Join Tennessee Nonprofit Network for an exciting Board Fundraising Summit designed to transform how your organization approaches fundraising. This isn’t just another workshop—it’s a dynamic event focused on helping you better engage your board members and unlock new potential for your mission. You don’t have to bring your board members to participate, but you may win money if they come!
This is a can’t-miss opportunity for board members, fundraising staff, CEOs, and anyone on your team who wants to create a more collaborative and effective fundraising culture. Register here
About the Event
Schedule at a Glance
8:00am: Registration, Breakfast, and Fellowship
8:30am-9:15am: Welcome and Introductions
Dr. Kevin Dean, Tennessee Nonprofit Network
Michael Detroit, Playhouse on the Square
Trevor Benitone, Adams Keegan
9:15am-10:00am: Keynote Session: Developing a Culture of Fundraising on Your Board
Donna Murray-Brown, Inforum
10:00am-10:10am Break
10:10am-11:10am Meeting the Moment with Fundraising Success
Get ready for a high-energy, interactive presentation on how boards can meet the moment and increase their capacity to fundraise with two amazing experts on fundraising and board governance!
Katie Spencer, Zipline Consulting
Christy Gilmour, C. Gilmour Consulting
11:20am-12:10pm Panel Discussion: Creative Ways for Boards to Fundraise
Go beyond the traditional “give or get” model. This discussion will highlight diverse methods for board members to contribute to fundraising, including peer-to-peer campaigns, prospect identification, event sponsorship, and leveraging personal networks.
Michael Detroit, Playhouse on the Square
Kim James, Young Leaders Council
Forrest Alton, 1000 Feathers
TD Smyers, BoardBuild
12:10pm-1:00pm Lunch
1:00pm-2:30pm Practice Pod Part 1: Preparing Your Board Members for Foundation Meetings
Foundation leaders will serve as mentors to small groups of participants to explore what a winning partnership between staff leadership and board leadership looks like when meeting with a foundation. We’ll explore the do’s and don’ts, how to prepare board members for the meeting, how to delegate responsibility, and more!
Mentors:
Sutton Mora, Executive Vice President & COO, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis
Elizabeth Rouse, President & Chief Executive Officer, ARTSmemphis
Tracy Lauritzen Wright, Chief Operating Officer, ARTSmemphis
Jennie Dickerson, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis
2:35pm-3:30pm Practice Pod Part 2: The Ask
This is where participants get to “learn by doing,” or at least “learn by watching!” Four pairs of board member/staff member pairing will make an ask live on stage in front of Tony Bowen for 20 minutes. They’ll be participate in a “mini-pitch” to the foundation while the audience watches.
3:30pm-4:00pm: Practice Pod Part 3: The Reviews and the Winner
The foundation leader will provide feedback to the participants, and the winners will be announced and win cash for their organizations! Audience members will also provide feedback and ask questions of the foundation leader.
4:00pm-4:15pm: Closing Remarks
Dr. Kevin Dean, President & CEO, Tennessee Nonprofit Network
Our Keynote Speaker: Donna Murray-Brown
Donna Murray-Brown is the new President & CEO of Inforum, a professional development organization dedicated to advancing women. Her extensive leadership background includes serving as Vice President of Strategy and Development for the National Council of Nonprofits and a transformative eight-year tenure as President and CEO of Michigan Nonprofit Association.
A recognized leader in the nonprofit sector, Murray-Brown has been twice named to the NonProfit Times Power and Influence Top 50 and was honored by Crain’s Detroit Business as one of the most influential women in Michigan. She currently contributes her expertise to the boards of Candid and Detroit Public TV. Murray-Brown holds a master’s degree in community development from the University of Detroit Mercy and a B.S. in business administration from Central State University, with additional executive certifications from Harvard Business School and Boston College.
Introducing Practice Pods!
Get ready for an afternoon unlike any other you’ve ever experienced at our events! The afternoon will feature a brand-new way of learning: You’ll learn from actual foundation leaders before watching a real-time grant meeting simulation on the stage! The highlight of the day is our brand-new, three-part “Practice Pods” format, culminating in a foundation ask simulation with members of the audience!
Part 1: The Preparation
You and your board members will be matched with mentors from local foundations from across Tennessee. These experts will provide invaluable guidance on how to have a successful meeting with a foundation—including how to prepare, when to defer to the board member, and what not to say.
Part 2: The Ask
Get ready for a “foundation meeting” simulator! Up to four board and CEO pairs will pitch their organization and make a live ask on stage in front of national foundation leader. The audience will watch as the pair meets with a foundation leader and work together to answer some of the more difficult questions that foundations frequently ask.
Part 3: The Review
The foundation leader will publicly unpack the good, the bad, and the ugly of the pitches, providing real-time feedback on what worked, what didn’t, and what could be improved. The CEO/Board Chair pairs will be eligible to receive a grant for participating!
How to participate in the live “mini-pitch”: To be eligible, organizations must be members of Tennessee Nonprofit Network, be in compliance with the IRS and state of Tennessee, and have a board member present at the Summit.
Our Practice Pods Judge: Tony Bowen of the Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund®
We are thrilled to announce that Tony Bowen, Executive Director of the Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund®, will join us in Memphis on April 28th as the guest judge for our Practice Pods at the Nonprofit Board Fundraising Summit. Fidelity Charitable is an independent public charity that has awarded over $100 billion in grants to more than 461,000 organizations. In his current role, he manages the Catalyst Fund, a grantmaking program led by the Fidelity Charitable Board of Trustees dedicated to building bridges between donors and promising nonprofits. The Catalyst Fund supports intermediaries, including those in Tennessee and across the country, that engage donors, elevate nonprofits, and empower communities. His presence at the summit offers a rare opportunity for nonprofit staff and board members to receive direct feedback from a leader at one of the nation’s most significant philanthropic institutions.
Tony brings an incredible breadth of experience to our Practice Pods, having previously worked at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Democracy Fund, and sector infrastructure organizations such as Candid and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations. Currently, he serves on the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy Board of Visitors and University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy Board of Advisors and has spent time on the boards of local nonprofits such as Kid Power DC and Equality Maryland . During the Practice Pods, Tony will utilize his deep expertise in donor engagement and philanthropic data to help our attendees refine their fundraising pitches and strategies. His background in strengthening nonprofit operations and his commitment to effective giving make him the ideal judge to help our participants master the art of board-led fundraising.
Location
We are thrilled to host the Board Fundraising Summit at the iconic Playhouse on the Square, perfectly situated in the heart of vibrant Midtown Memphis. If you’re coming in town for the Summit, you’ll be in for a treat!
This prime location places you just steps away from Overton Square, an historic and dynamic entertainment district. Overton Square is a popular hub known for its lively energy, featuring a fantastic array of local restaurants, unique boutiques, cozy coffee shops, and diverse nightlife venues, making it the perfect spot to network and relax after the summit.
Pricing and Registration
Bring a Board Member Double Ticket (Members Only): $249
Members (Single Ticket): $159
Non-Member Ticket (Single Ticket): $199
*Includes breakfast and lunch