In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Dr. Jeff McGee, a leadership and organizational culture strategist and creator of the Triple Loop Leadership framework. Dr. McGee has worked in nonprofits from frontline staff to executive leadership for over a decade and now coaches organizations nationwide on building healthy cultures and managing AI adoption.

You'll hear about:
* Why lack of honest communication creates quiet disengagement and an "us versus them" mentality between leadership and staff
* The key to retention: making staff feel valued, respected, and truly part of the mission they serve
* Three major challenges nonprofits face when introducing AI: ethics and privacy concerns, mixed readiness levels, and treating AI as threat versus efficiency tool
* How to frame AI as a relationship-building enabler rather than job replacement in the service-oriented nonprofit sector
* Using mentorship programs to bridge generational gaps when implementing new technology like AI
* Why effective AI adoption is really about strong change management that includes voices from every organizational level

Links from the episode:
* Connect with Dr. Jeff McGee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-jeff-mcgee-38185468/
* Learn more about Cross-Cultural Dynamics: www.ccdynamics.org
* Get Dr. McGee's book "Reimagining Learning: The Power of Triple Loop Leadership": Order Here
* Email Dr. McGee: jmcgee@ccdynamics.org

Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at virtuous.org.

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Griff Bohm. As one of the founders of Momentum, an AI-powered donor engagement platform for mid-level & major gifts, Griff brings unique insights into how artificial intelligence can transform fundraising without losing the human connection that drives giving.

You'll hear about:
• Starting with problems instead of solutions when adopting AI tools
• Building major gift programs that leverage technology to create more donor time
• Understanding why major giving continues to grow as a percentage of overall fundraising
• Recognizing donor expectations for personalized, impact-focused communication
• Preparing teams for an AI-enhanced fundraising future
• Identifying practical AI applications that remove friction from daily work
• Creating systems that amplify relationship-building rather than replace it

Links:
Connect with Griff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/griffinbohm/
Learn more about Momentum: https://virtuous.org/momentum/

Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at https://virtuous.org/.

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Matt Lombardi, Founder of Share, to unpack what real digital engagement looks like when it’s done well and why it actually leads people to take action.

Matt brings a practitioner’s perspective from working alongside nonprofits of all sizes, sharing what separates organizations that grow sustainably from those stuck on the acquisition hamster wheel. From donor personas and retention strategies to recurring giving programs that actually work, you’ll walk away with practical insights you can apply immediately.

You’ll hear about:

Why focus matters more than doing “all the channels”

How smart digital engagement builds trust and drives generosity

Creative ways to strengthen donor retention without always asking for money

What recurring giving programs need to succeed long-term

How technology decisions today shape fundraising outcomes tomorrow

Matt also shares where nonprofits get stuck internally and how teams can build momentum even when bureaucracy, bandwidth, or fear of change slows things down.

Links from the episode:

Connect with Matt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-lombardi-717547111/

Learn more about Share Talent: https://sharetalent.co/

Learn more about Share Services: https://www.shareservices.co/

Learn more about Virtuous at virtuous.org/learnmore and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist.

Dana Snyder of Positive Equation joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss social media and digital strategy for nonprofits. During our conversation we covered the dance marathons that first sparked her interest in college, how to make your mission stand out in the busy online landscape, and how to connect more deeply with your supporters.

Dana Snyder is the founder and CEO of Positive Equation, a digital consultancy focused on helping nonprofits cultivate a passionate online following of donors, volunteers, and advocates.

Stacy LeBaron joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to talk about delivering animal welfare services during times of crisis and the power of pivoting.

Stacy has been involved in animal welfare for over 20 years. She is the host and founder of Community Cats Podcast, a 5 day a week podcast show where she interviews nationally and internationally renowned experts helping with the problem of cat overpopulation and cat welfare. In addition to the podcast, Stacy is committed to the model of virtual education by holding weekend conferences and day long educational sessions. Prior to the podcast,  Stacy served for 16 years as president of the Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society, and then directed the Mentoring Program at that organization.

 

Nonprofit technology veteran Kent Woodyard joins Noah Barnett to discuss nonprofit technology, what nonprofits can learn from Amazon, and how organizations can adopt a "Day One" mindset.

Brian Numainville, consultant, speaker, and author joins the Responsive Fundraising podcast to discuss his observations from 2020, where nonprofits might be missing opportunities, and his future outlook. Nonprofit Surveys: Your Nonprofit Needs to Ask Questions An accomplished consultant and the president of NUMINSIGHTS LLC, as well as a principal with Retail Feedback Group, Brian partners with organizations throughout the United States to design and execute a wide range of research and feedback programs, as well as advises on public relations and communications efforts. Brian is also the co-author of Feedback Rules!

Cameron Ripley joins the Responsive Fundraising podcast to discuss the latest trends in nonprofit marketing. During our conversation we discuss the lessons learned from hundreds of nonprofit marketing campaigns in 2020, the essentials of successful, digital-first fundraising plans, and what organizations must double down on as they plan their go-forward digital strategies.

Cameron is the CEO and Founder of Community Boost Consulting, a digital marketing agency that exists to empower social ventures changing the world. Trusted by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Foundation, the Trevor Project, United Ways, Humane Societies and hundreds of other great causes from around the world, Community Boost has been committed to helping nonprofits drive more meaningful conversions online since 2012.

Additional resources:

• Nonprofit Marketing Summit
• Nonprofit marketing resources

Ray Taylor, Director of Advancement at Franciscan Media joins Noah Barnett to talk about his Six Sigma-style approach to nonprofit leadership, designing fundraising campaigns and building fundraising systems.

Franciscan Media is a sponsored ministry of the Franciscan friars of St. John the Baptist Province. They strive to inspire a loving world that embraces the Franciscan spirit of harmony, joy, and simplicity.

Ariel Glassman, purpose-driven fundraising consultant, joins Noah Barnett to talk about pivoting between traditional strategies to responsive fundraising, trends in events, and donor cultivation.

Ariel's expertise includes customizing fundraising strategy, tactical development planning, building systematic and intentional donor engagement programs, defining staffing needs and structuring development teams, building and refining infrastructure and tools, donor data analytics and donor surveys, and donor communications. She helps organizations build connective tissue between their fundraising strategy, technology and operations, staff capacity, and donor relationships.

Nonprofit executive coach and fundraising consultant Mallory Erickson joins Noah Barnett to talk about being a more effective fundraiser, changing your mindset, and unlocking new potential to fuel your mission.

Since 2018, Mallory has successfully coached over 50 fundraisers and organizations to increase their fundraising capacity by powerfully combining her tactical fundraising expertise with the best executive coaching tools out there. This combination allow her clients to identify both internal and external barriers to success and overcome them. She is the creator of the Power Partners Formula

Global philanthropy consultant Kris Putnam-Walkerly has advised top philanthropists for over 20 years, transforming their giving and catapulting their impact. As a sought after philanthropy advisor, expert and award-winning author, she's helped hundreds of wealthy families, foundations, Fortune 500 companies, Giving Pledge signatories, and wealth advisors strategically influence and allocate over half a billion dollars in grants and gifts. She is the author of Delusional Altruism, Confident Giving, and The ImpactAssets Handbook for Investors.

Casey Davis, the Executive Director at the Diabetes Research Connection, joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss her experience leading a growing nonprofit through transition and trials. During our conversation we discuss Casey’s “partner with” fundraising approach, the importance of having a holistic fundraising strategy, and why Casey is optimistic about the industry’s future.

Diabetes Research Connection empowers people affected by type 1 diabetes and supports highly innovative research, for which seed funding is notoriously hard to obtain. This unique, disease-specific crowdfunding platform was established by leading diabetes scientists and advocates. This one-of-a-kind community is uniquely focused on funding innovative, discovery research and supporting early career scientists in type 1 diabetes research.

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with fundraising strategist Kel Haney, who has made more than twenty thousand asks by phone and helped nonprofits generate over twenty million dollars in mid-level giving.

Kel shares how she went from directing theater in New York to discovering the power of a well-structured donor conversation, and why a simple five-minute call can be one of the most effective tools a fundraiser has.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How Kel’s theater background shaped her approach to authentic donor conversations

Why mid-level donors sit in the “messy middle” and need their own strategy

The four tent poles of Kel’s five-minute fundraising ask

Why scripts fail, and conversational structure succeeds

How fundraisers can “hold for the silence” and build confidence over time

Ways tools like Virtuous and Virtuous Momentum support personal outreach at scale

How organizations can segment, prioritize, and even outsource outbound donor calls

Links from the episode:

Connect with Kel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kel-haney/

Learn more about Kel’s work and schedule a convo: https://www.kelhaney.com/

Learn more about Virtuous at virtuous.org/learnmore and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist

Gabe Cooper, Virtuous' CEO and founder joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss what we can glean from the events of 2020 and how fundraisers should pivot to maximize the potential of 2021. 2020 has been a year of massive change for nonprofits. Everything has changed from entire teams going remote overnight to a chaotic election season, to a civil rights movement driving systemic change, to the devastating impact of COVID-19. During the discussion Gabe shares six fundraising strategies nonprofit teams can carry forward into 2021.

6 Fundraising Strategies To Help You Grow

1) You must know your donors. And in order to know them, you must listen.

2) Generosity begets generosity.

3) Let 2021 be the year you get educated on donor advised funds and planned giving.

4) Don’t let the crisis go wasted.

5) Double down on your efforts to generate sustainable revenue.

6) Plan out your strategy, but do it with a pencil, not a pen.

https://www.virtuous.org/blog/2021-fundraising-strategies/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabecooper/ 

 

Chris Hammond and Jen Linck of CGC joined The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to get deep into the practical details, steps, and strategies of crafting an effective nonprofit marketing plan.

Chris Hammond founded CGC in order to simplify the giving process between nonprofits and corporations. He developed this unique concept as a result of his experience in working in fundraising and nonprofit consulting management. By means of his pursuits as a nonprofit fundraising consultant, he recognized the need for an all-encompassing company that would utilize the “four pots of fundraising”: event management, grant writing, individual and corporate giving. Chris has 8+ years of event management and 6+ years of nonprofit fundraising consulting & leadership experience. He holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Public Policy and Administration from California Lutheran University.

Jen Linck, CMO, came to CGC after twenty years of marketing experience in the entertainment industry, working in book publishing, television, and film. A driven marketing professional with a passion for innovation and a reputation as a highly analytical consumer engagement expert with proven project management skills, Jen is responsible for leading the marketing strategy for CGC and its nonprofit consulting clients. Jen holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from James Madison University and an Executive MBA from Pepperdine University where she graduated with honors and now serves as adjunct faculty teaching marketing at the business school.

 

JB Stark (they/them) joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to talk about leading their team to resiliency and growth during COVID-19 and beyond.

JB  is the Director of Individual Giving at The Trevor Project and is honored to work with Trevor’s family of donors who support the organization’s operations and growth. Prior to this, JB worked at the NYU Stern School of Business on the Development and Alumni Relations Team, working with alumni to bring the Dean’s vision to success by raising critical funds for programs and scholarships. JB has years of experience working in fundraising and nonprofit leadership in economic empowerment, education, and LGBTQ youth advocacy spaces. As the Deputy Executive Director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, JB worked on LGBTQ youth community mobilization, health education, disease prevention, and engagement initiatives across the country.

The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The Trevor Project offers a suite of 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat as well as the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, TrevorSpace. Trevor also operates an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, an advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and a research team to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide.

Donate here. Find the resources JB mentioned here.

Sarah Landman joins the Responsive Fundraising podcast to discuss personalized donor stewardship. During our conversation we discuss the tie between theatre and fundraising, key donor signals nonprofits must tune in on, and how you turn signals into more personalized cultivation plans, especially in 2021.

Sarah is the Sr. VP of Philanthropy Services at NewsBank / Insightful, a web-based platform to help nonprofits know more about their donors that lead to deeper relationships.

Sarah is an experienced fundraising and business executive with a 15 year history and successful results working in the fundraising industry. Skilled in major gift fundraising, business development, marketing, capital campaign consulting, women's philanthropy and legacy planning. M.A. in Philanthropy and Development from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.

https://www.insightfulphilanthropy.com/home
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjanelandman/ 

 

Steven Aguiar joins The Responsive Fundraising podcast to discuss how nonprofits can grow their donor base through digital acquisition and paid campaigns. During the conversation we discuss essential elements of digital marketing campaigns and why a growth blueprint should replace your traditional fundraising plan.

Steven is the founder of Good Goes Further, a company that helps nonprofits create and execute a plan for digital growth. He is a full-stack digital marketer with experience running all aspects of a company's digital marketing and is now using his experience for good by focusing completely on growing nonprofits. Over the past four years, Steven has helped dozens of businesses scale and activate digital audiences and with Good Goes Further, he hopes to bring all of those growth marketing capabilities directly to nonprofits.

https://goodgoesfurther.com

Lindsay Voltz, the Sr. Director of Major Gifts at the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF), joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss donor stewardship strategies and what today's donor is looking for from fundraisers. During the discussion we unpack what's top of mind for today's philanthropist, how you navigate the balance between what a donor desires to do with your nonprofit's mission, and the importance of improv within fundraising.

Lindsay Voltz, CFRE currently serves as Senior Director, Major Gifts at the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) overseeing a team of frontline major gift fundraisers and DRIF’s expansion to a regional major gift model. Prior to joining DRIF, Lindsay was the Director of Major Giving, Southeast at the Parkinson’s Foundation. While with the Parkinson’s Foundation, Lindsay led major gift efforts for the southeast region of the U.S. and built a robust pipeline of major donors across nine states.
Lindsay has been in the nonprofit sector for more than thirteen years, with a focus on development and major gift fundraising for the majority of her career.

Prior to her role at the Parkinson’s Foundation, Lindsay raised crucial funds for cancer research for Moffitt Cancer Center. Lindsay held a number of roles while at Moffitt, including as a Development Officer building a midlevel giving program, Associate Director of Principal Gifts during which time she secured multiple six and seven-figure gifts and as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations overseeing the CFR program. Lindsay began her nonprofit career with Obesity Action Coalition, a national patient advocacy organization, where she initially served as Marketing Manager, followed by her role as Director of Development and Engagement Initiatives.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayvoltz
https://www.diabetesresearch.org/ 

David J. O'Brien and Matthew D. Craig join The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss the insights from their new book Building Smart Nonprofits. During the conversation we dig into  alternative funding models, how to move beyond golf tournaments, galas, and grants, and ask the question whether there are too many nonprofits. Many contrarian notes, but insightful.

Building Smart Nonprofits: A Roadmap for Mission Success is a handbook of best practices nonprofits can use to improve sustainability - a book of knowledge and know-how distilled from interviews with over 60 industry leaders who are in the nonprofit trenches every day—as executives, leaders, board members, funders, publishers, and service providers.

David J. O’Brien and Matthew D. Craig provide real-life examples of nonprofits deploying best practices and emerging industry trends – such as the rise of socially conscious investing – to position their organizations for the long term. Topics include, among others, funding models, impact investing, compensation, strategic restructuring, leadership, full-cost grantmaking, program evaluation, storytelling, and financing. Readers learn how to best position their non-profit organization for a sustainable and long-term future.

https://requiemforthegala.org/our-book/

Bridget Jones and Kelly Hayman join The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share how they help transform the Boys & Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley fundraising programs in light of tremendous challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the conversation we take a step back to March 2020 to recall how Bridget, Kelly, and their team's decision making process amidst the chaos and upending that COVID-19 had on their fundraising channels which was in contrast to the rapid growth in demand for their programs.

Bridget Jones started as a part time Youth Development Worker with Boys & Girls Clubs in her hometown of Greeneville, TN.

With a degree in education from Carson Newman College, a passion for young people and a love of gathering people together, she was able to use her skillset as the Director of Development & Corporate Events to raise funds to support the mission and vision of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee. 

Her heart truly desires to serve young people who need us most and provide them with life-changing opportunities each time they enter the BGS doors.

Kelly Hayman came to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley in 2006 as an Education Director in one of the school based sites.  Over the next fourteen years, Kelly progressed into leadership positions such as Technology Director, Club Director and Executive Director.  He was moved into the role of Annual Gifts Officer in 2019.

In his current role, Kelly is responsible is responsible for developing and stewarding both annual and recurring gifts.  His role allows for him to work with both small and mid-level donors. 

Kelly began his Boys & Girls Club career in 1995 when he was hired to work as a summer staff member for the Boys & Girls Club of Valdosta, GA.  Becoming the Club Director in 2003, he led the Lake Laurie facility from serving 75 members to more than 140 members in 2005. 

https://bgctnv.org/leadership/

Gordon Pont, the Partner and Strategy Director at Collab Agency in Australia, joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to talk about brand and marketing strategy, and the necessity to stand for something to ensure you stand out from the crowd.

During our conversation we pull on Gordon's experience in consumer marketing and nonprofit advocacy and uncover essential traits nonprofit brands need to be remarkable and attract support.

Gordon is a strategically led commercial marketer and business owner. With 20+ years of building brands, across B2C and B2B markets he promises to effectively collaborate so that your business grows. His experience includes senior Marketing, Sales, Category Management, Innovation and Directorship roles. Having also worked across most communication channels in traditional and digital media. He's passionate about working together with teams looking to grow and brings a breadth of capability, leadership and insight.

https://www.collabagency.com.au 
https://opportunity.org

Dan Reed joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share his first-hand experience scaling digital fundraising campaigns. During the conversation we discuss why digital fundraising is the future of fundraising, what makes monthly giving programs scale, and the power of blending community with giving.

Dan started his digital fundraising career at Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, developing peer-to-peer activities for two annual Greater Chicago Prostate Cancer Run Walk & Rolls. From there, Dan spent seven years at the Smithsonian Institution, managing the digital components of the Friends of the Smithsonian direct response program, mid-level donor program and working across the different Smithsonian units, supporting their digital fundraising efforts. While at the Smithsonian, Dan earned his Masters Degree in Strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy. Next, Dan moved to World Food Program USA, building out their digital fundraising program from the ground up and developing an award winning monthly donor program over the course of three years.

Dan sees working at Media Cause as an opportunity to work with a wide variety of nonprofits that are working to make the world a better place. He knows he'll be inspired on a daily basis helping passionate clients achieve their fundraising goals.

https://mediacause.org/about-us/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-reed-5a336b104/
https://www.virtuous.org/modern-nonprofit-fundraiser-podcast/ 

On this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, Scott Holthaus sits down with Bailey Huston, Partnerships and Integrations Manager at The Giving Block, to answer your top questions about noncash giving and donor behavior in a changing fundraising landscape.

 

Bailey shares why donor choice, convenience, and control are now essential parts of the giving experience… and how offering options like crypto, stock, and donor-advised funds can unlock major gifts you may be missing today. She explains the motivations behind noncash giving, the younger and wealthier donor segments driving crypto adoption, and the simple ways nonprofits can add these channels without overwhelming their teams.

 

You’ll learn which donor signals matter most right now, the true opportunity behind crypto-based generosity, how to make noncash gifts easy to find and easy to give, and why these channels connect directly to lifetime donor value as younger generations take the lead in the coming wealth transfer.

 

To learn more or explore crypto, stock, or DAF fundraising, visit thegivingblock.com.

Jake Smith, the Executive Director of Blood:Water, joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss his path to leading his organization through uncertain times, the importance of history and rediscovering old truths with new value, and how a focus on people and execution has paved a path to help them grow 25% YOY despite the challenges of 2020.

Blood:Water is an equipping agency that partners with African grassroots organizations to address the water and HIV/AIDS crises. We do this by identifying Africa’s hidden heroes and coming alongside their vision for change. We provide technical, financial, and organizational support so that African civil society organizations have expanded reach and effectiveness in the communities they serve.

www.linkedin.com/in/igobyjake/
www.bloodwater.org

Catherine Moore joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to talk about change management and its importance as nonprofits navigate constant change. During the conversation we discuss the balance between people, processes, and platforms during systems change and the value of personal resilience that's required for successful change leadership.

Catherine has served the nonprofit sector for over 20 years, defining and guiding the strategic pathway for technology, marketing, and fundraising at the Canadian Cancer Society and others. She is skilled at understanding and addressing the human concerns that arise during a project as well as the technical challenges that any system transition will bring. Outside of her professional life, Catherine is passionate about STEM education for children and enjoys the privilege of mentoring other women and young professionals.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherineemoore/

https://teamheller.com 

Vance Roush joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share how our relationship with money impacts the way we fundraise, the importance of taking a holistic approach to donor development, and how you build a community of generosity through your communications.

Vance is an ex-Googler, engineer, pastor, and now the founder of Overflow.co, a technology company committed to building the infrastructure to ensure generosity is frictionless.

https://www.overflow.co
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanceroush/ 

Sherry Quam Taylor joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share her philosophy for helping nonprofits get fully funded. Sherry teaches nonprofit leaders how to pivot from a heavy dependence on program, government, and event gifts and into securing large, investment-level donations from individuals so they can finally fund their missions.

The leaders Sherry works with are experts in their field, but when it comes to individual donor fundraising, they’ve simply never been trained on how to do it, so it feels uncomfortable and frustrating. She helps them learn the exact steps to launch a mid- and major level gift program that feels comfortable, involves less dread, and fully funds their mission for the long-haul. She does this nationally through her private coaching and her 90-day LET’S GROW fundraising accelerator.

https://www.quamtaylor.com/about-us
https://www.quamtaylor.com/letsgrow 

Jake Smith, the Executive Director of Blood:Water, joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss his path to leading his organization through uncertain times, the importance of history and rediscovering old truths with new value, and how a focus on people and execution has paved a path to help them grow 25% YOY despite the challenges of 2020.

Blood:Water is an equipping agency that partners with African grassroots organizations to address the water and HIV/AIDS crises. We do this by identifying Africa’s hidden heroes and coming alongside their vision for change. We provide technical, financial, and organizational support so that African civil society organizations have expanded reach and effectiveness in the communities they serve.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/igobyjake/
https://www.bloodwater.org 

MaryEllen Dickey, CFRE, joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share what she's learned by leading donor development teams for the last two decades across social service, education, and healthcare nonprofits.

We also discuss the balance between donor retention and acquisition, the importance of channel-donor fit and multi-channel fundraising, and how to lead a donor development team well to prevent burnout.

MaryEllen, is Senior Vice President of Advancement for Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries. As such, she oversees a range of giving programs, including grants, major gifts, planned giving, corporate giving, endowments, and special capital projects, to support Diakon’s mission to serve those in need.

Before joining Diakon the beginning of 2007, MaryEllen was Vice President for Development at Good Shepherd Hospital and Rehabilitation Network, Allentown. In addition to completing a successful $40 million capital campaign that resulted in $52 million in giving, her department focused on creating its first chair, expanding numerous program endowments, and supporting the development of a health and technology center. She also has held planned giving and executive director positions with Lafayette College, Easton, and Lehigh University, Bethlehem.

Missy Gale and Jill Bruner join the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss the unique challenges nonprofit teams must overcome in 2020, the importance of listening to fuel fundraising activities, and how organizations must pivot plans and shift strategies to increase impact.

M. Gale & Associates is a fundraising consulting firm with more than a decade of experience collaborating with mission-driven nonprofit organizations in North Texas and the Southwest. They help them reach their full potential by delivering strategic philanthropic solutions that are insightful, implementable, and successful.

Two experienced development leaders from Catholic Extension join The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share strategies to deepen donor relationships and unpack the needed partnership required between annual fund and major gift development teams. 

Tony Smercina, the AVP of Development, and Travis DeRamcy, the Sr. Director of Development, both have an array of experience managing and growing development programs. During the conversation, we discuss the difference yet synergy between annual fund and major donor development programs, the 12 step program they use to steward donors, and how they've continue to deepen donor connection in spite of the distance COVID-19 has forced.

Catholic Extension is a fundraising organization that helps ensure that all American Catholics can practice their faith within vibrant faith communities. Together with their donors, they connect poor and remote Catholic communities with essential financial support, educational partnerships, and infrastructure.

https://www.catholicextension.org/
https://www.virtuouscrm.com/modern-nonprofit-fundraiser-podcast/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonysmercina/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/travisderamcy/

Kelsie Ruff Smith joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share the inside view on the opportunities nonprofits have access to through collaboration with community foundations, corporations, other nonprofits, and local community philanthropists. We discuss what modern philanthropists are looking for in nonprofits they partner with, how to avoid duplication, and how you can build a culture of philanthropy within your donors and the broader community you engage.

Kelsie is the Director of Programs at the Community Foundation for Ocala Marion County, which connects the charitable interest of the donor to build a strong community, and the Executive Director of Blissful Life Corporation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 donation-based yoga studio

https://www.ocalafoundation.org/

https://www.virtuouscrm.com/

Ryan Brown, stock broker turned nonprofit development professional, joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share how Food for the Hungry cultivates lasting donor relationships. We discuss the power of "full heart" donor development, the need to continually pivot to stay relevant, and why waiting for "normal" will lead you to focus on the wrong tactics.

Ryan is the acting CDO at Food for the Hungry (FH) and serves out of its corporate headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona.

Prior to joining FH, Ryan spent time as a stockbroker, singer/songwriter, concert promoter, and for a short time, ran a small Christian music record label.

Ryan earned two bachelor’s degrees in English and Business from Arizona State University. He currently lives in Gilbert, Arizona, with his wife Suzan and their three children.

What really happens inside a donor’s mind when they choose to give? In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Virtuous co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Cherian Koshy, VP at Kindsight and author of NeuroGiving: The Science of Donor Decision Making.

 

Cherian unpacks why giving is rooted in identity, how friction quietly slows generous brains down, and what fundraisers can do to design clearer, more intuitive donor experiences. You will hear why one vivid human story matters more than statistics, what assumptions often lead teams astray, and how technology and AI help fundraisers respond with greater empathy at scale.

 

Links from the episode:

• Pre-order Cherian’s book here: https://neurogivingbook.com/
• Get your copy of “Neurogiving: The Science of Donor Decision-Making” on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Neurogiving-Science-Decision-Making-Cherian-Koshy/dp/1394370458/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1FIOOU34VK6YP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9._xNfSLeOax1dA5hrtboMIg.3brVKP9LuMSye0uTMk6CzmWjAw9SO211qe9qgXcw5b8&dib_tag=se&keywords=neurogiving+book&qid=1762799955&sprefix=neurogiving+book%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1
• Connect with Cherian on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheriankoshy/

 

Learn more about Virtuous at virtuous.org/learnmore and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist

Justin Ellis joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast and takes us into the trenches and see how a successful VP of Development approaches their work amidst uncertain times.

We discuss the importance of development staff being data-driven decision makers, the difference between transactional and transformational, and how to transform asks into investment invitations.

Justin, the VP of Development at Thompson, oversees fundraising and relationship development of all the many individuals and organizations that support the mission and vision of Thompson.

He leads a team that is engaging in vision building initiatives, and works to enlarge the footprint and deepen the impact from those that stand in the gap with us in our communities. He received a Bachelor of Missions and Ministry from Gordon College. He brings over 10 years of experience in Non-profits and fundraising work.

Beth Fisher joins us to discuss lessons nonprofits can glean from how for-profit businesses approach growth, the importance and primary characteristics of good leaders, and how vulnerability at work can help unlock your team's full potential.

Beth is currently the VP of Advancement & Communications at Meltrotter Ministries and is a sought-after speaker and life coach who knows how to get through life’s decisions & challenges, as she herself has persisted and persevered amidst a sea of uncertainty and life changing seasonal transitions.

She has spent the past two decades coaching, teaching, and motivating thousands of people working within some of the largest Fortune 500 companies to help them “re-engineer” their business processes. All along the way, what she was truly helping them do was make decisions – showing them how to take action in the now to get to the big picture later – in an effort to be better, both personally and professionally.

https://bethfisher.com/meet-beth/

https://www.meltrotter.org/

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Matt Mundt joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share how CURE bridges the giver and good gap by integrating story into every donor touchpoint.

We discuss the balance of empathy and explanation during the current crisis moment, how donor experience is the key differentiator in today's connected economy, and how CURE uses multiple medias to connect people with their purpose.

Matt serves as the Senior Director of Marketing for CURE International. In this role, he is collaborating daily with his team to come up with the most creative and authentic ways to let more people know about CURE’s transforming work. For the past 20 years, Matt has led the digital marketing efforts and strategy for organizations like K-LOVE & Air1 Radio networks, SPIRIT 105.3 in Seattle, Tooth & Nail Records, and the Provident Label Group. He loves when technology, media, and storytelling converge to help spread the good news of Jesus.

If you ever meet Matt in person, it will more than likely be over a great cup of coffee that he home-roasted, and he will try and convince you why the city of Seattle and the Seahawks are the best! (or the Washington Huskies, whoever is winning more at the time). Also, you have to check out his video winning a new car on The Price Is Right.

Matt and his wife Rebecca have two amazing, active children. They enjoy going on many weekend adventures and try not to overshare on social media!

 

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Rubin Singh, the CEO & Founder of OneTenth Consulting, joins us to discuss the obstacles nonprofit leaders need to navigate as they adopt new technology, common mistakes that drive many CRM implementations to fall flat, and the needs related to people and process that must be central to your platform adoption plan.

Rubin is a seasoned professional with over twenty years of experience in the CRM (constituent relationship management) space, and over ten years in the nonprofit sector.  Throughout his career, Rubin has pursued his passion for social impact through empowering and enabling nonprofits through a variety of roles in technology, strategy and organizational management.  

As a Senior Solution Manager at Merkle, Rubin managed the database needs for large direct mail programs with Susan G. Komen and the AARP Foundation.

https://onetenth.consulting/about

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Andrew Olsen joins us to talk about the decreasing trust that Americans have in NGOs to "do what is right", what nonprofits should do to proactive build donor trust, and his suggestions on how a nonprofit's posture toward donors directly impacts their ability to deliver on the mission.

Andrew is a #1 Best Selling author, speaker, and nonprofit marketer. He’s helped raise more than $250 million for nonprofits. With more than 20 years of leadership experience, he currently advises nonprofit leaders, boards, and development teams through strategic consultation, coaching, and classroom instruction. Andrew is a Senior Vice President at Newport ONE and a frequent speaker at nonprofit industry events.

https://andrewolsen.net/

https://andrewolsen.net/no-thank-you/

https://www.newportone.com/

https://andrewolsen.net/rainmaker-podcast/

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Javan Van Gronigen joins Gabe Cooper to talk about the power of story to bridge the gap between givers and the good you're making in our world, the importance of pivoting to think of donor cultivation less like a funnel and more like a network, and more.

Javan is the Founder and Creative Director at Fifty & Fifty. When not directing the path of his creative team, he's driving strategy to roll out new solutions for the nonprofit world through web design. With previous professional experience as the Art Director for companies like Digitaria and Invisible Children, he founded Fifty & Fifty in 2009 to put nonprofit web design and branding on the same playing field as Fortune 500 brands.

Javan and his wife Candice have sons named Sebastian and Graeme along with a brindle Boxer named Brutus...who is inadvertently (or advertently) the office mascot. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/javanvangronigen/

https://fiftyandfifty.org/about/

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Oli Bridge joins us to talk about the power of personalization, and how nonprofits are using personalized video to close the gap between givers and the good and increase giving.   Oli heads up Bonjoro’s marketing team. He has worked in SaaS for the last 12 years - his first job was in Customer Success with a media startup, Gorkana, who made a successful exit to Cision for £25m during his time there.   After starting and failing with his first solo venture, Oli joined Bonjoro in 2016, sold by the founder’s vision to grow Bonjoro into a global success and customer-centric company in the grain of Zappos. Oli spends his time thinking of new ways to spread the simple ethos of Bonjoro: automate processes, not relationships.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/olibridge/ https://www.bonjoro.com/videofunnelplaybook  

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Dawn Crawford joins us to share her insights on how nonprofits can craft communications that bridge the gap between donors and the cause, leading to increased connection and engagement.

Dawn is the engine behind BC/DC Ideas, Dawn has dedicated her career to good. Before launching BC/DC Ideas in 2010, she earned her chops in 10+ years of communications leadership roles for public health, healthcare and youth-focused nonprofits. Working for nonprofits is Dawn’s dream job, and she loves that her 40+ hours a week make the world a better place.

These days Dawn brings her considerable experience and expertise to helping elevate the nonprofit sector. Our team’s lead strategist, Dawn is often seen leading our IdeaStorms, penning communications plans, or checking in with clients.

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Martin Leifield joins us to share his insights and experience, while also highlighting the characteristics of an effective fundraiser and the GCC methodology that helps you cultivate deeper donor relationships.

Martin would sit in his car rehearsing his ask with sweaty palms praying he wouldn’t get another rejection. Determined to master his craft he learned the power of embracing discomfort and through powerful human behavior techniques was able to raise over $500 Million for 3 organisations!

 

Martin served as vice chancellor for university advancement at the University of Missouri–St. Louis for ten years. While there, he led a dramatic increase in fundraising, averaging $26.4 million per year. Prior to joining UMSL, Martin was associate vice president or university development at Saint Louis University where he led his team raising $158 million in 3 years.

Raising money became his #1 passion and Martin has since been able to distill the art of fundraising into core fundamental principles and a clear formula that anyone can learn.

 

http://www.martinleifeld.com/

 

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Sarah Olivieri joins us to share lessons learned from over 15 years of nonprofit leadership, how vulnerability and respite help nonprofits thrive, and a simple, yet effective framework that prioritizes process and two-week sprint cycles to laborious strategic planning as fuel for improvement and growth.

Sarah Olivieri is a nonprofit business strategist, #1 International Best Selling author, and former Executive Director. She has been featured on over 30 podcasts and is the creator of the Impact Method™ - a framework that helps nonprofits simplify their operations, build aligned teams, and make a bigger impact without getting overwhelmed or burning out.

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Lauren and John Mark Vanderpool from Social Impact Solutions to answer some pressing questions we didn’t have time to cover during a recent webinar.

 

Lauren and John Mark break down what impact really means, how to measure it, and how clear impact data can deepen donor trust and grow giving. You’ll also hear practical advice for using logic models, building realistic internal systems, handling confidentiality, and making sense of hundreds of stories without overwhelming your team.

 

If you’ve ever felt unsure how to measure the real change your nonprofit creates or how to share that story with donors, this conversation will give you practical next steps you can use right away.

 

Links from the episode:

• Learn more about Social Impact Solutions: https://www.socialimpactsolutions.com/
• Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-vanderpool-socialimpactsolutions/
• Connect with John Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mark-vanderpool-521485184/

 

Learn more about Virtuous at virtuous.org/learnmore and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist

Barbara O’Reilly, CFRE joins us to talk about the challenges facing nonprofit leaders today and what we should be focused on, how we must balance empathy and urgency in our messaging, and her approach to navigating through each stage of a crisis: the response (our current phase), recovery, and resilience building.

Barbara brings to her clients more than twenty-five years of annual fund, major gifts, and campaign fundraising experience at major non-profit organizations including Harvard University, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Oxford University in England, and the American Red Cross.   

Whether it was leading record-setting reunion classes, securing tens of millions of dollars from global corporations following some of the most devastating natural disasters around the world, or overseeing a team that grew donor engagement of major individual donors committed to historic preservation, Barbara understands that fundraising is much more than just raising money.  It’s about enabling donors to realize their philanthropic dreams for issues that are most important to them and to be part of the change they want to see in the world. 

She serves as president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Washington DC Metro Chapter and as a former member of the Advisory Panel for Rogare, The Fundraising Think Tank in the U.K. 

Her firm, Windmill Hill Consulting, helps non-profit organizations of all sizes cut through the noise and develop a profitable fundraising strategy that focuses on the resources, skills and tactics they need to build more effective donor relationships and catapult their revenue.

https://www.whillconsulting.com/bio

https://www.linkedin.com/in/boreillywhc

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

Sophie W. Penney, Ph.D. joins us to talk about the challenges facing nonprofit leaders today, why fundraisers should adopt a teacher's mindset, and a framework to identify and isolate challenges to ensure you navigate them well.

Sophie is the Director of Foundation Relations for Penn State University and the founder and President of i5 Fundraising and a dynamic development leader with extensive expertise in building strategic fundraising initiatives within higher education and non-profit sectors. Sophie is also the author or co-author of numerous books, articles, and reports including: Dollars for Dreams: Student Affairs Staff as Fundraisers (NASPA 2001) and Student Affairs Fundraising: Raising Funds to Raise the Bar (NASPA, 2019). 

She is a sought after facilitator, teacher, and coach for aspiring and current fundraising professionals. In 2019 Sophie was recognized by the Allegheny Mountains Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the Fundraiser of the Year.

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.

On this episode, we're joined by Gabe Cooper and Mckenna Bailey to discuss their new book Responsive Fundraising: The Donor-Centric Framework Helping Today’s Leading Nonprofits Grow Giving

Gabe Cooper is the Founder and CEO of Virtuous, a software platform helping nonprofits grow giving. Gabe has a true passion for creating market-defining software and helping charities reimagine generosity.

Throughout Responsive Fundraising, readers will learn what the data tells us about the modern donor and their generosity habits. They will receive step-by-step responsive fundraising plays they can implement right away to improve their current fundraising tactics. Plus, they’ll get a look into how responsive nonprofits are shifting their internal teams to create a more collaborative, successful organization.

Get a free copy of the book here ~ https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsivebook/

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Learn more about the tools Virtuous provides leading nonprofits to grow giving at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/. 

Get an in-depth guide to responsive fundraising to help your organization grow generosity from the modern donor at: https://www.virtuouscrm.com/responsive/.