Author: Sezayi Arslan

Here’s a number that should keep fundraising directors awake at night: the average donor retention rate has dropped to 42.9%, according to the latest data from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project. That means more than half of your donors disappear within a year.

The industry response? Recruit faster. More doors. More streets. More volume.

But what if we’re solving the wrong problem?

The Real Cost of “Good Enough” Donors

The Fundraising Effectiveness Project Q2 2025 report shows retention rates have decreased slightly from 26.4% in Q2 2024 to 26.3% in Q2 2025. The Q1 2025 data reveals an even starker picture: only 18.1% retention year-to-date, with the smallest donor group ($1-$100) experiencing an 11.1% year-over-year drop.

Perhaps most concerning: only 19.4% of new donors gave again the following year. That means 4 out of 5 first-time donors never come back.

The traditional response treats this as a follow-up problem. Build better welcome journeys. Send more thank-you emails. Call new donors sooner.

These matter. But they’re treating symptoms, not causes.

Why the first conversation matters more than everything after

According to Neon One’s 2025 Generosity Report, donors who gave consistently for five years contributed 1,519% more than one-time donors. These five-year repeat donors made up nearly half of total revenue. The lifetime value difference is staggering.

Yet the majority of donor attrition comes down to communication breakdowns, not budget constraints. Most donors don’t walk away because they can’t give – they leave because they don’t feel seen, valued, or informed.

When donors feel pressured into giving, they haven’t made a genuine commitment – they’ve made an exit transaction. The donation becomes the price of ending an uncomfortable interaction rather than the beginning of a meaningful relationship.

Translation: we’re optimizing for the wrong metric.

What quality actually looks like

Door-to-door fundraising consistently outperforms street fundraising on retention metrics. Not because the donation forms are different or the follow-up sequences are better. The conversations are different.

Door-to-door offers:

• More time for genuine dialogue (not rushed pitches)
• A quieter setting for deeper engagement
• Higher-quality conversations that build actual rapport
• Donors who are more likely to research and share the organization

Industry leaders are taking notice. The 2025 Face-to-Face Fundraising Conference emphasized data-driven insights on improving donor retention and lifetime value from F2F acquisition, along with ethical and compliance best practices to protect brand integrity and maintain public trust.

Yet volume continues to drive decisions because it’s easier to measure and faster to show results.

Practical steps to shift from volume to value

1. Redefine success metrics for field teams

Stop measuring solely on daily sign-ups. Introduce metrics that matter for long-term value:

• Average donor age (older donors typically retain longer)
• Average gift amount (higher initial gifts correlate with retention)
• Conversation duration (rushed pitches create rushed donors)
• First-month retention rates by recruiter

When fundraisers know their performance includes retention, behavior changes.

Tip: check out Medecines sans frontieres success story on how donor age influence donation behaviour.

2. Invest in conversation quality, not just compliance

Training typically covers what fundraisers must say for legal compliance and brand guidelines. That’s necessary but insufficient.

Effective training includes:

• Personal stories from program delivery teams
• Video and photos that enable genuine emotional connection
• Techniques for identifying genuinely interested prospects versus polite people looking to escape
• Permission to walk away from conversations that aren’t building real commitment

As UNICEF’s F2F specialist Daniel McDonnell noted at the International F2F Fundraising Congress, charities need to shift their focus towards achieving sustainable revenue and increasing the lifetime value of face-to-face recruited donors, prioritizing quality-focused key performance indicators.

3. Match recruiters to causes they actually care about

Passion cannot be scripted. When fundraisers genuinely believe in the cause they represent, conversations transform from transactions to connections.

Top agencies invest resources to match fundraisers with organizations they’re personally passionate about. The difference shows in retention data.

4. Use data to guide conversation investment

Not every conversation deserves equal time. Data can predict which potential donors are most likely to create lasting value.

The 2025 Virtuous Nonprofit Benchmark Report recommends tracking donor retention on both an annual basis and a rolling 12-month basis to identify trends and issues more effectively. This granular approach allows teams to identify high-potential conversations worth investing in – and when to gracefully exit conversations unlikely to yield committed supporters.

5. Make welcome calls non-negotiable

The emotional connection built at the door fades quickly. A genuine thank-you call within days of sign-up reinforces the relationship and provides an opportunity to:

• Confirm the donor’s understanding and commitment
• Gather feedback on the recruitment experience
• Identify early warning signs of regret-based sign-ups

Research consistently shows early engagement dramatically impacts retention trajectory. Not being thanked is a known cause of donor churn – most people want to be acknowledged when they’ve made a contribution.

The Bigger Picture: Protecting the channel

Face-to-face fundraising remains one of the most effective ways to build sustained giving programs. Recurring monthly givers have retention rates up to 90%, and the average lifetime value of a monthly donor reaches $7,604. The channel matters.

But persistent high-pressure tactics and volume-first strategies create what can become “chug-and-churn cycles” – donors pressured into one charity become disillusioned, cancel, get pressured by the next charity, repeat. Each cycle increases resistance to all charitable giving.

The Q3 2025 FEP data shows some promising signs: total dollars raised increased 3.7% year over year, and donor retention improved slightly by 0.15 percentage points. Organizations that prioritize conversation quality aren’t just protecting their own retention rates. They’re protecting the viability of face-to-face fundraising for the entire sector.

The Bottom Line

First-month churn isn’t a retention problem. It’s an acquisition quality problem wearing retention’s clothes.

The fix isn’t better follow-up sequences or more welcome emails. It’s better conversations at the door. Conversations that build genuine commitment rather than manufacture transactions.

Organizations that make this shift see the impact in every downstream metric: higher average gifts, longer donor lifetimes, stronger lifetime value, and fundraisers who stay longer because they’re building relationships rather than hitting volume targets.

The math is clear. The research is clear. The path forward requires prioritizing quality over quantity – even when quantity is easier to measure and faster to show results.

Donor retention starts at the door.

Briggs+Walker provides software solutions for face-to-face fundraising operations, helping agencies and NGOs optimize both the quality of donor conversations and the efficiency of their operations.

Every conversation your team has in the field is built on trust. A customer trusts they’re getting honest advice. A donor trusts that their contribution will make a difference. And behind every one of those moments, there’s an unspoken promise: we’ll take care of your information.

At Briggs+Walker, we’ve always believed that trust isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s one of  the foundations that makes face-to-face sales and marketing work. That’s why data security and privacy isn’t something we bolted on later. It’s one of the core pillars of everything we build.

Why data security and privacy matters now more than ever

The field marketing industry is evolving fast. Clients are more sophisticated. Donors are more informed. And both are asking better questions about how their data is handled.

This is actually good news.

According to IBM’s 2025 research, organizations with strong security practices identified issues 80 days faster and operated more efficiently overall. Security isn’t a cost center. It’s an enabler.

For charities or commercial businesses, this translates directly to customer confidence. When customers know their information is protected to the highest standards, they give more freely and they stay longer.

For agencies, it means walking into client meetings with proof of your professionalism. When a potential client asks “how do you handle data security?”, having certified, audited answers isn’t just reassuring, it’s often the difference between winning and losing the contract.

A founding principle, not an afterthought

Briggs+Walker was built to solve operational problems for field marketing agencies; faster onboarding, smarter planning and location management, less admin overhead. But from day one, we knew that none of that matters if the data isn’t protected.

So while security isn’t our only focus, it’s never an afterthought either. It’s baked into how we design features, choose partners, and build our team. The result is a platform where protection is part of the foundation, not something bolted on later.

We’ve invested in certifications that reflect this commitment:

ISO 27001 certified The international gold standard for information security management. Our entire operation systems, processes, people has been independently audited and verified. This isn’t a self-assessment. External auditors confirmed we meet the highest standards.

ISO 27701 certified This extends our security framework specifically to privacy management, aligned with GDPR and global privacy regulations. It ensures we’re not just keeping data safe, but handling it responsibly throughout its lifecycle.

PCI DSS Level 1 compliant The highest level of payment security certification the same standard required of major banks and retailers. When your fundraisers process donations in the field, that payment data is protected to the strictest standards that exist. No compromises.

These aren’t badges we collected for the website. They require ongoing external audits, continuous improvement, and real organizational commitment to maintain.

What this enables for your organization

When your data foundation is solid, everything else becomes possible:

Confidence in client conversations. Walk into pitches knowing you can answer any question about data handling. Your platform partner has the certifications to back up your promises.

Stronger customer relationships. For businesses, being able to say “your information is protected to ISO and PCI standards” builds the kind of trust that translates to long-term supporters.

Freedom to focus on what matters. You’re experts at face-to-face engagement building teams, coaching performance, winning campaigns. You shouldn’t have to become data protection specialists. That’s our job.

Future-ready operations. Regulations are evolving. Client expectations are rising. Organizations that invest in proper foundations now won’t be scrambling to catch up later.

A genuine differentiator. Most field marketing software doesn’t pursue these certifications because they’re expensive and demanding. That’s exactly why having them matters it demonstrates a level of commitment that’s hard to replicate.

How it works in practice

Our approach to security shapes how the platform actually functions:

Data stays protected in motion. Our Field App is browser-based and doesn’t store personal data on device drives. Information is cached only temporarily for offline functionality, then automatically uploaded and cleared when connectivity returns. This means lost or stolen devices don’t become data breaches.

Compliance built into the workflow. The system guides users toward correct data handling automatically. Rather than relying on training alone, the platform prevents common mistakes before they happen.

Minimum necessary sharing. Our architecture ensures only the data that needs to move between field reps, agencies, and clients actually does. Less exposure means less risk at every handoff.

Real-time validation. Forms check for accuracy as they’re completed, ensuring clean data enters your systems and reducing the manual verification burden on your operations team.

99% uptime guaranteed. Security also means reliability. Your teams can count on the platform being available when they’re in the field, with credit relief if we fall short.

The opportunity ahead

We know data security isn’t why you got into field marketing. You’re here for the conversations, the results, the relationships, whether that’s signing up fiber customers, onboarding new donors, or growing a subscription base.

Our job is to handle the foundation so you can focus on what you do best.

Ask any F2F agency owner what motivates their field agents, and you’ll hear the usual: commission structure, team culture, a greater cause, growth opportunities. All true.

But here’s what doesn’t come up in those conversations: certainty and trust. The quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly what you’ve earned, why you’ve earned it, and when it’s hitting your account.

It’s not glamorous. Nobody posts about it on LinkedIn. But talk to crew members privately, and payroll clarity ranks surprisingly high on what makes them stay or leave.

The real cost of manual payroll

Let’s break it down. Say you have 150 active crew members with a mix of fixed rates, performance bonuses, travel allowances, and campaign-specific incentives.

Your finance team probably spends 10-15 hours per week on:

1. Collecting shift data from planning systems
2. Calculating bonuses based on conversion reports
3. Cross-checking against different rate structures
4. Fielding questions from crew about their pay
5. Making sure minimum wage requirements are met
6. Processing hours worked

At €35/hour fully loaded, that’s roughly €20,000-25,000 per year just on payroll administration.

But the hidden costs are bigger:

• Trust erosion: Crew members who don’t trust their pay are less engaged and more likely to leave or switch to a competitor.
• Manager distraction: Team leads fielding “what happened to my bonus?” questions instead of coaching.
• Delayed corrections: Errors caught weeks later create awkward conversations and manual fixes.
• Compliance risk: Inconsistent documentation when audits happen.

A different approach: single source of truth

The agencies handling payroll well have one thing in common: their payroll data comes from the same place as their planning and performance data. No exports. No re-entry. No reconciliation.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Shifts complete → earnings calculate automatically. Working hours, travel time, daily bonuses, team bonuses, commission per conversion, all based on actual shift data, not manual entry.
• Crew sees their earnings in real-time. After every shift, they can check exactly what they’ve earned and why. Questions drop dramatically because transparency is built in.
• Complex structures, simple configuration. Different bonus rules per campaign, per client, per crew type configured once, applied automatically. When rules change, you update once and it flows through everywhere.
• Your payroll provider stays the same. This is important: you don’t need to switch from AFAS, Tentoo, Paychex, ADP or whoever you’re using. The system generates clean exports in whatever format your provider needs.

What this means in practice

Your finance team stops being data detectives and starts being strategic partners. From reactive problem-solving to proactive payment strategising.

Crew members trust their pay because they can see it building shift by shift. And you eliminate one of the biggest hidden friction points in your operation.

It all connects: fast onboarding flows into smart planning, which flows into accurate, automatic payroll. One system. One source of truth. Each piece reinforcing the others.

Hello, I’m Amena!

I recently joined the team at Briggs+Walker, where I focus on the complete customer journey – from initial implementation to ongoing support and success. I’d like to introduce myself!

With my background in psychology, I’ve always been interested in how people think and why they make certain choices. This interest forms the foundation of my work: I enjoy listening to what companies really need to improve their daily tasks, making them easier and more enjoyable.

This combination of understanding human behavior and technical implementation is where I thrive. I believe successful technology starts with truly understanding the people who work with it and the organizations in which they function. Why do they want certain features? What motivates their choices? How does the software fit into their business processes? It’s not just about the individual user, but also about how our solutions can contribute to the success of the organization as a whole. This broad perspective makes translating wishes into concrete solutions so fascinating to me.

I’m a puzzle solver at heart. It gives me enormous satisfaction to set up systems so that everything runs smoothly and people can work intuitively with the software. In my own work processes too, I’m always looking for ways to work more efficiently. I’ve experienced how much difference good software can make – it not only makes work easier but also much more enjoyable.

What attracts me to Briggs+Walker is the combination of a young, dynamic company and colleagues who are truly driven. Everyone here knows their craft and is engaged in innovation. But more importantly: it’s a company that understands technology exists to serve people, not the other way around. That perfectly aligns with my vision.

In my role, I’ll focus on three things close to my heart:

• Ensuring flawless onboardings that immediately give new customers a good feeling
• Creating happy customers who truly get help with their questions and challenges
• Actively thinking along with existing customers about how they can get the most out of our solutions

When I’m not busy understanding user needs and solving implementation puzzles, my life revolves largely around food! I’m always looking for new recipes to try, enjoy exploring new restaurants, and regularly organize themed dinners for friends at my home. To compensate for all that, I do reformer pilates – though I must admit the balance usually tips toward the culinary side.

I look forward to getting started at Briggs+Walker and meeting our customers. So if you have questions about implementation, or just want to get acquainted? I’m always open for a conversation, online or face-to-face. And who knows, maybe we can talk about your specific needs… or that new restaurant you absolutely must try!

Last week, our Business Director, Jorrit Wijtsma, had the privilege of stepping into the world of face-to-face sales and fundraising—not from behind a desk, but by experiencing it firsthand. He spent a day on the ground with Activate in Leiden and volunteered with De Zonnebloem in The Hague. Why? Because at Briggs+Walker, we believe the best way to build solutions for field teams is to walk in their shoes. We don’t just develop technology—we work side by side with the people using it, learning from their successes and struggles. What Jorrit found was more than just insights into how our software fits into their daily workflow. He saw what drives these teams, what challenges they face, and what makes them thrive. Read about his experience. 

A culture that drives success

One thing that stood out immediately was the strong sense of community within these teams. The energy in the room before heading out into the field was electric—people getting each other pumped up, sharing tips, and cracking jokes. This wasn’t just about hitting targets. It was about working hard and having fun while doing it. That culture of support and motivation isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a key ingredient to success in field sales and fundraising.

Listening to the people who use our software

The main reason I was there? To listen.

By talking to everyone—from field reps to managers—I got an unfiltered view of how they use our software in real time. What helps them? What slows them down? What do they wish they had? There’s no better way to improve our tools than by learning directly from the people relying on them every day. These conversations give us the insights we need to keep making fieldwork smoother, smarter, and more rewarding.

Respect for the resilience of field agents

Let’s be real—face-to-face fundraising and sales isn’t easy. You have to be driven, personable, and able to handle rejection—over and over again. But here’s the thing: these are some of the most valuable skills you can develop.

✓ Active listening.
✓ Building trust quickly.
✓ Handling objections with confidence and empathy.

Watching the Activate team in action reminded me just how much grit and adaptability this job takes. It’s not just about getting sign-ups—it’s about connecting with people in a way that sticks.

B2B vs. F2F Sales: different game, same rules

Spending time in the field also made me reflect on the differences—and surprising similarities—between B2B consultative selling and F2F sales. In B2B, the focus is on understanding pain points and offering tailored solutions over time. In F2F sales, you have seconds to spark interest and build trust. But no matter the setting, the fundamentals are the same:

• Believe in what you’re offering.
• Communicate with clarity and authenticity.
• Make it about the person in front of you, not just your pitch.

The power of a genuine approach

One of the biggest takeaways from fundraising for De Zonnebloem? People respond to authenticity. The best fundraisers don’t rely on a scripted pitch—they start a real conversation. They listen, adapt, and make it personal. And when you approach people with curiosity instead of pressure, they’re far more likely to stop, listen, and engage. This was a powerful reminder that technology should never replace human connection—it should enhance it.

A shoutout to the teams making an impact

A massive shoutout to Activate International, De Zonnebloem, and every field agent out there making a difference every day. Your work isn’t just about numbers—it’s about conversations, relationships, and impact. And at Briggs+Walker, we’ll keep making sure our tools work as hard as you do. Thinking about stepping into the world of F2F sales or fundraising? Try it for a day. You’ll walk away with more than just experience—you’ll gain skills that stick for life.

We’ve got some exciting news at Briggs+Walker—Jorrit Wijtsma is stepping into the role of Director of Sales & Business Development. With a knack for scaling businesses, embracing tech innovations, and building strong B2B partnerships, Jorrit is ready to take things to the next level! Jorrit brings a wealth of experience in scaling organizations, delivering tech-driven solutions, and building strong B2B partnerships.

The power of technology and human connection

At Briggs + Walker, we specialize in empowering field sales and fundraising teams to build stronger, more efficient connections with their audiences. Our face-to-face software solutions transform how businesses engage face-to-face with customers and donors. Jorrit’s expertise in tech innovation and his belief in the importance of human interaction make him an ideal person to continue driving our solutions forward.

“I’ve always been driven by the idea that technology should enhance human relationships, not replace them. That’s why the work Briggs+Walker does is so exciting—it allows us to leverage smart technology to elevate the face-to-face experiences that truly make a difference.”

A focus on sustainable growth and doing good

Jorrit’s vision goes beyond business growth. He is passionate about sustainable development, whether through expanding a company’s reach or creating meaningful impact in communities. Jorrit will focus on driving international growth for Briggs+Walker while ensuring that the company continues to prioritize transparent, ethical practices, to contribute to a sustainable face-to-face marketing channel.

“It’s not just about growth for growth’s sake. It’s about scaling responsibly, building long-lasting relationships, and using technology to make a positive impact. Whether we’re supporting commercial businesses or helping fundraisers connect with donors, the goal is always the same—creating better human interaction.”

What’s next?

With a focus on expanding global reach and strengthening our partnerships, Jorrit is ready to help Briggs+Walker grow while keeping human connection at the center of everything we do. We are confident that Jorrit’s leadership and vision will contribute to our growth and push the boundaries of innovation in face-to-face sales, marketing, and fundraising. Welcome aboard, Jorrit! Let’s make an impact together! 🚀

If you would like to get to know Jorrit better, be sure to invite him for a chat, either digitally or face-to-face.

At Briggs+Walker, we focus on one goal: making field marketing smarter with software that empowers F2F fundraisers and field sales agents to excel in every interaction. With deep roots in the industry, we’ve spent years working closely with agencies, fundraisers, and users to understand their needs and develop solutions that truly make a difference. Having come from the field marketing world ourselves, we’ve seen firsthand the challenges and rewards of this work—and how important it is to stay connected to the people who use our tools every day.

Still, the landscape is always evolving, and it’s been a few years since I was last out in the field. That’s why I decided to spend a day as a street fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders in Amsterdam. My goal wasn’t to relearn the basics, but to gain fresh insights into the day-to-day experiences of fundraisers, see how our software performs in real-time, and uncover opportunities to make it even better.

Stepping into the role of a fundraiser

From the moment I stepped into the Amsterdam office of Doctors without Borders, I could feel the energy and focus as everyone prepared for the day ahead. I met Jainaba, the branch manager, and Melvin, who works with the in-house fundraising team. They gave me a clear picture of their daily work—recruiting, planning, training, and keeping the team motivated..

Hitting the streets with the team

Our team’s shift started with a pep talk around 3 PM, led by the sales coach Sam. The mood was positive, and even though I had done some fundraising back in my student days, I was feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. It had been years since I’d hit the streets, and this time, I wasn’t just representing a cause—I was also using the software I help bring to market.

Young, enthusiastic fundraisers were gathered, sharing stories and preparing for the shift ahead. Equipped with a tablet, I had everything I needed at my fingertips: fundraising goals, training notes, and real-time data. It was an interesting experience to see the software in action in a real-life setting, where time and accuracy matter. Walking out to the assigned neighbourhood I knew I had limited time to make a meaningful connection and hopefully, get at least one sign-up.

The challenge of connecting with strangers

As we walked through the streets, I quickly remembered the reality of door-to-door fundraising. I knocked on door after door, meeting people who were busy, uninterested, or simply not home. It’s easy to feel discouraged with each polite decline, but I kept reminding myself to stay positive and keep going. I’m competitive by nature, so every “no” was just a nudge to try a little harder at the next door.

After every conversation, I tweaked my pitch. I realised that the key to connecting with potential donors is to listen to people’s stories and to share my own motivations. Instead of focusing solely on facts, I talked about why I believe in the cause and what made it personally meaningful. Speaking from the heart and finding common ground with people is in my opinion what is crucial to get people engaged.

A success story with new insights

After a dozen of no’s, I finally met a woman who was open to talking and genuinely interested in the mission of Doctors Without Borders. Her friendly dog trotted over as we exchanged introductions. We had a sincere conversation, discussing the importance of the organisation’s work, and by the end, she decided to sign up as a donor. It was a small victory, but a powerful reminder of why this work is so important. There’s nothing quite like seeing someone connect with a cause and make a commitment to support it.

Using Briggs+Walker software in this real-world environment gave me valuable insights. I appreciated the simplicity, and for the most part, it worked flawlessly, making it easy to enter data accurately on the spot. However, there were a few minor areas for improvement that I noted for our development team—small tweaks that could make the interface even more intuitive for fundraisers on the move.

Reflecting on the experience

At the end of the day, I left with a renewed respect for the work of street fundraisers and a deeper understanding of what our software needs to do to support them. Enabling fundraisers to focus on the human side of their work, connecting with people and inspiring them to contribute to a cause is a very important aspect of creating long-lasting donor ships. This experience was a reminder that to create the best tools for our clients, we need to understand their daily challenges, motivations. Moving forward, I’m more committed than ever to ensuring our software to support the powerful human connections that are at the core of face-to-face fundraising.

At the opening of the International Fundraising Conference, Mar Garcia, Director of the European Center for Digital Action, captured the audience’s attention with a frank acknowledgment of today’s crises. In her words, “We live in a historic moment of precariousness, fear, and perplexity.” In what she describes as a time of “poly-crisis,” where global issues like climate change, economic inequality, and democratic erosion intertwine, Garcia called on leaders and citizens to redefine hope and take responsive action.

Recognizing the complexities of a “Poly-Crisis” world

Garcia began by laying bare the reality of our “poly-crisis” era. She discussed how today’s compounding issues—like climate change, poverty, and war—require urgent, coordinated action. In citing the widening income gap, escalating conflicts, and unprecedented environmental threats, Garcia pointed to how each crisis feeds into others, creating a complex, destabilizing environment. “Our time can be defined as one of poly-crisis and perma-crisis,” she noted, urging the audience to recognize the scale of today’s challenges as a call for proactive, compassionate leadership.

“Our time can be defined as one of poly-crisis and perma-crisis,”

Challenging the rise of division and populism

Garcia identified the growth of far-right populist movements as a response to people’s fears and disillusionment. These movements, she explained, use simplified narratives to tap into frustrations and shift blame toward marginalized groups. Far-right leaders, Garcia observed, are gaining traction by offering reactionary solutions based on exclusion, nation-first rhetoric, and nostalgia for an idealized past. To counter this, Garcia emphasized that progressives need to engage with empathy, responding to legitimate concerns with genuine solutions rather than dismissing them outright.

She urged her audience to avoid minimizing people’s fears and instead listen and address these anxieties constructively. “If progressives don’t address people’s concerns,” she warned, “the void will be filled by divisive voices.” This requires offering actionable policies that reflect the diverse, interconnected reality of society today.

Embracing a future-oriented vision of radical Hope

For Garcia, hope is more than simple optimism; it’s a purposeful, radical choice to believe in and work toward a better future. She referenced Nelson Mandela, asserting that “hope should be an engine of change,” empowering people to act even when confronted with seemingly insurmountable challenges. Garcia described “radical hope” as an active force that can help humanity face and ultimately transcend the issues it confronts. She encouraged the audience to avoid both reactionary nostalgia and defeatism, instead embracing hope as a guide for creating meaningful change.

In Garcia’s view, hope is essential to overcoming crises, fostering the resilience needed to navigate uncertainty, and inspiring collective action for an inclusive future.

A call for feminist solidarity and a redefinition of progress

In her concluding remarks, Garcia emphasized the feminist movement as a powerful, ongoing revolution that challenges norms and drives social justice. She argued that the fight for gender equality is foundational to a progressive vision of society, one in which cultural models of domination give way to shared empowerment. Citing Flora Tristan, she noted, “The level of civilization in any society is in proportion to the freedom women enjoy.” Garcia encouraged everyone—regardless of gender—to stand as pillars in this struggle, underscoring that the success of one group uplifts the whole of society.

“Today’s crises demand that leaders, activists, and individuals alike come together in hope, empathy, and action. Embracing radical hope, fostering responsive and empathetic dialogue, and upholding feminist solidarity are all essential steps to navigate today’s challenges and lay the foundation for an inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.”

Inspiring a path forward: Collective action and engagement

Garcia’s keynote left attendees with a clear call to action. She urged those in attendance to become proactive participants in the reformation of societal values and to address public anxieties empathetically. For Garcia, it’s not enough to talk about change; real transformation requires active involvement. She emphasized the importance of creating pathways for engagement—whether by signing a petition, supporting a cause, or initiating meaningful conversations within communities.

A united front through radical hope, action, and solidarity

Mar Garcia’s keynote set a powerful tone for the conference. Her message was clear: today’s crises demand that leaders, activists, and individuals alike come together in hope, empathy, and action. Embracing radical hope, fostering responsive and empathetic dialogue, and upholding feminist solidarity are all essential steps to navigate today’s challenges and lay the foundation for an inclusive, sustainable, and equitable future.

Why AI Matters in Modern fundraising? AI is rapidly becoming an essential tool for fundraisers, offering data-driven ways to personalize and optimize outreach. At IFC2024, Josh Hirsch’s “AI for Good” workshop explored the practical applications of AI in enhancing donor engagement, personalizing communications, and maintaining ethical standards. Here are the top five insights from his session to integrate into your fundraising strategy.

1. Streamlining Workflows

AI-driven tools are transforming how fundraisers handle administrative tasks, freeing up valuable time for strategic and donor-focused activities. Josh Hirsch highlighted how tools like Copilot can summarize key data from previous interactions, making it easier to prepare for upcoming meetings. For instance, an AI tool can quickly pull insights from six months of emails with a specific donor, then create an agenda, PowerPoint presentation, and an Excel spreadsheet with relevant KPIs—all based on past exchanges. This kind of automation allows fundraisers to spend less time on routine tasks and more on fostering donor relationships and crafting targeted strategies.

2. Using Sentiment Analysis to Deepen Donor Relationships

Sentiment analysis was another focal point, as it allows fundraisers to gauge the emotions in donor communications, social media interactions, and survey feedback. Tools like ChatGPT can instantly analyze text for sentiment, categorizing responses as positive, neutral, or negative. This insight enables fundraisers to tailor their follow-ups, addressing concerns directly or reinforcing positive engagement. Hirsch pointed out that sentiment analysis helps fundraisers understand donor attitudes at scale, leading to more empathetic and effective communication. Want to learn more? Have a listen to his podcast series.

“The goal of sentiment analysis is to understand and interpret the underlying emotions conveyed in communication… whether it be social media posts, survey emails, or other forms of community feedback.”

 

3. Personalizing Campaigns with Emotional Resonance

AI’s ability to tailor messaging is invaluable for creating donor-specific content. Hirsch demonstrated how AI tools can help fundraisers experiment with different tones and images to evoke desired emotions, like empathy or urgency, in donor appeals. By reverse engineering emotions using sentiment analysis, fundraisers can customize campaigns to fit the unique motivations and preferences of different donor segments, thereby enhancing the impact of their outreach.

“It’s not just about getting the message out there; it’s about creating an emotional connection… We want donors to feel empathy, urgency, or even joy, depending on the campaign.”

 

4. Building Ethical AI Policies to Ensure Responsible Use

Hirsch emphasized the importance of ethical AI policies, particularly concerning data privacy and transparency. As organizations adopt AI for sentiment analysis and content creation, clear guidelines are essential to protect donor data and maintain trust. He suggested developing an AI usage policy that includes privacy and accountability sections, regularly updated to stay aligned with evolving data laws like GDPR. An AI policy helps fundraisers harness AI’s capabilities while safeguarding donor relationships and ensuring compliance.

5. Training Custom AI Models for Continual Improvement

AI is most powerful when it continuously adapts to your organization’s data and goals. Hirsch highlighted the advantages of training AI models like ChatGPT to reflect an organization’s voice and brand, which improves content accuracy and relevance. By feeding tools like ChatGPT with past campaign data, donor profiles, and successful appeals, fundraisers can create an AI “brain” that supports more personalized, efficient, and insightful donor communications.

Josh Hirsch’s workshop at IFC2024 showcased the potential of AI to revolutionize fundraising strategies, from personalized outreach to streamlined administration. By integrating tools like Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT, fundraisers can enhance efficiency, deepen donor connections, and ensure ethical AI practices. Embracing these insights enables fundraisers to navigate the future of philanthropy with innovation and integrity. 

Read other posts on face-to-face fundraising trends and insights here.