Let's Talk Fundraising

Keith Greer, CFRE
  • 5.0 (13)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to "Let's Talk Fundraising" with Keith Greer, CFRE! This podcast is your go-to resource for mastering the essentials of fundraising while discovering how innovative tools and technology can supercharge your efforts. Whether you're a new fundraiser looking to level up your skills or a seasoned professional seeking timely reminders and fresh insights, each episode is packed with practical advice, creative ideas, and inspiring stories. Join Keith as he explores the core principles that drive successful fundraising and uncovers the latest strategies to make your job easier, more enjoyable, and incredibly impactful. From relationship-building and storytelling to leveraging the newest tech, "Let's Talk Fundraising" is here to help you transform your approach and achieve remarkable results for your organization. Subscribe now and be part of a community dedicated to elevating the art and science of fundraising. Together, we'll make a bigger impact, one episode at a time.

  1. 1D AGO

    The Cost of Waiting Until You Feel Ready (Major Gift Fundraising)

    There’s a moment most fundraisers don’t talk about. The one where you know what needs to happen next… but you’re still trying to get everything lined up before you move. More research. More preparation. More time to “get it right.” And it feels responsible. But over time, that moment starts to cost you something. In this episode, I share a real story from early in my career when I got stuck in that exact place… and what I realized just before it was too late. We’ll walk through: Where “analysis mode” shows up in your workWhat it’s quietly costing your pipelineWhy waiting to feel ready slows down your resultsAnd how to start moving forward with more clarityThis isn’t about doing more. It’s about moving sooner… in a way that still feels thoughtful and aligned with how you do your work. If this resonated with you… I’m building a program called The AI Advantage for Major Gift Fundraising to help you navigate these exact moments with more structure and less friction. You can join the early access list here: 👉 letstalkfundraising.com/majorgifts 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course:  The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    29 min

  2. MAR 16

    Where AI Fits in the Major Gift Cycle

    Fundraising moves when relationships move. And relationships move when the friction falls away. In this episode, we explore how AI can quietly support every stage of the major gift cycle without replacing the human heart of the work. From prospect identification to stewardship, you’ll hear how practical AI workflows can reduce administrative drag so you can show up with donors more present, more prepared, and more confident. We walk through the major gift cycle step by step and explore how AI can support: • Prospect identification and portfolio prioritization • Faster donor research and one-page briefings • Turning messy post-visit voice notes into CRM-ready contact reports • Stress-testing cultivation strategies and next steps • Strengthening the systems that support real relationships Along the way, I share a real example of narrowing a 150,000-person database to 300 high-potential prospects, and how today’s tools can compress months of manual work into something far more manageable. The goal isn’t to automate fundraising. The goal is to strengthen the systems that allow fundraisers to focus on what matters most: the relationships. If you’re interested in going deeper, I’m developing a new program called The AI Advantage for Major Gifts, where we explore these workflows across the entire major gift cycle. You can join the waitlist here: letstalkfundraising.com/majorgifts If this conversation resonates, share the episode with a colleague who lives in spreadsheets and leave a review to help other fundraisers find the show. 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course: The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    28 min

  3. MAR 9

    What If Major Gift Fundraisers Had More Time for Donors?

    Most of us came into this work to build relationships. But too often our days get buried under contact reports, prospect research, and messy systems that keep us tied to a desk. In this episode, we explore a simple idea: what if AI could handle some of the repetitive administrative work so fundraisers could focus more energy on donor relationships? You’ll hear the story behind a set of practical AI workflows that began as small experiments and grew into a framework that supports the entire major gift cycle, from prospect identification and donor research to cultivation strategy, proposal writing, and stewardship. Along the way we talk about: • the hidden cost of administrative work in major gift fundraising • how broken systems once kept me behind a desk nearly full-time • the breakthrough that helped identify the top 300 prospects for a record-setting campaign • how fundraisers are using AI to produce cleaner CRM records and better donor briefings • ethical guardrails, data security, and keeping humans firmly in charge This conversation also introduces a new program I’m developing called The AI Advantage for Major Gifts, built by a career fundraiser to help peers reclaim time and strengthen donor relationships with practical AI workflows. If this idea resonates with you, you can join the waitlist here: letstalkfundraising.com/majorgifts 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course:  The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    23 min

  4. MAR 2

    Quiet Power Revisited: Why Introverts Thrive in Fundraising

    Fundraising doesn’t belong only to the boldest voice in a crowded gala. It thrives in the quiet moments where a donor feels understood, a tense call cools with care, and a complex gift moves forward because someone listened long enough to hear what really matters. We sit down with advancement officer and CFRE Carissa Kineski to explore how introverts turn deep listening, patience, and empathy into durable donor relationships—and why those “soft” skills are often the hardest to replace. Carissa shares how de-escalating tough donor inquiries taught her that most people want to be heard before they want solutions. We talk about shifting event metrics from volume to depth, capturing small personal details that compound trust, and pacing conversations so generosity can breathe. You’ll hear practical strategies for big rooms and small reserves: set two meaningful targets at receptions, arrive early to let conversations come to you, pull in a colleague as a connector, and take short resets to protect your energy. We unpack common workplace habits that sideline reflective thinkers and offer simple fixes—send agendas in advance, use hand-raising and round-robin turns, embrace ten seconds of silence after prompts, and normalize hybrid time that fuels focus. We also draw a firm line between introversion and shyness. Introverts aren’t afraid of people; they recharge differently. That difference can be a leadership advantage, especially with donors who need careful attention, clear boundaries, and empathetic pivots when constraints arise. Carissa reflects on the biases quiet professionals face, how to coach resumes toward owned impact without bragging, and why organizations should promote for substance, not volume. If you’ve ever felt pressure to perform extroversion, this conversation offers permission and a plan: lead with presence, measure what matters, and let listening do the heavy lifting. Enjoyed the conversation? Follow, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review—then tell us: what quiet skill drives your biggest wins? 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course:  The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    48 min

  5. FEB 16

    Stop Looking for Unicorns. Start Training Your Fundraisers.

    Looking for a unicorn hire who “just gets it” on day one? We’ve all been there—and it rarely works. To celebrate fifty episodes, we pull back the curtain on what truly drives consistent donor results: intentional onboarding that blends benchmarks with belief, practice with coaching, and culture with clarity. We map four levels of onboarding—from isolation and functional quick tours to benchmarked ramp-ups and full alignment—and show how each step changes employee confidence and donor outcomes. We share lessons from Apple and Disney that any nonprofit can adapt without a Fortune 100 budget: train before public exposure, simulate the hard moments, and coach for strengths as much as gaps. Then we tackle the common nonprofit blind spot—relying on passion while skipping structure—and offer a usable path to shift responsibility from “find the perfect person” to “build the system that shapes great people.” You’ll hear how to define 30-60-90-180 day milestones, create role-specific learning paths for major gifts and grants, and make culture explicit rather than assumed. AI shows up as a practical ally, not a shortcut. Capture your best mentor’s wisdom, convert it into clear step-by-step playbooks, stress-test your onboarding checklists for missing pieces, and run realistic simulations: skeptical board members, donor objections, stewardship missteps. The results are faster time to competence, lower turnover, and a steadier donor experience across every touchpoint. If passion has been burning out inside your shop, this is your blueprint to protect it—documented processes, consistent coaching, and ongoing iteration that compounds over time. If this conversation resonates, subscribe, share it with your team, and leave a quick review so more nonprofit leaders can find it. Then tell us: what’s the first process you’ll document and simulate this month? 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course:  The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    25 min

  6. FEB 9

    Your Donors Don’t Feel Your Effort, They Feel Your Attention

    Every Valentine’s Day, nonprofit inboxes fill up with warm subject lines and messages that say, “We love our donors.” The intention is real, but the impact often falls flat. In this episode, we unpack why broad gratitude is easy to send and easy to forget, and why donors don’t experience our effort or our process, they experience how they’re treated. The real question isn’t whether a message was handwritten or AI-assisted. It’s whether it reflects why the donor gave and makes them feel genuinely seen. We separate care from craft, challenge the belief that authenticity requires doing everything by hand, and explore how AI can support donor gratitude without diluting trust or values. Used well, it doesn’t replace intention, it helps translate it into clear, timely, human communication. You’ll also hear a practical, repeatable stewardship rhythm, from a fast, specific thank-you to meaningful follow-up that connects impact back to donor values. Plus, a preview of an upcoming AFP Icon session with Carissa Kineski on turning inspiration into action and building systems you’ll actually use. The throughline is simple. Donors feel loved when they feel seen. Attention is what makes that reliable. If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review. What’s one small detail you could add to your next thank-you to make it unmistakably personal? 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course:  The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    20 min

  7. FEB 2

    The Pivot: What I’m Stepping Away From—and What I’m Stepping Into

    This Groundhog Day episode is a personal announcement and a fundraiser’s roadmap for change. After fifteen years in nonprofit leadership, I’m stepping away from a role I loved—not because something was wrong, but because something bigger was calling. What began as one reluctant conference session turned into a growing invitation to speak, teach, and help nonprofits navigate the future of fundraising, AI, and trust. In this episode, I share the full story behind my pivot, the fear and grief that came with leaving stability, and the practical framework that helped me choose expansion over comfort. If you’ve ever felt stuck repeating the same fundraising year—holding tightly to events, grants, or strategies that no longer fit—this conversation is for you. HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE: 1️⃣ Growth Requires Space – The hardest part of evolution isn’t starting something new. It’s letting go of something good so the next chapter can flourish. 2️⃣ Not Letting Go Has Hidden Costs – Every strategy has a price: staff hours, burnout, turnover, and the opportunity cost of what you could be building instead. 3️⃣ Letting Go Can Be Strategic, Not Reckless – I walk through a simple nonprofit capacity audit to help leaders release sustainably, protect relationships, and grow without exhausting their teams. This year, you don’t have to repeat the same fundraising loop. If this resonates, subscribe at letstalkfundraising.com/subscribe, share with a colleague, and tell me: what will you let go of first? 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course:  The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    29 min

  8. JAN 26

    How Fundraisers Get Interviews: Resumes That Speak the Right Language

    🎁 Enter the contest to get a signed copy of Scott Vedder's book, Signs of a Great Resume. Seven seconds. That’s often all you get before a recruiter decides “no” or “maybe.” We brought in Scott Vedder—former Fortune 100 recruiter and bestselling author of Signs of a Great Resume—to show how to turn a duty-heavy document into a sharp story of value that earns interviews, especially for fundraisers navigating fuzzy titles and complex teams. We start by reframing the resume as a leadership and career tool. Scott explains why writing like a job posting kills momentum, how to capture accomplishments while they’re fresh, and why a long master resume makes tailoring fast. You’ll learn what recruiters actually scan first, how to fix confusing titles with clear descriptors that pass the “moving sidewalk test,” and how to balance instant clarity with credible detail. We dig into his “signs” framework to surface exclamation-point moments, relevant experience, and numbers that quantify outcomes—without inflating credit or hiding behind group work. For fundraisers and nonprofit pros, we cover showing influence without dollar signs, signaling leadership without a manager title, and formatting choices that create “duh” clarity even on non-linear paths. Scott shares when to use reverse chronological, when to lead with skill buckets, and how to make networking and referrals beat blind applying. We also tackle ATS and AI: how keywords really work, how to research what matters with open-source and human intel, and how to use AI as an assist to draft stronger bullets while preserving your authentic voice. If you’re ready to move up, you’ll hear how to secure stretch assignments, document outcomes, and translate them into evidence a hiring manager will value. Plus: a signed book giveaway and free tip sheets you can use today. Listen, take notes, and share this with a colleague who needs a confidence boost. If this helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and send us your biggest resume question—we might feature it next. 💡 Want to take the next small step? → Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use → Course:  The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

    48 min
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Trailer

5
out of 5
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About

Welcome to "Let's Talk Fundraising" with Keith Greer, CFRE! This podcast is your go-to resource for mastering the essentials of fundraising while discovering how innovative tools and technology can supercharge your efforts. Whether you're a new fundraiser looking to level up your skills or a seasoned professional seeking timely reminders and fresh insights, each episode is packed with practical advice, creative ideas, and inspiring stories. Join Keith as he explores the core principles that drive successful fundraising and uncovers the latest strategies to make your job easier, more enjoyable, and incredibly impactful. From relationship-building and storytelling to leveraging the newest tech, "Let's Talk Fundraising" is here to help you transform your approach and achieve remarkable results for your organization. Subscribe now and be part of a community dedicated to elevating the art and science of fundraising. Together, we'll make a bigger impact, one episode at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Keith Greer, CFRE
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Let's Talk Fundraising
  • Show Website
    Let's Talk Fundraising

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