Welcome to Step 1 of our 4-Step Fundraising Course: Identify and Build Your First List of Ideal Funders.
Before we dive in, let's set the stage. Fundraising isn't about begging for money—it's about forming genuine partnerships with people and organizations who share your vision or stand to gain from your work. The key to success is targeting the right funders from the start. Random outreach wastes time and energy. Instead, we're going to focus on ideal funders—those who have a natural connection to your mission, making them more likely to say yes.
In this step, we'll explore eight categories of ideal funders. Why eight? Because these cover the full spectrum of potential supporters, from those closest to you to broader ecosystem players. The first category is your personal network, which we'll map out using a simple form I've created. The remaining seven are strategic categories: Benefit, Triumph Over the Need, Status, Interest, Mission Alignment, and Influence Multipliers. These categories are based on proven fundraising principles, drawing from years of experience helping nonprofits like yours raise millions.
For each category, I'll explain what it means, why it's powerful, and how to brainstorm your own ideas. Then, I'll introduce how you can use AI to supercharge this process—by generating detailed profiles, organizing them into funding types, and even compiling real, verifiable lists of prospects. But first, you'll do some personal reflection to make this your own. By the end of this video, you'll have the tools to build a targeted list of 30 to 50 prospects, setting you up for the rest of the course.
Let's start with the basics: What makes someone an "ideal funder"? Ideal funders aren't just wealthy—they have affinity (alignment with your cause), propensity (a history or likelihood of giving), and capacity (the resources to support you). They could be individuals, businesses, foundations, grantors, government agencies, or even other nonprofits. We'll profile them across these traits to ensure your list is high-quality.
Category 1: Personal Network of the Founder and Board Members.
This is your low-hanging fruit—the people already in your orbit. Your personal network includes family, friends, colleagues, alumni, past donors, volunteers, and connections from your board members. Why start here? These folks know and trust you, so conversion rates are high—often 20-30% higher than cold outreach.
To brainstorm: Grab the Relationship/Network Mapping Form I've provided in the course materials. It's a simple worksheet where you list out categories like "Family & Friends," "Professional Contacts," "Community Groups," and "Past Supporters." Spend 10-15 minutes jotting down names, emails, and why they might care about your mission. For example, if your nonprofit focuses on addiction recovery, note that uncle who overcame alcoholism or that colleague whose company has a wellness program.
Once you've brainstormed, use AI to expand. You'll input your mission, location, and initial list into a prompt, and it can suggest additional connections or prioritize them based on affinity and capacity. Aim for 10-20 names here to kick off your list.
Category 2: Benefit.
These are funders who directly or indirectly benefit from your work. Think of them as ecosystem partners—your success makes their lives easier or more profitable. For instance, if your nonprofit provides job training for recovering individuals, local businesses benefit from a skilled workforce, or therapists gain from healthier communities.
Why this category? Beneficiaries have skin in the game; they're motivated by tangible gains like cost savings, revenue boosts, or reputational enhancements.
Brainstorm personally: Reflect on your programs. Who wins when you succeed? List direct beneficiaries (e.g., employers hiring your graduates), indirect ones (e.g., suppliers to those employers), and broader ecosystem players (e.g., government agencies reducing social service costs). Tailor to your location—focus on local or regional entities.
Then, use AI: The first prompt will generate detailed profiles for individuals, businesses, grantors, etc., including characteristics, why they benefit, and search criteria. The second organizes them into funding types like individual donors or corporate sponsors. The third pulls real names with verification sources, helping you build 5-10 prospects per type.
Category 3: Triumph Over the Need.
These funders have overcome the exact challenge your nonprofit addresses. They've "triumphed" personally or organizationally—think recovered individuals starting businesses or agencies that solved similar issues through innovation.
Why powerful? They give back from experience, driven by empathy and a desire to scale solutions. Their stories align emotionally with yours.
Brainstorm: Think about success stories in your field. Who in your community has beaten addiction, escaped homelessness, or restored the environment? List individuals (e.g., alumni speakers) and entities (e.g., foundations founded by survivors).
AI expansion: Prompts will profile them by triumph story, assess giving potential, and list verified examples with research checklists to find more.
Category 4: Status.
Status-driven funders seek recognition—enhancing their image through association with your cause. These are everyday folks or organizations wanting community respect, media mentions, or professional prestige.
Why include them? Visibility motivates giving; offer naming rights or shoutouts, and they'll invest.
Brainstorm: Who in your area craves spotlight? Local business owners sponsoring events, teachers seeking community hero status, or agencies wanting CSR cred.
AI: Profiles highlight status motivations, with strategies to engage via high-visibility opportunities, and real examples to add to your list.
Category 5: Interest.
These have a demonstrated curiosity or stake in your cause—perhaps through professional involvement or personal passion, without necessarily benefiting directly.
Why? Their active interest means quicker buy-in; they're already engaged in similar issues.
Brainstorm: List professionals (e.g., nurses interested in recovery) or organizations (e.g., research firms in your field). Focus on those attending events or advocating online.
AI: Generates interest-driven profiles, verified lists, and engagement paths.
Category 6: Mission Alignment.
Funders whose goals directly match or complement yours—shared values make partnerships natural.
Why? Alignment leads to long-term support; they're in it for the impact, not just tax breaks.
Brainstorm: Review your mission statement. Who else pursues similar outcomes? Counselors aligning with recovery, or eco-groups with conservation.
AI: Details overlapping missions, with tables of real aligned entities.
Category 7: Influence Multipliers.
These amplify your reach—connectors with networks, like influencers or media outlets who can spread your message.
Why? One partnership here can unlock dozens more; leverage their platforms for exponential growth.
Brainstorm: Identify local leaders, social media personalities, or agencies with broad influence in your niche.
AI: Profiles influence channels, lists verified multipliers, and strategies to collaborate.
Category 8: Capacity Builders.
These are high-capacity funders focused on building infrastructure—think large foundations or government programs investing in your growth.
Why? They provide big wins to launch campaigns.
Brainstorm: List entities with deep pockets aligned to your scale needs.
AI: Similar profiling and listing.
Now, putting it all together: Your goal is a list of 30-50 prospects. Start with personal brainstorming across categories—spend 30-60 minutes. Then, use the AI prompts (which we'll detail in the workbook) to expand. The three-prompt structure: 1) Detailed profiles by type (individuals, businesses, etc.). 2) Organize into funding types (e.g., major gifts, grants). 3) Generate real, verifiable names with sources.
Remember, quality over quantity—prioritize based on affinity, propensity, and capacity. Track in a simple spreadsheet: Name, Category, Contact Info, Why Ideal.
By completing this, you're not just listing names—you're building relationships that fuel your mission. In the next steps, we'll turn this into a plan, team, and launch.
Pause here, grab your form, and brainstorm. When ready, use the AI prompts. If you have questions, drop them in the comments. Let's make your nonprofit unstoppable! See you in Step 2.
=> RELATIONSHIP MAPPING FORM AND EMAIL TEMPLATE