The former head of Longmont’s Firehouse Art Center is the new leader of the fundraising arm of Front Range Community College.
Beryl Durazo has joined FRCC as the executive director of the Front Range Community College Foundation, the nonprofit fundraising organization for the school. She replaces Ryan McCoy who left for a position with Westminster Public Schools.
The foundation helps students pay for their education through scholarships, and also raises money for the college’s programs and capital improvements, according to a FRCC news release.
“Beryl has dedicated her career to helping those in need through strategic philanthropy, community partnerships, and a steadfast commitment to donor stewardship,” said FRCC President Colleen Simpson in the news release. “FRCC is honored to have Beryl joined our team.”
During her 10 plus years in the nonprofit sector, Durazo has been an avid member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and has raised more than $7 million in grants, major gifts and event-based fundraising.
“FRCC has an incredible pool of donors who I can’t wait to meet and build relationships with — and I’m also eager to start building new connections for the college,” said Durazo in the news release. “An FRCC education makes a huge difference in our students’ lives. I’m so proud that our foundation helps them reach their goals.”
In 2019, Durazo‘s passion for serving at-risk youth led her to join the Boys & Girls Clubs of Weld County as the organization’s vice president for advancement. Earlier this year, she won the Legacy Gifts Award at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Conference, the news release states.
Before that, she served as executive director of the Firehouse Art Center (FAC). Durazo helped the organization to successfully acquire the hugely popular ArtWalk Longmont event.
“By working closely with the ArtWalk board, the center took over management of the event,” she said in the news release. “This partnership enabled the two entities to share resources, creating long-term sustainability for both the event and our organization.”
Durazo first began her nonprofit career as an AmeriCorps VISTA member with the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, working with youth who experienced the highest food insecurity rate in the country, according to the news release.
Throughout her nonprofit career, Durazo has demonstrated a strong commitment to education and ethical practices. In 2020, she earned her Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential and is now an ambassador for CFRE International. She has a passion for helping fundraisers earn their credentials to improve donor stewardship, ethics and accountability across the nonprofit sector, the news release states.
The FRCC Foundation advances the college’s mission of enriching lives through learning — by ensuring the diverse student body is able to pursue their dreams through an affordable college education, according to the news release. The organization helps students achieve their academic goals by providing:
- Scholarships and emergency funding for students and faculty.
- Direct support to academic and career-technical programs.
- Capital funds to support high-tech facilities and state-of-the-art equipment.
As the foundation’s executive director, Durazo will set the example for dynamic fundraising — supporting the college’s growth and development, while ensuring successful alignment with FRCC’s mission and strategic plan. She will play a key role in developing community partnerships, individual support and industry relationships to provide guidance to college leadership on philanthropy, the news release states.
As a member of the college leadership team, she will lead the foundation in partnership with FRCC’s president, Cabinet and the foundation’s board of directors, say school officials.
The Front Range Community College Foundation’s mission is to transform students’ lives through education, the news release states. Since it was established in 1994, the foundation has raised millions of dollars for scholarships that enable students to achieve their dreams. The foundation also raises funds to support new, progressive programs and facilities that enhance FRCC and enrich our students’ experience, according to school officials.
