7 Fundraising & Leadership Lessons Every Nonprofit Should Carry into 2026

In this special year-end recap episode, I’m revisiting seven of the most inspiring, quotable, “steal this idea” stories from 2025. You’ll hear the real numbers, tested strategies, and leadership insights you can carry straight into 2026.

Here’s who you’ll hear from:

• Courtney Johnson from Culinary Care, who generated $300,000 across 20 corporate events
• Chad Nelsen from Surfrider Foundation, who invested in recurring giving technology to reach 91% retention on auto-renew donors
• Liz Bohannon, a keynote speaker & author, who talks about “pluck ups” and how to reframe failure as courage-in-action
• Heather Sager, a speaking coach, who shares a powerful mindset shift to help you build confidence in public speaking 
• Ashlyn Jones from Houston Food Bank, on growing their monthly giving program to 5,200 sustainers with human-centered storytelling
• Trovon C. Williams from NAACP, about why leading with solutions can create stronger donor empowerment
• Maddie Ward from End Overdose, about how they scaled from a single campus to 70+ cities nationwide

Resources & Links

Hear the full episodes with each of today’s featured guests:

How 20 Cook-Offs Raised $300k from Corporate Partnerships

How Surfrider Foundation’s CEO Amplifies Impact Through Thought Leadership

Celebrating Failures: A New Approach to “Pluck-Ups”

How to Craft a Signature Talk to Amplify Your Mission

How Houston Food Bank Grew 5,200 Monthly Donors - The Importance of a Sustainer Role

NAACP’s Bold Shift Toward Sustained Impact

From UCLA to 70+ Cities: End Overdose Sparked a College Campus Movement

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