Turning the Donor Pyramid Upside Down April 19, 2007

Turning The Donor Pyramid Upside Down

Cost: $35

There is a New Nonprofit Rule: The future has arrived and the old rules of development are on there way out. One such rule is following the donor pyramid. It was once true that to raise a lot of money you needed major donors. This is no longer true.

Typical fundraising for organizations involves a Donor Pyramid. The very tip of it is comprised of all the major donors you have. Obtaining these major donors has traditionally been the goal of every nonprofit. Current wisdom states that these donors are what make your organization profitable and sustainable, plus lend it credibility. The large base of donors at the bottom of the pyramid, those $100 or less donors, are not considered the life blood of the organization. Minimal resources are spent on keeping them connected to the organization.

That’s all changed now. Offered throughout the year this 2 ½ hour session will take a look at the new fund development paradigm. You will look at case studies from organizations like Donor Choose and the Democratic Party. You will also get an in-depth case on a new organization that is the talk of the world – KIVA. Kiva turns the Donor Pyramid on its head. No longer are the large base of $100 donors less than, now they are more than. How? Kiva’s website makes the small donor a hero. Donate a mere $25 or $50 and you can get your own loan portfolio, showing which businesses you loan to by gender, by sector and by country. Why not upload your own photo to your own page on their website to talk about yourself, and explain why you are lending to an entrepreneur. Even better yet, list the website for your own business and get a little marketing out of it. Kiva takes the average Jane donor and gives them a place to look – and act – like a mini Gates foundation. This session will review a number of these new organizations and compare them to the status quo.

Official Website: https://www.fuseiq.com/seminar_registration.cfm