Brenda Rigdon, development director for the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, was recently named the Outstanding Development Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Northeast Indiana Chapter.
Rigdon was nominated by Community Foundation Board member Sally Mahnken; 1st Source Bank Vice President and Trust Officer John Elliott; Kosciusko County Judge Duane Huffer; and local attorney Dana Leon Huffer.
The award is presented to a development professional who demonstrates leadership, new program development, creative ideas and effectiveness in the area of fundraising, according to the announcement from KCCF. In addition, the AFP recognized Rigdon for her work on behalf of other community organizations.
Rigdon has helped numerous nonprofits fundraise and establish good governance policy. Organizations she has helped and served in a committee or board capacity include St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, WISE, Inc. and the North Webster Community Public Library.
The focus of Rigdon’s work through the Community Foundation is helping donors accomplish their charitable dreams, the announcement states. In that capacity, Rigdon, along with a donor’s professional advisors, help a donor impact an area about which he or she is passionate. For some donors, that is a fund designated to help their favorite charity, or a fund to focus on an audience they feel strongly about like children, pets or the arts. For some donors that is an advised fund, which allows them to recommend grants.
Rigdon has spearheaded numerous initiatives at the Community Foundation including the formation of a Planned Giving Council that brings together other development professionals to review case studies and learn from one another. She designs the twice yearly professional advisor workshops that enable attorneys, financial planners, accountants and insurance agents to earn continuing education credits so that they can keep their licenses current. These workshops generally focus on an aspect of charitable giving that impact the professional advisors’ clients, according to the announcement.
Rigdon also facilitates the Community Foundation’s special outreach to women through the Women in Philanthropy series, which offers area women the opportunity to learn from other women philanthropists how to leave a charitable legacy.
Rigdon, a certified fundraising executive, has served as the Community Foundation’s development director for nine years. Prior to her work for the Community Foundation, she was the executive director of a Kosciusko County-based nonprofit.
She received her undergraduate degree in public administration and mass communications from Indiana University and a Certificate of Fundraising Management from the Indiana University School of Philanthropy.
(Story By The Times Union)
