By Jordan Evans, JVA Consulting

This blog, the fourth in a series of Big Ideas blogs, is based on an interview with Ashley Andersen, Senior Development Director at Denver Kids, Inc., a local organization that works with Denver Public Schools students in grades K–12 who face personal challenges associated with living in higher risk environments. Denver Kids, Inc. assists students by helping them complete high school, explore post-secondary options and become contributing members of the community. Denver Kids, Inc.’s Big Idea is the formation of a Young Professionals Council that serves as a multi-purpose platform for young professionals to become more involved in their communities and make a meaningful impact on Denver and Denver Kids, Inc.

The Issue

In recent years, nonprofits have seen an increase in the need for services as well as an increasingly competitive and challenging funding environment. Like many other organizations, Denver Kids, Inc. saw a need to provide resources for the present, as well as to develop resources for the future in order to achieve the organization’s long-term goals. Over the past year alone, Denver Kids, Inc. has seen a doubling in their service load, which has brought about an increase in the need for mentors for students, funding for programs, and awareness of the work of the organization in order to develop future donors and board members. “Denver Kids, Inc. has been around for 67 years; we’re data driven, and we make a huge impact in the community, but people just don’t know about us,” says Ashley. “The thought was “how do we do we bring awareness to the organization, successfully acquire mentors and volunteers, and at the same time build a pipeline that will cultivate future donors and board members?”

The Solution

Enter the Young Professionals Council. The Council serves as a feeder to the organization’s board, as well as a platform in which young professionals can develop themselves and develop skills and understanding of the responsibilities and roles of Denver Kids, Inc.’s board members. “The idea was started by a few mentors and a board member within the organization that recognized that there had to be a way to do this,” says Ashley. They decided that the best way to do this was to reach out to a young professional demographic in Denver that wanted to get involved. “As the idea evolved, we knew we needed to get a healthy mixture of head and heart, and we needed to find driven young individuals who wanted to get involved and who were passionate about the organization,” explained Ashley.

When Denver Kids, Inc. decided to carry through with the idea, it quickly became clear that it was a win-win. “We have intelligent and motivated young professionals who are looking to get involved in the community come to us and help us to move our work forward, and at the same time we provide them a place to develop professionally, gain experience and really get involved.” The Council is in its beginning stages and currently has about 25 engaged young professionals. It is largely led by the young professionals with assistance from Andersen. The council is tasked with aiding in the planning of fundraising events, raising awareness about the organization and learning about the roles and responsibilities of the board.

Andersen says that the goal, by 2020, is to have increased the operating budget, created a regional brand for the organization and cultivated an informed and engaged crop of future donors and board members. “It’s a process, and it is not an overnight process, but by bringing in these young professionals that want to see real change in their communities and are proactive about it, it’s starting a culture that is going to benefit our communities, our schools, our young people and Denver in general.”

If you are interested in getting involved with Denver Kids, Inc. or the Young Professionals Council, simply follow Denver Kids, Inc.’s Facebook page or email Ashley Andersen at: ashley_andersen@dpsk12.org