Shows
Rainmaker Fundraising PodcastFundable & Findable with Kevin L. BrownShould you invest in branding, OR, should you invest in fundraising? What creates greater impact for your cause? The answer often depends on who you ask. There are plenty of fundraising consultants who will tell you that investing in brand is a useless exercise, and all you need to do to be successful is invest in fundraising. Buy more direct mail. Spend more on paid ad programs. Hire more consultants. Do more events. If you’re not careful, you’ll invest in a grab bag of tactics that may not move the needle for you on revenue. Sadly, too many nonpro...2025-07-0724 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastVirtuous 2025 Benchmark ReportDo you know the 7 key donor performance metrics that drive organizational fundraising success in your nonprofit? My friends Gabe Cooper and Carly Berna from Virtuous help us dig into those KPI trends in this conversation about the Virtuous 2025 Nonprofit Benchmarking Report. Some of the insights we cover in this conversation include: The importance of donor retention, and the key difference between overall retention and net donor retention Challenges facing the nonprofit sector, and how doubling down on relationship, personalization, and automation can help offset some of those challenges Why you have to start leveraging data and automation (including […]
Chapters...2025-06-2546 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastA Journey Into GenerosityDo you know what sets the most generous fundraisers apart from the rest? In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with David Duxbury, Major Gift Officer at Hammer Residences, to explore the transformative power of generosity. David shares his personal journey from growing up in poverty to becoming a passionate advocate for donor impact. Together, they discuss the importance of humility in fundraising, the role of donor-centric communication, and how nonprofits can better empower the next generation of fundraisers. Packed with honest stories and practical wisdom, this conversation will inspire anyone working to...2025-05-2244 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastWhat does it take to be a great fundraising organization?What does it really take to become a great fundraising organization? In this powerful episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson is joined by Alan Clayton, author of Great Fundraising Organizations and founder of Revolutionise. Together, they explore what separates thriving nonprofits from those that struggle, why fundraising success starts with leadership, and how to run two distinct operations—service delivery and fundraising—under one mission. Alan shares insights from global research, practical leadership strategies, and a call to embrace emotional storytelling, strategic investment, and a purpose-driven culture
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Alan Clayton on the Rain...2025-02-1932 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe Rise of Sustainable GivingIs your nonprofit leaving long-term donor value on the table?In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson talks with Dave Raley, founder of Imago Consulting and author of The Rise of Sustainable Giving. Dave explains how the subscription economy is reshaping recurring giving and why many organizations fail to treat sustainers as the long-term partners they are. They explore the history of recurring giving, the elements of a strong sustainer program, and bust common myths about donor loyalty and communication. This episode is a must if your organization wants to grow predictable revenue and deepen...2025-02-0446 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastDigital Storytelling for NonprofitsAre you telling stories that truly inspire donor action?In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson talks with Tayloe Clements, Director of Digital Marketing at Barna Group and host of the Mission Money podcast. Tayloe shares her journey from filmmaker to nonprofit strategist and breaks down five key elements of compelling storytelling. She explains why conflict and transformation are essential, and offers practical advice for creating impactful video content—even with limited resources. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this episode will help you level up your digital storytelling.
2024-12-1935 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastMajor Gift Fundraising as a TradeCould treating fundraising like a skilled trade transform your results?In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with Jason Zwang, founder of The Giving Group and longtime major gifts leader. Jason shares why major gift fundraising should be approached not just as a career, but as a craft that requires apprenticeship, trust-building, and continual learning. They explore the evolution of major gifts, the tension between science and art, and how organizations can prepare for the next generation of fundraising leadership. This is a masterclass in practical wisdom for anyone serious about long-term fundraising...2024-12-0334 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastEmbracing Failure: Learning from SetbacksHow can failure become a catalyst for growth in nonprofit leadership?In this honest and empowering episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson is joined by Beth Fisher, CEO of Fisher Strategic. They explore how failure—especially public failure—can be one of the most powerful teachers for nonprofit leaders. Beth shares how to recover from setbacks, how to create psychologically safe cultures, and why investing in people is non-negotiable for organizations that want to grow. This episode offers practical insights for leading with authenticity, resilience, and empathy.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Rainmaker: Failure and W...2024-10-2331 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastPR and Fundraising: Working Together to Raise Your Profile and RevenueAre your fundraising and PR efforts working in harmony—or getting in each other’s way?In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with Jessi Marsh, Senior Director of Creative Strategy at DickersonBakker, to explore how public relations and fundraising can support each other for greater impact. Jessi shares practical strategies for building media relationships, positioning your nonprofit as a thought leader, and coordinating PR efforts to elevate donor engagement. From crisis response to calendar planning to election-season storytelling, you’ll learn how to use the media to raise both your visibility and your r...2024-10-0736 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofit Institutional Rot, with Jim Langley2024-09-0736 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastGenerous Relationships Are Key to Major Gift Success2024-09-0335 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofit Failures with Erik Tomalis2024-07-0925 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastExploring Failure with Clay Buck2024-06-2543 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe Biggest Hiring Mistakes Leaders Make2024-06-1237 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastCrisis Fundraising Lessons from the Front Lines2024-04-0146 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastTransforming a fundraising program2024-03-2038 min
The Nonprofit Renaissance#16 - How to Get Your Nonprofit 'Fundraising Fit': Mastering the Art of Donor Relations with Roy Jones, CFRELearn the secrets of transformative fundraising with Roy Jones, a fundraising maestro with a treasure trove of experience spanning over thirty years. This episode brims with essential strategies and heartwarming wisdom, as Roy guides us through the nuances of donor relations—highlighting the art of seeing donations as investments and the importance of grasping the donor's journey. His invaluable insights are drawn from an impressive career, including impactful roles at Liberty University and Mercy Ships, and he now shares his expertise through his new venture, Fit Fundraising.Throughout our discussion, we zero in on the pivotal art of...2024-02-2159 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastDo this one thing to integrate brand and fundraising effectively2024-02-0525 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe future of fundraising is relational2024-01-1036 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastKnow Your Calling. And Do It.Tracy Thomas is a rabblerouser. A change leader. A force. She’s also a loving mom, a caring wife, and a committed believer. Tracy and I sat down to have a frank and honest conversation about what it’s like to be a woman in executive leadership in the nonprofit sector. As Senior Vice President of Advancement […]2023-09-1945 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastWhy Soliciting Asset-based Gifts is Essential to your Nonprofit's Success2023-08-2711 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastCreating the Perfect Donor Communication2023-07-2442 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastRethinking Nonprofit Marketing2023-07-0551 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofit Digital Strategies for Growth2023-03-0641 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastHow to build a THRIVING nonprofit culture2023-02-2345 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastYES! There IS a better way to fundraise2023-02-0941 minRainmaker Fundraising Podcast2023 Fundraising Trends & Predictions2023-01-0432 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe Nonprofit Generosity Crisis2022-11-1446 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastIncreasing Mission Impact2022-11-0439 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastHow one charity achieves 98% retention2022-09-2843 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastFarming and FundraisingOver my 25-year fundraising career I’ve often heard it said, “fundraising is like farming — you plant the seed, allow time to take hold, and then eventually reap the harvest.” But as Joel Eaton, Founder of Preface and I discussed, there are a multitude of other ways that fundraising and farming are similar. In this […]2022-09-0633 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastInfusing B-School Thinking into Nonprofits“If we believe so much in our missions and what we’re trying to accomplish, we have a moral obligation to provide the time and space for our employees to get the continuing education necessary to be the best they can at their jobs.” I loved this quote from Andrew McIndoe, Vice President at The Heritage […]2022-08-0534 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofit F-WordsIf you’ve spent any time at all in the nonprofit sector, you know there are some subjects that are taboo. Some subjects that are difficult to discuss in public spaces, and others that are purely unpopular. Our guests today refer to those topics collectively as “Nonprofit F-Words.” No, not THAT F-Word. I promise. In this […]2022-07-0759 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastGift Planning and Donor LegaciesGift planning and legacy giving conversations don’t just have to be about death and mortality. In fact, they can and should be beautiful conversations about how donors can care for the long-term needs of their families, AND, how they can make significant impact for the causes they care most about. Kristi Brennan, Chartered Advisor in […]2022-06-0230 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe Truth About Leading ChangeEveryone pretty much everywhere is talking about change right now. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, change seems to be the word of the day. And if you’re not talking about change, you might be talking about transformation. That’s just bigger change, right? What so many of us get wrong about change and transformation efforts […]2022-04-2541 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastSocial Media Strategy, with Julia CampbellWhat’s the role of social media in today’s nonprofit landscape? Why do you need to think about social media within the broader context of your overall marketing and fundraising strategy, instead of as a stand-alone effort? Should social media replace your other marketing tactics, or should it augment your existing plan? How should your nonprofit […]2022-04-1442 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastYour Path to Nonprofit LeadershipDr. Patton McDowell has spent his entire professional career leading organizations and developing high-performing leaders across the nonprofit sector. You might have caught my conversation with Patton a few weeks ago on his show, Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. If you didn’t, you should check it out. We had an in-depth conversation on the impact […]2022-03-2246 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastUsing behavioral research to shape your marketing and fundraisingKatie Lord is Vice President of Nonprofit Development at Proof Positioning, a market research company that uses emotional research to better understand donors and motivate them to act for nonprofits. Katie and I talked recently about the disconnect between marketing and fundraising in nonprofits, as well as the impact of behavioral economics and emotional research […]2022-03-1448 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastCulture Drives PhilanthropyJenny Soderholm has invested her entire career in healthcare philanthropy. As Chief Development Officer at Children’s Minnesota and President of Children’s Minnesota Foundation, Jenny is focused on fostering a broad and deep culture of philanthropy that advances her organization’s ability to serve more children and families across Minnesota. As we talked recently, Jenny shared some […]2022-03-1047 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastOverflow(ing) with generosityWhat does a Bay Area pastor know about nonprofits and charitable giving? Turns out he knows quite a lot. At least if that guy is Vance Roush. Vance is Founder of Overflow.co, a platform created to help unlock generosity across the globe. Overflow is a platform that helps generous individuals give to charities and ministry […]2022-02-2837 min
Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership145: Tackling Toxic Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector (Andrew Olsen)145: Tackling Toxic Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector (Andrew Olsen)SUMMARYDoes your nonprofit organization exhibit symptoms of toxic leadership? Feelings of isolation among staff could be misinterpreted as stresses related to recent life changing events such as Covid, so nonprofit leaders must be more cognizant of underlying conditions which may be fostering a toxic environment within an organization. In episode #145 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership Patton and Andrew Olsen discuss recent events and how they ha...2022-02-1754 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastEmbracing a fundraising mindsetDo you have a theology of fundraising? This was a fascinating question that Michael Mitchell posited on the show recently, and it led to a great conversation about what’s really important in our craft. Michael is Director of Development and Discipleship at Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO). In our conversation, Michael talked a lot about […]2022-02-1436 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastFood Bank fundraising with Rebecca Hendrix
Rebecca Hendrix is Chief Development Officer at Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. She joined us on the podcast recently to talk about food bank fundraising, engaging donors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to deal with the various challenges facing the nonprofit sector today.
Some of the highlights from our conversation include:
Understanding the complexity and challenges that arise with engaging donors in a purely virtual environment
Navigating crises at your organization and caring well for your people in the process
Helping fundraisers balance the desire to remain remote with the need to engage directly and deeply with...2022-02-0729 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastPassion for your mission drives success
Kevin Feldman is Director of Development at The Salvation Army, Lake County, Indiana. He also advises small and emerging nonprofits on all things fundraising-related.
Kevin also runs a one-person development shop and has spent years fine-tuning his approach to donor engagement and fundraising.
We sat down recently to discuss the state of fundraising amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and how that’s changing the nonprofit landscape. Kevin had some great insights about the work and how we ought to be thinking about it. Here are some of the key insights we discussed:
The number one factor in driv...2022-01-3146 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLinkedIn and Your Nonprofit, with Anthony Jones
Anthony Jones is Founder of LinkedInOnePercentClub and formerly led all digital marketing, fundraising and social media strategy at Ducks Unlimited. He’s one of the most prolific digital marketers in our sector, and an all-around great guy.
Recently, Anthony made a HUGE move, leaving a 15-year career at Ducks Unlimited and launching his own company to help people like you and me improve our personal brands on LinkedIn.
In this conversation, Anthony and I talk about the importance of building your personal brand, why LinkedIn is the most important platform for personal branding, and how nonprofits can leve...2022-01-2436 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe challenge of feeding 1 million people every day
In our first episode of 2022 we sat down with Andy Carr, Vice President of Development and Marketing at Feed My Starving Children.
Feed My Starving Children is a Christian international hunger relief organization that will provide 370 million meals to people in need across the globe this year. That’s more than 1 million meals per day.
In our conversation with Andy, we covered many topics, including:
The philanthropic power of an engaging volunteer experience.
Crafting easily shareable messages.
Why talking about the “big” problem actually keeps people from acting, and how you can boil the big problem down to a...2022-01-2041 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastIntegrated approach raises $20+ Million for Freedom Alliance
We recently sat down with Tom Kilgannon, President of Freedom Alliance.
Freedom Alliance is a nonprofit organization founded to support our nation’s combat wounded and deployed troops and their families. One of their greatest contributions to the military community is their scholarship fund for the dependents of military personnel who have been severely wounded or killed in combat. To-date, Freedom Alliance has given out $20 Million in college scholarships to the dependents of America’s fallen and injured heroes.
In our conversation with Tom about Freedom Alliance’s fundraising strategy and how they achieved this huge accomplishment of fundi...2021-11-2942 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe Storytelling Fundraiser, with Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP
Welcome to the 100th episode of The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast!
I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to visit with Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP for this milestone episode.
If you know Dr. James, you know this will be a great conversation. If you don’t know him yet, you’re in for a real treat!
Dr. James is Director of graduate studies in charitable planning in the Division of Personal Financial Planning in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University. His research into human behavior and cha...2021-09-2251 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNeighborShare, with Diana Zhang
Diana Zhang left a lucrative career as a hedge fund executive in the midst of the pandemic to co-found NeighborShare, a new platform created to support front line heroes in the nonprofit sector, allowing them to match real community needs with donors interested in supporting them.
Discovering that 40% of American families can’t afford even a $400 emergency, Diana and her partners launched an organization designed to help provide this kind of emergency bridge funding to individuals in need, through everyday community heroes like nonprofit case managers, social workers, nurses, etc.
She and her team of 25+ volunteers are on a...2021-09-2042 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastChanging Landscape of Nonprofit Agency Services
Every industry has experienced disruption over the last few years. The nonprofit sector wasn’t immune. One area where our sector has seen significant change (not just because of Covid, but even before) is in the way nonprofits engage and are served by agencies.
That’s why I was excited to sit down with Dan Sonners, Vice President at Conrad Direct, Board Member at DMAW, and host of the Dynamic Nonprofits podcast.
We covered a lot of ground in our conversation, including:
How consultants and agencies that serve nonprofits need to evolve to become more collaborative and s...2021-08-3049 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastHELP WANTED: A National Study of Staffing Challenges in Nonprofit Fundraising
If you’ve worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 10 minutes, you know just how incredibly difficult it is to find and keep great people. The staffing challenges in our sector aren’t new, but it seems like the challenges have become more pronounced over the last few years. At least that’s what I keep hearing from clients and friends in our sector.
Recently, my friends at Dickerson Bakker & Associates commissioned a new study on this topic, HELP WANTED: A National Study of Staffing Challenges in Nonprofit Fundraising. We sat down with Derric Bakker, President/CEO to discuss th...2021-08-2551 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastFrom Barely Surviving to Thriving with Rev. Jeremy Montgomery
This conversation with Rev. Jeremy Montgomery, MBA-MA, President/CEO at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission in Philadelphia, PA, is a deep-dive into change leadership like you’ve never heard before!
When he took the helm at Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission in 2018, the organization was barely surviving. Philadelphia is the 5th largest city in the U.S., and also the poorest large city in the country. The Mission is the city of Philadelphia’s largest provider of men’s shelter services in the city. When he arrived, the Mission was engulfed in gang and drug activity — local gangs were actually dealing drugs rig...2021-07-1938 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeadership Excellence with Glenn Cranfield
Glenn Cranfield is President and CEO at Nashville Rescue Mission, and Host of the Real Hope podcast.
In this conversation, Glenn talks with me about four key values that guide his work and ministry at Nashville Rescue Mission, including:
Extravagant Faith – Sometimes we’re forced into situations where all we have is faith. Impossible situations where people think there’s no hope.
Radical Hospitality – Understanding that the person who is with you in the moment is the most important person in the world, and treating them that way. Focusing on showing others love, dignity, and value.
Excellence – We can’t ever be...2021-06-1436 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeadership Culture with Ken Brissa at Phoenix Rescue Mission
The definition of culture is the distance between who you say you are and how you act.
Ken Brissa became Chief Executive Officer at Phoenix Rescue Mission in February of 2020, just days before the country went into full crisis mode in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the months since Ken began his leadership journey at Phoenix Rescue Mission, much has changed at the mission, throughout Phoenix, and across our nation. But the principles of leadership that helped shape Ken’s career before COVID have remained consistent.
We sat down recently to talk about...2021-06-0128 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLessons From 20+ Years of Leading Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee
I’m continuing to explore a series of leadership conversations with nonprofit CEO’s, Executive Directors, and Chief Development Officers across our sector.
In today’s conversation, you’ll hear a discussion with Elaine Streno, Executive Director at Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.
With more than 20 years of leadership experience in East Tennessee, Elaine shares great wisdom and insights with us, including:
The importance of humility and how that trait can influence leadership success
Why working in the nonprofit sector shouldn’t mean personally sacrificing
Understanding that as a leader, you’re always under the microscope...2021-05-2421 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastFrom Board Chair to CEO: Leadership Insights with Erinn Rowe
From entrepreneur to volunteer Board Chair, to nonprofit CEO, Erinn Rowe’s path to leadership at Harvest Hope Food Bank isn’t necessarily common, but neither are the needs of the food bank today.
I sat down with Harvest Hope’s new CEO, Erinn Rowe recently to talk about her journey from board chair to food bank CEO, what she’s learned along the way, and key leadership insights she’s gained throughout her career.
In this conversation we covered topics like:
How values like empathy, integrity, and honesty are the critical building blocks of leadership and successf...2021-05-1728 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe Future of Fundraising, with Paul D'Alessandro
The world of philanthropy is changing by the day right now. From the pandemic to artificial intelligence, to the dramatic increase in giving through Donor Advised Funds (DAF), and even the gamification of giving. So much is changing so quickly.
But one thing is clear…donors continue to dictate the terms.
With so much changing, I was thrilled to sit down with my friend, Paul D’Alessandro, Founder of High Impact Nonprofit Advisors, and author of the brand new book, The Future of Fundraising: How Philanthropy’s Future is Here with Donors Dictating the Terms.
Paul w...2021-05-1046 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofit Innovation and Growth with Sarah Lee
Sarah Lee is Chief Operating Officer at New Story, an innovative, growth-focused organization that behaves more like a Silicon Valley start-up than a traditional nonprofit. New Story is on a mission to solve the global homelessness crisis by creating solutions that are cheaper to develop, higher quality than traditional housing options, and able to get into market faster than typical solutions. In our conversation we talked about innovation and growth in the nonprofit sector, and how New Story is charging forward to change the way organizations address complex global challenges more effectively. Highlights fro...2021-04-2738 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastCourageous Fundraising with Julie Ordonez
If you want to be a successful major gift fundraiser, one of the most important traits you'll need is courage. Courage to overcome the fear of failure that so many of us face in asking donors to invest in our causes. Fear of not just hearing "no", but failing our organizations and letting down those we're committed to serving. Julie Ordoñez is the Founder of Courage Lab, a coaching and training program to help fundraisers and nonprofit leaders face their fears and build the skills and resilience necessary to raise significantly more money for mission impact. 2021-04-1743 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastCOVID's impact on Food Bank Fundraising, with Matt Hackler
Matt Hackler is Vice President of Strategic Capacity Building with Feeding America. Like many of us, Matt says he "fell into" fundraising before joining Feeding America. In his current role, Matt leads a team of experts across multiple disciplines to help local member food banks increase their capacity to serve children, families, seniors and individuals experiencing hunger across the U.S.Matt and I connected recently to talk about COVID-19's impact on fundraising in general, on Feeding America nationally, and on individual member food banks. We covered a lot of ground, including:How f...2021-04-1543 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastTalent Development with Brent Hafele
Brent A. Hafele, M.A., is Senior Vice President of Talent Development at Dickerson Bakker & Associates. Early in his career, Brent held various leadership roles inside nonprofit organizations, including Development Director and Executive Director. Today, Brent leads talent development efforts for Dickerson Bakker & Associates, and provides executive coaching to fundraisers and nonprofit CEO's and Executive Directors.Brent and I sat down to discuss how talent development impacts organizational success. In our conversation we hit some big topics, including:How does talent impact an organization's capacity for growth? Breaking the myth that your nonprofit can't af...2021-04-0547 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeading Global Social Change with Abby Maxman
As President & CEO of Oxfam America, Abby Maxman is responsible for leading global social change to alleviate the injustice of poverty across 90 countries. This fight is not a new one for Maxman, who has made a career of giving a voice to the voiceless, fighting hunger, poverty, disease, and injustice across the globe at leading INGO's and within the U.S. Government. Abby and I sat down to discuss her leadership experience and what we can all learn from her time working to right the most devastating wrongs the world over. We tackled som...2021-03-2941 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeading Generously with Bill High
The fifth child in a family of six, Bill High grew up "dirt poor and on welfare." The son of an alcoholic, Bill describes his childhood as "pretty dysfunctional."Around age eight or nine, Bill was introduced to the idea of a personal faith by a neighbor, and that began his life-long journey to live differently and to focus on making an eternal impact in our world.Throughout his lifetime, Bill has had some amazing opportunities to impact the world, including practicing law for 12 years to co-founding iDonate, a leading digital giving software company that...2021-03-2431 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastGlobal Online Fundraising Scorecard, with Brady Josephson
Our good friend Brady Josephson at NextAfter joined us for a third episode here on the podcast recently. You might remember Brady from our conversation about COVID fundraising observations, or fundraising Testing. This week we connected with him to learn about the recent project that NextAfter and Salesforce.org collaborated on, called the Global Online Fundraising Scorecard. This study explored the front-end user experience of donors and email subscribers across multiple countries. Here are some of the key findings we cover in this discussion:Email sign-up was impossible in 27% of cases in the...2021-03-2244 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofit Leadership Masterclass with Marc Pitman
You might know him as The Fundraising Coach, the Founder of Concord Leadership Group, the author of Ask Without Fear, Fundraising Kick, or the brand new book, The Surprising Gift of Doubt: Use Uncertainty to Become the Exceptional Leader You Are Meant to Be . Or maybe you've seen and heard him speak at one of hundreds of nonprofit conferences over the last few years. I was honored and thrilled to sit down last week with Marc A. Pitman, CSP to have an insightful and in-depth conversation on nonprofit leadership.This is a 48-minute masterclass on l...2021-03-1648 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe State of Philanthropy in 2021, with Bob Carter
Bob Carter is Founder and Chairman at Carter Global, the leading global philanthropic consultancy serving nonprofits, international non-governmental organizations (INGO's), and ultra-high net worth philanthropists. Bob is personally an expert in the development of major and mega gift fundraising campaigns and philanthropic giving strategies for mega givers. Throughout his career, Bob has also served as chairperson of seven different nonprofit boards, giving him an incredibly broad understanding of the inner-workings of our sector. We recently sat down with Bob to talk about the state of philanthropy in 2021, and his perspective on what the future holds for our s...2021-03-0844 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastGlobal leadership lessons, with Dr. Charles Owubah
Dr. Charles Owubah is the visionary leader currently serving as CEO of Action Against Hunger. He's also a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council. We spoke recently about global leadership lessons, and you won't want to miss this conversation!In our discussion, Dr. Owubah shared key insights that any nonprofit leader or aspiring leader can learn from, including:The importance of leading with humility and integrityThe value of building leadership bench strength and succession capacity by leading by example with your senior teamHow bold vision and action can enhance your organization's impactThe role of a...2021-02-2825 minRainmaker Fundraising Podcast#HalfMyDAF, with Jen Risher
Unless you live under a rock, you'll know that in 2020 the nonprofit sector saw HUGE increases in giving through Donor Advised Fund (DAF) giving accounts. There was an outpouring of generosity across the nation, and many donors with DAF giving accounts stepped up to make sure that organizations received critical funding when they needed it most.Watching this play out in 2020 got me thinking more and more about the growing importance of donor advised funds, the donors who control them, and how nonprofits can and should engage both with DAF account holders and the financial institutions that...2021-02-2432 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeading for the long-term, with Burt Rosen
In this episode I talk with Burt Rosen, President & CEO at Knox Area Rescue Ministries about leading an organization over the long-term, and the most important aspects of leading well, including: The importance of taking a stand when you see something broken in your organizationEvery sound of the sail means something to the sailorNavigating the fears associated with making difficult calls as a leaderWhy integrity, trust, and transparency are the keys to long-term leadership successThe keys to successfully developing emerging leaders in your organization
If you want to lead your organization more effectively and help your team a...2021-02-1447 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastBecoming a Great Fundraising Organization with Alan Clayton
Alan Clayton is Chairman of Philanthropy and Fundraising International, and Director of Philanthropy and Fundraising North America. He's also a brilliant fundraiser.I had the absolute pleasure of visiting with Alan this past week to talk about great fundraising organizations...what makes them great, how they think and behave differently than other nonprofits, how they approach their brand differently from other organizations, and what other nonprofits need to do to become great in their own right. Alan gives us his in-depth assessment on:The biggest obstacle to great fundraising and growth for no...2021-02-0432 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastPhilanthropy and Leadership with Franklin Guerrero
Franklin Guerrero is Vice President of Major Gifts at AARP, and is a highly accomplished fundraiser and leader in the nonprofit sector. He and I recently sat down for a conversation about philanthropy and leadership.In our discussion, we talk about how personal crisis shapes our work as leaders, the importance of values-based leadership, how the nonprofit sector is addressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how fundraisers can address these complex topics with donors. Grab a cup of coffee and your favorite snack, and settle in for this insightful leadership conversation!2021-02-0246 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeading Change with Nancy Murphy
Change. Whether you like it or not, it's the topic of the day. 2020 punched all of us in the face with COVID-19, economic turmoil, and racial unrest across the country. And that's just the change that many of us didn't initiate. Countless other change initiatives were launched and undertaken for one reason or another by organizations of all shapes and sizes. But at the end of the day, one thing is crystal clear. Change is now a constant in all of our lives. So how do we lead well through constant change?What is the d...2021-01-2632 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastConversational Fundraising with Kent Stroman
We kicked off 2021 with an awesome conversation with Kent Stroman, Principal and Founder of the Institute for Conversational Fundraising, and author of Asking About Asking. We covered a ton of ground in our conversation, focused primarily on how frontline fundraisers can improve their individual relationship engagement and raise more money for their causes. Here are some of the key points from our conversation:Donors don't like to be "pitched", and why authentic conversations deliver better fundraising outcomes.How frontline fundraisers -- those who have done this work for decades, and those who are brand new in t...2021-01-0544 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeading The Salvation Army Way
It was an incredible honor to sit down recently with Commissioner Kenneth Hodder, National Commander of The Salvation Army USA, and Joey Zumaya, Public Sector Leader at LinkedIn and national advisory board member at The Salvation Army. One of the things I love about The Salvation Army is that they are actively serving people in EVERY zip code in the U.S. That is a bold and expansive commitment to caring for people in need all throughout our nation. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their volunteers, supporters, corporate and faith community partners, and employees, The Salvation Army truly allows ea...2020-12-2251 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastData Drives Strategy, with Jenny Floria
This conversation with Jenny Floria, Founder of Floria Consulting, is focused on the importance of data and how data drives strategy is an essential conversation for all nonprofit leaders and fundraisers. In our chat, you'll hear Jenny and I talk through a number of important examples of how understanding data and how to deploy data effectively in your marketing and fundraising can drive increased value -- and how not understanding the importance of data can damage your fundraising results. Regardless of your role or experience in the sector, if you have responsibility for fundraising or ma...2020-12-0730 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeading a Major Gift Team, with Jennifer Diaz at The Salvation Army
Jennifer Diaz is Director of Major Gifts with The Salvation Army. She works out of the Philadelphia area, where she leads a team of five major gift fundraisers, and carries her own portfolio of top-level donor relationships.I first met Jennifer about five years ago when I was helping to lead a major fundraising change initiative for The Salvation Army's Eastern Territory. I quickly connected with Jennifer because she's a highly skilled, successful, no-nonsense relationship fundraiser. We sat down just before Thanksgiving to talk about her experience raising major gifts in the Philadelphia area, leading a...2020-11-3043 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastPhilanthropy, Financial Planning, and Year-End Giving, with Kurt Peterson, CFP
As we are quickly approaching the year-end giving season, it's more important than maybe any time in recent history that nonprofits understand how to effectively engage with high net worth donors and members of their communities. That's why I was so excited to sit down recently my good friend, Kurt Peterson. Kurt is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor (CRPC), and an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS). Kurt is First Vice President - Investments at Wells Fargo Advisors in the Woodbury, MN area. He is also a committed family man and accomplished athlete. ...2020-10-2630 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastThe impact of brand and digital engagement on nonprofit fundraising, with Eric Ressler
Eric Ressler is Founder & Creative Director at Cosmic, a social impact creative agency in the Bay Area. We sat down recently to discuss how brand and digital engagement can impact a nonprofit's ability to scale revenue.While some in the nonprofit sector believe brand will always be in conflict with an organization's ability to raise revenue, Eric doesn't share that point of view. In fact, he's got some great insights into how the two can work hand-in-hand (alongside digital engagement) to both increase awareness of your cause AND help you raise significant amounts of money.2020-10-1845 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastBecoming a leader of impact, with Braden Douglas
Leadership has zero to do with position or title. It has everything to do with impact. But becoming a leader of impact doesn't just happen by accident. And it doesn't happen over night. It requires focus, intentionality, and a commitment to changing the world for the better. I sat down recently with Braden Douglas, founder of CREW Marketing Partners and author of Becoming a Leader of Impact to talk with him about this concept of leadership impact and how every leader can increase the level of impact they make in their organization, the lives of those they s...2020-09-2938 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastAccelerate Your Planned Giving Success, with Tony Martignetti
Tony Martignetti, host of Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio, and one of the nation's leading authorities on planned giving just launched a brand new program to help more nonprofit organizations access the transformational impact of planned giving for their organizations. The program is called Planned Giving Accelerator. Tony and I sat down recently to talk all things planned giving, and to chat about this awesome new program for organizations of all shapes and sizes. In our conversation, we covered:Planned Giving mythsWhy nonprofits never start planned giving programs, and how you can overcome the...2020-09-1736 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofit Email Strategy with John Walsh
John Walsh is one of the most innovative digital marketers in the nonprofit sector today. He currently leads email marketing at one of the world's largest Evangelical ministry organizations. In this episode, you'll hear John and I discuss all things email marketing and fundraising, including:Designing and executing an effective email testing strategyHow to determine whether a variable is worth testing or notThe impact of change management and innovation on digital marketing and fundraising effortsHow his organization has created new and unique donor experiences during COVID, and the result of those efforts.If you're interested i...2020-08-2943 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastDelusional Altruism with Kris Putnam-Walkerly
Kris Putnam-Walkerly is Founder of Putnam Consulting Group, and author of Confident Giving and The ImpactAssets Handbook for Investors. Kris has spent her career as an advisor to high net worth individuals, family offices, corporate philanthropy programs and foundations. She's also the author of the newly released book, Delusional Altruism. We sat down with Kris recently to talk about her new book, covering topics like: How well-meaning philanthropists get in their own way and prevent themselves from achieving the philanthropic impact they hope for.Debunking some of the deeply held, inco...2020-08-2443 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastImpact of COVID-19 on Mid-level and Major Donor Giving, with Dickerson Bakker & Associates
How has COVID-19 impacted Mid-level and Major Gift fundraising? Are Mid-level and Major donors shifting their giving priorities because of this crisis? Are they holding back on giving? If Mid-level and Major donors did give during the COVID crisis, how is that going to impact year-end giving? These are the exact kind of questions that my close friends, Derric Bakker and Paul Martin of Dickerson Bakker & Associates were wrestling with in their fundraising consulting practice. To get to the bottom of these questions, they decided to go directly to the source -- to Mid-level and Major donors. I...2020-08-1942 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastPhilanthropy Revolution with Lisa Greer
Have you ever wondered what your major donors really thought of your work, how you engage with them, and the experience you create at your events? Have you ever struggled to connect deeply with high net worth individuals that support your cause, and wish you had an insider's perspective on how to approach these relationships more effectively? You're in luck! Lisa Greer is a serial entrepreneur, a former entertainment industry executive, community leader, founder of the Philanthropy 451 blog, and strategic philanthropist. But Lisa didn't come from money. In her new book, Philanthropy Revolution, Lisa describes how...2020-08-1846 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastNonprofits in trouble: One-third of organizations may not survive pandemic, recession, with Bob McCartney
On August 3rd, 2020, Bob McCartney authored the article, Nonprofits in trouble: One-third of organizations may not survive pandemic, recession for The Washington Post. This article is a sobering assessment of the health and sustainability of nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C. metro area. But more than that, it's likely a canary in a coal mine for our entire sector on a national scale. Bob's conversations with nonprofit leaders, institutional funders and other officials in the sector clearly indicate that while many organizations have survived the COVID crisis successfully, thousands of organizations were not prepared fo...2020-08-1244 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastTalent Optimization with Ben Stroup
In many respects we're living through a period of time where we've forced a decade of disruption into (at this point) a 12-week period. Or at least that's what it's felt like between the COVID crisis and the ongoing struggles related to racial inequality, diversity, equity, and inclusion. This is a lot of change, requiring a lot of emotional investment on all of our parts, and all forced into a very short period of time. Those of us who lead teams need to recognize just how significantly this level of disruption and change imp...2020-08-0643 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastA Stewardship Conversation with Karen Paul, CFRE
Stewardship and gratitude are such integral components of successful philanthropy efforts. In my mind, it all comes down to showing appreciation for the people who make our work in the nonprofit sector possible.That's why I was shocked earlier this summer when I shared the results of a small test where 8 out of 10 organizations that received a contribution never sent a thank you letter or followed up on that gift in any way, either online or offline. Unfortunately, the fact that 80% didn't say thank you isn't the part that shocked me. What shocked me was that there's...2020-07-2834 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastTesting...Testing...Testing
It was great to have Brady Josephson back on the podcast today for a second conversation. If you didn't catch our conversation last month on COVID fundraising trends, you should check it out. But today, Brady and I talk about all things testing. This is one of Brady's favorite things to chat about. That shouldn't be a surprise, given his role as Managing Director at NextAfter's Institute for Online Fundraising.As a direct response fundraiser, I'm a big fan of testing. We test all the time. Sometimes we test something that makes a dramatic impact o...2020-07-2229 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeadership Field Notes with Jaimie Trussell, CFRE
Jaimie Trussell, CFRE, is Chief Development Officer and Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Adult & Teen Challenge USA. She recently sat down with me to talk candidly about nonprofit leadership. In this great conversation, Jaimie provided so much value!Check out the top 5 insights I took from our conversation:True leadership isn't glamorous. It's hard, but highly rewarding.Great leaders endeavor to find their tribe and thrive with them rather than being all things to all people. If you don't have credibility as a leader, you don't have anything.The best leaders focus on de...2020-07-0634 minRainmaker Fundraising Podcast7-Figure Fundraising Pitch with Trevor Bragdon
Trevor Bragdon is a behavioral scientist by training, and is Founder of 7-Figure Fundraising. He and his team have developed a proprietary training program that helps nonprofit CEO's, fundraisers, and board members hone their fundraising message (i.e., the pitch) to secure more 5, 6, and 7-figure gifts from individual donors, foundations, and corporate partners. This unique approach to crafting a compelling fundraising pitch has helped organizations raise millions of additional dollars. Yesterday, Trevor conducting an exclusive training for 70 Newport ONE clients and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. In our podcast conversation, Trevor distills som...2020-07-0252 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastSuccessfully navigating COVID, and other crises with Category One Consulting
Chances are your organization was NOT prepared for COVID-19. Even organizations that work in international relief and development or domestic emergency response weren't fully prepared for all of the impacts of COVID-19, and how it would impact operations, fundraising, internal processes, staff, etc.
That's why I was so excited to sit down with Amy McFeely and Laura Olean from Category One Consulting recently. Their firm helps organizations maximize their effectiveness through human resources support, strategic planning, program evaluation, and needs assessments.
When COVID hit, they jumped into action to create a Crisis Response Toolkit specifically designed to help nonprofits respond to...2020-06-3038 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastCOVID-19 Fundraising Observations from NextAfter, with Brady Josephson
Brady Josephson, Managing Director of the Institute for Online Fundraising at NextAfter recently sat down with us to share what he's learning about the changing fundraising landscape during the COVID-19 crisis. This conversation and the learnings that Brady shares are based on observations from more than 157 nonprofits that were and are actively fundraising during the COVID crisis. Brady is learning and seeing some interesting trends that you'll no doubt want to be aware of:As COVID took hold in early March, a lot of fundraising slowed or stopped. There was a marked decrease in email volume, a...2020-06-2227 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastIncreasing Nonprofit Equity & Inclusion, with Kishshana Palmer, CFRE
We sat down last week for a leadership conversation with Kishshana Palmer, CFRE, CEO of Kishshana & Co., Founder of The Rooted Collaborative, and Author of Hey, I'm New Here. We scheduled this conversation months ago, and initially our plan was to talk broadly about leadership trends, insights & learnings across the nonprofit sector. But...then George Floyd was murdered here in Minneapolis. Cities across the state -- across the nation -- erupted in protest against police brutality and racism. As any good leaders would do, we assessed our situation and changed our objectives to add...2020-06-1353 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastInspiring Growth As a Leader, with Mark P. Fisher
You are going to LOVE this conversation with Mark P. Fisher on Inspiring Growth as a leader!Mark is host of the Inspiring Growth Podcast, CEO, and Chief Encourager at Inspiring Growth, a firm he founded to help organizations increase revenue, organizational leadership, and overall joy in their work. Check out some of Mark's great offerings here.If you like The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, you can thank Mark. He's the person who inspired me to launch this podcast!I first met Mark when he and his team led the national marketing effort for...2020-06-1140 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeadership Field Notes with Dionne M. Rosser-Mims, Ph.D.
Dionne M. Rosser-Mims, Ph.D., is Dean of the College of Education at Troy University. She's an educator, author, and successful leader. She's also my longtime friend, and someone I'm incredibly proud of and inspired by.We recently sat down to discuss leadership, and to get Dr. Rosser-Mims' perspective on what it takes to be a great leader. Here are :Leaders don't sit on the sidelines and complain -- they jump in and focus on finding solutions to the problems of the day.The best leaders focus on collaborative engagement, not on being the s...2020-06-0933 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastLeadership Field Notes with Bobby Lewis at Love Worth Finding
Leading well is critical -- especially during the challenging times in which we find ourselves these days. That's why I think my recent conversation with Bobby Lewis, Executive Vice President of Operations at Love Worth Finding is so important. According to Bobby, great leaders:Are lifelong learners who focus on adding knowledge and skills regularlyLead THROUGH others rather than trying to do everything themselvesInvest in mentoring others so that skill-building becomes an ingrained focus across organizationsDevelop deep, meaningful relationships with those they mentor, rather than trying to rush the processLead through collaboration and consensus-building instead of d...2020-06-0331 minRainmaker Fundraising PodcastResponsive Fundraising with Gabe Cooper
Gabe Cooper is CEO at Virtuous Software, Founder of The Modern Nonprofit Fundraiser Podcast, and Author of Responsive Fundraising.
We got together recently to talk about the concept of Responsive Fundraising, and what it means for the future of the nonprofit sector.
What's exciting is that the concept of Responsive Fundraising doesn't require you to throw out everything you're doing and start over completely. You don't have to lose ground in order to improve donor relationships and increase revenue.
Responsive Fundraising is really about applying the hyper-personalization that Americans are accustomed to in their daily life to their charitable giving e...2020-05-1626 min