by Lauri Campbell

At Heartbeat International we believe strongly that one of the six major responsibilities for the Board of Directors is to Nurture the people of the organization.  

Boards Nurture their teams in two ways. First, by creating a culture of servant leadership. It’s especially important that they model servant leadership within the leadership team: with fellow Board members and the Executive Director. 

Second, by providing professional growth opportunities and support for themselves, the Executive Director and staff.

In John we see Jesus teaching the disciples how they can demonstrate their love for Him.

“‘Do you love Me?’ And he (Peter) said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love you,’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep’” (John 21:17b).

In Heartbeat’s Governing Essentials manual, Peggy Hartshorn writes, “The Board’s authority over the organization, its role of stewardship, comes from the Lord. The Board “feeds” the organization, like Jesus instructed His disciples to feed those He put under their care. Jesus made them shepherds over His sheep.”

The Board is responsible to see that the organization has what it needs to develop in a healthy way. This is the calling of God on Christian Boards—steward and shepherd the team as unto the Lord.

As a board member for many years I understood the first part of my Nurture responsibility almost instinctively. I knew how important it was to create a culture of servant leadership and to interact with my fellow board members and the Executive Director from a place of humility and service. That’s what Jesus modeled and I had seen this lived out in my home and in church life.

Unfortunately, my understanding of our responsibility to Nurture the team did not extend to include professional development.

I saw it as a luxury we could not afford.  

Boy was I wrong! Turns out it's really quite the opposite. Development is an investment we cannot afford to overlook!

When I later became the Executive Director myself it took me a couple of years but I finally learned the value of investing in continuing education and training for the Board, myself and the staff.

When our Board received Heartbeat’s Governing Essentials training and later engaged a Heartbeat Strategic Planning expert our growth and strength as an organization and team grew. We could see the fruit of those professional development investments. Giving increased, the budget got larger, client visits increased, our number of staff positions grew and our mission of reaching the abortion minded gained some much needed focusing.

The investment of training and development pays off immeasurably. When people are encouraged in their work, strengths and gifts to do their best, they naturally work harder to do a good job and we saw this play out in our ministry.

Investing in professional development tells people that you care and you want to see them excel at their jobs. Conversely, neglecting their training and development often leaves people feeling unappreciated, aimless and discouraged.

Servant leadership means putting people first and one of the ways a healthy board can do that is to provide opportunities for people to develop and optimize their God-given gifts. 

In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30) Jesus warns against laziness. The servants who invested and grew their talents were rewarded, while the one who buried his talent was rebuked. 

Boards should position people for success by asking them to do and build on what they do best. As we invest in the gifts of our teams, we can expect to watch their confidence grow. Capitalizing on the strengths each team member has been blessed with will increase effectiveness and confidence individually and organizationally.

As servant leaders we must not expect healthy organizations without providing leadership development.

You can run an organization without investing in your team's development, but eventually some or all will experience burnout and the mission will suffer.You may have saved money and time but the cost you end up paying is much greater than any budget line item can reflect.

It all comes back to stewardship.

As a Board of Directors you’ve been given a team of people to steward by God. 

At your next Board Meeting I challenge you to ask your Executive Director and fellow board members these questions:

• How are we doing with professional development and support for our own leadership team (Board, Executive Director) and for the rest of our staff?
  
• Does everyone have the training and support to grow and develop more knowledge and skills and become even better laborers in the vineyard of the Lord?
  
• If more attention is due to this aspect of Nurturing, how will you move forward to rectify what’s missing?
  
• What specific steps will you take to Nuture your team through professional development?

Heartbeat has training and professional development for everyone from Board members to client advocates, Executive Directors, nurses and everyone in between. It’s affordable, Christ-centered and designed specifically for pregnancy help organizations (PHO). It’s taught, written or facilitated by people who have been in PHOs for years, often decades. So please take advantage of the resources and training we offer.  It’s our honor to help you steward your team’s development.

Click here for practical ways you can nurture your team today. 

by Liliana Grace

Communication is about what you say, how you say it, and how it is received.

Have you ever been misunderstood?  In every conversation, there are often multiple conversations happening.  One is the one you think you are having; the other is the one that is being received. 

One of the most common questions I get asked is, “How can my marketing speak to both clients and donors simultaneously?”

My response is that there will be times to have unique messages, but the most impactful brands have a core message that spans both audiences. 

When you promote the impact you are having in your community, the services you provide, and the outcomes, that will attract both clients and donors.   

Do hear me: there will be times in which you might take a deeper angle of a unique perspective specific to the donor or the client. However,  when it comes to branding and paid marketing, look to have consistent messages sharing what you offer, who you serve, and how you serve.

Have a clean message that is clear, concise, and consistent. 

Consider for a minute if your next unreached donor opportunity were the age of your clients?  In both client and donor messaging, the core of what you offer, and the heart in how you offer it, should be consistently presented. 

In donor marketing, we often gravitate towards a traditional legacy style donor looking for that next big gift.  Consequently, the natural thought is to use a very traditional approach.  I agree that much of this will work, but for this article, let’s think about going beyond that and think about how marketing can engage both potential clients as well as a younger donor.

If we get it down to basics, all donors are looking for someone they can trust with their money, as well as feel good about helping with a cause they believe in.

Younger donors often approach their giving as more “in the moment”.  

When something moves them, they act.  They ask, “Is this organization providing a solution to a problem that I think is problem?” or “Do I know/trust this organization and the person asking for the money?” 

The trust they are looking for can be transferred based on showing the successful outcomes, through a recommendation of another trusted source, or even a quality social media page that is consistently updated with relevant empowering messaging of the mission and brand.

Younger potential donor groups have grown up with digital currency and concepts like, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer funding, and micro gifts.  This donor group seeks community, something in which to believe, a cause that matters and, once discovered, will support it and tell others to do the same.  An ask can go “viral” and then the real magic can happen.

How can you catch this “lightning in a bottle?" You need a lightning rod.  Create and maintain a clear, concise, and consistent message through all aspects of your marketing and outreach.  Be sure your social media is on brand and empowering. Be seen and be relevant.

As you approach your client marketing, keep in mind, they just might be your next donor.  Build your brand. Design your messaging to showcase the impactful services you provide and the hope you offer while simultaneously showcasing the opportunity that everyone can be a part of the solution.

Always remember, today’s client can be tomorrow’s donor.                   

To your continued success in empowering women,

Liliana Grace
Founder, L Grace Brands
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

by Bryan Gonzalez 

In my 15+ years of fundraising experience, sitting down with a donor for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, breakfast, or lunch is almost always the most effective fundraising strategy.  But why?  Well, with whom do you usually “break bread”?  With friends and family.  And, if you’ve been following this column for any length of time, then you’ll know how important “donor centric fundraising” is because it’s here that we focus on relationships.

Quick caveat:  tours of your PHO are also really effective, but this article will focus on offsite donor meetings. 

Once you’ve made the appointment with a donor (and if you need help getting donors to respond, this article can help with that), what might be some tips on how to eat with your donors?

First, make sure that the objective is clear with the donor ahead of time.  Is this an appreciation meeting?  Is it a getting-to-know-you meeting?  Is it a solicitation?  In your pre-meeting communication, be sure to make this clear, so it’s not a surprise to the donor.  What if you say it’s an “appreciation” meeting, and the donor – at the end of the meeting – says: “Well, what you’ve said is really impressive… would you like to ask for a donation?”  Exercise respect with your donors and say, “Well, that’s not what we came here for; I’d rather not change the point of the meeting.”  Feel free to follow up in an email or phone call, though, and make an ask, but – in general – it’s not good to change the point of the meeting mid-meeting.

Next, put your devices away!  A sure-fire way of demonstrating that your donor doesn’t really matter is to leave your phone on the table.  There may be a need to show your donor a photo of your family, or grab a video from your website, or open your iPad for some graphs/charts; however, put them in a bag, purse, or on the chair beside you.  Smart watches are also really distracting, so if there’s a way to silence them for the meeting, then do it. 

Caveat:  if your donor’s phone goes off, or if their smart watch rings, tell them: “Oh, feel free to answer that!”, as it shows respect for their time.  It’s possible that they need to tend to something, and we can patiently wait.

Thirdly, let’s talk about the food itself.  In general, avoid messy or distracting foods.  Spaghetti, giant burgers, saucy wings, overloaded tacos, or anything that requires constant wiping, slurping, or fighting with utensils can become a distraction.  You want the donor focused on the conversation – not wondering whether sauce is about to land on your shirt.

Likewise, avoid strong-smelling foods when possible.  Fish, excessive garlic, onions, or heavily spiced dishes may linger throughout the meeting.  The same goes for ordering alcohol, unless you already know the donor well and understand their comfort level.  When in doubt, keep it simple and conservative.

Also, don’t order the most expensive item on the menu.  Even if the donor insists on paying, humility matters.  A simple sandwich, salad, soup, or breakfast plate keeps the focus where it belongs – on the relationship.  If you are paying with ministry funds, modesty demonstrates good stewardship.

Try not to overeat.  This sounds obvious, but many fundraising lunches unintentionally turn into personal mealtime.  Take smaller bites and pace yourself.  On the one hand, a donor meeting is not the moment to clean your plate in record time or spend long stretches chewing while the conversation stalls.  On the other hand, if you’re going to make an ask or invite a donor to make a gift, then you’ll want to finish your meal in enough time to discuss the particulars about the project and spread out information on the table (be sure to clean it beforehand!), and discuss things.  To summarize: pace yourself and watch how quickly the donor is eating, so that you finish up about the same time, and can accomplish the objective of the meeting (see point #1).

One surprisingly important detail: be kind to restaurant staff.  Donors notice how you treat waiters, hostesses, and cashiers.  Courtesy, patience, and gratitude reveal character.  In many ways, your interaction with staff may communicate more about your ministry than your fundraising presentation.

Finally, be mindful of meeting one-on-one with donors of the opposite sex.  Perhaps this seems either obvious or to the other extreme, prudish, but I think (in general) the Pence Rule is a good one.  Meeting in public one-on-one with a donor of the opposite sex is critical then, but it could still give rise to the appearance of scandal.  Maybe even ask the donor if they feel comfortable meeting one-on-one, or if they’d feel more comfortable with a colleague or a board member.  Agree to meet at the coffee shop or restaurant, instead of riding together.  Inform your colleagues at the office that you’re meeting with someone and also share it with your spouse so they know.  The less secretive it is, the better it is for all parties.

It goes without saying that you need to be courteous, ask good questions, know enough about your ministry, don’t chew with your mouth open, don’t gulp when you drink, etc.  But this article is more about some things we may take for granted in 2026 when meeting potential donors for food and drink, even though it’s not really about the food and drink:  it’s about building trust, strengthening relationships, and inviting people deeper into the mission that God has entrusted you with your PHO.  A thoughtful, respectful meal can open the door to years of partnership and impact for life.

Practical Tip:

How often do you go to coffees or lunches with your donors?  If this isn’t a regular part of your fundraising strategy, start by making a list of 5-10 donors you’d like to take for appreciation lunches (those are good places to start) and try that first.

**Do you have topics you’d like me to write about or have comments/feedback on my articles?  Send me an email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.**

by Haley Limo

Lately, many of my clients have been asking about applying for more grants from foundations. Because this seems to be a hot topic, I thought I would share with you some of the important aspects of finding and securing grants.

First, you need to find grants to apply to. This can be very difficult since 90% of foundations do not have a website. The only way to find them is through their 990’s. Having a subscription to Candid’s Foundation Center is going to be the gold standard in finding different foundations to apply to. While they offer nonprofit pricing, the price is still quite an investment. If possible, I would suggest using their “Candid Near Me” link to see if any local libraries near you carry their software. This is an excellent way to use a free resource to secure more funding

After you get your list of potential grant makers near you, targeting the family foundations is going to be the best segment for you to target. Over half of all grant-making foundations are family foundations. More importantly, they are well-capitalized: over half of these family foundations hold assets exceeding $10 million.

By law, these organizations are mandated to distribute a minimum 5% payout of their assets annually, though many are even more generous, with 75% paying out more than the required minimum. Despite this capital availability, finding them requires strategy. As stated, only 10% of family foundations maintain a public website. However, every single one of them is required to file a Form 990 with the IRS, which serves as your ultimate transparency tool.

When analyzing data from platforms like the Foundation Directory Online (FDO), your first step should be to transfer the results directly into an Excel spreadsheet. Data organization is critical to preventing administrative overwhelm.

As you audit your list, filter out the "obvious misses." For a targeted foundation strategy, filter out automated or pass-through giving platforms like AmazonSmile, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), and broad community foundations. Instead, keep your core focus locked onto dedicated family foundations. Once your list is refined, initiate deep-dive research by Googling the foundation's name alongside the term "990" to pull their official tax filings if you don’t have a Candid login. The best free websites will be Pro-Publica or Instrumentl.

Foundations generally fall into two categories regarding how they accept applications, and each requires a slightly different outreach strategy:

1. Foundations that Accept Unsolicited Grants

For these organizations, your first step should always be to call them directly using the phone number listed in the middle section of their Form 990. Once contact is established, explicitly follow the formal steps they provide to submit a full grant proposal, and ensure you follow up as needed. They will usually have those instructions listed on the 990 or on their website.

2. Foundations that Do Not Accept Unsolicited Grants

Do not let a "no unsolicited proposals" rule completely deter you. Instead, look up their number on the 990, call them first, and pivot your strategy toward submitting a brief, compelling Letter of Interest (LOI) to introduce your work and gauge alignment.

Just because they indicate that they don’t accept unsolicited grants does not mean they aren’t willing to hear you out. Many times, grant makers check that box to ensure they aren’t flooded with email and letter requests, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t open to some new programs.

Some of the largest gifts I have ever received have been from family foundations who said they don't accept unsolicited grant requests!

Crafting the Perfect Pitch

When calling an administrator, clarity and brevity are paramount. Your script should introduce who you are, state your desire to chat about grant opportunities, and deliver a concise, human-centric elevator pitch. For example:

"Hello, I am looking for an administrator with the foundation. My name is Haley with LOT Philanthropy. I would love to chat with someone about applying for a grant. We help abortion-vulnerable women choose life."

If the foundation requests an LOI, structure it formally. State your mission upfront, provide clear historical statistics illustrating your impact since inception, offer a brief overview of your programs, and politely request the next steps to submit a formal proposal. With an organized spreadsheet and a confident outreach strategy, your nonprofit will be well-positioned to unlock vital foundation funding.

That’s it!I hope that these few tools are enough to unlock the next steps on your foundation journey!