Fundraising

Mark Spano was the first person to hold the director of philanthropy position for RHA Howell, this thirty-five year-old, statewide non-profit network of 37 programs with 1700 employees providing support, education, and fostering self-reliance for 1000 people with disabilities. He designed and implemented RHA Howells total fundraising and development program. Design and implementation of this program is still underway.

He identified over $2.6M in the first two and a half years including a $600,000.00 multiyear gift from Duke Endowment. He created a direct mail program. He instituted relationships with major foundations including Golden Leaf Foundation, Wachovia and Pitt Memorial Foundation. He designed and developed fundraising initiatives for the following:

• Workforce Investment Network (WIN)
• Full Citizen Initiative
• VISTA*AmeriCorps Program
• The CAPabilities Learning Technology Center
• The CAPabilities Greenhouse and Garden Program and
• A vocational partnership with a Greensboro nonprofit

He reinvigorated the parent organizations for several specific programs and started new ones where they previously did not exist. He hired a communications specialist and an events manager. Oversaw several successful fundraising and friend-raising events. He also researched, acquired and implemented the DonorPerfect Software package.

As Executive Director of the Palladium Theater in St. Petersburg, FL, Mark increased overall giving by 20% with more individual gifts, more foundation grant awards and more large corporate donors. He won significant grants from Bank of America, the Marilyn Horne Foundation, Publix Food Stores Charities, Target, The St. Petersburg Times, RBC Dain Rauscher, the Duckwall Foundation, The Florida Arts Council, to name only a few.

In North Carolina, Mark consulted with the local arts council to redesign their educational programs both in terms of programmatic enhancements and the creation of effective and replicable business processes. He initiated and developed two significant partnerships: one with the community college system for professional training in the arts, the other with a major international dance festival. These programs provided real benefits and increased revenue for all participating partners.

Mark consulted for Mallarmé Chamber Players, a Triangle-based chamber music ensemble. Effort included improvement of fundraising processes, marketing, audience expansion, publicity, advising on endowment initiative, negotiating business/nonprofit partnerships and improving overall business processes.

He has produced successful pledge specials for public television and actively raised underwriting and foundation funds for a variety of public television projects. As both a volunteer and a professional, he has managed direct mail, events planning, capital campaigns and solicitation of foundations for numerous North Carolina-based nonprofits.