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The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Tammy Zonker
Welcome to The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast. I'm your host, Tammy Zonker. I've spent nearly three decades specializing in major gifts. I’ve seen how major gifts often form the backbone of an organization’s financial stability, and yet, I know many of us find this area particularly challenging. Time and again, I’ve been approached by fundraisers and nonprofit leaders eager to establish or supercharge their major gift programs. It’s become crystal clear that there’s a growing hunger for training and expertise in this area. I’ve had the incredible privilege of working with nonprofits from all around the world helping organizations collectively raise nearly one billion dollars. During this time, I’ve developed strategies and tools that have consistently helped organizations transition their mid-level donors into major donors through meaningful engagement. It’s a process that, when done consistently, can truly catapult an organization’s major gift fundraising to the next level. Whether you’re a seasoned major gift officer looking to refine your approach, a development director aiming to build a powerhouse program, an executive director looking to scale your organization’s capacity for transformational giving, or a board member seeking to understand the transformative potential of major gifts, The Intentional Fundraiser podcast is your source for growth and excellence in major gift fundraising. So, buckle up! We're about to embark on a journey to take your major gift program to the next level – and beyond. Let's get intentional about major gift fundraising! Tammy Zonker Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 4 days ago21 min
Staying Whole While Raising Big Gifts
Ever sat in your car after a donor visit just to catch your breath?Me too. And I think we need to talk about it.Raising big gifts is emotional work.In one week, you might hold a donor's grief, a board member's impatience, and your ED's worries about cash flow. Then you walk into the next meeting and show up warm and curious anyway.A major gift officer I'll call Alisha did that for months. Then she stopped calling her top donors. Every call felt like it needed more than she had left.She didn't need a new strategy. She needed a way to stay whole.Two minutes in the car before every visit. A kinder sentence after hard meetings. A Friday call with a peer.That spring, she closed the largest gift in her organization's history.That's what this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser is about: "Staying Whole While Raising Big Gifts."We talk about:The pressures fundraisers are carrying in 2026, named honestlyMindset and self-compassion tools that help you stay courageousSimple practices that protect your energy before and after big meetingsA 30-day resilience challengeSo let me ask you.What would change in your donor conversations if you walked in at full battery instead of twelve percent?🎧 Listen to this episode, then share it with a fundraiser you know who's carrying a lot right now.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policiesMentioned in this episode:Practivated LaunchpadYou just hired a fundraiser. The search took months. Now comes the hard part: getting them ready to sit across from donors. That's why our partners at Practivated built Launchpad, a 30-day onboarding program built on your organization's own mission, case for support and campaign messaging. Your new hire learns your story, gets coaching from Coach Tivy, and takes reps in realistic donor conversations made for their role. And you see their progress from the manager view. The result? New hires ready in four weeks instead of twelve. At the University of Central Florida, five of six new hires who went through Launchpad were promoted in their first year. Get your next hire to full stride faster. Book a demo at practivated.com/launchpad.
- 1 weeks ago20 min
Human-Centered Major Gifts
A donor rode a city bus at 6:15 a.m. He hadn't been on one since college.The woman next to him had lived in that neighborhood for forty years. She was about to change his $250,000 gift.They were riding the route families take to the local food pantry.One hour and ten minutes. One transfer. And when they arrived, the doors didn't open until ten.He looked at his watch and said, "Nobody who works a morning shift can do this."She smiled. "That's what we've been trying to tell you."He and his wife had offered a gift to expand the warehouse. Instead of saying yes on the spot, the executive director invited them to sit at a table with other donors and five paid neighborhood residents to decide together.The table chose a mobile market along bus routes and evening hours.The donors? They turned their gift into a multi-year commitment.That's what this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser is about: "Human-Centered Major Gifts."We talk about:Why the human-centered model is rising in 2026Four practical ways to share power in major gifts, plus my Power DialHow to frame this with donors, communities, and your board🎧 Listen to this episode, then share it with a colleague, an ED, or a board member who's ready to fundraise with, not for.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policies
- 2 weeks ago24 min
Thinking Global: Cross-Border Major Gifts
A 6:45 a.m. call from London. A donor wanted to give $1.5 million to the children's hospital that saved her little brother.Her gift officer was thrilled. Thirty seconds later, she was terrified.Because the donor was a US citizen living in London. Her husband was British. The money was in pounds. Their business had accounts in two countries.Who gets the tax benefit? Which account does the money come from? What if the exchange rate moves?Here's what I love. She didn't pretend to have the answers. She said, "I want to get this right for you. Can I ask a few questions, then bring in our finance team and your advisors?"Two months later, the gift was structured in a way that worked for everyone. Every payment arrived on time.That's what this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast is all about: "Thinking Global: Cross-Border Major Gifts."I talk about:Why global giving is showing up at organizations of every sizeThe core questions to ask early, and the pitfalls to avoidHow to build the right support team so you're never figuring it out aloneListen at or wherever you get your podcasts, and share it with a colleague or board member who should hear it too.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policies
- 3 weeks ago22 min
Bringing Relationships Back from the Brink
Her mother's name was spelled wrong.It was on the plaque. On dedication day. In front of her grandkids.The mistake didn't end the relationship. What came next almost did.The clinic took six weeks to fix it. Nobody called. The apology email said, "We apologize for any inconvenience."The family went silent for a year.Then a new major gift officer picked up the phone. She named what happened. She said she was sorry. She asked to hear about the donor's mom.Forty-five minutes later, the door was open again.On this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser, "Bringing Relationships Back from the Brink," I share:The Four Lenses of Repair for diagnosing what's really going onThree short scripts for silence, missteps, and conflictWhy timing and channel matter more than you thinkHow to know when it's time to step back, and how to document itSo let me ask you:What's one apology your organization owes a donor right now?🎧 Listen to this episode, then share it with a colleague who's been carrying a donor relationship they're nervous to touch.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policies
- Sep 29, 202624 min
Stacking the Deck for Year-End Major Gifts
My worst December as a fundraiser?I spent it chasing a stock transfer with no name on it.My plan had been "we'll get serious after the gala."The gala ended in mid-November. You can guess how that year went.Here's what I learned the hard way. December isn't where year-end is won. It's where you find out how well you planned in October.And year-end 2026 raises the stakes. New tax rules. Donors who "bunched" their giving into last year. Complex gifts that need more lead time than ever.On this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast, "Stacking the Deck for Year-End Major Gifts," I walk through:What's changed for donors this year, and the one question to ask about itThe Year-End Countdown, five checkpoints planned backward from December 31A one-page dashboard and a 15-minute Monday huddle that keep your whole team focusedGive it a listen this week, then share it with a colleague who's heading into Q4 with a long list and a short runway.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policies
- Sep 22, 202621 min
Impact Reporting That Deepens Commitment
One page changed everything.A donor said it was the first report she'd ever kept.Two years later, she made the largest gift in the organization's history.It wasn't a glossy annual report. No pie charts. No forty pages.Just one number she cared about, one note from a teacher, and one honest line about what the team was learning.The difference? Her development director asked her what success looked like before she made the gift.That's what this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser is all about.I talk about:What donors really want to know (hint: it's not how many workshops you held)How to co-create and right-size impact metrics with your major donorsSimple formats that work in 2026, from brief impact notes to 90-second phone videosWhere AI helps, and where your judgment still matters mostListen to "Impact Reporting That Deepens Commitment" and share it with a colleague who's rethinking donor reporting.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policies
- Sep 15, 202624 min
Today’s Gifts, Tomorrow’s Legacy
One question. A lasting legacy. Andrea almost didn't ask it.She was afraid it would muddy her donor's renewal.Her donor, Walter, had given faithfully for eleven years.He was about to renew his major gift. And he kept asking one thing: "Will this program still be here someday?"Andrea realized Walter was already having the legacy conversation. She just hadn't joined it yet.So she asked: "What would you want this program to look like twenty years from now?"That question led to a renewed and increased gift, and a legacy commitment to sustain the program for years to come.On this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser, "Today's Gifts, Tomorrow's Legacy," I share:Why integrating planned giving and major gifts matters so much right nowFive signals a donor is ready, plus conversation starters that feel hopeful, not morbidHow to partner with planned giving specialists and donors' advisorsHere's what I'm wonderingWhat's holding you back from raising legacy giving with your major donors?Listen to this episode, then share it with a colleague or board member who cares about your mission's future.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policies
- Sep 8, 202620 min
Calming the Waters: Supporting Anxious Donors
He went quiet for two months.She thought she'd blown the ask.She hadn't.The donor had watched his business take a hit, watched the news every night, and frozen. He wasn't saying no to her $250,000 proposal. He was saying he didn't know how to say yes to anything right now.Here's what she finally did.She sent a note that had nothing to do with the gift. She just asked how he was thinking about the year ahead.He called at 8:15 the next morning and talked for forty minutes. About his company. His kids. How unsure everything felt.She didn't re-pitch. She asked one question near the end: what would make a commitment feel manageable for you right now?Five years instead of three, he said. And a conversation each January.He signed for $300,000.The gift got bigger because the risk got smaller.In this week's episode of The Intentional Fundraiser, I'm walking you through the emotional layer of giving in 2026, the four conversational moves I use with anxious donors, and five gift structures that help people feel safe saying yes to something big.Here's my question for you. When a donor hesitates, is your first instinct to shrink the number or to shrink the risk?Listen to the episode, then share it with someone on your team who has an anxious donor conversation coming up this week.More from Tammy ZonkerAuthor of Calling All Heroes: Combining the Best of Donor-Centered and Community-Centered Fundraising for Greater ImpactFounder of Fundraising TransformedPresident of Modern Institute for Charitable GivingBook Tammy to Keynote Your Next EventReserve your spot at the upcoming Excellence in Major Gift Fundraising SeminarSubscribe to the Scaling Major Gifts newsletterConnect with Tammy Zonker on LinkedInResources: Show notes, links, and resources mentioned in this episode.Review my show: Please review my show. After you click the link, scroll to the bottom, first tap to rate with five stars, and then tap “Write a Review.” Then, let me know what you liked most about this particular episode or how you find my podcast helpful, valuable, insightful, or inspiring in some way.Privacy Policy: See Privacy Policy at https://www.fundraisingtransformed.com/policies
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About The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast
Welcome to The Intentional Fundraiser Podcast. I'm your host, Tammy Zonker. I've spent nearly three decades specializing in major gifts. I’ve seen how major gifts often form the backbone of an organization’s financial stability, and yet, I know many of us find this area particularly challenging. Time and again, I’ve been approached by fundraisers and nonprofit leaders eager to establish or supercharge their major gift programs. It’s become crystal clear that there’s a growing hunger for training and expertise in this area. I’ve had the incredible privilege of working with nonprofits from all around the world helping organizations collectively raise nearly one billion dollars. During this time, I’ve developed strategies and tools that have consistently helped organizations transition their mid-level donors into major donors through meaningful engagement. It’s a process that, when done consistently, can truly catapult an organization’s major gift fundraising to the next level. Whether you’re a seasoned major gift officer looking to refine your approach, a development director aiming to build a powerhouse program, an executive director looking to scale your organization’s capacity for transformational giving, or a board member seeking to understand the transformative potential of major gifts, The Intentional Fundraiser podcast is your source for growth and excellence in major gift fundraising. So, buckle up! We're about to embark on a journey to take your major gift program to the next level – and beyond. Let's get intentional about major gift fundraising! Tammy Zonker Major Gift Expert & Keynote Speaker
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