Date & Time: April 22 at 9:30 am - 5:00 pm MDT
Location: Delta Hotels Helena Colonial
Cost: $95 – $305 | Free to All Access Pass holders.
Montana Nonprofit Association’s Fourth Annual Fundraising Summit will take place Tuesday, April 22nd, in Helena, Montana. Join MNA and fundraisers from across the state for a day exploring trends, best practices, and strategies for building a strong fundraising foundation and future.
Pricing
- MNA Members, Sliding Scale: $95
- MNA Members, Full Price: $160
- Non MNA Members: $305
Room Block Details
Delta Hotels Helena Colonial | $149.00 per night
Last Day to Book | Wednesday, April 9th
Schedule and Session Overview
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Check In and Registration
9:30 AM – 10:45 AM | Keynote Panel with statewide experts and practitioners
This panel will explore current and emerging trends in the fundraising landscape. Panelists will share their expertise as fundraisers and organizational leaders, discuss current opportunities and challenges in fundraising, and talk through current trends, including the generational wealth transfer, state funding, AI in fundraising, DAFs, and more. There is a lot that leaders and fundraisers have on their minds, this panel will explore how Montana leaders sort through all the noise to stay focused on what matters most for their organization.
- Jessica Stewart-Kuntz, Montana Community Foundation
- Carrie Krepps, Florence Crittenton Family Services
- Lauren Rennaker, Bitterroot Valley Land Trust
- Kevin Sylvester, EagleMount Bozeman
11:00 AM – 12:15 PM | Breakout conversations exploring how to put keynote themes into action for your organization
- A1: Generational Wealth Transfer with Jessica Stewart-Kuntz and Heather Ohs, Montana Community Foundation
Join the Montana Community Foundation for an interactive session that combines the power of data with actionable strategies for fundraising. We’ll dive into Montana’s $37 billion intergenerational transfer of wealth and explore how you can leverage this historic shift to drive meaningful giving.Through an engaging solicitation exercise, we’ll explore the Seven Faces of Philanthropy to help you identify and connect with potential donors based on their unique motivations. Learn how to turn data into a personalized, effective solicitation strategy to maximize impact. - A2: AI in Action: Practical Tools and Time-Saving Strategies for Fundraisers with Allison Strekal, Missoula Aging Services
Artificial intelligence isn’t just for tech experts or giant organizations—it’s a powerful, accessible tool that can help you work smarter and connect more meaningfully with donors. In this interactive and practical session, we’ll go beyond the basics to explore everyday ways fundraisers are using AI to streamline tasks, spark creativity, and boost impact. From drafting appeal letters, grant proposals, and donor reports to planning events and summarizing donor info, you’ll get hands-on with real examples and easy-to-use tools. We’ll also practice writing prompts together so you leave with ready-to-use strategies and a fresh perspective on how AI can support your mission—without the overwhelm. - A3: Demystifying State Contracts and Grants with representatives from the Department of Administration and APEX
Full session description forthcoming - A4: Consultant Corner with fundraising experts and practitioners
Sign up for a 1:1 mini-session with experts to be announced to talk through major gifts, donor strategy, board fundraising, and more. Sessions may also be available through lunch.
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM | Lunch
1:15 PM – 4:15 PM | Extended workshops on fundraising topics.
- B1: The (R)evolution of Fundraising: Breaking up Dominant Donor Dynamics to Forge Community Collaboratives with Angela Barnes and Frank Velásquez Jr.
Donor-centric fundraising builds strong relationships but can create power imbalances through deficit-based storytelling that prioritizes donor influence over community wisdom. As philanthropy evolves, donors themselves seek deeper connections with communities, moving beyond traditional giving relationships.Now is the time to examine how our fundraising practices may reinforce these dynamics through our language, behaviors, strategies, and well-intentioned cultures of philanthropies. How can we transform our approach to honor both donor partnerships and community needs? Join us to explore practical strategies that bridge donor centric and community centric fundraising – creating a framework where power is shared, stories are told with dignity, and impact is measured through community voices.Participants will receive a workshop guide with key concepts and worksheets to support their organization in aligning donor interests with community needs for increased fundraising success. Through guided exercises and discussion, participants will:- Identify how donor centric practices create power imbalances and examine your organization’s “dominant donor indicators” 🔍
- Learn strategies to shift from deficit based to asset based storytelling that honors community wisdom 💫
- Develop a donor code of ethics that sets boundaries and promotes shared power 📋
- Create an action plan to implement these guidelines across your fundraising activities
- B2: Building Funder Relationships through Grantsmanship: From Proposal Development to Grant Reporting with Alisa Reich
This session will explore the art and science of proposal writing, and other aspects of grantsmanship, including identification of an achievable and grant fundable project, research and assessment of viable funding sources, proposal writing, budget development, preparation of a full proposal package for submission, and post award grant management. Suitable for beginners and experienced grant writers, this session will use real world scenarios to focus on the practical structure of proposals and mechanics of strong writing, as well as issues of project sustainability and evaluation. Through class discussion, we will illuminate strategic questions involved in developing projects, writing grant proposals, and administering grant awards. Attendees will:- Gain a deeper understanding of how each of the fundamental grant components contribute to cultivating strong relationships with funders, and the different nuances between public agencies and private foundations on local, regional, and national levels.
- Explore individual components of grant applications such as abstract, needs statement, goals and objectives, project design, sustainability, assessment, line-items budget, budget justification, and cover letter.
- Develop and improve the skills needed to be grant-ready and increase efficiency and effectiveness of grant proposals for corporations, private foundations and government agencies.
Speaker Preview:
Carrie Krepps
Meet Carrie Krepps:
Carrie joined Florence Crittenton in March, 2010 as the Grants Officer. She quickly fell in love with the work and the organization and moved to the Development Director in 2011, a position she kept for 8 years. Carrie accepted the role of Executive Director in July of 2019.
Prior to her time here, Carrie was the Education Coordinator for the Montana Hospital Association. Her extensive experience in development work and project management includes time with the Helena Symphony, as well as the Assistant Director of Development and Director of Gameday Operations with the Montana State University Athletic Department in Bozeman.
Throughout her tenure at Florence Crittenton Carrie has worked closely with budget management, fund and contract development, and advocacy on several levels for Florence Crittenton. In her current role she leads the integrated Leadership team at Florence Crittenton and guides the organization’s mission through her work with the Board of Directors and staff. Over her 15 years, Carrie has gained extensive knowledge regarding the critical work of caring for families in an integrated family-centric treatment model.
Carrie holds a Business Marketing degree and minor in Small Business & Entrepreneurship from Montana State University-Bozeman. She is passionate about ensuring every family has the opportunity to raise their children in a loving environment. Raised by small business owner parents, she loves the “business side” of connecting this passion with partnerships across the state and strong business practices. Carrie is a Helena native and loves raising her two daughters, Ella and Sarah, with her husband, Fred Krepps, back in her hometown.
Jessica Stewart-Kuntz
Meet Jessica Stewart-Kuntz:
Jessica Stewart-Kuntz is a seasoned philanthropy leader with more than 20 years of experience driving positive change in the nonprofit sector. Since joining the Montana Community Foundation in 2015, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the foundation’s philanthropic strategy and advancing its mission to support Montana’s communities through meaningful, sustainable giving.
Jessica earned her Bachelor’s degree in American History, graduating summa cum laude from Portland State University, and holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Management and Community Development from Morehead State University. Additionally, she holds a certificate in Fundraising Management from the University of Washington, which has equipped her with the tools to effectively manage and grow philanthropic efforts.
In her current role as Executive Vice President of Philanthropy at the Montana Community Foundation, Jessica leads a dynamic team dedicated to keeping philanthropic dollars in Montana and empowering individuals, families, and organizations to make lasting contributions to Montana.
Meet Kevin Sylvester:
Kevin joined Eagle Mount in the fall of 2019 and works with the board and staff to forward all aspects of the organization’s mission. Kevin holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut and a Masters in Public Administration from MSU. Kevin is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning (FCEP). Outside of work, Kevin loves spending time with his wife Carolynn and their daughters Ruth and Gwen, fixing up their home, and exploring Montana.
Lauren Rennaker
Meet Lauren Rennaker:
Lauren has been a Bitter Root Land Trust team member since late 2017, starting as Development Director and now as Executive Director in fall 2024. Serving in various roles throughout her professional career, Lauren has had the great honor to help conserve the Bitterroot Valley’s stunning land and wildlife that make it so special for the last 17 years.
Lauren graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a B.A. in both International Studies and Spanish. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Montana Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and helped found and serves as the Board President of a non-profit organization to support the Darby schools, Darby Community Partners.
You can find Lauren loving the Bitterroot way of life by reveling in the one-of-a-kind fly fishing, horseback riding, skiing, and camping experiences, while living on and serving unofficially as “assistant ranch manager” on a cattle ranch with her husband and their twins – fifth-generation Bitterrooters.
Meet Frank Velásquez Jr.:
Storyteller Extraordinaire, Social Justice Warrior, and Community Connector! With a heart as big as his vision, Frank dances on the frontlines of change, armed with an unshakeable belief in attaining racial and gender equity. Whether he’s dropping knowledge on the conference stage or storytelling behind the scenes, Frank’s passion for social justice is as infectious as his smile. And he creatively connects our stories, preserving the unique flavor of each one like a delicious bowl of gumbo.
From the vibrancy of the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference to the energy of AFP ICON and AFP Lead, Frank’s magnetic presence has electrified audiences nationwide with his talks on leadership, language, and equity! This changemaker has trained thousands of folks, from the magical grounds of Walt Disney World to the dazzling MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, leaving each group forever changed with his unique blend of storytelling magic and social justice fire.
As Founder of 4 Da Hood and the mastermind behind the Ascending Leaders in Color leadership program, he’s forging paths for peeps of color to lead with more authenticity, courage, and joy! Because for Frank, advancing equity isn’t just a job — it’s a movement towards building generational wealth for communities of color to thrive!
Meet Angela Barnes, MBA, CFRE:
Angela is a Managing Director with Carter, an international philanthropic giving consultancy, working with human services, arts and culture, and higher education partners in annual giving, major gifts, and campaign planning. Angela tackles the interpersonal and organizational hurdles keeping fundraisers up at night. She is an insightful guide providing real-world solutions to fundraising’s biggest stressors like donor relationships, aligning with leadership, achieving goals, and engaging boards. Angela has an MBA from Ursuline College, attained her CFRE in 2022, and received her Association of Fundraising Professional’s Certified Facilitator certificate in 2024.
Meet Alisa Reich:
With nearly thirty years’ experience writing and reviewing grants in a variety of fields, I am passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others to create high quality proposals that help make the world a better place. I began writing grants as an AmeriCorps volunteer as a means to get things done. That success led to non-profit work that was further fueled by my grant-writing efforts. Eventually, I began writing grants full-time and have developed keen eye for story-telling, experience connecting with diverse individuals, and a multi-faced knowledge of a wide range of performance management, data collection, and grant reporting activities. Serving as a federal grant reviewer for the past decade has provided me with a unique perspective on crafting elements of compelling proposals.
Meet Heather Ohs:
Heather Ohs is an accomplished and results-driven professional with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit philanthropic sector. She joined the Montana Community Foundation in 2021, where she currently serves as the Gift & Estate Planning Director. In this role, Heather is dedicated to helping individuals and families achieve their charitable aspirations through thoughtful and strategic philanthropy, ensuring their legacy and making a lasting impact on their communities.
Heather earned her Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communications from the University of Montana and a Master’s degree in Public Relations from Montana State University-Billings. Additionally, she holds a certificate in Fundraising Management from the prestigious Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, further solidifying her expertise in the field.
With a deep understanding of philanthropic best practices and a proven track record in fundraising, Heather brings remarkable experience to her role. Her genuine dedication to fostering philanthropic growth and making a positive, tangible difference continues to inspire those around her.
Meet Allison Strekal:
Allison Strekal is a proven nonprofit leader, delivering tangible results through a blend of enthusiastic energy and strategic intellect. With more than a decade of experience in fundraising, grant writing, and donor engagement, she currently serves as the Development Director at Missoula Aging Services, where she leads comprehensive fundraising efforts across grants, major gifts, events, and individual giving.
A Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Allison also serves on the board of AFP Montana, supporting the advancement of ethical and effective fundraising practices statewide. She brings deep expertise in donor stewardship, campaign strategy, and nonprofit communications, with a strong commitment to helping mission-driven organizations build sustainable development programs.
Prior to her current role, Allison led successful fundraising initiatives in healthcare philanthropy and nonprofit event planning, consistently growing revenue and donor engagement. She is a frequent speaker on nonprofit development and enjoys equipping professionals with practical, actionable strategies. Allison holds an MBA from Western Governors University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno.
Allison is from of Dillon, Montana, and enjoys hiking, paddleboarding, traveling, and trivia—and has even competed on Jeopardy! twice.
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