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Amber Melanie Smith

Master Fundraising in 15 Minutes per Week 🎥

Published about 1 year ago • 4 min read

Introducing Fundraising 101:
A New 15-Week Series

Read time: 3-4 Minutes

I’ve been working on something special for you.

For a few years, my YouTube strategy has been: “Oh that sounds like a good video topic, let’s try it!” But now I want to try something different, inspired by your questions and requests throughout the past few years.

I want to step. up. my. game.

That’s why I’m launching Changemaker Cafe: Fundraising 101, a new 15-week YouTube series designed to break fundraising down into bite-sized, easy-to-follow lessons. Each episode is around 15 minutes—perfect for busy nonprofit and social impact leaders!

Whether you’re starting a nonprofit, running a campaign, or just curious about how money moves in the social impact space, this issue of Changemaker Mondays ☀️ ☕ 🌍 is about helping you raise more with less stress.

Changemaker Mondays is brought to you by:

Nonprofits thrive when they have the right tools to engage supporters and drive donations.

​Click & Pledge offers an all-in-one fundraising platform with customizable donation forms, peer-to-peer campaigns, text-to-give, and video fundraising—designed to help you raise more with ease.

Click & Pledge’s highly customizable platform aligns with your brand and offers real-time data tracking. With fair, transparent pricing and no long-term contracts, their team is here to support you every step of the way.

Ready to take your fundraising to the next level?​
Sign up for a free demo and use my referral code to get $25 off.

So, Why This Series?

Honestly, I wanted to create the kind of series I wish I’d had years ago. Something that would help me break the mystery of fundraising piece by piece. It would have helped so much!

And like I said, this series was created in response to YOU—the changemaker community—nonprofit founders and leaders who are looking for a structured, step-by-step learning experience—one that feels more like a mini-course than one-off videos.

My hope is that each episode will build on the last. I want to offer practical steps and tutorials – but also add context and insights from subject matter experts – because those things are really important to being a successful changemaker in today’s world.

​Episode 1: A Crash Course in Fundraising History

​Fundraising has been around for thousands of years—from ancient religious giving traditions to today’s structured nonprofit sector. But how have beliefs about philanthropy impacted our fundraising today?

In Episode 1, I break down:

  • How our society has viewed money & giving throughout history
  • Key moments that shaped modern fundraising
  • What these lessons mean for your nonprofit’s fundraising today

​Episode 2 also just posted yesterday, and covers the top ways nonprofits generate revenue!

👉 Watch Episodes 1 and 2 Now!

What’s Next?

In our third episode next week, we’ll explore the nuances of a big question: Can more money really end more social problems? (Dun dun dunnnn… The answer may surprise you!)

Make sure you’re subscribed to the channel so you get notified when new episodes drop.

How to Follow Along & Engage

Want to be a part of this series? 🙌 Here’s how:

  • ​Subscribe to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss a single episode.
  • Share this with someone who’s starting their nonprofit or fundraising journey—this series is designed for them!
  • Reply to this email and tell me: What’s your biggest fundraising challenge? I’m already planning ahead - maybe we can cover it in a future series!

Fundraising doesn’t have to feel like a mystery. I hope we can make it simple, clear and fun!
​

💲

Funding Opportunities
  • Due by March 31: The Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize awards $10,000 and a year of mentorship to a young leader between ages 18 and 30 with a goal of recognizing exceptional leadership and work to advance democracy. Open to all nationalities.
  • Due by May 15: Journey For Good Foundation provides grants ranging $7,500-$32,500 to organizations fighting poverty with food, shelter, education, and workforce development projects.
  • Due by May 15: Ameriprise Financial Community Relations Program provides grants to organizations in communities where they operate tackling basic needs and community development.

📅

Events & Programs

Keep an eye out for future workshops and events open to the public! In the mean time, need an event speaker or workshop trainer in 2025? Learn more about my offerings here.
​

Enjoy this week's newsletter? You might find this video helpful, too.
​

3 more ways I can help you

  1. I have lots of free content for you! Check out my library of 250+ educational videos on nonprofits, social entrepreneurship, fundraising, and more on my YouTube channel. If you like what I'm trying to do, help me reach more people like you - who want to make an impact - by subscribing to the channel and sharing it with a changemaker friend! 😁
    ​
  2. Need extra support to build or grow a nonprofit or social enterprise? Check out my Changemaker Accelerator membership. Learn more and join.
    ​
  3. Need a speaker or training workshop for your social impact event? I'm currently booking 2025 speaking engagements -- check out my speaking and workshop opportunities to learn how I can help you make your event inspiring and actionable!

Hey, Changemaker!

I'm Amber, writer of the Changemaker Mondays newsletter! I'm a nonprofit founder, speaker, and social entrepreneur on a mission to equip you with the tools you need to create positive change where ever you live -- whether you're starting a nonprofit or socially-conscious business, looking for a social impact job, or leading a volunteer project in your city. Don't hesitate to connect (socials below), or reply to this email if you ever have any feedback on how we can make Changemaker Mondays the best newsletter for supporting changemakers in the world!

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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Amber Melanie Smith

Changemaker Mondays Newsletter

I am on a mission to equip nonprofit and social impact changemakers with the tools and resources to grow their impacts. Join me and over 80,000 changemakers on my social impact-focused YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ambermelaniesmith!

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