Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast

Crisis Fundraising Lessons from the Front Lines

Transforming a fundraising program

Do this one thing to integrate brand and fundraising effectively

The future of fundraising is relational

Know Your Calling. And Do It.

Tracy Thomas is a rabblerouser. A change leader. A force.  She’s also a loving mom, a caring wife, and a committed believer.  Tracy and I sat down to have a frank and honest conversation about what it’s like to be a woman in executive leadership in the nonprofit sector.  As Senior Vice President of Advancement […]

Why Soliciting Asset-based Gifts is Essential to your Nonprofit's Success

Creating the Perfect Donor Communication

Rethinking Nonprofit Marketing

Nonprofit Digital Strategies for Growth

How to build a THRIVING nonprofit culture

YES! There IS a better way to fundraise

2023 Fundraising Trends & Predictions

The Nonprofit Generosity Crisis

Increasing Mission Impact

How one charity achieves 98% retention

Farming and Fundraising

Over my 25-year fundraising career I’ve often heard it said, “fundraising is like farming — you plant the seed, allow time to take hold, and then eventually reap the harvest.” But as Joel Eaton, Founder of Preface and I discussed, there are a multitude of other ways that fundraising and farming are similar. In this […]

Infusing B-School Thinking into Nonprofits

“If we believe so much in our missions and what we’re trying to accomplish, we have a moral obligation to provide the time and space for our employees to get the continuing education necessary to be the best they can at their jobs.” I loved this quote from Andrew McIndoe, Vice President at The Heritage […]

Infusing B-School Thinking into Nonprofits

“If we believe so much in our missions and what we’re trying to accomplish, we have a moral obligation to provide the time and space for our employees to get the continuing education necessary to be the best they can at their jobs.” I loved this quote from Andrew McIndoe, Vice President at The Heritage […]

Nonprofit F-Words

If you’ve spent any time at all in the nonprofit sector, you know there are some subjects that are taboo. Some subjects that are difficult to discuss in public spaces, and others that are purely unpopular.  Our guests today refer to those topics collectively as “Nonprofit F-Words.”  No, not THAT F-Word. I promise.  In this […]

Nonprofit F-Words

If you’ve spent any time at all in the nonprofit sector, you know there are some subjects that are taboo. Some subjects that are difficult to discuss in public spaces, and others that are purely unpopular.  Our guests today refer to those topics collectively as “Nonprofit F-Words.”  No, not THAT F-Word. I promise.  In this […]

Gift Planning and Donor Legacies

Gift planning and legacy giving conversations don’t just have to be about death and mortality. In fact, they can and should be beautiful conversations about how donors can care for the long-term needs of their families, AND, how they can make significant impact for the causes they care most about.  Kristi Brennan, Chartered Advisor in […]

Gift Planning and Donor Legacies

Gift planning and legacy giving conversations don’t just have to be about death and mortality. In fact, they can and should be beautiful conversations about how donors can care for the long-term needs of their families, AND, how they can make significant impact for the causes they care most about.  Kristi Brennan, Chartered Advisor in […]

The Truth About Leading Change

Everyone pretty much everywhere is talking about change right now. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, change seems to be the word of the day. And if you’re not talking about change, you might be talking about transformation. That’s just bigger change, right?  What so many of us get wrong about change and transformation efforts […]

The Truth About Leading Change

Everyone pretty much everywhere is talking about change right now. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, change seems to be the word of the day. And if you’re not talking about change, you might be talking about transformation. That’s just bigger change, right?  What so many of us get wrong about change and transformation efforts […]

Social Media Strategy, with Julia Campbell

What’s the role of social media in today’s nonprofit landscape?  Why do you need to think about social media within the broader context of your overall marketing and fundraising strategy, instead of as a stand-alone effort?  Should social media replace your other marketing tactics, or should it augment your existing plan?  How should your nonprofit […]

Social Media Strategy, with Julia Campbell

What’s the role of social media in today’s nonprofit landscape?  Why do you need to think about social media within the broader context of your overall marketing and fundraising strategy, instead of as a stand-alone effort?  Should social media replace your other marketing tactics, or should it augment your existing plan?  How should your nonprofit […]

Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

Dr. Patton McDowell has spent his entire professional career leading organizations and developing high-performing leaders across the nonprofit sector.  You might have caught my conversation with Patton a few weeks ago on his show, Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. If you didn’t, you should check it out. We had an in-depth conversation on the impact […]

Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

Dr. Patton McDowell has spent his entire professional career leading organizations and developing high-performing leaders across the nonprofit sector.  You might have caught my conversation with Patton a few weeks ago on his show, Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. If you didn’t, you should check it out. We had an in-depth conversation on the impact […]

Using behavioral research to shape your marketing and fundraising

Katie Lord is Vice President of Nonprofit Development at Proof Positioning, a market research company that uses emotional research to better understand donors and motivate them to act for nonprofits.  Katie and I talked recently about the disconnect between marketing and fundraising in nonprofits, as well as the impact of behavioral economics and emotional research […]

Using behavioral research to shape your marketing and fundraising

Katie Lord is Vice President of Nonprofit Development at Proof Positioning, a market research company that uses emotional research to better understand donors and motivate them to act for nonprofits.  Katie and I talked recently about the disconnect between marketing and fundraising in nonprofits, as well as the impact of behavioral economics and emotional research […]

Culture Drives Philanthropy

Jenny Soderholm has invested her entire career in healthcare philanthropy. As Chief Development Officer at Children’s Minnesota and President of Children’s Minnesota Foundation, Jenny is focused on fostering a broad and deep culture of philanthropy that advances her organization’s ability to serve more children and families across Minnesota.  As we talked recently, Jenny shared some […]

Culture Drives Philanthropy

Jenny Soderholm has invested her entire career in healthcare philanthropy. As Chief Development Officer at Children’s Minnesota and President of Children’s Minnesota Foundation, Jenny is focused on fostering a broad and deep culture of philanthropy that advances her organization’s ability to serve more children and families across Minnesota.  As we talked recently, Jenny shared some […]

Overflow(ing) with generosity

What does a Bay Area pastor know about nonprofits and charitable giving?  Turns out he knows quite a lot.  At least if that guy is Vance Roush.  Vance is Founder of Overflow.co, a platform created to help unlock generosity across the globe.  Overflow is a platform that helps generous individuals give to charities and ministry […]

Overflow(ing) with generosity

What does a Bay Area pastor know about nonprofits and charitable giving?  Turns out he knows quite a lot.  At least if that guy is Vance Roush.  Vance is Founder of Overflow.co, a platform created to help unlock generosity across the globe.  Overflow is a platform that helps generous individuals give to charities and ministry […]

Embracing a fundraising mindset

Do you have a theology of fundraising?  This was a fascinating question that Michael Mitchell posited on the show recently, and it led to a great conversation about what’s really important in our craft.  Michael is Director of Development and Discipleship at Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO).  In our conversation, Michael talked a lot about […]

Embracing a fundraising mindset

Do you have a theology of fundraising?  This was a fascinating question that Michael Mitchell posited on the show recently, and it led to a great conversation about what’s really important in our craft.  Michael is Director of Development and Discipleship at Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO).  In our conversation, Michael talked a lot about […]

Food Bank fundraising with Rebecca Hendrix

Rebecca Hendrix is Chief Development Officer at Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. She joined us on the podcast recently to talk about food bank fundraising, engaging donors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to deal with the various challenges facing the nonprofit sector today. Some of the highlights from our conversation include: Understanding the complexity and challenges that arise with engaging donors in a purely virtual environment Navigating crises at your organization and ca...

Food Bank fundraising with Rebecca Hendrix

Rebecca Hendrix is Chief Development Officer at Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. She joined us on the podcast recently to talk about food bank fundraising, engaging donors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to deal with the various challenges facing the nonprofit sector today. Some of the highlights from our conversation include: Understanding the complexity and challenges that arise with engaging donors in a purely virtual environment Navigating crises at your organization and ca...

Passion for your mission drives success

Kevin Feldman is Director of Development at The Salvation Army, Lake County, Indiana. He also advises small and emerging nonprofits on all things fundraising-related.  Kevin also runs a one-person development shop and has spent years fine-tuning his approach to donor engagement and fundraising.  We sat down recently to discuss the state of fundraising amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and how that’s changing the nonprofit landscape. Kevin had some great insights about the work and how we ought...

Passion for your mission drives success

Kevin Feldman is Director of Development at The Salvation Army, Lake County, Indiana. He also advises small and emerging nonprofits on all things fundraising-related.  Kevin also runs a one-person development shop and has spent years fine-tuning his approach to donor engagement and fundraising.  We sat down recently to discuss the state of fundraising amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and how that’s changing the nonprofit landscape. Kevin had some great insights about the work and how we ought...

LinkedIn and Your Nonprofit, with Anthony Jones

Anthony Jones is Founder of LinkedInOnePercentClub and formerly led all digital marketing, fundraising and social media strategy at Ducks Unlimited. He’s one of the most prolific digital marketers in our sector, and an all-around great guy.  Recently, Anthony made a HUGE move, leaving a 15-year career at Ducks Unlimited and launching his own company to help people like you and me improve our personal brands on LinkedIn.  In this conversation, Anthony and I talk about the importance of bui...

LinkedIn and Your Nonprofit, with Anthony Jones

Anthony Jones is Founder of LinkedInOnePercentClub and formerly led all digital marketing, fundraising and social media strategy at Ducks Unlimited. He’s one of the most prolific digital marketers in our sector, and an all-around great guy.  Recently, Anthony made a HUGE move, leaving a 15-year career at Ducks Unlimited and launching his own company to help people like you and me improve our personal brands on LinkedIn.  In this conversation, Anthony and I talk about the importance of bui...

The challenge of feeding 1 million people every day

 In our first episode of 2022 we sat down with Andy Carr, Vice President of Development and Marketing at Feed My Starving Children.  Feed My Starving Children is a Christian international hunger relief organization that will provide 370 million meals to people in need across the globe this year. That’s more than 1 million meals per day.  In our conversation with Andy, we covered many topics, including: The philanthropic power of an engaging volunteer experience. Crafting easily shareabl...

The challenge of feeding 1 million people every day

 In our first episode of 2022 we sat down with Andy Carr, Vice President of Development and Marketing at Feed My Starving Children.  Feed My Starving Children is a Christian international hunger relief organization that will provide 370 million meals to people in need across the globe this year. That’s more than 1 million meals per day.  In our conversation with Andy, we covered many topics, including: The philanthropic power of an engaging volunteer experience. Crafting easily shareabl...

Integrated approach raises $20+ Million for Freedom Alliance

We recently sat down with Tom Kilgannon, President of Freedom Alliance.  Freedom Alliance is a nonprofit organization founded to support our nation’s combat wounded and deployed troops and their families. One of their greatest contributions to the military community is their scholarship fund for the dependents of military personnel who have been severely wounded or killed in combat. To-date, Freedom Alliance has given out $20 Million in college scholarships to the dependents of America’s f...

Integrated approach raises $20+ Million for Freedom Alliance

We recently sat down with Tom Kilgannon, President of Freedom Alliance.  Freedom Alliance is a nonprofit organization founded to support our nation’s combat wounded and deployed troops and their families. One of their greatest contributions to the military community is their scholarship fund for the dependents of military personnel who have been severely wounded or killed in combat. To-date, Freedom Alliance has given out $20 Million in college scholarships to the dependents of America’s f...

The Storytelling Fundraiser, with Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP

Welcome to the 100th episode of The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast! I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to visit with Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP for this milestone episode.  If you know Dr. James, you know this will be a great conversation. If you don’t know him yet, you’re in for a real treat! Dr. James is Director of graduate studies in charitable planning in the Division of Personal Financial Planning in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University. His research int...

The Storytelling Fundraiser, with Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP

Welcome to the 100th episode of The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast! I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to visit with Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP for this milestone episode.  If you know Dr. James, you know this will be a great conversation. If you don’t know him yet, you’re in for a real treat! Dr. James is Director of graduate studies in charitable planning in the Division of Personal Financial Planning in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University. His research int...

NeighborShare, with Diana Zhang

Diana Zhang left a lucrative career as a hedge fund executive in the midst of the pandemic to co-found NeighborShare, a new platform created to support front line heroes in the nonprofit sector, allowing them to match real community needs with donors interested in supporting them.  Discovering that 40% of American families can’t afford even a $400 emergency, Diana and her partners launched an organization designed to help provide this kind of emergency bridge funding to individuals in need...

NeighborShare, with Diana Zhang

Diana Zhang left a lucrative career as a hedge fund executive in the midst of the pandemic to co-found NeighborShare, a new platform created to support front line heroes in the nonprofit sector, allowing them to match real community needs with donors interested in supporting them.  Discovering that 40% of American families can’t afford even a $400 emergency, Diana and her partners launched an organization designed to help provide this kind of emergency bridge funding to individuals in need...