Aisha Al-Amin, Heidi Pelletier and Musu Bakoto Sawo on saying ‘no’ to donors when values don’t align, and building equitable long-term giving strategies
From Can we talk about...? A podcast on leading for racial equity in philanthropy by Philanthropy Northwest
November 18, 2025 · 49 min · Season 3 · Episode 6
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges and joys of aligning donor relationships with equitable long-term giving strategies.
In episode 6 of our season on community philanthropy, Aisha Al-Amin (Development Director, Social Justice Fund), Heidi Pelletier (Chief Development Officer, Yakima Valley Community Foundation) and Musu Bakoto Sawo (Director of Fundraising and Grants, Community Foundation of Snohomish County), sit down with Mares to discuss that while grantmaking has shifted, donor relationships and fundraising is stuck in the past. They share both the challenges and joys of working with donors on creating mor...
People in this episode
Host: Mares
Guests: Aisha Al-Amin, Heidi Pelletier, Musu Bakoto Sawo
Topics covered
- donor relationships
- fundraising
- equity in philanthropy
- community philanthropy
- long-term giving strategies
Keywords
- grantmaking
- donor alignment
- fundraising challenges
- social justice
- philanthropy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Social Justice Fund, Yakima Valley Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Snohomish County
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