In Fundraising, Donors Are the Bread That Holds Everything Together

At the beginning of 2026, like many people looking for a fresh start, I spent some time choosing a “word for the year.” I hoped it would guide me through a year that I already knew might be complicated — and maybe help keep one of my personal tendencies in check: the instinct to disconnect when things get overwhelming. I wanted a word that would remind me to stay present.

The word I chose was AVAILABLE.

There are a lot of people counting on me (more on that in a bit), and I want to be available to them — both physically and emotionally. I want to be open to their needs and present in their lives in whatever way they need. Sometimes that means helping solve a problem; other times it simply means listening.

Alongside being present for w and our clients, I also wanted to be more available to the people in my personal life. Too often I’ve buried myself in work and left the management of everyday life to my husband. Yes, I know how very lucky I am. At other times, I’ve stepped away from professional goals to meet the needs of family. No shade here — we really can’t have everything at the same time. So the question became: how could I focus on this intentional availability and still have a little of myself left at the end of the day?wwwww.teamkatandmouse.com

Psychology Today uses the phrase “Club Sandwich Generation” to describe adults who are simultaneously caring for three generations: young children, adult children, and aging parents or grandparents. That’s me… sort of. I’m not literally caretaking for anyone besides myself — which is probably why my word of the year isn’t something more active like manage or fix. But I am trying to be available to help my aging mother and aunt, my siblings, my children, and — gasp — my grandchildren.

Life, at times, feels a bit like a club sandwich: a lot of layers, stacked together and somehow expected to hold.

And that same layered reality shows up in the life of a Chief Development Officer. People often describe the job as “wearing many hats,” but lately I’ve been thinking of it more like building a sandwich. Each responsibility is another layer — events, foundation grants, corporate partnerships, communications, donor stewardship, technology, board relations. They’re all important ingredients, each bringing a different flavor and texture to the work.

But here’s the thing about a sandwich: none of those ingredients matter much without the bread that holds everything together.

In fundraising, donors are the bread.

Events may bring energy. Foundations provide critical funding. Communications tell the story. Technology keeps us organized. Corporate partners expand the circle. But donors — individual people who believe in the mission — are what hold the entire effort together. Without them, the other ingredients don’t quite make a meal.

And there’s another layer to the analogy. Just as families rely on us to be present — to help navigate challenges, recognize strengths, and find opportunities for growth — the rest of an organization often relies on its Chief Development Officer in a similar way. Program leaders, executive directors, board members, communications staff, and volunteers all bring their own ingredients to the table. The CDO is often the person helping to connect those pieces, highlighting where things are working well, identifying where something might need attention, and helping the team see opportunities they might not see from their own vantage point.

Sometimes that means offering encouragement. Sometimes it means asking hard questions. And sometimes it means being the one who says, “This is a lot — maybe it’s time to bring in another set of hands.”

Because just like in family life, trying to hold all the layers together by yourself rarely works for very long.

Maybe that’s where my word of the year comes back into play.

Being available — to family, to colleagues, to clients, and to donors — is really about making sure the layers stay connected. It’s about showing up consistently enough that the whole structure holds, while also recognizing when the sandwich is getting a little too tall and it’s time to ask for help.

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e whether we’re talking about families or fundraising, the truth is the same: the layers matter, but the relationships are what hold everything together.

If you think it’s time to bring in additional support, maybe Team Kat & Mouse is just the condiment you need to make a perfect sandwich.

Call to discuss our availability and expertise.