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Ben Kees is the Senior Director of Development at Western Carolina University, where he raises philanthropic support for the College of Arts & Sciences and manages a team of directors of development across four academic units. Kees received a Bachelor of Science from Kentucky Wesleyan College and a Masters of Education from Vanderbilt University. He is also the Co-chair of Programs for the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Western North Carolina chapter. Pitch Your Own Game: Lessons from Baseball Legends to Enhance Donor Engagement and Major Gift Strategies Development professionals have our own version of throwing strikes: honing our skills to [...]

Mark Goldstein, CFRE, GPC, is the President and CEO of Communication Mark, offering a full range of grant writing services for the past 25 years. Mark has raised more than $100 million in grants for organizations of all types and sizes, particularly for health, human service, community development and technology needs. He is the past President of the Grant Professionals Association North Carolina Chapter and an active member of AFPWNC, recognized as the region's Outstanding Fund Raising Executive in 2019. Mark has provided training sessions through WNC Nonprofit Pathways, the Duke University Continuing Studies Nonprofit Management program, and Alliance for Better [...]

The Western North Carolina (WNC) chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has released a report analyzing the impact of Hurricane Helene and its impact on the region’s nonprofit sector. Based on a survey of more than 60 WNC nonprofit organizations in January 2025, this infographic report provides critical insights into operational challenges and fundraising disruptions experienced in the aftermath of the disaster. The survey, conducted by AFP WNC, gathered data from a diverse range of nonprofit organizations to assess how the storm affected their ability to deliver services, secure funding, and maintain donor and volunteer engagement. Findings highlight significant [...]