Year-End Fundraising Pep Talk for Major Gifts Success

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Sep 16, 2025

Kick off year-end fundraising without stress! Discover how to navigate current funding shifts and the power of strong donor relationships that lead to significant gifts. Learn the vital leadership skill of saying no and how to stop tolerating underperformance. Find out how to advocate for yourself and refocus on high-return activities. With actionable advice, you'll realize your potential, lead confidently, and cultivate a thriving fundraising culture.

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INSIGHT

Funding Shifts Favor Relationship-Driven Orgs

Government and foundation funding is shifting and many nonprofits will feel cuts and divestment in areas like DEI and education.
Organizations with strong individual donor relationships will outperform during funding instability.

ADVICE

Ask For Unrestricted Support

Ask donors for unrestricted support and include contingencies in proposals so funds remain usable if plans change.
Frame general operating support as leadership and trust, not as a lesser ask.

ADVICE

Use An Opportunity Brainstorm

Use an opportunity brainstorm to list overlooked prospects who have offered help and can give now.
DM Julie "Breakfast burrito" on LinkedIn to get the free brainstorm PDF and start identifying at least 10 leads.

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Season seven of Nonprofit Courage Lab kicks off with a truth-telling pep talk. End-of-year fundraising doesn’t have to mean sleepless nights, burnout, or tolerating underperforming teams and boards. You’re capable of raising millions—unrestricted—and doing it in a way that feels fun and sustainable.

In this episode, I’m calling out the silent habits that hold fundraisers back: saying yes when you need to say no, underestimating yourself and your donors, making excuses for your team, and tolerating mediocrity that poisons your culture. I’ll share what separates the organizations that thrive from those that fall behind—and why advocating for yourself, leading unapologetically, and setting clear expectations are non-negotiables for success.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN:

The funding shifts impacting nonprofits right now—and how to prepare
Why saying “no” is a leadership skill, not a risk
The hidden cost of making excuses for underperformers (and how to stop)
How to use empathy without enabling dysfunction
A real coaching example: turning around a million-dollar deficit with better leadership conversations
Why advocating for yourself changes everything—from your workload to your fundraising results

You are capable of more than you realize. It’s time to stop underestimating yourself, stop apologizing, and stop tolerating excuses—from yourself, your team, or your board. When you step into your leadership unapologetically, you’ll raise more money, lead healthier teams, and create lasting change.

Want 15 leads in 5 minutes? DM me "Breakfast burrito" on LinkedIn and I'll send you a pdf and 6-minute training to help you generate 15 leads for your nonprofit in minutes. It's totally free. All you need is an email to sign up. DM me "Breakfast burrito" - I'm from Texas, what can I say? - to get your pdf and mini training.

If you're an org with at least $800k annual budget and major gifts is your top priority, but you need a better strategy and approach, get on the waitlist for the next CourageLab cohort here: https://julieordonez.kit.com/couragelab2