2025 Raise Awards Celebrate Nonprofit Innovation, Storytelling, and Fundraising Excellence
Winners Exemplify Creativity, Commitment, and Impact in the Social Good Sector
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OneCause, a leading provider of event and online fundraising solutions, announced the winners of the 2025 Raise Awards at the Raise event fundraising conference in San Antonio, TX. More than 740 nonprofit fundraising professionals gathered on the River Walk September 8-9 to explore the latest fundraising strategies from industry experts, connect with peers, and exchange ideas for advancing the nonprofit sector.
Established to spotlight exceptional nonprofit leadership, the Raise Awards honor nonprofits and individual fundraisers who embody innovation, creativity, and impact. This year’s winners showcase mission-driven leadership from across the social good spectrum, from grassroot innovators building change block by block to large organizations influencing communities nationwide.
“This year’s Raise Award winners are shining examples of what’s possible when creativity and commitment meet,” said Steve Johns, chief executive officer of OneCause. “Their bold leadership shows how fearless fundraisers can approach generosity with fresh vision to spark change and inspire lasting impact in their communities. It’s an honor to celebrate their work.”
Innovative Nonprofit of the Year
The Innovative Nonprofit of the Year Award recognizes creativity in fundraising by organizations that think outside the box and implement new ideas. One organization with annual revenue of less than $5 million and one with revenue of $5 million or more receive the award.
- Habitat for Humanity of Lenawee County approaches every event as a learning lab—an opportunity to improve, adapt, and better reflect the needs and interests of their supporters and community. In June 2024, their organization launched its first-ever charity Pickleball Tournament, marking an exciting new chapter in their community engagement efforts and positioning them as the first nonprofit in Lenawee County to host a pickleball fundraiser. With a dash of imagination, they adapted their fundraising technology for their event, which had a transformative impact on their fundraising and community visibility. Forty teams registered in year one, well beyond their initial projections. They raised $1,450 in team registrations alone, with 75% of participants being brand new to Habitat Lenawee, offering them a powerful entry point to cultivate long-term relationships.
- Radiant Health Centers exists to provide compassionate and comprehensive health services to all individuals in Orange County. They launched an innovative fundraising campaign called "Voices of Radiance: Stories that Heal," a hybrid event that combined a virtual storytelling series with a live fundraising gala, spotlighting real client experiences and the frontline work of their care teams. Viewers could donate directly through the video platform, share clips on social media, and participate in live Q&A sessions with staff and clients. The stories also served as conversation starters in a digital toolkit they provided to supporters for peer-to-peer fundraising. The campaign exceeded expectations, boosting online engagement by over 40%, attracting new donors and increasing event attendance. Most importantly, it deepened community understanding of the barriers their clients face and highlighted how donor support helps dismantle them.
Storyteller of the Year
The Storyteller of the Year Award recognizes organizations that demonstrate excellence in communication and promotion that informs the mind and moves the heart. One organization with annual revenue of less than $5 million and one with revenue of $5 million or more receive the award.
- Make Mental Health Matter provides individuals with essential tools, resources, and education to empower themselves and others in similar situations. With the Make Mental Health Matter show, they share their mission through podcast, TV, and radio. What started with just 11 views on YouTube has become a major storytelling platform, expanding to 70,000 listeners with an additional 5,000-10,000 views each month. This steady increase in engagement reflects the power of storytelling and the growing reach of their message. By sharing impactful, real stories, they’re not just asking for support but rather inviting others to join the movement and become part of the change.
- The Center for Literacy & Learning has worked for thirty years with educators across the country toward closing the achievement gap. They’ve deepened emotional connection to their cause and shown exactly how donations fuel change by centering on the real voices of educators, families, and students. On GiveNOLA Day 2024, CDL exceeded its donor goal by more than 30%, driven largely by personalized team member fundraising pages and mission-centered messaging. By pairing compelling visuals and community-driven narratives with measurable outcomes, they’ve secured new funding relationships and deepened existing ones.
Fundraisers of the Year
The Fundraiser of the Year Award recognizes individuals who embody their organizations’ missions, elevate the donor experience, and always give 110% to their causes.
- Dr. Ignacio Lopez, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance — Dr. Ignacio López is a prominent educational leader and community advocate based in Chicago, Illinois. As the Executive Director of the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA), Dr. López leads with a vision rooted in cultural pride, equity, and sustainable impact. Over the past year, he has helped transform PRAA’s fundraising strategy by securing multi-year corporate partnerships, launching their first-ever endowment fund, and expanding arts education programs to underserved communities across Chicago and Puerto Rico. In 2024, Dr. López led the negotiation and development of new presenting sponsorships with national brands, increasing annual fundraising revenue by over 35%. In every effort, Dr. López leads with transparency, accountability, and a deep commitment to the community.
- Jennifer Dale, Angela Hospice — Jennifer Dale is a results-driven fundraising executive with more than 30 years of experience in administration, nonprofit management, and organizational development. Serving as the Director of Strategic Partnerships & Growth at Angela Hospice, Jennifer leads a comprehensive, donor-centric philanthropy program, scaling a $2.1 million donor base. She oversees every aspect of the development program—from major and planned gifts to high-impact events and corporate partnerships. She advocates for a “People First” philosophy in her role at Angela Hospice, where her approach has increased donor retention, average gift size, and overall philanthropic support.
- Michelle Rooks & Susan Watson, Daughters Against Alzheimer’s — Michelle Rooks and Susan Watson, co-founders of Daughters Against Alzheimer's, exemplify what it means to lead with heart, vision, and impact. They're both known for rolling up their sleeves and doing the work, from writing donor letters and scripting videos to cheering on volunteers backstage and thanking every team personally. In 2025, they led Battle for the Brain to raise a record-breaking $1.8 million, an increase of more than 40% over the previous year. They did so by embracing innovation, forging new partnerships, and inspiring others to believe not just in a cause, but in a future without Alzheimer's disease.
Raise Award winners were selected by a committee of more than 40 peer nonprofit professionals and industry experts, including representatives from leading nonprofit organizations. The committee focused on specific achievements, campaigns, and events over a 12-month period from 2024-2025. In addition to recognition, winners receive a cash donation to their mission on behalf of OneCause.
To learn more about the Raise Awards, visit https://www.onecause.com/raise/awards/.
Next year’s Raise Awards will open for submissions in April 2026.
About Raise
Raise is more than a fundraising conference for nonprofits; it’s a platform for collaboration, inspiration, and putting ideas into action. Hosted by OneCause, Raise has provided dynamic speakers, engaging panel discussions, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities to over 11,000 Fearless Fundraisers since 2017. Attendees learn from industry experts, discover innovative event and year-round fundraising strategies, and explore the latest trends and technology in the social sector. By fostering meaningful connections and providing valuable insights, Raise empowers organizations to increase fundraising effectiveness and drive greater mission impact.
About OneCause
OneCause is driving the future of fundraising with easy-to-use digital fundraising solutions that help nonprofits improve the giving experience and raise more money. OneCause builds technology that optimizes everyday generosity, making it easier for nonprofit organizations to fundraise and for nonprofit supporters to give. Since 2008, OneCause has helped over 14,000 nonprofits in the United States and Canada raise more than $8 billion for their missions. OneCause is committed to driving innovation in the charitable sector, bringing together nonprofit professionals across the world for the annual Raise Conference to exchange ideas that further fundraising. For more information, visit www.onecause.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.
Sarah Sebastian OneCause 8636048490 ssebastian@onecause.com
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