In episode 22 of the Community Rec Magazine Podcast, Rick Gorab, the president and CEO of the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges, discusses how his organization exceeded its largest fundraising goal in 140 years by building a culture of philanthropy. The successful fundraising came through organizational commitment, bold goal-setting, creative themed campaigns and structured accountability measures across all six branches.
Key strategies included requiring board members to make leadership-level gifts, implementing weekly progress tracking, and fostering team alignment through their “expect the best” initiative. Gorab emphasizes that changing organizational culture takes 3-5 years of dedicated effort, but the results enable increased community support – with financial assistance awards jumping 33% this year alone. The YMCA has already set even higher goals for 2026, driven by growing community need.
Enjoy!
Key Takeaways
Culture Building is Essential
Developing a culture of philanthropy requires three to five years of organizational commitment, discipline and the right team members. Leadership must believe in the mission and commit to execution with measurable metrics.
Board Leadership Sets the Tone
Requiring board members to make leadership-level gifts is crucial. When foundations ask if your board financially supports your cause, you need a strong “yes.” Board members must lead by example before asking the community for support.
Bold Asking Gets Results
Gorab’s story of asking a $500 donor for $10,000 — which was immediately accepted — demonstrates people often give below their capacity simply because they’re never asked for more. “Them that asks, gets.”
Structure and Fun Work Together
The YMCA uses themed campaigns, costumes, weekly accountability meetings and branch-specific goals. Making fundraising enjoyable while maintaining rigorous tracking and timelines drives success.
Goals Must Always Increase
As community needs grow, fundraising goals must rise accordingly. The organization has already set higher 2026 targets with the expectation of exceeding them.
Communication and Alignment Matter
The “expect the best” initiative improved coordination between development staff and branch directors, directly contributing to record-breaking results and successful fundraising.
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