Kate Powers Email & Phone Number

East Lansing, Mi, Us

I serve as a member of the Ele’s Place statewide executive management team as we work to ensure all children and teens have access to compassionate grief support following the death of someone close to them.

I work closely with the Community Board of the Lansing Branch of Ele's Place to provide financial and community support to further our mission. Additionally, I assist my peers across the state of Michigan to strategically ensure financial support of our vision that no child grieves alone. Ele's Place is a community based, peer support program for grieving children, teens and their families.

Working closely with the managing directors of the Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Flint branches of Ele's Place, I help to ensure the financial success of the organization. As a strategist and major and planned giving officer, it is my goal to grow support and meet the vision of Ele's Place; that every child in Michigan has access to compassionate care, and no child has to grieve alone.

As a parent, and committed East Lansing citizen, I worked as one of seven trustees who direct policy and ensure the financial stability of the East Lansing Public Schools. I served in many leadership capacities during my two terms, including twice as Board President in 2018 and in 2022.

Lansing, Mi, Us

Working directly with the President/CEO and the Board of Trustees, I secured funds to support the mission of the Opportunity Resource Fund: to provide loans, through careful and flexible resource allocation, to benefit Michigan Communities. These fundraising opportunities came in the form of individual gifts and investments, corporate and foundation support, and federal and private grants. In addition to fundraising responsibilities, I managed the Public Relations and Marketing initiatives for this statewide organization. As the manager of the Development, Public Relations and Marketing arm of the OppFund, I worked with team members to set and implement goals which forward the mission of the OppFund.

East Lansing, Mi, Us

While raising nearly $5 million in major gifts for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), Michigan State University's founding college, I also worked in concert with the Senior Director, Dean and other administrative executives to create and publish a case statement which prioritized the College's goals for the University's upcoming $1.6 Billion campaign. As the manager of the annual and special giving division of the External Relations office, I helped to guide strategy and coached team members to achieve their goals in support of the College. Additionally, I provided collegial leadership across units on campus and was relied upon by peers and executive management to be a team player with infectious enthusiasm for the Land Grant Mission of Michigan State University.

East Lansing, Mi, Us

Working in the College of Natural Science (CNS) at Michigan State University afforded me opportunities to grow my skills as a development professional, specifically in the realm of individual major gifts. Working with the Senior Director, Dean and executive administrators across the college, I was able to secure nearly $10 million in planned and cash gifts in support of the college's initiatives. As the liaison to the University annual fund staff, I created solicitation content which provided a 43% increase in funds raised over the previous year's initiatives. Utilizing the skills I gained, I was able to garner a promotion with in the University, and transitioned to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources after five years of success on the CNS Team.

Reporting to the Michigan FFA Foundation 18 member board of trustees, as well as executive staff at the Michigan Farm Bureau, I acted as the Chief Development Officer for all FFA and Agricultural Education Programming in the State of Michigan. In addition to managing the annual fundraising budget of over $400,000, I also acted as a liaison between the Michigan Farm Bureau and the FFA Program at Michigan State University. While serving in this capacity, I mentored the 12 member FFA State Officer Team, made up of college freshman and sophomores, in appropriate business and industry solicitation practices. Working with paid and volunteer staff, I coordinated and planned multiple events annually, including donor recognition events, an annual golf outing, NASCAR hospitality events and a toy tractor show as part of a marketing initiative for the Foundation at annual AgExpo, a regional farm and agricultural equipment showcase.

Lansing, Mi, Us

As the entry in to my career as a fundraising practitioner, I worked closely with the President and CEO of the ConnectMichigan Alliance as we embarked on a $20 million campaign to endow volunteerism in the State of Michigan. I developed a skill set for solicitation of individuals, corporations and foundations, as well as strengthening my verbal and written communication skills. I was able to develop relationships with a high profile campaign cabinet, as well as many foundation and corporate leaders across the state, all while being guided by, to date, one of the best fundraisers I have had the pleasure of knowing. This position allowed me to foster relationships across the Michigan nonprofit landscape which have served me in every role I have held since.

Working as a legislative assistant in both chambers of the Michigan Legislature helped to build a strong knowledge of relationship management, organization and communication. In addition to legislative responsibilities, I was able to develop skills in event planning, customer/constituent services and the political process.

Bachelor Of Arts, Social Relations

Education record