The Modern Nonprofit Fundraiser Podcast

Barbara O’Reilly, CFRE joins us to talk about the challenges facing nonprofit leaders today and what we should be focused on, how we must balance empathy and urgency in our messaging, and her approach to navigating through each stage of a crisis: the response (our current phase), recovery, and resilience building. Barbara brings to her clients more than twenty-five years of annual fund, major gifts, and campaign fundraising experience at major non-profit organizations including Harvard University, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Oxford University in England, and the American Red Cross.    Whether it was leading record-setting reunion classes, securing tens of millions of dollars from global corporations following some of the most devastating natural disasters around the world, or overseeing a team that grew donor engagement of major individual donors committed to historic preservation, Barbara understands that fundraising is much more than just raising money.  It’s about enabling

Sophie W. Penney, Ph.D. joins us to talk about the challenges facing nonprofit leaders today, why fundraisers should adopt a teacher's mindset, and a framework to identify and isolate challenges to ensure you navigate them well. Sophie is the Director of Foundation Relations for Penn State University and the founder and President of i5 Fundraising and a dynamic development leader with extensive expertise in building strategic fundraising initiatives within higher education and non-profit sectors. Sophie is also the author or co-author of numerous books, articles, and reports including: Dollars for Dreams: Student Affairs Staff as Fundraisers (NASPA 2001) and Student Affairs Fundraising: Raising Funds to Raise the Bar (NASPA, 2019).  She is a sought after facilitator, teacher, and coach for aspiring and current fundraising professionals. In 2019 Sophie was recognized by the Allegheny Mountains Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the Fundraiser of the Year. ----- Learn more about t

Sarah Olivieri joins us to share lessons learned from over 15 years of nonprofit leadership, how vulnerability and respite help nonprofits thrive, and a simple, yet effective framework that prioritizes process and two-week sprint cycles to laborious strategic planning as fuel for improvement and growth. Sarah Olivieri is a nonprofit business strategist, #1 International Best Selling author, and former Executive Director. She has been featured on over 30 podcasts and is the creator of the Impact Method™ - a framework that helps nonprofits simplify their operations, build aligned teams, and make a bigger impact without getting overwhelmed or burning out. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

On this episode, we're joined by Gabe Cooper and Mckenna Bailey to discuss their new book Responsive Fundraising: The Donor-Centric Framework Helping Today’s Leading Nonprofits Grow Giving Gabe Cooper is the Founder and CEO of Virtuous, a software platform helping nonprofits grow giving. Gabe has a true passion for creating market-defining software and helping charities reimagine generosity. Throughout Responsive Fundraising, readers will learn what the data tells us about the modern donor and their generosity habits. They will receive step-by-step responsive fundraising plays they can implement right away to improve their current fundraising tactics. Plus, they’ll get a look into how responsive nonprofits are shifting their internal teams to create a more collaborative, successful organization. Get a free copy of the book here ~ https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsivebook/ ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-de

Shannon McCracken joins us to talk about the current fundraising landscape, why trust and relevancy our essential now more than ever, and her take on what nonprofit leaders should focus on amidst times of crisis and uncertainty. Shannon has a unique vantage point, as she's the CEO of The Nonprofit Alliance, leading the association through rapid growth since its launch in 2018. Previously she spent two years as Charity Navigator’s Chief Development Officer, facilitating communication with nonprofit organizations and dramatically increasing resources to support successful implementation of a new strategic plan. She now serves on their board of directors. She spent 17 years with Special Olympics International, most recently as Vice President of Donor Development, building and managing a multichannel individual fundraising program. Shannon has been an engaged member of the DMA Nonprofit Federation, with past roles as Chairperson of the Advisory Council and Chair of the Ethics Committee. https://tnpa.org/membershi

Julia Campbell, author, speaker, and digital strategist to mission-driven organizations, joins us to talk about the current state of social media, how nonprofits should be maximizing social channels, and the dos and don'ts on how to use social engagement for fundraising. Julia wrote her book Storytelling in the Digital Age: A Guide for Nonprofits as a roadmap for social change agents who want to build movements using engaging digital storytelling techniques. Her second book, How to Build and Mobilize a Social Media Community for Your Nonprofit, was published this year.   Julia launched Social Media for Social Good Academy, the first online training course for nonprofit social media managers. She also founded and organizes the annual Nonprofit Social Media Summit, a live event for nonprofits. www.jcsocialmarketing.com/firstdibs ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising t

Chad Williams joins us to talk about the five mindsets of a modern fundraising strategy, how infusing personalization into your messaging drives up results, and a simple framework for donor engagement in 2020 and beyond. Chad is the CEO of Five Q and has been involved with the Internet since 1995. His company provides a full suite of software development and interactive marketing solutions, including ground-breaking personalization platform, Journity. Chad and Five Q serves dozens of non-profit organizations, including homeless shelters, national faith-based nonprofits, city and county governments and many others. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Brian Sooy, the president of AESPIRE, joins us to talk about uncovering and clarifying your nonprofit's story, the art of focus, and why supporter-centered storytelling is a must. Brian is the author of “Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto,” the top-rated book that helps mission-driven leaders create thriving organizations. As a StoryBrand Certified Guide, Brian knows that when leaders find the clarity, they multiply their impact and their business thrives. Here are a few additional resources that complement our conversation: Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto —Amazon’s top-rated guide to help mission-driven organizations nurture a culture of generosity that engages supporters and builds a mission-driven brand Download the Brand Clarity Credo, inspired by Raise Your Voice: A Cause Manifesto — and receive 12 months of free insights from Aespire to help you achieve clarity and build a powerful relationship brand. Download a free guide to help you Master the Art of Donor Storytelling ----- Learn more about

On this episode, we're joined by T. Clay Buck, a recovering actor and reluctant data geek, and we discuss what fundraising leaders should be focused on as we wade into 2020 and beyond. He is the Founder and Principal of Tactical Fundraising Solutions, a fundraising consultancy that helps fundraisers and nonprofits raise money more effectively through a systems-thinking approach to fundraising. Clay has thirty years of experience in fundraising from individual donors and particular expertise in annual giving, database management, prospect research and development operations. He was the Vice President of Client Services for the highly respected consulting firm, IDC and has held the CFRE certification since 2010. He was a co-author of the Rogare Critical Fundraising Report for the United States, teaches fundraising and storytelling at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and was recently named one of the top 20 Charity Influencers online. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to gr

Dan Reed, the CEO and Founder of Seed Fundraisers join us again to talk about growing generosity at scale across various fundraising channels. He also shares practical tips on how you can activate and inspire generosity within annual giving campaigns, major gifts, and event fundraising. Seed Fundraisers is a training and coaching organization focused on fundraising and program design. Furthermore: Seed is an ambitious group of problem solvers, institution-builders, and activators, more interested in the rigorous pursuit of generosity-fueled impact than the comforts of self-serving work. Dan Reed is a philanthropy executive with over 15 years of frontline and leadership experience in philanthropic fundraising. He has helped raise over $50 million dollars in private philanthropy, led teams of up to 15 fundraisers, and supported leaders through significant organizational change. Dan served the Denver Public Schools Foundation for three years during a time of major transition, and then joined Morris Animal Founda

Dan Reed, the CEO and Founder of Seed Fundraisers join us to talk about growing generosity and vocational conviction. He also shares what he believes the true purpose of a fundraising professional is, and a few tips on how to evolve your posture toward your nonprofit's donors. Seed Fundraisers is a training and coaching organization focused on fundraising and program design. Furthermore: Seed is an ambitious group of problem solvers, institution-builders, and activators, more interested in the rigorous pursuit of generosity-fueled impact than the comforts of self-serving work. Dan Reed is a philanthropy executive with over 15 years of frontline and leadership experience in philanthropic fundraising. He has helped raise over $50 million dollars in private philanthropy, led teams of up to 15 fundraisers, and supported leaders through significant organizational change. Dan served the Denver Public Schools Foundation for three years during a time of major transition, and then joined Morris Animal Foundation as th

Greg Warner, the CEO of MarketSmart, to talk about his personal experience as a disgruntled donor, what today's donor really wants from nonprofits, and engagement strategies he's seen nonprofits tap to build authentic relationships with their donors. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Hilary Noon joins us to talk about the first-ever Donor Loyalty Benchmark Study, why donor loyalty is a metric fundraisers should be pursuing, and a few practical insights nonprofits can use to cultivate donor loyalty. Hilary has committed her entire working life to serving with and on-behalf of nonprofits. She is now the Executive Vice President of Insights Analytics and Experience at Pursuant. She's been at Pursuant for 4 years having come from the American Cancer Society where I ran Analytics and Insights at the National level.  Pursuant is a mid-size, comprehensive fundraising and marketing agency that works exclusively with non-profit organizations to drive engagement and growth. They focus across the entire donor pyramid using strategic services, creative storytelling, analytics and human insights to drive greater connection between causes and their donors. And, they power those services efficiently through their technology platforms. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides l

We’re changing things. We’re creating a space where ideas and people focused on fundraising for our world’s most important causes can collide. Why? The world your nonprofit is fundraising in has changed. This has shifted what today’s donor expects and they’re voting with their giving (engagement and dollars). Yet, nonprofits are handcuffed to models that were designed for donors that no longer exist. You need a new approach. And, Gabe Cooper, the founder and CEO of Virtuous, talks about how that new approach should be responsive fundraising. Responsive fundraising puts the donor at the center of fundraising activities, personalizes engagement, and treats ALL donors like major donors. We know a world where nonprofits are more responsive is one that is better for the entire generosity ecosystem and will grow giving and social impact. So, we’re curating conversations with nonprofit leaders and top fundraising thinkers to illuminate responsive fundraising strategies and highlight how modern nonprofits are becomin

Mark Santiago joins us to talk about the where, what and how of harnessing the power of social media for your nonprofit. Hear from an expert about how your organization can utilize digital marketing tools to achieve your goals, grow your donor base & increase the good you do in the world. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Carter Crockett joins us to talk about the teachings of ancient philosophers and how they can help today's entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders. Learn the difference between winning and flourishing, plus how creating a culture of excellence can help drive your nonprofit forward. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

The newest episode of The Modern Nonprofit Fundraiser Podcast features Ryan Corry, Director of Development at St. Vincent de Paul. Ryan offers personal stories and specific examples of what inspires generosity in all donors: your own generosity. He talks about building authentic donor relations and how to create a vision for the future of your nonprofit. Find out more about Ryan and St. Vincent de Paul on their website. ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

On the newest episode of The Modern Nonprofit Fundraiser Podcast, we feature Taylor Shanklin, the V.P. of Marketing at Pursuant. Taylor offers practical advice for nonprofits who want to use the same growth hacking strategies that make startups successful. She provides tips for successful growth, how to grow a stronger team at your nonprofit and more. Listen to the whole episode here.  ----- Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/.  Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Most nonprofit organizations understand that a website is a key communication tool that helps them state their mission, share their successes, and keep their donors up to date. A nonprofit website is also a central tool for growing the donor base. That’s why it’s not enough to just check the box: “Yeah, we have a website.” To be the most successful in the digital age, nonprofits need to strive to develop a great website. In this episode of our podcast, we connected with Adam Walker. He’s co-owner at Sideways8, a web design company that helps nonprofits develop websites to reach the right people, increase donations and membership, and ultimately make a bigger impact on the world. When it comes to designing websites for nonprofit organizations, Adam is the one to talk to. So we did. You can follow Adam on Twitter at @AJWalker and read his personal blog at AdamJWalker.com. Want to see something really cool? Check out 48 in 48, in which Adam and his team host events to build 48 nonpr

Storytelling is a major part of how brands connect with their audiences, but nonprofit storytelling is unique. It can be a major challenge to do it well so that you do more than just grow your donor base. We spoke with Beth Guckenberger who has been using storytelling to build relationships with her donors in order to connect them to the work of her nonprofit. Beth is co-executive director at Back2Back Ministries. Along with her husband, Todd, they have been focused on international orphan care since 1997. They have been able to grow their reach by mastering how to use storytelling for fundraising. The Guckenbergers have found that it often feels like the nonprofit is the medium between the donor, who funds the cause, and the cause itself. Despite the organization’s best intentions, it can actually widen the space between the donor and the work they wish to fund. At Back2Back, they want to shorten the distance between what’s happening in the field and the donor. Great storytelling shortens that distance,