One-time stories inspire emotion; longitudinal stories build transformation. The most successful fundraisers don’t just tell what happened, they connect the dots over time, showing progress, growth, and real impact. When donors see themselves within the story—woven into its chapters—they move from giving out of urgency to giving out of identity. Storytelling isn’t about communication; it is communication. And when done longitudinally, it becomes the foundation for trust, loyalty, and transformational giving.

Annual giving programs across every sector are struggling—and the old tactics no longer work. To re-engage donors, fundraisers must borrow from behavioral economics: reduce friction, offer clear defaults, and frame choices that inspire action. Subtle “nudges,” simplified giving options, and immediate impact stories can transform inertia into generosity. In a noisy, overloaded world, the organizations that understand how people actually make giving decisions will be the ones that thrive.

Great boards don’t just meet—they measure. When boards track their own performance, they shift from opinion-driven debate to data-informed decisions. Transparent metrics build trust, align strategy, and keep every member accountable to the mission. Start small, stay consistent, and let dashboards reveal where progress is thriving—and where course correction is needed. The result? A more engaged, effective board that owns its success.

In today’s digital world, one false post can damage a nonprofit’s reputation faster than any press release can repair it. False information spreads up to six times faster than truth—and small organizations often lack the resources to respond effectively. The key is preparation: monitor social platforms, respond calmly and transparently, and have a crisis protocol ready before misinformation strikes. Rebuilding trust takes time, but protecting it starts with awareness, clarity, and steady leadership. Don’t wait for a storm—build your umbrella now.

Nonprofits often face a silent crisis: they can’t fund the very infrastructure that keeps their mission alive. While donors love to support visible programs, few realize that unrestricted gifts – the ones that cover salaries, compliance, and basic operations – are what make real impact possible. When organizations underfund their “overhead,” they enter a starvation cycle that weakens long-term sustainability. By reframing unrestricted giving as mission fuel, nonprofits can help donors see that trust, not just passion, drives meaningful change. Restricted gifts show commitment. Unrestricted gifts show belief in leadership.

Nonprofits must learn to meet Millennials and Gen Z where they live—online, mobile, and driven by values. These generations demand immediacy, authenticity, and easy digital giving experiences, from QR codes to Apple Pay to thank-yous turned in 24-hours. Their gifts may start small, but their potential as future major donors is enormous if organizations invest in them now. The future of philanthropy belongs to those willing to adapt, engage, and make giving effortless.

Nonprofits can’t afford to ignore mental wellness. Stretching employees too thin leads to burnout, turnover, and lost donor trust—costs that ripple across mission, fundraising, and community impact. Leaders who invest in staff well-being not only do the right thing but also protect retention, efficiency, and donor relationships. From normalizing mental health conversations to flexible workspaces and empathetic leadership, the path is clear: taking care of your team is both a moral and strategic imperative.

Once seen as an invasion of privacy, texting is now one of the most effective tools for donor engagement. With open rates as high as 98%, texts dramatically outperform email and can strengthen relationships when used thoughtfully for outreach, stewardship, and even giving. The key is to keep messages short, timely, and personal—never spammy. When done well, texting becomes another arrow in the quiver of fundraising, deepening impact and building authentic connections in a digital-first world.

Getting in front of new prospects is harder than ever—but sitting back and waiting isn’t an option. This episode introduces a creative solution: gamifying the dreaded phone call. By turning outreach and even rejection into a points-based game, fundraisers can build camaraderie, reduce fear, and spark real momentum. From scoring voicemails to celebrating “rejection of the week,” this approach reframes calling from a chore into a challenge and makes progress fun again.

Donor conversations aren’t always smooth - especially when political or social issues enter the mix. In this podcast, Randall Hallett unpacks how fundraisers can navigate divisive topics with civility, professionalism, and focus on shared values. He stresses the importance of staying agnostic, listening first, and reframing discussions around mission and impact rather than ideology. With practical communication strategies and a reminder that philanthropy is about hope and connection, Randall shows how to keep relationships strong, even when opinions differ.

Building a strong donor portfolio isn’t magic. It’s math, persistence, and mindset. In this piece, we break down the real metrics behind qualification calls, revealing how many dials it takes to land conversations and turn those into meaningful meetings. It’s not just about picking up the phone, but about embracing follow-ups, leveraging multiple channels, and tracking every step. Success comes from resilience, consistency, and understanding that small wins compound into lasting donor relationships.

Transformational philanthropy doesn’t happen overnight—it’s the result of patience, humility, and deep trust built over years. Too often, organizations focus on immediate needs and campaign timelines instead of donors’ passions and timeframes. This story highlights how a client took the long view, nurturing a relationship with one of the rare 0.1% capable of extraordinary giving. By personalizing stewardship, showing appreciation, and listening with humility, they created space for generosity to grow naturally into something truly transformative.

Too often, nonprofits treat donors as if they are obligated to give—out of duty, guilt, or long-standing expectation. This mindset not only diminishes donor joy but also undermines the potential for transformational gifts. True philanthropy is rooted in passion, where giving aligns with a donor’s values, identity, and sense of purpose. By shifting from obligation to passion, nonprofits can foster deeper loyalty, larger gifts, and lasting impact. At its core, philanthropy should be about self-determination and joy, not obligation and pressure.

When a nonprofit’s founder or small group wields too much influence, mission drift can quietly erode trust, credibility, and board strength. The result? Confusion among donors, disengaged board members, staff turnover, and even reputational risk. The cure lies in proactive governance: clear roles, term limits, strong bylaws, intentional recruitment, and the courage (both from inside the board and, when needed, from outside voices) to keep the mission front and center.

For decades, annual reports were the gold standard of nonprofit transparency—but today’s donors want more. They expect real-time updates, emotional stories, and a visible impact that doesn’t wait 12 months. Whether through dashboards, video messages, or live virtual briefings, organizations that communicate continuously build deeper trust and engagement. The future of donor communication isn’t static—it’s dynamic, personal, and ongoing.

Nonprofits can no longer afford to wait for 100% certainty. In a world moving at the speed of chaos, inaction is a decision, and often the costliest one. It's time to lead with agility, clarity, and a bias for action. Let’s talk about what effective decision-making looks like now, and why our old models might be holding us back.

Too many fundraising shops operate in silos, each department focusing solely on its own priorities. This separation creates friction—between donor communications, programming, events, and stewardship—hurting both efficiency and donor experience. A truly successful fundraising operation breaks down these walls and works collaboratively across teams. When everyone aligns around donor impact, not just department goals, the entire organization wins.

Fear is natural—but in fundraising, it's often the silent barrier to real relationship-building. Whether it's a new gift officer hesitating to make a thank-you call or a seasoned professional dreading the ask, fear can shrink our actions and paralyze our potential. But reframing these moments as invitations, not transactions, changes everything. This episode explores how small shifts in language and mindset can turn fear into forward motion—both professionally and personally.

What if everything we know about building donor relationships is backward? In this episode, we flip the script—looking at fundraising not from the fundraiser's lens, but from the donor's experience. From curiosity to trust to continuity, we explore the eight emotional stages a donor navigates before and after making a gift. When you understand how donors feel at every step, you unlock deeper relationships, better communication—and better results. It’s not about what we want to say; it’s about what they need to hear.

When crisis hits—whether it's a struggling department or the entire organization—your response defines your future. This episode explores how to talk about financial distress without sounding desperate, and how to frame fundraising efforts as strategic, not survivalist. The difference? Donors don’t want to save a sinking ship—they want to fuel a mission with momentum. If you can communicate change, trust, and a path forward, you’ll do more than survive—you’ll transform.