Why I Love Raising Money

Kevin Hagen & Associates

Capital Campaigns and Capacity Building for Non-Profits

Kevin Hagen, CFRE, President

Kevin Hagen came to consulting after twenty-eight years as a senior manager of multimillion dollar nonprofit organizations nationwide, culminating with nine years as Executive Director of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra.  He has an acclaimed record of success in fundraising, strategic planning, marketing, management, financial planning and analysis, human resources, labor relations, and public relations.  He has recently been honored as the 2011 Fundraising Professional of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, New Mexico Chapter.

Under Mr. Hagen’s leadership, the NMSO eliminated its accumulated deficit, established its first permanent endowment fund, built a cash reserve and enhanced the salaries of staff and musicians.  During Kevin’s tenure the organization’s budget increased from $2.6 million to $5.3 million, the endowment grew from nothing to nearly $6 million, ticket sales increased from $965,000 to $2.2 million, and annual giving went from $844,000 to $1.3 million.  Mr. Hagen also led a successful $2 million capital campaign for a rehearsal/office complex.  Moreover, Kevin wrote grant applications yielding more than $2.5 million from foundations including the Andrew W. Mellon, Kresge, Hearst, and the McCune Charitable Trust.

Mr. Hagen’s previous positions include the Illinois Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the orchestras of Orlando and Denver. While in Orlando and serving as interim Executive Director, he led an emergency fundraising campaign which raised $1 million in five weeks.   He has worked on major gift initiatives, strategic planning processes, and capacity building services for a broad spectrum of educational, cultural, and social welfare organizations both under the aegis of his own firm and as Senior Consultant with Stanley Weinstein & Co., from 2007-2010.

"For the first fifteen years of my career I would rather have eaten ground glass than do any fundraising--so I understand why some people are reluctant to ask for money!

"Then I had a dramatic turnaround of attitude.  Raising money for great causes is one of the highest privileges there is. Helping to make peoples' lives better, easing suffering, making  our communities better places in which to live--who could ask for a more fulfilling way of life?

"Besides, thought of in the right way it can also be enormous fun!"

Kevin Hagen

Kevin Hagen