Welcome to The Giving Groove—your creative companion for the journey of fundraising, impact, and discovery
Fresh & exotic spices at the Lake Geneva Promenade Flea Market in Montreux, Switzerland © Tonya Hennessey
Tonya Hennessey is a fundraiser, writer, traveler, and entrepreneurial creative.
Let’s dive right in…
Hello - I believe that fundraising is more than a transaction—it’s an adventure, a craft, and a calling. Over the past three decades, I’ve helped environmental and human rights organizations of all sizes find their grants funding footing, navigate the wilds of funder prospecting, and tell their stories in ways that spark connection and action. My work has taken me from establishing foundation fundraising as a practice throughout Greenpeace International in the 1990s and early 2000s, a complex global environmental organization; back to Greenpeace from 2011-2013; to working as staff in a variety of other enviro and human rights nonprofits, including CorpWatch and the American Himalayan Foundation, to supporting small-to-medium-size nonprofits as a consultant (Amazon Watch, Mama Cash, The Watershed Project, and Pesticide Action & Agroecology Network), and even exploring the new frontiers of crypto philanthropy.
The Giving Groove is like a well-packed travel bag for changemakers: inside, you’ll find practical tools, creative inspiration, and stories from the road to help you chart your own path through the ever-evolving landscape of foundation and generalist fundraising and marketing. Whether you’re a seasoned foundation fundraiser, a nonprofit leader wearing many hats, or a curious soul launching your first campaign, you’ll find guidance, encouragement, and a sense of community here. The Giving Groove comes out weekly on Tuesdays, with Premium content on Thursdays.
What You’ll Find Inside
Field Notes & How-Tos: Actionable strategies for approaching funders, prospecting, and building sustainable general fundraising programs—always with a dash of creativity and a focus on what works in the real world.
Resource Roundups: Curated lists of tools, templates, and fundraising resources, including insights on using AI to make your work easier and more effective.
Stories from the Field: Candid tales and case studies from my own journey and from fellow fundraisers, highlighting both the triumphs and the lessons learned along the way.
Consultant’s Corner: Advice for those striking out on their own—finding the right clients, building good relationships, and embracing the freelance adventure.
Business Frontiers: Exploring local and medium-sized business partnerships, and emerging trends like crypto philanthropy.
Who This Newsletter Is For
Foundation fundraisers and development professionals at organizations large and small
Leaders and staff at medium and smaller-sized nonprofits, especially those working in environmental and human rights spaces
Social entrepreneurs, consultants, and anyone passionate about making a difference through creative, ethical fundraising
Why The Giving Groove?
I started this newsletter to create a space that feels like a campfire on the trail—a place to gather, share wisdom, and set out together toward new horizons. Fundraising can be daunting, isolating, and ever-changing, but it can also be deeply rewarding, collaborative, and full of possibility. My aim is to offer not just information, but inspiration: to help you find your rhythm, your groove, and your confidence as you raise resources for the causes you care about.
How I Make This:
The Giving Groove is AI-assisted in generating article drafts and brainstorming with Claude, and creating images with OpenAI Images for my Notes to keep branding consistent.
I read, edit, and finalize each and every article and note myself, as well as my content calendar. This is a newsletter to share fundraising knowledge, experience, wisdom, how-to’s, and tips and tricks. It’s not poetry, prose, or fiction. I’m happy to be transparent about it, and hope that you appreciate my approach.
All of my article and other photographs are original, I take them myself. I don’t create human likenesses with AI or works of art. My notes images are very clearly illustrative and not likenesses.
I’m a one-woman shop, and have a day job that entails fundraising clients, travel and food writing (original content), and other creative endeavors. A moderate level of ethical AI assistance allows me to be more prolific, always with a human eye; stay current with new technology; and stay competitive as an indepedent freelancer and entrepreneur in the 21st century.
Ready to join the journey?
Subscribe to The Giving Groove and join us in exploring the art and adventure of fundraising together.
Questions, suggestions, or stories to share? I’d love to hear from you—just comment or reach out anytime. Here’s to finding your groove and making an impact, one step at a time.
