What the Fundraising — Episode 277: Engaging Everyday Donors with Technology with Kalyan Varma

Release Date: January 6, 2026
Host: Mallory Erickson
Guest: Kalyan Varma (Co-founder, Alma Base)

Overview

In this episode, host Mallory Erickson sits down with Kalyan Varma, co-founder of Alma Base, to discuss the intersection of technology and human connection in nonprofit fundraising. Together, they explore how nonprofit organizations can harness technology—especially AI—to engage and personalize the donor experience for supporters at every giving level, not just major donors. The conversation is rich with real-world insights, practical advice for organizations of all sizes, and a deep look at the trends shaping donor engagement in 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kalyan Varma’s Journey to Nonprofit Tech Innovation

[01:56]

• Kalyan shares his background: Born and raised in India, he first entered fundraising by helping classmates afford tuition via an alumni-funded scholarship, eventually forming a student-run nonprofit foundation.
• After a stint at Goldman Sachs, Kalyan was drawn back to the nonprofit sector to create larger impact, founding Alma Base with the mission of making education more affordable by increasing alumni engagement.
  • "My heart kept pulling me back into the world of nonprofits and education and making education more affordable and how that felt like the most meaningful work I had done to date." — Kalyan [03:50]

2. The Problem: Shrinking Donor Base, Focus on Major Gifts

[05:54]

• Kalyan highlights industry trends: Nonprofits receive more dollars overall, but from fewer donors—too much focus on major donors, not enough on the “base.”
• There’s a technology gap: CRMs and tools often cater to high-tier donors, narrowing engagement at the bottom of the pyramid.
  • "To build a sustainable approach to fundraising, it's important that there's enough people at the bottom of the pyramid that you're engaging and that you're growing connection with." — Kalyan [06:54]

3. Can Technology Humanize Mass Donor Engagement?

[08:28]

• The “technology vs. humans” debate reframed: Instead of either/or, explore how technology can scale authentic, personalized relationships.
• Kalyan’s vision: Technology playing the role of a “virtual gift officer” for every donor, ensuring even $100 donors feel their gift is valued and purposefully connected.
  • "Is there a future in the fundraising world where every donor has a gift officer... Is there a way technology can be used to make the $100 donor also feel as connected...?" — Kalyan [08:40]

4. Rethinking Donor Value and Communication

[10:05]

• Mallory challenges common assumptions: Organizations often misjudge donor intent based on gift size, creating communication hierarchies that can alienate smaller donors.
• The significance of small gifts: A $100 donor’s intentionality can be overlooked, yet early engagement lays the foundation for future, larger support.
  • "We compare the wrong things... We don't compare that amount to how significant it is to the person." — Mallory [10:37]

5. The Power of Personalized Impact Reporting

[11:36]

• Kalyan observes that personalized impact communication is crucial for retention and lifetime value.
  • "I think while I do understand donor fatigue... there's something to being able to communicate the impact back to even $100 donor." — Kalyan [12:00]
• Comparison to corporate marketing: Brands have learned to personalize at scale—nonprofits can, too, with the right tools.

6. The Fluid Nature of Donor Identity

[13:01]

• Donor identity is evolving—interests are fluid, not confined by institutional categories (e.g., school, department, or grateful patient status).
• Segmentation by micro-interests is on the rise, enabled by better data and AI.
  • "Capturing today's interests of these donors... and in what way do they want to stay connected?" — Kalyan [14:26]

7. Practical Advice for Small & Midsize Nonprofits

[16:18]

• Limited data infrastructure is a common barrier—but AI is making it easier to leverage even unstructured data (e.g., event notes, emails) for personalization.
  • "With AI... being able to access this various pieces of unstructured information to... give me insight on what's going on with a particular donor... is becoming far easier." — Kalyan [17:29]
• Focus on data accessibility (not just perfect CRM structure), and start collecting basic engagement information.

8. The Most Overlooked Engagement Metric

[18:54]

• Kalyan’s tip: Track which emails donors engage with, not just open/click rates, to learn about individual interests and improve segmentation.
  • "Even just capturing... how are people engaging with your emails and what does that indicate about that particular donor's interest... is much simpler than most people think it is." — Kalyan [19:27]

9. Breaking Down Barriers to Authentic Communication

[20:59]

• Mallory identifies “formality” and “perfectionism” as blockers to meaningful donor conversations.
  • "There's a level of formality that has moved to perfectionism that is actually getting in the way of us telling stories and connecting in ways that actually engage." — Mallory [21:27]
• Encourage fundraisers to shed “robotic” approaches and communicate in a way that feels personal—like speaking to a friend or peer.

10. Authenticity as a Core Value in Modern Fundraising

[23:37]

• Kalyan underscores that authenticity resonates especially with younger and middle-aged donors, countering outdated industry practices of rigid formality.
  • "People want you to sort of see you for who you are. And just being authentic and honest is far more valuable today..." — Kalyan [23:58]

11. Navigating Modern Communication Overload

[24:22]

• Mallory reflects on how donor attention is spread thin across thousands of messages; relevance and specificity in communication are crucial for cutting through the noise.
  • "Why would we pick to read a form document versus something that we feel like was sent just to us and for us for a particular reason?" — Mallory [25:05]
• Both agree: The answer isn’t “more communication,” but better, more personalized, and authentic communication.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "One of my dreams is: Is there a future in the fundraising world where every donor has a gift officer versus only the wealthy...?" — Kalyan [08:35]
• "The key word for me... is just, like, authenticity. Right. And just being your true self in those conversations." — Kalyan [23:39]
• "When you just wind back all the, like, prescriptive fundraising stuff, and it's like, what might matter to them? How might they connect with you? What might they want to hear?... all of a sudden, we generate this, like, creativity and connection..." — Mallory [22:35]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:56 — Kalyan’s journey into fundraising and tech
• 05:54 — Trends: Donor pool shrinking, focus on major gifts
• 08:28 — Envisioning tech-enabled, mass-personalization in fundraising
• 10:05 — Rethinking donor value: small gifts, donor intent
• 13:01 — Donor identity & micro-segmentation
• 16:18 — Advice for orgs with limited data infrastructure
• 18:54 — Email engagement as a key indicator
• 20:59 — Breaking fundraisers’ resistance to authenticity
• 23:37 — Value of authenticity and shifting donor demographics
• 24:22 — Communication overload: why personalization matters most

Connect with the Guest

• Kalyan Varma: LinkedIn
• Alma Base: almabase.com

This episode will inspire nonprofit leaders to challenge old assumptions, embrace new, tech-driven possibilities, and—most importantly—bring authenticity and true human connection to every donor interaction, no matter the gift size.