Need to Grow? Start Building Alignment

Every organization wants more donations, but not every organization is ready to receive them.

The real work begins far before the ask. Success lies at the intersection of Strategic Alignment, Message Alignment, and Funding Alignment.

Vida Align model, copyright 2025

What Do I Need To Suceed? The Three Circles of Fundraising Readiness

I often show potential clients our Vida Align Venn diagram model to help visualize where your organization can be strong, and where it may be stuck:

Strategic Alignment

Your organization knows exactly where it’s going and how it will get there. Without this, your fundraising efforts are directionless.

Message Alignment

You communicate clearly, consistently, and powerfully to both internal and external audiences. Without it, donors don’t understand the “why” behind your work.

Funding Alignment

Your fundraising strategy matches your goals and capacity. Without this, your efforts are scattered and reactive

What Happens When Alignment Is Missing?

When one or more areas are out of sync, you may encounter:

• High-Value Donors Needed: You have a compelling story and plan, but you’re not reaching the right donors or the right investment level.

  
  

• Value Proposition Needed: You’re fundraising, but struggling to communicate why bigger gifts matter.

  
  

• Strategic Plan Needed: You’re engaging supporters but lack a cohesive plan to guide growth.

These gaps result in hesitation, confusion, and missed opportunities. Funds are left on the table. Fear of rejection creeps in. And the ask becomes anxiety-inducing, rather than a natural next step.

Common Scenarios I See

• Founders and mission-driven organizations often know their donor base and story—but lack the strategic infrastructure to scale.

• Event-based or transitioning orgs usually have a message and some momentum—but haven’t attracted high-value, long-term investors.

• Legacy institutions typically have donors and a strategic plan—but need to revisit their message and strengthen their value proposition to inspire larger gifts.

  
  

What Alignment Makes Possible: A $70M Case Study

When I served as CEO for a national health Foundation, I encountered an organization with deep passion but significant hesitation. I heard statements like:

• “Our donors are very private.”

• “They won’t give more.”

• “We’re afraid to ask.”

Once we aligned our strategy, message, and funding priorities, the change was transformative:

• We launched and completed a $70M campaign

• Grew our endowment from $0 to $30M

• Secured $19M more in pledges for future years

The irony? Donors actually started asking us why we weren’t making bigger asks

We didn’t push harder, we aligned deeper. Authenticity and confidence became our currency, not pressure.

Where Do You Need to Focus?

Take an honest look at where you are today:

• Are you constantly chasing donors without a clear plan?

• Are you telling your story, but not attracting meaningful investment?

• Are you relying on what worked a decade ago, while your donors and the world have changed?

And more importantly, what do you need to stop focusing on?

When you lead with alignment, the donor ask doesn’t feel forced, it becomes a byproduct of a relationship built on clarity, confidence, and shared purpose.

If you’re curious where your organization stands in this alignment model, or what your next strategic move should be, let’s talk.