135. A Modern Tech Stack for Major Gift Success
About this episode
In 2026, most development teams are managing more tools than ever. And a lot of them are quietly wondering: is all of this actually helping us raise more money and build better donor relationships? Or have we just added more complexity to an already full workload?
I hear this a lot. And the answer, for most teams, is somewhere in the middle. You've got some tools that are genuinely earning their place. And some that made sense when you added them but have become one more thing your team has to maintain.
This week on The Intentional Fundraiser podcast, I walked through a practical approach to cleaning up your tech stack, one that doesn't require a big overhaul or a lot of time. Here's what we covered.
Your stack only needs four core categories.
CRM, your donor database, is the foundation. If your team works around it instead of in it, nothing else in your stack will perform the way it should. Next comes analytics and predictive tools that help you prioritize your portfolio. Then AI assistants, which support your team with drafting, call summaries, and data insights. And finally, productivity and scheduling tools that keep coordination light and simple. That's four categories. Every tool you're using should fit clearly into one of them. If it doesn't, that's worth noticing. And if your CRM is the weak link, no other tool will compensate for it. Strengthening that foundation first is almost always the highest-leverage move.
Five criteria tell you whether a tool is worth keeping.
I use this framework consistently when I work with organizations: integration (does it connect to your other systems?), ease of use (is your team actually using it?), data ownership (do you own your donor data?), support (can you get real help when something breaks?), and cost-to-value (is it returning more than it costs in money and staff time?). Tools that score well on all five are worth keeping. Tools that fail on two or more are worth phasing out.
Must-haves vs. nice-to-haves is a simple but powerful filter.
A must-have directly supports donor relationships or revenue. If a tool can't pass that test, it's probably costing more than it's contributing. In my experience, teams that are honest about this are often surprised by how many nice-to-haves have crept into their stack.
AI fits in your stack, but only as a support function.
The most common and effective AI use cases I'm seeing in major gifts right now are content drafting, call summaries, and segmentation suggestions. All three save time and mental energy. None of them replace the relationship. AI doesn't make the call, sit across the table from a donor, or notice what matters most in a conversation. It's prep work that helps you show up better, not a substitute for showing up.
A 90-day tune-up doesn't have to be a project.
The framework I walked through in the episode has four simple phases: audit what you've got, decide what to keep, fix, or retire, consolidate and pilot one new tool if needed, and check in at week twelve. Most teams finish the audit phase alone feeling lighter. Just naming what's in your stack creates clarity that makes everything easier.
Try this this week
Set aside thirty minutes and list every tool your team is using or paying for. Don't evaluate anything yet. Just get it all on paper. That single step, seeing the full picture, is often where the most useful insights come from.
I'd love to hear from you
Connect with me on LinkedIn and tell me: what's the one tool in your current stack you couldn't imagine working without? And what's the one you're not sure is earning its place?
I'd genuinely love to know.
Your team deserves tools that make the work feel possible, not heavier. And that starts with knowing exactly what you've got.
Listen to this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast for the full conversation.
“Teams with fewer, well-chosen tools outperform teams with more tools almost every time.”
Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert, Keynote Speaker, Author
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