CASE STUDY
Transforming Fundraising Capacity and Securing Major Donors
Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre’s Journey to Raising a $300,000 Gift Through Training and Planning
Eric Walter, Executive Director
Paul Eichhorn, Manager of Fundraising and Stewardship
Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre
Lack of fundraising structure and board confidence
A community-based organization providing support and services for individuals and families affected by cancer, Georgian Bay Cancer Support Centre had never prioritized fundraising as a core function. Fundraising had historically been managed informally by volunteers or as a secondary task on the side of staff responsibilities.
Paul, the fundraising staff member, was taking on fundraising more formally and expressed a lack of organization, clarity, and focus in their fundraising efforts:
"Our capacity to fundraise is poor because we haven't had dedicated staff time to it significantly before. We've done capital fundraising in the past [for the original building], but nothing strategic or organized in an ongoing way. Some information is in volunteers' heads, and we need to build in-house capacity and create a proper fundraising plan."
The board of directors had shared similar concerns, feeling that fundraising lacked direction and that the organization was not fully equipped to manage donor relationships. This lack of confidence resulted in board members being hesitant to introduce potential major donors to the organization.
CEO Eric recognized the need to address these challenges and decided that training and coaching for Paul would be the first step toward building a more effective and professional fundraising operation.
Fundraising training and coaching with Growth & Co.
Paul was enrolled in Fundraising Intelligence, a comprehensive training and coaching program that provided him with:
•Tools to develop a strategic fundraising plan aligned with organizational goals
•Insights into effective donor management and engagement strategies
•Coaching to shift his mindset and enhance his confidence in fundraising
The group coaching sessions allowed Paul to gain valuable perspectives from other fundraisers, while one-on-one support helped him apply strategies tailored to the Centre’s unique needs.
Gaining confidence, capacity, and a major gift
Through the training program Paul transformed his approach to fundraising, and both he and the board began to see meaningful results:
1. Improved Board Confidence and Strategic Direction:
Paul developed a fundraising plan that the board praised for its clarity and focus. CEO Eric shared:
"The board now sees a roadmap for how the fundraising operation will move forward with clear goals set out based on the budget. It's nice to be at this point in the process... it's a long road, but we're moving to where we want to go."
2. Increased Staff Engagement and Efficiency:
Halfway through the program, Eric observed,
"Paul's outlook on fundraising is changing. There is more of a drive now for incremental improvement. He's coming forward with solutions, looking at efficiencies, and making things happen."
Paul also reflected,
"This process has been useful from a career planning perspective and opened my eyes to how I can best approach the work I'm doing here. I now have a much better sense of what to focus on."
3. Record-Breaking Fundraising Results
Just one month after completing the program, the Centre raised a record-breaking $167,000 through their Cycle for Hope fundraiser—$67,000 over goal—and secured their first-ever title sponsor for the event.
4. Securing Major Gifts
Four months after completing the program, the Centre received a $300,000 donation from a friend of the board chair, marking their largest gift to date. CEO Eric said:
"The training has led to more confidence across the organization, and we're already seeing the results. We plan to create a sustainability fund with this donation, and we're hopeful more pleasant surprises like this are on the way."
Paul added,
"The program really opened up new doors for me. I now have a clearer sense of budget goals and a better understanding of my role. The group calls were incredibility valuable, and I've really enjoyed this journey."