The Build Good Fundraising Podcast

Send us a textThe way we've been doing fundraising events might be all wrong. We often focus so much on what happens at the event that we miss the bigger picture: what happens before and after matters just as much—if not more. In this episode, we explore how to use the fundraising flywheel to make your events work harder for you and leave less money (and momentum) on the table.We get into:Why your event shouldn't be a one-night stand (for your fundraising strategy).How to think about your event as a living, breathing version of your mission.A practical framework to make your next event more successful—from pre-event planning to post-event follow-up.How to activate your donors and sponsors before the event ever happens.What a great “Ask” sounds like during and after your event.And as a bonus, you'll also get to listen to an exclusive coaching call within The Fundraising Academy with Lauren Isbell from Nevus Outreach. —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 

Send us a textAfter longing for the kind of event we wanted to attend, we decided to create it ourselves.Today, Hannah and Mike walk through why we're launching The Build Good Summit, an in-person fundraising summit in downtown Toronto happening May 22-23, 2025. The lack of world-class fundraising conferences in Canada has left fundraisers with two choices: spend thousands of dollars to attend conferences elsewhere, or miss out altogether.We're putting an end to that.When you attend the BuildGood Summit, you're joining our mission to bring Canada's most ambitious nonprofits together, for good. By coming together and sharing methods that are working on our home turf—along with those working internationally—we'll all walk away with practical tips we can implement right now.In today's show we talk about how we're crafting the experience, how we use the flywheel approach ourselves to plan the conference, and how we chose the speakers.And if you stick around to the end of the podcast—listeners of the podcast get a special discount code to join us at the Summit. Don't miss your chance to secure one of the 350 available seats. Claim your spot now at www.buildgoodsummit.com —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 

Send us a textToday we're celebrating our 100th episode! Come sit down for a fireside chat (complete with Diet Coke) to share the honest story of how this podcast started, where it's headed, and what that means for BuildGood—and for you.Mike gets real about why the original podcast strategy was completely wrong—and why that might've been the best thing that could've happened. In today's chat you'll also hear how BuildGood has grown from a solo consultant to a team of 15 passionate fundraisers. Plus, you'll learn some of the exciting results we're seeing with clients—including one digital campaign that's generating returns that seem almost too good to be true.If you've loved the podcast so far you'll love this peek behind the curtain at what's coming next—including some changes that listeners have been asking for.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 

Today we're launching the Build Good Summit, and introducing the first speaker—Nathan Hill from NextAfter.Nathan and the NextAfter team recently analyzed how the fundraising of 211 nonprofits impacts donor retention.And in today's chat, he's sharing 3 key things you can do to retain more donors—backed by research and actual donor data.If you want to get fresh ideas to grow your revenue—and get together with other fundraisers who are doing interesting and innovative things to draw donors closer in to the mission—join ust at the Build Good Summit on May 22-23, 2025 in Toronto.You'll hear from fundraising innovators who'll focus on practical examples to grow your fundraising—stuff that's actually working right now to help some of the most innovative nonprofits grow.You can get your tickets now at www.buildgoodsummit.com —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 

Today, BuildGood's resident fundraising copywriter delivers a masterclass in how to craft fundraising copy that leads people toward greater generosity. Hannah Vermeer gets into simple, easy and effective ways you can change the words you use in your fundraising—and changing the words you use is free. It costs you nothing.  Whether it's making your donor feel like they have an important and meaningful role to play, or crafting copy that's easy to read and emotionally resonant, you'll walk away with actionable insights to improve your copy immediately.If you want to create compelling, heartfelt, and effective fundraising copy, this episode is for you.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 

If you're tired of riding the revenue rollercoaster—where your nonprofit's cash flow is always dependent on a few key fundraising campaigns during the year— your big opportunity is building a strong monthly giving programGrowing recurring giving not only smoothes out your cash flow year round, it also increases the lifetime giving of your donors. And it's a direct pipeline to mid-level, major and legacy gifts.But building a strong monthly giving program requires some thought and care. You can't just build it and expect people to come.That's why we're talking to Dave Raley from Imago Consulting on the podcast today. He's been building monthly giving programs for almost two decades. And he's writing the book on it. On today's chat, Dave goes through 8 crucial steps to building a monthly giving program that will actually become a valuable asset for your organization.In our chat, we get into:The 3 kinds of monthly giving programsThe problem most nonprofits face when designing a monthly giving programEverything you need to take into consideration before launching a programHow to name your programHow to structure the offer and value proposition How to recruit donors to join the monthly giving program To learn more about Dave and his work, you can connect with him on LinkedIn. —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 

“Always be testing”. That's popular fundraising advice. After all, the only way to get new insights to grow your fundraising is to try new stuff, test, iterate and optimize.  But how do you decide what to test? How do you set up a proper A/B test?  And how do you make sure you learn something meaningful from it? That's what we get into in today's chat with Ronen Tal, the Director of Integrated Marketing and Fundraising at Nature Conservancy of Canada. He stewards a donor file of 40,000 donors contributing more than $10m in revenue each year. And he's always testing new approaches to grow generosity. In our chat we get into:How to decide what to test Why you need a testing hypothesis—and how to create one The difference between trying new stuff and A/B testingHow to run successful A/B testsHow to interpret results to find actual insights To learn more about Ronen and his work, you can connect with him on LinkedIn.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 

Social media isn't working for most nonprofits.If you're watching your engagement drop while spending hours on content creation, you're likely about ready to give up on social media for good.And no one would blame you.That's why we're continuing our series on new donor acquisition by talking about these challenges head-on.We're talking to Brynne Krispin from Cause Fokus about how to tap into the power of empathy to actually find supporters online through social media.In our chat, we get into: The challenges of using social media for fundraisingRealistic (and unrealistic) expectations from organic contentIncorporating empathy into your fundraising campaignsBrynne is a social media strategist for nonprofits and purpose-driven executives. Working with NGOs, thought leaders, and policymakers in DC for the last decade, she specializes in getting people to care about complex issues that might otherwise get ignored. Her team at Cause Fokus uses empathy-based marketing to turn passive audiences into loyal advocates—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

In our ongoing series on new donor acquisition, we're talking to one of Canada's most sought after advertising specialists about how to use Google ads to boost your fundraising. Kevin Harwood manages more than $10m in ad spend for nonprofits across North America, and is at the forefront of what is working…and isn't. On today's show, we get into: How to think about online advertising (hint: it's not about an immediate return on your investment) What options your nonprofit has when it comes to Google ads (search, display, video)How to choose which advertising format makes the most sense for youWhat you can do with a small budgetKevin runs his own consultancy where he works with some of the biggest nonprofit brands to create advertising that builds trust and long-term donor value.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

We're continuing our series on new donor acquisition—and today we're getting into the basics of how you can use the Google Ad Grant to attract potential donors through digital content offers.The truth is, most nonprofits aren't taking full advantage of the Google Ad Grant because they don't know it works, or because they don't have a clear strategy on how to use it. In today's chat, Chris Barlow gets into everything you need to know to get started with the grant—and he also shares a simple strategy to attract new donors using digital content.  We get into the 3 key steps for a digital donor growth campaign:Creating a valuable resource for a community that aligns with your missionGetting the resource into donors' hands using the Google Ad GrantConverting these new relationships into lasting supportChris is the founder and Customer Happiness Director at Beeeline, a consultancy that specializes in helping nonprofits grow their mission and donor base through digital marketing.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Have you ever used paid Facebook and Instagram ads to support your fundraising? Ads can supercharge your donor acquisition strategy, but they can also be a little scary if you're just starting out—and if you're new to digital marketing.To continue our series on new donor acquisition, we're chatting with Dana Snyder from Positive Equation, host of the Missions To Movements podcast and Creator of the Monthly Giving Mastermind. Her mission is to equip nonprofits with the knowledge of how to use social media ads to attract potential supporters to their cause and create sustainable giving models by building monthly giving programs for everyone to become a philanthropist.In our chat, we get into:Myths vs. Facts when it comes to paid adsHow to think about the lifetime value of a donor acquire through adsThe right way to set up a lead generation campaign using Facebook Ads ManagerA step-by-step breakdown of how to automate email list growth using an ad strategyIf you've never run ads before, or if you're a seasoned pro, you'll find useful and valuable advice here.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

So you want to find new donors online?Then this is a foundational podcast episode for you to listen to.We're beginning our series on online new donor acquisition with a master of digital fundraising: Jeff Giddens from NextAfter.In our chat, we get into: Why sending prospective donors to a donation page might not be effective if you want to actually get a first gift from someone Why trying to understand donors is a better strategy than trying to get them to understand your cause How to think about your new donor acquisition strategy using content offersHow to find, create and develop content offers prospective donors might actually want to download How to build an effective acquisition funnel How to drive traffic to your funnel using paid adsThe key metrics you should keep an eye on to begin testing and optimizing your acquisition funnelAlong the way, we also get into how direct mail—and even door to door fundraising!—can influence the way you think about new donor acquisition online.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

You need to retain donors if you want to grow sustainably—but you also need to find new donors. It seems simple enough, but we all want to skip to the “growing revenue” part without investing in both acquisition and retention. It doesn't work. I've tried. You need to work on both, consistently and reliably. If you're a listener of this show, you already know that listening to donors, engaging them, asking, celebrating and reporting is the best way to keep more of your donors connected, and giving. But how do you acquire those donors in the first place? On today's podcast, we get into the core 4 ways you can use to find new donors. They are cold outreachwarm outreachcontent and mediaadvertisingNone of them are a magic solution that will grow your donor file. Each of them takes work, time, focus, and yes—money. And all of them work together to make your organization known, and to help you earn the trust of prospective donors. —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Many nonprofits want to see 10-20% growth (or more!) year over year—and are tasking their fundraising team to make it happen without a clear-eyed view of what it takes. It's not that sustained growth is unrealistic, but it becomes harder to raise more money year after year without investing resources (read: money and time!) in the right things to support that growth.On today's podcast, we're going to do a bit of easy math together to see if you're prepared to meet your growth goals. Don't worry—we'll walk you through it, step by step! If you want to follow along, you may want to grab: Your income/expense statement from your last fiscal yearYour overall donor retention rate This worksheet you can download here By the end of the episode, you'll have a good idea of just what it will take to meet your growth goals for 2024—and if your goals are realistic in the first place. Download: Growth Goal Worksheet —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

In today's episode, we dive into the 5 key elements of crafting a winning and simple fundraising plan using the pre-loaded year methodology.It's the same method we teach in the Fundraising Academy—and the same method we use with clients in our agency work.A lot of organizations struggle to create simple and actionable plans they can execute on. That's because for most small-to-mid sized nonprofits, complicated plans are…well, too complex to actually want to take action on.But without a plan, nonprofits risk falling short on their financial goals. And they become overwhelmed by the tyranny of the urgent. Enter the pre-loaded year methodology—an innovative approach that simplifies the fundraising planning process by creating a One Page Fundraising plan. The kind of plan you can pin to the wall next to your computer screen. The kind of plan that isn't overwhelming. In this episode, we explore the step-by-step guide to implementing this strategy, ensuring that your organization not only meets but exceeds its fundraising objectives.BONUS: We walk you through a short exercise called The New Year Reset. Download your copy of the New Year Reset right here.—Download the New Year Reset worksheet to help you guide you fundraising planning: https://buildgood.ck.page/newyearreset ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Do you feel like you have a focused fundraising strategy? Or does it feel like you're being asked to do something else every few months?Have you—or your leadership—been so derailed by that shiny, new opportunity (looking at you, TikTok) that you lose sight of what's important?A strategic plan might help—if you approach it the right way.Now, let's be honest, you might already have a plan in place. It might be sitting on a shelf. Gathering dust. It might just be a long list of lofty goals you want to achieve. It might not even have a strategy at all! That's why how you approach creating a plan is just as important as creating it in the first place. So in today's chat, we get into the power of strategic planning and how it can be a tool to keep your team and your leadership focused on raising more revenue and cultivating your donors.We're talking with Kim Bersin, founder of Donor Speak Consulting.  She works with organizations around the globe and has helped raise millions across charitable sectors.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Today's show is a special episode—a bit of a global journey of fundraising and discovery with one of Canada's well known fundraisers.  Fresh off a trip to Europe—including stops in Romania, Slovakia and Holland—Michael Johnston joins us to have a chat about what the social impact sector outside of North America looks like. And what we can learn from it. Michael was trained as a NATO analyst but ended up a direct mail fundraiser in 1987. Many books and clients later, he now works in over 30 countries through his agency HJC New Media.In our chat, we touch on F2F fundraising, mid-level giving, monthly giving and legacy giving through the lens of other countries and cultures. —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

What if you could create content for your ads, emails and social media that reached more people than organizations that have 10X your budget? In our part 2 with Cameron Bartlett, we'll into the formulas he's used to reach over 125,000,000 people for social good. And the best part? These frameworks work to build an engaged following, whether you have a team of 20—or it's just you. Cameron has helped hundreds of charities like yours fundraise way more, by creating journeys that guide donors from your first interaction to becoming lifelong advocates that grow your cause for you. He's led award-winning digital marketing campaigns for orgs like New Story, IJM, Compassion, World Vision and Cure. And he is currently building the food tech nonprofit Future Food.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

More people would give to your organization, if they could only find you.We know ads, emails, and organic social are great ways to reach new potential donors. But some of the scrappiest, most creative nonprofits use SEO to attract new supporters to grow their cause. How? On this week's BuildGood Live, we're revealing the playbook you can use to optimize your nonprofit's online content so you can start attracting new donors. Cameron Bartlett has helped hundreds of charities like yours fundraise way more, by creating journeys that guide donors from your first interaction to becoming lifelong advocates that grow your cause for you. He's led award-winning digital marketing campaigns for orgs like New Story, IJM, Compassion, World Vision and Cure. And he is currently building the food tech nonprofit Future Food.In our chat, we'll get into: Why is SEO important for your nonprofitHow does SEO for nonprofits even workHow you can begin optimizing your online content so more people find youHow you can identify relevant keywords for your charity How long does it take to see results from your nonprofit's SEO effortsWhat tools can a nonprofit use for SEOHow can you track and measure your progress on your SEO efforts—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

We live in the golden age of digital fundraising—the most efficient ecosystem in which to test, learn and refine. Digital has immense power to drive strategies that scale and connect deeply with our donors. AND it plays nicely with so many other channels, including direct mail.Yet most organizations use it backwards.Instead of leading with digital, they're bolting on digital strategies on the back end of other efforts, hoping to get a boost.So how can we learn to lead with digital?On today's podcast, we chat with Erik Rubadeau. He's the CEO of Yeeboo Digital, a data driven, full service online fundraising and technology agency. His expertise on digitally led fundraising and tech innovation and adoption has helped hundreds of nonprofits launch new initiatives and grow their revenue.In our chat, we'll get into: What “leading with digital” means?How to use digital to test new ideas with little risk or investment.How to make the switch from digital as a “bolt on” to digital-first fundraising.Some core tools and strategies nonprofits of all sizes can use to lead with digital.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Can the way you lead internally make your fundraising more effective? On today's podcast, we chat with Evan Wildstein about 10 core behaviours of servant leaders—and how they might just improve the way you fundraise.Behaviours like listening, empathy, healing, building community, and much more. We'll also get into some super practical ways to activate servant-leadership in your own shop to boost philanthropy.For 20 years, Evan has been a nonprofiteer, raising funds and developing inspiring programs for organizations like The Juilliard School, Rice University, and Asia Society. He recently published his first book, The Nonprofiteer's Fundraising Field Guide. It's a realistic and inspiring roadmap for anyone who wants to engage with donors, grow revenue and improve philanthropy. It has 30 practical applications you can implement today. And it's also full of heart-felt stories from nonprofit leaders.Get the book here or connect with Evan on LinkedIn.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

You've likely heard that the donor should be the hero in your fundraising messaging. The phrase had a noble intent. It was meant to encourage us to shift our perspective away from meeting revenue targets, and toward finding alignment with our ideal donors' goals and values. But over time, it became misunderstood. Misconstrued. And misapplied.The “donor as hero” metaphor turned into “the donor is always right”—causing some organizations to do real harm. So is it time to think about a better way to express the way we approach our fundraising?In this freewheeling chat, we get into:The storytelling triadThe phases of fundraising that led to donor-centric fundraising What do people mean when they say the donor is the hero Why can that philosophy—if misunderstood and misapplied—become harmful The difference between donor-led and donor-centric fundraisingWhat's a better way of thinking about “donor as hero” —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

If you've ever tried running Facebook and Instagram ads to attract new donors, you may have realized it isn't all that easy.Truth is, an effective paid ads strategy for nonprofits trying to attract new donors is a lot different than running ads for for-profits that are selling products. Yet most of the information you'll find on running online ads is geared toward for-profits.On today's BG Live, we're getting into how you can start to acquire new donors with Meta ads—without wasting a ton of money.Ben Stewart from Louder gets into how you can use lookalike audiences for Facebook & Instagram Ads to help you attract new leads, new event attendees and new donors. It's an easy place to start, because it allows you to use what you know about your current donors to help you find your future supporters.Ben is on a mission to help nonprofit organizations apply digital marketing best practices so they can raise more funds and do more good. With experience in live event production, vocational ministry, and digital marketing, he helps purposeful brands improve their messaging, marketing, and websites so they can increase their impact on the world.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Email remains one of the most effective digital fundraising channels—but how do you know you're doing it right? How do you balance asking for money, showing gratitude, reporting back on impact and surveying your donors? How much email is too much…or too little? On this week's BG Live, we're helping you audit your email marketing strategy—and give you some surefire ways to increase donor engagement.We're talking with Katelyn Baughan, the owner of KB Digital – a nonprofit email marketing agency. Katelyn has helped some of the most well-known nonprofits with their email marketing strategies and execution, and while she has experience with all marketing verticals, she has a true passion for using email to make a difference.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

How do you evaluate your email campaigns?  If you're a nonprofit—especially one that doesn't raise tens of millions every year—you may have a hard time finding benchmarks from organizations like yours. Most of the data on benchmarks and proven practices comes from either very large organizations or from for-profit companies. Until now. On this week's BuildGood Live, we're talking to Tim Sarrantonio from Neon ONE about the new Nonprofit Email Report. Tim and his team analyzed key email performance metrics from 1,495 nonprofitorganizations of all sizes and missions. They evaluated 37,472 email campaigns (that's 157,048,634 individual emails) that were sent during 2022, then broke down important benchmarks by list size. In our chat, we'll get into: The 5 common traits of highly effective emailsThe anatomy of an email that raises more money Words to include (and avoid) in subject linesBenchmarks for open rates, unsubscribe rates and fundraising performanceWhether you're a large nonprofit with thousands of email subscribers or a smaller org with an audience in the hundreds, you're bound to learn how to up your email game a little bit. Download The Nonprofit Email Report here—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

As passionate fundraisers, we're all pretty good at thinking about how to talk to donors. But sometimes, we're not the best listeners. On this week's BG Live, we're joined by Just McCord from RKD about a brand new donor study that listened to donors across a variety of causes. Turns out, donors need us to listen more.In our chat, we'll talk about: 1. What donors say makes for strong relationships.2. What donors say they want from their favourite causes.3. Two key emotions that stand out above the rest in the research.4. How donor expectations have changed.5. How relationships affect both what—and where—donors give. And we'll also get into how to transition your fundraising practice to listen first.Justin is the SVP Marketing & Communications at RKD, where he oversees the brand and leads the firm's research efforts. And he's a nerd for soccer, professional wrestling and dad jokes.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register

Do you have donors on your file who could be making larger gifts…but you've just never asked? Chances are, you do. And chances are also, you might not even know where to begin to identify them and lead them toward greater generosity (otherwise you would've asked them already!).The good news is, it could be simpler than you think. Note: Simple, not easy.On this week's podcast, we're talking to Gudrun Hofmeister from Philanthropic Fundraising. She's an expert in 6- and 7-figure gifts, and she's spent 15 years managing and preparing for successful capital campaigns. So if you want to secure the largest gifts in your organization's history, you might find this conversation to be really valuable. Find out more by visiting Philanthropic Fundraising or following Gudrun on LinkedIn.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Humans are wired for stories, yet storytelling can be challenging. That's why on this week's BuildGood Live, we're talking to master storyteller—and founder of LemonSkies—Olga Moshinsky Woltman about how to harness the power of stories.She's worked with some of the most inspiring and transformative causes, including American Heart Association, the ALS Association, American Diabetes Association, and Special Olympics.In our chat, we'll discuss what makes stories impactful, how to help and connect donors to the stories we tell, and how to activate your staff to help you gather story leads. We'll also get into how great storytelling can even help you retain your staff—and energize your culture and team morale. Find out more by visiting LemonSkies or following Olga on LinkedIn.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

In a new segment of the pod we're calling How I Built Good, we interview nonprofit founders, entrepreneurs and leaders on how they're building good in the world. Starting with Becky Straw. She never set out to become a founder. But when she was let go from her job at fast-growing water charity, she bought a wireless printer the next day to start building The Adventure Project.With a passionate co-founder and a crew of volunteers by her side, Becky raised the first $40,000 with a clever marketing campaign.Today, the organization provides people in 6 countries with the tools and skills to become profitable entrepreneurs—and fund their ventures to create solutions to poverty in their own communities.The people they help learn a specialized trade and receive the mentorship and education to thrive. So they can earn an income, and wake up each day filled with purpose and pride.In our chat with Becky, she gets into: how she started the org with $0 and a wireless printerhow the org is finding a sustainable business model without having to only rely on campaign after campaign a life-changing moment on a rural, bumpy, washed out road in Liberia that still motivates her todaythe philosophy behind treating the $10 donor like the $1,000 donorYou can find out more about The Adventure Project right here—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Have you ever surveyed your donors? We talk a lot about listening to donors through conversations. Surveys can be a great tool to compliment donor conversations, because they're interviews at scale.They're a great way to: EngageCourse-correct (are we going in the right direction?)Collect informationMake donors feel valued and seenIdentify donors for further cultivation and solicitationBut how do you get started designing a survey? And what meaningful and practical steps can you take with the information you get back? On this week's podcast, we chat with Louis Diez about how to get started with donor surveys. Louis advises nonprofits in annual fund development, digital fundraising, and engagement strategies.He currently serves as the VP, Community of Almabase and is the founder of the Donor Participation Project. Previously, he was Executive Director of Annual Giving at Muhlenberg College, Director of the Annual Fund and Development Business Operations at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Associate Director of Development at Johns Hopkins SAIS. In these roles, he led teams that created growth in number of donors and dollars raised through a model he calls the Sustainable Revenue Engine.In our chat, we get into: How to choose and define the purpose of a donor survey How to design questions that connect with the donor's identity and valuesHow to design questions that connect the donor with the different ways you're making an impactHow to design questions about philanthropic plans and habitsHow to strategically follow-up with donors who raised their hand—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Helping your donors feel like they belong might be your ultimate fundraising achievement.Why? Years of stress, amplified by the pandemic, has created a “belonging crisis.” Record levels of mental health issues are putting an entire generation at risk. Many of us are more connected than ever before—and at the same time, lonelier than ever before. So what if your nonprofit created the kind of emotional connection that would not only make your fundraising a lot more effective—but could also help to enhance your donors' sense of self-esteem, self-identity, and pride? What if you built the kind of lasting, emotional ties with donors that would make them an important part of the team?Today on the podcast, we're talking with futurist and business consultant Mark Schaefer on how to create a true community of donors. Mark just released his new book, Belonging to The Brand, which is one of my favorite reads in recent memory.  In our chat, we get into: The difference between building an audience and building a community The loneliest generation How legacy giving is tied to belonging and community—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

How often have you heard that you should “listen to your donors” and nodded along in agreement? But how often have you actually sat down to implement a system to continually listen to donors in a structured way and gain new insights? Make no mistake: getting to know your donors is a strategy with high returns.For-profit companies are investing in audience research like never before. They're getting insights from the very same people who will buy their product or service.And you can do the same with your donors.I know it might sound complicated and expensive...but it doesn't have to be.You'd be surprised how easy it is to start listening to your donors, speak their language, and meet them where they are.And in fact, the smaller your donor file, the easier it is.The truth is, the most valuable data you can look at isn't some nonprofit sector report on where philanthropy is going. Or how donors are feeling about the economy. Or what's happening with online giving.The most valuable data you can use to improve your fundraising is right in front of you. It's your donors.So how can you know your audience to grow your audience? On today's episode, we're talking to Emily Taylor from teenyBIG about some easy ways to start listening to your donors. Using qualitative research and evaluation methods, she helps nonprofits better understand a donor segment before engaging with them or learn about the strengths and opportunities of their organization through the eyes of its community.In our chat, you'll learn: The difference between quantitative and qualitative dataThe questions to ask yourself before asking donorsHow to start listening to donorsHow to evaluate donor feedback and analyze itYou can also download a FREE resource on how to reduce bias in your surveys and donor listening right here.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

The offer is one of the most foundational—yet most misunderstood—tools in fundraising.Get it wrong, and your fundraising can flop. Get it right, and watch the response rate go up.So what is an offer anyway?It's the thing you're asking donors to help make happen.The outcome.The ultra-specific and tangible difference their gift can make.And that doesn't just apply to direct response fundraising.Major donor visits? There's usually an offer at some point.Events? Just a vehicle to deliver an offer.Grants? A fancy way of presenting an offer (usually with a lot of jargon). So on today's podcast, we're talking to Steven Screen about how to craft effective fundraisings offers that open hearts and wallets. He's the co-founder of Better Fundraising and has been fundraising for 25 years. In the first half of his career, he focused on direct mail, TV, and radio for national nonprofits. For the second half, he's been bringing best practices from the larger organizations to small- to medium-sized charities. In our chat, you'll learn: Why offers matter more than you might thinkThe building blocks of a great offerHow to overcome common objections from leadershipHow to raise undesignated funds while still using a clear and specific offer—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

How do you achieve predictable fundraising success? Well, nobody can predict how much money you're going to raise. But if you follow the 5 steps of the fundraising flywheel consistently—over time— your revenue will grow. And so will your career as a leader and fundraiser! So today we'll walk through each of the 5 parts of the fundraising flywheel in detail. They are:ListenEngageAskCelebrate Report Master these 5 steps, and you will raise more money—consistently. Because you'll have made donors an important part of your team, invited them to co-create the future with you, and created an emotional connection that leads to open hearts…and open wallets. —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Is it time we ditch the marketing funnel and replace it with a flywheel?Today we're introducing the concept of the Fundraising Flywheel—a 5-step framework to help donors become an important part of the team and improve your fundraising. The flywheel is simply our way of codifying the fundamentals of fundraising done well:ListenEngageAskCelebrate Report A flywheel is like a big, heavy wheel that helps things keep moving.It's like a toy top that you spin.Once you get it spinning, it keeps going for a little while, even after you stop turning it. The Fundraising Flywheel works the same way. It's a bit of work to get it spinning.But once you master the 5 parts of the flywheel, your fundraising flywheel will start to gain momentum reliably. With a lot less effort on your part. Your revenue will grow—and so will your career.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register

Welcome to the first ever BG Live—a live recording of the podcast on Zoom that anyone can join. To make sure you're invited to future BG Lives, make sure to sign up for our email newsletter at www.buildgood.com.---You probably know charity: water to be an admired innovator in the fundraising world. They do things so wonderfully different. And they've set the gold standard for digital fundraising and online engagement. But in order to keep growing and reaching new audiences, the organization is testing out different mediums and channels. In this week's BG Live, Megan Toscano from charity: water gets into how the organization is diversifying their media strategy to broaden reach and achieve scale in the years ahead. In our chat, Megan talks about: their online donor acquisition strategy how they've tested direct mailtheir efforts using direct response TV adshow they go about organic social vs. paid adshow they're thinking about sustainable growth and reaching new donors -- ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com...

On today's podcast, we're revising the best advice and proven practices on how to get more gifts in wills.For many of your donors, the gift they leave in their will might the largest gift they ever make to your charity. Not only that, but research has shown that donors who choose to leave a gift in their will, often times also end up increasing their giving while they're still alive. So in today's rewind, we're going back to some key insights our guests have shared on this podcast when it comes to legacy giving, including: the difference a little legacy checkbox in a direct mail reply device can makewhy talking to donors about gifts in wills isn't about death, but about life how printing little legacy nudges on stickers might be the best money you spend---➡️  Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Today we're taking a look back at the best practical advice on monthly giving our guests have shared on the podcast. From what it takes to build a flagship monthly giving product, to tactical advice on upgrading monthly gifts, to how to resource a strong monthly giving program—we're revisiting "can't miss" content that'll help you build your monthly giving program.Featuring conversations with Vik Harrison (charity: water), Harvey McKinnon and Erica Erica Waasdorp.---➡️  Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Here's a common pain point for many nonprofit CEOs and fundraising leaders: we're spending too much time on the operations of the shop, and not enough time connecting with donors. There is a way to reclaim some of that time. But it's not sexy.It's not glamorous. It's kind of a pain to implement at first. It's for sure never a priority.But it will—in the long term—make your life and your work so much more effective. And that's standardizing our operations with a series of SOPs, trainings, FAQs, templates and systems. Think of it as building an operating system for your fundraising operations.In today's episode, we are running a chat Louis Diez and myself had on the Donor Growth podcast. Here's what each element of the operating system looks like:1) SOPs are standardized operating procedures. They show you what to do. Usually a step by step instruction, or a checklist. Most nonprofits probably have a basic 30-50 SOPs they could create today that are the core of their revenue ops.2)  Trainings show you how to think. They are usually a slide decks, videos, PDFs, courses or even books. 3) An FAQ knowledge base helps you avoid wasting time and answering the same questions over and over. A good FAQ base empowers your team to find answers quickly without getting bottle-necked by the leader.4) Templates show you how to work. A good template library is a giant shortcut so you don't start from scratch every time.5) A project management system houses everything in one spot. Usually some sort of took like Airtable, Asana, ClickUp, Monday or even Google Sheets.Combined, this operating system will become the brain of your operations.

Do you shy away from building custom online experiences and automations because you think you need to hire a developer or know how to code?The good news is there are more and more completely no-code solutions available to nonprofits to actually build custom workflows and improve the donor experience. You don't need to be a developer in order to build something that will improve your efficiency and make the giving experience more enjoyable for your donors.In fact, today you'll hear from a frontline fundraiser who's been experimenting with no-code and sharing his complete setup and systems. Daniel Lombardi is the VP of Donor Success & Revenue for Grand River Hospital Foundation. He has over 10 years experience in the nonprofit sector, and currently focuses on using technology to improve traditional fundraising methods and processes.On today's episode, Dan will share how he built custom no-code workflows forThank you emailsBulk emailing donorsTax ReceiptsListen closely for a very helpful tip from Dan on how they manage to send 1:1, personal emails to thousands of donors at a time. Follow Daniel Lombardi on LinkedInNo Code Nonprofit newsletter---➡️  Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

You've often heard us talk on this podcast about getting closer to your donors and leading them toward making their best gift for your organization—a gift that is meaningful to them and increases their own sense of wellbeing. But how do you move beyond fundraising communications to building personal, 1:1 relationships?On today's show, we're talking to Michael Dixon from Responsive Fundraising about a framework that will help you think about how to deepen the relationship with your donors beyond just fundraising communications. The framework is called The 3 Lanes, where each lane represents its own way of fundraising, and likely has a different meaning for your donors. So as you listen to our chat, see if you can categorize your own fundraising activities and strategies and see which lane they fall into. Responsive Fundraising website Michael Dixon on LinkedIn---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

There's no way around it: our world is a mess.Giving has levelled off after a season of overwhelming generosity. We're facing record inflation. The housing market is unpredictable. The stock market is a mess. Supply chains are broken. Society seems to be more polarized than ever before. And the ongoing war in Ukraine is ever-present in the public consciousness. Regardless of how serious you may think things are, make no mistake: most people are paying more at the cash register when they're buying food and fueling up the family van. And chances are, most of your donors are feeling a little bit of insecurity—and a little bit of lack of control over what's happening in the world. So what does that mean for your fundraising? On today's show, we're sharing part of a conversation Mike had with Dan Sonners on the Dynamic Nonprofits podcast about how to fundraise when the world's a mess.We look at the big picture, then go into some practical steps you can take today to make sure your organization is prepared for the worst.Make sure to check out the Dynamic Nonprofits podcast, and follow Dan Sonners on LinkedIn.---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

For many of us who grew up with the internet, email marketing seems like a fairly established medium. But compared to most other forms of marketing and fundraising, email is still a relatively new format. And it continues to change.So for today's episode, we sat down with a fellow Canadian fundraising agency founder to look back at the last decade of sending emails for charities.Ben Johnson founded Frontier Marketing in 2010 when, before "remote work" existed, he moved his family from Vancouver to Victoria and left his job at Union Gospel Mission behind. He's been sending email campaigns since Obama's first year in office. He continues to advocate for good strategy and efficient fundraising as the lead strategist of Frontier Marketing. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

What does a person get when they make a gift to charity? Most of the time, they're not buying a product or service. They're buying a story about the kind of person they are.And what they get in return is the way you treat them…and communicate with them…and update them.  So, isn't it our duty to put a lot of thought and care into our donor communications? Don't we owe it to our community of supporters—and the people we serve—to draw people closer to the work and treat them like they're an important part of the team?Today's guest just released a book to help fundraisers create sharp and surprising donor communications that do a much better job of raising money and retaining supporters. John Lepp is a direct response, marketing and graphic design expert with 25 years of experience working with charities around the world to help them tell better stories and to inspire donors to give, both online and offline.His new book is called Creative Deviations. It's an anecdotal and thoughtful full-colour how-to guide to help you become more creative. It's part graphic design, part design thinking, part storytelling, part strategic thinking and part love note to you amazing humans who work so hard for your causes, your donors, your mission and your desire to contribute and make positive change in our world.You can buy the book right here.I learn something new every time I talk to John, so I think you're going to love this episode. ---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

If you're a regular listener of this podcast, you know intuitively that the donor experience is more important than just getting the gift. Because a great experience leads to greater commitment, and loyalty and satisfaction…and yes, money in the long term. But before you can improve the donor experience—and increase supporter satisfaction—you need to know how to measure it in the first place.  And we're not talking about an annual donor survey. Today's guest is going to share the methodology his team developed to measure psychological need satisfaction after every single interaction a donor has with your organization. We're talking to Kevin Schulman, the founder of DonorVoice, and DV Canvass. He's also the managing editor of The Agitator Blog. Him and his team are focused on using behavioural science to improve fundraising outcomes.And on today's show, we get into: how to setup an ongoing business process to measure donor satisfactionhow to use those scores to improve the donor experiencethe effectiveness of "nudging" in fundraisingwhy the Net Promoter Score has no value for fundraising teamswhy the decision to give and the decision of how much to give are two separate—but related—decisions Connect with Kevin right here.---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Have you ever walked into a meeting with a prospective funder feeling nervous? Maybe you weren't sure how to lead the conversation. Maybe you felt a power imbalance. Or maybe you felt like you were there to beg for money, rather than being there as an equal partner or peer.If you've been there, today's episode is for you.Meet Mallory Erickson. Her mission is to help people like you fundraise more from the right donors WITHOUT hounding people for money. Without feeling like you're begging. Without feeling like you're pitching. Without feeling weird and awkward about having the money conversation.In today's chat, Mallory walks through an powerful 5-question framework you can use at your next meeting with a prospective funder.  Connect with Mallory and learn all about her Power Partners Formula right here.---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Have you heard of philanthropic psychology….or phil psych for short? It's the science behind fundraising that first and foremost cares about stewarding the love that is at the core of philanthropy. So instead of being focused on growing revenue from your donors, it's focused on growing your donors' human capacity to love others—as well as themselves. And when you help people grow their love for others and themselves, well...the money follows. And you end up raising a lot more. Today on the podcast, we get into how to thank your donors using the principles of phil psych with Professor Jen Shang—the world's first PhD in Philanthropy, and the world's only philanthropic psychologist. Jen goes through 5 different levels of thanking your donors. As you listen to this, see if you can rank yourself and find out what level you're at. ---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messages that lead donors to action and raise more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

How important is your organization's brand when it comes to the success of your fundraising? How about your culture? Today's guests have a strong point of view: they're out to prove that how a nonprofit brand operates on the inside is more important than how it looks on the outside. Mark Miller and Ted Vaughn have led nearly 100 rebrands for purpose-driven organizations with their team at Historic Agency. Now they've written a book called "Culture Built My Brand: The Secret to Winning More Customers Through Company Culture."And on today's podcast, Mark and Ted join us to talk about how your internal culture—how your employees  communicate and behave—defines your brand, and influences the success of your fundraising,  more than your logo  or website. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODEGet the book Culture Built My Brand Historic Agency---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Have you ever run a phonathon? They're a tried-and-true way of engaging donors and raising money, especially for higher education institutions.However, running a successful phonathon in-house is no easy task.That's why on this weeks' show, we're talking to an OG phonathon strategist, Clinton Crow from LEAD Philanthropy. Clinton signed up to make phone calls at Alma Matter College when he was a student—and was named the school's top student caller four years in a row. He's never stopped calling since, and today he's helped hundreds of organizations run their own phonathons, including PBS stations and museums.You can find out more about Clinton and LEAD Philanthropy right here: https://www.leadphilanthropy.com/---➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Would you like to acquire,  keep and upgrade new donors online? And do it all using marketing automation? It's possible—by building a digital fundraising factory. And it's not as complicated as you might think.Today on the show, we're talking to Dutch fundraising expert Ewald Verhoog on how to build a digital revenue engine from the ground up. Ewald is the author of "The almost definitive book about DIGITAL FUNDRAISING', the step by step method to double your individual income."The book details a blueprint on how to grow your fundraising by 1% per week—which means you can double revenue every 72 weeks. And on today's podcast, Ewald walks us through the framework. You can get the book for free (plus shipping) right here: https://www.fundraising.love/homepage16287651338191631997541708 ---- ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to create compelling fundraising messaging that leads donors to action and raises more money, from more people, more often—simply by changing the words you use: https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/register 

Is your nonprofit profitable? Do you plan to run a surplus every year? When you cost out projects for funders or donors, do you include a profit margin? If that sounds like something you would like to do, but struggle to do, today's episode is for you. Because we're not talking about generating more revenue—we're talking about how to keep more of your revenue, using Profit First.Simply put, Profit First is an easy method of distributing your income into different bank accounts that are designated for different purposes. Mike Michalowicz, founder of Profit First and author of a book by the same name, joins us on the podcast today to walk through how you can implement Profit First at your nonprofit. So you can invest for the future growth of your organization. LINKS Get Mike's book Profit First at https://profitfirstbook.com/Sign up for our FREE video mini-course on creating effective fundraising messages at https://www.5minutefundraisingfix.com/ABOUT BUILDGOOD Your fundraising team is maxed out. If you ask them to create appeals and newsletters that reliably bring in more donations… how will they have time to steward donors and build meaningful relationships?Our done-for-you fundraising services help you avoid ignoring—and disappointing—donors. So you can raise more money, and do more good.If you want your direct mail, newsletters, emails and landing pages created by a team of fundraising experts for less than the price of an employee, schedule a call at buildgood.com.