What does it take to triple the impact of a campaign?
Barbara Shelton, Senior Consultant at M. Gale, says it starts with curiosity, strategy, and slowing down.
In this episode of ChatBytes, Barbara shares her journey from social work to fundraising leadership, and how her lens as a relationship-builder shapes the way she approaches major gift work today. Now specializing in transformative fundraising campaigns, she partners with clients to lead them through sophisticated solicitation strategy—starting with robust prospect profiles.
Working at the highest levels of giving, Barbara explains why 20-page donor dossiers are not just useful—they’re vital. But she doesn’t stop there. She walks her clients through the profile, surfaces key insights, and facilitates strategy discussions that spark creativity and elevate both gift officer and donor expectations.
“Behind every report is a real person and a real family with hopes and challenges,” she says.
Barbara emphasizes the importance of listening, collaboration, and patience—especially with complex family structures, multi-generational giving, and donor-advised funds. One campaign took four years of thoughtful strategy and cultivation. The result? A gift that tripled the original ask.
She also pushes back on the trend of “speed over substance.” As AI disrupts research workflows and transactional fundraising grows, Barbara urges us not to lose the value of interpretation, strategy, and team-based solicitation. Researchers are more than data providers—they’re consultants, she says, and they belong at the strategy table.
Resources Mentioned
- Connect with Barbara Shelton | LinkedIn
- Explore the Aspire Research Group
- Learn more about M.Gale