Scaling Humanity in the Age of AI: The Beating Heart of Fundraising Isn’t Tech — It’s People
What if the secret to scaling generosity isn't more tech, but using tech to scale the one thing that actually sustains giving: people?
In this episode of the Sustainable Giving podcast, host Dave Raley sits down with Nathan Hill, VP of Marketing at Avid (and a self-described "marketing and fundraising nerd"), for a wide-ranging, energizing conversation about data, AI, donor trends, and why the human element is still the beating heart of it all.
Nathan brings a rare blend of perspectives. He's worked in nonprofits big and small, spent nearly a decade helping fundraisers level up at Next After, and now leads marketing at one of the most talked-about AI-powered fundraising platforms in the sector.
Dave and Nathan swap stories about the accidental paths that led them into this work, the "face-palm" moments every organization discovers when they actually secret-shop their own donor experience, and why the current "fewer donors, larger gifts" trend may be a bubble about to pop. Plus: a surfing metaphor, a printing press history lesson, and a surprisingly hopeful take on what AI means for lean nonprofit teams.
Key Topics They Cover:
Why the "Fewer Donors, Larger Gifts" Trend Might Not Last
Nathan unpacks fresh data from the new Avid + Wiland benchmark (1,000+ organizations, $14B+ in revenue, updated in real time). Retention of high-value donors is declining faster than the broad base, upgrade rates have fallen off a cliff, and the pipeline of future mid- and major-level donors is weakening. Translation: the bubble is real, and leaders need to act now.
Data, AI, and the "Fundraising Operating System”
Nathan explains how Avid sits on top of your existing tech stack (CRM, email, donation platform, ads) to unify your data, surface insights, automate segmentation, and even help create and launch campaigns in minutes instead of weeks. The goal: free fundraisers to focus on what only humans can do.
The Human Element Still Wins
Nathan and Dave agree: the most unique, differentiating thing in fundraising will always be authentic humanity. AI and data aren't here to replace relationships. They're here to scale them. And in a world drowning in noise, showing up human is the ultimate competitive advantage.
The Generosity Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight
Dave breaks down a brand-new Lilly School of Philanthropy analysis of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" and its universal charitable deduction, which could bring 6–9 million new giving households into philanthropy. But only if nonprofits actually invite them in.
The Power of the Ongoing Value Proposition
Drawing on his work on value proposition at Next After (and a shout-out in Chapter 23 of The Rise of Sustainable Giving), Nathan explains why the appeal that wins a one-time gift isn't the same one that earns a monthly donor, and how to clearly communicate the unique impact of recurring giving.
Also in this episode, they talk about:
"Not every wave is worth catching," Dave's surfing metaphor for surviving the AI tool tsunami (and why he's got 12 tabs open anyway)
The posture of a generous educator, where Nathan's instinct to teach comes from, and what it looks like in practice
Why most donors still don't get thanked, receipted, or asked for a second gift, and why fixing the basics beats chasing the shiny stuff
Secret donor studies and the inevitable face-palm moments every leader has (and one client who fixed a two-year-old issue before the meeting ended)
The printing press, the internet, and AI — a 60-year history lesson on why the next two decades of generosity tech could be transformative
What are you doing today to build a sustainable pipeline of generous, engaged, recurring donors, and how are you using the tools at your fingertips to scale the human relationships that make it all work?
Key Resources:
Connect with Nathan on LinkedIn
Learn more about Avid
Access the Avid + Wiland Benchmark (free, updated in real time)
Grab Dave's book, The Rise of Sustainable Giving
Connect with Dave on LinkedIn
Lilly Family School of Philanthropy research on charitable giving policy
Whisper Flow (the dictation tool Dave is currently nerding out on)
Special thanks to our team at Sustainable Giving: Tom, Kirsten, Victoria, and Abigail.