Show notes
What should fundraisers focus on at the beginning of a new year? And what should they stop doing altogether?In this episode of The Focused Fundraiser, Rob Burke and Chris Stibbs, Director of Development at Growing Futures, talk about what actually moves the needle in modern nonprofit fundraising. From donor retention and stewardship to avoiding burnout, segmentation, KPIs, and realistic goal-setting, this conversation is packed with practical insights for fundraisers at every level.Key Topics Covered:• Healthy fundraising habits for the new year• Donor stewardship vs. transactional fundraising• Donor journeys and segmentation strategies• KPIs that actually matter• Grant strategy and approval tracking• Mid-level donor growth• Avoiding burnout on fundraising teams• One simple action every fundraiser should take todayChapters00:00 – Welcome to The Focused Fundraiser00:47 – Chris Stibbs’ fundraising journey02:47 – What a healthy start to the year looks like04:27 – Moving from transactions to stewardship06:07 – Fundraising trends that aren’t working anymore07:15 – Donor journeys & segmentation09:03 – Why every donor matters10:29 – The overlooked power of mid-level donors11:21 – Setting realistic fundraising goals13:27 – KPIs fundraisers should actually track15:53 – Grant strategy & approval rates17:27 – Hard conversations fundraisers avoid19:51 – Tactical takeaway: one thing to do today
