This article has been updated to include more information on how non-profits in the Keweenaw Peninsula seek ways to find support in a changing landscape.
Nonprofits in the Copper Country take advantage of any opportunity to build more support.
Recently the Keweenaw Land Trust partnered with Thrivent Financial to join the wealth manager’s Choice Dollar program. KLT Executive Director B Lauer says finding non-traditional funding sources can take a lot of time researching new opportunities or lesser-known programs. But by working in small communities, many opportunities to raise funds come to nonprofits organically.
“We recently learned about it because we have an amazing community member, volunteer and board member who said, ‘Hey, I was trying to give to KLT via my Thrivent choice dollars. And I didn’t see that you were on the list,’” Lauer said. “And so he went ahead and said, ‘Can I nominate you?’ And that’s how this all got kicked off for us.”
Lauer says people with wealth management accounts with Thrivent can direct a donation to KLT or other organizations partnered with the business. The portal includes organizations in Houghton County such as the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home, Copper Country Habitat for Humanity, Bootjack Fire and Rescue Foundation and the Freedom Reins Horse Club.
“The way it works is that you ask Thrivent to donate their money to KLT based on however much money you have invested with them. And so you’re not actually giving your dollars. You’re asking Thrivent to give their dollars,” Lauer said. “And so it’s a great way to, if you do want to make a gift, amplify it. We don’t have to wait for Giving Tuesday for that. It’s really easy.”
Lauer adds that throughout the year fundraising committees, executive directors and board members share ideas and programs impacting their organizations with each other. One of her favorite traits of the nonprofit community working to support the Copper Country is a non-competitive spirit that seeks to uplift the missions of groups.
“We’re talking, especially the executive directors. We’re all talking with each other. Or I should say the people responsible for fundraising. We’re all talking with each other and sharing these opportunities,” Lauer said. “That’s one of the things that I love most about the nonprofit community here is we’re not competitive. We all want everyone to thrive and we all want to see each other do really well.”
Keweenaw Land Trust and many nonprofits in the Copper Country have partnered with local businesses such as the Keweenaw Co-op and local sports teams including the Calumet Wolverines and Portage Lake Pioneers for chuck-a-pucks. Lauer says these sorts of opportunities offer more than raising funds. By engaging with the community in different ways, organizations grow their presence in the region, connecting with future volunteers, supporters and anyone that wants to know more.
“And so, yeah, I’m definitely, you know, giving Larry over at Swede Town a call when new things come up,” Lauer said. “And I will say the single best nonprofit networking space of the year is the Copper Shores Giving Tuesday event at the mall. I feel like every year that we’re there, we’re always talking with each other about, ‘How did your grants do this year? Oh, did you hear about this new opportunity?’”
Lauer said it would be great to have more opportunities to get nonprofits in a room to connect and chat about things, but they are definitely connected.
Lauer shares that another non-traditional way nonprofits receive support from individuals can come from employers. In February the Incredible Bank recognized Jamie Thryion’s support of Main Street Calumet through the institution’s Dollars for Doers campaign. Some local businesses even operate similar programs, says Lauer, and learning about those opportunities can start by talking to a company’s HR department or manager.
The landscape for how nonprofits find support has changed. Many nonprofits have recognized impacts to volunteer pools following the pandemic. Donation exhaustion is also a concern many nonprofits have sought to address. While digital tools such as social media can have many advantages, they can also build a sort of echo chamber. Partnerships between businesses and other nonprofits can help expose groups to a new audience.
Learn more about the Keweenaw Land Trust Choice Dollars partnership with Thrivent Financial online.
