All Systems Go Consulting

08/17/2026

Boardroom Gossip Is a Fundraising Problem

An organization’s reputation is shaped in conversations we'll never hear. This week, I’m looking at how board members can either strengthen or quietly erode donor trust through the stories they tell.

If I met one of your board members at a dinner party next week and asked about your organization, what would they say? Would they share a piece of great news? Tell a story that makes the mission real? Talk about why they care? Or would they lean in and say, “You would not believe the drama at our ...

08/12/2026

My newest blog post is up, "Fundraising is Everyone's Work".

A strong development director can do a lot.

But they can't overcome a board, budget, or leadership team that treats fundraising as someone else’s job.

In this latest article, I look at why fundraising must be an organization-wide responsibility, and why that does not mean everyone has to ask for money.

You cannot fix a weak development ecosystem by hiring a stronger fundraiser.

06/22/2026

There's an essay going around that says AI is about to hand philanthropy hundreds of billions, and that the people who've spent their careers in nonprofits "won't cut it."

I have 21 years of opinions about that.

So I wrote some stuff: what the story gets right, what it gets wrong, and the proof that the talent these funders are looking for is already here, doing the work, underpaid, overlooked, and brilliant.

Read it here: https://allsystemsgoconsulting.com/blog/f/the-gap-isnt-talent-its-trust

Curious whether you're seeing it the same way.

06/16/2026

TL;DR: Your donors aren't customers. Treat them like shoppers and they'll leave like shoppers. Give them a reason to see themselves in your mission and they'll stay for years.

When someone buys, their brain asks "Do I want this?" When someone gives, it asks "Does this reflect who I am?"

Giving is an identity decision. So when we market to donors like shoppers (generic appeals, a thank-you that reads like a parking ticket), we act shocked when they wander off.

And it's sneaky: skip the follow-ups this spring and nothing bad happens this spring. You don't feel it until next year, when renewals dip and the development director gets grilled by the ED and board about why donors are leaving.

Good news: it's fixable. I wrote about the whole thing here 👇

Last month I wrote about why we're still bad at keeping donors, and why the fix is a system, not a rockstar hire.

05/26/2026

Network! Please share!

I can't believe there are still a bunch of seats open for this class: Build Your Own AI Assistant: Intro to Custom GPT's and AI Agents
https://lnkd.in/ewgGFXJv

Granted, it doesn't start till July 15. But get in now, I promise you this is going to be an amazing class.

Online. No driving. Learn in your jammies.
Super affordable, an amazing value.
2 Wednesday nights.
You can do this. 😁

There are also 5 seats still left in my more beginner AI class: AI for Everyday Productivity: Work Smarter at Work and at Home
https://lnkd.in/e2sqtbT3

This class starts in just a couple of weeks.
Again, online. Learn while eating ice cream in the tub, I don't care.
Again, great value at $99 for 3 Wednesday nights of pure knowledge. 😉

05/20/2026

AI is a polarizing topic, but it's so important that we talk about it.

I tell my clients and colleagues all the time: it's important to understand what you fear.

I'm teaching a virtual AI class through Bucks County Community College beginning on June 10. It will be an evening class, just 3 sessions, and it's very affordable and accessible.

Message me if you have questions about what we'll cover in this class.

Learn practical, easy-to-use ways to make AI useful in everyday life. In this beginner-friendly course, you&rsq...

05/20/2026

Your nonprofit may have larger gift opportunities sitting in your donor list. But before you start making bigger asks, it helps to make sure the basics are ready.

- Do you know who your top donor prospects are?
- Do you know what they care about?
- Is your board clear on how they can help without feeling like they’re being thrown into awkward fundraising conversations?
- Do you have a simple follow-up plan after the first meeting?
- Do you have a short impact brief you can share?

If you can't say yes to all of those questions, you need a Major Donor Readiness Sprint!

It’s a 4-6 week project for small and mid-sized nonprofits that know they need stronger donor relationships, but need structure before outreach.

You’ll walk away with:
- A Top 25–50 prospect list
- Donor profile template
- Major donor conversation guide
- One-page impact brief or mini case for support
- 90-day cultivation calendar
- Board/ED role map
- Stewardship checklist

This is not a full campaign, nor is it dependent on a wealth screening. And I am not stepping in as your outsourced gift officer.

It is a practical readiness project so your team can approach the right donors with confidence.

Message me if you want the details.

04/30/2026

I have some feelings about donor retention.

The latest FEP report is out, and once again, the numbers point to a familiar problem: we are still struggling to keep donors.

My take? We keep trying to staff our way out of a systems problem.

TL;DR: The FEP report confirms what many of us already know: nonprofits are still struggling to keep donors. Yes, the giving landscape is changing, and yes, wealth inequality and economic pressure are real forces.

04/21/2026

A couple years ago I wrote an article that was pretty critical of nonprofit galas. The ROI is low, it's largely transactional, poverty/client voyeurism, white saviorism and wealth celebration... They're all still concerns.

But I went to an event on Friday night that made me rethink what a gala can be.

Well done, Nova Bucks!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/i-still-have-concerns-galas-saw-one-done-right-jean-holmes-sdzfe