Get Clear.
Get Confident.
Get Fundraising.
A practical, step-by-step course that teaches you how to run your annual
fund with strategy, structure, and a whole lot less stress.
If you've ever thought, "I wish someone would just tell me what to do..."
this is that course.
Sign up now for early access + the lowest price we’ll ever offer
The Problem
Annual fundraising isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Your annual fund isn’t just a revenue stream.
It’s your engine. Your community-builder.
Your best shot at long-term sustainability.
And let’s be honest, it’s a lot.
Juggling events, appeals, mail, email, stewardship, reporting, data . . .
and somehow it’s all supposed to work together!
Annual Fund Out of the Box was created to bring clarity to the chaos.
The Promise
This isn’t just a plan. It’s a path.
A course that teaches you how to run your annual fund with structure, strategy, and confidence—one step at a time.
Whether you’re brand new or just tired of winging it,
this course is for you.
What Makes This Course Different
It’s Sequential
No scattered topics or vague themes. You get a clear, step-by-step roadmap: what to do, when to do it, and how it all fits together.
You’ll Leave With
More Than a Plan
You’ll learn to think like a strategist, work like a pro, and feel confident doing it—using tools that actually work.
Built on Proven Principles
No guessing games, this course is built on what’s been proven to work – and includes the best in time management, project planning, and real-world fundraising. So you’re not just learning; you’re doing.
It Helps You Fundraise Smarter, Not Just Harder
This isn’t about hustle. It’s about clarity. You’ll focus on what matters most, simplify your workflow, and stop spinning your wheels.
Here’s what you’ll learn inside
Annual Fund Out of the Box:
How to design an annual fundraising program that raises more money with strategy, structure, and purpose
How to set the right goals, identify the right donors, and send the right messages at the right time
How to build campaigns, appeals, and stewardship that actually drive results not just activity
How to stop winging it and start working from a plan you understand, trust, and can actually execute
How to use a step-by-step roadmap so you always know what’s next and
why it matters
This course is for you if…
You’ve been handed a fundraising goal and told to “figure it out”
You’re building your annual fund from scratch—or trying to rebuild it right
You’ve done the webinars, read the blogs, tried all the things… and still feel stuck
You want more than ideas you want a practical path that actually works
You’re ready to raise more money, with less chaos and a lot more confidence
Annual Fund Out of the Box was built to help you stop spinning your wheels and start fundraising with purpose.
Get the guidance, tools, and clarity you need to run your annual fund—step by step.
Because fundraisers always have questions.
Anyone who’s responsible for raising money and ready to do it more effectively. Whether you're brand new, a department of one, or just tired of cobbling things together this course is built to meet you where you are and help you build something better.
Nope. If you’ve got a donor list (even in Excel) and an internet connection, you’re good to go. We’ll show you how to work smarter with whatever you’ve got.
It will be fully self-paced with optional live check-ins and bonus resources during launch. You’ll be able to go at your own speed—but you won’t be on your own.
The course includes 10–12 sequential modules covering every part of running a successful annual fund. It’s self-paced, so you can move through it in a week, a month, or whatever fits your schedule best.
Plan for around 15–20 hours total—but you’ll be implementing as you go, not just watching videos. And as a subscriber, you’ll also get access to new mini-courses, exclusive webinars and town halls, and subscriber-only resources as they’re released.
Absolutely! We offer discounted team bundles so multiple staff members can learn together. Want to talk about team access or pricing? Just reach out—we're happy to help.
Yes. That’s the whole point.
If you follow the process and implement the tools, you’ll build a stronger, smarter annual fundraising program that’s designed to grow.
Built by fundraisers. Backed by experience. Made for the real world.
Annual Fund Out of the Box comes from the brains behind Next River Fundraising Strategies a consulting practice known for helping nonprofits raise more money by turning strategy, systems, and story into a working engine for generosity.
We’ve spent decades in the trenches of fundraising—launching campaigns, fixing broken programs, and helping fundraisers stop drowning in busywork.
This course brings all of that experience together in one place: Clear. Actionable. Human.
And rooted in the belief that fundraising should feel like something you can do—not something you have to survive.
Why It’s Called Annual Fund
Out Of The Box
Originally, this course was going to be called Annual Fund In a Box because it gives you everything you need to build and run a successful annual fund. Just open it up, follow the steps, and get going.
But we also know that “in the box” thinking—rigid formulas, outdated advice, and rinse-and-repeat tactics—doesn’t work for most fundraisers today.
So Annual Fund Out of the Box means two things:
You’ve got everything you need—ready to go
And you’re stepping into a smarter, more flexible way of thinking about fundraising.
This isn’t just a box of tools. It’s a better way to build your annual fund—on your terms.
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