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Nonprofit leaders are not buying commodities when they hire campaign or strategic planning consultants. Yet closed RFPs often force boards and executives to evaluate judgment-driven work as if it were standardized procurement. The result may be compliant—but it is rarely well-aligned. In this piece, Jim Bush examines why closed RFPs fall short for fundraising and strategy work, and what nonprofit leaders unlock when selection processes allow for dialogue, discernment, and fit.

In the third installment of our Making the Ask series, we explore the transformative power of empathetic listening in donor relations. This post breaks down the six practical habits of high-impact listeners—from mastering the "one-second pause" to using feedback loops—that transform a solicitation into a collaborative partnership.

When donors respond with "I'm not sure," when asked about a potential campaign gift, it's easy to hear hesitation as a lack of commitment. More often, it's a signal that something deeper needs attention. This post explores what donor uncertainty really reveals about alignment, why return on investment must be framed in human terms, and how campaign feasibility studies help build confidence before launching a capital campaign.

Asking the right questions is less about technique and more about curiosity. In this post, we explore how thoughtful questioning helps deepen donor relationships, fill in the gaps left by prospect research, and lay the groundwork for a meaningful solicitation.

Uncertainty will define 2026 for many nonprofits. Our Word of the Year is FORTIFY: strengthen your foundation, reinforce your team, and protect your fundraising against external pressures. See how today’s nonprofit trends can become opportunities for action in the year ahead.

As large language models (LLMs) become more embedded in professional communication, something subtle is starting to slip. This opinion piece explores what happens when organizations outsource not just tasks, but voice, and why authenticity still matters in a relationship-driven sector.

Every conversation has to begin somewhere. Whether you’re meeting a colleague, catching up with a friend, or sitting in on a parent-teacher conference, there’s always an opening—a few moments where both parties settle in and find their rhythm. Meeting with a major donor is no different. Before you ask questions or share your vision, the opening is what invites the donor fully into the moment.

This introductory blog launches Making the Ask, our fundamentals series on the anatomy of meeting with a major gift prospect. Before we explore the structure of the visit step-by-step, it’s important to reflect on why major gifts happen in the first place—and why sitting down with a donor has remained the most effective way to inspire transformational giving.