What Did Nonprofits Learn About Donor Engagement at the OneCause RAISE Conference 2025?

The Levitate team has returned from an inspiring time at the OneCause RAISE: The Event Fundraising Conference 2025 in San Antonio, TX. The atmosphere at the Marriott Riverwalk was full of passion and purpose, and we’re grateful to the entire OneCause team—especially Dawn Lego—for organizing an exceptional experience.

From the VIP reception at Casa Rio, where we heard from CEO Steve Johns about the impact of the fundraising community, to the bustling exhibitor hall, the conference was an essential opportunity to listen to the challenges facing mission-driven organizations today.

What Are the Biggest Pain Points for Nonprofit Organizations?

Connecting with executive directors and development teams reinforced that while the mission is strong, the daily realities of running a nonprofit are complex. The conversations we had consistently pointed to a few critical areas of need:

• Securing and Diversifying Funding: The perpetual challenge of maintaining a steady cash flow and navigating uncertainty in the grant space.
• Resource and Staffing Shortages: Nonprofits are consistently working with limited resources and staff, meaning they need solutions that save time, not add complexity.
• Donor Retention and Frequency: The need to reignite donors and increase donor frequency to ensure long-term stability.
• Staying Top-of-Mind: Breaking through the noise with consistent, proactive outreach and effectively sharing events and updates without burdening a lean team.

These core issues highlight why personalized, automated communication is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity for organizational survival and growth.

Celebrating Mission-Driven Work: The RAISE Award Winners

One of the highlights of the VIP reception was celebrating the outstanding work being done across the nonprofit landscape. Congratulations to all the award recipients for their incredible contributions:

• Fundraiser of the Year: Ignacio Lopez, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance
• Innovative Nonprofit (Rev. < $5M): Habitat for Humanity of Lenawee County
• Innovative Nonprofit (Rev. > $5M): Radiant Health Centers
• Storyteller of the Year (Rev. < $5M): Make Mental Health Matter
• Storyteller of the Year (Rev. > $5M): The Center for Literacy and Learning

Connecting for a Cause: Partnerships and Clients

We were thrilled to connect with both current Levitate-supported nonprofits and new partners. It was fantastic to finally meet clients face-to-face, including CeCe Reyes with the Boys & Girls Club of The Permian Basin—proof that our platform is helping incredible organizations every day.

We also made new connections and learned more about the services helping nonprofits, especially our “booth neighbors:”

• Sarah Hickman of Print It Forward: This organization provides high-quality, full-service digital and offset printing, helping nonprofits with everything from large event signage to direct mail campaigns while providing inclusive hiring practices and community-focused initiatives. 
• Tom Summa of HGA Fundraising: A trusted fundraising consulting company that helps nonprofits run successful campaigns for big ticket auctions, develop comprehensive strategies, and lowers the cost barrier to smaller nonprofits to utilize expensive giveaways.

Working with friends and partners like these ensures that our shared audience—nonprofits focused on donor relationships—has access to a complete toolkit for success. It was also wonderful to meet nonprofit leaders like Kerry Jo Katz and Christopher Stibbs from Growing Futures, based in Kansas City. No two nonprofits are alike and hearing the missions that drive these unique organizations highlights the tailored strategies needed to achieve their goals. At Levitate, we love to see those goals turned into reality. 

A Thank You to Our Local San Antonio Clients

While in San Antonio, we took the opportunity to host a separate appreciation event for our local area clients who use Levitate across various industries.

We capped off our time by inviting attendees and current clients to The Pink Shark in downtown. This Levitate-hosted event allowed us to thank clients like Ryan McLoughlin of McLoughlin Insurance Services, Karen Marvel of Marvel Law, and Bianca Gonzalez from Secure Financial Management, for trusting Levitate with their small businesses. Enjoying San Antonio like a local over conversations and pizza was the perfect way to bring our digital relationships into the real world.

Looking Ahead to OneCause RAISE 2026

Thank you again to Dawn Lego and all of OneCause for having us as a sponsor. The connections made and the insights gained will shape how Levitate continues to serve the nonprofit community in the year ahead. We look forward to continuing these conversations and are excited to see everyone at OneCause RAISE 2026 in Chicago!

Are You Ready for a Simpler, More Proactive Donor Strategy?

If your nonprofit is struggling with the pain points we heard at RAISE—limited staff, donor retention, and staying top-of-mind—Levitate can help. Our personalized communication platform is designed to save you time and automate the meaningful outreach your donors need.

Don’t let resource shortages keep you from growing your mission. Click here to book a demo and see how Levitate can help you nurture relationships and raise more funds.