Shows
The Chief AI Officer ShowRuffalo Noel Levitz’s Stephen Drew on Transforming Education with Conversational AIStephen Drew, Chief AI Officer at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, explores the transformative role of AI in higher education. Stephen shares his journey into AI and discusses how conversational AI can enhance university services and improve student engagement, especially once models have improved even more.
He also highlights the importance of understanding and communicating the limitations of large language models to ensure responsible usage. Additionally, Stephen delves into leveraging data analytics to gain insights, enabling universities to make more informed decisions regarding enrollment and fundraising campaigns.
Topics discussed:
The role of conversational AI in...2024-10-0131 min
IngenioUsAI in Action: Elevate Your Admissions and Marketing StrategiesAre you ready to revolutionize your admissions and marketing strategies?
We’re excited to invite you to our upcoming leading-edge webinar, “Using AI in Admissions, Marketing, and Beyond,” featuring industry trailblazers Dr. Reena Lichtenfeld and Roger Lee from Ruffalo Noel Levitz. This highly anticipated session will take place on August 27 at 12 PM Eastern Time.
Dr. Lichtenfeld, Vice President of Consulting Services at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, and Roger Lee, Senior VP of AI Solutions, will guide you through the transformative potential of AI in higher education. With their deep expertise and practical insights, you'll learn how to harness...2024-08-1310 min
AGB Trusteeship PodcastGraduate Online Enrollment MarketingOnline program management is more important than ever before since nearly every student in America has now taken online classes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher education institutions can no longer afford not to learn, master, and perfect the creation, marketing, and enrollment of online college programs. In this podcast, Andy Lounder, AGB’s associate vice president of programs, speaks with Greg O’Brien, the chief growth officer for Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL), about the state of online education and enrollment today.2021-08-1827 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLApplying for Advancement Jobs and Working at RNLRNL's AJ Pennington offers insights from two decades of experience in talent management. AJ offers advice on how to assemble and submit a good application, key tips for the application process, and what it's like to work at RNL. Check out the latest job postings at RNL2021-08-1314 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe Fundraising Coach - Marc A. PitmanMarc A. Pitman, CSP®, The Fundraising Coach, joins the podcast to talk about how we've all adapted this year, the power of investing in your personal development, and key things fundraisers need to do as we transform donor engagement going forward. Marc says: It's about finding your unique style. His new book, "The Surprising Gift of Doubt," challenges the ways we look at fundraising. Marc says, the questions you're asking may be as important as the answers. We're pulled in many directions as fundraisers, and our doubts tell us things about how we can best engage donors.2021-06-2436 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLGreg Warner at MarketSmart - Engaging major and planned giving donors the right wayGreg Warner at MarketSmart is known for challenging the norm. In this conversation, we talk about the best ways to find major and planned giving donors. Spoiler alert: it's not moves management, or relentlessly sending gift officers at them. We talk about the value of engagement, crafting a great donor experience, and how data is changing the way we work with donors. Check out MarketSmart at imarketsmart.com2021-06-2434 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLTransforming Alumni Engagement: Gary Toyn and the VAESEFundraisers and alumni relations professionals are increasingly working together. As we’ve said before, it’s about treating alumni as more than walking ATMs--and truly investing in the value of a lifetime experience with our supporters. Gary Toyn, senior researcher at Access Development, and one of the creators of the VAESE survey of alumni relations professionals, joins the podcasts to break down the trends, challenges and opportunities for alumni engagement in 2021. Check out some of Gary’s blogs Get the results of the latest VAESE survey2021-04-2025 min
The Philanthropy212 PodcastUsing Data to Improve FundraisingJay Finney is the Vice President and Senior Consultant, Fundraising Management at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, LLC. For over 20 years, Jay has worked with a wide variety of not-for-profit organizations, helping them attract, engage, and retain more donors. He has partnered with colleges, prep schools, hospitals, PBS stations, food banks, museums, zoos, military groups, and more. Jay has helped clients move from a single channel, spray and pray approach to fundraising to more efficient and effective annual fundraising programs. In this episode… There's a smarter way to raise funds. It has nothing to do wit...2021-03-1832 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLFaith-based Fundraising - Matt Bond and Andrew RobinsonReligious centers at our universities have been part of the student life experience for decades. What happens when the pandemic means that we can’t be next to students in the same way? Well, enterprising faith leaders come up with new ways to stay connected to their students, and to donors. Andrew Robinson, owner and president of Petrus Development, works with great faith leaders every day, and he got on the line with Matt Bond, director of development at the St. John Catholic Student Center at Oklahoma State University to talk about how they are adapting during the pandemic, an...2021-02-2634 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe Neuroscience of Relationships - Megan Marcus and Kelley Munger fro FuelEdAlright podcast listeners, here’s a tip. If you want to get invited to be on Fundraising voices, be sure to put something like the “neuroscience of education” in your email to me. That’s what my new friends at FuelEd, who have used their experience as researchers and therapist to help educators transform their relationships with students, did. They got my attention. I got on the line with Megan Marcus and Kelley Munger on the FuelEd team to talk about relationship-driven education, the science behind emotional intelligence, and what it means for us as we engage students...2021-02-2525 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLDiversity, social justice and your grant-seeking strategy - Shavonn RichardsonThere's no doubt that applying for and getting grants is a key priority for your organization. Shavonn Richardson at Think and Ink Grant Consulting has made it her mission to help nonprofits, especially those who are serving diverse communities, to maximize their grant success. I got on the line with Shavonn to talk about the environment for grant seeking in 2021, how to get it right and succeed, and how these resources impact our crucial goals of equity, inclusion and social justice. Check out Think and Ink Grant Consulting online.2021-02-2522 min
Real Success with Nate KaedingEpisode 25: Ann OlesonFormer NFL athlete and Iowa entrepreneur Nate Kaeding talks with Ann Oleson, the chief marketing officer at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, about learning the importance of making a lasting impression and the art of virtual sales in the latest episode of “Real Success.” Presented by MidWestOne Bank.2021-02-2528 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLDiversity and Social Justice in Advancement - Nneka Allen and Birgit Smith BurtonWe have a lot of work to do in diversifying our teams, and truly supporting professionals from diverse backgrounds. Nneka Allen, Co-editor and Author of Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love and Birgit Smith Burton from Georgia Tech joined the podcast to discuss this important topic. They’ve assembled the experiences of diverse professionals, in their own voices, in this incredible book. They share some takeaways, and talk about how we can do better to embrace diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice in our advancement work. Find out more about Collecting Courage and get a copy ...2021-02-2225 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLDiversity and inclusion in advancement: Tanya Rumble and Mariya YurukovaDiversity, equity, inclusion and social justice are important priorities for charitable organizations. Tanya Rumble and Mariya Yurukova are passionate about the topics of diversifying our fundraising teams, and our donor base. They come at the issue from different backgrounds, and with a wealth of experience in the non-profit world. They’ve been writing and presenting on the issue significantly in the past year, and I got on a call to welcome Mariya back to the podcast, meet Tanya, and hear their great insights on key steps to take for social justice as fundraisers. Here is a link to...2021-02-1646 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLKevin Collins - Engaging Athletics DonorsKevin Collins, Associate Vice President and Assistant Athletics Director for athletics development at the University of Iowa is part of a fundraising family. And he's been engaging donors for decades across a wide range of institutions. We talked with Kevin about the incredible generosity of athletics donors, even when they can't see competitions or be at events in the same way during the pandemic. College athletics has faced a lot of challenges in this pandemic, and it’s great to hear from Kevin how donors have stepped up to support the teams, coaches and students they love. As...2021-02-0435 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLTanya Ramos - Pencils of PromiseIt’s one thing to talk about access to education, and it’s another thing to live it, to make transformative change for a diverse and global population of students. Tanya Ramos, CEO of of Pencils of Promise, is doing just that. I got her on the line to talk about the mission of Pencils of Promise, how they’ve supported the building of over 500 schools worldwide, and how we can lead as philanthropic innovators in this challenging time. Here’s our conversation. Tanya offers some great advice – focusing on relationships, getting current with the newest tech, and demons...2021-02-0427 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLSusie Harder - Junior Authors builds active engagement in philanthropyIn the face of tragedy, we all want to do something. That's the case for Susie Harder, a speech pathologist whose community was changed forever by the California wildfires. So, after she donated, she started on something new - to both help kids with the healing process and to raise more funds to support them. The result is the Junior Authors program, where kids make a book, voting on each component. This is a great example of the shift to what we're calling "participatory philanthropy," where people do along with their giving. Susie describes this new way to contribute...2021-02-0327 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe Next Generation of Fundraisers - Emily CollinsFundraising is a challenging and rewarding profession. And it seems like some people are just born to it, that engaging donors and amplifying philanthropy just come naturally. That’s the case with Emily Collins here at RNL. She’s part of a fundraising family – and I got her on the line to talk about why she joined the field, how she mentors young people to look at this career, and how things are going with student engagement ambassadors in today’s remote environment. Find out more about the remote-ready RNL Digital Engagement Center, which keeps your donors engaged...2021-02-0218 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLShira and Jay Ruderman - The Ruderman Family FoundationShira and Jay Ruderman from the Ruderman Family Foundation join the podcast to talk about their efforts to advance a more inclusive society. The Ruderman Family Foundation has dedicated the past two decades to enhancing awareness of, and providing programming and services in, the field of disability inclusion. And they are growing to support more needs. Jay and Shira connected to talk about how the make funding decisions, how you can best engage a foundation, what happens when a foundation speaks up on key issues, and what they see coming for the future of philanthropy. The Ruderman...2021-01-2938 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLPamela Barden - It's time to stop complaining2020 was a challenging year for all of us. But there were also opportunities brought about from the shifts we all made in the pandemic, and Pamela Barden recently wrote: it's time to stop complaining and get back to serving donors. In this podcast, we explore what fundraisers can be doing proactively to provide great donor service, even when we can't be next to each other. Read Pamela's article in NonProfit Pro. Check out Pamela's web site.2021-01-2525 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLChris Collins at Vanderbilt MedicalChris Collins, Vice President for Development at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, talks about engaging donors during the COVID pandemic, the impact of generous gifts to fuel vaccine research, and what's special about working to support a higher education and healthcare partnership.2021-01-0425 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLHyper Philanthropy with Russ HodgeEngaging mega-donors is key to any campaign, and to the long-term future of your organization. Russ Hodge, CEO and Founder of the Hodge Group says focusing on the right prospects, listening to their passions, and connecting with their key influencers is important. It can unlock something he calls "hyper philanthropy." Here's our conversation about engaging principal givers, even in this challenging time. Find more about the Hodge group at: https://hodge-group.com/ 2020-12-1424 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLDiversity, Equity and Inclusion in Advancement: Farzana Nayani and Christina HallAs fundraising leaders, we have an important commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in how we channel philanthropy. The national focus on social justice has caused many of us to think critically about where the money comes from, where it's going, and how our actions as leaders build an environment for inclusion with both donors and the recipients of charity. This conversation with Christina Hall of California State University, Long Beach, and Farzana Nayani. an acclaimed DEI consultant and educator began when Christina sent me a chat message during our recent Advancement Innovation Summit. In the podcast...2020-11-1633 minFundraising Voices from RNLHow Do You Help Others? New Donor Survey - Newport OneAmericans are generous, but who wants to give of their time and who wants to give money? What are the similarities of those that give one or both? What are the differences? And how can nonprofit organizations engage them? Newport One, along with some other top industry experts, surveyed over 2,000 donors prior to the pandemic, and gained some insights into how and why people help others through giving. I got on the line with Craig DePole, president of Newport One, to unpack the survey and what it uncovers for key personas in our giving base.2020-10-2614 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLCarlos Maestas - The Power of StorytellingTelling your organization's story - and your personal story, is key to connecting with supporters. Who could be better to help us do that then a former standup comedian turned professional storytelling consultant for major non-profits? Carlos Maestas, Founder & Chief Storysmith @ Key Ideas, and author of Mommy Lied to God joins the podcast to talk about how you can best tell your authentic story to engage greater support.2020-10-0620 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLJessica Elmore - Diversity and Student AdvancementInvesting in your students, while they are still on campus, is crucial to your advancement mission. Research tells us that philanthropy is a learned behavior, and your students also have a lot to offer in engaging donors directly and authentically. Jessica Elmore is Associate Director of Diversity Programs for the Kansas State University Alumni Association. She’s passionate about engaging a diverse group of students to help further the University, and that’s why she’s also chairing the CASE Diversity and Student Advancement Seminar, online, October 15-20. RNL is excited to sponsor this special event...2020-09-2118 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLGail Perry - Listen to your donor's passionCan we raise money in this challenging time? Well, many of our bigger donors have more cash right now, quite a few have seen investments balloon, and the need is very great. Gail Perry spends her time helping fundraisers and non-profit leaders. And she thinks we should look at it differently. It's not about a better "pitch." Sometimes, we just need to get out of our own way, maximize our use of emotional intelligence, the right metrics, and focus on the joy of giving for donors. We unpack what's going on right now...2020-09-0822 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLRemote Engagement, P2P Texting, AI, Crowdfunding, Giving Days - Innovation Downloads at the RNL Advancement Innovation SummitHeard about remote engagement, P2P Texting, artificial intelligence, and visual caller ID and wondering how they work? Interested in the latest in crowdfunding, giving days? We've got something great for you. Coming up on Sept. 17-18, we're hosting the RNL Advancement Innovation Summit, free and online. Part of the event is something we call Key Innovation Downloads - 6 sessions that get right into how these new technologies amplify donor engagement and help you maximize fundraising results. On this episode, four RNL innovators drop an quick overview of what's happening with these technologies, and preview...2020-09-0220 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLPlanned Giving With Lori KranczerPlanned giving is crucial to securing the long-term future of your organization. But to many fundraisers, it's mysterious, scary and something they shy away from. Lori Kranczer from Everyday Planned Giving unpacks why fundraisers shouldn't be afraid of planned giving, and how to work gift planning into just about every conversation. We also talk about shifts fundraisers are making during COVID to address planned giving. Find our more about Everyday Planned Giving at everydayplannedgiving.com2020-08-2418 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLSarah Olivieri at PivotGround - Strategic management that provides clarity and confidenceIf you're running a non-profit or a fundraising program, you're a juggler. Keeping all the balls in the air is tough, and only tougher in times of crisis. Sarah Olivieri at PivotGround knows this, and she's created a system that helps leaders find confidence, clarity and create the same in supporters. Check out our conversation to hear more. Sarah Olivieri is a nonprofit business strategist, #1 International Best Selling author, and former Executive Director. She has been featured on over 50 podcasts and is the creator of the Impact Method™ - a framework that helps nonprofits simplify their operations, bu...2020-06-2414 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLBrady Josephson at NextAfter - The power of experiments to amplify donor actionI’m excited to bring back on today’s episode Brady Josephson, managing director of the NextAfter institute. He spends his days conducting experiments, tests and looking deep into the data of donor response to see how we can do a better job communicating with and spurring action from our supporters. We cover what he's seeing as organizations reach out during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thinking critically about all aspects of your appeals is crucial – and testing and experimenting is a big part of challenging the norm and doing a better job with how we convert donors to action is really...2020-06-1222 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLArtifical intelligence drives personalized donor engagement: Solomon Grey and Peter Caron unpack RNL QuadWrangleHave you harnessed the power of artificial intelligence to personalize your communications to donors and supporters, based on what you can see they actually care about? Not too many fundraising shops have, and this is a huge miss. Our RNL QuadWrangle experts, Solomon Grey and Peter Caron, join this episode to talk about the power of AI-driven communications, along with the special features of QuadMail, integrations with RNL Crowdfunding and Giving Days, and virtual events with giving.2020-06-1116 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLDoug Scott at Tectonic - The power of video for non-profitsVideo rules in today’s communication landscape. Whether it’s powerful video for a campaign launch, educational video to help boost awareness of what you’re doing, or even personal videos we can now make and deliver quickly to supporters, fundraisers and non profits need a strong video strategy. We’re in a world where Tik Tok and YouTube are the primary social currency, and if you’re not investing in video, you’re way behind the curve. I got on the line with Doug Scott at Tectonic, a company that works with great non-profits to produce powerful vid...2020-06-1124 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLHealthcare Fundraising - Two experts on the front linesIt’s a remarkable time for healthcare philanthropy. Every day, our healthcare heroes are on the front lines of the COVID -19 pandemic. And donors of all sizes are stepping up to support them. This virus impacts entire communities, and philanthropy is part of what is going to get us through this. We wanted to hear what it’s like to be in the middle of this every day, so RNL consultant Greta Daniels and I got on the line with Allie Quick, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Allegheny Health Network and Beth Heiter, Director of Development at the Offic...2020-05-2024 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLHow to get your fundraising calls answered- whitelising and Visual Caller IDIn a world where we compete with spammers, scammers, and all kinds of causes contacting our supporters, it's become harder to get donors to pick up the phone. Great new solutions, including advanced whitelisting of numbers and visual caller ID can really help. You now have the ability for your organization's logo and even a call to action display on many mobile devices when the call comes in. And combining this calling with other channels like text, personalized video and integrated email really increases ROI. Shad Hanselman provides an overview of these solutions, and their impact.2020-05-1815 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMeet our students- whose college lives have completely changed during COVID-19We're changing things up a little bit here on the podcast. On this episode we hear from Emma Gawor and Sofia Bermejo, two daughters of RNL parents who had their college lives totally changed as their campuses responded to COVID-19. They're highly connected to their friends, they communicate at light speed, and they have a lot of insights on how this pandemic is impacting their education. They've been uprooted from their friends, but they're still doing homework, exams, group projects and now juggling life in social distancing. They're using everything from Zoom to Club Penguin to stay connected. They...2020-05-1530 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe Engagement Ambassador - we retire the term "student caller"RNL's Autumn Horton and Brian Cass unveil the new way we're talking about and thinking about students who can now make contact via expanded, integrated methods like P2P texting, personalized video, and are doing much more than annual giving outreach. It's time to retire the term "student caller" and take our donor engagement to the next level! Find our more about about RNL Digital Engagement Centers2020-05-1421 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe Power of Advanced Analytics - Josh RobertsonHow do you reach the right donor at the right time with the right message? Advanced, predictive and prescriptive analytics can help you do that. Harnessing the data you have, with data available out there in the world can help you maximize your ROI, and provide a better donor experience. Don't worry if it sounds confusing - RNL's Josh Robertson breaks it down and shares what RNL Advanced Analytics can do for your results.2020-05-1418 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLVanessa Wakeman - Social Change Non-Profit PR and CommunicationCommunicating with supporters about social change initiatives takes planning, investment, and careful use of resources. Vanessa Wakeman, futurist, acclaimed speaker and CEO of the Wakeman Agency knows this. She's helping amplify the voices of mission-driven causes and the people that lead them every day. We talked with Vanessa about how to organize a communication plan, some of the short and long term strategies needed amidst the health crisis, and success she's had with virtual events. The Wakeman Agency2020-05-1418 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe Digital Engagement Center - a revolution in donor engagementWe’ve launched something big here at RNL. The RNL Digital Engagement Center combines advanced predictive analytics with calling, texting, personalized video and integrated email to create the first ever omnichannel solution that continues to leverage your engagement ambassadors to connect personally with donors. We've done this successfully for decades with student ambassadors. And now this outreach can be made and managed remotely, to keep our relationships growing without interruption. I RNL's Renee Vaillancourt, Autumn Horton and Shad Hanselman to talk about the Digital Engagement Center revolution and what it means for Advancement. Find out more about th...2020-05-0721 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLJay Finney- Strategic use of your resources and ROIMaking a strategic plan for your donor outreach that encompasses all levels of donors is really important. With resources tightening, that strategy has high stakes now more than ever. Our RNL consultants have been working on a daily basis with partners facing these challenges. One of them is Jay Finney, who has been doing this for decades across a wide range of charities. Jay grew up around philanthropy, and for decades now has helped organizations craft donor outreach strategy. I got on the line with Jay to talk about crafting a strategic engagement strategy, how to look at ROI...2020-05-0723 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLTosha Anderson - accounting, accountability and transparency from the Charity CFOMaking sure your books are clean, and that you can account for how gift resources were driven to your cause is a key part of engaging donors. We talk with with Tosha Anderson, founder of the Charity CFO, about what good non-profit and charitable accounting looks like, how it's more than just numbers, and how we can best serve supporters who want transparency and accountability. The Charity CFO2020-05-0524 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMeg Weber - Morale, Partnerships and Strategy in a CrisisPressure in higher education advancement offices is high right now. In part from the economy and how tough it is for many donors. And in part because the double whammy of economic issues and real enrollment concerns amidst this crisis are causing institutions to evaluate budgets. Motivating your team, especially when you can’t be with them physically during a difficult time is a key challenge. RNL’s Meg Weber has been through tough economic times before in her career and has successfully led teams through them. I got on the line with Meg to talk about how to be a...2020-05-0423 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLShaun Keister - Full Steam Ahead Donor EngagementOn this episode, Shaun Keister, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations at the University of California, Davis talks to us just a few days before their annual giving day. We discuss maintaining relationship with donors amidst the COVID-19 crisis, how donors are responding, and what we've learned from previous financial crises.2020-04-2134 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLHEPData - Teddy Callow - Matching Gifts amidst COVID-19Matching gifts can increase an annual giving total in the range of 10% and also can really help boost major gifts. But it’s a challenging time right now. I was wondering, are companies pulling back on this support during the challenges of this health crisis and economic slowdown? Teddy Callow at HEPData reports that corporate social responsibility through matching gifts are an important part of the philanthropic response to the crisis and numerous companies have increased their matches.2020-04-2015 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLLola Mauer - One Ball State Day raises $511k As we navigate uncertain times, a big question has arisen for many higher education fundraisers: What do we do with our spring or summer giving day? About half of higher education giving days are held between February and June, and they've really taken off in popularity. Many institutions rely on them for end of the year excitement, and to meet their important donor and dollar goals. In a recent RNL poll, most respondents told us that they have altered their giving day strategy due to the COVID-19 crisis. But that doesn't mean it's...2020-04-1714 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLJanice Cunning on Fundraising LeadershipJanice Cunning at FundraisingLeadership.org talks with us about investing in yourself as a leader, including with coaching, to help build and retain high performing teams, navigate challenge, and transform your organization. Find our more about Janice and Fundraising Leadership here.2020-04-1521 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLJody Donaldson - Community College FundraisingCommunity Colleges are a key social, economic and educational engine in our communities. Jody Donaldson knows this and that's why she's dedicated to advancing Kirkwood Community College. I sat down with Jody live at this year's CASE VI conference to talk about community college donor engagement, her advice for working with a community of supporters, and how these special institutions help our communities. Find out more about the Kirkwood Foundation's work here.2020-04-1525 min
Fundraising Voices from RNL#GivingTuesdayNow and COVID-19 Emergency Fund StrategyRNL's Eric Billings and Kristin Demarco Carroll offer advice on #GivingTuesday now and COVID-19 funds in general. Included are discussions of AI-driven communications, setting up crowdfunding-based funds, and supporting efforts like emergency relief funds and medical research. RNL is waiving fees for new clients through June 30 for our crowdfunding platform powered by ScaleFunder. Get in touch today to get your campaign up and running for this important day.2020-04-0815 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLCOVID-19 Student Emergency FundsSara Wald from North Dakota State University and Eric Gentry from Northern Kentucky University join RNL's Chad Warren to talk about the incredible support for student emergency funds amidst the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis. We talk about: - Establishing a fund - How to market a fund and seek support - How to get a fund up quickly using platforms like RNL Crowdfunding powered by ScaleFunder - How funds bring a campus and donors together to meet immediate needs. NDSU's Student Emergency Fund NKU's Student Emergency Fund ...2020-04-0628 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMartin Leifeld - Fundraising LeadershipMartin Leifeld is a career fundraiser, speaker and author that has raised over $500M in his career. He's the author of Five Minutes for Fundraising, a great book that features leaders from across the fundraiser world. I talked with Martin about how fundraisers navigate the path of personal growth, and what he thinks is in store for the future of our profession. Check out all of Martin's great content at martinleifeld.com2020-03-2725 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMazarine Treyz - Wild Woman FundraisingMazarine Treyz is a coach, speaker and best selling author of “The Wild Woman’s Guide to Fundraising”, serving people in over 70 different countries. Besides writing over 1,000 articles at wildwomanfundraising.com and offering classes, conferences and training, she's a regular speaker at big conferences and events. She's the author of "Get the Job: Your Fundraising Empowerment Blog."Get the Job! Your Fundraising Career Empowerment Guide" In our chat, we cover topics like the world for women in fundraising, career strategy, developing leadership skills, and getting the resources you need to be successful. Check out Ma...2020-03-2726 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLImpact of the Coronavirus on Fundraising and Donor Engagement - RNL Expert PanelJoin RNL's Josh Robertson, Dayna Carpenter, Chris Bingley, Shad Hanselman and Greta Daniels as we talk about what the health crisis means for donor engagement, as well as our immediate and future strategy. Find more resources at: https://www.ruffalonl.com/category/fundraising/ And join our COVID-19 Higher Education LinkedIn group. And if you would like to utilize the RNL ScaleFunder platform at no cost through June to put up mobile-optimized campaigns for your supporters, let us know here. We recorded this podcast panel discussion the afternoon of Monday...2020-03-1832 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLSherry Quam Taylor on Investment-Level DonorsBringing your supporters to a level of true investment is absolutely keep to meeting your goals of philanthropic support. Sherry Quam Taylor knows this and works with fundraisers every day to help them better engage donors to step up to a level of leadership investment. Check out Sherry at: https://www.quamtaylor.com/ 2020-03-0228 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLFundraising Voices Live! Marketing and Living a Brand - Chris Knudson, CASE VIIndustry estimates tell us that the average American receives at least 500 marketing messages a day, and 100 of them are digital. Modern charitable outreach contends with a lot of noise. And it’s hard to break through. Chris Knudson at Wartburg College knows this, and he’s doing a great job connecting with supporters in an authentic way. He’s also done something great and stepped up as the chair of next year’s CASE VI conference. I connected with him at this year’s conference in Kansas City and we talked about marketing, brand strategy, and also why he vol...2020-02-0220 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLNew Crowdfunding Index - $105 Million in ResultsThe Crowdfunding and Giving Day Index presents insights and results from 6,116 charitable crowdfunding projects totaling more than $105 million in giving. Charitable crowdfunding has become the premier peer-to-peer online giving opportunity. The report includes key results and benchmarks such as: The types of campaigns institutions run, their average results by type, and the average duration Metrics for first-year results for campuses running their first crowdfunding campaigns The most popular terms used in naming crowdfunding campaigns The impact of custom giving pages for evergreen giving 8 best practices based on these results Eric Billings and Brian...2020-01-3117 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLPersonalizing Donor Engagement with Artificial Intelligence - Driven PlatformsThis Fundraising Voices podcast features RNL’s Josh Robertson who covers the importance of using personalization to communicate with your donors. Josh and Brian discuss: Why personalization is important for engaging the 21st century donor. How artificial intelligence (AI) and new, easy to use platforms can transform your communications. How to get started with turnkey solutions like RNL QuadWrangle and harness the power of this technology immediately. Find out more about RNL QuadWrangle here Our guest: Josh Robertson, Senior Vice President Joshua Robertson joined Ruffalo Noel Levitz in 1997 as a student fundraiser at Th...2019-11-2119 min
undeclaredUsing Data Analytics to Create Better Websites, with Kris HardyKris Hardy is passionate about making the web a better place for prospective students and their families during the college search process. Kris currently serves as the Director of Web and Digital Marketing at Messiah College and works part-time at Ruffalo Noel-Levitz as an Associate Consultant. He specializes in user experience, information architecture, digital marketing, and web analytics. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Kris first got involved in higher education, and how he made the transition to web-based digital marketing early in the field’s existence Why analytics is a grea...2019-11-0638 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe War for Fundraising Talent - Jason LewisThis Fundraising Voices podcast features provocative fundraising expert Jason Lewiss, CFRE, author of The War for Fundraising Talent. Jason and host Brian Gawor discuss: Challenging the assumptions we have about what it takes to be a successful fundraiser. What’s happening in small and large shops to recruit and retain top fundraising talent. What you can do as a fundraiser to become better, and advance your career. What’s next for 21st fundraisers looking to engage new and diverse donor populations. Get the War for Fundraising Talent book here. And check out Jason at Responsive Fund...2019-10-3029 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLFundraisers Speak: Advancement Leaders Annual Giving Report 2019We've just released our annual report on annual giving trends, from a survey fundraisers this year. I got on the line with Shad Hanselman, RNL's annual giving guru, to talk about the results, including what fundraisers say about: - Usage of channels, like direct mail, phone, email, crowdfunding, giving days and online giving. - Where fundraisers wish they were spending more time. - What fundraisers think is best for donor acquisition, retention, and upgrade of donors. - What's being done for young alumni engagement. - What's next for the...2019-10-0820 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLArlene Cogen - Fundraising, Financial Planning, And Giving to LiveThe basic job description of a fundraiser is to reah out to donors, listen to them, and provide opportunities. To see if there might be a chance that the donors want to make a difference for your organization, institution, school or charity. Well, increasingly, those conversations will happen with numerous members of the donor's family or even 's financial planners. Arlene Cogen used to be a financial planner, someone who was really focused on amassing money for her clients. Then, she left financial planning and became a fundraiser. She began to really talk to fundraisers about how...2019-09-2417 min
Fundraising Voices from RNL8 Principles of Sustainable Fundraising - Larry JohnsonPhilanthropy is more than money. It's more than values. It's all the other ideas and time of the things that they bring, and this is becoming more and more critical as we look at the younger generations. We spend a lot of our time in the fundraising world thinking about how we can better connect to donors, how we can make the ask better, how we can engage donors, how we can increase their passion for giving. But we're probably not spending enough time thinking about how we work, how we can work more effectively, and how we behave...2019-08-3025 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLData Security - Paul RuffaloKeeping the data on our donors, our supporters and the people that we serve secure is absolutely crucial for the success of any organization. There's really nothing that strikes fear in the heart of fundraisers or leaders at nonprofits worse than the idea of a data breach. Paul Ruffalo, who has decades of experience working in this area knows this, and I got on the line to talk with him about what's changing in the world of data security, and what he thinks organizations should be doing best to protect their data, which is one of the key pieces o...2019-08-2929 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLAI Chatbots - The Designated Millennials Teach GaworHow do you provide service to your donors or alumni at 3:00 AM in the morning? Or get them answers to their questions about giving, reunions, projects or even planned giving in real time? An AI chatbot may your answer. On this episode, our "designated millennials" Peter Christian and Quinn McGourty-Holland teach Brian Gawor how to make a chatbot work, including followup campaigns through Facebook Messenger integration. If you want a demo of the chatbot, get in touch with us today at ContactUs@RuffaloNL.com2019-08-0921 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLStudent Philanthropy - Chris McBride and Howard HeevnerEngaging students in philanthropy is a key part of your fundraising development plan -- learning about the impact of donors, engaging students to give before they graduate, and asking students to help in the stewardship effort all can make a difference. Chris McBride from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Howard Heevner from UC Santa Cruz, faculty members at the CASE 2019 Engaging Students in Philanthropy Symposium talk about the power of student philanthropy programs. Find out more about the Symposium here: https://www.case.org/engaging-students-philanthropy-symposium 2019-07-2515 minundeclaredResearch: Where It All Begins, with Jon ChristiansenJon Christiansen is the Chief Intelligence Officer at Sparks Research, a full-service marketing research firm. He consults for many Fortune 500 firms in the banking, automotive, retail, healthcare, and energy industries. As a higher education consultant for more than a decade, Jon has conducted more than 50 engagements, notably market research; enrollment forecasting; product, concept, and program development; marketing strategy; and econometric modeling. Much of his consulting work has been as a senior associate consultant with Ruffalo Noel Levitz, a management consulting firm specializing in higher education services. Jon’s work has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Fo...2019-07-2436 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMissy Kennedy at UNCW - Annual giving agile strategyRunning your giving program strategically definitely means thinking out to start of the year, how you're going to approach donors, ask them for gifts and thank them, but it also means putting in place the infrastructure to deal with the unexpected. Missy Kennedy at UNC Wilmington is an expert at this. She's had a lot of success over the past few years engaging the entire campus community and dealing with unexpected needs and challenges that philanthropy could definitely have an impact on. I got Missy on the line to talk about her annual giving program and what she thinks...2019-07-0219 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLKatrina VanHuss from Turnkey - The future of peer to peerKatrina VanHuss at Turnkey is transforming peer to peer philanthropic engagement. In this conversation, we talk about the psychology of peer to peer donors, technology and strategy that can maximize peer engagement, and what we think is next for peer to peer fundraising. Check out TurnKey at: https://www.turnkeyp2p.com/2019-07-0222 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLTransforming Young Alumni Engagement - Peter and Quinn from RNL One of the consistent things that I hear from institutions that I work with is that they're really interested in doing a better job engaging younger donors. We call them millennials. We're lucky enough at RNL to have two millennials of our own. Peter Christian and Quinn McGourty-Holland, who are just rock stars. They spend their days talking with RNL partners about new solutions and how best to surprise and delight what could be the most generous generation in history. We're going to watch something fun today, and it's the designated millennials podcast, as part of Fundraising...2019-06-2121 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLJillian Nelson - Illinois State University - Annual Giving in CampaignsLike many of you I'm lucky enough to have more than one alma mater. One of those is Illinois State University where I'm actually still currently a student finishing up my doctoral degree. I came to Illinois State University kind of in the middle of my career and the institution really blew me away. ISU has an incredibly deep commitment to the success of students. When you look at the key statistics on Illinois State University they blow away the competition in terms of retention, student success, student satisfaction. And one of the reasons for...2019-06-1027 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLAl Ruffalo - Your fundraising partners should be familyOver 30 years ago, Al Ruffalo wanted to help colleges and universities, and he gave it a try. What came of his efforts, and the efforts of the people who were part of those initial experiments, was the modern college and university phone outreach program, which has raised billions of dollars. It's also been a lifeline of real, honest to goodness conversations between students and alumni for the past three decades. This work is obviously changing, and the company that Al and company built has changed, now encompassing a whole suite of tech-enabled data driven programs that serve...2019-04-1222 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLSuzanne Skees - The Skees Family FoundationWhat would you do if you were lucky enough to come into a bit of money? Buy an expensive car? A big house? Or would you do something more people are considering -- start a family foundation and try to make a difference in the world? Well, that's what Suzanne Skees and the Skees Family Foundation have done. But they're doing it differently. With over 40 family members involved (some younger than 8 years old) and unrestricted grants to charities across the globe, they have something different and special. Suzanne's just released My Job #2, a book that spotlights the stories of...2019-03-2933 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLBrady Josephson - NextAfter - Recurring GivingRecurring giving is a big topic these days, particularly among our higher education partners. Everyone's watching the massive increase in subscription services, and particularly how young alumni or donors use them. Also, we're just really excited about the idea of people buying into consistent, regular giving. But most of us haven't really figured out how to give for monthly gifts real well, how to thank recurring donors, or even in some cases how to receive the gifts correctly. It's a tremendous opportunity to build a base of committed, regular donors who have bought into your cause. So...2019-03-1922 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMichael Stoner - 24/7 Marketing And AdvancementHaving a good relationship between your marketing department, and your advancement division is absolutely crucial. Michael Stoner, co-founder, and president of mStoner Incorporated knows this, and he's completed some research recently showing how this relationship can really propel the results of an advancement division’s ability to engage donors. I got on the line with Michael to talk a little bit about his history in higher education marketing and what he sees next for the integration of communications to donors. Check out this article on Michael's research here at Inside Higher Education Find out more ab...2019-03-0416 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLHEP Data - Teddy Callow - Matching GiftsFor a long time now, annual giving programs have utilized matching gift programs from corporate sponsors as a great way to increase their fundraising totals. You can, generally speaking, increase your results by about 10% just by engaging corporate partners who have matching gift programs available to your alumni and other supporters. I got on the phone with Teddy Callow at HEPData, one of the premier providers of matching gift data and resources to talk about how you can best engage donors in corporations so that you're the one who gets chosen for this important philanthropic opportunity. Find...2019-03-0417 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLDan Frezza from William & Mary on Alumni ParticipationAlumni participation: It's a key statistic that we all know is very important. It helps drive rankings and it's also evidence to suggest that we're really getting through to donors. Participation something that we all think about, but we're not really great in talking about. That's because it's been declining over the last 30 years at American higher education. Overall, generally speaking, alumni are just less likely to give to their alma maters. Dan Frezza at William & Mary is looking at things a little differently. He's accepted a challenge to grow alumni participation over the next...2019-02-0121 minFundraising Voices from RNLRichard Perry and Jeff Schreifels, Veritus Group - Major GivingWorking with major donors to ignite their passion to give is the #1 to transform your organization. Richard Perry and Jeff Schreifels know this, and talk in this episode about what's changing with major giving, and how to provide gift officers the tools to connect with the best major and planned giving donors. Check out Veritus Group at veritusgroup.com2018-11-0218 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLCrowdfunding Success with Mary Grace BaldoCrowdfunding is a great way to capture new donors. This socially-connected and optimized online giving platform is now in use by over half of higher education institutions for fundraising in one form or another. We’ve released our 2018 Crowdfunding Index, which reviews over 5,000 charitable crowdfunding campaigns on the RNL ScaleFunder platform, with combined giving of $73 Million. I got on the line with RNL crowdfunding expert Mary Grace Baldo to review the data, and talk about key trends and what’s next for this great way to engage donors. Download the full Index here Crowdfunding now has...2018-10-1216 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLLuxury Donor Experiences - Adam Capes with GetAway2GiveYour high end donor prospects invest in experiences. This is true both in how they give to charities and how they spend their leisure time. Adam Capes knows this and he's pioneered a new way to engage high end donors with luxury experiences that also make a difference. Check out Getaway2Give here. In the 21st century your top donors are much more willing to invest in experiences than stuff. What Adam's figured out is that having a memorable experience as part of a donation is really crucial to engaging a longterm interest of your...2018-10-1218 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMajor and Planned Giving Productivity 2018 with Josh RobertsonMaking sure that your major and planned giving fundraisers are productive is a key part of raising transformational gifts for your organization. In the second year of our major and planned giving productivity survey, we explore these issues, find out what major and gift officers think about predictive analytics, wealth ratings, and how they're able to qualify donors at scale. I got on the line with Josh Robertson to talk about the results of our second survey on major and planned giving productivity. You can download the full report here. So, if you're trying to...2018-10-1215 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMajor and Planned Giving Donor Engagement - Greg Warner from MarketSmartLooking into your database of supporters and searching for those people who are ready and able to make a major or planned gift is crucial to any organization's success. But how do you find the right people and ask them in the right way at the right time? Well, Greg Warner at MarketSmart has some ideas. In fact, he's built a name for himself by directly challenging our assumptions and the generally dated tactics we use to engage donors. I got him on the line to talk a little bit about how we can find new ways...2018-10-1020 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLAnnual Giving Best Practices Survey - Shad HanselmanAnnual giving is the lifeblood of most fundraising programs, and we’re interested in keeping a pulse on current trends and fundraiser challenges. We’ve published the second version of our Advancement Leaders Speak series, where over 250 annual giving leaders told us about where they’re focusing their energy to connect with donors. Included this year is a special focus on both parents and leadership givers, two important groups. I got on the line with annual giving career veteran Shad Hanselman to go through the survey results and hear from him about the future of annual giving. You ca...2018-10-1017 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLNonprofit Research Collaborative and Giving USA - Melissa Brown and Aggie Sweeney talk the Winter 2018 Nonprofit Fundraising StudyEvery year, the Nonprofit Research Collaborative puts out two big surveys to track trends in giving. Organized around 15 different fundraising methods, it’s one of the most comprehensive surveys around. The Winter 2018 Nonprofit Fundraising study report is just out, and shows that most charities are doing better through the end of the calendar year. I got on the line with Melissa Brown from the Non Profit Research Collaborative and Aggie Sweeney from Giving USA to go over the results and talk about what they think is next for nonprofit fundraising. Download the latest report here 2018-05-2516 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLStudent Philanthropy: The 2018 CASE Engaging Students in Philanthropy Symposium FacultyStudent philanthropy programs are an important part of the advancement efforts. We know from research that almost 90 percent of colleges and universities do some type of student philanthropy program, whether it’s a philanthropy day, a student phonathon, a student organization, or even involving students in thanking donors. The Engaging Students in Philanthropy Symposium, offered by CASE as part of the Student Advancement conference coming up in just a few months, is a great place to find out about the best practices in starting and improving a student philanthropy program. I’m proud to be on the facu...2018-05-1619 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLPhonathon Index 2018 - Insights on higher education phone solicitationOver three quarters of higher education institutions use the phone in some way to reach out to donors each year. At the biggest programs, this amounts to a student caller phonathon, which contacts thousands of alumni, parents and friends. These phonathons or telefunds can generate millions in support, not to mention great conversations which build the relationship with a donor. We’ve just released the RNL Phonathon index, looking at 93 phonathon programs from 2014 to 2017, with over $300M in pledges. We uncover some of the key trends and best practices in phonathon programs and ma...2018-04-1717 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLData Science for Fundraising - Ashutosh NandeshwarStrong use of data is the cornerstone of any great fundraising program. The best programs take this to the next level, moving from descriptive to predictive – actually guiding gift officers and annual giving appeals to the donors who seem the most ready. Making this transition can be daunting. So today, we’ll talk with one of the authors of a new book, Data Science for Fundraising, building data-driven solutions using R. Ashutosh Nandeshwar is a fundraising data veteran, and a thought leader in this important emerging field. The book is part introduction to new data techniques and an in dept...2018-04-0918 minFundraising Voices from RNLFundraising Voices - Mitch LinkerHow do we get more people interested in fundraising as a profession? It’s a key question we’re trying to answer, as we struggle to fill positions, engage donors, and take advantage of the tremendous interpersonal talents of a rising millennial generation. I came across a book that is quite different than anything we’re used to reading about fundraisers. What happens when you go from rocker to fundraiser, and go all in on philanthropy? Mitch linker, author of No One Dreams of Being a Fundraiser: My Unexpected Journey from Music to Major Gifts can tell us. I...2018-04-0819 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLMarch (Alumni Giving) Madness 2018We have the winners of the 2018 March (Alumni Giving) Madness tournament! This tournament is our fun way to determine the top alumni giving institutions for higher education fundraising. We took the institutions in this year's men's and women's NCAA Basketball Tournaments, analyzed their alumni giving statistics, and determined the two top institutions for alumni giving. In this podcast, we break down the results, methodology and talk about how to amplify alumni giving for your institution. 2018 March (Alumni Giving) Madness final brackets View the final 2018 March (Alumni Giving) Madness bracket ...2018-04-0215 min
Philanthropy Podcast: A Resource for Nonprofit Leaders and Fundraising & Advancement ProfessionalsModern Fundraising Phonathons - An Interview with Brian Gawor, Vice President of Research at Ruffalo Noel Levitz - Episode 33The Philanthropy Podcast Website Email Sean at The Philanthropy Podcast This week on The Philanthropy Podcast, Brian Gower, Vice President of Research at Ruffalo Noel Levitz discuss the modern phonathon and its place in your fundraising plan. Brian touches on what you need in place before launching your phonathon, how phonathons aid data collection, the returns you might expect, how to integrate the phonathon and social media, thank-a-thons, how your phonathon callers can build your pipeline to development staff hiring and more. If you think you know everything about the phonathon or think this fundraising tool is stuck in the a...2018-03-1243 min
Philanthropy Podcast: A Resource for Nonprofit Leaders and Fundraising & Advancement ProfessionalsModern Fundraising Phonathons - An Interview with Brian Gawor, Vice President of Research at Ruffalo Noel Levitz - Episode 33 The Philanthropy Podcast Website Email Sean at The Philanthropy Podcast This week on The Philanthropy Podcast, Brian Gower, Vice President of Research at Ruffalo Noel Levitz discuss the modern phonathon and its place in your fundraising plan. Brian touches on what you need in place before launching your phonathon, how phonathons aid data collection, the returns you might expect, how to integrate the phonathon and social media, thank-a-thons, how your phonathon callers can build your pipeline to development staff hiring and more. If you think you know everything about the phonathon or think this fundraising tool is stuck in the a...2018-03-1200 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLThe Future of Higher Education Campaigns - New SurveyThere is no denying that higher education campaigns have been transformative. These comprehensive efforts help us build buildings, fund scholarships and even boost current use support. And they are growing. It’s more and more common for us to see campaign totals exceeding 1 billion. Almost every institution is either in or thinking about a campaign. So we wanted to know what fundraisers feel about the future of campaigns in higher education. We surveyed almost 600 fundraisers and got their opinions about what is working and they key challenges to campaign success. I got on the line with RNL ex...2018-03-0819 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLNew Survey: Annual Giving multi-channel best practicesWe’ve just released our seventh chapter in the RNL Advancement Leaders Speak series, where we ask you, the fundraisers about your challenges, successes and best practices. This release is focuses on annual giving multichannel strategy – or how we contact annual giving donors through all the various fundraising channels. The report revealed some interesting things about how annual giving is judged and evaluated by institutions, how fundraisers are timing appeals, and what we feel are the best ways to capture, retain and upgrade donors. You can download the full survey at ruffalonl.com. I got on the like with Shad...2018-01-0321 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLNew Research - Giving Day IndexGiving Days – Campaigns that focus a groundswell of donations to a specific day, have really made a splash in the fundraising world. Using online portals that track donations as they come in, as well as offering challenges, match donations and real excitement for donors, giving days have been a game changer. We’ve just published a new study on how giving days can transform your fundraising. The RNL Giving Day Index looks at over $32 million in giving to answer key questions about average donations, campaign totals and donor counts, as well as the impact of volunteer ambassadors. You...2017-11-2719 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLFundraising Voices: New Digital and Millennial Donor Engagement SurveyDigital Engagement – it’s important for any fundraiser, especially those of us who want to engage younger donors. Whether it’s targeted digital advertising, social media, or great new methods like crowdfunding and online giving days, we have a great menu of options. But we hear from fundraisers that they haven’t always been able to really optimize their digital outreach. So we wanted to know more... We are about to release part four of our series Advancement Leaders Speak, and this edition is the results of a survey and conversations with advancement professionals about how they are doin...2017-10-1613 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLRNL 2017 Crowdfunding IndexCrowdfunding has become very popular over the past few years. Following success in the commercial world, funding new products, artistic endeavors and other projects, we’ve seen hundreds of charities create crowdfunding campaigns and full portals with multiple campaigns to attract donors to specific needs. Higher education, with a wealth of student, faculty and athletics opportunities, has really benefited from this optimized, online and socially integrated technology. We’ve just released a comprehensive index of results from over 4,000 campaigns Ruffalo Noel Levitz charitable crowdfunding powered by the Scalefunder platform. And the results show that...2017-09-2117 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLNew Survey: Major and Planned Giving ProductivityWe’ve just released part two of our major research series Advancement Leaders Speak here at Ruffalo Noel Levitz. This time, we surveyed and spoke with 270 major and planned giving officers to find out how they do their jobs and how they feel about productivity. You can download the study at RuffaloNL.com—we included questions about average prospect pool sizes, number of visits with donors, key frustrations and challenges for gift officers, as well as what they think would make their jobs easier. I got on the line with Caryn Stein, Vice President here at R...2017-06-2813 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLStudent Philanthropy with Josh Harraman and Felicity MeuStudent philanthropy continues to be a hot topic in higher education. Just about every institution hosts some form of student philanthropic engagement. The goal is to engage students in causes that they are passionate about, help students thank current donors, and if we do it right, help students understand the importance of giving back as future alumni. Josh Harraman and Felicity Meu are experts with years of experience with successful student philanthropy programs. I’m proud to serve as faculty with them in the upcoming Engaging Students in Philanthropy Symposium, put together by CASE this coming August. I...2017-06-1121 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLEmotionraising with Francesco AmbrogettiEmotion—it’s a key part of fundraising, and definitely impacts the response we receive from donors. We don’t talk about emotion in fundraising enough, really. We’re usually more concerned with what segment we’re calling or mailing or what we need to tell donors. We don’t often think about how donors feel when we reach out to them. Francesco Ambrogetti has a long career as an international fundraiser, and his groundbreaking book Emotionraising: How to astonish, disturb, seduce and convince the brain to support good causes, really gets at this issue. He’s c...2017-05-0414 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLAdvancement Leaders Speak: New Study with guest Jim Rogers What’s keeping advancement leaders up at night? Find out what 40 higher education advancement leaders told us. Ruffalo Noel Levitz recently commissioned a major research project to better understand advancement leaders’ priorities, challenges and strategies for the future. Through in-depth interviews with leaders across the country, we uncovered what chief advancement officers are really thinking about the future. The results of 40 hour-long interviews with Chief Advancement Officers are discussed in this podcast. Jim Rogers, RNL CMO, talks about the budgeting priorities of today's higher education leaders, what leaders are judged on, and where they are shifting resources. We also talk about wha...2017-04-2520 min
Fundraising Voices from RNLFundraising Voices: Robert McGuire on Content MarketingGetting great content in front of your donors, things that are interesting and invoke a passion for giving, is a sure fire way to build your base of support. Robert McGuire of McGuire Editorial knows this well. He’s spent years helping top non-profits and higher education institutions put together great content strategies. Increasingly, we’re hearing that the communications you provide that are outside of the ask are crucial to engaging and retaining donors. I got Robert on the line to explain what content marketing means for fundraisers, and have him provide some tips on how to accelerate your...2017-04-1918 min