750. From 2,000 Donors to Under 100: How to Rebuild a Fundraising Program from Scratch - Becky Carlino
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About This Episode
When Becky Carlino walked in as the first-ever VP of Development at Volunteers of America of Massachusetts, the donor base had collapsed from roughly 2,000 active donors to fewer than 100. The reason? The organization had stopped talking to them.
Becky has spent 25+ years doing the relational work that makes fundraising actually work, including leading two successful capital campaigns at VOA Ohio & Indiana. Now she's rebuilding from ground zero, and her blueprint starts with one word: love. 🩵
In this episode, you'll hear:
What happens when a nonprofit stops asking and communicating consistently, and the first moves Becky made to bring lapsed donors back
How to tell client stories with dignity by taking your organization out of the spotlight and putting the donor shoulder to shoulder with the people you serve
Why the "pounding the desk" test beats the old advice to distrust fundraising copy you love
You'll walk away with a back-to-basics playbook for rebuilding donor relationships, one newsletter, one story, and one $5 gift at a time.
Episode Highlights:
(4:28) Becky's origin story: national parks, history, and a historical society
(6:13) Why Volunteers of America is "in the love business"
(9:04) Ground zero: from 2,000 donors to under 100
(11:47) The first six months of rebuilding
(13:57) What builds a great fundraising program
(15:12) Centering love in donor storytelling
(18:31) Removing the agency from the story
(24:17) Trust your expertise: the one good thing
Meet Becky: The Fundraiser Who Believes Nonprofits Are in the Love Business
Becky Carlino is the first-ever Vice President of Development at Volunteers of America of Massachusetts, where she leads individual, mass, mid-level, and legacy giving. She has spent more than 25 years in nonprofit fundraising, including years at Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana, where she led two successful capital campaigns and revamped the affiliate's fundraising program. Becky is also a consultant with the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy in the UK, championing the science behind why love drives giving. Childhood trips to national parks sparked her path: Becky majored in history, started her career at a historical society, and never looked back.
Guest Co-Host: Mike Duerksen is the founder and CEO of Build Good, a fundraising growth agency that helps ambitious nonprofits build durable revenue from new, existing, and hidden donors. He hosts the Build Good Fundraising Podcast, launched the Build Good Summit, and has set his sights on unleashing $1 billion in generosity by 2036.
Powerful Quotes
"Massachusetts is the example of what happens when you stop talking to your donors consistently." - Becky
"I didn't cry because it was hard. I cried because all these people that loved VOA went by the wayside." - Becky
"Hey, we're here, we're alive, we love you." - Becky
"We have to love our donors. We can't just ask for money and stare at checkbooks." - Becky
"Love builds a great fundraising program." - Becky
"If anything I write feels like that, then I scratch it and start over again, because it is never about the transaction." - Becky
"It is absolutely not about Volunteers of America, except to say that you open the doors to care." - Becky
"It's not donor hero complex. It's a triangle of people trying to create the best scenario." - Becky
"It wasn't the check. It wasn't the transaction. It was feeling that genuine connection, and the checks follow." - Becky
"Every moment is a small victory." - Becky
"If you love your piece and you are pounding the table excited about it, then latch onto it and celebrate your expertise." - Becky
Resources Mentioned
Volunteers of America of Massachusetts: Becky's organization, serving people facing homelessness, mental health, and behavioral health challenges
Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana: Becky's previous affiliate, where she led two capital campaigns
Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy: UK-based institute advancing philanthropic psychology; Becky and Mike both completed its course
Build Good: Mike Duerksen's fundraising growth agency, home of the Build Good Fundraising Podcast and the Build Good Summit
The Fundraising Academy: training from Mike Duerksen and Michael Mitchell on the systems and humanity behind fundraising
Tom Ahern, Jeff Brooks, and Sean Triner: fundraising writers and thought leaders Becky follows
Connect with Becky Carlino and Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn
Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this episode, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com
