The Lab

Helping organizations

Innovate Fundraising For Mission Impact

In the ever-evolving landscape of social change, innovation is key. The Lab is where fundraising ideas meet practical data-driven solutions. We support organizations that have already established foundational revenue generation practices and are eager to refine or explore new, untested strategies. 

Why The Lab ?

The Lab at Progressive Multiplier offers a unique blend of financing and strategic expertise designed to help movement groups exponentially scale their independent revenue generation (IRG) efforts. You’re entering into a dynamic, mutually beneficial relationship designed to amplify our collective impact on the progressive movement landscape. 

Staffed by IRG experts with an average of 20 years of experience, The Lab supports grantees at every stage of their projects. As nonprofits develop IRG methods that yield a 2:1 return on investment, The Lab also offers recoverable grants and market-rate loans to scale these successful tactics, ensuring that innovative solutions can grow and thrive.

Traditional Grants

We offer traditional project grants to 501(c)(3) organizations from both Progressive Multiplier Fund and Action Fund.  We can also leverage our unique utility that provides 501(c)(3) grants to 501(c)(4) movement groups. These grants are designed to support the primary purpose work that occurs during (C)(4)revenue generation projects.

 

Recoverable Grants

We offer no-risk financing through recoverable grants to nonprofits that want to scale an IRG method that has demonstrated a 2:1 or better return on investment (ROI) for them. These grants help nonprofits scale successful tactics and build long-term financial sustainability.

 

Market Rate loans

We offer market-rate loans to complement our C3 to C4 utility, supporting nonprofits in scaling their revenue generation tactics. Our loans are customized to fit each organization's needs, ensuring they have the financial resources to grow effectively.

The Lab's Approach

Each Lab grant is designed to expand on established revenue generation tactics or pioneer new approaches. For instance, For the Many, an organization with an existing major donor program, used its Lab grant to integrate this program into its relational organizing efforts, creating a scalable model that other groups can replicate to accelerate revenue growth.

On the other hand, innovation can also mean developing something entirely new. The Water Collaborative of New Orleans, turned the concept of fee-for-service on its head by creating a water justice walking tour of the French Quarter, marketed through Airbnb Experiences—a truly unique project that redefines what fundraising can look like.

Expected Return

We aim for at least a 2:1 ROI on most of our IRG methods. This means that for every dollar invested, we expect a return of two dollars in revenue generation. Our strategic support and financial resources are designed to help you achieve this goal.

Experimenting with Rev Gen

When you become a grantee in The Lab, you also become a research partner. As a research partner, your experiment findings will help amplify our collective impact on our movement in The Convergence.

Strategic Assistance

A dedicated team of IRG experts with an average of 20 years of experience provides comprehensive strategic assistance. This includes:

Thought Partnership
Collaborate with our experts to refine your revenue generation strategies.
Education
Gain insights into best practices and innovative approaches to IRG.
Technical Assistance

Receive practical support tailored to your project's needs.

Our strategic assistance is designed to help you:

  • Develop and implement innovative revenue generation strategies.
  • Analyze data performance and make informed decisions.
  • Communicate your findings and strategies effectively with your team.

The Blueprint

The Blueprint is our comprehensive learning tool that helps you plan, track, analyze and share the results of your experiments. It serves as:

  • A Learning Tool: Understand why we collect and track certain pieces of data.
  • An Experimentation Tracker: Monitor the progress and outcomes of your fundraising experiments.
  • A Vehicle for Storytelling and Accountability: Share your journey and results with your team and the broader community. 

The Blueprint helps develop essential IRG skills, including:

  • Data Analysis: Learn to interpret and act on data insights.
  • Strategic Communication: Enhance your ability to convey complex ideas and results.
  • Collaborative Problem-Solving: Work effectively with your team and our experts to find data-driven solutions.

Groups will have the unique opportunity to be at the forefront of innovating how we resource a progressive movement large and strong enough to achieve justice, restore the environment, and realize democracy. The Lab is ideal for organizations that:

  • Have the catalytic capacities to support sustained rev gen work OR the willingness to remediate them as part of the project. 
  • Are looking to innovate beyond traditional fundraising methods to achieve greater impact.
  • Require R&D funding to test new ideas and strategies that can be scaled within the progressive movement.

A Learning Community

We share The Lab's Grant results with peers through the Convergence, our platform for collective learning. Whether you’re refining a proven tactic or developing a groundbreaking new approach, your findings help others in the movement accelerate their revenue generation efforts.
The Convergence