The Nonprofit Lab

What makes someone trust a nonprofit enough to give? Javan Van Gronigen, Founder at  Donately , joins the show to explore the future of digital fundraising through the lenses of trust, storytelling, design, donor psychology, AI, recurring giving, campaign strategy, and what nonprofits must do to inspire generosity in an increasingly crowded and skeptical digital world.

Dino Verrelli, founder and CEO of Project Purple , shares how his father’s battle with pancreatic cancer became the catalyst for building an organization dedicated to funding research, supporting patients, and helping families facing one of the most devastating diseases in the world. He talks about turning personal loss into purpose, what it took to grow Project Purple from the ground up, why trus...

Candace Jordan , Chief Development Officer at Atlanta Habitat for Humanity , joins me for a conversation on affordable housing, donor stewardship, corporate partnerships, and trust-based fundraising. We explore what people often misunderstand about Habitat’s model, how Atlanta Habitat combines construction, mortgages, financial education, sweat equity, and home preservation, and what nonprofit lea...

Giving is growing, but the gap between nonprofits is widening. Drawing on data from over 7,500 nonprofits in Blackbaud Institute’s 2025 Trends in Giving report, alongside insights from their Risk Readiness research, Lori Poer and Kate Averett Anderson break down what’s actually driving growth across the sector, and why some organizations are pulling ahead while others fall behind, and most importa...

Doug Paul, Managing Partner at Catapult , shares how nonprofits can turn vision into action through co-created strategy, cultural alignment, and practical experimentation. With insights from supporting over 1,300 organizations, Doug outlines how to move beyond dusty strategic plans to build nimble, people-powered roadmaps that actually drive impact.

Are you growing your nonprofit fundraising, or quietly leaking donors? Salvatore Salpietro , Chief Growth Officer at Dataro and former Chief Community Officer at Fundraise Up, unpacks how digital friction, outdated segmentation, and hidden retention loss are costing nonprofits revenue. Discover how AI-driven predictive modeling and smarter signals can reduce churn, improve targeting, and strengthe...

Donor value attrition is one of the most overlooked threats to nonprofit sustainability. Jeff Schreifels of Veritus Group breaks down why growth can hide retention problems and how disciplined relationship-building protects long-term impact.

Dr. Maryna Baydyuk from United Help Ukraine shares what it means to lead a humanitarian nonprofit through an active war. From her upbringing in Ukraine to organizing aid under constant uncertainty, she reflects on trust, listening to people on the ground, and making life-and-death decisions when there are no perfect options. This conversation explores leadership under pressure, donor fatigue, and...

Attention doesn’t always equal impact, especially in nonprofit fundraising. In this episode, Whole Whale founder George Weiner about how nonprofits can turn donor attention into real commitment, why fundraising funnels break down, and what recent platform controversies reveal about power, consent, and trust in nonprofit tech.

LinkedIn is the most overlooked fundraising engine in the sector. Mario Hernandez at Impact Circle returns to share how he raised $1M organically, built a 55,000+ person community, and developed a repeatable system nonprofits can use to build trust, land corporate partners, and grow revenue -- all without ads, gimmicks, or pitch-slaps

Armine Afeyan , CEO of the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative , to shares how “gratitude in action” can reshape modern humanitarianism. We explore Aurora’s unique approach to uplifting grassroots humanitarians, the power of storytelling to inspire empathy, and how individual acts of courage ripple into global impact. It’s a reminder that generosity is contagious—and that every person has the capacity...

Trish Davis , Vice President of Major Gifts & Planned Giving at Susan G. Komen , shares how true stewardship goes beyond fundraising—it’s about listening, gratitude, and connection. From her service in the Air Force to leading national philanthropy strategy, Trish reveals how to build donor trust at scale, keep relationships personal in a digital age, and turn gratitude into lasting impact.

Lynette Bell , President of the Truist Foundation shares what strategic philanthropy looks like in action, and how trust, data, and collaboration can turn philanthropy into long-term, systemic change. We explore how Truist Foundation is redefining corporate philanthropy through its focus on economic mobility, small business resilience, and community-centered investment. 🔗 Resources Mentioned: Sca...

We connect with Nathan Chappell , Founder and Chair of Fundraising. AI , Chief AI Officer at Virtuous and author of The Generosity Crisis , and Nonprofit AI , to explore how nonprofits can rebuild trust and reignite generosity in the age of AI. We unpack what radical connection really means, how to fix broken incentives, and why the future of giving will depend on curiosity, courage, and care.

How can nonprofits turn data into deeper donor relationships? In this episode, Brian Gawor from Johnson, Grossnickle & Associates (JGA) shares how to move from wealth-based fundraising to engagement-first philanthropy, where every click, call, and connection becomes a clue to generosity.

Wesley Todd Holiday shares how a 24-year, family-run organization grew from scrappy basketball teams into “Holiday HOOPS & ARTs,” blending athletics, arts, and life skills to expand access for youth. We dig into stepping into leadership midstream, balancing metrics with real stories, cultivating alumni mentors, and the road to a 25th-anniversary vision centered on scholarships, space, and lega...

Erik Tomalis, Chief Revenue Officer at Avid , shares how nonprofits can move from data overload to clear direction. We explore how Avid’s fundraising operating system unifies disconnected tools, surfaces real insights, and helps teams focus on what truly drives generosity, trust, clarity, and human connection.

Sarah Landman from Insightful shares why good development starts with good listening, tuning into donor news, life updates, and milestones to show up when it matters most. We dig into practical ways nonprofits can track what’s happening in their donors’ world and turn those touchpoints into lasting, trust-filled relationships.

Change CEO Sonia Nigam joins The Nonprofit Lab to unpack the hidden rails behind online giving. From compliance pitfalls and paper checks to donor-advised funds and API-first solutions, Sonia shares how Change is simplifying fundraising infrastructure and unlocking more dollars for nonprofits.

Donor-advised funds now hold over $255 billion in charitable assets, but most nonprofits struggle to access them. In this episode, Elon Packin, Head of Partnerships at Chariot explains how their DAFpay technology makes giving from donor-advised funds seamless, and why unlocking these dollars can transform fundraising. Learn more at givechariot.com .

Samantha Swaim of Swaim Strategies shares how to design fundraising events that move people: from storytelling that doubles giving, to match strategies that multiply impact, to follow-ups that turn donors into lifelong supporters.

Nonprofit finance doesn’t have to be confusing or scarcity-driven. Karen Houghton, CEO of Infinite Giving , shares how nonprofits of every size can move idle cash into growth, accept stock and crypto with confidence, and build reserves and endowments that open doors to major gifts. A practical roadmap for shifting from survival mode to sustainable impact.

Thinking about switching CRMs, moving off spreadsheets, or just getting more from the system you already use? Kevin Wood of NPact breaks down the realities of nonprofit data management, the hidden costs of poor systems, and how to make CRM transitions smoother. A must-listen for any nonprofit leader planning for growth.

What if the key to unlocking billions in medical debt relief was hiding in plain sight? Jared Walker , founder of Dollar For, joins The Nonprofit Lab to share how one viral TikTok exposed hospital charity care, and sparked a movement that’s erased over $90M in medical bills.

Fundraising isn’t just about sending messages, it’s about making people feel seen. Bart Lillie from Synergy joins to share how nonprofits can build real donor connection through intentional, multichannel engagement that centers trust, listening, and humanity.