Michael Rogers (activist) - Fundraising Career

Fundraising Career

Prior to his notoriety as a blogger and citizen journalist Rogers was a fundraiser in Buffalo, New York City and Washington, DC. His career as a fundraiser began at the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association, operators of National Public Radio Affiliates WNED-FM, and WNED, and Public Broadcasting System affiliate WNED-TV, where he was involved in raising funds for the construction of a new broadcasting facility. In 1989 Rogers relocated to New York and became Development Coordinator/Program Manager of the Hetrick Martin Institute and Harvey Milk High School, a high-school for LGBT students. Rogers was the organization's first full-time development officer and during his tenure he created the organization's major giving program, created a direct mail program and expanded the annual event program five-fold. Rogers managed the New York City film premiere of Longtime Companion as a fundraiser for the organization. The film is the first motion picture made by a major movie studio (Samuel Goldwyn Company) with AIDS and HIV as the central topic.

Rogers has also served as the Director of Donor Development of the Funding Exchange, a consortium of community foundations and a national grantmaking program. In Washington, DC, Rogers was the Director of Development for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the nation's oldest national LGBT organization still in operation. He has served in senior fundraising positions including Director of Donor Development at the Funding Exchange, Director of Development of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Senior Manager of Major Gifts at the environmental organization Greenpeace.