Nonprofit Executive Breakfast

Nonprofit organizations depend on the financial support of foundations to achieve our missions.

Join us for a unique opportunity to engage directly with two esteemed area funders who profoundly understand nonprofit funding dynamics.
 
This discussion will equip you with invaluable insights into the world of funders, offering a deep dive into what they seek in their grantee partnerships.
 
During the True Partnership Funders Panel, you’ll have the chance to:

• Gain perspectives on what funders are actively seeking.
• Learn how to strengthen relationships with funders.
• Formulate successful strategies for forging meaningful partnerships.

Take a moment to invest in nurturing partnerships and cultivating supportive relationships while enjoying a casual breakfast. The Nonprofit Executive Breakfasts occur three times a year, with the intention to convene executive leaders from Kansas City's nonprofit community to exchange ideas and foster valuable connections. Your participation is significant, not only for us but also for your peers across the Kansas City area.
 
Please note: Attendance at this breakfast is solely for nonprofit executive directors and CEOs

This is a program of the Executive Leadership Track.

Presenters:

Charlotte Kemper Black Director of Charitable Trusts and Foundations for Commerce Trust. In this role, she oversees discretionary grantmaking for several private foundations and charitable trusts, including the William T. Kemper Foundation, the Richard J. Stern Foundation for the Arts, and the Oppenstein Brothers Foundation. Charlotte joined Commerce Bank in 2015 as part of the Strategic Planning Office, leading several longer-term, cross-bank initiatives including ones around innovation and consumer strategy. Prior to joining Commerce, she worked in Equity Research for Fidelity Investments in Boston, and in Corporate Strategy for Northrop Grumman in the Washington, DC area. She also spent a summer with Wells Fargo’s commercial bank in New York City. She has her MBA from Columbia University, and her AB in History & Literature from Harvard College.

She serves on the boards of the Truman Library Institute and the Kansas City Ballet, on the KC Rising Steering Committee, and on the KCUR 89.3 and Heartland Forward advisory boards.

Rita Cortes, Executive Director, Menorah Heritage Foundation. Her role is to guide the Foundation, toward achieving its vision through grantmaking and resource stewardship.
 
Long active in the community, Rita has deep experience in working with tax-exempt organizations and their board members. She currently serves on the boards of Nonprofit Connect, the Pembroke Hill School, Philanthropy Missouri, and Madam President Camp.  In addition, she participates on the advisory board of the Social Venture Studio and as a mentor in the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program (HEMP). Prior to joining the Foundation, Rita served in volunteer leadership roles with a diverse group of community organizations in the health care, education, and social justice sectors. 
 
She also spent many years coaching high school and youth girls’ basketball in Kansas City and the Washington D.C. area.  In April 2019, Rita was elected as the Sub-district 1 representative to the Kansas City Public Schools Board. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2015, Rita was a shareholder with Seigfreid Bingham, P.C.  Her practice encompassed all aspects of general business law including business formations, business succession planning, contractual matters, estate planning, tax planning, real estate and construction law.    Earlier in her career, Rita spent nearly 20 years as the chief executive officer of Hoffman Cortes Contracting Company, a mid-size Kansas City-based commercial contractor with general contracting and masonry/masonry restoration operations.  Prior to returning to Kansas City to join Hoffman Cortes, Rita practiced law in the Washington, D.C. area. Rita’s education includes a B.A. (Political Science) from Rice University; a J.D. (with honors) from the George Washington University Law School; and an LL.M. in Taxation from UMKC.


Cancellation/Program Policies:

No refunds will be processed after October 31st. No-shows will be billed. Please note when registering if you have dietary restrictions. Nonprofit Connect may take photographs or videos at public events, so we ask that you read our Privacy Policy for more information.

So that we can serve you better, we want to understand who is in the room. You will be asked two demographics questions as you register for this event. We will never share your individual information, and we will only report on demographics in aggregate. Any questions or comments? Contact us at info@npconnect.org.

Parking Instructions:

Free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the restaurant.