High-Impact Growth Podcast

Episode: Thinking About Individual Giving? Start Here
Host: Dimagi (Amy Vaccaro & Jonathan Jackson)
Guest: Javan Van Groningen (Founder, Donately)
Date: February 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode tackles the pressing question facing many nonprofits and social enterprises today: How can organizations pivot from a reliance on grants and major donors to successful individual giving in a changing funding landscape? Host Amy Vaccaro and Dimagi CEO Jonathan Jackson speak with Javan Van Groningen, founder and creative director of Donately, about practical strategies for launching and scaling individual fundraising. The conversation moves from storytelling to technology, from the dangers of “random acts of marketing” to the real-world impact of AI on fundraising, ultimately offering a grounded roadmap for organizations testing or expanding consumer-focused giving.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origins of Donately & The “Donor-First” Approach

(02:00-04:28)

• Javan’s path from digital agency work to the nonprofit space began with a desire to “take top-notch quality agency work into the nonprofit space,” starting with Invisible Children (C).
• Noticed a gap: organizations needed a “really simple and clean donor experience ... the tools at the time were not cutting it” (C, 03:00).
• Donately’s ethos: Build from the donor perspective first—“let’s not build from the back end forward, let’s build from the donor experience side of things and then figure out the data behind that” (C, 03:54).
• Continuous evolution: Even now, the focus remains on “beautiful, engaging, kind of story-driven donor experiences on the individual level” (C, 04:19).

2. Storytelling: The Cornerstone of Fundraising Success

(05:42-08:08)

• What makes a compelling story?

  • “First off, who you’re speaking to—really understanding your target audience—and then what pulls on the heartstrings there?” (C, 05:59)
  • Don’t assume people know the problem. “A lot of organizations skip over [naming the problem]. You have to start with, what is the need?” (C, 06:18)
  • Invite donors into the story: “The ending is not there yet, and a lot of people want to be invited into that story.” (C, 06:34)
  • “Be very clear. People need to understand exactly what it is you’re asking them for.” (C, 06:43)

• In a crowded field: “It’s getting so saturated. So you have to make sure that story gets out there ... Get it out there and even repeat it, just pushing it out and making sure people have access to it.” (C, 07:25)

3. Dimagi’s Foray Into Individual Giving: The Kangaroo Mother Care Example

(08:37-10:43)

• Jonathan shares Dimagi’s latest attempt to connect individual givers directly to specific impact, e.g., “for $37 you’re able to fund a frontline worker to provide home-based kangaroo mother care … to a newborn” (B, 09:19).
• The challenge: “It’s been really tough to figure out … can we tell our story in a compelling way that can break through the noise?” (B, 08:52)
• Key question: How can organizations test if their consumer story actually resonates?

4. Testing, Metrics, and the One-to-Many Mindset

(10:43-14:38)

• Javan’s advice: “Testing is absolutely critical... you have to be testing messaging. You have to be testing the types of fundraising you’re doing...” (C, 10:47).
• Early results may vary. Be “ready to try a handful of things that maybe don’t work” (C, 11:31).
• Major shift: Moving from one-to-one (custom, relationship-based, high-net-worth) to one-to-many (public, scalable, often lower dollar, higher volume). “Underestimate the level of work that it takes” at your peril (C, 12:25).
• Use small, flexible tools and launch simple campaigns for rapid learning and iteration.

5. Competing in a Crowded Market & The Role of Differentiation

(14:38-18:23)

• Who are you up against? How do you compare?
  • Organizations must know their “unique value proposition” (C, 16:27). “You don’t have to be better, you just have to be different and then find a place that you can sell that different message.” (C, 17:53).
• Leverage AI and SEO for research: Ask who else occupies your donor’s mental space and what potential supporters are searching for.
• Don’t try to dominate every channel; “every organization can’t dominate every channel” (C, 17:06). Focus and differentiate.

6. Channels, Trends, and Donor Motivations

(20:24-24:47)

• No universal winner on channels: Success leans towards giving donors something tangible or exclusive—“what’s in it for me” (C, 20:45).
  • Examples: virtual campaigns with products, memberships, “behind the scenes” access, or trips.
• Influencer marketing is growing, as is tapping into corporate social responsibility and for-profit partnership channels.
• Donor skepticism and trust issues mean “clarity of where the money goes” is more important than ever. “Donors today ... appreciate the clarity and the honesty with where money goes.” (C, 23:15)

7. Testing Budgets, Leadership Buy-in, and the Pitfalls of Random Acts of Marketing

(25:40-31:24)

• Strategic planning: Javan recommends starting with an “audit” and building a clear roadmap with quarterly and monthly “rhythms” and realistic stepwise goals (C, 25:49).
• KPIs at the leadership level: If leadership isn’t bought in with concrete metrics, “then I would be curious if you’re ready to do it” (C, 27:06).
• Don’t “boil the ocean”—focus on clear priorities. Stack small wins rather than seeking overnight transformation.
• Testing “20%” rule: “You should be retaining 20% of your budget to try new things ... try to make that a part of your business model” (C, 31:37).

8. When NOT to Pursue Individual Giving

(33:56-37:02)

• “You have to be committed to it. ... If you don’t have buy-in, it’s going to quickly come and go. So a metric that’s saying, over the next two years ... how much do we want to raise? ... ensure that’s tracked all the way to the top.” (C, 35:38)
• Avoid launching if you are chasing the trend—do it for real impact or meaningful revenue. “Set goals for yourself ... and the rhythms that you do it over time. Give yourself a runway.” (C, 36:48)

9. AI—Potential and Caution

(37:03-42:40)

• How AI helps:

  • “Speeding up of production work”—multiple iterations, drafts, automation (C, 37:31).
  • Great for donor & campaign data analysis (C, 38:35).
  • Enhances storytelling—but be cautious: ethical dilemmas about “faking” or overly simulating impact stories (C, 39:19).

• For content marketing: “You create that article. You also have to turn that thing into 10 to 20 different social posts. And… building videos into that.” (C, 41:01)

• Balance needed: “Try to balance out the functionality, the AI, with the human-centric side of things. Video would be my lean in there.” (C, 42:18)

10. Final Call to Action

(42:40-44:26)

• Avoid “random acts of marketing”: “We’re spreading ourselves out too far … doing everything 75%.” (C, 43:00)
• Get systematic: Build a tech stack that fits your org, avoid overkill on tech, use specialist tools purposefully (C, 43:30).
• Clear measurement: “Set some goals, go through a process of really recognizing what you’re going to do, what you’re committed to, how much you want to raise” (C, 27:06, summarized in outro).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On storytelling:
  • “The ending is not there yet, and a lot of people want to be invited into that story.” (C, 06:34)
• On the critical mindset shift:
  • “If you are currently in a space of having never done [individual giving] before, I would say be ready to try a handful of things that maybe don’t work.” (C, 11:31)
• On testing and commitment:
  • “You have to be committed to living it out. And I think that’s why I want that metric at that leadership level.” (C, 35:33)
• On AI’s dual-edge:
  • “It can create a lot of garbage, but it can also create a lot of really valuable content if you use it well.” (C, 38:01)
  • “We just have to decide how honest we want to be with utilizing AI for [storytelling].” (C, 39:38)
• On avoiding random acts of marketing:
  • “It’s kind of an epidemic ... we’re spreading ourselves out too far. We’re doing everything 75%... Really figure out what you are doing and make sure that it’s working.” (C, 43:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Topic | |------------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 02:00 | Donately origin story & donor-first philosophy | | 05:42 | The importance of brand, messaging, and the “problem” | | 08:37 | Dimagi's kangaroo mother care individual giving pilot | | 10:43 | Testing, metrics, and scaling to “one to many” | | 14:38 | Differentiation and competition in nonprofit fundraising | | 20:24 | Channel trends, influencer marketing, trust, transparency | | 25:40 | How to plan/sequence: audits, KPIs, and roadmaps | | 31:24 | Testing budgets, leadership buy-in, 80/20 rule | | 33:56 | When not to pursue individual giving | | 37:03 | AI’s real value — and risks — for nonprofit fundraising | | 42:40 | Final action items: Avoiding random acts of marketing |

Actionable Takeaways

• Start small and iterate. Test both your story and channels before investing heavily.
• Find your “different,” not necessarily “better.” Focus on your unique value proposition and audience niche.
• Secure buy-in and build discipline. Without clear leadership KPIs and ongoing monthly/quarterly rhythms, efforts will likely fizzle.
• Be transparent with donors. Tell them exactly where their money goes.
• Balance human storytelling with smart tech. Use AI judiciously, leaning on it for ideation and data analysis but maintaining genuine, transparent human engagement.
• Don’t ‘boil the ocean.’ Ruthless prioritization—do fewer things better, rather than many things poorly.

Language & Tone

The conversation is practical, frank, and supportive—Javan is honest about the demands and reality of digital fundraising. There’s a consistent focus on experimentation, learning from failure, and staying grounded amid a fast-changing landscape. The tone is encouraging but also measured, emphasizing both the promise and the hard work required to succeed in individual giving.

Summary

If you’re exploring or struggling with individual giving, this episode offers a reality check—and a playbook. Storytelling, transparency, testing, and tech all matter, but so does discipline, focus, and honest self-assessment about your organization’s readiness and differentiation. Listen for smart questions, candid answers, and strategies you can act on immediately.

Find the full episode at https://dimagi.com/podcast/