The Difference: Nonprofit Fundraising in a For-Profit World

Send us Fan Mail Giving reached a record $617 billion in 2025. So why does fundraising feel harder than ever? In this episode of The Difference , Jay Werth is joined by Convergent's Brian Abernathy and Tom Ralser to unpack the story behind the headline. Together, they explore the shrinking donor base, growing competition for funding, and why today's funders increasingly think like invest...

Send us Fan Mail What do donors expect from nonprofits in 2026? According to Catherine LaCour, it’s simple: transparency, speed, and accountability. On this episode of The Difference , Jay Werth welcomes the new leader of The Blackbaud Giving Fund for a conversation about the evolution of workplace giving and philanthropy's future. They unpack: Why corporate giving has moved into the C-suite...

Send us Fan Mail Major donor fundraising is changing, and fast. In this episode, Convergent's Tom Ralser joins Jay Werth to unpack the rise of “impact giving.” Drawing from new 2026 research from the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Giving USA, we explore why donors are increasingly focused on measurable outcomes, strategic engagement, and ROI-style philanthropy. Tom shares prac...

Send us Fan Mail Are fundraising galas truly worth the investment, or are they being misunderstood? In this episode of The Difference, a podcast from Convergent , Host Jay Werth sits down with Justin Goodhew, CEO and Co-founder of Trellis , to unpack how nonprofits can rethink events as more than one-night fundraisers. With experience helping over 500 organizations raise more than $100 million, Ju...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Difference , Host Jay Werth sits down with his Convergent colleagues  Erin Bemis, Greta von Unruh, and Andy Brubaker to unpack what really happens with fundraising ... the wins, the missteps, and the lessons learned along the way. Drawing from years of experience, the team shares candid stories from the field, highlighting common pitfalls like not following...

Send us Fan Mail Tom Ulbrich, Chief Energy Officer at Goodwill of Western New York, joins Host Jay Werth to discuss how nonprofit organizations can adopt entrepreneurial strategies without losing sight of their mission. From developing talent and investing in people to creating innovative revenue streams, Tom explains how Goodwill of Western New York blends business discipline with social impact t...

Send us Fan Mail In this special episode of The Difference , Host Jay Werth speaks with Brian Abernathy, General Manager, Convergent, and Clint Nessmith, CEO of Resource Development Group, to discuss the merger uniting the two respected fundraising firms. The partnership expands national capacity, strengthens board-led capital campaign execution, and brings together the largest dataset in economic...

Send us Fan Mail Fundraising can often feel like chaos, spreadsheets, shifting metrics, donor churn, and constant pressure to hit the next goal. But what if the real breakthrough isn’t in more tactics… but in a fundamental mindset shift? In this episode, I sit down with Erik Tomalis, Chief Revenue Officer at Avid and a fundraising leader with more than 20 years of experience and 4,000+ face-to-fac...

Send us Fan Mail In this panel discussion of The Difference led by Convergent's Andy Brubaker and Pam Reid, the two are joined by Jeff Baldwin, CEO (Ret) of the Bloomington Boys & Girls Club, along with Melanie Conner of Rainbow Village, to unpack what effective board engagement really looks like in practice. The conversation begins by setting the stage, examining why ongoing engagement m...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Difference , host Jay Werth sits down with members of Convergent’s Philanthropic Services team for a forward-looking discussion on trends from across their 2025 client work and what it means for fundraising in 2026. The conversation explores major forces shaping the sector, including the Great Wealth Transfer, shifting major-gifts strategies driven by genera...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Difference podcast, Host Jay Werth is joined by Convergent's Pam Reid and Andy Brubaker for a candid conversation about the critical role board members play in effective fundraising.  Together, they explore why board engagement is essential to organizational sustainability, how to overcome common hesitation and fear around fundraising, and how fundraisi...

Send us Fan Mail In this special year-end edition of The Difference , host Jay Werth takes listeners on a curated journey through the most impactful conversations of 2025. This 25-minute highlight reel revisits the standout insights shared by leading voices in philanthropy, social impact, and fundraising strategy. Join us as we celebrate a year of learning, growth, and meaningful conversation on T...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Difference , Jay Werth welcomes David Wachs, the creator of Handwrytten, a groundbreaking platform that helps nonprofits deepen donor relationships through handwritten communication, produced by remarkably life-like writing robots. David explains how handwritten notes enhance donor stewardship, boost retention, and help organizations stand out in a world ove...

Send us Fan Mail Mission-focused leaders often prioritize compassion and team harmony—but sometimes at the expense of accountability. In this podcast, host Jay Werth and guest Chris Wong, who advises both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, discuss how leaders can hold people to standards without abandoning empathy, and how this balance improves culture, performance, and impact.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Difference podcast, Host Jay Werth is joined by Convergent's Pam Reid and Andy Brubaker to discuss Effective Board Management. Topics discussed include:  Governance vs. management (setting boundaries) Clarifying roles and responsibilities Effective use of committees and task forces Assessing performance & handling underperformance Keeping members en...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'The Difference', we explore how great communities don’t just attract businesses, they inspire people to put down roots. Join Brian Abernathy, General Manager at Convergent Nonprofit Solutions, and Jerald Mitchell, President & CEO of Beaten Path LLC, as they dive into the power of placemaking as a catalyst for economic growth.  Discover how shaping...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Difference  podcast, Host Jay Werth is joined by Convergent's Pam Reid and Andy Brubaker to discuss Recruiting the Right Board Members. Topics discussed include:  Why thoughtful board recruitment matters Common mistakes in recruitment Identifying strong candidates beyond your circle Evaluating fit (skills, mission-alignment, diversity, and affiliations)...

Send us Fan Mail Joe April, Convergent Senior Partner, and Dr. John Rainone, President of Virginia’s Mountain Gateway Community College, and a Convergent Senior Counsel join the host of the Develop This! podcast, Dennis Fraise, in this special episode, to discuss leveraging community colleges to address workforce needs.  Joe shares his transformation, which was made possible through community coll...

Send us Fan Mail In this thought-provoking episode, Host Jay Werth sits down with Greg Warner, CEO and founder of MarketSmart, to explore the paradigm shift reshaping nonprofit fundraising. With nearly two decades of experience in philanthropy and tech innovation, Warner critiques outdated, organization-centric models and champions a more human-centered, donor-driven approach rooted in empathy, da...

Send us Fan Mail After three years of declining donations, 2024 delivered a reversal that has nonprofit leaders everywhere asking: "Is this rebound for real?"  In this insightful analysis linked to the 2025 Giving USA Report , Convergent Principal Tom Ralser and General Manager, Brian Abernathy, join Jay Werth to reveal the drivers behind donor behavior, not just economic indicators. Thi...