Whether you were able to join our webinar last week or not, I figured I'd share the recap with ation items, especially with the forum's current focus on fundraising!

Here's a brief recap of the webinar with the action items you need to strengthen your fundraising strategy and connect authentically with supporters. You can also watch the recording :

1. Build a metric-driven fundraising plan: Stop treating your fundraising plan like a wish list. Create a living document with both short-term wins and long-term sustainability goals that includes your vision statement, SMART goals, specific tactics, and accountability metrics. Track what matters monthly, not just when grant deadlines hit. Homework: Identify three fundraising priorities that you can track on a monthly basis for building stability, not just quick wins.
2. Master the art of storytelling: Every nonprofit has three stories to tell - your organizational story (who you are), your program story (what you do), and your connection story (why it matters to them). Tailor these stories to different audiences because corporate donors and individual supporters are motivated by completely different things.
3. Develop an authentic brand voice: Your brand isn't just your logo - it's what people think and feel when they hear your name. Stop being self-focused and start being market-oriented. Remember that 95% of your potential audience isn't thinking about you right now, so focus on being memorable for when they need you.
4. Map intentional donor journeys: Stop treating all donors the same way. Individual donors want community and belonging through monthly giving programs and special content. Corporate donors want transformational partnerships and mission alignment. Design specific touchpoints for each segment. Homework: Map out a donor journey for one key supporter segment, including specific touchpoints and relationship development milestones over time.
5. Diversify your revenue streams strategically: Don't put all your eggs in one funding basket. Use the 50-30-20 rule: spend 50% of your time on immediate income, 30% on long-term development, and 20% on strategic relationships. Balance grants, sponsorships, major gifts, annual giving, and other opportunities based on your organization's capacity. Homework: Choose one revenue diversification strategy to try out for building long-term sustainability - whether it's launching a monthly giving program, exploring corporate partnerships, or tapping into board connections.
6. Start marketing with what you have: Stop waiting for perfect branding, fancy videos, or huge budgets. Be scrappy and authentic. Repurpose content from grant applications, focus on one effective channel before spreading yourself thin, and provide value over perfection. Personal, authentic messaging beats polished corporate speak every time.
7. Cultivate all your revenue streams: Don't just chase the biggest grants. Your annual donors, monthly givers, and small supporters deserve cultivation too. They're often your most loyal advocates and can provide the unrestricted funding that keeps your lights on.
8. Add surprise to your donor engagement: Don't just send the same thank-you letters and annual appeals. Add unexpected moments of delight - handwritten notes, behind-the-scenes updates, or opportunities to be part of decision-making. Make donors feel like insiders, not ATMs.
9. Just start with something - anything: The biggest mistake nonprofits make is waiting for the perfect strategy, the perfect brand, or the perfect moment. Pick one easy thing you'll actually do this week instead of aiming for ideal. Done is better than perfect.

To wrap up with ONE clear action item to follow up on:

What is ONE thing you can do that will increase your potential donor engagement?

We welcome your questions - we're here to help! Here's the contact information for our panelists:

• Tarra Nystrom - SMART Money Grant Writing
• Kristen McGarr - Adroit Insights
• JS Winchell - Good Impressions
• James Odene - User Friendly
• John Dinkel - Dinkel Business Development
• Deena Englander - WorkStream Nonprofit

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Your input helps shape the way we serve our community. If you’ve attended one of our events, worked with us directly, or simply have ideas for topics you’d like us to cover in future newsletters, we’d love to hear from you. Take a few minutes to share your thoughts — your feedback makes our work stronger and more useful for everyone. It's a really short survey, I promise!

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions!