This isn’t an article about extremists. It’s about people like us, scrolling through LinkedIn on our phones. People who believe in democratic values. Who care about justice. Who feel the unease but don’t always know what to do with it.

Nonprofits that depend on volunteer fundraisers have to overcome a big hurdle: people hate to ask others for money.

But it’s not just money. People hate to ask for anything. A favor. A ride. Help moving. Even a seat on the bus. There’s a deep discomfort in being the one who asks.

What if the biggest fundraising opportunity of the next decade is the very thing most people are afraid of?

In the media, AI is almost always cast as the villain. The job stealer, the bias machine, the privacy threat. But in the nonprofit sector, where every hour saved can be an hour spent with a donor, the question isn’t “Should we be afraid?”

Wealth isn’t the same as generosity. And even more important, it’s not the same as feeling wealthy. The problem with wealth screens is psychological. They tell you who has money, but not who feels like they have money to spare.

Here’s a hard truth every fundraiser needs to face: as everyday donors quietly disappear, nonprofits are relying more and more on the wealthy to keep the lights on.

But here’s the catch—those with the most capacity to give are often the least emotionally connected to your mission.

…it was “ingroup/outgroup psychology” at work. For many Jews, Israel isn’t simply a nation-state; it’s the embodiment of collective survival after centuries of persecution. That identity is sacred…research shows the more central your group identity is to your sense of self, the more critical you become of the outgroup — and the more likely you are to interpret criticism of your group as an attack on you personally.

How do so many working- and middle-class Americans continue to support someone who has—by nearly every policy metric—failed to deliver real material gains for them? He offers identity. Belonging. Protection from cultural shame. A kind of emotional refuge for people who feel that the country has left them behind. Or worse, turned against them.

When Trump descended that gold-plated escalator in 2015, he wasn’t offering poor white Americans healthcare, housing, or schools. Not really. He was offering something else: affirmation. He was saying, “You are under attack. I see you. I will fight for you.” Not by giving you something, but by taking something away from someone else.

Back then, you offered a walk, a ride, a run. People showed up. It worked. I mean, it worked. A Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Team in Training originator once told me she could scribble a phone number to register on a fast-food napkin, wipe her mouth with it, toss it on the floor—and still get six sign-ups. That's how hungry people were to show up.

Then along came Choice. That harlot.

I asked Courtney Bugler, CEO Zero Prostate Cancer, to join me on the Seeding Social Good podcast to explore a loaded question: How does advocacy need to change in 2025? 

Her answer: Stop thinking small. Stop leading from fear. And start making noise. 

All that different treatment hits hard at puberty. Before that, kids were kids mostly. Having experienced life as one of the pack, I could not understand when the different treatment started happening to me. There were clues, like the church librarian every Sunday pushing the book “White Gloves and Tea” on me when clearly, “The Black Stallion” and “Misty of Chincoteague” were sitting right there on the shelf. I’m sure my confusion was on my face as I scratched my butt in front of her.

This is dehumanization—not of the political opponent or troll—but of people like my daughter. “-Tard” is hate aimed in two directions but only lands on one: vulnerable people with intellectual disabilities.

Do we believe that all people are created equal? If we do, we must believe systemic bias exists—because without it, disparities make no sense.

Dr. Otis Fulton: “We like to believe our values shape our actions, but in reality, it’s the situation that usually wins. The only way to flip that script is to act—deliberately, vocally, and collectively—when silence would be easier. That’s how we re-center integrity in our work, and in ourselves.”

Yes, the best practices still work. They work because they tap into basic human psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and connectedness. But community now forms and is sustained differently. Communication tools have evolved, and personal values are expressed in new ways. What’s uncertain is whether we peer-to-peer fundraising professionals will adapt to these changes.

Don’t Hire. Not yet. Take a breath. Your person quit for a reason. You probably wish them no ill will, and the problem could be entirely theirs. But if the problem is on your side of the fence—something that drove them out—now is the time to figure out what it is and whether you can fix it.

Sure, you’re suddenly overwhelmed with their workload on top of running a hiring search, which makes acting fast tempting. Don’t.

Dr. Otis Fulton: “In nonprofits, trust and belonging are two sides of the same coin. When people feel like they belong, it’s usually because they trust the community they’re a part of. And when trust cracks, that sense of belonging crumbles with it.”

As policy changes kick in, the need for services will only grow. Demand for everything from food assistance to housing support will rise as people face financial hardships. Nonprofits will be expected to do more with less, stepping into the breach where the social safety net has weakened. 

Turnkey For Good recruited and placed Jefferson Parker with ZERO Prostate Cancer as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer.

Self-determination theory describes satisfaction as a three-legged stool: autonomy, competence and relatedness. We at Turnkey call it the trifecta of satisfaction. Satisfied people are motivated people. They take action.

Joe Beckler, the Vice President of Development, Marketing, and Communications for the Christian Business Men's Connection  (CBMC), spends each and every day trying to give joy, satisfaction and purpose to others through their mission.