EPISODE 114
Episode 114 of Tales From the Trenches Tuesdays features James Misner. James has spent over two decades in the fundraising world. If his recent appearance on Tales from the Trenches is any indication, he has lost none of his passion for it. The founder of The Kipos Group, which he launched in 2022 to help small and midsized nonprofits sustainably grow their revenue, James came to the conversation with the kind of hard-won clarity that only comes from years in the field.
When asked what he loves most about fundraising, James didn’t hesitate. He pointed to the moment a donor truly internalizes the impact of their giving — when the connection between their contribution and a real-world outcome suddenly clicks. He also singled out coaching younger fundraisers, particularly the breakthrough moment when they stop thinking of themselves as salespeople and start seeing their role differently.
When they realize it’s not about them at all — that their job is to be a facilitator and a guide — it just frees them to be so much more creative and so much more impactful.
That reframing, from pitcher to guide, is central to how James approaches the profession. He’s equally candid about what he finds frustrating: the organizational energy wasted on trivialities like list pulls and holiday card logistics. His point isn’t just humorous. It’s a quiet argument for keeping the mission front and center rather than getting lost in the weeds.
The Future of Fundraising
On the question of where fundraising is headed, James offered a perspective that is both grounding and forward-looking. He’s skeptical that the fundamentals will ever really change. Identifying problems, inviting people into solutions, and telling compelling stories — these have always been the core of the work, and he believes they always will be. What changes, he argues, is the delivery. Social media, AI, and immersive technologies like virtual reality will reshape how organizations communicate their mission. But the human invitation at the heart of giving will remain constant.
For anyone working in the nonprofit space, James Misner’s perspective is a useful reset: stay close to the mission, invest in the human connection, and don’t spend too much time arguing about who signs the Christmas cards.
Just click on the picture of James below to hear our conversation.
L’chaim,
jack
