In the Nonprofit Coffee Break video series, Nonprofit Connect sits down with a different nonprofit professional each month to chat about leadership, learning, and life over a cup of coffee. Tune in to each episode to learn from these individuals' experiences and challenges and help us highlight our sector as an important and vibrant part of our city.
This month, we sit down with Vincent Nguyen, Development Director of Cultivate KC.
In one sentence, please describe who you are and what you do.
My name is Vincent Nguyen and I am the Development Director at Cultivate Kansas City.
How did you get started working in the nonprofit sector?
About 16 years ago, I was in graduate school at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. I earned a Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in nonprofit management. During my program, one of my mentors told me that if I wanted to have a successful career in the nonprofit world, I would need to be a good fundraiser first. So, I accepted a position in development at United Way as a campaign manager and have been in development since.
On what day did you feel proudest of your work?
I feel the most proud when I go to farmers' markets on the weekends and I see the farmers we support selling their produce. I love seeing the confluence of their work, shoppers purchasing their produce, and fresh food being readily available all in one place. I can really see our work really impacting so many aspects of the community.
What is the biggest challenge you face in your role?
My biggest challenge used to be just being able to handle rejection. 2020 essentially said 'hold my beer' and presented all the normal challenges, turned it up to 11 and then added a pandemic for good measure.
What is a trend you see in the nonprofit community that excites you, or concerns you, and why?
The largest trend I see in the nonprofit community and frankly in our community as a whole, is the recognition that there is a severe deficit in DEI. That is a concern but it also excites me at the same time because I see most all of the organizations in town, both nonprofit and for profit, embracing DEI initiatives. A lot of tough conversations are being had and I think that is a very necessary first step to real change.
What is your advice for a new nonprofit professional?
It's cliché but find a mission you're passionate about. In the nonprofit world, more times than not, you're wearing many different hats and burnout is fairly common. Additionally, when you're interacting with stakeholders, if you're not passionate about the mission, people tend to see right through you.
What is your favorite place in Kansas City to grab a drink (coffee or cocktail)?
