Fundraising Metrics To Track

Today I decided to kill our crowdfunding campaign before it even launched, and refund our early investors. Here’s the story: On May 31st, we sent out our first invitations to our community to show their interest for our Community Round via a Typeform survey. In less than 3 weeks, we gathered massive early interest with more than $3.5M interest expressed (this is after cleaning out all the fake emails and entries). We spent weeks perfecting the narrative of our core brands — and how they all fit together — to build something we truly believe will change the media landscape. We were ready to launch with our egos through the roof. Pre-launch we had made an assumption that about 30% of parties interested would convert to investments. That would allow us to close our round in the first few weeks, we thought. But… our assumption was totally wrong. Hours after we sent out our Private Link, we quickly realized that the majority of people that had showcased interest (apart of a devoted few that really get it, thank you 😊 ) never translated to actual investors. Our conversion rate on the campaign overview page was terrible and it never really picked up. We built multiple touch points in our process, spent over $5,000 on retargeting ads, drove thousands of qualified visitors to our landing page, and… **crickets**… So after a month and a half with no meaningful traction, I decided to kill it. The amount raised would’ve not been significant enough for a meaningful return. Here’s what I learned: 1. Strong interest does not necessarily correlate with actual investment. It doesn’t matter how good your marketing or your story is, if you’re fighting to change business perception of a declining industry like media, you’re literally swimming against the current －in the rapids. People like the concept of supporting media but struggle with the idea of it being a good business to invest in. 2. You need to be ready to go all-in on your time. I struggled with investing all of my time into the fundraise due to ongoing projects and day to day with our existing business, and especially with the traction we were seeing. We do not depend on this capital to survive so I had to make a decision on where my time was most effective, and this wasn’t it. 3. Timing is everything when it comes to investing. Truth is, I’m terrible at knowing when to raise. People want “in” when things are going extremely well (your business and your industry), not when you’re doing a turnaround. —- Anyways… you learn and you move on 💪 We will definitely try again in a year or two when our new models / brands have proven out. We still very much believe in the potential of Community ownership. Until then, we’ll focus on delivery and execution of our new mission and our turnaround with no Plan B. A big thank you to everyone who participated, I will make sure you get another opportunity soon(ish)! ❤️

When I took on my role as Chief Corporate Citizenship Officer at PMI, I set a handful of parameters for myself and my team: 1. Don’t fall into the trap of arm’s-length checkbook philanthropy: One-off cash infusions can help nonprofits in the immediate term, but they don’t get at the issue of sustainable growth. 2. Focus, focus, focus: Diffusion is the enemy of progress. There are an endless number of worthy causes and charitable organizations, but our greatest impact will come from identifying a small number of causes that are intrinsically tied to our values and vision and making those causes priorities. (In our case, this is U.S. military veterans, women’s equity and empowerment, and hyperlocal activations.) 3. Empower—and learn from—those already in the trenches: We’re not going to dictate what happens at the community level. We’re here to listen and learn and find ways to support and expand the good works already underway. 4. Give a “hand up” instead of a handout: Band-Aid solutions may make us feel good in the short term, but they don’t get to the root problem. The cash infusions we give our community-based partners are meaningful, but their value grows exponentially when paired with our business expertise and insights. 5. Offer employees a chance to contribute to change: We polled PMI’s U.S. workforce earlier this year about our plans to support military veterans. An astonishing 97 percent of employees raised their hands to get involved. There’s a hunger out there for making a positive difference in local communities and the broader world. Find ways to connect your people to the issues that matter most to them. It turns out that this is the way the next generation of philanthropists is thinking about their impact as well. A recent article (I’ll share the link in comments) shares interesting insights into how our younger generations—millennials and Gen Z—are embracing a more comprehensive approach to philanthropy focused on measurable impact and deeper connections. They’re also showing a greater tolerance for the “long game,” willing to take risks in the short term to lay the groundwork for greater gains down the road. As the next generation of philanthropists takes the reins and starts investing more than money in the causes they care about, let’s make sure our organizations are prepared to do the same.

We currently have the largest potential donor class in history. Baby Boomers are reaching peak giving age with unprecedented wealth. The number of high-net-worth households has grown substantially. Yet the percentage of American households reporting charitable donations is actually falling.  How do we explain this paradox? There may be an answer in the data: The decline in reported giving correlates directly with plummeting church attendance. As fewer Americans attend religious services regularly, collection plate giving has fallen dramatically. According to data from Giving USA, the percentage of total charitable giving happening at Church has fallen from 50% in the 1990s to roughly 29% today. Meanwhile, direct marketing channels are capturing a larger share of those who do give. While traditional giving methods like collection plates see declining participation, direct marketing is actually growing in importance. Direct mail continues to outperform expectations. Despite being declared "dead" repeatedly, it consistently delivers stronger response rates than many digital alternatives. This makes sense when you think about it. Our physical mailboxes are less cluttered than they were 20 years ago. Meanwhile, our email inboxes are overflowing. A well-crafted direct mail piece stands out today in ways it couldn't when everyone was doing it. At the same time, electronic giving continues to grow. The convenience of digital donations aligns perfectly with modern lifestyles. What does this mean for nonprofits? 1. Double down on direct marketing. As traditional giving methods decline, these channels become even more crucial. 2. Focus on integration. The organizations seeing the best results combine direct mail with digital touchpoints. 3. Use data to drive decisions. Track which channels perform best for which donor segments. 4. Test timing variations. How quickly you follow up after initial contact dramatically impacts results. The fundraising landscape is changing rapidly. But these shifts create new opportunities for organizations willing to adapt. What changes are you seeing in your donors' giving preferences?

I often think about the difference between being a funder and being a true partner. Through Cisco Social Impact Investments and the Cisco Foundation, we provide funding to organizations working at the forefront of social innovation. That support is critical, and we’re intentional about honoring its role. At the same time, we try to ask ourselves a broader question: how can we show up in ways that go beyond funding itself? Every nonprofit needs capital. But many also need access to technology, strategic guidance, specialized expertise, and networks that can help them scale and strengthen their work. We think about this as 1 + 1 = 3. Where it makes sense, we pair funding with technology. If the right infrastructure or stronger cybersecurity can accelerate impact, we lean in. We offer advisory support when it’s helpful, whether that’s thinking through growth, measurement, or long-term sustainability. If a partner needs highly specialized expertise, such as a cybersecurity assessment or a refined fundraising strategy, we tap into our ecosystem to connect them with the right people. Sometimes the value we can add is simple but meaningful. Hosting a partner at our offices so they can convene without additional expense. Presenting together at conferences to amplify their voice. Making introductions that create new opportunities. I believe this is where corporate philanthropy becomes most effective. Every company has assets beyond funding: talent, technology, relationships, credibility. The question is not just how much we give. It’s how intentionally we bring the full enterprise to the table. Because funding matters. But the multiplier often comes from everything around it.

The invisible revolution happening inside corporate India isn't about profit margins. It's about purpose. Here's what nobody tells you about volunteering: you think you're giving, but you're actually receiving. You believe you're sacrificing time, but you're gaining purpose. The math makes no sense until you experience it. Corporate India is finally catching on. With 78% of top companies incorporating volunteering into their CSR work, we're witnessing a shift from charity to strategy. The numbers tell the story: 96% of companies report more engaged employees who volunteer. Employee turnover drops by 52%. And 93% of employee volunteers report greater happiness with their employers. We live in a country of stark contrasts, air-conditioned offices overlooking communities without clean water. This creates what I call the "social fulfillment gap." We tick the boxes of purpose, growth, and financial stability at work, but something remains missing. That something is our human need to contribute beyond ourselves. Smart companies understand this. They're not just building volunteering programs; they're filling the fulfillment gap that makes employees stay longer and work better. But effective corporate volunteering requires more than branded t-shirts and photo ops. It demands leadership that walks the talk, diverse options that match employee passions, strategic partnerships with credible organizations, and pathways for volunteers to become champions. Volunteering is an investment in your company's culture, in society, and in the humans who power your organization. When designed well, everybody wins. Especially the person you become in the process. #coporatevolunteering #csr #impact #corporate #employeewellbeing #uandi

66% fewer NIH grant awards so far this fiscal year. 54% drop in award value. 14 Notices of Funding Opportunity published in all of 2026, down from 756 in 2024. Association of American Universities (AAU) recently released these data, putting hard numbers behind what every research university in the country is already feeling. On March 17, NIH Director Bhattacharya testified before the House Appropriations Committee and committed to spending every dollar of the agency's $47.2 billion FY26 budget before September 30. That same day, OMB finally released the apportionment hold that had been blocking NIH from spending its congressionally approved funds. NIH has the budget, the congressional support, and now the OMB clearance to do something genuinely consequential. Broad distribution, not just total dollars spent, is what rebuilds the pipeline. In FY25, only 17% of applicants received an award, and early-stage investigators saw their success rate fall from 29.8% to 18.5%. The next generation of biomedical scientists is ready to thrive. Distributing this funding widely and quickly is how we signal that American science is open for business. Congress appropriated these funds to support broad-based, merit-reviewed science. We need NIH to deliver on both the quantity and the quality of that distribution, and to do it with enough of the fiscal year remaining to matter. Each grant represents a breakthrough, cure, or medical advance with potential to save and improve lives. I am sure that my colleagues who lead research enterprises across the country are watching just as closely. #NIH #FederalResearchFunding #ResearchPolicy #HigherEd #AcademicResearch

Most nonprofit organizations default to social media for growth. More reach means more donors, right? Not always. Let’s break it down with numbers. ROI (Return on Investment) Email marketing: $36 for every $1 spent (Data: DMA) Social media ads: $2.50–$5 per $1 spent (Data: HubSpot) Email wins. Less spend, more conversions. Donor Retention Email campaigns: 45% retention rate (Bloomerang) Social media donors: 4% retention rate (M+R Benchmarks) Email wins. You don’t own your social followers. Platforms do. Scalability Email lists: Grow predictably but require nurturing Social media: Explosive reach but volatile (algorithm shifts) Social wins for awareness. Email wins for conversions. How to Use Both (Smartly) Capture leads on social. Turn engagement into email subscribers. Nurture via email. Donors need consistent, direct messaging. Test and track. Measure click-through rates, not just likes. If your fundraising strategy relies only on social, you’re building a house on rented land. Own your audience. Email wins for retention and ROI. Social wins for reach. Smart campaigns use both. Agree? Disagree? Drop your thoughts below. With purpose and impact, Mario

"Website needs 4x ROAS, marketplace only needs 2x." Every D2C founder I meet sets different targets for different channels. They optimize each platform in isolation, cutting "unprofitable" campaigns without understanding the bigger picture. Here's the problem: Your Meta discovery ads aren't just driving website sales. 💥 The Hidden Reality Last quarter, I analyzed a beauty brand spending ₹1.5Cr monthly across channels. Their Facebook campaigns showed 2.8x website ROAS - below their 4x target. The founder wanted to cut budget immediately. But when we dug deeper, we discovered something critical: → 65% of their Amazon brand searches came from users who first saw Meta ads   → Quick commerce sales spiked 40% during Meta campaign periods   → Marketplace revenue dropped 30% whenever they reduced Meta spend  Their "unprofitable" 2.8x campaigns were actually generating 4.2x total business impact The attribution was invisible, but the influence was massive. 😕 Why This Happens Most founders make budget decisions using platform dashboards. But platform data only shows last-click attribution, not cross-channel influence. The reality: - Meta creates awareness - Google captures intent   - Marketplaces convert convenience purchases Cut your discovery budget based on siloed metrics, and watch your "profitable" channels mysteriously underperform next month. ➡️ The Bottom Line Stop measuring channel performance. Start measuring total business impact. The brands that scale fastest understand that discovery channels fuel everything else, even when you can't track it. What "unprofitable" channel have you discovered was actually driving hidden value across your business?

You need to raise money for your startup, but VCs aren’t biting and angels are turning up their noses. How about crowdfunding, you think — the VCs may not get it, but regular people will. If a16z won't write you a check for $5M, how about $1k checks from 5000 individuals? The idea of equity crowdfunding platform is appealing. Should you do it? If you’re looking for a simple yes or no answer, sorry, you won’t get that from me. Crowdfunding has its uses. But it’s rarely a silver bullet. Posting your pitch deck on a crowdfunding platform is easy. But that alone will accomplish nothing other than draining your remaining funds. To be successful at crowdfunding requires a significant budget, slick marketing, and knowing how to game the platform's algorithms. It’s far more difficult than founders expect. In addition to hefty platform fees, the real costs are usually in the marketing. To start with, you’ll need a slick video to introduce the product and company. That alone could cost $20K or so. Add in legal fees and accounting, and it’s best to budget at least $50K. Then you'll need a well-prepared marketing blitz. To stay on the platform's front page for more than a day and avoid sliding into obscurity, you'll need to be pulling in investment faster than all the other startups. You'll need a collection of your own investors lined up to invest the minute your campaign goes live. You’ll need a constant stream of email blasts, social media posts, and webinars for potential investors. If you do that well, will you raise $500K? $10 million? If you have a consumer product, then maybe. If you have a niche B2B product, it'll be much harder. The other downside is that once you've raised investment from crowdfunding, it becomes more difficult to raise later rounds from angels and VCs. If you’re following the traditional venture path to unicorn status, it’s best to avoid equity crowdfunding. But if you’re developing a product that resonates with the general public, crowdfunding is an option. If you do decide to go the crowdfunding route, make sure to understand the costs as well as what’s required to be successful. https://bit.ly/46YBYx2

📣📣📣We are pleased to share our new paper, now available online in Research in International Business and Finance (#RIBAF): “Crowdfunding in a Shifting Landscape: The Impact of Competition and Exogenous Shocks on Platform Dynamics” 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dF7rZz9R Co-authored with Burze Yasar and Isil Sevilay Yılmaz Using a comprehensive dataset of Kickstarter campaigns (2010–2022), we examine how platform competition and large-scale shocks shape crowdfunding performance over time. Some key takeaways: • The effect of within-platform competition is not static: it is negative in early-stage markets but turns positive as platforms mature and awareness increases. • The COVID-19 pandemic represents a clear structural break in crowdfunding dynamics. • Mobility restrictions appear to support smaller ventures(consistent with prosocial behavior) while public panic has the opposite effect. • Timing, visibility, and market maturity are critical for campaign success. The paper speaks to entrepreneurs, platform designers, and policymakers interested in the evolving role of alternative finance, especially under conditions of uncertainty. #Crowdfunding #FinTech #Entrepreneurship #PlatformEconomics #AlternativeFinance #COVID19 #CrisisEconomics #SMEs #EconomicPolicy #NewResearch