Nerding Out with The Nonprofit Nerd

Coming from a cathedral of redwoods, from shared moments between a collective of concerned colleagues, this episode of the Nonstop Nonprofit podcast brings together visionary nonprofit leaders Justin Wheeler and Brett Hagler.

Justin is the CEO of Funraise and sometimes-host of the Nonstop Nonprofit podcast, and Brett is CEO of New Story, a nonprofit pioneering solutions to end homelessness. Together, they sat down at Camp Redwood, a creative gathering for social entrepreneurs, to talk about the state of the nonprofit industry—now and long-term.

As he and Justin discussed leaning into opportunities, Brett said, "The harder, more courageous decision will likely come with short-term pain, but ...the big idea that we have is going to be so much more growth that it's worth it." Knowing how and when to take that step is the crux of his conversation with Justin.

Tune in to hear nonprofit leaders just like yourself discuss stretch goal strategies, the crossroads of opportunity and obligation, and the value of using software as a strategy.

For full video interview --> https://www.youtube.com/@Funraiseplatform

The winds of change are blowing, and nonprofits, ahem, the for-good sector, isn’t immune. Today we’re talking to a seasoned nonprofiteer who has experienced his share of change and made it his mission to shepherd for-good organizations through transformational moments.

In this conversation with Todd Hiestand, Co-owner of Liminal, a creative branding agency for nonprofits, we touch on the effects that change has on the for-good sector, how to foster these shifts, and the value of leaning into the liminal spaces where change happens.

One change that host David Schwab would like to see could be viewed as semantical—and it’s one that Todd and David air their views on in this episode: the movement from “nonprofit” language to “for-good”. It’s also one that he’d love to hear your views on, so please let him know your thoughts!

Join us now for a discussion on the merits of “for-good” language, the ways change and innovation intersect, and how none of us are alone on the road to better.

Be sure to pick up a copy of the latest ebook from Liminal, Effective Nonprofit Branding, available on their website now.

Today, we’re talking about a serious subject that has inspired a seriously enlightened discussion: Retention in the for-good sector. If you’ve been working in this sector for any length of time, you’re probably aware that keeping mission-oriented staff is harder than ever.

But why? If you’re a nonprofit leader seeing your staff burn out and move away from causes that they’re passionate about, what can you do? Today’s guest, Amber Christoferson, is here to help you answer that question. With a career path that’s taken her from United Way to the Fortune 500 and back to the for-good sector as VP of DickersonBakker’s Executive Search Group, Amber is leading the conversation around this crucial issue.

Starting with understanding your organization’s identity and needs, focusing on setting your staff up for success, and building a culture of retention, Amber leans on the DickersonBakker 2023 Nonprofit Leadership and Fundraising study that reveals significant disconnects between the folks working the for-good frontlines and their leadership.

Among all the questions is one sure thing: the best way to solve this problem is to bridge the communication gap, so join the conversation!

Let's start with a phrase that we don’t say often enough: “Get that money, honey!”

Today’s guest, nonprofit leadership coach and major gifts consultant, Rhea Wong, comes to the charitable sector with experience as a recipient of nonprofit services, a green-but-hustling ED, a self-taught fundraising expert, and a charitable board whisperer.

And as we’ve established, the title of Rhea’s book Get That Money, Honey! The No-Bullsh*t Guide to Raising More Money for Your Nonprofit isn’t just fun to say, it’s full of actionable strategies and learn-from-my-mistakes moments—and Rhea is here to dig through it with us.

Prepare to be entertained and educated in this episode! Rhea and David discuss mindset versus skillset, untelling unhelpful stories, turning the ask into the win, and manifesting Big Donor Energy.

It’s that time of year—the time that we’re all focused on new beginnings and upcoming trends, brimming with hope that there’s some groundbreaking tactic, tool, or trick on the horizon. (Unless you’re listening to this in August, of course.)

Nicole Nidea, Program Director at SODA, has lots to say about a trend that’s been sweeping 2023 and is poised to change the face of fundraising in 2024: What Nicole calls “findability”. We’re talking AI-assisted search experiences, long-game scaling strategies, social mixing tactics that target specific audiences, and more.

For example, using specialized SEO has made Nicole a champion of integrating awareness as a goal into every aspect of fundraising—and increasing that awareness, or “findability” allows SODA staff to focus their energy on the things that matter.

While Nicole brings to life a wonderland of awareness, that’s not all she shines a light on—listen in to hear all about SODA’s scale and scope, partnerships and peer-to-peer, and findability as a fundraising need.

When Jon DeLange agreed to come on the Nonstop Nonprofit podcast, we planned a conversational angle to keep the discussion from spinning out—if you know podcasters, you know staying on topic can be tough!

Jon’s topic was "12 Rules for Fundraising: an antidote to tactical overwhelm during the EOY fundraising season”. As a longtime fundraising consultant and Summit Ministries’ Direct Mail and Digital Fundraising Manager (not to mention one of 2023’s top 25 Fundraising Experts in America), Jon relies on these rules to help fundraisers stay the course when it all gets to be Too Much.

So is it “12 Rules” or “One Weird Secret”? As we dug into Jon’s guidelines, we discovered that everything he shared with us pointed back to an illuminating, universal truth.

And that’s as close as we get to clickbait, friends. Listen in to discover what Jon and I uncovered.

It’s a safe bet that when nonprofiteers talk about their work, the word “passion” will come up pretty quickly. But does passion alone drive impact? Julie Ordoñez says character matters more than passion when it comes to fundraising.

From directing philanthropy and being a Major Gift Officer at organizations like New Story, Lift, and United Way of Greater Los Angeles to coaching leaders in raising game-changing gifts, Julie has a unique perspective for growing any organization’s impact—and that perspective hinges on courage.

Julie even leads an intimate program called Courage Lab designed to help fundraisers make bold asks of individual donors. So get ready, because listeners, today you’re going to get the best of the best advice on how to infuse your asks with character and courage for results that go far beyond the ordinary.

It’s a universal truth that people love to feel special. We all want to feel like we’re an indispensable part of something. It’s also true that each and every one of us has limitations on our time, money, and attention.

So with these realities coexisting, how can nonprofits interact with supporters on a personal level while not draining them of resources? Katelyn Baughan, nonprofit email marketing expert and consultant to Trevor Project, UNHCR, and Amnesty International, has more than a few tactics to share with Nonstop Nonprofit listeners.

As nonprofit fundraisers, you and I are used to feeling pressure to perform. It’s not uncommon for us to be told that without donations—literally our job, btw—our world will be a darker, sharper place. Katelyn’s antidote emphasizes speaking up during quieter moments, making magic happen in the harsh light of a screen, and elevating everyone’s experience through innovation.

So whether you’re in the thick of your busiest time of year or you’re a year-in-advance planner, Katelyn’s advice in this episode will help you use email to scale impact, retain donors, and align your communications—all while reminding you that you, too, are essential to our brighter tomorrow.

Talk about a jam-packed podcast episode—this conversation with Cameron Bartlett has it all: anecdotes, examples, trends, cautionary tales, solutions, trends, strategies… and did we mention cutting-edge trends from the trenches?

That’s right; as we talked, Cameron had a story and a trend that related to each and every topic we brought up. And it’s no surprise… Cameron’s a fast-moving, trend-setting, high-growth fundraising consultant who’s worked with nonprofits like New Story, IJM, Compassion, Cure, and World Vision—and is now Stop Soldier Suicide's Vice President of Performance Marketing—reaching hundreds of millions of people and drive important global initiatives.

As a veteran fundraising consultant himself, Nonstop Nonprofit podcast host David Schwab was excited to talk with a realistic optimist who sees the same extraordinary potential in nonprofits that he does.

So, if you’re looking for a dense discussion that will stimulate your strategies and transfer trends for fruitful fundraising, or you like alliteration, listen in to this episode of Nonstop Nonprofit!

Let us ask you a question, fundraiser: When it comes to crunch time for your fundraising campaigns, do you feel intense pressure to find a poster child for your nonprofit, capture their iconic story, and optimize it to deliver maximum donations?

Look into our eyes, listener, and hear us when we say that’s a daunting task for anyone. It’s no wonder storytelling stresses nonprofits out!

But there is a way, and you’re about to hear the secret directly from one of the storytelling greats. Olga M. Woltman has the key to discovering, creating, and distributing stories that will compel connections and keep donors coming back time after time.

Spoiler alert: it doesn’t involve parading a poster child around, invading your clients’ privacy, or making something up.

Today, Olga and David Schwab, Funraise's Director of Growth Marketing have the scoop for you on how to ethically and empathetically uncover the captivating stories just beneath the surface, weave relevant impact stats and authentic conversations throughout, and choose the perfect moment to release them for incredible impact.