Responsive Lab Podcast

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus are joined by Matt Scott—founder of CauseMic and nonprofit messaging strategist—for a candid conversation on aligning AI with your mission. Together, they explore the real (and often misunderstood) ways AI can amplify your message, improve team capacity, and deepen donor relationships without losing the human touch.   M...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Brynne Krispin, founder of Cause Fokus, to talk about the power of an empathy-driven social strategy and how nonprofits can use content and platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram to foster trust, connection, and long-term donor retention.   Brynne brings a decade of nonprofit social media experience — includin...

In this special episode of  The Responsive Lab , co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus bring you a featured session from the  2025 Responsive Nonprofit Summit . Virtuous Chief AI Officer, Nathan Chappell , explores why nonprofits aren’t just competing for dollars anymore, they’re competing for connection.   Drawing from his decades of experience and his acclaimed book The Generosity Crisis , Nat...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, co-hosts Scott Holthaus and Carly Berna sit down with email marketing consultant Katelyn Baughan of KB Digital to uncover what’s broken in nonprofit email marketing and how to fix it.   From donor retention challenges to the pitfalls of “spray and pray” messaging, Katelyn shares practical ways to move from broadcasting to relationship-building. Learn how to c...

In this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, Sam Staley, Founder and CEO of Event. Gives, joins us to challenge traditional metrics of event success. From the power of personalized thank-you messages to the concept of “dollars in the room,” Sam shares actionable strategies nonprofits can use to grow giving long after the event ends.   This episode is packed with real-world insights on how fundr...

What do you do when your nonprofit loses 75% of its budget overnight?   In this episode of The Responsive Lab, fundraising veteran Barbara O’Reilly of Windmill Hill Consulting joins co-hosts Scott Holthaus and Carly Berna for a deeply practical and human conversation about leading through financial turbulence.   From donor shifts and budget cuts to internal turmoil and board conversations, Barbara...

In this special episode of The Responsive Lab , co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus bring you a featured session from the 2025 Responsive Nonprofit Summit . Join Christine Robertson from NPact and John Mark Vanderpool from Social Impact Solutions as they sit down with Virtuous DBA-in-residence, Kayla Schneider, to tackle one of the biggest challenges in nonprofit fundraising: donor retention ....

In this episode of The Responsive Lab , hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Brady Josephson, VP of Marketing and Growth at charity:water.    Brady makes the case for long-term brand marketing in a nonprofit world obsessed with short-term returns. He unpacks how charity:water’s latest initiatives — including their immersive Experience Lab and viral “Work from Bed” campaign — are usin...

In this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, we’re joined by Emily Rasmussen, founder of Grapevine, the platform behind the growing Giving Circle movement.   Emily brings over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, impact finance, and community organizing. She shares how responsive fundraisers can shift from transactional giving to relational belonging.   You’ll hear:   • What it actua...

In this data-packed episode of The Responsive Lab , Scott Holthaus and Carly Berna sit down with John Mark Vanderpool, co-founder of Social Impact Solutions, to talk all things Donor Lifetime Value (LTV).   John Mark brings a unique perspective — combining nonprofit experience, impact evaluation, and business acumen — to help leaders rethink their fundraising strategy. In the episode, you’ll explo...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Heather Hiscox, social impact strategist and author of No More Status Quo, to unpack how nonprofits can lead organizational change with empathy, inclusion, and clarity. Heather shares the story behind her innovative PAUSE Framework — a practical, five-step method to navigate uncertainty and build sustainab...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Aidan Augustin, Co-founder and CRO at Feathr, to unpack how to turn your story into a strategy that actually drives donor action.   Nonprofits are facing real headwinds — from declining trust to loud public skepticism. But Aidan makes the case that now is the time for nonprofit leaders to get louder, not quieter. With humor, clar...

Mid-level donors are often overlooked. But in this episode of  The Responsive Lab , Jeff Schreifels joins co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus to explain why that’s a costly mistake. As Principal at the Veritus Group and a recognized authority in major gifts, Jeff shares the pivotal role mid-level giving plays in a healthy donor pipeline. He breaks down the common roadblocks nonprofits unintent...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab , we’re exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and human empathy with two visionary leaders at Virtuous: Gabe Cooper , CEO and Founder, and Nathan Chappell , Chief AI Officer.   They unpack the myths, ethics, and incredible potential of AI to help nonprofits grow generosity at scale , without sacrificing what makes fundraising meaningful. From a...

On this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser , Scott chats with Christine Robertson, Consulting Manager at NPact and expert in nonprofit CRM systems, to unpack the essential role that clean data, empowered teams, and thoughtful automation play in driving generosity.   Christine doesn’t just talk about data management; she shows how it can transform fundraising when done right.   Topics covered:...

What does it really take to grow generosity in 2025? In this episode of The Responsive Lab, co-host Scott Holthaus sits down with Carly Berna, Fundraiser in Residence at Virtuous, and Gabe Cooper, CEO of Virtuous, for an in-depth conversation about the newly released 2025 Virtuous Nonprofit Fundraising Benchmark Report. You’ll learn why these seven KPIs matter more than ever, what the data reveals...

Fundraisers today are overwhelmed. Between short donor attention spans, economic uncertainty, and leadership pressure to meet ambitious goals, it’s easy to feel stuck or burnt out. That’s exactly why Beth Fisher, nonprofit consultant, strategist, and former Chief Advancement Officer, joined Scott and Carly to share a perspective that’s as empowering as it is practical. In the episode, Beth gets re...

In this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, Scott talks with Glen Peck, SVP of Technology & Business Intelligence at the Lustgarten Foundation, about the often-overlooked elements that make or break a CRM transition. Glen brings deep insight into how large nonprofits can lead tech change with clarity, reduce disruption, and use reporting to make smarter decisions. He outlines how fundraisi...

Are your events helping you grow relationships or just revenue? In this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, Scott sat down with Trevor Nelson, Co-Founder of HGA Fundraising and host of the Hey Nonprofits podcast, to explore how nonprofit events can become a springboard for long-term donor engagement, not just a one-night success. Trevor is known for leading nonprofits to more profitable fundra...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Tim Lockie, founder of The Human Stack and longtime nonprofit tech strategist, to dig into a bold truth: technology alone won’t save your nonprofit. Tim unpacks why so many digital transformation efforts fall flat, and what it takes to build a culture that embraces data, AI, and change without burning out your team...

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥? In this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, Scott chats with George Weiner — founder of Whole Whale and creator of Cause Writer AI — about using analytics and AI to unlock more personal, effective donor experiences. George brings the perspective of a nonprofit technologist who’s be...

Donor acquisition is up, but retention is still a struggle. And your board? Supportive in theory, but silent in practice. Sound familiar? In this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, Barbara O’Reilly, CFRE — founder of Windmill Hill Consulting and a 30-year fundraising veteran — helps us unpack two of the most persistent challenges nonprofits face today. You’ll learn: • Why first-time donors of...

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus chat with Christine Robertson, Consulting Manager at NPact, about what clean data really means for fundraisers—and why it matters more than you might think. Christine brings years of donor database expertise to a topic that too often gets overlooked or siloed. From CRM strategy to daily habits, she shares how data can be a tool...

In this episode, Scott sits down with Griff Bohm, co-founder and CRO of Momentum, for an "Ask a Responsive Fundraiser" with questions about how nonprofits can fuel generosity by creating personal, impactful donor experiences. Drawing on Griff’s expertise at the intersection of behavioral psychology, AI, and philanthropy, this episode gives some practical strategies to rethink recurring giving and...

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Esposito, founder and lead fundraising strategist of Mike Esposito Fundraising, to explore practical strategies for small to mid-size nonprofits aiming to strengthen donor relationships and achieve sustainable fundraising growth. Drawing on his extensive experience, Mike shares insights on building effective fundraising systems, board engagement, and successf...