First Day Podcast

In this lively and eye-opening episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Rachel Gerrol, founder and CEO of NEXUS Global, and her COO Liza Heavener, to pull back the curtain on the philanthropic habits of Gen Z and millennials. NEXUS Global isn’t just another networking group, it’s a global movement with 6,000 members across 70 countries r...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes Abhishek Bhati, Ph. D., Associate Professor at Bowling Green State University, to dive deep into the ever-buzzing world of social media fundraising. Spoiler alert, it’s not just about asking for money. Drawing on fresh research, Dr. Bhati reveals that nonprofits who blend a variety of six messa...

In this data-packed and donor-loving episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes Mark Rovner, JD, Founder of Sea Change Strategies to uncover the goldmine hidden in plain sight: mid-level donors. Nope, not the cast of that sitcom based in Indiana, but the generous souls giving between $1,000 and $10,000 annually who somehow manage to be both inc...

In this soul-soothing episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., sits down with fundraising coach, burnout buster, and author of What the Fundraising, Mallory Erickson. A former “accidental fundraiser” turned executive coach, Mallory brings a compassionate yet data-backed perspective on one of the sector’s stickiest problems: burnout. Spoiler alert, tur...

In this wide-ranging episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., sits down with rural fundraising champion Julie Bianchi, CFRE, Campaign Practice Director at Cloudbreak Collective. With deep roots in small towns and a career spanning both urban and rural philanthropy, Julie brings a fresh and honest perspective on what it really takes to fundraise where...

In this heartwarming episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes certified fundraising dynamo Jennifer Oyer, CFRE, MA, Founder & Chief Joy Officer at Community Impact Advisors. Joy lives and breathes The Fund Raising School’s signature mantra: Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving. Broadcasting straight from her home base i...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., sits down with veteran fundraiser and Scouting America CEO Andy Price, who is blazing a trail through the digital frontier with his trusty sidekick… an AI assistant named Cassie. Yes, Cassie. Named after a Netflix thriller, because why not? In this lively conversation, Bill and Andy explore how artifici...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. is joined once again by fundraising researcher and nonprofit rockstar Ruth Hansen, PhD, Associate Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Together, they dive into Ruth’s latest co-authored paper, “A Literature Review of Experimental Studies in Fundraising,” which combs through 187 academic s...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes Dr. Kraig Kinchen, Executive Director of 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, for a conversation on how this impactful nonprofit is embracing the power of planned giving. From a career in medicine and corporate America to nonprofit leadership, Dr. Kinchen shares his journey and explains how his organi...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., sits down with Muhsin Hassan, Managing Director at Lever for Change, to unpack the power, and practicality, of nonprofit collaboration. Drawing from his role advising the Community Collaboration Initiative led by the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philant...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes digital fundraising expert Michelle Boggs, MBA, CFRE, Executive Nonprofit Industry Adviser at Classy from GoFundMe, to explore the ever-shifting world of online giving. With 20 years of frontline fundraising experience and insider knowledge from one of the biggest names in crowdfunding, Michel...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes fundraising trailblazer Ann Updegraff Spleth to discuss one of the most inevitable, and nerve-wracking, aspects of nonprofit life: change. With decades of experience and a suitcase full of real-world examples, Ann explores how effective change management can strengthen an organization’s stabil...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. dives into the big, shiny (and slightly confusing) changes in federal tax law passed in July 2025, and what they mean for your fundraising plan in 2026 and beyond. Bill brings clarity with his signature blend of research, wisdom, and a dash of humor. The laws don’t take effect until 2026, which gives fu...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., sits down with fundraising powerhouse John Zeller, former Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, to unpack the behind-the-scenes magic of major gift fundraising. While the headlines may tout seven- and eight-figure gifts, Zeller emphasizes that con...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., brings a dose of optimism as he dives into the newly released Giving USA 2025 report, spotlighting charitable giving in 2024. The big headline? Americans donated a record-breaking $592.5 billion, a 6.3% increase in current dollars and a healthy 3.3% bump after adjusting for inflation. It’s a hopeful sig...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. is joined by philanthropic power duo Una Osili, Ph. D. and Jon Bergdoll, M.A., to unpack the freshly minted Giving USA 2025 report. Spoiler alert: Americans gave over $590 billion in 2024. Adjusted for inflation, giving grew a solid 3.3%, with a hefty assist from a booming stock market, low unemployment,...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., sits down with executive search guru Bill Peterson of CarterBaldwin to unpack the high-stakes world of CEO transitions, and their ripple effect on fundraising. Think of it as succession planning with heart, spreadsheets, and maybe a few tissues. Drawing from the recent Compassion International case stud...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. sits down with philanthropic power couple Linn and Byron Braun, who offer a refreshing and candid look into the donor’s mind. From third-grade campaign trail adventures to launching garden programs and anti-child abuse foundations, the Brauns’ journey is a masterclass in giving with heart. They walk us t...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes back the brilliant Una Osili, Ph. D., Associate Dean for Research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. They dive into the hot-off-the-press study, The Next Generation of Philanthropy, revealing how Millennials and Gen Z are shaping the future of charitable giving. Spoi...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes back the ever-insightful Lindsay Marciniak, MPA, Managing Director of CCS Fundraising, to dissect the latest edition of CCS’s Philanthropy Pulse Report. Broadcasting from the heart of Chicago, Lindsay dives into this year’s fundraising pulse check, highlighting trends, triumphs, and the occasio...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., reconnects with his longtime mentor and fundraising sage, Tim Seiler, Ph. D., Director Emeritus of The Fund Raising School. Together, they dive into a topic that’s more relevant than ever: how to navigate the stormy seas of fundraising during uncertain times. Dr. Seiler shares war stories from his earl...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes Dr. George Newman, Associate Professor of Management and Marketing at the University of Toronto, to explore one of the most deceptively simple questions in fundraising: Should we give donors gifts? Backed by years of research and a background in psychology, Dr. Newman offers a compelling and s...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., sits down with Virginia Harrison, Ph. D., Assistant Professor at Clemson University, to dig deep into a question many nonprofit professionals fear to ask out loud: Why do donors leave? With a background in public relations and firsthand fundraising experience, Dr. Harrison brings both academic insight...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes back Dan Heist, Ph. D. and Gen Shaker, Ph. D., to explore new research on how fundraisers are navigating relationships with donors who give through donor-advised funds (DAFs). With nearly 2 million DAF accounts holding $250 billion and distributing over $50 billion annually, these philanthropi...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes back the legendary Kay Sprinkle Grace to tackle a critical topic: staying resilient in fundraising during turbulent times. Kay emphasizes that the nonprofit sector becomes even more essential when the world feels shaky. She reminds fundraisers that their steadiness provides the strength commun...