Shannon L. Watts, M.A., CFRE

Shannon L. Watts, CFRE is the Principal Consultant of Key Fundraising, Inc.

 

Shannon is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications. In 2025, she earned a Master of Arts in Philanthropy and Development from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.

 

Shannon earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2004 and has successfully recertified every three years since 2004. She has successfully owned and operated Key Fundraising since 2005. In Shannon’s 21-year career as a full-time fundraising and development consultant, she has raised millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations serving a wide variety of missions.

 

Shannon has served on the Central Virginia Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (CVANE) Board of Directors since 2016 and is currently the President of the Board. She is a three-time Past President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Virginia Piedmont Chapter (2004, 2010/11, and 2023/2024). Shannon received the National Philanthropy Day Outstanding Fundraising Executive Award in 2007, and was nominated for the Lynchburg Chamber of Commerce ATHENA Award in 2011. She is a two-time Co-Chair (2008 and 2013) of the Virginia Fund Raising Institute (VFRI), a fundraising and development conference held each July in Virginia, with attendees from throughout the southeast. Shannon has served as Review Team Co-Chair for the United Way of Central Virginia since 2010, offering annual funding recommendations to the United Way Board of Directors with her seven fellow Co-Chairs.

 

Shannon holds the distinction of being the youngest President in the Rotary Club of Lynchburg’s 109-year history, when she served as President in 2011/2012. Shannon joined Rotary in 2005 and is a Paul Harris Fellow +5. Shannon is a Past Area Governor of Rotary District 7570 Area 5, providing guidance to seven regional Rotary Clubs. She served as President of the Rotary Club of Lynchburg again in 2024/2025, and is a Rotary Leadership Institute Faculty member.

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Shannon loves Great Danes, and is pictured here with her Great Danes Jazzy and Ollie.