In a community with over 300 nonprofits and a jam-packed calendar of galas, dinners, and silent auctions, it’s easy for a small organization to feel like its event will be just another RSVP in the stack.
So one year—while working in a lean, one-person development office—I did something different.
I hosted a No-Show Fundraising Event.
No table sponsors. No caterers. No stress.
Just a cup of tea, a warm invitation, and a reason to give.
In a world filled with data, the stories that move people aren’t packed with numbers — they’re pulsing with emotion.
The Power of One Story introduces The Pivot Pulse™ Framework — a storytelling approach that helps nonprofits turn awareness into empathy, and empathy into action.
Through Eli’s story, you’ll see how one small moment of change can inspire generosity, build trust, and double donations. Learn how to craft your own story, tailor your message, and end with a call to action that keeps your donors’ hearts — and hands — engaged.
Early in my career, I managed my days with a yellow legal pad and a stack of file folders. I hand-wrote administrative tasks, listed phone numbers and call reminders, and project notes—then prioritized by due date. When I completed an item, I marked it done, filed the folder, or passed materials to the next person.
Every nonprofit and purpose-driven business needs both marketing and fundraising—but they are not the same. Confusing them can drain your energy, dilute your message, and ultimately cost you relationships and revenue. Understanding how they work—and how they work...
Stewardship Is More Than Gratitude—It’s Empowerment. Every update is a chance to equip your team with what they need to make things happen. You don’t always know who has access to what doors—or what relationships they’re willing to leverage.
Too many nonprofits find themselves trapped in a fundraising cycle that pivots on a few big events—galas, auctions, holiday appeals—while neglecting the full potential of recurring giving, storytelling, and strategic donor engagement. Let’s unpack the reasons behind this hesitancy:
Nonprofits often ask me to help them find grants. Yet too often, the essentials are missing — program information, budgets, or organizational documents. Without these, even the best-written proposal won’t survive review. And in today’s landscape, that matters: thousands apply, but only 1 in 10 proposals is funded nationally.
Being “grant-ready” is what separates wishful thinking from real funding success.
If you’ve ever been moved by a commercial, remembered a nonprofit’s story years after a gala, or bought a product because the brand’s story resonated with you—you’ve already experienced the power of storytelling marketing.
But what exactly is it, and why does it work so well?
Too often, events become a substitute for strategy. They drain time, energy, and focus away from the year-round relationship-building that leads to meaningful giving. It’s no wonder donor retention has dipped below 20% in recent years. We’ve been sprinting from one hustle to the next, without the space to steward.