Pro Coro Canada Fund Development and Stewardship FRAMEWORK
Operational Alignment & Portfolio Delegation
The Four Pillars
The Pro Coro fund development framework operates as a unified ecosystem. All four pillars are active simultaneously, with clear owners assigned to each. By dividing the pipeline into specialized lanes, we ensure both prospective and loyal donors receive dedicated attention.
Acquisition & Pipeline
Prospecting, major donor cultivation, corporate sponsorships, and expanding the base.
Owner: Rhanda
Systems & Donation Journey
Database hygiene (Keela), renewals, tax receipts, and ensuring a frictionless giving experience.
Owner: Laura
Stewardship & Campaigns
Donor retention, thank-you workflows, campaign execution, and surprise & delight touchpoints.
Owner: Laura
Lead by Example
Philanthropic mindset, Mission Moments, concert networking, advocacy, and organizational culture.
Owner: Michael & Board
The Champion Model
The Champion Model is a relational fundraising strategy introduced to Pro Coro Canada in 2023 by Warick & Associates. It is not a staff task or a campaign - it is a mindset and a system that lives across the entire organization. Every person connected to Pro Coro - Board, artists, and engaged patrons - is a potential Champion who introduces people to our mission through authentic personal connections and ever-expanding circles.
Champions do not ask for money. They invite someone into an experience (a concert, a rehearsal, a conversation) and let the mission and our Bold Stories & Bold Sounds speak for itself. The staff then cultivate and steward the relationship from there.
Open doors through personal and business networks. Invite strategic guests to every concert and be present.
Share impact stories. Participate in thank-you videos, notes, and Mission Moments.
Coordinate the logistics and manage CRM. Laura deploys touchpoints; Rhanda follows up on warm leads.
Sets the philanthropic tone. Closes high-value partnerships with Rhanda. Cultivates relationships to public and private funders and foundations.
The Donor Journey Flow
How a prospect moves through the pipeline and changes hands collaboratively across the team.
Team Focus Areas
| Team Member | Primary Mandate | Pillars |
|---|---|---|
| Laura Craig | Stewardship, Campaigns, Face of Current Donor Base | Excellence Impact |
| Rhanda Bonet-Graham | New Acquisition, Major Gifts, Corporate Sponsors | Growth |
| Sean Gleason | Production & Logistics Support | Excellence Growth |
| Michael Zaugg | Visionary, Executive Closer, Advocacy & Culture Driver | Culture Growth |
| Board | Connectors, Stewards, Knowledge Keepers | Culture |
Laura Craig
Role Summary
Laura is the face of development for Pro Coro's established donor base. She drives the stewardship cycle, runs all annual campaigns, and manages the donation journey systems. Her focus is maximizing the execution of our established framework to keep our community fiercely loyal.
Impact Stewardship Execution
Call donors to thank them after a gift, utilizing scripts and established protocols.
Within 24-48 hoursProcess receipts and include a brief personal note emphasizing the impact of the gift.
MonthlyCoordinate personal notes for all donor levels. Identify the most impactful person to sign.
Within 1 weekCreate and distribute short rehearsal videos or personal messages to select donor segments.
Every rehearsal cyclePlan and execute the annual appreciation gathering with highly personalized invitations.
AnnuallyGather stories from singers and artists to package for campaigns, newsletters, and pitches.
OngoingReview patron lists pre-concert. Assign Board members to connect with targeted attendees.
Pre-ConcertPresent stewardship status, retention metrics, and campaign updates to the Board.
MonthlyExcellence Systems & Campaigns
Maintain existing pipelines, track interactions, and ensure clean data for accurate segmenting.
OngoingLead the design, messaging, execution, and revenue tracking for the spring campaign.
SpringLead the design, messaging, execution, and revenue tracking for the winter campaign.
WinterPrepare renewal communications in advance and track dates in the shared calendar.
Anniversary Dates🤝 Strategic Handoff Protocol
When Laura identifies a prospect showing major gift potential ($1,000+), a corporate sponsor lead, or a high-value board connection, she prepares a warm introduction and passes the lead directly to Rhanda with documented context in Keela. This ensures a seamless transition from stewardship to acquisition.
🎯 Scope & Collaboration Focus
- Retention First: Focuses energy on maintaining and elevating the current donor base, passing corporate and major gift acquisition to Rhanda.
- Focused Networking: Directs relationship-building efforts entirely toward existing Pro Coro donors and patrons.
- Active Execution: Operates efficiently within the established Champion Model and Keela framework to prioritize immediate campaign results and consistent stewardship.
- Leadership Support: Prepares the tools, lists, and scripts that empower Michael and the Board to execute their stewardship touchpoints smoothly.
Rhanda Bonet-Graham
Role Summary
Rhanda leads front-line acquisition. Her mandate is to build the corporate sponsor pipeline and cultivate major donors, leveraging momentum from the JUNO win and upcoming tours. She spends the majority of her time externally facing, engaged directly with prospects and partners.
Growth Acquisition & Pipeline Building
Build the pipeline by researching, qualifying, and pursuing corporate partners aligned with our artistic mission.
OngoingReceive warm leads from Laura and the Board. Cultivate and close philanthropic gifts ($1,000+).
OngoingDevelop the cause-driven sponsorship matrix with flexible ROI packages. Write and pitch Letters of Interest.
Foundational AssetCraft the definitive case document leveraging the JUNO win, tour schedule, and Pro Coro's artistic vision.
Foundational AssetLead the funding drives for major touring initiatives.
Project-Based15-minute presentations at Board meetings. Coach Board members on their connector roles and how to generate warm introductions.
Board Meetings🎯 Scope & Collaboration Focus
- Dedicated Hunting: Functions exclusively as an acquisition specialist, spending 70%+ of time in prospect meetings.
- Stewardship Handoff: Relies on Laura to take over post-gift stewardship and annual campaign engagement, returning immediately to the pipeline.
- Operational Leverage: Relies on Sean for fulfillment materials and logistics so her time remains donor-facing.
Sean Gleason
Role Summary
Sean maintains his core production duties while providing targeted logistical and fulfillment support to the Fund Development team, ensuring our donor events and sponsor ROI deliverables are executed flawlessly.
Production & FD Logistics
Front-of-house coordination, venue logistics, and technical setup for all concerts and donor events.
Coordinate logo placements, program recognition pages, and digital assets for sponsor packages alongside Rhanda.
Manage venue setup and physical coordination for donor appreciation events and sponsor cultivation gatherings.
Provide administrative support by exporting segmented lists and reports as requested by the FD team.
Ensure sponsor signage is placed, program placement is correct, and Michael has verbal acknowledgment notes.
🎯 Scope & Collaboration Focus
- Logistical Anchor: Concentrates entirely on production execution and operational logistics.
- Separation of Duties: Direct donor communications, prospect meetings, and database pipeline management remain fully with Laura and Rhanda.
Michael Zaugg
Role Summary
Michael operates at the executive level as the Visionary, the Closer, and the Culture Driver. He partners with Rhanda to close high-value partnerships, ensures the Board and staff maintain a philanthropic mindset, drives all external artistic collaboration and advocacy relationships, and holds staff accountable to execution within their pillars.
Executive Engagement & Closing
Attend key prospect meetings with Rhanda to deliver the artistic vision while she manages the ask.
As scheduled by RhandaMake personal calls to major donors and sponsors when executive gratitude provides the greatest impact.
Assigned by LauraReview monthly metrics (Laura) and pipeline status (Rhanda) to ensure the team is hitting targets and staying in their lanes.
Monthly / Bi-weeklyCulture & Mission Leadership
Lead brief, impactful "Mission Moments" at every board meeting to connect governance to artistic and community impact.
Every Board MeetingSet the cultural tone for singers to participate in thank-you videos, handwritten notes, and Champion Model touchpoints. Laura coordinates the logistics.
OngoingEnsure the artistic vision is embedded accurately in cases for support, campaigns, and sponsor materials. Final approval on all development messaging.
OngoingArtistic Advisory & External Partnerships
All artistic collaboration, peer networking, and external partnership discussions are Michael's exclusive domain. This includes relationships with other arts organizations, commissioning partnerships, international connections, and guest artist engagements.
Provide the artistic context that strengthens the case for support. Articulate why Pro Coro's programming matters in all donor-facing materials and presentations.
OngoingMaintain and develop relationships with peer organizations, international choral bodies, commissioning partners, and guest collaborators. These relationships feed the artistic pipeline that makes Pro Coro fundable.
OngoingIdentify which upcoming programming moments have the strongest donor engagement potential. Flag opportunities for open rehearsals, backstage access, and immersive experiences.
Per SeasonAdvocacy & Political Relationships
Pro Coro leverages its JUNO win, touring profile, and sector data to advocate for the professional choral and classical sector at provincial and federal levels. These relationships are owned by Michael and reported through the FD & Advocacy Committee.
Advocate for choral/classical sector representation on the Music Commissioner's advisory panels. Ensure the Alberta Music Action Plan captures the full economic and cultural scope of Alberta's music ecosystem.
ActiveMaintain direct relationships with Minister Fir (ACSW), relevant MLAs (Sigurdson, Ceci, Dach), and the AFA. Use Pro Coro events (JUNO Celebration, tours) as cultivation opportunities for political stakeholders.
OngoingDeploy sector impact data (2,900 Alberta choirs, 340,000+ members, 1M+ audience) and Pro Coro's economic footprint (national touring, employment, cultural export) as advocacy assets. Partner with Choir Alberta on shared advocacy.
OngoingUse concerts, receptions, and launches as soft cultivation for political relationships. Invite MLAs, Ministry staff, and AFA representatives to key performances and events like the JUNO Celebration.
Per Event🎯 Scope & Collaboration Focus
- Executive Focus: Operates strictly at the high-stakes relationship, advocacy, and culture-setting level.
- Full Delegation: Administrative execution, database management, and routine stewardship workflows are fully entrusted to the FD staff.
- Artistic Domain: Retains exclusive ownership of all external artistic collaboration, peer networking, and international partnership discussions.
- Advocacy Domain: Retains exclusive ownership of all political and government relations, reporting outcomes to the FD & Advocacy Committee.
Board of Directors
Role Summary
Board members are the keepers of Pro Coro Canada’s mission. They empower growth by facilitating introductions and steward the legacy by ensuring every donor feels recognized. By leading through example—in both advocacy and personal support—they provide the cultural stability that sustains the society. Pro Coro Canada thrives when the Board is present at performances and visible within the circle of supporters.
General Board Responsibilities
Identify potential corporate sponsors and major donors from personal and business networks. Hand leads directly to Rhanda to pursue.
Actively greet, thank, and engage donors and audience members. Invite strategic guests to every performance. Hand leads to the team to pursue and steward.
Participate in the Thank-a-thon and help with targeted gratitude calls and/or personal letters throughout the year using scripts and lists provided by Laura.
Actively participate in Mission Moments at every board meeting. Maintain a philanthropic mindset in all governance discussions.
Committee-Specific Responsibilities
💰 Fund Development & Advocacy Committee
Each member actively targets 2-3 warm corporate/donor introductions per quarter for Rhanda.
Support Michael's political advocacy by leveraging personal government and industry connections. Amplify Pro Coro's advocacy messaging for choral sector representation at municipal/provincial/federal levels.
Help position Pro Coro as the voice of the professional choral sector in Alberta. Use JUNO momentum, touring data, and partnership with Choir Alberta as leverage for government and funder engagement.
⚙️ Governance Committee
Prioritize board candidates with strong networks relevant to the sponsor pipeline and advocacy goals.
Embed fund development participation in board member expectations and annual self-assessment.
🏛️ Institutional Knowledge & Cultural Continuity
Pro Coro's long-term sustainability depends on institutional knowledge being held collectively, not by any single staff member or director. Three governance bodies share responsibility for carrying forward the organization's culture, relationships, and strategic memory across leadership transitions and seasonal cycles:
Holds the strategic thread between board meetings. Ensures decisions, relationships, and institutional context are not lost between transitions. The primary continuity body for governance memory.
Carries forward donor relationship history, sponsor context, political advocacy progress, and the philanthropic culture that underpins all fundraising. Ensures new staff inherit an active pipeline, appreciation events and relevant database.
Ensures that board recruitment, onboarding, and succession planning embeds the institutional knowledge and Fund Development expectations that sustain Pro Coro Canada’s culture across board turnover.
🎯 Scope & Collaboration Focus
- Relationship Facilitators: Maximize value by opening doors and lending credibility. Staff handles the direct financial asks, proposal writing, and follow-ups.
- Advocacy Amplifiers: Support and extend Michael's political relationships by leveraging personal connections to government and industry stakeholders.
- Knowledge Keepers: ExCom, FD & Advocacy, and Governance committees collectively ensure institutional memory, culture, and strategic relationships survive staff and board transitions.