The Philanthropy212 Podcast

Sybil Ackerman-Munson is the President at Do Your Good LLC. They offer online courses, podcasts, and resources to help donors make a difference with their donations. With over two decades of experience, she knows how to establish best funding practices and help donors make a tangible difference in the world. Sybil has helped give away over $45 million in large and small donations throughout her career. She's worked with almost every type of charitable funder and has a thriving career working with philanthropists. In this episode… To help your donors give in an impactful way, you need to understand who they are and what they're interested in. According to Sybil Ackerman-Munson—a consultant who helps donors make a difference with their donations to charities and worthy causes—there are three common types of donors: sustainer, campaigner, and launcher donors. The sustainer donor cares about your organization, the work you're doing and wants to continue to support that work. On the flip side, there's the campaigner donor who cares deeply about a cause and is primarily looking for collaborators for partnerships. What about the launcher donor? How do you identify the different types of donor, and most importantly, how do you get in front of them? Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden featuring Sybil Ackerman-Munson, the President of Do Your Good LLC. She shares insight into donor trends, the different types of donors, and how to identify and connect with them. They also go into the top three things to consider when working with all three types of donors. Stay tuned to find out more!

Steven D. Lavine is the longest-serving president of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). The institute was born out of Walt Disney's vision for an art school over 50 years ago. CalArts had become embroiled in crisis until Steven became president, leading it to financial prosperity and international acclaim. When Steven took over the school, their debt was at 1.8 million out of a 16 million dollars budget. Steven served as its president from 1988 until 2017. During this time, CalArts became a pacesetter in domestic diversity, community engagement, international linkage, and cutting-edge production and presentation. Today, CalArts is the cradle of many Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winners as well as Mellon and Guggenheim fellows, becoming a hotspot for American creativity. Steven's nearly 30-year tenure is the longest, not only in the history of CalArts but also one of the longest-serving college presidents in the United States. In this episode… Steven D. Lavine began his journey at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), almost certain to fail. He was faced with a 10% debt to budget ratio. A big supporter had become tired of giving more to the institution. He swam in a sea of ideas from everyone's opinions on how to proceed. These were but a few of the many failures the CalArts presidency faced. What then would a first-time college president do to provide lasting change? Steven takes us on a journey through these many challenges from 1988 until 2017 and how he pushed through them all. Find out how Steven wrought the $150 million dollar fundraising miracle for CalArts, whose previous highest raise was $2 million. In short, there's a lesson for every philanthropy professional in this episode. Listen to this installment of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden featuring Steven D Lavine, the longest-serving President of CalArts. They discuss the travails of CalArts at the time Steven became president and how he led them out of the woods. Steven shares his leadership style throughout his time there, why it worked, and what he did when rebuilding CalArts after the 1994 earthquake. Stay tuned for these inspiring stories and more.

Tim Kachuriak is the Founder and Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for NextAfter. NextAfter is a fundraising research lab and consultancy. They work with cause-driven businesses and nonprofit organizations to help them better understand their customers and inspire their donors to give generously. Tim is renowned as a nonprofit thought leader. He is the author of the book Optimize Your Fundraising, lead researcher, and co-author of  Online Fundraising Scorecard, Why Should I Give to You? (The Nonprofit Value Proposition Index Study), and The Mid-Level Donor Crisis. He has trained organizations in fundraising optimization worldwide and is a frequent speaker at international nonprofit conferences. In this episode… Philanthropy is entirely built on the generosity of other people. But the question that's always on the fundraisers' mind is, “What makes people give?” While there is no one answer, this question is crucial for the success of philanthropies. In trying to solve the giving puzzle, Tim Kachuriak created NextAfter. The business has started running experiments to determine what makes people give.  They found that giving is irrational behavior, but people rationalize it with different reasons. Sadly, many fundraisers do not understand these different motivations, so they struggle to connect donors to the right opportunities at the right time. But what are these triggers that move people to give?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden. She discusses research on what drives giving with Tim Kachuriak, Founder and Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for NextAfter. They talk about human behavior and giving, the different motivations for giving, how to generate more responses, and online giving. Stay tuned to find out about all these and more!

Wendy Wilsker is the Managing Partner at Boyden, a global leader in executive search and talent advisory services with more than 70 offices in over 40 countries. Wendy has nearly 30 years of experience as a frontline fundraiser, not-for-profit manager, and executive recruiter. Through her, Boyden is expanding its Boston office to have a significant footprint in the social impact sector across the U.S.  The company is looking to focus on advancement and C-suite roles for not-for-profit organizations. These include universities, hospitals, and medical centers as well as cultural, religious, and social services. In this episode… Not-for-profit organizations struggle to find candidates that fit their culture and mission. Even when they recruit, they find it twice as hard to retain their high-performing teams, ultimately impacting their donor relationships. What should organizations do to recruit and retain their best employees that fit their culture and mission?  According to Wendy Wilsker, your organization's reputation and mission are critical parts of the recruiting process. And when you do recruit, it's vital to give your team access to senior leadership, opportunities to take on new projects, and expressing appreciation. What else can you do?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden where she discusses building and retaining high-performing teams with Wendy Wilsker, Managing Partner of Boyden. They talk about recruiting for culture, what you can do to engage employees, and how to reduce turnover. Stay tuned to find out all this and more!

Katherine O'Donnell is the Co-founder & CEO of OP Creative Communications (OPCC), a communications agency that helps non-profit organizations and high-net-worth individuals optimize their social impact. OPCC also partners with data scientists to assess organizations and create individualized data dashboards that ensure transparency. When Katherine isn't in the office, she enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors, creating art, traveling, and studying a wide variety of topics. Some of these include cultural anthropology, human behavior, AI, and more. In this episode… Does your not-for-profit organization struggle with high-quality communication with its donors? Or, are you struggling to identify and present the key elements of your organization's mission and vision? If your answer to either of these questions is an emphatic “yes,” then this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast is for you! Let's face it: Your non-profit needs fundraising in order to survive and achieve its mission. However, the process of working with donors isn't always easy, and sometimes the most difficult part of this process is communication. That's why Katherine O'Donnell created OP Creative Communications (OPCC): to help organizations like yours communicate well with its donors and, consequently, optimize its giving. Want to learn more?  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast, Penny Cowden sits down with Katherine O'Donnell, the Co-founder & CEO of OP Creative Communications (OPCC), to discuss the relationship between clear communication and generous giving. Listen in as Katherine talks about why she founded OPCC, how OPCC's Optimize Giving program helps both donors and non-profits, and the top communication tips that every organization needs to hear. Stay tuned!

Jay Ruderman is the President at the Ruderman Family Foundation. He has focused his life's work on seeking social justice by advocating for people with disabilities worldwide. As President, Jay takes an ambitious approach to leading the foundation. Since then, it has become a national and international leader in inclusion and disability rights advocacy.  Jay's emphasis on philanthropy has been instrumental in creating programs worldwide, raising awareness on social media, and making the foundation's most cited white paper. He has never shied away from controversy, consistently challenging Hollywood and those in power to push issues forward.  Jay has previously worked as an Assistant District Attorney. He served on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Funders Network and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.  Shira Ruderman is the Executive Director of the Ruderman Family Foundation. She's a professional philanthropist and a social activist. She serves as a Board Member of various organizations and associations in Israel and the United States and is currently serving as Chairwoman of the Fulbright Foundation. Shira works to generate momentum for an approach to philanthropy that believes in strategic giving involvement and social entrepreneurship. In this episode… Philanthropy is at the front and center of creating social change. But sometimes, change may seem distant despite your best efforts as a philanthropy professional. The pain point isn't that philanthropy can't make the impact you expect, but that you're leaving out a crucial part of the process - the business change model.  Today's guests, Jay and Shira Ruderman, approach philanthropy using a combination of business and social change models. This approach has helped them articulate what change is and what it should look like. Through this process, Jay and Shira have been at the forefront of creating opportunities for people with disabilities across different sectors, including Hollywood.  Find out how you too can leverage philanthropy for social change on this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast hosted by Penny Cowden. Penny talks with Jay and Shira Ruderman of the Ruderman Family Foundation to share their process of using philanthropy and advocacy to increase inclusion and create opportunities for people with disabilities. Tune in to get all the details.

Jeremy Cramer is the CEO of Exponential Philanthropy, a fundraising consulting and philanthropic advisory firm. He spent his career supporting and leading not-for-profit organizations to focus on systematic change in healthcare and education.  Jeremy started his career by working in the development office at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He then led significant gifts fundraising at the world's first not-for-profit biotechnology company, working to find a cure for Lou Gehrig's disease.  Later on, he served as the Deputy Director of External Affairs at City Year Miami before moving to Vice President of Major Gifts nationally. In this capacity, he led the organization to a successful $150,000,000 campaign to scale City Year's impact and challenge America's graduation status quo. In this episode… Philanthropy can be an extension and reflection of a person's or family's values. It changes donors by making them more empathetic and empowers them to do good in the world. Interestingly, social sector leaders are not left out of the change philanthropy can create.  Today's guest Jeremy Cramer, the CEO of Exponential Philanthropy, believes fundraising professionals are not doing enough to leverage philanthropy's transformative potential. As a result, they find it hard to provide extraordinary experiences for donors. Are you struggling to manage relationships with the highest value donors and create these unique experiences?  Learn more about this transformative potential on this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with host Penny Cowden and her guest, Jeremy Cramer, the CEO of Exponential Philanthropy. They discuss how philanthropy transforms social impact, relationships as the bedrock of philanthropy and how to manage them, and the top three things a fundraiser needs to succeed.

Kerry Watterson is the Chief Executive Officer of Fundraising Well. This firm is on a mission to help not-for-profit organizations and philanthropists develop specific strategies to maximize their collective impact on their targeted causes.  He teaches fundraising models and resource development with the University of California Irvine. He also serves on the board of directors for AFP and the US Political Action Committee. His time is spent leading lobbying and advocacy efforts throughout the United States. He is also leading the male ally program and curriculum for AFP's Women's Impact Initiative. In this episode… The not-for-profit sector is behind the times when it comes to coaching, and there are many reasons why. One is the misunderstanding of the roles of a sponsor, mentor, and coach. Your sponsor advocates and helps you move up throughout your career by opening doors. On the other hand, your mentor is there as a resource person to guide you every step of the way.  Now you may be thinking, if I have a sponsor and mentor within my organization, why do I need a coach? Most times, sponsors and mentors are too busy trying to get through the work to have time for everyone individually. That is why having a fundraising coach is crucial for getting the proper support, learning what you need, and working in the most effective way. Want to learn more?  Listen to this episode of The Philanthropy212 Show with Penny Cowden to hear from Kerry Watterson, the CEO of Fundraising Well. They talk about the lack of development for professionals, how fundraising coaching is helping to change that, tips for finding the right coach, how to get ready for coaching, and much more.

Jay 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 with reaching out to as many people as you can in the hopes that they'll give. That spray and pray approach often fails because not everybody is willing to or can even afford to give. A more innovative approach uses data for targeted fundraising, reaching the right folks with the right ask at the right time. It begins by reaching out to people through their preferred communication channel and gathering specific data for each donor. Want to know how to go about it?  Listen to this episode of The Philanthropy212 Podcast with host Penny Cowden. She interviews Jay Finney, Vice President and Senior Consultant, Fundraising Management at Ruffalo Noel Levitz, LLC. Together, they discuss building multiple communications channels, gathering donor data, and using it to make the right ask at the right time.

Marilyn Parker, CFRE, is the Chief Operating Officer at Benefis Health System Foundation, while Jami Wald is the Senior Development Director. Since 1998 the Benefis Health System Foundation has served as the only not-for-profit charitable organization working with donors to drive revolutionary support for Benefis Health System. It exists to ensure that generosity transforms the lives of their patients and families throughout north-central Montana. To that end, 100% of the foundation's money goes directly toward the projects and programs that implement change to improve healthcare. In this episode… It's common to see many nonprofits go the United Way route with their employee giving campaign and later choose some other nonprofit to give to. However, Benefis Health System Foundation is taking employee giving to another level by creating the opportunity for employees to give to any not-for-profit in their state. What's different about their employee giving campaign, and how do they keep it donor-centric? Listen to this episode of The Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she discusses employee giving with Marilyn Parker, CFRE, and Jami Wald, both from the Benefis Health System Foundation. They talk about how and why their employee giving campaign is successful, how the campaign works, getting leadership buy-in, keeping employees' giving momentum going, and more.

Alex Davison is the Executive Director of the Arthritis Foundation for Louisiana. Alex has a master's degree in public administration from the University of New Orleans, where he serves on the Alumni Board of Directors. He was raised in South Lake Tahoe, California, and graduated from Cal State San Marcos before moving to New Orleans. He lives with his wife Ashley, his son Cooper, and two rescue pups: Abby and Bernie. In this episode… A lot of collaboration is going on in the private and public sectors, but we have yet to see not-for-profits collaborate enough to leverage scarce resources. Not-for-profit organizations aren't doing enough to see how they complement one another's programs rather than duplicate. As a result, they frustrate many donors who want to see a high level of collaboration for maximum impact. How do not-for-profit organizations collaborate effectively, not just in applying for grants from funding foundations but also in working with donors in the community? How do these organizations change their methods and communications for the better? Listen to this episode of Penny Cowden's Philanthropy212 Show featuring Alex Davison, who works as the Arthritis Foundation Executive Director for Louisiana. They discuss how not-for-profits should collaborate for fundraising to achieve their missions, how fundraising has changed since COVID-19, innovating and not getting stuck in a silo, and more.

Shelley Davis is the President and Executive Director of the Forest Preserve Foundation. Shelley has over 25 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector and has moved from frontline crisis intervention counselor to policy advocate and foundation grantmaker. The Forest Preserve Foundation's aim is to invest in Chicago's climate and next generation. In this episode… Climate change is upon us, bringing less snow and more storms without enough trees to absorb the water. Undoubtedly, we need ecological restoration, but there's little the older generation can do other than invest in the next to take up this mission. How do we get young people to be interested in ecological restoration and preserve our forests?  Listen to this episode of Penny Cowden's Philanthropy212 Podcast featuring Shelley Davis, President and Executive Director of the Forest Preserve Foundation. They discuss what the Forest Preserve Foundation is about, the areas they cover, how they invest in young people to be a part of ecological restoration, fostering excellent family time, and more.

Steven Aguiar is an experienced Full-Stack Digital Marketer. He is the Founder of Good Goes Further, where he helps not-for-profit organizations create and execute a plan for digital growth. Steven is also the Founder of BlueWing, a marketing agency that has helped dozens of clients grow and activate a digital audience. After graduating from Brown University, Steven oversaw digital marketing transformation at MTV, The Fader, and The Players' Tribune. In 2016, he launched BlueWing, which has since been certified by Facebook, Google, and HubSpot. With Good Goes Further, Steven plans to bring the growth marketing expertise he's honed while serving for-profit clients to the world of not-for-profit. In this episode… Digital platforms are almost exclusively pay-to-play for traction. As a result, not-for-profit organizations have a hard time competing with their for-profit counterparts. How can not-for-profit organizations reach their relevant audience in the most cost-effective and results-driven way? Today's guest, Steven Aguiar, the Founder of Good Goes Further, says it is through a paid digital strategy for brand awareness, email acquisition, and fundraising. Not only does it cost a fraction of what is needed to hire a full-time employee to grow organically, but it also delivers results fast. So how do they create or improve the digital strategy for not-for-profit organizations? Listen to this episode of The Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden and her guest, Steven Aguiar of Good Goes Further. They discuss why not-for-profit organizations should have a paid media strategy, what paid campaigns look like for not-for-profits, and how to kickstart or improve digital strategy.

Gina Bria is the Founder and Executive Director of the Hydration Foundation. She's an anthropologist and was named Real World Scholar with the World Evolved Lecture Series. She has opened a new conversation on what hydration is beyond just liquid consumption. Some of her greatest work has been documenting the process of hydration in desert communities. Seeing how desert communities were using water locked inside plants, she was led to breakthrough water science, opening a new phase of more concentrated water that hydrates more profoundly. The Hydration Foundation provides public education for better hydrating people, plants, animals, and soils. In this episode… There's a public longing to give, but most donors want to experience the impact of their gifts and be counted among a community of people changing the world. These types of donors constitute a new class of donors that many fundraising professionals often ignore. The reason is that fundraisers don't know how to activate that public longing and make them feel triumphant.  Gina Bria, the Founder and Executive Director of the Hydration Foundation, has found a way to solve that problem. According to her, it is the single-action donation approach: giving people a specific enough ask that they feel like they've accomplished something together. Want to know more about how Gina uses the single-donation strategy to help rollback the world's ecological crisis?  Listen to this episode of The Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she discusses unlocking the public longing to give with Gina Bria, Founder and Executive Director of the Hydration Foundation. They highlight how Gina is getting the public to donate and help farmers get the best form of water into their farms to address the global ecological crisis and more.

Cynthia Gregory is an author, life strategist, executive coach, and Certified Co-Active Coach. She's the Communication Director for the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the International Coaching Federation, a Member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter, and the California Writers Club.  Cynthia is a not-for-profit leader with more than two decades in the field. She knows all too well that no one works harder and deserves more validation than not-for-profit fundraisers, executives, and cultural changemakers. Through her coaching practice, Cynthia supports not-for-profit leaders with individual and team coaching as well as not-for-profit leadership mastermind group facilitation.  Cynthia earned her Bachelor's degree in Communications from Gonzaga University and her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Mills College. Cynthia is widely published, recently authoring the book, Journaling as Sacred Practice: An Act of Extreme Bravery. In this episode… According to a survey by Chronicle of Philanthropy, 51% of not-for-profit fundraisers plan to change jobs within the next two years—and 30% have either left or plan to leave the not-for-profit field altogether.  These staggering stats paint a clear picture of burnout among leaders in the not-for-profit sector, where leaders don't have anyone to turn to. As a leader, your colleagues see you as a competitor and your staff looks to you for all the answers. So you work harder, do more, and end up maiming your work-life balance. Sometimes you even struggle with compassion fatigue.  Listen to the episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she chats with executive coach Cynthia Gregory about work-life balance for not-for-profit leaders. They discuss why not-for-profit leaders are experiencing burnout, the lack of support for leadership in the nonprofit sector, areas where these leaders need help, and how coaching can help.

Russ Hodge is the CEO of The Hodge Group, one of the fastest-growing fundraising consulting firms in the nation. Russ has over 35 years of fundraising experience, using a hands-on management style and innovative fundraising techniques that have helped The Hodge Group raise more than half a billion dollars. Russ is often sought out as a key speaker at fundraising conferences locally and nationally and previously presented at Candid on how board culture leads to hyper philanthropy. Russ is a member of both the Giving Institute and the Association of Fundraising Professionals and has a CFRE designation. He is the past recipient of the AFP Fundraiser of the Year for Central Ohio and is an AFP Master Trainer. In this episode… Hyper philanthropy is about accelerating the philanthropic process without sacrificing meaningful relationships. One effective way to accelerate philanthropy is to help board members buy into the organization's mission and take shared ownership of the philanthropy process.  However, many executive directors and development officers are never satisfied with their board's performance for different reasons. But what the philanthropy professionals may not know is that three things impact their board's performance. What are these three things—and how can development professionals build a culture of hyper philanthropy?  Listen to this episode of Philanthropy212 with Penny Cowden to hear from Russ Hodge, CEO of The Hodge Group, as they talk about hyper philanthropy. He discusses the origins of hyper philanthropy, the roles of the development professional and the board in driving it, and how to engage the community.

David Williams is the Chief Development Officer for the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue University. For over 15 years, David has been responsible for designing and implementing a comprehensive advancement program for ten academic units that comprise the College of Liberal Arts. In this episode… Something fundraising officers find most difficult, but crucial, is setting up the donor visit. How do you schedule successful donor visits? Some opt for phone calls, but run the risk of donors not answering the phone. Conversely, when they do talk on the phone, a face-to-face meeting becomes unnecessary.  How, then, do you set up the all-important face-to-face donor visits effectively? David Williams, Chief Development Officer for the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University's Purdue Research Foundation, has found success using the art of the introductory email—and is here to share his playbook.  Listen to this episode of Philanthropy212, as host Penny Cowden chats with David Williams, Chief Development Officer for the College of Liberal Arts at Purdue University's Purdue Research Foundation, about the art of the introductory email. David shares why the email is more effective than phone calls and letters, how to structure the email, what to do during and after the donor visit, and more.

Eric Ressler is the Founder and Creative Director at Cosmic Inc., a social impact creative agency. Cosmic empowers social impact organizations to catalyze real-world change by helping them nail their impact story, brand awareness, and inspire action. Eric got his start in design from a young age. He left a design program in San Diego early to pursue freelance work. He organically built a strong roster of clients and soon discovered a passion for the social impact and philanthropic space from working with numerous organizations across that sector. Eric found that the social impact and philanthropic industry often have strong missions and visions, but ineffective communications, philosophies, and practices can hinder their efforts. Now, Eric and Cosmic are on a mission to help social impact organizations worldwide navigate a rapidly changing world. In this episode… Is your nonprofit organization struggling to find, grow, and maintain funding? If your answer is yes, then your organization is dipping into a starvation cycle where you're under-resourced and your donor engagement, marketing, and communications are almost non-existent.  And according to Eric Ressler, the Founder and Creative Director of Design by Cosmic Inc., says the problem will only get worse. Why? Because many nonprofits and social impact organizations are yet to build the digital-first culture required to win the attention economy, reach new donors, and spread their ideas more fully. Listen to this episode of The Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she hosts Eric Ressler, the Founder and Creative Director of Design by Cosmic, to talk about how nonprofit and social impact organizations can get out of the starvation cycle and how they can find, grow, and maintain new funding. They also discuss why nonprofits are struggling in a highly-digital environment, how a digital-first culture would help fix that, how they can begin to adopt this culture, and more.

Gabe Cooper is the Founder and CEO of the all-in-one nonprofit growth platform, Virtuous. Virtuous is a responsive fundraising platform designed to help nonprofit organizations build lasting relationships with all their donors. After serving in a leadership role at a large nonprofit in the early 2000s, Gabe went on to help build a series of successful products in the nonprofit and profit-focused sectors, including multiple Apple award-winning mobile apps. Gabe's drive stems from a passion for creating market-defining software, helping charities reimagine generosity, and increase their impact. In this episode… Have you heard? There's a donor retention crisis in nonprofit organizations. As many as 76% of donors who give a single gift to your organization will never give you a gift again. That's a massive problem—and as nonprofit professionals, how should we respond? How do we treat every donor like a major donor? How do we build personal relationships with donors at scale? Gabe Cooper says it starts by putting systems in place to help listen to donors better and respond to them quicker—all in a personalized way. Whether it's done through marketing automation or suggesting the right gift at the right time, Gabe says nonprofits that implement these strategies see an average 12% increase in donor retention and a 10% increase in average gift size.  Learn more about using automation tools to increase donor retention, boost generosity, and build deeper relationships with donors on this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden and Virtuous Founder and CEO, Gabe Cooper. Together, they discuss how nonprofits can maximize their efforts through automation, responsive fundraising, and why it's important to build your systems now. Keep listening for more!

Philip Purcell is a Consultant and Adjunct Faculty at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where he teaches nonprofit organization law and planned giving. He is also Adjunct Faculty at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, where he teaches law and philanthropy, and nonprofit law. Philip is the Editor of Planned Giving Today, and a Senior Consultant in Legacy and Estate Planning at Heaton Smith Group. He is Lead Counsel for the Community Foundation Legal Help Desk, a Member of the American Bar Association, and a Charitable Committee Member of the Internal Revenue Service Tax-Exempt Organization Advisory Committee. In this episode… When it comes to governance, the board has a proven duty of care to manage the nonprofit's affairs prudently. But that doesn't necessarily mean the board does all the work; instead, it means that good governance is critical to any organization's success. And for this success to be met, there must be core principles at play behind it.  What are these core principles of good governance for nonprofit organizations—and how can fundraisers better partner with their boards?  Join the conversation on this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden and Consultant and Adjunct Faculty at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Philip Purcell. Together, they talk about sound governance principles in not-for-profit organizations, how to work with the board of your organization on best practices, and the importance of continuous education.

Michele M. Rebeor is the Owner and Philanthropy Consultant at Michele M Rebeor Consulting (MMRC). MMRC specializes in helping not-for-profit organizations of all sizes enhance their current resources to build more deliberate practices that garner increases in contributions, donor loyalty, and sustainable giving. As a seasoned philanthropic and community engagement professional, Michele helps not-for-profit organizations create strategies to cultivate and build meaningful relationships with donors.  Michele has also developed niche expertise in women-focused philanthropy, applying a decade of hands-on experience in preparing, educating, and advancing organized aid organizations to effectively establish practices that recognize the significant role and substantial impact women have on the future of philanthropy. Michele also led the Arizona State University Foundation's Women and Philanthropy program. In this episode… Women have a history of being philanthropic and recent research indicates that women give more than men—and are happier when giving more.  According to Philanthropy Consultant Michele Rebeor, the data shows a massive wealth transfer where women will inherit 70% of the intergenerational wealth. What's more, these women are more likely to put that money into philanthropic endeavors. Because of this (and more), it's crucial that nonprofits and donor development professionals understand women's transformative role in philanthropic opportunities and how to engage them.  In this episode of Philanthropy212 Podcast, host Penny Cowden engages Michele M. Rebeor, Philanthropy Consultant at Michele M Rebeor Consulting (MMRC), in a conversation about engaging women in philanthropy. They delve deep into women's role in philanthropy, how dynamic it is to engage women, and strategies for engaging women donors in the right way.

Paul Kaminski is the Executive Director of the Long Beach City College Foundation. Paul has been working in philanthropy for about 18 years, defining himself as a mission-driven fundraiser. Before joining the Foundation, Paul was the Director of Advancement for St. John Bosco High School and Providence High School.  In his past, he's served as the Vice President of Philanthropy for St. Mary Medical Center and the Director of Philanthropy for St. Jude Heritage. Paul was also the Regional Director for Operation Smile in Southern California. In this episode… Building trust in philanthropy is one of the key components when creating relationships with your donors and staff that aren't transactional but transformational.  But, the problem is many nonprofits either don't know how to build trust or aren't building the adequate amount of trust needed to see increased donations, staff performance, and retention. In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast, host Penny Cowden and Paul Kaminski, the Executive Director of the Long Beach City College Foundation, talk about building trust in philanthropy. They discuss the different trust-based relationships in philanthropy, how to develop trust in these relationships, and what to expect from building trusting relationships.

Kris Putnam-Walkerly is a trusted adviser to the world's leading philanthropists. For more than 20 years, wealthy families, ultra-high net worth donors, foundations, Fortune 500 companies, and celebrity activists have sought and benefited from her advice to transform their giving and catapult their impact. As President of the Putnam Consulting Group, philanthropic advisor, speaker, and award-winning author, Kris has helped over 100 philanthropists strategically allocate over half a billion dollars in grants and gifts.  Kris's clients include the J.M. Smucker Company, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation, and the National Center for Family Philanthropy. She has been named one of America's top 25 speakers for the past three years and is the author of the book, Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving. In this episode… Philanthropists, donors, and funders genuinely want to make a difference, positively impact their community, and change the world—but they're getting in their way.  Why? A lot of the time, they're clinging on to misguided beliefs and practices, and they're not alone; philanthropy professionals are guilty of this, as well.  Kris Putnam-Walkerly, President of the Putnam Consulting Group, describes this situation as delusional altruism in her book. She says she wrote the book to help funders and philanthropy professionals recognize how they get in their way and what they can do differently to drive a more impactful giving.  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast, host Penny Cowden sits down with Kris Putnam-Walkerly, President of the Putnam Consulting Group. They talk about the timeliness and relevance of Kris's book, Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving. Highlights of their conversation include how families, foundations, and corporations can have more impactful philanthropy, how donors get in their own way when making a positive impact, and more.

Rita Fuerst Adams is the President of Charitable and Philanthropic Management Counsel. With her work, Rita transforms organizations into better funded, more effective entities while building internal and external teams to diversify and increase funding. Primarily working with entrepreneurial and collaborative organizations that focus on the common good, she has also served causes in education, youth, the arts, community and economic development, healthcare, and more.  Rita has taught Entrepreneurship for Nonprofits for the Master in Organizational Leadership program at Wheelock College. She's also written and published extensively in the field, including editing the book for the Center on Philanthropy, What Fundraisers Need to Know About State and Federal Regulation: How it Can Influence All Aspects of Their Work. In this episode… Philanthropy is the third leg that balances governance and business in society. But, it's not that easy: Rita Fuerst Adams says that for philanthropy to thrive, it has to include social movements and community building that drives the common good for all in society.  This begs the question: why? Does philanthropy really need to prioritize the common good to be successful? And, if it does, how are you supposed to make philanthropy a part of social movements and community building?   Join the conversation on the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she discusses philanthropy at its best with Rita Fuerst Adams, President of Charitable and Philanthropic Management Counsel. Together, they talk about the power of the message for a social movement's success, how philanthropy weaves into community building and social movement, and more.

Jennifer Radics-Johnson is the Executive Director of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF), an organization focused on enhancing the quality of life for burn survivors and promoting burn prevention education. Jennifer has sharpened her management and leadership expertise within the not-for-profit industry for 14 years and has been with AARBF since August 2012.  Jennifer has a Bachelor's degree in Communications from the University of California, San Diego, and a Master's in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University. Jennifer is a Certified Fund Raising Executive as well as a Certified Volunteer Administrator. In this episode… Events are a great way to raise funds, but they require a lot of funding themselves, not to mention staff time and other resources that many small nonprofit organizations lack in large supply. So how do these nonprofits leverage events to raise funds without all of the overhead and staff time?  Jennifer Radics-Johnson says you need to turn to third-party events. With third-party events, you're essentially employing volunteers, partner agencies, or your biggest advocates to host events for you. And all you have to do as a nonprofit is receive the funds from the event. In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden, Jennifer Radics-Johnson, Executive Director of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF), shares everything you need to know about third-party fundraisers. She discusses what third-party fundraisers are, how AARBF is leveraging them, and how you can do the same for your organization.

Karen Eber Davis is a nonprofit consultant, advisor, and President of Karen Eber Davis Consulting, through which she helps organizations and businesses discover propulsion tools to grow their profits and performance. As a leading authority on nonprofit revenue, Karen helps clients create dynamic partnerships and make an extraordinary impact.  Karen loves to work with leaders who lead from vision rather than fear. When people consult Karen, not only do they grow their revenue, but they gain strategies that improve their organizations forever. In this episode… A culture of philanthropy feels intangible—but desirable. Many nonprofits aren't aware of how important it is to foster this culture in your organization or even how to create it. According to Karen Eber Davis, the culture of philanthropy is a collection of behaviors. To that aim, this demonstrates a collective mindset that everyone around the organization determines, to a large extent, the success of the organization.  So, how would you know if your organization has a culture of philanthropy? And how do you build one if there's none?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she discusses the culture of philanthropy with Karen Eber Davis, a nonprofit consultant and President of Karen Eber Davis Consulting. They talk about what having a culture of philanthropy means, how to identify it, and build it in your nonprofit organization.

Elle Lamboy is the Vice President of Advancement and Communications for the Gettysburg Foundation, specializing in philanthropic fundraising, membership strategy, and marketing. In her role for the Foundation, she led her team in raising substantial funds to preserve Gettysburg National Military Park and the Eisenhower National Historic Site. Brian Klinzing is the Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Gettysburg Foundation. He is a proven business development leader and relationship manager with twenty years of experience. In this episode… Many organizations put on fundraising events and galas—but not many use it as a strategic vehicle to get the fundraising results they desire.  Elle Lamboy and the Gettysburg Foundation team have perfected the strategy behind planning a gala to achieve friendships, partnerships, and donations. So how do Elle and her team go about organizing a successful fundraising gala?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden to learn more about strategic gala fundraising. In this episode, Penny and her guests Elle Lamboy and Brian Klinzing of the Gettysburg Foundation, discuss the strategic gala fundraising planning process, strategies for following up after the event, and how to make each gala bigger and better than the last.

Nina Fascione is the former Vice President of Philanthropy at Defenders of Wildlife. She oversees efforts to raise organizational fundraising through foundations, corporations, and individuals for strategic conservation work. Before working with Defenders of Wildlife, Nina was Executive Director of Bat Conservation International from 2010 to 2012, where she guided the Austin, Texas-based organization in their mission to protect bats and their habitats around the world.  Nina has also been the Vice President of the Field Conservation Program at Defenders of Wildlife. She managed 30 staff members at nine regional offices dedicated to endangered species and habitat conservation. She is the Co-Founder and Board Chair of the Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders, is on the board of the Ewaso Lions, a conservation organization in northern Kenya, and has authored and edited dozens of journal articles, book chapters, and technical reports covering wildlife science and conservation. In this episode… Fundraising efforts are knit around a collaborative circle that includes donors, development and non-development staff, and leadership. However, this sort of high-level collaboration isn't as easy as it sounds. At any given moment, there are often turf wars incited among development and non-development staff that hinder fundraising efforts. So, how can development and non-development teams collaborate more effectively? Listen to this episode of Philanthropy212 with Penny Cowden and hear more about fundraising collaboration from Nina Fascione, the former Vice President of Philanthropy at Defenders of Wildlife. They talk about how marketing and development teams can work together, the importance of establishing a culture of philanthropy in your organization, and more.

Kim Meredith is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, overseeing all aspects of the Foundation and working closely with the Foundation Board of Directors. Before joining the Foundation, she spent 11 years as the inaugural Executive Director of the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS). During her tenure, Kim was responsible for strategic leadership, strong financial performance, and consistent organizational growth—including scaling the Stanford PACS by expanding research and programmatic initiatives like the Stanford Innovation Social Review.  Kim launched her business career in corporate America at AT&T and has since gone on to serve as the Chief Development Officer for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America in New York City, the Chief Operating Officer for Planned Parenthood Golden Gate in San Francisco. Currently, she serves on the Advisory Board for Stanford PACS, the Board of Directors for the George Lucas Educational Foundation, and more. In this episode… Times are changing in philanthropy—and we have the data to prove it. According to 2018 research performed by Stanford PACS, we see barely 1% of the donors accounting for 49% of gifts. Even more intriguing is that 20 million fewer households participated in charitable giving since the year 2000.  The current data also shows that only 55% of households participated in philanthropic giving in 2018, compared to 10-15 years ago when about 80-90% of households participated. That's a significant shift that raises a caution sign for philanthropy professionals and begs the question: what does this changing face of American philanthropy mean for the long-term sustainability of nonprofits?  Listen to this episode of Philanthropy212 with Penny Cowden as she hosts Kim Meredith, the former inaugural Executive Director of Stanford PACS. Kim shares insight into America's changing philanthropic landscape—including how donor giving is transforming, the sectors receiving the most gifts, the rise of Donor Advised Funds, and more.

Jennie Boden is the Vice President of Strategic Relationships and Senior Consultant with Quantum Governance, L3C. At Quantum Governance, she's worked with clients as varied as Camphill Village, the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, and Children of Faith Missions as well as the Credit Union Executives Society, the Friends of the National Arboretum, and the Tipping Point Community.  She has more than two decades of experience in governance, strategy management, leadership, communications, and development expertise in the not-for-profit sector. Jennie has held every post in the sector from Executive Assistant to Executive Director. In this episode… Nonprofit organizations are under all different kinds of stress as a result of COVID-19. There are the usual suspects: financial pressure after experiencing a severe drop in fundraising dollars flowing into the organization. There's also programmatic stress, given an extreme increase in the programmatic demands placed on the nonprofit sector. Jennie Boden believes that nonprofits need governance now more than ever—especially if they wish to come out of these difficult times alive. According to Jennie, organizations need a board to steer and direct the ship constructively while influencing stakeholders to move things forward. What exactly should the board be doing?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 podcast with Penny Cowden to learn about governance matters from Jennie Boden of Quantum Governance, L3C. She speaks about the governing board's responsibilities, the board's role in fundraising, effective governance models, and more.

Marni Becker-Avin is the Executive Director of the Wuf Shanti Children's Wellness Foundation, a nonprofit that teaches children the importance of mindfulness and social emotional learning. Her son, 15-year-old Adam Avin, is the Creator, personality, and commandment behind the organization. Marni and Adam both teach mindfulness and social-emotional learning to kids aged 3-17, the primary purpose behind the foundation.  Adam is also a mental health speaker and advocate, and has given his own TedxYouth Talk, “Mindfulness in Education to Lower Stress and Violence”. In this episode… Kids today are going through a lot of stress and anxiety. From social media and gaming addictions to social peer pressure, kids end up experiencing a significant amount of mental stress. This phenomenon is partially why suicides among teens have risen in the past few years.  But, Marni Becker-Avin and her son, Adam Avin, are working hard to nip the problem in the bud by teaching mindfulness and social emotional learning to kids from preschool and through high school.  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 podcast with host Penny Cowden, you'll hear from Marni Becker-Avin and Adam Avin of the Wuf Shanti Children's Wellness Foundation. They talk about their work in spreading mindfulness and social emotional learning to schools, the importance behind the work they do, and some of their processes for teaching mindfulness to kids aged 3-17.

Deniz Tasdemiroglu Conger is a Certified Fundraising Executive and the Chief Development Officer for the organization, Alliance for a Healthier Generation. As a Certified Fundraising Executive, Deniz has raised more than $150 million leading capital and comprehensive campaigns for nonprofit organizations in Michigan, Oregon, and national organizations.  Deniz has a 22-year track record of success in the arts and culture, healthcare, human services, and higher education not-for-profit spaces. Her two most recent campaigns have been honored for being innovative game-changing projects and she's recognized as a leading force among her peers.  She serves on the local and regional board of not-for-profits and volunteers with youth education, schools, and art organizations in her community. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science, public policy, and not-for-profit administration. In this episode… There's no endpoint in building a culture of equity in philanthropy. Instead, it's a continuous process that involves engaging and building partnerships with donors, community members, and funders. It's important to ensure that everyone (yes, everyone) is aligned.  But, there are different layers when it comes to building these partnerships and balancing your organization's needs with those of the community they serve.  Deniz Tasdemiroglu Conger, Certified Fundraising Executive and the Chief Development Officer for Alliance for a Healthier Generation, is on this episode of the Philanthropy212 podcast with host Penny Cowden. They talk about building equity by prioritizing and collaborating with the community on the best way to address their needs. They also discuss how to balance the organization and the community as well as what pitfalls to look out for when building a culture of equity in philanthropy.

Dr. Jessica Louie is the CEO and Founder of Spark Joy in Healthcare, a community to uplift and inspire healthcare professionals. She is also the CEO and Founder of Clarify Simplify Align, where she helps burned-out pharmacists and health care professionals transition their lives from surviving to thriving.  Dr. Louie is a certified coach in the KonMari Method to help declutter your life, which she implements in her own technique as a Burnout Coach and chats about on her podcast, The Burnout Doctor. Dr. Louie has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Southern California, is a board-certified critical care pharmacist, and currently teaches as an Associate Professor at West Coast University School of Pharmacy.  In this episode… As professionals, we all go through tough times. An experience that often gets taken for granted is stress or burnout. What's most difficult about it is that you wouldn't realize how burned out you are until you take note of the addictive, quick-win behavior you display when you have high stress in your life. Simply put, you go out shopping for joy.  Dr. Jessica Louie says you can turn burnout around and bring more joy into your life daily by asking yourself three questions daily. It's simple: you start with, “what is one thing I can get excited about today?”. Next, think to yourself: “what is a situation that might stress me out today and how will I bring my best self to it?”. And, last but not least, “who is someone I can surprise with a note, gift, or thank you today?”.  Learn more about the steps you need to take to cultivate joy at work on this episode of the Philanthropy212 podcast with Penny Cowden and guest Dr. Jessica Louie, of Spark Joy in Healthcare. Together, they talk about the KonMari Method and how it can help you, her own burnout experience, and how to create and spread joy in and around you daily.

Dr. Diana Rangaves is a Google Scholar Award-Winning Ghostwriter and Founder of Clinical Consultant Services and her ghostwriting business, Diana Rangaves Ghostwriting Services. She holds a Doctorate from the University of California, San Francisco, and has over 30 years of leadership experience and over 15 years as an academic professor. With her expertise, she offers progressive experiences in the development and oversight of academic programs, policies, and initiatives that promote student growth and achievement.  Dr. Rangaves is the author of the Rosy Posy Papillion children's series, donating 100% of her author royalties to Pap Haven Rescue. She also donates 100% of her royalties for her growth educational books Escape into Excellence and Embrace Your Excellence to the Santa Rosa Junior College Foundation. She is also working on a new book, The Ethical Hacker, a political suspense thriller novel. In this episode… Giving is emotional, but how donors decide on which not-for-profit to partner with is entirely intentional. If this is the case, then how does a philanthropist choose a not-for-profit to channel their giving? Not only that but what can fundraising professionals do to help philanthropists make that decision ethically?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 podcast with Penny Cowden as Dr. Diana Rangaves, pharmacist, philanthropist, ethics professor, and now writer, shares insight into a donor's mind and how philanthropy professionals can improve their processes. Keep listening.

Neil Smithson is the CEO and Founder of Brightway Data, a company focused on empowering non-profit organizations through intelligent predictive philanthropy screening. This method identifies overlooked populations of donors with a high propensity to donate based on behavioral indicators that aren't usually picked up by other wealth screening technology. Before developing Brightway Data, Neil founded PARO Decision Support, a predictive modeling and account analytics software for healthcare. Through the PARO Presumptive Charity Score, Neil helped hospitals identify patients who needed free care—ultimately serving millions of patients. In this episode… Data is ubiquitous, but not many organizations are collecting and analyzing data to guide their decision making. Neil Smithson, on the other hand, is revolutionizing the donor identification, outreach, and engagement process in the not-for-profit sector through his predictive modeling program. The model identifies overlooked populations of donors that have a high propensity to donate based on behavioral indicators that aren't typically considered in wealth screening technology. Listen to this episode of Philanthropy212 with Penny Cowden to hear Neil Smithson, CEO and Founder of Brightway Data, speak about his intelligent model for measuring donor affinity to your foundation, which is critical for attracting, engaging, and increasing your donor base. He'll also share the three reasons why your foundation should use predictive modeling and how it can even decrease staff turnover.

Justin Ware is the Senior Vice President of Digital at Bentz Whaley Flessner (BWF). He was previously the Founder of Groundwork Digital, which was later acquired by BWF. An Emmy winning videographer and fundraiser, Justin started in TV News and attended the University of Minnesota for his higher education. From there, he entered the not-for-profit fundraising world.  Justin has two decades of video-driven communication and fundraising experience for clients in education, healthcare, humanitarian aid, and other not-for-profits. In this episode… Digital fundraising is now inevitable for fundraising professionals. The problem is, inboxes are busy and news feeds are cluttered. Even worse, people may or may not open direct mail pieces, and it seems no one's answering the phone anymore as not-for-profit organizations are seeing contact rates plummet. So how do you stand out to further your digital fundraising efforts?  Here's the short answer: personalization.  Justin Ware says personalization helps you address someone by their name and tell the story that matters directly to them based on their behavior and how they supported your organization. This way, you're able to provide the same personalized experience that used to be reserved only for major gift donors. So how do you personalize and scale digital fundraising?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she chats with Emmy winning videographer and fundraiser, Justin Ware, SVP of Digital at BWF. Together, they talk about how to start, personalize, and scale your digital fundraising. 

Philip Purcellis the Senior Counsel for Philanthropy on behalf of The Fellowship of Catholic University Students. He also serves as Adjunct Faculty at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. As part of the Adjunct Faculty,Philipteaches the Law of Nonprofit Organizations and Planned Giving.  He's an Editor of Planned Giving Today and Senior Counsel at Heaton Smith Group, which is involved with legacy planning.Philipis also the Lead Counsel for the Community Foundation Legal Help Desk, which is a national service. He's the Vice-Chair of the Legislation Committee of the American Bar Association's Charitable Group and serves as a member of the Internal Revenue Service Tax-Exempt Advisory Committee. In this episode… Many people are promoted to running foundations or being on the boards of philanthropic programs without any training or governance, which creates a governance crisis for philanthropic professionals. Given that boards of directors have a legal standard of care to manage the organization's affairs, how do you go about solving the governance problem in your not-for-profit organization?  In this episode of Philanthropy212 with Penny Cowden, Philip Purcell, Senior Counsel for Philanthropy at The Fellowship of Catholic University Students and Adjunct Faculty at Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy addresses the all-important topic of enshrining good governance in a not-for-profit organization. He discusses the distinction between a functioning board and a governance board, how to help boards understand best practices, and why ongoing board education is mission-critical.

Jason Zajac is the Principal of Celsinus Partners. He has worked in the philanthropic field for 27 years and has helped clients raise over $750 million.  Through Celsinus Partners, Jason provides highly-customized fundraising plans for regional and national organizations. He develops strategies to help them authentically reach out to donors and build long-term fundraising capacity.  He's served on several boards, including the Toledo Hospital Foundation, West Side Montessori, and Graham's Foundation. In this episode…   When we started in the philanthropic industry, we had no idea what the future would bring—and we still don't know that! But we had no reason to believe our philanthropic plans wouldn't succeed. Today the concern is a bit different: how do we move forward when our donors are facing financial difficulties? Jason Zajac says you have to pause to reflect on your mission and whether your case is more or less relevant because of what's outside of your control.  Think your case is relevant and you need to move forward with your philanthropic plan? Jason says you have to continue despite what's going in your environment. How? You need to get creative and leverage engagement with donors to make a case for their support the right way. Need to learn creative ways to engage donors in these uncertain times?  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden as she interviews Jason Zajac of Celsinus Partners. They talk about identifying opportunities in the chaos, moving forward with your philanthropic plans despite uncertainties, creative ways to encourage donors to stay the cause, and more. 

Lorrie Hartley is the Executive Director and Board Director of The TKD Foundation. She is a mission-driven and results-proven CEO with over 17 years of experience as an executive decision influencer in the not-for-profit sector.  The hallmark of Lorrie's career has been working with mission-focused organizations to help humankind through servant leadership. She focuses on operational excellence, fostering extraordinary relationships internally and externally, and creating a culture of philanthropy through vision and partnership that brings a sense of community for the organization's stakeholders.  Lorrie has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Management and a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership, with a not-for-profit management concentration. She is an MBTI professional, a CFRE, and a Certified Board Consultant. In this episode… There are a lot of intricate details when it comes to running a foundation. A not-for-profit professional needs to know and implement best practices for recruiting, onboarding, and educating board members so that the donor-relationship building and fundraising initiatives are balanced. The problem is that there is no ready supply of insider information about these best practices. Lorrie Hartley and her team at The TKD Foundation are on a mission to change that.  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden, Lorrie Hartley, the Executive Director and Board Director of The TKD Foundation, talks about nonprofit best practices for board governance, recruitment, and fundraising. Stay tuned.

Tifany Boyles is the Director of Global Philanthropy at Street Business School, where she leads philanthropic partnerships, thought leadership, and stakeholder engagement. Their goal is to scale their entrepreneur training and self-efficacy programs through a social franchise model to ignite the potential in 1 million women globally.  She previously worked with corporate foundations and multilateral NGOs, like the Western Union Foundation and UNICEF, to foster an environment in which women and children can achieve equality.  Tifany holds a Bachelor's Degree from Pepperdine University and a Master's Degree in Philanthropic Studies from the IU Lilly School of Philanthropy. She's also certified in Women's International Health and Human Rights through the Stanford Center for Social Innovation. In this episode… Philanthropic professionals worry about asking for something without giving anything in return. Tifany Boyles has a little more to add to this, believing that you're already giving so much in return. You're giving philanthropists a way to put their values into action because they have the resources to act but lack the conduit to realize their beliefs. You have the channel to achieve their ideas, but you need the funds. For Tifany, it's a match made in heaven and one of the many reasons she loves philanthropy.  Because of this match, the Director of Global Philanthropy at Street Business School believes that nonprofit staff should feel incredible gratitude to the donors. Likewise, donors should be grateful for the organizations that create change and manifest their beliefs by channeling their resources.  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden, Tifany Boyles, the Director of Global Philanthropy at Street Business School, talks about falling in love with philanthropy. She shares her thoughts on the power of philanthropy, how people are showing up to help during times of scarcity, why fundraising staff should fall in love with philanthropy, and more. 

Devin Hibbard is the CEO of Street Business School, an entrepreneurial training program that helps women living in poverty go from an average of $1.35 to $4.19 per day by starting their small businesses. Through a social franchise scaling model, Street Business School is active in 21 countries worldwide and will reach a million women by 2027.  In this episode… The overarching purpose of philanthropy is to create real change in the world for and on behalf of donors. For that to happen, Devin Hibbard says not-for-profits need to help people claim that sense of value and contribution to create the change that's needed. Devin has seen firsthand the power of fostering these authentic relationships that uphold the dignity of program beneficiaries to the task of creating real change.  Through her Street Business School program in Uganda, and across many other countries, Devin helps women living in extreme poverty go from an average of $1.35 to $4.19 per day by starting their small businesses. She attributes her success to the power of dignity and authentic relationships.  Listen to this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden to hear from Devin Hibbard, the CEO of Street Business School as she discusses topical issues on creating real change. Devin chats with Penny about the Street Business School, their process, the impact they are making, and how they are scaling using the social franchise model.

Randy Gorod is the President and CEO of Pisgah Consulting, a consultancy that works with small and medium not-for-profits to maximize impact by better understanding and implementing a comprehensive development planning process. Randy has been in development for over 25 years and has worked for the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, Emory University, and the Jewish Agency for Israel. He started Pisgah Consulting over six years ago with a focus on positive change and institutional enhancement. In this episode… Building relationships with donors is a significant part of the philanthropic process. However, philanthropy professionals often struggle to show the intention, process, and key performance indicators for their work. They also inadvertently make donor relationships about themselves rather than with the organizations they represent so that the not-for-profit retains that relationship when they leave.  If your not-for-profit is dealing with any of those issues, and development professionals are having a hard time facilitating greater involvement, giving and support from donors, Randy Gorod says moves management may be the missing link.  Find out more about moves management and why it still matters in philanthropy in this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast with Penny Cowden. Tune in as Penny sits down with Randy Gorod of Pisgah Consulting to talk about moves management, how it helps build your programs, and remaining donor-centric.

Karen Wawrzaszek is the Principal at Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney. She is an executive that consults with families and institutions on investment and financial planning programs.  Over the past 20 years, she's led a variety of impact investment initiatives and consulted with families of wealth that are on a journey to align their values with their investment and philanthropic initiatives. Karen also works with not-for-profit organizations to better understand the alignment of their missions and their investment capital.  In this episode… Asking a donor for money is hyper-competitive, and even more so now that donors don't just want to write a check. Now, they want to transform a problem and truly make an impact. But donors are having a hard time finding the right not-for-profit that will help them understand the motivating core values that, in turn, make giving more transformational.  If you're looking to practice holistic philanthropy that actively involves donors beyond their checks and transcends to the next generation of wealth owners, Karen Wawrzaszek of Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney is here to talk about holistic philanthropy and impact investing.  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast, Penny Cowden and Karen Wawrzaszek of Sullivan, Bruyette, Speros & Blayney talk about techniques for helping donors come up with core values that inspire intentional giving, understanding why donors give, how to demonstrate the impact of gifts, and more. 

Dori Kreiger is the Executive Director at CTIA Wireless Foundation, a foundation that advances social impact fueled by innovative wireless technology in American communities. Dori brings vast experience as a philanthropic strategist specializing in the intersection of not-for-profit and business.  For more than 20 years, she's developed innovative programming and engagement opportunities to make philanthropy more impactful and rewarding for donors of all types, individuals, families, and corporations.  She created and hosted Forward Thinking, a podcast series exploring the future of philanthropy, and has given countless presentations on trends, family philanthropy, and funder networks.  Dori has held leadership positions at The Pew Charitable Trusts Foundation and the Council on Foundations. She began her philanthropic career at the Community Foundation, serving Richmond and Central Virginia. In this episode… Wireless technology is at the heart of our modern lives. It's redefining how we connect, work, and communicate. The CTIA Wireless Foundation recognizes the power of wireless technology and supports social entrepreneurs who come up with innovative ways to achieve good in this world using wireless. Through their flagship competitive grants program, Catalyst, CTIA helps to support wireless innovations from early-stage social entrepreneurs. In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast, Penny Cowden sits down with Dori Kreiger to discuss how wireless technology is helping provide solutions to social problems and CTIA Wireless Foundation's contributions to American Communities. Listen to learn more. 

Ron Mirenda is the Founding Principal of Mirenda & Associates, with a focus on helping nonprofits foster successful and long-term relationships with donors.  Ron has over 40 years of executive leadership, fundraising, and strategic planning experience. He has either managed or played significant roles in campaigns whose combined goals approached $850 million, including the $180 million campaign to build the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum's annex at Dulles Airport. Before founding Mirenda & Associates, he served as Vice President with national fundraising firms and provided consulting services to nationally-recognized organizations like the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the Children's Hospital Foundation of Wisconsin, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and more.  In this episode… When dealing with the resources needed for a nonprofit's short and long-term wellbeing, development professionals often have to circle back to their boards for direction. However, Ron Mirenda of Mirenda & Associates, clarifies that not many nonprofit boards understand their functions. Further, their CEOs or CDOs do not put in the required effort to help them play a more informed role. Instead, the blame is shifted to board leadership when the nonprofit underperforms.  In these situations, what is the governing board's role versus the CEO's? How can both development professionals and boards collaborate in the best interest of the nonprofit?  Find out more about creating high-functioning not-for-profit boards in this episode of The Philanthropy212 Podcast with host Penny Cowden and Ron Mirenda of Mirenda & Associates. Together, they take a deep dive into the board's roles, effective governance, best practices for nonprofit boards, and more.

Dean Browell is the Principal, Co-Founder, and Executive Vice President of Feedback, a company specializing in developing contextual voice-of-the-consumer research through digital channels for mid-size and large global brands.  Dean has a passion for how generations interact online and his expertise is evident across many industries. He is a Board Member of the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development, the Poe Museum, and the University of Richmond's Institute on Philanthropy, where he has taught for 11 years. In this episode… Not-for-profits are always looking to gain deeper insights into the (everchanging) minds of their current and next generation of donors. What do they need now and in the future? How do they decide on the organization to channel their gift through? According to Dean Browell, these are some of the critical questions that digital ethnography can help not-for-profits answer so they can reach people more authentically.  Find out more about applying digital ethnography in your nonprofit organization on this episode of the Philanthropy212 podcast with Penny Cowden as she interviews Principal, Co-Founder, and Executive Vice President of Feedback, Dean Browell. They discuss how digital ethnography works, how to capture and analyze ethnographic data, and how you can use it to craft messages that connect with donors.

Pete Waldron is the President of The Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania, a non-profit that focuses on building and managing endowment funds. He has over 35 years of experience leading corporate citizenship, marketing, communications, and philanthropy efforts.  Pete started his career in the newspaper industry before pivoting to public service as an appointed government official. He later landed a sugary-sweet consulting job in the candy industry with The Hershey Company before taking on a corporate affairs post at a wholesale petroleum company. In this episode… Generating revenue has been on hold for a lot of non-profits since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe. But as the world slowly begins to reopen, President of The Catholic Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania, Pete Waldron says non-profits that don't have a long term investment in a true endowment are going to continue to struggle, and sadly, may have to close their doors. To stem the tide and create a bedrock of financial stability, non-profit organizations should consider building endowment funds as part of the new normal.  Find out all about endowment funds and why Pete says your non-profit organizations should normalize building one on this episode of Philanthropy212 Podcast. Stay tuned. 

Jay Weisman is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy and the Founder of Legacy Philanthropy Group.  The Legacy Philanthropy Group provides innovative hands-on philanthropic programs and workshops designed to build bridges between nonprofits that offer the programs, expertise, and infrastructure to make an impact in our communities, individuals, and organizations that support the missions of these nonprofits with their time, talents, and money. Jay has spent many years working with donors, nonprofits, foundations, as well as corporate giving programs all across the United States. His clients have ranged from some of America's largest and most prestigious giving organizations, such as the J. Paul Getty Trust, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Carnegie Corporation. In this episode… There's nothing wrong with showing donors the accomplishments of your nonprofit organization before making an ask. However, when you do, the relationship becomes about you and your organization's needs rather than the donor's. According to Jay Weisman, a better approach is donor-centric philanthropy.  Donor-centric philanthropy is about the impact that donors and supporters make through their support of your organization. This perspective makes the donor the hero and your organization a conduit through which they make that impact. And that is only the beginning of helping donors get more joy from their giving.  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 Podcast, Penny Cowden hosts Jay Weisman, and they discuss donor-centric philanthropy: what it entails and how to build donor-centric relationships as the means to help donors get more joy from their giving. Stay tuned. 

Steve Higgins is the President and CEO of Carter, an international company providing counsel in the areas of philanthropy, governance, and organizational planning.  Before co-founding Carter with Bob Carter in 2011, Steve spent nearly six years with Ketchum as a Senior Vice President responsible for client development efforts. He has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit consulting and strives to leave the world just a little better than he found it.  In this episode… Philanthropic organizations are presently facing uncertain times as the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some organizations have found a way to thrive despite the pandemic while others are in a wait-and-see mode and are asking: what now? Do we roll back our plans and wait to see what happens? Steve Higgins has an answer for you: not a chance. When the pandemic is over, and it will be, you may be too far behind to catch up with ongoing development in the philanthropic space.  So the question is, how do you get through this season and possibly thrive? Steve says not to slow down or back off. Organizations are still thriving by making things happen, including deciding to move forward with real compassion and empathy; and that's just one of the many things they are doing differently. What else should your organization be doing to thrive through this global pandemic and beyond?  Get all the details in this episode of the Philanthropy212 podcast as Penny Cowden and Steve Higgins of Carter talk about how not-for-profit organizations are pivoting to thrive in this global pandemic, the emerging trends, and what to expect in the philanthropy sector post-COVID-19.

David Mehr is the Assistant Vice President at CCS Fundraising, an organization that got its initial start in 1947 as a Community Counseling Service. It has a long history of providing philanthropic counsel and service to a spectrum of organizations and healthcare, the arts, and academia, medical schools, hospitals, public broadcasting, and conservation groups.  As CCS Assistant Vice President, David has engaged in lead studies and campaigns for organizations including the Diocese of Brooklyn, Gracie Square Hospital, St. Joseph Health System, Delbarton School, Muhlenberg College, St. Peter's University, University of Maryland's St. Joseph Medical Center, and Green Chimneys.  David is currently working with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee on the Love One Another campaign. In this episode… Philanthropy is a team sport, but many organizations treat it as a one-person game, one that revolves around the development person.  On the other hand, the development person finds it difficult to communicate effectively with leadership which leads to a struggle in fundraising. According to David Mehr, there are specific leadership and fundraising practices that boards, CEOs, and development professionals need to imbibe to address these problems and succeed at philanthropy, In this episode of Philanthropy212, David Mehr of CCS Funding talks to host Penny Cowden about the critical role of leadership and fundraising practices in order to drive success in any philanthropic organization. They also talk about the need for stable work amongst professionals, how leaders can create a culture of philanthropy and development, and more. Stay tuned.

Dr. Noel Chambers is the CEO of the National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation in Australia. Dr. Chambers has worked in the medical research field for more than 30 years. He started as a researcher at the University of Sydney, where he commercialized his diabetes research before moving into industry, where he's held senior positions in research and business development. He has also taken the role of CEO at listed and unlisted biotechnology companies. For ten years, he's been applying philanthropy to assist research translation.  In this episode… Every foundation has the ultimate purpose of delivering benefits to communities, but they all do it differently. In the case of the National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation (NFMRI), they support hospitals and research institutions' studies that may lead to new products, drugs, devices, diagnostics, vaccines, and others. They're also helping hospitals and institutions to connect their discoveries with their potential next step partners.  But what does research translation entail and who are the next step partners? And more importantly, what questions do you need to have answers to in order to attract the support of NFMRI in order to translate your medical research to get next-level partners?  In this episode of the Philanthropy212 as Penny Cowden talks to Dr. Noel Chambers of the National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation (NFMRI) about the NFMRI mission of connecting institutions with the right next step partner for them, what next step partners are meant to do, and more. Stay tuned.