The Nonprofit Show
The Nonprofit Show is the nation’s daily broadcast for the business side of nonprofits — bringing you practical insights, expert interviews, and real-world strategies to help your organization run smarter, lead stronger, and fund better.
Each weekday, our co-hosts and guests break down the most current topics in fundraising, board governance, leadership, staffing, technology, communications, and financial strategy — giving nonprofit professionals the tools they need to build sustainable, high-performing organizations.
With more than 1,400 episodes and growing, our on-demand library is a trusted resource for executive directors, team members, fundraisers, board members, and sector leaders who are ready to move beyond inspiration and into implementation.
🎥 Watch the daily show on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3A0Dqlw
The Nonprofit Show
Donor Tiers That Actually Work: The Right Way To Segment Supporters
Fundraisers Friday is back, and Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall (Mr. Nonprofit Consultancy) tackle a topic that quietly runs the business side of fundraising: donor tier levels. If you’ve ever stared at your donor list and wondered, “Where do we start, and how do we keep this manageable?” this episode is your playbook.
They begin with the “why.” Tony frames donor tiers as a practical operating system, not a fancy fundraising accessory. Done well, tiers let you personalize messaging and protect your time by matching stewardship to giving level and relationship needs. In other words: less guessing, more intentional workflows. Tony puts it plainly: “The tiers really help you… organize your workflow and your bandwidth.” That’s a business benefit every nonprofit can appreciate, whether you’re running development solo or leading a full team.
Julia reinforces that tiers help organizations stop spinning their wheels. Once you know who’s in which group, you can plan communications, offers, and engagement with purpose instead of defaulting to blank-stare marketing meetings. As she says, “It kind of like helps you steer the ship.” The cohosts also emphasize that tiers are not “grades.” You’re not ranking human worth—you’re segmenting so you can communicate better and build a healthier donor experience.
From there, they move into how to set tiers responsibly: start with your giving data, avoid “one-size-fits-all,” and keep the number of tiers realistic (think three to six for most organizations). They also talk about naming your tiers for easier internal coordination and stronger external marketing—especially when the names align with your mission or community identity.
A standout real-world lesson comes from Julia’s local public radio example: a tiny, smart monthly ask (“just $5 more”) designed to move sustainers up a level. The business takeaway? When tiers are built on data and paired with clear value, you can create predictable pathways for donors to grow with you—without making it feel heavy or salesy.
00:00:00 Welcome to today’s topic donor tiers
00:01:10 Who Julia Patrick and Tony Beall are
00:01:42 The Architecture of Fundraising book and why it helps
00:03:48 Why donor tiers matter personalization and bandwidth
00:06:33 Build tiers from your own giving data
00:07:10 Donor tiers are not donor grades
00:08:37 How many tiers is too many three to six
00:09:16 Donors vs members and tier differences
00:10:16 Monthly sustaining donors as a unique tier
Find us Live daily on YouTube!
Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!
Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show
Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!
12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PT
Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com
Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show
