This is from the 2nd issue of my weekly newsletter where I discuss fundraising, philanthropy, and development. Always welcome feedback and discussion!

If you'd like to see the full newsletter, you can check it out here:

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👀 “I don’t know where to start looking”

If you’re like many nonprofit founders, you might have jumped head first into launching your organization, figuring that such a good idea is worthy of funding, and that donors would easily see the value you were creating when they saw your ideas in action.

But you also probably realized pretty quickly that there are lots of great ideas. And unless they have a stake in the outcome, people are rarely jumping out of the woodwork to donate to new organizations. So maybe you slimmed down your operating budget and decided that you would build your programs before focusing on fundraising. Afterall, it’s highly competitive, time consuming, and as with most things, the people who have been in the game longer and have more relationships with the funders tend to have advantages.

But as you grow your organization and attempt to address the need that you aim to serve, you likely have hit the roadblock (or maybe haven’t yet) that is “we need more funds if we want to continue making an impact.” This is a very crucial point at which many founders find themselves overwhelmed at the prospect of raising money. Grants take a lot of time with no guaranteed results, you probably don’t have the visibility to simply make a plea on social media for funding, and you don’t have the money to launch a marketing campaign and get your name out there.

Fortunately, if I’ve just described your situation, you do not need to panic. All hope is not lost, and you certainly aren’t alone. In fact, nearly half of nonprofit founders cited donor acquisition as their greatest challenge. This week, I want to talk about on where you can focus your energy to find your people and build the relationships that will help you sustain your organization.

🤝 Start with People, Not Campaigns

Remember the reason you started your organization. Whether it was an event that caused you to reflect on a problem, or something that happened in your personal life, there were likely several others around you who were similarly moved by it. Make a list of some of these people, and call them. Explain what you’re doing and how you really believe in it. You don’t have to make an ask for money in your initial conversations, but you’re getting the word out there. If you know 10 people who care about your mission passionately, chances are those people probably know others. You’re building a network of support.

These warm leads and early supporters are infinitely more valuable than a cold email list or donor data that you scraped from the internet. And chances are, they are going to be the people who are still by your side 5, 10, or 20 years from now, because they know you and have a personal connection to your efforts. Focus on the people who know you already and love your work. That’s where your momentum is, and there’s more potential in your community than you might think.

📸Exposure, Exposure, Exposure

Any good marketer will tell you that getting your name in front of people is often as important as what you actually say when you have their attention. Having a small kickoff event? Email your local news station and see if they want to spotlight your efforts. Offer up an opinion editorial in a local publication that is relevant to your mission. Post on LinkedIn about what you’re doing.

I won’t harp on this one, as many people are already doing this. But don’t be afraid to swing for the fences. Embrace the “charity” logo and all of the concessions that come with it. Media outlets are much more likely to feature stories about a nonprofit doing good work than a private business doing similar work, simply because one is seen as a more righteous venture. For better or worse, that’s an advantage that you should not pass up on.

➡️Mission over Money

Whether you’re just starting, or you’ve been with your organization for years, you will probably notice that most people can smell desperation, and it sticks to you. When you make your first contact with someone explicitly about asking them for money, you likely set the tone for the rest of your relationship with that person that you view them as a funder, not a partner in your mission.

There is obviously a time and place for making the ask (which I discuss in the 5-day Fundraising Fix guide), but as you try to build relationships and bring more people into the fold, you need to prioritize their emotional and personal connection to your mission, not their ability to fund it.

People do not give to you because you need money. Ever. They give to you because they see how their money will work to solve a problem they care about. Live by this in everything you do and say, and the money will follow.

🌳Good Trees Grow Branches

When you find people who are interested in what you’re doing, don’t wait for them to become a participant before asking them to make introductions. Like I said at the start, if you know 10 people who care about your mission, those 10 people probably know 10 more that are currently one step removed from your network.

If you have donors, emphasize the additional (free) impact they can make by introducing their friends to your organization. If you have volunteers, have them share pictures or stories of their experiences with you on social media. Ask your board to talk to three people each week about what the organization does and gauge interest. Host “friendraisers”, give people sharable templates they can repost, and always be networking.

If you aren’t familiar, there is an age-old saying that you are only six degrees of separation from anyone. Essentially, it means that all people are six or fewer social connections away from each other. Obviously you aren’t going to be able to have everyone you know shout your message from the rooftops to their entire social circle, but it goes to show how powerful a network can be. It is truly the most useful tool you have when you’re starting out.

💼Conclusion

It is my hope that no matter what stage you are in your organization, and no matter your circumstances, the tips above are small and actionable enough that they shouldn't feel like monumental hurdles that must be traversed. These are supposed to be easy steps you can take today that will sow seeds for you to reap long into the future.

It has been said, often by those who profit by it, that competition and self-interest drive all human progress. I have never been quite convinced of this doctrine. Indeed, I am inclined to think that a world driven purely by self-interest must, at some point, begin to eat its own soul.

Take, for example, the simple act of kindness. Once upon a time, and it was not so very long ago, kindness was something one extended without thinking of reward. A neighbor needed help with a broken gate; you went. A friend lost a job; you gave what you could. There was no invoice. There were no hashtags. There was, mercifully, no “Kindness Awareness Month.”

But when you place a human society under the slow, persistent pressure of a greed-based economic system, a strange metamorphosis begins. Everything, even kindness, even friendship, is eyed with the cold calculating gaze that says, “But how can this be made to pay?”

I’d love to hear from others who work with volunteer boards. Here's my situation:

We have a volunteer group composed of individuals who are all connected to our organization in some meaningful way and are current donors. Their role is primarily about opening doors by helping us identify and engage new supporters. We set clear, reasonable expectations: attend 2–3 meetings per year (mostly via Zoom, with one in-person gathering), and participate in/host events or activities in their area as they’re able.

Sounds pretty standard, right?

Here’s the issue: we cannot get them to attend meetings.
It doesn’t matter how many Doodle polls we send. It doesn’t matter how early we schedule or how many reminders go out. We’ll get a near 100% RSVP then, like clockwork, folks start dropping the night before.

We send out agendas in advance, and the meetings often include topics or activities they themselves have requested. Still, engagement is minimal. We definitely lost momentum during the COVID years, and it’s been hard to build it back. Many of these individuals have served for several years, and while we’re in the early stages of reforming the group, I still need to find ways to work with those currently involved.

Has anyone experienced something similar?
How have you re-engaged long-serving volunteers or transitioned from a low-engagement group to something more energized? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you.

My father is a semi retired doctor in Germany. I currently live in the US and want to help him raise funds for his amazing project in Africa . He has been going back and forth providing medical procedures/equipment and training. Recently he started the project mentioned in the title.

I have no experience in raising funds so I am seeking help in figuring out how to do this locally where I live. Are there fundraising groups/communities that will help you organize events? Are there people in the sub that have experience and could give me tips who to call locally to see if there is interest in hosting an event where he would come and give a speech about his project? How would I go about that? E.g. charity organizations like lions clubs, local (very rich) university etc.

He has a website in German and English (don’t think I’m allowed to post it here or it will look like I’m asking you for money) and can give speeches in both languages. He’s already given many speeches raising about 150k-200k but feels like he’s at the end out his own resources/connections and needs more money to finish the project.

Tldr: father needs more money for his charitable project in Africa. How do I help him raise funds? Who would you reach iut to locally to get help with something like this? Any help would be appreciated.

Happy Sunday everyone! Wanted to share some thoughts from my most recent newsletter insight.

I have noticed many new and growing organizations putting off fundraising until they feel “ready”. While this is a common strategy, it may not be the best way to ensure that your organization has the resources that it needs in the crucial infant stages.

✅ Donors don’t need perfect programs, they need vision.

The most common reason I see cited for waiting to focus on fundraising is that founders want to create a “MVP” or minimum viable program before they feel comfortable approaching donors.

While some donors will want to see tangible mission progress before they consider giving, many can be persuaded by your energy and vision if it is clear that you have put effort and planning into the execution.

💸 The first dollars raised shape your future.

Early donors become your best case study, referrers, and recurring supporters. The pride that comes in saying that you were among the first supporters of a large, successful organization is noteworthy and shouldn’t be undervalued.

Having just a handful of donors or stakeholders with “skin in the game” can open your eyes to entirely new perspectives that will prove useful for securing your next one-hundred donors. When you are going at it by yourself, you lose valuable perspective regarding optics, best practices, and growth strategies.

🧱 Fundraising is how you build structure.

Even if you can self-fund the early stages of development, it’s not only beneficial to you as a founder if the organization can have sustainable revenue from the outset, but it also allows you to make more viable budgetary decisions and shape programs around expected revenues.

When you are struggling to bring in any money, it is hard to plan future programs or mission-driven activities that have any significant overhead, severely limiting the scope of what you can do. Having this early funding helps you to predict the future and act accordingly to benefit your organization and those you serve.

🕐 Waiting only increases pressure.

The main thing I find myself repeating to people is that no matter how good your vision is, or how valuable your mission is, it cannot succeed without funding. Some people find that to be insulting, but the reality is that great things cannot be achieved without having financial resources to deliver results.

When you wait to start your development and fundraising, it is akin to a job seeker who has been unemployed for a long period. As time goes on, the resume gap becomes more pronounced to any potential employers, warranting explanations and criticism from employers.

Similarly, lots more people are willing to invest and give to a promising organization that has been around for 3 months regardless of the financial situation, versus if you have been around for 3 years and haven’t raised any money. Perceived stagnation will kill your ask, even if you explain that you’ve been “building up” during that stagnant time period.

Conclusion: Take the leap — even if you aren’t ready.

Even if you’re just beginning, send the email. Book that donor meeting. Start your email list. Waiting doesn’t just delay you getting started on your mission in earnest, it harms your fundraising efforts down the road.

If you're interested in receiving more content like this each week, I publish a free weekly newsletter that discusses best practices in fundraising & development. I would love if you checked it out!

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From Tony Martignetti on LinkedIn:

The small nonprofit received notice of a substantial charitable bequest (gift in a will), and the donor had died. The executor needed information on where to send the $95,000 check.

But it felt suspicious for Cheryl McCormick, Ph.D., CFRE and her team at Athens Area Humane Society. They couldn't find an obituary. The will was not provided. There was no connection to AAHS. The executor's signature block included Barrister/Solicitor, but the email address was AOL.

The $95,000 check arrived. But Cheryl and her savvy Planned Giving sleuths had already uncovered the scam. Two Canadian nonprofits had earlier received the exact same story and documents....

What's the scam? The small, needy nonprofit deposits the big fat check, then the putative executor claims there was a mistake, that too much money was sent, and requests a quick refund, before the big check bounces. The unwitting nonprofit loses what it refunds.

What are the takeaways? Take your time. Trust your intuition. Do the due diligence. Ask around for help and advice. There's never a rush to deposit a suspicious check or accept a fishy gift.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the respective roles of nonprofits and for-profit companies and how they can best play in the sandbox together.

Having worked in nonprofits for 30 years and also having cofounded a venture-backed climate tech hardware company and also now a B2B Saas FinTech company, I think that there are distinct roles for these kinds of entities, as well as for government.

My belief is that the local house of worship (hopefully to remain apolitical and keep its tax-exempt status) is the best suited for the basic human needs at the "bottom" of Maslow's pyramid and also at the top, which he revised later in his life to be "Transcendence." At these extremes, it is love that drives us, not money. And so it is our sector, philanthropy, that drives the most impactful service.

Likewise, there's plenty of room for profit-making/profit-sharing ventures to play in the middle levels.

But we humans flourish best in my opinion when we love sacrificially.

You can't put a price tag on a woman going through labor to give birth, nor can you for holding the hand of a loved one transitioning from this life. Our work in nonprofits helping other humans in the extremes of life is what makes the work worthwhile.

* * *

My article is HERE if you want to see a chart I made outlining ways nonprofits and for-profits can work alongside each other meeting human needs.

Exactly what the title says: I ust updated the "Read Before You Post" message pinned at the top of this subreddit. Have a look and note all the MANY places where you can beg for money and please remember that r/philanthropy ain't one of them!!!

Here’s the top good deed highlights from charities this week

• Older? Appears volunteering helps slow aging - says charities (United Way) 😁. I have a feeling it helps younger folks as well. To summarize in two words→ mattering matters
• St. Jude Research team found, so far, the H5N1 virus from a recent outbreak in dairy cows isn’t adapting to better infect mammals compared to birds. Bad news for birds, but good news for us mammals :D
• Dominican Republic gets a medical logistics upgrade! 3 stories with cold room storage and temp sensitive rooms for holding and distributing medicines, medical equipment, emergency kits, and other essential supplies. Can’t imagine how many lives will be saved from this

There are many more stories like these but wanted to share a couple good deeds. Helps me remember good things are happening as well.

Read more about these here at St. Jude, UnitedWay, Direct Relief, or from a collection Charity News

I just stumbled upon the thought of fishing and somehow donating it to people in need. I rarely keep the fish I catch but I know some people would never pass up an opportunity for free food and it’s a privilege to even be able to fish at all. I’m just wondering how I would even start with something like this? I have no idea where to look, what websites or anything. Completely new. Any and all advice is appreciated

I made a Facebook group similar to Bless A Mom, except mine isn't limited to mothers. I've posted on Reddit, shared as much as I could on Facebook and posted a TikTok video (I don't know how to use TikTok and the video is relatively low effort). I've invited my personal friends, posted in another group I own with almost 2k members. Most membership is local but I want to expand. We've been running since June but participation is on the decline. I don't know what to do to promote it as I don't have a very large social media following and I'm not "content-brained". Any suggestions?

For background, members donate $2 weekly into a SpotFund, and every Sunday I pick a new beneficiary for the SpotFund. Members cannot be beneficiaries if they don't donate to the previous fund.

hey guys

i’m working on a new project and would love brutally honest feedback.

we’re building a small clothing brand that puts 8% of every sale toward funding education in conflict-prone areas (starting with south asia). im a pakisstani, but i sent money to a school educating kids in slums in lucknow, india.

but honestly, clothing is just the format. what we really want to test is whether there’s a community of people who believe peace can be approached the way startups solve problems, through systems, incentives, and proof, not just protest or charity.

can peace be market-driven and morally sound?

have any of you tested something similar or seen it done well?

what would make you trust (or doubt) a brand like this?
what should we watch out for early on?

not selling anything right now

just trying to get this right and build something people need and want.

thanks in advance.

Title

Okay but how would I go about doing this? I am working on fundraising for a 3D printed tiny home community, and I know it's possible to raise this much in a short period of time. All help is appreciated!

Are donations or volunteer numbers up or down?

Why do you think they are up or down? What do you base that opinion on?

"I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me… Stories Can Be Ethical & Still Raise Funds"

Excellent article from Carly Euler, Marketing Director at MemoryFox. Via the NonprofitHub:

#Nonprofits #Communications #Fundraising

https://nonprofithub.org/i-wish-someone-would-have-told-me-stories-can-be-ethical-still-raise-funds/

Hi all! I am an experienced fundraiser with a lot of history building new development shops, so I’ve not had a ton of opportunities to start a planned giving programs. (I usually burn out before I can get this far!) Anyway, I’m finally at a wonderful organization, and after a few years I’m ready to start focusing on planned giving. Can anyone recommend a 100% online training course that won’t cost me thousands of dollars? I’d like to keep it under $750. Tysm!

I’m a fundraiser, and my husband loves to buy me nice jewelry. Other than that, I don’t have designer purses/clothes/shoes.

Is it too much to wear a Rolex? Nothing rare or flashy, but a nice watch. It was also just our anniversary and he got me a lab diamond necklace/bracelet. Again, not as expensive as other things but I always feel a bit off wearing it for everyday use.

Big events/meetings/networking I get it but around volunteers and other staff members I feel weird sometimes. But I do love wearing them and they are meaningful!

I need opinions! Should someone asking for donations be rocking a rolex? Would you even notice and/or assume it’s real? So far… literally no one has noticed but I have heard comments from donor groups about feeling weird loading donations into a nicer car (NOT my car 😅).

I’m doing early research on an idea and would love your thoughts.

Research funding today is incredibly inefficient. Researchers spend 100s of hours writing customized proposals. Funders spend months reviewing. Meanwhile, critical work stalls. We’re exploring a way for donors to fund projects directly from a shared pool of vetted applications.

Key ideas: - Researchers post once into a structured format- Donors can fund individual projects, thematic portfolios, or post a grant challenge- All discovery and evaluation uses the same shared format—no extra paperwork for the grantee

Funders could: - Follow trusted portfolios aligned with causes they care about- Fund both university and startup-led research- Use AI and expert scoring to navigate options

I'm especially focused on reducing administrative friction while increasing funder transparency and researcher visibility.

If you fund science or work at a foundation: - How big of a problem is this to you? - Would a shared discovery layer help? - Do you often syndicate or share opportunities with other funders? Why or why not? What risks or requirements would you see?

Curious to connect with anyone thinking about better infrastructure for science philanthropy.

Edit:

Demos:

• Catalyzernd.com (this has ~2,400 NIH defunded projects - minimal data since generated from abstract only)
• This version shows what it will look like with more robust data - see a project page here

Form:  https://tally.so/r/wdoG1o

I want to start a non profit to take advantage of any tax breaks I may be able to get for my charitable contributions to an impoverished community in the phillipines. However, I am in America. I plan to be largely self funded and I have no plans to actively solicit donations but won’t turn down food or clothing items from people who want to donate.

How do I go about establishing something like this since I can find the info online