Nonprofit work is the work we do to make the world more just. More beautiful. Healthier. Happier. Cleaner. Fairer. To successfully carry out these lofty and important missions, nonprofit organizations must secure adequate financial and relational resources: They must fundraise. For many, this is a grim but necessary aspect of what is otherwise seen as joyful, vital, and fulfilling work. In this session, you’ll discover that the joy and fulfillment of the work itself can extend, embrace, and become inextricably linked to the efforts required to support that work as well. We’ll explore the relationship between fundraising and community organizing, uncover and strengthen a joyful perspective around raising funds, and walk away with solid tips and tactics for raising the resources needed to change the world.

Maria Kolby-Wolfe is President and CEO of Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) and an instructor at the University of Washington in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. Before guiding WaWF Maria held various development and communication roles at Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, Seattle Symphony, Path with Art, ACT Theatre, Museum of Pop Culture, and Swedish Medical Center Foundation. She also served as a board member for TeamChild, Rainier Valley Food Bank, Allied Arts Foundation, and Global Leadership Forum. Maria grew up in Bellingham, WA, graduated with a BA in English from the University of Puget Sound, and achieved doctoral candidacy in African American History at Northwestern University. Her passions and beliefs align directly with her work: Food, Art, and Justice for All.