What the Fundraising

Raising young people out of poverty takes far more than good intentions. It requires trust, healing, opportunity, and unwavering community support. Also, meaningful mentorship can become a powerful force for breaking generational barriers. Meet Renee Daniel Flagler, President of the National CARES Mentoring Movement. Today, she reflects on her personal journey into nonprofit leadership, inspired b...

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs begin with the hardest struggles! Today, Mallory and Dawn Wensel, the Director of Development at Hope Street Group, talk about healing, resilience, and the powerful connection between the mind and body. Their honest stories remind us that growth often starts with understanding ourselves. During the conversation, Dawn shares her journey from being a teacher to bu...

Fundraising is changing, and organizations need new ways to connect with younger people! In this conversation, Michael Wasserman explains how digital communities and online creators are shaping the future of fundraising. He shares why traditional methods are no longer enough and how organizations can build stronger relationships with younger supporters. Michael Wasserman, CEO and co-founder of Til...

Fundraising and alumni relations are evolving faster than many institutions are prepared for. But the concept of hiring people who make us feel comfortable remains the biggest threat to innovation since these practices often remain rooted in familiarity, rigidity, and outdated ideas of “fit.”  A.P. Porch is a higher education and philanthropy professional with nearly 15 years of experience in nonp...

The secret to a successful campaign is a culture shaped by trust, collaboration, emotional resilience, and a shared sense of purpose. A successful implementation of a fundraising team is more than just hitting financial goals; it demands leadership that understands and values institutional culture, supports people through high-pressure moments, and creates a system that will thrive without burning...

History doesn't only live in books. It lives in who gets remembered, who gets silenced, and who chooses to speak anyway! Meet Kristi Williams, a descendant of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and member of Historic Vernon AME Church, who brings a deeply personal lens to historical preservation, and Emma Willis, who complements this perspective by focusing on advocacy, ethical philanthropy, and the imp...

In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Alumni relationships are shifting from tradition-bound loyalty to something more dynamic, personal, and value-driven. In this conversation, the focus turns toward what institutions are getting wrong and how listening more carefully could reshape the future of fundraising and engagement. Howard Heevner brings deep experience from a 30-year career in...

The nonprofit world is changing faster than ever, and organizations are being forced to rethink how they survive and grow in uncertain times! This episode features Pradnya Haldipur, who brings more than 30 years of experience across the nonprofit landscape. Her career has spanned the arts, software, academic medicine, and global humanitarian work with Doctors Without Borders. Recently, she transit...

This conversation explores why modern fundraising still struggles with outdated systems despite living in a technology-driven world. It raises important questions about how fundraisers are expected to manage hundreds of donor relationships while spending hours on administrative tasks rather than building meaningful connections. The discussion challenges traditional fundraising methods and reveals...

Fundraising is often seen as simply asking for money, but it is much deeper than that. What makes people truly connect with a cause? How can fundraisers create moments that donors remember long after an event ends? Meet Matt Roben, benefit auctioneer & farm sanctuary co-founder, who brings a unique background to fundraising, shaped by diverse careers. Before working in fundraising, he spent time a...

What happens when philanthropy becomes more about control than community? Can generosity still be called generosity when tax benefits and personal recognition take center stage?   Join us for today's episode to question the hidden dynamics behind modern fundraising and explore what true public stewardship really looks like! This conversation features Glen Galaich, a respected philanthropy leader w...

This episode takes a slightly different approach. Instead of the usual format, Mallory responds directly to a range of thoughtful questions from her community! She begins by discussing how to handle anxiety before donor conversations, encouraging fundraisers to acknowledge their feelings rather than push them away. Simple techniques, such as validating emotions with phrases such as "that makes sen...

Today's episode offers valuable insights into how to create more intentional, empowered, and balanced ways of working and living. Tune in to discover how to break the cycle of stress and start building a life and career that truly supports you! In this episode, Amanda Gulino delves into the complex world of stress management, emotional intelligence, and self-empowerment. Amanda is a dynamic facili...

In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Join Arash Javanbakht, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic (STARC), as he delves into the intricate workings of fear and anxiety. With expertise spanning neuroscience, trauma research, and nonprofit fundraising, he offers a comprehensive exploration of how fear manifests in our brains, its ev...

As a fundraiser, your ability to handle stress is constantly tested. Fundraising requires lot of hard work, sacrifice, rejection, and honestly, sometimes trauma. If you have a sensitive nervous system, like many fundraisers do, you’re more prone to burnout, anxiety, and chronic stress. So, how can we prevent that? Today’s guest is here to help!  Dr. Linnea Passaler is the Founder and CEO of Heal Y...

We’ve all been there: Ghosted by a donor and wondering why, why, why? My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is showing us how to redirect our minds, dismantling the reflexive responses that play in our heads and inhabit our bodies.  Britt Frank, a somatic psychotherapist, trauma expert, and author of⁠ "The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward,"⁠ walks us...

Do you hear negative, nagging, bullying voices in your head? Are they telling you you’re a bad leader or fundraiser? That you’ll never raise what you need to grow your organization? In this week’s episode, I talk to Dr. Ethan Kross, psychologist, neuroscientist, professor, and the author of Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters and How to Harness It. There is so much chatter that inhibits...

Planned giving is often seen as complex and intimidating, but is it really that complicated?  Today's conversation takes a closer look at what planned giving truly involves and why many organizations may be approaching it the wrong way. This episode uncovers simple yet powerful ideas that can transform how fundraisers think about long-term giving! Tess Conrad is the Founder & Principal Consultant...

What if the very technology that feels overwhelming today could become the strongest ally for nonprofits tomorrow? Meet Darian Rodriguez Heyman, an experienced fundraiser, social entrepreneur, and best-selling author. His work has always focused on "helping people help." He began this journey during his five years as Executive Director of the Craigslist Foundation, where he created the Nonprofit B...

Sometimes the most meaningful innovations begin with frustration. In this conversation, Natalie Poindexter shares how questioning broken systems, both in nonprofit funding and in technology, led her to build new solutions designed with empathy, accessibility, and human support at their core. Natalie, a former grant writer turned funding systems architect and consultant, explains how her career evo...

Technology may be a powerful tool of fundraising, but human connection seems far superior to anything else.  Fundraising is a sector shaped by digital tools, automation, and constant urgency, but the real work of fundraising always comes to its roots: relationships. Organizations that are smart enough to slow down and focus on people create stronger, more sustainable support from their donors. At...

Challenges, uncertainty, and high expectations are natural components of nonprofit. Its leadership is shaped by mindset, resilience, and action by focusing on what they can control, staying present, and fostering momentum over perfection. Join with us and explore how purpose-driven focus and practical strategies transform challenges into opportunities for growth, impact, and meaningful connections...

Generosity is a muscle that must be trained, but in the nonprofit sector, we often wait for donors to find us rather than building the bridges they need to cross. Real progress requires shaking up the status quo and recognizing that philanthropy does not exist in a vacuum; it is complemented by finance, psychology, technology, and tax law. In this conversation, Mallory is joined by Meg George to e...

What does it really take to raise money for a cause that many people misunderstand?  In this conversation, Natalie Reilly-Finch, the Vice President of Growth at the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF), shares the real challenges behind fundraising for lung cancer research and the responsibility that comes with it. She has been working in fundraising since she was 18 and now leads LCRF's growth...

When the relationships stop evolving, so does the donor interest. Overlooked due to time constraints, fear of personal outreach, and assumptions, the mid-level donors are sitting in plain sight with loyalty, consistency, and readiness for more. Now is the time to explore the importance of personalized communication rather than polished campaigns, identifying donors with unrealized potential. From...