Kevin Kacvinsky
I am a peer, not a consultant.
Before I Had A Roadmap I Struggled To Consistently Raise More Money Year-Over-Year
It took me years of grinding before I figured out a sustainable way to increase donations. I exhausted myself asking the same people to support my nonprofit over and over again. Like many of you, I was trying to get more money from the same small community. The solution to making fundraising easier was to grow my audience -- to have MORE people to ask. I could adjust the way I ask, increase response rates, and improve my communications (all important) but without new people each year, I was in a death spiral. After this pivotal realization I surrounded myself with people who are smarter than me and came up with a system to identify new donors, and that changed everything.
Fundraising Is a Science
Fundraising isn't much different from other things in life - it's guided by the science of human behavior.
The 80/20 rule, for example, stating 80% of your donations will come from 20% of your donor base is a principal (it may even be as high as 90/10). Is what you are doing going to suddenly outperform human behavior? I think not. Use it to your advantage. If you ask more people, you will raise more money.
Once I learned the science of fundraising, my fear subsided, rejection didn't hurt so badly, and I enjoyed what I did because I wasn't chasing my tail.
But I Have Already Asked Everyone I Know
The #1 excuse I hear for why people are not increasing their giving year-over-year is because they've asked everyone they know or the pool of donors is over-fished. This self-limiting mindset is an excuse that the top fundraisers do not use. You can and should be getting your mission and vision in front of hundreds or thousands of new people each year... and (believeit or not) it's not all that difficult.
Here's What I Teach
Start by showing people why your work matters and make clear your impact, then go about finding people who are compelled by your work and want to partner with you. My approach prioritizes relationships and communication over high-pressure asking. We do not ask people to donate right out of the gate - that's not how we make friends! My fundraising framework will help you ask people who are already interested in what you are doing to donate in the right way at the right time... which means more yesses and fewer nos!
My Ideas Come With A Team And Resources
What makes me different is that I do not pass along other people's ideas or bring with me fancy binders full of plans that will never be executed. I have not only done everything I recommend, but I also stand ready to help you execute any portion of the advice I give. Many nonprofits do not have a marketing department or a staff copywriter or a graphic designer... that's okay! At the places I help, it's not unusual for the CEO to also be the web developer, the receptionist, AND the janitor. If your organization does not have staff who can execute what I recommend, one of my 17 expert service providers (who specialize in nonprofit work) can help. Graphic Designers. Web Developers. Bookkeepers. Grant Writers. Copywriters. Fundraisers. Project Managers. You name it.
Improve Your Fundraising Efforts with this Free Guide
THE FUNDRAISING FRAMEWORK
In this free download created specifically for small to mid-sized organizations (under $5m in annual revenue), you will learn the four essential elements of a successful fundraising program. This is the actual framework I use for all my clients. Focusing your efforts using my key fundraising framework will help you gain confidence in your ability to consistently produce increasing donations to support your mission. Use this framework to set your course for the next 12 months.
