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September 28, 2025 4 mins

Most nonprofits plan their year with the same old calendar—Giving Tuesday, year-end appeal, a spring gala, maybe a fall walk-a-thon. But here’s the secret: donors don’t give to dates—they give to stories.


In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly shows you how to use AI to craft an annual giving theme that transforms your fundraising into a story donors can follow all year long. Learn how to anchor your theme, align it with quarterly campaigns, and amplify it across every channel so your fundraising feels cohesive, compelling, and unstoppable.


You’ll discover:


  • How to brainstorm story-driven annual themes in minutes with AI.
  • The Anchor → Align → Amplify framework for planning your fundraising year.
  • How to turn campaigns into “chapters” donors actually follow.
  • Real nonprofit examples that grew revenue 34% using annual themes.


Don’t just run campaigns. Tell a story, anchor your year in a theme, and watch donors stay engaged every chapter of the way.


Head over to our Instagram and DM us the word "AI' for our Free AI Nonprofit Growth Playbook. https://www.instagram.com/charityauctionstoday


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