Story‑Driven Fundraising | Missionary, Fundraising Ideas, Donations, Marketing Plan, NonProfit Groups

Ministry fundraising can feel exhausting—especially when you’ve been faithful for years and still feel like you’re barely making it.

If you’re juggling everything, trying every strategy, and still feeling scattered, this episode is for you.

In this conversation, we talk about why fundraising so often feels heavy and unfocused—and how to move from burnout and pressure into clarity and peace. I walk you through three simple shifts that help you stop carrying what God never asked you to carry, focus your efforts, and bring consistency to your message so fundraising can feel lighter again.

Similar Episodes You Might Like:

13 | Donors Aren’t Responding—Here’s What Your Fundraising Message Is Missing

9 | Hate Fundraising? 3 Ways to Ease the Ick of Asking for Money

7 | Is There One Thing That Creates Explosive Fundraising Growth?

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

If you hate fundraising and feel an overwhelming sense of shame or “ick” every time you have to ask for money, you’re not alone—and you’re not doing anything wrong. 

In this episode, we unpack why asking for money feels so uncomfortable for so many ministry leaders and share three practical mindset shifts that can ease (and even dissolve) that icky feeling. 

If fundraising feels heavy, awkward, or emotionally draining—and you’re tired of forcing yourself to push through it—this episode will help you begin approaching fundraising with more confidence, clarity, and freedom.

Similar Episodes: 

14 | 3 Things Confusing Your Donors (and How to Fix Them)

13 | Donors Aren’t Responding—Here’s What Your Fundraising Message Is Missing

31 | Did Your Big Fundraising Day Fall Flat? What to Do Before the Next One

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/48-is-there-1-thing-that-creates-explosive-fundraising-growth/id1827301847?i=1000745702596If ministry fundraising feels heavy, confusing, or harder than it should be, unclear messaging may be the real issue holding you back. 

In this episode, you’ll hear a live coaching conversation with a seasoned ministry leader who admits, “Sometimes I don’t even know what we’re doing”—and why that feeling makes fundraising intimidating, inconsistent, and exhausting. 

We dig into the deeper reason donors struggle to connect and why leading with the real need changes everything.

Similar Episodes:

48 | Is There One Thing That Creates Explosive Fundraising Growth?

46 | Donors Aren’t Responding—Here’s What Your Fundraising Message Is Missing

43 | Why Your Fundraising Messaging Isn’t Working—and How Storytelling Fixes It

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

If your ministry fundraising feels stuck—no matter how long you’ve been serving or how faithfully you’ve shown up—there may be something deeper holding it back.

In this episode, we unpack 3 common beliefs that quietly keep ministry fundraising from moving forward. If you’re tired of second-guessing what to say, feeling awkward asking for support, or wondering why your message isn’t connecting, this episode will help you get unstuck and begin fundraising with greater confidence and peace.

Similar episodes:

37 | Out of People to Ask? 3 Steps to Mission-Driven Fundraising 

42 | Tired of Chasing Donors? How to Create Sustainability in Your Fundraising

43 | Why Your Fundraising Messaging Isn’t Working—And How Storytelling Fixes It  

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

If your ministry is barely making ends meet and you’ve been searching for the one thing that will finally bring explosive fundraising growth, this episode is for you.

Many ministry leaders feel stuck—faithful, hardworking, and called by God, yet seeing little or no growth in monthly support and donations. Is there a single change that can create overnight fundraising breakthroughs?

This episode will help you release the pressure of “quick wins,” build a sustainable fundraising mindset, and begin making small, practical changes that lead to long-term donor trust, clearer messaging, and steady financial support for your ministry.

Similar Episodes: 

22 | Are You Tired of Chasing Donors? How to Attract Supporters Who Stay

26 | How to Quit the Burnout: Simplifying Your Fundraising Strategy

31 | Out of People to Ask? 3 Steps to Mission-Driven Fundraising

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

If your fundraising messaging isn’t working and you know it’s inconsistent, confusing, or simply not connecting with donors—but you don’t know where to start—this episode is for you. 

In this episode, I'll walk you through step one of fixing your fundraising message by going back to the core of your ministry: why it exists. This practical, faith-centered teaching will help you simplify your message, gain confidence in fundraising, and start creating donor messaging that is clear, compelling, and aligned with your calling.

Similar Episodes: 

05 | 7 Steps to Engage Your Donor: The Story Framework

 14 | 3 Things Confusing Your Donors (and How to Fix Them)

17 | When Fundraising Videos Don’t Work – 3 Steps for Clear Donor Messaging

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

Donors aren’t responding—and it can leave you feeling confused, discouraged, and unsure of what’s actually wrong with your fundraising. You’re sending emails, posting on social media, updating your website, and sharing about the work you’re doing, yet donors still don’t seem to connect, engage, or give. 

In this episode, we uncover what your fundraising message is likely missing and why story is the key to creating a real donor connection. If your fundraising feels stuck and you’re not sure where to start fixing your messaging, this episode will help you understand what’s not working—and how to make one small shift that can transform how donors connect with your ministry.

Similar Episodes: 

32 | Why Do Donors Go Silent? 3 Relationship Gaps Ministries Miss

31 | 4 Steps to Sharing Stories That Engage Donors

30 | 3 Fundraising Mistakes That Are Costing You Donors—And How to Fix Them

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

Ever had a big fundraising day—like Giving Tuesday—where you showed up, did what you could, and still felt disappointed by the results? In this episode, we talk about why some fundraising days fall flat and why it usually has less to do with competition and more to do with trust. You’ll learn three simple ways to build stronger donor relationships so fundraising becomes more sustainable and less exhausting over time.

Similar Episodes:

41 | When Your Ministry Feels Invisible: 3 Steps to Build Donor Trust

37 | Out of People to Ask? 3 Steps to Mission-Driven Fundraising

35 | The Fundraising Shift That Makes Donors Pay Attention

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

Your nonprofit may be struggling with fundraising not because its mission isn’t important, but because its messaging is unclear. When nonprofit messaging relies on clever titles, insider language, or vague slogans, potential donors feel confused and move on. 

In this episode, I'll unpack the most common nonprofit messaging mistake that quietly costs donors—why clarity builds trust, how confusing messaging hurts donor engagement and retention, and what nonprofit leaders can do to simplify their fundraising communication. 

You’ll learn three practical steps to create clear, donor-focused messaging that helps supporters quickly understand your mission, connect with the need, and take the next step with confidence.

Similar Episodes: 

34 | Hard Time Fundraising? Clarify Your Ministry Story: 

25 | Why Your Fundraising Stats Aren't Bringing Donations-and What Will

13 | Low Donor Growth? 3 Things to Prioritize in Your Donor Communication

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com

Is your ministry messaging falling flat—no engagement, low responses, and donors who just aren’t connecting with what you’re saying? In this episode, we talk about why “more information” isn’t the answer and how storytelling can instantly transform your fundraising communication. 

You’ll learn how story helps you engage donors quickly, build trust faster, and create messaging that is memorable in a noisy world. We’ll dig into the real reasons your social media posts, newsletters, donor emails, and fundraising campaigns aren’t getting traction—and how shifting to story-driven communication can help your ministry stand out, increase donor engagement, and deepen long-term donor relationships. 

If you’re tired of confusion, overwhelm, and messaging that doesn’t convert, this episode will give you the clarity and practical tools you need to communicate with confidence.

👉 Work with me one-on-one to clarify your fundraising message, remove the guilt around asking, and create consistent donor communication that actually works.

https://irisstorytelling.com/coaching

👉 Grab your free Ministry Newsletter Guide to easily write updates your donors want to read.

https://irisstorytelling.com/guide

👉 Join the free community for women ministry leaders who fundraise — a place for encouragement, prayer, and learning how to use storytelling to connect with donors.

https://irisstorytelling.com/community

Connect with me:

[email protected]

https://irisstorytelling.com