Episode Details

Reflections from host Sarah Olivieri ...

Fundraising Should Feel Like the Most Enjoyable Thing We Do - But I Bet You Don't Feel That Way😉Section Header

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I recently had a conversation about exactly this with Lisa Stueckemann, who brings a refreshingly direct lens to fundraising. It sharpened something I've long believed: fundraising doesn't get easier when we add more tactics. It gets easier when we remove fear and add JOY!

"Donor-Centric" Isn't Deep Enough

Fundraising experts have been talking about donor-centricity for years.

But that language has flattened something important.

Lisa said something that reframes it:

"We're never going to get beyond the human touchpoints."

That's because these are the real moments when relationships are built. They are the most fundamental, necessary elements.

Everything else is gravy.

When we start optimizing messaging, segmenting lists, automating follow-ups — none of that is wrong — but if we hide behind these tools and tactics, we avoid the real work of human connection.

High-touch relationships require presence.

Scaled relationships require clarity.

But neither works without trust.

Rejection Is Not What You Think

One of the most powerful reframes in this conversation was around rejection.

Fundraisers are afraid of "no."

But most "no's" aren't rejection.

They're information.

Lisa put it simply:

"Rejection brings clarity."

If a donor says:

"Not now."

"Not that amount."

"Let me think about it."

That is not a door closing.

It's just information.

When leaders fear rejection, they hedge. They over-soften asks. They avoid specificity. They avoid contact.

The Trust Gap Is Self-Inflicted

Here's where this gets uncomfortable.

There is a trust issue in the nonprofit sector right now.

Some of it is narrative.

Some of it is a misunderstanding.

Some of it is self-inflicted.

Lisa asked a question that should stop leaders in their tracks:

Why are organizations not telling donors when they miss their goal?

If you didn't make your number, say so.

If your costs are rising, explain why.

If you need to invest in fundraising to grow revenue, articulate the return.

When you hide reality, you reinforce suspicion.

When you show your math, you build credibility.

The "Best Math" Conversation

One of the more radical ideas Lisa shared was rethinking how we talk about costs.

Instead of transactional math like:

"It costs $942 to send a kid to school."

What if we said:

"This organization costs $X per hour to operate."

That shifts the conversation.

It includes leadership, infrastructure, insurance, internet, staff development — the full machine.

Because here's what most nonprofits get wrong:

They try to sell impact without selling the engine.

The engines cost money… and donors get that.

If you only sell the output and pretend the engine runs on air, you erode trust.

The Fundraising ROI Conversation

This connects directly to something I've seen repeatedly.

Entrepreneurs understand ROI immediately.

If I tell them:

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