About this episode

Dean Axelrod discusses building a donor strategy that values every gift and the importance of relationship building in philanthropy.

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Dean Axelrod, Vice President of Partnerships and Philanthropy at Direct Relief. Dean's career has spanned business, law, and financial services. But the common thread? Helping people and organizations succeed. His core belief? If someone is giving all they have to give, they're a major donor. No matter the dollar amount. You'll hear about: Why Direct Relief moved away from traditional major donor definitions How to build a stewardship philosophy rooted in gratitude and impact The balance between thanking donors and confidently making asks How to use technology to scale personalization without losing the human touch Why hiring for culture fit matters more than hiring fast How to prepare for the future of fundraising in an era of rapid change Dean also shares why every communication should carry value to the donor, not just value to the organization. And why confidence in asking comes from laying the relational groundwork first. Links from the episode: Connect with Dean on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-axelrod-mba-jd-bb010071/ Learn more about Direct Relief: https://www.directrelief.org/ Looking for…

People in this episode

Hosts: Carly, Scott

Guest: Dean Axelrod

Topics covered

• donor strategy
• philanthropy
• stewardship
• fundraising
• technology in non-profits
• relationship building

Keywords

• donor strategy
• philanthropy
• stewardship
• fundraising
• technology
• relationship building
• major donors

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Direct Relief, Virtuous Software, LinkedIn, virtuous.org

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• EP 82: Building Diversified Donor Portfolios with Audrey Cooper · April 27, 2026 · 26 min
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• EP 80: Building Healthy Nonprofit Cultures That Fight Burnout with Dr. Jeff McGee · April 2, 2026 · 27 min
• EP 79: Building AI-Powered Major Gift Programs That Don't Lose the Human Touch with Griff Bohm · March 25, 2026 · 32 min
• EP 78: Building a Loyalty Program That Celebrates Every Gift with Carly Plate and Dominika McLean · March 19, 2026 · 33 min
• EP 76: How to Build a Brand That Drives Long-Term Fundraising Growth with Donna Lucas · March 5, 2026 · 48 min

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