Wednesday Apr 22, 2026

Episode #116: Abundant Fundraising with Mary Crogan

What if the biggest threat to your fundraising isn't a shrinking donor pool, but rather the story you're telling yourself about it?

In this episode, Mary Crogan of Bloomerang joins us to challenge the scarcity narrative that's taken hold in the nonprofit sector, and replace it with something far more powerful: an abundance mindset. Yes, the landscape is shifting. Funding is less predictable, need is growing, and the pressure is real. But generosity? It hasn't gone anywhere. Research backs this up showing scarcity thinking literally narrows your cognitive capacity and kills innovation, while an abundance mindset unlocks creativity, resilience, and the kind of bold strategy that actually moves the needle.

The question isn't whether generosity exists. It's whether your organization is positioned to meet it. Younger donors are redefining what giving looks like (volunteering, advocacy, peer fundraising) and the nonprofits that recognize and nurture those relationships are building something that lasts. Add the right technology to the mix, and suddenly you have a fuller picture of your supporters and the ability to show up for them in ways that actually resonate. Mary's message is clear and it's one every fundraiser needs to hear right now: tune out the headlines, trust your data, and believe that more is possible. Because the organizations that choose abundance? They're the ones heading up.

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This Episode Brought to You by:

Swaim Strategies: https://swaimstrategies.com

Utilizing over 20 years of nonprofit event strategy and production expertise, Swaim Strategies coaches and teaches organizations how to increase the impact of their fundraising events.

The AV Department: https://theavdept.com/

As a full-service event AV and video production partner, The AV Department’s technical event production and media content generation provide you with a range of experience and talent from a partner who wants to know you and work together year after year.

Bloomerang: https://bit.ly/4hLqLVw

Create the ideal giving experience with integrated fundraising tools and automated insights that maximize your impact. Keep donors close to the cause with mean-ingful outreach at the right time. Increase retention, major gifts, and all-around impact. Turn supporters into action-takers with tools that make it easy to recruit, organize, and engage volunteers at every level.

Feathr: https://www.feathr.co/

Feathr is a marketing platform built specifically for mission-driven organizations, offering simple tools for digital advertising, email campaigns, and audience engagement. The platform uses real-time insights and AI-powered segmentation to help you reach the right people at the right time—whether you’re nurturing existing supporters or discovering new ones who share your values. It’s marketing that meets people where they are, building relationships that last beyond a single click.

Speakers

Samantha Swaim

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-swaim-a28a9a4/

Substack: https://substack.com/@swaimstrategies

Kristin Steele

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-steele777/

Substack: https://substack.com/@swaimstrategies

Mary Crogan

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marycrogan/

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