283: Unlocking the Power of Mid-Level Donors with Ashley Hardt & Jeff Grandy

When the relationships stop evolving, so does the donor interest. Overlooked due to time constraints, fear of personal outreach, and assumptions, the mid-level donors are sitting in plain sight with loyalty, consistency, and readiness for more. Now is the time to explore the importance of personalized communication rather than polished campaigns, identifying donors with unrealized potential. From phone calls and stewardship touchpoints to reframing discomfort and prioritizing readiness, join with us and find out practical ways to build trust, deepen engagement, and unlock meaningful growth without overcomplicating the work. Our guests today are Ashley Hardt and Jeff Grandy. Ashley Hardt, CFRE, is a front-line fundraiser who weaves ideas into strategy through thoughtful connection and discernment. Her work with everyday and mid-level donors is grounded in moments that matter and the trust they inspire. Ashley invests in how fundraising is understood and practiced, so fundraisers work with greater clarity and donors encounter care, competence, and meaning wherever they give. Jeff is the vice president of client development at Catapult Fundraising. With over 10 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Jeff has first-hand experience in planned giving, major gifts, fund development, and also donor stewardship. He is creating vital resources for nonprofit organizations by leveraging his passion for philanthropy and expertise in development. He currently is in the lead of the Catapult team across the Greater Gulf Coast. In this episode, you will be able to:  Learn to rethink how mid-level donors are defined beyond gift size. Understand how to find donors with unrealized potential hidden in your data. Figure out how to use phone calls and stewardship touchpoints without fear of “over-asking”. Understand the shift from passive communication to intentional relationship-building. Get all the resources from today’s episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.