Mastering Fundraising

What happens when your fundraising ambitions outgrow the systems designed to support them? Growth is something every nonprofit wants. More donors. Larger gifts. Bigger campaigns. Greater impact. But growth without the right infrastructure can create complexity, strain teams, weaken the donor experience, and ultimately make an organization more fragile rather than more successful. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with Sasha Villacis, founder of Inspiring Philanthropy, to explore what it really takes to scale a fundraising operation. Sasha draws on more than two decades of experience in fundraising, prospect development, advancement services, systems design, and organizational strategy to examine the often-overlooked connection between fundraising success and the operations behind it. Together, Chris and Sasha explore: • The critical difference between growing fundraising and actually scaling it • The warning signs that your fundraising ambitions have outgrown your infrastructure • Why breakdowns often happen at the handoffs between people, departments, and systems • Why fundraising strategy and operations must work as one integrated engine • How better systems can strengthen stewardship and protect donor trust • How to build a more agile fundraising operation without creating unnecessary complexity • Where artificial intelligence can genuinely help fundraising teams work smarter and scale • Why AI can make good processes faster, but can also make confusion faster Sasha also introduces the ESSA framework: Eliminate, Simplify, Standardize, Automate, a practical approach organizations can use before layering AI and automation onto existing processes. Perhaps her most practical advice for leaders confronting operational growing pains is simple: “Start small enough to learn, but important enough to matter.” Pick one process. Understand who owns each step. Identify where work stops, where information gets lost, and where unnecessary complexity exists. Improve it. Learn from it. Then keep going. If your organization has ambitious fundraising goals, the question isn't simply whether you have the donors and fundraisers to achieve them. It's whether the organization behind those fundraisers is built to support that ambition. This conversation will help you think differently about what it truly means to scale fundraising.

Women in Philanthropy: Stop Assuming and Start Asking Who really makes the philanthropic decisions in a household? For fundraisers, the answer may not be nearly as obvious as we think. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney sits down with Deidre H. Sandvick, Senior Vice President for Development at the University of New Mexico Foundation, for a conversation about women in philanthropy, donor relationships, and the assumptions that can quietly undermine even the most experienced fundraisers. Deidre shares a powerful story from her time at the University of Oregon involving a generous donor couple and a seven-figure gift that simply wasn't moving forward. The university had built a strong relationship with the husband, but had never developed the same relationship with his wife. When Deidre finally sat down with her, she discovered a critical piece of information that changed the entire strategy. The lesson went far beyond one gift. Deidre challenges fundraisers to recognize both partners as having agency in philanthropic decisions, stop treating spouses as "plus ones," and become much more intentional about understanding who influences a family's giving. Throughout the conversation, she returns to one deceptively simple question that she regularly asks her own development teams: "How do you know that?" How do you know what a donor cares about? How do you know the spouse isn't interested? How do you know who makes the decision? Did the donor actually tell you, or did you fill in the gaps yourself? Chris and Deidre also explore research on women's growing philanthropic influence, how fundraisers can better engage both members of a household, and why curiosity may be one of the most important skills in our profession. The conversation echoes the research of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and the work of Kathleen Loehr in Gender Matters: A Guide to Growing Women’s Philanthropy: gender influences giving, and fundraising practices need to evolve with the donors we serve. Deidre's advice ultimately extends well beyond women in philanthropy: Stay curious. Listen to people whose experiences differ from your own. And above all, don't assume.

What if the future of fundraising depends less on competition and more on collaboration? In this episode of the Mastering Fundraising Podcast, Chris Looney sits down with Fulcrum Nonprofit Leadership (Fulcrum) member Mary Hatton for a thoughtful conversation about collaboration, foundation relationships, technology, and the enduring power of human connection in philanthropy. Drawing from her leadership journey and her experience convening the Catholic Advancement Roundtable, Mary shares why fundraisers serving different organizations should be willing to learn from one another, share information, and work together, even when they may be pursuing support from many of the same donors and foundations. The conversation explores what fundraisers need to understand about today's increasingly competitive foundation landscape, including the importance of researching prospective funders, following application guidelines carefully, understanding funding priorities, telling compelling stories, and having the patience to build authentic relationships over time. Mary also offers a powerful reminder as AI and technology become increasingly integrated into fundraising: nothing can replace genuine, person-to-person relationships. Her advice to fundraisers is refreshingly simple: Pick up the phone. Call the donor. Start the conversation. Listen. Build the relationship. Follow up with a personal note. And don't get discouraged. As Mary explains, fundraising is more than raising money. It is an invitation for people to become part of a vision and a mission. In this episode: • Why collaboration can be more powerful than competition in fundraising • What foundations want nonprofit organizations to understand • How to build relationships with foundations, including invitation-only funders • Why research and preparation matter before submitting a grant application • The role AI can play in fundraising and where the human connection remains irreplaceable • Why storytelling continues to be essential to philanthropy • The opportunities Mary sees for the next generation of donors and fundraisers • Why every fundraiser should remember to pick up the phone This conversation is a timely reminder that philanthropy is a collective effort built on trust, relationships, shared purpose, and a commitment to advancing mission. Listen to this episode of the Mastering Fundraising Podcast with Mary Hatton and discover why the future of fundraising may depend on our willingness to collaborate, connect, and keep the human relationship at the center of everything we do. Check out the full episode on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/ERarFKyvzxM

From Transactional to Transformational: The Leadership Journey Every Fundraiser Should Understand What prepares someone to become an exceptional Chief Development Officer? According to Tianna Haradon, CFRE, it isn't one promotion, one campaign, or one major gift. It's a career built intentionally, one experience at a time. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Tianna shares how she evolved from managing sponsorship checklists and event logistics to leading one of Southern California's most respected fundraising programs as Chief Development Officer at The Wooden Floor. Along the way, she reveals why every stage of a fundraising career matters. You will learn: • Why the earliest fundraising roles create the foundation for long-term success. • How transactional fundraising develops the discipline, organization, and attention to detail that every leader needs. • What transforms fundraising from simply raising dollars into building lifelong partnerships. • Why listening is one of the most valuable leadership skills a fundraiser can develop. • How mentorship, transparency, and honest feedback accelerated her growth into executive leadership. • Why successful fundraising leaders spend more time strengthening relationships than making asks. • What aspiring Chief Development Officers should be doing today to prepare for tomorrow's leadership opportunities. Perhaps Tianna's most important reminder is that careers are not built by skipping steps. They are built by mastering each one. Whether you're beginning your fundraising journey, leading a development team, or preparing for your next leadership opportunity, this conversation offers practical wisdom and encouragement for every stage of your career. #MasteringFundraising #FundraisingLeadership #ChiefDevelopmentOfficer #MajorGifts #NonprofitLeadership #Philanthropy #Fundraising #DevelopmentProfessionals #LeadershipDevelopment #NonprofitCareers

In this insightful episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with longtime advancement leader Jocelyn Tetel of the Skirball Cultural Center to explore what it truly takes to cultivate sophisticated donors in today’s evolving philanthropic landscape. With nearly three decades of experience, Jocelyn shares her unconventional journey from the insurance industry into nonprofit fundraising and reveals how relationship management, disciplined process, and genuine curiosity became the foundation of her success. Together, Chris and Jocelyn unpack what defines a “sophisticated donor” today, from seasoned philanthropists with established giving portfolios to emerging donors shaped by family philanthropy and advisory networks. The conversation moves beyond theory into practical strategy, offering clear guidance on how to build trust, communicate effectively, and create meaningful engagement that goes far beyond transactional giving. Listeners will gain valuable perspective on: Why relationship management, not technical expertise, is the core skill of exceptional fundraisers The importance of financial fluency and confidence when engaging high-capacity donors How to avoid common mistakes that erode trust, including poor follow-through and transactional communication The growing expectation for deeper donor engagement, transparency, and measurable impact Practical ways to “unlock” a donor’s generosity through thoughtful, personalized connection Jocelyn also offers candid advice for nonprofit leaders on hiring, culture, and the importance of building teams that can support sophisticated donor relationships at every level of the organization. Whether you are a frontline fundraiser, executive leader, or board member, this episode provides a masterclass in cultivating meaningful, long-term donor relationships grounded in authenticity, discipline, and strategic insight. If you’re looking to elevate your fundraising approach and better engage today’s most discerning donors, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.