Sow, Grow, Give: Fundraising lessons from the garden
Great fundraising programs aren't built overnight. They're planted, nurtured, and grown with intention.
In this lively 35-minute session, we explored the surprising parallels between fundraising and gardening. From preparing the soil with strong data and strategy, to planting seeds through thoughtful outreach, to knowing when to water, weed, and wait, we'll show how successful fundraising often mirrors the rhythms of a thriving garden.
Whether tending a mature program or just planting new ideas, viewers left inspired with practical strategies to help their fundraising flourish.
Designed to be fun, fresh, and actionable, this session with Lauren Winther-Hansen (Nonprofit Training Lead) and Jordan Lehr (Principal Strategist) covered:
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Strategy parallels: The importance of patience, repetition, and learning from previous successes and failures
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Data as soil: Why healthy, well-tended data is the foundation of growth and how to enrich it for better results
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Embracing seasonality: When to plant, water, harvest, go dormant, tend, and give space
- The grass is greener where you water it: How stewarding your donor base with right focus can lead to fruitful returns
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Welcoming the unknown: Keeping space for experimentation and happy surprises
