About The Suddes Group | For Impact
The Suddes Group founder Tom Suddes literally changed the way non-profits raised money back in the early 1970s. More than one billion dollars later, Tom and Nick developed For Impact to show people how to do it, too.
What We Believe
Most fundraising is focused on donations. We believe it should be focused on investments.
You’re doing great work that is making an impact – saving lives, changing lives, impacting lives. People value what you do. Instead of asking them for a charitable gift, show them their return for investing in your vision and present the opportunity to get involved.
We can show you how. We help people uncover the true impact of their work and train them to go out and dramatically increase their income.
1) When you do the math, 97% of your income comes from 3% of your investors.
2) It makes sense to focus your resources on those 3%.
3) If you deliver a great return on investment, your income will expand exponentially.
Our Story
Thirty years ago, Tom Suddes headed the Campaign for Notre Dame with the visionary
Father Hesburgh and they raised $180 million—$50 million over their $130
million goal. In 1983, Tom founded The Suddes Group, which has managed over
300 fundraising campaigns. In the process, Tom redefined the way organizations
raise money, personally visiting more than 6,000 major gift prospects and raising
more than one billion dollars. So far.
Enter Nick Fellers, entrepreneur and Notre Dame grad. In 2001, he and Tom got the idea that in addition to helping organizations one at a time, they could teach people how to do what they’d been doing and exponentially increase their impact.
For Impact was born to show people what The Suddes Group was doing in the field. Today our success stories number in the thousands.
It’s all based on a simple strategy of sales. And it starts with realizing what it is that you’re selling—your impact. Go out and offer people the opportunity to invest in your vision, and you can make an even bigger impact. “It’s all about relationships, and it works.” (Tom Suddes)
What can sometimes be challenging is changing the way we think about how we raise money. Figuring out whom to ask. Going out and doing it. What to say and how to say it. That’s where we come in.
We’ve found that what matters most is not the length of your fundraising resume or the size of your organization. Rather, entrepreneurs, social change agents, people with sales or marketing backgrounds, and others who are open to changing the way they do business have the most success with this approach.
Our results speak for themselves. Over and over, people tell us For Impact gives them an action plan so that raising money is no longer scary. That it helps them think bigger. That their funding is going through the roof.
How You Can Get Started
1) Sign up for our free Weekly Online Wow Email and get inspiring ideas and empowering stories from our
work in the field delivered to your inbox every week.
2) Take ten minutes to read The For Impact Point of View and take the first steps toward transforming your organization and your funding.
3) Take advantage of our extensive range of training tools and how-to articles. Get Tom or Nick to speak to your group or conference, or arrange for custom training for your team or board.
4) (The Best) Come to Eagle Creek and learn how to raise thousands or millions. The heart of For Impact is what happens at Eagle Creek, our home just north of Columbus, Ohio. Throughout the year, people from all types of organizations gather here for two days of practical hands-on learning with the legendary Suddes Group. The results speak for themselves – Eagle Creek grads return home ready to put their plan into action. Read what some of them had to say.
Please call Phyllis at 1-866-663-7049 (M-F 8:00am-5pm) if you can’t find what you’re looking for on our site.
Success Stories
We’re out in the field every day – innovating and doing what we know works. For Impact is how we share our success with you.
- A huge university undertaking a major capital campaign
- An inner-city grassroots organization that needs to expand
- A one-person start-up with a great idea and no prospects
No matter who you are or what your situation,
For Impact can show you how to raise money.
