What if your fundraising challenges aren’t about effort, but about design?

In this episode, I break down six indicators that your fundraising strategy may be quietly underperforming. If your team feels tired, campaigns feel heavier every time, or growth has plateaued despite working harder, this conversation will give you clarity. I unpack the hidden signs I see in nonprofit teams: overreliance on a few people, waiting instead of inviting, campaign cold starts, stalled monthly giving, and measuring success by campaign rather than by donor. This episode is about momentum, alignment, and designing a fundraising engine that compounds instead of resets. If you’ve ever said “we’ve tried everything,” this one is for you.

Topics:

• Why “we’ve tried everything” is often a strategy design issue
• The difference between momentum problems and donor problems
• Working harder vs. working with leverage
• The danger of relying on the same few people
• Why waiting instead of inviting stalls growth
• Cold-start campaigns and donor churn
• Why monthly giving fails without priming
• Measuring success per donor vs. per campaign
• Strategy hopping vs. shared operating systems
• Designing fundraising systems that compound over time

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Live March 4th - REGISTER HERE

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links

If you want bigger gifts, stronger partnerships, and more sustainable revenue, you can’t grow in isolation.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what strategic networking actually looks like for nonprofit leaders, and why staying hidden in your inbox is one of the fastest ways to stall growth. This isn’t about awkward mixers, cheesy pitches, or forcing yourself to be someone you’re not. It’s about intentionally placing yourself in rooms where influence, generosity, and decision-making already exist, and learning how to show up with confidence, clarity, and alignment. I talk about why familiar routines keep organizations stuck at the same revenue ceilings, how one conversation can collapse years of cultivation, and the exact types of rooms nonprofit leaders should prioritize if they want to raise more without burning out. If you’re ready to stop doing great work quietly and start building real momentum, this episode will shift how you think about networking forever.

Topics:

• Why nonprofit growth requires proximity, not more hustle
• The difference between old-school networking and strategic networking
• How one conversation can bypass years of donor cultivation
• Why staying “in your lane” keeps revenue capped
• The four types of rooms nonprofit leaders must prioritize
• How to network without feeling salesy or awkward
• Why asking great questions makes you more memorable
• How visibility leads to funding opportunities
• Building a consistent networking habit without burnout
• Turning conversations into warm introductions and partnerships

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links

I see this pattern constantly with nonprofit leaders: staying busy, staying loyal to systems and strategies that feel familiar, and wondering why results have plateaued. Today, I break down what I call the familiarity trap, the tendency to cling to fundraising tactics, tools, and routines not because they’re effective, but because they’re comfortable. I talk about how burnout often shows up as indecision, avoidance, and endless tinkering instead of forward momentum. I unpack why familiarity feels safe to the brain, how it keeps leaders stuck in low-impact work, and why decisiveness (not perfection) is the fastest way out. If you’re circling the same decisions, rewriting the same content, avoiding donor outreach, or telling yourself you’ll “deal with it later,” this episode will help you recognize what’s actually happening and show you how to interrupt the cycle with clarity and courage.

Topics:

• What the familiarity trap is and why it’s so common in nonprofits
• How burnout shows up as indecision and avoidance
• Why “thinking about thinking” keeps leaders stuck
• The neuroscience behind comfort, fear, and decision-making
• Why decisiveness beats perfection every time
• How familiar tasks drain energy without moving revenue
• The cost of delaying donor outreach and key decisions
• How to choose one path and commit long enough to see results
• The difference between being careful and being stalled

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Live March 4th - REGISTER HERE

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links

If you’ve found yourself feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or wondering how you’re supposed to do another year of fundraising like this, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what fundraising burnout actually is and why it keeps showing up for capable, committed nonprofit leaders. This isn’t about working harder, pushing through, or needing more discipline. Most burnout isn’t solved by rest alone. It comes from carrying too many open decisions, too many mental tabs, and too much responsibility without enough structure or support. I talk about how stress cycles stay open in fundraising, how avoidance and indecision quietly drain your energy, and why clarity and decisiveness often bring more relief than another day off. I also share practical ways to close loops, reduce overwhelm, and rebuild momentum without burning yourself out again. If fundraising has started to feel heavy or unsustainable, this episode will help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface and give you a clearer, more supportive path forward.

Topics:

• What is fundraising burnout, and what it isn’t
• Why burnout is often a stress cycle, not just exhaustion
• Decision fatigue and its impact on fundraising momentum
• How avoidance and “tinkering” worsen burnout
• Why rest alone doesn’t close open mental loops
• The power of decisiveness as a leadership tool
• How to break big, overwhelming tasks into bite-sized actions
• Using movement to complete the stress cycle
• Identifying what’s urgent vs. what just feels urgent
• Building systems that reduce burnout long-term

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links

If you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and still staring at the same fundraising numbers, this episode is your reset.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why most nonprofit leaders don’t actually need more ideas, tactics, or tools; they need better systems, clearer priorities, and fewer distractions. I walk through the hidden reasons fundraising can feel chaotic, how “busy” can disguise stagnation, and what it actually looks like to move from reactive mode to focused, revenue-driving leadership. I talk about simplifying your calendar, choosing fewer strategies that actually convert, and building a fundraising rhythm that supports growth without burnout. This episode is for nonprofit leaders who are done carrying everything alone and ready to organize their fundraising to create momentum, confidence, and results in 2026.

Topics:

• Why overwhelm is a systems problem, not a motivation problem
• How “busy work” keeps revenue flat
• The cost of running too many fundraising strategies at once
• What it really means to get organized for growth
• Why clarity beats hustle in modern fundraising
• How to simplify your calendar without slowing momentum
• The difference between activity and progress
• Building a repeatable fundraising rhythm for 2026
• Leading with confidence instead of reaction
• Creating space for sustainable fundraising success

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Live March 4th - REGISTER HERE

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links

What does it really look like to run a focused fundraising SPRINT™ without a gala, a big team, or running yourself into the ground?

In this episode, I’m joined by Megan Ihnen, Executive Director of Live Music Project, for an honest conversation about what actually changed when she simplified her approach and trusted momentum over perfection. In just two weeks, Megan raised 108% of her campaign goal, not by doing more, but by doing the right things in the right order. We talk about what happens when you stop overcomplicating fundraising, shorten the timeline, lean into direct, human asks, and activate the network you already have. We also get real about burnout, fear of asking, donor psychology, matching gifts, peer-to-peer fundraising, and why speed and clarity almost always outperform polish. If you’re feeling stretched thin, second-guessing your strategy, or stuck repeating tactics that aren’t moving the needle, this episode will help you see what’s possible when fundraising finally works with you instead of against you.

Topics:

• Why collapsing timelines creates fundraising momentum
• Moving from burnout to clarity with sprint-style campaigns
• Activating your personal network without guilt or fear
• The power of texting and direct human asks
• Matching gifts as momentum multipliers
• Board and peer-to-peer fundraising done simply
• Navigating rejection, silence, and donor non-response
• Using AI as a thought partner, not a replacement
• Stewardship and nurturing after a successful SPRINT™
• Turning one campaign into a repeatable fundraising system

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Live March 4th - REGISTER HERE

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links

In this episode, I’m joined again by Nathan Ruby, Executive Director of Friends of the Children of Haiti (FOTCOH), who has spent more than twenty years raising major gifts, and doing it without relying on galas, grants, or flashy events. Instead, Nathan has built a deeply effective fundraising engine through micro events: small, relationship-centered gatherings hosted by board members and key volunteers.

Nathan walks us through the exact structure of these 45-minute “CPM events,” why they consistently attract the right donors, and how they eliminate the burnout, costs, and low ROI that plague traditional events. We talk about capacity-based invitations, board coaching, donor psychology, follow-up strategy, and why the biggest gifts usually happen after the event, not during. If you want a practical, high-impact, board-friendly strategy for securing major gifts in 2026 and beyond, this conversation will give you the blueprint.

Topics:

• Why traditional galas are expensive, draining, and rarely profitable long-term
• What micro events (CPMs) are, and why they outperform large events
• How to structure a 45-minute micro event for maximum connection
• Why small groups (even 2–3 couples) lead to stronger donor relationships
• How to help board members invite the right people with capacity
• The role of the ED in follow-up and major gift cultivation
• How international or remote nonprofits can use micro events to expand nationally
• Why fundraising is ultimately about relationships

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Live March 4th - REGISTER HERE

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links

In Part 2 of my 2026 Fundraising Trends series, we’re going deeper into the tools, tech, and leadership shifts that will define nonprofit growth this year.

If Part 1 was about strategy and visibility, this episode is about the systems and decision-making that actually make those strategies possible. I discuss upgrading outdated CRMs and donation tools, the rise of AI-assisted fundraising, the acceleration of donor-advised fund (DAF) giving, why leaders must color outside the lines to stay relevant, and how decision speed has become a key competitive advantage for nonprofits. I close with a look at the tech-driven donor experience, a world where frictionless giving, mobile-first design, SMS, and fast follow-up matter more than ever. If you’re committed to modernizing your fundraising and leading boldly in 2026, these two-part episodes are your roadmap.

Topics:

• Why Q1 is the perfect time to evaluate and upgrade CRMs, donation tools, and ESPs
• How outdated tech silently kills conversion, retention, and reporting
• The rise of AI-assisted fundraising as a normal accelerator
• How to use AI without losing your voice, authenticity, or accuracy
• Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are becoming a mainstream giving vehicle
• Why nonprofits must “color outside the lines” and break legacy rules
• The need to drop slow, outdated tactics (raffles, auctions, galas) for modern, efficient ones
• Decision speed is a leadership advantage that drives revenue
• Perfectionism and committees as momentum killers in 2026
• The shift toward frictionless giving: SMS, mobile-first donations, automations, and welcome flows

For a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

Live March 4th - REGISTER HERE

Resources:

• Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System
• Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator
• The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers
• Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter
• [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser’s Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more.
  
  May contain affiliate links