Ryan Yuhas has fundraised for food, faith, animals, and now furniture. He's seen what carries across every mission type and what only worked in one place. In this episode, he digs into why galas and golf outings are losing steam, the events grassroots nonprofits are using to bring in entirely new donor bases, and the simple mechanic Open Door Exchange uses to turn in-kind furniture donors into recurring cash donors.

We also get into the human side of stewardship, including why donors leave when fundraisers leave, what a great executive director actually does for your job, and the story of a veteran with PTSD and five kids that explains why furniture is more than furniture.

If you run events, work with in-kind donations, or have ever felt like you're carrying your fundraising shop alone, this one is for you.

Chapters

00:00 - Welcome and intro to Ryan Yuhas
00:56 - Ryan's path: food, faith, animals, furniture
02:10 - Five rescue dogs and the animal welfare outlier
02:31 - Galas are getting played out: trivia night, music bingo
03:46 - The Glass Pumpkin Patch annual event
05:05 - What's on the scorecard besides net revenue
06:09 - Scaling grassroots into a larger budget
06:23 - Spinning out as their own 501(c)(3)
07:03 - What great EDs do and the red flags to avoid
08:44 - Donors invest in the mission AND the person
10:14 - Turning in-kind donors into financial donors
13:05 - Telling impact stories that go beyond the dollar amount
14:00 - The veteran's story and "the foundation of the home"
15:21 - Story plus statistics: how to communicate impact
16:43 - Tactical takeaway: ask for help, you're not alone
17:55 - How to connect with Ryan and Open Door Exchange

Key takeaways

• Galas and golf outings are flat. Trivia nights, music bingo, and signature partnerships bring new donors.
• Net revenue is not the only scorecard. Attendance and new audience reach matter just as much.
• Free in-kind pickup is your best cash cultivation tool. Donors who would've paid $150 to dump it now want to support you instead.
• When a fundraiser leaves, donors leave too. Rebuild the relationship from scratch, in person, with a warehouse tour.
• The story plus the statistic always beats either one alone.
• A two-person shop survives by asking for help. Burnout is the real fundraising risk.

Links

• Open Door Exchange: https://opendoorexchange.org
• Ryan Yuhas: [email protected]
• DonorDock: https://www.donordock.com