Building Major Donor Relationships from the Ground Up Pt. 2 (An Interview with Tom Atema)

Nonprofit Launch Plan Podcast for Startup, Small, and Growing Nonprofits

In this second part of his conversation with veteran nonprofit leader Tom Atema, host Matt Stockman dives deeper into the heart of leadership and fundraising. With over 50 years of experience leading organizations like Heart for Lebanon, John Maxwell’s Equip, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Tom shares timeless wisdom for nonprofit founders and fundraisers on how to build meaningful relationships, steward donors well, and lead from a place of value—not pressure.

If you’ve ever struggled with donor burnout, awkward asks, or the tension between mission and money, this episode is for you.

💡 In This Episode You’ll Learn:

• Why “everything rises and falls on leadership.”
  Leadership is more than strategy—it’s about helping people see their God-given value and leading with integrity and purpose.
• The ideal size of a donor portfolio.
  Tom breaks down how many donor relationships a development officer can realistically manage (and why major donors require more care).
• The “cell phone test” for measuring real relationships.
  How to know whether your donor connections are truly personal—and why you should never give away a donor’s number before trust is earned.
• How to handle donor handoffs the right way.
  Step-by-step, Tom explains how to introduce a new development officer without losing relationships or momentum.
• Quarterly “Investor Calls” that mirror Wall Street.
  A brilliant idea from Heart for Lebanon—30-minute calls that combine storytelling, financial transparency, and donor engagement.
• How to build a healthy, accountable board.
  Tom outlines the difference between funding, operational, and governing boards—and why accountability boards drive sustainable impact.
• Why development officers burn out—and how to prevent it.
  Stop chasing money. Start developing people. Fundraising becomes joyful when it’s relational, not transactional.

🧭 Key Quotes

“You tell me how many people’s cell phone numbers you have in your phone, and I’ll tell you how good you are with relationships.” — Tom Atema

"Don’t chase money. Add value to people, and let God handle the outcomes.” — Tom Atema

“Leadership is a bigger deal than you think. Everything rises and falls on it.” — Tom Atema

🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Free PDF: From Dream to Action: Your Nonprofit Pre-Launch Checklist
  10 essential steps to move from idea to impact.

👉 Get it at NonprofitLaunchPlan.com
or email Matt at [email protected]

• Free Mini-Course: Fearless Fundraising
  A workbook and 5 short videos to help you build clear, confident fundraising messaging.
  👉 Download at NonprofitLaunchPlan.com

🙌 About the Guest: Tom Atema

Tom Atema is the co-founder and Chairman of Heart for Lebanon, a faith-based organization providing education, humanitarian relief, and the Gospel to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. He’s served in senior leadership roles at John Maxwell’s Equip, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and Word of Life Fellowship. Tom brings five decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, development, and strategic partnerships—always centered around people, not transactions.

🧩 Episode Takeaways

• Carry the right-sized portfolio—don’t overload your relationships.
• Earn trust one conversation at a time.
• Keep donors close with transparent quarterly calls.
• Let your board support momentum, not be the momentum.
• Above all, add value to people and let God handle the rest.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe

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➡️ Share this episode with another nonprofit founder or development officer who needs encouragement to lead with purpose, not pressure.