The Fundraising Masterminds Podcast – Episode 119

"Why You Don’t Need a Network of Support to Start Building One"
Date: April 1, 2026
Host(s): Jason Galasinski (A) & Jim Dempsey (C)
Special Guest: Evan Chase (B), Executive Director, Child Evangelism Fellowship of Nashville

Episode Overview

This episode addresses a core fear of nonprofit leaders: “I can’t fundraise because I don’t have a network.” Jason, Jim, and guest Evan Chase demolish the myth that a large personal network is a prerequisite for launching a successful fundraising initiative. Evan’s journey—going from virtually no contacts in a new city to recruiting 300 people and raising over $125,000 at his first “Perfect Vision Dinner”—demonstrates that what you really need is the right process, not the right contacts. This deeply practical and faith-filled discussion blends step-by-step strategy, encouragement, and inspirational stories for leaders feeling stuck or starting from scratch.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Myth of the Network Prerequisite

• Common Misconception (01:09–03:09):
  • Many nonprofit leaders believe they must have their "house in order" and a vast network before launching a major fundraising event like a Perfect Vision Dinner.
  • Host Jason recounts: “People think, ‘I’ll wait until I have my network built, and THEN I’ll do the dinner.’ They don’t realize we help them build that network.” (02:18)
• Reality Check:
  • Fundraising success depends more on a disciplined, proven process than on pre-existing relationships.

2. Evan’s Origin Story: From No Network, No Experience, No Safety Net

• Background & Challenges (03:33–09:59):
  • Evan moves to Nashville with no family, no contacts, and minimal knowledge of his new ministry.
  • CEF told him: "We can pay you for three months—and then it's on you to fundraise." (09:05)
  • “I was a hot mess... In the first nonprofit I ever did, I was a complete failure at fundraising. My wife would agree!” (03:56)
• Fundraising Attempts Before Masterminds:
  • Tried one-on-ones, no large events.
  • Outsourced fundraising with mixed results.
  • Previous dinners/school galas were exhausting, unfulfilling, and raised less than $10,000 a year (06:30–07:03).

3. Taking the Leap: Why (and How) Evan Embraced the Perfect Vision Dinner

• Overcoming Fear and Reluctance (11:29–12:41):
  • “Number 100 [on my list of strategies] would have been a dinner... There is no way in God’s green earth am I going to take the weight of a vision dinner.” – Evan (11:51)
  • Conviction and faith led him to leap, not desperation: “I had absolutely clarity that the Holy Spirit was leading me... I was on the path for bankruptcy even when I said yes, but I felt like God was in it.” (09:27)
• Masterminds Approach:
  • Team offers flexible plans, works with organizations of any financial situation.
  • “If you follow the recipe, you’re going to do well... 92% of orgs we coach hit the $100,000 mark.” – Jason (14:34)

4. How the Perfect Vision Dinner Process Actually Works

• Step-by-Step Guidance (15:44–17:50):
  • “You mapped it out... step by step. There’s accountability, weekly progress... it was tremendous. So not only did I survive, I could actually lead...” – Evan (15:44)
  • The program gives bite-sized tasks, week by week, avoiding overwhelm.
  • “You broke it down week by week and didn’t give me everything right up front—wise, because I had no network for any of those pieces.” – Evan (17:23)
• Addressing skepticism:
  • Some want all materials at once; the program locks content to prevent overwhelm and maintain focus. (17:52–18:25)

5. Building the Network During, NOT Before the Event

• Table Host Strategy (19:07–20:45):
  • Evan didn’t know enough people to fill tables himself—so he asked the handful he did know (5 couples) to each host a table of 10.
  • “I literally approached them not to join my table, but to host their own table, knowing I didn’t know who would sit at mine.” (19:18)
  • Even table hosts barely knew the ministry—Evan relied on the ministry’s credibility, resources, and a conviction that the cause mattered.

6. Results: Quantifiable Impact & Key Moments

• Game-Changing Outcomes (21:20–27:25):
  • “We had 12 to 15 donors before—that dinner gave us over 180 donors afterwards... almost 200 new donors.” – Evan (21:20)
  • “Over $125,000 on the first dinner.” (25:54)
  • 90% of attendees were new to the ministry and compelled by the clarity of the vision, not by sales, auctions, or gimmicks.
  • “You could not ask for a better moment, first impression than that night.” (25:54)
• Notable Quote:
  • “It’s not just dollars in the bank... it’s 180 new relationships. Board members, new churches, new schools... resources beyond dollars have been birthed from this very first dinner.” – Evan (27:25)

7. Faith, Obedience, and the Principle of Stepping Out

• Spiritual Parallels (28:17–29:19):
  • Jason compares the process to stories from the Old Testament: “Anytime God asks someone to do something crazy... you have to obey and trust first, and then the miracle happens.”
  • “You didn’t know how it was going to happen, but you did your part, and God did His.” (28:17)

8. Follow-Through: From Transactions to Transformative Relationships

• After the Dinner: Building and Leveraging the Network (33:36–36:23):
  • Following thank-you plans and cultivation scripts provided by Masterminds, Evan forged authentic connections that led to new board members, deeper donor engagement, and resource development.
  • “We’re still following your plan through the Jordan.” – Evan (36:23)
• Examples:
  • Face-to-face follow-ups led not just to donor retention, but key volunteers with expertise in nonprofit scaling.

9. For Leaders on the Fence: Evan’s Direct Appeal

• Advice to Contemplating Leaders (30:35–31:10):
  • “Absolutely. If you’re watching this podcast, this is part of the answer, the confirmation, to take that next step. There’s proof in what you guys are saying; I’m just another one.” – Evan (30:35)

10. Looking Ahead: Growth & Multiplication

• Future Vision (32:29):
  • Next dinner goal: $250,000.
  • Off-dinner fundraising also doubled through applying the Masterminds’ principles.

Notable Quotes & Moments with Timestamps

• “I was a hot mess. Truthfully, when I heard about fundraising masterminds, there was a lot going against me... literally, I was clueless of what a nonprofit was... in that nonprofit, I could never raise enough money.” – Evan (03:56)
• “You mapped it out... step by step. There’s accountability, there’s weekly progress. It was literally step by step. That was tremendous.” – Evan (15:44)
• “If you follow the recipe, you’re going to do well. You’re going to raise that $100,000.” – Jason (13:54)
• “You broke it down week by week and didn’t give me everything right up front because it would have been absolutely overwhelming.” – Evan (17:23)
• “We had 12 to 15 donors to the ministry... after that dinner, we had over 180 donors to the ministry—almost 200 new donors.” – Evan (21:20)
• “Over $125,000 on the first dinner... And think about this, Jason, you guys say this in the training: if roughly 90% were new to the ministry... that was their first impression of the ministry. You could not ask for a better moment, first impression, than that night.” – Evan (25:54)
• “So many think you’ve got to build the network before the dinner, but it’s actually the dinner that builds the network.” – Jason (27:26)
• “You just need to step out in faith. Exactly the same way with this.” – Jim (38:55)
• “We have not just got dollars—we’ve got board members, new churches, new schools, so many resources of human contribution beyond the dollar have been birthed from this one and very first vision dinner we ever did.” – Evan (27:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Misconceptions About Needing a Network: 01:09–03:09
• Evan’s Backstory: Raising Funds Without Relationships: 03:33–09:59
• Taking the Leap of Faith: 09:59–13:37
• Program Structure and Process: 15:44–18:25
• Table Host Strategy & How Evan Filled the Room: 19:07–21:16
• Results: Donor Growth & Funds Raised: 21:20–27:25
• Faith & The ‘Step Out’ Principle: 28:17–29:19
• Advice for Fence-Sitters: 30:35–31:10
• Results Beyond the Dinner (Follow-Up & Relationships): 33:36–36:23

Key Takeaways

• You DO NOT need a large pre-existing network to launch a successful fundraising campaign—you need a proven system, conviction in your mission, and willingness to follow expert guidance step-by-step.
• Let the event itself become the catalyst for building that donor network.
• Post-event follow-up is as important as the event itself: relationship-building leads to more than just dollars—think new volunteers, board members, and community momentum.
• Faith, willingness, and obedience are as crucial as organizational readiness in launching a transformative fundraising initiative.

For More Information

• Learn about Child Evangelism Fellowship of Nashville: cefmetronashville.org
• Podcast call to action: “If you feel like Evan, scan the QR code or check the description to get started with our next cohort.” (31:11)

Perfect for nonprofit leaders wondering, doubting, or hesitating—this episode shows you can build a thriving community from scratch when you trust the process and step out in faith.