AFP Colorado Chapter

AFP Colorado honors the lives and leadership of two former board presidents who shaped our chapter and our profession.

Kathie Kramer Ryan passed away on April 30 after a long journey with endometrial cancer. Kathie served on the AFP Colorado Board from 2006 to 2011 and was Chapter President in 2010. Her distinguished career included roles with The Blue Bench, the Denver Art Museum, The Lab at Belmar, and DSST Public Schools, before launching her own firm, Arroyo Fundraising. Kathie was a generous mentor and a steady champion for ethical fundraising in Colorado. A memorial will be held on June 5 at 1:00 p.m. at Table Mountain Events in Golden.

Michael Blimes passed away recently in Las Vegas. Michael served on the AFP Colorado Board from 2005 to 2012 and was Chapter President in 2008. His career spanned Colorado State University, the Denver Symphony Orchestra, the American Humane Association, and the Aspen Valley Medical Association, as well as significant work in Arizona and Nevada. Through his firm, MIDAS Consulting, he supported countless organizations. In 2023, AFP Global recognized him as a Distinguished Fellow for his contributions to the profession.

We are grateful for their leadership, service, and friendship. Their impact endures in the Colorado fundraising community.

What do you know about Building Performance Standards and Energize Denver Standards? Nothing? That can cost you a lot of money.

When the event organizer conducted his first energy audit for his organization, a total of $1.8 million in fines was looming over the next 6 years if his organization did nothing to improve energy efficiency.

Fortunately, there are funding opportunities available to address these issues, and these funders will present at the Nonprofit Energy Resources for Decarbonization event on June 4:

Colorado Energy Office
Denver Regional Council of Governments
Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency - City and County of Denver
Xcel Energy

They will present about the energy efficiency requirements as well as the opportunities that exist for building owners in Denver and throughout Colorado to upgrade their buildings to get them in compliance.

To put it in fundraiser parlance, there will be more capital campaign gifts in this room than you will see the rest of the year!

Register now: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/uvbhnym

And, tell your CEO, COO, and Director of Facilities that this is one that they need to consider, too!

As Mental Health Awareness Month reminds us, mental health is not a separate issue affecting only a few; it is part of every person’s story, every workplace, and every community. Across Colorado, organizations and advocates are working to reduce stigma, expand access to care, and create systems where individuals and families can truly thrive.

This month, we spoke with Amy Stewart of Mental Health Colorado about the organization’s statewide impact, recent legislative victories supporting youth mental health, and the important role Mental Health Awareness Month continues to play in advancing understanding, advocacy, and well-being for all Coloradans.

❓Can you give us an overview of Mental Health Colorado mission and your role?
Mental Health Colorado is a nonprofit mental health organization and the leading nonpartisan advocate for mental health in our state. We work to promote mental well-being, increase access to care, reduce discrimination, and ensure all Coloradans have the opportunity to thrive. Through education and community engagement we are creating lasting changes across the lifespan—from early childhood to aging adults.

Mental Health Colorado is an affiliate of Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization that works on federal level mental health related policy and advocacy, and also the founder of Mental Health Awareness Month.

❓Can you share a recent win or story that you're excited about?
The passage of SB26-060: Mental Health Training in Concussion Education, also known as Alyssa's Youth Concussion and Mental Health Protection Act.

This legislation helps strengthen mental health supports for youth athletes by equipping coaches with education and helping families better recognize potential mental health impacts following concussion.

❓Can you tell us about Mental Health Awareness Month and how that is connected to your organization/those you serve?

Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the US since 1949. Initiated as Mental Health Awareness Week by Mental Health America, it was started to promote greater understanding of mental health and promote reform to harsh systems.

Mental Health Colorado is using this month to promote mental health with the understanding that mental health is part of everyone's story, and while mental health is often treated as an individual issue it is influenced by far more than personal experience, including systems, policies, environments, community and relationships.

❓Has your involvement with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (specifically the Colorado Chapter) supported your professional growth as a fundraiser? If so, how?

YES! AFP CC has been an integral part of my learning and career development in the nonprofit space. I have leaned on education sessions, online content and - most importantly - the network of colleagues I've met through AFPCC for insights, advice and support. I have also had the opportunity to serve as a mentor and in leadership roles through committees and boards that have provided me with critical experience that has influenced how I show up as a colleague, leader and human in my work. I am deeply grateful for the experiences AFPCC has enabled, and for the wonderful people I have met through AFPCC.

May’s Coffee Chat, Taxes… the Season is Not Over Yet!, featured Brandy Bertram from Great Big Good, LLC and Shawna Mounsey Shawna Mounsey from the Colorado Children's Campaign in a guided discussion about how understanding tax policy, charitable tax credits, and donor tax strategy can help nonprofits maximize giving opportunities, strengthen fundraising conversations, and enhance donor relationships.

The discussion encouraged fundraisers to better understand the interaction of charitable giving, capital gains, tax deductions, and tax credits, invoking thoughtful questions, creating strategies to build stronger donor relationships, and unique ways to connect supporters with trusted professional resources (and how to build those networks).

Make sure to mark your calendars for our next Coffee Chat on June 9!