The Nonprofit Show

Send us Fan Mail Data-driven nonprofit fundraising can strengthen donor retention, improve communications, and support better decisions—but the numbers can’t replace human judgment!  In this Fundraisers Friday conversation, Julia Patrick and Tony Beall explore how nonprofit teams can use donor data, CRM systems, and artificial intelligence without losing the relationships that inspire generosity....

Send us Fan Mail AI strategy for nonprofit leaders is no longer a future-planning exercise. AI is already influencing fundraising decisions, staff workflows, donor research, website visibility, and how prospective supporters evaluate nonprofit organizations. Darren Richards, Founder and Director of Charity AI Partners , explains why the central AI issue is not choosing the newest tool. It is exerc...

Send us Fan Mail Why do nonprofits lose momentum after creating an inspiring vision or strategic plan? Doug Paul, Founder and CEO of Impact Co., explains how nonprofit operational systems, leadership clarity, performance measures, and consistent workplace rhythms turn ambition into measurable results. After working with approximately 1,300 nonprofit organizations, Doug and his colleagues studied t...

Send us Fan Mail As DEI language changes across states, workplaces, and political environments, nonprofit leaders face a pressing operational question: Can the terminology change without weakening the mission? Staffing expert Katie Warnock examines what this means for recruitment, representation, board leadership, and organizational decision-making, and sharing what nonprofit hiring managers are e...

Send us Fan Mail How can nonprofits overcome a scarcity mindset when financial pressure, staffing challenges, and uncertainty dominate the conversation? Jeffrey R. Wilcox of Third Sector Company explains how leaders can move their organizations from survival mode toward community equity, organizational possibility, and renewed hope. Scarcity is not simply the absence of money. It can become a preo...

Send us Fan Mail How often should nonprofits ask for donations without exhausting their supporters? This Fundraisers Friday conversation offers a sharper way to evaluate donor communication frequency, campaign volume, stewardship, segmentation, and the messages being sent between solicitations! Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall challenge a common assumption: frequent communication is not automatical...

Send us Fan Mail Mid-level donor strategy for nonprofits is no longer just a fundraising “nice to have.” It is becoming one of the most important business tools for building stronger major donor pipelines, improving donor retention, and making better decisions from the data already sitting inside your CRM. In this episode, Kirsten Wantland, Principal Industry Strategist at Bloomerang, joins Julia...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit strategic planning software is changing how leaders, boards, and fundraisers build plans that actually guide decisions. Sophia Shaw, co-founder of Plan Perfect , explains why the old “plan on a shelf” model no longer fits the business of nonprofits. Sophia brings deep sector experience as former CEO of the Chicago Botanic Garden, former leader of the nonprofit board gove...

Send us Fan Mail How can nonprofits build community support for after-school programs while creating measurable value for children, families, funders, and local leaders ? JonPaul Reed, founder and executive director of Pure Momentum Group and founder of Athlete University , shares how the hours between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. can become a powerful platform for youth development and stronger communities...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit leadership training through role play offers teams a different way to confront difficult decisions, build trust, and retain what they learn. Tim Sarrantonio, founder and chief designer of The Generosity Spectrum, introduces a collaborative educational gaming system created specifically for nonprofit professionals, boards, and the communities they serve. Rather than askin...

Send us Fan Mail How many auction items should a nonprofit gala have? Jason A. Champion of Winspire shares a measurable nonprofit gala auction strategy for selecting stronger items, creating bidding urgency, and protecting fundraising revenue. The answer begins before guests enter the ballroom. Rather than assuming which trips, experiences, or packages donors will want, Jason recommends surveying...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit revenue growth requires more than another campaign, gala, or grant application. John Abrahamson, CFO and COO of Action Council, shares how nonprofits can connect earned revenue, contributed revenue, program priorities, financial literacy, and organizational culture within one stronger business strategy. Action Council provides infrastructure and fiscal sponsorship for ap...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when one of your best donors gives far more to another nonprofit? These major donor stewardship strategies can help your organization move beyond frustration, learn what influenced the gift, and build stronger opportunities for future investment. On this Fundraisers Friday conversation, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall confront a painful fundraising reality: a donor ma...

Send us Fan Mail How AI saves time for nonprofits depends far less on the excitement surrounding the technology and far more on the quality of the organization’s data, workflows, and financial controls. Buu-Linh Tran, Senior Vice President of Financial Solutions at JMT Consulting , and Torbjorn Nilsen, Director of Business Solutions at DATABASICS , explain where AI can deliver measurable value—and...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit prospect research beyond wealth screening requires more than locating wealthy people. It means finding funders with the capacity, mission alignment, and relationship connections that can lead to a credible fundraising conversation. Shahar Brukner, Co-Founder, President, and CRO of Impala Digital , explains why traditional nonprofit wealth screening often leaves developme...

Send us Fan Mail What is the state of the nonprofit sector in 2026—and can organizations sustain rising demand while protecting their workforce, leadership pipeline, and financial strength? Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO of Independent Sector , joins us for a far-reaching conversation about the business conditions shaping America’s 1.9 million charitable nonprofits. Nonprofits continue to h...

Send us Fan Mail How nonprofits can improve AI visibility is quickly becoming a fundraising and revenue question—not merely a marketing concern. As donors increasingly use AI search tools and workplace-giving platforms to decide which organizations to support, nonprofits must ensure their mission, impact, financial credibility, and organizational information can be found and understood. Catherine...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit CEO fundraising responsibility is not optional when fiscal health, donor relationships, and organizational sustainability are on the line. In this Fundraisers Friday episode, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall take on a tough leadership question: what happens when a nonprofit CEO won’t fundraise? This conversation goes straight to the business of nonprofits. Tony makes the...

Send us Fan Mail Mindset as an operational skill for nonprofit leaders is becoming one of the most important conversations in nonprofit management. As burnout, decision fatigue, and constant change impact organizations across the sector, leaders are discovering that resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness are not optional—they are essential business competencies. The Nonprofit Show...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit donor behavior trends in 2026 are revealing something unexpected: generosity is alive and well ! The challenge isn't donor willingness to give—it's whether nonprofits are making it easy, clear, and compelling for supporters to take action. We welcome Mary Crogan, Vice President of Brand Marketing at Bloomerang , to discuss findings from the newly released Givin...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit CEO succession planning is no longer a future issue—it’s a current business challenge. As leadership turnover accelerates across the sector, boards and executives must rethink how they identify, recruit, and support the next generation of nonprofit CEOs. Dana Scurlock, Managing Director at Staffing Boutique , joins Julia Patrick and Sherry Quam Taylor to discuss what org...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit interim leadership strategy is becoming essential as organizations face CEO retirements, founder exits, leadership fatigue, and urgent succession decisions. Joan Brown, COO of Third Sector Company, explains how interim leadership can help nonprofit boards move beyond crisis hiring and use transition as a business-strengthening opportunity. Joan frames the conversation ar...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit donor engagement strategies for 2026 are changing rapidly as donor expectations, technology, and economic realities reshape fundraising. Kimberly O'Donnell, Chief Fundraising Officer at Bonterra, shares fresh research and practical insights from Bonterra's 2026 Impact Report to help nonprofit leaders build stronger donor relationships and sustainable revenue gr...

Send us Fan Mail When resources are limited, nonprofits often assume they need more funding. But what if scarcity is actually the catalyst for stronger partnerships? In this episode, Van Ton-Quinlivan, Founder and CEO of Futuro Health , shares how nonprofits, employers, educators, and community organizations can align around common goals to solve workforce challenges and create lasting social impa...

Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit marketing strategy using neuroscience can help organizations create messages that earn attention, build trust, and move donors toward engagement . Sally Mildren, CEO and Chief Strategist of CommonWell Marketing, shares why effective nonprofit marketing starts with how the human brain filters, feels, trusts, and decides. For nonprofit leaders working with limited time, st...