In Part 2 of How CEOs Recruit and Retain Great Fundraisers, Roy Jones continues the conversation with Pam Axberg, CEO of Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. Drawing on her experience leading both major corporations and a mission-driven nonprofit, Pam shares how executive leaders should think about recruiting, developing, and retaining fundraising talent.
Most capital campaigns
focus on funding for growth-related projects such as upgrading select facilities, constructing new buildings,
procuring needed equipment, improving services, or adding staff specialists.
In this episode of the Fit Fundraising Podcast, Roy Jones sits down with Pam Axberg, CEO of Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities, to unpack how high-impact nonprofit leaders recruit, hire, and retain exceptional fundraisers. Leading an organization that raises over $20 million annually, Pam shares how mission alignment, cultural fit, and disciplined hiring practices shape her leadership strategy.
From behavioral interviewing techniques to building development teams that balance strategy and execution, Pam offers practical insight into what separates transactional fundraising from relationship-driven philanthropy. If you’re a CEO, executive director, or development leader navigating staffing challenges, this conversation provides clear, actionable wisdom on building teams that strengthen both culture and revenue.
What if the biggest mistake nonprofits make with major gifts is quitting too early?
In this episode of the Fit Fundraising Podcast, Roy Jones sits down with Michelle Porter, CEO and co-founder of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, to unpack what really happens when an organization commits to building a major gift program from the ground up.
Michelle shares her firsthand experience launching major donor meetings in the middle of rapid organizational growth, what surprised her most about donors, and why the first meeting is rarely where the biggest gifts happen. From learning to listen instead of pitch, to discovering that authenticity outperforms polish, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what sustainable major giving actually looks like.
You’ll hear why year one is the hardest, how donor relationships compound over time, and how simple practices like stewardship meetings and personal communication can transform not just revenue, but culture across an organization.
This episode is for nonprofit leaders, executives, and development teams who know major gifts matter but feel overwhelmed, underprepared, or unsure where to start.
If you’ve ever thought, “We tried major gifts and it didn’t work,” this conversation may change everything.
In this episode of the Fit Fundraising Podcast, Roy Jones sits down with Michelle Porter, CEO and Co-Founder of Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, to unpack what she learned by personally meeting with key supporters—without a large fundraising staff or a formal major gifts department.
Many nonprofits receive half their major donor revenue in December each year. As a result, they often wait until the fourth quarter of the calendar year to start contacting these critical donors. This approach is a mistake…
Fit Fundraising is pleased to announce the successful placement of Krista Gallagher Colt, CFRE as the new Chief Development Officer at Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities (UGMTC). This placement marks an important step in strengthening the Mission’s development capacity as it continues its long-standing work of providing Christ-centered hope, housing, and restoration to individuals in the Twin Cities.
In Part 2 of our conversation with Jordan Smith, Executive Chief Development Officer at Tree of Life Ministries, we explore what it really takes to reach donors from Boomers to Gen Z. Jordan breaks down the communication habits of different generations, how Tree of Life grew from a small online presence to more than 13,000 followers, and why social media is now the front door to donor engagement.
In this episode, Roy Jones sits down with Jordan Smith, Executive Chief Development Officer at Tree of Life Ministries in Purcellville, Virginia. Jordan shares how a moment of compassion in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina inspired his family to launch a ministry that now partners with more than 40 churches and serves thousands each year.
In Part 2 of this Fit Fundraising Podcast conversation, Roy Jones and Cheryl Hackett, Director of Development at the Wyoming Rescue Mission, dive deeper into what truly connects donors across generations—stories and relationships.
