How to Raise Big Money in Small Towns

November 12, 2026 | 2 p.m. EST | 1 p.m. CST | 12 p.m. MST

This webinar will highlight the ability of small, rural communities to implement transformative capital campaigns for economic and community development. Mark Bergethon, Principal at RDG, A Convergent Company, will spotlight communities with populations ranging from 5,000 to 50,000, with most skewing to the lower end of that spectrum.

In addition to featuring numerous success stories, the session will explain the distinctions and nuances that make small town fundraising different—in some ways more challenging and in some ways less—from raising money for economic and community development in larger communities. There will also be an instructive primer on exactly how to implement a successful economic development funding campaign, start to finish, including the typical process, structure, timeline, milestones, tools, strategies, and best practices.

Mark will discuss:

• The distinctions and nuances that make small town fundraising different—in some ways more challenging and in some ways less—from raising money for economic and community development in larger communities. 
• Exactly how to implement a successful economic development funding campaign, start to finish, including the typical process, structure, timeline, milestones, tools, strategies, and best practices.

Who Should Attend:

Economic development professionals, municipal leaders, and chamber executives serving communities of less than 50,000 looking to launch or currently managing a fundraising campaign.

Presenter:

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, a

nd 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.