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Starter Major Giving Programs for Small Latinx Nonprofits
Friday, December 15, 2023 12:00 PM PST / 3:00 PM EST Register here > https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2870011656612164181 Its a very practical checklist of how to start a new small Major Giving program at your nonprofit. This is designed from small and low budget organizations just to start with a small portfolio of Major GIfts prospects. "Major Gifts" can defined by each organization and their demographics separately. It might be $5,000 or $35,000 depending on your organization. These are simple methods almost any organization can start and afford. It's a short powerpoint followed by deep discussion and counseling with our specialist in Major Giving. Founder of SEP, Armando Zumaya who has implemented many small Major Giving programs at nonprofits for the first time. Please Somos El Poder members ONLY. Armando Zumaya is the Founder of Somos El Poder, veteran fundraiser with 38 years in the field. |
The Power of Prospect Research: Your (Not So Secret) Weapon
Thursday, January 18, 2024 9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST Regsiter here > https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1712863629726653534 How well do you understand your donors? Which of your donors have the capacity and the inclination to give more to your nonprofit? If you don’t know, you could be leaving hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars on the table every year. Learn what prospect research is and how it helps make your outreach and solicitations more strategic. You will learn about the various resources and vendors available to help your research, with a focus on free or low-cost resources for organizations on a tight budget. Prospect research is your partner in building your targeted major and annual giving programs. The webinar is given by Josef Manuel Liles, Ph.D., prospect research and analytics professional with ten years of experience and post-graduate training in research methods. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. This webinar is FREE for SEP Member organizations |
Working with Your Board: Engagement and Recruitment
Wednesday, February 7, 2024 9:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM EST Register here > https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7913128446011437909 How do we educate, inform, and support our Board of Directors to be our allies? Boards can be powerful allies or undermine your development work. What are the best engagement methods, training and other methods to build a strong staff/board partnership to advance your institution? We will also talk about strategic Board recruitment to strengthen your organization. Presentation and discussion. Presented by Pedro Rivera. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Brought to you by GoTo Webinar® Webinars Made Easy® |
New weekly sessions!
CAFECITO SESSIONS (MEMBERS ONLY) Every Tuesday at 11 am PST / 2pm ET Whether or not you are a coffee person, all Somos El Poder and La Vanguardia Cohorts are welcome to attend. The Cafecito Sessions are informal gatherings to discuss all things fundraising. Whether you're looking to implement new techniques at work or seeking guidance on engaging cold prospects, this is the perfect opportunity para charlar con nosotros! You'll have the chance to connect with fellow Somos El Poder members, the La Vanguardia cohort, and special guest speakers as we dive into practical approaches discussed in our past webinars. Let's come together, share insights, and elevate our fundraising game! UPCOMING SESSIONS: Dec 12, 2023 11:00 AM Dec 19, 2023 11:00 AM Dec 24, 2023 (No session. Christmas break) Jan 2, 2024 11:00 AM Jan 9, 2024 11:00 AM Jan 16, 2024 11:00 AM REGISTER HERE > Registration is now required. These sessions will not be recorded. |
Individual Mailings (Paper and Electronic)
Instructor: Marco Corona. Individual mailings or Direct mail marketing is more than just stuffing envelopes. In this course, participants will learn how direct mail is the backbone of fundraising and a great lead generation tool. Participants will learn how to build a scalable direct mail program and boost the number of major donors to their organization. Marco Corona is a veteran fundraiser of over 20 years experience and Somos El Poder Board Member and Vice Chair. |
Tools Live Discussion: Using LinkedIn and Inside Philanthropy
Instructor: Armando Zumaya Most of us use LinkedIn these days for our professional communications and careers. However, LinkedIn is a powerful and often misunderstood tool for fundraising, prospect research, Board recruitment, DEI, and more. This will be a live demonstration and discussion with our Founder, Armando E Zumaya who will help you learn all he knows about using Linkedin. Armando has been in fundraising for over 36 years in a variety of roles that have given him a unique perspective on all aspects of development offices, fundraising culture, and Latinx in the US nonprofit world. |
Stewardship: How To Take Care of Your Donors After The Gift
Instructor: Pedro Rivera We focus a great deal on actually bringing in new donors and supporters. But most institutions fail when it comes to communicating, thanking, and engaging their donors after the gift has been made. There are ways to "steward" donors at all levels of giving. Many stewardship methods are inexpensive or even free. Learn from a veteran fundraiser and let's talk about creative stewardship methods relevant to your organization's size and budget. Taught by Pedro Rivera, Board Member, Somos El Poder, Director of Development for George Mason University. |
Best Practices Master Class: How Do You Raise Millions for Immigrant Rights- Every Year?
This session will be moderated by Somos El Poder Founder, Armando Enrique Zumaya. Angelica Salas, CEO of CHIRLA, The Coalitions of Humane Immigrant Rights. She has built CHIRLA into a powerhouse organization. CHIRLA provides service and advocacy at at a scale that most organizations working on these issues cannot. CHIRLA can do this because they have powerful fundraising in the foundation, governmental and individual giving areas. What were the key factors that grew CHIRLA's fundraising? Best investments. This event is for all Somos El Poder members but especially want to have other Latinx focused nonprofit Executive Directors literally learn from someone who has done it. Angela will give a brief presentation but this Master Class is designed to be a discussion with peers. We encourage you to bring your Board Members who need to understand the strategic investments needed to create a powerful resilient nonprofits. |
Somos El Poder Open House
Somos El Poder (SEP) shares why its mission is to help your nonprofit raise more money. Also, SEP trains individual Latinx fundraising professionals and those who want to enter the nonprofit fundraising profession. SEP brings together Latinx fundraising pro's teaching methods that have worked in other Latinx-focused nonprofits. Why Somos El Poder is different? and How can you benefit? What are your challenges and how we can help? Website page: https://www.somoselpoder.org/open-house.html Recording Here > |
Charity Navigator: How to use this free service to strengthen fundraising
Instructor: Noelani Pearl Hernandez Why should you keep your profile active? Charity Navigator is a free way to list your nonprofit and get legitimacy for donors. Currently, Latinx organizations are underrepresented and we would like to change that. Charity Navigator is a nonprofit, independent charity evaluator established in 2001, providing potential donors with data, tools, and other resources to guide their philanthropic decision-making. Every year, more than 11 million donors come to Charity Navigator to find and support charities that align with their passions and values. Come and learn more about the benefits of this database in your fundraising. Noelani Pearl Hernandez is the Vice President of Culture & Leadership, at Charity Navigator. Noelani has been active in nonprofit work for over 25 years. She has over two decades of nonprofit management experience working in development, public relations, board management, nonprofit/campaign strategy, civil rights, social justice, and diversity/inclusion; this vast experience gives her a unique view of the world, helping organizations thrive and pivot. |
The Art and Science of Donor Cultivation
Instructor: Mike Avila Donor Cultivation is both an art and science with elements of good dating practice. Join course instructor, Mike Avila, as he delves deep into the fundamentals of engaging a prospect and building a relationship prior to making a solicitation. Special attention will be paid to how a donor’s wants can align with your organization’s needs and how donor cultivation has changed in the COVID-19 environment. This course is intended for the beginner fundraiser as well as senior non-profit leaders who are not fundraisers but engage with donors. Mike Avila has been a Development Officer for over 20 years and is currently the Senior Vice President of Development at St. John's Health Center Foundation in Santa Monica, Ca. He has a BA in Political Science for the University of California, Los Angeles. He has been a contributor to Somos El Poder in the past. |
Cold Calling and Prospecting: Getting the First Appointment
Instructor: Armando Zumaya What do you do when you have a great prospect that nobody knows? This happens all too often to development officers of all levels. For many staff who are growing a major gifts program, this is often the majority of their portfolio of major gifts prospects. This training will help you get focused, learn techniques, tips and methods to reach cold donors and get that first meeting. This training will also help you create a professional learning community so your entire field staff can benefit from each other’s success and experience. If you want to reach new prospects, if you want to get to the prospects nobody else has been able to reach then this training is for you. This training is commonly attended by field fundraising staff of all levels, Executive Directors, Prospect Research and Management staff and volunteers. |
Launching a Corporate Partners Program
Instructor: Diana DeJesus-Medina Tapping local corporate funding requires consideration of scale, geography, mission, and network. Explore how your organization can consider, prepare for and launch a plan to tap into corporate funding. We’ll cover:
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Board Training: Myths and Powerful Truths of Fundraising
This is our first training designed just for Board Members of Latinx focused nonprofits. There are many myths and misconceptions about fundraising we want to address. Most importantly we want to outline the best proven ways Board Members, as volunteers can support powerful and transformative fundraising at their nonprofits. We all want to see our organizations strong, grow the budget, raise salaries, expand services. All of that is dependent on fundraising. Come learn how you can make the difference between survival funding and growth funding. Armando Zumaya has been in fundraising for 36 years in a variety of roles that have given him a unique perspective on all aspects of development offices, fundraising culture and Latinx in the US nonprofit world. |
Introduction to Giving Circles for Latinx Nonprofits
Instructor: Sara Lomelin A giving circle brings a group of people with shared values together to collectively discuss and decide where to make a pooled gift. Giving circles support with their dollars, but also build awareness, volunteer, become board members and more. Individuals multiply their impact and knowledge, have fun, and connect with their local community. How can Latinx focused nonprofits empower large groups of small donors, create synergy and impact with their giving? We will hear from a leader in this movement, Sara Lomelin. She has helped developed this method in Latinx giving and has started her own nonprofit, Philanthropy Together to bring it to many communities nationally. Sara Lomelin is a connector of people and ideas, a relationship builder and a firm believer that everyone can be a philanthropist. A self-proclaimed philanthropy disruptor, Sara has traveled the world speaking about the power of collective giving and the correlation between civic engagement and Latino philanthropy. She is an expert in diversifying philanthropy. As founding CEO of Philanthropy Together, Sara is growing a movement of people-powered philanthropy to resource grassroots nonprofits, shift power dynamics, and promote widespread philanthropy. Sara is frequently featured at high profile conferences and events for innovative leaders and big ideas, including TED 2022, Netroots Nation, and Unity Summit. An expert on the future of philanthropy, Sara is often quoted in news outlets including Forbes, The Associated Press, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy and her writing appears in Ms. Magazine and Philanthropy Women. Prior to Philanthropy Together, Sara served as Senior Director of Leadership Philanthropy at Opportunity Fund, now Accion Opportunity Fund. Previously at the Latino Community Foundation, Sara served as VP of Philanthropy for eight years and created the Latino Giving Circle Network™—the largest network of Latinx philanthropists in the US with 22 circles and 500 members. |
Engaging Foundation Program Officers
Instructor: Armando Zumaya Too many nonprofits send off blind proposals to foundations. Its crucial to engage directly with Program Officers at Foundations who can give your organization major support. How do we this effectively and respectfully? What are key methods, sources of information and tactics? Armando will talk you through methods he has successfully used for years to start conversations with foundation leaders that has generated new grants and support. We will also ask for other members of the audience to share techniques and practices. Armando Enrique Zumaya is the Founder of Somos El Poder, a veteran fundraiser of 36 years experience. He lectures internationally on fundraising in the US, Mexico and the UK. |
Raising Money for US Latinx Nonprofits Across the Border
Instructor: Lety Martinez Let's talk about cross-border fundraising. How do we engage donors in Mexico to support US causes? How do we engage US donors to support work in Mexico? It's a smaller world than we know and there are donors all over the world who care about what is happening in the US. Let's find our donors where ever they are. Lety Martinez Hermosillo is one of the finest fundraisers in the nation who has raised six and seven figure gifts from Latino's on both sides of the border. As Director of Philanthropy, Lety Martinez leads the planning, development, and implementation of all communications, marketing and fundraising activities across the organization. She stewards ICF’s relationship within Mexican foundation networks and has helped ICF earn recognition as key funder for Mexican organizations. She magnifies the culture of philanthropy across ICF staff and board members. Lety was recently awarded Outstanding Development Professional of the Year 2021 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) San Diego Chapter. She joined the International Community Foundation in August 2017 as the Marketing & Development Manager. Lety has over 12 years of experience successfully fundraising and stewarding donor relations for several Mexican nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining ICF, Lety served as the Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Tijuana. She was previously Youth Program and Fundraising Director for Centro de Formación Humana and a Social Investment Director for Fundación Dibujando un Mañana. Lety has also served as a volunteer in Budapest, Hungary at Szent Benedek Iskola and the Regnum Christi. Lety is a graduate of Universidad Anáhuac México Norte where she received a Master of Family Sciences for Counseling, and she is certificated in Non-Profit Management by United Way Mexico and USAID. Previously she earned her B.A. in International Business from Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) Campus San Luis. She’s currently a graduate student in Nonprofit. |
The Power of Prospect Research: Your (Not So Secret) Weapon
Instructor: Josef Manuel Liles, Ph.D. How well do you understand your donors? Which of your donors have the capacity and the inclination to give more to your nonprofit? If you don’t know, you could be leaving hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars on the table every year. Learn what prospect research is and how it helps make your outreach and solicitations more strategic. You will learn about the various resources and vendors available to help your research, with a focus on free or low-cost resources for organizations on a tight budget. Prospect research is your partner in building your targeted major and annual giving programs. Josef Manuel Liles, Ph.D., prospect research and analytics professional with ten years of experience and post-graduate training in research methods. |
Communications Planning
Instructor: Marco Corona Are your donors on track to make bigger gifts? The best way to make sure is through a communications plan. You have limited time, energy, and resources. By segmenting your donors and providing them with relevant content, you'll see donors start to get more invested in your mission. The more you can raise, the more you can do. In this one-hour session, you'll run through exercises that will help you identify your segments, create profiles/personas, think strategically about content, and start creating a 12-month communications schedule. Marco Corona is the Senior Development Officer at Southern Environmental Law Center. He has served in a Development role for over 16 years. He is on the Board of Directors of Somos El Poder. |
Unlocking Fundraiser's Potential
Instructor: Sonya Perez You have the head knowledge on HOW to fundraise but why the heck does it still FEEL so hard? It's not your fault - you're not lazy, incompetent, or flawed in any way - stop beating yourself up! It's time to start integrating your experiences, history, and brilliance and begin raising massive amounts of funds for the missions you care so deeply about from a place of authenticity and empowerment. Learn how to uncover and work with your mental, emotional, and embodied blocks when it comes to talking about and asking for money. A conversation with holistic leader coach, Sonya Perez. Sonya identifies as Chicana, Latina, Mexican-American, and bi-cultural human. In her words, "I am both privileged and know marginalization. My ethnic identity and ancestral roots guide and ground me. I have walked the complex journey of identity development in a racialized society and know it has provided me with an invaluable perspective on change, belonging, and the ability to integrate what supports me and others to thrive." She personally knows the stress, anxiety, and fear linked with fundraising, board development, and creating change within nonprofit organizations. But she has discovered, it doesn't have to feel so stressful, and in fact, if we want to sustainably do our work, it is the internal shift and transformation that will unlock our true potential and enable us to create a life and work we love. |
Dynamic Small Events: Engage and Cultivate Major Gifts Prospects
Presented by Armando Zumaya So many small events are wasted opportunities to energize new prospects with the mission of your institution/organization. This training will teach you to create small dinners that will directly help you prospect and fill your pipeline with major gifts prospects. Guided by your Prospect Research and Management staff these small events will help you to get your best prospects in the room, qualify those prospects and gather information on them. Through these dinners you will be able to qualify and start new relationships with dozens of people at a time. They are often very inexpensive to run and will help you raise more money in a tough economy. These dinner stand out in that the attendee’s are highly screened and invited in a way that fills the room with the best prospects available. This training is great for all types of field fundraising staff, Prospect Research and Management staff and Event staff. It is also useful for Executive Directors who have to do fundraising but don’t have staff. |
First Visit: The Qualification and Discovery Call with a New Prospect
Presented by Armando Zumaya What do you do when your have your first meeting with a new donor? How do you start the relationship right, how do you determine if this person is a major gifts prospect. Strong qualification will help you build a worthwhile relationship for your institution and bring in big gifts. These methods apply if you're also working on Corporations or Foundations. This seminar will help you qualify the right prospects and start major relationships. |
Basics of Federal Grants
Presented by Mami and Papi Let’s take a step-by-step approach to federal grants, how do you find them, write them and advance them. Mari and Papi are veteran grant writers with a specialty and a long track record creating successful federal grant proposals. They will cover the following aspects:
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Introduction to Planned Giving
Presented by Yuri Casco A planned gift can make the difference on the future of a non-profit organization, that is what many organizations discovered in the midst of covid-19 pandemic. “…over-reliance by nonprofits on just ‘keeping the lights on’ is a short sighted strategy that steadily erodes the long-term survival of the organization. As important as annual giving campaigns are in the fundraising practices of the nonprofit sector, developing a steady stream of sustained long-term financial security deserves at least equal – if not the greater – priority.” - The Philadelphia Foundation, July 2010. Yuri Casco is a veteran 20 year fundraiser who has worked primarily in medical fundraising, she is currently a Director of Development at Keck/USC Medicine in Los Angeles, CA. She is a Board Member of Somos El Poder. |
The Art and Science of Donor Cultivation
Presented by Mike Avila Donor Cultivation is both an art and science with elements of good dating practice. Join course instructor, Mike Avila, as he delves deep into the fundamentals of engaging a prospect and building a relationship prior to making a solicitation. Special attention will be paid to how a donor’s wants can align with your organization’s needs and how donor cultivation has changed in the COVID-19 environment. This course is intended for the beginner fundraiser as well as senior non-profit leaders who are not fundraisers but engage with donors. |
Identifying and Maximizing Corporate Donors
Presented by Rossana Salgado-McDonald Corporate supporters can be perfect partners for nonprofit organizations, with an abundance of engagement opportunities. Through this workshop, you'll gain insight into how to identify supporters from the business world, and how to build symbiotic relationships. You will soon see potential corporate partners as gifts that keep on giving with multiple entry points for generosity. Need to secure event sponsors? Corporate partners! Need volunteers or board members? Corporate partners! Need cause-related marketing allies? Corporate partners! Need grants to support your programs or services? Again - corporate partners and corporate foundations! Rossanna Salgado-McDonald- is a veteran fundraiser with a long record of success. She has remarkable 20 year record in fundraising in diverse positions. She is currently serving as the Director of Development and Communications at the Unity Council in Oakland, CA. Vice President, Fund Development and Communications |
Mobilizing Resources Beyond Dollars
Presented by Shantel Suarez-Avila This session will provide you with a fresh perspective on how you can organize your next fundraising campaign that showcases the power of people and resources while using a community-centered strategy to help you push for systematic change. Come prepared with an open mind and commitment to centering people and community in your fundraising efforts. Shantel Suarez-Avila is curious, caring, collaborative, creative, and committed. For over 10 years, these are the values that have guided Shantel’s work beginning with her first fundraising role at Obama for America Headquarters in 2012 to helping raise over $25MM for community-led non-profit organizations. Today, Shantel is proud to live a life filled with joy, gratitude, agency, and love. This would not have been possible without her commitment to fundraise differently, work differently, and live differently - in essence, challenging her own reality and going Más Allá (beyond).Shantel is an alumna of DePaul University in Chicago, IL where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy, Concentration in Urban Studies. She is also certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Change Management Specialist. Shantel is originally from Chicago, IL and now a proud resident of Escondido, California. Connect with Shantel on LinkedIn. |
Token Free Board Recruitment for Latinx Nonprofits
Presented by Armando E. Zumaya This is a national issue, the lack of diversity in nonprofit Boards. Too often we have a few token people of color. How do we create a board that is culturally relevant to our organization but is diverse. Where do we find successful and philanthropic Latinx in our communities that will serve on our Board of Directors? What's the recruitment process like and how do we welcome and retain them. Recruiting powerful new Board members can also accelerate fundraising. Armando Zumaya is the Founder of Somos El Poder and a 38 year fundraising veteran. |
Fundraising Assessments for Latinx Nonprofits
Presented by the Board of SEP How do you improve fundraising? Let's take a look at a simple way to study your resources (money, staff, volunteers), your community and constituents and finally the growth needs of your nonprofit. How do we pick the best strategy to advance your fundraising? This is half presentation and half discussion. Its designed to help Somos El Poder members design future fundraising growth. We will review a wide range of fundraising methods and talk about the investments require to launch and implement these methods. |
How I Learned to Love Technology: Harness Integrative Tools for Creativity and Relationship Building
Presented by Alex Carpena-Rousso This seminar, presented by SEP Board Member Alexa Carpena-Rousso is about how we can use database and other technologies to advance fundraising. The necessary background work to not just document our lists, but automate and improve the relationships we develop. Too many nonprofits neglect their donors once they give, too may organizations lose information about donors and prospects. This presentation will help you prioritize this vital behind the scenes work. |
Getting the First Appointment with Major Gifts Prospects
Presented by: Armando E. Zumaya Why do some Development Officers get to new philanthropists…..first? How can you reach the philanthropists everyone wants to talk to and introduce your institution? Every organization has their top prospects they would love to reach, perhaps they aren't billionaires but they are the people who can make those game changing gifts! We ask Development Officers to reach new major gifts prospects. But often nobody realizes that getting a difficult or first appointment is a learned skill. I offer a unique training based on 34 years of experience in the field. I have literally had those "conversations with billionaires" and I can help train you to do so as well. These skills can also help development officers obtain key meetings with Foundation Staff, Corporate Giving Staff and others. This is not a training that teaches theory or generalities but solid practice, methods and techniques. This type of training is simply not offered elsewhere. We will go through the basics of approach, attitude, scripting, voicemail, working with assistants, practice and reaching difficult to reach prospects. |
Communications Planning
Presented by: Marco Corona Are your donors on track to make bigger gifts? The best way to make sure is through a communications plan. You have limited time, energy, and resources. By segmenting your donors and providing them with relevant content, you'll see donors start to get more invested in your mission. The more you can raise, the more you can do. In this one-hour session, you'll run through exercises that will help you identify your segments, create profiles/personas, think strategically about content, and start creating a 12-month communications schedule. Marco Corona is the Chief Development Officer at One80 Place in Charleston South Carolina. He has served in a Development role for over 16 years. He is on the Board of Directors of Somos El Poder. |
Copyright @2023 Somos El Poder, A National Latinx Fundraising Institute.
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