The event brought together nonprofit staff, executive directors, board members, and funding partners for skill-building and transparent dialogue.
LAFAYETTE, LA – Community Foundation of Acadiana (CFA) in partnership with the Maraist Family Foundation, the Pinhook Family Foundation, the Stuller Family Foundation, and the Schumacher Family Foundation hosted an inaugural Grantee Summit for nonprofit organizations. The gathering brought together a broad cohort of local nonprofit executives, board members, staff, and philanthropic partners for a day of collaborative leadership development and meaningful conversations.
The unique event was sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana (Louisiana Blue), emphasizing the link between nonprofit capacity building and long-term community health.
“Investing in the capacity of our nonprofit partners is one of the most effective ways to drive change across Louisiana,” said Kellie Duhon, Corporate Giving Program Manager at Louisiana Blue. “Our goal was to support CFA and their partners in bringing funders and grantees to the same table. Through events like the summit, we are ultimately creating a community that is stronger and more collaborative.”
The summit offered participants training in modern board governance, relational fundraising strategies, and clear impact communication, culminating in a dedicated, two-hour facilitated discussion between funders and grantees.
“Bringing this specific mix of nonprofit leaders and funders together in one space allowed for an incredibly rare dialogue,” said Missy Bienvenu, President & CEO of CFA. “The summit was about creating connections across the grantee-funder ecosystem while also deepening our own insight into the nonprofit landscape. We’re so grateful to the nonprofits and the funders who took time to participate, and we are already looking forward to hosting more opportunities to build capacity and relationships.”
CFA is one of south Louisiana’s premier philanthropic organizations benefiting our region, with a focus on the parishes of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Vermilion. CFA’s core purpose is to build legacies and improve communities by connecting generous people to the causes they care about. Since its inception in 2000, CFA has realized cumulative gifts exceeding $431 million and has made cumulative grants of more than $256 million. You can learn more at www.cfacadiana.org.
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