Beth Bender

Beth Bender Email and Phone Number

Senior Advancement Officer @ Carroll University
Milwaukee, WI, US
Beth Bender's Location
Greater Milwaukee, United States
About Beth Bender

Writing my LinkedIn profile isn't easy for me because I am deeply uncomfortable promoting myself. My role in nonprofit fund development is one of service; to the organization, the direct service providers, and most importantly, the people we serve. As a relational fundraiser, my mission is to cultivate meaningful connections between donors and nonprofits. For most people, giving is more than a transaction; it’s an integral part of their unique story. I love uncovering these narratives and aligning donors’ philanthropic aspirations with the organization’s needs. Effective fundraising is a marathon rather than a sprint. Relationship building takes time and persistence. My superpowers of patience and persistence help me keep the long game in mind when executing my daily actions. I Get Stuff Done, can put order to chaos, and see the forest and still pay attention to the trees. My approach has created a track record of driving significant results:• Strategically established and revitalized donor relationships with the Racine Symphony, resulting in increased contributions and a notable unrestricted legacy gift, ensuring financial stability during the COVID-19 pandemic.• Resolved donations backlog, acknowledging donations and updating the CRM database, the improved stewardship leading to a 10% revenue increase from pre-pandemic levels at the Kenosha Achievement Center.• Doubled donor retention by implementing personalized acknowledgment and stewardships strategies and consistent communication at Sixteenth Street, resulting in resumed revenue from LYBUNT and SYBUNT donors. My journey from a classical cellist to nonprofit fund development has instilled in me a commitment to a growth mindset. I’ve loved working in the nonprofit industry over the past seven years and look forward to using my skills and continuing to grow at Carroll University.

Beth Bender's Current Company Details
Carroll University

Carroll University

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Senior Advancement Officer
Milwaukee, WI, US
Beth Bender Work Experience Details
  • Carroll University
    Senior Advancement Officer
    Carroll University
    Milwaukee, Wi, Us
  • Carroll University
    Senior Advancement Officer
    Carroll University Apr 2024 - Present
  • Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers
    Development Director (Major Donor Cultvation, Fundraising Copywriting, Crm Databases)
    Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers Sep 2022 - Oct 2023
    Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
    Under the direction of the VP of Advancement, I played a pivotal role in executing the organization’s strategic plan to achieve department revenue goal of $1.4 million. My responsibilities included:• Collaborating with and working closely with the CEO and VP of Advancement to manage donor caseload of 120 individuals and organizations, encompassing a robust stewardship strategy to nurture relationships with donors, corporate sponsors, and community organizations. The donor retention rate doubled during my tenure, with many LYBUNT and SYBUNT donors resuming their giving. • Leading the creation of strategic communications, such as monthly touchpoints for my major gifts caseload, direct mail campaigns, thank you letters and the organization’s Annual Report.• Ensuring the accuracy and integrity of donor records within our CRM database, following all financial policies and procedures, and routinely reconciling records with the Finance Department. This included addressing inconsistencies in previous entries. • Supervise and collaborate with Private Grants Manager to ensure proposals, reporting, and grants management met compliance requirements. • Collaborating with Director of Events and Community Engagement on fundraising events generating $5,000 - $75,000. My role encompassed all soliciting sponsorships, working with staff and committees to plan event details, and assisting in event management and issue resolution. Corporate sponsorships increased significantly in 2023 with past sponsorships re-engaging and several new sponsors lending their support.
  • Kenosha Achievement Center
    Director Of Development (Donor Cultivation, Fundraising Copywriting, Crm Databases)
    Kenosha Achievement Center May 2021 - Aug 2022
    As the lead Development staff member of an $8 million organization dedicated to serving individuals with disabilities, my role encompassed: • Collaborating with the CEO and board Development Committee to craft and execute the organization's Development Plan, resulting in department revenue of $250,00, including over $100,00 in individual donations. • Manage fundraising events which generated $5,000 - $60,000. This involved actively soliciting sponsorships in-kind donations and raffle items. I also worked closely with staff and board committees to plan event details recruit and manage volunteers and handle event logistics.• Demonstrating a strong commitment to nurturing and expanding relationships within the community, including donors, community partners, and other organizations. This emphasis on stewardship resulted in donations increasing 10% from pre-pandemic levels. • Maintaining accurate donor records through CRM database management, compliance with the organization’s financial protocols, and conducting monthly reconciliation with the Finance Department. Notably, I also resolved a six-month backlog of unacknowledged donations and updating information for deceased donors within the system.• Playing a crucial role in representing client stories and agency work through various communication channels, including social media, blog articles on the website, and in direct interaction with donors and the community.
  • Racine Symphony Orchestra
    Executive Director (Nonprofit Management, Major Donor Cultivation, Donor Solicitation)
    Racine Symphony Orchestra Jan 2017 - Apr 2021
    Racine, Wisconsin
    In my capacity as the administrative leader within the small organization, I shared leadership with our Artistic Director, with both of us reporting to the Board of Directors. My responsibilities included:• Spearheading all fund development activities by maintaining and cultivating relationships within community, including donors, prospects, community partners, and other community organizations. This encompassed researching funding opportunities, creating grant proposals and applications, manage grant expenditures and reporting requirements.• All donor management such as stewardship and solicitation strategies including timely acknowledgements, phone calls and donor visits, direct mail campaigns, and donor engagement. Maintained steady donor retention rate exceeding 60%.• Overseeing the day-to-day operations, which included managing office and support staff, collaborating with multiple accounting firms on financial operations, preparing for the annual audit and the completion of the 990 forms. • Directing the contracts and operations for our six performances per season, ensuring seamless execution and exceptional experiences for our patrons.• Collaborating with the board of directors to ensure the overall functioning of the organization. This encompassed fundraising and financial oversight, evaluating concert programming, and ensuring alignment with our mission statement and strategic plan. We consistently reviewed and revised organizational policies and procedures to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. • Maintain communication with news media, involving the distribution of press releases and various publications. Additionally, I coordinated and participated in media appearances including television and radio and spoke from the stage during performances as needed.
  • Self Employed
    Freelance Musician
    Self Employed 1993 - Jan 2017
    Over my career as a freelance musician in Milwaukee I had to be self-directed, effectively organize my time, and juggle multiple responsibilities of teaching, administrative and performance work. I am incredibly apt and accustomed to working with others and seamlessly adapting to feedback as a long time orchestral performer.
  • Milwaukee Center For Strings
    Director
    Milwaukee Center For Strings 2004 - 2012
    Milwaukee, Wi
    Scheduled, planned, and lead regular faculty meetings. Served as single point of contact between organization and parents, managing the creation and distribution of print materials and email correspondence, responding to personal inquiries, being available and accessible for questions or resolving conflicts.Collaborated regularly with faculty members to define, evaluate and improve organization policies and procedures and set strategic direction. Oversaw and coordinated performances, recruitment, and competitions. Responsible for the development of annual programming and event schedules, contracting work space and concert venues, and managing the finances of the organization.

Beth Bender Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about Beth Bender

What company does Beth Bender work for?

Beth Bender works for Carroll University

What is Beth Bender's role at the current company?

Beth Bender's current role is Senior Advancement Officer.

What schools did Beth Bender attend?

Beth Bender attended University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University Of Missouri-Kansas City, Drake University.

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