The Focused Fundraiser

Donor Dock
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What if doing less made you a better fundraiser? Welcome to The Focused Fundraiser — the podcast for nonprofit leaders who are tired of the chaos and ready to prioritize what actually drives impact. Hosted by Rob Burke, each episode features honest conversations with fundraisers in the trenches who are cutting through the noise, saying no to the never-ending to-do list, and focusing on what matters most. We cover: ✔️ Fundraising strategy that doesn’t burn you out ✔️ High-touch stewardship that builds real relationships ✔️ Personal productivity and leadership in nonprofit life ✔️ Systems that help you work smarter, not harder If you’re ready to drop the “do more” mindset and lead with clarity, focus, and purpose — you’re in the right place. Live every Tuesday at 11am CT.

  1. Stop Chasing New Donors. Pick Up the Phone. | Patrick Kirby

    3d ago

    Stop Chasing New Donors. Pick Up the Phone. | Patrick Kirby

    Every nonprofit wants more new donors. Patrick Kirby thinks that is exactly the problem. The people who already love your mission are where your major gifts, your bequests, and your steadiest support come from, and they are the ones we keep ignoring. In this episode, Rob Burke sits down with Patrick Kirby, founder of Do Good Better Consulting and author of Fundraise Like a Fifth Grader. After 20 years helping nonprofits "suck less at fundraising," Patrick makes the case for going back to the basics: real human connection, one question almost no one asks their donors, and a phone call with no ask attached. He breaks down what to track in your CRM, how to get a reluctant board to open doors instead of fundraise, and how to fight the burnout taking down nonprofit leaders across the sector. If you have ever felt like fundraising advice was written for someone with a bigger team or a bigger budget, this conversation is for you. Chapters 00:00 - Don't Forget the Donors Who Loved You First 00:30 - Welcome and Meet Patrick Kirby 01:25 - From Losing an Election to Winning at Fundraising 02:52 - The Biggest Mistake: Skipping the Basics 05:28 - Why Retention Beats Chasing New Donors 05:52 - The One Question: How Do You Like to Be Thanked? 08:59 - Matching Gratitude to Communication Style 11:10 - Stewardship Is Showing Impact All Year 13:13 - What to Actually Track in Your CRM 16:22 - How to Get a Reluctant Board to Open Doors 20:31 - Burnout, Turnover, and Playing the Long Game 23:40 - Tactical Takeaway: Pick Up the Phone 25:37 - Patrick's Book and Where to Connect Key Takeaways - The most common fundraising mistake has nothing to do with budget or team size. It is trying to do everything and forgetting the basics. Technology should free up your time for human connection, not replace it. - Retention beats acquisition every time, yet nonprofits do the opposite. Love the ones who have loved you longest. They are where major gifts and bequests come from. - Ask every donor one question almost nobody asks: "How do you like to be thanked?" It unlocks a hyper-personalized gratitude plan and tells the donor you actually know them. - Don't go a full year without connecting. Ask permission to send updates and notes with no solicitation attached, then steward consistently across the calendar. - Track the right things in your CRM: last contact, communication preferences, how they like to be thanked, and the weird, specific details that prove you are curious about the person, not the pocketbook. You never ask for a major gift unless you know the name of the donor's dog. - Stop asking your board to fundraise. Ask them for warm introductions instead, recalibrate expectations every year, and set a doable KPI (one or two names a quarter, not five a month). - Burnout is the number one issue facing nonprofit leadership. Acknowledge it, treat fundraising as a long game, and find a peer community so you know you are not alone. - The single best thing you can do today: pick up the phone. Call a donor to say thank you and share their impact. Make no ask. Let the CRM handle the back-end work so you can focus on the conversation. Links - Do Good Better Consulting: https://dogoodbetterconsulting.com - Fundraise Like a Fifth Grader (Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Fundraise+Like+a+Fifth+Grader+Patrick+Kirby - See how DonorDock helps you build relationships and retention through smart stewardship: https://donordock.com

    27 min
  2. Why Development Directors Quit in 16 Months | Eddie Allen

    Jun 23

    Why Development Directors Quit in 16 Months | Eddie Allen

    Most nonprofits run the same play: hire a development director, watch them work themselves to the bone, then watch them walk out the door 16 months later. Eddie Allen says that cycle isn't a people problem. It's a systems problem. In this episode, Rob Burke sits down with Eddie Allen, founder of Pacific Northwest Fundraising and author of the forthcoming book The Unicorn Development Director, to unpack why fundraising breaks when an organization builds it around one impossible job. Eddie explains the difference between fundraising, development, and philanthropy, why the math behind turnover is far worse than the often-cited $130K, and how "infrastructure fundraising" gives the person in the seat a fighting chance. If you have ever felt like your role wasn't actually possible, this conversation reframes the problem and points to what to do instead. Chapters 00:00 - Doing More Isn't the Goal 00:52 - Meet Eddie Allen and the Fractional Model 03:04 - The Unicorn Development Director Problem 05:30 - The Real Cost of Turnover 08:18 - Raising Money Now Without Burning Out 11:39 - Systems Problem or Money Problem? 15:35 - Why Retention Beats Acquisition 17:23 - Where to Spend 10 Focused Hours a Week 20:05 - The Tactical Takeaway 21:01 - The Book and How to Reach Eddie Key Takeaways Communications, marketing, database management, grant writing, and major gifts are separate jobs at large nonprofits. Smaller orgs pile them all onto one development director and wonder why the role fails. "No database, no donor development." Almost every project starts by building the data clearinghouse first, because data lives in someone's head or scattered across spreadsheets. Development takes time. Major gifts can take 24 to 48 months, yet most hires are told to raise money right now. That timing mismatch is built to fail. The true cost of turnover is roughly double the $130K salary-and-benefits figure once you count mission interruption, brand damage, donor distrust, and staff stress. Retention loses to acquisition because of bandwidth, not strategy. When one person is doing nine jobs, stewardship is the first thing to get dropped. Block standing time on your calendar for donor conversations (Eddie protects a weekly Wednesday lunch slot) and spend 80% of your time on the 20% that moves the organization forward. About the Guest Eddie Allen is the founder, CEO, and self-described "lead guide" of Pacific Northwest Fundraising, a fractional development team that gives nonprofits C-suite-level fundraising experience without the cost of building a full team in-house. His book, The Unicorn Development Director, comes out in July. Links Pacific Northwest Fundraising: https://pacificnorthwestfundraising.us Email Eddie: eddie@pacificnorthwestfundraising.us Learn how DonorDock helps you build relationships and retention through smart stewardship: https://donordock.com

    23 min
  3. Galas Are Getting Played Out. Try This Instead | Ryan Yuhas

    Jun 16

    Galas Are Getting Played Out. Try This Instead | Ryan Yuhas

    Ryan Yuhas has fundraised for food, faith, animals, and now furniture. He's seen what carries across every mission type and what only worked in one place. In this episode, he digs into why galas and golf outings are losing steam, the events grassroots nonprofits are using to bring in entirely new donor bases, and the simple mechanic Open Door Exchange uses to turn in-kind furniture donors into recurring cash donors. We also get into the human side of stewardship, including why donors leave when fundraisers leave, what a great executive director actually does for your job, and the story of a veteran with PTSD and five kids that explains why furniture is more than furniture. If you run events, work with in-kind donations, or have ever felt like you're carrying your fundraising shop alone, this one is for you. Chapters 00:00 - Welcome and intro to Ryan Yuhas 00:56 - Ryan's path: food, faith, animals, furniture 02:10 - Five rescue dogs and the animal welfare outlier 02:31 - Galas are getting played out: trivia night, music bingo 03:46 - The Glass Pumpkin Patch annual event 05:05 - What's on the scorecard besides net revenue 06:09 - Scaling grassroots into a larger budget 06:23 - Spinning out as their own 501(c)(3) 07:03 - What great EDs do and the red flags to avoid 08:44 - Donors invest in the mission AND the person 10:14 - Turning in-kind donors into financial donors 13:05 - Telling impact stories that go beyond the dollar amount 14:00 - The veteran's story and "the foundation of the home" 15:21 - Story plus statistics: how to communicate impact 16:43 - Tactical takeaway: ask for help, you're not alone 17:55 - How to connect with Ryan and Open Door Exchange Key takeaways Galas and golf outings are flat. Trivia nights, music bingo, and signature partnerships bring new donors.Net revenue is not the only scorecard. Attendance and new audience reach matter just as much.Free in-kind pickup is your best cash cultivation tool. Donors who would've paid $150 to dump it now want to support you instead.When a fundraiser leaves, donors leave too. Rebuild the relationship from scratch, in person, with a warehouse tour.The story plus the statistic always beats either one alone.A two-person shop survives by asking for help. Burnout is the real fundraising risk.Links Open Door Exchange: https://opendoorexchange.orgRyan Yuhas: ryan@opendoorexchange.orgDonorDock: https://www.donordock.com

    19 min
  4. Be a Secret Shopper to Your Own Nonprofit | Farra Trompeter, Big Duck

    Jun 9

    Be a Secret Shopper to Your Own Nonprofit | Farra Trompeter, Big Duck

    What if your donor retention problem is not a copy problem, but a brand problem? Farra Trompeter has spent 30+ years in the nonprofit sector and 19 of those at Big Duck, helping organizations build brands that move donors. In this episode, she breaks down why brand is more than logos and colors, how brand stickiness inside your team determines whether donors recognize you, and why most rebrands fail to lift fundraising results. We dig into the donor retention crisis, the difference between major-donor stewardship and the watered-down version everyone else gets, and the sub-brand strategy Big Duck used with the International Rescue Committee to build the Rescue Collective. Farra also explains why Q4 planning starts in Q3, and ends the episode with a tactical move every fundraiser can do this week: become a secret shopper to your own giving. If you want donors who stay, this is the conversation. Chapters 00:00 - Cold open: Be a secret shopper to your own giving 00:38 - Welcome and intro to Farra Trompeter 01:48 - Farra's path: from telefundraiser to Big Duck Co-Director 03:30 - What brand actually means for a development director 05:33 - Brand, culture, and where they overlap 06:22 - Why rebrands fail to lift fundraising results 09:04 - AI, generative tools, and brand consistency 10:43 - Donor retention is a stewardship problem, not a copy problem 12:54 - Monthly giving and sub-brands (Rescue Collective) 15:26 - Designing Q4: start in Q3 with a warm-up 17:25 - Prioritizing stewardship year-round 18:31 - Segmentation and treating mid-level donors like they matter 20:31 - Tactical takeaway: secret shop your own giving 21:46 - How to connect with Farra and Big Duck Key takeaways - Brand is every email, ask, event, and acknowledgement, not just your logo. - Internal "brand stickiness" comes before external recognition. - Donor retention is built between asks, not inside them. - Q4 results are decided in Q3 with a non-fundraising warm-up. - The fastest way to find your stewardship gaps: give to your own organization from a personal account and watch what happens. Links - Smart Communications Podcast: https://bigduck.com/insights/?type=podcasts - Farra Trompeter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farra - DonorDock: https://www.donordock.com

    23 min
  5. Relationship Mapping, Grant Transparency & the Biases Costing You Donors | Tori Tishman

    Jun 2

    Relationship Mapping, Grant Transparency & the Biases Costing You Donors | Tori Tishman

    Tori Tishman has fundraised across education, healthcare, and political campaigns, and she came out of it with strong opinions about what the sector gets wrong. In this episode, Rob and Tori dig into relationship mapping for major donors, why grant reporting needs a radical transparency overhaul, the uncomfortable truth about pay in nonprofits, and how cognitive biases might be quietly tanking your fundraising results. Whether you're running your first capital campaign or you're a seasoned development director, Tori's systems-driven approach to CRM documentation, institutional knowledge, and storytelling will give you a new way to think about the work. What you'll learn: How to use relationship mapping and LinkedIn to unlock the right person to make a major donor ask Why fundraising is never just about numbers — and what that means for how you build trust The case for radical transparency in grant reporting (and why it protects you legally) Tori's honest take on pay transparency and executive compensation in the nonprofit sector How to structure a capital campaign — from goal-setting to leveraging foundation gifts as social proof Storytelling in HIPAA-sensitive environments: how Tori tracks and anonymizes client stories Why the playbook you build today protects your org the day you're gone The one exercise every fundraiser should do to uncover the biases holding them back Chapters 00:00 - The Ask Has to Come From Someone They Trust 00:42 - Welcome to The Focused Fundraiser 01:15 - Tori Tishman's Background in Fundraising 02:09 - Diversifying Revenue and Relationship-Centered Fundraising 03:48 - What Actually Works With Major Donors 05:37 - AI + CRM: Why Unstructured Data Is a Game Changer 06:50 - Dysfunction in the Nonprofit Sector 07:11 - Radical Transparency in Grant Reporting 09:38 - Pay Transparency and Executive Compensation 10:46 - Capital Campaigns: Strategy, Goals, and Getting There 12:59 - Advice for Fundraisers New to Multi-Million Dollar Campaigns 13:46 - Storytelling as a Fundraising Tool 15:16 - Telling Stories in Healthcare Under HIPAA 16:23 - Systems Thinking, CRM Documentation, and Institutional Knowledge 18:37 - Tactical Takeaway: Examine Your Cognitive Biases 19:50 - Where to Find Tori Tishman Connect with Tori Tishman: LinkedIn: Victoria Tishman Medium: Fundraising blog Learn more about DonorDock: donordock.com

    21 min
  6. Fundraising as Ecosystem Building: Lessons from Zimbabwe with Terrence Mugova

    May 26

    Fundraising as Ecosystem Building: Lessons from Zimbabwe with Terrence Mugova

    What if you thought about fundraising the way a farmer thinks about soil, not just what you can extract, but what you're building over time? Terrence Mugova joins Rob Burke from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, where he founded Educate, a financing company that helps students at more than 50 schools afford school fees, and runs a hunger relief program and money coaching practice in his community. Terrence brings a perspective rarely heard on fundraising podcasts: what it actually looks like to raise money without collateral, without a wealthy network, and inside an economy that's wrestled with hyperinflation. In this episode, Terrence breaks down how he built a sustainable funding model that blends donor relationships, corporate shared-value partnerships, micro-loans, and earned revenue — and why he believes nonprofits everywhere need to start thinking more like business operators. He also shares a sharp critique of how global organizations often get it wrong when they show up in Africa with a predetermined vision and no understanding of local context. If you work in fundraising — whether in the US or anywhere else — this episode will challenge you to widen your lens. Chapters: 00:00 - Fundraising as Ecosystem Building (Teaser) 00:22 - Welcome and Guest Introduction 01:21 - Terrence's Story: Almost Losing His University Seat and Founding Educate 04:15 - Starting Small: Six Students, One Proof of Concept 07:25 - What Success Really Means: Identity, Action, and Dreams 08:57 - The Fintech Partnership: Making Diaspora Education Funding Direct and Accountable 10:26 - Building a Sustainable Funding Mix Beyond Grants 14:14 - Shared Value Partnerships: Speaking the Language of Business People 15:53 - What Global Nonprofits Get Wrong When They Enter Africa 19:11 - Tactical Takeaway: Approach Fundraising Like Building an Ecosystem Learn more about DonorDock: https://donordock.com

    20 min
  7. From 500 to 3,200 Donors: Stewardship, Retention & Planned Giving with Andrew Kerr

    May 19

    From 500 to 3,200 Donors: Stewardship, Retention & Planned Giving with Andrew Kerr

    Andrew Kerr shares how he grew the Georgia Conservancy's donor base from 500 to 3,200 donors, lifted retention from 33% to 51%, and built a planned giving program with 25 estate commitments totaling over $2 million — all in just a few years. This episode is packed with practical tactics: how to scale your thank-you process with a handwriting robot and video messages, how to use the PASS Framework to create urgency without fear-based fundraising, how to prospect for foundation and corporate grants using LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and exactly how to start the planned giving conversation without it feeling awkward. Andrew's tactical takeaway alone is worth the listen: time blocking the last 30 minutes of every day for stewardship will change your numbers. Key Takeaways: Fix your leaking stewardship bucket before spending a dollar on acquisitionDonor avatars (Engaged Explorer vs. Legacy Builder) let you tailor messaging that actually resonatesVideo thank-yous get shared — 250 videos watched by 350 unique IPsPlanned giving doesn't require a direct ask, just consistent conversation throughout the yearA donor match is the most effective tool to get estate gift amounts on recordTime blocking is the one habit that keeps your pipeline from drying upChapters: 00:00 - Introduction & Andrew Kerr's Origin Story 03:30 - Why Fundraising Is Relationship Selling 04:35 - Donor Identity and the Conservation Giving Mindset 05:29 - The PASS Framework: Creating Urgency Without Fear 07:37 - Balancing Grants and Individual Donors 09:00 - LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Chambers of Commerce & Getting Past the First Filter 11:36 - Growing Your Donor Base When the Sector Is Shrinking 13:13 - Building a Stewardship System That Scales (Handwriting Robots, Video Messages) 15:37 - Introduction to Planned Giving: When to Start the Conversation 18:28 - How to Capture Estate Gift Amounts Without Pushing Donors Away 21:33 - Tactical Takeaway: Time Block the Last 30 Minutes of Every Day 22:39 - How to Connect with Andrew Kerr Links & Resources Mentioned: Georgia Conservancy DonorDock — donordock.com

    23 min
  8. Fundraise From Your Laptop: The Sprint Method with Christina Edwards

    May 12

    Fundraise From Your Laptop: The Sprint Method with Christina Edwards

    If your fundraising strategy is basically "year-end campaign and maybe a gala," Christina Edwards has something to say about that. As founder of Splendid Consulting and creator of the Sprint Method, she has worked with thousands of nonprofits and identified the same bottleneck again and again: organizations stuck in the grant-gala cycle, burning out their teams, and getting diminishing returns. In this episode, Christina breaks down why email is where conversions happen (not social), how to build a "social street team" using ambassadors and micro influencers you already know, why you should be planning in 3-6 month windows instead of annually, and how the Sprint Method lets you fundraise from your laptop in short controlled bursts throughout the year — including when a surprise donor match lands in your inbox this week. Her tactical takeaway is one of the most actionable ones we've had on the show: send your list a micro moment email today. Key Takeaways: Email is the conversion channel — social is for visibility, not dollarsThe Sprint Method replaces the exhausting grant-gala cycle with focused, repeatable online campaignsYou don't need a celebrity influencer — your most engaged volunteers and community members are your social street teamStart with just 3 email segments: monthly givers, major donors, and last campaign donorsFundraisers struggle to close gifts because the campaign isn't doing the lifting — not because the ask is scaryPlanning annually is fine as a skeleton, but execute in 3-6 month windowsChapters: 00:00 - Why Compounding Systems Beat One-Off Campaigns 03:12 - What Compounding Fundraising Actually Looks Like in Practice 04:31 - The Social Street Team Method: Ambassadors Over Celebrities 07:53 - Email vs. Social: Where Conversions Actually Happen 09:44 - Introducing the Sprint Method (and Why the Gala Is Burning You Out) 12:45 - Can You Use Sprints for In-Person Events? (Yes, and Here's How) 15:03 - Planning in 3-6 Month Windows Instead of Annually 16:28 - Micro Events: Which Lane Are You In? 17:44 - Donor Segmentation: Just 3 Buckets to Start 20:23 - Why Fundraisers Struggle to Close Gifts (Hint: It's the Campaign, Not the Ask) 22:38 - The Mindset Layer: Fear Is Costing You More Than You Think 23:19 - Tactical Takeaway: Send a Micro Moment Email Today Links & Resources Mentioned: Splendid Consulting — Christina's consultancyPurpose and Profit Club — Christina's coaching program and podcastDonorDock — donor segmentation and stewardship

    25 min
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5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

What if doing less made you a better fundraiser? Welcome to The Focused Fundraiser — the podcast for nonprofit leaders who are tired of the chaos and ready to prioritize what actually drives impact. Hosted by Rob Burke, each episode features honest conversations with fundraisers in the trenches who are cutting through the noise, saying no to the never-ending to-do list, and focusing on what matters most. We cover: ✔️ Fundraising strategy that doesn’t burn you out ✔️ High-touch stewardship that builds real relationships ✔️ Personal productivity and leadership in nonprofit life ✔️ Systems that help you work smarter, not harder If you’re ready to drop the “do more” mindset and lead with clarity, focus, and purpose — you’re in the right place. Live every Tuesday at 11am CT.

Information

  • Creator
    Donor Dock
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Donor Dock
  • Show Website
    The Focused Fundraiser