Mastering Fundraising

Some of the best prospective donor relationships in your organization may already be sitting in your database. They've been researched. Rated. Referred. Maybe they've attended an event or even made a gift. But nobody has actually developed the relationship. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with Thomas Chang, Founder and CEO of Konas AI, to explore what Thomas c...

What happens when the generations represented around the fundraising table bring different experiences, expectations, communication styles, and ideas about philanthropy? In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with Yuri E. Casco, MPH, CFRE, Director of Major Gifts at Pacific Clinics, to explore intergenerational leadership and what it means for fundraisers, donors, bo...

What happens when your fundraising ambitions outgrow the systems designed to support them? Growth is something every nonprofit wants. More donors. Larger gifts. Bigger campaigns. Greater impact. But growth without the right infrastructure can create complexity, strain teams, weaken the donor experience, and ultimately make an organization more fragile rather than more successful. In this episode o...

Women in Philanthropy: Stop Assuming and Start Asking Who really makes the philanthropic decisions in a household? For fundraisers, the answer may not be nearly as obvious as we think. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney sits down with Deidre H. Sandvick, Senior Vice President for Development at the University of New Mexico Foundation, for a conversation about women in philanthr...

What if the future of fundraising depends less on competition and more on collaboration? In this episode of the Mastering Fundraising Podcast, Chris Looney sits down with Fulcrum Nonprofit Leadership (Fulcrum) member Mary Hatton for a thoughtful conversation about collaboration, foundation relationships, technology, and the enduring power of human connection in philanthropy. Drawing from her leade...

From Transactional to Transformational: The Leadership Journey Every Fundraiser Should Understand What prepares someone to become an exceptional Chief Development Officer? According to Tianna Haradon, CFRE, it isn't one promotion, one campaign, or one major gift. It's a career built intentionally, one experience at a time. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Tianna shares how she evolved fro...

In this insightful episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with longtime advancement leader Jocelyn Tetel of the Skirball Cultural Center to explore what it truly takes to cultivate sophisticated donors in today’s evolving philanthropic landscape. With nearly three decades of experience, Jocelyn shares her unconventional journey from the insurance industry into nonprofit fund...

Navigating Leadership Change: Staying Grounded in the Midst of Constant Transition In this episode of Lead for Good, host Chris Looney sits down with Sara Colvin for a candid and deeply practical conversation about one of the most common yet least discussed realities in nonprofit leadership: constant change at the top. Drawing from her experience working under multiple chancellors and advancement...

In the latest episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney, CEO of Fulcrum, sat down with Gloria Crockett to explore how fundraising can move beyond transactions and into true movement building. The conversation centers on a critical distinction: the difference between running a campaign and building a movement. A campaign has a defined goal and timeline. A movement builds ongoing momentum, deep...

What does it really take to align your board and CEO around a successful campaign? In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney sits down with LaMont Hayes, Associate Vice President of Development at the National WWII Museum, to unpack one of the most critical and misunderstood dynamics in campaign fundraising: managing board and CEO involvement. With more than 20 years of experience lea...

The fundraising playbook is being rewritten in real time. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Tom Mitchell draws on decades of leadership in higher education advancement to confront a hard truth: many institutions are hesitating at the very moment bold leadership is required. Tom has spent his career helping universities build strong advancement programs, develop talent, modernize strategy,...

Hiring and Retaining Major Gift Officers: Getting It Right from Day One | Mastering Fundraising Why is it so hard to retain strong Major Gift Officers? And what are organizations getting wrong in the hiring process? In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Christopher Looney sits down with Chad Peddicord, Vice President of Philanthropy at the Catholic Leadership Institute, to unpack the real cost...

Mastering Fundraising Episode: Co-Creating Impact With Donors featuring Anna Lee In this episode, Chris Looney sits down with Anna Lee, Executive Director of the AIP Foundation, to explore one of the most important and evolving topics in fundraising today: co-creating impact with donors and funders. Anna brings more than two decades of experience across corporate relations, foundation partnerships...

What happens when a successful CEO steps away from executive leadership and into frontline fundraising? In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney sits down with Jamie Cappetta, Senior Vice President at FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students), to explore one of the most fascinating career transitions in the nonprofit sector. After years leading organizations as a CEO, Jamie...

Mastering Fundraising welcomes Christina Romero, Executive Director of the Santa Ana College Foundation, for a powerful conversation on social capital, authenticity, and the Trust Triangle in donor relationships. Christina shares how genuine connection, emotional intelligence, and a personalized approach help fundraisers create meaningful donor experiences that last far beyond a single gift. Her i...

Episode Title: What Is Behind Christian Generosity and Fundraising for a Christian Organization Guest: Justin Coleman, Salvation Army In this episode of the Mastering Fundraising Podcast, host Chris Looney sits down with Justin Coleman to explore the deeper foundations of Christian generosity and what it truly means to fundraise for a Christian organization. This conversation goes beyond fundraisi...

In this episode of the Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with Ray Watts, Interim Vice President for Advancement at California State University, San Bernardino, for a thoughtful and practical conversation on plannual giving. Plannual giving is the intentional integration of annual giving and planned or asset-based giving. Ray challenges the traditional separation between these stra...

Mastering Fundraising Podcast: Capital Campaigns with Ryan Marshall, Assistant Vice President for Development at Atrium Health Foundation In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney sits down with Ryan Marshall to explore one of the most important and misunderstood areas of fundraising: capital campaigns. Ryan brings more than a decade of hands-on campaign experience, from national cons...

Integrating Storytelling, Marketing, and Philanthropy with Victor Martin – University of Puget Sound How do you build a communications strategy that inspires generosity and strengthens donor relationships? In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with Victor Martin, Vice President for University Relations at the University of Puget Sound, to explore how his team has su...

A huge thank you to John Scola for joining me on the Mastering Fundraising podcast for a powerful and timely conversation on Ethical Fundraising — a topic that sits at the very heart of our profession. As Chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Ethics Committee and a respected leader with decades of advancement experience, John shared deep insights into what it really means to...

In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with Keegan Bell to explore one of the most important and underutilized concepts in modern fundraising: layered donor relationships. Drawing from more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience across education, youth development, healthcare, arts, and environmental organizations, Keegan shares how organizations can mov...

When a fundraising leader helps guide two billion-dollar campaigns, builds world-class advancement teams, and reshapes the future of one of America’s leading public universities, people pay attention. In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney sits down with Brian Hervey, Vice Chancellor for University Advancement and Alumni Relations at University of California, Irvine, to explore wha...

In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with Kenya Beckmann, a dynamic leader in healthcare and higher education philanthropy, to explore one of the most under-discussed yet powerful strategies in modern fundraising: the shared support model. Drawing from her experience at Providence, one of the nation’s largest health systems, Kenya unpacks how coordinated, enterpris...

In this powerful episode of Mastering Fundraising, host Chris Looney sits down with veteran fundraiser Jim Boyle, chief development leader at the Charles Darwin Foundation, to explore what it really takes to sustain hope, energy, and purpose in a profession defined by urgency and scale. From leading one of the most ambitious ecological restoration efforts in the Galápagos Islands to navigating dec...

Mastering Fundraising with Duane Rohrbacher AI, Operations, and the Future of Fundraising What happens when a seasoned development leader leans fully into artificial intelligence? In this episode of Mastering Fundraising, Chris Looney sits down with Duane Rohrbacher, Executive Director of Development at UC Irvine, to explore how AI is already transforming fundraising operations and what leaders mu...