Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast

Why Revenue Still Feels Fragile After Year-End Fundraising

• Brooke Richie-Babbage

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You crushed your year-end fundraising goal… so why does revenue still feel shaky?

If you've ever felt uneasy after a successful campaign—like the money came in, but stability didn’t—you’re not alone. I’ve been there too. In this episode, I unpack why that post-campaign fragility is so common and what it actually tells you about your organization’s fundraising infrastructure.

We’ll talk about the difference between a revenue spike and a sustainable revenue system, and I’ll walk you through how to shift from relying on quick wins to building a Capital Engine™ that creates predictable, long-term stability.

Whether you’re coming off a big win or staring down your next big push, this episode will help you reframe the problem—and start building smarter.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Why a successful campaign doesn’t necessarily mean your revenue model is strong
  • How to spot the real reason your funding feels fragile—even when the numbers look good
  • The first three steps to move from fragile to resilient

3 key takeaways:

  • Year-end campaigns generate momentum—but momentum is not the same as stability
  • Fragility usually stems from design, not effort—your system can’t hold what you're building
  • A reliable Capital Engine™ is built on structure, not heroics

🛠️ Steps to Strengthen Your Revenue Model

Do a Revenue Reality Check: Review the past 12 months. Where did the money come from? What was repeatable vs. a one-time push?

Spot the Bottlenecks: Identify areas where you or your team are still the linchpin. What disappears if you’re not driving?

Start Building Your Capital Engine™: Begin systematizing follow-ups, donor journeys, and cultivation processes. Focus on repeatability and shared ownership.

Want to work together?

Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.

Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!

Connect with me!