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Explore every episode of the podcast Purpose & Profit Club® – The Nonprofit Fundraising & Marketing Podcast

Dive into the complete episode list for Purpose & Profit Club® – The Nonprofit Fundraising & Marketing Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
223: They Open Every Email. So Why Don’t They Give?10 nov. 202600:22:10

Remember the commercials “4 out of 5 dentists recommend…”? That fifth dentist is the reason you believed the other four. Most nonprofits are running a five-out-of-five ad. Every story ends with a win, every update is proof it’s working, and your warmest donors quietly decide you don’t need them. 

I’ll show you why a polished highlight reel keeps donors opening but not giving (especially your $25 and $50 donors). I share the research on why one small, honest truth makes the rest of your message more believable, and the empty shelf that brought in donations every time it was posted. Plus: what to say when your board “would never go for this,” and how to tell honesty from guilt.

Topics:

  • Why your warmest donors open, read, and click but never give
  • What a highlight-reel appeal quietly tells your $25 and $50 donors
  • The research behind why one small flaw makes your message more believable
  • The empty shelf that brought in donations every time it was posted
  • How to tell the truth without sounding like a 911 crisis
  • What to do when your board “would never go for this”
  • The math on 400 warm donors who’ve never given


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

222: Five Reasons Why Your Year-End Appeal Isn't Raising More03 nov. 202600:28:54

You know your drive to work so well you stop seeing what’s on it. Your year-end appeal works the same way. You’ve written, edited, and sent some version of it so many times that everything looks fine, and somewhere in there is a revenue leak you can’t see anymore.

In this episode, I share the five reasons year-end appeals stop raising more, including the two I catch most often in teardowns. I explain why most teams spend their time on the wrong parts of the appeal, what happens to your letter in the approval chain, and what NextAfter’s research found about donor-centered language and subject lines. I also share how one client grew from $300,000–$400,000 a year to nearly $1 million. Plus: the one test to run before you send or mail your appeal. Whether you do direct mail, email, or both, this one is for you.

Topics:

  • Why familiarity makes it hard to see what’s costing your year-end appeal money
  • Where most teams spend their appeal time, and why it’s backward
  • What happens to your appeal in the approval chain
  • The 5 reasons year-end appeals stall, and the two I catch most in teardowns
  • What NextAfter’s research reveals about donor-centered language and subject lines
  • How one client grew from $300K–$400K a year to nearly $1 million
  • The one test to run before you send or mail your appeal


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

221: Recruit 5 Peer Fundraisers Before Giving Tuesday27 oct. 202600:17:22

Giving Tuesday is December 1, day one of the biggest giving month of the year. For a lot of nonprofits, it’s also the last day they really ask big.

Giving Tuesday is one of the best days of the year to recruit peer fundraisers: the people who’ll carry your ask into their own communities all the way to December 31. I’ll show you why you only need five to start, what the 2025 Giving Tuesday numbers say about the so-called generosity crisis, and how small teams have gone from a few thousand dollars to multi-five-figure sums without adding staff. Plus: what happens to all those new donors on December 2, and what a house party can teach you about keeping them.

Topics:

  • Why Giving Tuesday is one of the best days of the year to recruit peer fundraisers
  • How peer fundraising works, and why you can start with five people
  • What last year’s Giving Tuesday numbers reveal about the so-called generosity crisis
  • How small teams grew Giving Tuesday results without a bigger staff or audience
  • Who makes a good peer fundraiser (and who doesn’t)
  • The 30-day window most nonprofits miss with new Giving Tuesday donors
  • How to use state giving days (Colorado Gives, Texas Gives) the same way


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

220: Your Fundraising Emails Are Too Polite to Make Money20 oct. 202600:27:58

Here’s a sentence I could pull from almost any year-end appeal this fall: “Your support ensures we can continue serving more families.” Nothing wrong with it, but nobody will remember it, either.


Over coffee, you tell me the real stakes: the grant that got pulled in July, the funder who said this is the last year. None of it makes it into your emails. In this episode, I explain why polite fundraising emails cost you twice and where that “keep it professional” instinct really comes from. I also share what my first baby taught me about following everyone else’s “best practices.” Plus: the client email that dropped me straight into a memory of my own kids, from a cause I have no personal connection to. If your appeal is written to get approved instead of written to get felt, this one is for you.

Topics:

  • Why polite fundraising emails cost you twice, and why “nothing wrong with it” is the problem
  • Where the “keep it professional” instinct comes from (hint: not a bad place)
  • What parenting advice taught me about following fundraising “best practices”
  • The client email that worked on a reader with no connection to the cause
  • How to talk about lost funding without donors thinking you’re going under
  • The difference between guilt and honesty in your year-end appeal
  • What to do when leadership keeps redlining your emails


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

219: Monthly Giving Is the Wrong Year-End Strategy13 oct. 202600:31:13

Last week, I told you to ignore one piece of year-end advice: making monthly giving your year-end strategy. This episode is the why.

I love monthly giving; our clients have built programs with 100, 200, even 400 active monthly donors. But making it the centerpiece of your November and December campaign is the wrong move for most nonprofits. In this episode, I do the math on what that choice can cost you. I share the question a client brought to coaching after a road trip deep dive into monthly giving. I also walk through the latest data from Bloomerang, M+R, and Fundraise Up on what donors actually do in December. Plus, I answer the “yeah, but” I hear from boards, EDs, and CFOs, and explain when monthly giving should be your big ask.

Topics:

  • Why I love monthly giving and still wouldn’t make it the centerpiece of your year-end campaign
  • The simple math question that changes how you think about recurring revenue in December
  • How a monthly ask can quietly downgrade the gift a donor was ready to make
  • Why you can’t brand your way out of a fundraising problem
  • What millions of transactions reveal about how donors want to give in December
  • How to answer your board, ED, or CFO when they push for more recurring revenue
  • When to launch a monthly giving campaign so it actually works


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

218: The Fundraising Advice I’d Ignore Before Year-End06 oct. 202600:20:16

Between now and December 31, you’ll get more fundraising advice than at any other time of year: from your board, your inbox, LinkedIn, and that one org that raised $50K and wants to tell you how. Most of it sounds smart, but some of it will quietly cost you momentum, money, and time.

In this episode, I walk through six pieces of year-end fundraising advice I’d ignore. One sounds like the most responsible thing you could do. Another is something I love, and I’d still tell most of you to skip it this year. I explain why adding a new tactic can hurt a campaign that’s already working. I also explain why “quality over quantity” is a false choice for your year-end emails (one executive director sent 33 emails and raised 80% more in two weeks). Plus: why you shouldn’t stop asking donors who already gave, and why neither Giving Tuesday nor monthly giving should carry your whole year-end. I also share the one question to ask before you add any new idea: Is this solving a revenue problem or soothing our anxiety?

Topics:

  • Why the biggest threat to your year-end campaign might be a good idea
  • The year-end advice that sounds the most responsible, and what it can quietly cost you
  • What 33 emails and 80% more raised in two weeks reveal about donor fatigue
  • The “kind” fundraising habit that may be costing you major gifts
  • Where Giving Tuesday really fits in your year-end strategy
  • The strategy I love that I’d still tell most nonprofits to skip this year
  • The one question to ask before adding anything new to your year-end plan


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

217: The 'Mail-Only Donor' Myth That's Costing You Revenue29 sept. 202600:25:01

Somewhere in your donor file, there’s a group of people that’s been labeled “mail-only.” Nobody tested it, so it just became the rule.

In this episode, I explain why that assumption costs you revenue, especially going into year-end. I share what happened when one of my club clients added email to an established direct mail program. Donors weren’t annoyed, and more gifts came in than mail alone could have produced. I also walk through the latest data from the 2026 M+R Benchmarks, Bloomerang’s Giving Signals report, and NextAfter. Email grew 16%, 69% of donors say email is their preferred channel, and nonprofits raise 30–40% of their online revenue in December alone. If your mail list and your email list barely talk to each other, this one is for you.


Topics:

  • Why mail and email get siloed by accident, and how that accident starts to feel like a rule nobody questioned
  • The real math: for every $1 nonprofits raise online, they raise $0.66 through direct mail. Both channels drive real revenue, and both are growing
  • Why "our audience doesn't respond to email" is almost never a channel problem; it's a content and cadence problem


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

216: You’re Already Fundraising. So Why Does It Still Feel This Hard?22 sept. 202600:32:28

No one works in this sector because they feel lukewarm about the mission. So where does all that belief go when it's time to ask for money?

In this episode, I'm talking about the fight, the nerve, the conviction, the inner fire that brought you into this work, and what happens to it over time. For newer fundraisers, fear sounds like "I don't know what to say." For established leaders, it sounds like donor-centric stewardship, more data, more awareness, not the right time. It speaks fluent nonprofit, and it's just as expensive. I share what it looks like when an organization has an espresso mission and decaf fundraising, why revenue is always a lagging indicator, and what it actually means to fight for your donors' yes before they've had the chance to give it. 

I also share what we do inside The Purpose & Profit Club® to reconnect leaders with that fight, and point it somewhere productive.

Topics:

  • Why the fight that got you into the sector goes lukewarm, and what it costs when it does
  • How fear gets a very good nonprofit vocabulary in established organizations, and how to recognize it
  • Why revenue is a lagging indicator, and what it means to act before you have proof it will work
  • The difference between rejecting yourself on the donor's behalf and giving them the chance to say yes
  • Why fundraising and communications working in silos is killing donations, and what integration actually looks like
  • What The Purpose & Profit Club® does differently, and who it's built for


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

215: The $16K Fundraising Campaign That Brought in 100+ Donors [Client Case Study]15 sept. 202600:42:53

Mars Sailors joined my coaching program, The Purpose & Profit Club®, as a graphic designer and marketing manager, not a fundraiser. The work already included telling the story of The Source LGBT+ Center across communications, social media, and email. What changed was learning how to connect those dots to donors.


In this conversation, Mars shares how that mindset shift turned into a first full SPRINT™ campaign: a Give Out Day fundraiser that raised $16,000, exceeded a $15K goal, included a $5,000 match, and brought in 100+ donors.


Mars also shares the story behind the Build to Belong capital campaign, which has raised nearly $700,000 toward a $1 million Phase One goal to secure a permanent home for LGBTQ+ people in California’s Central Valley.


This one is for every communicator, designer, or marketing manager who’s been handed fundraising responsibilities and isn’t sure they belong there. You do.

Topics:

  • How Mars reframed fundraising as a communications discipline, and why the stories he was already telling were halfway to a donor ask
  • The Give Out Day campaign: a $5K match, 100+ donors, and exceeding a $15K goal with a campaign built around "Pride doesn't end in June"
  • What it felt like to send that last email and have two donors independently close the $1,000 gap at the same time
  • The Build to Belong capital campaign: $700K raised, a campus purchased, and belonging framed as infrastructure
  • Fundraising in a politically turbulent climate, and why The Source doubles down instead of going dark
  • Being named a PR Daily finalist alongside Make-A-Wish, Guide Dogs for the Blind, and MD Anderson


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

214: The Slowest Path to Millions: 7 Signs You’re On It08 sept. 202600:27:50

Most established nonprofits aren't stuck because they're not working hard enough. They're stuck because they run fundraising like separate projects, not one connected operation.

In this episode, I walk through seven signs your fundraising isn't compounding, why that disconnection is the slowest path to millions, and why it's also the fastest path to burnout. I also share what one client did differently that led to $50,000 more across their digital campaigns (no new channels, no additional budget). The only change was connecting their communications strategy to their fundraising. If you have the pieces and they're still not working together the way they should, this one is for you.

Topics:

  • Why fundraising runs like separate projects (not one connected operation) creates a revenue ceiling even for established organizations
  • How adding more channels, events, and campaigns without optimizing what already exists keeps organizations stuck at the same level
  • Why isolated wins don't compound, and what a repeatable, buildable result actually looks like
  • The hidden cost of hiring execution before shared strategy is in place
  • What the compounding path actually looks like, and how one client raised $50K more simply by connecting their communications to their fundraising
  • Why the slowest path to millions is also the fastest path to burnout, and how to break the cycle


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

213: No Gala. No Auction. No Swag. Still Raised 81% More. [Client Case Study]01 sept. 202600:47:45

What happens when a former midnight-shift postal worker with zero nonprofit background builds a health organization by ignoring every rule she never bothered to read?

In this episode, I sit down with Kathy Ruiz-Carter, co-founder and Executive Director of the Lichen Sclerosus Support Network, for one of the most energizing client spotlight conversations I've recorded. Kathy sent 33 emails for her sixth annual summit, kept unsubscribes under 1%, and nearly doubled revenue to $29K with the exact same audience as the year before. Her organization has grown 30-50% year over year. She raised $1,000 in seven minutes from a single emergency email. And she built all of it while working solo, serving a community that deals with a deeply personal and stigmatized health condition. We dig into how she thinks about email as a daily conversation rather than a campaign tool, why she stopped feeling guilty about asking her patients to donate, how AI collapsed her timeline and dramatically changed her results, and why leaving the nonprofit marketing rulebook behind was the best thing she never did.

P.S. If you're ready to grow the way Kathy has, The Purpose & Profit Club® is where we do this work together. Go to splendidatl.com/start to learn more.

Topics:

  • From monthly newsletter to daily emails: why more frequency means more revenue, not more unsubscribes
  • Asking patients and service recipients to be donors, and why the guilt around this is costing organizations real money
  • How AI collapsed her summit timeline and helped her go from $16K to $29K with the same audience
  • Why radical financial transparency builds more donor trust than any campaign strategy
  • The e-commerce and customer service mindset that outperformed the nonprofit playbook every time
  • The emergency email that raised $1,000 in seven minutes, and what it proves about community trust


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

212: You’re Not Saving Money by DIYing Your Fundraising25 août 202600:35:08

Most nonprofit founders and leaders think DIYing their fundraising is the responsible choice. It feels like smart budgeting and being resourceful, but it quietly costs the organization more than any support ever would.

In this episode, I share why free fundraising advice, AI-generated campaigns, and trial-and-error in front of donors aren't savings; they're expenses that never appear on a budget line. I walk through what DIY fundraising actually costs in time, momentum, donor relationships, and delayed campaigns, and share stories from clients like Mary who went from raising just $3,000 in her year-end to multi-five-figures with one change. You’ll hear about Sophia and Jamie who canceled a gala and raised $20,000 in one simple online campaign, and why investing in a proven system is the fastest path to your first $250K, $500K, and beyond in unrestricted individual donations.

Topics:

  • Why DIY fundraising costs more than it saves: in time, donor relationships, and revenue never raised
  • The "we can't afford support" loop and why it keeps organizations stuck at the same funding level year after year
  • Why AI is making it easier to produce more mediocre fundraising, not better fundraising
  • Mary's story: from a $3K year-end campaign to $12K after joining The SPRINT Method™
  • Why my clients canceled a gala, raised $20K in weeks, with less work, less overhead, and a lot more fun
  • What investing in a fundraising system actually gives you: accountability, community, expert feedback, and a repeatable process


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

211: She Doubled Her Fundraising While Her Son Was in Cancer Treatment — Inside The SPRINT Method™ [Client Case Study]18 août 202600:35:17

Dina Besic started Maxwell's Toy Box because her two-year-old son Max wanted a train table in his oncology playroom. Three years later, while working a demanding full-time corporate job, raising two kids, and navigating Max's cancer treatment, she built an organization that has supported over 5,000 children, donated $9,100 directly to families, delivered 8,500 toys, and created 4,064 joy packages for children receiving chemotherapy… and she doubled her fundraising year over year with the support of The SPRINT Method™.

In this episode, Dina shares how she got out of her own way, moved from begging friends and family to running peer-to-peer campaigns and securing corporate sponsorships, and shifted her donors from giving physical toys to unrestricted cash donations. We also talk about the identity shift that changed everything, and what she would tell the version of herself who was terrified to ask.

Topics:

  • How 108 donated toys grew into an organization serving thousands of children and families 
  • Moving supporters from donating physical toys to giving dollars the organization can put to work 
  • How peer-to-peer fundraising opened the door to corporate sponsorships and new donor acquisition
  • Getting out of draft mode when you’re the founder, fundraiser, marketer, and decision-maker
  • What doubling fundraising looks like when you have a full-time job, two kids, and a nonprofit to run


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

210: 5 Signs You’re Overcomplicating Your Fundraising Campaign11 août 202600:30:43

Most nonprofit leaders don't have a strategy problem. They have a complexity problem.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the 5 signs your fundraising campaign has gotten too complicated to actually launch, and what to do instead. From planning that never ends, to waiting for the perfect story, to campaigns so exhausting that nobody wants to do them again, these are the patterns I see most often in small and solo-led organizations (and every single one of them is fixable!). If your campaigns feel like a production, if your board needs to approve every subject line, or if the last fundraiser left your team too tired to run another one, this episode will show you exactly what's getting in the way and how to get out of your own way before year-end arrives.

Topics:

  • Why planning can quietly replace actual fundraising
  • What happens when you build the graphics before the message is clear
  • How too many opinions weaken the campaign
  • Why waiting for the perfect story keeps you stuck
  • The sign that your campaign is too exhausting to repeat


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

209: 7 Lessons From the Healthiest Million-Dollar Board I've Ever Seen 04 août 202600:33:14

I recently spent a full day with one of the healthiest nonprofit boards I've ever seen, spread across the country, meeting mostly virtually, with 100% attendance, full fundraising participation, and zero circular conversations. And by the end of the day, I realized there was one thing this executive director never once did. It's probably the thing you're doing the most. In this episode, I share 7 lessons from that experience that every nonprofit leader needs to hear: from how great board meetings start weeks before anyone arrives, to why connection isn't a nice-to-have but actual infrastructure, to the most common mistake executive directors make that quietly turns their board into their managers. If your board is disengaged, inconsistent, or draining more than it's building, this episode will show you exactly why and what to change starting today.

Topics:

  • Why great board meetings start weeks before the meeting, and what an impeccable board packet actually looks like
  • How clear expectations create 100% attendance and real accountability, even across a fully virtual board
  • The most expensive mistake executive directors make: training their board to manage them instead of leading with CEO energy
  • Why not every board member's idea should become a strategy, and how to honor input without losing focus
  • Why the connection between board members isn't a nice-to-have; it's the infrastructure that makes everything else work
  • How fundraising becomes a culture, not a committee, and what "done" looks like on a high-performing board


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

208: The Fundraising Lesson Behind a $149K Giving Circle with Kids Hub28 juil. 202600:59:25

What does it look like when a nonprofit team thinks like a business, not a charity?

In this episode, I sit down with the powerhouse team behind Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center: founder and CEO DiDi Ellis, Director of Development Erica Smith, and Donor Relations Manager Paige Thames. In 11 years, Kids Hub has grown from 1 paid employee to 21, from 1,300 square feet to nearly 7,000, and from grant-dependent to running one of the most creative individual donor programs I've heard of, including a Power of 100 Women giving circle that raised $149,000 this year alone. We dig into how they think about donor acquisition in a rural southern community, why the chicken plant became one of their sponsors, how they tell emotionally compelling stories without ever showing a child's face, and why Paige says fundraisers have the cushiest job in the building and should act like it. This conversation will change how you think about the ask. All of it.

Topics:

  • The Power of 100 Women giving circle: from $0 to $149K and how peer-to-peer became their #1 donor acquisition pipeline
  • Why a chicken plant, a yeast company, and a paper mill are now sponsors, and the mindset that made the ask possible
  • How to tell emotionally compelling stories when you can never show a child's face or share specific details
  • Building donor relationships that go beyond the gift: volunteer days, feedback conversations, and year-round connection
  • The relay race model: splitting donor acquisition and donor retention between two people with different gifts
  • Why DiDi paid cash for a $680K renovation while still raising the money, and what that business mindset means for any nonprofit


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

207: Why Being Realistic Is Keeping Your Nonprofit Small: The Healthy Delusion™ Effect21 juil. 202600:27:39

Most nonprofit leaders play it too safe. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why a little “healthy delusion” might be the missing ingredient in your fundraising and leadership success. You’ll learn why being overly realistic can quietly cap your revenue potential, and how the right dose of ambitious, slightly unreasonable belief in your vision can get you into rooms, conversations, and opportunities you didn’t think were possible. This isn’t about ignoring reality. It’s about expanding it.

Topics:

  • Defining “healthy delusion”: What it means and why it works for nonprofit leaders
  • Breaking free from playing small: How being “too realistic” keeps you in the same lane year after year
  • Why wait for evidence before acting slows your growth
  • Real client wins sparked by leaning into healthy delusion
  • How to test bigger asks, expand your network, and approach opportunities without self-disqualifying


This is part two of a two-part mindset series we're re-releasing. 


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

206: Why Most Nonprofits Stall Before They Ever Grow: The Inner Grit Effect14 juil. 202600:28:56

Something is missing in your recipe for success. Not a tool. Not a strategy. But something deeper: your inner grit. This isn’t about hustling harder or pushing yourself until you burn out. It’s about the strength you draw on when you’re tired, when the campaign feels heavy, when the grant report is due, and when your to-do list is longer than your capacity. 

In this episode, I’m sharing why grit matters just as much as skill in fundraising, the mindset shifts that make it sustainable, and how to build your own reserve of inner strength so you can lead with clarity, joy, and resilience, even when the work gets hard. If you’ve ever felt like you’re running on fumes or questioning if you’ve got what it takes, this episode will remind you: you do. You just need to reconnect with it.

Topics:

  • Why inner grit is the missing ingredient in many nonprofit leaders’ success
  • How grit differs from hustle culture (and why that matters)
  • Practical ways to build mental and emotional resilience
  • The connection between grit and long-term fundraising success
  • Signs you’re running low on grit (and what to do about it)
  • Why skill without grit leads to stalled progress
  • How to rally yourself when you’re tired, overwhelmed, or uninspired


This is part one of a two-part mindset series we're re-releasing. Listen to this, then go straight to Episode 207. 


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

205: From Grant-Only to $20K in 20 Days: How Aftersight Transformed Its Fundraising [Client Case Study]07 juil. 202600:58:24

What does it look like when a 35-year-old organization that has never fundraised decides to go all in on individual donors?

In this special episode recorded live at GiveCon, I sit down with Penn Street, returning podcast guest, Development & Outreach Director at Aftersight, and host of The Blind Chick podcast. Penn walks us through Aftersight's transformation from a grant-only model to running successful sprint campaigns, including a $20K in 20 Days campaign that exceeded its goal and changed how the entire organization thinks about fundraising. We also dig into something most nonprofits completely overlook: accessibility as a revenue strategy. Penn makes the case that blind and low vision donors have money and want to give it to you, but your fundraising materials, events, and technology are making it impossible. Plus we talk about turning podcast audiences into email subscribers, using past guests as Social Street Team® members, and why your volunteer list might be the most underused donor pipeline in your organization.

Topics:

  • How Aftersight went from zero individual fundraising to exceeding its first $20K in 20 Days campaign goal
  • Why your podcast guests, volunteers, and past event attendees are untapped donor pipelines
  • Using lead magnets to move podcast listeners into your email list, and why that matters for campaigns
  • Accessibility as a revenue strategy: what nonprofit events and emails are missing and what it's costing them
  • The Social Street Team® method is applied to an organization with a national and international audience
  • Live Q&A: lapsed donor strategy, CRM migration, and alt text for inclusive email storytelling


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

204: Scared Money Doesn't Make Money: The Donor Relationship Truth Nobody Says Out Loud30 juin 202600:44:24

What's the real difference between a donor who gives once and disappears and one who goes to bat for your organization in rooms you've never been in?

In this conversation, I sit down with Jaz' Vick, Managing Director of Development at One Goal Georgia, a pastor, and one of the most genuinely gifted relationship builders I've ever met. We dig into what it actually means to fundraise from a place of connection instead of transaction, why assumptions about donor capacity destroy trust faster than almost anything else, and the simple habits that have made Jaz' one of the most effective development professionals in the sector. We also talk about what scared fundraising costs organizations, what great leadership actually looks like for a development team, and why the next generation of donors gives Jaz' so much hope for the future of philanthropy. This one is equal parts tactical and deeply human, and I think you'll feel it.

Topics:

  • Why transactional fundraising destroys donor trust, and what relationship-based fundraising actually looks like in practice
  • The simple 10-second habit that has changed Jaz' donor relationships  
  • How to build deep donor relationships at scale without burning out
  • Why assumptions about donor capacity are one of the fastest ways to breach trust
  • What strong ED support looks like for a development team, and what it doesn't
  • Scared money doesn't make money: how fear-based fundraising keeps organizations stuck in the same cycle


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

203: Summer Is the Most Underrated Fundraising Season: Your 90-Day Game Plan23 juin 202600:38:19

Americans gave $592 billion to charity last year. That was a record year, in the same economy, in the same tumultuous climate, with the same donors everyone says are pulling back. So why does it feel so hard?

In this special session recorded live, I break down the summer fundraising forecast and make the case for why right now (not September, not year-end) is the most wide-open fundraising opportunity of the year. I cover what's actually keeping organizations stuck (it's not donor fatigue, it's messaging), why 60% of nonprofits are fighting over 0.4% of grant money, and how to run a focused sprint campaign this summer that seeds your strongest year-end ever. Plus real client results, live Q&A, and details on how to work with me inside The SPRINT Method™ and The Purpose & Profit Club®.

Topics:

  • Why there is no generosity crisis, only a messaging and strategy crisis
  • The summer fundraising opportunity most organizations completely miss
  • Why 60% of nonprofits are fighting over 0.4% of grant money, and what to do instead
  • Email as the foundational backbone of online fundraising, and why "it doesn't work" usually means the recipe was wrong
  • Monthly giving as the most sustainable revenue stream, and why most organizations don't have enough monthly donors
  • Sprint campaigns vs. endless soft asks, and why short, focused bursts beat marathon fundraising every time


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

202: Stop Crying Wolf: How to Fundraise Without Burning Out Your Donors 16 juin 202600:21:54

There's a marketing concept that applies directly to how nonprofits fundraise: some messages are painkillers, and some are vitamins. Painkillers solve immediate problems: urgent, scarce, make-or-break. Vitamins build something sustainable: aspirational, visionary, long-term. Most nonprofits accidentally built their entire fundraising strategy around one extreme or the other, and both extremes are costing them donors.

In this episode, I break down the difference between painkiller and vitamin fundraising, when each one belongs in your strategy, and what happens when you overuse either. I also dig into the dangerous gray zone I call vague vitamin messaging, content that sounds nice, means nothing, and converts nobody. If your campaigns are flatlining, your donors are churning, or your monthly giving program isn't growing, this episode will show you exactly why and what to do instead.

Topics:

  • The painkiller vs. vitamin fundraising framework, and why most organizations are stuck in one extreme
  • Why chronic panic messaging trains donors to churn, distrust, and disappear
  • What vague vitamin messaging looks like, and why it's just as dangerous as over-urgency
  • How the Chicks for Change campaign hit 115% of its goal in under two weeks using a pure vitamin strategy
  • Why monthly giving is the ultimate vitamin, and what a small monthly donor program signals about your messaging
  • How to balance both painkiller and vitamin in a sustainable fundraising calendar


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

201:From Pinterest Board to Panama: How One Founder Fundraised Before She Had Proof [Client Case Study]09 juin 202600:35:16

What does it look like to fundraise tens of thousands of dollars before a single wall is built?

In this episode, I sit down with Louise Henry, founder of Tim's Club, a nonprofit community space in Panama being built from scratch to support individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Inspired by her younger brother Tim, Louise spent years building an online business first so she could dedicate herself to bringing this vision to life. We dig into how she transferred her entrepreneurial and email marketing skills to nonprofit fundraising, how she uses Pinterest vision boards to hold belief before there's evidence, what a hard hat tour does for donor trust, and how her monthly progress reports keep international supporters connected and coming back. This is a conversation about clarity, courage, and what it really means to fundraise before you have proof, and it's one of my favorites.

Topics:

  • Building a nonprofit capital campaign from scratch (land, structures, and programming) in Panama
  • How entrepreneurial and email marketing skills transfer directly to nonprofit fundraising
  • Using Pinterest vision boards to hold donor belief before there's tangible proof
  • Creative low-lift campaigns: stepping stone sponsorships, bench naming, product bundles, and peer-to-peer
  • Why hard hat tours are one of the most underused donor engagement tools
  • Monthly progress reports and live workshops as donor retention and connection tools


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

200: Live Panel from GiveCon: The Advice We Don't Put on Slides02 juin 202600:58:25

This is a special episode recorded live at GiveCon 2026, sponsored by Bloomerang.

I joined three powerhouse experts, fundraising event strategist Samantha Swaim, digital marketing consultant Julia Campbell, and Bloomerang CMO Ann Fellman, for a candid panel called "The Advice We Don't Put on Slides." No safe takes, no polished talking points, just the real stuff consultants say behind closed doors. We cover what nonprofits consistently get wrong, the trade-offs nobody wants to make, what actually moves the needle, and the advice we give all the time but wish we didn't have to. From a scarcity mindset to the 17 touchpoints it takes to convert a donor, from abandoning friend-raisers to stepping into CEO energy, this conversation is packed with the kind of honest, actionable insight you don't usually get in a conference session.

Topics:

  • The most expensive mistakes nonprofits repeat 
  • Why the call is coming from inside the house when donor numbers decline, and what to do about it
  • Why "just do a raffle" and "friend-raiser" events are costing organizations more than they raise
  • The 15–17 touch points it takes before revenue comes in, and why that changes everything


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

199: Stop Making Your Fundraising Campaign Feel Like a Final Exam26 mai 202600:21:20

What if the pressure you're putting on your fundraising campaign is actually the thing slowing it down?

In this episode, I'm talking about something I watched play out on a Little League field this weekend: two coaches, same-age kids, same skill level, completely different energy, and completely different outcomes. And I couldn't stop thinking about how much it looked like what I see inside fundraising campaigns every single week. When you hold too tightly to a goal, when every quiet day feels like failure, when the whole campaign starts to feel like a final exam, that pressure changes everything: your messaging tightens, your team feels it, and your donors feel it. And ironically, the pressure creates the very outcome you were trying to avoid. I talk about what pressure actually does to campaign performance, why three of my clients inside The Purpose & Profit Club® thought they were behind when they were actually ahead, the difference between a dirty win and a beautiful loss, and what it really means to lead a campaign well all the way to the end.


Topics:

  • How white-knuckling a fundraising campaign changes the outcome, and not in the way you hope
  • The payoff of pressure and why we hold onto it even when it hurts us
  • What pressure actually does to campaign pacing, messaging, and team energy
  • Why three clients thought they were behind, and were actually ahead
  • The difference between a dirty win and a beautiful loss in fundraising
  • How to lead a campaign well without making it a final exam


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

198: The Give-Get Fundraising Trap That's Costing You More Than You Think19 mai 202600:16:21

Your donors don't need a goodie bag, a raffle prize, an auction item, a t-shirt, or a chicken dinner. If your fundraising strategy is built around giving them something in order to get something back, that's the give-get model, and it might be exactly what's slowing your organization down.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between a real SPRINT™ campaign and an old-school fundraising method wrapped in new language. I talk about why events, raffles, auctions, and 5Ks aren't inherently bad, but why building your entire fundraising strategy around them adds friction, drains people's power, and quietly signals that you don't trust the mission to be enough on its own. If you've ever said, "Why don't we just do a raffle?", this episode is for you.

Topics:

  • What a SPRINT™campaign actually is, and what it isn't
  • Why wrapping an old-school fundraiser in SPRINT™ language doesn't make it a sprint
  • How events add friction for donors and where the money gets lost in the process
  • The give-get mentality and why donors don't need to be bribed to give
  • Questions to ask before choosing your next campaign vehicle
  • Why defaulting to events usually means you don't yet trust the ask, and what to do instead


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

197: Why Sending 3+ Emails on the Final Day Can 2X–9X Your Campaign12 mai 202600:22:07

I recently got an email from a development manager telling me I send too many emails. She's not wrong for feeling that way, but that feeling is rooted in one of the most expensive beliefs in nonprofit fundraising. And that's exactly what I'm unpacking in this episode.


Today, I'm breaking down the data behind email frequency, what it actually costs your organization when you hold back, and why the inner monologue of "I don't want to bother people" is quietly limiting your mission. I talk about what the M+R benchmarks report actually shows about how many emails high-revenue nonprofits are sending, why campaign-based intensity is where your revenue is sitting, and what happened when one development manager followed the Easy Emails For Impact™ process and 9x'd their typical campaign results, without a single new donor on the list.


P.S. Easy Emails For Impact™ enrollment is now open with 50% off. Go to splendidcourses.com/email for all the details.


Topics:

  • Why "you send too many emails" is rooted in one of the most expensive beliefs in fundraising
  • What the M+R benchmarks report actually shows about email frequency and revenue growth
  • The difference between sending more emails and sending more emails at the right time
  • Why holding back during a campaign window is limiting your mission, not protecting your donors
  • How one development manager 9x'd campaign results by staying in the conversation longer
  • Why you're not building your strategy around your donors
  • Why email revenue grew 16% last year, and what that means for organizations not tapping into it

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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

196: The Right Way to Use AI for Nonprofit Fundraising Emails05 mai 202600:19:51

AI is everywhere right now, and in the nonprofit sector, it's making some organizations' fundraising sharper and others completely generic. The difference isn't the tool; it's how you're using it.

In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly where AI helps and where it quietly hurts your fundraising emails. I talk about the most expensive mistake I see nonprofits making - handing the wheel over to AI completely and treating the first draft like the final answer. I share how my clients inside The SPRINT Method™ and The Purpose & Profit Club® are actually using AI as a thought partner, not a ghostwriter, and what the difference looks like in results. If you've been using AI to write your emails faster but wondering why nothing is converting, this episode will show you why, and what to do instead.


P.S. Easy Emails For Impact™ enrollment opens May 7 with 50% off the course. Go to splendidcourses.com/email to get first access and learn more.


Topics:

  • Why AI is making some nonprofit emails sharper and others completely generic, and what determines the difference
  • The GPS analogy: why AI should help you get there faster, not decide where you're going
  • What to use AI for and what to never hand over to it in your fundraising
  • How to spot an AI-written email, and why they raise nothing even when they look polished
  • Using AI as a thought partner to push your ideas deeper, not replace them
  • A simple three-question filter to run before you hit send


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

195: 7 Reasons Your Emails Aren't Converting Into Donations28 avr. 202600:20:36

If sending emails feels like something you dread, rush, or quietly avoid, this episode is for you. I walk through the seven reasons nonprofit emails aren't converting into donations, and I want you to listen not for what sounds good, but for where you recognize yourself, because the second you see it, you can change it.

From writing emails that are polished but completely forgettable to stopping too soon just as momentum is about to build, these are the patterns I see across organizations of every size, from solo founders to teams with 100,000 subscribers. None of this is about making yourself feel bad. It's about getting clear on what's actually getting in the way, because most of these are simple fixes that just take a little courage to do differently.

Topics:

  • Why "fine" emails that aren't wrong are still completely forgettable, and what a converting email actually does
  • How your energy and relationship with email show up in your writing and affect results
  • Why assuming your donors hate email is one of the most expensive beliefs in nonprofit fundraising
  • The difference between repetition that annoys and repetition that actually lands your message
  • How to find the micro moments inside your everyday work that make the most powerful emails
  • Why most campaigns die in the middle, and how to stay in it when it feels quiet


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

194: The Story You’re Telling Is Costing You Funding21 avr. 202600:29:00

Somewhere along the way, many nonprofit leaders start carrying a version of their story that is heavier than it needs to be. A missed goal becomes proof they should be further along; a hard year becomes evidence they're behind; and what's tricky is that this story can sound incredibly responsible, measured, even accurate, but it's still a story. And it's costing you funding.

In this episode, I introduce the concept of the wound version versus the hero's version, and why the story you're telling about your organization (to your donors, your board, your team, and yourself) changes everything about how people experience your leadership and your asks. I walk through how to identify your wound story, rewrite it as the hero's version, and why this isn't about spin or fake positivity. It's about refusing to lead from a place that weakens you. Same facts → Different meaning → Different results.

Topics:

  • Why the story nonprofit leaders tell about their organization directly impacts funding
  • The wound version vs. the hero's version, and how to tell the difference
  • How a wound story leaks into donor conversations, campaign language, and board updates
  • Why "realistic" language often shrinks leadership and repels donors
  • A step-by-step process for rewriting your wound story into the hero's version
  • Real examples of how the same facts can be told in two completely different ways


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

193: The Fundraising Skill No One Taught You14 avr. 202600:17:48

Online fundraising isn't hard because your donors aren't online. It's hard because most nonprofit leaders were never actually taught how to fundraise in the first place, and that's exactly what I'm fixing in this episode.

In this follow-up to last week's episode on campaign frequency, I dig into why so many organizations try online fundraising once, don't hit their goal, and walk away convinced it doesn't work for them. I break down what a real SPRINT™ campaign looks like versus what most nonprofits do (sending one email, posting a donation link, and hoping for the best). I cover the data behind email fundraising, why your donors aren't as offline as you think, and why a donate button is not a strategy. If you've ever told yourself online fundraising just doesn't work for your organization, this episode will change how you see that.

Topics:

  • Why 99% of nonprofit leaders were never actually taught how to run a campaign
  • The difference between fundraising activity and a real campaign strategy
  • Why your donors aren't as offline as you think, and how to invite them into a new giving habit
  • What a real SPRINT™ campaign looks like versus one email and a donation link
  • The snowball effect, and why momentum makes giving psychologically contagious
  • Why a small email list isn't a barrier when the message is strong


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

192: Why Million-Dollar Nonprofits Run SPRINT™ Campaigns07 avr. 202600:19:50

Most nonprofit leaders assume that million-dollar organizations are doing something they can't: bigger teams, bigger events, bigger budgets. But when you actually look at how high-growth nonprofits raise unrestricted money at scale, the secret isn't size; it's speed.

Today, I break down why million-dollar-plus organizations run five to ten times as many fundraising campaigns per year as smaller nonprofits, and why that rhythm (not the gala or the grant cycle) is what actually drives sustainable funding growth. I make the case for short, focused, online SPRINT™ campaigns as the modern fundraising engine your organization can start using now, regardless of team size, budget, or donor list size. If you've been waiting for the perfect moment, the bigger team, or the windfall grant to grow your funding, this episode is your wake-up call.

Topics:

  • Why high-growth nonprofits run 5–10x more campaigns per year (not bigger ones)
  • How over-reliance on galas, grants, and signature events keeps organizations stuck waiting for funding
  • Why speed is the real fundraising advantage, and how SPRINT™ campaigns collapse timelines
  • The difference between posting a donation link and running an actual campaign
  • Real client results: from Live Music Project to Sharing Hope Africa
  • Why a small donor list isn't a reason to fundraise less; it's a reason to sprint smarter


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

191: From $3K to $12K: The SPRINT Campaign That Changed Everything31 mars 202600:47:14

What does it look like when a solo nonprofit founder stops playing small and finally breaks through her fundraising ceiling? 

In this episode, I’m joined by Mary Muroski, founder and Executive Director of the Children's Legacy Partnership Foundation. After 20 years of teaching middle school and nearly a decade building her Uganda-based foundation (largely alone), Mary hit a wall. She was doing everything, raising from the same small circle of friends and family, and couldn't figure out what came next. Then she discovered The SPRINT Method™. Mary shares how she went from a $3,000 year-end campaign to hitting a $12,000 goal, achieving her first five-figure revenue month, and building the systems, confidence, and board accountability that will carry the organization forward. This is a must-listen for any small nonprofit founder who feels like they've taken their organization as far as they can go alone.


Topics:

  • Building a nonprofit solo while working full-time, and knowing when to go all in
  • How weekly emails became the foundation for consistent donor engagement and campaign conversions
  • Running a focused SPRINT Method™ campaign that raised $12K to fully fund a girls' vocational center in Uganda
  • Why monthly donors are your biggest evangelists (not a group to protect from your asks)
  • The difference between therapy and coaching, and how accountability drives fundraising results
  • Board building done right: applications, term limits, and having the hard conversations


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

190: The $20K Pivot: Canceling a Gala and Raising More with Sharing Hope Africa24 mars 202600:38:40

Sometimes the most powerful shifts in fundraising start with a simple decision: we’re not doing it the old way anymore.

That’s exactly what happened for Sophia Caputo and Jami Porzl, co-founders of Sharing Hope Africa. Balancing full-time careers, they were preparing for a large gala when they decided to pause and rethink their approach. What followed was a completely different fundraising path, one built on clarity, community, and focused campaigns using The SPRINT Method™.

In this conversation, we discuss what shifted when they stopped guessing and started fundraising with intention: activating their board, building donor momentum, growing their confidence in making asks, and planning for long-term sustainability, including a community chicken coop designed to eventually fund the preschool permanently.

This episode is a powerful look at what happens when strategy replaces burnout, and when small nonprofits step into bold leadership.

Topics:

  • Building a nonprofit while working full-time jobs
  • Pivoting from a high-cost gala to a lower-lift fundraising event
  • Using a focused SPRINT™ strategy to raise $20K in months
  • Moving from friends-and-family donors to a real donor pipeline
  • Activating board members as fundraisers
  • The impact of funding on a preschool in Mozambique
  • Long-term sustainability through community-led solutions
  • The moment they hit their fundraising goal in the first 10 minutes of an event


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

189: The Habit That Grows Your Nonprofit’s Funding (But Almost No Leaders Practice It)17 mars 202600:17:06

If your nonprofit feels stuck at the same funding level year after year, the problem might not actually be your donors. It might be your calendar.

In this episode, I’m introducing a leadership habit I call CEO Time. It’s the protected time where nonprofit leaders step out of the constant reaction cycle and focus on the work that actually generates revenue.

Too often, nonprofit leaders spend their weeks managing operations, responding to emails, preparing board materials, and solving daily problems. All of that work matters, but none of it directly builds the funding pipeline that allows an organization to grow. CEO Time is different. It’s where leaders focus on donor conversations, relationship-building, partnerships, campaign strategy, and the work that drives real fundraising momentum.

I’m sharing why so many nonprofits plateau financially, even when their missions are powerful, how leadership time gets misallocated, and what happens when leaders begin to protect even a few hours each week for revenue-generating work. If you’ve ever ended the day exhausted but unsure whether you actually moved your organization forward, this episode will help you rethink how leadership time shapes your nonprofit’s future funding.


Topics:

  • Why many nonprofits plateau financially despite strong missions
  • The concept of CEO Time and why it matters for nonprofit growth
  • How operational overload prevents leaders from focusing on revenue
  • The difference between busy work and revenue-generating leadership work
  • The burnout cycle caused by constant reaction and operational pressure
  • Strategic activities that actually build funding pipelines
  • Donor conversations and relationship-building as revenue drivers
  • Why courage and boundaries are essential leadership skills
  • How protecting strategic time can rebuild fundraising momentum
  • How the SPRINT Method™ supports focused fundraising campaigns


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

188: Monthly Giving Isn’t the Strategy. It’s the Result.10 mars 202600:26:58

What does the Winter Olympics have to do with monthly giving? More than you think. Watching Alysa Liu’s gold medal performance, I couldn’t stop thinking about magnetism, how some athletes make you want to cheer for them, root for them, watch them again and again. That’s the energy monthly giving requires.

In this episode, I explain why simply adding a “give monthly” checkbox to your donation form isn’t a strategy. Recurring revenue isn’t built through automation; it’s built through retention, campaign energy, and relational depth. Monthly giving is the result of belonging, not billing. If your recurring program has stalled or never quite taken off, this episode will help you see what needs to happen first, and how to build a system that compounds instead of resets. Monthly giving isn’t the engine; it’s what happens when the engine is working.

Topics:

  • Why monthly giving is the result, not the strategy
  • The difference between a payment feature and a real program
  • Retention before recurring revenue
  • Why trust-building must happen before asking for commitment
  • The role of campaign energy in monthly giving growth
  • Belonging vs. billing: creating identity for donors
  • How to know if your nonprofit is ready to launch
  • Why donors are absolutely “monthly people”
  • Subscription economy and donor behavior
  • How to integrate monthly giving into your full fundraising ecosystem


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

187: Influencer Partnerships for Nonprofits (And Why This Isn’t a Social Media Strategy)03 mars 202600:29:07

Most nonprofits think influencer partnerships mean celebrity shoutouts, paid posts, or “social media strategy.” That’s not what this is.

In this episode, I break down why influencer partnerships are actually about borrowed trust, not follower count. I explain why 99% of nonprofits are missing this opportunity, how to build true ambassador relationships instead of transactional posts, and why this works even if you don’t have a big budget. I talk about the Social Street Team® Method, why influence is a free visibility superhighway, and how to use it to warm donors before you ever ask. If your organization feels like the best-kept secret in town, this episode is your blueprint to change that.

Topics:

  • Why influencer partnerships are not social media tactics
  • The difference between creators and influencers
  • Borrowed trust vs. follower count
  • Why transactional posts don’t work
  • The Social Street Team® Method explained
  • How influence builds donor momentum and retention
  • Common mistakes nonprofits make with influencer campaigns
  • Why campaigns must convert before influencers amplify
  • Real-world example: Jones Road Beauty’s growth strategy
  • How to build long-term ambassador relationships


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

186: 6 Indicators Your Fundraising Strategy Needs to Change24 févr. 202600:26:01

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

185: Strategic Networking That Actually Grows Revenue (Without Being Cringey)17 févr. 202600:23:35

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

184: The Familiarity Trap: Why “Good Enough” Is Slowing Your Fundraising10 févr. 202600:25:16

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

183: The Real Reason Fundraising Burnout Keeps Coming Back03 févr. 202600:28:53

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

182: From Overwhelmed to Organized — Your 2026 Fundraising Reset27 janv. 202600:34:27

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

181: From $2,500 to $10,825: How a Classical Music Nonprofit Won with a SPRINT Campaign20 janv. 202600:45:47

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

180: The Anti-Gala: How Board-Led Micro Events Bring In New Major Donors13 janv. 202600:29:24

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

179: [Part 2] The 2026 Fundraising Trends Every Nonprofit Leader Should Know06 janv. 202600:32:40

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.

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

178: [Part 1] The 2026 Fundraising Trends Every Nonprofit Leader Should Know30 déc. 202500:17:25

If you want to grow in 2026, you cannot rely on outdated playbooks or wait for a perfect case study to tell you what to do. In this two-part series, I’m breaking down the real fundraising trends I’m seeing across every organization in my ecosystem, not theory, not headlines, not generic Google wisdom. These trends are based on live data, donor behavior, digital strategy sessions, leadership conversations, and thousands of campaigns across my programs, and they’re already reshaping how nonprofits grow.

In Part 1, I cover six strategic and visibility shifts that will define the highest-performing organizations in 2026, from audience growth as a core revenue engine to the rise of laptop fundraising, human amplifiers, scrappy leader-driven content, superfan retention, and the ROI of LinkedIn thought leadership. If you want to reduce lag time, lead with clarity, and raise more with less friction, this episode provides the roadmap.

Topics:

  • Audience growth as a primary revenue engine for 2026
  • The rise of laptop fundraising and email-first digital campaigns
  • Short, fast “sprint” campaigns outperforming long, traditional plans
  • The power of human amplifiers and Social Street Teams®
  • Why authenticity-driven, “break the fourth wall” content converts better
  • Creating long-term superfans instead of one-time donors
  • LinkedIn is the most underutilized high-ROI visibility channel
  • Why clarity, action, and visibility will outperform caution in 2026


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

177: 7 Lessons from a Record-Breaking Year in Fundraising23 déc. 202500:28:21

If you believed the headlines this year, you’d think generosity was shrinking. Inflation up. Layoffs everywhere. Grant budgets tightening. Every sector talking about a downturn and uncertainty. But inside my world (thousands of podcast listeners, email subscribers, clients, and community members), the story was completely different. This year was record-breaking! Record-breaking campaigns, major gifts, digital fundraising wins, growth for my clients, and for my own business.

In this episode, I share the seven biggest lessons that created growth in a year everyone expected to be hard, lessons about donor behavior, clarity, courage, visibility, momentum, risk, and the kind of leadership that drives revenue even when the headlines say otherwise. If you want a roadmap for your next year (one grounded in data, psychology, and lived experience), this is the episode to bookmark.

Topics:

  • Why donor behavior outperformed negative economic headlines
  • How fast, clear digital sprint campaigns outperformed long, traditional fundraising plans
  • Where donor friction still kills revenue (and what to fix immediately)
  • Why decisive, courageous action beats cautious planning in a slow economy
  • How confidence compounds (and fear compounds) in fundraising leadership
  • Why do the biggest revenue days happen at the very end of a campaign
  • The relationship between bold visibility, clear messaging, and attracting the right donors
  • Why criticism is a normal (and often healthy) sign of growth
  • The importance of letting go (donors, systems, or staff) to make room for the next level
  • Why you must stop putting donors in boxes and upgrade based on relationship, not assumptions


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

176: 3 Psychological Triggers That Drive Donors to Give Again Before Year-End16 déc. 202500:22:39

If you’re worried you’re behind on year-end fundraising, take a breath; December isn’t over. In fact, the most generous days of the year are still ahead.

In this episode, I break down the three hidden psychological reasons donors give again before year-end, even if they've already given this month. I go deep into donor momentum, identity and reciprocity, and why “donor fatigue” is one of the biggest myths in our sector. You’ll learn how to use progress updates, public-facing goals, segmentation, tailored messaging, and consistent communication to activate second gifts without feeling repetitive or overwhelming. If you’ve been worried about asking again or feeling late in the game, this episode will give you the clarity, confidence, and data-backed strategy to finish the year strong.

Topics:

  • Why December remains the most generous month of the year
  • The psychology behind donors giving twice in a short window
  • How the Zeigarnik Effect makes donors want to “finish the goal”
  • Why public-facing goals and progress bars dramatically increase conversions
  • How donor identity and reciprocity activate second gifts
  • The myth of monthly donor “offense” and why you should ask them again
  • Why internal fatigue is misinterpreted as donor fatigue
  • How staying visible sustains momentum (and silence breaks it)
  • Why December 31 outperforms GivingTuesday nearly 3:1
  • The importance of resending emails to non-openers


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

175: Fear & Fundraising: How to Make Major Gift Asks That Don’t Scare You with Nathan Ruby09 déc. 202500:34:28

Major gift fundraising is where many nonprofit leaders freeze, but not because they lack passion or skill. The fear lives in the body, the brain, and the stories we tell ourselves long before we walk into the room.

In this episode, I’m joined by Nathan Ruby, Executive Director of FOTCOH (Friends of the Children of Haiti), one of the rare EDs who has raised millions of dollars from individual donors, not foundations. Nathan brings 20+ years of experience in major gifts, donor psychology, cross-cultural fundraising, and what it actually takes to have confident, courageous donor conversations. Together, we discuss the neuroscience behind fear and rejection, how imposter syndrome shows up during big asks, why culturally we struggle to talk about money, and why donors actually want us to be honest and direct. If you struggle with fear, freezing, or overthinking around major gift asks, this conversation will change how you fundraise forever.

Topics:

  • Why major gift fear is not a personality flaw,  it’s neuroscience
  • How to reframe donor conversations by focusing on the people you serve
  • Why donors are used to talking about money (and why you don't need to be scared)
  • The science behind rejection and why “no” activates the same regions as physical pain
  • Nathan’s background in sales and how it shaped his fearless fundraising mindset
  • How to use donor questions to inform the right ask amount
  • Why genuine honesty is more magnetic than a perfect pitch
  • Why your donors want you to win and how to invite them into partnership


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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Got a fundraising question you want Christina to answer?

Send the campaign problem, donor situation, email question, board issue, or fundraising advice you want a straight answer on. Christina is answering listener questions on upcoming episodes of The Purpose & Profit Club® Podcast.

Submit yours at splendidatl.com/ask

Resources:

174: The Campaign Hangover: What To Do When You’re Exhausted (and Still Need to Raise More)02 déc. 202500:23:13

If you’ve hit that post-campaign wall, tired, drained, and wondering if anyone else feels the same, this episode is for you.

In today’s episode, I share what to do when you’re completely wiped from GivingTuesday or a year-end push but still have fundraising goals to hit. You’ll learn how to recover strategically (without going silent), re-engage donors who gave once, and use short “sprint campaigns” to rebuild your energy and results. Because burnout isn’t a sign that you’re doing it wrong, it’s a signal that you need structure, rest, and a smarter rhythm to your fundraising.

Topics:

  • What is the campaign hangover, and why is it completely normal
  • How to recover from fundraising fatigue without losing momentum
  • Why rest and structure are non-negotiable for sustainable growth
  • How to design “sprint-style” campaigns that prevent burnout
  • Why donors often give again within the same 30-day window
  • The importance of shifting your message post-campaign, not going silent
  • Quick two-minute tweaks to boost conversions without new content
  • How to reuse winning posts, emails, and videos from earlier campaigns
  • The three ways to reset your energy fast (walk, talk, or move your body)
  • How to push smarter, not harder, through the end of the year



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

It's not too early to start developing a strategy for the end of 2026! Snag Bloomerang's 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists here. 

Resources:

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