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About Kia

Kia Croom is a 25-year frontline fundraising veteran who has raised over $1 billion for nonprofits advancing justice and equity across the globe. Her thought leadership equips nonprofit executives and fundraisers alike with the tools to build enduring fundraising resilience, secure transformational gifts at the five-, six-, and seven-figure levels, and elevate fund development strategies across networks of both emerging and legacy institutions.

Through her dynamic keynotes, panel engagements, and workshops, Kia offers bold, equity-centered insights grounded in real-world practice, shaping how the philanthropic sector meets this moment. She is a sought-after strategic partner to organizations such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals Global, the African American Development Officers Network (AADO), Bonterra, and Arreva.

Kia has delivered hands-on fundraising coaching to more than two dozen nonprofit organizations nationwide in partnership with Bonterra. Over the past two years, she has provided intensive fundraising capacity-building support to nearly 30 nonprofits in Los Angeles and Detroit through philanthropic partnerships with Southern California Grantmakers and the Detroit Residents First Fund. These partnerships focused on supporting emergent organizations with budgets between $250,000 and $1 million.

In addition to her fundraising leadership, Kia is a traveled folk herbalist who integrates wellness into her pedagogy, encouraging nonprofit leaders to center self-care and healing as essential practices for sustaining their mission-driven work.
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Conferences attended by kia

Empowering communities to transform struggle into strength and build pathways to equity and impact.

WOC- Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy 2022 Symposium Courageous Communication: Navigating Difficult DEI Conversations with the Board, Donors, Staff, and Colleagues

Kia moderated Courageous Communication: Navigating Difficult DEI Conversations with the Board, Donors, and Staff Colleagues, a dynamic session for nonprofit professionals across career levels. The discussion offered practical strategies for leading honest, equity-centered conversations that build understanding and strengthen organizational culture.
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Cause Camp, October 2022, Panelist – Sandusky, OH

Kia discussed multi-cultural fundraising and ways BIPOC-led organizations can find and connect with their tribe.
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Neon One Generosity Exchange 2023 Fundraising: The Heart Work & Science

At Neon One’s Generosity Exchange 2023, Kia delivered the keynote, offering a powerful call to reimagine fundraising as both a strategic discipline and a deeply human practice. She explored how fundraisers can lead with purpose, data, and heart to drive lasting impact.
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Individual Giving Conference, Keynote 2023

At the 2023 Individual Giving Conference, sponsored by Neon One and Fundraising Everywhere, Kia delivered the keynote address, offering bold insights on reimagining individual giving through an equity-centered lens. She challenged fundraisers to lead with authenticity, build trust with donors, and center community in their strategies for long-term sustainability.
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African American Development Officers Network (AADO) Conference | CASE Conference 2023 Launching and Running a Successful Consultancy

Kia was a panelist for Launching and Running a Successful Consultancy. Drawing from her experience as a 25-year, frontline nonprofit fundraiser turned fractional fundraising entrepreneur, she offered practical insights on building a values-aligned consulting practice, securing clients, and navigating the transition from in-house to independent. The audience included nonprofit and higher ed development & advancement professionals of color.
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2023 Bridge Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference – Washington, DC Building Five- and Six-Figure Strategic Corporate Partnerships that Center DEI

Kia provided nonprofit CEOs, fundraisers, and consultants with a strategic framework for securing five- and six-figure corporate partnerships that center DEI. The session focused on crafting values-aligned offers, navigating corporate priorities, and building lasting, equity-rooted relationships.
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Black Wealth Street Symposium & Luncheon, February 2024

Sponsored by Positive Steps NY, these two transformative events centered on Kia Croom and her work to advance equity and economic inclusion in Black communities. On Feb 26, Kia served as a panelist for the Black Wealth Street virtual symposium, contributing to a dynamic conversation on dismantling systemic barriers to Black economic mobility. On Feb 27, she delivered the keynote at an in-person luncheon in Rochester, NY, where she introduced the first-ever online fundraising learning platform built by Kia Croom Fundraising & Philanthropy in partnership with Ethos Media and Marketing, designed specifically to strengthen Black-led/focused organizations’ fundraising capacity.
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Webinars attended by kia.

Empowering communities to transform struggle into strength and build pathways to equity and impact.

1. WOC- Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy 2022 Symposium Courageous Communication: Navigating Difficult DEI Conversations with the Board, Donors, Staff, and Colleagues

Kia moderated Courageous Communication: Navigating Difficult DEI Conversations with the Board, Donors, and Staff Colleagues, a dynamic session for nonprofit professionals across career levels. The discussion offered practical strategies for leading honest, equity-centered conversations that build understanding and strengthen organizational culture.
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2.Creating an Inclusive Fundraising Culture, February 2022

Sponsored by Cause Camp, this webinar featured Kia Croom leading a powerful session for nonprofit professionals committed to embedding equity and inclusion into their fundraising culture. Kia offered actionable insights on how organizations can create equitable workplace environments where all employees thrive and fundraising efforts flourish.
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3. Breaking Funding Barriers for Black-led Organizations: A Virtual Roundtable, August 2023

In celebration of Black Philanthropy Month, Kia served as moderator and architect of a powerful conversation hosted by Bonterra for nonprofit fundraising and philanthropy professionals across career levels. The session explored funding disparities facing Black-led organizations and offered strategies for grantmakers to build more intentional, equity-centered partnerships.
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4. Breaking Funding Barriers for Black-led Organizations: A Virtual Roundtable, August 2023

In celebration of Black Philanthropy Month, Kia served as moderator and architect of a powerful conversation hosted by Bonterra for nonprofit fundraising and philanthropy professionals across career levels. The session explored funding disparities facing Black-led organizations and offered strategies for grantmakers to build more intentional, equity-centered partnerships.
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