The Donor Centric Approach

This week’s episode is something different — and deeply personal.

In this talk, originally given to my local covenant community, I share how my recent accident became a moment of interruption that God transformed into an invitation: to deeper dependence, to gratitude, and to the gift of community.

While this isn’t a fundraising strategy session, the lessons here apply directly to the work of nonprofit and ministry leaders. Just as ...

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, Orlando sits down with Dr. Daniel Meola, co-founder and president of Life-Giving Wounds, a Catholic ministry dedicated to bringing Christ’s healing to adult children of divorce and separation.

Dan shares his powerful story of how his personal wounds became the seed of a national ministry, the challenges and surprises of building and sustaining Life-Giving Wounds, and the lessons he’s l...

Three weeks ago, I was in a serious bicycle accident that changed my perspective — not just on life, but on fundraising.

When a friend from high school set up a Meal Train for my family, she made it crystal clear how people could help. If you lived nearby, you could drop off a meal. If you lived far away, you could send a DoorDash gift card. Simple. Specific. No guessing.

Within hours, people responded generously.

In this episode, ...

This episode is unlike anything I’ve shared before.

A few weeks ago, I was involved in a serious cycling accident. I don’t remember much about what happened on the road that day—but I do know this: without JJ Berg, I might not be here.

JJ was the young man who found me unconscious, called 911, and stayed by my side until help arrived. Today, I get to sit down with him, not as a host, but as someone deeply grateful for his courage, ...

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, Orlando sits down with seasoned fundraiser Doug Stamps, currently serving as Development Director at a major organization in Washington, D.C.

This episode delivers practical, honest, and hard-earned insights from a career spent building meaningful donor relationships at scale. Doug shares:

• What builds lasting donor trust, regardless of your org’s size

• The mindset shifts that of...

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, I sit down with Matt Aujero, founder of Fight Club Catholic, for a candid and energizing conversation about building a movement from scratch.

We talk about what it’s really like to lead as a founder—when you’re fundraising, vision-casting, discipling, and doing the setup and takedown every week. Matt shares what’s working for Fight Club, how they’ve grown their reach and community with...

In this solo episode of The Donor-Centric Approach, Orlando speaks directly to the founders and executive directors carrying the weight of the mission and the burden of fundraising. If you feel like you’re wearing every hat—and dropping balls in the process—this episode is your permission to stop doing it all.

💡 You’ll learn:

• The 3 fundraising roles only you can own

• The 3 things you should let go of today

• How to create a...

In this solo episode of The Donor-Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros breaks down one of the most powerful yet overlooked fundraising tools: clear messaging.

Forget jargon and generic slogans. Orlando introduces a simple but game-changing framework—Problem, Vision, Invitation—that helps nonprofit leaders and fundraisers speak directly to the hearts of their donors. Whether you're crafting your next app...

Is your fundraising always in reactive mode? Scrambling to write last-minute appeals, chase down donors, or meet arbitrary goals? It doesn’t have to be that way.

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros shows you how to shift from chaos to clarity by creating a simple, effective 90-day fundraising plan.

💡 What you’ll learn in this episode: ✅ Why quarterly planning beats annual wish lists and month-to-mont...

Are you unintentionally missing the mark with your major donor pitches?

In this solo episode, Orlando shares powerful, behind-the-scenes insights into what major donors and funders are actually looking for when deciding whether or not to support your nonprofit or ministry. Drawing from years of experience coaching nonprofit leaders and consulting directly with funders, Orlando outlines the five critical factors that high-capacity d...

In this solo episode, Orlando Barros breaks down one of the most overlooked (yet mission-critical) areas in nonprofit fundraising: stewardship.

If you’ve ever felt like donors give once and then disappear—or if you’re stuck in a cycle of constantly chasing new donors—this episode is for you.

🎯 What you'll learn:

• Why most stewardship efforts fall flat—and how to avoid the same mistakes

• What donors actually want after making...

If your team ever says, “We just don’t have the time or staff to focus on fundraising,” this episode is for you. In this solo episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros breaks down how any nonprofit or ministry—no matter how small—can shift from a scarcity mindset to a development culture that works.

💡 In this episode, you'll learn: ✅ What a culture of development really is (and what it’s not) ✅ 3 mindset shifts to...

If you’ve ever told a story in an appeal, newsletter, or donor meeting and it didn’t land, this episode is for you. In this solo session of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros unpacks the storytelling mistakes most nonprofits make—and how to fix them fast.

💡 What you'll learn in this episode: ✅ Why many nonprofit stories fall flat with donors ✅ The “People–Pivot–Purpose” storytelling framework ✅ How to write stories th...

In this inspiring episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Peter Levesque, Founder and Executive Director of Xavier Mission Fund, to explore the powerful role of administrative support and donor partnerships in launching new Catholic ministries.

Peter shares the story behind Xavier Mission Fund’s founding, the real challenges early-stage ministries face, and how his team walks alongside new apostola...

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, Orlando Barros welcomes Jessica Root, Executive Director of House of Mercy, a Catholic nonprofit serving thousands of families through its food pantry, thrift store, and donation center.

Jessica shares the power of meeting real needs with dignity, the challenges of running a fast-growing nonprofit, and the fundraising insights she’s gained from years of hands-on experience in executive...

Are you leading a nonprofit or ministry without a full-time development staff? Maybe you're doing everything yourself—running programs, writing thank-you notes, and trying to raise money in the margins of your day. If that’s you, this episode is for you.

In this solo episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros shares real talk and practical tools for nonprofit leaders who are fundraising solo or with a small team.

💡...

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Joelle Fitzmaurice, Development Coordinator at Catholic Terps, the vibrant Catholic campus ministry at the University of Maryland.

Together, they unpack how Catholic Terps is forming students to be faith-filled leaders—and the unique fundraising realities of operating a mission-based ministry on a secular college campus.

💡 What you’ll learn in this e...

Losing a child is one of the most heartbreaking experiences a parent can go through, yet so many families suffer in silence without the right support. In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Kelly Breaux, founder of Red Bird Ministries, to discuss how her organization is filling a critical gap in the Church by offering faith-based grief support to families who have lost a child.

💡 What you...

If your donors don’t immediately understand what you do, your fundraising will always feel like an uphill battle. A vague mission leads to vague fundraising results, but a clear mission leads to stronger donor engagement and better fundraising outcomes.

In this solo episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros walks you through how to define and refine your nonprofit’s mission so that fundraising becomes easier and mo...