Missions to Movements

Way too much of our human capacity is spent on tasks that DON’T require human empathy. That’s how Tim Bachta from Children International is thinking about growth as his team works to expand from 220,000 to 275,000 children served. Tim shares how his team is using Microsoft Copilot to eliminate the manual work that’s been slowing them down (like letter translation processes that once took months, t...

What does the latest recurring giving data actually tell us? In this special State of Recurring Giving episode, three leaders from CharityEngine , GivingTuesday Data Commons , and World Central Kitchen are joining me to unpack the latest recurring giving benchmarks AND one of the most compelling monthly giving case studies of the year. Together, we're exploring the trends shaping recurring gi...

Did you know 92% of donors say giving is part of who they are? And that 94% say they're MORE motivated to give when they know exactly where their money will go? Today I'm doing one of my favorite things – diving into the data and research from Bloomerang's 2026 Giving Signals Report , and sharing the major opportunity gaps every nonprofit should be paying attention to. Generosity is...

With AI adoption exploding, what does that actually mean for how you grow your team, your donors, and your impact? Naria Santa Lucia brought SO much energy and joy to her MC role at the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit, that I had to sit down with her to hear how nonprofit leaders can build practical pathways for using AI in their day-to-day work and cut through the hype. Naria also bring...

Most AI conversations are loaded with productivity hacks, but it’s also accelerating scientific discovery in ways most people aren’t even thinking about. In this live conversation from the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit, I’m talking to Clare Durrett from Answer ALS and Terri Thompson from OnPoint Scientific about how they’re helping cut ALS research timelines by 65%!  With a shared plat...

This is the first time in 18 years that Christoph Hilligen sees a possibility to radically change the way NGOs operate. As the CEO of World Vision Germany , he’s already using AI to launch emergency appeals in HOURS and build personalized donor journeys. One of the most fascinating examples? His team uses predictive models to flag which donors may be at risk of canceling, so they can step in earli...

Right off the heels of GiveCon, the data is IN. Bloomerang just released their 2026 Giving Signals report , and there's one stat that stopped me in my tracks: donors prefer specific impact language over vague appeals by an 88 point margin! Ann Fellman, CMO of Bloomerang, is joining me fresh off the GiveCon stage to break down what the data is telling us about donor behavior and why your $25/m...

What happens when 1.3 billion people adopt AI in just 39 months… and most nonprofits are still trying to figure out where to even start? While nearly 90% of nonprofits are already using AI, only 6-7% are seeing meaningful returns, which is why I HAD to sit down with Justin Spelhaug, President of Microsoft Elevate , to talk about why that gap exists, and how nonprofits have a once-in-a-generation c...

Monthly Giving Awareness Week feels like the perfect time to bring back repeat guest Dave Raley, especially after he just launched The Center for Sustainable Giving , a new initiative helping nonprofits rethink how they approach recurring generosity. The subscription economy is fundamentally changing donor expectations, which is why we’re exploring topics like “10x thinking”, generosity as a learn...

Dion Dawson took the Monthly Giving Summit Main Stage in February and it was mic drop after mic drop. Over the last five years, his work at Dion’s Chicago Dream has generated more than $17.8 MILLION dollars in impact feeding families, building systems, and creating jobs.  And he didn’t get there by being perfect or cracking a universal code. Dion shares how to build visibility through thought lead...

Angelique Albert believes that scaling a mission takes bold investments in marketing, the courage to make unconventional leadership decisions, and the willingness to make a case loud enough for the right partners to find you. Imagine getting a $50 MILLION dollar unrestricted gift. It changes what’s possible for your organization. Angelique and I get into the practical side of growth, and what it l...

Relational equity is going to reframe the way you think about donors. Did you know loneliness is now considered a public health crisis, comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day?! In this bonus keynote from the Monthly Giving Summit , I’m sitting down with Allison Trowbridge, founder of Copper Books , to talk all about relationships and the compounding wealth you build by investing in people over...

Did you know monthly donors often have 85%+ retention rates, while many nonprofits are lucky to retain just 40% of one-time donors? In this episode, I’m asking you to take a hard look at your fundraising calendar and answer one simple question: Is monthly giving actually a priority? For most organizations, it’s not. We’ll talk about the shift from constantly raising money to building predictable,...

Can you believe the tools that once required a full development team and a 6-figure budget can now be built in a matter of MONTHS with “vibe AI” for a fraction of the cost? In this solo episode, I’m sharing a behind-the-scenes look into my business, and how I took my $12K-$18K Monthly Giving Mastermind and turned it into a $499/year AI-powered tool that helps nonprofits build and grow their recurr...

Monthly Giving Retreat: Learn more + apply by 4/10 here!   What season is your monthly giving program in right now — planting, growing, or stuck in a plateau? In this episode, Dana Snyder breaks down why knowing your season matters and how the right environment can move your program forward faster than you'd get there alone. Dana shares an inside look at the 2026 Monthly Giving Retreat — an i...

If you've ever been the only fundraiser in the room running the gala and fielding board questions about why an auction underperformed, today's guest has been exactly where you are.  Andrew Edwards spent years on the front lines of nonprofit fundraising, from coaching small shops, to scaling 60+ events nationally at the Epilepsy Foundation. In this episode, we’re getting into what helps s...

What if the thing standing between your nonprofit and a million dollar gift wasn't your programming, your data or even your ask, but your story? Emmy Award-winning journalist and StoryLede founder Bofta Yimam is here to talk about why stepping into visibility is no longer optional for nonprofit leaders. She shares a powerful example of a leader who landed international speaking gigs, doubled...

In this episode, Dana explores the gap between knowing about monthly giving and actually implementing it. She shares practical strategies from a recent mastermind call, emphasizing the importance of planning, community, and taking action to build sustainable revenue streams for nonprofits. Apply for the Mini Monthly Giving Mastermind - Doors close 3/25 (4) spots left to join the Monthly Giving Ret...

In a world where nonprofits are competing with overcrowded inboxes, direct mail is experiencing a comeback. And if your direct mail looks the same as everyone else’s, there’s a good chance it’s heading straight for the recycling bin. Brandon Gaty and Cait Connolly work at LettrLabs and help brands create hyper-personalized donor experiences with robotics-powered handwritten mail. This makes it pos...

Imagine if you ask someone to become a monthly donor for just $10, and they give more than triple that? It's no secret that talking about monthly giving strategies and case studies is my jam, so I brought on Raegan Mach to break down Urban Bridge’s “10 for 10” campaign. Their goal? 25 new donors at $10/month to celebrate their 10-year anniversary. In just 2.5 months, they surpassed it! You’ll...

It’s officially Monthly Giving Summit Day !!!  This short episode is your invitation to join us and start building. In this episode, Dana shares what’s happening at the Monthly Giving Summit and why this isn’t just another virtual event - it’s a room full of builders focused on sustainability, recurring revenue, and cultivating believers (not just donors). You’ll get a preview of what attendees ar...

If your board can’t clearly articulate what you do in one sentence, your donors won’t either. Brandy Walker is joining me to unpack why nonprofit leaders must get ruthlessly clear on the ONE thing their organization does exceptionally well. Not the 20 programs, not the calendar of activities, but the core impact. Brandy shares why embracing the “messy middle” builds trust, how to use lived experie...

We close our 2026 monthly giving predictions with a bold call: move donor communities into real life to deepen belonging, retention, and advocacy.  Sincere gatherings beat big productions when donors feel trusted, included, and invited to co-create. Bloomerang is the proud presenter of Missions to Movements .  See how one team surpassed a $1M match and raised $2.25M for their mission with Penny, B...

If you’ve ever sat at a board meeting thinking “we can't keep doing fundraising like this!” then it might be time to start championing monthly giving – which is one of the most practical shifts a nonprofit can make. Board strategist Christal M. Cherry and I are getting specific about what staff should bring to the boardroom, how to pilot change without triggering resistance, and how dashboard...

The neat donor funnel sounds good in slides, but it doesn’t match how people actually decide to give.  We dig into the real path supporters take today—bouncing from reels to Google to LinkedIn to your site—and why the strongest retention work happens long before the first dollar shows up.  Instead of chasing one perfect subject line or a last-minute match, we focus on what actually converts: consi...