Program & Learning Manager, Philanthropy Missouri

Do you have news about a job opening, new hire, promotion, or other happenings? If so, send us your news and we’ll consider including it in our next issue of Insights. 

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