Hey friends, Welcome to this week’s episode, a special replay of a workshop I hosted on end-of-year fundraising strategies. If you’re in the nonprofit or fundraising world, this is a must-listen! I’m diving into **practical, tactical advice** for how I approach major gift fundraising to crush ambitious year-end goals. Spoiler alert: this is all about keeping it *simple*—because simplicity is the vibe here.
Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:
1. Mapping Your Fundraising Roadmap
We kick things off by setting goals and creating a clear strategy to get there. I break down my personal two-page strategy document and how it helps me stay focused.
2. The Magic of Working Backward
Learn how I approach setting ambitious goals—like raising $500K—and break them down into manageable steps. Whether it’s identifying top donors or focusing on one-on-one asks, I’ll walk you through my thought process.
3. Ask Amounts & Projections
I introduce my “Ask Amount Framework” and show you how to determine the right ask based on a donor’s passion, trust level, and capacity. Then, we dig into projections: how to estimate potential gifts with realistic confidence levels.
4. Courage in Fundraising
Let’s get real—asking for big gifts takes guts! I share my journey from sweating over a $2K ask to confidently asking for millions. You’ll hear how to build your courage muscle and get more comfortable with the big asks.
5. Simple Over Busy
Whether it’s skipping unnecessary events or learning to advocate for your time, I’ll show you how to cut the noise and focus on what really drives results.
6. Donor Engagement Tips
From sending meaningful updates to personalizing your outreach, I share ways to keep donors engaged, invested, and excited to give—without overwhelming yourself.
This is like sitting down with a fundraising coach who’s giving you the playbook to simplify and amplify your efforts. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach, you’ll walk away with actionable tools to hit your goals.
Take Action:
I encourage you to workshop your own fundraising strategy as you listen.
Think about:
– Your big fundraising goal.
– Who your top 20 donors are.
– What ask amount feels bold but achievable.
Let’s make this end-of-year campaign your best one yet! Enjoy the episode.
Do you need to make bolder asks, but you have to figure out what the heck you’re going to say? I have a free gift for you. Go to https://julieordonez.com and get my free donor scripts cheat sheet. You’ll get the exact words I’ve used to raise 50 million from individuals.
If you are in a season where you need to grow exponentially, check out my new program, Million Dollar VIP and see if it’s right for you: https://julieordonez.com/million
Get on the waitlist to the join the next cohort of the CourageLab today! https://julieordonez.kit.com/couragelab2
Music credit: With the Flow by Fin Productions
A Podcast Launch Bestie production