First Day Podcast

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Betsy Erickson, Head of Family and Individual Services at Arabella Advisors, to dissect the top obstacles donors face when it comes to charitable giving. Backed by a collaborative study from the Gates Foundation, Arabella Advisors, and others, the conversation dives into the psychological and logistical hurdle...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. explores the trends and opportunities awaiting fundraisers in 2025. The episode begins on a high note, celebrating record-breaking charitable donations reported in 2024, despite inflation’s impact. Bill emphasizes that smart budgeting and realistic goal-setting remain key to navigating such challenges. With the S&P 500 endi...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Anthony Heaven, Ph. D., professor at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, to discuss the experiences of African American fundraisers working within predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Drawing from his qualitative research, Dr. Heaven shares insights into the challenges, biases, and...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes Christopher Beck, CAP, Principal Gift Advisor at ALSAC/St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, to demystify the complexities of planned gift fundraising. Often seen as daunting and overly technical, planned giving involves helping donors consider their legacy while navigating tax and estate planning strategies. C...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., speaks with Elaine Martyn, Senior Vice President, Private Donor Group, of Fidelity Charitable, to explore the role of donor-advised funds (DAFs) in modern philanthropy. Fidelity Charitable, the largest recipient of charitable donations in the United States, administers DAFs as a tool for strategic giving. Elaine explains h...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., speaks with Travis Tester, MA, CFRE, Chief Development and Communications Officer for Foster Success, about innovative ways nonprofits can use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance fundraising. Foster Success, a nonprofit supporting Indiana youth transitioning out of foster care, operates with a $5 million annual budget...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., speaks with Christopher Beck, CAP, Principal Gift Advisor for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, about practical strategies to diversify donor databases and foster inclusivity in philanthropy. Christopher shares insights into the current push for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in nonprofit work, emp...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes Howard Husock of the American Enterprise Institute and E.J. McMahon of the Empire Center for Public Policy to discuss the impact of the 2017 federal tax reforms on charitable giving. They explore how the doubling of the standard deduction reduced the number of taxpayers who itemize, significantly diminishing the t...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes Alyssia Coates, Ph. D., Senior Director of Development Inclusive Philanthropic Engagement at Brown University, to discuss the concept of "inclusive philanthropic engagement." Dr. Coates shares her role in expanding Brown’s donor base by focusing on inclusion and diversity, not only as a moral imperative but also as...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes Danny Gatling, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations at Guilford College, to discuss strategies for fundraising with limited resources. With many nonprofits operating on tight budgets, Danny shares insights on how organizations can creatively maximize their impact by leveraging technology and adopting...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. sits down with Genevieve Shaker, Ph. D., professor of philanthropic studies and Donald A. Campbell Chair in Fundraising Leadership at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, about the role of celebrities in fundraising. Dr. Shaker shares insights from her research into how celebrities influence nonprofit...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. sits down with Ann Fitzgerald, founder of AC Fitzgerald, to talk about the critical role of donor stewardship in nonprofit success. Fitzgerald emphasizes that nonprofits often struggle with donor retention, noting a staggering 70% of new donors never make a second gift. She explains that effective stewardship—building relat...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. sits down with Miguel Lopez, CFRE, Senior Manager of Development at the San Diego Foundation, to discuss the organization’s innovative El Camino Fund. Miguel shares his personal motivation for launching the fund, rooted in his experience as a first-generation Mexican American in San Diego. He highlights the Foundation's mis...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. sits down with Hava Goldberg, Director of Corporate and Major Giving for Habitat for Humanity Canada, and discusses what motivates fundraisers to stay with nonprofit organizations. Goldberg, who recently celebrated her seven-year anniversary at Habitat, shares her reflections on retention and what organizations can do to fo...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. chats with Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer for GivingTuesday, about the "Giving Pulse" tool—a data-driven approach to tracking generosity trends in the U.S. Woodrow explains that Giving Pulse provides weekly insights into American giving behaviors, helping nonprofits understand how and why people give. This tool surve...

In this episode of "The First Day from the Fund Raising School," host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. discusses the key findings of the 2024 Giving USA report with Josh Birkholz, CEO of BWF and Board Chair of the Giving USA Foundation. The conversation kicks off with the staggering headline figure—$557 billion in charitable donations, the highest ever. Adjusted for inflation, however, most donation so...

In this celebratory episode of "The First Day from the Fund Raising School," host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes Lilya Wagner, Ed. D., CFRE, a pioneer in the world of professional fundraising, as they commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fund Raising School. Lilya reflects on her early days in the profession, particularly when she transitioned from teaching to become Vice President for Ad...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. is joined by Chad Gobel, MBA, a renowned fundraising consultant, about a novel approach to identifying major gift donors, particularly within healthcare organizations. Gobel, who has over 30 years of experience in philanthropy, discusses the importance of shifting the focus from traditional wealth-based identification metho...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. is joined by Sara Konrath, Ph. D., a social psychology expert recognized for her research on empathy and its connection to philanthropic behavior. The conversation centers on recent findings from a study tracking empathy trends among Gen Z and Millennials. Initially, research from 1979 to 2009 revealed a concerning decline...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Fund Raising School with a special guest, Tim Seiler, Ph. D., who led the School for 20 years. Together, they take a nostalgic trip through the evolution of fundraising, sharing key insights from the school's history and the enduring principles that have shaped the field. Dr. Seiler fo...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. looks at the uncertain economic climate of mid-2024 and its potential impact on fundraising efforts. The big question on everyone’s mind: are we on the brink of a recession, or is it just a distant possibility? With conflicting signals from various economic indicators—like the rise in unemployment to 4.3%, fluctuations in t...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. is joined by Abby Jarvis, Head of Content for Neon One. They discuss Neon One's new Recurring Giving Report, revealing significant trends and insights into the world of repeat donations. Abby breaks down the concept of recurring giving, explaining it as donations set to repeat at regular intervals, typically monthly. Surpri...

In this special 50th-anniversary episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes Amir Pasic, Ph. D., Dean of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The discussion begins by reflecting on the Fundraising School’s impactful journey over the past half-century. Dr. Pasic emphasizes the importance of this milestone, noting the School’s significant contri...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. is joined by Julia Campbell, a fundraising consultant specializing in digital communications and storytelling for nonprofits. They discuss the art of storytelling to enhance fundraising efforts, emphasizing its power in connecting with donors on a human level. Julia underscores that stories are fundamental to human communic...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. emphasizes the critical role of a strategic plan as the foundation for successful fundraising efforts. He begins by likening the strategic plan to a "Big Bang" moment for nonprofits, stressing its pivotal role akin to the genesis of relationships or partnerships. Bill highlights a surprising statistic from his extensive non...