Donor Expectations Have Shifted—Here’s How to Keep Up

In this episode of The Focused Fundraiser, host Rob Burke sits down with Chris Maggiolo, Deputy Executive Director at Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC) in Vermont, to unpack how a rural innovation nonprofit shifted from relying on federal and state grants to building a stronger philanthropy and individual giving engine.

You’ll learn how BRIC uses data-driven fundraising and clear impact metrics to win support, why cross-sector partnerships (with universities, industry, and nonprofits) are now central to donor expectations, and practical ways to balance storytelling with data when you’re still early and light on numbers. Chris also shares real-world tactics to avoid fundraiser burnout, manage competing priorities with Gantt charts and agile sprints, and make space for a healthy team culture.

What you’ll learn: • Moving from grants to diversified revenue (individual donors, match funding, and community-led campaigns) • Designing donor-ready STEAM education and workforce development initiatives • Turning asset mapping and stakeholder interviews into compelling nonprofit stories • Using partnerships as social proof to scale reach and outcomes—especially in rural communities • Personal systems for focus, prioritization, and burnout prevention