Real Talk for Real Fundraisers

Latest Episodes:

Strategies for a Successful Year-End Fundraising Season Sep 28, 2026

Show notes

If you’re looking at your year-end number and then at your to-do list and wondering how you’ll get it all done, you’re far from alone.

Late September into October is when that pressure lands on almost every frontline fundraiser, and the roughly 75 days left in the year can feel impossibly short.

In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by Lauren Centrella, a Veritus client experience leader and former frontline fundraiser, to walk through those 75 days one stretch at a time.

Together, they break down how to prioritize your caseload, prepare for year-end asks, and stay focused on the donor relationships that matter most, so you can finish the year with a clear plan and feel good about the work you’ve done, whatever the final number.

Lauren starts with the first week of October, when it pays to slow down and audit your caseload donor by donor. They cover where each donor stands against their goal and last year’s giving, who hasn’t given yet, and which gifts, including DAFs, stock, and QCDs, may come with earlier deadlines than you expect.

They also discuss the internal conversations with Finance, Program, and Marketing that need to happen before the year-end rush makes them harder to have.

From there, Jeff and Lauren cover how to prioritize high-value donors, revisit Tier C prospects, and use Permission-Based Asking™ through mid-December.

They also discuss communicating with managers when goals shift and finishing strong with follow-ups, DAF gifts, out-of-office planning, and thank-you calls that deepen donor relationships.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

What to review in the first week of October, including donor goals, giving history, and gifts with early deadlines

How to prioritize the donors who matter most, prepare for Permission-Based Asking™, and communicate with your manager when goals shift

How to finish strong from December 16–31, follow up on commitments, and use year-end stewardship to strengthen relationships

Lauren’s immediate action plan: identify your top five donors, find one impact story for each, and choose one outreach you can make this week

Additional Resources:

[Blog] How to Build a Year-End Donor Plan

[White Paper] 90-Day Year-End Fundraising Planner

[Blog] Fall in Love with Fundraising Again

Veritus Group is passionate about partnering with you and your organization throughout your fundraising journey. We believe that the key to transformative fundraising is a disciplined system and structure, trusted accountability, persistence, and a bit of fun. We specialize in mid-level fundraising, major gifts, and planned giving, helping our clients to develop compelling donor offers and to focus on strategic leadership and organizational development. You can learn more about how we can partner with you at⁠⁠⁠www.VeritusGroup.com⁠.

Donors Can Smell It: Why Authenticity Wins, ft. Dwayne Ashley Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Most stewardship programs are built around a formula: give at this level, receive this letter; give more, get invited to this event; give enough, get your name on a wall. But that model is quietly failing because donors can tell when they’re being processed instead of known.

In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels and co-host Christopher Beck have a candid conversation with Dwayne Ashley, founder and CEO of Bridge Philanthropic Consulting, one of the largest full-service fundraising and advisory firms in the world. They explore what stewardship looks like when donors are treated as partners rather than sources of capital, including why the ask should move at the donor’s pace, why calling a donor for advice can be more meaningful than another impact report, and how gift acceptance and naming policies can quietly cost organizations major gifts.

At the heart of the conversation is a simple idea: people give to people. Donors are evaluating your leadership, your flexibility, and whether they trust the people behind the mission just as much as they’re evaluating your programs. Jeff also shares a story from earlier that morning about being on the receiving end of a permission-based ask and what it felt like to experience that approach as a donor.

This is a conversation about moving beyond transactional stewardship and creating donor experiences that actually feel personal. From designing experiences people want to attend to adapting your approach across generations, Jeff, Christopher, and Dwayne make the case that effective stewardship isn’t about following a formula. It’s about knowing the individual donor and building a relationship that works for them.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

Why authentic stewardship is about knowing donors as people, not moving them through a tiered system

How permission-based asking, donor advice, and honest conversations can build deeper trust and partnership

Why gift acceptance policies, pledge practices, and organizational flexibility can either strengthen or undermine donor relationships

How to create more meaningful, personalized donor experiences by adapting to individual interests, expectations, and generations

Veritus Group is passionate about partnering with you and your organization throughout your fundraising journey. We believe that the key to transformative fundraising is a disciplined system and structure, trusted accountability, persistence, and a bit of fun. We specialize in mid-level fundraising, major gifts, and planned giving, helping our clients to develop compelling donor offers and to focus on strategic leadership and organizational development. You can learn more about how we can partner with you at www.VeritusGroup.com.

Additional Resources:

[Blog] Three Critical Elements of Planned Giving

[White Paper] Building a Culture of Philanthropy

[Podcast] Christopher Beck: Five Questions Every Non-Profit Leader Needs to Answer About Equity

Why Your Best Fundraisers Leave (and What Makes Them Stay) Jun 29, 2026

Show notes

Fundraiser turnover is one of the biggest threats to long-term fundraising success, and the cost goes far beyond an empty desk. When a fundraiser leaves, organizations lose donor trust, relationship momentum, institutional knowledge, and often significant future revenue.

In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by co-host Christopher Beck for a candid and important conversation with Daphne Valcin, MCC, founder of Valcin Strategic Solutions, a leadership development consulting firm focused on helping organizations build stronger leaders and healthier workplace cultures. Drawing from her extensive experience as an executive coach, trainer, non-profit leader, and leadership development consultant, Daphne offers powerful insight into why so many talented fundraisers are leaving, and what leaders can do to change that.

Throughout the episode, Jeff, Christopher, and Daphne unpack the deeper causes of fundraiser burnout, moving beyond the assumption that turnover is simply an HR issue. They explore how vague job descriptions, poor onboarding, unrealistic workloads, weak management, and outdated leadership styles create environments where fundraisers struggle to thrive. The conversation also examines the challenges faced by fundraisers of color and the hidden cost of turnover, especially when donor relationships are interrupted and trust is broken.

This is a real-talk conversation for non-profit leaders who are ready to stop normalizing burnout and turnover, and ready to start building organizations where fundraisers feel valued, supported, and equipped to stay for the long haul.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

Why fundraiser turnover is not just an HR issue, but a major financial, strategic, and relational challenge

What organizations lose when fundraisers leave, including donor trust, momentum, and institutional knowledge

How Daphne’s “Three M’s” framework—meetings, mentorship, and messaging—can improve retention and team culture

Why inclusion, allyship, and difficult conversations are essential to building healthier nonprofit workplaces

Additional Resources:

[Blog] White Men, Wake Up!

[White Paper] Building a Culture of Philanthropy

[Podcast] Christopher Beck: Five Questions Every Non-Profit Leader Needs to Answer About Equity

The Power of Qualifying Donors Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve ever looked at your caseload and thought, “I’m working hard… so why does this still feel so difficult?” — there’s a good chance qualification is the issue.

In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by Diana Frazier, Senior Client Experience Leader at Veritus Group, for a practical conversation about what it actually means to qualify donors—and why it changes everything for a major gift officer.

Jeff and Diana break down one of the most common challenges MGOs face: spending time on donors who don’t want a relationship. They explain what a qualified donor really is (hint: it’s not just someone who gives), and why the absence of true two-way engagement leads to frustration, stalled relationships, and missed revenue.

They also walk through a clear, structured approach to qualification, including how to do a “gut check” on your caseload, how persistence plays a role in unlocking engagement, and why a portion of donors will respond if you approach them the right way. The conversation highlights what happens when MGOs shift from managing names in a portfolio to building relationships with people who actually want to connect.

If you want more clarity, more confidence, and better results in your fundraising, this episode will help you rethink how you’re spending your time—and who you’re spending it on.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

What it really means for a donor to be “qualified” and why two-way communication is the key

How unqualified donors create friction, frustration, and inefficiency in your caseload

The “gut check” process that helps you quickly assess donor engagement

Why persistence matters—and how one-third of donors may engage with the right outreach

Additional Resources:

[Blog] What to Expect When You Try to Qualify Donors

[White Paper] Qualifying Donors for Major Gifts Caseloads

[Blog] Do You Qualify Mid-Level Donors?

What Great Fundraisers Really Understand About Donors Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

Your donors are trying to tell you something. The question is, are you set up to actually hear it?

In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels sits down with fundraising consultant Jeff Brooks for a wide-ranging, honest conversation about what actually drives fundraising success today. And if you’ve ever felt like you’re doing all the right things but not seeing the results, this one will hit home.

Together, they dig into what they’ve learned from decades in the field, especially when it comes to understanding how donors think, why they give, and why they sometimes stop giving. They talk about the real challenges nonprofits are facing right now, from donor retention struggles to shifting expectations, and what fundraisers can do to respond in a way that actually builds trust.

You’ll hear why so many organizations miss the mark when it comes to crafting offers, and how getting more specific, more human, and more donor-centered can completely change the outcome of your conversations. There’s also a thoughtful discussion about where technology and AI fit into all of this. Yes, those tools can help, but they can’t replace your judgment, your empathy, or your ability to connect with another person.

They also spend time talking about something that doesn’t get enough attention: the importance of community and mentorship, especially if you’re newer to fundraising. Because the truth is, no one figures this out alone. The best fundraisers are constantly learning, testing, and yes, making mistakes along the way. If you want a grounded, real-world perspective on what it takes to build lasting donor relationships and grow revenue in a meaningful way, this conversation will give you a lot to think about.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

Why understanding donor psychology is the foundation for everything you do in fundraising

How to create more compelling, specific offers that actually inspire donors to give

What’s really behind donor retention challenges and how to address them

Where tools like AI can support your work and where the human element still matters most

Additional Resources:

[Blog] Who Thanks Your Donors? If You’re Not Sure, That’s a Problem

[White Paper] Six Secrets to Becoming an Extraordinary Major Gift Officer

[Blog] What Frontline Fundraisers Actually Need

[Template] Free Donor Engagement Plan

Diana Frazier: Is Your Donor Database Actually Working for You? Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

Your donor database should make it easier to build strong relationships with donors. But for many fundraisers, the CRM ends up feeling like one more thing to maintain instead of a tool that actively supports their work.

In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by Diana Frazier, Senior Client Experience Leader at Veritus Group, for a practical conversation about how fundraisers can use their CRM to strengthen donor relationships instead of just storing data.

Jeff and Diana walk through the key elements that turn a donor database into a relationship-building engine. They explore why most CRMs were built for direct-response fundraising, what that means for major gift work, and how a few simple structural changes—like clear donor status codes, thoughtful tiering, and better donor profiles—can dramatically improve how you manage your caseload.

They also talk about the often-overlooked details that make a real difference, from capturing a donor’s story to tracking giving vehicles and building dashboards that actually help you prioritize your work each day. If you’ve ever felt like your CRM is slowing you down instead of helping you connect with donors, this episode will give you a clear path forward.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

Why most donor databases are designed for direct response fundraising—and what that means for relationship-based fundraising

How a clear donor status field helps you quickly understand where each donor stands in their engagement

Why tiering donors is essential for focusing your time and energy where it matters most

The importance of capturing a donor’s story so relationships continue seamlessly over time

Additional Resources:

[Blog] What Is An MGO Actually Responsible For?

[White Paper]

New and Improved: Donor Engagment Plan

[Blog] What Frontline Fundraisers Actually Need

[Template] Free Donor Engagement Plan

Holly Rustick: Why Your Non-Profit Needs a Grant Strategist (Not Just a Grant Writer) Feb 24, 2026

Show notes

Grant writing is one of the most misunderstood roles in the non-profit sector, and that misunderstanding may be costing your organization serious money. In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by Holly Rustick, a grant strategist with more than 20 years of experience, author of four books, and the founder of a movement that has helped organizations raise over $266 million in grant funding.

Whether you’re a fundraising leader trying to diversify revenue, a major gift officer curious about how grants can support your donor strategy, or someone considering a career in grants, this conversation challenges nearly everything you think you know about “grant writing.”

Jeff and Holly unpack why the title “grant writer” is outdated, what non-profits consistently get wrong when they hire for this role, and why there is still significant grant money available in 2026. They also explore how grant strategy connects directly to program design, leadership, and long-term sustainability, not just proposals and deadlines.

This episode is a practical, paradigm-shifting conversation designed to help organizations stop leaving money on the table and start approaching grants as a strategic, team-wide opportunity rather than a siloed task.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

Why the term “grant writer” is outdated, what non-profits should be hiring for instead, and how that shift changes funding outcomes

The real pros and cons of hiring an in-house grant professional versus working with a freelance grant strategist (and what most organizations overlook)

Why “grant success rate” is the wrong question to ask, and what actually predicts long-term grant funding success

How grant strategy supports stronger programs, aligns with major gifts work, and why there is still significant grant money available in 2026

Want to connect with Holly or get access to resources she mentioned during this talk? Visit her website! https://grantwritingandfunding.com/

Additional Resources:

[Podcast] Diana Frazier: 6 Things Every Fundraiser Should Focus on in 2026

[White Paper] Removing Obstacles to Major Gift Fundraising

[Blog] The Right Way to Refresh Your Caseload

Diana Frazier: 6 Things Every Fundraiser Should Focus On in 2026 Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

Start your year with clarity and direction. In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by Diana Frazier, Senior Client Experience Leader at Veritus Group, for a practical, no-fluff conversation about what actually matters for fundraisers heading into 2026.

Whether you’re a frontline major gift officer managing a caseload, a development director overseeing a team, or an executive director trying to remove organizational roadblocks, this episode lays out six priorities that separate reactive fundraising from disciplined, relationship-based growth.

Jeff and Diana dig into what they’re seeing every day in coaching conversations with fundraisers across the country. In an era of AI, automation, and constant distraction, the organizations winning in 2026 are the ones that stay relentlessly focused on planning, accountability, and donor relationships, while leaders do the hard work of fixing systems that quietly undermine success.

This episode offers clear guidance on how to build donor plans without overwhelm, why mid-level programs are now non-negotiable, and how to leverage tools like AI and donor-advised funds without losing the human connection that drives major gifts. This grounded, tactical conversation is designed to help you simplify your focus, remove friction, and set up your strongest fundraising year yet!

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

How to create a clear, customized plan for every donor using a simple 30-60-90 day framework that keeps fundraisers proactive instead of reactive

What leaders must do to remove internal barriers, align teams, and ensure donors can give at their full capacity

Why relationship-based mid-level programs are now essential, and how they are driving consistent revenue growth while feeding major gift pipelines

How to approach donor-advised funds (DAFs) and AI tools strategically, using both to increase impact and efficiency without sacrificing personal donor relationships

Additional Resources:

[Blog] 2026 Non-Profit Fundraising Trends Every Fundraiser Needs to Know

[White Paper] Building a Culture of Philanthropy

[Blog] Donor Advised Funds Series, Part 1: Your Donors Stopped Giving. True or False?

Christopher Beck: Five Questions Every Non-Profit Leader Needs to Answer About Equity Jan 21, 2026

Show notes

In this special episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels is joined by Christopher Beck—Associate Director of Individual and Planned Giving at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and a 20-year fundraising veteran—as a new co-host for an ongoing 2026 series centered on equity, inclusion, and the real-world challenges facing fundraisers of color.

This conversation centers around the practical, financial, and strategic realities of a sector that is already changing faster than many organizations are prepared for. Together, Jeff and Christopher dig into five foundational questions that will guide the series ahead, from who actually holds decision-making power inside non-profit organizations to the measurable revenue impact of building a more diverse donor base.

With the great wealth transfer underway, next-generation donors on the rise, and communities of color holding more philanthropic power than ever before, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at what’s at stake and what’s possible for organizations willing to adapt.

It’s an honest, forward-looking conversation about where fundraising is headed and how leaders can meet the moment without losing sight of relationships, mission, or results.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…

The single biggest equity barrier limiting revenue potential in most fundraising offices, and why homogeneity in decision-making is a financial risk

The business case for donor diversification, including why engaging Latinx, Asian American, African American, LGBTQ+, and next-gen donors is essential for long-term growth

How inclusive internal culture directly impacts donor retention, staff turnover, and relationship continuity

A five-year forecast comparing equity-embracing organizations with those that resist change, and why the gap between them will continue to widen

Additional Resources:

[Blog] Every Non-Profit Leader Needs to Join the Journey For Racial Justice

[White Paper] Building a Culture of Philanthropy

[Blog] White Men, Wake Up!

Diana Frazier: What Makes Great Fundraisers Great at Year-End Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Real Talk for Real Fundraisers, Jeff Schreifels welcomes Diana Frazier, Veritus Group’s senior client experience leader with more than 40 years of fundraising experience, for an essential conversation about winning the final stretch of the year.

Diana has coached over 300 mid-level and major gift officers during her 12 years at Veritus, and she brings a rare blend of wisdom and practicality to this discussion. Together, Jeff and Diana break down the 15 critical fundraising days of December, explore what separates exceptional fundraisers from those who may be in the wrong role, and outline clear, actionable steps for frontline fundraisers and managers who want to finish strong.

They talk through why focus—not more time—is the real differentiator in December, how to approach year-end planning with less stress, and the specific information your donors need to complete stock gifts, donor-advised fund contributions, and wire transfers. Diana also lays out a simple two-hour-per-day gratitude strategy that allows you to meaningfully thank up to 70 donors before the year ends.

If you’re preparing for the intensity of December or leading a team that needs direction during the busiest season of the year, this episode will help you navigate the final push with confidence.

Show Highlights: In this episode, you’ll learn about…