In this episode of Business as UNusual, host Aicila sits down with fundraising thought leader Jeff Schreifels, principal and owner of Veritus Group, to unpack innovative donor relationship strategies for modern nonprofits. Jeff brings over 30 years of experience elevating organizations like St. Jude’s and United Way, focusing on building genuine connections, investing across the donor pipeline, and fostering long-term impact. This conversation goes deep into why sustainable growth in fundraising means challenging conventional norms, embracing authentic engagement, and thinking beyond transactional giving. If you want your nonprofit to step beyond the usual, this episode delivers insights and actionable takeaways for success.

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Why investing across the entire donor pipeline yields consistent long-term results
• The pitfalls of short-term fundraising strategies and how to avoid them
• The critical importance of authentic donor relationships in the age of AI and automation
• Jeff’s real-world stories of nonprofit leaders shifting their strategies—and the impact it had
• Balancing direct mail success with cultivating major gifts
• The single biggest reason donors stop giving (and how to fix it)
• Lessons from failure: why focusing on relationships trumps chasing the money
• The business case for generosity and why giving knowledge away can help your growth
• Keys to finding fulfillment and defining success in nonprofit leadership

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Veritus Group (www.veritusgroup.com) – Training, consulting, and free resources for nonprofit fundraisers
• Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior – Ori Brafman, Rom Brafman (referenced book)
• Veritas Group’s white papers and blog (https://veritusgroup.com/resources) – 1,500+ posts and 25+ white papers on fundraising
• Veritas Group Certification Courses for Mid and Major Gift Fundraising – Upcoming in October (see website for details)

Dive into Veritus Group’s free resources and transform your fundraising approach: veritusgroup.com

Put relationships at the heart of your fundraising—try one new authentic engagement strategy this week

Ready to upskill? Register for Veritus Group’s upcoming certification courses in mid and major giving!

The full transcript of this conversation is available at https://www.bicurean.com/bautranscripts3

Transcripts and notes generated with Descript and Castmagic and then edited by human eyes and hands.

Lightly edited and produced by BiCurean Consulting, BiCurean.com.

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