Nonprofits & Money Seminar: Giving & Getting with Purpose
The last year has challenged the entire nonprofit sector. Not only did organizations have to grapple with supporting the community during a time when the need has been the greatest it has been in a century, but they had to do so during a time when their own sustainability was threatened. Nonprofits and philanthropy had to come together to solve these issues. The Alliance deeply believes that this cooperative and innovative approach should not be limited to disasters but built into the fabric of how the sector operates.
In an effort to drive that conversation into a new year we bring you this seminar. This will be an opportunity for nonprofits and philanthropy to participate in a fun and meaningful training about creative ways to get the money as well as a deep discussion about the process behind giving the money.
Join us as we gather as a community, as a sector, to learn, listen, and look forward.
Qualifies for 4 CFRE points
May 7, 2021 (Friday)
Attend
In-Person or Virtually
In-Person Locations:
CENTRAL MS
MSU CAVS Extension
153 Mississippi Parkway
Canton, MS 39046
EAST MS
United Way of East MS
4817 N. Park Dr. Suite B
Meridian, MS 39305
GULF COAST
Knight Nonprofit Center
11975 Seaway Rd.
Gulfport, MS 39503
NORTHWEST MS
Maddox Foundation Volunteer Center
Community Foundation of NW MS
133 Sharkey
Clarksdale, MS 38614
Facilator
Robin Thompson
Click here to learn more about Robin
Agenda
Part 1: Giving-ology: Secrets to Raising More Money, Faster and Easier
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Almost everything has changed about the way that we raise money. There is a long list of what we either rarely or no longer do. For instance:
- Coffee meetings
- Sharing a meal
- Enjoying happy hour with adult beverages
- Galas or small living room events
Nonprofits are known for being able to pivot as they are faced with changing conditions. Normally, it is one or two changes, but not almost everything. Here’s the good news: this is giving us an opportunity to share our organization’s impact in different and creative ways. Many nonprofits have incorporated new ideas that have been so successful that they will continue doing it, even after we return to a renewed sense of normalcy.
In this special virtual keynote presentation, we will explore creative ideas to raise money for all sizes of nonprofits, both rural and city, that typically have large galas, small events or even no events at all. Using examples of what is working right now in other nonprofits across the country, there will be ideas for everyone who works in a nonprofit.
This program will highlight the current research on giving and suggest tips and techniques to overcome challenges and resistance. It will be interactive, fun and provide a ton of actionable value.
In this virtual keynote presentation, you will:
- Learn creative ways to increase donor engagement
- Focus on what you can do and not be overwhelmed by what you can’t do
- Define and list appropriate ways to make fundraising fun
- Be energized by engaging in an interactive virtual presentation
Lunch
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Part 2: Panel Discussion
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
During the panel discussion, prominent Mississippi philanthropists will be featured. They will share their preferences for how they respond to approaches for giving, what gives them great joy, and how they determine what projects and programs to fund. As we hear what these donors have in common, we will get insight into how we can craft better asks to philanthropists like them based on the current fundraising environment. They will give insights on some of the ways discussed in Robin’s presentation that nonprofits have responded and how that impacts their institutions’ thoughts on giving. We will get tips on their own strategic funding initiatives, giving philosophy, and their giving process.
Michele Connelly
Executive Director
United Way of West Central MS
About Michele:
Michele Connelly is the Executive Director for the United Way of West Central Mississippi, serving 19 partnering agencies in a five-county area. With sixteen years of experience in the local education system and seven in the nonprofit world, she brings passion and a unique set of skills to her service area. Michele acquired a B.S. from Mississippi State University, a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Mississippi College and a Masters in Catholic School Leadership at Marymount University. A Vicksburg native, she is a current member of the Vicksburg Kiwanis, the Live Healthy Action Team, BancorpSouth’s Community Reinvestment Act Board, the Long Term Recovery Committee, Vicksburg Brownfields Advisory Committee, and the local Emergency Food and Shelter Committee. Because of her strong commitment to the community, she was named 2017 Woman of the Year through the Vicksburg Post. Michele is married to Kory Connelly, of Vicksburg, MS and they have three daughters, Sara, Skylar and Madison, who are 24, 15 and 10. She and her family attend Porters Chapel United Methodist Church.
About The United Way of West Central MS
United Way of West Central Mississippi mobilizes partners throughout Warren, Claiborne, Issaquena, Sharkey, Yazoo Counties and a portion of Madison Parish to identify and respond to areas of most critical needs. United Way of West Central Mississippi raises and directs resources to local programs that address these needs.
- Education: Kindergarten Readiness; Grade Appropriate Reading; and Graduation Rates
- Financial Stability: Financial Literacy; Job Training and Readiness; and Affordable Housing
- Health: Access to Healthcare; Prevention, Management, and Treatment; and Safe and Independent Living
- Support Services: Disaster Preparedness/Relief; Shelter for Women and Children Experiencing Domestic Violence; and Homeless Prevention Services
Together we can accomplish far more than any group can on their own.
Sandy Young
The Charles L. Young, Sr. Foundation
The Charles L. Young Foundation is a private family foundation with a focus of offering assistance to organizations that help promote cultural development, community service, and education. With an emphasis on organizations that provide recreational outlets for youth in safe, clean environments. We fund around 12 scholarships, offer support to over 40 organizations annually, and are currently awarding grants for Summer Reading Programs and Summer Internship Programs.
Arthur Young was born in Meridian, MS and like most Mississippians, he was given a nickname, “Sandy” which most people call him and he prefers. He started working for the family business at age 11, and at age 12 he asked his father (and employer) why he was given cash and everyone else received a check. The following week he received his first official paycheck and then asked who is this “FICA” and why are they getting my money.
After graduating from Meridian High School in 1984 he enrolled in Jackson State University and was promoted to State Sales Representative for Mississippi. In 1989 he was tasked with starting a telemarking department which grow over 300% in just two years and became a major source of revenue for the company. In 1993, while still managing the telemarking department he hired and managed sales representatives in Illinois where the company products soon became the number four selling product in that state. From 1994 – 2002 he continued expanding the company’s sales territory to included Michigan, Maryland, Washington D.C., Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, and Antigua.
After the passing of his wife in 2002, he retired and moved back to Mississippi, where he helped care for his father until his passing in 2009. After the passing of the founder of The Charles L. Young, Sr. Foundation in 2009, his fellow trustees elected him as Chairperson.
Sheila Grogan
President
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of MS Foundation
Sheila Grogan is Vice President, Community and Public Relations at Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi and also serves as President of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi supports arts and philanthropy throughout the state, and the Foundation provides targeted grants to improve the health of Mississippians, with a focus on schools, communities, and colleges and universities.
Mrs. Grogan currently is a Board member of the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of various professional organizations.
Steve Azar
Co-Founder and Music & Culture Ambassador of Mississippi
Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation
About Steve:
Music & Culture Ambassador of Mississippi, Steve Azar is a modern-day Renaissance man, hit songwriter, recording artist, music producer, consultant, golfer and philanthropist. Steve likes to call his own breed of music “Delta Soul,” a mixture of country, rock and blues.
His debut album Waitin’ On Joe was released in 2001 on UMG/Mercury Records. The title track went to #1 on CMT and featured Academy award-winning actor Morgan Freeman. From the same album the hit single “I Don’t Have To Be Me (‘Til Monday)” received three BMI Million-Air awards for over 3 million in air plays and is one of the top five most played songs of the past decade on country radio.
Indianola, the follow up album to Waitin’ on Joe, was the debut release from Azar’s own independent music label, Dang/Ride Records featuring the singles “You Don’t Know a Thing” and “You’re My Life”. The video for “You Don’t Know a Thing” starred PGA player, John Daly, and was an instant favorite at the country music video channels. “You’re my Life”, is still a strong seller and fan favorite to this day. Indianola also received strong critical reviews and landed the album at #1 on the XM Radio “Country Outlaw” channel, bumping Willie Nelson out of the #1 spot, and then giving up the #1 spot to John Mellencamp the next week.
In People Magazine, Taylor Swift said that her favorite song of the year 2010 was Steve Azar’s “Sunshine.” The album Slide On Over Here, featuring the hit single “Sunshine,” was spotlighted in Oprah’s O Magazine in her Oprah’s Favorite Things edition in 2011. “Sunshine” was also featured in US Weekly Magazine in June 2012 as one of the most popular celebrity wedding songs.
Steve has written, and recorded songs for film and has been the music supervisor for a number of movies. “Doin’ It Right” (Delta Mix) off of the latest release Delta Soul Volume One, was the feature track for Sony Pictures 2013 movie Here Comes The Boom starring Kevin James and Salma Hayek Steve wrote “Fly”, the official song for the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail. His performance at the opening ceremonies reached an audience of one billion households. “Fly” was also used as the feature song for Sony Pictures movie: Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 starring actor Kevin James.
As a songwriter, Reba McEntire among others has cut his songs.
In 2007, Azar was personally chosen by Bob Seger to perform 46 shows on what has been rated the #1 Tour in America by Pollstar Magazine.
An accomplished golfer, Steve has been ranked one of the top five musicians that play golf by Golf Digest Magazine numerous times. He is a frequent guest at charity golf tournaments across the country. In 2006, Steve and his wife Gwen started the Steve Azar St. Cecilia Foundation, and annually host the Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event. Since its inception, the foundation has channeled nearly $900,000 to many worthwhile causes in the Delta and beyond. Steve has additionally raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable causes through the auctioning of songs. These songs are written for the highest bidder’s charity of choice.
In April of 2016, Steve became the first artist to record a full-length studio album at the legendary Mississippi landmark, Club Ebony. A long time in the making, and his first record in 5 years, Steve cut 13 new original tracks. The club, now belonging to the BB King Museum, was turned into a recording studio capturing the rich history and vibe of the room and in turn inspiring incredible performances on the record. The album was made with the participation of The Kings Men, a group of musicians who backed BB King, Elvis Presley, and other musical kings. The combination of Steve’s Delta songwriting approach and the band's musical background has created a unique and soulful sound that audiences will be hearing in the later part of 2017.
Steve Azar & The Kings Men made their live debut headlining 2016’s BB King Homecoming Festival. The band headlined both the Mississippi Night at The GRAMMY’s in Los Angeles during February 2017 and the Mississippi Bicentennial Celebration in Jackson in December of 2017. The new record is accompanied by a full-length feature documentary combining the making of the record with the musical trajectory of The Kings Men and the Mississippi Delta’s important musical influence on the world music scene. The film, titled Something In The Water, was released in 2017.
Steve has been honored with a“Steve Azar Day” in the states of Mississippi (March 13th) and South Dakota (August 10th).
He is the co-founder of Ride Records and in 2013 co-founded the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival, dubbed “A Southern Gem” by the American Blues Scene magazine and included in Acoustic Guitar magazine’s 2014 Roadside Americana: 50 States 50 Must-Attend Events.
With a keen interest in mentorship and giving back to the Delta, Steve enjoys being the artist in residence at the Delta Music Institute, part of Delta State University.
Governor Paul R. LePage has requested that all the Governors in the United States use Steve’s song, “The Sky is Falling,” as a way to spread awareness about the serious issue of human trafficking in America.
Steve is an in-demand keynote speaker. His speeches highlight the importance of giving back and that it is never too soon to start. From the sports world to the world of entertainment, Steve has had success and has also had his share of trials and tribulations; his speeches are full of the lessons learned.
In 2016, Azar began his consulting company All Access Azar offering a wide range of consulting services in the areas of artist and songwriter development and coaching, music production, festival and special events production, music publishing and licensing, and talent buying.
Steve narrated "Second Crossing: The Making of The Mississippi Bridge" for Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) back in 2007. Later in 2016 his voice was used for a series of 12 short documentaries celebrating MDOT’s 100th Anniversary.
In 2016, Azar began his consulting company All Access Azar offering a wide range of consulting services in the areas of artist and songwriter development and coaching, music production, festival and special events production, music publishing and licensing, and talent buying.
2017 marks the bicentennial of the state of Mississippi. Steve has been appointed Music & Culture Ambassador of Mississippi and is working closely with the State of Mississippi in his official role. This position enables him to continue making a positive impact on the State’s tourism and economy. His Delta Soul Celebrity Golf & Charity Event and Mighty Mississippi Music Festival have added millions in economic impact to the state. As ambassador Steve is making an even larger impact.
Steve is the recipient of the 2018 prestigious Mississippi Arts Commission “Governor's Choice Award”.
In January 2018, Steve began hosting his own radio show and podcast “In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar”. Steve takes on the other side of the interview asking the questions and talking with friends from all walks of celebrity sharing their stories to success and what’s going on in their lives now. The show is broadcast throughout the state on SuperTalk Mississippi radio network and available nationally online and via podcast.
In February of 2019, he co-founded and hosted his first Mockingbird Music Series. A bi-monthly musical dinner series featuring intimate performances with some of Nashville’s best and prolific award-winning songwriters, telling the stories behind their hits and performing them as originally written. The first annual Mockingbird Songwriters Music Festival was held in 2021 in Leland, MS, co-founded and produced by Steve.
He was named to the 2019 class of Mississippi Top 50 in the Business, Media and Culture category. Mississippi Top 50 is an annual list of the people who are judged to be the most influential leaders in the state. This bipartisan selection of leaders comes from the ranks of elected and appointed officials, economic development professionals, business, media and government affairs.
In October of 2019, Azar was enshrined on the Mississippi Country Music Trail as the trail’s 32nd marker was unveiled in Greenville, Mississippi. Governor Bryant was in attendance and spoke at the marker unveiling ceremony. Azar's class also included the legends Jerry Lee Lewis (Nesbit, MS) and Marty Gamblin (Philadelphia, MS) as well as Johnny Cash’s “Starkville City Jail” track and Jimmie Rodgers’ Bristol, Tennessee music sessions.
Also, in 2019, Azar officially released the bicentennial anthem “One Mississippi" after a request from then Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant that Steve write the official song to commemorate the state's bicentennial anniversary. From slug burgers to The Muppets to the Natchez Trace Parkway, “One Mississippi” highlights the charm and history of the Magnolia State. The song was recorded at The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience (The Max) in Meridian. The official music video, filmed and produced by Azar’s son Strack, documents the recording session. View Here
In 2020, Azar co-founded The Mighty Roots Music Festival. The inaugural event will be held October 1-2, 2021 on historic Stovall Farms, just outside of Clarksdale, MS and 70 miles south of Memphis, TN. https://www.mightyrootsmusicfestival.com/
In October 2020, Azar released a compilation exclusive vinyl, CD and digital release titled “My Mississippi Reunion” featuring a collection of new and remastered songs, all about home.
For more information visit: www.steveazar.com