Speed matters. So does being seen. In this episode, co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with fundraiser, former executive director, and founder of the Nonprofit Automation Agency, Rachel Bearbower, to unpack how small teams can deliver big-feeling donor experiences. We cover the “first 100 days” journey, the one-minute thank-you, and why silence erodes trust faster than anything. You’ll hear practical steps to turn repeatable stewardship moments into lightweight systems, how to anchor automation in your CRM, and a candid look at what Rachel learned by donating to 15 nonprofits to audit their follow-up.

Links from the episode:

Learn more about Rachel’s business, Nonprofit Automation Agency: https://www.nonprofitautomationagency.com/
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelbearbower/
Get the 5 Ways to Automate Your Donor Stewardship ebook: https://www.nonprofitautomationagency.com/ebook
Book a demo with the Nonprofit Automation Agency: https://www.nonprofitautomationagency.com/pricing

Learn more about Virtuous at virtuous.org/learnmore and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist

EP 64: Relationship at Scale: Building Smarter, Sustainable Donor Stewardship with Rachel Bearbower