There are multiple paths to becoming an accidental fundraiser. And, let’s face it, accidental or not, fundraising is hard. But in the end, it’s worth it.

Throughout this season of Accidental Fundraiser, you’ve heard story after story of extraordinary individuals who learned hard lessons, made mistakes, and found success beyond their expectations. And while there are exciting things ahead, it’s time to bring season one to a close.

In this episode, we’re recapping highlights and reflecting on key takeaways and themes that emerged from our conversations. Listen in to hear why experience isn’t everything, and why your mission and connections matter more than anything else.

Key Takeaways:

- You don’t need experience to be successful

- Build connections

- Focus on the mission

Sometimes in fundraising, you have to step outside of your comfort zone, dive in and learn something new. 

It can be challenging—there’s no question about it. But in the end, it’s all worth it. 

In our second season of Accidental Fundraiser, you’ve heard stories from extraordinary individuals who have been challenged, learned how to keep going, and experienced success and failure along the way.

To celebrate the closing of this season, we're revisiting some key moments from these conversations and pausing to reflect on the wisdom our awesome guests shared. Listen in to hear some themes we noticed, like how clear purpose creates a strong, inspiring culture; why you should trust the process; and how authenticity is a key driver of success.

There are multiple paths to becoming an accidental fundraiser and let's face it, accidental or not, fundraising is hard, but in the end, it's worth it.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of the joys of fundraising and the impact it can have on the world. Here’s a snippet of insight from those doing it to keep you inspired. Check out the full episode later this week and be sure to follow Accidental Fundraiser so you never miss any of our other conversations to help you reach your nonprofit goals.

Even in the midst of massive growth and major impact, nonprofit work can be exhausting. How do you maintain your energy – and passion – when you’re dead tired?

In this conversation, [Mark Davis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markedwarddavis/), Founder and Director of [Abundance International](http://www.abundanceinternational.org/), shares his secret to staying energized and on fire for his mission.

Mark and his team bring life-giving aid to orphans in Ukraine. Given recent attention on the war, Abundance International has had the opportunity to share their mission with a wider audience and experience incredible growth as a result.

During our conversation, Mark shares how he’s nurturing relationships with a new community of supporters, how he uses storytelling to connect audiences around the world with his mission, and what he’s learned from such rapid growth.

Darius Baxter is the CEO and Co-founder of GOODProjects, an organization that walks alongside families on the path out of poverty. Darius is grateful for the opportunity to make a living dreaming up ways to help others, but he knows the ultimate goal is to put themselves out of business.

In this episode, Darius shares his journey from raising $3,000 and feeling like it was a million, to now raising over a million just a few weeks into a new year. Like many accidental Fundraisers, his path hasn’t been straightforward, Darius talks about the pitfalls he stumbled on while finding early success and the importance of doing things for the right reasons. As you listen, you’ll learn what it means to stick to your mission and the importance of authenticity when seeking major gifts.

Additional Resources:

But striking a balance between sensitivity and authenticity can be hard, so Network for Good has come up with some tips to help guide your approach to finding storytellers for sensitive subjects. And when it comes to fostering DEIB (diversity, equity, engagement, and belonging) at your organization, we have some strategies to help you build the best workplace you can.

Key Takeaways:

- Lean into what you know

- Stay firm in your convictions

- Find people that are better than you

- Use language that builds on the positive rather than talking only about the negative

Things to listen for:

[02:50] The impact football had on Darius’ journey

[05:47] Working to put yourself out of business

[09:49] Realizing you DO have the resources to get started

[11:39] Getting started by looking at your community

[13:27] Track your successes and celebrate them

[17:11] Advice for avoiding burnout

[20:26] The importance of doing things for the right reasons

[25:24] Being Intentional around expansion

[27:00] Learning from the mistakes and the successes of others

[32:45] Growing your organization with humility

[34:43] Focusing the narrative on the positives

[40:24] Showing up authentically when asking for major gifts

[46:06] Start organized, stay organized

When it comes to fundraising initiatives, it’s easy to stick with what you know, but different markets call for different approaches. Hannah Hausman found this to be true when she moved from Miami, where galas were all the rage, to Santa Fe. As Executive Director for the Santa Fe Children’s Museum, she got creative. In this episode, Hannah shares the success she’s seen from ideas like pledge challenges and putting together a cookbook with the local community. As you listen, you’ll learn the one question to help you determine if an idea should be pursued. Finally, as we come up on spring event season, check out Network for Good's strategies for overcoming pandemic uncertainties about your event and open it up to as many donors as possible. And when it comes to keeping your head screwed on as a busy fundraiser, Network for Good's pro fundraisers have advice for self-care while simultaneously supporting your mission.

Frontline fundraisers face a difficult reality of a low donation rate, especially when cold calling. How can you increase your success?

Morgan Martell, self-described Zillennial and Assistant Director of Development at Texas Tech University, has advice. By shifting her perspective to learn and listen as much as possible, she’s built rapport with her donors and increased her success rate.

Martell has learned how to turn rejection into learning, create a culture of service, and align her donors’ interests with opportunities at her university.

There are multiple paths to becoming an accidental fundraiser and let's face it, accidental or not, fundraising is hard, but in the end, it's worth it.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of the joys of fundraising and the impact it can have on the world. Here’s a snippet of insight from those doing it to keep you inspired. Check out the full episode later this week and be sure to follow Accidental Fundraiser so you never miss any of our other conversations to help you reach your nonprofit goals.