Paul De Gregorio’s Master Class and Lessons for Fundraisers in the Digital Environment
“Do something. Anything.” That’s the motto of “Rally,” the company Paul De Gregorio founded years ago. Paul is a strategist specializing in the digital mobilization of communities, and in his master class at the end of June 2026, he shared much of his experience and knowledge with a packed room of fundraisers. Interest in the event was so high that tickets were still selling even the day before the Master Class. And this interest is by no means coincidental, as Paul is a sought-after speaker worldwide and has worked on a number of successful campaigns in the U.S., Australia, the United Kingdom, and Romania.
The master class began with a presentation titled “Building Big Digital Movements,” which provided concrete examples of how to apply digital mobilization models through which organizations can engage the general public on a large scale and encourage them to take action. We examined global examples of digital mobilization and specific steps for applying them to fundraising campaigns. We also examined how the causes that the NGO sector champions and raises funds for are communicated. We confirmed that the storytelling behind the cause must be exceptionally impactful in order to spark people’s interest and engage them. Every successful digital mobilization begins with a good story. In the master class workbook, this was the first exercise: developing an organizational narrative, tone of voice, and campaign goal.
People have power, and the task of a civil society organization is to unlock that power to bring about change. Paul shared that mobilization isn’t just communication or advertising, but people’s active participation in the organization’s vision. In other words, the public shouldn’t just be an observer but should become part of the cause—with their time, their voice, their money, their contacts, and their willingness to take action.
“Fundraising alone cannot change the world,” says Paul. Raising funds is important, but it is not enough. To bring about lasting change, organizations must build a deeper connection with people—draw them into their mission, give them a clear role, and guide them toward next steps.
The second important element we discussed during the Master Class is that it’s not just what an organization says that matters, but how it says it—how it sounds—is crucial. The tone of the campaign must inspire people to take action. That’s why every organization needs to consider how it wants to sound—bold, human, clear, inspiring—and how it doesn’t want to sound—bureaucratic, cold, patronizing, or overly technical.
The third topic that came into focus was a clear call to action. A campaign shouldn’t just inform; rather, it should invite people to take a specific action. Paul pointed out various types of actions: a person can agree with a value-based message, sign a petition, send an email to an institution, make a donation, share content, participate in an event, or recruit others. The key is for the action to be simple, clear, and aligned with the organization’s broader mission.
The fourth key point was that a signature, donation, or registration is not the end, but the beginning of a relationship. The organization must have a plan in place for how it will welcome new supporters. A sample model includes a series of the first five emails: a thank-you note and an invitation to share, a short survey to get to know the person, a request for a donation, an invitation to take a new action, and an encouragement for the person to invite their friends and family.
After the presentation ended, the session moved on to the practical part. Participants divided into groups and chose a specific cause on which to build a successful campaign in several steps. The different groups presented their campaigns to one another and evaluated each other’s work. Throughout the session, Paul was available to answer questions and provide clarification.
The master class concluded with numerous questions from the participants to Paul, all of which he answered. The main takeaways from the master class were that to build a successful campaign, you must seize the right moment, convey your message through a compelling story, keep the summary short and concise, and engage the public in the cause—not just get them to click the “donate” button. Or, as we began: “Do something. Anything.”
