What the Fundraising is the podcast for impact leaders and change-makers who are tired of doing things the old school way and are looking for best practices to raise money, run their organization, and think about the nonprofit sector in a whole new way. Every Tuesday for 40-60 min, your host, Mallory Erickson, will be having real and raw conversations with some of the best personal and professional development experts, many of whom are outside the nonprofit sector. These are bestselling authors, world-renowned researchers, and TEDx experts, most of whom have never spoken to a non-profit audience before. They have come ready to share expertise, lessons, and stories that will fundamentally change the way you show up as a leader and fundraiser. There are so many valuable lessons nonprofit leaders are missing because they are outside of their typical orbit, but no more. Mallory is bringing them in and helping to apply her guest's expertise to disrupt the nonprofit sector once and for all. So if you are ready to learn how to upgrade your fundraising strategy, leadership skills, energy, habits, and mindset to bring in more funding and actually have some fun doing it, then this is the right podcast for you. If you’re wanting to implement ideas you heard, visit MalloryErickson.com/Podcast for the top tips and tools, full transcripts, quotes, videos, and additional resources from each episode.
The What the Fundraising podcast is a must-listen for fundraisers and impact leaders in both non-profit and for-profit spaces. Hosted by Mallory, who is not only an amazing nonprofit coach but also a knowledgeable podcast host, this show offers a wealth of insights and actionable gems from her own expertise as well as her expert guests. Mallory's interviews are intelligent, thoughtful, kind, and delightfully fun, making it a joy to tune in.
One of the best aspects of this podcast is Mallory's deep understanding of the people who want to create positive change in the world through charity. She offers spot-on insights into the motivations of fundraisers and funders and how they can work together with joy to make a meaningful impact. Her conversations with guests from both within and outside the nonprofit sector provide a groundbreaking perspective on the industry, offering engaging and insightful discussions.
Another great aspect of this podcast is Mallory's ability to reframe and revitalize the field of fundraising. As someone with over ten years of experience in fundraising, Mallory brings a fresh perspective that challenges traditional norms and dynamics. This is especially valuable for those who may be feeling burnt-out or frustrated with the donor/fundraiser dynamic. The honesty and inspiration found in these episodes provide a much-needed source of motivation for fundraising professionals.
While it is difficult to find any significant drawbacks to this podcast, one potential concern could be its exclusive focus on fundraising. However, even individuals outside the nonprofit world can find useful information here. The guests on the show offer insights that are applicable to various areas of life, including parenting and personal growth.
In conclusion, The What the Fundraising podcast stands out as an exceptional resource for fundraisers and impact leaders looking for inspiration, practical advice, and a fresh perspective on their work. Mallory Erickson's passion shines through every episode, empowering listeners to disrupt the nonprofit sector and take their missions to new heights. Whether you're seeking professional growth or simply a dose of motivation, this podcast is well worth tuning in to.
When modern technology fails to solve an organization's friction, the root cause is rarely the software; it is the human systems behind it. This episode reframes digital transformation, proving that operational harmony relies far more on culture, mindset, and people than on shiny digital products. Meet Tim Lockie, who brings over 20 years of experience working inside and outside the nonprofit sector. As a human-centric tech and AI expert, Tim has spent his career helping organizations bridge the gap between technical infrastructure and human behavior. Today's conversation dismantles common software marketing myths, pointing out how buying products without updating organizational habits leads to widespread adoption failure. Moreover, using an orchestra analogy, Tim explains that while individual tools act as instruments, organizations struggle with orchestration, often spending less than 3% of budgets on staff support compared to software. To fix this, he advocates appointing "first chairs," or dedicated leads, to guide teams from basic software support to true success. Finally, the discussion warns that AI will amplify existing organizational habits, making poorly run teams play bad music faster while noting that smaller teams can achieve paradigm shifts rapidly when they prioritize mindset over mechanics. In this episode, you will be able to: Identify the Root Cause of Technology Failures Evaluate Common Tech Marketing Myths Formulate a Human-Centered Resource Strategy Implement the "First Chair" Operations Model Predict the Cultural Impact of AI Adoption Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What happens when we stop thinking about fundraising as simply asking for money and start thinking about it as relationship building, connection, and philanthropy? In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Mallory Erickson talks with Jay E. Davenport, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at Penn State University, about building a culture where alumni engagement, fundraising, leadership, and philanthropy are deeply interconnected. Drawing from his 32-year career in higher education, Jay shares how his experience at VCU shaped his philosophy around “base building”, nurturing relationships with people at every level of the fundraising pyramid and creating meaningful opportunities for engagement before a financial gift is ever expected. Jay also shares how he approaches leadership and change management within an institution with deep history and tradition. Rather than abandoning what has worked, he believes in “innovating on behalf of tradition”, and finding ways to improve existing practices while honoring the institution's legacy. A major focus of the conversation is Jay's 1,000-day planning framework, which translates a big organizational vision into clear priorities, responsibilities, and milestones. He explains how this approach gives teams clarity about where they are going, how their individual work contributes to the larger mission, and what needs to happen next. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand why donor engagement should come before the financial ask. Think beyond major gifts and nurture lifelong relationships across the entire fundraising pyramid. Build more connected and integrated alumni and donor experiences. Lead organizational change while honoring institutional history and tradition. Use a 1,000-day plan to turn a big vision into actionable priorities. Create clarity around roles, responsibilities, and organizational priorities. Develop a culture where the entire team sees itself as part of fundraising. Prioritize relationship building as a leading indicator of fundraising success. Recognize and celebrate your team in ways that are meaningful to them. Shift from asking for money to connecting donor passion with institutional need. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Mallory Erickson and Cindy Wagman pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to build partnerships between coaches, consultants, and technology companies in the social impact space. Cindy Wagman is a nonprofit consultant, educator, and founder of the Nonprofit Fractionals Network. After years of working as an in-house fundraiser, Cindy began consulting in 2015 and later built a business focused on helping nonprofit professionals transition into fractional consulting while creating sustainable businesses without burnout. Originally recorded as a webinar, this conversation explores why tech companies want to partner with coaches and consultants, what you can gain from these relationships, and how to determine whether a partnership is actually aligned with your business and values. Mallory and Cindy share their own experiences navigating partnerships, sponsorships, speaking opportunities, referral revenue, webinars, and emerging AI partnerships. They also talk honestly about what makes these opportunities worthwhile, what can become a drain on your time, and how to protect your intellectual property when technology becomes part of your service delivery. Whether you're just starting to explore partnerships or you've already worked with technology companies, this episode will help you approach these relationships with more intention, discernment, and agency. In this episode, you will be able to: - Identify why technology companies partner with coaches and consultants and what they are ultimately hoping to gain from those relationships. - Evaluate potential partnerships based on your own business goals, values, audience, and desired outcomes. - Understand the different ways partnerships can support brand visibility, audience growth, revenue generation, and impact. - Approach speaking opportunities more strategically by thinking about lead capture, audience growth, and how to make the most of the opportunity. - Think critically about referral and affiliate partnerships, including transparency and disclosure around referral revenue. - Understand how AI is creating new opportunities for coaches and consultants to scale their impact while maintaining the human value of their work. - Ask better questions about intellectual property, privacy, data, and how your content is being used when partnering with technology companies. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Have you ever wondered how to turn speaking opportunities into a meaningful part of your business? In this solo episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson gets candid about how she built her paid speaking business, what she did before people were paying her, how she decides which opportunities are worth her time, and why being a great speaker is only one part of building a sustainable speaking career. Mallory shares what she learned from years of unpaid speaking, how she used content partnerships to make early opportunities financially possible, and the role that webinars, word of mouth, testimonials, and a speaker reel played in growing her reputation. She also talks openly about her current speaking rates, the value of protecting her time and family commitments, and why she believes speakers should advocate for fair compensation while also considering equity across the sector. Most importantly, Mallory offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions she makes when evaluating speaking opportunities and the relationships that have helped her speaking business grow organically. In this episode, you will be able to: - Understand how unpaid speaking opportunities can help build the reputation, experience, and word-of-mouth referrals that lead to paid opportunities. - Identify ways to make speaking opportunities more financially accessible early in your career, including content and platform partnerships. - Create the foundational materials you need to market yourself as a speaker, including a speaker reel and media kit. - Think strategically about your speaking rates by considering travel, preparation, lost business time, and personal commitments. - Create space in your calendar for higher-value speaking opportunities instead of automatically saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way. - Build stronger relationships with event organizers by being thoughtful, collaborative, kind, and easy to work with while still maintaining clear boundaries. Check out Mallory's speaking media kit and speaking reel: https://malloryerickson.com/speaking-workshops/ Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
What does it actually take to write a book? In this solo episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson pulls back the curtain on her experience writing and publishing her book, What the Fundraising. From signing a publishing contract with Wiley before she even knew what she wanted to write, to getting pregnant, navigating a difficult pregnancy, becoming a new parent, and rewriting the entire book six weeks postpartum, Mallory shares the messy reality behind the finished product. Mallory also talks about the limiting belief she had that she needed a book in order to get paid speaking opportunities, how writing the book ultimately changed the way she thinks and communicates, and why she believes a book should be valuable because of its unique ideas and perspective, not simply because you can say you wrote one. She also gets honest about perfectionism, ADHD, the challenges of sequencing a long-form argument, using AI for feedback but not for writing, and the importance of having systems and support around you. Most importantly, Mallory shares why your book doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to sound like you. In this episode, you will be able to: - Understand what Mallory's actual book-writing process looked like, including the unexpected circumstances that shaped it. - Recognize the difference between creating long-form social content and developing a cohesive argument for a book. - Identify how sequencing an argument can become one of the hardest parts of writing a book, especially when you have lots of ideas and information to connect. - Consider how a book can strengthen your thinking, speaking, podcasting, and overall ability to articulate your ideas. - Think more strategically about whether writing a book actually supports the business, career, or change you want to create. - Use AI as a tool for feedback and identifying gaps without outsourcing your unique perspective and voice. - Let go of the idea that your book needs to be perfect before you put it into the world. - Write something that actually matters to you and gives readers a perspective they couldn't get anywhere else. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What does it really take to start a podcast and more importantly, keep doing it for years? In this behind-the-scenes episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory pulls back the curtain on how the podcast started, why she created it in the first place, how she landed her first sponsors before she even had listeners, and what has kept her going for more than 300 episodes. But this isn't really an episode about podcast equipment, download numbers, or how to land sponsors. It's about building something from a place of genuine curiosity instead of chasing metrics. Mallory shares why she thinks the best reason to start a podcast is because you actually want to have the conversations, what she learned about creating an environment where guests can be their most authentic selves, why she stopped doing pre-show calls, and how being willing to have uncomfortable and unexpected conversations helped What The Fundraising stand out. She also gets candid about pitching yourself to podcasts, building a personal brand, creating unique content, and using a podcast as a public learning lab. In this episode, you will be able to: — Identify whether starting a podcast is actually aligned with the conversations you want to have and the way you naturally learn. — Create a podcast concept rooted in a unique purpose rather than simply replicating conversations that are already happening in your industry. — Develop a hosting approach that allows you to bring your genuine curiosity and personality into conversations. — Create an experience that provides meaningful value to both your guests and your audience. — Use a podcast as a tool for building relationships, developing ideas, and deepening your expertise over time. — Build a sustainable podcast by focusing on the value and joy of the work rather than getting caught up in rankings, downloads, or other external metrics. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
What actually makes a personal brand memorable? According to Mallory Erickson, it's not a perfectly curated aesthetic, a complicated content strategy, or having the perfect business plan. It's getting crystal clear on the problem you want to solve—and how you solve it differently from everyone else. In this solo episode of What the Fundraising, Mallory pulls back the curtain on how her own personal brand and coaching business actually developed. Spoiler alert: it wasn't particularly strategic, linear, or polished. It started with a problem she was experiencing herself, a desire to help other fundraisers, and a willingness to keep talking about the same problem over and over again. Mallory shares the unexpected origins of her coaching business, how the Power Partners Formula™ became an anchor for her brand, why vulnerability and authenticity have been critical to her growth, and what she did when people told her to talk less about mindset and nervous system work and give people more templates instead. She also talks about the importance of repeating your message—even when you are sick of hearing yourself say it—and why she recommends giving yourself 180 days of creating content before obsessing over engagement metrics. In this episode, you will be able to: — Get clearer on the specific problem you want your business to solve. — Understand why specificity is more powerful than simply calling yourself a coach or consultant. — See how your own lived experience can inform your business and brand. — Understand how consistency can create a strong brand identity—even when your services evolve. — Learn why vulnerability can strengthen rather than weaken your authority. — Resist the temptation to shape-shift based on other people's opinions. — Understand why repeating your message is essential to building recognition. — Create content without becoming obsessed with engagement metrics. — Use coaching and self-coaching to navigate visibility and business growth. — Build a personal brand that people can actually see themselves in. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Planned giving may sound complicated, but it does not have to be! This episode features Tony Martignetti, an expert in planned giving strategies & accelerated programs. Tony began his planned giving career in 1997 after working as a lawyer for two years. In 2003, he started Martignetti Planned Giving Advisors, where he provides consulting services for nonprofits. He is also the author of the upcoming book Planned Giving Accelerated, which will be published in September. In the conversation, Tony explains that the basic ideas behind planned giving have stayed the same over the years. He encourages small and mid-sized nonprofits to start with simple gifts, especially bequests and gifts through wills. He also clears up common myths, such as the idea that planned giving is only for wealthy donors. Tony shares tips for having honest conversations with loyal donors, following up when donors need time to decide, and keeping in touch over the long term. He also explains why many planned gifts remain private and why organizations should continue talking about their long-term impact. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the basic ideas and purpose of planned giving. Identify why bequests and gifts through wills are a good starting point for nonprofits. Recognize and challenge common myths about planned giving. Use simple and respectful ways to start and continue planned giving conversations. Understand why some donors choose not to disclose their planned gifts. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
We are releasing a special bonus episode of What The Fundraising! In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast… I talked to behavior scientist and author BJ Fogg, PhD. BJ is one of my biggest teachers and superheroes, he has run a lab at Stanford University for 20 years now, and for the last 10, he's dedicated his work to behavior design. His book Tiny Habits is a wonderful explanation of how our brains work and what small but effective techniques we can use to create habits and beat fears. His Fogg Behavior Model is perfect for fundraisers out there, it goes from allowing yourself to feel success over small victories, to taking action by tracking down your prompts and abilities. In this conversation BJ shares SO many useful and simple hacks, I felt like I had to write them down. Plus, his approach to people is immensely human, compassionate, and positive, (just like fundraising!) You really don't want to miss this conversation.
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What if the reason you're avoiding fundraising outreach isn't because you're bad at fundraising, but because you have a readiness gap? In this solo episode of What the Fundraising, Mallory Erickson breaks down three common fundraising readiness gaps that can quietly stand between you and your next yes: confidence, clarity, and consistency. She shares the behavioral science behind why we avoid outreach, why vague to-do lists create procrastination, and how frantic bursts of fundraising can make relationship-building feel transactional. Most importantly, Mallory gives you one concrete move for each readiness gap that you can put into practice this week. From rewriting the story you tell yourself when a donor doesn't respond to turning vague fundraising tasks into tiny physical actions, these strategies are designed to make fundraising feel more doable—and help you build the muscle memory that creates sustainable momentum. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand why fundraising avoidance isn't a character flaw, but a potential readiness gap. Recognize how anticipatory anxiety and negative assumptions can affect your fundraising outreach. Reframe donor silence and rejection without turning them into judgments about your worth or competence. Turn vague fundraising to-dos into specific, actionable next physical steps. Use tiny habits to lower the activation energy around fundraising. Build consistency by anchoring small donor touchpoints to routines you already have. Understand why relationship fundraising benefits from consistency rather than frantic bursts of activity. Create simple habits that help you become the fundraiser who never fully goes quiet. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What if music could do more than entertain people? For Mike, concerts have become a way to bring people together and raise money for an important cause: finding better treatments for epilepsy. Mike Gomoll founded Joey's Song, a 100% volunteer organization, following the loss of his son. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, the organization is dedicated to funding research grants aimed at minimizing and ultimately eliminating seizures. Rather than spreading its efforts across awareness campaigns and patient services, Mike has kept the mission deliberately focused on research, making it easier for sponsors, artists, and supporters to understand and champion the cause. Mike explains how Joey's Song uses unique music concerts to raise funds. Well-known artists, including The Bangles, Goo Goo Dolls, and Tears for Fears, come together to perform covers and create a special experience for both musicians and audiences. Moreover, he talks about why artists return every year and shares lessons from ideas that did not work as expected. The conversation also covers taking smart risks, protecting donor money, and being willing to change plans. Mike believes organizations should keep their main purpose clear while listening to their teams, learning from experience, and following new opportunities. In this episode, you will be able to: - Understand how a clear mission can guide an organization. - Explain how music events can support fundraising. - Identify ways to engage and retain artists. - Understand the value of community building. - Recognize the importance of taking smart risks. - Learn from unsuccessful ideas and mistakes. - Understand how to balance risk and responsibility. - Recognize when an organization needs to adapt. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
What if becoming a better leader starts with letting go of who you think you should be? Meet Rebecca Blume, the Vice Chancellor for Advancement at the University of Washington Bothell. She has 22 years of fundraising experience and has worked with organizations including Fair Start and the YWCA in downtown Seattle. To start the conversation, Rebecca shares how her experiences helped her become more confident and comfortable with her leadership style. She discusses viewing life as seasons rather than chasing perfect balance, using a pendulum to shift attention toward what matters most. Moreover, Rebecca shares a powerful exercise for challenging limiting beliefs and explains how letting go of the need for total control can strengthen trust within a team. The discussion also touches on people-pleasing, healthy boundaries, holding space for difficult emotions, and responding rather than reacting. Finally, Rebecca encourages leaders to intentionally shape workplace culture and make small, daily shifts toward authenticity, connection, and trust. In this episode, you will be able to: Lead more authentically by being comfortable with who you are. Manage different life priorities by thinking in seasons. Identify limiting beliefs that may affect your leadership. Let go of unnecessary control and build trust within your team. Set healthy boundaries without feeling guilty. Handle difficult emotions without reacting defensively. Communicate clearly during challenging situations. Create a positive workplace culture that reflects your values. Reduce people-pleasing habits and focus on what truly matters. Make small daily changes to become a more confident and authentic leader. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Capital campaigns don't succeed by luck; they succeed through preparation, education, and strong leadership. Today, let's discover why empowering board members with the right knowledge can transform uncertainty into confidence and lay the foundation for a successful fundraising campaign. Meet Amy Eisenstein, CEO and Co-Founder of Capital Campaign Pro, who brings over 30 years of nonprofit experience, including two decades as a fundraising consultant. She is joined by Sarah Plimpton, Vice President and Chief Happiness Officer at Capital Campaign Pro, whose extensive background spans fundraising, campaign leadership, consulting, and nonprofit advisory work. Together, they share practical insights from their experience helping organizations raise transformational gifts and explain the inspiration behind their book, A Board Member's Guide to Capital Campaign Fundraising. Today's discussion explores why board education is essential, when organizations should begin preparing for a campaign, and how the book can be used as an ongoing resource throughout the fundraising journey. Amy and Sarah explain how stronger partnerships between staff and board members lead to better campaign outcomes, why challenges should be viewed as opportunities for growth, and how redefining feasibility studies as "campaign readiness studies" creates a more strategic, relationship-driven approach. They also share actionable recommendations on strategic planning, organizational readiness, and building the confidence needed to execute successful capital campaigns. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the role of board education in campaigns. Learn when to start campaign preparation. Build board confidence and fundraising knowledge. Address common campaign fears and myths. Strengthen staff-board collaboration. Align campaigns with strategic goals. Small changes can lead to significant cultural shifts over time. Agency in giving is crucial for fostering genuine generosity. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
After a week of executive coaching tools, reflections, and strategies, Mallory closes out this series with one of the most important foundations of sustainable growth: consciousness. In this episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory explores how increasing awareness of our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors can help fundraisers move from stress-based reactions into more intentional, empowered action. Many fundraisers spend their days in response mode—reacting to challenges, uncertainty, donor behavior, and endless priorities. Mallory shares how executive coaching helps create more space between what happens and how we respond, allowing us to make decisions from a place of clarity instead of fear, stress, or automatic patterns. Listeners will learn how to build daily and weekly consciousness practices, give themselves grace while changing old habits, and embrace growth without perfectionism. This episode is a reminder that transformation does not require a complete overhaul—it happens one degree at a time. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the role consciousness plays in fundraising success. Recognize when you are operating from stress responses. Create habits that increase awareness and intentionality. Shift from reactive fundraising to proactive decision-making. Practice self-compassion while building new skills. Move away from perfectionism in your growth journey. Use curiosity instead of criticism when reflecting on your actions. Embrace small, consistent changes that create lasting transformation. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Fundraising is deeply human work. It requires vulnerability, connection, courage, and the ability to hold the hopes and dreams of an entire community. But in a profession that often carries immense pressure, it can be easy for fundraisers to forget something essential: they are already enough. In this special executive coaching episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson offers a heartfelt reminder to fundraisers everywhere. She shares why self-love, self-compassion, and recognizing your own worth are not barriers to growth—they are the foundation for sustainable impact and meaningful change. Mallory invites listeners to pause, reflect, and reconnect with themselves beyond their fundraising goals, job titles, and accomplishments. This episode is a reminder that the people moving resources toward what matters most deserve the same compassion and care they extend to others. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize the true impact and importance of fundraising work. Understand why fundraising is the work—not just what supports the work. Practice self-compassion as a foundation for growth. Release the belief that achievement determines your worth. Reflect on the pressure fundraisers carry every day. Build a healthier relationship with yourself. Replace self-criticism with encouragement and care. Celebrate the meaningful work you are already doin Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Fundraising is filled with uncertainty, vulnerability, and moments of discomfort—but what happens when those feelings start driving our decisions? In this episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson dives into the hidden ways fundraisers respond to discomfort and how those stress responses can unintentionally derail fundraising success. Drawing from her executive coaching work and research on fundraiser behavior, Mallory explores how flight and freeze responses show up in everyday fundraising activities. From avoiding donor conversations to endlessly perfecting reports and strategies, these patterns can keep fundraisers stuck in cycles of busy work, scattered action, and missed opportunities. Listeners will learn how to recognize when stress is influencing their fundraising decisions and how to build the capacity to sit with uncertainty, have deeper donor conversations, and take the actions that truly move their organizations forward. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize how discomfort impacts fundraising decisions. Understand the connection between stress responses and fundraising behaviors. Identify when busy work is replacing meaningful fundraising action. Learn why uncertainty can feel so dysregulating. Understand how perfectionism can prevent fundraising progress. Build awareness around avoidance patterns. Develop more conscious responses to fundraising challenges. Create stronger donor relationships through vulnerability and connection. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Have you ever felt torn between competing priorities—wanting to excel at work while also being present for your family, or saying "yes" to helping everyone even when you're overwhelmed? The tension you feel may not be because your values are unclear, but because they're competing with one another. In this solo coaching episode, Mallory Erickson explores the difference between conscious-based values and fear-based values, and why understanding that distinction can transform the way you make decisions. She explains why it's impossible to express all of your core values all the time, and how consciously choosing which value to prioritize in a given moment can reduce guilt, overwhelm, and decision paralysis. Mallory also introduces a powerful coaching exercise that helps uncover whether a value is truly yours or if it's being driven by fear, people-pleasing, or external expectations. Through practical examples and thoughtful reflection, she invites listeners to examine the beliefs underneath their values so they can make more intentional choices in both fundraising and life. In this episode, you will be able to: Identify your core personal values. Understand why your values naturally compete with one another. Reduce guilt when you can't honor every value simultaneously. Recognize the difference between conscious-based and fear-based values. Identify fear-based beliefs that influence your decisions. Practice converting fear-driven values into conscious choices. Make decisions with greater clarity and intention. Build a values-based approach to fundraising and leadership. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
Fundraising can be uncomfortable—but what if discomfort isn't actually the problem? In this solo coaching episode, Mallory Erickson introduces one of the foundational concepts of executive coaching: understanding the difference between discomfort and stress. While many fundraisers believe that feeling nervous before a donor meeting means they're doing something wrong, Mallory explains why discomfort is actually a natural sign of growth, uncertainty, and courage. Rather than trying to eliminate uncomfortable feelings, she shares a practical framework for noticing what's happening in your body, acknowledging your emotions without judgment, and preventing negative self-talk from turning temporary discomfort into chronic stress. Through simple practices you can implement immediately, this episode offers a powerful mindset shift that can help you become a more grounded, confident, and effective fundraiser. In a nutshell: Discomfort isn't something to avoid, it's something to understand. When we stop judging our emotions, we create space to show up with more courage, clarity, and confidence. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the difference between discomfort and stress. Recognize how judgment amplifies difficult emotions. Notice physical signs of discomfort before they affect your actions. Interrupt negative self-talk before it escalates. Practice acknowledging and validating your emotions. Build a healthier relationship with discomfort. Develop greater nervous system regulation. Take fundraising action from courage instead of fear. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
Behind every successful fundraiser is someone who has learned to face fear, embrace discomfort, and build the confidence to keep moving forward. In this conversation, we explore why mindset, not just strategy, is often the biggest factor in fundraising success. Michael Mitchell, Co-Founder and CEO of The Fundraising Academy, shares insights drawn from years of coaching fundraisers and nonprofit leaders. Rather than focusing solely on scripts, templates, or techniques, he explains why lasting success begins with understanding the beliefs, emotions, and internal barriers that influence how people approach fundraising. His coaching philosophy emphasizes self-awareness, courage, and personal growth as essential ingredients for becoming a more effective fundraiser. Throughout the conversation, Michael discusses the emotional realities of fundraising, including fear, rejection, and overwhelm, and why these feelings should be normalized instead of ignored. He explores the powerful coaching principle of "naming it to tame it," showing how identifying underlying emotions can reduce their influence. The discussion also highlights the value of safe yet challenging coaching relationships, constructive feedback, emotional regulation, and the importance of leaning into discomfort rather than avoiding it. In a nutshell, fundraising isn't just about making the ask. It's about mastering the emotions that come with it! In this episode, you will be able to: - Understand the emotional side of fundraising. - Recognize fear and discomfort as normal. - Shift from tactics to mindset. - Identify limiting beliefs around fundraising. - Apply the "name it to tame it" approach. - Build emotional regulation skills. - Develop courage to make the ask. - Build a resilient fundraising mindset. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
AI is no longer a future trend. It is reshaping how organizations lead, innovate, and create impact today, and nonprofits are no exception. DeAnna Hoskins is the President and CEO of JustLeadershipUSA, an organization led by formerly incarcerated people. She also served as a senior policy advisor during the Obama administration. Her experience in government and nonprofit leadership gives her a unique view on how technology, policy, and community work can come together to create positive change. During the conversation, DeAnna explains why nonprofits should invest in AI training before adopting new tools. She mentions that AI should support people, not replace them, and that human oversight is always important. She also talks about the need to reduce bias in AI, to create clear guidelines for its use, and to continue learning as the technology evolves. Furthermore, DeAnna discusses the role of philanthropy in funding AI education and helping organizations build the skills they need. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize the value of AI training. Use AI with human oversight. Build responsible AI guidelines. Identify AI bias and risks. Create long-term AI strategies. Use AI to support teams. Understand AI funding needs. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
What if the best way to raise more money is not just to find new donors, but to help existing donors give more meaningfully? Today, let's explore how matching campaigns can turn fundraising into a shared experience that builds trust, excitement, and community. Pooya Pourak is an industrial and systems engineer, human-centered designer, host of The Nonprofit Lab podcast, and the founder of MatchNice. His career began in consulting, where he created human-centered solutions for health and human services programs that support families through Medicaid, foster care, food assistance, and childcare. Passionate about creating social impact, he built MatchNice to help nonprofits, businesses, communities, and donors work together to make a bigger difference. In this conversation, Pooya shares how the COVID-19 pandemic led to the creation of MatchNice and why donation matching is a powerful but often overlooked fundraising approach. He explains how matching works, why transparency and urgency motivate donors, and how nonprofits can engage everyday supporters and mid-level donors as matching partners. Through real examples, Pooya shows how matching campaigns can increase donations, bring in new supporters, strengthen donor relationships, and help nonprofits create greater impact. In this episode, you will be able to: Explain how donation matching boosts fundraising. Understand the psychology of matching gifts. Identify different types of matching donors. Engage existing donors as match sponsors. Create milestone-based matching campaigns. Use progress tracking to motivate giving. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Raising young people out of poverty takes far more than good intentions. It requires trust, healing, opportunity, and unwavering community support. Also, meaningful mentorship can become a powerful force for breaking generational barriers. Meet Renee Daniel Flagler, President of the National CARES Mentoring Movement. Today, she reflects on her personal journey into nonprofit leadership, inspired by a transformative volunteer experience that revealed the life-changing impact of supporting vulnerable youth. She discusses her organization's mission to empower young people through mentoring, trauma-informed healing, wellness, and workforce development. Moreover, the conversation explores the organization's holistic mentoring model, which combines mentor recruitment, emotional wellness, workforce readiness, and economic mobility to address the complex realities facing underserved communities. Renee explains why trauma-informed care is essential for long-term success, particularly in the aftermath of COVID-19, and discusses the challenges of securing funding for comprehensive programs. She also highlights the importance of mission-aligned philanthropic partnerships, organizational adaptability, and reimagining philanthropy by removing unnecessary barriers so nonprofits can focus on creating lasting, life-changing impact. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand how mentoring can help break the cycle of generational poverty. Recognize the importance of trauma-informed and healing-centered approaches in youth development. Explain why mental health and emotional well-being are essential for long-term success. Identify the value of combining mentoring, workforce development, and wellness into one holistic model. Understand why addressing root causes leads to more meaningful and lasting impact. Learn how strong, mission-aligned partnerships can strengthen nonprofit outcomes. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs begin with the hardest struggles! Today, Mallory and Dawn Wensel, the Director of Development at Hope Street Group, talk about healing, resilience, and the powerful connection between the mind and body. Their honest stories remind us that growth often starts with understanding ourselves. During the conversation, Dawn shares her journey from being a teacher to building a successful career in fundraising. Alongside her career, Dawn opens up about her long battle with chronic pain and how it affected both her work and personal life. She explains how reading John Sarno's book helped her see the link between stress and physical pain. Through journaling, reflection, and self-awareness, she found healthier ways to manage her symptoms and regain confidence. The conversation explores how stress can show up in the body and why it is important to address the root causes instead of only treating symptoms. Dawn introduces Positive Intelligence and explains how it can improve both personal well-being and fundraising success. Dawn also discusses the value of supportive leaders, self-compassion, curiosity, and community. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize the connection between mind and body in health and performance. Explore how stress can show up physically in everyday life. Learn how journaling supports emotional balance and stress relief. Build self-awareness to notice and shift thought patterns. Use curiosity to better understand emotions and reactions. Shift from perfectionism toward self-compassion and acceptance. Value community support in building resilience and reducing isolation. See how openness about struggles builds connection with others. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Fundraising is changing, and organizations need new ways to connect with younger people! In this conversation, Michael Wasserman explains how digital communities and online creators are shaping the future of fundraising. He shares why traditional methods are no longer enough and how organizations can build stronger relationships with younger supporters. Michael Wasserman, CEO and co-founder of Tiltify, talks about his journey and the inspiration behind creating the platform. While working as a consultant for charities, he repeatedly heard the same problem: organizations struggled to attract younger donors. He realized that younger generations were already active on platforms such as Twitch and TikTok, but charities were not reaching them. This led him to create Tiltify in 2014, a platform designed around the needs of fundraisers rather than charities. The conversation also explores the shift from one-time donations to community-based fundraising. Michael explains that people want to participate, interact, and feel connected, rather than simply make a donation and leave. He discusses the challenges organizations face in adopting new technology and shares practical ideas, such as simplifying fundraising processes, improving communication, and creating engaging digital spaces that encourage long-term donor support. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the shift from traditional to digital fundraising. Recognize the importance of meeting donors on modern platforms. Learn why email is less effective for younger audiences. See the value of community-driven fundraising models. Understand the move from transactional to participatory giving. Learn how digital communities increase engagement. Recognize resistance to adopting new technology. See the benefit of simpler, easier donation processes. Understand the impact of influencers on donor behavior. Learn the need to adapt to changing donor expectations. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Fundraising and alumni relations are evolving faster than many institutions are prepared for. But the concept of hiring people who make us feel comfortable remains the biggest threat to innovation since these practices often remain rooted in familiarity, rigidity, and outdated ideas of “fit.” A.P. Porch is a higher education and philanthropy professional with nearly 15 years of experience in nonprofit and advancement spaces, currently serving as the University-Wide Director of Alumni Engagement at Loyola University, New Orleans. Her work centers on strengthening alumni and donor relationships while supporting the “life of the mind” through mission-driven engagement, leadership, and community building. She joined Mallory to talk about what it takes to build stronger, more sustainable advancement teams in the fundraising sector. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize the hidden challenges behind skill-based hiring in fundraising and alumni relations. Have a clear understanding about the difference between hiring for competency versus hiring for familiarity. Learn why burnout and turnover are often symptoms of deeper organizational issues. Discover how curiosity, adaptability, and emotional intelligence can strengthen donor relationships. Learn how “culture fit” can unintentionally limit innovation and diversity of thought. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
The secret to a successful campaign is a culture shaped by trust, collaboration, emotional resilience, and a shared sense of purpose. A successful implementation of a fundraising team is more than just hitting financial goals; it demands leadership that understands and values institutional culture, supports people through high-pressure moments, and creates a system that will thrive without burning out. From donor relationships to preventing isolation, this conversation explores how transparency, accountability, empathy, and collective support can build a sustainable fundraising culture. Jill C. Anderson is the current Vice President of Development and Alumni Engagement at Moravian University, Pennsylvania. She is an expert in campaign strategy, major gifts, and donor engagement. With nearly 26 years of experience in advancement and an earlier career in finance, she brings a strategic, systems-oriented approach to philanthropy and organizational growth. She is also a doctoral student at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Having grown up as a daughter to a professional baseball coach, Jill believes deeply in team-centered leadership and cross-functional collaboration. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the unique challenges of building and leading fundraising teams. Learn about the effect of organizational culture on donor relationships and campaign success. Understand the importance of accountability and transparency during periods of growth and crisis. Explore strategies for reducing isolation and strengthening team connection in fundraising environments. Discover how collaboration and cross-functional understanding strengthen fundraising teams. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
History doesn't only live in books. It lives in who gets remembered, who gets silenced, and who chooses to speak anyway! Meet Kristi Williams, a descendant of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and member of Historic Vernon AME Church, who brings a deeply personal lens to historical preservation, and Emma Willis, who complements this perspective by focusing on advocacy, ethical philanthropy, and the importance of treating lived experience with care and dignity. Together, they emphasize how community memory and historical truth are shaped by those closest to it. The discussion expands into the erasure of Black history in education, including policies such as Oklahoma's House Bill 1775, and the broader challenge of restricted narratives in schools. Kristi and Emma highlight practical ways everyday people can contribute, such as reading widely, including banned books, journaling present-day experiences, and preserving family and ancestral documents. They also explore philanthropy as a relational practice rather than transactional giving, stressing collaboration with communities. Ultimately, the conversation connects personal storytelling, institutional responsibility, and collective action as essential tools for preserving history and strengthening democracy. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand how everyday people contribute to preserving history. Recognize the importance of descendant-led storytelling in historical preservation. Identify how oral histories and personal archives protect erased narratives. Analyze the impact of banning or restricting historical books. Appreciate the role of Black history in strengthening democratic understanding. Describe how philanthropy can support community-led cultural preservation. Distinguish between transactional giving and relational philanthropy. Apply journaling as a tool for documenting lived experience for future history. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Alumni relationships are shifting from tradition-bound loyalty to something more dynamic, personal, and value-driven. In this conversation, the focus turns toward what institutions are getting wrong and how listening more carefully could reshape the future of fundraising and engagement. Howard Heevner brings deep experience from a 30-year career in higher education fundraising, beginning at the University of Iowa and later serving as executive director of annual programs at UC Berkeley. He is also a co-founder of the National Alumni Survey. This large-scale initiative has grown significantly over time, expanding from tens of thousands of responses across dozens of institutions to well over 150,000 surveys. His work centers on understanding donor behavior patterns and challenging long-held assumptions about alumni generosity and awareness. The discussion highlights key shifts: declining donor participation, the emergence of distinct giving cultures across age groups, and the misconception that non-donors are simply uninformed. Instead, many already give elsewhere, signaling a need for institutions to move from assumed loyalty to earned trust. The conversation also emphasizes personalization, better use of technology for listening rather than broadcasting, and the importance of making alumni feel seen, relevant, and considered. Ultimately, it calls for a more responsive, value-aligned approach to engagement and fundraising systems. In this episode, you will be able to: - Understand shifting trends in alumni engagement and fundraising behavior. - Recognize the importance of moving from assumed trust to earned trust. - Identify how alumni giving patterns vary across age and value systems. - Learn why personalization improves relevance and alumni connection. - Understand the need to make alumni feel seen and considered. - Identify gaps between investment in student vs alumni experiences. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
The nonprofit world is changing faster than ever, and organizations are being forced to rethink how they survive and grow in uncertain times! This episode features Pradnya Haldipur, who brings more than 30 years of experience across the nonprofit landscape. Her career has spanned the arts, software, academic medicine, and global humanitarian work with Doctors Without Borders. Recently, she transitioned to running her own consultancy, advising mission-driven organizations on strategy and sustainability. Her diverse background gives her a unique intersectional perspective on funding, leadership, and organizational growth, making her insights both practical and deeply informed by real-world experience. In this conversation, Pradnya dives into the realities of modern fundraising, the pressure nonprofits face in today's economy, and why innovation can no longer be optional. From controversial revenue ideas to challenging long-held beliefs about mission-driven work, the discussion explores how organizations can remain financially sustainable without losing sight of their purpose. It is a conversation that pushes listeners to question traditional nonprofit thinking and consider bold new possibilities for the future of the sector. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand why nonprofits need diversified revenue streams. Learn how earned revenue can support long-term sustainability. Explore innovative funding strategies beyond traditional philanthropy. Learn why flexibility and innovation matter in the nonprofit sector. Explore the stigma around nonprofits generating revenue. Gain insights into building self-sustaining program models. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
This conversation explores why modern fundraising still struggles with outdated systems despite living in a technology-driven world. It raises important questions about how fundraisers are expected to manage hundreds of donor relationships while spending hours on administrative tasks rather than building meaningful connections. The discussion challenges traditional fundraising methods and reveals how technology, automation, and better workflows can completely transform donor engagement and fundraising success. Meet Meredith Johnston, who serves as the Vice President of Development at Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD). Since 1970, FHCSD has been dedicated to delivering compassionate, affordable, and high-quality health care and supportive services to all individuals, with a strong focus on uninsured, low-income, and medically underserved communities. Today, FHCSD is recognized as one of the 10 largest federally qualified health centers in the United States, operating more than 90 locations throughout San Diego County. Each year, the organization serves over 227,000 patients, including 91% who are low-income and 29% who are uninsured. Throughout the conversation, Meredith shares practical insights from her career journey, explaining how fundraising has evolved and why organizations must adapt to changing expectations. Her experience gives credibility to the discussion around leadership, donor management, and operational efficiency. Meredith discusses the importance of using technology to support fundraisers rather than overwhelm them with manual tasks. She explains the value of tracking donor behavior, improving data quality, and focusing on active relationship-building. The conversation also addresses perfectionism, anxiety, and the fear of making mistakes, encouraging fundraisers to take action, embrace imperfection, and prioritize meaningful donor interactions over passive busywork. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize the importance of technology in modern fundraising. Understand how outdated systems limit fundraiser effectiveness. Identify tasks that should be automated to save time. Learn how data quality improves donor engagement and workflows. Recognize the value of focusing on relationship-building activities. Understand the difference between active and passive fundraising actions. Recognize how perfectionism can prevent meaningful action. Learn why major gift officers should focus on tasks only they can do. Understand how leadership support improves fundraiser productivity. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Fundraising is often seen as simply asking for money, but it is much deeper than that. What makes people truly connect with a cause? How can fundraisers create moments that donors remember long after an event ends? Meet Matt Roben, benefit auctioneer & farm sanctuary co-founder, who brings a unique background to fundraising, shaped by diverse careers. Before working in fundraising, he spent time as a performer, personal trainer, dietitian, and even a police officer. In each role, his main goal was always the same! It was helping people. He explains that whether he was performing for a crowd or speaking with donors, creating a real human connection was always the most important part. The discussion focuses on how connection and presence are important in fundraising. Matt explains that fundraisers should create meaningful experiences, just like performers connect with their audience. He talks about being intentional by clearly understanding the purpose of an event, preparing well, and linking every fundraising activity to the mission. He also breaks common fundraising myths by reminding people that fundraising should be thoughtful, personal, and deeply connected to the cause, not just about collecting donations. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize how connections improve fundraising outcomes. Understand the importance of intentionality in fundraising. Identify common fundraising myths and how to challenge them. Recognize the importance of audience awareness in events. Learn how follow-up builds trust and lasting support. Understand how empathy improves donor experience and connection. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
What happens when philanthropy becomes more about control than community? Can generosity still be called generosity when tax benefits and personal recognition take center stage? Join us for today's episode to question the hidden dynamics behind modern fundraising and explore what true public stewardship really looks like! This conversation features Glen Galaich, a respected philanthropy leader with more than 25 years of experience in donor education and fundraising. As the founder of the Stupski Foundation, which works across San Francisco, Oakland, and Hawaii, Glen has spent years examining how wealth shapes giving. He is also the author of the book Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short, in which he challenges traditional philanthropic systems and calls for greater accountability, trust, and honesty in the sector. Throughout the conversation, Glen unpacks the idea of donor-centric fundraising and its historical roots, tracing it back to Andrew Carnegie's "Gospel of Wealth." He discusses how philanthropy often becomes tied to power, ego, and tax advantages rather than genuine generosity. Glen explains the psychological shifts that can happen when people gain significant wealth, often leading to insecurity and a stronger desire for control. He also explores trust-based philanthropy, participatory grantmaking, and the importance of unrestricted funding. Furthermore, Glen emphasizes that donors should act as public stewards, staying accountable to the communities they aim to serve, while fundraisers must create honest conversations and challenge unhealthy power dynamics within philanthropy. In this episode, you will be able to: - Recognize the difference between generosity and philanthropy. - Learn how donor control can affect community impact. - Understand the importance of trust-based philanthropy. - Identify why unrestricted funding supports stronger outcomes. - Learn how tax benefits influence philanthropic decisions. - Recognize the role of fundraisers in guiding donor accountability. - Understand how wealth can shape donor behavior and mindset. - Learn why public stewardship should guide charitable giving. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
This episode takes a slightly different approach. Instead of the usual format, Mallory responds directly to a range of thoughtful questions from her community! She begins by discussing how to handle anxiety before donor conversations, encouraging fundraisers to acknowledge their feelings rather than push them away. Simple techniques, such as validating emotions with phrases such as "that makes sense," can help reduce stress more quickly. She also explains that preparation and practice are key to building confidence, introducing AI-based tools that allow fundraisers to rehearse conversations and develop strong muscle memory. Mallory also highlights how confidence impacts fundraising success, noting that low confidence can lead to missed opportunities and inefficiency. She further addresses burnout and loss of motivation, explaining the "freeze" response and suggesting that sometimes people need energizing activities rather than just rest to regain momentum. A key theme in the episode is a shifting mindset. Mallory encourages fundraisers to stop feeling guilty about asking for money and instead see it as an opportunity for donors to contribute to meaningful change. She also emphasizes curiosity when handling objections, focusing on understanding donors rather than persuading them. Overall, the episode reinforces the importance of practice, emotional awareness, and purpose. Mallory also points to the growing role of AI in supporting fundraisers, helping them build skills while keeping human connection at the center. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize practical ways to manage anxiety before donor conversations. Learn how validating emotions can reduce stress and improve performance. Understand the role of preparation and practice in building fundraising confidence. Explore how mindset shifts can transform asking for money into meaningful invitations. Gain insights into handling donor objections with curiosity and alignment. Identify the impact of confidence on time management and fundraising success. Understand the nervous system's role in stress, burnout, and motivation. Learn simple grounding techniques to stay present during donor conversations. Discover the importance of consistent practice and role-play in skill development. Explore how AI tools can support training and enhance fundraising effectiveness. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
Today's episode offers valuable insights into how to create more intentional, empowered, and balanced ways of working and living. Tune in to discover how to break the cycle of stress and start building a life and career that truly supports you! In this episode, Amanda Gulino delves into the complex world of stress management, emotional intelligence, and self-empowerment. Amanda is a dynamic facilitator and certified coach specializing in career design, team development, and leadership habits. She is passionate about reimagining how we work, lead, and connect, guiding individuals and teams to thrive through intentional practices and meaningful change. In this episode, you will be able to: Explore challenges in high-stress roles and nonprofit leadership. Recognize emotional responses as valuable information. Build habits for creating space and managing stress. Understand the "energy bank account" concept for better energy management. Value peer support and the sense of not being alone. Emphasize self-compassion and accountability in leadership. Support for this show is brought to you by Pledge. Our friends at pledge have just launched a super easy way to get your campaigns up and running using some pretty cool AI technology. Check out their newest tools pledge.to Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Join Arash Javanbakht, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic (STARC), as he delves into the intricate workings of fear and anxiety. With expertise spanning neuroscience, trauma research, and nonprofit fundraising, he offers a comprehensive exploration of how fear manifests in our brains, its evolutionary origins, and practical strategies for managing it in various aspects of life! Arash's clinical focus encompasses civilians, law enforcement, and refugees, particularly those affected by war trauma in regions like Syria and Iraq. Through STARC, he conducts groundbreaking research into the biological and psychological factors contributing to resilience and vulnerability in trauma response. Also, Arash pioneers the integration of technology into mental health care, exploring augmented reality and telemedicine for innovative in vivo treatment of anxiety disorders and PTSD. Moreover, his work has received widespread acclaim, featuring in prominent media outlets such as CNN, Al Jazeera, NPR, and The Washington Post. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the biology and psychology of fear responses. Analyze fear's influence on decision-making, particularly in nonprofit fundraising. Develop strategies for overcoming fear-related challenges. Cultivate resilience and find meaning in adversity. Apply practical tips for harnessing fear as motivation. This week's episode is sponsored by DonorPerfect. DonorPerfect's Community Conference is igniting a passion for change! This year's event, on June 4th & 5th, will equip you with the tools to excel in donor management, program innovation, community engagement, and organizational growth. Remember, every powerful movement starts with a single spark.Your expertise is that spark! Head over to donorperfect.com/donorperfect-conference to register today! Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
As a fundraiser, your ability to handle stress is constantly tested. Fundraising requires lot of hard work, sacrifice, rejection, and honestly, sometimes trauma. If you have a sensitive nervous system, like many fundraisers do, you're more prone to burnout, anxiety, and chronic stress. So, how can we prevent that? Today's guest is here to help! Dr. Linnea Passaler is the Founder and CEO of Heal Your Nervous System, a digital health startup that uses a combination of neuroscience and somatic work to help those struggling with overwhelm, trauma, burnout, and anxiety to heal their dysregulated nervous systems and thrive. This episode is particularly important to me because the more I have learned about the nervous system over the years, the more I have realized that one of the main barries that fundraisers face is that the work of fundraising can be very disregulating. And without the right understanding, tools and framework we don't understand why we're constantly experiencing low energy, dread, and burnout. We keep trying to manage our time, but I really think it's all about how we manage our nervous system. During this conversation, Linnea teaches you how to regulate your nervous system so that you can handle stress and accomplish more without it leading you to dysregulation and burnout. She details the connection between trauma and burnout and shares her 5-step framework for healing your nervous system. Because of your brain's neuroplasticity, we can reverse the damage that's done when we feel overwhelmed or powerless. If you've been feeling powerless, constantly overwhelmed, or a lack of purpose in your role as a fundraiser, don't worry. You're not alone and there is a light at the end of the tunnel! These tips are just what you need. A big shout out to our sponsor Instil, the holistic tool that reimagines nonprofit technology in ways that deepen community relationships and nonprofit processes to magnify impact. The platform's advanced UX design and real-time analytics supercharge donors, increase volunteer engagement, and smooth donor management and operations across your entire organization. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatthefundraising_ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.
We've all been there: Ghosted by a donor and wondering why, why, why? My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is showing us how to redirect our minds, dismantling the reflexive responses that play in our heads and inhabit our bodies. Britt Frank, a somatic psychotherapist, trauma expert, and author of "The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward," walks us through the many ways in which our reactions (and overreactions) are embedded within our bodies. Because so many of us are detached from our own sensations, we revert automatically to our brains in search of solutions. And that's all too often pinging around inside our heads? Lots of noisy self-doubts, recrimination, and other negative thoughts that do not serve. As Britt explains, however, we can befriend even the most toxic of emotions and in so doing diffuse them. “When we know how our brains work, we can feel like we're in the driver's seat of our life,” she says, “instead of locked in the trunk of the car, driving 95 miles down the highway.” You'll love hearing how this multi-modality therapist and thinker came to her work, why ultimatums are less effective than healthy boundaries, and what modest actions you can take to interrupt when your body has taken over the driver's seat. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Follow along on Instagram Connect with Mallory on LinkedIn Want to raise more from the right funders without hounding them and banish your self-doubt in the meantime? Mallory's FREE masterclass offers a great starting point! Support for this show is brought to you by Bloomerang. Our friends at Bloomerang really understand fundraisers, which is how they make donor management software that nonprofits like to use. To learn more about them, head on over to bloomerang.com/mallory.
Do you hear negative, nagging, bullying voices in your head? Are they telling you you're a bad leader or fundraiser? That you'll never raise what you need to grow your organization? In this week's episode, I talk to Dr. Ethan Kross, psychologist, neuroscientist, professor, and the author of Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters and How to Harness It. There is so much chatter that inhibits action, like negative thoughts and limiting beliefs about perfectionism, scarcity or what someone will think if we ‘ask them for money'. Tune in as Dr. Kross explains a few of the tools from his book to help reduce toxic mental chatter and how we can apply them as leaders and fundraisers in the nonprofit world to move more money into our organization and the sector as a whole. Episode highlights: (02:28) - Dr. Ethan Kross and all the work that went into his amazing book: Chatter (04:27)- Why turning your attention inward can help us solve problems or make us miserable. (06:32) - What does “chatter” refer to? The amazing things our inner voice allows us to do and the negative dark side of it. (10:39) - One of Chatter's tools: Distance self-talk, using your name and the second person pronoun to coach yourself through a problem. (16:44) - Why single quick fixes don't exist!: How to mix and match different tools to find healing. (24:03) - Cultivating the witness: Distancing yourself and the ability to step back to approach the problem with more objectivity. (27:40) - Stop zooming into negativity: How the nonprofit fundraising space can benefit from changing the narrative. (33:04) - How to find resources hidden in plain sight for your unique chatter triggers. (40:34) - Minimize the toxic effects of chatter: Why negative emotions aren't something we want to avoid completely. (47:49) - Shout out to Dr. Kross's favorite nonprofit: Angela Duckworth's The Character Lab. If you're wanting to implement ideas you heard, visit MalloryErickson.com/Podcast for the top tips and tools, full transcripts, quotes, videos, and additional resources from each episode.
Planned giving is often seen as complex and intimidating, but is it really that complicated? Today's conversation takes a closer look at what planned giving truly involves and why many organizations may be approaching it the wrong way. This episode uncovers simple yet powerful ideas that can transform how fundraisers think about long-term giving! Tess Conrad is the Founder & Principal Consultant at Full Potential Fundraising. She helps small fundraising teams build and grow effective planned giving programs. The discussion covers key myths, strategies, and practical insights on planned giving. Tess explains that planned giving is often overcomplicated by focusing too much on tax and estate planning, when the real role of fundraisers is to inspire donors. She emphasizes that planned giving is not limited to wealthy donors, but includes loyal supporters with long-term potential. The conversation also highlights the importance of a strong base of loyal donors, a long-term mindset, and meaningful engagement rather than just pledges. Tess further shares insights about using simple tools such as interest checkboxes, maintaining consistent communication, and aligning giving opportunities with donors' values. Overall, she presents planned giving as a trust-based, relationship-driven strategy that can significantly strengthen overall fundraising efforts. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand planned giving beyond technical details. Recognize common myths in planned giving. Identify loyal donors as key prospects. Assess readiness for planned giving. Adopt a long-term fundraising mindset. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
What if the very technology that feels overwhelming today could become the strongest ally for nonprofits tomorrow? Meet Darian Rodriguez Heyman, an experienced fundraiser, social entrepreneur, and best-selling author. His work has always focused on "helping people help." He began this journey during his five years as Executive Director of the Craigslist Foundation, where he created the Nonprofit Boot Camp and expanded it into the largest nonprofit gathering in history within just one year. This success led to his best-selling books, including Nonprofit Management 101 (now in its second edition), Nonprofit Fundraising 101, and AI for Nonprofits. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of Blue Avocado, a well-known online magazine for nonprofits. Today's discussion covers both the benefits and challenges of using AI. Darian explains how AI can help nonprofits build better relationships with supporters, save time by automating tasks, and communicate more personally. At the same time, he highlights concerns such as data security, bias, and ethical use. He stresses the importance of starting with clear values, addressing fears, and focusing on practical uses instead of technical details. The conversation also highlights the role of funders in supporting AI adoption, demonstrating how AI can help nonprofits achieve more while staying true to their mission. In this episode, you will be able to: Discover how AI can support nonprofit missions and values. Recognize AI as a practical tool, not just a technical concept. Explore responsible AI use, including ethics and data concerns. See how starting small helps build AI confidence and adoption. Identify ways to reduce fear and resistance toward AI. Understand how AI frees time for relationship-building work. Explore how funders can support nonprofits' AI readiness. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Sometimes the most meaningful innovations begin with frustration. In this conversation, Natalie Poindexter shares how questioning broken systems, both in nonprofit funding and in technology, led her to build new solutions designed with empathy, accessibility, and human support at their core. Natalie, a former grant writer turned funding systems architect and consultant, explains how her career evolved into helping nonprofits design stronger funding infrastructures. Acting as a "fractional development department," she supports organizations by building sustainable programs and processes. She also introduces Scaffina, a technology platform created by women for women that simplifies complex funding workflows, reducing burnout among development directors and grant writers. Throughout the discussion, Natalie explores the deeper motivations behind building technology for social impact. Natalie reflects on a pivotal moment at South by Southwest, where she challenged a U.S. SBA administrator about gaps in support for procurement and entrepreneurs. That moment reinforced her belief that meaningful change often requires challenging existing systems. The conversation also touches on the importance of human-centered technology, combining AI tools with real guidance and support. Natalie candidly discusses the barriers women, especially women of color, face in the tech ecosystem. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand how funding systems can be redesigned to better support nonprofit organizations. Recognize the importance of combining AI tools with human guidance in social impact work. Gain insights into the challenges women, particularly women of color, face in the technology and funding ecosystem. Explore how questioning existing systems can lead to innovative solutions. Learn the value of supportive communities and self-care in sustaining long-term impact and entrepreneurship. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Technology may be a powerful tool of fundraising, but human connection seems far superior to anything else. Fundraising is a sector shaped by digital tools, automation, and constant urgency, but the real work of fundraising always comes to its roots: relationships. Organizations that are smart enough to slow down and focus on people create stronger, more sustainable support from their donors. At its heart, fundraising isn't just about strategy or tools but remains a deeply human practice built on connection and care. Trevor Nelson is the Chief Gratitude Officer at HGA Fundraising, a family-run company that helps nonprofits raise money through auction items and event fundraising. HGA has grown into a 20+ person team built around collaboration, humor, and shared purpose, beginning only as a small partnership with his best friend. Through Hey Nonprofit, his media platform, including a podcast, weekly webinars, and free coaching, Trevor works to uplift fundraisers and share practical insights that help organizations strengthen relationships and raise more for their missions. He joined Mallory today to talk about the importance of personal connection, gratitude, and genuine interactions in fundraising. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand why, even in a tech savvy world, fundraising remains a relationship-driven profession. Learn why gratitude and intentional appreciation are essential for building lasting donor relationships. Understand how overwhelm and urgency can affect fundraisers. Grasp why uninterrupted time for oneself is crucial for thinking and reflection. Learn the importance of pausing when overwhelm hits. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Challenges, uncertainty, and high expectations are natural components of nonprofit. Its leadership is shaped by mindset, resilience, and action by focusing on what they can control, staying present, and fostering momentum over perfection. Join with us and explore how purpose-driven focus and practical strategies transform challenges into opportunities for growth, impact, and meaningful connections. Trish Davis has been working as the Vice President of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for the last 6 years. As a former Air Force veteran, she discovered her passion for fundraising through lifelong volunteering, inspired by her mother's nonprofit work. At the foundation, she supervises a team driving major gifts, planned giving, mid-level, foundations, and donor stewardship. As a lifelong volunteer, she combines a passion for service with a love for fundraising, turning purpose-driven work into meaningful donor impact. In this episode, you will be able to; Learn how to apply strategies for staying resilient and positive in the face of nonprofit challenges. Recognize how to manage fear, stress, and perfectionism to maintain authentic donor connections. Understand the importance of celebrating wins no matter big or small. Learn why it's important to focus on what you can control. Figure out how to avoid getting stuck in negativity. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
Generosity is a muscle that must be trained, but in the nonprofit sector, we often wait for donors to find us rather than building the bridges they need to cross. Real progress requires shaking up the status quo and recognizing that philanthropy does not exist in a vacuum; it is complemented by finance, psychology, technology, and tax law. In this conversation, Mallory is joined by Meg George to explore how to move away from "rinse and repeat" fundraising toward a model of sophisticated curiosity. They dive into the necessity of treating major gift solicitation with the rigor of a business plan while maintaining the soulful, emotional connection that drives true generosity. Join them to gain insight into the art of "qualification" through open-ended questioning, the role of leadership in reducing "ask" anxiety, and how to leverage interdisciplinary knowledge to solve social problems at scale. Key takeaways from the episode: Stop using "rinse and repeat" fundraising manuals and start prioritizing personalized, human-to-human curiosity. Solve problems at scale by bringing experts in finance, psychology, and technology to the fundraising table. View yourself as a facilitator matching a donor's soulful goals with a rock-solid business plan. Use open-ended questions to uncover the perfect intersection of a donor's financial capacity and their personal values. Shift leadership focus from high-pressure dollar targets to meaningful, well-categorized donor interactions. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
What does it really take to raise money for a cause that many people misunderstand? In this conversation, Natalie Reilly-Finch, the Vice President of Growth at the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF), shares the real challenges behind fundraising for lung cancer research and the responsibility that comes with it. She has been working in fundraising since she was 18 and now leads LCRF's growth efforts. She explains that LCRF is the largest private funder of lung cancer research, helping to close the gap left by limited federal funding. Natalie is deeply committed to changing public perception and supporting everyone affected by lung cancer. During the discussion, Natalie addresses the stigma surrounding lung cancer, especially the belief that it only affects smokers or that it is not a woman's disease. She explains how fundraisers must create urgency without making people feel blamed or judged. She also talks about understanding donor motivations, listening carefully, and using data to build strong connections. Through personal stories and practical advice, Natalie highlights the importance of empathy and flexibility while continuing the fight for a cure. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand the stigma surrounding lung cancer and how it impacts fundraising efforts. Recognize the importance of balancing urgency with hope in cause-based messaging. Learn how to communicate about sensitive issues without blaming or shaming affected communities. Discover how donor segmentation and data can improve fundraising effectiveness. Gain insights into identifying and aligning with a donor's deeper motivations. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
When the relationships stop evolving, so does the donor interest. Overlooked due to time constraints, fear of personal outreach, and assumptions, the mid-level donors are sitting in plain sight with loyalty, consistency, and readiness for more. Now is the time to explore the importance of personalized communication rather than polished campaigns, identifying donors with unrealized potential. From phone calls and stewardship touchpoints to reframing discomfort and prioritizing readiness, join with us and find out practical ways to build trust, deepen engagement, and unlock meaningful growth without overcomplicating the work. Our guests today are Ashley Hardt and Jeff Grandy. Ashley is with the Oregon Zoo Foundation and committed to improving nonprofit organizations through empathetic, organized, and creative fundraising and communications. She is highly skilled in storytelling, constituent engagement, project design and management, and administrative systems and reporting. In recent years, Ashley's been interested and focused on mid-level giving. Jeff is the vice president of client development at Catapult Fundraising. With over 10 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Jeff has first-hand experience in planned giving, major gifts, fund development, and also donor stewardship. He is creating vital resources for nonprofit organizations by leveraging his passion for philanthropy and expertise in development. He currently is in the lead of the Catapult team across the Greater Gulf Coast. In this episode, you will be able to: Learn to rethink how mid-level donors are defined beyond gift size. Understand how to find donors with unrealized potential hidden in your data. Figure out how to use phone calls and stewardship touchpoints without fear of “over-asking”. Understand the shift from passive communication to intentional relationship-building. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Surrounded by myths that prevent real solutions, homelessness and housing insecurity are often misunderstood in the public eye. Requiring more than short-term fixes, it demands empathy, trust, and systemic thinking. In this conversation, Mallory is joined by Joseph Bradford lll to explore how nonprofit leaders balance urgent needs with long-term solutions, build trust within communities, and guide teams to act effectively while keeping people at the center. Join them and gain insight on the value of lived experience in shaping leadership, personal stories behind statistics, and practical steps for people to see beyond misconceptions and create lasting change. Joseph Bradford lll is the founder at B.A.R.E, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization that provides mentorship, independent living assistance, and wellness services to individuals and families. Having experienced homelessness firsthand by circumstances that were out of his control, Joseph built the foundation of B.A.R.E. after meeting and befriending a homeless person. He has spent over a decade feeding, housing, and advocating for people in need, building trust and systemic solutions across Los Angeles. Through his organization, Joseph proves how lived experience, compassion, and visionary leadership can create meaningful change and humanize populations often misunderstood and overlooked. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand and challenge the common misconceptions about homeless people. Learn how trust and empathy can drive meaningful impact in the nonprofit sector. Gain insights into balancing urgent needs with long-term, systemic solutions. Learn ways that can model compassion and shape understanding for the next generation. Find out how consistency creates long-term impact in communities. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
This episode features a fascinating conversation with Ashley Budd, Senior Marketing Director at Cornell University and the author of Mailed It. She has spent over a decade leading digital innovation in advancement, helping organizations connect authentically with audiences and raise funds for meaningful causes. Ashley shares her career journey from enrollment services to fundraising and explains how her work in digital marketing, mainly email marketing, became a key part of her success. She also talks about her first book on email marketing and her experience consulting and speaking with nonprofits and universities. A significant focus of the discussion is how digital marketing supports modern fundraising. Ashley explains why email remains powerful despite crowded inboxes, and how understanding human behavior and proven patterns leads to better results. She introduces a custom GPT tool she co-created to teach people how to write effective emails, emphasizing learning skills rather than depending on AI forever. The conversation also explores the balance between using AI tools and maintaining a human touch. Ashley highlights the importance of authenticity, consistency, and trust, introducing her "trust triangle" model of authenticity, empathy, and logic. She also discusses handling ghosting, managing unengaged audiences, adapting campaigns to changing conditions, and communicating during crises. In this episode, you will be able to: Understand how email marketing drives modern fundraising success. Discover the evolving partnership between humans and AI in communication. Learn how to write effective emails using proven behavioral patterns. Recognize the limits of AI tools and the need for human judgment. Apply authenticity, empathy, and logic to build audience trust. Balance quality and quantity in email communication. Handle unresponsive audiences with clarity and respect. Adapt campaigns to changing digital behavior and expectations. Respond confidently to crises while maintaining community trust. Access practical tools and resources to improve email performance. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
Growth isn't about doing more or filling checklists; it's about doing what matters within your capacity and rhythm. In fundraising, true impact comes with honoring long-term engagement over quick monetary wins, creating space for transformation, and holding firmly to mission and values while adapting methods. When distraction, uncertainty, and external pressure are inevitable, leaders have to ground themselves, set boundaries, and act with purpose to cultivate clarity, resilience, and meaningful connections. Every action sends ripples, and you have to be mindful of what impact yours will create. Joining us today is Floyd Jones, a speaker and coach who helps organizations to build sustainable communities that drive lasting impact. Believing that strong communities are the heart of any impactful mission, he collaborates with organizations and leaders to turn followers into dedicated supporters by centering on a community-first approach throughout his career. His specialization is on providing strategies to help leaders grow their reach, build deeper connections, and inspire consistent support. Floyd joined Mallory in this episode to discuss sustainable fundraising and leadership, where mission, values, and relationships guide growth and adaptability. In this episode, you will be able to: - Discover ways to align your fundraising strategies and leadership with mission and values. - Recognize the difference between transactional and relational donor engagement. - Apply grounding and self-regulation techniques in uncertain times as a leader. - Understand the effect of intentional actions that ripple through teams, communities, and the broader sector. - Understand how people-pleasing can distract you from mission-driven decision-making. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Today's conversation focuses on Dana James' thoughtful and human-centered approach to engagement, fundraising, and community building. Dana describes herself as an artist at heart who works as an engagement strategist within a capitalist system. She shares how her work is rooted in creating belonging and bringing people together through collective effort. Dana talks about her journey to Berkeley and how the university's diverse community, along with music and art, helps connect people across different backgrounds. Dana and Mallory discuss the emotional side of fundraising, highlighting that it is deeply human work. They explore the vulnerability experienced by both donors and fundraisers and challenge the idea that money should be the main measure of value. Dana encourages rethinking wealth and generosity, recognizing time, care, and talent as meaningful forms of contribution. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of listening, asking good questions, and using language carefully when working with diverse groups. Dana explains how creativity and art help communicate across cultures and allow people to sit with discomfort. Finally, they reflect on the importance of having a healthy relationship with oneself, being a good human, and building real connections. Overall, the discussion presents fundraising as work based on trust, empathy, and belonging rather than transactions. In this episode, you will be able to: - Understand how engagement and fundraising are rooted in human connection and belonging. - Recognize the value of generosity beyond money, including time, talent, and care. - Learn how listening and asking thoughtful questions strengthen relationships. - Explore the role of vulnerability in building trust with communities and donors. - Identify ways to challenge traditional ideas of wealth and success. - Appreciate how art and creativity support communication and healing. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
As one of the most popular ways of contributing to philanthropy, Donor-advised funds are quietly changing the landscape, offering both unprecedented opportunity and unique challenges for nonprofits. By understanding the psychology behind DAFs, fundraisers can understand why donors act faster, give more generously, and engage differently than through traditional channels. Join with us and explore practical strategies for organizations to meet donors where they are, optimize relationships, and unlock the full potential of DAFs as a tool for sustained impact. Mitch Stein is the head of strategy at Chariot, a financial technology company focused on Donor Advised Fund payments. After having a career of 7 years at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker, Mitch joined the nonprofit space, bringing high-impact innovation that is much needed to the landscape of philanthropy. In 2020, he founded Pond, a marketplace connecting nonprofits with tools and service providers. This experience has given him a broad, practical view of the nonprofit ecosystem which he now brings to one of the fastest-growing and most complex areas of modern philanthropy. Key takeaways from the episode: Culture is the most influential force on human behavior. Understanding culture requires a shared definition. Cultural lenses affect how we perceive and interact with the world. Social norms guide our behavior in various contexts. Fast culture changes quickly, while slow culture evolves gradually. Fundraising practices are deeply influenced by cultural beliefs. Positive experiences in giving can reshape perceptions of philanthropy. Storytelling is essential for nonprofits to connect with their audience. Small changes can lead to significant cultural shifts over time. Agency in giving is crucial for fostering genuine generosity. Get all the resources from today's episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it's the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com. Connect with me: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.
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