Happy 2026! As we work to plan for annual giving and major gifts in this new year, I hope I can provide some support to your decision making with a series of blog posts centering on two pillars that have remained consistent over my 13-year nonprofit career. I have had the opportunity and privilege to work for or consult with over two dozen organizations and I can say that success begins with intentional systems and impactful storytelling.
That will be the throughline this year. Every week, my posts will hinge on one or both of those aspects of fundraising. Why? Because I’ve seen many nonprofits’ fundraising successes and failures center first on their ability to properly articulate their stories and, secondly, on the ability to build the systems that will allow for the aggregation and use of donor/volunteer data to help guide next steps.
Whether we’re talking about social media, prospect research, stewardship, newsletters, community testimonials, cultivation or any other activity that factors into an organization’s ability to reach donors, storytelling and systems are the two pillars that nonprofits need to invest more in so that they can reap the largest rewards.
Fundraising was difficult for many organizations in 2025 and it is looking like it could present more of a challenge in 2026 and beyond. But, this year, I hope to make it a bit easier with each of these blog posts. And the theme of this year is that storytelling and systems solve problems.
I’m guessing you’re here because artificial intelligence wasn’t helping you bring in the tangible dollars your organization needs. So ’m writing each blog post based on my professional experience, be they successes or learning opportunities.
If you need real help for a seasoned fundraiser who believes that nonprofits should be actively working to put themselves out of business by creating change that breaks inequity, let’s talk. The quickest way to reach me is via e-mail ([email protected]). Let’s start this year on the right page by telling stories and building systems together.