Development & Partnerships Leader
Chris
Lagana
Great organizations deserve great funding. Relationships first, revenue follows.
Denver, CO
Development & Partnerships Leader
Great organizations deserve great funding. Relationships first, revenue follows.
About
I've spent my career at the intersection of fundraising, corporate partnerships, and revenue strategy, working across nonprofits, mission-driven healthcare and housing organizations, and high-growth companies. The through line is simple: organizations that fund well, do more.
Most development professionals come up through fundraising or business development. I've done both, securing grants, cultivating major donors, and building corporate partnerships, while also building the operational infrastructure that makes a fundraising program run at scale.
At Housing Works, I took a development program with untapped potential and built it into a diversified revenue engine across grants, corporate partnerships, flagship event sponsorship, and a volunteer program rebuilt into a revenue-generating department. I'm looking to bring this same builder's mentality to an organization doing work that matters.
Experience
Built the corporate development program from the ground up across Salesforce infrastructure, campaign architecture, and partner management. Secured $1.5M+ across grants, corporate partnerships, and event sponsorship, including growing event revenue from $400K to $700K in year one across three flagship events, on track to hit $1M this fiscal year.
Led multi-channel fundraising campaigns across a donor base of 5,000+ and a digital audience of 75,000+ subscribers. Owned Salesforce campaign architecture, donor segmentation, and Classy platform strategy across all campaigns and events. Supported four flagship fundraising events while driving measurable improvements in donor conversion and campaign performance.
Built and scaled strategic partnerships across financial services, HR tech, and insurance during a period of rapid growth, as the platform expanded from 35K to 50K employees processed through payroll. Identified a compliance gap facing cannabis operators excluded from state-administered retirement plans. Sourced a 401(k) partner with the right banking relationships to make it work, launched the offering, and scaled adoption across the client base, creating a new recurring revenue stream while giving operators a real tool to attract and retain talent. Built the partnership program from the ground up.
Owned enterprise pipeline development targeting multi-state operators and high-growth companies, contributing to 46% of total company revenue in FY19. Generated qualified enterprise opportunities through outbound strategy and trade shows. Built relationships with executive decision-makers at companies undergoing rapid expansion and M&A activity.
Sourced a $2M seed investment through a strategic partnership with Fastcase. Led business development across newly regulated states, securing government contracts and executive-level relationships with operators and regulators.
Managed flagship fundraising events including a 500-person NYC gala and a 250-person summer gala. Led corporate sponsorship outreach and secured new donors, growing event revenue 25% year-over-year.
Expertise
Outside the Office
Outside of work you'll find me with friends and family, skiing on weekends in the winter, and doing all of it with my three year old sheepadoodle Marcel by my side.
Organizations and partners I've worked with
Let's Connect
If you're building a development team or looking for someone who brings both fundraising depth and a business development mindset, I'd love to talk.
