Center for Sustainable Giving

What Center for Sustainable Giving does

The Center for Sustainable Giving is a U.S.-based nonprofit advisory and educational organization founded in 2024 by Dave Raley and headquartered in Poulsbo, Washington, operating as a remote-first entity. It serves nonprofit leaders and fundraisers seeking to shift from transactional, campaign-driven fundraising toward sustainable, recurring giving programs modeled on the subscription economy. Its customer base spans individual nonprofit organizations (primary business-unit segment) and nonprofit executives, development directors, and fundraising leaders (primary persona segment), and its certified-partner program extends its reach into nonprofit technology vendors and agencies.

The Center operates around a three-pronged model: Equip (workshops and learning experiences), Advise (hands-on assessments, roadmaps, and ongoing advisory partnerships), and Insights (research and resources including the Sustainable Giving Manifesto, The Wave Report weekly column, and the Sustainable Giving Manifesto). It does not offer a proprietary technology platform or software product; intellectual property is concentrated in founder-authored content, including the book "The Rise of Sustainable Giving" and a video-first podcast distributed on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. A formal Sustainable Giving Certification program evaluates and recognizes technology providers and agencies on their readiness to support recurring giving programs, with six disclosed Certified Partners across CRM, AI-driven engagement, donation platform, and agency services categories.

Revenue is generated through five streams: hands-on advisory engagements (described as subscription/recurring), workshops and training (professional services), the RISE group advisory program (subscription/recurring monthly cadence), book sales (one-time), and certification licensing/participation. The organization does not publish pricing or revenue figures. Go-to-market is sales-led and content-driven, relying on thought leadership (podcast, newsletter, book, column, speaking engagements) and a certified-partner referral channel rather than traditional demand-gen spend. Operating geographies are described as global via direct website distribution, though the operational footprint is U.S.-based, with no disclosed enterprise customer concentration.

Name

Center for Sustainable Giving

Legal name

The Center for Sustainable Giving

Website

https://sustainablegiving.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Center for Sustainable Giving is a U.S. nonprofit founded by Dave Raley that trains, advises, and certifies nonprofit leaders and technology providers on building sustainable recurring giving programs through workshops, the RISE group advisory program, and a Certified Partner ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Advisory and Capacity-Building Services

NAICS

Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Charitable Giving & Philanthropic Trust Advisory (FSAEAKAH)

Keywords

• Nonprofit advisory services
• Recurring giving programs
• Fundraising consulting
• Nonprofit training workshops
• Sustainable philanthropy insights

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Advisory Services: Hands-on assessments, roadmaps, and ongoing advisory partnerships to help nonprofits transform and grow sustainable giving programs.
2. Workshops and Training: Learning experiences and workshops designed to equip nonprofit leaders and organizations with sustainable giving strategies.
3. RISE Program: Implementation-focused group advisory program with monthly coaching, ongoing education, advisory support, and private online community. Follows a monthly rhythm for consistent execution.
4. Book Sales: The Rise of Sustainable Giving book by Dave Raley, available in print and audiobook formats.
5. Certification Program: Sustainable Giving Certification for technology providers and agencies, with three components: certification questionnaire, guided interview, and evidence review. Certified partners receive recognition and a detailed Sustainable Giving Readiness Report.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Center for Sustainable Giving helps nonprofit leaders grow recurring generosity through a three-pronged offering: Equip (workshops and learning experiences), Advise (hands-on assessments, roadmaps, and ongoing advisory engagements), and Insights (research, the Sustainable Giving Manifesto, The Wave Report column, podcast, and book). It also runs the RISE group advisory subscription program and the Sustainable Giving Certified Partner program recognizing technology providers and agencies equipped to support recurring giving.

Product overview

The Center for Sustainable Giving is an advisory and educational nonprofit organization (not a technology company) that provides a suite of services to help nonprofit leaders grow sustainable recurring giving programs. The core offerings include advisory services and the RISE group advisory program, workshops and learning experiences, research publications including The Wave Report, the Sustainable Giving Podcast, and the book 'The Rise of Sustainable Giving.' The organization also operates a Certified Partner Program that recognizes technology providers and agencies equipped for modern recurring giving. All offerings are advisory, educational, and community-focused rather than software or technology products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RISE: An implementation-focused group advisory program designed to help organizations grow recurring giving that lasts, featuring group coaching, ongoing education, advisory support, and a private online community.
• Sustainable Giving Podcast

Products and services

• Sustainable Giving Workshops Workshop and learning experiences designed to equip nonprofit leaders and organizations with the knowledge and frameworks to build sustainable recurring giving programs.
• Advisory Services Hands-on assessments, roadmaps, and ongoing advisory partnerships to help nonprofit organizations transform and grow sustainable giving programs.
• RISE Program Implementation-focused group advisory program with monthly coaching, ongoing education, advisory support, and a private online community designed to help organizations grow recurring giving that lasts.
• The Rise of Sustainable Giving (Book) A foundational book by Dave Raley exploring the transition from transactional fundraising to long-term donor value, examining six key shifts driven by the subscription economy, available in print and audiobook.
• Sustainable Giving Certified Partner Program An objective certification program that evaluates technology providers, agencies, and consultants on their readiness to support modern recurring giving programs, with components including a certification questionnaire, guided interview, and evidence review. Certified partners receive recognition and a Sustainable Giving Readiness Report.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nonprofits can unlock $100 billion to $200 billion in additional generosity through recurring giving over the next decade

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered founding certified partner and core partner.

• CharityEnginefounding certified partnerTechnology or IntegrationCharityEngine is an all-in-one nonprofit CRM and fundraising platform and a Founding Certified Partner of the Sustainable Giving Certification program. Their platform includes SustainerIQ technology to protect recurring revenue by automatically addressing failed payments. The certification recognizes their commitment to sustainable fundraising models and recurring donor management.
• Virtuous Raisecore partnerTechnology or IntegrationVirtuous Raise is an online fundraising solution designed to help nonprofits create high-converting, modern donation experiences. They are a Sustainable Giving Certified Partner focused on reducing friction in the giving process and helping nonprofits turn supporters into long-term recurring donors.
• Avidcore partnerTechnology or IntegrationAvid is an AI-powered fundraising and donor engagement platform that helps nonprofits identify, engage, and retain donors through predictive insights and personalized outreach. They are a Sustainable Giving Certified Partner bringing AI and data capabilities to sustainable giving programs.
• Share Servicescore partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerShare Services is a full-service fundraising agency and Founding Certified Partner that helps charities grow sustainable revenue. They bring strategic clarity to designing and growing modern, subscription-ready recurring giving programs built for durability.
• GoFundMe Procore partnerTechnology or IntegrationGoFundMe Pro is a modern fundraising platform backed by $40 billion in giving since 2010. As a Sustainable Giving Certified Partner, they help nonprofits acquire more recurring donors, increase lifetime value, and build reliable foundation for long-term growth through their branded fundraising experiences.
• BDIcore partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBDI is a full-service fundraising and marketing agency and a Sustainable Giving Certified Partner. They help nonprofit organizations grow support through data-driven strategy, creative storytelling, and integrated fundraising campaigns, with a focus on moving beyond campaign-by-campaign fundraising toward long-term growth.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Giving Institute: The Giving Institute is an association of top fundraising consulting firms that promotes ethical fundraising practice and produces research — a peer in shaping fundraising norms and advising nonprofits on development strategy.
• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP): AFP is the professional membership association for fundraisers, providing training, certification, and resources — directly comparable to CSG's educational, certification, and community-building focus for nonprofit leaders.
• GivingTuesday: GivingTuesday is a nonprofit movement and organization that promotes generosity through annual campaigns, research, and coalition-building — a direct peer as a nonprofit building infrastructure and public discourse around donor behavior.
• M+R (now Denevue): M+R is a leading nonprofit consultancy and advocacy shop with research, benchmarks (e.g., the M+R Benchmarks Study), and campaigns for the sector — directly comparable to CSG's blend of advisory, research, and thought leadership on fundraising practice.

Emerging players

• The Fund Raising School at Indiana University (Lilly Family Philanthropy): The Fund Raising School delivers executive education and certificates for fundraising professionals — an emerging educational peer that competes for nonprofit leaders' training and certification spend alongside CSG's workshops.
• Nonprofit Marketing Guide: Nonprofit Marketing Guide provides training, webinars, and resources on nonprofit fundraising and marketing — comparable to CSG's workshop and content-led education model for the same audience.

Others

• The Nonprofit Times: The Nonprofit Times is the leading independent business publication for nonprofit management — comparable to CSG as an adjacent media and insights channel that shapes how nonprofit leaders think about fundraising practice.
• Imago Consulting: Imago Consulting is Dave Raley's prior advisory firm, focused on sustainable innovation; it shares the founder, client overlap, and content lineage (The Wave Report is hosted there) — an adjacent entity rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• CCS Fundraising: CCS Fundraising is one of the largest fundraising consulting firms in the US, providing campaign counsel, feasibility studies, and ongoing fundraising advisory — a broad incumbent competing for the same nonprofit advisory dollars as CSG.
• Schultz & Williams: Schultz & Williams is a long-established fundraising and marketing consultancy serving nonprofits with strategic counsel and campaign execution — a broad incumbent adjacent to CSG's advisory offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SustainableGiving

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Center for Sustainable Giving