Recent Trends and Current Landscape in Economic Development Fundraising

June 16, 2026 | 11 a.m. EST | 10 a.m. CST | 9 a.m. MST

The landscape of economic development is constantly changing, and, between technological advances, community desires, and fundraising challenges, it can be hard to keep up. Join RDG: A Convergent Company Principals, Clint Nessmith and Mark Bergethon, as they explore the recent, current, and emerging state of fundraising for economic development organizations (EDOs).

They will discuss:

• Historical shifts in what EDOs are raising money for
• Traditional vs. emerging funding priorities
• Examples of fundraising success for innovative initiatives 
• Trends in corporate and philanthropic giving
• The current state of economic development fundraising and anticipated near-term challenges
• How EDOs can strengthen their financial foundation for the long-term
• Where EDOs should focus their funding efforts right now
  
  

Who Should Attend:

Economic development professionals, municipal leaders, and chamber executives who are looking to raise money for projects that benefit their community, and community leaders at the local, state, or regional level.

Presenters:

Clint, as CEO of Resource Development Group (RDG), and Mark, as Principal of Convergent Nonprofit Solutions, are now both Principals of RDG, A Convergent Company, following a merger earlier this year. Collectively, the merged teams have helped raise billions of dollars for hundreds of economic and community development organizations nationwide over the past 30+ years.

Clint brings over 20 years of fundraising experience to his role as Principal of Resource Development Group, A Convergent Company.  He has managed numerous successful funding campaigns, provided consulting services around industry best-practices, and facilitated cross-ecosystem collaboration for economic development organizations and chambers of commerce, in markets of all sizes throughout the US.

In addition to his long career with RDG, Clint served as Director of Development at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, GA, Director of Major Gifts at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, GA and Project Manager for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce’s Forward Atlanta campaign. 
Clint earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and a minor in Communication Arts from Georgia Southern University in 1999.  

Clint resides in Statesboro, GA with his wife Elizabeth and is incredibly proud of their four children.

Mark Bergethon is a Principal at Convergent and RDG, A Convergent Company. He has directed more than 150 funding feasibility studies and capital campaigns nationwide, raising hundreds of millions of dollars for a wide variety of nonprofits and economic development organizations over the past three decades. His experience includes helping membership-based organizations adopt an investment campaign model of funding, forging public/private partnerships, forming and capitalizing new economic development organizations, and building regional economic development collaborations. 

Mark has conducted dozens of successful high-profile six, seven, and eight-figure funding requests for a wide array of nonprofits. He has spoken at more than a dozen statewide, regional, national, and international conferences and events for economic development professionals, chamber of commerce executives, and nonprofit leaders.

Mark has a bachelor's in political science from Emory University and a earned Doctor of Law degree at the University of Georgia, School of Law.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from
"Mid-America Economic Development Council <MAEDC5@wildapricot.org>", with information about joining the webinar.