The Responsive Fundraising Podcast

Today on The Responsive Fundraising podcast, we’re talking to Nate Hughes, VP of Partnerships at 1Mission. When we heard about Nate’s title, and his philosophy on donor relationships, we knew we had to sit him down to explain his approach to fundraising. The conversation did not disappoint.

Learn how Nate, and the entire 1Mission team, leverage donor programs to inspire loyalty, community and drive generosity. If you’d like to know more, follow Nate on Twitter or check out the 1Mission website.

Here are the most important insights that Nate offered to us:

  1. Changing the name of their fundraising department from “development” to “partnerships” helped solidify the vision for Nate’s entire team. They are focused on building genuine partnerships that are more than just transactions.
  2. Developing a variety of fundraising programs allows donors to choose what they’re most interested in. When they are getting what they want from your nonprofit, they are driven to loyalty, advocacy and generosity.
  3. Don’t approach donor relationships as a “set it and forget it” program. Think about new ways that you can reignite their passion and give them goals to look forward to.
  4. Cultivating a culture of transparency, especially around impact, helps maintain relationships with major donors.
  5. Focus on internal communications and operations to make fundraising and personalization of the donor experience the best it can be.