[NPFX Ep. 66] 10 Lessons Nonprofits Learned Last Year — and How to Thrive in 2025
Welcome to The Nonprofit Fundraising Exchange, a podcast from IPM Advancement. Our mission is to empower nonprofits to succeed so they can make the world a better place.
Today’s topic: 10 Lessons Nonprofits Learned Last Year — and How to Thrive in 2025
Nonprofits worked hard last year and gained valuable insights along the way. In today's episode, we share the top lessons learned by 10 fundraising professionals, and ways to apply them to make an even greater impact in 2025. Listen for tips on donor engagement, the importance of managing your data, leveraging your annual fund for major gifts, the value of unrestricted funds for capacity building, and more — plus a message of inspiration that every nonprofit should hear.
Episode highlights include:
- The importance of simplification for nonprofits that are stressed and overwhelmed, and having grace when learning new tools like AI [from Shereese Floyd]
- The transformative power of systems and automation to help free up time for teams to focus on their missions [from Sami Zoss]
- Tips for managing donor data to improve fundraising [from Samantha Timlick]
- Achieving professional growth by seeking out new opportunities and experiences [from Emily Berry]
- Improving donor retention through simple but effective stewardship strategies [from Nicolette Dumais]
- Thinking through every point of contact with donors to ensure consistent messaging and brand values [from Josh Gryniewicz]
- The value of unrestricted funds for capacity building, long-term sustainability, and mission impact [from Ally Barron]
- Using strategic partnerships to remain strong in a challenging fundraising environment [from Beth Silverstein]
Special Offer: Free 30-minute consultation for NPFX listeners
Additional Resources
- IPM's free Nonprofit Resource Library
- Why Donor Retention Should Be Your Top Fundraising Priority
- Writing a Great Thank You Letter: The First Step in Successful Donor Stewardship
- [NPFX] Measuring More than Money: Why Donor Relationships Matter
- [NPFX] Meaningful Donor Relationships: The Key to Financial Stability
- The Secret to Keeping Your Donors Giving: Make Them Feel Special
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Guests
Shereese Floyd is CEO of Witness My Life and founder of AI Consultants for Nonprofits. With more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit marketing, Shereese has helped organizations increase their influence and revenue, generating over $2 million in direct campaigns. She is dedicated to social change, with a focus on development, branding, women's leadership, and artificial intelligence. Through AI Consultants for Nonprofits, Shereese offers AI literacy and training programs tailored to nonprofits, schools, and government entities. Her approach empowers organizations to certify internal team members as AI experts, fostering a culture where technology handles routine tasks, allowing people to focus on meaningful work. Shereese's mission is to make AI accessible and beneficial for organizations focused on social good.
Sami Zoss, is the founder of Zoss Collaborations, a business solutions consulting firm specializing in nonprofit growth and operational efficiency. With an MBA in Finance and Marketing, Sami brings a wealth of expertise in donor engagement, technology integration, and strategic planning to her clients. Before founding Zoss Collaborations, Sami served as the COO and later as Acting CEO of the Dakota State University Foundation, where she led record-breaking fundraising campaigns and implemented innovative donor engagement strategies that significantly expanded DSU’s donor base. In addition to her work with educational institutions, she has been a dedicated volunteer with organizations like Camp Gilbert Inc., supporting children with Type 1 diabetes.
Samantha Timlick, partner & CEO of IPM Advancement, has been with IPM since launch. She's worked with nonprofit clients on donor renewal, appeal, stewardship, and acquisition programs encompassing more than 250 million total recipients across all fundraising channels — including highly segmented direct mail microtargeting, personalized inbound and outbound telemarketing, and integrated e-campaigns.
Emily Berry leads the Annual Giving effort at Miami University, generating more than $6 million each year. With more than two decades of fundraising and advancement experience, Emily brings a wealth of experience and knowledge as a session presenter. She has previously served on the District V conference committee, and her team has been recognized with CASE Circle of Excellence Awards for their annual day of giving, #MoveInMiami.
Nicolette Dumais is the Constituent Communications Manager at USS Hornet Sea, Air and Space Museum. She excels at crafting and executing strategic fundraising plans, building lasting stakeholder relationships, and identifying funding opportunities to drive organizational growth. Nicolette has successfully led development teams, fostering collaboration and professional growth. Holding a Bachelor’s in Communications and a Master’s in Nonprofit Management, she combines deep expertise with a passion for making an impact, helping organizations achieve sustainable success.
Josh Gryniewicz, founder of Odd Duck, a storytelling for social change consultancy, has spent his career in nonprofit. He served as the communication director for Cure Violence, an internationally renowned violence prevention program featured in the award-winning film The Interrupters. Josh helmed the rebrand of Integrate Health, a global health initiative in West Africa, helping increase their budget by nearly $1 million. Most recently, Josh led communication efforts for Data Across Sectors for Health (DASH), a program focused on national multi-sector data sharing to address social determinants of health. He is the co-author of the national bestseller, Interrupting Violence, a moving story of redemption and social change.
Ally Barron is Chief Development & Communications Officer at the Hope and Heal Fund. With over 15 years of experience, her expertise spans corporate social responsibility, fundraising strategy, donor relations, event management, and strategic communications. In her current role, Ally has transformed fundraising strategies, securing over $2.5 million annually and cultivating a $5 million grant from Governor Gavin Newsom’s Office of Emergency Services. Her leadership extends to managing a statewide public awareness campaign focused on mental health, violence prevention, and equity. Ally holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Arizona State University.
Elizabeth Silverstein has served the not-for-profit sector for more than 40 years, specializing in transformational giving, vision casting, inspiring boards, and building passionate, effective teams. Beth has been instrumental in cultivating major gifts for capital campaigns in healthcare, two presidential libraries, higher education, K-12 independent schools, and social service organizations.
Hosts
Russ Phaneuf, a co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a background in higher education development, with positions at the University of Hartford, Northern Arizona University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management. As IPM's managing director & chief strategist, Russ serves as lead fundraising strategist, award-winning content creator, and program analyst specializing in applied system dynamics.
Rich Frazier has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years. In his role as senior consultant with IPM Advancement, Rich offers extensive understanding and knowledge in major gifts program management, fund development, strategic planning, and board of directors development.