Episode 364: What Will Your Donor Remember? (Norman Gildin)

Fundraiser burnout is real — and with average tenure in the profession hovering between two and four years, the sector is losing talent it can’t afford to lose. In Episode 364, Norman Gildin, a fundraising consultant and author with more than four decades in the field and over $100 million raised, cuts through the noise with the kind of plain-talk wisdom that only comes from doing this work at every level. Drawing on his framework of common sense, moral compass, and his RDC doctrine — respect, dignity, and consideration — Norman walks listeners through what’s really driving burnout, why fundraisers overwhelm donors instead of connecting with them, and how the fundamentals of annual giving, capital campaigns, planned giving, and endowments still come down to patience, persistence, and knowing what your donor actually wants. This is a master class from someone who has lived it, written about it, and is still in the room.

Norman Gildin is a fundraising consultant, author, and sector veteran with more than four decades of experience in nonprofit development. Over the course of his career - which began with a master’s in healthcare administration from George Washington University and an administrative residency at Fairfax Hospital Association - Norm has served in senior leadership roles including executive vice president, directing fundraising strategy across annual giving, capital campaigns, planned giving, and endowments. He has raised more than $100 million under his direction and spearheaded multiple successful campaigns, case statements, and strategic plans for nonprofit organizations. Norman is the author of two books - Learn From My Experiences: A Collection of Essays in Fundraising for Professionals, Lay Leaders, Volunteers and the Public, and Fundraising Insights for Nonprofits (2025) - with a third book currently in development.

• Connect with Norman on LinkedIn
• Norman’s website, essays, and blog — normangildin.com
• Fundraising Insights for Nonprofits by Norman Gildin (2025)
• Learn From My Experiences: A Collection of Essays in Fundraising for Professionals, Lay Leaders, Volunteers and the Public by Norman Gildin
• Daily Rituals: How Great Minds Make Time, Find Inspiration, and Get to Work by Mason Curry
• Patton’s Mastermind Leadership Development Program — Learn more
• Follow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership — and please leave a review!
• Learn more about the leadership resources at Armstrong McGuire — ArmstrongMcGuire.com

Episode 363: Your Mission Is Clear. Is Your Story? (Brandy Walker)

Most nonprofit leaders are skilled at communicating their mission, but far fewer know how to tell their own story, and that gap is costing them donors, alignment, and influence. In Episode 363, Brandy Walker, M.A., CPC, founder of Brand Worthy Solutions and a former nonprofit fundraiser and educator, breaks down why personal storytelling isn’t self-promotion, it’s strategy. Drawing on her frameworks for trust, team alignment, and clarity, Brandy explains the three story types every leader needs in their toolkit (origin, impact, and transformation), why audience misalignment is the most common fundraising mistake she sees, and how even the most introverted leader can build visibility through a ladder of communication that starts with a simple weekly message. Practical, direct, and immediately actionable, this conversation will change how nonprofit leaders think about showing up, and who they’re showing up for.

Brandy Walker, M.A., CPC, is the founder of Brand Worthy Solutions and a strategist, storyteller, and trusted thought partner with more than 20 years of experience across education, nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and organizational strategy. A former K–12 educator, seven-figure grant writer, and nonprofit C-suite leader, Brandy stands at the intersection of strategy and storytelling — helping leaders and organizations tell better stories to, about, and for themselves so their work is understood, valued, and positioned for growth. Through Brand Worthy Solutions, she works with leaders navigating personal brand evolution, organizational reinvention, and new chapters of leadership, offering support across brand strategy and positioning, storytelling and messaging, and consulting and advisory services. She is based in Chicago, Illinois.

• Connect with Brandy on LinkedIn
• Brand Worthy Solutions — youarebrandworthy.com
• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
• Patton’s Mastermind Leadership Development Program — Learn more
• Follow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership — and please leave a review!
• Learn more about the leadership resources at Armstrong McGuire — ArmstrongMcGuire.com
• Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership | ArmstrongMcGuire.com/podcasts

362: It’s Never Just the Money: What Donor Psychology Means for Nonprofit Leaders (Marcia Dawood)

Most nonprofit leaders approach fundraising as a logical transaction — make the case, present the data, close the gift. But according to Marcia Dawood, angel investor, author, and TEDx speaker, that approach misses the deeper psychology driving every giving decision. In Episode 362, Marcia draws on her experience investing in 50+ startups and chairing the Angel Capital Association to reveal what truly motivates donors — and it has far more to do with money stories, values alignment, and identity than logic ever will. From unpacking the scarcity mindset that keeps even wealthy donors from giving, to reframing legacy conversations as something donors can experience while they’re still alive, Marcia offers nonprofit leaders a practical shift in how they engage prospects. Listeners will walk away with new language for donor conversations, a powerful group exercise for unlocking money stories at events, and a fresh understanding of why the most effective fundraising ask isn’t an ask at all — it’s an invitation.

Marcia Dawood is an early-stage investor, author, and advocate for expanding access to capital across both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Having invested in over 50 startups and funds, she serves as a Venture Partner at Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and as Chair Emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), the global professional society for angel investors, where she chaired the board for a decade. Marcia also serves as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee and is the founder and chair of the ACA’s Growing Women’s Capital Group, which builds syndication and collaboration among U.S. investment groups focused on women-led companies. A TEDx Charlotte speaker and host of The Angel Next Door Podcast — now more than 170 episodes — she is the author of Do Good While Doing Well (2024) and Unapologetic Wealth (2026), and served as an Associate Producer on the documentary Show Her the Money, which debuted at the Women’s Film Festival in Philadelphia in 2023. She splits her time between New York City and Charlotte, North Carolina.

• Unapologetic Wealth: Rewrite Your Money Story From Any Beginning by Marcia Dawood — releasing this week! Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org
• Connect with Marcia on LinkedIn
• Marcia’s website and free resources — marciadawood.com
• The Angel Next Door Podcast
• Do Good While Doing Well: Invest For Change, Reap Financial Rewards and Increase Your Happiness by Marcia Dawood
• Buoyant: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free by Susie DeVille
• Follow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership — and please leave a review!
• Learn more about the leadership resources at Armstrong McGuire — ArmstrongMcGuire.com