What works in relational fundraising

Intake events are a best practice of top relational fundraisers.

Fundraising is often the most impactful way to volunteer, but many people don’t like asking for donations.

Organizations have found an elegant solution; let volunteers just invite friends to an event.

The extreme form of this model has no donation ask at the event. A so-called “Point of Entry” event is the first step of the Benevon Model, an apparently-successful fundraising formula in the non-profit world that hasn’t been implemented in politics.¹ At a Benevon Point of Entry event, the only ask is that the organization can follow up later.

Event Styles of Top Fundraisers

The closest I’ve seen to the Benevon Model in politics is Force Multiplier. Having raised $17 million, it’s the most successful all-volunteer relational fundraising effort I know of. At Force Multiplier’s Point of Entry events, there are three asks:

1. Join their email list and receive invitations to fundraising events with candidates;

2. Become a Multiplier, meaning someone who forwards their invitations to others;

3. Host a future Point of Entry event.²

Event-focused models have proven successful for many other relational fundraisers. Two of the most successful include:

1. Flip the Vote has raised over $10 million, mostly through Point of Entry-style events albeit with a financial ask.

2. Focus for Democracy, which has raised over $75 million, asks members to invite friends to its zoom events. Often there’s a pre-event with an introduction to the organization, with the main event including an organizational presentation and financial ask. Focus for Democracy does a great job making these events engaging and high-energy, often attracting hundreds of attendees.

There are many more groups with a similar model.³

Why does this work so well?

1. The common element is relational fundraising without explicit financial asks. The organizations above are some of the movement’s brightest lights, having engaged tens of thousands of donors with thoughtful advice, and raised substantial funding for important organizations and candidates.

2. These organizations’ Point of Entry events seem to go viral, at least modestly. For the organizations above, the typical Point of Entry event spawns >1 additional events. This “viral multiplier” can be extremely powerful, and a sign of great potential for growth given the right ingredients.

3. The events raise money not for themselves, but for others. Obviously, nearly all non-profits host fundraising events. These are different because the host organization is raising money for others.

1. Benevon itself shut down in 2022 for unclear reasons, but the model seems to be widely acknowledged as being useful, for example here. However, I’ve heard that its strict formula and long lead time before donations can make it challenging for political organizations.

2. Force Multiplier calls these events House Parties, though they occur mostly on Zoom.

3. Many volunteer fundraising projects use a traditional event-based model, including 31st St, Airlift, Central Valley Matters, Crimson Goes Blue, NOPE Neighbors, Senate Circle, and Walk the Walk. Also, States Project runs an event-rich giving circle program.