The Strat Labs

Kelly Lauer, Executive Director of The White Cane Foundation, overcame her fear of starting something new which has led to lasting change for children and families in her community.

Strat Labs agrees - taking a big step in areas you are afraid to start can lead to creating something benificial for the world.

Read Kelly's Changemaker Spotlight at https://stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-kelly-lauer-the-white-cane-foundation/

Our nonprofit experts are ready to help you elevate your fundraising efforts and cultivate lasting relationships with donors in this IN-PERSON workshop!

- Dana Bacardi has spent over 15 years in the nonprofit sector with hands-on experience in everything from donor engagement, corporate sponsorship strategy and community events, to board development, grant writing, and major fundraising campaigns.

- Christine Vottima has worked with a large variety of organizations, ranging from nonprofits and start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations and supporting organizations within industries such as health, wellness, fashion, and more.

📅 Tuesday, September 10th
🕒 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 The Village Workspace, 7173 S. Havana St. Suite #600, Centennial, CO 80112

🔗Free registration: https://stratlabs.us/labsessions/village-workspace

Our team will be presenting multiple educational sessions for nonprofits LIVE in Estes Park this fall, starting next week!

Each session will take place at the PCCR Fellowship Hall from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.

- 9/4 - Strategy: Create Your Fundraising Roadmap

- 9/18 - Engagement: Build Your Donor and Sponsor Community.

- 10/2 - Amplifying Impact: Strategies for Fundraising, Marketing, and Engagement in Nonprofits.

Join us and the Estes Nonprofit Network for all three “Amplifying Impact” sessions to build a comprehensive 2025 Strategic Marketing, Communications, and Philanthropy Plan.

Register at epnonprofit.org

Meet our Changemaker highlight: Kelly Lauer, Co-Founder and Executive Director of The White Cane Foundation.

In 2019, Kelly and her husband Dave saw a need that could be filled in Lincoln, NE. There are many children living in poverty and providing two brand new clothing outfits and hygiene items to elementary students to feel good about themselves was a good place to start. They knew a student’s ability to do their very best would be greatly enhanced with these new clothes and shoes to wear to school. Since then, people have come forward with great effort and passion to help this new mission where students are empowered to go out in the world with confidence and independence to become their very best selves.

Read our full Q&A at https://stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-kelly-lauer-the-white-cane-foundation/

According to the 2024 M+R Benchmarks report, nonprofits invested 13% more in digital advertising in 2023 than in 2022. The biggest jump came from radio advertising, which nonprofits increased their spend by 67% in one year!

Nonprofits, there is often an untapped donor base you can reach through radio advertising. Consider spending money on radio ads in your 2025 strategy!

Read the full report at www.mrbenchmarks.com

For-profit businesses! Register for our IN-PERSON event - Power Your ESG and CSR Initiatives.

Join us and B Local Colorado at our office on Thursday, September 12th from 4-5 pm followed by a Happy Hour! We will unpack the complexities in the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) space. No matter what growth phase your business is in, demonstrating your multidimensional impact on the environment and/or society will help you build credibility in the marketplace.

Register: www.tickettailor.com/events/blocalcolorado/1347515

Our speaking services have been a hit at educational events!

Recently, Candace Richter and Dana Bacardi presented to SEA Change's first virtual cohort about identifying their authentic "why". Thank you Natalia Antezana for your testimonial!

If your business or organization would like to book our team of professionals to speak at your next event, reach out to us today!

🔗: www.stratlabs.us/speaker-services

Supporters are tuning into our clients' email communications! We achieved an average email subscriber growth of 6% in Q2 -- compared to the industry average of 1-3% per month.

Email is one of the most important communication channels, which is why our strategies always involve ways to build your subscriber list.

If your organization needs help building your email subscriber list, contact our team today at www.stratlabs.us/contact!

Holocaust survivor Mark Schonwetter of the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation spoke about the importance of educating the youth about the past to prevent hate in the future.

Having lived through one of the most horrific events in world history in the Holocaust, Mark has made it a life mission to end hatred of all kinds.

Read Mark's Changemaker Spotlight at https://stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-mark-schonwetter-mark-schonwetter-holocaust-education-foundation/

We're back with an IN-PERSON event!

Colorado Nonprofits, join us at The Village Workspace as we delve into the art and science of attracting and engaging new donors and sponsors. We’ll equip you with actionable strategies and proven techniques to elevate your fundraising efforts and cultivate lasting relationships.

📅 Tuesday, September 10th
🕒 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
📍 The Village Workspace, 7173 S. Havana St. Suite #600, Centennial, CO 80112

🔗Free registration: https://stratlabs.us/labsessions/village-workspace

Meet our Changemaker highlight: Mark Schonwetter, Holocaust survivor and Co-Founder of the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation.

Mark’s daughters, Ann Arnold and Isabella Fiske started the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation in 2019 after seeing the need for more funding for Holocaust education across the United States due to budgetary constraints faced by many teachers. Their mission is to provide grants for educators to teach anti-hate initiatives, respect, and kindness to students nationwide through Holocaust education. Since their inception, they have awarded 439 grants across 31 states, reaching over 114,000 students.

Read our full Q&A with Mark: https://stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-mark-schonwetter-mark-schonwetter-holocaust-education-foundation/

Our nonprofit clients are thriving on Instagram! We achieved an average follower growth of 8.3% for our clients in Q2, compared to the industry average of just 1.69%.

It all starts with strategy! We thoughtfully craft each post with our clients' target audience in mind to attract new community members and encourage strong engagement.

If your organization is in need of help with your social media marketing, contact our team today at www.stratlabs.us/contact!

The year is flying by, and the end of the year is always the craziest time for nonprofits! Don't find yourself behind as you approach end-of-year giving.

The upcoming months are pivotal for planning and executing impactful end-of-year campaigns. NOW is the time to strategize your approach for reaching your goals!

Need assistance in your end-of-year fundraising efforts, or know a nonprofit that does? Strat Labs has a few slots open for our end-of-year fundraising packages -- reach out to us today: www.stratlabs.us/contact

Our clients saw an average email open rate of 48% in Quarter 2, over 20% higher than the industry average of 15-28%!

How did we achieve this? Our team of experts carefully thinks through all communications and starts everything with STRATEGY!

If your organization is in need of help with your email marketing, contact our team today at www.stratlabs.us/contact!

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We're excited to help launch our client United Cerebral Palsy's campaign today: UCP United for GOLD | Growing Opportunities for Limitless Dreams!

Today marks the beginning of their competitive peer-to-peer fundraiser, activating committed UCP Champions to support UCP's 75th anniversary and raise funds for the disability community. All UCP Champions will be guided in their fundraising efforts with a Classy.org set-up guide and campaign toolkit strategized and designed by Strat Labs.

Best of luck to UCP and their Champions!

This team is taking on the second half of the year with style and purpose!

We met as a team to celebrate our successes from quarter 2 and strategize new ways to power our clients' purposes for the remainder of 2024.

For our Jewish changemakers - join our Founder and CEO, Lizzy Neufeld, at the 70 Faces Media High Holiday Bootcamp! ✡️

The second annual High Holiday Bootcamp will revisit core topics like successful email marketing for High Holiday services and events, online fundraising appeals, digital membership recruitment, and more. You'll also learn how synagogues can commemorate — digitally — the first anniversary of the October 7th attack, which falls between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Register at www.jewishdigitalsummit.org/hhd

Johnna Flood of Elevated Denver spoke about what it takes to be a changemaker in our latest Changemaker Spotlight.

We agree that true transformation begins with what you are passionate about, then taking a risk to bring that change to life!

Read Johnna's Changemaker Spotlight at www.stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-johnna-flood-elevated-denver/

As a WINNER of 2024 Colorado Companies to Watch, our team had a blast at the Winners Welcome event last week!

50 winning companies and alumni were represented. We are so honored to be a part of this trailblazing community.

Meet our Changemaker highlight: Johnna Flood, CEO and Co-Founder of Elevated Denver.

Elevated Denver is a startup nonprofit working to solve homelessness. Johnna leverages her expertise in design thinking, collective impact, and participatory research to lift marginalized voices and collaboratively design solutions to homelessness. She is a seasoned entrepreneur, community designer, and social impact leader.

Read our full Q&A at https://stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-johnna-flood-elevated-denver/

What is the secret to successful Nonprofit-Corporate partnerships? Join our hosts next week to find out!

Meet our experts:

CSR Specialist, Candace Richter, with 25+ years of developing, executing, and leading business strategies in the private and nonprofit sector.

Sr VP of Strategic Philanthropy, Dana Bacardi, with 15+ years in the nonprofit sector where she has specialized in several aspects of fundraising with a national non-profit organization.

See you on July 24th at 9:30am MT! Register at www.stratlabs.us/labsessions/corporate-nonprofit-partnerships/

Looking for speakers for your next event or conference tailored towards nonprofit or corporate social responsibility professionals? Strat Labs is available to educate audiences on industry best practices and how to create meaningful impacts!

Request to book a speaker that can cover topics including:

🌍 ESG & Corporate Social Responsibility
🤝 Philanthropy & Development
💡 Marketing & Communications

Get more info at www.stratlabs.us/speaker-services/

Find your PERFECT purpose fit by building a meaningful corporate-nonprofit partnership!

At our upcoming webinar, you can learn how to find your "purpose fit", strategically plan and leverage collaborations, as well as build long-lasting relationships that benefit both parties.

📅 July 24th
🕒 9:30 – 10:30 AM
📍 Zoom

Register now! www.stratlabs.us/labsessions/corporate-nonprofit-partnerships

Armando Contreras of United Cerebral Palsy spoke about what we need to do to create a more equitable society for the disability community in our latest Changemaker Spotlight.

Having been involved in social impact space all his life, Armando is the true definition of a Changemaker!

Read Armando's Changemaker Spotlight at https://stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-armando-contreras-united-cerebral-palsy/

Our client, Advanceedu, helps incoming college students choose the best-fit college and career pathway and help them find funding to pay for their tuition. As college tuition continues to rise, so does the need for funding of their program.

To support fundraising, Strat Labs is helping AdvanceEDU activate their board members and major donors to host salon events by empowering them with information, expectations, and impact stats!

Salon events are a great way to encourage major donors to engage their personal networks and share your mission!

Don't miss our FINAL webinar of the summer: The Secret to Optimizing Impact in Nonprofit Corporate Partnerships!

Discover the transformative power of corporate and nonprofit partnerships by building mutually beneficial relationships that expand impact, create awareness, and promote successful collaborations.

📅 July 24th
🕒 9:30 – 10:30 AM
📍 Zoom

Register now! www.stratlabs.us/labsessions/corporate-nonprofit-partnerships

Meet our Changemaker highlight: Armando Contreras, President and CEO of United Cerebral Palsy.

United Cerebral Palsy is the nation’s leading organization advocating and promoting inclusion for people with cerebral palsy and many other disabilities. A native of Los Angeles, California, Armando’s professional career includes serving as the CEO of UCP of Central Arizona, as the President and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (AZHCC), and as the Director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and the Executive Director of the Governor’s Council on Small Business under former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano.

Read our full Q&A at https://stratlabs.us/changemaker-spotlight-series-armando-contreras-united-cerebral-palsy/