𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐉. 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐧 (1961–2025)

Today, I learned from our mutual friend Steve Schatz of the untimely passing of Michael Rosen, CFRE—a giant in the philanthropic sector, and a deeply thoughtful voice for ethical, donor-centered fundraising.

Michael co-founded The Development Center and later led ML Innovations, Inc., where his guidance helped shape countless nonprofit missions. His bestselling book, 𝘿𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙧-𝘾𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙂𝙞𝙛𝙩 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, became a defining text in our field. Our colleague Phyllis Freedman wrote: "𝘔𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘦𝘭 𝘙𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘯’𝘴 𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳-𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘎𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴... 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵-𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦."

Michael was also a Certified Master Trainer, a philanthropic psychology educator, and a writer of uncommon clarity. One of his essays, co-authored during the early pandemic, offered a profound reflection on mortality and meaning in the fundraising profession. In it, he wrote: “𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴, 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘴—𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.”

Michael’s story and the values he championed will remain.

He was more than a professional—he was a mensch.

May his memory be a blessing.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tedhart_%F0%9D%90%91%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%A6%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%A6%F0%9D%90%9B%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%AB%F0%9D%90%A2%F0%9D%90%A7%F0%9D%90%A0-%F0%9D%90%8C%F0%9D%90%A2%F0%9D%90%9C%F0%9D%90%A1%F0%9D%90%9A%F0%9D%90%9E%F0%9D%90%A5-activity-7315032909059428353-yoq6?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAEC-hzUBnQ4Xl49WXhxXT8CUxS36YrR_OQE