Let's Talk Fundraising

If you’ve been listening to this series and thinking… “This sounds interesting… but I’m not sure it would actually work for me…” This episode is for you. Because that hesitation you’re feeling? It’s not random. And it’s...

For months, I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do as a major gift officer. I was reaching out. I was having meetings. I was putting in the work. But nothing was closing. And the hardest part wasn’t the...

There’s a moment in fundraising where you start to feel it. You’re doing the work. You’re following up. You’re being thoughtful in your outreach. And still… things just aren’t moving the way they used to. Response rates...

There’s a moment most fundraisers don’t talk about. The one where you know what needs to happen next… but you’re still trying to get everything lined up before you move. More research. More preparation. More time to...

Fundraising moves when relationships move. And relationships move when the friction falls away. In this episode, we explore how AI can quietly support every stage of the major gift cycle without replacing the human...

Most of us came into this work to build relationships. But too often our days get buried under contact reports, prospect research, and messy systems that keep us tied to a desk. In this episode, we explore a simple...

Fundraising doesn’t belong only to the boldest voice in a crowded gala. It thrives in the quiet moments where a donor feels understood, a tense call cools with care, and a complex gift moves forward because someone...

Looking for a unicorn hire who “just gets it” on day one? We’ve all been there—and it rarely works. To celebrate fifty episodes, we pull back the curtain on what truly drives consistent donor results: intentional...

Every Valentine’s Day, nonprofit inboxes fill up with warm subject lines and messages that say, “We love our donors.” The intention is real, but the impact often falls flat. In this episode, we unpack why broad...

This Groundhog Day episode is a personal announcement and a fundraiser’s roadmap for change. After fifteen years in nonprofit leadership, I’m stepping away from a role I loved—not because something was wrong, but...

🎁 Enter the contest to get a signed copy of Scott Vedder's book, Signs of a Great Resume. Seven seconds. That’s often all you get before a recruiter decides “no” or “maybe.” We brought in Scott Vedder—former Fortune...

Remember when donor newsletters read like dissertations and first-time givers needed a decoder ring? We take a clear-eyed look at how AI has quietly raised the baseline for clarity in fundraising and communications—and...

Download the Big Goals Worksheet The problem with so much “polished” AI content isn’t grammar, it’s judgment. We unpack why clean sentences can still feel hollow, and how fundraisers can use AI without outsourcing the...

Free Gift 🎁 Big Goals Worksheet If goal setting feels like a test you’re always failing, this conversation offers a calmer path. We pull apart the myths that keep fundraisers stuck—outcome-only targets, motivation as...

Year-end fundraising doesn’t have to feel like survival mode. If you’ve ever spent December scrambling — rushing appeals, juggling Finance deadlines, and showing up exhausted for donors and family — you’re not alone...