For Impact Training Testimonials
$750K And Bigger Things To Come
Your training has had a great return-on-investment. We made a big leap in our fundraising after being with you. I can say we’ve raised at least $750,000 as a direct result of what you’ve taught us. I’m sending our entire team to your training camps this year… looking forward to many more successes
Scott Morgan, Founder
Education Pioneers
$2.0M + $2.0M More
Harvest is over and we’re sitting at $2.0 million with $2.0 million more right outside the door. Within the next 2 weeks I think they’ll be in in a big way. Many others are watching. The momentum that will be created by $3.5 to 4.0 million will be huge. Thanks for all your training and guidance!
Tim McGree, President
La Salle High School - Yakima, WA
$100,000 Commitment Out Of Training Camp
Nick and Tom, some good news to report since last month’s training camp. Bishop Hendricken High School received its largest Annual Fund gift - $100,000 matching gift from a distinguished alum. I give you both a great deal of credit for giving me the tools to make this happen.
Denny DeJesus - Development Office
Bishop Hendricken High School. Warwick, RI
“Thankful we took time-out to attend”
“Great fundraising for us used to be increments of $5000 and $10000 [operating budget $500K annually]. It’s been a hand-to-mouth operation. In fact, we had wanted to come to the training camp for some time but we’ve always been ‘too busy’
The training camp helped us to think bigger and it provided a practical road map for immediate success. After leaving Ohio [six weeks ago] we started on the action plan that you helped us develop around our funding plan, priorities and prospects. We’re having great success… we’ve already raised $250,000 and we have much more on the table. In fact, we’ve even made our first $1M ask!
As an organization, we’ve always struggled to capture the impact of what we do. You solved that. In a moment, everything became very clear. Also, insofar as we developed a way to clearly communicate our impact it helped us to become more confident in what we do. We’re now also much more comfortable asking for large amounts of money.
Another benefit has been our renewed ability to connect with and engage board members. They’re very excited about the ‘business thinking’ that is evident in this approach. It helps to answer questions they’ve been having.”
Pablo Maldonado, Vice President of Development
Life Perspectives.
San Diego, CA
“You have helped us think BIGGER…”
“You have helped us become much more focused in engaging major investors and have empowered us to think (and ask) much BIGGER than we were before - going from ‘getting by’ to forging ahead. For example, a grant investor from whom we requested $20,000 in operating support denied our request. After attending a two-day training, we arranged a site visit for the trustee and presented a compelling opportunity for the foundation to invest in us. We received $65,000 from them following the meeting. We NEVER would have asked this BIG had it not been for ForImpact.”
David Gay, Executive Director
Lower Lights Ministries. Columbus, OH
“This made our vision a reality…”
“We had not yet opened, and we were bumbling, fumbling, and stumbling through the best practices and methods of nonprofit ‘experts.’ Tom’s sage advice was amazing - simplifying the goals, the message, and the short AND long-term funding plans. Without a doubt, the minute we met up with ForImpact was the minute our vision became a reality
The philosophy is amazingly simple - you share your story with someone who already appreciates your impact, then you match your funding opportunities with their interests… our funding has gone through the roof.”
David Rivera, Founder
Nativity Prep School. San Diego, CA
“We simplified everything and saved a lot of time…”
“We saved years of planning … The board has been revived from the dead … Our materials are simpler … We are much more bold about being serious agents of change …”
Sister Rita Larivee, Publisher
National Catholic Reporter - Kansas City, KS
“ForImpact gave us a road map…”
“After the first day, I thought, ‘I need to be here.’ It was life changing for me. I had volunteered to be the co-chair of our $6 million capital campaign while working in the for-profit world. I left the training thinking, ‘There’s no way we can’t do this if we do what we learned here.’ What struck me was the emphasis not on the fundraising, but on our IMPACT on the community. That really drove everything for me. I learned that if you can communicate effectively the impact you have on your little piece of the world, the job of raising funds isn’t very difficult; things just fall into place.”
Cathie John, Board Member
Lane Affiliated Companies; Pepsicola Franchise Bottleer, VP of Finance, Pepsi Cola Bottling
Care and Share Food Banks. Colorado Springs, CO
“A great return on investment…”
“ForImpact radically changed the way we promote our food bank, which directly affects our fundraising. Our entire staff and board are now on target by promoting what we do in exactly the same way. We received our largest gift ever ($800,000), which had a lot to do with our new ForImpact business model. The best part of the ForImpact message is that it’s so simple it’s almost embarrassing to have to pay for it–but it has paid us back 1000 times over.”
Gary McDonald, Executive Director
Care and Share Food Bank. Colorado Springs, CO
“Eureka! We solved our message…”
“Before the training, we were really struggling with our message. We have so many facets making it difficult to tell the story. Nick personalized our message and trained us how to communicate our vision. He was marvelous and helpful. For us, it was ‘Eureka!’”
Annette Lomont
Abbey of New Clairvaux. Vina, CA
“ForImpact cuts through the noise…”
“ForImpact helped keep us moving forward with training and coaching on major asks and early development of our new President’s Circle Program. During that time we were able to secure a seven and an eight figure gift - the largest in the Center’s history from an individual. Also, our President’s Circle Program has now met and exceeded its charter year goal of 150 members in only seven months!
In a nutshell, the ForImpact team’s message and style are motivational. They cut through the noise and help us focus on our core message. They encourage action, and action gets results. We endorse ForImpact’s services for any For Impact organization!
Nancy Greenwood Veers, Sr. Director, Principal and Major Gifts
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Seattle, WA
“A whole new level of fundraising…”
“On my first major gift ask, I was sweating, my heart was beating, and… I GOT IT! ForImpact changed my vocabulary, which gave me confidence. Success breeds more success! I was looking at my organization more as a business than a ‘charity,’ and seeing ‘donations’ as investments. I could say to my potential investors: ‘This is a wise investment–you really should be doing this.’
The ForImpact training led us to a whole new level of fundraising capabilities. We are making new relationships now that are helping us in a very big way and we believe our most ambitious goals will soon become manifest. I will always be grateful for the guidance provided by ForImpact. It was a small price to pay for an enormous value.”
Patty Williams, Executive Director
Living Skills Center. California
“Best training I have ever attended…”
“I’ve had two sales jobs before my current role in development. I’ve been to months of ’sales training’ previously. Your two-day training is the best sales training I have ever attended.”
Marissa Brooke Sanchez, Senior Relationship Officer
St. Pius X High School. Albuquerque, NM
“A quantum leap…”
“Thank you so much for a great time at this past October’s training camp. We are now a SOLD OUT, DIE HARD, NO HOLDING BACK - For Impact ministry. Since the training camp we have truly made a Quantum Leap. Our Impact is clear, our message is powerful, and our people are on the move.
In the past four weeks we have heard people say, ‘That’s exciting! Count me in. I’d love to get involved.’ In this short amount of time, we have had investments given and pledged over $24,000. We’ve even had people who we’ve visited say, ‘This is great. I’ve got a friend that I want to share this with, is that okay?’ We are absolutely thrilled about the transformation that ForImpact has had on the ministry. We are most excited to see the impact of Arrowhead continue to multiply.”
Ben Myers, Camp Manager
Arrowhead Ministries, New York
“A career highlight…”
“ForImpact was the impetus for our Major Gifts Program. It was the catalyst that broadened our organization from a transactional, event oriented company to a relationship management based company. One of my career highlights was traveling the state with Tom, watching him train our volunteers and staff on messaging our vision. The Vision Card he created for us is simply brilliant!”
Jeff Davis, COO
American Cancer Society, Ohio Division
“Our board is energized…”
“As a result the training in July, we have received $262,000. We are delighted with the results and the Board continues to be quite energized with the process. We are grateful for your training and for getting us focused on a positive path. We have additional requests ($45,000) outstanding. We also have a great ‘talking point card’ that we can use with investors. It is beautiful and inspirational. THANK YOU for teaching us how to make all of this happen.”
Simone Campbell, SSS, Executive Director
Network. Washington DC
“It works for the little folks…”
“Please tell others about our success. We’re not a huge university or national organization. We’re a volunteer-driven animal sanctuary in Florida. After your training, we presented one of our top prospects with an opportunity for $120,000 and he said, ‘Yes.’ I believe in ForImpact and your sales process, and I will be sharing your information with other animal-related organizations.”
Judith Yevick, Board Member
Animal Refuge Center. Ft. Myers, FL
“Tangible results and a focused board…”
“The training had tangible results. Right away we generated $90,000. [The training] has helped us redefine the board as being beyond board members–they’re organizational champions and now they have a really simple message around which to focus.”
Kelly Cody-Grimm, Development Director
Global Health Action. Atlanta, Georgia
“Outcome: Dramatic and different…”
“You’ve brought tremendous clarity to Battelle for Kids. As true entrepreneurs, you helped us to go a different direction. We decided to change the entire fundraising model and become a business ‘For Impact.’ That was the best decision we ever made. You helped us become something much more dramatic and different.”
Jim Mahoney, Executive Director
Battelle for Kids,. Columbus, OH
“Completely practical…”
“I attended the Fundraising School. That was boring and academic. This was totally different. It was charged with energy and completely practical.”
Sherry Smith, Major Gifts Officer
St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation
“Revolutionary and Right on the Money…”
“The ForImpact training was instrumental in initiating the change mentality. Without change, we become stagnant. Even though we’re 125 years old, we still need to think in terms of GROWTH and CHANGE and how well we SHARE OUR STORY.
To sum up the training, I would say, ‘It ROCKS! It’s revolutionary! It’s right on the money!’It’s been very exciting to see that we can do something NEW and get NEW results.”
Sarah Cherne, Executive Director
American Red Cross, Great Bay Region (NH)
“ForImpact has been transformational…”
“ForImpact brings you back to common sense principals and then gives you actual tactical skills to lay it out in an effective way. They move beyond the process of ‘what to’ to ‘how to.’ That is the significant differentiator with this organization.
We needed to truly transform [what we were doing] to get investors on board. Within days of the training we had generated $80,000!”We are now on a path to a significantly different place than we have been. We are no longer focusing on the ‘next 50 hours’; we are providing the financial support to ‘dream the 50 year dream’.
Dave Meurer, Board Member
St. Pius High School. Albuquerque, NM
