Paul O’Rourke
Intermountain Centers’ VP of Development & Communications Paul O’Rourke has won a national Fundraiser of the Year award.
The nominating body, OneCause, announced the winners at its annual Raise conference on Sept. 9 in Nashville. The Raise Conference brings together thought leaders from numerous fields of marketing and development in the nonprofit sector. The keynote speaker for this year’s conference included Deborah Barge, Chief Development Officer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
In a competitive process that saw more than 100 applications from across the country, O’Rourke was selected as a winner along with two others from a group of top five finalists. The other nominees represented a wide scope of mission-driven organizations including the Calvary Women’s Services, Foster Love, Mitzvah Circle, and the Brian Muha Foundation. The selection committee comprised of previous Fundraiser of the Year Winners, with no employees from OneCause being involved to eliminate bias.
Among other accomplishments, O’Rourke’s nomination focused on his work spearheading and project managing Intermountain’s Sensory Park, a 1.5 acres outdoor park designed entirely for the needs of youth on the autism spectrum. A joint project between Intermountain and the City of Tucson, when it officially opens in the fall the Sensory Park is projected to serve more than 1,000 disabled youth and their families each year. His nomination also outlined his work on the recent Intermountain event, Pickle Palooza, which raised more than $100,000 for Intermountain’s workforce development programs serving both disabled youth populations and those in the foster care system.
In addition, the nomination highlighted O’Rourke’s contributions to an inclusive and accessible workplace culture. With more than 900 staff members, O’Rourke has made significant strides in improving Intermountain’s internal communications through championing positivity and staff recognition. His reputation as a relationship builder has helped secure numerous major gifts and partnerships that have made immense contributions to Intermountain’s presence and growth.
O’Rourke has been with Intermountain for eight years, utilizing his skills and knowledge from a robust career in marketing and PR. With a strong background in strategic communication and fundraising, he leads efforts to enhance the organization’s public image and secure vital resources. His work focuses on cultivating community partnerships, advancing Intermountain’s mission, and driving initiatives that support the well-being of the individuals they serve.
Every year Intermountain and its affiliates, which include Pinal Hispanic Council, Family Service Agency, Rio Salado Behavioral Health Systems, and Community Partners, serve more than 20,000 patients across the state of Arizona for a variety of health needs including primary care, mental health, autism, substance use, homelessness, foster care, youth development including workforce readiness training, and more. Intermountain celebrated its 50th anniversary last year.
