Who we are
Together we believe collaboration is the key to overcoming our community’s greatest challenges and acknowledge the donor demand for organizations to work together. We love non-profits and work tirelessly to see them thrive. We are community champions, donor advocates, and passionate about the impact non-profits have in our community.
Cara Gosse
With an unwavering commitment to the non-profit sector, Cara has had a 24-year career in the industry, dedicated to driving impactful change. She began her career in event planning for non-profit associations, and then directed all aspects of association management, leading boards through the strategic planning process. She then moved into fundraising positions in healthcare and higher education, where she led a high performing Annual Giving team, focusing on donor acquisition, retention, and moves management. From there she took an executive leadership role for a large human services non-profit, where she oversaw all aspects of fundraising, marketing and communication for the agency, while also helping guide the strategic direction of the organization. Her next role as a major gift officer for a nationally ranked pediatric hospital gave her valuable experience in all aspects of major gift work. Cara has served in leadership positions on the board of directors of a nonprofit childcare agency, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Pulaski Music Boosters Association. Additionally, she holds a Masters degree in Nonprofit Management from Hamline University in St. Paul, MN. Cara thrives on cultivating meaningful relationships with donors, staff, volunteers, and stakeholders, and strengthening the nonprofit industry, which allows our communities to thrive.
Jen Allen
Jen has spent her entire 23 year career in fundraising. She began in higher education, establishing her expertise in annual giving and major gifts. From there she transitioned into leadership roles with large community-based non-profits, where she oversaw fundraising and marketing. In these roles, she led her teams to success with fundraising efforts focused on individual giving, corporate sponsorships, event fundraising, and capital campaigns. She also had the opportunity to work closely with board members to guide their fundraising efforts and provide training around all aspects of fundraising. As a non-profit executive, she loves serving as a member of the leadership team, establishing and executing a strategic plan, and continually educating on the role of fundraising for the success of the organization. As a consultant, she is passionate about coaching leaders to build meaningful relationships, guiding teams to create multi-channel fundraising strategies, and establishing processes and procedures that increase efficiency and impact. She lives in Howard with her family, was a proud member of Leadership HSSD, has served on non-profit boards in our community, and holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University.
