Sustainable Giving

What if the smallest gift on your file—that $10-a-month donor—turns out to be one of the most valuable relationships your organization will ever build? In this episode, Dave Raley sits down with Jeff Spitko, Senior Director of Integrated Fundraising at the San Diego Foundation, for a genuine masterclass in building fundraising that lasts. Before joining the Foundation, Jeff spent 11 years at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, where he helped grow annual and mid-level giving from $26 million to more than $57 million and grew monthly donors from just 175 to nearly 12,000. Yes, you read that right. Whether you steward 400,000 members or 400, this conversation is packed with practical, hard-earned lessons on scale, segmentation, storytelling, and why the sustainers you might overlook often carry the most long-term weight. Top 5 topics we dig into: Scaling the Zoo from $26M to $57M: Jeff inherited three jobs rolled into one—a decades-old membership program, mass-market annual/mid/major giving for global conservation, and philanthropy communications—and turned it into a growth engine over 11 years. The recurring giving growth story (175 to ~12,000 monthly donors): The game-changer wasn't the brand. It was weaving monthly giving in as an option inside every appeal and email, instead of selling it as a separate program. Question your assumptions. Go to the data: The "typical" donor myths were wrong. Their base skewed toward single donors and grandparents, ran nearly 50/50 on gender, and spanned every age. Test everything; don't fundraise from your gut. Meet donors where they are (and don't sleep on legacy): Not everyone wants to be "moved up," and that's okay. About 65% of planned gifts came from members who never gave above $5,000, and recurring donors are far more likely to leave a legacy gift. Donor acquisition is an investment: Jeff's on-site canvassing program was a game-changer: talking panda conservation 15 feet from a panda, with same-day handwritten thank-you notes matched to the animal each visitor loved. But it took 14–18 months to turn a profit, which means real conversations with your CFO about patience. A few more gems tucked inside: Storytelling and equivalencies that stick ("your $10 a month could provide antibiotics for a baby elephant"), and why you shouldn't water down "saves" into "can help save." Automation and the donor journey: welcome series that cultivate, upgrade, and steward at scale. Fundraising through COVID with authenticity when the gates were closed for five months. Inside the San Diego Foundation: a $1.8B community foundation granting $100M+ a year across education, environment, family well-being, and housing. "Build for What's Next": why the San Diego Fundraising Conference (presented by PNC Bank) exists and where recurring revenue fits in fundraising's future. So here's our question for you: what are you building right now that future-you will be grateful you started? Key Resources: San Diego Foundation: https://www.sdfoundation.org/ Jeff Spitko on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffspitko/ "The Rise of Sustainable Giving" by Dave Raley: https://www.sustainablegiving.org/book Dave Raley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/draley/ Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Michelle, Victoria, Kirsten and Abigail.

What if your next major donor is already giving you $50 a month, and you just can't see them yet? Dave sits down with two of the sharpest data minds in fundraising—Jaclyn Jones, Chief Philanthropic Economist at Masterworks, and Carly Berna, VP of Marketing and Fundraiser in Residence at Virtuous—to unpack the 3rd Annual Rescue Mission Benchmark Report. Five years of real performance data across nearly 200 rescue missions surfaces a fascinating tension: revenue is climbing, but it's coming from fewer donors giving more. Meanwhile, recurring giving is quietly taking off. It's a candid, geeky, genuinely hopeful conversation about building fundraising that can actually sustain itself and why the social services sector may be sitting on its biggest opportunity yet. Key Topics They Talk About: Growth by value, not volume: Revenue is up, but it's driven by existing donors giving more, not new donors coming in. Jaclyn and Carly ask the uncomfortable question: is "more money from fewer donors" healthy growth, or a warning sign about where the future major donors come from? The year-one cliff: Second-gift conversion sits around 17% and second-year retention lands at just 25–35%, but donors who reach year three become dramatically more durable. The problem isn't only acquisition. It's the first-year relationship. Recurring giving is surging: Recurring gifts grew 26.7% year over year while non-recurring giving actually declined ~2.65%, meaning all the growth came from sustainers. Yet recurring donors are still only ~9% of active donors. Encouraging, or a giant untapped opportunity? (Both.) Your next major donor is already in your file: 97% of a recurring donor's value comes after the first gift. Every donor cohort—small, mid, and major—increases in value after switching to recurring. That $50/month sustainer may be a mid-level donor in disguise. So what do you actually do about it? Jaclyn on strategy (find your drop-off moments, build first-year relationships) and Carly on technology (one-to-one personalization, giving forms that know who's on them). Practical, not preachy. Also In This Episode, They Talk About: The best time to ask for a recurring gift is the first year—often the first three months—not year three. Why a retention budget deserves to be as big as your acquisition budget. The 10-month drop-off and how pre-cancellation "cultivation" touches lifted retention ~10%. Why regional, "come-see-the-work" charities have a hidden advantage in the age of AI. Indirect attribution: Jaclyn's surprisingly hopeful pick for the future of giving. If you recognized your own organization somewhere in these numbers, where would you start first? Key Resources: 2026 Rescue Mission Benchmark Report: https://virtuous.org/resource/rescue-mission-benchmark-report/ Masterworks Insights Lab: https://www.masterworks.agency/insights-lab Virtuous: https://www.virtuous.org Jaclyn Jones on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyn-m-jones/ Carly Berna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyberna Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Michelle, Victoria, Kirsten and Abigail.

What becomes possible when the people closest to a mission are invited not just to participate in it, but to sustain it? When Lucy nervously asked her volunteers to chip in $5 a month, she braced for a "no." Instead, 300 people said "yes"—and the Stamp Squad was born. In this episode, host Dave Raley sits down with Lucy Madden, Founding CEO of Letters to a Pre-Scientist, to trace how a scrappy, pandemic-era experiment grew into a thriving recurring-giving community that now powers a meaningful slice of the organization's budget. Letters to a Pre-Scientist connects middle schoolers in under-resourced schools with real STEM professionals for a year-long, snail-mail pen pal exchange. Lucy shares how the mission, the team, and the funding model all grew up together, and what she's learned about building something that lasts, one letter (and one stamp) at a time. Key Topics: 1. From educator to founder — How a science teacher and mom who saw STEM sidelined for reading and math scores inherited a pen pal program through a Facebook post, then left the classroom to found the nonprofit in 2019. 2. Growing from one to a team of five — Scaling from ~850 students to 4,500, and Lucy's hard-won lesson that the founder's passion couldn't be outsourced, so she hired a program director and kept the fundraising herself. 3. The funding inflection point — A one-year foundation grant for her salary that clearly wasn't permanent, and the decision to make recurring giving the foundation of the org, not a nice-to-have. 4. The story of the Stamp Squad — Launched in 2020 to survive the pandemic (her husband's idea!), a low-budget ask video that landed 300 monthly donors, growing past 500 members, moving from $5 to $8/month—roughly the cost of one student's participation—now covering ~15% of operating costs. 5. When volunteers become sustainers — Why 90%+ of Stamp Squad members are former pen pals, and why mandatory volunteer training turned out to be the single best moment to invite recurring gifts. Also in this episode: - Keeping donors close with student-written thank-you notes, stickers, and virtual letter-opening parties - A live coaching moment: Dave's 5 ways to grow donor value, plus lessons from Lucy's first upgrade campaign - Building real community around a "democratized funding model" - Dave's #1 tip for small orgs: invest in the right recurring-giving tech before you start asking -The surprising link between monthly donors and future legacy giftsWhat could your mission look like if you gave ordinary people a clear, meaningful way to belong, and let that commitment compound? Key Resources: - Letters to a Pre-Scientist — Join the Stamp Squad: https://prescientist.org/stamp-squad/ - Lucy's original "join the Stamp Squad" invite video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVCFGDDXrHA - Student thank-you letters (see the snail-mail magic): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BEOm9UnWc4NhsVf94uPSngwlI5nqpnvL - The Rise of Sustainable Giving by Dave Raley: https://www.sustainablegiving.org/book - The Center for Sustainable Giving — workshops, assessments & roadmaps: https://www.sustainablegiving.org/ Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Michelle, Victoria, Kirsten and Abigail.

What does it actually take to move a program from growth to scale and keep donors coming back for more? This week, Dave sits down with Dana Bunke, Senior Vice President of Direct Response and Integrated Fundraising at Easterseals — and honestly, what a ride her career has been. Air Force veteran, entrepreneur (yes, she co-founded a coffee company!), and a nonprofit powerhouse who's built and scaled recurring giving programs at Wounded Warrior Project, St. Jude, and now a 107-year-old organization that's reintroducing itself to the world. Dana brings the goods on what it really looks like to build a sustainable giving engine from the ground up: the wins, the "we're still figuring it out" moments, and the mindset shifts that turn monthly giving from a line item into a growth strategy. If you've ever wondered how a legacy organization honors its past while completely reimagining its funding model, this one's for you. Top 5 things we dig into: Dana's wonderfully winding path — from the Air Force to Wounded Warrior Project (back when everyone wore a lot of hats) to the "bells and whistles" world of St. Jude, and how each stop shaped her love of building things that last. Easterseals' enduring mission, evolving model — 107 years strong, 70 affiliates across 48 states, and why an over-reliance on direct mail sparked a 2018–2019 decision to diversify revenue and go all-in on recurring giving. Fundraising in a federated model — rev shares, "if you've met one Easterseals, you've met one Easterseals," and how the national office ditched one-size-fits-all for toolkits, amplification, and local surround sound. (Spoiler: there's no lone genius.) Building the acquisition engine — the journey from face-to-face (2021) to DRTV (2023) to digital and text, plus how each channel plays its part and why DRTV is a brand-builder as much as a donor-getter. Sustainable giving as a strategy, not a tactic — why Easterseals named its All Access Monthly Giving Program, what "bingeworthy" really means, and the behavior change that happens when a donor commits. A few more nuggets worth sticking around for: Why "monthly is a construct, not a requirement" — and how sustained frequency beats a rigid calendar. Tailoring onboarding and engagement to the acquisition channel instead of standardizing across the board. Measuring DRTV's halo effect (those website spikes don't lie) when attribution is still nobody's solved problem. How face-to-face clawbacks help guarantee it's a smart investment. The one-word secret to programs that scale instead of plateau: commitment, commitment, commitment. So here's our question for you: is your organization giving donors a real reason to stay — or just asking for the next gift? Drop your thoughts in the comments; we'd love to hear how you're thinking about recurring giving at your shop. Key Resources: The Rise of Sustainable Giving book by Dave Raley: https://www.sustainablegiving.org/book Sustainable Giving (assessments, roadmaps & workshops): https://www.sustainablegiving.org/ Easterseals All Access Monthly Giving Program: https://www.easterseals.com Neon One recurring giving research: https://neonone.com Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Michelle, Victoria, Kirsten and Abigail.

What does it actually take to grow a monthly giving program that's already been running for 30 years? Dave Raley sits down with Erin Shuler, Sustainer Advisor at Catholic Relief Services, to use CRS's Footsteps in Faith program as a real-world case study. With 13 years at CRS and 5 years laser-focused on their sustainer community, Erin brings the kind of hard-won wisdom you only get from stewarding something with deep history, fierce donor loyalty, and real complexity. This one's for anyone who's past the "how do we launch?" question and asking, "what do we do next?" Key topics they talk about: Maturity as both asset and challenge: Decades of donor loyalty, rich data, and serious scale are massive advantages. But program gravity is real. Erin shares how CRS unified fragmented touchpoints into one coherent donor journey — and why having one person "sleeping on the cot" changed everything. Sustaining revenue through funding disruption: When CRS faced major government funding cuts, their sustainer base became a lifeline. Erin describes how leadership doubled down on monthly giving investment — and how a brand-new donor wrote in saying joining was "an absolute necessity." The human side of retention: Cancellations aren't always relationship endings. Erin shares the story of a donor family quietly draining their savings to keep giving every month. She and Dave dig into what it looks like to treat those moments with grace rather than a guilt trip. Aging donors and alternative giving vehicles: QCDs, DAFs, IRAs: Erin is watching monthly donors transition to lump-sum giving through these channels. The question isn't whether to allow it. It's how to honor their Footsteps in Faith identity no matter how the gift arrives. Growth: conversion, acquisition, and what's actually working: Checkboxes, email invites, back-of-newsletter callouts — CRS keeps monthly giving visible at every touchpoint. Dave and Erin discuss the balance between converting existing donors and acquiring new sustainers, and how digital has overtaken mail as the primary growth engine. Also in this episode, they talk about: Designing a donor journey that evolves with life stage and giving capacity The "affirm, engage, appeal" framework for ongoing donor care Marking milestones: anniversary cards, handwritten notes, and the Power of Moments Churn prevention and why most lapsed giving has nothing to do with donor intent Best-in-class retention: what it costs, what it takes, and where most orgs underinvest What are YOU doing to grow — and keep — your most faithful donors? Drop your thoughts in the comments. We'd love to hear from you! Key Resources Catholic Relief Services Erin Shuler on LinkedIn SustainableGiving.org The Rise of Sustainable Giving book by Dave Raley Dave Raley on LinkedIn The Power of Moments book by Chip & Dan Heath Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Michelle, Victoria, Kirsten and Abigail.

What if 91% donor retention and 46% revenue growth were achievable with a team of one — and zero tchotchkes? Karen Kelly, Development Manager at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank, joins Dave Raley to share how she built the Full Plates Giving Circle: formalizing 200+ overlooked monthly donors into a named program that grew from 211 to 342 members and $20,585 to $30,094 in monthly revenue in just over a year. No big team. No fancy incentives. Just clarity, consistency, and genuine donor care. Plus, Karen brings her real questions for a live, unscripted coaching conversation with Dave, including one that came up the very afternoon they recorded. Key Topics: Building the Full Plates Giving Circle: How Karen cleaned up messy donor data across multiple platforms, discovered 200+ monthly donors getting zero special outreach, and launched a program built on meaningful stewardship and a name that symbolizes abundance, community, and plates full of more than just food. The stewardship playbook: Handwritten welcome notes, quarterly impact emails, monthly receipts with fresh stats and partner testimonials, Thanksgiving postcards, board thank-you calls, LinkedIn recognition, and prompt payment-failure follow-up. All of it free. All of it intentional. Live Q&A with Dave: What to do when a monthly donor wants to switch to annual giving. How to keep quarterly emails fresh when donors are already getting monthly updates. And the big one: how to grow in year two, including Dave's advice on the first-30-day conversion window and a matching gift strategy for new monthly partners. Karen's path into fundraising: From higher education and a doctorate in educational leadership, to founding Through the Heart after a devastating pregnancy loss, to finally having her "Happy Gilmore moment" and owning the fundraiser identity. Through the Heart and The Cocoon: Karen's nonprofit supporting families through pregnancy loss, and the recurring giving community at its heart. When the mission is personal, recurring giving isn't just strategy. It's sustained care. Also in this episode, they talk about: Why Karen puts the monthly giving option on every single donation form Consistency over complexity: skip the tiers, skip the swag, just show up How steady monthly revenue powers crisis response: government shutdowns, SNAP cuts, and surges in community need What would it look like if hundreds of donors showed up for your mission automatically, every month, because they felt genuinely valued? That's what Karen is building, and the playbook is simpler than you think. Key Resources Anne Arundel County Food Bank: aafoodbank.org Full Plates Giving Circle: aafoodbank.org/monthly Through the Heart: throughtheheart.org Karen Kelly on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenjkelly/ The Rise of Sustainable Giving by Dave Raley: sustainablegiving.org/book Dave Raley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/draley/ Center for Sustainable Giving: sustainablegiving.org Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Michelle, Victoria, Kirsten, and Abigail.

What does it take to build a recurring giving program inside an organization with 80+ years of history, deep donor relationships, and a mission that literally flies people to the ends of the earth? In this episode, Dave Raley sits down with Tracey Werre , Director of Growth & Digital Experiences at Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), for a candid, behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to grow sustainable recurring revenue, not in a vacuum, but inside a complex, multi-model organization with a lot of heritage and a lot of heart. Tracey brings over two decades of marketing expertise, a background that spans fashion to aviation (yes, really), and 16 years of deep nonprofit fundraising experience at MAF. She's built a recurring giving program called Flight Crew from the ground up, and she's not done yet. From a scrappy MVP launch in 2020 to a full-scale 5.0 revamp, Tracey shares the wins, the walls she hit, and the wisdom she's picked up along the way. If you've ever wondered what it looks like to actually commit to recurring giving — not just test it once and move on — this conversation is for you. Key Topics They Talk About: Tracey's Unconventional Path into Nonprofit Fundraising — Tracey went from fashion and e-commerce to MAF after the dot-com bust, bringing her digital marketing chops into a sector that needed them. She sees a fascinating parallel between that early internet disruption and today's "subscription economy" moment and believes we're entering a new era of maturity in recurring giving. MAF's Unique Funding Model and the Challenge of Building a General Fund — MAF is funded three ways: organizational revenue, career staff missionary support, and fees for service. For years, monthly giving was tied primarily to individual missionaries, not the general fund. As staff tenures shortened and retirement waves hit, Tracey and her colleague Mickey saw the writing on the wall: it was time to invest seriously in organizational recurring giving. The Birth of Flight Crew: Human-Centered Design Meets Nonprofit Fundraising — Rather than guessing, MAF partnered with Alan Thornburg (now of Sublimity) to talk directly to donors and run concept tests. The name "Flight Crew" emerged because it put donors in the story. They're not passive supporters, they're part of the crew. Early feedback confirmed it: members said they felt like they had a "bird's eye view" of the mission, like a co-pilot on every flight. The Evolution from Launch to 5.0 — What Changed and Why — Flight Crew launched in fall 2020 (COVID year, no less) with four times the expected signups. But growth eventually plateaued. Tracey shares candidly what prompted the 5.0 revamp — new human-centered design research, upgraded donation platform technology (hello, Fundraise Up), and a fresh storytelling angle tied to MAF's documentary Ends of the Earth. The payoff? A 20% jump in recurring donors since last fall. What Reliable Recurring Revenue Actually Makes Possible — For MAF, this isn't just a fundraising metric. It's Ebola flights in the Congo. Emergency medevacs from conflict zones. Fuel price volatility. Having thousands of Flight Crew members means the work doesn't stop when the unexpected happens, and it frees leadership to think strategically rather than scramble for immediate cash. What's one thing your organization could do in the next 90 days to make it easier for donors to give monthly? Key Resources Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Ends of the Earth Documentary The Rise of Sustainable Giving by Dave Raley Sublimity (Alan Thornburg) Fundraise Up The Center for Sustainable Giving Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Michelle, Victoria, Kirsten, and Abigail.

What if the secret to scaling generosity isn't more tech, but using tech to scale the one thing that actually sustains giving: people? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley sits down with Nathan Hill , VP of Marketing at Avid (and a self-described "marketing and fundraising nerd"), for a wide-ranging, energizing conversation about data, AI, donor trends, and why the human element is still the beating heart of it all. Nathan brings a rare blend of perspectives. He's worked in nonprofits big and small, spent nearly a decade helping fundraisers level up at Next After, and now leads marketing at one of the most talked-about AI-powered fundraising platforms in the sector. Dave and Nathan swap stories about the accidental paths that led them into this work, the "face-palm" moments every organization discovers when they actually secret-shop their own donor experience, and why the current "fewer donors, larger gifts" trend may be a bubble about to pop. Plus: a surfing metaphor, a printing press history lesson, and a surprisingly hopeful take on what AI means for lean nonprofit teams. Key topics they talked about: 1. Why the "Fewer Donors, Larger Gifts" Trend Might Not Last: Nathan unpacks fresh data from the new Avid + Wiland benchmark (1,000+ organizations, $14B+ in revenue, updated in real time). Retention of high-value donors is declining faster than the broad base, upgrade rates have fallen off a cliff, and the pipeline of future mid- and major-level donors is weakening. Translation: the bubble is real, and leaders need to act now. 2. Data, AI, and the "Fundraising Operating System:” Nathan explains how Avid sits on top of your existing tech stack (CRM, email, donation platform, ads) to unify your data, surface insights, automate segmentation, and even help create and launch campaigns in minutes instead of weeks. The goal: free fundraisers to focus on what only humans can do. 3. The Human Element Still Wins: Nathan and Dave agree: the most unique, differentiating thing in fundraising will always be authentic humanity. AI and data aren't here to replace relationships. They're here to scale them. And in a world drowning in noise, showing up human is the ultimate competitive advantage. 4. The Generosity Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight: Dave breaks down a brand-new Lilly School of Philanthropy analysis of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" and its universal charitable deduction, which could bring 6–9 million new giving households into philanthropy. But only if nonprofits actually invite them in. 5. The Power of the Ongoing Value Proposition: Drawing on his work on value proposition at Next After (and a shout-out in Chapter 23 of The Rise of Sustainable Giving), Nathan explains why the appeal that wins a one-time gift isn't the same one that earns a monthly donor, and how to clearly communicate the unique impact of recurring giving. What are you doing today to build a sustainable pipeline of generous, engaged, recurring donors, and how are you using the tools at your fingertips to scale the human relationships that make it all work? Key Resources: Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn Email Nathan directly Learn more about Avid Access the Avid + Wiland Benchmark (free, updated in real time) Grab Dave's book, The Rise of Sustainable Giving Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Lilly Family School of Philanthropy research on charitable giving policy Whisper Flow (the dictation tool Dave is currently nerding out on) Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Kirsten, Victoria, and Abigail.

In this special live episode of Sustainable Giving, host Dave Raley convenes a powerhouse lineup of researchers, practitioners, and sector leaders to explore why the charitable world is at an inflection point. With donor behavior shifting, subscription models reshaping the economy, and a $10 to $20 billion annual opportunity sitting on the table, recurring giving is no longer reserved for organizations with traditional membership or sponsorship models. It's now accessible to the 75% of nonprofits historically left behind. Joined by Samir Kahn (GivingTuesday), Dr. Sanjay Bindra (GOSUMEC Foundation USA), Chris Free (The Joshua Fund), Becky Endicott and Jon McCoy (We Are For Good), and Erica Waasdorp (A Direct Solution), Dave unpacks the research, the real-world results, and the global perspectives that prove sustainable giving can transform any organization willing to believe it's possible. Key Topics They Talk About Samir Kahn shares fresh GivingTuesday research revealing a $10 to $20 billion annual opportunity. The median organization has just 4% of donors on recurring schedules, 40% of charities had zero new recurring donors from first gifts, and monthly donors carry a median annual value of $275 versus $100 for non-recurring donors, nearly 3x higher. Dr. Sanjay Bindra of the zero-staff GOSUMEC Foundation explains how removing transactional pressure (no Giving Tuesday, no urgency campaigns) and building the "Give Arc" framework of Gratitude, Impact, Voice, and Engagement produced a 98% retention rate for recurring donors. Recurring giving, he argues, is "not a payment plan, it's an identity shift." Chris Free of The Joshua Fund describes going all in on recurring giving and doubling revenue from $7.2M to $14.4M in 18 months. Recurring donors grew 116% (from 1,885 to 4,080), new donors increased from 7,528 to 13,609 in 13 months, and digital recurring revenue reached 48%. Belief, he says, precedes growth. Becky Endicott and Jon McCoy of We Are For Good reflect on more than 708 nonprofit leader interviews and what sustainability actually means: resourced leaders who can dream again instead of keeping the lights on, organizations shifting from donor pyramids to donor communities, and recurring revenue understood as "recurring trust." Erica Waasdorp draws on 30+ years of international monthly giving expertise to highlight benchmarks from Norway, Spain, Australia, Europe, and Canada. She shares proven tactics like SMS/texting, face-to-face fundraising, and integrated digital campaigns, plus the powerful connection between monthly donors and legacy giving (recurring donors are 6x more likely to leave estate gifts, with average legacy gifts of $50,000). Also in this episode, they talk about: Two trends reshaping recurring giving: 95.8% of Americans have a subscription, the average person has 12 of them, and 52% of millennials prefer monthly donations over single large gifts. The critical "invitation gap" facing nonprofits, with new recurring donor acquisition flat at roughly 2% and donor bases aging out without replacement. The supplemental and legacy gift opportunity: 30% of recurring donors give additional gifts that are 2 to 3x their recurring amount. The Center for Sustainable Giving's dual approach of educating leaders and walking alongside organizations through deep-dive assessments and 2-year roadmaps. Why January 1st can move from the worst day of the year to a stable funding day when sustainability is built into the model. Key Resources GivingTuesday recurring giving research: givingtuesday.org GOSUMEC Foundation USA: gosumec.org We Are For Good podcast: weareforgood.com The Joshua Fund: joshuafund.com Erica Waasdorp's books on monthly giving: adirectsolution.com Get free 30-day access to The Rise of Sustainable Giving audiobook: SustainableGiving.org/gift Register for the upcoming Workshop in Seattle: SustainableGiving.org/workshop Explore the deep-dive assessment for your organization: SustainableGiving.org/grow

What if the most powerful fundraising tool your organization has is not a landing page, an email campaign, or a social media strategy, but a room? In this episode of Sustainable Giving, host Dave Raley sits down with Brian Seay, Experience Lab Director at charity: water, for a rich conversation about what it truly takes to move people from passive awareness into active, lasting generosity. Brian brings more than two decades of experience designing live events that inspire action, first on the artist relations and live events team at Compassion International, and now leading one of the most innovative donor experience spaces in the nonprofit world: The Experience Lab, a free, immersive exhibit housed at The Factory at Franklin, just outside Nashville, Tennessee. Brian and Dave dig into the architecture of transformation, the psychology of the ask, and what separates a moment of emotional inspiration from a genuine long-term commitment. Key Topics They Talk About: What The Experience Lab is and why charity: water built it. The architecture of transformation: Problem, Solution, Action. The psychology of the ask and why slowing down matters. What it takes to move people into recurring giving. The role of artists and influencers in expanding a cause. Also in this episode, they talk about: Hudson, an 11-year-old who came through the Experience Lab during a preview tour, spent four months raising $10,000 door to door and through his church, and handed an envelope of cash and checks to Scott Harrison on opening night Practical advice for leaders who want to create more immersive donor experiences without a large budget, including using virtual reality storytelling and making the mission visual through art and physical objects Why the story should never be about the organization: "We are not the core of the story. We are the response." How might you design a donor experience in your own context, whether at a gala, an open house, or even a single meeting, that moves people not just emotionally, but into sustained, long-term generosity? Key Resources: charity: water website: https://www.charitywater.org The Experience Lab: https://www.charitywater.org/experience The Spring, charity: water's monthly giving program: https://www.charitywater.org/the-spring charity: water on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/charitywater Brian Seay on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-seay-11557a55/ Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath: https://www.heathbrothers.com/made-to-stick/ The Rise of Sustainable Giving by Dave Raley: https://www.imagoconsulting.com Dave Raley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/draley/ Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Victoria, Kirsten and Abigail.

What if the donors who could sustain your mission year-round have been waiting, and you just haven't asked them the right way? This week on Sustainable Giving, host Dave Raley sits down with Kathy Coady, Chief Development Officer, and Melissa Tagg, Marketing & Communications Manager (and USA Today bestselling author!) from Hope Ministries Iowa. Together, they share the story of how a rescue mission that had quietly left monthly giving on the table completely transformed its approach and saw double-digit growth in sustainers within just eight months. Hope Ministries has served the homeless, hungry, abused, and addicted in central Iowa for over 110 years. Their need is 24/7, 365, but their recurring donor support had been flat for years. It was a checkbox, not a strategy. That changed when Kathy and Melissa decided they were done starting every fiscal year at the bottom of the mountain. This episode is full of practical wisdom and honest reflection for any leader wondering whether recurring giving could really work for their organization. Spoiler: it can. Key Topics They Talk About: The Recurring Giving Wake-Up Call: For years, Hope Ministries treated monthly giving as a passive option rather than a priority. The turning point? A benchmark report showing they were hitting every metric except sustainer revenue. Kathy and Melissa, both self-described competitive spirits, decided then and there: "We're going to fix this." The Accelerator Campaign That Changed Everything: The first move Hope Ministries made was an accelerator email campaign: eight to nine emails in three weeks. Melissa admits it scared her. She remembers when sending one email a month felt risky. But the results were stunning. New monthly donors came in fast, and people who hadn't given in over a decade showed up and said yes. They've now run three of these campaigns and are planning a fourth. Messaging That Clicked: The New Women & Children's Center: The key to their campaign's success was specificity. Hope Ministries had just opened a new center for women and children, tripling capacity from 30-35 to 100 people at one time. That milestone became the campaign message: a clear, timely, and compelling reason to give monthly right now, rather than a generic ask. Making Monthly Giving a Whole-Organization Priority: Before this work, monthly giving was one item on a long menu. Now it's woven into everything -- the website relaunch, event planning, donation platform decisions, and everyday team conversations. As Kathy puts it: "It's part of our conversation now." That shift from "one option among many" to "strategic priority" is what separates organizations that grow sustainers from those that stay flat. Results That Speak for Themselves: Over eight months, Hope Ministries gained approximately 90 new monthly donors, well into double-digit percentage growth. The average monthly gift also increased as they added donors -- something Kathy did not expect. They recovered their investment within the first few emails of the first campaign, and they're now aiming for 25% of total revenue from monthly donors long-term. Also in this episode, they talk about: The "Base of the Mountain" Problem Stewardship as Partnership Data Cleanup and Hidden Gems Advice for Hesitant Leaders What Gives Them Hope If your most loyal donors could give every month, automatically and joyfully, for years, what is standing between them and that commitment? Key Resources: Learn more about Hope Ministries Iowa (Consider joining Team Hope!) Connect with Kathy on LinkedIn Learn more about Melissa Tagg Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn Learn more about Dave’s work Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Victoria, Kirsten and Abigail.

What actually makes a nonprofit truly fundable, and not just busy, but built to last? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving Podcast, Dave Raley sits down with Kevin L. Brown, CEO of Mighty Ally and author of Fundable & Findable , to unpack a hard truth: most nonprofits don’t struggle because they lack passion or effort. They struggle because they lack clarity. From his journey out of the advertising world to working alongside nonprofits globally, Kevin brings a sharp lens to the structural challenges holding organizations back. Together, Dave and Kevin explore what it really takes to move beyond the “starvation cycle” and into a model of sustainable, scalable impact, where organizations are not only doing meaningful work, but are clearly positioned, deeply trusted, and consistently supported. This is a candid, thought-provoking conversation that challenges assumptions about fundraising, branding, and what it means to build something that lasts. What would change if your organization focused less on doing more, and more on becoming unmistakably clear? Key Topics They Cover: Why most nonprofits stay small, and what’s really holding them back The “Fundable & Findable” Framework explained Escaping the starvation cycle From confusion to clarity: a real transformation story The tension around “looking slick” as a nonprofit Also in this episode, they talk about: Why donors don’t read—and how to “get to the point to get to the donor” The myth of diversification in nonprofit funding models Why retention starts immediately after the first gift The role of leadership as the “chief earning officer” How hybrid nonprofit models (like Mighty Ally) unlock new sustainability pathways Key Resources: Get your copy of Fundable & Findable . Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn . The Bridgespan Group Study . Connect with Dave on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠ . Learn about Dave’s new program, ⁠⁠RISE⁠ . Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Kirsten, Victoria, and Abigail.

What if the future of generosity looks a lot more like the subscription economy? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley sits down with subscription economy pioneer Amy Konary for a fascinating conversation about recurring revenue, customer relationships, and what nonprofit leaders can learn from the companies that helped build the modern subscription model. Amy has spent her career studying the shift from one-time transactions to long-term customer relationships. As the founder of the Subscribed Institute at Zuora , she works with hundreds of organizations navigating the transition to recurring revenue. And as one of the earliest analysts to help define the category of “SaaS,” she has had a front-row seat to the massive transformation that has reshaped entire industries. In this conversation, Dave and Amy explore the parallels between the subscription economy and sustainable generosity. They unpack why recurring models require a deeper shift than simply changing pricing, what separates organizations that successfully scale recurring revenue from those that stall, and how nonprofits can create lasting donor relationships built on ongoing value and trust. Along the way, they also look ahead to trends like subscription fatigue, retention-first strategies, and the growing role of AI, and what they might mean for the future of fundraising. Key Topics They Talk About: Why subscriptions are more than just a pricing model Amy explains how the shift to subscription-based businesses fundamentally changed how companies operate, moving from one-time transactions to ongoing value delivery and long-term relationships with customers. Lessons from the early days of the SaaS revolution Drawing from her early career studying software companies, Amy shares how pioneers like Marc Benioff and Tien Tzuo helped reshape the industry, and why their approach offers powerful parallels for nonprofit leaders today. What actually makes recurring revenue work The most successful recurring models are not “set it and forget it.” They rely on ongoing communication, delivering real value, and helping customers or donors clearly see the impact of their relationship over time. 4. The rise of subscription fatigue and what it mean As subscriptions become more common, expectations are rising. Amy explains why organizations must prioritize transparency, flexibility like pause or downgrade options, and clear value to keep people engaged. 5. Why leadership commitment is the biggest factor in success Recurring revenue is not just a tactic. It is a cultural shift. Amy explains why organizations that succeed usually have leaders who fully commit to the model and align teams, metrics, and strategy around long-term relationships. Also in this episode, they talk about: How nonprofits can better understand and segment their donors The importance of showing ongoing impact to recurring supporters Creative ways organizations can build community with supporters Why recurring models can be better for people, products, and the planet How AI may shape the next evolution of subscription-based organizations Key Resources: Connect with Amy on LinkedIn . Connect with Dave on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ . Learn about Dave’s new program, ⁠RISE . Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Kirsten, Victoria, and Abigail.

What if your next fundraising event didn’t just raise money for one night, but built generosity that lasts for years? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley sits down with longtime fundraising leader and speaker Kirk Walden for a wide-ranging, practical conversation about events, recurring giving, and the future of sustainable generosity. Kirk has spent more than 30 years in fund development and has helped ministries raise over $75 million, much of it by transforming high-energy fundraising events into engines for long-term, recurring support. Together, Dave and Kirk unpack why events still matter, where they often fall short, and how leaders can design moments that move people from inspiration to lasting commitment. This isn’t a conversation about better banquets or sharper pitches. It’s about building systems, culture, and leadership maturity that turn embodied experiences into sustainable impact. Key Topics They Talk About: The Stage as a Strategy Events as Major Donor Discovery Engines Recurring Giving Inside a Live Event Why Sustainable Giving Isn’t Rocket Science Culture, Leadership, and Long-Term Impact Also in this episode, they talk about: Reading “signals in the room” during live appeals Commitment psychology vs. emotional spikes Follow-up strategies that actually work The danger of event dependence Why unhealthy culture eventually breaks recurring generosity If you only get one moment with a donor — on a stage, in a room, or during a shared experience — how are you inviting them into something that lasts? Key Resources: Learn more about Kirk’s work . Subscribe to Kirk’s Substack . Connect with Kirk on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ . Connect with Dave on ⁠LinkedIn⁠ . Learn about Dave’s new program, ⁠RISE . Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Kirsten, Victoria, and Abigail

What if the future of generosity isn’t about giving more, but about giving differently? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley sits down with Mitch Stein , Head of Strategy at Chariot , to explore one of the most important (and misunderstood) shifts happening in philanthropy right now: the rise of Donor-Advised Funds, and what they could unlock for sustainable, recurring generosity. This isn’t a technical DAF explainer or a tax-policy deep dive. Instead, Dave and Mitch zoom out to look at how modern donor behavior is changing, why friction—not generosity—is often the real blocker, and how DAFs, recurring giving, and better infrastructure might help nonprofits plan with more confidence and resilience. Along the way, Mitch shares his unconventional path from Goldman Sachs to startup founder to philanthropy innovator, and what seeing the sector from the outside taught him about what’s broken and what’s possible. Top 5 Topics They Dive Into: From Wall Street to Social Impact Innovation Mitch shares how being “too creative” for traditional finance ultimately led him to philanthropy, and why founders shaping the future of generosity often didn’t start in the sector at all. Why Donor-Advised Funds Are Rising Right Now DAF growth isn’t random. We unpack the cultural, economic, and psychological forces behind their rise, from complexity fatigue to trust gaps and the “set aside now, decide later” mindset. Donor-Advised Funds as Infrastructure, Not Just a Tax Tool What changes if nonprofits stop thinking of DAFs as accounts and start thinking of them as behavior-shaping infrastructure? And what are leaders still getting wrong about how donors actually use them? The Overlap Between DAFs and Recurring Giving DAFs and recurring giving aren’t competitors but cousins. We explore how DAFs can act as a generosity reservoir and what that means for long-term sustainability and donor commitment. What DAFs Could Make More Sustainable in the Sector From forecasting and retention to stewardship and planning, we look at how better DAF integration could reshape how nonprofits operate, and what risks exist if systems don’t evolve alongside scale. Also in this episode, they talk about: Why friction, not intent, is often the real barrier to generosity The difference between recurring cash flow and recurring commitment How nonprofits can better identify and steward DAF donors Simple mindset shifts leaders can make without adding new tech What nonprofit leaders should stop assuming about DAF donors So what’s the one question nonprofit leaders should be asking themselves this year as generosity continues to evolve? Key Resources: Learn more about Mitch’s work at Chariot Connect with Mitch on LinkedIn Read TIME Magazine's Best Inventions of 2025: Chariot DAFpay Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Learn about Dave’s new program, RISE Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Victoria, Kirsten, and Abigail.

What if sustainable giving isn’t just a funding strategy, but part of your mission itself? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, Dave Raley sits down with with Eddie Kahler , Executive Director of the Wesley Foundation at Texas Christian University, to unpack an honest, hopeful, and highly practical story of transformation. What started as a looming funding deadline quickly became a breakthrough moment, one that reshaped how Eddie and his team think about generosity, discipleship, and long-term impact. Recorded live during our Sustainable Giving Workshop last week, this conversation traces TCU Wesley’s journey from cautious experimentation to nearly quadrupling their recurring giving in just one year. Along the way, Eddie shares what surprised him most, what fears were disproven, and how leaning into community (rather than doing everything alone) made all the difference. Key Topics They Cover: From Crisis to “Crisis-tunity” 💪🏻 A looming staffing funding gap became the catalyst for innovation, reframing urgency as opportunity and sparking meaningful change. Recurring Giving vs. One-Time Gifts (Spoiler: They’re Not Competing) 🥳 Eddie shares how leading with monthly giving actually increased overall donations during key campaigns, including a major giving day. Turning Donor Insight Into Resonant Messaging ✨ Alumni surveys revealed one powerful word— home —which became the heart of TCU Wesley’s recurring giving program and donor storytelling. You Don’t Have to Do This Alone 🤝 From students with design skills to board members stepping into donor communication, sustainable giving became a shared effort, not a solo grind. When Generosity Becomes the Mission 😎 A mindset shift from “fundraising supports ministry” to “growing generosity is ministry” with powerful implications for leadership, discipleship, and donor relationships. So what might change if you stopped seeing recurring giving as a tactic... and started seeing it as formation? Key Resources: Learn more about TCU Wesley Connect with Eddie on LinkedIn Discover more about RISE Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Victoria, Kirsten, and Abigail.

What if the key to long-term impact isn’t raising more money, but building giving that actually lasts? Is monthly giving still being treated like a side tactic when it should be core strategy? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley welcomes fundraising pioneer Harvey McKinnon , one of the earliest and most influential voices in the recurring giving movement. With more than 40 years of experience, and decades of data to back it up, Harvey brings clarity, candor, and perspective to a conversation many nonprofits urgently need to revisit. Together, Dave and Harvey explore how monthly giving became foundational to sustainable philanthropy, why so many organizations still hesitate to fully invest in it, and what leaders can do, whether they’re just getting started or ready to scale. From emergency response moments to lifelong donor relationships, this conversation is both practical and deeply human. Key Topics They Cover: Why Monthly Giving Is Foundational to Sustainable Philanthropy Harvey shares what led him to write How to Create Lifelong Donors Through Monthly Giving and the moment he realized recurring giving wasn’t just a tactic, but essential infrastructure. The Compounding Power of Lifelong Donors Why monthly donors consistently give more per year, stay longer, and upgrade more often, and how those effects multiply over time. Scaling vs. Starting: Two Very Different Journeys Clear guidance for leaders looking to scale an existing recurring program, alongside simple, high-leverage starting moves for organizations at ground zero. Persistent Myths That Hold Monthly Giving Back From short-term thinking to internal silos, Harvey names the misconceptions that keep organizations from investing wisely in recurring revenue. Recurring Giving Across Borders: Canada, the U.S., and Europe What geography and culture reveal about donor behavior, and what North American nonprofits can learn from global approaches. Also in this episode, they talk about: Turning emergency response into long-term donor relationships Why investment mindset matters more than tactics How leadership incentives can unintentionally block progress The importance of ease, urgency, and perceived impact Why monthly donors are your strongest legacy giving prospects What would change if your organization treated monthly giving as essential, not optional? Key Resources: Visit Harvey's Website Connect with Harvey on LinkedIn Get Dave’s book, The Rise of Sustainable Giving Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Abigail, Tom, Kirsten, and Victoria.

Why do donors say one thing… but do something completely different — and what does that mean for building generosity that lasts? In this episode, Dave Raley sits down with the brilliant (and very fun) Cherian Koshy — author of Neurogiving , globally recognized fundraising strategist, and newly-minted VP at Kindsight — for a lively conversation about what’s actually happening inside the donor brain. This is not your typical “fundraising best practices” episode. This is behavioral science meets generosity… with a side of humor, identity psychology, and a whole lot of practical insight for anyone trying to grow recurring generosity. Together, Dave and Cherian explore why donors move from considering a gift to actually giving , why monthly giving turns out to be a trust-building superpower, and how fundraisers can create donor experiences that feel easier, lighter, and more human. If you’ve ever wondered why donors behave the way they do (or why your “surefire” campaign didn’t perform the same way twice), this episode is a goldmine. Key Topics They Talk About: 1. The Story Behind Neurogiving How frustration, curiosity, and years of field-tested research led Cherian to compile one of the most comprehensive behavioral-science-driven resources in fundraising. The gap he saw between “best practices” and actual donor behavior — and why the sector needed better data, not just anecdotes. 2. What Donors Say vs. What Donors Do Why donors genuinely believe their stated motivations… yet behave differently when making real decisions. How cognitive load, emotional triggers, identity, and bias shape donor behavior far more than stated intention. Why optimizing for what donors do (not what they claim) leads to better repeatability and sustainability. 3. Consistency, Trust & the Donor Brain The neuroscience behind why repeated positive experiences strengthen trust like a muscle.The “relaxed confidence” donors develop when nonprofits consistently follow through. How recurring giving acts as a trust engine — not just a revenue model. 4. Habit Formation & Donor Behavior How repetition rewires neural pathways and transforms giving from decision → habit → identity. Why donors who give repeatedly are far more likely to stay long-term, upgrade, or eventually make legacy gifts. 5. Applying Behavioral Science to Recurring Giving Why offering one clear action (vs. 7 options) dramatically increases follow-through.How defaults, simplicity, and identity-based messaging increase conversion and retention. The science-backed reason “the enemy of fundraising isn’t ‘no’ — it’s ‘not now.’” Also in this episode, they talk about: Single gifts vs. recurring commitments: how the brain processes them differently How nonprofits accidentally create friction that slows generosity Why recurring donors are more likely to advocate for you publicly The long-term psychological benefits of habitual giving AI, personalization, and the ethical questions fundraisers must wrestle with next What would fundraising look like if your donor experience made giving feel effortless — even automatic? Key Resources: 1. Get Dave’s book, The Rise of Sustainable Giving : sustainablegiving.org 2. Explore Cherian’s work: neurogivingbook.com 3. More from Cherian: cheriankoshy.com 4. Connect with Cherian on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/cheriankoshy 5. Register for the Sustainable Giving Workshop: imago.consulting/workshop 6. Connect with Dave on LinkedIn: Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Abigail, Tom, Kirsten, and Victoria.

How could giving circles reshape the future of philanthropy — and what might they unlock for your nonprofit? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, Dave sits down with Emily Rasmussen , Founder & CEO of Grapevine and one of the leading voices in the modern collective giving movement. From her early life as a professional ballet dancer to her work in microfinance in rural India to now building the largest platform dedicated to giving circles, Emily brings a truly unique perspective to what generosity can look like when people do it together . This conversation moves fast (in the best way!) as Dave and Emily dive into the resurgence of community-driven philanthropy, the psychology behind recurring generosity, and why giving circles just might be one of the biggest under-the-radar bright spots in the entire fundraising landscape. If you care about connection, recurring giving, and the future of generosity… this one’s for you. Key Topics They Cover: 1. Emily’s Unexpected Journey to Philanthropy From professional ballet to global arts leadership to microfinance in rural India How her early work in hyper-local, community-led financing became a blueprint for her later work in philanthropy The common thread: using creativity and community to unlock impact 2. The Deep Roots of Collective Giving Giving circles: newer term, ancient concept Cultural traditions like tontines, susus, and self-help groups as early models Why doing good together is resurging now — and how it answers today’s loneliness + disconnection crisis 3. What Giving Circles Actually Are (and Why They Matter) A clear, simple definition (100 people × $100 → $10,000 grant) How members nominate, vote, learn, and build lasting relationships “The Four C’s”: Community, Collective Resources, Collaboration, and Continuation Why giving circles create real belonging, not transactional giving 4. The Powerful Connection Between Giving Circles & Sustainable Recurring Giving Stunning data: Only ~2% of new nonprofit donations are set to recur (GivingTuesday Data Commons) 50–80%+ of new giving-circle donations on Grapevine recur Why recurring giving is “baked in” to the giving circle model How collective models build trust, accountability, and long-term donor loyalty naturally 5. How Nonprofit Leaders Can Tap Into the Giving Circle Movement How to find circles already giving in your region or cause area Why nonprofits should ask their donors whether they’re in one The rise of nonprofit-created giving circles + group-based donor communities How giving circles can supercharge board engagement, next-gen donors, and mid-level giving They Also Talk About: The role of trust, transparency, and “the five T’s” of generosity How Grapevine supports giving circles with infrastructure, community tools, and the global directory The surprising overlap between giving circles and workplace giving How companies are experimenting with employee-led giving circles Why generosity evolves with culture — and why that’s actually encouraging So… what might happen if your community had a giving circle of its own? Or if you joined one yourself? Watch or Listen: Watch this episode now by clicking the video above, or by visiting Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Key Resources: ⁠ GivingTuesday Data & Research “Growing Giving” Research Explore Grapevine Connect with Emily on LinkedIn Grab Dave’s book, The Rise of Sustainable Giving Discover more episodes of the Sustainable Giving podcast Register for the Sustainable Giving Workshop Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Abigail, Tom, Kirsten, and Victoria.

How do you turn an emergency donor into a lifelong partner in impact? When disaster strikes, generosity surges — but what happens when the headlines fade? In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley sits down with Vila-Sheree Watson , Vice President for Development & Membership at Bread for the World and author of the Bag Secured newsletter, to talk about transforming urgency into lasting generosity. With nearly three decades of experience in humanitarian fundraising and advocacy, Vila-Sheree shares practical, hard-earned wisdom for any nonprofit leader navigating the space between crisis response and sustainable impact. This one’s equal parts strategy, storytelling, and inspiration — with plenty of laughs along the way. Topics They Cover: From Emergency to Endurance: How to move beyond one-time disaster gifts and design donor journeys that last long after the crisis fades. Turning Urgency into Habit: Vila-Sheree’s framework for helping donors connect their immediate compassion to long-term impact, and why “habit” is the secret ingredient to retention. Retention by Design, Not Luck: What it takes to intentionally plan for donor retention, including the digital tactics and messaging rhythms that keep people engaged. The “Sustainer-First” Mindset: Why leading with recurring giving (even during emergencies!) can double lifetime donor value, and how to make that ask feel natural. The Evolution of One-to-One Giving: What Vila-Sheree learned from years leading child sponsorship programs, and how to carry that human connection into today’s digital, subscription-style world. Also in this episode, they talk about: What Bread for the World teaches us about sustaining engagement in advocacy work Why donor acquisition should never be the first budget cut The importance of storytelling and dignity when representing program participants How organizations can prepare now for the “next” crisis The power of bringing humanity (and humor!) back into fundraising What could your organization do today to make generosity last tomorrow? Key Resources: Retaining Emergency Donors Before They Disappear Discover more about the work Vila-Sheree does at https://www.bread.org and https://bagsecured.substack.com/ Get to know Vila-Sheree Get to know Dave Raley Discover more about the Sustainable Giving podcast⁠ The Rise of Sustainable Giving Book⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Sustainable Giving Workshop 2026 Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Abigail, Tom, Victoria and Kirsten.