A Tight-Knit Community: Best Practices for Faith-Based Organizations

For many nonprofits and churches, giving can be one of the most challenging elements of growth. Whether you are unsure of how to “ask people for money,” do not know where to find donors and supporters, or simply do not know what you need, Dr. Carla’s experience and guidance can help revitalize your organization’s funding strategy. Over the span of two decades, Dr. Carla has helped both small and large nonprofits and churches collectively raise over $1 billion dollars. By bridging organizational data and research with spiritual principles of giving, Dr. Carla empowers churches, nonprofits, and their leadership teams to engage with their givers and grow resources.

Brianne Gerzevske is the Account Director at Meyer Partners. With over a decade of fundraising, donor relations and nonprofit management experience in the faith-based sector, Bri now works as a consultant at Meyer Partners to help organizations find success, joy and fun in their direct response programs. Bri is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and currently sits on the board for the St. Louis Chapter. She graduated with her MA in Nonprofit Management from Webster University in 2017 with high honors, and is a member of Delta Mu Delta (International Honor Society of Business). She has been a Certified Fundraising Executive since 2018. When she is not working or learning all the things, Bri is painting, blogging and hosting the "Lutheran Ladies Lounge" podcast on KFUO Radio.

I'm a non-profit coach that empowers the new and existing generation of passionate non-profit founders with the tools to amplify their mission through transformative donor experiences and community-centric strategies. Melissa has over 10 years of experience in building relationships through higher education and fundraising. She currently is the Director of Annual Giving at Prisma Health Midlands Foundation while continuing to serve community nonprofits within her state and beyond. When she is not building donor engagement programs, she is spending time with her family in Lexington, SC .