Name: Ryan Tollefson
Title & Organization: Development Director, Girls on the Run Greater Boston
WID Role: Member
Hometown: East Boston, MA
Lives Currently: Stoneham, MA
Education: B.A., Brandeis University
Hobbies: Baking, taking care of my backyard chickens, running, and keeping up with my 3 kids
When and how did you join the development field? What path brought you to your current role?
After graduating from Brandeis University, I spent a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA. I was placed at Clark University in Worcester in the Office of Community Engagement and Volunteering. In this role, I worked with community organizations and schools to provide meaningful and mutually beneficial volunteer opportunities for students. I fell in love with the myriad ways that well-meaning people can positively impact the community.
After my year of service at Clark University, my nonprofit path continued, and my development journey began with peer-to-peer fundraising. In my next few roles, I supported event participants in reaching and exceeding their fundraising goals. I loved hearing their stories and helping them make an impact through training and fundraising.
Is there someone who has shaped or influenced your career in development? If so, in what way?
I have been so fortunate to have many incredible mentors and bosses in my career. From each, I have gained wisdom, best practices, and skills. I’ve had bosses who emphasized the importance of a work-life balance, and those who have encouraged big thinking. I’ve had bosses who authentically live the core values of their organization every day, and those who are fearless in all that they do. They have each shaped who I am today and how I strive to show up for myself, my organization, and my community.
Tell us a bit about the organization for which you currently work and why fundraising is important to the mission?
I am honored to be the Development Director for Girls on the Run Greater Boston. Our mission is to empower girls in grades 3-8 to be healthy, joyful, and confident using a fun, evidence-based curriculum that develops critical life skills while creatively integrating physical movement. Everything we do focuses on building girls’ confidence—confidence in themselves, confidence to do hard things, and confidence to stand up for themselves and others.
Girls on the Run hosts two seasons a year: spring and fall. Each season is 8 weeks, and teams of up to 24 girls meet twice a week with trained, caring coaches who implement the Girls on the Run curriculum. Each lesson focuses on a critical life skill, like how to stop negative self-talk and reframe it, how to handle big emotions, how to recognize healthy friendships and relationships, and how to embrace and celebrate our individuality.
We know that kids are facing unprecedented challenges—and for girls, the challenges are escalating. Data from “Ruling Our Experience (ROX) The 2023 Girls’ Index” shows that reports of sadness and depression have tripled in fifth grade girls since 2017. In 2017, 12% of fifth graders reported feeling sad or depressed at least 4 days a week. In 2023, that number was 35% of fifth grade girls. Girls on the Run begins in third grade to intervene at a critical period and begin positively impacting mental health.
The needs of girls have intensified over the last decade. Girls on the Run continues to meet the growing needs of today’s girls and has the potential to change their trajectory.
Girls on the Run has grown exponentially throughout eastern Massachusetts since the pandemic. We are now serving more than 4,300 girls annually and are on track to serve 5,000+ next year. Sixty percent of our participants receive financial assistance, and many would not have access to afterschool activities that support their holistic health. Our fundraising efforts ensure that a family’s financial situation is never a barrier to participation.
Why did you join WIDGB?
In late 2020, I started a new job that was focused on donor stewardship. I was (and continue to be!) very excited by the field of donor relations and stewardship and was eager to immerse myself in learning more. As we all know, the pandemic changed so much about how we work, live, and how people give. Becoming a member of WIDGB gave me opportunities to learn so much more, meet other people within the profession, and deepen my understanding of the rapidly changing philanthropy landscape.
Describe your biggest development success story to date Or Can you share with us an inspiring development story from your career?
When I began at Girls on the Run Greater Boston, we were heavily focused on event-based fundraising. It helped fuel our organization for so long, and we continue to be inspired by all of our event supporters. But we needed to diversify our revenue streams to ensure sustainability, and we have continued to do that year over year. With a more balanced approach, we are building deeper relationships, moving away from transactional relationships, and inviting more people to support our mission in a variety of meaningful ways.
How do you incorporate principles of DEI into your development work?
Girls on the Run uses IDEA as our guiding principle—ensuring Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility in all that we do. One of the first changes I made within our organization was recognizing every donation, no matter how big or small. I want every donor to feel recognized and celebrated, just like we want every participant in our program to feel.
What advice would you offer to someone new in the field of development?
My favorite part of development is finding opportunities to delight and inspire our donors—and there are so many amazing ways to do so! Development is all about thoughtful relationship building. Your donors want to hear from you, and they want to feel like they are part of the fantastic things that are happening. Celebrate the wins, big or small.
