Fresh Energy is thrilled to introduce the newest addition to our passionate Development Team, Faith Mainor! With her extensive experience in nonprofit development and her unwavering dedication to making a positive impact, Faith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role as director, major gifts. Join us in welcoming Faith and to get to know more about her background and work she’ll be doing at Fresh Energy.
Introducing Faith Mainor
Faith’s journey into the world of nonprofits began with a deep-rooted desire to make a difference in her community and help people. Growing up in Minnesota, Faith ventured to Colorado for her college education, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Metropolitan State University of Denver and later achieved her master’s in Nonprofit Management from Regis University. It was during her time in Colorado that Faith also started her career in nonprofits, and after one professor in her master’s program noticed Faith had a knack for fundraising, Faith became drawn to the development side of nonprofits.
From the Girl Scouts of Colorado to Rose Community Foundation, Faith began working in various roles in development, from donor advised funds, grants, and database management to annual giving. Soon afterward, Faith and her husband Ben moved back to Minnesota as Faith started her fulfilling tenure as the Development Director at the St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP), where she played a pivotal role in expanding their development program and nurturing meaningful donor relationships.
A passion for connecting individuals to meaningful causes
What drew Faith to Fresh Energy was more than just a career move; it was a profound alignment of values. In her own words, Faith shares, “The mission of Fresh Energy is appealing because climate change is one of the main things I’m really worried about for my kids. This is the one issue that trumps everything else for me right now.”
Faith has a three-year-old and a three-month-old, and climate change was top of mind when moving from Colorado back to Minnesota after spending years noticing wildfires, water shortages, and hotter temperatures in the summer. She noted that up in the mountains, people never had air conditioning in their cabins because it always cooled off in the evenings. But hot summer days are changing that, just like the cabins she visited in northern Minnesota as a kid that are installing window AC units for hot summer days.
“This has all happened in my lifetime, and I’m only 36,” says Faith. “I’m not a scientist, but I trust the scientists that spend years and years of their lives researching climate change. I want my kids to be able to live a life similar to the one I grew up in, and it’s not acceptable to me that they may not be able to.”
Faith’s commitment to tackling climate change doesn’t just stem from personal experiences, but from her professional ethos as well. With a natural talent for fundraising, Faith excels in connecting with individuals, learning more about them and their aspirations, and aligning them with organizations that further their philanthropic goals. Building these vital bridges between people and causes has always been Faith’s forte.
“Fresh Energy’s policy and programmatic teams are the heart and soul of the organization, but you can’t run these programs without funding. That’s where the Development team comes in,” says Faith. “Climate change has come to the front of people’s minds as we all experience it changing our lives. We’re in a great position now to create meaningful change together, with our group of passionate supporters and an effective organization like Fresh Energy.”
Beyond her professional endeavors, Faith cherishes spending quality time with her family and their dog Finn. While her hobbies most lately include sleeping when she has a chance, she also loves to travel, explore the great outdoors, check out new restaurants, and cheer on her favorite sports teams. Fresh Energy is thrilled to have her passion and expertise on the team as we continue our journey toward a carbon-free economy in Minnesota, the Midwest, and beyond. Stay tuned for more updates as we embark on this exciting chapter together!
