• [#101] FULL TRAINING: Exactly How to Raise Support in Today's Modern World

    Watch on YouTube (recommended) »

    This is the replay of our recent live masterclass, where you'll learn the two most important frameworks we teach inside of Fully Funded Academy: the 7-Step Donor Progression and the FREEDOM Method.

    Together, they give missionaries and ministry leaders like you a clear, repeatable path for raising support, growing your donor base, and getting fully funded.

    You'll also hear real testimonies from missionaries inside Fully Funded Academy, including stories of thousands of dollars in commitments and unexpected donations.

    JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    At the time of this training, enrollment to Fully Funded Academy was open. Doors are currently closed so we can focus on the group who just joined. Get on the priority waitlist to be the first to know when we open again:

    fullyfundedacademy.com

    • 4:27 — Support Raising Built on Sand
    • 7:20 — Survey Insights from 600 missionaries
    • 10:58 — The 7-Step Donor Journey
    • 25:30 — The FREEDOM Framework
    • 34:27 — Brand and One Pager
    • 39:34 — Organize Ask and Impact
    • 43:42 — Solutions to Your Challenges
    • 49:20 — Lean into these Testimonies
    • 54:50 — Inside The Academy
    • 1:06:24 — Live Q And A
    • 1:19:49 — Prayer And Sendoff

    ABOUT FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    Fully Funded Academy is the coaching and training program for Christian missionaries, ministry leaders, and nonprofit professionals who want to raise full financial support, without the burnout or the guesswork.

    Founded by Mary Valloni (author of Fundraising Freedom, 20+ years in nonprofit fundraising) and Mike Kim (Wall Street Journal bestselling author of You Are the Brand), the Academy walks members through the proven FREEDOM Method, twice-monthly live coaching calls, a private community, and a full library of templates, scripts, and resources.

    13 May 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 27 minutes 31 seconds
    [#100] How Dan & Maria Hurrelbrink Rebuilt Their Missionary Funding From the Brink of Collapse

    In 2016, Dan and Maria Hurrelbrink's ministry in Romania nearly collapsed. In Part 2 of our conversation, they share exactly how they rebuilt — and what changed when they stopped waiting and started communicating.

    From weekly donor emails to a clear ministry vision that carried them through a war on their border, their story is practical, honest, and hard-won.

    💼 Get the Book: https://amzn.to/3Wfbwum

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    5 May 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 27 minutes 24 seconds
    [#99] The Fundraising Shift That Saved Our Ministry with Dan & Maria Hurrelbrink

    Dan and Maria Hurrelbrink have been missionaries in Romania for over 33 years — planting churches, running camps, adopting five children, and building Barnabas Ministries from the ground up.

    But by 2017, their total ministry and family budget had quietly collapsed to $60,000. They were running out of money, couldn't leave the field, and were one bad year away from closing everything they'd built.

    The problem wasn't their faithfulness. It was one costly mistake almost every missionary makes: raising support for themselves instead of their ministry.

    In this episode, Dan and Maria share exactly how they turned it around — including the reframe that changed everything, how Dan kept supporters engaged for 5 years without setting foot on US soil, and why "out of sight is out of mind" doesn't have to be the end of your support.

    This is Part 1 of a two-part interview. If you're a missionary feeling stuck, stretched, or invisible to your supporters… this one is for you.

    📩 Subscribe so you don't miss Part 2 of Dan and Maria's story.

    If you're ready to build a strategy that holds no matter what season you're in, the Fully Funded Academy is open for enrollment. Join us at fullyfundedacademy.com.

    28 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 27 minutes 46 seconds
    [#98] How Nora McNamara Went From $34 to Fully Funded in Just Six Months

    On a recent survey, over 90% of missionaries we asked said they did NOT know any fully funded missionaries. Well, we're here to change that! Meet Nora McNamara, a seasoned missionary who went from raising $34 in a month to getting fully funded just six months later – and has stayed fully funded now for YEARS.

    This conversation, originally held for our Fully Funded Academy members, highlights Nora's transformative strategies and insights into missionary fundraising.

    If you're struggling with raising support or feel alone in your financial challenges, this episode is tailored for you. Watch our recent (free!) live training here »

    Watch this interview on YouTube »

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    21 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 23 minutes 32 seconds
    [#97] How to Tell Stories to Raise Support - with James Harrington in Uganda

    James Harrington went from meeting a stranger at a barbecue to installing thousands of water systems across Uganda. In this conversation on location in Uganda, he shares the storytelling secrets, fundraising principles, and focus strategies that turned a dream into a sustainable movement.

    • 1:46 - How to make the world smaller though stories
    • 3:23 - Tell stories about your team
    • 6:13 - "Filter builds" and community support-raising events
    • 9:47 - Study the region and community you are in
    • 11:51 - Creating a sense of destiny via stories
    • 17:21 - What did support-raising look like at the start?

    Watch our recent (free!) live training here »

    Watch this interview on YouTube »

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    15 April 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 15 minutes 23 seconds
    [#96] A Big Announcement... Details on our First Conference this September!

    After years of coaching missionaries one-on-one, Mary Valloni and Mike Kim are bringing the Fully Funded experience into the room. This is a two-day, hands-on conference designed for missionaries, ministry leaders, and sending organizations who are ready to stop guessing and start building a real support-raising strategy.

    September 21–22, 2026 Plano, TX

    This is NOT your typical nonprofit conference. You won't just sit and listen. You'll walk in with your challenges and walk out with a complete 90-day action plan: scripts written, strategy built, momentum created.

    The world of donor giving has changed. Communication has changed. If your support-raising playbook is more than a few years old, it's time for an upgrade. We're doing that work, together, in the room.

    🔗 Get all the details & register: fullyfundedacademy.com/live

    ⏰ Early bird pricing ends June 30… don't wait on this one.

    8 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 19 minutes 35 seconds
    [#95] Why Missionaries Who Have a Coach Get to Full Funding, Faster

    Watch this on YouTube »

    Have you plateaued in your support raising and not sure how to break through? You might be missing the one thing that changes everything: a coach.

    In this episode, Mary and Mike break down why coaching isn't optional for missionaries serious about reaching full support, it's the difference between spinning your wheels and actually crossing the finish line.

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    1 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 32 minutes
    [#94] How Rob and Nichole Plaster Have Stayed Funded for 20+ Years

    Rob and Nichole Plaster have been missionaries in France since 2003. In this episode, they share the support raising strategies that transformed their approach, including how they shifted from exhausting furlough trips to remote fundraising, built a team of advocates, and used weekly storytelling emails to keep donors engaged and excited.

    Whether you're just starting your missionary journey or you've hit a funding plateau after years on the field, Robin and Nicole's story will encourage you that full funding IS possible.

    • 2:07 - If you believe in what God is doing you must learn to communicate it
    • 4:44 - Raising support while still overseas
    • 7:52 - Values-first fundraising
    • 10:38 - Writing better email updates
    • 14:33 - Raising a large budget because Paris is expensive
    • 17:12 - When the scarcity mindset creeps back in
    • 21:44 - The power of a private Facebook group
    • 27:33 - Advice to other missionaries

    Connect with Rob and Nichole: https://www.theplastersofparis.com/

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    25 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 5 minutes 20 seconds
    [#93] How to ask donors to pay for your ministry training (free template!)

    Many missionaries believe supporters only want to fund "field work," but the truth is, your donors want to invest in YOUR growth! Whether you are looking to attend a conference, take a course, or join Fully Funded Academy, this messaging script will help you get the sponsorship you need without the guilt.

    In this episode, Mike Kim shares the exact email template you can use to confidently ask your donors to fund your professional development.

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    17 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 16 minutes 25 seconds
    [#92] Is technology killing missionary support raising?

    In a digital age dominated by automation, the "personal touch" remains the most powerful tool for Christian missionaries raising support.

    Join Mary Valloni and Mike Kim as they reveal why authentic, localized relationships are far more effective than generic outreach for fully funded missions. Discover how successful ministry leaders are leveraging technology—not to replace connection, but to amplify it—using simple strategies like personalized video messages to maintain genuine bonds with partners.

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    10 March 2026, 12:00 pm
  • 15 minutes 25 seconds
    [#91] What to Say when a donor stops supporting you

    One of the hardest moments in raising support is when a donor ends their support. It's scary… and it can leave you feeling rejected. But how you respond in this moment matters just as much as how you asked for their support in the beginning.

    In this episode, Mary and Mike break down exactly what to say when a donor stops supporting you. Instead of panicking or burning bridges, we'll show you how to honor the relationship, leave the door open for the future, and show you exactly what to say when this happens.

    CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:

    3 March 2026, 12:00 pm
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