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Energized Fundraising: Happiness Habits for Long-Haul Success with Amy Eisenstein

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with capital campaign expert Amy Eisenstein of Capital Campaign Pro to demystify one of the most ambitious and often misunderstood fundraising tools in a nonprofit’s playbook: the capital campaign.

Amy shares her journey from development director to co-founder of a firm that has guided hundreds of organizations through campaigns ranging from $3M to $150M. You’ll learn the key elements of a successful campaign, including when to launch, who should consider one, how to engage donors, and why feasibility studies aren’t about saying “no,” they’re about choosing the right path forward.

This episode includes practical advice, like:

  • Why your internal team shouldn’t carry a campaign alone
  • How feasibility studies help you plan, not pause
  • What stewardship looks like during a multi-year fundraising effort
  • How technology can reduce burnout and elevate donor engagement
  • Why donor joy and fundraisers’ happiness habits matter in long campaigns

Links from the episode:

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The Responsive Lab is brought to you by Virtuous.

Virtuous is a software company committed to helping nonprofits grow generosity. Virtuous believes that generosity has the power to create profound change in the world and in the heart of the giver. With that in mind, it’s their mission to move the needle on global generosity by helping nonprofits better connect with and inspire their givers. Learn more about Virtuous and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist

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Riley Young

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