Mena Gainpaulsingh

President and CEO Purposeful Fundraising Inc.

  • Ottawa ON

A seasoned fundraising professional who is passionate about connecting charities and philanthropists so they can do good, together.

Contact

Media

Social

Biography

Mena has been working as a fundraising professional for almost two decades. Her first role was at the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, where she worked on a capital campaign to build a new treatment centre for torture survivors.

Since then, Mena has worked as a fundraising consultant and trainer for a broad range of organizations, including WaterAid Canada, Starlight Children’s Foundation and Virgin Unite. She has delivered training internationally on fundraising strategy, individual giving, capital campaigns, grant-writing and donor stewardship for organizations that include AFP Ottawa, Toronto and Kingston, Algonquin College, the Institute of Fundraising UK, the Institute of Fundraising Ukraine and the City of Ottawa.

In a voluntary capacity Mena has sat on the boards of the Institute of Fundraising, the Institute of Fundraising’s National Convention 2010, the Steering Committee for Starlight Children’s Foundation and served as Co-Chair of the Fundraising Committee for Ottawa Rape Crisis Centre. She now sits on the AFP Ottawa Chapter Board, where she is President-Elect. She also sits on the Steering Committee for Prime Ministers Row, an initiative to develop Canada’s first street museum.

She is dedicated to supporting the professional development of fundraisers and enjoys helping charities navigate their way through their various fundraising challenges.

Industry Expertise

Non-Profit/Charitable
Fund-Raising

Areas of Expertise

Fundraising Best Practices
Leadership
Philanthropy
Proposal Writing
Strategy
Event Management
Volunteer Management
Grants
Public Speaking
Strategic Planning

Education

University of South Wales

LL.B.

Law

Affiliations

  • AFP Ottawa Chapter: President-Elect
  • Prime Ministers Row : Steering Committee

Articles

Is fundraising REALLY a priority in your organization?

Hilborn: Charity eNews

2017-06-15

Most charities are concerned about money. Whether they need to raise more funds to implement new programs, or their funding for existing work is declining, fundraising often features heavily in what keeps managers and boards of directors up at night.

Despite this, these same organizations often fail to make fundraising a true priority. Even in situations where new revenue is a desperate need, they still put off the urgent job of actually fundraising, or investing resources into it...

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Ten mistakes organizations make with their Case for Support: Part One

Association of Fundraising Professionals - Greater Toronto Chapter

2017-04-03

Over the years, I’ve seen some amazingly powerful Case for Support examples – but I’ve also reviewed a number that miss the mark. Here are some of the most common mistakes that can significantly affect the impact of a Case for Support document and as a result, the chances of running a truly successful fundraising campaign...

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Whose job is it anyway? Roles and responsibilities in your fundraising program

Hilborn Charity eNews

2017-03-08

The most successful fundraising shops have a team approach to fundraising and donor engagement. These are organizations that have a strong culture of philanthropy, where everyone is playing a role in helping the fundraising to thrive. Here are just a few of the main roles and responsibilities that different people can play in fundraising for your organization...

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