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CREATE YOUR VISION.
TRANSFORM LIVES.

FUNDRAISING
STRATEGIES
DIFFERENCE MAKING

WHY MSG?

YOUR FUNDING IS CRITICAL . . .

Did you know most nonprofits need to replace 20 - 50% of their funding each year due to attrition or that 80% of organizations we talk to KNOW Planned Giving is important to the future of their organization but have not started a program yet? On top of that so many miss out on potential dollars with their capital campaign because they did not have the proper guidance. The MORE funding you raise the MORE lives you can change in a MORE impactful way.

. . . AND SO IS YOUR FUTURE PLANNING.

Tired of creating strategies that don't get used and just sit there on a shelf? Guilty of choosing random annual goals each year? Not having a vision and plan for your organization can hold your team back from reaching incredible heights. Our proven process increases fundraising capacity, employee and board engagement, and strategy development by creating meaningful goals, team buy-in, and accountability.

OUR

SERVICES

FEASIBILITY STUDIES AND CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS

Curious what level of support you can raise for your project? Need coaching on how to lead your fundraising efforts? Before you start fundraising on your own, let MSG help.

GRANT SEARCHING/WRITING

Doing proper research for grants can be so time consuming yet can make a huge difference. MSG can not only conduct the proper research needed but are CFRE certified team can do your grant writing for you.

ANNUAL GIVING STUDY AND CONSULTATION PACKAGE

Let MSG help bring new potential donors to our organization and coach you on how to build your annual giving program.

STRATEGIC PLANNING/ FUNDRAISING PLANNING

Using a third party to lead your strategy sessions can create objective and difference making ideas to keep your entire organization on the same page for years to come.

PLANNED GIVING STUDY AND CONSULTATION PACKAGE

Has your organization wanted to start a Planned Giving program but can't seem to move forward? MSG can coach you through the process of starting one and connect you with potential donors.

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT STUDIES

Want to learn what makes your employees tick in a more meaningful way than just sending out a survey? Our process brings the honest REAL feedback you are looking for.

QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR SERVICES? CONTACT US TODAY!

WHY MSG

TESTIMONIALS

SERVICES

TESTIMONIALS

ABOUT US

Our Certified Fundraising Executives (CFRE) are former Nonprofit CEOs and Government Leaders who have one mission: To help our clients create their vision and transform lives. We advise, direct and confirm areas whereby organizations can feel confident in the direction they decide to go. We offer unbiased transparency in these processes for maximum information for organizations to decide your next steps.

For years organizations have relied upon outside counsel to determine if they are ready for next steps of growth in capacity. With over 100 years of combined leadership in government, nonprofit industry, and small business ownership, they have provided guidance for government projects, meetings and savings plans; feasibility studies, capital campaigns, leadership workshops and trainings for hundreds of individuals.

When you select MSG for your next project you are not just getting experienced consultants who were nonprofit leaders themselves. You are also getting a team of personable and humble people who are able to connect with just about anyone. The ability to establish positive relationships with YOUR team and community is equally is a priority for us.

OUR CORE VALUES:

IMPACTFUL - Making sure everything we do makes a difference in your world

OBJECTIVE - Ensuring we bring transparent leadership that puts clients first

PERSONABLE - Our practice that everything starts with relationships

AFFORDABLE - Providing solutions that bring value and win-win opportunities

OUR TEAM

ABOUT US

Chuck Rowe chuck(at)midweststudiesgroup.com

(MSG President) With over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit world, Chuck has spent time in administrating, fundraising, and programming with two of the largest and most respected nonprofit organizations in the country (Boys and Girls Club & The Salvation Army). His hands-on experience in the day-to-day operations and activities inform his decisions, and make Chuck a credible source for any nonprofit looking for guidance. His decades of experience and ability to connect with others, will be an asset when talking with your donors.

Kelley Tetzlaff kelley(at)midweststudiesgroup.com

(Planned Giving Consultant of Counsel) Kelley has a deep background in financial planning, with over 20 years of nonprofit planned giving experience and sixteen years experience in the financial services field in banking, investments and insurance. In that time, he has served as the gift planner, gift officer and executive director of a regional religious foundation as well as the regional gift planning officer for the Arthritis Foundation, American Red Cross and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

He served in the charitable world on the front line as a fundraiser, and as a trainer, coach and consultant training a broad spectrum of RD staff as well as board members and volunteers around philanthropy. Kelley worked and consulted on the benefits of major gifts and charitable gift planning as well as helping organizations establish their own major gift, planned gift and endowment programs.

Kelley has been a member of the Planned Giving Round Table of Arizona since 2002 and served on the Board of Directors and is a past president. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, a member of the Kingdom Financial Advisor’s as well as the Advisors in Philanthropy and a speaker for charitable giving conferences.

Kelley’s most important accomplishments are that he is a husband, a father of four and a grandparent to eleven grandchildren!

Stephen Taylor stephen(at)midweststudiesgroup.com

(Senior Consultant) Stephen has over 40 years of nonprofit experience, He has background knowledge in executive leadership, fundraising, and grant writing. Stephen has boasted the accreditation of “Certified Fund-Raising Executive” from CFRE International continuously since 1999. One of his greatest strengths is being part of numerous feasibility studies and capital campaign projects.

He has been CFRE continuously certified and recertified since 1999, and was President of the AFP Chapter for Greenville-Spartanburg plus President of Fox West Philanthropic Network for Kane County, Illinois.

Arielle Perry arielle(at)midweststudiesgroup.com

(Client Services Director) Arielle helps to make sure Midwest Studies Group provides connections and solutions to clients who are looking to partner with us. Arielle herself spent time as a CEO, for Boys & Girls Clubs of Leflore County, OK (2016-2021) where her expertise allowed her to focus on fundraising, public relations, board development, and program enhancement. One of the highlights during her time as CEO, was the creation of the organization’s first standalone site.

Her education includes a unique blend of psychology, art, and counseling and when combined with her passion of improving communities . . . she makes for a great asset to any nonprofit looking to partner with us.

Gary Kroeger gary(at)midweststudiesgroup.com

(Emcee, Guest Speaker, and Presenter) Since returning to his hometown in Iowa in 2003, Gary has been active in community work including the building of RD capacity for several non-profit organizations. “The communication of, and implementation of, creative ideas is my expertise. Show business taught me a lot about teamwork and making things happen, some times out of thin air. That lends itself well to helping not-for-profit and non-profit organizations discover and reach their goals .”

Gary has spent the last 18 years as a creative director for a Midwest advertising agency and as the CEO of his own consulting business, specializing in customer service.

20 years previous to that, Gary was an actor, writer and producer with credits ranging from being a member of the Saturday Night Live ensemble to his own television series, including hosting nationally syndicated games shows.

Below are ways in which Gary can be of service to you:

PUBLIC SPEAKING COACHING

Do you or your employees avoid presentations because of fear of embarrassment? It has been said that the two things people fear the most are death and public speaking (not taxes!). True or not, public speaking is undeniably an area where many people are uncomfortable and try to avoid at all costs. This can be the hurdle between success and failure, because it is a person's ability to get in front of others to inspire, educate and motivate that closes deals and creates new and better relationships. Oral communication skills are key to success. Gary provides instruction on how to prepare, present and pace your public appearance.

IMPROV TO IMPROVE - PRESENTATION CONFIDENCE WORKSHOPS

This course was developed by Gary from his experiences as an improvisational performer in Los Angeles and Chicago, taking classes at Second City and being a part of "Saturday Night Live." Improvisation is a technique that gives the student in this (or series of) seminar a more confident approach to presenting before live audiences, whether meeting presentations or large groups. The group learns basic rules of improvisation and various games to stimulate listening skills and to develop trust in one's own spontaneous ability. The result is greater trust in oneself and more confidence in front of groups of people.

EMCEE AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER

Gary uses 40 years of professional experience as an actor, writer, producer, advertising executive and even as nationally recognized game show host to emcee your event or to be a presentation speaker. His message of motivation, inspiration, and maintaining values in the pursuit of your passions has been a popular keynote and after dinner presentation.

Eric Bonley

(VP of State and Local Government Affairs) Eric’s ability to launch effective advocacy strategies have secured millions of dollars in public funding for local organizations. He has built public-private partnerships to strengthen communities across the country. His unique experience leading membership-based associations helped Eric become a valuable resource to responsibly navigate such entities, including 501(c)4 “alliances.” He also has an extensive background soliciting and managing federal, state, and local government grants.

His 20+ years of nonprofit experience includes working for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America's National Office, as Director of Government Relations, as well as an additional 11 years with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities, in roles such as Government Relations Director and Capital Campaign Coordinator.

OUR PARTNERS

Midwest Studies Group is partners with some of the most trusted firms in the field when it comes to services such as mail appeal, accounting, tax work, websites, video and media work, and more.

BerganKDV - Michael

BerganKDV provides comprehensive business, financial and technology solutions including: business planning and consulting, tax, assurance and accounting, technology, workforce management, wealth management, and turnaround management services.

Mike serves clients in the government sector, including cities, counties, traditional and charter school systems. He is responsible for growing the client base in the government market by building relationships with potential clients and working with them to help solve pain points they are experiencing in their business operations.

Mike earned his bachelor’s degree in organizational communication and sociology and is involved with Northern Voices, a nationally recognized school for deaf and hard of hearing children and Crescent Cove Respite & Hospice Home for Kids.

BerganKDV - Brian

BerganKDV provides comprehensive business, financial and technology solutions including: business planning and consulting, tax, assurance and accounting, technology, workforce management, wealth management, and turnaround management services.

Brian is responsible for the overall quality of work performed and the timeliness of services provided. He spends a great deal of time talking with clients about their needs and how his team can address them. Brian specializes in reviews and audits for manufacturers, distributors and nonprofit agencies.

Brian received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. He is actively involved in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Iowa Society of CPAs, Allen Foundation Board of Directors, Waterloo Rotary Club of Directors, Cedar Valley United Way Emerging Leaders and Main Street Waterloo Volunteers.

Professional Office Services Stacey Christensen

Director of Brand Strategy, Professional Office Services

Professional Office Services is an official partner of MSG. Stacey has more than 25 years of experience in communications including public relations, media relations, community relations and marketing in both the public and private sectors. She helps customers create strategic messaging and marketing plans to solve their toughest communication challenges. Her expertise includes strategy and creating marketing and communications plans.

POS acquired Palmer Non-Profit Communications in 2019. Their brand “Before they open their hearts, they have to open the envelope,” is Stacey’s latest passion and work.

She and her team provide strategy, creative, data expertise, print and direct mail for successful donor appeal mailings. To learn more about donor appeal mailings and non-profit work contact us today!!!

IFC Studios - Tony

IFC Studios - Tony IFC Studios builds fresh, clean, and modern websites and produces high-quality video and photography to tell the story of your brand. They design logos and build brands that establish connections. They craft content and messaging that connects with your audience. With hundreds of active clients nationwide, Tony's focus has now turned to fostering a workplace culture that reduces burnout and inspires creativity, while producing meaningful work that gives back to the community. He has an amazing wife and two kids who make every day worth living and inspire him to work hard. He also loves cycling, whiskey, chip clips, Sour Patch Kids, and a good concert. Tony's true passion is design, taking an idea and creating something beautiful from it.

PAST PROJECTS

PAST

PROJECTS

Members of our team have worked on a variety of projects. Here are just a few:

Boy Scouts of America - Multiple times for varied projects, camps, offices, and campaigns

DeKalb Public Library in Dekalb, IL

St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Elgin, IL

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley in Waterloo, IA

Shalam Ministries in St Charles, IL

Sanborn Western Camps in Colorado

St. Procopius Abbey in Naperville, IL,

Northwest Suburban Council BSA in Mount Prospect, IL

City of Cedar Falls, IA
Main Street Waterloo, IA

Guiding Star

Cedar Valley Sports Commission

Friends of the Family of Northeast Iowa

Americans for Independent Living

Bremer County, IA

Waterloo Christian School

Waterloo Community Playhouse

Goodwill Industries of Northeast Iowa

Young Parents Network (YPN)

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mississippi Valley

Waterloo Community School District

Granite Rock Camp

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Black Hills

Great River Children's Museum

The Journey Charter School

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Corridor in Cedar Rapids, IA

Three Rivers Montessori School

And currently working with many others . . .

FUN

FACTS

100+

YEARS

OF COMBINED

NONPROFIT/GOV'T

EXPERIENCE

THE NUMBER ONE REASON POTENTIAL DONORS ENJOY TALKING WITH MSG? HAVING THE CHANCE TO BE EDUCATED ABOUT THE NONPROFIT WE ARE REPRESENTING

15-20x

THE AVERAGE POTENTIAL DOLLARS WE FIND FOR NONPROFITS COMPARED TO WHAT WE CHARGE. TALK ABOUT GREAT RETURN ON INVESTMENT!!!

100%

THE NUMBER OF POTENTIAL DONORS WHO ENJOY THE PROCESS OF CONVERSING WITH US

FUN FACTS

GET IN

TOUCH

PHONE - 319.830.4774

131 Tower Park Drive, Suite 305 Waterloo Iowa 50701.

*Although we are open to providing feasibility studies for capital campaigns, anywhere, our focus is on Iowa (Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Ames, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, etc), Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Indiana, and other Midwest States.

CONTACT

CREATE YOUR VISION. TRANSFORM LIVES. FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES DIFFERENCE MAKING

WHY MSG?

YOUR FUNDING IS CRITICAL . . .

. . . AND SO IS YOUR FUTURE PLANNING.

OUR

SERVICES

TESTIMONIALS

ABOUT US

OUR PARTNERS

PAST

PROJECTS

FUN

FACTS

GET IN

TOUCH

CREATE YOUR VISION.
TRANSFORM LIVES.

FUNDRAISING
STRATEGIES
DIFFERENCE MAKING