Fundraising Reimagined by Principles, Not Appearances.
Led by Larry Johnson, The Eight Principles® exists to flip the script on nonprofit culture.
our founder
Larry’s Story
Larry Johnson’s path didn’t begin in fundraising. He studied engineering at Vanderbilt, then earned his M.Div. in ethics at Yale, and later entered corporate leadership. Early in his career, he held leadership roles in alumni relations, first as a volunteer and then as a professional, working closely with major donors and institutions. It was here he had a realization: wealth often masks deeper longings, and philanthropy is rarely just about money.
As Larry moved from transactional to relational giving, he saw a pattern: many nonprofits are trapped in what he calls the “starvation cycle.” Their work is driven by optics, short-term outcomes, and donor fatigue, rather than values and sustainable culture. He believes institutions can break free, if they choose principles over performance.
Larry brings decades of experience raising major gifts, leading teams, and building durable systems. The Eight Principles® is his response to what he saw: a nonprofit sector capable of far more if it flips its internal culture from surface to substance.
“Most nonprofits operate in what is called ‘the starvation cycle.’ Transactional thinking, self-focus, and a lack of understanding of donor investors trap nonprofits in this mindset. Reinvent your fundraising program to one driven by principles, and see what happens. Generosity explodes even as sustainable funding streams swell.”
LARRY C. JOHNSON,
FOUNDER, THE EIGHT PRINCIPLES®
why now
Industry Shifts
The nonprofit world is at a turning point. Donors are more discerning, younger generations demand authenticity, and technology has outpaced most organizations’ ability to use it well. The old playbook no longer works — the sector must evolve or risk fading into irrelevance.
Loss of Trust
Donors demand transparency and measurable impact.
Generational Change
Millennials and Gen Z expect mission and values over branding or prestige.
Tech Misuse
Many nonprofits invest in tools before fixing the culture needed to use them well.
Manifesto
The old nonprofit model is fading. Good riddance. Fundraising isn’t about vanity metrics or pageantry. At The Eight Principles®, we revitalize culture so generosity flows. We don’t hand you decks. We build lasting systems, language, and habits that let your work become worthy of giving.
When culture is revitalized, fundraising stops being a scramble, it becomes inevitable.