Cause-Based Fundraising Models

Love this campaign by Stella. "Worth it" ✨ Playing off a familiar scene we all know. That claustrophobic bar. Enter "Claustrobar" You're crammed shoulder to shoulder... Getting bumped left and right. Then you get your first sip. Makes it all worth it. 👀 Or does it...? We're seeing the OPPOSITE trend for B2B events. Marketers want smaller more niche events. Think dinners with 15 to 25 people. ONLY the exact ICP they want. We just did our Q1 retro at The Alliance 🧵 NEW Q1 EVENT DATA FOR YOU: Dinners under 25 people drove 3.4 times higher average pipeline per attendee than 200+ person field events Sponsor satisfaction scores were 27 points higher for private dinners vs traditional happy hours Events with personalized pre invite cadences had a 35 percent average acceptance rate among ICP targets Renewal rates on sponsor programs anchored around curated dinners hit 82 percent, compared to 58 percent for "open bar" events Thats why we're doubling down on niche events. Dinners and intimate VIP exeperiences. Why they worked so well: Step 1: ICP first targeting Every attendee list starts with sponsor aligned ICP firmographic filters: Company size, role seniority, industry fit, existing buying intent. Step 2: Personalized outreach Dedicated in house teams send direct invites framed around relevance. We track weekly acceptance rates and optimize touchpoints if we fall below 30 percent. Step 3: Pre event intel Sponsors get attendee insights two weeks before the dinner. They know which companies and titles are coming so they can plan the content PRECISELY for that audience to make it hyper relevant. Step 4: Structured conversations No loud music. No random crowds. Strategic seating charts and guided conversation topics aligned to the topics attendees and sponsors care about. This makes the experiences great for BOTH the company sponsoring and the attendees. Ends in a win win for everyone. Example for you: At our Austin dinner for a sponsor in Jan - 17 handpicked senior leaders attended - 76 percent of attendees booked follow up demos within 21 days - The sponsor sourced $3.2 million in net new pipeline which was 3.1 times their original goal TLDR Invest in more dinners ✌️ 

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀. For many nonprofit board members, the idea of “reaching out to their network” triggers discomfort. Not because they don’t believe in the mission - but because, to them: Outreach = Asking friends for money. But what most organizations need first from their board is not a donation request. It’s an introduction. ➡️ A quick conversation to share why they’re excited about the mission. ➡️ A pulse check to see if the contact might be interested in learning more. ➡️ And if there’s a spark, a warm handoff to the right staff person - major gifts, development, or corporate partnerships - to take it from there. Here’s how fundraisers can make this work: 🔹 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝗸: Don’t say, “Can you ask your contact for a gift?” Instead: “Would you be willing to share what excites you about our mission and see if they'd like to meet our team?” 🔹𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁: Share 1–2 sentences board members can use. Make it conversational, not canned. (“I’ve gotten involved with an organization doing incredible work in [area]. Thought it might be worth a quick intro if it sparks your interest.”) 🔹 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲: Emphasize that the goal is exploration, not solicitation. Let the development team guide the next steps, when appropriate. 🔹 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁: A simple intro can unlock significant support - not just financial, but connections, visibility, and community impact. At the end of the day, board members joined because they care. Helping them see that introductions are an extension of their passion - not a pitch - can put them at ease. What’s worked for you in encouraging board engagement in donor or partner outreach? #fundraising #nonprofits #nonprofitboards P.S. An exercise I just went through with one of my clients, after we identified potentially aligned businesses to reach out to, was to research the board of directors for each of those companies and compile a list of names and bios that the Executive Director could share with the nonprofit board simply to see if there were any connections.

Last week, I watched a founder close a $4M seed round without a single traditional pitch meeting. No slide deck. No demo day. No "warm intro" network. When I asked how, their answer shocked me: "I started selling to VCs before I needed their money." This founders' contrarian approach is something I've now seen work 9 times in the last year: → They shared private monthly updates with target investors 8 months before fundraising → They solved investor objections before they became roadblocks → They created FOMO organically, not artificially Forget conventional fundraising wisdom. Here's what's actually working in 2025: 1. Reverse due diligence The most successful founders I've backed investigate VCs more thoroughly than VCs investigate them. They reject poor investor fit early. 2. Lead with constraints, not potential One founder explicitly showed how capital constraints were the ONLY thing preventing 5x growth. The math was undeniable. 3. Pre-fundraising data bridges The best raises happen when you've already shared bad news with investors and shown how you overcame it. Transparency beats perfection. 4. The silent round approach A founder I backed last month told only 7 investors they were raising. Each one felt specially selected. 5 submitted term sheets. Most controversial? The founders who are most successful at fundraising are often the least desperate for capital. They've built capital-efficient businesses with paths to profitability, making VC money accelerative, not necessary. What's the most unconventional fundraising strategy you've seen work? #startups #pitch #fundraising #founders

Welcome to the Future of Fundraising. Among the 5 Trends That Will Shape Fundraising in 2025 (https://lnkd.in/eJj_BRhG) highlighted by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Autonomous Fundraising stands out not just as a trend but as a transformative solution to the sector’s most pressing challenges, thanks to the evolution of AI Agents. While artificial intelligence has already redefined what is possible in other industries, for-profit companies have traditionally reaped the earliest benefits, leaving nonprofits to shoehorn tools designed for other purposes. This time, however, nonprofits are leading the charge. Thanks to the work of my team at Givzey’s Version2 Innovation Lab and our Innovation Partners in building the world’s first Agent AI layer for nonprofits via the autonomous fundraiser, there’s now a purpose-built solution that addresses the unique needs within Social Good. Although The Chronicle notes that donors are hesitant about the use of AI, citing concerns over impersonal interactions, autonomous fundraisers like Version2’s Virtual Engagement Officer (VEO), are designed to do the opposite. Unlike predictive AI, which can feel cold or transactional, the VEO prioritizes donor trust and engagement - it uses donor history and previous interactions to deliver highly personalized organization-aligned content selected specifically for each individual to inspire connection rather than alienation. Consider this example from one of our innovation partners, whose VEO reached out to a donor who was lapsed for nearly a decade but who felt inspired to re-engage with the institution. “It means a lot to hear such kind words about my journey and to know that [my university] values staying connected with alumni. My time as a student definitely played a foundational role in shaping my path, and it’s exciting to see how I can now give back in meaningful ways.” The Chronicle also warns of declining donor participation, particularly among small-dollar donors, which threatens organizations’ long-term sustainability. This is where the VEO excels. Click inside for an example of a communication received from one of our partner’s donors after a VEO reached out to help facilitate their end of year gift renewal and secured an upgrade. As nonprofits navigate shrinking donor pools, economic volatility, evolving donor expectations, and the fact that there will always be a labor shortage of fundraisers, it’s incredibly exciting to add trusted digital labor that compliments the work of human counterparts. Advances in machine learning, predictive analytics, and natural language processing have given my team the opportunity to lead the development of Autonomous Fundraising to drive sustainable success in an ever-evolving landscape. Organizations that adopt Autonomous Fundraising aren’t just keeping up with trends - they’re among the first to use Agent AI in the world. And for the first time, nonprofits aren’t adapting to innovation - they’re leading it. 

AI is only as powerful as the problems it solves. For nonprofits, one of the most fundamental challenges is knowing how much to ask for, and when. Ask too high, and you risk discouraging a gift. Ask too low, and you leave potential impact on the table. That’s why we’ve taken Intelligent Ask Amounts to the next level for GoFundMe Pro partners. Grounded in deep user research and powered by GoFundMe’s AI models, this improved version gives nonprofits the ability to dynamically optimize campaigns for what matters most: one-time revenue, conversions, recurring gifts, or a balanced mix. The ask amounts adapt in real time to donor behavior and campaign goals—helping nonprofits drive more sustainable giving. The best part? These improvements are to a product that has already delivered results. For example: the National Civil Rights Museum used Intelligent Ask Amounts during key giving moments and saw a 62% increase in average gift size on December 31st year-over-year, along with other strong gains. (I’ll link the case study with more details in the comments!) What makes me proud isn’t just the AI, it’s the teamwork behind it. Three product pods, Applied Science, Research, CX, Legal, Marketing, Comms and more all came together to turn a complex fundraising challenge into a solution that’s both powerful and practical. Because at the end of the day, innovation is only meaningful when it helps nonprofits raise more with less friction—so they can focus on their mission. 👉 Learn more here: https://gfme.co/47CvtSc 

There are many funding options beyond raising equity capital (my career actually started in helping companies access non-dilutive funding). When I’m building the funding strategy for founders from scratch, we map out all their liquidity options (not just the obvious ones). Here’s what I’ve seen work for private companies at different stages: 1 - Periodic liquidity mechanisms. There are a few emerging platforms I’m excited about here, which are changing the game for private companies. They offer intermittent trading windows that let early investors and employees access liquidity without forcing an IPO or acquisition. This is massive for retention and cap table management. 2 - Revenue-based financing. For companies with strong recurring revenue, RBF provides capital without equity dilution. Repayments can also adjust to your sales topline, making cash flow management far less painful. 3 - Asset-based lending. If you’ve got inventory, receivables, or equipment on your balance sheet, you can unlock capital against those assets. I’ve seen a lot of founders use it for bridging funding rounds. 4 - Non-dilutive grants. Government programs (such as Innovate UK) and corporate innovation funds provide capital that doesn’t ask for any equity stake. Underutilised,and incredibly valuable for R&D-heavy businesses. Most popular at Pre Seed. 5 - Strategic debt/ venture debt. For companies that have already raised equity and need working capital without further dilution, venture debt can be a tactical bridge to the next milestone. Most often used at Series A & above. Mixing all of the above in addition to raising equity capital can build your solid funding journey from Pre Seed all the way to an IPO. #capitalraising #startupfunding #fundingoptions

The connection between donors and the mission is crucial for fundraising campaigns. Imagine your donor, with a morning coffee in hand, sitting at the kitchen table, not just reading about your cause but becoming an active part of it. Here's how to transform your donors from passive contributors to active participants: 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐲𝐬 & 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬: Include a survey in your mailings to gather their opinions and preferences. This simple step shows donors that their input is valuable, making them feel heard and respected. 𝐏𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Encourage them to sign a petition related to your cause. It’s more than just adding their name; it’s taking a stand. This shared action binds them more closely to your mission. 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 & 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬: Give them the opportunity to send a personal message to someone benefiting from their support. This direct interaction creates meaningful connections, making the impact of their donation deeply personal. These strategies are more than just fundraising techniques; they are powerful engagement tools that transform the act of giving into a participatory experience. When donors are actively involved, they not only contribute more, but also become long-term advocates for your cause.

Philanthropy is evolving. For decades, major gifts have largely followed a familiar model. Campaign driven. Program restricted. Recognition centered. Important work, but often transactional in structure. What we are seeing now is something different. Venture philanthropy is not about replacing generosity. It is about reframing capital. Instead of asking, “What program would you like to fund?” we are asking, “What impact are we trying to create, and what level of investment will it truly require?” Here is where the shift becomes powerful: • An investment mindset replaces a gift mindset • Multi year horizons replace annual thinking • Capacity and growth are funded, not just programs • Impact becomes the central measure of success • Engagement becomes partnership This matters because the challenges facing our communities are not annual problems. They are systemic problems. Climate. Food insecurity. Educational inequity. Workforce disruption. These require infrastructure, innovation, and endurance. That takes patient capital, not just restricted funding lines. Venture philanthropy strengthens nonprofits by funding the engine, not only the output. It aligns donors and organizations around shared outcomes, measurable progress, and long term sustainability. For development leaders, this is not simply a new fundraising tactic. It is a structural shift. It requires stronger financial fluency. Better impact measurement. Closer partnership between advancement and finance. Boards that understand risk and growth. The future of philanthropy will belong to organizations that can translate mission into investable impact. The question is not whether donors are ready. Many already are. The real question is whether we are structurally ready to meet them there. #VenturePhilanthropy #Fundraising #Philanthropy

84% of Gen Z supports charitable causes. 60% plan to give more this year. That is the biggest fundraising opportunity of the decade. But capturing it means meeting them on their terms. Gen Z started giving at an average age of 14. They are impact-obsessed. 70% say they would give more if they could see exactly where their money went. More than half prefer monthly giving over a one-time gift. A recurring donor has a lifetime value 3 to 5x higher than a one-time donor. Here is how to build for them: - Lead with impact. Tell donors what $20 a month actually does. Be specific. Be measurable. - Make giving automatic. One-click monthly sign-up. No friction. - Meet them where they are. QR codes. Text-to-donate. Giving embedded in the platforms they already use. Galas still work. But the nonprofits building recurring giving infrastructure alongside them are the ones growing in ten years. Gen Z wants to give more than any generation before them. Give them a frictionless way to do it.

🗓️ The Donor Meetings You Need to Schedule This Week 📱 Here's what everyone gets wrong about year-end campaigns: they think it's about the appeal letter. The real money moves happen in October coffee shops and conference rooms. 🤝 Marketing research shows 92% of people trust recommendations from someone they know versus just 29% who trust organizational messaging. Translation? Your appeal letter is competing with everything else in their inbox, but a personal conversation creates the trust that drives December gifts. ⏰ Timeline reality: donors who make major year-end gifts start thinking about them by Halloween. If you're not having cultivation meetings by October 31st, you're asking people to make significant financial decisions based solely on a piece of mail. 📋 Your meeting scheduling framework for this week: 🎯 Identify your top 10-20: Pull donor reports from the past two years. Who gave $250+ or made multiple gifts? These conversations matter most. 📞 Script for scheduling: "Hi [Name], I'd love to catch up before things get crazy with the holidays. Could we grab coffee sometime in the next few weeks? I'd enjoy hearing what you've been up to and sharing some exciting updates about [specific program they care about]." 🗓️ October meeting goals: Aim for 2-3 cultivation conversations through October. Even two major donors who hear about your impact directly will outperform dozens who only see your mail appeal. 💡 Meeting agenda template: 70% listening to what they care about, 20% sharing specific program updates that connect to their interests, 10% mentioning that you'll be reaching out in December about year-end support. 💪 One-person development shop? Ask a board member to take one meeting, or combine two donors into a brief coffee gathering. The personal touch matters more than perfect individual meetings. 🚫 Don't schedule these meetings for November. Everyone's distracted by holidays and travel. October is when decision-makers have mental bandwidth for meaningful conversations about their philanthropy. The organizations raising serious money this December are having coffee meetings right now. Block two hours this week to make your calls. #Fundraising #MajorGifts #YearEndCampaign #DonorCultivation #NonprofitStrategy #Development