Fundraisers spend years working to build relationships with funders. How many stop to ask if those are the best funders to be in a relationship with?

In this workshop, Robert L. Dortch, Jr. introduces strategic readiness and what it means for the future of fundraising. He will walk through the funder typology, the five distinct types of funders and what each is actually positioned to invest in, and show how understanding funder type changes the way you build and grow philanthropic relationships. This will change the way you think about funder relationships and how to best engage funders in the rapidly changing philanthropic landscape.

This will be followed by a facilitated Q&A.

Guest Speaker
As Principal of Jordan Sydnor Innovation Group, Robert works at the intersection of leadership, governance, innovation, culture, and people-centered strategy.

Robert is a strategist, executive coach, speaker, poet, and philanthropist who has been called “thoughtful, direct, comedic, and willing to speak the truth in rooms that desperately need it.”

He speaks nationally and coaches’ CEO’s, boards, and executive teams on strategic readiness and navigating the messy middle by focusing on how innovation shapes governance, organizational strategy, and leadership development.

During his career as an executive in the philanthropic and nonprofit sector, Robert has directed the investment of more than $100 million to support various initiatives to drive lasting impact. He served as Chair of the Board of Philanthropy Southeast, one of the largest philanthropy-serving organizations in the nation. He is Co-Founder of the Ujima Legacy Fund, one of the most prominent giving circles in the country, and Founder of the Jordan Sydnor Genesis Fund.

He is the author of Adventures in Leadership: A 30 Day Quest to Elevate Your Leadership and Life and Cool Fire: A Black Man’s Poetic Odyssey.

Robert's mission is to be a creative force for good.