AI Can Map the Route, but Human Connection Makes the Journey Meaningful
If you know me personally (or if you’ve read my previous posts), you know I love to travel. With my big imagination, I love to settle in somewhere new for a time and imagine what life would be like to pick up and move there. I’m that person who is looking at real estate while settling in on the first night. I am always so curious – what makes the local people tick? What customs bring them joy in their everyday lives? What do they take for granted that a traveler sees with fresh eyes?
When I think about donor relationships, I also think about the shared experience of travel with my family and friends. The best trips aren’t just about the destination; they’re about the shared experience along the way—the roadside stops, the unexpected restaurant finds, the stories told over long stretches in airports or trains.
Fundraising is much the same. It’s not a quick trip from “ask” to “gift.” It’s a longer journey of trust, shared purpose, and mutual discovery. When you build strong relationships, donors aren’t just ticket-holders on your train—they’re fellow travelers who want to see the mission succeed and enjoy the ride alongside you.
Why Relationship Building Matters
Transforms Transactional Support into Lasting Commitment
Relationship fundraising prioritizes deeper engagement over one-time donations. When donors feel like partners in the mission—rather than just funders—they stick around for the long haul.Builds Trust—and Trust Handles Detours
Every journey hits bumps: economic downturns, leadership transitions, shifting priorities. Donors with strong relational ties are more likely to stay the course even when the road isn’t smooth.Encourages Mutual Growth and Advocacy
When donors feel like co-pilots rather than passengers, they become advocates who bring others along for the ride.
And Now, AI Enters the Room: Helpful, but Not Human
A lot of nonprofits are learning to use AI and are in the process of sorting out how it can be helpful in the fundraising lifecycle. I believe AI can be like your GPS: it maps out the most efficient routes, predicts traffic, and helps you prepare for what’s ahead. It can sort donor data, identify giving patterns, and flag the best times to reach out.
But just as your GPS can’t swap travel stories, share a laugh at a rest stop, or notice the breathtaking view from the passenger seat—AI can’t replace human presence. Relationship building requires empathy, listening, and authenticity. Those are the moments that transform a journey from routine travel into a meaningful adventure. Use of AI should be additive (to draft communications, analyze patterns and create more time in your schedule to be with people), but only you, dear human, are qualified to do the real relationship-building work.
Three Concrete Steps to Build Donor Relationships
1. Personalize Your Communication—Beyond the Basics
A GPS may know the quickest route, but only you know your donor’s story. Send a thank-you note that connects to their interests and values or follow up with a thoughtful check-in.
2. Invite Meaningful Engagement and Listen Actively
Invite donors to be co-travelers. Share behind-the-scenes updates, ask their perspective, or involve them in shaping new initiatives.
3. Share Stories and Be Transparent
Stories are the scenic overlooks of the journey—they help donors see and feel the impact. Transparency builds trust and makes them proud to stay on the road with you.
Final Take
We all know the saying – that the journey is as important as the destination. The same is true in fundraising: relationships are what make the trip worthwhile. AI can chart the route and help you avoid roadblocks, but it’s your humanity—your listening, your presence, your care—that makes donors want to stay on the journey with you. By treating them as fellow travelers, you build more than a path to donations—you build a shared adventure in impact.
Bike Trails and Boardrooms: Navigating the Learning Curve in Fundraising
Champagn Gravel of Girona, Spain
I have another confession: I find endless inspiration—and metaphors for life and work—while riding my bike. And now, a fair warning: if you read my first blog post and are reading this now, you already know this isn’t the first (and definitely won’t be the last) bike-themed missive. So join me, and buckle up for another little story about two-wheeled transport, fundraising, and human nature.
This story begins in Girona, Spain, where I spent the past two glorious months. Most mornings, before the heat of the day set in, I was lucky enough to ride my gravel bike on the endless champagne (or should I say cava)-colored dirt trails. While I’ve always identified most strongly as a mountain biker at heart, I’ve made a (not-so-surprising) shift to gravel biking in this third quarter of life—for reasons that are probably obvious.
Still, upon returning home to Durango, Colorado, I was eager to get back on my mountain bike and enjoy the undeniable benefits of full suspension and the adrenaline of navigating our world-class technical trails. But within moments of hitting the singletrack, I was frustrated and disappointed—not in my bike, but in myself. After riding hundreds of miles on gravel, I found it difficult to steer, to engage my fast-twitch muscles, and to feel fluid on the trail.
It took a fair amount of self-talk to give myself some grace and remind myself that I don’t have to be “good” at everything. I needed to practice my way back into comfort on singletrack. It’s a vulnerable place to feel like you've taken a step backward.
That experience got me thinking about how much we, as adults, dislike discomfort. Over time, we come to rely on our strengths—whether it's cooking, organizing, public speaking, finance, research, or sales—and we tend to make small pivots that build on those existing skills. But acquiring an entirely new skill? That’s far harder. It requires us to start over, to feel exposed, to admit we don’t know.
And here’s where the analogy to fundraising comes in.
Very few of us instinctively know how to apply our skills in a nonprofit setting—especially in fundraising. No one is born knowing how to fundraise. Time and again, I’ve seen successful business executives try to transfer the same skill set that made them thrive in the for-profit world (gravel biking, in this analogy) into the nonprofit space (mountain biking, if you’re still with me). They’re often surprised—and frustrated—when those methods don’t work as expected. Their intentions are good, but they’re understandably uncomfortable asking for help with the shift.
Board members often bring a mindset of “I’m successful, and now I want to give back.” That can make it even harder to ask for support or admit a learning curve. Sometimes there’s a mentor available to guide them—but not often enough.
This is exactly where outside fundraising counsel comes in. Fundraising is the lifeblood of most nonprofit organizations—and one of the most difficult things to get right. External consultants provide something invaluable: a safe space for learning.
Time and again, I’ve had one-on-one conversations with board members who admit to the same frustrations—disappointment in results, reluctance to blame staff, and a sense of pressure to improve outcomes. They often feel stuck and occasionally, they admit their own uncertainty about how to fundraise effectively.
A good consultant provides more than technical expertise. They create a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where successful people can assess the situation and start building new skills. This kind of learning only happens when there’s mutual trust and the right chemistry between consultant and volunteer and staff leadership. Yes, it’s vulnerable to admit outside help is needed—but the right consultant can unlock not just stronger fundraising results, but personal and professional growth for everyone involved.
It’s an investment, no doubt—but one that delivers far more than just monetary returns.
Why Manufacturing Momentum Is Crucial for Nonprofit Fundraising Success
Why momentum is key
I have an admission: I am a self-development junkie. I have a pile of books next to my bed and queue of podcasts on my phone dedicated to incremental personal improvement. I guess it’s a part of my natural optimism: that I’m one idea, one nugget of truth away from cracking some life code. And the funny thing is, all the advice almost always leads back to the same place: do the work, show up, believe in yourself and give others the grace we all deserve. That said, I continue to appreciate fresh takes that allow me to cross pollinate my various categories of life.
Yesterday, while I was out on the gravel bike, I listened to one of my current favorites: Mel Robbins. She was interviewing film producer Will Packard on overcoming self-doubt (something that seems to be a chronic human condition) and one of his pieces of advice (amongst a dozen other gems) was to “manufacture momentum.” His story went like this: say you want to climb a mountain (or raise some multiple of your current budget). You don’t just wake up one and start walking up the mountain. Instead, you set yourself up for success. You go buy some hiking boots. You drive by the mountain and look at it, study it, gather information. And while these steps seem trivial at first, you are in fact, creating momentum and setting yourself up for later success. You’ve started the process and you are more credible for it.
This story reminded me of a key tenet of fundraising success: momentum is everything. But how do you get it? When you pull back the curtain on the world of nonprofit fundraising, you find that success rarely happens by accident. It’s often the result of strategic planning, persistent outreach, and—most importantly—manufacturing momentum. While some organizations wait for momentum to appear organically, the most successful fundraisers know how to generate it deliberately.
What is “manufactured momentum”?
Manufactured momentum is the intentional creation of energy and excitement around a campaign, project, or mission. It’s about showing progress, engaging supporters early and often, and giving the impression of a movement that’s already in motion—one that people want to be a part of.
Why it matters in fundraising
Social proof drives giving. Donors want to invest in something that feels vibrant and impactful. When they see others participating, sharing, and giving, they’re more likely to join in. Momentum acts as a signal: “This matters, and people are backing it.”
It creates urgency. Momentum builds pressure—in a good way. Whether through matching challenges, countdowns, or donor spotlights, manufactured momentum encourages donors to act now, not later.
It boosts morale and engagement. For your internal team and supporters alike, early signs of success help maintain enthusiasm. That energy is contagious and fuels further action.
It turns small wins into big results. Celebrating every gift, every milestone, and every story shared amplifies impact. This creates a flywheel effect: one action sparks another, and the campaign accelerates.
How to manufacture momentum
Start with insiders. Engage board members, major donors, and passionate supporters before launch.
Show progress visually. Use thermometers, goal trackers, and updates to keep people tuned in.
Tell timely stories. Highlight the impact of early gifts and the people behind them.
Create mini-deadlines. Break big goals into smaller ones to keep up the pace.
In short, momentum doesn’t just happen—it’s built. And when nonprofits take the time to manufacture it, they position themselves for stronger engagement, deeper loyalty, and ultimately, greater fundraising success.