Every Valentine’s Day, nonprofit inboxes fill up with warm subject lines and messages that say, “We love our donors.” The intention is real, but the impact often falls flat.

In this episode, we unpack why broad gratitude is easy to send and easy to forget, and why donors don’t experience our effort or our process, they experience how they’re treated. The real question isn’t whether a message was handwritten or AI-assisted. It’s whether it reflects why the donor gave and makes them feel genuinely seen.

We separate care from craft, challenge the belief that authenticity requires doing everything by hand, and explore how AI can support donor gratitude without diluting trust or values. Used well, it doesn’t replace intention, it helps translate it into clear, timely, human communication.

You’ll also hear a practical, repeatable stewardship rhythm, from a fast, specific thank-you to meaningful follow-up that connects impact back to donor values. Plus, a preview of an upcoming AFP Icon session with Carissa Kineski on turning inspiration into action and building systems you’ll actually use.

The throughline is simple. Donors feel loved when they feel seen. Attention is what makes that reliable.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review. What’s one small detail you could add to your next thank-you to make it unmistakably personal?

Enter to win a signed copy of Signs of a Great Resume by Scott Vedder. No cost to enter.

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This Groundhog Day episode is a personal announcement and a fundraiser’s roadmap for change.

After fifteen years in nonprofit leadership, I’m stepping away from a role I loved—not because something was wrong, but because something bigger was calling. What began as one reluctant conference session turned into a growing invitation to speak, teach, and help nonprofits navigate the future of fundraising, AI, and trust.

In this episode, I share the full story behind my pivot, the fear and grief that came with leaving stability, and the practical framework that helped me choose expansion over comfort.

If you’ve ever felt stuck repeating the same fundraising year—holding tightly to events, grants, or strategies that no longer fit—this conversation is for you.

HERE ARE 3 KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1️⃣ Growth Requires Space – The hardest part of evolution isn’t starting something new. It’s letting go of something good so the next chapter can flourish.

2️⃣ Not Letting Go Has Hidden Costs – Every strategy has a price: staff hours, burnout, turnover, and the opportunity cost of what you could be building instead.

3️⃣ Letting Go Can Be Strategic, Not Reckless – I walk through a simple nonprofit capacity audit to help leaders release sustainably, protect relationships, and grow without exhausting their teams.

This year, you don’t have to repeat the same fundraising loop.

If this resonates, subscribe at letstalkfundraising.com/subscribe, share with a colleague, and tell me: what will you let go of first?

Enter to win a signed copy of Signs of a Great Resume by Scott Vedder. No cost to enter.

💡 Want to take the next small step?

→ Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use

→ Course: The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite

🎁 Enter the contest to get a signed copy of Scott Vedder's book, Signs of a Great Resume.

Seven seconds. That’s often all you get before a recruiter decides “no” or “maybe.” We brought in Scott Vedder—former Fortune 100 recruiter and bestselling author of Signs of a Great Resume—to show how to turn a duty-heavy document into a sharp story of value that earns interviews, especially for fundraisers navigating fuzzy titles and complex teams.

We start by reframing the resume as a leadership and career tool. Scott explains why writing like a job posting kills momentum, how to capture accomplishments while they’re fresh, and why a long master resume makes tailoring fast. You’ll learn what recruiters actually scan first, how to fix confusing titles with clear descriptors that pass the “moving sidewalk test,” and how to balance instant clarity with credible detail. We dig into his “signs” framework to surface exclamation-point moments, relevant experience, and numbers that quantify outcomes—without inflating credit or hiding behind group work.

For fundraisers and nonprofit pros, we cover showing influence without dollar signs, signaling leadership without a manager title, and formatting choices that create “duh” clarity even on non-linear paths. Scott shares when to use reverse chronological, when to lead with skill buckets, and how to make networking and referrals beat blind applying. We also tackle ATS and AI: how keywords really work, how to research what matters with open-source and human intel, and how to use AI as an assist to draft stronger bullets while preserving your authentic voice.

If you’re ready to move up, you’ll hear how to secure stretch assignments, document outcomes, and translate them into evidence a hiring manager will value. Plus: a signed book giveaway and free tip sheets you can use today. Listen, take notes, and share this with a colleague who needs a confidence boost. If this helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and send us your biggest resume question—we might feature it next.

Enter to win a signed copy of Signs of a Great Resume by Scott Vedder. No cost to enter.

💡 Want to take the next small step?

→ Free Download: 12 Fundraising Prompts You'll Actually Use

→ Course: The Fundraiser's AI Starter Suite