The Focused Fundraiser

Andrew Kerr shares how he grew the Georgia Conservancy's donor base from 500 to 3,200 donors, lifted retention from 33% to 51%, and built a planned giving program with 25 estate commitments totaling over $2 million — all in just a few years.

This episode is packed with practical tactics: how to scale your thank-you process with a handwriting robot and video messages, how to use the PASS Framework to create urgency without fear-based fundraising, how to prospect for foundation and corporate grants using LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and exactly how to start the planned giving conversation without it feeling awkward.

Andrew's tactical takeaway alone is worth the listen: time blocking the last 30 minutes of every day for stewardship will change your numbers.

Key Takeaways:

• Fix your leaking stewardship bucket before spending a dollar on acquisition
• Donor avatars (Engaged Explorer vs. Legacy Builder) let you tailor messaging that actually resonates
• Video thank-yous get shared — 250 videos watched by 350 unique IPs
• Planned giving doesn't require a direct ask, just consistent conversation throughout the year
• A donor match is the most effective tool to get estate gift amounts on record
• Time blocking is the one habit that keeps your pipeline from drying up

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction & Andrew Kerr's Origin Story
03:30 - Why Fundraising Is Relationship Selling
04:35 - Donor Identity and the Conservation Giving Mindset
05:29 - The PASS Framework: Creating Urgency Without Fear
07:37 - Balancing Grants and Individual Donors
09:00 - LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Chambers of Commerce & Getting Past the First Filter
11:36 - Growing Your Donor Base When the Sector Is Shrinking
13:13 - Building a Stewardship System That Scales (Handwriting Robots, Video Messages)
15:37 - Introduction to Planned Giving: When to Start the Conversation
18:28 - How to Capture Estate Gift Amounts Without Pushing Donors Away
21:33 - Tactical Takeaway: Time Block the Last 30 Minutes of Every Day
22:39 - How to Connect with Andrew Kerr

Links & Resources Mentioned:

Georgia Conservancy

DonorDock — donordock.com

If your fundraising strategy is basically "year-end campaign and maybe a gala," Christina Edwards has something to say about that. As founder of Splendid Consulting and creator of the Sprint Method, she has worked with thousands of nonprofits and identified the same bottleneck again and again: organizations stuck in the grant-gala cycle, burning out their teams, and getting diminishing returns.

In this episode, Christina breaks down why email is where conversions happen (not social), how to build a "social street team" using ambassadors and micro influencers you already know, why you should be planning in 3-6 month windows instead of annually, and how the Sprint Method lets you fundraise from your laptop in short controlled bursts throughout the year — including when a surprise donor match lands in your inbox this week.

Her tactical takeaway is one of the most actionable ones we've had on the show: send your list a micro moment email today.

Key Takeaways:

• Email is the conversion channel — social is for visibility, not dollars
• The Sprint Method replaces the exhausting grant-gala cycle with focused, repeatable online campaigns
• You don't need a celebrity influencer — your most engaged volunteers and community members are your social street team
• Start with just 3 email segments: monthly givers, major donors, and last campaign donors
• Fundraisers struggle to close gifts because the campaign isn't doing the lifting — not because the ask is scary
• Planning annually is fine as a skeleton, but execute in 3-6 month windows

Chapters:

00:00 - Why Compounding Systems Beat One-Off Campaigns
03:12 - What Compounding Fundraising Actually Looks Like in Practice
04:31 - The Social Street Team Method: Ambassadors Over Celebrities
07:53 - Email vs. Social: Where Conversions Actually Happen
09:44 - Introducing the Sprint Method (and Why the Gala Is Burning You Out)
12:45 - Can You Use Sprints for In-Person Events? (Yes, and Here's How)
15:03 - Planning in 3-6 Month Windows Instead of Annually
16:28 - Micro Events: Which Lane Are You In?
17:44 - Donor Segmentation: Just 3 Buckets to Start
20:23 - Why Fundraisers Struggle to Close Gifts (Hint: It's the Campaign, Not the Ask)
22:38 - The Mindset Layer: Fear Is Costing You More Than You Think
23:19 - Tactical Takeaway: Send a Micro Moment Email Today

Links & Resources Mentioned:

• Splendid Consulting — Christina's consultancy
• Purpose and Profit Club — Christina's coaching program and podcast
• DonorDock — donor segmentation and stewardship

Most nonprofits have a fundraising plan. Very few have a fundraising pipeline. And that difference? It's costing them corporate partners, donor retention, and long-term sustainability.

In this episode, Rob sits down with Alexa Diaz Formidoni, founder of Be Better Together and creator of the Development Fundraising Pipeline (DFP). Alexa brings 20+ years of experience from both sides of the table, leading development inside major nonprofits like Junior Achievement and Neighbors for Neighbors, and now consulting organizations on how to build the systems that make funding predictable.

They dig into why corporate sponsorship feels hard (and how to fix it), why the first "no" is just a touch point, and what it actually takes to build a relationship-based funding model that holds up when the economy shifts.

What you'll learn:

• Why a strategic plan is not a fundraising pipeline and why you need both
• The touch point framework for corporate partnerships (no ask required at first)
• Why corporate giving takes 12 to 25 months to convert and what to do in the meantime
• How to use AI to research corporate philanthropy pillars before you ever reach out
• The mindset shift from transactional fundraising to relational funding
• Alexa's tactical takeaway: the one question every fundraiser should ask themselves today

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction

00:53 - Alexa's 20-year journey: LLS, Junior Achievement, and building community

06:06 - The difference between a fundraising plan and a real funding pipeline

10:21 - Stewardship starts at acquisition: why it's all relationship building

13:35 - Corporate sponsorships beyond galas: common mistakes and smarter approaches

17:00 - Touch points, timelines, and why 12-25 months is the real runway

22:17 - Tactical takeaway: ask yourself this question before tomorrow

24:34 - How to find Alexa and the Development Fundraising Pipeline

• Be Better Together: https://www.bebettertogether.org
• DonorDock: https://www.donordock.com

What happens when your nonprofit's biggest outcomes can't be captured in a spreadsheet? Kerry Lowry, founder of the M25 Initiative in Reno, Nevada, has figured out how to fundraise anyway.

In just 18 months, Kerry has grown M25 from a vision to an organization running programs in rehab facilities, building toward prison reentry work, and housing people in sober living, largely through grassroots community relationships, radical transparency, and a simple but powerful approach to storytelling that makes donors feel like the heroes they are.

In this episode, Rob and Kerry dig into what it actually takes to fundraise without grants, without a big team, and without a perfectly packaged impact number — and how organizations serving the hardest-to-quantify populations can still build deep donor trust.

Key takeaways:

• Why consistency, not tactics, is the real inflection point in fundraising growth
• How to tell a story that connects a simple donation (like flooring) to a life changed
• Why donor stewardship matters more than most nonprofits realize
• How a CRM becomes a community-building tool, not just a database
• The "learn, implement, teach" framework that drives Kerry's organization

Chapters:

• 00:00 - Introduction & Welcome
• 00:47 - Kerry's Story: From Lived Experience to Founding M25 Initiative
• 03:17 - Growing a Reentry Nonprofit in 18 Months
• 07:03 - The Real Fundraising Strategy: Consistency Over Tactics
• 09:43 - Why AI Can't Replace the Donor Relationship
• 12:22 - Donor Retention: What Kerry Actually Invests In
• 14:00 - How Kerry Uses Her CRM to Deepen Community Connection
• 15:58 - Make Your Donor the Hero: A Storytelling Framework
• 16:16 - Quantifying the Unquantifiable: The Flooring Story
• 20:14 - Tactical Takeaway: Learn, Implement, Teach

About M25 Initiative: https://m25nv.org/

🔗 Learn how DonorDock helps nonprofits like M25 build stronger donor relationships: https://www.donordock.com

What happens inside the leader when the systems around them stay broken?

Daniela Cohen, founder of Transformative Conversations, has spent 15+ years in nonprofit leadership in Canada and South Africa, and experienced burnout firsthand. Now she works at the intersection of leadership coaching and conflict transformation, helping nonprofit leaders (especially women) shift out of survival mode so they can lead with confidence and sustain their impact long-term.

In this episode, Rob and Daniela unpack the invisible patterns that drain nonprofit leaders: conflict avoidance, over-giving, the confidence gap you can't see from the outside, and the identity trap that turns dedication into depletion.

If you've ever felt like if you stop, everything falls apart — this conversation is for you.

Key Takeaways:

Why conflict avoidance is costing your organization more than you think

What the "invisible confidence gap" looks like for development directors

How over-giving is different from mission alignment — and how to tell the difference

The mindset shift that changes everything: "just because I can doesn't mean I should"

One simple, practical thing you can do today to stop running on empty

Connect with Daniela:Website: https://transformativeconversations.ca

Learn how DonorDock helps nonprofits build a strong donor base through smart stewardship: https://donordock.com

00:00 - Welcome & Introduction
00:58 - Daniela's Background: 15 Years in Nonprofit Leadership
02:18 - What Is Conflict Transformation?
04:12 - Why Nonprofit Leaders Avoid Hard Conversations (and What It Costs)
07:17 - The Invisible Confidence Gap in Development Directors
09:16 - Over-Giving vs. Mission Alignment: Do You Know the Difference?
11:12 - Identity, Women, and the Nonprofit Sector
12:09 - Where the Overwhelm Breaks Down First — and What to Do About It
15:19 - Freedom to Thrive: The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything
16:35 - Tactical Takeaway: Create Space in Your Day

Most fundraising teams don't have a technology problem. They have a process problem. And buying a new tool just makes the broken process run faster.

In this episode, Rob sits down with Matt Bitzegaio, CEO and co-founder of DonorDock, to discuss where the nonprofit sector is right now and where it's headed.

Matt has spent over 20 years working with CRMs across for-profit and nonprofit organizations. He's seen what works, what doesn't, and what's actually changing versus what's just hype.

They dig into the biggest shifts happening in fundraising operations, why "tool fatigue" is real and getting worse, what AI can genuinely do for you today (and what it can't), and what the next generation of nonprofit software actually needs to look like.

If your systems feel messy, your team is stretched thin, or you're wondering whether AI is going to save you or just create more noise, this episode is for you.

Links & Resources

• DonorDock Nonprofit Maturity Assessment: donordock.com/tools/smart-steward-assessment
• Learn more about DonorDock: donordock.com

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction: A Different Kind of Episode
01:26 - Matt's Background and Building DonorDock
05:02 - The Biggest Shift in How Fundraising Teams Operate
07:30 - Tool Fatigue and the Year of Consolidation
08:30 - Process Before Platform: Getting the Order of Operations Right
10:54 - Your Process Needs to Be Tool-Agnostic
12:24 - AI in Fundraising: What's Real vs. What's Hype
17:06 - AI as an Exponent, Not a Replacement
18:19 - What the Next Generation of Nonprofit Software Needs to Look Like
22:39 - Clean Data Is the Foundation
23:13 - Advice for Fundraisers Who Feel Stuck
26:27 - Tactical Takeaway: Work Your Lapsed Donor List
28:36 - Closing Thoughts and Where to Learn More

Key Takeaways

• Technology amplifies your process — good or broken. Fix the process first.
• AI is genuinely useful for drafts, summaries, data cleanup, and unstructured notes. It is not a relationship builder.
• The 2026 consolidation trend is real. Teams are asking "what can we get rid of?" not "what can we add?"
• Small teams now have the tools to do what large teams used to do. That's both an opportunity and a pressure.
• Your lapsed donor list (gave last year, not yet this year) is your highest-ROI activity for the next 30 days. Pick up the phone.
• AI can only be as good as the data you've been keeping. Start tracking donor interactions now — in any format.

The average development director lasts 18 to 24 months, and that number is shrinking. Christina Martin Kenny, founder of Guava Tree Strategies, has spent her career figuring out why fundraising teams burn out, why they leave, and what it actually takes to fix it.

In this episode, Rob and Christina dig into the structural problems that lead to constant fundraiser turnover: hiring when you're already desperate, writing job descriptions for an imaginary unicorn, and expecting one person to build a culture of philanthropy from scratch. Christina also shares her Solo Fundraiser Survival Guide framework for pushing back on unrealistic revenue goals with data.

If your organization has ever lost a great development director too soon, this conversation is for you.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: Why fundraiser burnout is a structural problem 00:44 - Christina's path into nonprofits and her own experience with turnover 03:19 - The 18-24 month average tenure — and why it's getting worse 03:48 - The root cause: organizations hire fundraisers when they need money 07:00 - Writing job descriptions for who you want to be, not where you are 08:02 - Flipping the budget mindset: profit first for nonprofits 09:22 - The Solo Fundraiser Survival Guide: pushing back with data 13:29 - Shared ownership of fundraising across the organization 17:43 - Reframing what fundraisers actually do (it's not asking for money all day) 20:31 - What to do when you're a few months in and already seeing red flags 22:18 - Go see your programs: the antidote to fundraiser burnout 23:25 - How to interview when job descriptions are unrealistic 25:22 - The fractional fundraiser movement and where it fits 25:22 - Tactical Takeaway: experience your programs firsthand

Key Takeaways:

• Organizations hire fundraisers out of desperation, that's the root cause of the turnover problem
• Job descriptions that list 40 responsibilities set fundraisers up to fail from day one
• Hire for where you currently are, not who you aspire to be
• Use data and projections to push back on unrealistic revenue goals — not just "no"
• A culture of philanthropy starts with leadership, not the development director
• Before updating your resume: go see your programs in person

Connect with Christina:

• Guava Tree Strategies: https://www.guavatreestrategies.com/
• LinkedIn: Christina Martin Kenny

Learn more about DonorDock: donordock.com

What does it cost to change a life, and what's the return on that investment? Kim Nagle has spent over three decades answering that question. As the creator of the DAMN Plan and author of Nonprofit Profitability, Kim brings hard-won for-profit business thinking into the nonprofit sector. Not to strip away the mission, but to make it last.

In this episode, Rob Burke and Kim dig into why so many nonprofits are one month away from closing their doors, why cashflow is more important than total fundraising revenue, and how telling the financial truth to your board (even when it's uncomfortable) can actually strengthen your organization. Kim also shares a powerful tactical takeaway: calculate the ROI of a changed life, so your donors understand exactly what their investment is worth.

If you're a fundraiser, an executive director, or a board member who wants to stop white-knuckling your organization's finances — this episode is for you.

Learn more about DonorDock: https://donordock.com

Attend WellTold: https://welltoldconference.com/
Purchase Kim's Book: https://damnplan.com

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: Kim Nagel and Why Financial Sustainability Is Backwards
00:56 - Kim's Story: From Nonprofit Recipient to Nonprofit Strategist
02:44 - Why She Wrote Nonprofit Profitability (and What Robin Danner Had to Do With It)
07:50 - Nonprofit Profitability: Why the Word Makes People Uncomfortable
08:16 - The DAMN Plan Explained: Determined Decisions, Act Consistently, Mind Your Business, No Excuses
11:21 - Calculating the ROI of a Changed Life ($10.5 Million)
12:14 - Revenue Diversification: The 40% Rule and the Danger of One-Source Funding
14:56 - Cashflow vs. Total Fundraising Revenue: What Actually Keeps Doors Open
19:12 - What Boards Get Wrong and How to Lead Them Into Financial Honesty
23:06 - Tactical Takeaway: Calculate the Value of a Changed Life
26:00 - Where to Find Kim, the Book, and the AI Prompts

What if your nonprofit doesn't have a storytelling problem.. it has a timing problem? In this episode, Rob Burke sits down with Max Kringan, founder of Tellwell Story Co., who has spent nearly two decades helping mission-driven organizations use human stories to deepen donor engagement and drive real fundraising results.

Max breaks down his "storytelling rhythm" framework and explains why the most effective nonprofits aren't the ones collecting the most stories, they're the ones matching the right story to where each donor actually is in the relationship. He also shares how Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Red River Valley consistently nails their gala storytelling by focusing on hope rather than trauma, and why your About page might be quietly pushing donors away.

You'll walk away with a concrete framework, a fresh perspective on donor relationships, and one action you can take today.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Welcome
01:00 - How Tellwell Story Co. Found Its Way Back to Nonprofits
03:27 - What Is the WellTold Conference and Why It's Different
08:04 - What Is a Storytelling Rhythm? The Trust Framework Explained
10:30 - Introduce, Educate, Engage, Remind: A Donor Relationship Model
13:18 - Democratizing Storytelling: Do More With Fewer Stories
16:32 - What Makes a Story Land at a Gala (vs. Falling Flat)
18:30 - Hope vs. Trauma: Why Donors Invest in Aspiration, Not Sadness
20:19 - Story Arcs and the Conflict-Resolution Principle
21:04 - Tactical Takeaway: Rewrite Your About Page With "You" Language
23:22 - Closing Thoughts and How to Connect with Max

Most fundraisers don't lose donors by asking too big...they lose them by playing it safe, apologizing for their needs, and never showing up boldly enough. Dayna Del Val joins Rob Burke to change that.

Dayna spent 13 years as President and CEO of a regional arts nonprofit before becoming a speaker and coach who helps leaders become audaciously visible. In this episode, she shares how her acting background unlocked her approach to donor conversations, why so many nonprofit professionals shrink in the moments that require boldness, and the one shift that can transform how you walk into every donor meeting.

Whether you're heading into your fundraising season, prepping for a major ask, or just tired of feeling underprepared when it matters most, this conversation will give you practical tools and real permission to show up differently.

Dayna is also a featured speaker at the WellTold Nonprofit Conference this April, details in the links below.

WellTold Conference: https://welltoldconference.com/

Learn about DonorDock: https://www.donordock.com/

CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Welcome and intro: Who is Dayna Del Val?
00:52 - Accidentally becoming a nonprofit leader
03:01 - What is Well Told and why should fundraisers attend?
05:39 - Leadership lessons from 13 years running an arts nonprofit
06:15 - How acting background shaped donor conversation skills
08:28 - Where nonprofit professionals shrink and play small
10:30 - The donor who told her she was thinking too small
11:17 - Listening well before making the big ask
12:03 - Do your research: understanding donor capacity
13:29 - The cost of staying hidden: what fear of rejection actually costs you
14:08 - A practical shift for communicating with more authority now
15:52 - A real story: the multi-year funding ask that broke her heart
18:00 - Tactical takeaway: own your message unapologetically
19:02 - Closing thoughts and Well Told Conference details

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