Part 2: How I Raise $2.5M With No Gala and a Whole Lotta Boundaries

In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I build quarterly engagement plans for donors- even the ones who haven’t given a dollar yet. Whether you’re working with major donors, connectors, or board members, I’m sharing the strategy behind how I map out touchpoints, meeting goals, and creative ways to bring people closer to the mission.

I’m also talking about one of my favorite things: “big swings”. That’s the list of dream donors I revisit regularly with playful, intentional outreach. You’ll hear a couple of my favorite stories about how I got the attention of folks who ignored me for months- and how one woman’s love for golden doodles helped me land a meeting after total silence for nine months. 

What I cover in this episode:

- How I create custom engagement plans for every key relationship in my portfolio

- The exact tools I use to stay organized and track donor engagement

- How I split my time between current donors and new prospects

- Why protecting your focus is everything (and how I do it with calendar blocks)

- The “big swings” strategy I use to reach dream donors and companies

- Creative low-cost ideas for getting a donor’s attention when they’re MIA

- How I use leverage from my team and board to make connections easier

- Real-life examples of donor outreach that actually worked

You don’t need a massive donor file or a million-dollar budget to build strong relationships- you just need a system, some creativity, and the discipline to follow through. The biggest wins often come from the boldest (and most playful) outreach. Think about who’s on your big swings list right now, and what small move you could make today to reconnect.

Want 15 leads in 5 minutes? DM me "Breakfast burrito" on LinkedIn and I'll send you a pdf and 6-minute training to help you generate 15 leads for your nonprofit in minutes. It's totally free. All you need is an email to sign up. DM me "Breakfast burrito" - I'm from Texas, what can I say? - to get your pdf and mini training. 

If you're an org with at least $800k annual budget and major gifts is your top priority, but you need a better strategy and approach, get on the waitlist for the next CourageLab cohort here: https://julieordonez.kit.com/couragelab2