Fix your fundraising!

Every nonprofit wants funding that is sustainable and resilient, but what does it really take to make the shift…

From a heavy reliance on grants and fundraising off the side of your desk, to a plan that makes sense, tools that work for your team and more unrestricted revenue for your mission?

How to build a strong foundation for fundraising

  • Operations & Processes

    For a strong foundation, start below the surface. The right administrative systems that work together and used consistently over time will improve fundraising efforts and scale your impact. Establishing processes for building relationships and soliciting gifts at all levels is key to prioritizing unrestricted revenue and making the shift away from grant dependency.

  • Annual & Monthly Giving

    Guess what? There are soo many people out there who want to solve the same problem as you — they are your people and they want to help! Establishing systems for regular cycles of annual giving and a recurring/monthly giving program is how you fully activate your community of supporters and build on this source of resilient, consistent and scalable unrestricted funding.

  • Org-Wide Approach

    Fundraising is a team sport, no exceptions. Every single person in an organization (staff, board, volunteers) has a role to play. The good news is that there is more to fundraising than simply “the ask”. Successful fundraising requires all sorts of talents and strengths, and a system that brings them all together.

Stuck in a fundraising rut?

I see you: working tirelessly to find funding for your mission —trying everything from events to grant applications to hiring help. But it can feel like you’re always running to keep up, and the results never match the effort.

Here’s what might be happening:

No Solid Starting Point: Without a strong system for annual and monthly giving, it’s hard to create reliable, unrestricted revenue from individual and corporate donors.
Limited Capacity: You’ve done your best with the resources you have, but it can feel impossible to tackle all the fundraising tasks without the right tools or expertise.
Grant Dependency: Relying on grants is exhausting and often leaves you with restricted funds and little room to grow.

When you invest in your systems first, you start on the road to some major transformations that will help you move mountains.

A woman sitting on a sofa, lifting a yellow kettle bell, literally doing the heavy lifting

Systems-First Fundraising Consulting

The Systems-First program by Cedar Fundraising is a 6-month 1:1 consulting engagement, helping small nonprofits build sustainable fundraising systems that prioritize unrestricted revenue.

    • Review your donor management, email marketing, and fundraising tools to find what’s working and what needs fixing.

    • Establish a clear fundraising baseline and achievable goals.

    • Analyze your “Donor Journey” to improve donor engagement and retention.

    • Align your team to build a strong foundation for unrestricted giving.

  • Build and mobilize community by digging into the “why” of your work:

    • Clarify your bold, inspiring Big Vision to unify your team and inspire donors.

    • Develop a clear, compelling “reasons for giving” document that highlights your mission and impact.

    • Align staff and board members with consistent, mission-driven messaging.

    • Implement or upgrade key tools like donor databases, email marketing, and online fundraising systems.

    • Develop key processes for managing grants, partnerships, and donor stewardship.

    • Fundraising strategy: plan for a mix of foundation giving along with monthly and annual giving campaigns to ensure consistent revenue.

    • Team training and documentation for systems that save time and boost results.

    • Executive support to integrate the fundraising function into your organizational structure.

    • Plan next steps for sustaining fundraising efforts, such as hiring, coaching, or refining strategies.

    • Offer guidance on building a long-term fundraising roadmap.

    • Ensure your nonprofit is prepared to maintain and grow its fundraising success beyond our time together.

What our clients have to say

  • Working with Kim was excellent for our organization. Kim’s expertise and hands-on approach, especially during the in-person workshop with our staff and directors, helped us craft a clear, actionable 3-5 year fundraising plan. The collaborative process not only gave us strategic clarity but set us up for long-term success in building a sustainable fundraising program.

    Greta Borick-Cunningham, Alouette River Management Society

  • By working with Kim I have been able to get our thinking and planning on track and have truly started a systematic journey to friend-and fund-raising for our organization. Kim is open, communicative, fun, incredibly organized and on top of what is happening in the fundraising universe.

    Pauline Finn, Executive Director, Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea

  • We not only hit our goals, we exceeded them! A lot of it was the approach Kim laid out for us, but it was also the mental positivity she passed on. Kim is deeply organized, passionate, knowledgeable and responsive.

    Dan Fine, Founder, Ukraine War Animals Relief Fund

Let’s Move Mountains