Connecting the Dots

Behind all the incredible work nonprofit organizations do to support the Greater Mankato community are the people who make it all happen. Decision-making, planning, fundraising, and service delivery are complex tasks that require thoughtful leadership and strategic coordination. Like for-profit businesses, nonprofits must manage expenses, staffing, revenue generation, and service delivery—but often with fewer resources.

Because nonprofits rely heavily on donations, their often have restrictive budgets. This can limit their ability to invest in operations, even when doing so would enhance their impact. To maximize every dollar and hour, nonprofits must operate with exceptional efficiency and effectiveness. In conversations with regional nonprofit leaders, the Mankato Area Foundation (MAF) identified recurring challenges across organizations.

They had questions:

• How do we build an effective board?
• What’s the best way to raise funds?
• Which grants should we pursue?
• Where do we start?

To help answer these questions, MAF launched the Consultant in Residency (CIR) program, tapping Kim Snyder, founder and consultant with Excelsior Bay Group.

“Having had the good fortune of working with Kim for over a decade, I knew one of the best ways we could help nonprofits with these questions would be to provide her expertise to our local organizations,” said Nancy Zallek, President and CEO of MAF.

Consultant in Residency

The CIR program offers nonprofits 10 hours of professional consulting at no cost, focusing on three key areas:

• Strategy – Clarifying mission, refining operations, and aligning purpose
• Philanthropy – Strengthening fundraising, capital investment, and financial planning
• Governance – Enhancing board leadership, policies, and organizational structure

Rather than a traditional grant, MAF connects nonprofits with a strategic consultant to build long-term sustainability. Snyder has worked with dozens of organizations through this initiative, helping leaders navigate challenges and build confidence.

“I do a lot of listening to learn about their challenges and help formulate a plan together,” Snyder said. “It’s so great when they realize, ‘Yes, I can do that,’ and I get to reinforce what their gut was already telling them.”

Feedback from nonprofit leaders has been overwhelmingly positive. Many directors are deeply committed to their missions but lack expertise in areas like fundraising or governance. The CIR program helps fill those gaps.

“As the director of a small nonprofit that doesn’t have the flexible funding to spend on fundraising workshops and coaching, working directly with Kim allowed me to troubleshoot specific challenges while also setting up a healthy donor cultivation plan and integrated financial strategy,” said Laura Peterson, Executive Director at Living Earth Center.

Good Governance Cohort

Through her work in the CIR program, Snyder noticed a common theme: governance challenges. Nonprofit leaders often struggled to work effectively with their boards, and board members sometimes misunderstood their roles.

To address this, Snyder proposed ongoing Good Governance trainings to help strengthen nonprofit leadership. Trainings have been offered both in a cohort and workshop model, all with a curriculum focused on effective governance, peer learning, and shared problem-solving.

“The people who participate love it because not only do they get a coach, but they get to share with each other and hear what’s going on,” Snyder says. “It’s kind of like we’re in Vegas—whatever we talk about there, stays there—so people are able to share their struggles and successes openly.”

Navigating Philanthropy

Another recurring challenge identified through the CIR program was an interest in learning more about philanthropy. Many organizations had strong missions but needed help understanding how to connect with funders and build financial sustainability.

To meet this need, MAF developed Navigating Philanthropy, a curriculum designed to build confidence and competence in fundraising. Participants learn how to write grants, cultivate donor relationships, and develop long-term financial strategies.

“We’re trying to figure out how to break down these barriers to entry as much as we can,” Snyder said. “We want to build capacity in individuals in order to strengthen the whole.”

These programs—Consultant in Residency, Good Governance Cohort, and Navigating Philanthropy—are part of MAF’s broader vision to empower nonprofit leaders and strengthen the philanthropic ecosystem. By investing in leadership development, MAF is working to helps ensure that every philanthropic dollar goes further and creates lasting impact.

“It has been an absolute game-changer for me,” said Melinda Wedzina, CEO of VINE. “Throughout my career in the nonprofit sector, I’ve encountered various forms of support, but nothing compares to the impact Snyder has had on our organization.”