Description

Laura Bonnell, a seasoned journalist with 25 years of experience in Detroit, founded The Bonnell Foundation in 2010 after her daughters, Molly and Emily, were born with cystic fibrosis (CF). Despite having ten siblings between them, Laura and her husband, Joe, had no idea they were carriers of the disease, as no one else in either family had been diagnosed with CF. Driven by her personal experience and professional expertise, Laura used her platform as a reporter to raise awareness about CF. Before establishing The Bonnell Foundation, she actively raised funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, participating in the Great Strides Walk fundraisers and speaking at CFF events. Bonnell also organized events like the first Celebrity Softball game with the Detroit Tigers’ wives and launching the "Portraits of Cystic Fibrosis" calendars in 2003—both of which are integral to The Bonnell Foundation's fundraising efforts today. Through her foundation, Laura continues to advocate tirelessly for those affected by CF, leveraging her journalistic skills to amplify the cause and support the CF community.

Key Takeaways:

• Seeing nonprofits as corporations is important for changing mindsets and driving growth. Nonprofits need to embrace the business aspects of running an organization, like budgeting, fundraising, and strategic planning.
• Leveraging your existing skills and experiences, even if they seem unrelated, can be incredibly valuable when starting a nonprofit. Laura's background in journalism and storytelling was crucial for building the Bonnell Foundation.
• Authenticity and personal connection are powerful tools for fundraising and advocacy. Sharing your authentic story and being open to building relationships can lead to unexpected opportunities and support.
• Persistence and a willingness to learn are key when facing challenges. Laura had to overcome her discomfort with fundraising but embraced it as a necessary part of her work, which led to the foundation's growth.

“There is a stereotype or a feeling that people working for a nonprofit shouldn't make any money. I think it needs to change because it's really important that there are foundations that are helping people in the community.”

“Just ask. The worst someone can say is, “No, we can't do that much, but we'll do this much.’”

“Keep your willingness to share open, because there are so many people I've connected with about being open, and we all help each other. People relate to the same things.” 

- Laura Bonnell

Reach out to Laura Bonnell at:

Website: https://thebonnellfoundation.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebonnellfoundation

X: https://x.com/roadmaptocf

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonnellfoundation/#

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