At Nonprofit Fundraising Management (NFM), we don’t just help churches “raise money.”
We help visionary leaders like you build systems that unlock consistent, mission-aligned funding — so they can serve more people, without burning out or begging for dollars.
This is the story of how The Emory Fellowship stepped up to meet a rising need in their community — and how we partnered with them to make their bold vision a reality.
Let’s break down how they did it — and how your church can too.
The Problem: Not Enough Money, Not Enough Capacity, Way Too Much Need
When Emory came to us, their leadership was tired, but they weren’t giving up.
They were deeply connected to their community and committed to serving it. But like so many churches, they were spread across too many ministries, and their food distribution program — one of their most visible outreach efforts — was struggling.
They were seeing more families show up each week needing groceries, but couldn’t keep up with the demand.
Worse, they didn’t have a dedicated development staff, so fundraising was happening off the side of someone’s desk — when it happened at all.
Sound familiar?
We hear this story all the time from Black churches and grassroots nonprofits:
“We have the people. We have the programs. We just don’t have the resources to keep it going.”
That’s where we came in.
What We Did (Step-by-Step)
We didn’t throw a one-size-fits-all campaign at Emory.
We came in as a partner to the mission they were already leading.
1. Narrowed the Focus
Emory had multiple ministries doing amazing work. We helped them identify the one program with the most immediate impact and strongest case for support: food distribution.
By focusing here first, we could help them win early — and build trust with donors fast.
2. Built Donor Messaging That Worked
We rewrote their donor communications from the ground up. Instead of vague asks, we:
- Tied giving to tangible outcomes (e.g. “$35 feeds a family of four for a week”)
- Highlighted urgency and community impact
- Used real voices from their congregation and neighbors
This wasn’t just messaging — it was storytelling rooted in Emory’s faith and work.
We also launched targeted fundraising pushes around key moments in the calendar — not just end-of-year.
3. Ran the Campaigns Ourselves
This is key. We didn’t give Emory a playbook and walk away.
We became their fundraising team — running emails, tracking data, testing, and optimizing along the way.
Their staff stayed focused on ministry.
We stayed focused on funding it.
The Results: 10,000+ People Served, Stress Lifted
With our team managing strategy and execution, Emory’s leadership was finally free to lead.
Their food distribution program didn’t just survive — it grew beyond what they thought possible.
In 2024 alone, Emory’s food ministry served over 10,000 people.
That’s not just a number. That’s families who didn’t go hungry.
That’s single moms like Denise, who told us:
“This means my babies won’t have to worry about where we’ll sleep next month.”
That’s why we do this.
The Real Win: Ministry Leaders Got to Lead Again
Before we stepped in, Emory’s leaders were doing everything — preaching, planning, serving, and trying to fundraise in the margins.
Once we took on the fundraising engine, they got their time and energy back.
They were able to focus on:
- Serving people face-to-face
- Deepening partnerships
- Strengthening their team
And the money kept coming in.
We handled the backend. They led the movement.
Why This Matters for Your Church
Thousands of churches shut their doors every year.
And Black churches — the very institutions holding up our communities — are among the hardest hit.
Not because the work isn’t good.
Not because the people aren’t faithful.
But because they’re doing it all without support.
We built NFM to change that.
If This Sounds Familiar, You’re Not Alone
If your church or nonprofit is:
- Tired of scraping by financially
- Leading great programs with no consistent funding
- Unsure what to do next to move things forward…
You’re exactly who we built this for.
This is about results — like we saw with Emory, and like we’ve seen with many other churches and faith-based orgs.
Over the past 30 years, our team has helped raise more than $50 million for community programs like:
- Food ministries
- Afterschool youth programs
- Mental health and reentry support
- Affordable housing
- Community wellness hubs
All led by churches & nonprofits like yours.
Let’s Talk About What’s Possible for You
We’re not consultants.
We’re your behind-the-scenes team — the fundraising department you don’t have to hire.
If your church has the mission, we’ll bring the strategy and execution to help you fund it — month after month, year after year.
Want to see what that could look like?
→ Book a free strategy call with us today.
We’ll walk through your current setup and show you exactly where the opportunities are — and what’s blocking your growth.
You don’t have to do it alone.
Let’s move from scarcity to sustainability — together.
