Giving Growth

In this episode, Chaula Gupta, Vice President and Chief Program Officer at Digital Promise, joins Greg Sobiech to explain how nonprofits can move beyond short-term projects toward sustainable, scalable impact. Chaula explores alternative models like fee-for-service, non-profit/corporate partnerships, and venture-style investing, and explains how AI can shift from incremental efficiency gains to tr...

Jon Wheeler, Senior Director of Direct Marketing at Save the Children US, joins Greg Sobiech for a deep dive into one of the sector’s biggest challenges: how non-profits cut through overwhelming noise and deliver messages donors actually care about. Jon has spent his career at the intersection of digital marketing, data, and donor experience. In this episode, he breaks down how charities can move...

Ethan Wasserman, Senior Director of Paid Media at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, joins Greg Sobiech to talk about the real forces reshaping digital fundraising, and why AI alone won’t save your strategy. With 15+ years leading large-scale digital programs, Ethan brings a rare mix of experimentation discipline, practical data skills, and a deep respect for the human side of giving. In thi...

Technology can feel intimidating for non-profits, but it doesn’t have to be. Christina Macchiarola, Global Experiences and Events Lead at Microsoft Elevate, joins Greg Sobiech to unpack how charities can turn technology, data, and AI into tools that actually advance their mission. Drawing on her experience helping organizations modernize through Microsoft Elevate, Christina shares why successful t...

Most nonprofit leaders focus on this year’s budget. But what if we started measuring our organizations the way for-profits do — in terms of long-term enterprise value? In this episode, Anton Lipkanou, President at Delve Deeper, joins Greg Sobiech to unpack why charities need their own version of enterprise value. Anton argues that diversification, donor trust, and personalized engagement are what...

In this episode of Giving Growth, we sit down with Richard Kostro, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Share Our Strength (the organization behind No Kid Hungry), to unpack how fixing a decade of donor data unlocked new growth and collaboration across fundraising, finance, and IT. Richard shares how a cross-department effort re-coded 10 years of donor data in just 90 d...

In this episode of the Giving Growth Podcast, Greg Sobiech sits down with Lacey Stone, Chief Development Officer at USA for UNHCR, and Nathan Chappell, Chief AI Officer at Virtuous and co-founder of  Fundraising. AI , to explore how non-profits can move beyond segmentation and embrace an AI-first approach to donor engagement. Lacey shares how USA for UNHCR responded to the Ukraine crisis by w...

Drawing on decades as both a fundraiser and technologist, Nathan discusses why the nonprofit sector is at a tipping point: donor participation is shrinking, transactional fundraising is breaking trust, and traditional methods are no longer enough.  As a solution, Nathan explains how AI can be used responsibly and ethically to reignite generosity, build stronger donor relationships, and free u...

With decades of experience as a fundraiser, author, and educator, Lisa explains the key differences between charity and philanthropy, why entrepreneurs are often overlooked as major donors, and what nonprofits can do to address the cracks appearing in the giving pyramid.  She also shares her views on professionalising the nonprofit sector, rethinking overhead and salaries, and embracing tools...

In this episode of the Giving Growth Podcast, Greg sits down with Roger Hiyama, Community Leader at Delve Deeper and former Executive Vice President of Solutions and Innovation at Wiland, to confront a challenge every nonprofit leader needs to pay attention to: the collapse of the traditional donor pyramid.

Summary In this conversation, Kate Hollandsworth, SVP of Strategy at Acquire, discusses the critical importance of data hygiene in nonprofit organizations and how it directly impacts donor retention. She shares her journey into the nonprofit sector, the common challenges organizations face, and the necessity of tough conversations for growth. The discussion also highlights the role of investment p...

In this episode of Giving Growth, Greg Sobiech sits down with Chris Hoffman from Compassion International to discuss how nonprofits can think more like subscription businesses. Chris shares how the AARRR framework Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, Revenue adapted from B2C SaaS, applies directly to donor lifecycle strategy. Using real world examples from Compassion’s experiential m...

In this episode of  Giving Growth , Greg Sobiech sits down with Crashonda Andrew, Senior Vice President of Global Philanthropy at United Way Worldwide, to unpack the evolving role of philanthropy in a post-COVID, equity-driven world. Crashonda shares what it takes to build sustainable donor relationships, how large institutions are reimagining global impact, and why equity must be a strategic...

Summary The conversation explores the transformative journey of USA for UNHCR in adapting their donor engagement strategies following a significant influx of new donors due to the Ukraine crisis. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding donor retention challenges, building a stewardship team, and focusing on non-financial engagement to foster long-term relationships. Additionally,...

In this candid conversation, Greg sits down with Julie Upham to unpack what most nonprofits get wrong about retention—both of donors and staff. Drawing on decades of frontline fundraising experience, Julie shares: Why investing in people is just as critical as investing in donor strategy The concept of “passion points” and how it transforms leadership and donor development The underrated power of...

In this episode, Dorota Amin pulls back the curtain on how the World Food Program USA builds high-impact, long-term partnerships with global brands like Google, Palantir, UPS, MasterCard, and the John Deere Foundation. Together with Greg, she explores how social impact organizations can be more than aid providers — they can be system builders, innovation incubators, and trusted strategic partners...

In this compelling episode, Greg Sobiech, CEO of Delve Deeper, sits down with Brian Colombo, Deputy Chief Development Officer at Amnesty International USA. They explore how Amnesty builds authentic, long-term relationships with donors by deeply understanding and reflecting their values. Brian shares insights into Amnesty's unique shared leadership model, the rise of retail accountability among you...

This week I am speaking with Francesco Deflaviis. Principal, Chief Advancement & Communications Officer at Partners In Health. Partners in Health is an International non-profit that provides healthcare in the poorest areas of developing countries. Francesco believes the only way for marketers to stay in leadership roles for 5 years plus, and have the runway to create lasting transformative val...

Today I spoke with Jennifer Roberti, CMO at Save the Children. They are on a mission to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts. This episode is all about the need for marketers to have a long-term vision and the importance of taking calculated risks. Jennifer...

Today I spoke with Ben Greene, Chief Revenue Officer for Charity Water. Their mission is to bring clean and safe drinking water to every person on the planet. Whether you are in marketing - for a commercial minded - or mission driven organization - this conversation will be relevant. Ben shared with me his marketing philosophy, which he calls “Look in, Look up, Look out”. ‘Looking in’ is about mar...

In this powerful episode, I sit down with  Ben Webb , International Justice Mission's leader in marketing and branding, to discuss the transformative potential of nonprofits. Ben shares his philosophy on creating empathetic connections between donors and beneficiaries, redefining the role of marketing as a growth engine in the nonprofit sector, and uniting fundraising and marketing under a sh...