Ross McKeen Memorial Fund
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The arts community and non-profit sector lost a truly one-of-a-kind leader in March 2021 when Ross McKeen died after a six-month long battle with pancreatic cancer.
Ross McKeen was a fundraising consultant and grant writer who also served for 13 years as the Managing Director at Oregon Children’s Theatre, and four years as the General Manager of Portland Center Stage. But Ross was much more than his resume - he was a treasured friend and colleague of countless non-profit professionals. If you worked in the non-profit sector in Oregon, Ross was THE person you went to for advice and mentorship. He was kind, he was funny, he was extremely knowledgeable about non-profit leadership, and most importantly – he would give you the unvarnished truth. He was truly special, and his wisdom and experience are irreplaceable. That is a lot of superlatives for one person but in the case of Ross McKeen, it’s no exaggeration.
In response to this loss, friends and colleagues have organized to create a grant program to honor Ross McKeen’s legacy. We wish Ross could still be here to continue to advise, inspire, and yes – entertain, our sector for years to come. But since we can’t make that happen, we’d like to provide a little dose of Ross as a way of thanking him for his years of service by establishing the Ross McKeen Memorial Fund for Leadership Development.
Our goal is to raise $25,000, including $10,000 from individuals like you, to support professional development opportunities for emerging and mid-career arts administrators. A diverse panel of local arts administrators will award approximately 10 grants for things like...
• Travel awards: Awards to cover transportation and/or out-of-town living expenses while leaders attend a conference or complete a period of study or special project.
• Sabbaticals: Support for leaders to take temporary leave. Sabbaticals commonly last from 6 weeks to 2 months and can be used for rest, writing, research, or reflection.
• Residencies: Support for leaders to further creative work. Expenses may include meals, living quarters, equipment, and studio space.
• Stipends: Short-term awards offered to defray expenses incurred in advancing professional goals.
We will not provide awards for debt relief, salary/bonuses, endowments, or political influence.
We are grateful to the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation and another unnamed local foundation for committing $5,000 each to this campaign. THANK YOU!
For more information, or to make a larger donation ($500 or more), visit our Ross McKeen Memorial webpage .
Ross McKeen was a fundraising consultant and grant writer who also served for 13 years as the Managing Director at Oregon Children’s Theatre, and four years as the General Manager of Portland Center Stage. But Ross was much more than his resume - he was a treasured friend and colleague of countless non-profit professionals. If you worked in the non-profit sector in Oregon, Ross was THE person you went to for advice and mentorship. He was kind, he was funny, he was extremely knowledgeable about non-profit leadership, and most importantly – he would give you the unvarnished truth. He was truly special, and his wisdom and experience are irreplaceable. That is a lot of superlatives for one person but in the case of Ross McKeen, it’s no exaggeration.
In response to this loss, friends and colleagues have organized to create a grant program to honor Ross McKeen’s legacy. We wish Ross could still be here to continue to advise, inspire, and yes – entertain, our sector for years to come. But since we can’t make that happen, we’d like to provide a little dose of Ross as a way of thanking him for his years of service by establishing the Ross McKeen Memorial Fund for Leadership Development.
Our goal is to raise $25,000, including $10,000 from individuals like you, to support professional development opportunities for emerging and mid-career arts administrators. A diverse panel of local arts administrators will award approximately 10 grants for things like...
• Travel awards: Awards to cover transportation and/or out-of-town living expenses while leaders attend a conference or complete a period of study or special project.
• Sabbaticals: Support for leaders to take temporary leave. Sabbaticals commonly last from 6 weeks to 2 months and can be used for rest, writing, research, or reflection.
• Residencies: Support for leaders to further creative work. Expenses may include meals, living quarters, equipment, and studio space.
• Stipends: Short-term awards offered to defray expenses incurred in advancing professional goals.
We will not provide awards for debt relief, salary/bonuses, endowments, or political influence.
We are grateful to the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation and another unnamed local foundation for committing $5,000 each to this campaign. THANK YOU!
For more information, or to make a larger donation ($500 or more), visit our Ross McKeen Memorial webpage .
Co-organizers (5)
Jeff Hawthorne
Organizer
Portland, OR
Michelle Reynolds
Beneficiary
Cynthia Fuhrman
Co-organizer
Tomi Douglas
Co-organizer
Gretchen Schackel
Co-organizer