Nearly 100 people attended the first 2025 Battle Creek Nonprofit Convening on May 7. The event, hosted by the Battle Creek Community Foundation, focused on strategies to increase fundraising success.
The gathering replaced BCCF’s annual grant-writing workshop based on feedback from local nonprofits. Leaders expressed a need for programming on fundraising approaches, trust-based philanthropy, and aligning fundraising with organizational missions.
According to a community announcement, the event aimed to engage and empower community partners. BCCF CEO Mary Muliett noted that the conference emerged from interest expressed by nonprofit leaders. The event provided an opportunity for attendees to learn strategies, connect and explore new ways to advance their work.
The convening featured a lineup of speakers and panelists, including Stephanie Slingerland, chief philanthropy officer at Kellanova, and Greg Moore, senior community affairs manager at Consumers Energy Foundation. Other notable participants included Amanda Lankard, CEO of the Battle Creek Area Association of Realtors, and Rod Auton, manager of Calhoun County Senior Services.
Sponsors for the event included Clark Hill PLC, Nuveen, and the Charitable Gaming Division of the State of Michigan.
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This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: New Battle Creek conference helps nonprofits rethink fundraising
Reporting by Janis Reeser, reporter assisted by AI / Battle Creek Enquirer
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