Case Studies

Sopris Sun

A clear plan to grow major gifts and a website that shows the work behind a healthy river.

Slides from the Major Gifts Implementation Training for The Sopris Sun: the five-stage moves management process, the event follow-up process and the monthly fundraising workflow.

Overview

Forward Cadence helped The Sopris Sun turn strong donor loyalty into a structured major gifts program. We identified their strongest prospects, built a 2026 fundraising plan, set up their CRM for moves management and trained board and staff to run it on their own.

The Challenge

The Sopris Sun is Carbondale's nonprofit community newspaper, keeping the valley informed and connected through independent local reporting and a youth journalism program. Readers value that work and give generously to sustain it. Leadership was ready to build on that support and grow it with intention.

Leadership saw an opportunity to:

  • Turn early major gift successes into a steady, managed pipeline
  • Make their CRM the home for every donor relationship
  • Give board and staff clear roles in fundraising
  • Keep donors engaged between asks with consistent stewardship
Our Approach

01Discovery

Assess

  • Audited fundraising, the website, systems and workflows

Build

  • Delivered a Strategic Insights Report with a prioritized roadmap

Equip

  • Recorded an explainer video so board and staff could review the findings on their own time

02Major gifts foundation

Assess

  • Identified 51 individual prospects and 6 foundation contacts

Build

  • Created a Major Gift Portfolio organized by interest: education, environment, arts and youth journalism
  • Wrote a 2026 fundraising plan focused on individual giving and major gifts
  • Mapped stewardship touchpoints by segment and giving level

Equip

  • Gave every prospect an owner and a clear next step

03CRM and implementation

Assess

  • Evaluated platforms and recommended a Colorado Gives integration

Build

  • Set up Bloomerang with moves management fields and a Major Gift Portfolio report
  • Documented step-by-step procedures so the process is repeatable

Equip

  • Led a board and staff implementation training with a 90-day action plan
  • Trained a CRM superuser on staff
  • Presented to the board on relationship-based fundraising
What We Made Possible

The Sopris Sun now runs a relationship-driven major gifts program. Every prospect has an owner and a next step, board members act as community connectors, and the team can keep the process going on their own.

A clear donor pipeline
51 individual prospects and 6 foundation contacts, organized by the topics they care about.
A CRM built for major gifts
Moves management in Bloomerang, with documented procedures the team can follow.
Clear roles and a monthly rhythm
Defined responsibilities and activity goals for staff, the CRM superuser and the development committee.
Stewardship for every donor
Planned touchpoints for each segment and giving level, so relationships grow between asks.

Inside the Board Training

A working session on how board relationships build RFC's sponsorship pipeline. Each board member left with three prospects and a next step within 30 days.

45%

of small-business owners say a personal connection to a nonprofit's leaders shaped which ones they support.

Zatepilina-Monacell, Journal of Nonprofit & Public Sector Marketing, 2015

What makes a good sponsor

Connection
Do we have a way in?
Alignment
Is there a natural fit?
Opportunity
Is there value for them?

Every board member has a role

  • Identify
  • Connect
  • Introduce
  • Steward

Board members open the door. Staff carries the relationship forward.

Sponsorship as a cycle

  1. Win the sponsor
  2. Deliver value
  3. Stay connected
  4. Renew

Let’s Move Your Mission Forward—Together

Reach out today to explore how we can support your goals.

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