Heart Over Pocket - a Relationship-First Approach to Fundraising

This session traces the arc from a single volunteer relationship, through a chain of introductions, to a million-dollar donor and $6M raised for Gospel Village, a housing community for people experiencing homelessness. Drawing on Jim Collins' Good to Great, it shows how the Hedgehog Concept, the Flywheel, and a clear logic model create compounding fundraising momentum, then introduces Dream Pilot and Wheel of Generosity, the platforms I built to turn this relationship-first strategy into a repeatable system for any organization.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES After this session, attendees will be able to: 1. Apply the Hedgehog Concept to clarify their organization's unique fundraising position 2. Build a logic model that connects fundraising activities to mission outcomes 3. Identify the flywheel dynamics that compound relationship investments into major gifts 4. Shift from transactional sponsorship asks to relationship-first donor engagement 5. Evaluate tools for building and delivering professional event collateral at every stage