The Accidental Nonprofiteer: Building Systems That Serve Your Mission (Not the Other Way Around‪)‬

Never set out to run a nonprofit? Most world-changers didn't either.

Kenny Kane never planned to become a nonprofit leader. He learned customer service behind the counter of a small-town pharmacy, stumbled into mission-driven work, and eventually built systems that served thousands of young cancer survivors. Along the way, he discovered a truth many nonprofit leaders share: the most impactful organizations are often started by people who simply refused to look away.

The Accidental Nonprofiteer isn’t a textbook. It's a field guide for people who lead because they care—people building something meaningful while learning in real time. If you’ve ever felt like you’re figuring it out as you go, you're not alone. And you’re exactly who this book is for.

What You'll Learn

• Serve with systems that scale
Practical tools for building technology and processes that support real people in moments that matter.

• Turn volunteers into leaders
Manage diverse personalities, distributed teams, and passionate stakeholders with clarity and empathy.

• Fund a mission that lasts
Move beyond donation-only thinking and create recurring, sustainable revenue that builds stability and power.

• Grow without losing heart
Professionalize your operations while staying authentic and mission-driven.

• Lead for the long game
Build organizations that endure leadership changes and continue making impact long after you leave.

Real-World Lessons Inside

Hard-won insights you won’t find in a syllabus, including:

• What to do when your email platform shuts you down mid-campaign

• How turning off Facebook messaging strengthened community trust

• The one-hour forum project that generated $50K in sponsorship

• Why operational headaches often mean you’re doing something right

Who This Book Is For

• Accidental founders driven by lived experience and purpose

• Small-team leaders wearing every hat

• Volunteer organizers building chapters, programs, or communities

• Mission-driven operators who want sustainable, scalable impact

• Anyone who believes that real change starts with the people closest to the problem

About the Author

Kenny Kane helped grow Stupid Cancer into a national movement serving tens of thousands of young adults facing cancer. Today, he lives in Austin, Texas, building technology and systems for organizations committed to purpose and impact.

You don’t need an MBA to change the world.
You need conviction, creativity, and the willingness to build as you go. The Accidental Nonprofiteer shows you how.