Design Challenge // How might we put some fun back in FUNdraising?
Event // Opportunity Collaboration, Miches, Dominican Republic, 2023
Project // Coaching & facilitation
Role // Design Lead, coaching & facilitation
Impact // The Funding Model Jam is game I designed for social-sector organizations to playfully explore and experiment with non-traditional funding models to generate income outside traditional grant-based fundraising / investment.
I did this following a decade+ professional and lived experience doing fundraising with non-profits, start-ups and foundations. The “funders” I worked with were always looking for ways to help their “grantees” find financially sustainable sources of revenue while resource-strapped organizations struggled to find creative ways to diversify their funding sources.
The game:
attempts to create a funding model lexicon for the social sector - organizations, individuals and movements alike.
is designed to challenge and inspire organizations to think of creative approaches OUTSIDE of traditional grant-based fundraising & investment.
is biased towards action - allowing organizations to explore, play and experiment with different ways of creating, delivering and capturing value in a safe space where there’s no failure, only learning and FUN!
Whereas I typically run this Idea Forge for individual clients, I recently ran this workshop for delegates at the Opportunity Collaboration, where I was invited to attend as a fellow. Delegates represented a mix of non profits, grant makers, impact investors, social entrepreneurs, private and public sector representatives and academia.
If you’re interested in having me facilitate a Funding Model Jam for your organization or team, get in touch!
Alternately, if you’d like to explore on your own you can buy the game, click here.
Duration of Engagement // October 2023
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“Our team LOVED this jam. It gave us space that’s generative and allowed us to look at so many possibilities before narrowing them down to models we’re super excited about testing.” - Manon Vergerio, Head of Data & Advocacy, Unlock NYC
“Your session was great. Awesome structure, plan, fun and energy :-) Thank you! I would love more info on the deck and would be interested in purchase!.” - Anne Maloney, Educator & Social Impact Consultant, Scott Center for Social Entrepreneurship