Today, we bring the bittersweet news that Ciara Stahly's time with CFNIL will come to an end on September 12. She will start a new role as Director of Fund Development at Rockford Promise, bringing her remarkable skills for mission-driven work to another laudable local organization.

Ciara joined CFNIL in 2018 as a Program Officer, a role that included managing both the Scholarship and In Youth We Trust programs. In addition to the technical aspects of administering the region's largest private scholarship program (including rebuilding the application and all program processes in a new software platform), she proved adept at all the "people pieces"; whether recruiting and training the 120+ volunteer reviewers or strengthening relationships with school counselors, partner providers, and donors, Ciara's warmth and passion for her work opened doors and built bridges to opportunities that will benefit the foundation and our communities for generations to come.

This unwavering commitment to CFNIL's people portfolio allowed her to flourish in her current role as Assistant Development Director. Ciara served as the primary contact for all donors, managing intake of new donors and establishment of new funds, as well as cultivating relationships with hundreds of existing fund holders, grantees, and community leaders. She developed new structures and processes to ensure efficient and effective relationship data management, becoming CFNIL's unofficial "database czar" in the process. She put her creativity and communication skills to work daily, ensuring that every constituent interaction was not just welcoming, it was gosh darn delightful! To date in her current role, Ciara has helped secure over $3M in donations and had a hand in the establishment of nearly 100 new funds.

Ciara's creativity and fundraising acumen have strengthened the foundation in countless ways, including her role planning and executing events. She led planning for the annual Community Scholarship Fair, which features dozens of scholarship providers and local resources for scholarship-seekers, and oversaw the Excalibur and Excelsior Award ceremony, a new venture for CFNIL that welcomes over 500 community members and uplifts stories of exceptional people and organizations in our region. Ciara's ability to garner sponsorships for these events helped ensure they remain free for the good of our community. Further, she has the uncanny ability to make everything she touches just a little bit (sometimes a LOT bit!) special; if you've had the good fortune to attend these or any other CFNIL event, you've experienced how her penchant for being "extra" led to a lot of very good, very fun times.

CFNIL is a different and better organization thanks to Ciara's dedication and delightful spirit. Thank you for sharing your sparkle with us, Ciara. We wish you nothing but the best at Rockford Promise and feel fortunate to have had this time with you.