The Fundraising Reset: Retention, Reactivation, Results

What does it take to stabilize your donor pipeline, re-engage lapsed supporters, and grow fundraising revenue—without burning out your team?In this episode of The Intake, host Katherine Shenar is joined by Kendall Paul, CEO of the Vanderburgh Humane Society, and Kristin Serrano, Vice President and Managing Director at TrueSense Marketing, for a candid, data-driven conversation about building a smarter, more resilient fundraising program. Since 2022, Vanderburgh Humane Society and TrueSense have partnered to design and execute an integrated fundraising strategy rooted in strategic segmentation, donor retention, reactivation science, and disciplined acquisition modeling.The results are striking: the highest active donor count in five years, the successful reactivation of long-lapsed donors, and record-breaking fundraising revenue. Together, Kendall and Kristin walk through how the partnership worked, the decisions that mattered most, and what animal welfare organizations of any size can apply to strengthen their own fundraising efforts.If you’re a fundraiser navigating donor fatigue, retention challenges, or pressure to “do more with less,” this episode offers real-world insight—and a roadmap forward.