Chris Holman welcomes back Sandi Steensma, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kennari Consulting, Grand Rapids, MI. For this video, she is joined by Chris's long-time friend, Dale Robertson, President & CEO of the Grand Rapids Public Museum.
Watch here for Sandi, Dale and Chris discussing National Non-Profit Day and its impact;
For this interview, the three discuss the celebration of National Non-Profit Day going on August 17th. Kennari Consulting has successfully guided 100 plus non-profit clients over the past year, raising more than $250 million dollars in the last decade. Robertson then dives into how the museum he leads is vital in that community, and therefore the impact it has on Grand Rapids and western Michigan, much like many other non-profits across Michigan and the rest of the nation.
Steensma, and Robertson also have had successes together – particularly pivoting and raising funds thru covid and now MORE than sustaining…growing with more visitor participation than numbers of 2018 and 2019 over the recent months.
Here is some further information about the day which Sandi shared with us:
Celebrate National Non-Profit Day August 17th with Kennari Consulting
Kennari Consulting has successfully guided 100 plus non-profit clients over the past year, raising more than $250 million dollars in the last decade
Grand Rapids (August, 2021) – On August 17th, National Nonprofit Day recognizes the goals and positive impacts nonprofits have on communities and the world. Through nonprofits, awareness, research, and aid reach the people who need it most. With this in mind, Kennari Consulting has successfully guided 100 plus non-profit clients through the Covid-19 pandemic raising millions of dollars in campaigns and grants in hard-hit sectors such as healthcare, education, arts & culture, and recreation.
Successful, sustainable philanthropy is not a matter of luck. There’s a deliberate method and a discipline. Kennari’s clients have successfully learned that method, raising more than $250 million through campaigns, grants, and annual giving over the past twelve years.
A Snapshot of Kennari Clients by Region Sharing Success Stories: *Please let us know if we may connect you with spokespersons of these non-profit organizations in celebration National Non-Profit Day.
Greater Grand Rapids West Michigan:
Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation
Grand Rapids Public Museum
Cherry Health (Efforts reach throughout Michigan including Southeast Michigan)
Southeast Michigan – Detroit, Flint, Greater Lansing:
Flint Public Library
Greater Flint Mental Health Facilities
Michigan Dental Association Foundation (Based in Lansing w/Detroit Metro & statewide reach)
Northern Michigan:
Mackinac Straits Health Systems
Michilimackinac Historical Society
Harbor Hall – Petoskey
Great Lakes Recovery Centers – locations throughout Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
Services
· Annual Giving – Implementing best practices by strengthening the board for fundraising, and by ensuring the infrastructure and necessary tools are in place to roll out events and activities needed to recruit, renew, and cultivate donors.
· Campaigns – Whether a singular focus or a blend of capital, program and endowment initiatives, campaigns take deliberate and strategic planning and implementation. Though for many organizations campaigns can be daunting, they can also be a game-changing undertaking for nonprofits, catapulting their mission forward.
· Grant Writing – Grants can be a significant source of revenue for an organization but also require a lot of work and specialized expertise. Kennari partners with organizations in identifying grant opportunities, researching and writing grant proposals, and managing a calendar of granting cycles and deadlines.
· Program and Project Development - Most organizations recognize the need to grow and respond to community need. It can be tempting to jump into a new program or project when there’s an opportunity. But a program will only have long-term success if the need is accurately defined and the objectives are clear.
About
Kennari Consulting is one the largest full-service fundraising consulting firms in Michigan. Sandi Frost Steensma started Kennari Consulting in 2007 because she realized that nonprofit organizations needed more customized, day-to-day, “nuts and bolts” fundraising support as well as campaign coaching. Today, the firm has 13 staff members and serves more than 100 nonprofit organizations with consulting and direct services each year.
Kennari focuses in six pillar areas of nonprofit service: arts & culture, healthcare, education, social services, faith-based, and recreations and greenspace. Kennari can demonstrate significant expertise, plentiful experience, and consistent success in these particular sectors of the nonprofit world. Fundraising is essential to non-profit survival. The Kennari team’s ability to influence organizations for good has helped them not just survive, but thrive.
Grand Rapids Public Museum's Vision
To inspire passionate curiosity and a deeper understanding of the world around us.
Mission
We exist to be a living monument of artifacts, ideas and stories told through exhibitions, events and educational programming designed to inspire, motivate and celebrate our human bond. We enrich the life of our community through experiences of the wider world in a uniquely Grand Rapids context.
Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility Statement
The Grand Rapids Public Museum respects, values and honors the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are. Diversity and Inclusion is gained from prioritizing both physical and cognitive accessibility to the broadest range of people in the communities we serve. We consider increased accessibility to be drivers of institutional excellence and knowledge for all, which will broaden the diversity of participation, thought and action. It is our aim, therefore, the expectation that our employees, users, partners, and key stakeholders embrace and reflect these core values to be inclusive of all.
Building a Sustainable Future
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