Kyle Goodfellow

About Kyle Goodfellow

I started my career in music: interning at booking agencies, working shows, and waiting tables. But I realized I wanted work rooted in social impact and the belief that access and opportunity shouldn’t depend on where you start. Since then, my path has moved through higher education, college access and entrepreneurial ecosystem building. The throughline is simple: how do we widen access to upward mobility for under-resourced and underrepresented communities? Today, I lead development and communications at GenOne Charlotte, partnering with first-generation students as they navigate to and through college. I also support The Boost Pad, which equips emerging entrepreneurs with the guidance and networks to build sustainable enterprises. I’m at my best on the people and strategy side of fundraising—listening, connecting, and crafting creative partnership pathways that help organizations reach ambitious goals. My work spans major gifts, corporate partnerships, grant writing, donor stewardship, events, storytelling, and cross-functional leadership. A few recent highlights: • Scaled GenOne’s fundraising to $1.125M in FY25 (112% of goal) and grew a lead donor from $50K → $171K • Secured new corporate support at the $10K–$25K level and led sponsor-backed events raising $17.5K and $70K+ • Previously helped lead multi-market partnership and revenue work at Venture For America (13 cities), and raised $590K+ at College Advising Corps and $100K+ annually at Make-A-Wish Outside of work, you’ll find me chasing my son around, drinking too much coffee, and (optimistically) cheering on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Experience

1. Director of Development & Communications

   Genone Charlotte

   Feb 2025 — Present · Charlotte, NC, US

   GenOne partners with talented, first generation students from underserved communities and helps them successfully navigate to and through college. Hired as the first full-time fundraising leader to build scalable development and communications infrastructure that fuels organizational growth and long-term sustainability-Scaled annual fundraising from ~$600K to $1.125M in FY25 (+87.5%) and delivered 112% of goal through major gifts, grants, corporate partnerships; maintained 64% donor retention-Grew key relationships: increased a top donor $50K → $171K and expanded two corporate partners $35K → $50K and $25K → $50K; secured new corporate partnerships at $10K–$25K levels-Led GenOne’s 125-person Scholar Celebration—our first sponsored event—owning end-to-end logistics, program design, and scripting; raised $17.5K-Co-led GenOne’s most successful fundraising event to date: 60+ stakeholders engaged and $70K+ raised-Strengthened digital storytelling strategy and cadence, grew audiences:+9.5% Instagram followers and +23% LinkedIn followers.

Education

• Gustavus Adolphus College

  Psychology

• Minnesota State University, Mankato

  Master of Science - MS

Skills

• Leadership Development
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Social Media
• Academic Advising
• Event Planning
• Student Development
• Higher Education
• Email Marketing
• Facebook
• Student Affairs
• Event Management
• Public Speaking
• Customer Service
• Grant Writing
• Leadership
• Fundraising
• Social Media Marketing
• International Education
• Graphic Design
• Research
• Student Engagement
• Teaching
• Time Management