Seeding Social Good

Nonprofits are in buzzword hell—AI, tipping, data lakes, CRMs, donor privacy. What actually matters? In this sharply honest conversation, Katrina VanHuss sits down with three industry tech pros—Emily Eakin, Mark Becker, and Erik Tomalis—to unpack what’s real, what’s hype, and what leaders must do now. They tackle the GoFundMe controversy, the future of CRM, the rise of data-first strategy, and how...

Brian Wenke , Executive Director of It Gets Better , joins Katrina VanHuss to share how the organization has stayed relevant for 15 years—by evolving platforms, centering belonging, and guarding its mission. From brand partnerships to smart digital moderation, this conversation is packed with real lessons for any nonprofit leader navigating a noisy world.

Shantanu Bose has been in places people don’t talk about…behind the closed doors at major nonprofit tech providers: Blackbaud, Kintera before acquisition, Classy, GoFundMe. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic but 30 years in the business at high levels gives him a unique perspective. I tracked him down on sabbatical to find out what this mind-at-rest might produce. At the end of the podcast is an of...

The Psychology of Asking and Giving explores the psychology of generosity, persuasion, and human connection—especially in the nonprofit sector. Hosted by Katrina VanHuss, a longtime fundraising strategist, and Otis Fulton, a social psychologist, this episode explores why people find asking others for money so difficult and how people decide to give. Whether you work in philanthropy or just care ab...

What happens when traditional advocacy doesn’t cut it anymore?  In a raw and timely conversation, I sat down with Courtney Bugler, CEO of ZERO Prostate Cancer, to talk about the shift from “little a” advocacy to “Big A” activism—and what it means for nonprofit leaders navigating fear, risk, and rising misinformation.  Courtney doesn’t flinch when the stakes are high. She names what’s broken, leads...

In this episode, we dive into the evolving landscape of peer-to-peer fundraising and ask some provocative questions: Should we still organize fundraising efforts around traditional formats like walks, runs, and rides? Why do those formats often make sense to nonprofit staff but fall flat with volunteers? We’ll unpack the behavioral trends of different generations, explore whether DIY fundraising i...

Katrina VanHuss, CEO Turnkey, interviews two CEOs who have successfully merged nonprofits to great advantage to their respective missions. Colon Cancer Alliance CEO Michael Sapienza successfully merged two nonprofits. John Lehr, CEO Parkinson Foundation, has merged nonprofits twice with success. These CEOs talk about the path, the pain, the purpose and the product of those mergers. Need somewhere...

In this episode, I break down the four critical actions every nonprofit leader must take in the face of mounting challenges: double down on major gifts while building community, merge for greater impact, find your people, and prioritize self-care. But why these steps?    I dive into the psychology behind it, exploring how the Just World Hypothesis fuels neoliberal policies that deepen inequality,...

Psychologist Dr. Otis Fulton and Turnkey Founder Katrina VanHuss discuss (as if they were on their on back porch...they're married) how recognition works at the psychological level. Part 2 Need somewhere to get immediate help from experienced peers, without judgment? Here you go.

Psychologist Dr. Otis Fulton and Turnkey Founder Katrina VanHuss discuss (as if they were on their on back porch...they're married) how recognition works at the psychological level. Part 1 Need somewhere to get immediate help from experienced peers, without judgment? Here you go.

The boundaries between livestream fundraising and traditional peer-to-peer fundraising are disappearing. Our donors and fundraisers are iterating faster than we are, erasing the difference between these two departments as influencers become content creators who are team captains. This "horseshoe dynamic" requires a restructuring of the revenue department. Not doing so means losing constituents and...

Facebook ceased processing donations in Ireland in 2023. Adrian O’Flynn , Founder of GYSS in Ireland, had to contend with this situation that we in the US now fear. How his firm and its social good clients managed this turn, and when, will surprise and delight you. Turnkey For Good Founder, Katrina VanHuss , and O’Flynn take an in-depth look at Facebook’s twists and turns and how someone in your s...

Most of us are afraid that the very noisy political environment could hurt our fundraising results. Dr. Otis Fulton, VP Psychological Strategy,  and Katrina VanHuss, Founder of Turnkey For Good, join Shanna Birky, VP Customer Experience at Classy, to discuss the intersection of political noise and social good fundraising and how it might impact your fundraising. They’ll also hit communications str...

Raising money with events has been getting harder. Acquisition got harder. Retention got lower. Event leaders are losing their jobs. Why? Turns out we were systematizing the wrong thing. We should have been systematizing the building of communities. Communities sometimes hold events. Events rarely hold communities. We had it backwards and our results prove it. Join us to gain a full understanding...

Michael Wasserman , Founder and CEO of Tiltify , explains why addressing the tools of social influencers in the specific and incorrect terms of “livestream/gaming” is limiting to results. He recommends and demonstrates repositioning those tools to enable people who manage social influencers to succeed and support ALL areas of fundraising. Katrina suggests quitting your job and jumping to the next...

Attorney and popular podcaster Wayne Zell , CEO & Managing Member of Zell Law Firm , interviews Dr. Otis Fulton, Social Psychologist and Turnkey For Good VP of Psychological Strategy, about social fundraising and the underlying psychology on the Blueprint for Wealth Podcast . Need somewhere to get immediate help from experienced peers, without judgment? Here you go.

AI is all over the news lately, causing CEOs and organizations to assume they know everything they need to know about AI. Assumption is dangerous.     We don’t want to be left behind. We are eager for our organizations to use AI quickly, often with little accountability from stakeholders to question or press pause. We may be putting our missions at risk as a result. Combined with a lack of directi...

In a rare experience as the interrogatee and not the interrogator, Katrina VanHuss is interviewed by old friend and legal expert Wayne Zell , Managing Member and CEO of Zell Law , on his Blueprint for Wealth Podcast . In a wide-ranging interview, Wayne and Katrina discuss topics as varied as:  Brand – nonprofit versus for-profit, what’s the same and what’s the difference?  The success of the Pan M...

The design of a nonprofit event has a profound impact on participants. It influences how much they donate or raise, and, most importantly, if they return the following year. In this episode, Blue Sea Foundation CEO, Brian Carney, describes how his organization designed Canada’s largest fundraising event, Coldest Night of the Year. Lessons learned by Brian and his team regarding things like swag an...

A veteran of board management and strategy, Anne Marie Forbes helps to identify, name, and address the most prevalent foibles of dysfunctional boards. We help you see the ways to reach a better place, and even show you some tools that can assist. Whether you are a board member, an Executive Director or CEO, or a staff person responsible for preparing for board meetings, this will be helpful.   Dis...

Events were once called “walk-a-thons,” then “peer-to-peer,” and now are considered to be “social fundraising.” What’s unique about this way of getting small-dollar donors engaged? Join us as we talk to industry veteran Randi Corey (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, JDRF, and others) about the relationship of social fundraising revenue to a nonprofit’s total revenue. 

In this episode Katrina interviews the CEO of the Pan Mass Challenge, Jarrett Collins, who became CEO 17 days before the interview. It’s hard to call him a newbie however, as he served as both president and chief operating officer prior to taking the role. The Pan Mass Challenge is one of a small set of organizations that funnel monies directly to another entity, in this case the Dana Farber Cance...

Giving and taking advice is hard. Gestalt Language Protocol is a way to communicate that both conveys information and builds strong positive relationships.  In this episode, we dig into the psychology behind why Gestalt is such a powerful tool. What is it people really want when they ask for advice?  The answer may surprise you...

The deputy director of development for GLSEN was desperate to protect me, him, and everyone else. From who? Far right extremists.

You’ve been in those conversations with someone at work who just rubs you the wrong way. No matter what they say, it’s hard for you to agree with them.  Or you’ve been the one that someone just won’t listen to. You tell them the answer, but it feels like they don’t want to hear it.   Join Katrina VanHuss , Founder Turnkey For Good, and Kate Barnette , VP Client Engagement Turnkey For Good in this...