Responsive Lab Podcast

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Virtuous co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus talk with Diana Hoyt, founder of Formula for Fundraising. With over four decades in the nonprofit world, Diana shares her signature philosophy—”Know Your Numbers, Know Your Donors"—and how data and human connection can work together to boost donor engagement and retention. Diana offers practical tips for nonpro...

In this episode, we connect with Miriam Dicks, founder and CEO of 180 Management Group, to uncover strategies that help organizations streamline operations and enhance donor engagement. With over 20 years of experience, Miriam shares her expertise in transforming business processes in nonprofits and embracing change to foster long-term success. Topics we dive into: - How to identify and address th...

In this special podcast episode, we introduce "Ask a Responsive Fundraiser," where we take your questions to fundraising experts so you can grow generosity. In this episode, we connect with Josh Burns, CEO of Spark Collective, to explore digital marketing strategies that equip nonprofits to grow generosity and enhance donor engagement. Josh taps into his 15 years of experience to answer pressing q...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Scott Holthaus and Carly Berna sit down with fundraising expert Gail Perry, internationally recognized keynote speaker, consultant, and author of Fired-Up Fundraising. With over 30 years of experience coaching nonprofits to achieve extraordinary fundraising results, Gail shares her insights on building a thriving major gifts program. Also in this episod...

What’s the easiest way to grow as a fundraiser this year—without leaving your desk? In this special episode of The Responsive Lab, co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus unpack exactly that. Drawing from their own time in the fundraising trenches, they explore how nonprofit professionals can grow right where they are—by staying curious, leaning into community, and choosing growth even in the busy...

In this special episode of The Responsive Lab, we conducted a webinar with experts from Allegiance Group Pursuant, Dunham and Company, RKD Group, and 5by5 Agency to explore how nonprofit fundraising has evolved in the five years since COVID-19. The pandemic accelerated the shift to digital-first engagement, forcing organizations to rethink donor relationships, embrace AI-driven fundraising, and ad...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Chris Barlow, Customer Happiness Director at Beeline Marketing, to explore how nonprofits can break through digital noise and connect with the right audience. Chris shares insights on active listening, data-driven marketing, and how nonprofits can future-proof their fundraising strategies. Also in this episode, Chris shares: - Hi...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott are joined by VP of Ministry Digital Growth at Salem Web Network, Brad Davies! This conversation unpacks what donor acquisition looks like in a digital-first world and how nonprofits can embrace digital media to fuel acquisition. Also in this conversation, they discuss: - Current trends Brad’s seeing in fundraising acquisition that fundraisers...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, your Virtuous co-hosts, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus, welcome Matt Scott from CauseMic for an exciting discussion about the importance of technology in the nonprofit sector. Matt begins by sharing his background and experience in helping customers choose the right technology to meet their needs. He explains what he sees as the biggest hurdle in overcoming t...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, your Virtuous co-hosts, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus, welcome Imago Consulting founder, Purpose and Profit Podcast co-host, popular speaker, and best-selling author, Dave Raley! Dave begins the conversation by introducing his new book, The Rise of Sustainable Giving: How the Subscription Economy is Transforming Recurring Giving and What Nonprofits Can Do to...

In this special episode of The Responsive Lab, we’re excited to welcome Scott Holthaus as your new co-host alongside Carly Berna! Scott’s the Partner Marketing Manager here at Virtuous, where he helps nonprofits grow generosity and implement responsive fundraising. Before joining Virtuous, Scott spent 15+ years working in nonprofits and ministries in a variety of roles, including marketing and com...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, your Virtuous co-hosts, Carly Berna and Stephen Boudreau, bring in DonorSearch’s head of AI, Nathan Chappell, for an exciting conversation about AI and how it can fuel generosity in your organization. Nathan begins by diving into his experience, which includes founding the Fundraising. AI collaborative, a 10,000+ member global think-tank responsible for publi...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, your Virtuous co-hosts, Carly Berna and Stephen Boudreau, are joined by Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer and Tech for Social Impact Leadership Team member, Erin McHugh Saif. Erin begins by sharing her background, which includes experience working for big tech companies such as Blackbaud, Salesforce, and TIBCO. Next, Erin explains the nonprofit side of Micros...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, your Virtuous co-hosts, Stephen Boudreau and Carly Berna, are joined by Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott from the podcast, We Are For Good. They begin by talking about how to measure success, giving examples such as tracking the various forms of engagement in one’s organization. Next, they discuss the topic of activation. How do donors, listeners and supporters r...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, your co-host, Carly Berna, is joined by fellow Virtuous colleague, Scott Holthaus, for a special audio-only edition featuring Virtuous partner, OneCause. Included in the conversation are OneCause’s CMO, Karrie Wozniak, and Director of Corporate Communications, Sarah Sebastian. Together, Karrie and Sarah share details from the 5th edition of OneCause’s Giving...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Stephen Boudreau and Carly Berna are joined by industry leader, Trent Dunham, for an exciting conversation about the world of modern fundraising and how to become effective leaders in an ever-changing nonprofit landscape. Trent begins by dissecting some of the large-scale (or macro) trends in fundraising today, and lists some of the struggles that nonprofits...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab podcast, Carly Berna and Stephen Boudreau are joined by executive coach, fundraising consultant, and host of the podcast What the Fundraising, Mallory Erickson, for an exciting conversation about the evolution of fundraising – plus, a sneak peak of Mallory’s new book, What The Fundraising? Mallory begins by discussing the common obstacles faced by fundraisers...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Stephen Boudreau and Carly Berna are joined by Executive Vice President at DickersonBakker, Andrew Olsen, for a discussion about nonprofit fundraising and how to give donors a better giving experience. They dive into the current climate of fundraising and discuss what it means to create a major-donor like strategy. They take an in-depth look at the ‘responsiv...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Stephen Boudreau team up with nonprofit expert Taylor Shanklin for a lively deep dive into the art of scaling a nonprofit organization. Together, they unpack what growth truly means, explore how it differs for smaller organizations versus larger ones, and tackle the common hurdles that can keep nonprofits from reaching their full potential. Ta...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Stephen and Carly are joined by Virtuous’ very own CEO, Gabe Cooper, for a talk about Virtuous’ first-ever Benchmark Report! Gabe begins by diving into not only the what, but the why behind benchmark reports, revealing how valuable they are in understanding your nonprofit organization, as well as your donor relationships. Gabe discusses the 7 crucial KPI’s (K...

Welcome to the Responsive Lab, your new favorite podcast where innovation and impact collide to transform the nonprofit world! In this episode, your Virtuous co-hosts, Stephen Boudreau and Carly Berna, bring in special guest, Justin McCord of RKD Group. Justin is an industry-leading marketer, with more than a decade of guiding commercial and nonprofit organizations to success. Tying in Justin’s ba...

Welcome to Episode 1 of “The Responsive Lab,” the podcast where innovation and impact converge to transform the nonprofit world! In this episode, your co-hosts, Carly Berna and Stephen Boudreau, are joined by nonprofit fundraising expert Dana Snyder to talk about the dos and don'ts of achieving a healthy monthly donor program. Dana Snyder is the Host of Missions to Movements and Creator of the Mon...

Welcome to "The Responsive Lab," your new favorite podcast where innovation and impact come together to transform the nonprofit world. Brought to you by Virtuous, this podcast explores how nonprofits can harness technology to supercharge donor engagement and make a lasting impact. In this introductory episode, your hosts—Carly Berna, Director of Product Marketing, and Stephen Boudreau, Vice Presid...

This week Jeff Conn, Co-CEO of NPact , and Gabe Cooper, CEO of Virtuous , join the conversation to discuss the evolving landscape of community-based giving, particularly focusing on the rise and significance of Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) and the role of community foundations. Historically, community foundations have played a key role in philanthropy but are now facing challenges and competition fr...

What is your year-round brand message for your nonprofit? Most nonprofit marketing is about the offer - what we are asking a person to give. Yet the commercial space spends consistent time and resources on brand marketing. What does your organization believe in or stand for, what do you do, and what are the stories that showcase the world you are working to build?  Responsive nonprofits are adopti...