Marketing and fundraising are the lifeblood of social impact organizations. But too often, they're working in silos, disconnected, or even at odds with each other.

This is a huge problem.

Because when these two critical functions aren't aligned, it hurts your ability to build trust with donors, limits your fundraising potential, and ultimately reduces your impact.

In our latest episode of Designing Tomorrow, Jonathan and Eric dig into this age-old disconnect and uncover the strategies that successful organizations use to get marketing and fundraising working in harmony.

We explore how aligning these departments can:

→ Amplify your overall impact

→ Increase donor trust and engagement

→ Help you achieve your social mission more effectively

If your marketing and fundraising teams aren't collaborating effectively — or at all — this conversation will inspire you to fix that.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:00] Introduction: Why marketing and fundraising often operate in silos—and why it’s a problem.
• [00:14] A Powerful Metaphor: Jonathan compares marketing and fundraising to an orchestra’s melody and rhythm.
• [01:21] Core Responsibilities of Marketing vs. Fundraising: Eric and Jonathan define the primary functions of each team.
• [05:04] The Biggest Mistakes: Common pitfalls organizations make when these teams fail to align.
• [10:24] Shared Metrics for Success: How marketing and fundraising can measure success together.
• [13:45] The Role of Leadership: Why leaders must foster collaboration and set shared goals.
• [21:08] Strategies for Integration: Practical steps to align these two functions for maximum impact.
• [29:00] Key Takeaways: Final advice for nonprofit and social enterprise leaders.

Resources:

• Article - From Starvation to Sustainability: Rethinking Revenue in Social Impact
• Whitepaper - Going All In: A Digital-First Guide to Sustained Nonprofit Fundraising
• Article - How to Differentiate Campaign Messaging for Major Donors vs. Grassroots Supporters
• Article - How to Increase Supporter and Donor Action Using an Engagement Pyramid
• Article - 8 Reasons Why Donors Aren’t Giving on Your Nonprofit’s Website
• Journey Maps
  
  

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Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.