How to Scale Your Fundraising Strategy

At Lion’s Share Strategies, we help mission-driven institutions think, plan, and act more like startups because that mindset doesn’t just apply to launching a new product or spin-out — it applies to fundraising, too!

One of the most powerful (and often misunderstood) growth patterns successful startups use is this:

Start wide. Deepen. Then expand.

And it’s the exact model that high-impact fundraising organizations can — and should — use to build lasting success.

The Startup Playbook: How Growth Really Happens

In the early days, startups don’t have the luxury of being picky. They need traction. Proof. Real customers.

So they start wide:

• Target early adopters

• Sell smaller contracts

• Take wins wherever they come

  
  

They build credibility by doing great work, even on a small scale. They create case studies. Testimonials. Momentum.

Then, they deepen:

• Identify the best-fit customers — the ones who are seeing the most value

• Expand relationships into larger contracts

• Deliver even more tailored solutions

  
  

Finally, with proof points and momentum in hand, they expand intentionally:

• Launch new activities or product lines targeted specifically at bigger, higher-value prospects

• Move upmarket, using early success as leverage

• Build a true center of gravity where the best customers want to be

It’s not accidental. It’s strategic. And it works.

The Fundraising Parallel: Build Your Base, Deepen Relationships, Then Expand

When you look at great fundraising organizations, the most successful don’t just chase big checks on day one.

They build wide first:

• Engage a broad base of prospects

• Offer accessible ways to get involved

• Capture energy, attention, and early gifts

They deepen over time:

• Identify the prospects who are most aligned, most engaged, and most ready to grow

• Cultivate major and transformational gifts through personalized strategies

  
  

And then they expand intentionally:

• Launch visionary initiatives, special convenings, or new engagement programs targeted at a second, bigger wave of high-capacity donors

• Use early fundraising success to attract transformational partners

• Build a brand so strong that major donors seek them out

  
  

Why This Works

This model works because it respects natural momentum.

It’s hard to leap directly from "no base" to "mega-gift." Just like it's hard for a startup to leap from "no customers" to "enterprise contracts."

Starting wide builds energy. Deepening builds trust. Expanding builds transformational growth.

Each phase sets up the next.

What It Looks Like in Practice

• Start wide: Launch broad engagement campaigns, host public-facing events, capture interest at scale.

• Deepen: Move the most engaged supporters into personalized cultivation plans for major gifts.

• Expand: Launch a new flagship initiative (a visionary project, a center of excellence, a major event) designed to draw new, high-capacity prospects into your orbit.

  
  

It’s not about abandoning your base. It’s about building from a position of strength.

Final Thought: Build Like a Startup, Grow Like a Movement

If you're building a fundraising strategy today, think like the best startups:

Start wide. Deepen. Expand intentionally. Build something magnetic.

That's how you turn momentum into real, lasting impact.

Ready to design a strategy that builds real momentum — and real results? Let's talk about how Lion’s Share Strategies can help you start strong, deepen relationships, and scale transformational growth.