Sipping Tea with Sabrina: Generosity Beyond Seasons and Giving Requests
June 24, 2025
In a candid new episode of Sipping Tea with Sabrina, host and CEO of Building Better Boards, Sabrina Walker Hernandez sits down with John Bromley, CEO of Charitable Impact to flip common giving wisdom on its head.
What if donors aren’t thinking about your cause most of the time? And what happens when generosity isn’t confined to a holiday season push? Bromley and Hernandez dig into why too many nonprofits rely on seasonal appeals and how that approach can leave donors feeling like “ATM machines” rather than engaged partners in impact.
Drawing on two decades of experience in both corporate finance and philanthropy, Bromley argues for a shift from “charity-centric” to truly “donor-centric” giving. He likens a donor-advised fund to a personal “bank account for your charitable giving,” letting supporters commit first to generosity, then choose causes and organizations at their own pace. It’s a model that, he says, can nurture lifelong, proactive givers instead of one-off contributors scrambling to make end-of-year donations.
Highlights include:
Debunking busy-donor myths: “Most of us have lives—kids, work, dinner to make—so nonprofits need to earn their place in our inboxes every day,” Bromley reminds listeners.
From raffle-ticket guilt to strategic impact: Rather than feeling bad at the grocery store checkout, donors can use an “impact account” to budget and plan gifts year-round.
Community lessons from religion and sports: Just as church congregations and youth soccer teams socialize and reinforce their values, nonprofits must create spaces where giving is nurtured, modeled and celebrated.
Whether you’re a fundraiser, a board member or an individual planning your legacy, this episode offers fresh strategies for building a culture of generosity that lasts all 365 days of the year. Check it out: