$20K
Phase 2 · per month
Steady Ground
Predictable income takes hold (~$240K/yr)
What it feels like
Income is steady enough to plan around. About $240K a year can support a small team, and recurring gifts are becoming the backbone instead of one-off appeals.
Why nonprofits stall here
Growth is still founder-powered outreach; without a wider net and repeatable acquisition, the recurring base levels off.
The breakthrough move
Build a repeatable acquisition engine - email capture, a consistent monthly newsletter, personal asks at scale - so new supporters arrive without the founder chasing each one.
Your focus at this milestone
Grow an owned email audience
Make personal asks repeatable
Track gift sources and what converts
Formalize your first core staff role