Work with Kia

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

Recognized for her visionary voice in fundraising and philanthropy, Kia has been invited to share her insights on some of the sector’s most influential stages. She is a sought-after visionary, thought leader, and keynote speaker known for inspiring fundraisers and social impact leaders globally.
 
She has been a featured speaker at major conferences and events, including the Bridge Conference, Arreva Driven by Cause Philanthropy Summit, AADO & CASE, Nonprofit Technology Conference, the Maryland Nonprofits Conference, and many more.
 
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.
At the 2025 Arreva Driven by Cause Philanthropic Summit, Kia Croom hosted Sip & Strategize: A Fundraising Tea Circle, an intimate session that blended fundraising strategy with a grounding tea experience. Kia, who is not only a global fractional fundraiser but also a world traveled folk herbalist, welcomed attendees with handcrafted artisan teas and delicious tea cakes from her latest venture, Itutu Apothecary & Tea Room. She then led a candid conversation about real world fundraising tactics for the moment we are in now, sharing practical strategies for deepening donor relationships, strengthening revenue, and caring for oneself while doing high stakes fundraising work. The workshop received stellar reviews for its warmth, originality, and immediately usable insights.
Kia Croom hosted a two day herbal botanical art installation at the Black Gotham Experience Gallery in New York City, featuring her signature Tea Blend & Sip™ by Itutu experience. Gallery goers were invited to create their own bespoke tea blends using thoughtfully curated herbs and botanicals from Itutu Apothecary & Tea Room. Throughout the installation, Kia guided guests through the basics of folk herbalism and the art of tea alchemy, framing blending as a tool for self discovery, creativity, and joy. The experience transformed the gallery into a sensory space where people could slow down, learn, and leave with both a custom tea blend and a deeper appreciation for plant medicine.

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

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.

Cause Camp, October 2022, Panelist – Sandusky, OH

Kia discussed multi-cultural fundraising and ways BIPOC-led organizations can find and connect with their tribe.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Nonprofit Technology Conference, April 2023 – Denver, CO

At the 2023 Nonprofit Technology Conference in Denver, Kia facilitated AI: The Great Equalizer, a workshop sponsored by Funraise. Geared toward nonprofit professionals and tech and marketing experts, the session explored how BIPOC-led and serving nonprofits can leverage AI to amplify their impact, streamline fundraising, and reclaim time and capacity for mission-critical work.

Webinars

Through her engaging and insightful webinars, Kia brings her signature Liberatory Fundraising™ approach to the virtual stage—equipping hundreds of nonprofit and philanthropic leaders with the tools to reimagine fundraising as a liberatory practice. Her sessions, often described as part strategy and part soul work, center justice, community, and sustainability in every ask—helping participants reconnect to purpose while sharpening their fundraising edge.