From Growth to Scale: What Separates Programs That Soar from Programs That Stall

From Growth to Scale: What Separates Programs That Soar from Programs That Stall29 Jul58 min

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What does it actually take to move a program from growth to scale and keep donors coming back for more?This week, Dave sits down with Dana Bunke, Senior Vice President of Direct Response and Integrated Fundraising at Easterseals — and honestly, what a ride her career has been. Air Force veteran, entrepreneur (yes, she co-founded a coffee company!), and a nonprofit powerhouse who's built and scaled recurring giving programs at Wounded Warrior Project, St. Jude, and now a 107-year-old organization that's reintroducing itself to the world.Dana brings the goods on what it really looks like to build a sustainable giving engine from the ground up: the wins, the "we're still figuring it out" moments, and the mindset shifts that turn monthly giving from a line item into a growth strategy. If you've ever wondered how a legacy organization honors its past while completely reimagining its funding model, this one's for you.Top 5 things we dig into:<ul><li>Dana's wonderfully winding path — from the Air Force to Wounded Warrior Project (back when everyone wore a lot of hats) to the "bells and whistles" world of St. Jude, and how each stop shaped her love of building things that last.</li><li>Easterseals' enduring mission, evolving model — 107 years strong, 70 affiliates across 48 states, and why an over-reliance on direct mail sparked a 2018–2019 decision to diversify revenue and go all-in on recurring giving.</li><li>Fundraising in a federated model — rev shares, "if you've met one Easterseals, you've met one Easterseals," and how the national office ditched one-size-fits-all for toolkits, amplification, and local surround sound. (Spoiler: there's no lone genius.)</li><li>Building the acquisition engine — the journey from face-to-face (2021) to DRTV (2023) to digital and text, plus how each channel plays its part and why DRTV is a brand-builder as much as a donor-getter.</li><li>Sustainable giving as a strategy, not a tactic — why Easterseals named its All Access Monthly Giving Program, what "bingeworthy" really means, and the behavior change that happens when a donor commits.</li></ul>A few more nuggets worth sticking around for:<ul><li>Why "monthly is a construct, not a requirement" — and how sustained frequency beats a rigid calendar.</li><li>Tailoring onboarding and engagement to the acquisition channel instead of standardizing across the board.</li><li>Measuring DRTV's halo effect (those website spikes don't lie) when attribution is still nobody's solved problem.</li><li>How face-to-face clawbacks help guarantee it's a smart investment.</li><li>The one-word secret to programs that scale instead of plateau: commitment, commitment, commitment.</li></ul>So here's our question for you: is your organization giving donors a real reason to stay — or just asking for the next gift? Drop your thoughts in the comments; we'd love to hear how you're thinking about recurring giving at your shop. Key Resources:<ul><li>The Rise of Sustainable Giving book by Dave Raley: <a href="https://www.sustainablegiving.org/book" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.sustainablegiving.org/book</a></li><li>Sustainable Giving (assessments, roadmaps & workshops): <a href="https://imago.consulting" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.sustainablegiving.org/</a></li></ul><ul><li>Easterseals All Access Monthly Giving Program: <a href="https://www.easterseals.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.easterseals.com</a></li><li>Neon One recurring giving research: <a href="https://neonone.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://neonone.com</a> Special thanks to our team at Sustainabl