Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days
Rural Philanthropy Days (RPD) is a statewide program that provides nonprofit leaders the resources they need to lead effective and sustainable organizations. The Western Slope region serves nonprofit organizations in: Delta, Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin counties. The Western Slope region was formerly known as the Mountain region. After strategic conversations and considering feedback from regional stakeholders, there were changes to the Rural Philanthropy Days regional map effective in 2016.
The next Western Slope conference will take place in June 2023.
Western Slope Symposium Series
The Western Slope Symposium Series is sponsored by the Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days (WSRPD) Interim Committee, a coalition of regional nonprofit leaders who have joined together to bring nonprofit education opportunities to the region. The Western Slope Fund Development Symposium hosted in Delta County is the first in a series of five symposiums that will take place in the region. The Fund Development Symposium will provide an opportunity for service providers to network, share and collaborate around various fund development strategies. Western Slope nonprofits, groups who use fiscal agents, government officials, schools and universities are invited to participate.
The format for the day includes two fund development workshops and several opportunities for individuals to network and collaborate with one another. With varying levels of workshop content, we hope that there will be something for everybody, whether you are new to the nonprofit sector or have several years of fund development experience. When registering for courses, please consider the indicated content level.
Symposium #1: Fund Development
November 16, 2016 | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Bill Heddles Recreation Center, Delta
Registration Cost: $75, Online registration closes November 15
Registration includes breakfast, lunch, two workshops of your choice and opportunities to network and collaborate.
Fund Development Symposium Sessions:
- Principles of Fund Development (Introductory)
- Setting the Stage for Fund Development Success (Advanced)
- Grantwriting for Rural Nonprofits (Introductory)
- Rethinking Revenue: Impact Investing for Nonprofits (Advanced)
Upcoming Symposiums:
- Symposium #2: Organizational Sustainability – March 2017, Edwards
- Symposium #3: Communications, Marketing – July 2017, Basalt
- Symposium #4: Human Resources & Volunteer Management – October 2017, Grand Junction
- Symposium #5: Collective Impact, Coalition Building & Advocacy – March 2018, Glenwood Springs
Apply for a Scholarship
Limited, full scholarships will be available for each symposium. Organizations are encouraged to apply early, as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The deadline for the Fund Development Symposium is Monday, October 31. If you have applied for a scholarship, please wait to register until you have been notified of your scholarship status.
What to Expect
RPD conferences include many opportunities to increase your understanding of nonprofit best practices, collaborate with other community leaders, and connect with Front Range and local funders. The funder roundtables are a signature of the RPD program and provide a unique opportunity to meet one-on-one with grantmakers in a rural setting. In 2014, the 12 core funders of the statewide RPD program donated nearly $25 million to Colorado’s rural communities.
Community Engagement
RPD conferences convene nonprofits, funders and local governments to share ideas and develop collaborative opportunities in order to build the capacity of local organizations and communities to address regional social issues. These opportunities for rural community engagement include the pre-conference Listening Tour, Community Solutions Sessions, and additional capacity building in the years between conferences.
Get Involved
RPD conference activities are collaboratively coordinated by a regional steering committee comprised of rural nonprofit, government, and business leaders, Community Resource Center, the Anschutz Family Foundation and local foundation staff.
Our Goals
- Rural Colorado’s nonprofit sector will have increased access to resources that support the operation of sustainable organizations in order to strengthen social impact.
- Grantmakers are increasingly engaged with rural Colorado community leaders to ensure a better understanding of regional challenges and collaborative opportunities.
- Rural communities have the resources needed to effectively collaborate on a regional scale by engaging nonprofit professionals, community leaders, government officials, and other statewide stakeholders.
