First Day Podcast

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes back Rick Dunham, founder and chair of Dunham+Company, for an insightful breakdown of donor confidence heading into 2025. Drawing on a fresh national survey of 1,500 active donors (each having given at least $20 in the past year), Dunham reports that 91% of donors plan to continue giving, an e...

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. sits down with Mark Mayer, Ph. D., clinical associate professor at the Kelley School of Business and former brand manager turned humor scholar, to explore the serious power of being funny in fundraising. Mayer’s deep dive into advertising and branding reveals that humor isn’t just a crowd-pleaser, it’s...

In this episode of The First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz welcomes Jaclyn Piatak, Ph. D., professor at UNC Charlotte and co-author of Volunteer Management: A Strategic Approach, to bust the myth that volunteers are just free labor. Piatak lays the groundwork for a new way of thinking about volunteers, not as warm bodies to do the grunt work, but as essential, diverse contributors who requ...

In this episode of The First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Geah Pressgrove, Ph. D., professor at West Virginia University and public relations maven-turned-research powerhouse, to explore the mighty mechanics of donor stewardship. Dr. Pressgrove pulls back the curtain on her groundbreaking 2017 research that distilled 26 donor engagement practices into five clear stew...

In this episode of The First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Patty McIlreavy, President and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), to discuss how charitable giving shifts during times of disaster. Patty begins by reframing the very concept of disaster—not as the event itself, like a hurricane or wildfire, but as the collision of an event with a community’s v...

In this episode of The First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Dr. Ashutosh Nandeshwar, Senior Vice President at CCS Fundraising and author of Data Science for Fundraising, to explore the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in nonprofit fundraising. Dr. Nandeshwar breaks AI into two key categories: traditional AI, which includes predictive analytics and...

In this episode of The First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Dr. Patrick Rooney, Emeritus Professor at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, to discuss the ongoing debate over the Universal Charitable Deduction (UCD). With decades of expertise in philanthropy and economics, Dr. Rooney explains how tax incentives impact charitable giving, particular...

In this episode of The First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Robert Osborne Jr., principal of The Osborne Group, to discuss the often-overlooked but crucial segment of mid-level donors. With extensive experience in frontline fundraising and consulting, Robert highlights the importance of mid-level gifts—typically ranging from $1,000 to $50,000—as a key driver of nonprof...

In this episode of the First Day podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Lynne Wester, founder and principal of the Donor Relations Group. Drawing from her background at Walt Disney World and expertise in fundraising, Lynne shares how nonprofits can enhance donor relations by creating memorable, emotionally engaging experiences. She emphasizes that donor stewardship isn’t just a fo...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Cherian Koshy, CFRE, CAP®, Vice President at Kindsight and co-author of the study Donor Perceptions of AI. The conversation discusses how donors perceive the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the nonprofit sector. This independently funded study surveyed over 1,000 U.S. donors who contributed betw...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Ann Fitzgerald, MA, founder of AC Fitzgerald and alumna of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Ann shares her expertise on helping nonprofits navigate financial crises, offering practical strategies for organizations that find themselves overly reliant on a single funding source. The co...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Arleen Peterson, ECRF, MA, Executive Director, Relational Services for the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. Arleen shares her experience leading growth at the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, highlighting how visionary leadership and strategic engagement can drive significant fundraising success. She discusses t...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Angela Altamore, Associate Vice President of Donor Relations and Experience at BWF. Angela provides an in-depth look at the importance of donor relations in nonprofit fundraising, breaking down the distinctions between donor relations, donor stewardship, and donor experience. She uses the metaphor of building...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Laura MacDonald, CFRE, Founder and Principal of the Benefactor Group. Laura discusses the critical role endowments play in fostering long-term financial resilience for nonprofits. She emphasizes that endowments, distinct from operating reserves or rainy-day funds, are strategic investments in which the princip...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Betsy Erickson, Head of Family and Individual Services at Arabella Advisors, to dissect the top obstacles donors face when it comes to charitable giving. Backed by a collaborative study from the Gates Foundation, Arabella Advisors, and others, the conversation dives into the psychological and logistical hurdle...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. explores the trends and opportunities awaiting fundraisers in 2025. The episode begins on a high note, celebrating record-breaking charitable donations reported in 2024, despite inflation’s impact. Bill emphasizes that smart budgeting and realistic goal-setting remain key to navigating such challenges. With the S&P 500 endi...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., is joined by Anthony Heaven, Ph. D., professor at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, to discuss the experiences of African American fundraisers working within predominantly white institutions (PWIs). Drawing from his qualitative research, Dr. Heaven shares insights into the challenges, biases, and...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes Christopher Beck, CAP, Principal Gift Advisor at ALSAC/St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, to demystify the complexities of planned gift fundraising. Often seen as daunting and overly technical, planned giving involves helping donors consider their legacy while navigating tax and estate planning strategies. C...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., speaks with Elaine Martyn, Senior Vice President, Private Donor Group, of Fidelity Charitable, to explore the role of donor-advised funds (DAFs) in modern philanthropy. Fidelity Charitable, the largest recipient of charitable donations in the United States, administers DAFs as a tool for strategic giving. Elaine explains h...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., speaks with Travis Tester, MA, CFRE, Chief Development and Communications Officer for Foster Success, about innovative ways nonprofits can use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance fundraising. Foster Success, a nonprofit supporting Indiana youth transitioning out of foster care, operates with a $5 million annual budget...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., speaks with Christopher Beck, CAP, Principal Gift Advisor for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, about practical strategies to diversify donor databases and foster inclusivity in philanthropy. Christopher shares insights into the current push for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in nonprofit work, emp...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D., welcomes Howard Husock of the American Enterprise Institute and E.J. McMahon of the Empire Center for Public Policy to discuss the impact of the 2017 federal tax reforms on charitable giving. They explore how the doubling of the standard deduction reduced the number of taxpayers who itemize, significantly diminishing the t...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes Alyssia Coates, Ph. D., Senior Director of Development Inclusive Philanthropic Engagement at Brown University, to discuss the concept of "inclusive philanthropic engagement." Dr. Coates shares her role in expanding Brown’s donor base by focusing on inclusion and diversity, not only as a moral imperative but also as...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. welcomes Danny Gatling, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni Relations at Guilford College, to discuss strategies for fundraising with limited resources. With many nonprofits operating on tight budgets, Danny shares insights on how organizations can creatively maximize their impact by leveraging technology and adopting...

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed. D. sits down with Genevieve Shaker, Ph. D., professor of philanthropic studies and Donald A. Campbell Chair in Fundraising Leadership at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, about the role of celebrities in fundraising. Dr. Shaker shares insights from her research into how celebrities influence nonprofit...