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Hi {{first_name}},
According to Larry David, we are well outside the socially acceptable time window for wishing anybody a happy new year. 😂
Most of us are less rigid than Larry on this point, and 75% of my followers disagree with his Jan. 7th HNY deadline. Regardless, we hope that you had a wonderful time away, got some surprise donations on the last day of the year, and are still crushing it with your New Years’ resolutions.
The first Fundraising Book Club discussion of the year was last week. We had a great conversation about Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality, and how to apply unreasonable hospitality in fundraising. Read the recap here if you were unable to join us.
For newsletter #26, the first edition of 2026, we have a fantastic lineup to start the new year:
Which article idea got the most votes in last week’s subscriber poll?…Drumroll Please 🥁 🥁 🥁
NEW! Mentor Wisdom. A recurring community segment showcasing the best mentor advice. This week featuring Jemima Attanasio
What is Predictive AI, and why should nonprofits care? Sarah explains
Upcoming Fundraising Events You Won’t Want to Miss
Sponsor Spotlight- AG1
Shall we begin?
Mike
Survey Says… Subscribers Choice
First Article of the Year
I had a lot of ideas for the first article of the new year, so I decided to poll the community in order to pick the best one. The winner?
“From Stress Test to Strategy: 5 Fundraising Lessons Nonprofits Must Carry”
2025 pushed nonprofit fundraisers to their limits. Was it painful? Yes. But we learned a lot. I share the top five stress-tested lessons of 2025 that will help organizations enter 2026 with more clarity, confidence, and resilience.
NEW- Mentor Wisdom
Did you have a great mentor early in your career? What’s one thing they said to you that has stuck with you, year in and year out? In this new segment, we invite you, our readers, to share that best piece of wisdom with our community.
Jemima Attanasio, Senior Director of Development at Fordham University, graciously agreed to go first, sharing that before the pandemic, her mentor, Robin Merle, President of Robin Merle Associates, gave her this wise advice at a Women in Development event:
Sarah’s AI Tricks
Predictive AI is not the same thing as generative AI.
It has incredible potential to help nonprofits, both in service delivery to our communities, and in our fundraising.
Could predictive AI help my nonprofit? How do I access it? What are the risks?
Don’t Forget
Refer fundraising friends to subscribe to this newsletter by sharing this link!
Share your mentor’s feedback for the chance to be featured in an upcoming newsletter.
Bring me in to support your team- I offer fundraising coaching, campaign counsel, strategy assessments, and more!
OTHER NEWS
Upcoming Events:
Sponsored by Mike Esposito Fundraising!
Hope to see you there!
LinkedIn Posts Missed:
Sponsor Spotlight- AG1
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