First Day Podcast

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes back the legendary Kay Sprinkle Grace to tackle a critical topic: staying resilient in fundraising during turbulent times. Kay emphasizes that the nonprofit sector becomes even more essential when the world feels shaky. She reminds fundraisers that their steadiness provides the strength communities crave, and that their role is to radiate hope, not hoard anxiety. Rather than surrendering to fear, she calls on leaders to embody "radical amazement," seeing each day and each impact as a phenomenal gift. Kay highlights a key shift: nonprofits shouldn’t just "diversify" during hard times, they need to solidify. By collaborating with like-minded organizations and reinforcing their core missions, nonprofits can weather the storm stronger together. She shares the powerful story of New Orleans’ AIDS organizations banding together after Hurricane Katrina, a vivid example of unity and resilience. Fundraisers, she sa