The best fundraisers know how to build authentic connections. Before any pitch or ask, they focus on getting to know the person sitting across from them. They consider what matters to them and what drives their giving. This level of thoughtfulness is at the heart of frontline fundraising. 

Frontline fundraising is any donor-facing work that involves one-on-one conversations. These conversations can happen anywhere from coffee shops to video calls, but no matter the setting, they are a valuable opportunity to build trust and explore what’s possible to accomplish together. 

Types of Frontline Fundraising Methods 

When it comes to preparing for frontline fundraising conversations, there are two common styles: presentation first and relationship first.

Some fundraisers embrace a polished, presentation-first style. This means fewer and more curated meetings. There might be a slide deck, client testimonials, facility tour, catered lunch, or professionally printed leave-behinds woven into the meetings. The goal is to create an impressive, informative experience. This method works well for some teams and settings, but at Fundraise, we lean more into a relationship-first approach.  

With relationship-first fundraising, donor meetings are more frequent and casual. They’re focused on connection, curiosity, and learning. This style means asking questions, listening well, and letting the relationship guide the next step. Relationship-first fundraisers strive to discover if there is natural alignment before ever making a pitch. 

Although both approaches of frontline fundraising have their place, this article is designed for relationship-first fundraisers who are stepping into early conversations, growing individual giving strategies, or meeting with a potential donor for the very first time. 

Right now, frontline fundraising meetings matter more than ever. With institutional funding becoming less predictable, individual donors are playing a bigger role in long-term sustainability, and these relationships often begin with thoughtful, human connection. Fundraising at the pace we need today means having more one-on-one conversations and making every interaction count. To improve your frontline fundraising and relationship building skills, follow the six steps our team has outlined below. 

The Six Steps to Excel as a Frontline Fundraiser 

Step One: Start with Your Real Goal

Before you research anything, pause and ask yourself what this meeting is really about.

If your goal is to build a relationship, then the meeting shouldn’t be structured like a pitch. You’re not here to sell. You’re here to learn. You’re here to show up as a real person and understand what this individual cares about.

That might sound obvious, but it changes how you prepare for your conversation. You’re not trying to memorize talking points. You’re creating space for trust. And you’re gathering the kind of insight that helps you know whether there’s genuine alignment between their priorities and your work.

This mindset also takes the pressure off. You’re not trying to close a gift. You are laying the groundwork for a meaningful partnership.

Step Two: Do Your Research, but Focus on Connection Points

Good preparation helps you show up with a more complete picture of the person and their connection to your cause. So instead of just pulling data about their giving capacity, seek to understand them more fully and build a dossier that you can mentally refer to during the conversation.

Look at their professional background and current role. Learn what you can about their giving history. Where do they give? What boards do they serve on? What causes do they seem to gravitate towards? Have they spoken publicly about issues they care about?

If they’re connected to a company, dig into the organization’s giving strategy. What kinds of communities do they support? What outcomes do they care about?

These insights are not intended to be shared during the meeting. Think of them as a secret avenue to asking better questions and finding genuine connection points. 

Step Three: Ask Thoughtful Questions

One of the best things you can do is to walk into the meeting with real curiosity. Not just about their giving, but about who they are and what they believe in. Ahead of one-on-one conversations, we love to map out potential questions and conversation topics. By showing more interest in learning about them than pitching your organization, you can truly uncover their motivations and capacity for giving. Frontline fundraising helps you move people in and out of your pipeline, setting you up for successful planning and donor engagement. 

Here’s a few questions we love to ask at this stage: 

• How did you get involved in philanthropy?
• Are there any causes or organizations that are meaningful to you?
• What drew you to supporting those causes?
• What makes a giving experience feel good or memorable?
• What do you look for in a partnership with an organization?
• What do you think about measuring impact?

With each question, our hope is to uncover more insight about their decision-making process, timeline for giving decisions, and the kind of partnership they’re looking for with the organizations they fund. We recommend letting their answers guide the next question. If they say they care deeply about education, ask what that looks like to them. If they mention wanting more transparency in impact, ask what that means in practice. These conversations should be flexible and fluid with organic sharing and moments of connection. 

Step Four: Be Ready to Share at the Right Moment

You should be ready to talk about your work when they ask.

Come prepared with a few stories or moments that show your mission in action. Think about what might resonate based on what you have learned so far. But let the donor’s interest guide how much you share and when you share it. 

If they ask what’s next for your organization, have a thoughtful answer prepared. If they want to know more about impact, have a story in your back pocket. We always find it helpful to come with a handful of talking points about key successes, current initiatives, and future goals. Sharing should feel natural and organic just like your meeting. 

Step Five: Plan Your Follow-Up Before the Meeting Happens

One of our favorite strategies is to begin preparing a follow-up document before the first meeting happens. We like to fill in an overview about the organization ahead of time and following the meeting customize it based on what we learned about their specific interests and priorities. This approach serves multiple purposes. It shows we were actively listening to what they shared, and it allows us to tailor our materials to highlight the alignment we discovered. It also gives us a natural reason to follow up within a few days of our meeting. We always send our follow-up document with a warm, personal note.

This kind of follow-up builds trust and shows respect while also giving the donor a clear sense of what it would be like to work with you, setting the tone for everything else that follows. 

Step Six: Be Patient and Stay the Course

At this stage, you’ve invested a lot of time and intentionality into building a relationship. Be patient. Relationship-first fundraising takes time, but when it works, it creates partnerships that are deeper, more sustainable, and ultimately more rewarding for everyone involved.

If you’re looking to build a donor strategy that’s grounded in real connection and long-term support, our team would love to work with you. Let’s connect! Click here to contact us.