Expanding your donor community: New funders

Series description: 
In uncertain times, diversifying your donor base is more important than ever. In this discussion series, we’ll get granular about how to expand your donor community authentically and sustainably. We’ll explore what it takes to supercharge revenue growth and, simultaneously, forge deep connections between your mission and your community—to achieve lasting impact.

Our 2025 event series will explore:

• How to authentically connect with new donor communities 
• How to steward new relationships for long-term connection
• How to set your team up for successful relationship management 

Event description: 
Institutional funders fuel missions with major investment. Finding the right institutional partners can create a stable base of consistent—even multi-year—funding. The challenge often lies in getting started.

In this session, we will explore: 

• How to identify and prioritize prospective new funders
• How to access and approach new prospective funders, including those that do not accept unsolicited proposals
• How to go beyond grant-writing and forge real relationships
• How to translate a first-time grant into a lasting partnership
• How to navigate partnerships through polarizing times

Moderator: 
Kathleen Murphy Toms (she/her) – Adjunct Faculty, The Heyman Program for Fundraising and Philanthropy in The Center for Global Affairs at New York University 

Panelists:
Ivana Kvesic (she/her) – Director of Foundation Relations, International Crisis Group
Gina Wood (she/her) – Chief Development Officer, Rainforest Alliance
Jessye Brick (she/her) – Senior Director, Institutional Development, Kids in Need of Defense
Rochelle Jerry (she/her) – Adjunct Faculty, Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy  

This event is offered in collaboration with the George H. Heyman, Jr. Program for Philanthropy and Fundraising within the NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs.