Most days, when I sit down with my morning cup of coffee, our little dog Bailey at my side, I begin scrolling through LinkedIn posts. Yes, that’s where I go first, because the content is usually more aligned with my interests there—and it’s relevant to me and how I’ve spent my career as the founder/CEO of Douglas Shaw & Associates.

Every nonprofit leader eventually faces decisions that do not come with easy answers. In these moments, the value of a fundraising consultant isn’t measured by the number of campaigns they have managed or the strategies they have recommended. It comes down to something much simpler:

How do you know if a new idea will work to strengthen your donor file? Test, test, test. It’s a “simple” solution, but it typically garners big answers that give you guidance on what to do next.

A bed filled for the night. A hot meal, served to someone who hadn’t eaten in a while. A surgery for a child in need. A life transformed by hearing God’s Word. For many organizations, these show up as line items in a monthly newsletter or an annual report.

I receive a lot of emails and phone calls from nonprofit organizations and ministries inquiring about our fundraising services. Unfortunately, I can’t help everyone who asks.

If you spend enough time around fundraising professionals, you’ll eventually hear the debate: Direct mail is still the gold standard. Digital is the future. Email is the highest ROI. Phone calls build relationships. The problem is that donors don’t see and don’t care about these distinctions. They aren’t thinking about channels—they’re thinking about whether they trust your organization enough to respond when you ask for help.

I’ve recently been watching a lot of Marvel movies—one of my daughters has become a big fan. Sharing these stories with her has been a lot of fun, and during a recent rewatch of Guardians of the Galaxy, one scene struck me as an unexpected fundraising lesson.