Mike Pope is a Chicago-based Nonprofit Consultant and Leadership Coach. He is experienced in nonprofit board development; communications; organizational planning and operations; as well as strategic fundraising with a proven track record of raising millions in support for education, social services, and arts organizations.Mike has a strong passion for working with small and midsized nonprofits to maximize their effectiveness and raise resources for their work to better our community.

In February 2017, I founded Forte Community Music Project (Forte) to create a space where everyone, can continue their music education, regardless of their past experience or financial ability. Forte is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using high-quality music education as a vehicle to unlock the full potential of the communities and singers we serve. For more details and to discover ways to support Forte, visit our website www.ForteCMP.orgI supervise all administrative, musical, and educational aspects of Forte’s programming including student recruitment and instructor selection, oversight of artistic development of students in the program, the creation of an annual calendar of activities, fundraising, facilitating Board of Trustee meetings, and developing an annual budget to reflect Forte’s strategic plan and vision.

Responsible for qualifying, cultivating, soliciting and driving strategy for a portfolio of nearly 200 Leadership Annual Giving and Major Gift donors. Highlights include: soliciting more than $8M in support; closing more than $550,000 in gifts; and soliciting multiple seven-figure gifts to the university. Work collaboratively across departments to manage peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns which raised more than $25M.

Identified, qualified, cultivated, and solicited a portfolio of approximately 200 prospective donors.Worked with the President on special projects for the university surrounding Diversity and Inclusion, including serving on the search committee for the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion and Associate Dean of the Faculty.Coordinated reunion campaigns. Responsibilities included recruiting and training alumni volunteers; coordinating event logistics; drafting compelling annual fund letters and solicitations; leading committee meetings; and establishing trust by delivering timely and effective follow-up. Under my leadership, the FY17 25th reunion campaign raised over $600,000 (a university record).Worked closely with the Board of Trustees to identify, recruit, and engage a cohort of mid-career alumni with the goal of building a pipeline for future Board of Trustees candidates at the university.

Special Events (40%)• Worked with the board, volunteers, and staff to plan a total of 15 special events which raised over $287,000 in revenue. These responsibilities included:• Creating online registration pages and developing content for fundraising-related website, email communications, print collateral, and social media efforts including invitations, and e-blasts;• Performing prospect research to produce strategically segmented mail and email lists;• Brainstorming topics, potential speakers and VIPS (MSNBC hosts Chris Hayes and Joy Reid);• Providing expertise in Audio-Visual which directly reduced event AV costs; and• Managing ticking and registration for all events.Individual Giving (30%)• Collaborated with the Vice President of Development, and the Major Gifts & Individual Giving Officer to plan and execute annual direct mail appeal solicitation, email campaigns and donor stewardship initiatives totally in $350,000 in individual giving revenue.• Aiding in the coordination of the organization’s inaugural “Thank-A-Thon” which stewarded over 150 donors and sponsors for their support of the Annual Fund.• Engaged with Associate Board as Liaison to the Associate Board Social Committee. Directly responsible for planning events designed to cultivate relationships with young professionals and Associate Board resulting in new membership and revenue. Gift Processing (30%) • Processed and acknowledged 912 gifts totally to over $4M in revenue.• Expanded current and potential donor engagement, while ensuring the accuracy and integrity of our donor database (Raiser’s Edge) through managing confidential information and updating constituent records in 2 databases; conducting prospect research for an estimated 4,000 new potential donors; and by creating stewardship reports for Shriver Center senior leadership team.

Event assistant working to plan of special events through conducting prospect research, assisting with direct mail appeals, drafting in-kind donation solicitation letters and proofreading Development department printed and online marketing collateral.

Special Events (80%)• Worked with the Executive Director, Operations Manager and event planning committee to implement each aspect of the center’s Annual Benefit Gala including entertainment, ticketing and registration, invitations, onsite event logistics, production of program book, food and beverage, décor, donated supplies and silent auction items. The event met and exceeded its fundraising goal of $100,000.Administrative (20%)• Oversaw the processing and documenting of the organization’s income and expenses. • Managed client billing and accounts payable/receivable. • Processed and acknowledges over $100,000 in event donations.

Coordinated logistics and executed over 150 events annually including wedding ceremonies, receptions, corporate conferences and galas, religious services, community theatre events, and live musical performances. Maintained an ongoing schedule of events and audio-visual needs.

Supervised a crew of 20 – 25 employees and planned, coordinated and executed logistics for fundraisers, weddings and campus events.