Stop Treating Donors Like ATMs | Founder & President Chris Gabriel

“Don’t treat me like an ATM.” That’s what one major donor told Chris Gabriel—and it reveals one of the biggest problems in fundraising today.In this episode, Chris explains why transactional thinking damages donor relationships and leads to missed opportunities for deeper impact.He reframes the role of fundraisers—not as sellers, but as guides helping donors fulfill their highest purpose.If you want to build stronger, more meaningful donor relationships, this conversation of

What makes someone leave a stable career in finance to step into the emotional world of nonprofit work? In this episode, Adam Faitek shares how he unexpectedly found his calling in fundraising—and why it became so much more than just raising money. From helping families facing childhood cancer to building trust with donors, Adam reveals the human side of philanthropy. This conversation dives deep into purpose, community, and the real impact behind every dollar given. If you’ve ever wondered what

What keeps a donor coming back year after year? In this episode, Drew sits down with Matt Sheffield, Vice President of Development at Mosaic, to talk about the not-so-glamorous work that actually builds lasting support. Matt shares what he’s learned after two decades of leading development across multiple regions, and why “relationship” isn’t a buzzword, it’s the whole job. They dig into the difference between managing donors and partnering with them, how to stay mission-first without sounding s

Aldervan Daly didn’t get into fundraising because of a big emotional calling — he got in through a database. Then theater taught him the rest.In this episode, Alder van shares how data and storytelling work together, why your donor profile isn’t the same as your donor relationship, and how to stay human in a job that can easily turn transactional. You’ll hear his take on planned giving, board dynamics (“my donor” isn’t a thing), and how to tell stories without putting people on display. H

What if fundraising wasn’t actually about money?In this episode of Fundraising Leaders with Drew, host Drew Clancy sits down with Jeff Kramer—Chief Development Officer at Nova Ukraine and 43-year veteran of the fundraising world—to reframe everything you thought you knew about development. Jeff shares how a moment at a Jewish summer camp set him on a path of service, how mentors “raised him in the profession,” and why he believes the ask should be the easiest part of fundraising.From Mercy S

In this episode of Fundraising Leaders with Drew, host Drew Clancy talks with Matt Altstiel, Vice President for Development at the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Matt shares how his journey from adult education classrooms to Chicago Public Schools to urban planning led him to environmental advocacy—and why all of it comes down to one core skill: talking to people. He breaks down how the Alliance uses vivid storytelling (“a credit card’s worth of plastic in our bodies every week”) to make complex