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Fundraising Episodes

Tips and tools for enhancing your fundraising skills, whether as an individual leader or nonprofit organization.
May 24, 2023

211: Is Philanthropy in a State of Crisis? (Nathan Chappell & Brian C…

211: Is Philanthropy in a State of Crisis? (Nathan Chappell & Brain Crimmins) SUMMARY Is philanthropy in a state of crisis? In episode #211 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Nathan Chappell and Brian Crimmins, co-authors of the book, The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to…

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April 26, 2023

207: Embracing the Art & Science of a Capital Campaign (Bob Pierce)

207: Embracing the Art & Science of a Capital Campaign (Bob Pierce) SUMMARY Will you be ready when it’s time to conduct a fundraising campaign at your organization? Nearly every nonprofit is in some stage of campaign planning: thinking about one, implementing one or recovering from one! As a le…

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April 19, 2023

206: Staffing Your Grants Program: Employee or Consultant? (Holly Rus…

206: Staffing Your Grants Program: Employee or Consultant? (Holly Rustick) SUMMARY Grant writing is more than just a process, it’s a skill. And like any skill, we must perfect it with time and practice. So how do you evaluate if you should outsource this aspect of your fundraising program or invest…

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March 15, 2023

201: Key Fundraising Trends Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know (Matt Nash)

201: Key Fundraising Trends Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know (Matt Nash) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you aware of the unique motivations many Donor Advise Fund (DAF) givers share? Do you target stewardship efforts to this group of individuals specifically? In episode #201 of Your Path to Nonpr…

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Feb. 22, 2023

198: Dirty Little Secrets of Direct Response Fundraising (Andrew Olse…

198: Dirty Little Secrets of Direct Response Fundraising (Andrew Olsen) SUMMARY What is direct response fundraising? Is it part of your overall fundraising plan and are you getting the returns you expect? In episode #198 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Andrew Olsen returns to the podcast and …

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Jan. 25, 2023

194: 3 Essential Characteristics for Nonprofit Leaders (Jama Campbell)

194: 3 Essential Characteristics for Nonprofit Leaders (Jama Campbell) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader looking for specific program funding, are you aware of all your opportunities and what those potential funders are specifically looking for when considering where to invest? In episode #194 of Your …

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Oct. 26, 2022

181: What Are Your Donors Thinking? (Derric Bakker)

181: What Are Your Donors Thinking? (Derric Bakker) SUMMARY After record-level giving during Covid, what are your donors thinking with uncertain economic conditions ahead? In episode #181 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Derric Bakker, a 30+ year expert fundraiser and founder of t…

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Aug. 24, 2022

172: 3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Inspire Greater Investment (Deepa Naik)

172: 3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Inspire Greater Investment (Deepa Naik) SUMMARY How do you make a successful case for funding given the increasing number of urgent needs in your community? Your donors certainly have many great causes to consider. In episode #172 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership,…

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Aug. 10, 2022

170: How Can Your Nonprofit Be More Effective Seeking Grants? (Gauri …

170: How Can Your Nonprofit Be More Effective Seeking Grants? (Gauri Manglik) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you focused on the most important elements that help you generate more funding? In episode #170 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, learn how to better train your staff, measure the im…

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Aug. 3, 2022

169: How to Assess the Philanthropic Culture of a Nonprofit Organizat…

169: How to Assess the Philanthropic Culture of a Nonprofit Organization (Armando Chardiet) SUMMARY Does your organization have a philanthropic culture? How do you know? Armando Chardiet discusses exactly that in episode #169 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, and provides recommendations to bes…

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July 20, 2022

167: Horror Stories of Fundraising: What Would You Do? (Jay Frost)

167: Horror Stories of Fundraising: What Would You Do? (Jay Frost) SUMMARY Think you're the only one to experience a fundraising horror story? Well, Jay Frost is here to assure you’re not alone and there are ways you can avoid these scary situations. In episode #167 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leader…

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May 4, 2022

156: Everything You Believe About Small Nonprofit Fundraising is Wron…

156: Everything You Believe About Small Nonprofit Fundraising is Wrong (Zoot Velasco) SUMMARY Is your small nonprofit still trying to raise money through special events? Modeling your fundraising plan on what large nonprofits are doing is among several critical mistakes Zoot Velasco will help you a…

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April 13, 2022

153: Why Diversification is Vital to Your Fundraising Plan (Holly Rus…

153: Why Diversification is Vital to Your Fundraising Plan (Holly Rustick) SUMMARY Is your nonprofit organization writing competitive grants that grow your funding capacity? In episode #153 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership we speak with Holly Rustick, a grant writing expert with over 15 years o…

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March 23, 2022

150: Developing the Right Mindset to be an Effective Fundraiser (Rhea…

150: Developing the Right Mindset to be an Effective Fundraiser (Rhea Wong) SUMMARY Do you struggle with fundraising? Have you truly reflected on why? In honor of our 150th episode of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we discuss what it takes to maximize your fundraising with a leading expert, Rhe…

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Feb. 2, 2022

143: Elevating Your Grants Program as a Nonprofit Leader (Autumn Kec…

143: Elevating Your Grants Program as a Nonprofit Leader (Autumn Keck) SUMMARY Is your overall fundraising plan built on a solid foundation of a comprehensive grant writing program? If not, can you identify the vital readiness steps necessary to best prepare your organization for success? In episod…

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Dec. 1, 2021

134: Why Corporations Should Look at Philanthropy in a New Way (Holly…

134: Why Corporations Should Look at Philanthropy in a New Way (Holly Welch Stubbing) SUMMARY Nonprofit organizations worldwide study ways to capitalize on corporate relationships in their fundraising efforts. Having been on both sides of this equation, Holly Welch Stubbing, the President & CEO…

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Nov. 17, 2021

132: The Power of Donor Stewardship as a Nonprofit Leader (Caitlin Do…

132: The Power of Donor Stewardship as a Nonprofit Leader (Caitlin Donley) SUMMARY Fundraising is more than simply communicating your mission effectively to your donors and asking for support. The real magic happens after the gift is received, and doing more than just saying “thank you” means a non…

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Oct. 6, 2021

126: Finding the Resources You Need as a Nonprofit Leader (Stephanie …

126: Finding the Resources You Need as a Nonprofit Leader (Stephanie Minor) SUMMARY The best nonprofit leaders embrace the concept of life-long learning because they know they must stay on top of the issues that face their organization and the sector in which it operates. Managing issues of fundrai…

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Sept. 8, 2021

122: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Jumpstart the Funder Partnership (Kell…

122: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Jumpstart the Funder Partnership (Kelly Chopus) SUMMARY The partnership between nonprofit leaders and their counterparts at grant-making organizations is a critical one, and Kelly Chopus understands both sides of this collaborative dynamic. In episode #122 of the Path…

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Aug. 11, 2021

118: Embracing the Power of Philanthropy as a Nonprofit Leader (Charl…

118: Embracing the Power of Philanthropy as a Nonprofit Leader SUMMARY Philanthropy is the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations, but the acquisition of charitable dollars can be a motivational barrier for many nonprofit leaders. We all have hang-ups about money, and that can hurt our enthusiasm to …

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July 28, 2021

116: Is It Time for a Capital Campaign? (Cindy Clark)

116: Is It Time for a Capital Campaign? (Cindy Clark) SUMMARY As we move through the pandemic, numerous factors are influencing nonprofit leaders to consider whether now is the time to launch a capital campaign. Pent up demand, relatively good economic conditions, competition from other nonprofits …

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July 14, 2021

114: Leadership, Track Record & Sustainability: How Does Your Nonprof…

114: Leadership, Track Record & Sustainability: How Does Your Nonprofit Stack Up? (Tom Lawrence) SUMMARY It’s common for a nonprofit leader to wonder what a prospective funder is thinking as he or she evaluates your organization for a potential investment. Fortunately, Tom Lawrence is happy to …

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June 7, 2021

108: What is Giving Done Right? (Phil Buchanan)

108: What is Giving Done Right? (Phil Buchanan) SUMMARY What are the critical issues facing nonprofit leaders right now, and how do they impact the funders that support their efforts? That’s exactly the question I posed in this bonus episode #108 of the Path to Phil Buchanan, who has led the Center…

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June 2, 2021

107: How To Engage The 3 Distinct Types of Funders (Sybil Ackerman-Mu…

107: How To Engage The 3 Distinct Types of Funders (Sybil Ackerman-Munson) SUMMARY Every nonprofit leader rehearses their perfect case for support in anticipation of a donor meeting. And while the ability to deliver a clear and compelling vision for your organization is critical, an often-overlooke…

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