Nonprofit News Feed Podcast

Political spam texts are flooding phones at scale—and the data shows it’s overwhelmingly a Democratic problem, running 3-4X Republican spending on SMS fundraising since 2008. This week breaks down the loopholes that make it legal (peer-to-peer “technology,” snowshoeing across thousands of numbers, political speech exemptions) and the burn-and-churn vendor model that profits 7-15%...

This week’s Nonprofit News Feed highlights the potential impact of upcoming IPOs in the AI sector on donor-advised funds (DAFs). Major players like SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI are expected to go public, potentially generating $12 to $32 billion in new DAF contributions. This influx could significantly enhance grant-making capacities across the nonprofit sector. The democratization of phila...

Global Giving’s Controversial Renaming Decision This episode of the Nonprofit NewsFeed delves into Global Giving’s decision to rename Taiwan as “Chinese Taipei” on its platform, a move reportedly influenced by the Chinese government as the platform expands in China. This change has provoked dissatisfaction among Taiwanese NGOs, leading some to withdraw from the platform. --...

This week the hosts break down three stories circling the same question: who actually consents to AI’s rollout into civic life? Malta adopts ChatGPT. OpenAI’s “OpenAI for Countries” program will give every Maltese citizen free ChatGPT Plus for a year, plus an AI literacy course. Nick warns of Free Basics-style second-order risks; George sees a paid tier as a better deal tha...

This episode of Nonprofit News Feed explores two pressing issues affecting the nonprofit sector. Firstly, the loss of federal data sets poses significant challenges for nonprofits that rely on this information for decision-making and funding. Over the past 16 months, crucial data from agencies like USAID, NOAA, and the CDC have been deleted or altered, emphasizing the need for nonprofits to back u...

Supreme Court Ruling Shakes Up the Voting Rights Landscape and Nonprofits Brace for Change In this week’s episode of the Nonprofit News Feed by Whole Whale, the hosts delve into the implications of a recent Supreme Court decision that significantly guts the Voting Rights Act. In Louisiana v. Callais , the 6–3 conservative majority found that a majority-Black congressional district in Louisia...

In this episode of the Nonprofit Newsfeed, Whole Whale delves into the complexities surrounding AI’s role in the nonprofit sector and advertising. George and Nick share insights into job displacement fears and the uneven impact of AI across the workforce, particularly affecting technology professionals. Main Topics: AI and Job Displacement: Discussion on how AI tools are widely adopted but r...

This week’s episode of Nonprofit Newsfeed the hosts delve into significant legal developments affecting major tech companies and their broader implications for nonprofits. They discuss two landmark lawsuits involving Meta and YouTube, focusing on their platforms’ addictive features and false safety claims. These cases, settled in California and New Mexico, respectively, highlight a shi...

Exploring Google’s AI Innovations and the Philanthropy Pledge Dilemma This week’s episode of the Nonprofit News Feed the hosts delve into two significant developments impacting the nonprofit sector. First, they discuss Google’s latest AI offerings for nonprofits, highlighting the integration of the Gemini model across Google Workspace tools. This development promises to enhance p...

In this week’s episode of Nonprofit Newsfeed, the hosts delve into significant challenges impacting the nonprofit sector, focusing on two major stories: the Flipcause donation platform’s bankruptcy and the legal troubles faced by Greenpeace. Flipcause Bankruptcy and Nonprofit Losses The episode opens with an update on Flipcause, a donation platform that went bankrupt, leaving nonprofit...

In the latest episode of the Nonprofit News Feed, the hosts delve into the intricacies of giving and volunteering across the United States, as well as the pressing environmental challenges facing nonprofits today. The conversation highlights the recently conducted ‘Total Civic Generosity Report’ by Whole Whale, which sheds light on geographic disparities in generosity and the significa...

Key Trends in Donor-Advised Funds and AI’s Role in Nonprofits In this episode of the Nonprofit Newsfeed, the hosts discuss significant trends shaping the nonprofit sector, focusing on Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) and AI’s evolving impact. Main Topics: Website Update: The Nonprofit Newsfeed site has been revamped for better user experience and branding. Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): Predict...

A New Era of Direct-to-Consumer Giving In this week’s Nonprofit Newsfeed, the hosts delve into a groundbreaking development in philanthropy that was highlighted during the Super Bowl. The episode explores the introduction of Invest America accounts, a federally backed initiative providing tax-advantaged investment accounts for U.S. children under 18. The Treasury Department plans to seed each acco...

AI’s Impact on Nonprofit Visibility and the Changing Landscape of Foundation Support This week’s episode of the Nonprofit Newsfeed, the hosts delve into the evolving dynamics of AI’s influence on nonprofit visibility and the current state of foundation support. Main Topics: AI’s Knowledge Windows and Nonprofit Visibility: George and Nick discuss a new beta feature from OpenAI’s ChatGPT called...

AI Ads: A New Frontier for Nonprofits This week on the Nonprofit Newsfeed the hosts dive into a game-changing announcement from OpenAI that could revolutionize nonprofit marketing strategies. OpenAI has revealed plans to pilot advertising on ChatGPT, marking a significant shift in how nonprofits might engage with audiences. Key Highlights: OpenAI’s Announcement: OpenAI is testing ads in sele...

This week on the Nonprofit News Feed, the hosts dive into pressing digital safety issues and uplifting philanthropic news. The episode covers the alarming rise of deep fakes and their implications for nonprofits, and celebrates a significant donation to support LGBTQ+ youth. Main Topics: Global Crisis of Deep Fakes: The episode highlights the disturbing trend of deep fakes, particularly on the AI...

https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/99g282j975b4xevk/riverside_nick_george_jan_12_2026_008_nonprofit_news_feed8hnjm.mp3 Podcast: Play in new window | Download Episode Overview: Fraud in Minnesota’s Social Services: Federal prosecutors have uncovered widespread fraud in Minnesota’s social safety programs, with fewer than 100 individuals exploiting pandemic-era funds, resulting in over $1 bi...

In the latest episode of the Whole Whale Podcast, hosts George and Nick reflect on the transformative themes that shaped the nonprofit sector in 2025. With a focus on AI’s impact, they explore how answer engine optimization (AEO) has redefined nonprofit discovery and engagement. AI’s rapid adoption has led to decreased organic traffic for nonprofits, necessitating strategic pivots in c...

In this episode of the Nonprofit Newsfeed the hosts dive into the latest developments in the nonprofit sector, focusing on the aftermath of Giving Tuesday, challenges with donation platforms, and exciting AI opportunities for nonprofits. Key Topics: Giving Tuesday Overview: The hosts reflect on the impact and outcomes of the recent Giving Tuesday, with hopes that it reached the predicted $4 millio...

*****UPDATE: After we recorded this episode, GoFundMe announced they would reverse their stance on auto-generated nonprofit donation pages made without their consent making them opt-in instead of opt-out. Unclaimed Nonprofit Pages, they wrote in a public response, would be removed and de-indexed.*****   In this episode of Nonprofit Newsfeed, George Weiner, Chief Whaler of Whole Whale, and Nick Azu...

In this week’s episode the hosts delve into the ongoing U.S. government shutdown and its implications for the nonprofit sector. The shutdown, now extending over half a month, poses significant challenges for nonprofits that rely on government partnerships. With 750,000 federal workers furloughed, nonprofits face operational hurdles, particularly in grant management and accessing social servi...

Nonprofit Sector Faces Challenges Amid Government Shutdown and Advocacy Efforts In this week’s episode the focus is on the implications of the U.S. government shutdown and recent advocacy efforts within the nonprofit sector. The episode tackles two primary topics: the immediate impacts of the government shutdown on nonprofits and a coalition’s response to political challenges against t...

Emmy’s Gamification of Charity: A Hit or Miss? In a recent podcast episode, the hosts dissect the unconventional charity initiative at the Emmy Awards, where host Nate Bargatze pledged $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. The twist: the donation amount would decrease based on the length of celebrity speeches, while shorter speeches would add to the fund. Despite the initial $100,...

Nonprofit Sector Sees Positive Trends and AI Empowerment Amidst Challenges In this week’s episode of the Nonprofit Newsfeed the duo delve into the latest updates and insights impacting the nonprofit world. Nonprofit Wellness Index Sees Positive Shift The episode kicks off with an encouraging update on the Nonprofit Wellness Index, which has reported its best month since inception. This index...

AI’s Impact on Search Behavior and Direct Cash Assistance: Key Insights for Nonprofits In this week’s episode of Nonprofit Newsfeed the hosts dive into the evolving landscape of digital search and the effectiveness of cash assistance programs. They explore how AI-generated summaries on search engines like Google are altering user behavior and the implications for nonprofit content stra...