Episode Details

In this episode, I’m joined again by Nathan Ruby, Executive Director of Friends of the Children of Haiti (FOTCOH), who has spent more than twenty years raising major gifts, and doing it without relying on galas, grants, or flashy events. Instead, Nathan has built a deeply effective fundraising engine through micro events: small, relationship-centered gatherings hosted by board members and key volunteers.

Nathan walks us through the exact structure of these 45-minute “CPM events,” why they consistently attract the right donors, and how they eliminate the burnout, costs, and low ROI that plague traditional events. We talk about capacity-based invitations, board coaching, donor psychology, follow-up strategy, and why the biggest gifts usually happen after the event, not during. If you want a practical, high-impact, board-friendly strategy for securing major gifts in 2026 and beyond, this conversation will give you the blueprint.

Topics:

• Why traditional galas are expensive, draining, and rarely profitable long-term
• What micro events (CPMs) are, and why they outperform large events
• How to structure a 45-minute micro event for maximum connection
• Why small groups (even 2–3 couples) lead to stronger donor relationships
• How to help board members invite the right people with capacity
• The role of the ED in follow-up and major gift cultivation
• How international or remote nonprofits can use micro events to expand nationally
• Why fundraising is ultimately about relationships

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

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Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator   
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers 
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter  
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
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