The Volume Goes to 11 Rock and Roll Meets Resource Abundance: Steps 5 & 6 A blog series from Rainmaker Consulting

Action 1: Read on for Steps 5 and 6 of the Choose Abundance Model, two bold actions that will help you reset your mindset and get your team aligned.

Action 2: Join us on September 17 for a free, no-pressure Drop-In Office Hour. Bring your questions, your stress, or just yourself—we’ve got you.

When the Old Way Isn’t Working: Use Steps 5 & 6 to Build a Culture of Philanthropy Now

In times like these, it’s tempting to double down on what worked in the past—write more grants, chase wealthy donors, cross your fingers. But let me be clear: the old way isn’t working. To thrive now, you need a new strategy rooted in shared responsibility, abundant thinking, and deep relationships.

That’s why Steps 5 and 6 of the Choose Abundance Model are more essential than ever. They help you realign your team, break free of scarcity thinking, and create urgent clarity about why building a Culture of Philanthropy is not optional—it’s the path forward.

Steps 1 and 2 and Steps 3 and 4 create and build upon the foundation for shifting how you show up—for yourself, your team, and your mission, and dive into tangible steps you can take to continue building your organizations’ Culture of Philanthropy.

Need a quick refresher?

Step 1: Throw Your Hat Over the Fence

Step 2: Find a Committed Listener

Step 3: Create a Culture of Philanthropy Task Force

Step 4: Assess “What’s So”

Step 5: Educate, Educate, Educate

You can’t build a Culture of Philanthropy without a shared understanding of what it is—and what it’s not.

Start by educating your Culture of Philanthropy Task Force. You can have them read sections of Choose Abundance, conduct a team training, or bring in a facilitator. But make sure they internalize this truth: a Culture of Philanthropy is not about chasing one big donor or finding a unicorn funder to “save” the organization. It’s about weaving generosity, collaboration, and relationship-building into the DNA of your entire team.

If your people are still operating in crisis mode or think fundraising is someone else’s job, Step 5 will be a game changer.

Step 6: Hell No! (Yes, Really.)

This is the moment for honest reflection. Where is your organization really headed if nothing changes? That’s your Default Future—and odds are, it’s not where you want to go.

Use the Choose Abundance Culture of Philanthropy Assessment with your team. Then create your Urgent Action Statement—a rallying cry that captures what’s at stake and what’s possible. Gather your task force and leadership team and ask everyone to consider the following:

• What is our Default Future?
• If we don’t act now, where will we end up?
• What risks are we facing?
• What opportunities are we missing?

Capture everyone’s ideas, then distill them into statements like:

• “We propose that avoiding the risk of relying on disappearing foundation grants is urgent.”
• “We propose that we act to seize the opportunity of building deep donor partnerships immediately.”

The goal is alignment. Keep working until your team can say, “This speaks for me.” That’s when you know you’re ready to move forward—together.

Click here to download the Choose Abundance Culture of Philanthropy Worksheet.