Shows
Let's Talk FundraisingStop Looking for Unicorns. Start Training Your Fundraisers.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 onboarding that blends benchmarks with belief, practice with coaching, and culture with clarity. We map four levels of onboarding—from isolation and functional quick tours to benchmarked ramp-ups and full alignment—and show how each step changes employee confidence and donor outcomes.We share lessons from Apple and Disney that any nonprofit can adapt without a Fortune 100 budget: train before publi...
2026-02-1629 minLet's Talk FundraisingYour Donors Don’t Feel Your Effort, They Feel Your AttentionEvery 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 gratitude is easy to send and easy to forget, and why donors don’t experience our effort or our process, they experience how they’re treated. The real question isn’t whether a message was handwritten or AI-assisted. It’s whether it reflects why the donor gave and makes them feel genuinely seen.We separate care from craft, challenge the...
2026-02-0923 minLet's Talk FundraisingThe Pivot: What I’m Stepping Away From—and What I’m Stepping IntoThis 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 because something bigger was calling. What began as one reluctant conference session turned into a growing invitation to speak, teach, and help nonprofits navigate the future of fundraising, AI, and trust.In this episode, I share the full story behind my pivot, the fear and grief that came with leaving stability, and the practical framework that helped me choose expans...
2026-02-0233 minLet's Talk FundraisingHow Fundraisers Get Interviews: Resumes That Speak the Right Language🎁 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 100 recruiter and bestselling author of Signs of a Great Resume—to show how to turn a duty-heavy document into a sharp story of value that earns interviews, especially for fundraisers navigating fuzzy titles and complex teams.We start by reframing the resume as a leadership and career tool. Scott explains why writing like a job posting kills momentum, ho...
2026-01-2652 minLet's Talk FundraisingWhen Competence Becomes Common, Taste Becomes StrategyRemember 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 why that shift changes expectations, not the essence of our work. The conversation moves past hype and eye-rolls to focus on what’s actually changing: standards, roles, and the line between acceptable and excellent.We unpack the two most common reactions to AI—quiet fear about speed and scale, and easy dismissal of flat outputs—and show how both point to the same underlyi...
2026-01-1920 minLet's Talk FundraisingStop Making AI Slop, and Actually Leverage What It's Good ForDownload the Big Goals WorksheetThe 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 thinking that protects the quality of your work. Instead of arguing for or against tools, we reframe the choice: Which role do you assign to AI, and which role do you keep for yourself?We walk through four distinct modes of AI use—retrieval and generation, editing and refinement, sense making and synthesis, and critical reflection and advers...
2026-01-1231 minLet's Talk FundraisingA More Supportive Goal StrategyFree Gift 🎁 Big Goals WorksheetIf 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 strategy, and the idea that discipline alone drives results—and replace them with a research-backed approach that actually holds the messiness of real work. You’ll hear how to separate what you want to change from what you can control, design if-then responses for predictable obstacles, and build early feedback so you can see momentum long before revenue lands.We walk...
2026-01-0530 minLet's Talk FundraisingFrom Survival Mode to Steady Fundraising: How AI Brings Calm to Year-EndYear-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. The truth is, survival mode isn’t a strategy. Steady rhythms are.In this episode, I’ll share how to shift from frazzled to focused — and how AI can become the quiet assistant that keeps your year-end fundraising consistent, clear, and calm. You’ll hear practical steps you can start now to build a rhythm that carries you through December with confidence (withou...
2025-09-2222 minLet's Talk FundraisingWhen Donor Thank-Yous Feel RushedEvery fundraiser knows the weight of unwritten thank you notes—that pile on your desk, the rushed emails sent just to clear your to-do list, the nagging guilt when your gratitude doesn't sound quite right. You're not alone in this struggle.I share a personal story about working at an organization where the CEO expected impossible levels of personalization in donor thank yous. They wanted handwritten notes with intimate details for hundreds of weekly donors—references to tennis games, grocery store encounters, and family conversations I couldn't possibly know. This unsustainable expectation nearly broke me, and it high...
2025-09-1524 minLet's Talk FundraisingThe Sunday Countdown and the Fundraiser’s Rhythm That Brought ReliefThe Fundraiser's AI Starter SuiteIf Sunday nights feel like the slow countdown to another heavy Monday, you’re not alone. I know that tightening in your chest — the mental list of donor follow-ups, board reports, events that need funding, and the quiet weight of a mission too big for one person to carry.For years, I fought through it with a brave face and a tired heart. I thought if I just worked harder, smiled brighter, or slept less, maybe we’d finally turn a corner. But the load didn’t get lighter — it grew heavi...
2025-09-0139 minLet's Talk FundraisingTurn Prompts into AI Assistants: CustomGPTs for FundraisersEver wish you could clone yourself on Monday morning?In this mini-episode, I’ll show you how to turn your favorite prompts into something far more powerful: CustomGPTs—personalized AI assistants trained on your best fundraising language and strategy.You’ll learn how to build three fundraisers’ essentials:• An Email Writer that drafts thank-you notes, follow-ups, and appeals• A Board Report Builder that turns CRM data into clear, mission-driven insights• A Prospect Profile Generator that compiles ethical, actionable donor briefsAnd here’s the key: we’ll also walk through how t...
2025-08-2514 minLet's Talk FundraisingInstant Donor Insights: One ChatGPT Prompt Replaces 17 Research TabsYour browser groans under the weight of countless tabs while your prospect's name stares at you from the CRM dashboard. The research rabbit hole keeps getting deeper, consuming hours of your day with diminishing returns. Sound familiar?Prospect research doesn't have to be this way. The real power in donor profiles isn't found in data volume but in actionable insights that spark meaningful conversations. Yet most fundraisers fall into the trap of mistaking thoroughness for effectiveness, spending over half their preparation time gathering information rather than developing strategy. This misalignment costs more than time—it compromises the qu...
2025-08-1828 minLet's Talk FundraisingDon’t Drown Your Board in Data—Do This InsteadEvery nonprofit leader knows the struggle: that moment when your calendar reminder pops up – "Board packet due tonight." You export columns of numbers from your CRM, spend hours wrestling with spreadsheets, triple-checking figures, and aligning columns. All this effort, only to watch board members' eyes glaze over two pages into your meticulously crafted report.What if there's a better way? A method that transforms dense data into clear, compelling narratives that your board not only understands but champions? This episode unveils how AI tools like ChatGPT can become your secret weapon for creating board reports that drive ac...
2025-08-1123 minLet's Talk FundraisingInbox Freedom: AI‑Powered Donor RepliesDrowning in donor emails while struggling to craft thoughtful, personalized responses? You're not alone. Fundraisers everywhere face this daily challenge—balancing the need for authentic communication with the reality of limited time and mounting inbox pressure.The secret most successful fundraisers discover is that timely responsiveness isn't just an administrative task—it's a relationship-building superpower that directly impacts donor trust and giving potential. Each prompt, thoughtful reply silently communicates powerful messages: I see you, I value your time, and your relationship matters to our mission.This episode reveals how to transform your approach to donor emai...
2025-08-0432 minLet's Talk FundraisingWhy Accuracy Is the Hidden Superpower of StewardshipEvery fundraiser faces the same dilemma: we need efficiency, but we can't sacrifice accuracy. When that major donor asks for one critical data point before finalizing their six-figure gift, the pressure to respond quickly meets our professional obligation to be absolutely correct.ChatGPT makes this balancing act even trickier. Its confident, polished responses can mask a dangerous problem: AI hallucinations—fabricated information delivered with complete assurance. These aren't intentional lies but rather the model filling knowledge gaps with what sounds plausible. The danger comes when these fabrications slip into donor communications, undermining the trust foundation that every su...
2025-07-2822 minLet's Talk FundraisingWhy Momentum Beats Perfection in Fundraising WritingEver found yourself paralyzed by a blinking cursor, struggling to craft the perfect donor message? You're not alone. Fundraising writing can be deeply intimidating—it needs to reflect understanding, empathy, clarity, and warmth all at once while connecting emotionally with donors.The secret to breaking through this paralysis lies in a simple mindset shift: momentum beats perfection. Every time. Rather than agonizing over creating the perfect message from scratch, what if you could instantly generate a solid first draft and focus your energy on refining it instead? This approach doesn't sacrifice quality—it enhances it by freeing you...
2025-07-2128 minLet's Talk FundraisingHow to Use ChatGPT Without Compromising Donor PrivacyEvery fundraiser knows that donor trust is the foundation of successful philanthropic relationships. But in our rush to embrace powerful AI tools like ChatGPT, we risk compromising that trust through accidental exposure of sensitive information. What begins as an innocent copy-paste into an AI prompt can instantly transform into a serious data breach that damages hard-earned relationships.This episode tackles the critical intersection of donor data privacy and AI efficiency. We explore how even small, routine actions—hastily copying donor details or pledge amounts—can lead to unintended privacy violations. Rather than avoiding technology altogether, we introduce prac...
2025-07-1428 minLet's Talk FundraisingMore Donor Time, Less Desk Time: The Case for AI in Your Fundraising WeekTrapped in an endless cycle of drafting donor emails while meaningful connections take a backseat? The silent crisis of administrative drag is depleting fundraisers' energy and passion nationwide. What if reclaiming hours every week could be as simple as embracing the right technological tools?This transformative exploration reveals how AI tools like ChatGPT can revolutionize your fundraising practice—not by replacing the human touch, but by magnifying it. Discover how cutting your email drafting time from 20 minutes to just 5 minutes per message can save you 2.5 hours weekly. Learn practical, step-by-step methods to generate donor summaries, briefing documents, an...
2025-07-0734 minLet's Talk FundraisingYou’re Not for Everyone—And That’s a Good ThingHave you ever left a donor meeting wondering, “Why did I say it like that?”Or felt that quiet pressure to be more agreeable, more polished, more… perfect?In this episode, Keith shares a story fresh from the road—an alumni reception that turned into a powerful reminder: you don’t have to be everyone’s favorite to be an exceptional fundraiser.If you’ve ever struggled with people-pleasing, felt the weight of performance, or questioned your unique style in this work, this episode is your permission slip to stop contorting and start connecting.Because p...
2025-06-1614 minLet's Talk FundraisingWhose Voice Is In Your Head? Releasing Inherited Limiting BeliefsEver poured hours into a project only to watch it get worse, not better? That frustrating cycle of diminishing returns might be fueled by a deeply-held belief that's actually holding you back.Growing up, I absorbed my father's working-class ethos that hard work—defined by time spent, effort exerted, and suffering endured—was the only path to success. This belief followed me through school and into my career, where I'd routinely second-guess myself, redo perfectly good work until it deteriorated, and eventually develop unhealthy procrastination habits. The breaking point came when I witnessed a colleague working 70-hour week...
2025-06-0916 minLet's Talk FundraisingStop Wrestling with Technology and Start Connecting with DonorsHave you ever left a donor meeting, recorded quick thoughts on your phone, then spent hours translating those scattered notes into a proper contact report? There's a better way.At AFP Icon in Seattle last month, I watched a room full of fundraisers experience a collective "aha" moment. It wasn't sparked by fancy tech demos or pie-in-the-sky AI promises. It happened when they realized that tools like ChatGPT could immediately solve real problems they face every day. One fundraiser's words particularly resonated: "I always thought this stuff was for the tech team. I had no idea I...
2025-05-1912 min
Let's Talk FundraisingBehind the Ask: Navigating Your First Major Gifts RoleThe journey from behind-the-scenes prospect researcher to frontline major gift officer can feel like jumping into the deep end without a life vest. In this illuminating conversation, Matt Stokes, Leadership Giving Officer at Yale University, shares his experience making this challenging career transition and the lessons he's learned along the way.Matt brings a unique perspective, having spent years analyzing data and identifying prospects before stepping across the table to build relationships with donors directly. He reveals how his background in research has shaped his approach to cultivation and solicitation, providing him with valuable insights that many...
2025-05-0539 min
Let's Talk FundraisingQuiet Power: The Introvert's Guide to Fundraising SuccessWhen you picture a successful fundraiser, do you imagine someone who commands the room, speaks eloquently without hesitation, and thrives in crowds of donors? That stereotype has dominated our field for decades—but what if the most powerful fundraising superpower isn't being heard, but truly hearing others?Carissa Konesky, CFRE and advancement officer at Simon Fraser University, challenges this outdated notion through her remarkable career journey. Recognized as a Top 30 Under 30 by BC Business and Woman of the Year rising star, she's built meaningful donor relationships not by dominating conversations, but through the quiet strength of deep li...
2025-04-2847 min
Rising Voices of Fundraising: The AFP Emerging Leaders PodcastPioneering Presentations: Insights from a First-Time Fundraising Conference SpeakerIn this episode of Rising Voices of Fundraising: The AFP Emerging Leaders Podcast, Keith Greer and Carissa Konesky, two presenters from AFP ICON 2025, offer tips for overcoming imposter syndrome, submitting a proposal that gets selected, and engaging your audience with an interesting session. We discuss how presenting at an AFP event can boost your career and increase the visibility of your organization’s fundraising efforts.
To learn more, check out their session, From Inspiration to Implementation: Turning Conference Insights into Action, at AFP ICON 2025 in Seattle, April 27-29.
Guests:
Keith Greer, CFRE: University of N...
2025-03-2022 minLet's Talk FundraisingDitch Fear, Choose Joy: The Fundraising Shift You Need to MakeFundraising shouldn’t feel like manipulation. It shouldn’t leave donors feeling drained, guilty, or pressured into giving. Yet, so much of our industry—especially certain political campaigns—leans into fear as a motivator. And while fear might work once, it doesn’t build relationships. It doesn’t make donors want to come back.You know what does? Joy.In this episode, I’m sharing two unforgettable stories from my time in hospice fundraising—one about a 102-year-old who became the town’s most eligible bachelor, and another about a baby boy who taught his family...
2025-02-1715 minLet's Talk FundraisingUsing AI to Amplify the Personal Side of FundraisingCan AI really enhance human connection in fundraising, or is it just a high-tech distraction? Let's tackle this question head-on, revealing how AI can be a transformative force in the nonprofit sector. This episode isn't about replacing the personal touch — it's about using AI to deepen it. As I prepare for my upcoming session at the AFP Icon conference in Seattle, I'll guide you through the ethical integration of AI, showing how it can streamline repetitive tasks and allow us to focus on what truly matters: building genuine relationships and crafting compelling stories that resonate with donors. Thi...
2025-02-1014 min