Fundraising Leadership Workshop Series
A Five-Part Online Lunchtime, Hands-on,
Fundraising Series & Clinic
Overview: This program is designed for leaders of small-midsize nonprofits, $500k to $5 million, with modest fundraising experience but a serious desire to learn the art and science of fundraising. You will engage with nonprofit professionals and grant makers who have a combined 200+ years of real-world experience. Executive Directors must bring your board member, ideally the Board Chair or Development Chair, to this hands-on, highly practical workshop. Having the executive director and board member attend will increase the likelihood of success in implementing changes after the workshop.
Who: This workshop is offered by application only for nonprofit leaders working on the front lines of social justice and poverty. We are looking for those highly motivated, grassroots leaders of underserved nonprofits working on solutions to poverty including food security; employment; mental/physical health; anti- racism; housing; education; social, economic, and environmental justice.
Limited to: 10 nonprofits/20 people to allow Q and A time and small groups
What: You will leave with a foundational understanding of the following:
Why fundraising is all about aligning your mission with the right donors’ needs and vision, NOT about asking for money.
How do you begin to find new donors (key: your current donors).
What is mouth marketing and is it important for fundraising?
What does work, and what does not work with major donors?
What is planning to give and why is it important?
Why should foundations & government funding only be a part of your mix?
How to outline a one-page fundraising plan for your organization?
Where can you learn more?
How Much: Subsidized sliding scale cost per organization for 2 people:
$150 operating budget $500k or less
$200 budget over $500-5M
$250 budget over $5M
Format:
Five- Zoom sessions for 55 mins EXCEPT the last session, which is a 1.5 hours individualized planning clinic with a coach.
Recommended “homework” in between sessions: (1) Debrief between the Executive Director and Board member, and (2) Read an article or listen to a podcast between sessions to expand on the topic of the day. We will provide a reference list.
Please send specific questions in advance or after each session to the CNL Program Admin/Coordinate, Jasmine Brooks.
We encourage the Executive Director and Board Chair to debrief offline after each session and share highlights with the full board at your next meeting.
Post Workshop Networking: With permission, we will share all participants’ contact information with the full group to connect offline.
To apply and register, please click:
https://centerfornonprofitleaders.ticketspice.com/fundraising-leadership-series
Workshop Sessions
Session 1: Fundraising Big Picture from 10000 ft: Overview of big questions: how the Executive Director and Board can approach fundraising without fear.
Monday, March 2 from 12 noon to 12:55 ET
Brian Backe, Managing Director, CNL
Mark Melia, CNL Senior Associate and former executive Vice President for charity giving, Catholic Relief Service.
Session 2. Major Gifts and Planned Gifts: It’s all about building relationships and not (just) about asking for money.
Monday, March 9 from 12 noon to 12:55 ET
Tom Dart, CNL Senior Associate and former Vice President for Leadership Giving, Catholic Relief Services
Rich Balmadier, director of planned giving, Catholic Relief Services
Session 3: Funder Panel: Opportunities and challenges with foundation and government funding
Monday, March 16 from 12 noon to 12:55 ET
Ellen Finnerty Myers, Executive Director of The Kahlert Foundation
Graham Dodge, Vice President, TEDCO (State of MD Tech funding agency)
Moderator: Brian Backe
Session 4. Building your Base: Annual campaigns, Mass marketing/direct mail, and earned incomes
Monday, March 23 from 12 noon to 12:55 ET
Sara Kissinger, Executive Director for Annual Giving, Y of Central MD
Renee Martin, VP Consulting, FareStart
Brian Backe, Executive Director, CNL
Session 5: Planning Clinic: Build a three-point 2026 fundraising plan:
Monday, March 31 from 12 noon to 1:30 ET
Small Group Facilitators: Brian Backe, Rich Balmadier, Graham Dodge, Tom Dart, Heather Dye, Sara Kissinger, Mark Melia, Renee Martin, Ellen Finnerty Myers, and Maurice Taylor
Presenter Bios:
Brian Joseph Backe, MBA, is the Founder and Managing Director of the Center for Nonprofit Leaders (CNL. His mission: helping other nonprofits cultivate and support highly capable leaders who strive to serve others as they build better organizations and make the world a better place. Brian has 45 years of experience as a senior staff member, board leader of eight different nonprofits, including serving for 15 years as Senior Director for US Programs for Catholic Relief Services, leading a team of thirty staff running 17 different educational and institutional fundraising programs with $22 million in annual contributions. He served as Marketing and then Development Director for SERRV International, a nonprofit fair-trade enterprise. Brian ran a large management training program for nonprofits in the 1980s for the Support Center; served as Board Chair for Growing Hope Globally, an international development nonprofit, and is currently Vice President of the Board of his local food bank. Brian specializes in supporting leadership transitions, board development, and nonprofit marketing, fundraising & product sales. He has an MBA from San Francisco State University, BS in HR from the University of Maryland, Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from Notre Dame University, Certificate in Fundraising from Indiana Center on Philanthropy, and is a Marshall Goldsmith Certified Stakeholder Centered Coach.
Rich Balmadier, MA, CAP. Rich is Director of Catholic Relief Service’s Middle & Planned To Give program: Rick oversees a team that engages and steward’s middle donors giving in the $1K - $25K range; and planned giving donors making complex gifts, including wills and trusts, charitable gift annuities, noncash gifts, real estate and other inkind contributions. In 2025 his team raised over $84M.A CRS veteran since 1991, Rich began his fundraising career in 2009 by leading CRS’ Planned Giving program. He brings 18 years of overseas leadership, beginning in the Russian Far East and later as Country Representative across Africa and Asia. That field experience informs his donor counsel and gift design, aligning legacy intentions with enduring program impact. A New York City native, Rich holds an M.A. in International Relations (Economics and African Studies) from Johns Hopkins SAIS; a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University; and a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) certification from the American College of Financial Services. He and his wife have two adult children.
Tom Dart, CNL Senior Associate, Formerly, VP of Leadership Giving: Tom had the privilege to provide over seven years of dedicated leadership and strategic mentoring as Vice President for Leadership Giving at Catholic Relief Services. The primary focus was on designing and implementing a first ever fundraising initiative aligned with the organization's mission to drive meaningful changes in global humanitarian efforts. By fostering collaboration and empowering major/principal gift teams, the role supported sustainable growth and impactful donor engagement, the Go FAR Campaign raised over $492 million against a $350 million goal over its five year time limit. Previously, The George Washington University a primary focus was helping to shape and refine major/principal gift expertise in leading development efforts at the school’s level where responsibilities included managing its first $1 billion campaign and advancing institutional priorities. His commitment to fostering innovation and service underscores the approach to leadership, ensuring alignment with organizational values and goals.
Graham Dodge, Vice President, Venture Development, TEDCO: In his role, Graham Dodge oversees the Venture Development department and support entrepreneurial growth across Maryland. Prior to his work with TEDCO, Graham worked at the Mid-Atlantic Gigabit Innovation Collaboratory (MAGIC) in Westminster, Maryland where he established 1 Million Cups Westminster, the Autonomous Robotics Innovation Center (ARIC), the Westminster Angel Network, and Startup Lab. As President of the PathCheck Foundation in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he led the development of open-source software and standards used by Mayo Clinic, Google Health and the World Health Organization (WHO). Graham is an award-winning entrepreneur, author and patented inventor, He co-founded SMGB Technologies, Shield Pals and Sickweather, the latter of which was recognized as one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s 100 Brilliant Companies. He has been a mentor to countless other startups through his work at Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures and the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-CORPS). He lives in Westminster, Maryland with his wife and their five kids. He's the author of The Entrepreneur's Dance.
Heather Dye-Timm, Sr. Executive Director, Development The Y in Central Maryland: Heather is the project manager for the Y's Turkey Trot Charity 5k, the organization's signature fundraising event, raising over $1M each year. Additionally, she manages the Y's Raiser's Edge database and retail fundraising campaigns. Previous experience includes work on the Y's Marketing team as a project manager (traffic control), association-wide event management, donor recognition, and grant writing, as well as supporting the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors. Heather lives in Carroll County with her husband and two children.
Sara Kissinger, MBA, CFRE, is Executive Director of Annual Giving to the YMCA of Central Maryland. With a passion for philanthropy and a commitment to social impact, Sara will be focusing on harnessing the incredible support of our membership base to drive meaningful change. Sara is dedicated to cultivating our donor relationships, supporting our Community Leadership Boards, and enhancing engagement within our Family Centers.
Ellen Finnerty Myers, CFRE, Vice President and Executive Director, The Kahlert Foundation: With over 35 years in the healthcare field as a corporate executive, Ellen is known for her expertise in strategy and innovation and is recognized for her ability to bring people together across multiple groups to collaboratively meet goals. Ellen spent 21 impactful years at Carroll Hospital, part of LifeBridge Health leading an $85 million plus Foundation. Her portfolio also included oversight of many operational departments comprising marketing, public affairs, food services, transportation, housekeeping, and hospice. Before Carroll, she worked in philanthropy at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda and at the University of Maryland Baltimore campus, where she raised more than $150 million throughout her fundraising career. Today, she continues to spread her passion for purpose by serving on the board of the Maryland Science Center and on the Capital Campaign committee of The Children’s Inn at NIH. Past board service includes the Carroll Hospital Foundation, Carroll Hospice, JDRF Maryland (now Breakthrough T1D) and the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce. Ellen holds a degree in marketing from Rochester Institute of Technology. She and her husband Doug split their time between Baltimore, MD and Bethany Beach, DE. They are proud parents of three amazing children. She was predeceased by her eldest son, Nicholas. Ellen loves traveling, art & design, and the beach.
Mark Melia, MBA/MSW, CNL Senior Associate, CNL: As Executive Vice President for Charitable Giving through October 2025, Mark Melia led and organized agency efforts to promote charitable giving to the poor of the world through Catholic Relief Services.
His team of 100 people generated more than $200 million in 2025, and Mark led CRS’ targeted leadership giving fundraising campaign “Go FAR” which raised $492 million. He also served as a member of CRS' Executive Leadership Team. Mark began his career with CRS in 1991 with the “Church Outreach Department” where he supervised outreach to church affiliates and managed CRS Rice Bowl, one of CRS' signature annual programs. In this role, Mark served as primary liaison between CRS executives and Church leaders in the United States, including cardinals and bishops. After his graduate studies, Mark worked for three years in the assisted living and affordable housing industry. In 2007, he became the deputy vice president of Charitable Giving, directing annual giving, donor services, Hispanic outreach, publications, prospect research and revenue analysis. Mark has served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the National Catholic Development Conference, and Board of St. Vincent de Paul Society of Baltimore. Mark has master's degrees in both business administration and social work from the University of Maryland as well as a bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University. He lives in Towson, Maryland, with his wife.
Renee Martin, BA, Renée Martin is a nationally recognized expert in scaling business and social impact with over twenty years’ experience leading strategic expansion and partnership development work across sectors.
As Managing Director of Catalyst Kitchens, a national nonprofit member network focused on reducing poverty through social enterprise job training and employment within the food system, Renée led through a period of dramatic growth and transition, paving the way for the network to become an independent entity. Prior, Renée led international sales and expansion at Corbis, a Bill Gate’s owned global media company. Today, Renée leads Fare Start’s national consulting practice that has advanced economic inclusion and mobility in over 150 communities across the country, in forty-six states, by advising and coaching the leaders of over 250 nonprofit organizations. Renée also serves on the Executive committee of the board of directors for Ventures, a nonprofit that empowers aspiring entrepreneurs with limited resources and unlimited potential. She has a BA in Political Science and English Literature from Boston College. Renée is also a graduate of Leadership Tomorrow; a civic engagement program focused on advancing racial equity in the Pacific Northwest. Renée lives in Seattle, Washington with her partner Guillermo.
Maurice Taylor, MPA, SHRM, CNL Senior Fellow and Director of Operations
With over two decades of dedicated service to nonprofit and community organizations, Maurice brings high level expertise in designing, implementing, and overseeing innovative programs tailored to address crucial community needs. His leadership spans various roles most, notably working with the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, the University of Pennsylvania, and serving as the former Board Chair for the Challenger Learning Center of Philadelphia.
Some of Maurice clients includes LaSalle University, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the American Society of Neurorehabilitation, KIND Snacks, and the National Organization for Youth Safety (NOYS), to name a few. He has conducted training sessions in topic areas such as program planning and management, staff training, time management, recruitment and retention, leadership, teambuilding, and communication. Maurice holds a master’s degree in public administration from Cheyney University, where he also completed his bachelor’s degree in political science. He also holds a SHRM-SCP certification from the Society for Human Resources Management.