Stop Feast or Famine Fundraising

Nonprofit fundraising is changing, but donors are still giving. In this episode of The Focused Fundraiser, former Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO and current Scouting America development leader Erin Davison breaks down how to win with donor intentionality, raw storytelling, and simple focus you can sustain.

You will learn how to:
Align with today’s more intentional donors through clear priorities and mission fit
Use raw, phone-shot storytelling to drive real engagement across generations
Segment communication for Boomers to Gen Z and meet donors where they are
Build capacity when your team is stretched thin and time is scarce
Communicate fiscal responsibility the right way, including reserves, endowments, and matching gifts

Highlights:
Erin’s path from social work to CEO to development leadership
Multi-generation donor reality. Letters, email, text to give, streaming, and mobile
Raw storytelling beats polished edits when trust matters
The three priorities every shop needs: Funding, Growth, People
Ending the feast or famine cycle with pipeline consistency and transparent reporting

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and why focus matters
00:59 Erin’s start in fundraising and grant writing
04:55 Why donors invest. Story first and mission connection
05:37 From grant writer to CEO. Leading with integrity and trust
10:08 Mentors, coaching, and finding your own leadership style
14:09 Donor trends. Intentional giving and how to adapt
18:58 Storytelling that actually converts
21:37 Capacity strain and how to prioritize
25:35 Consistent pipeline and avoiding feast or famine
27:58 Transparency, reserve funds, and endowments
30:51 Final takeaways and encouragement

If this helped, subscribe and share with a fellow fundraiser. New conversations every week focused on what moves the needle, not busywork.