Ditch Your (fundraising) Targets🎯

That’s right. I said it. Ditch your fundraising targets.

I probably should have been saying it more loudly before this (because it’s what I believe), but it seemed a bridge too far. Then recently, I listened to a podcast interview with Keith Wilson of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance. What Keith is doing with his team officially inspired me to boldly repeat what I believe…ditch your fundraising targets.

Let me explain.  Over years of practice in aiming to meet fundraising targets, I’ve learned that focusing on the right activities wins the long game. Tactics that seem to provide short-term revenue are so tempting… while becoming unsustainable and exhausting.

Keith and his team did something radical: they threw out income targets entirely. Poof☁️… Gonezo🪄

Instead, they track engagement-driven activities: the conversations, connections, and experiences that lead to deep, lasting relationships with givers. Their results? 30% revenue growth in just over 2 years.

Maybe you’re thinking the same thing I thought at first. “C’mon now, this won’t work for us. We rely on immediate cash flow just to keep the lights on.” I hear you. Here’s the thing: even if you can’t fully ditch income targets, shift your focus toward engagement-first fundraising. “Sure, that works if you’ve got helicopters and a big budget," you say, "but we don’t have that luxury.”

Please hear me out: this shift works for small charities too.

Engagement-First Fundraising

Quite simply, it means building real relationships with people before asking for money.

Rather than focusing on how much money comes in, focus on how many people feel connected to your cause.

Here’s the plan:
👉 Talk to people
👉 Show them the impact of their giving
👉 Invite them to events, behind-the-scenes tours, and personal meetings

When people feel involved and inspired, they give more and keep giving longer.

What if fundraising success has nothing to do with revenue targets?

Here’s what Keith’s team tracks (this will sound very familiar to those of you who have taken my online Catalyst Course):
✅ The number of donor meetings and calls
✅ Corporate pitches and partnerships
✅ Supporter events and behind-the-scenes experiences
✅ Internal referrals between fundraising staff
✅ New planned giving and major gift conversations

In other words, they measure what actually leads to revenue instead of obsessing over the revenue itself.

The kicker? They raised more money💰.

Why It Works (even for small charities)

This is not just for well-funded organizations. In fact, small charities can integrate engagement-driven fundraising easier and quicker than larger ones, without jeopardizing short-term revenue.

Here’s how you make the shift:

1. Set Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) That Lead to Giving, Not Just Giving Itself
If you can’t let go of income targets entirely, balance them with relationship-based KPIs (like those mentioned above). Start measuring the connections and the money will follow.

2. Prioritize Recurring & Planned Giving
Small charities often feel like they’re in survival mode - chasing immediate cash instead of investing in long-term sustainability. But what if you put just 10% more effort into monthly and planned giving revenues?

3. Create Donor Experiences (even without a helicopter)
Keith’s team gives supporters behind-the-scenes airbase tours. That’s hard to compete with. But every nonprofit has something to offer. What’s your helicopter tour? Get creative and try not to overthink it:

• A small group coffee with your Executive Director
• A handwritten impact update from someone helped by your work
• A video message from a frontline staff member

Don’t just tell people about the impact - let them experience it.

‍Will This Work for Every Charity?
‍There are certain types of organizations who may struggle to adopt this model:
🚨 Disaster relief organizations who need fast cash for urgent needs.
🎭 Arts & culture nonprofits who rely heavily on ticket sales and sponsorships.
🧪 Medical research charities who have long timelines before showing impact.

However, maybe in those cases, engagement-first fundraising is even more important. You may not fully be able to ditch revenue targets, but you can add engagement-driven KPIs alongside income goals.

The counterintuitive reality is that fundraising isn’t just about money. It’s anchored in relationships. The best fundraisers aren’t just chasing gifts - they’re building connections that lead to generosity.

You can’t turn the Titanic on a dime, but you can start steering and shifting today. Pick one engagement KPI to track this week. Maybe it’s setting up one more donor meeting or inviting a supporter for a behind-the-scenes chat. Start small, start now. If you’re getting stalled, I’d love to help.  Schedule a call with me and we’ll talk through it.

I’m not suggesting you ignore the money. Rather, double down on what actually brings it in.

What’s one small step you can take this week to move toward engagement-driven fundraising?

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If you haven't taken advantage of some of the resources I've created to help major gift fundraisers, take a look now!  Initial calls with me are free and "no strings attached".  Sometimes folks feel like they need to wait and not 'bother' me until they have a pressing issue.  No need for that...just make the call. 🕺

‍Here's where you can access a lot of content for free:

‍* Follow me on LinkedIn - You'll get short pro-tips and reflections on major gift fundraising every day between 5-7am pacific.

* Breakthru Newsletter - As you've seen here, these are longer weekly posts (audio and written) sent directly to your email.

* Breakthru Blog - the newsletter from the previous week gets posted here each week for everyone (so email subscribers get it a week early).

* Breakthru Podcast - Interviews with high net worth givers about how we as fundraisers can get better at inviting them to the party.  And audio readings of Breakthru Blog posts.

‍Before getting to the PAID stuff: My opinion is that no small ministry with a tight budget should be spending more than $3-5k (total) for major gift coaching/consulting.  Most of you will be good-to-go spending far less than that.  This was a major issue for me when I was a frontline fundraiser - major gift consultants were an expensive 'black-box-of-confusion' for me.  That stops now.

‍Here's the PAID stuff:

‍* Online Catalyst Course - This is a full brain dump of my 28+ years of experience - good, bad, ugly.  It's built around the fundamentals, the sacredness, and the fun, of major gift fundraising.  It's infused with Henri Nouwen reflections.  Many people can take this course and they will be 'cooking-with-gas' and not need any additional coaching from me on the core systems.  I'm grateful that this course has gotten *great* reviews.

* Live coaching with me - I refer to this as "brain rental".  The ROI on live coaching, as you might imagine, is extraordinary.

Finally, be sure to connect with my colleague Ivana Salloum.  She's super awesome and can help with scheduling and access to resources, etc.

I look forward to hearing about your good work!

Blessings,