Welcome to the Fit Fundraising Podcast, where we bring you game-changing fundraising topics direct from our meetings with major donors and nonprofits nationwide.
We don’t interview consultants who haven’t met a donor in decades. Fundraising stays on the front lines with nonprofit donors and leaders. This podcast is a glimpse into our work with nonprofits as we get on the field with them and successfully model fundraising.
Get ready to get fit with the hottest show in fund development—Fit Fundraising.
Roy Jones
Well, hi, I’m Roy Jones and thank you today for joining the Fit Fundraising Podcast. We’ve got an exciting episode for you. I am so glad you joined us.
Staffing, recruiting, how we do outreach to donors — it’s really, really an important topic. Nonprofit leaders all across America are struggling with staffing today. And we have as our guest one of the industry leaders, and I am so honored that Pam Axberg has joined us.
She’s the CEO of Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities in St. Paul and Minneapolis. The organization raises more than $20 million annually to make sure that hungry people are fed, people experiencing homelessness are sheltered, and hurting people are given the tools to change their lives. Most importantly, everyone that comes to UGM Twin Cities encounters the good news of God’s love seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Prior to coming to UGM Twin Cities in 2020, Pam was a senior executive at UnitedHealthcare and Optum for over 14 years. She held several executive leadership roles, including managing national strategic partnerships, transforming provider-patient experience, and leading national and international operations. Prior to joining UnitedHealthcare and Optum, she had over 20 years with Quest Communications, where she was senior vice president and an officer in the company.
In addition to her corporate roles, Pam is an advocate for the development of girls and women’s leadership. She has served on many boards, including Women Business Leaders in Healthcare Advisory Board, Girl Scouts River Valleys, Junior Achievement, and TopLine Credit Union. She is currently a council member for the City of New Brighton.
Pam, thank you so much for joining us today. I want to talk about a lot of subjects, so I appreciate you taking part in this podcast. But first, I’d love for you to take a minute and tell us about your ministry and the work at Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. I’d also love to hear about your passion, especially your work developing women leaders. Take a minute and help our audience get to know you. Thank you for being here.
Pam Axberg
Rory, I’m so happy to be here. It’s just been a privilege to work with you and to have you be an advisor to me along this journey of how we steward donors and what that looks like. I really appreciate being here.
Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities — I just had my five-year service anniversary.
Roy Jones
Wow.
Pam Axberg
And it is amazing. I couldn’t have envisioned what this would be, but it’s truly a privilege and an honor.
For those who don’t know about Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities, our mission is simple: we provide life-transforming, Christ-centered pathways for all people experiencing homelessness, hunger, and addiction.
Every day I get up and ask, “How can I help some of the most vulnerable in our community who need our help?” And we’re able to do that because of so many generous donors.
Roy Jones
Wow. It’s been an honor to help you. Candidly, I learn more from the clients I serve than I could ever give. I’ve learned from leaders like you around the country — not just in homeless shelters, but nonprofits large and small. So thank you for the opportunity to serve you.
Today I want to focus on staffing and recruiting. Talk to me about how many employees you have at UGM Twin Cities, how many volunteers, your leadership team, your development staff. What does this staffing challenge look like every day?
Pam Axberg
One thing I’ve learned — whether I’m in telecom, healthcare, or leading a nonprofit — is that people matter. Employees matter. That transcends everything I’ve done.
At Union Gospel Mission, we have almost 110 employees. We serve 24 hours a day and provide three hot meals a day. Our staff is augmented by about 6,000 volunteers. While we prepare the food, our volunteers serve the meals every day. We have volunteers who help with adult education, job training, and chapel services. It’s a robust volunteer community. In fact, I have a full-time volunteer coordinator because volunteers truly provide the hands and feet that enable us to serve more people.
I have eight direct reports spanning from a CFO to a human resources leader to our chief development officer — whom you helped me hire. I also have leaders for our men’s programs, women’s programs, and mental health services.
We use paid staff to do the important work of welcoming people with kindness and dignity, meeting them where they are, and helping them find a pathway to housing and stability.
Roy Jones
Such a diverse mix of employees. What are your must-do guidelines when hiring? What do you look for first in a candidate?
Pam Axberg
When I look for a candidate, I’m thinking about how they fit into our culture. We’re not just a nonprofit — that’s a tax status. We are for mission. Everything we do is focused on fulfilling our mission in deeper and greater ways.
I start with our five core values: faith, compassion, respect, integrity, and excellence. Those guide all of our decisions and accountability.
I use a STAR behavioral interview format — situation, task, action, result. I’ve used it for over 30 years, dating back to when I did college recruiting. Some things don’t change. I modify questions, but I’m looking for repeatable behaviors that demonstrate alignment with our values and the ability to produce results.
It’s comprehensive. I ask a lot of questions.
Roy Jones
You didn’t mention experience first. Cultural fit comes first?
Pam Axberg
Experience is screened first through resumes. I assume by the time I interview someone, they’ve met the baseline qualifications. The resume screens for expertise and skills relevant to our strategic priorities.
But in the interview, I validate how what’s on paper comes to life. How do they describe their accomplishments? How do they demonstrate cultural fit? That’s where it becomes real.
Roy Jones
Getting the right experience allows you to focus on what matters most — living out the mission and values.
Let’s pivot to fundraising. You’ve worked in corporate America and now in nonprofit leadership. What are the differences between development professionals and straight sales?
Pam Axberg
To put myself through college, I once did door-to-door sales of stoneware and china. So I’ve done sales the hard way.
There are similarities. In both cases, you have to put yourself out there. Nothing happens unless you pick up the phone, send an email, or write a note. People won’t magically find you.
You also have to understand needs and interests. But in fundraising, to be truly successful, you move beyond transaction into relationship.
A fundraiser becomes an advisor — informing donors, giving them choices aligned with their values and priorities. You listen for what matters to them and then find the intersection between what the organization needs and what the donor wants.
It’s not about one gift. It’s about what this looks like in a year or two. It’s about being a trusted advisor.
You invite them into an opportunity that aligns with their values, but they own the decision. That’s stewardship.
Roy Jones
So it’s not just about being a good talker. It’s about being a good listener.
Pam Axberg
Yes — and I still work on that every day. Listen, listen, listen.
Roy Jones
When we hired your chief development officer, we needed someone who could manage strategy and tactics, field work and office work. That’s a unicorn.
Pam Axberg
Hiring requires patience — something I don’t naturally possess.
Sometimes you’re tempted to fill the seat quickly. But it’s important to prioritize the skills you truly need right now. A candidate doesn’t need to be perfect, but they need the right strengths for this moment in the organization.
In our case, we needed someone who could rebuild a team. So leadership and supervisory skills were critical. We needed both strategy and execution. That breadth is hard to find.
Roy Jones (21:14)
You set high standards but empower your team. Talk about how you lead your development and marketing leaders.
Pam Axberg
I like metrics, facts, and data. We’re honored to serve who we serve, so we must be excellent.
I set high standards. If needed, I’m willing to help — even making donor calls myself.
But I’ve learned something important. When I first set ambitious goals, people froze. They didn’t know how to achieve them.
So now we map out pathways. What can we do better next week? Next month? If we uncover new problems, that’s okay — it’s a better problem to fix.
If I hire excellent people, my job is to let them be excellent and get out of their way.
Roy Jones
If someone wants to reach you, how can they?
Pam Axberg
They can email me directly at paxberg@ugmtc.org. I read my own email.
And donors often give wisdom. We just have to listen.
Roy Jones
Pam, thank you for joining us today. We are honored.
To our listeners — join us every two weeks for a new Fit Fundraising Podcast episode. If you need help with anything, please reach out at fitfundraising.com.
Last year we helped more than 50 nonprofit organizations with free counsel. Don’t let money keep you from calling us. We’re here to serve and build the Kingdom together.
Thanks for joining us. We’ll see you soon.
Narrator
Thanks so much for listening to the Fit Fundraising Podcast. Please make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you’ll be notified of future episodes.
And as always, make sure to visit FitFundraising.com to get your fundraising program into shape.
Thanks so much for listening to the FIT Fundraising Podcast. Please make sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you’ll be notified of future episodes. And as always, make sure to visit fitfundraising.com to get your fundraising program into shape.
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