Welcome to 2026
It’s been exactly two months since my last newsletter.
Some of you may have noticed I slowed my output over the last several months. Consulting work took priority, as did time with family during the holidays, but I’ve also tried to be more selective about when I have something to say.
This felt like the right moment to come back.
Throughout 2025, I spent a lot of time with clients and production teams talking about philanthropic video. Less about how it’s made (though that matters), and more about what it should do once it’s out in the world.
The reality is that we’re constantly being bombarded by content: All. Day. Long. Even philanthropic content, whether we choose to give it our attention or not. Some of it’s compelling and makes you feel something. But let’s be honest… much of it doesn’t.
What’s far less impressive is what happens after the video ends.
Feelings fade. The story resolves. And the viewer is left without a clear sense of how they fit into what they just watched.
I recently joined John Azoni’s Higher Ed Storytelling University podcast to talk about this more.
The Core Issue
At one point in the conversation, I said:
“We’re very good at telling people something meaningful happened. We’re much less consistent about showing them how they can participate in what’s happening next.”
That idea explains why so much philanthropic video underperforms over time.
It’s built to be consumed, not repeated.
Most higher education and nonprofit storytelling still defaults to the same pattern: a finished narrative, a polished outcome, and a single implied role for the audience—donor.
The flaw is simple.
If you can’t see yourself in the work unless you’re writing a large check, the story has substantially narrowed its reach and usefulness.
A Different Model Worth Exploring
This is where creator-led content, such as MrBeast and his Beast Philanthropy work in particular, offers some valuable lessons in audience and community engagement.
The videos don’t just show impact but process.
You see how the work happens, who’s involved, and actions that can be copied instead of just admired.
Take Beast Philanthropy’s food insecurity work. The camera doesn’t wait for the ribbon-cutting moment. It stays with the sourcing, packing, and delivery. You see volunteers moving boxes. You see local partners doing the day-to-day work.
Or look at how they approach clean water projects. The story isn’t framed as a single heroic act but a chain of actions. You see how something as ordinary as buying a t-shirt directly funds the construction of more wells. The connection is made explicit.
As I put it on the podcast:
“If the only role someone can imagine for themselves is ‘donor,’ you’ve already limited the field.”
That participation logic is a lesson all advancement teams should explore, even if MrBeast’s style isn’t a direct fit.
Why This Matters
Philanthropy doesn’t grow through singular moments alone.
It grows through repetition.
Progress updates instead of only “finales.”
Specificity instead of scale.
Showing work in motion, not just work completed.
People want to feel like insiders—even when they’re not (yet). That sense of proximity is what brings them back. It turns passive attention into habit, and habit into sustained engagement over time.
Here’s a simple test to use when reviewing your next video brief:
If someone wants to help after watching, will they know exactly what to do without guessing?
Not a vague “learn more” or a generic donate button. Something concrete. Timely. Human-sized.
John and I also talk about why stewardship content, especially lo-fi, situational footage tied to actual moments, often carries more weight than highly produced pieces that try to do too much.
Or, as I said later in the conversation:
“If you only tell the story when it’s finished, you’ve missed most of the story.”
Watch / Listen
🎧 Higher Ed Storytelling University Podcast
Why Advancement MarCom Is Still the Underdog (And Why That Needs to Change)
[Watch on YouTube / Listen on Spotify]
In the conversation, we go beyond video and stewardship into some of the structural issues that shape advancement work, including how MarCom teams get defined, resourced, and positioned inside institutions.
Closing Thought
If you’re working on philanthropic video content right now, try this before you finalize the project brief:
Write the follow-up message first.
If it's fuzzy, odds are the video will be too.
Here’s to telling stories that matter in 2026.
Dan
P.S. An important theme in this episode—and my work more broadly—is fostering productive collaboration between Central MarCom and Advancement divisions. I’ll be speaking on this topic at the Spring CUPRAP Conference in Lancaster, PA, on March 12. You can learn more here.
P.P.S. And if you’re new to my newsletter: welcome! Explore past issues here.
