The Giving Edge

09/03/2026

Every nonprofit says they want loyal donors.
AND -- very few build loyal donor experiences.

Loyalty isn't created by one incredible appeal.

It's created through dozens of thoughtful interactions over time.

Every thank-you.
Every email.
Every story.
Every phone call.
Every invitation.
Every promise you keep.

Your appeal simply reflects the strength of the relationship you've already built.

Think about that.

Appeals That Work
September 17
12–2 PM ET
$47

https://newera4nonprofits.ac-page.com/appeals-that-work-build-a-yearend-fundraising-campaign-that-inspires-giving-and-raises-more-money-landing-page

09/03/2026

Today, blueberry!

09/02/2026

Honest question: When was the last time you contacted your donors...without asking them for anything?

No appeal.
No sponsorship request.
No event invitation.

Just... "Thank you."

Or, "Here's the difference your generosity made."

Relationships grow in the spaces between the asks.

Never forget that.

Appeals That Work
September 17
12 – 2pm EST
$47

https://newera4nonprofits.ac-page.com/appeals-that-work-build-a-yearend-fundraising-campaign-that-inspires-giving-and-raises-more-money-landing-page

09/02/2026

What would you do differently if you already had permission?

Seriously.

Think about the decision that's been sitting on your desk.

The program you know needs to change.

The funder you need to push back on.

The staff issue nobody wants to address.

The board conversation everyone keeps postponing.

How much more information do you actually need?

And how much of what you're calling "due diligence" is really:

I'm hoping someone else will make this decision easier for me.

Sometimes leadership means gathering more information.

Sometimes it means recognizing that you already know enough.

You don't need another sign.

You need to decide.

https://givingedgefundraising.com/who-actually-gets-to-decide-a-simple-fix-to-nonprofit-decision-paralysis/

09/01/2026

Dilly beans! Blueberry/blackberry jam! And a huge pile of plum jam! Woot!

08/30/2026

One fundraising letter.
One email.
One Facebook post.

That's not a campaign.

That's one communication.

The nonprofits that consistently exceed their fundraising goals understand something important -- campaigns are built through repetition.

One message.

Shared consistently.

Across multiple channels.

Your appeal letter is only the beginning.

I'll show you how to build the rest.

Appeals That Work
September 17
12-1:30pm EST
$47

https://newera4nonprofits.ac-page.com/appeals-that-work-build-a-yearend-fundraising-campaign-that-inspires-giving-and-raises-more-money-landing-page

Americans gave more than $617 billion to charity last year, and nearly three-quarters of that giving came from individual donors. At the same time, we're in the midst of the largest transfer of wealth in history, with an estimated $128 trillion changing hands over the coming decades. Even more excit...

08/28/2026

Want a fundraising exercise that doesn't require a new database, consultant, event, or 37-tab spreadsheet?

Pick 10 donors.

For each one, answer:
▪️ What do they actually care about?
▪️ What do they understand about our work?
▪️ What have we helped them experience?
▪️ When was the last time we communicated without asking for money?
▪️ What's one meaningful next step in this relationship?

That's it.

And notice what I didn't ask:

When are we going to ask them for money again?

Because cultivation isn't the waiting room before solicitation.

It's fundraising.

Stewardship is fundraising.
Listening is fundraising.
Helping someone understand the issue more deeply is fundraising.
Building trust is fundraising.

The ask is just one moment in a much bigger relationship.

Maybe it's time we started treating it that way.

Your donors aren't an ATM.

Yet sometimes our communications look suspiciously like we're walking up, inserting a card, and hoping money comes out.

Year-end appeal.
Spring appeal.
Giving day.
Event invitation.
Emergency appeal.
Capital campaign.

"Hey! We haven't talked in four months. Can we have $500?"

And then we're surprised when donor retention sucks.

Here's a better question:

What are you giving your donors between the asks?

A story?
An insight?
A result?
A conversation?
A reason to feel hopeful?
A deeper understanding of the issue?
A chance to get closer to the mission?

Relationships need deposits too.

This week, choose one donor and give them something without asking for anything in return.

Not as a trick.

Not because you're planning to solicit them next Thursday.

Because they're part of your community.

That's the relationship.

And that relationship is the work.

08/28/2026

"My donors are tired of being asked."

Maybe.

But I'd argue they're more tired of feeling invisible.

There's a huge difference.

Donors don't stop giving because you communicate too often.

They stop giving when every communication sounds exactly the same.

Want stronger fundraising?

Stop asking more.

Start connecting more.



Appeals That Work
September 17
12–2 PM EST
$47

https://newera4nonprofits.ac-page.com/appeals-that-work-build-a-yearend-fundraising-campaign-that-inspires-giving-and-raises-more-money-landing-page

08/27/2026

Want to know what almost every fundraising appeal gets wrong?

Statistics.

Statistics tell me how many people you served.

Stories show me WHY it mattered.

Statistics appeal to the head.

Stories reach the heart.

And hearts make giving decisions (philanthropy = “love of mankind”)

Don't tell me you served 2,417 families.

Tell me about Maria and her 3 children.
Tell me about James and his struggle to put food on the table since he lost his job.
Tell me about one life that changed forever.

That's the story I'll remember.



Appeals That Work
September 17
Noon–1:30 PM Eastern
$47

https://newera4nonprofits.ac-page.com/appeals-that-work-build-a-yearend-fundraising-campaign-that-inspires-giving-and-raises-more-money-landing-page

08/27/2026

Quick experiment for your next leadership or board meeting.

Ask everyone: What do we want people to believe is possible because our organization exists?

Then go quiet. Seriously -- don't rescue them when the room gets quiet. Don't let anyone read the mission statement.

Listen.

Because if your leadership team can't answer that question clearly, your donors probably can't either.

We spend so much time explaining what we do.

Programs. Services. Numbers. Activities.

But people don't make meaningful gifts because they memorized your program model.

They give because they believe something can change.

So...

What do you want them to believe?

That answer might be the beginning of your best fundraising message yet.

https://givingedgefundraising.com/stop-competing-for-donations-start-building-belief/