Nonprofit Fundraising Training: Meet the Experts Behind Rare Impact's Innovation Salon

When you work with Rare Impact, you're getting more than a fundraising campaign. You're gaining a partner who's invested in helping your fundraising grow long after a campaign launches.

That's why we created the Innovation Salon, a private workshop series exclusively for Rare Impact clients. Every month, we bring in some of the most respected voices in nonprofit fundraising to share practical strategies, teach fundraising tactics, answer questions, and help small teams build stronger organizations.

These are conversations with people who have spent years raising transformational gifts, building engaged donor communities, hiring top talent to lead organizations, and helping nonprofits solve the challenges you're facing right now.

If you're an End-of-Year Campaign client, access to these first three workshops is included. Here's what's coming up:

July: Major Donors: Big Gifts. Real Relationships.

Featuring Greg Croak

If the idea of asking someone for a major gift feels intimidating, you're not alone.

Greg Croak has built a career around proving that major gifts aren't about pressure—they're about relationships.

As the current Director of Leadership Giving at KEXP who previously led advancement efforts at the University of Washington's Michael G. Foster School of Business for eight years, Greg has secured transformational gifts, including seven-figure donations from supporters around the world. But what makes him such an exceptional teacher is how approachable he makes the process feel.

You'll learn:

• How to identify potential major donors
• Ways to build authentic donor relationships (and what to say in that first meeting!)
• What motivates donors to make transformational gifts
• Practical approaches to making the ask with confidence

Why we're excited

Greg combines world-class fundraising experience with an incredibly grounded approach. Every gift is due to strong relationships paired with a smart major gift strategy. You'll leave with practical tools you can start using immediately.

Workshop
Wednesday, July 29
Noon PT / 3 PM ET

August: More Than a Donation: Building a Movement Around Your Mission

Featuring B. Michelle Johnson

Great fundraising isn't just about asking people to give, it's about creating opportunities for supporters to become a partner of your mission.

In this workshop, Michelle Johnson shares how nonprofits can transform donors into volunteers, advocates, ambassadors, and peer-to-peer fundraisers—building stronger communities that stay engaged year-round.

As the Director of Ultimate Rainbow Consulting, Michelle has more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, advocacy, healthcare, and the arts. She has managed successful peer-to-peer campaigns, teaches fundraising at the University of Washington, and regularly teaches on community engagement strategies.

You'll learn:

• How to keep supporters engaged beyond campaigns
• Ideas for advocacy and ambassador programs
• Ways to build deeper donor relationships that improve retention

Why we're excited

Michelle has an incredible ability to connect fundraising with community building. Her ideas are creative, practical, and immediately applicable—especially for small nonprofits looking to grow without dramatically increasing their budgets.

Workshop
Wednesday, August 19
Noon PT / 3 PM ET

September: Hiring Insights from a Nonprofit Recruiter

Featuring Sumi Bhat-Kincaid

Hiring the right person can change the trajectory of a nonprofit, and hiring the wrong one can set your team back months.

Whether you're making your first hire or growing your staff, Sumi Bhat-Kincaid will walk through what today's nonprofit hiring landscape actually looks like—from defining roles and interviewing candidates to attracting people who genuinely believe in your mission.

Sumi is a search consultant at Clover Search Works who specializes in helping nonprofits recruit exceptional talent. Unlike many recruiters, Sumi spent years leading nonprofit fundraising teams herself before moving into executive search. That perspective gives her a unique understanding of both hiring managers and candidates.

You'll learn:

• How to define the roles your organization actually needs
• What top nonprofit candidates are looking for today in the crowded job market
• How to create a hiring process that attracts exceptional talent
• What to really look for in a candidate

Why we're excited

Sumi understands nonprofit hiring from every angle. Her advice is thoughtful, practical, and rooted in real-world experience, helping organizations build teams aligned with their values that can sustain long-term growth.

Workshop
Wednesday, September 9
Noon PT / 3 PM ET

Why We Built the Innovation Salon

Small nonprofit teams deserve access to the same caliber of fundraising expertise as larger organizations. Too often, professional development opportunities are expensive, generic, or difficult to fit into already packed schedules.

We wanted to change that.

The Innovation Salon gives Rare Impact clients direct access to experienced fundraising leaders who generously share the strategies, lessons, and insights they've learned throughout their careers. It's one more way we help our clients build confidence—not just in this year's campaign, but in the years ahead.

Join Us

If you're already a Rare Impact client, we can't wait to see you at these workshops.

And if you're considering one of our End-of-Year Campaign Packages, this is just one of the many benefits included in your partnership.

Along with a fully supported Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign, you'll gain exclusive access to the Innovation Salon—so your team can learn from some of the best fundraisers in the field while building your strongest campaign yet.

Ready to partner with us this fundraising season? We'd love to talk.