Meet Mark Sorensen
Founder and Principal, Sorensen Advancement Group. For more than 30 years Mark has led fundraising, teams, and capital campaigns for Christian organizations, from a Lutheran youth camp in Iowa to a three-state division of The Salvation Army.
A career spent helping ministries grow
Mark grew up on a family farm in western Iowa, studied management at Dana College and Iowa Western College, and learned to run a business managing building-materials stores in Nevada and Arizona with $10 million in annual sales and more than 100 employees.
In 1993 he answered a call to ministry as Executive Director of Ingham Okoboji Lutheran Camping Ministry in Iowa. Over 13 years he more than tripled annual giving, nearly doubled revenue, and led a $3.7 million capital appeal, while the camp's Christ-centered programs reached 65,000 young people.
Since then Mark has raised money at every scale. He led a $6.5 million capital campaign for a church and Christian school in Glendale, Arizona. He directed a 20-person development team for The Salvation Army Southwest Division, completing $15 million and $7.5 million capital campaigns. And he spent about eight years as Development Director at Hope 4 Kids International, growing annual revenue from roughly $3 million to more than $6 million.
Mark has worked as a consultant before, too. He served as Managing Partner of Integrity Team and the Dreamscape Foundation, advising nonprofits and donors on strategic planning, development, and estate-planning gifts. Sorensen Advancement Group brings all of that experience to faith-based organizations that need senior leadership without a full-time hire.
Mark lives in Peoria, Arizona. He is a husband and father, and he has served his church for decades on boards and committees, including more than 20 years chairing the communication committee for his Lutheran synod.
Areas of expertise
- Capital and building campaigns
- Major gifts and seven-figure solicitations
- Planned giving and estate gifts
- Building and leading development teams
- Direct mail, grants, and annual giving
- Board and community relationships
- Executive leadership and nonprofit operations
- Stewardship and volunteer training programs
Based in Peoria, Arizona. Serving faith-based clients nationwide.
Proven results across every kind of ministry
Churches, schools, camps, international relief, and one of America's best-known faith-based charities.
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About 8 years, ending 2026
Development Director
Hope 4 Kids International · Phoenix area, AZ
- Grew annual revenue from about $3 million to more than $6 million
- Led fundraising for child sponsorship, clean water, education, and medical programs serving children in extreme poverty
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2010 – 2014
Divisional Development Director
The Salvation Army Southwest Division · Arizona, New Mexico & Southern Nevada
- Led a team of 20 across planned giving, major gifts, direct mail, grants, and public relations
- Supported a division raising $20 million in annual gifts and $10 million in planned gifts
- Completed $15 million and $7.5 million capital campaigns
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2009 – 2010
Managing Partner / President
Integrity Team / Dreamscape Foundation · Peoria, AZ
- Consulted with nonprofits and donors on strategic planning, development resources, donor services, and estate-planning gifts
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2006 – 2009
President, Joy Foundation & Development Director
Community Church of Joy & Joy Christian School · Glendale, AZ
- Completed a $6.5 million capital campaign, securing two $1 million gifts
- Built key relationships with community leaders
- Established donor training and stewardship programs
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1993 – 2006
Executive Director
Ingham Okoboji Lutheran Camping Ministry · Milford, IA
- Led all operations, programs, and development
- Grew annual giving from $250,000 to $800,000 and revenue from $900,000 to $1.6 million
- Led a $3.7 million capital appeal with a $500,000 lead gift; oversaw $500,000 in construction
- Christ-centered programs reached 65,000 youth and 3,000 families; hired and trained 1,000 college counselors
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Earlier career
Retail Operations & Contractor Sales
Payless Cashways Building Materials · Nevada & Arizona
- Managed complete operations for $10 million-a-year stores with more than 100 employees
The convictions behind the work
Fundraising is ministry
Donors aren't ATMs. They're partners in the mission, and they deserve to hear the truth about the impact of their gifts.
Relationships compound
The most valuable gift is often the second, third, and tenth one. Retention and stewardship come before acquisition.
Build people, not dependence
Success means your team is stronger when we leave than when we arrived.
Why "fractional"?
A fractional leader is a seasoned executive who serves several organizations part-time. You get senior judgment, an established playbook, and donor-facing credibility, paying only for the time you need.
Three decades of experience, available to more ministries
Many faith-based organizations can't justify, or can't yet find, a full-time Chief Development Officer. The fractional model lets Mark bring what he's learned to several ministries at once, with a limited number of clients so each one gets real attention.
Start a conversation with Mark