Live Nonprofit Training Webinar
How Donors Decide
Stop guessing what donors want. Start understanding how they decide.
Most fundraising training focuses on how to ask for money. This webinar takes a different approach: understanding what’s happening from the donor’s perspective before, during, and after they give.
Fundraising coach Nate Hilpert sat down with 21 major donors who have collectively given more than $106 million to understand how they actually make giving decisions. His research revealed a clear three-step process —
Discover, Purchase, Deliver — and specific expectations nonprofits must
meet at each stage.
In this practical training, you’ll learn how to identify where donors are getting stuck, understand why even loyal supporters sometimes stop giving, and uncover opportunities to strengthen the donor experience at your organization.
You’ll also leave with a practical worksheet you can immediately apply to your own donor list.
Date: Thursday, November 12th, 2026 · Time: 12:00–1:00 PM CST · Format: Live Zoom Call
Hosted by The Center for Nonprofit Success
Webinar at a glance
Insights drawn from interviews with 21 major donors who have given more than $106 million
A practical framework for understanding how donors move from discovering your organization to continuing their support
The key reasons donors hesitate, disengage, or stop giving altogether
A simple worksheet you can immediately use to evaluate your own donor relationships
Ideal for: Executive directors, development professionals, fundraising staff, board members, and nonprofit leaders who want to better understand donor behavior and build stronger, longer-lasting donor relationships.
Why this webinar
Understand Giving From the Donor’s Perspective
Fundraising often focuses on what nonprofits need to say, ask, or do. But lasting donor relationships require understanding the other side of the conversation: how donors actually make decisions about where they give and whether they give again.
Drawing from interviews with 21 major donors who have collectively given more than $106 million, this session gives you a firsthand look at the patterns behind those decisions. You’ll learn where donor relationships commonly break down, why loyal supporters sometimes disappear, and how to create an experience that gives donors more reasons to stay engaged.
Who should attend
Development and fundraising professionals who want to strengthen donor relationships and improve retention
Executive directors and nonprofit leaders who play an active role in cultivating and securing major gifts
Board members and fundraising committee members who want to better understand what motivates donors to give — and give again
Can’t attend live? Register anyway and we’ll send you the full recording and materials within 24 hours.
What you’ll learn
Understand What Drives Donor Decisions
Walk away with practical insights you can use to identify where donor relationships break down, strengthen engagement, and keep supporters giving.
Understand How Donors Decide
Learn the Discover, Purchase, Deliver framework and what donors are thinking at each stage of their giving journey.
Identify Why Donors Stop Giving
Discover the common breakdowns that cause even loyal donors to disengage — and how to recognize when a donor relationship may be at risk.
Strengthen Your Donor Relationships
Learn how to spot where individual donors are getting stuck and use a practical worksheet to immediately evaluate and improve your own donor relationships.
Your Instructor
Nate Hilpert
Nate Hilpert is a fundraising coach who helps small nonprofits build stronger donor relationships and create fundraising strategies that last. He has personally raised more than $3 million and made over 3,000 donor asks throughout his career.
Wanting to understand giving from the donor’s perspective, Nate interviewed 21 major donors who have collectively contributed more than $106 million. Those conversations revealed clear patterns in how donors discover organizations, decide to give, and determine whether to continue their support.
Through Fix Fundraising, Nate turns those insights into practical strategies nonprofits can use to better understand their donors, strengthen relationships, and build more sustainable fundraising programs.
About The Center for Nonprofit Success
Practical training for mission-driven leaders
The Center for Nonprofit Success equips social sector leaders with the tools to plan, fund, and manage their organizations effectively. Our webinars are designed to be immediately actionable, with an emphasis on templates, examples, and peer-tested approaches.
“I am thrilled that The Center for Nonprofit Success will provide deeper training and guidance with community is coming to Central Texas.”
-Nancy Krenek, CEO ROCK
Reserve your spot
How Donors Decide
Date: Thursday, November 12th, 2026
Time: 12:00–1:00 PM Central
Location: Live Zoom session + recording
Register for the webinar
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