What the Fundraising

Want to build trust with donors at first glance? That’s what happens when you have a solid, user-friendly platform like the one my guest, Justin Wheeler, has developed. As he shares in this episode of What the Fundraising, years of field experience are baked into Funraise, a digital ecosystem that streamlines nonprofit messaging and fundraising. Their state-of-the-art tool is designed to help nonp...

SEO. The mention of those three little letters sends many of us in the nonprofit sector scurrying for cover. But spend a little time with my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising and I promise you’ll feel empowered to explore all things Search Engine Optimization! Rafi Norberg, President of Nexus Marketing, walks us through what it means to raise your online profile and shares some great (...

The truth is, all limiting beliefs aside, we can make giving fun. And Max Friedman and the team at Givebutter are proving this to be true each and every day. They have created a crowdfunding platform that seeks to raise funds that will empower the next generation of changemakers. In this episode of What the Fundraising I get to talk to Max about his entrepreneurial journey, from starting in his co...

Here’s a data point worth highlighting: Dollars invested in female-founded startups offer an average 63% better return on investment than those with male founders. That’s not merely anecdotal, says my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising. Katica Roy, a Gender Economist, and CEO at Pipeline Equity, has all the stats and research to back up her assertions about intersectional inequity and i...

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 th...

Are you a changemaker? The call to action on this episode of What the Fundraising is rooted in the notion that we can all be leaders of the change we seek. Alex Budak, a faculty member at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, believes leadership is ripe for redefinition – and has data to prove it! He walks us through how the human tendency to maintain the status quo impacts social change and wh...

Perfectionism can be sneaky. We think we’re just working hard, doing our best, and tirelessly serving others. And we are. But, as my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising points out, there can also be a lot of ego driving our behaviors and it needs to be explored. Kamilah Martin, Founder & CEO of Katalyst Consulting Group, leverages her decades of nonprofit experience to help align leaders...

We are looking at leadership strengths through a feminine lens on this episode of What the Fundraising with my guest, Natalie Rekstad. As Founder and CEO at Black Fox Philanthropy, Natalie is mobilizing resources in all kinds of innovative ways and – as importantly – makes them open source and welcoming to even the smallest organizations to tap a wealth of wisdom.  In the process of helping domest...

What does it look like to come from a place of wholeness – fully embodied and aligned with our core values? And why is it so hard in this day and age to feel whole? In this episode of What the Fundraising, we start that conversation with an understanding of our nervous systems. Today’s guest, Gabriel Kram, is a convener of The Restorative Practices Alliance, Co-Founder of the Academy of Applied So...

Political fundraising versus nonprofit fundraising. They might be very different animals, but there are still common lessons to be learned. My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is offering fascinating insights into what does – and doesn’t – work when it comes to attracting and retaining a loyal donor base. A certified NationBuilder expert, Ian Patrick Hines knows how to leverage game-c...

Feel like getting outside your box? Then spend some time with Mariam Nusrat, my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising! A lightbulb realization during her 12-year frontlines career working on educational policy and behavioral change in developing countries for the World Bank has transformed her into a video games visionary. As Founder and CEO of GRID (Gaming Revolution for International Dev...

Many nonprofits are exploring a shift away from old-school donor-centric fundraising, but are unclear about what that would look like. In this episode of What the Fundraising, Erica Chomsky-Adelson is sharing the compelling, community-centric alternative she and her team at Culture Aid NOLA (CAN) have put in place. Born at the height of the pandemic, their non-traditional food bank knits donors, v...

Your head will spin with the data-driven insights and post-pandemic strategies my guest has to share on this jam-packed episode of What the Fundraising. Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer at GivingTuesday, brings a powerful lens on fundraising based on his previous career in commercial marketing as well as the detailed metrics he’s constantly scanning for clues to donor behavior. In large part...

My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is challenging all of us to throw out self-limiting beliefs in favor of playfulness and transparency. Simone Seol, a coach, and host of The Joyful Marketing Podcast, shows us what it can look like to step away from self-doubt, fear of rejection, and perfectionism. “How we get to show up is our decision,” she says. “You get what you think you deserve...

After last week’s episode with Seth Godin, we wanted to dig deeper into the marketing and content side of nonprofit fundraising. And this next episode definitely delivers. As nonprofits, we are constantly scrambling to come up with fresh, compelling stories to illustrate our missions, but are we being mindful? On this episode of What the Fundraising we’re pausing to take a hard look at content – a...

When it comes to marketing, leadership, connection, and inspiring change, there is no one else out there quite like Seth Godin, my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising. Seth is an entrepreneur, best-selling author, and speaker. In addition to launching one of the most popular blogs in the world, he has written 20 best-selling books, including The Dip, Linchpin, Purple Cow, and Tribes (jus...

Did you know that connecting is entirely different than networking? The mindset is different according to Susan McPherson, author of "The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships." As a social impact strategist, she has developed a methodology that turns certain nonprofit conventions on their head, as we learn in this episode of What the Fun...

Faced with the death of her beloved brother, Monique Parker, my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising, reinvented herself and enlivened her purpose. She launched a candle-making business whose revenue she funneled into philanthropies that honored the spirit of her brother. And now she’s taking her nonprofit support one step further. Leveraging her corporate experience in the tech sector, w...

My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising brings not only deep experience as a successful fundraiser for large cultural and educational institutions, but he’s also changing the conversation with fresh perspectives on both the nonprofit and donor sides of giving. Louis Diez, VP for Community at Almabase & Host at the Donor Participation Project, is sharing with us some of the research and in...

Dominique Morgan is a powerhouse executive director – most recently at The Okra Project, a collective addressing the needs of Black Trans people – but hers is a story that could have gone a different way. Growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, Dominique was repeatedly incarcerated. It was a lived experience without dreams or prospects – until she had a few life-changing experiences. A single volunteer gig...

How busy are you? How rarely are you able to cut through all the noise? My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is inspiring us all to carve out a daily practice because – no matter how modest – our human spirits need dedicated moments and rituals. When Libby DeLana committed to taking a daily walk around her Newburyport, MA, neighborhood 10 years ago, she had no idea how transformational...

Do you see financial resources as a zero-sum game? If another fundraiser gets more, does it mean your nonprofit receives less? Check that mindset! My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is here to offer a completely different – far more generous – lens on wealth. Angela Matthews, the founder of the Happy Investor Method, shares an approach fueled by her vision of bounty in both business...

Ever had that sensation of running, running, running, and not even really knowing where you’re running to? My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is asking us to pause and consider: Might there be something we’re unconsciously running away from? Goli Kalkhoran, Coach and Host of Lessons From A Quitter, is all about stripping away the layers of identity and self-limiting beliefs that driv...

Why is it so hard for women to bring all of ourselves, imperfections included, to the table? For starters, we’ve inherited deeply ingrained narratives — stories that shame us and drive our truest natures into hiding. That’s why we all need the support of someone like Ruthie Lindsey, my remarkable guest on this episode of What the Fundraising. She is an author, coach, speaker, and extraordinary hea...

It’s dizzying to look back on this past season of What the Fundraising and try to encapsulate all the brilliant advice, life lessons, and wisdom that my guests have shared – which is why I was fortunate to have my good friend Dana Snyder, CEO of Positive Equation, on deck to help out! Together we’re deconstructing some of the big themes impacting nonprofits today as well as the many innovative new...