Human-Centered Fundraising Strategies for Small Teams
Scaling Major Gifts. Strategies, action steps, and ideas for scaling major gifts by Tammy Zonker, Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker.
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you wear multiple hats in your nonprofit: major gift officer, development director, executive director, or board member. Over nearly 30 years in the sector, I’ve been in your shoes and walked alongside thousands of professionals just like you, trying to move missions forward with limited time and resources.
Recently, I had the privilege of joining the "We Are For Good" podcast to talk about my new book, Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater Impact. Our conversation zeroed in on a challenge I’ve encountered and heard about in every region and organization size: building more inclusive, human-centered pipelines, especially when you’re a solo fundraiser or part of a small team.
Why This Matters
It doesn’t matter if you’re running a multimillion-dollar campaign or leading a grassroots initiative: the heart of fundraising is, and has always been, relationship-building. Yet, with prospecting, cultivation, and solicitation competing for attention, even the most experienced teams can feel like they’re on a hamster wheel. I’ve seen burnout, transactional interactions, and missed opportunities, all because there’s not enough time, or because we're pressured to prioritize quantity over quality.
Common Challenges: What I’ve Seen and Experienced
Limited capacity: When you’re the one responsible for prospect research, donor calls, event planning, and stewardship, intentional outreach often gives way to “just getting things done.”
Scattershot engagement: I’ve witnessed teams defaulting to mass communications, hoping the right people will respond, but often missing deeper connection.
Fear of imperfection: Many fundraisers sometimes avoid transparent conversations about capacity, worried it will make them seem less capable.
But here’s the upside: some of the most creative, meaningful relationship-building happens on lean teams.
Practical Strategies: Building a Human-Centered Pipeline
In my experience, the most transformative work starts with listening. No matter your team size, you can create impact by focusing on authentic engagement:
Purposeful Discovery
Schedule one or two meaningful donor or stakeholder conversations each week. Use open-ended questions like “What brought you to our mission?” or “What change do you hope to see in our community?” And listen actively.
This isn’t about selling; it’s about understanding priorities, hopes, and interests.
Mapping Relationships Beyond Giving Levels
Don’t just segment by donation size. Map your current supporters by engagement type: event attendees, social followers, and volunteers. And spark intentional outreach in each group.
I’ve found that transparency about your capacity (“We’re a small team, but deeply committed to getting this right with you”) builds trust.
Quality Over Quantity
Focus on depth, not breadth. Five heartfelt connections can be worth more than 50 superficial touches.
Honor each person’s unique story and co-create next steps together and ditch the rigid scripts.
Inclusive Pipeline Building
Ask: Who isn’t at the table? Whose voice is missing? Use your outreach to invite diversity and participation.
Make every communication, whether it’s a welcome call, event invite, or stewardship report, accessible and inclusive.
Making the Leap from Human-Centered Pipeline to Human-Centered Acquisition
As you implement these strategies, you might wonder: How do we go beyond strengthening existing relationships to truly growing our community in an intentional, human-centered way? That’s where donor acquisition comes in, not as a numbers game, but as a thoughtful extension of your relationship-driven approach.
Human-Centered Donor Acquisition: What Works
One approach that works well is ditching "spray-and-pray" tactics. Instead, lead with empathy and relevance. People want to connect with missions that speak to their values and lived experiences. Here's how:
Lead with empathy: Share your vision, not just your needs. Position support as partnership and emphasize what you can achieve together.
Be radically inclusive: Audit your outreach: who isn’t engaged, and why? Adapt strategies to bring new voices in.
Use storytelling: Share real stories, not just statistics. Invite your stakeholders into the ongoing journey, not only the outcome.
Value every interaction: Whether someone donates, volunteers, or simply asks a hard question, make them feel seen and valued.
Be Persistent, Curious, Open
I know firsthand how daunting it can be to balance strategy, stewardship, and day-to-day demands. But I also know that every step towards a more human-centered, inclusive pipeline makes your mission stronger. You’re not alone, and you don’t have to be perfect, just persistent, curious, and open.
Keep scaling,
Tammy Zonker
Author, Major Gift Expert, Keynote Speaker
President, Fundraising Transformed
President, Modern Institute for Charitable Giving
Want to learn more about building a more inclusive, human-centered pipeline, especially when you’re a solo fundraiser or part of a small team?
Pre-order your copy of Calling All Heroes before November 25, enter your receipt/order number, and you’ll receive a special invitation to join my FREE, LIVE, 90-minute training session (CFRE: 1.5 pts), How to Implement Human-Centered Fundraising in Your Organization.
ps – And if you want extra copies for your team, your local chapter, or an upcoming conference, place your bulk order here and we’ll take care of the rest.
pps – Unlock Special Rewards with your bulk book order!