Fully Funded Podcast - Fundraising for Christian Missionaries
Proven strategies, actionable insights, and encouraging testimonies for Christian missionaries raising support in today's world. We're Mary Valloni and Mike Kim, a team that only God could have brought together. Both of our lives were significantly impacted by missions. Mary is a respected non-profit consultant with a wealth of experience from working with ministry orgs like Chi Alpha as well as nonprofits like The American Cancer Society and the Special Olympics. Mike is best-selling author and expert in branding and marketing. Subscribe now to learn how to grow your donor base, raise more support, and get fully funded. More info at: http://fullyfundedacademy.com.
Episodes
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
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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.
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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 ins...
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...
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 confe...
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.
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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 yea...
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 t...
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—us...
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 t...
Are you making the hardest ask without realizing it? Most missionaries default to asking for monthly support, but this is actually the most difficult commitment for a new donor to make. By only focusing on monthly giving, you might be leaving thousands on the table in your missionary fundraising efforts.
In this video, we break down the Barbell Principle: a proven strategy to help you ra...
Can you achieve your missionary fundraising goals through social media alone? Mary Valloni reveals why social media isn't enough for full funding. While platforms like Instagram are powerful tools for donor engagement, true success in support raising requires personal connection.
Learn how to leverage faith-based support raising strategies to turn online followers into committed financial partners through intenti...
Support raising deadlines can cause a lot of anxiety. Whether you have 90 days or a year to raise support, the pressure can determine your entire calling... but it doesn't have to be paralyzing.
In this episode, Mary shows you how to handle the pressure of support raising for missionaries, while discovering why missing a deadline doesn't mean your calling is over. Enjoy these strategies for sustainable nonprofit...
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We've coached over 2,000 missionaries, and today we're exposing three phrases that could be killing your ask in donor conversations. We break down the subtle language shifts that transform awkward funding requests into natural partnership invitations.
If you've ever fumbled through face-to-face meetings or struggled with what to say when making the ask, this episode will change how you...
How should you talk about your salary with supporters and donors? In this episode, we break down the three key expense categories every missionary needs to understand: program, fundraising, and admin.
Learn why you don't need to share every personal expense detail with donors, and discover the proven framework that builds trust while maintaining healthy boundaries. If you're...
What's possible when you raise support with clarity, confidence, and community?
In this New Year episode, Mike Kim and Mary share powerful real-life testimonies from missionaries and ministry leaders who experienced breakthrough in their fundraising — including:
- A $25,000 gift from a newly formed advisory team
- A $230,000 year-end campaign that started with a $100,000 goal
- Members rebuilding confidence after ...
If you've ever felt like support raising should be easier by now—like maybe you're just not cut out for this—you need to watch this. Support raising has very predictable phases: the highs, the valleys, the plateaus. And if you don't know what's comin...
After coaching over 2,000 missionaries, we've noticed something: every single one who reached 100% support shared these five habits. They're not complicated, and they're not about being a "natural" at fundraising - they're just consistent, repeatable practices that work. If you want to get fully funded in 2026, start here.
CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:
- Website: https://fullyfundedacademy.com
- Get th...
Mike Kim and Mary Valloni break down four common phrases that quietly kill missionary fundraising, especially in 1:1 conversations... and what to say instead!
The shift is simple but powerful: move from neediness and vague asks to clarity, confidence, and invitation, treating supporters as partners in the mission, not transactions.
CONNECT WITH FULLY FUNDED ACADEMY:
- Website: https://fullyfundedacademy.c...
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