10 Game-Changing Fundraising Truths (That Actually Work)
Celebrating Over 100 Episodes (And One Client’s $5K “Oops, We Didn’t See That Coming” Win)
When a Purpose & Profit Club® member hit their entire revenue goal before month-end—plus landed a surprise $5K annual sponsor from an online event they almost didn’t host—it proved something:
Old-school fundraising rules are dead.
Their secret? The same 10 lessons I’ve seen fuel every record-breaking nonprofit, social entrepreneur, and leader I’ve coached. If you’re ready to:
Get Your Guide Now!
2X campaigns without 2X effort
Turn lukewarm donors into superfans
Replace exhaustion with easy (yes, really)
Bookmark this. Let’s dive in.
10 Nonprofit Growth Hacks (No Cultivation Cycles Required)
1. Partnerships > Cold Outreach
Scaling from $500K to $1M isn’t about hustling harder—it’s about leveraging other people’s audiences. Your Social Street Team® could be:
Local businesses (sponsorships = free marketing)
Digital influencers (that food blogger with 200K followers? Align missions)
Volunteers-turned-ambassadors (they’ll fundraise for you)
Try this: Replace “How do we find new donors?” with “Who already has our ideal donor’s trust?”
2. Unwavering Belief = Unstoppable Revenue
Two mindsets:
“I hope this campaign works…” → Tepid results
“This will fund our $1M food bank expansion.” → Magnetic confidence
Data point: Organizations that declare goals publicly (“We’re raising $X by DATE”) attract 3X more unexpected opportunities (like that $5K sponsor).
3. Ask Your Damn Friends
An executive director’s best friend called her out: “You never asked me to donate!”
Truth: Your inner circle wants to support you. Stop protecting them from your mission.
4. Ditch the 12-Month Cultivation Cycle
Donors don’t want:
❌ 6 coffee meetings
❌ 12 “nurture” emails
❌ A handwritten note before you finally ask
They want:
✅ Clear impact + a frictionless “Yes” (Example: SPRINT Method™ clients close $10K gifts in days, not years.)
5. Marketing Should Feel Easy
One Club member tripled their email list and doubled revenue by:
Telling relatable stories (not “official” org-speak)
Automating donor nurture sequences (set it once, revenue for life)
Letting their Street Team amplify them (vs. grinding alone)
Pro tip: If your tech stack feels like a part-time job, DM me. I’ve demoed 50+ tools—I’ll tell you which to use/trash.
6. Adopt a 5-Year-Old’s Iron Will
My daughter practiced monkey bars daily until her hands bled. Then she fell, sprained her wrist… and was back the day her splint came off.
Fundraising parallel: The leaders hitting $1M+ treat “no” like a “Not yet”—not a full stop.
7. Stop Plugging Leaks. Go Upstream.
Example: Instead of hiring more staff to field donor complaints, one org automated their thank-you emails. Result? 80% fewer “Where’s my receipt?” calls.
Your move: Audit where you’re reacting vs. redesigning.
8. Objections = Your Secret Weapon
“Let me think about it” isn’t a no—it’s a “Tell me more”.
Script we use in the Club:
“Totally get it! What’s the biggest factor you’re weighing?”
(Listen → Address concern → Re-ask.)
9. People Want to See You Win
Write every email as if your donor is thinking:
“I’ve been WAITING for you to ask!”
Shift:
From: “Sorry to bug you…”
To: “You’re the exact person who can make this happen.”
10. Mindset Isn’t Fluff—It’s Fuel
At the Boys & Girls Club conference, I spotted Al Roker. Two choices:
“He’s too famous—don’t bother.”
“This’ll be a fun story!” (Spoiler: He was lovely.)
Your fundraising version:
Limiting belief: “Major donors won’t give in this economy.”
Unstoppable belief: “My case is urgent—and I know who can help.”
Your Gold Medal Move
These 10 lessons work—but only if you apply one today.
Pick your leverage point:
Claim a bold goal publicly (Comment below: “We’re raising $[X] by [DATE]”).
Text a friend: “Can I share an opportunity to support our work?”
Join the Purpose & Profit Club®—our members average 2X their next campaign in 90 days with these exact frameworks.