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Human-Centered Fundraising: Tammy Zonker Redefines What It Means to Be a Hero in Philanthropy

Fundraisers today are carrying a lot. You’re navigating a more complex giving landscape, juggling the pressure to raise more with the desire to honor community voices, and feeling the tension between donor-centered and community-centered approaches.

But what if that tension isn’t something to fix but something to evolve?

That’s exactly the powerful reframe that fundraising trailblazer Tammy Zonker, founder of Fundraising Transformed and author of the new book Calling All Heroes, brings to the table. And wow, her perspective feels like a deep, grounding exhale.

Tammy’s career spans nearly three decades, more than $1 billion raised, and even a single $27M gift. But it’s her philosophy, that fundraising must now become human-centered, that’s lighting up the sector. And her story from Detroit, where her team tripled philanthropy in three years and doubled it again soon after, shows exactly what happens when heart and data finally meet.

Let’s dig into the lessons that every nonprofit leader can take into 2025, 2026, and beyond.

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Why the “Old Way” Isn’t Enough Anymore

For years, fundraisers have been pulled between two worlds:

• Donor-centered fundraising, which has boosted giving but can unintentionally reinforce harmful power dynamics.
• Community-centered fundraising, which honors equity and lived experience but can be complex to operationalize.

Tammy argues that we’re ready for something bigger: human-centered fundraising, a model that blends the strengths of both philosophies while reducing their limitations.

It’s a shift rooted in empathy, belonging, and actual listening. And it’s how nonprofit teams can align their values with their revenue goals again.

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The Detroit Case Study: A Blueprint for Transformational Growth

One of Tammy’s most powerful stories comes from her time at The Children’s Center in Detroit, a mental and behavioral health organization serving a richly diverse community.

When she arrived as Chief Philanthropy Officer, she didn’t start with messaging or branding or major gift strategies.

She started with data.

She rolled up her sleeves and audited:

• Every revenue stream
• Cost per dollar raised
• ROI on events, grants, direct response
• Gift size and retention
• Donor demographics
• Gaps in channels like monthly and planned giving
• Who was — and was NOT — sitting at the table

And what she found is something you’ve probably seen in your own work:

• Overreliance on government funding
• No monthly giving program
• No planned giving pipeline
• An aging and homogenous donor base
• A massive opportunity to engage younger supporters and people of color

Then came the real work, building the infrastructure, nurturing new segments, strengthening monthly giving, rebuilding trust in the community, and inviting neighbors into the mission with authenticity and intention.

The result? Tripled philanthropy in three years. Doubled again before her departure.

But more importantly… a stronger, more inclusive ecosystem of supporters who felt both seen and needed.

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Why Some Orgs Are Thriving With Younger Donors And Some Aren’t

Tammy sees a clear pattern:

Younger generations aren’t rejecting philanthropy.
They’re rejecting philanthropy that doesn’t include them.

Organizations that thrive with Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha are the ones that:

• Stay curious
• Co-create engagement opportunities with their audiences
• Prioritize dialogue over assumptions
• Offer hands-on involvement (volunteering often precedes giving)
• Build trust through transparency and real leadership voices
• Champion causes over brands

This is where human-centered fundraising shines, because it treats supporters not as donors or prospects, but as partners with agency, ideas, and lived experience.

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A New Kind of Hero in Philanthropy

In Calling All Heroes, Tammy reclaims a word many in the sector have grown wary of: hero.

She acknowledges its complicated history: saviorism, classism, and the way power imbalances can distort even the best intentions.

But she invites us to take back its truest meaning.

A hero is someone who:

• Acts with courage
• Leads with integrity
• Stands up for what’s right
• Uses their gifts, time, talent, treasure, or voice to strengthen community

And in fundraising, that means donors and volunteers, staff and beneficiaries, board members and neighbors.

Everyone belongs. Everyone contributes. Everyone matters.

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So…How Do You Start Moving Toward a Human-Centered Model?

Tammy shares one beautifully simple step that any nonprofit can begin this week: Reach out to one person each week and listen.

Not a major donor.
Not a VIP.
Not a board chair.

Someone who is close to the mission.

A monthly donor.
A first-time giver.
A volunteer.
A beneficiary family.
A staff member.
A parent.
A community member who shows up again and again.

Ask them:

• What’s been meaningful to you about giving your time or resources?
• How does this work affect you?
• What do you wish we understood better?
• What does partnership look like to you?

This is how human-centered fundraising begins, with real stories, real voices, and real relationships.

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Why This Framework Matters Now More Than Ever

We’re heading into a new year when nonprofits are navigating:

• Rising costs
• Declining individual donor counts
• Fatigued staff
• Shifts in generational wealth
• A greater demand for equity and representation

Human-centered fundraising isn’t just a feel-good idea. It’s a strategic imperative.

Because:

• Donor-centered thinking grows generosity.
• Community-centered thinking grows justice.
• Human-centered thinking grows both together.

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Ready to Rethink Your Fundraising Approach?

If you’ve been feeling stuck between values and revenue goals, if you’ve wondered how to diversify your donor base, or if you’re craving a more sustainable and inclusive fundraising model: Tammy’s approach is the roadmap to build what’s next. And Calling All Heroes is quickly becoming required reading for anyone ready to lead with courage, authenticity, and impact.

Your fundraising can evolve, and your community will be stronger for it.

Resources & Links

Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn and learn more about her book, Calling All Heroes. Plus, if you buy the book and enter your receipt number, you’ll be invited to a FREE 90 minute webinar in February about the principles of human-centered fundraising.

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