The Giving Edge

06/17/2026

After working with hundreds of nonprofits, I’ve learned this:

Fundraising is both strategic… and energetic.

Yes — systems matter.

But underneath it all?

Connection.
Trust.
Alignment.

When those are present, things start to open.

Not magically.

But naturally.

So, I’m wondering: What part of fundraising feels most “out of alignment” right now?

To find out more about your fundraising program’s strengths and growing edges, take the Mission Multiplier Assessment today! https://givingedgefundraising.com/mission-multiplier/ If you want to see how your systems are working together, this is the place to start.

Yours in Service,
Sarah

06/16/2026

Asking vs Inviting

I recently had coffee with a friend who’s a fundraiser at a nonprofit. When I asked how work was going, she told me something I hear more often than you might expect: “I hate asking people for money.”

There was a pause after she said it.

It wasn’t born from resistance… more like bone-weary fatigue.

She cares deeply about the work.

She believes in the mission.

But the act of asking had started to feel sooo heavy.

And the need to do it? Unrelenting.

And honestly… I get it.

Because when fundraising feels like asking, it can feel like:
▪️ interrupting
▪️imposing
▪️extraction

But what I’ve seen — again and again — is that the energy shifts when we reframe it.

I invited her to shift her perspective from asking… to inviting.

Inviting someone to:
🔸 be part of something meaningful
🔸help solve a real problem
🔸use their resources to create change

That’s a completely different experience.

Same conversation.
Different energy.

And people feel that difference.

They lean in instead of pulling back.

Since our coffee, she’s been brainstorming how they can invite donors more deeply into the work they’re doing. She’s asking other staffers, as well as the board. And they’re developing quite a list of creative and effective ideas! She’s feeling less exhausted by it all, as well.

If fundraising has been feeling heavy lately… you’re not doing it wrong.

You might just need a different frame.

Insight: Asking and inviting are very different, particularly when it comes to energy.

Question: What would change if your next conversation felt like an invitation instead of an ask? See less

06/13/2026

Ok so maybe it doesn’t look like much, but yesterday, this was just part of the lawn!

06/12/2026

06/11/2026

Mother Nature was showing off tonight!

06/04/2026

Most nonprofit strategic plans fail for one simple reason: they don’t connect to fundraising.

I worked with an organization with a strong vision — but their fundraising strategy hadn’t changed in years.

They were trying to fund a bigger future… with yesterday’s approach.

Once we aligned strategy, messaging, and donor focus, things shifted quickly.

Because donors don’t fund plans. They fund clarity, direction, impact and transformation.

They may believe in your dreams, but they also want to know that you have a roadmap for achieving them.

So I’m wondering: Where does fundraising feel most disconnected in your organization right now?

If you’re curious where things may be misaligned in your fundraising, the Mission Multiplier Assessment is a great place to start: https://givingedgefundraising.com/mission-multiplier/

Yours in Service,
Sarah

06/03/2026

Not exactly how I wanted to spend the afternoon, but grateful for AAA! Thanks, Miguel!

06/03/2026

Small Conversations, Big Shifts

Some of the most important moments in my work don’t happen in boardrooms or strategy sessions.

They happen in small, quiet conversations.

A question someone asks.

A moment where someone feels safe enough to say what’s really going on.

A simple reframe that shifts how they see things.

I remember one conversation in particular.

A nonprofit staffer was feeling stuck —they’d been told to raise another $50,000 this year, and couldn’t see a clear path forward.

Nothing dramatic changed in that conversation.

I didn’t provide any big breakthrough.

I simply asked one question: “What if you take some time to let yourself feel everything you’re feeling?”

She exhaled. Then cried. Released all of her overwhelm. Her fear of failing. All I did was sit there, quietly witnessing her, and listened.

Sometimes what people need isn’t more strategy.

It’s space.

A moment to think out loud with someone who understands.

When she felt complete, we talked about next steps.

Within minutes, she’s already figured out a way to raise at least half of the $50,000.

But being able to let it all out helped her gain clarity. Perspective.

Insight: We underestimate how powerful those conversations can be.

They don’t always look like much from the outside.

But they’re often where things begin to shift.

Question: Who might you need to have a real conversation with right now?

05/27/2026

Something’s shifting.

After decades in the field, I’ve renamed my company. Not because I’m changing what I do, but because I’ve gotten clearer about how I do it.

Fundraising isn’t just tactics. It’s alignment. It’s truth. It’s building something that lasts.

WELCOME TO THE GIVING EDGE.

Take a look at what’s unfolding: https://givingedgefundraising.com/

More soon!