Grow Your Annual Fund Giving the Right Way

Stop surviving on one project appeal letter a year.

Build a thriving, donor-first annual fund that fuels your mission year-round and grows giving for where you need it most.

If you’ve been operating without a real plan for your annual fund, you’re not alone. This program gives you the strategy, the calendar, and the support to build the kind of donor partnership that strengthens your mission—and you’ll begin to feel the impact in your first year.

One-on-One Annual Fund Giving Program Consulting

  • Evaluation of current practice to determine what to keep, change, or add to your system

  • First drafts of appeals written by the consultant

  • End of year evaluation and plan shifts as needed

  • Customized strategy to help you scale

  • Private coaching, deeper accountability, and faster results

  • Review top donors and build a strategy and receive the training to cultivate them into deeper engagement

  • Comprehensive Donorarc system tailored to your goals

  • Flexible scheduling with full Basecamp project access

  • Implement year one and a plan for year two

Schedule a Call

Client Success by the Numbers:

Donorarc-focused giving increased from $248,120 year-to-date through October 2024 to $346,376 year-to-date through October 2025, a remarkable 39.6% jump. These numbers reflect only the portions of the annual fund shaped by Donorarc practices and do not include the anticipated continued growth from their Quarter 4 Donorarc Newsletter or their end-of-year appeals. (Porter County Community Foundation one-on-one contract)

A campus ministry in Washington raised $32,000 in 2023 and $26,000 in 2024 before adopting the Donorarc model. After beginning to use Donorarc, they had already raised $59,000 by August 2025, more than doubling their previous year’s total by the end of the eighth month. These totals do not yet reflect their Quarter 4 Donorarc newsletter or their end-of-year appeal, and if they remain on this trajectory, they can anticipate their strongest year of giving ever. (Cohort Model)

So many nonprofits rely on restricted, one-time gifts for “stuff” — a van, a roof, or a summer program — and find themselves asking again next year from the same tired donors.


Without a solid annual fund revenue stream, organizations can’t dream bigger, hire well, or plan ahead.

The truth is: your donors want to do more. They just need you to show them why their giving matters.

That’s where the Donorarc model comes in.

More Client Success by the Numbers:

In a recent check in with CoHort clients, 20 days after dropping their first End of Year Appeal, one camp reported that their total End of Year Appeal giving the previous year was $12,000 and this year they had already raised $44,000. This includes a $25,000 major gift from the appeal.

A second camp reported that in those same first 20 days, they had 12 new donors who had a total of $22,000. These are people who had been in their database for years but had no gift of record.

Donorarc is my proven system for building donor trust, loyalty, and generosity through story-driven communication.

You’ll learn to:

  • Write and mail quarterly story newsletters that make donors feel like partners.

  • Craft two impact-centered appeal letters each year that grow giving — not guilt.

  • Create and execute a gratitude plan that builds long-term relationships.

  • Build and manage your database to actually track what matters.

  • Engage your board in fundraising without the awkwardness.

  • Share your stories online — website, email, and social — with clarity and confidence.

You’ll walk away not just inspired, but equipped to run your entire annual fund system — for years to come.

This isn’t a certificate course.

It’s not just me sharing theory.

  • You will learn how.

  • You will practice with me.

  • You will be able to replicate.

You’ll leave knowing exactly how to:
✔ Build and sustain donor trust.
✔ Communicate impact with clarity.
✔ Ask boldly and gratefully.
✔ Grow the revenue you can actually use — “where needed most.”

Because fundraising isn’t about manipulation.

It’s about partnership. It is Donor First.

Praise for Donorarc Annual Fund

  • “This program is 100% why we were able to replace our roof. Someone stood up at Synod Assembly after reading our first newsletter and said it changed how they advocated for our ministry. We had already raised a third of the funds, and that day two alumni stood up and said, ‘We’ll cover the rest.’ It was a miracle—our roof says thank you!”

  • “I appreciated how practical this was—no reinventing the wheel. Before this, I was chasing articles and ideas. Now it’s clear, focused, and structured. It’s just 20 minutes of their time, with a clear deadline. The accountability was exactly what we needed.”

  • “The content wasn’t theoretical—it produced immediate results. Everything we were learning was reinforced through the video sessions. I didn’t have to do extra learning; it was all right there.”

  • “When our campus pastor left, we were lost. Having guidance and a clear roadmap was a lifesaver. The board could simply take the next step without overthinking. Your process gave us direction and confidence.”

  • “It’s like having Mitzie’s recipe—simple, clear, and proven. You don’t get to the goal overnight, but over time it becomes second nature. Once people understand that, you don’t waste time explaining the process. The cohort is incredibly valuable. I’ve even said, ‘Let’s ask Mitzie’ when tough conversations come up. The one-on-one check-ins make all the difference.”

  • “This was unlike any other fundraising class. You didn’t just teach theory—you said, ‘Do this.’ There was accountability. We had to take action, submit the work, and make it happen. The templates were a huge help, and your availability during our transition was such a gift. I’ve already recommended it to others.”

  • “It’s hands-on, practical, and full of accountability. The first year feels like Fundraising 101; the second year, you really buckle down and implement. I’m grateful for both.”

  • “I love the system. It gives structure—especially the calendar. Even if I fall a few days behind, I know exactly where I am. The backbone is storytelling, and that’s powerful. Having someone to talk things through with is incredibly helpful.”

  • “The stories inspire everyone—the board, the pastor, even my daughter, who loves reading them. Students enjoy reading and sharing their own stories too, which surprised me. I used to work for ELCA Churchwide Stewardship, and this is the most solid process I’ve seen.”

Real nonprofits. Real growth.

Clients using Donorarc see an average 15% growth, with some exceeding growth of 100% in annual giving — often in their very first year.


They’ve built stronger boards, improved communication, and finally have the freedom to fund their missions sustainably.

“This isn’t about just raising money. It’s about changing the way your donors see themselves in your story.”
— Mitzie Schafer, Author of Tell Stories Your Donors Can’t Ignore