The Donor Centric Approach

Episode 11: The Art of Donor Connection – How to Tell Stories That Actually Land

If you’ve ever told a story in an appeal, newsletter, or donor meeting and it didn’t land, this episode is for you. In this solo session of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros unpacks the storytelling mistakes most nonprofits make—and how to fix them fast.
💡 What you'll learn in this episode:✅ Why many nonprofit stories fall flat with donors✅ The “People–Pivot–Purpose” storytelling framework✅ How to write stories that connect emotionally and move donors to action✅ Real-world examples from House of Mercy and Xavier Mission Fund✅ Expanded action steps to strengthen your next appeal, email, or campaign
Whether you're writing your next donor update or preparing a major gift ask, this episode will help you craft stories that resonate, inspire, and drive results.
🛠️ Actionable takeaways included.
🎧 Listen now and subscribe on your favorite podcast app!📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/
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Episode 10: Empowering Mission Startups – Inside Xavier Mission Fund’s Story with Peter Levesque

In this inspiring episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Peter Levesque, Founder and Executive Director of Xavier Mission Fund, to explore the powerful role of administrative support and donor partnerships in launching new Catholic ministries.
Peter shares the story behind Xavier Mission Fund’s founding, the real challenges early-stage ministries face, and how his team walks alongside new apostolates to remove administrative obstacles—freeing leaders to stay mission-focused and donor-ready.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ Why administration is often the “hidden ministry” behind mission success✅ How Xavier Mission Fund incubates new Catholic startups and ministries✅ How clarity in your mission story creates unity—and attracts donors✅ Strategies for overcoming donor fatigue and building lasting donor relationships✅ Actionable fundraising tips for startups with limited resources
❤️ Support Xavier Mission Fund:🌐 Visit: https://www.xaviermissionfund.org🤝 Connect with Peter: https://www.xaviermissionfund.org/connect
🎧 Listen now and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/
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Episode 9: Dignity, Impact & Donor Relationships – Inside House of Mercy’s Mission

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, Orlando Barros welcomes Jessica Root, Executive Director of House of Mercy, a Catholic nonprofit serving thousands of families through its food pantry, thrift store, and donation center.
Jessica shares the power of meeting real needs with dignity, the challenges of running a fast-growing nonprofit, and the fundraising insights she’s gained from years of hands-on experience in executive leadership.
💡 What you’ll hear in this episode:✅ How House of Mercy served 80,000+ people last year—and why dignity is at the heart of it all✅ One powerful story of a client-turned-entrepreneur whose life was transformed✅ Real talk about communicating impact to donors who may not relate to the problem✅ Strategies for building donor relationships without a large development team✅ Why in-person gatherings and storytelling are critical to their success
Plus: Jessica and Orlando reflect on their time working together—and what it really takes to build a fundraising strategy rooted in relationships, not transactions.
❤️ Support House of Mercy:🌐 Visit: https://houseofmercyva.org🎁 Donate or shop their Amazon Wish List📍 Volunteer or organize a food drive (if local to Northern VA)
🎧 Listen now and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform!📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/
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Episode 8: Fundraising Without a Team – Practical Strategies for Small Nonprofits

Are you leading a nonprofit or ministry without a full-time development staff? Maybe you're doing everything yourself—running programs, writing thank-you notes, and trying to raise money in the margins of your day. If that’s you, this episode is for you.
In this solo episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros shares real talk and practical tools for nonprofit leaders who are fundraising solo or with a small team.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ The top 3 challenges most small teams face in fundraising✅ A weekly framework you can use to stay focused and consistent✅ How to create systems without fancy tools or software✅ Why consistency beats complexity every time✅ Encouragement that you’re not too small to fundraise well
Whether you're the executive director, founder, or the one-person army behind your mission, this episode is packed with clarity, strategy, and encouragement to help you grow your fundraising without burning out.
🎧 Listen now and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!📩 Book a free strategy call with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/
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Episode 7: How Campus Ministry Transforms Lives – A Conversation with Catholic Terps

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Joelle Fitzmaurice, Development Coordinator at Catholic Terps, the vibrant Catholic campus ministry at the University of Maryland.
Together, they unpack how Catholic Terps is forming students to be faith-filled leaders—and the unique fundraising realities of operating a mission-based ministry on a secular college campus.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ Why college is one of the most spiritually formative seasons of life✅ How Catholic Terps reaches thousands of students through sacraments, service, and leadership✅ Two incredible student testimonies—one of which ends with a surprising vocation!✅ How Joelle connects donor interests to real-life impact✅ What every ministry can do today to improve donor retention and alumni engagement
❤️ Support Catholic Terps:🌐 Visit: https://catholicterps.org📅 Learn about the upcoming capital campaign & events🎁 Donate to support their growing mission
Whether you're leading a ministry or managing a nonprofit, this episode is packed with inspiring stories and practical fundraising strategies you can apply right away.
🎧 Listen now & subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media
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Episode 6: Faith, Healing & Fundraising – How Red Bird Ministries is Supporting Families Through Grief

Losing a child is one of the most heartbreaking experiences a parent can go through, yet so many families suffer in silence without the right support. In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Kelly Breaux, founder of Red Bird Ministries, to discuss how her organization is filling a critical gap in the Church by offering faith-based grief support to families who have lost a child.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ How Kelly’s personal journey of loss led her to start Red Bird Ministries✅ Why faith-based grief support is different from secular grief counseling✅ The fundraising challenges of running a ministry that isn’t tied to a single parish or diocese✅ How strong donor relationships make this mission possible✅ Practical fundraising takeaways for nonprofits facing similar challenges
❤️ Support Red Bird Ministries:🌐 Visit: https://www.redbird.love/📢 Follow them on social media: @redbirdministriesinc🙏 Help them continue their mission: https://www.redbird.love/giving-page
If you’re a ministry leader, nonprofit professional, or someone seeking to strengthen donor engagement, this episode is full of powerful insights on messaging, fundraising, and serving with faith.
🎧 Listen now & subscribe!📢 Connect with us:🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min
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Episode 5: The Power of Mission Clarity – How to Refine Your Nonprofit’s Messaging

If your donors don’t immediately understand what you do, your fundraising will always feel like an uphill battle. A vague mission leads to vague fundraising results, but a clear mission leads to stronger donor engagement and better fundraising outcomes.
In this solo episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros walks you through how to define and refine your nonprofit’s mission so that fundraising becomes easier and more effective.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ The biggest mistakes nonprofits make when defining their mission✅ A 3-step framework for clarifying your mission and messaging✅ How refining your mission leads to stronger donor relationships & increased giving✅ Three actionable steps you can take today to sharpen your messaging and fundraising strategy
If you’re a fundraising professional, development executive, or nonprofit leader, this episode will give you the tools to communicate your mission clearly and inspire more donor support.
🎧 Listen now & subscribe!📢 Connect with us:🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min
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Episode 4: Building Catholic Schools as Centers of Evangelization with Mission Driven Catholic

In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Dr. Dan Baillargeon, co-founder of Mission Driven Catholic, to explore the power of Catholic education as a tool for evangelization and the challenges of funding faith-based schools.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ Why Catholic schools must move from student-centric to family-centric education✅ How Mission Driven Catholic is helping schools become centers of evangelization✅ The transition from an LLC to a nonprofit and lessons learned along the way✅ The biggest fundraising challenges for Catholic schools—and how to overcome them✅ How to build a strong mission-driven organization with long-term sustainability
If you’re a Catholic school leader, nonprofit executive, or mission-driven organization, this episode is packed with insights on building a movement, engaging donors, and creating transformational change.
🎧 Listen now & subscribe!📢 Connect with us:🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min
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🎙️ Episode 3: How FORGE is Transforming Men & Strengthening Families 🎙️

In this powerful episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros sits down with Dr. John Bishop, founder of FORGE, an organization committed to forming men into the husbands, fathers, and leaders they were meant to be—all through a strong Catholic identity and brotherhood.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ The crisis of masculinity in today’s society and how FORGE is addressing it✅ The journey of a nonprofit founder—lessons from John Bishop’s experience in launching FORGE✅ The biggest fundraising challenges FORGE has faced and what’s worked in donor engagement✅ How to transition from personal fundraising to scalable donor development✅ Practical fundraising takeaways for any nonprofit leader
If you’re leading a mission-driven organization or nonprofit, this episode is packed with insights on building a movement, engaging donors, and scaling impact.
🎧 Listen now & subscribe!📢 Connect with us:🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min
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🎙️ Episode 2: How to Build a Winning Fundraising Strategy 🎙️

Nonprofit leaders—do you have a clear and effective annual fundraising plan in place? If not, you're not alone! In this episode of The Donor Centric Approach, host Orlando Barros walks you through the key steps to developing a strong donor engagement and fundraising strategy that works.
💡 What you’ll learn in this episode:✅ Why having a structured annual development plan is crucial for nonprofit success✅ The 5 key steps to creating a fundraising plan that attracts and retains donors✅ Real-world examples of nonprofits that transformed their fundraising results✅ Three quick, actionable strategies you can implement today
If you’re an Executive Director, Development Officer, or nonprofit professional looking to take your fundraising efforts to the next level, this episode is for you!
🎧 Listen now & subscribe!📢 Connect with us:🌐 Learn more: https://mrpdonordev.com/📢 Follow @MRPDONORDEV on social media📩 Work with Orlando: https://calendly.com/orlando-mrpdonordev/45min
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