City Year transforms the lives of two distinct sets of constituents — but it doesn’t stop there. Relying on powerful stories to engage them, it also transforms the lives of donors.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

The same goes for fundraising. Right now, sites are usually pretty free to work on their own corporate relationships, grow their own direct-mail and e-mail lists, and attract donors in ways that are best received by their individual communities. There are no plans to stifle that individuality, Gordon says, but the organization is looking toward consistency across the sites, hoping to develop a fundraising strategy that is “75 percent consistent across the country, but 25 percent unique.”