Making the Secret Sauce in Real-Time

“Right now, there’s no secret sauce. The sauce is being made right now. The old approach is not going to get it,” Christopher Beck, CAP, IPA, associate director of planned and individual giving at the High Museum of Atlanta, told hosts Emily Leitzinger, MS, CFRE, CNP and Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier, CFRE, ACNP, GPC, CAP, on the most recent episode of Rising Voices of Fundraising: The AFP Emerging Leaders Podcast. 

We asked Christopher to join us on the show to talk about fundraising innovation. Three months into his new role at the High Museum, after having spent the last 17 years at various roles within St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, we hoped Beck could shine a light on the long-standing strategies he’s found successful during his tenure at St. Jude’s as well as the cutting-edge tactics he plans to implement in his new position. 

During our conversation, a couple of key themes emerged. While Christopher still advocates for some tried and true principles such as relationship building and listening, he also highlighted for us a couple of emerging trends that are top of mind for him right now. Here’s a couple quick takeaways from our conversation:

Disconnect Between Leadership and Fundraisers 
One of the key challenges fundraisers today are facing is the disconnect that can exist between leadership expectations and the reality for frontline fundraisers, particularly this year, as federal funding becomes increasingly uncertain. To bridge this gap, Christopher advocates for open dialogue and honest conversations. Bring your C-suite executives or board members along to donor meetings—let them hear directly from those on the front lines. It's equally important they engage with the middle managers who serve as the critical link between staff and leadership. A clear understanding of the time and relationship-building required for major gifts is essential to realistic budgeting. Ambitious goals are valuable, but if they’re not grounded in reality, they risk driving burnout rather than results.

Continued Commitment to DEI 
During our conversation about the new fundraising landscape, Christopher acknowledges that nonprofits have a choice to make when it comes to DEI. Staying committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion may mean losing some donors in the short term, but it can also attract even more supporters whose values align with your organization’s mission. It’s a long-term investment in building a stronger, more values-driven donor community. On the other hand, if you abandon that commitment and later attempt to re-engage historically excluded communities, it will likely be seen as performative—a move for access rather than a reflection of genuine, sustained effort.

Giving Circles
When it comes specifically to innovation, Christopher points to giving circles as an underutilized way to engage with donors. A 2023 report, In Abundance: An Analysis of the Thriving Landscape of Collective Giving in the U.S., states that between 2017 and 2023, nearly 4,000 collective giving groups mobilized approximately 370,000 philanthropists to donate more than $3.1 billion. The same research indicates that participation and total monetary donations from giving circles are expected to double again in the next five years. For fundraisers looking to build deeper community connections and democratize philanthropy, giving circles offer a powerful model that blends engagement, equity, and collective impact.

To learn more, check out the full podcast episode, and subscribe to AFP’s Emerging Leaders Podcast for new episodes, coming out the third Thursday of every month.