To scale your mission effectively, it’s essential to stay ahead of shifting donor behaviors and the technology that enables these changes. This guide shines a spotlight on ten expert nonprofit speakers who offer actionable strategies for fundraising growth, ranging from workplace giving automation to strategic storytelling and beyond.
These include:
- Colleen Carroll — Double the Donation
- Jessica King — Getting Attention
- Patrick Kirby — Do Good Better Consulting
- Dana Snyder — Positive Equation
- Aly Sterling — Aly Sterling Philanthropy
- Douglas Spencer — Spencer Brenneman
- Tammy Zonker — Fundraising Transformed
- Carol Hamilton — Grace Social Sector Consulting
- Craig Shelley — Schultz & Williams
- Gregory Nielsen — Nielsen Training & Consulting
For today’s fundraising workforce, professional development is essential to maintaining a competitive edge. Learning from thought leaders and influential voices like these empowers your organization to remain impactful in a competitive landscape.
Best of all? These industry veterans’ unique perspectives and specialized expertise provide a wealth of collective knowledge that bridges theoretical best practices and real-world applications.
Let’s dive in!
#01: Colleen Carroll — Double the Donation
Colleen Carroll represents Double the Donation, the leading provider of workplace giving and matching gift automation software. Workplace giving is a massive opportunity, yet billions of dollars are left on the table every year. As Double the Donation’s Community & Events Lead, Colleen has become a prominent voice in the tech-for-good space, primarily focusing on helping nonprofits unlock corporate revenue streams that otherwise go unnoticed.
Carroll’s nonprofit speaking sessions are particularly valuable for organizations that want to maximize the impact of their existing donor base without significantly increasing their administrative workload. By emphasizing the importance of employer enrichment, Colleen teaches fundraisers how to identify where their supporters work and how to leverage that data to secure additional funds. Her speaking engagements typically include practical steps for integrating innovative software directly into the donation process to create a seamless user experience.
Check out this clip from The Nonprofit Boost podcast to get a feel for her style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#02: Jessica King — Getting Attention
Jessica King is a senior leader at Getting Attention, an agency dedicated to helping nonprofits maximize the power of the Google Ad Grant. For many organizations, digital marketing feels like a black box that requires a massive budget. Jessica continuously dispels this myth by showcasing how nonprofits can secure up to $10,000 per month in free search advertising credits.
Jessica’s expertise lies in search engine optimization and digital strategy, ensuring that when potential donors search for causes, your nonprofit is the first one they see. She encourages organizations to create content that answers specific questions their audience asks to drive more qualified traffic to their donation pages.
King is a vital resource for any nonprofit professional looking to grow their online visibility and turn casual browsers into lifelong supporters.
Check out this clip from Getting Attention’s YouTube channel to get a feel for her style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#03: Patrick Kirby — Do Good Better Consulting
Patrick Kirby is the founder of Do Good Better Consulting and the author of a best-selling book on “staying sane while doing good.” Known for his high-energy approach, Kirby focuses on the human element of development to put the fun in fundraising. He argues that many nonprofits get bogged down in formal bureaucracy and forget that fundraising is fundamentally about building relationships.
His organization provides coaching and speaking services that help small to mid-sized nonprofits do good better by simplifying their messaging and focusing on authentic storytelling. With a unique perspective on donor-centricity, Patrick suggests that nonprofits should spend more time celebrating their donors than asking for money, naturally increasing retention rates and growing revenue over time.
Check out this clip from Do Good Better’s YouTube channel to get a feel for his style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#04: Dana Snyder — Positive Equation
Dana Snyder is the CEO of Positive Equation and a recognized expert in nonprofit social media advertising and digital donor acquisition. She specializes in helping nonprofits use online platforms like Facebook and Instagram to find new supporters through targeted ad campaigns. Over the years, she’s worked with major brands and global nonprofits to scale their digital impact.
One of Dana’s most valuable insights is the “Monthly Giving” funnel, which uses social ads to drive recurring donations rather than one-off gifts. She explains that the secret to successful digital advertising is not the budget, but the creative content and optimized landing page experience. Her teaching style is highly actionable, often including live walkthroughs and data analysis.
Check out this clip from the Positive Equation YouTube channel to get a feel for her style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#05: Aly Sterling — Aly Sterling Philanthropy
Aly Sterling is the founder of a namesake consulting firm that specializes in board governance, strategic planning, and capital campaigns. With years of experience in high-level fundraising, Sterling is an expert in preparing organizations for massive growth. She understands that a nonprofit’s ability to raise money is directly tied to the strength and engagement of its board of directors.
Sterling provides a unique look into the infrastructure of giving, teaching that before an organization launches a major campaign, it must have the right systems, leadership, and donor data in place. Her leadership supports nonprofits in building the foundational strength required to sustain multi-million dollar growth year after year.
Check out this clip from a keynote speech she gave to get a feel for her style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#06: Douglas Spencer — Spencer Brenneman
Douglas Spencer is the president of Spencer Brenneman, a brand strategy firm that helps mission-driven organizations find their voices. While many nonprofit speakers focus on the “ask,” Spencer focuses on the “why.” He believes that strong branding is the most powerful tool a fundraiser can have.
Through his consulting work, Douglas teaches organizations how to align their internal culture with their external messaging to create a cohesive and trustworthy identity. The result? Every fundraising appeal becomes more effective because the audience already knows and trusts the sender.
Check out this clip from Spencer Brenneman’s YouTube channel to get a feel for his style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#07: Tammy Zonker — Fundraising Transformed
Tammy Zonker is the founder of Fundraising Transformed and an internationally recognized expert in major gift fundraising. She has personally raised nearly $1 billion for various causes and is known for her fearless approach to high-level donor cultivation.
Today, Tammy focuses on teaching fundraisers how to have meaningful conversations with high-net-worth individuals, emphasizing that “major gifts are a marathon, not a sprint.” Her training sessions go deep into the psychology of giving and cover strategies for moving donors from small annual gifts to transformational legacy contributions.
Check out this clip from an AFP session to get a feel for her style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#08: Carol Hamilton — Grace Social Sector Consulting
Carol Hamilton is a nonprofit strategist and expert speaker who focuses on the intersection of strategic planning and organizational culture. Through Grace Social Sector Consulting, Carol helps nonprofits navigate change and plan for the future in an inclusive, sustainable way. She’s an expert in facilitative leadership, teaching nonprofits how to get the best out of their teams and their boards. Her insights are particularly useful for organizations that are experiencing growing pains or undergoing leadership transitions.
Prioritizing continuous learning, Carol encourages nonprofits to treat fundraising as a living being that should be regularly tested and refined. Her sessions help leaders build the resilience and flexibility needed to survive and thrive in an unpredictable economy.
Check out this clip from “Making a Difference” to get a feel for her style:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#09: Craig Shelley — Schultz & Williams
Craig Shelley is the CEO of Schultz & Williams, a national consulting firm that serves a diverse range of organizations. Craig is a sought-after nonprofit speaker with a strategic approach to organizational growth and the ability to navigate modern philanthropic complexities. He brings decades of development experience, having worked with large international relief organizations as well as local community foundations.
Craig often speaks about donor psychology and how it must inform nonprofits’ long-term strategies to meet donors’ shifting expectations. He often helps nonprofits identify corporate connections and demonstrates how marketing and development teams must work in tandem to create a unified brand voice. His sessions are particularly valuable for executive leaders who are responsible for their organizations’ long-term sustainability and financial health.
Check out this episode of The Nonprofit Show he was featured on:
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
#10: Gregory Nielsen — Nielsen Training & Consulting
Gregory Nielsen is a former CEO and current consultant specializing in nonprofit leadership and executive coaching. His work with Nielsen Consults is centered on the belief that healthy organizations are the most effective at raising money. Gregory frequently speaks on the impacts of executive burnout, leadership succession, and organizational health, arguing that you cannot have sustainable fundraising growth without a supported and empowered staff.
He also shares that donors can sense an organization’s turmoil, which leads to lost trust and reduced contributions. By investing in team-wide development and well-being, nonprofits can create stable environments that attract and retain both talent and donors.
His sessions provide a holistic view of nonprofit management that is often overlooked in traditional fundraising workshops.
Learn more & connect with this nonprofit speaker!
Final Thoughts on These Leading Nonprofit Speakers
Each of these nonprofit speakers brings a unique perspective to the table. By diversifying your professional development, you can create a comprehensive strategy that leverages technology, data, and human connection to make the most of the resources available to you.
The nonprofit sector will continue to change, but the fundamentals remain constant. By staying open to new ideas, you can turn your up-and-coming challenges into opportunities for growth.
Remember: the most successful fundraisers are the ones who never stop learning!
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