confidently invest with blueprint
Blueprint builds projections that improve development revenues in quantifiable ways. Our methods ensure that organizations can confidently invest in a partnership with our team.
Client Engagement
The best consulting partnerships are built on long-term relationships. We rely on direct collaboration and engagement with you though the process. We will work with you closely until results are realized and set up to be sustainable.
Professional Team
We have a leadership group with demonstrated fundraising and marketing campaign experience, along with a team of professional fundraisers that seamlessly work on behalf of your organization to penetrate lead pools and maximize retention, gift sizes and donor increase rates.
Passion for Success
We believe fiercely in the importance of arts and cultural organizations to impact real change culturally and socially. We have a fiery passion for the success of your institution.
Our Team
Leadership Team
Paul Larson
President
I came into the arts world in high school via theater and choir. 2004 marked the start of my work in the arts professionally, supporting arts and culture across the country via fundraising and marketing. I'm numbers driven, and the passion for having a hand in helping to grow the financial stability of our clients keeps me going.
Outside of Blueprint, I love swimming, biking, my dog Ivan, real estate projects and travel.
Kyle Steigerwald
Vice President
I spent a lot of time in high school and college on stage, expressing myself, and challenging authority. I have a very healthy appreciation for the arts and all creative pursuits. I have been with Blueprint since 2008 and love talking with people and getting excited about things that are worth sharing.
When I’m not killing it at work I enjoy nature, playing guitar, traveling off the beaten path and spending quality time with my family and friends.
Gretchen Kabler
Data Standards Manager
My involvement in the arts began at a very young age with ballet and piano lessons. I gained a real love for classical, jazz and big band music playing French horn in high school orchestra and wind ensemble, and continued into college with the University of Wisconsin marching band. Not one for the theatrical spotlight, I supported our high school drama club through set building. Now mainly a patron rather than a participant, I still enjoy attending all manner of arts performances.
My professional career has focused on supply chain and operations management, and delivering exceptional customer service programs through process development and improvement. Having worked with Blueprint Advancement behind the scenes in other ways, I’m delighted to be part of the team focusing on client relations and data management.
Outside of work, I love spending time training dogs, hiking, and traveling in my motorhome with my four-legged pals, Elliot (dog) and Marvin (cat).
James White
Campaign Team Leader
Growing up in Maine, I didn't have much access to the arts. My first real experience was during my senior class trip to Boston, where I got to meet John Williams before he conducted the Boston Pops playing Star Wars. That was huge for me. My first job in the arts was fundraising for The Atlanta Ballet in 1997. I love the science of our work and drive myself to meet our clients' goals using the data.
When I'm not working, I'm either spending time with my family or restoring a vintage car.
Caroline Hamilton
Campaign Team Leader
I grew up going to shows and plays with my family and have always admired the arts. I have been with Blueprint since 2017 and am passionate about fundraising for different arts organizations throughout the country and helping children get access to the arts. My current role allows me to help Associates who are new to Blueprint to realize their full potential.
When I'm not working, I enjoy spending time with my partner growing our garden and caring for our 75 houseplants. I love animals, especially my two very spoiled cats. I also recently found a love for classical music and traveling to see different artists perform.
Sarah Stone
Campaign Team Leader
I grew up in a Gospel music home; my dad made sure that music was a huge staple in our lives. My parents would take our family to a variety of shows, helping to cultivate my love for all different types or art forms from a very young age. My dad also helped me to sharpen my sales skills and my ability to talk and connect with people in a meaningful way. I grew up exploring and learning everything I could about everything and I feel like all that I learned and experienced helped to prepare me for my career here at Blueprint.
When I’m not breaking records at work I enjoy spending time outdoors with my friends, family and dogs. I enjoy swimming, fishing, gardening and bargain shopping.
references
Our partner since 2010, Blueprint has played a key role in The Bushnell’s ability to more than double our Annual Fund in the last five years through both their extraordinary work in Telefunding and their guidance and support in all aspects of our fundraising effort. Blueprint has a breadth and depth of experience and knowledge across a diversity of non-profits that enables them to provide key insight and strategic assistance as we work to achieve significant growth year after year. With their support, The Bushnell is poised to continue its upward trajectory in our Annual Fund program.
-Stephanie Fried, Senior Director, Annual Fund & Development Operations, The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
It was my distinct pleasure to have worked with Paul Larson. He is a visionary and someone who gets-the-job-done with minimal angst and a light touch! His artistic, social and business acumen are evenly matched.
-Julie Moffitt, President, Glacier Symphony Orchestra and Chorale
The relationship between the Hartford Symphony Orchestra and Paul Larson of Blueprint is in its second decade, and far from a service-based relationship, we have a partnership. The work of Paul and his team so impressed our colleagues of The Bushnell Performing Arts Center (where we are housed and perform, though we are two separate organizations) that the Bushnell now works with Paul as well. With guidance and input from Paul and his team of professionals, we collaborate on all aspects of the campaign they handle on our behalf, and their highly-trained solicitors, some of whom are well-known by our donors, are considered an important extension of the Symphony’s small in-house development team. There is follow-up, attention to detail, and beyond our bi-weekly scheduled meetings, the team is immediately responsive to any issues, concerns or need for adjustment.
-Ruth Sovronsky, Development Director, Hartford Symphony Orchestra
Performing arts patrons are a special breed, comprised of people that require a particular level of professionalism, creativity and gravitas when communicating to. I want to be sure that when our sales leads are being recruited and solicited, we treat these individuals with special care. We need to communicate to patrons according to where they are at in their experience with our client’s performances - either as a fresh, new patron who has never experienced our art form, to the long-standing contributor who has seen countless performances around the world. This requires great strategy and a complete understanding of how to successfully convert a variety of individuals to support our clients. Luckily, I have had the great fortune to partner with Paul Larson and his team for several of our clients. Paul brings an innate understanding of what it means to talk to patrons one on one, and brings a special insight as we create and implement campaigns together. I’ve turned to him many times with ever increasingly successful results.
-Laura Schairer, Audience Magnets
I have worked with Blueprint for over 10 years at several different organizations. I have always been impressed by certain characteristics that set them apart from their competitors: first, everyone at Blueprint is very knowledgeable about your specific organization and campaign and they can each offer insight from their particular area of expertise--from data management to donor motivation; second, your campaign team from Blueprint has a depth of knowledge from their work all over the country that gives them insight to help your organization grow and implement new ideas; and third, their reports/data analysis are practically real-time so together you can work with them to make immediate adjustments to suit your patrons and your specific city or culture. I have always felt like Blueprint is part of the development team but with a global picture--their work has increased numbers and percentages at every organization I have hired them for.
-JoLynne Jensen
Working with Blueprint has allowed Lyric Opera of Kansas City broader access to our patrons. More than just your average company, Paul and his team partner alongside you every step of the way to execute sharing your company’s vision. Beyond that, they saw us to an average renewal dollars increase of over 40%! Blueprint Advancement is communicative and agile and I highly recommend their services.