Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 7 | Scaling Relationship Fundraising: Why Technology Isn't Enough | Gabe Cooper | 04 nov. 2026 | 00:42:11 | |
In this episode, host Derric Bakker is joined by Gabe Cooper, founder and CEO of Virtuous, a fundraising technology platform helping nonprofits build lasting relationships with donors. Gabe is the author of Responsive Fundraising and The Responsive Nonprofit, and co-author, with Nathan Chappell, of the new book N1 Philanthropy. Gabe explains where the title comes from, precision medicine's practice of treating each patient as a study of one, and why treating every donor as an individual is finally within reach. Derric and Gabe then work through the five parts of the fundraising operating model that have to change for relationship-based fundraising to work at scale: organizational structure, workflows, technology, metrics, and people. IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT THE GUEST RESOURCES ABOUT THE SHOW | |||
| Episode 6 | Inherited Assumptions: Hidden Beliefs Shape Nonprofit Decision-Making | Owen Fitzpatrick | 27 oct. 2026 | 00:37:54 | |
Ninety-four percent of nonprofit professionals say they want their organization to shift its fundraising strategy. Most organizations are still doing the same things they did ten years ago. In this episode, host Derric Bakker is joined by Owen Fitzpatrick, a social psychologist, author, and expert on how beliefs shape leadership, decision making, and organizational change. Owen has studied belief and propaganda from the outside in, traveling to places like North Korea and Rwanda, and from the inside out, working with senior leaders at companies including Google, LinkedIn, Pfizer, and Morgan Stanley. He is the author of Inner Propaganda. Derric and Owen start with the paradox from DickersonBakker's national study of nonprofit professionals and ask why a sector that agrees change is necessary still struggles to produce it. Owen's answer is inner propaganda, the campaign the brain runs to keep itself safe and stable, which is why beliefs so often feel like facts. They trace how the fundraising systems the sector inherited took hold because they worked, why success itself makes an assumption harder to challenge, how a leader's beliefs become an organization's culture, metrics, and incentives, and what it takes to close the gap between wanting change and producing it. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Cold open: the changing times are making change mandatory 00:33 The paradox: 94 percent want change, most organizations are stuck in neutral ABOUT THE GUEST Owen Fitzpatrick is a social psychologist, author, and expert on how beliefs shape leadership, decision making, and organizational change. He first used the term inner propaganda in his 2016 TEDx talk, and is the author of Inner Propaganda, a keynote speaker focused on belief leadership, and host of the Inner Propaganda newsletter and podcast. RESOURCES Inner Propaganda, by Owen Fitzpatrick, available nationwide in the US and on Amazon, innerpropaganda.com ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast explores the ideas and opportunities reshaping the future of the nonprofit sector. Each episode features candid conversations with innovative leaders helping nonprofits find better ways to lead, grow, and thrive. Hosted by Derric Bakker, founder and CEO of DickersonBakker. | |||
| Episode 5 | Leadership Alignment: Partnering for Fundraising Success | Roy Peterson & Tracy Thomas | 13 oct. 2026 | 00:43:38 | |
Of all the relationships inside a nonprofit, few shape fundraising more than the one between the CEO and the chief development officer. In this episode, host Derric Bakker looks at that relationship from both sides of the table. Dr. Roy Peterson served as CEO of Wycliffe Bible Translators, the Seed Company, and American Bible Society, and is now president of Peterson Executive Coaching. Tracy Thomas is Chief Development Officer at Museum of the Bible, with more than 22 years of nonprofit fundraising experience. They talk about what each role needs from the other, why a leader's calendar shows their real fundraising priorities, and why Roy reported his fundraising time to his board every quarter. Tracy explains why trust and transparency decide whether the partnership works, and why a CEO should read the briefing. Together they cover how a CEO builds real donor relationships without becoming a gift officer, what happens when growth outpaces the team, and why CEOs and frontline fundraisers often measure success differently. IN THIS EPISODE ABOUT THE GUESTS RESOURCES ABOUT THE SHOW | |||
| Episode 4 | Can AI Help Fundraiser Burnout & Donor Relationships? | Mallory Erickson & Trish Davis | 29 sept. 2026 | 00:40:43 | |
Fundraisers get into this work because they care about the mission and enjoy connecting with people. Increasingly, the work pulls them away from both. In this episode, host Derric Bakker is joined by Mallory Erickson, founder of Practivated, a consultant who works with fundraisers across the sector and builds AI designed to make fundraisers better rather than replace them, and Trish Davis, a fundraising leader working inside a large organization. Together they look at why fundraisers burn out, from the five components of fundraising that Mallory describes as driving chronic stress to the busy work that crowds out the relationships that give the job meaning. They examine the fork the sector now faces, between AI that gives fundraisers capacity and autonomous systems that take humans out of the conversation, and why trust makes that choice so consequential. The conversation covers the research trap that stops fundraisers asking questions, what leaders should do with the time AI creates, and where to draw the line on disclosure when donors interact with AI. CHAPTERS 00:00 Cold open: robot fundraisers and the end of our imagination 00:33 Why burnout has become such a persistent challenge for fundraisers 02:19 Meet Mallory Erickson and Trish Davis 02:49 Trish on reading A Better Way to Fundraise during a season of burnout 05:02 The five components of fundraising that drive chronic stress 06:47 Too little time on the parts of the job that give meaning 08:38 The fork in the road: AI that supports fundraisers or AI that replaces them 11:02 Which fork the sector is actually on 14:25 Trust as the most important currency in fundraising 15:02 Start with the experience, not the technology 17:08 What it means for a fundraising tool to work, and why Mallory built Practivated 18:53 The research trap: when knowing a donor stops the questions 20:07 What to do with the capacity AI creates 26:02 Where to draw the line: disclosure and AI that impersonates humans 29:51 One thing to take away 32:36 Closing: restoring the joy of being a fundraiser ABOUT THE GUESTS Mallory Erickson is the founder of Practivated, where she builds AI tools designed to help fundraisers be better rather than replace them, and a consultant who works with fundraisers across the sector. Trish Davis is a fundraising leader working inside a large organization. RESOURCES Learn more about Practivated: practivated.com Learn more about DickersonBakker: dickersonbaker.com Purchase A Better Way to Fundraise, by Derric Bakker: https://www.amazon.com/Better-Way-Fundraise-Reshaping-Philanthropy/dp/B0GXPQNSCH Subscribe to Derric's Substack for more on relational fundraising: www.betterwaychampions.substack.com ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast explores the ideas and opportunities reshaping the future of the nonprofit sector. Each episode features candid conversations with innovative leaders helping nonprofits find better ways to lead, grow, and thrive. Hosted by Derric Bakker, founder and CEO of DickersonBakker. #NonprofitFundraising #FundraiserBurnout #AIForNonprofits #DonorRelationships #NonprofitLeadership | |||
| Episode 3 | What Next-Gen Donors Actually Want | Dr. Michael Moody | 15 sept. 2026 | 00:36:22 | |
The old script was give first, then get involved. For younger donors it has flipped, and most nonprofits are still fundraising off the old one. In this episode, host Derric Bakker welcomes Dr. Michael Moody, Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and co-author of Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving. Together they explore the shifting paradigm of youth generosity and unpack why traditional donor journeys no longer produce results with rising generations. Rather than generosity fading among younger donors, the traditional script has reversed. Next-gen donors want to get involved, build connection, and see impact before making a financial gift. Derric and Michael discuss how nonprofits can adapt to this hands-on, cause-driven approach, foster multi-generational giving conversations, and adopt a strategy of treating every donor like a major donor. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Introduction and flipping the donor script 03:18 Is generosity actually fading? 05:31 The current golden age of giving 08:45 Why traditional methods are not working 13:16 How millennials approach giving 16:17 Giving tryouts and involvement first 19:52 Asking the right question 22:28 Lightning round, the traits of next-gen donors 25:56 Beyond 501c3s, LLCs, impact investing and DAFs 28:28 Treating every donor like a major donor 30:36 Practical suggestions and why waiting is a mistake ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Michael Moody is Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where his research focuses on family and next generation donors. RESOURCES Generation Impact, by Dr. Michael Moody Young Donors Aren't Ignoring Nonprofits. Nonprofits Are Ignoring Them., by Derric Bakker on Substack Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor, by Derric Bakker DickersonBakker LINKS Join the Better Way community Subscribe to Derric's Substack for more on relational fundraising Work with us! Follow DickersonBakker on LinkedIn ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast is hosted by Derric Bakker, CEO of DickersonBakker and author of the Amazon bestseller A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor. Every episode exists to do one thing: help you treat every donor like a major donor. Not as a theory. As a practice. More at betterwaychampions.org. | |||
| Episode 2 | How AI Scales Relationship-Based Fundraising | Dr. Cheryl Contee | 15 sept. 2026 | 00:46:50 | |
Great fundraisers have always listened, personalized, and thanked well. They just could never do it for everyone. That constraint is dissolving. In this episode, host Derric Bakker sits down with Dr. Cheryl Contee, pioneering technology entrepreneur, digital transformation expert, and author of AI for Nonprofits. Together they explore how mission-driven organizations can extend high-touch, relationship-based fundraising to donors at every level. Rather than using technology to automate away the human element, Derric and Cheryl discuss how predictive and generative AI can serve as a co-pilot. They walk all seven behaviors from A Better Way to Fundraise, outline five essential ethical guardrails for protecting donor trust, and explain how automating administrative work gives fundraisers more time to build authentic connections. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Introduction and the infrastructure shift 03:18 Meet Dr. Cheryl Contee 06:39 Behavior 1, Listen First 09:59 Behavior 2, Personalize Every Touch Point 14:38 Behavior 3, Express Genuine Gratitude 20:00 Behavior 4, Earn Their Next Gift 24:30 Behaviors 5 and 6, predictive AI 28:30 Behavior 7, Never Betray Trust, the five guardrails 38:16 Transparency and disclosure 41:16 The ultimate AI killer app ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Cheryl Contee runs Brightworks AI, her consultancy for nonprofits ready to begin an AI journey, and is a senior advisor to posterchild.ai. She previously co-founded Attentive.ly, an early social listening platform for nonprofits. RESOURCES AI for Nonprofits, by Dr. Cheryl Contee Brightworks AI A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor, by Derric Bakker DickersonBakker LINKS Join the Better Way community Subscribe to Derric's Substack for more on relational fundraising Work with us! Follow DickersonBakker on LinkedIn ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast is hosted by Derric Bakker, CEO of DickersonBakker and author of the Amazon bestseller A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor. Every episode exists to do one thing: help you treat every donor like a major donor. Not as a theory. As a practice. More at betterwaychampions.org. | |||
| Episode 1 | Relational Fundraising: The Origin of The Better Way | Andrew Olsen | 15 sept. 2026 | 00:37:50 | |
The Better Way did not start with a book. It started with two people in the same profession, looking at the same problem from opposite seats. In the premier episode, host Derric Bakker is joined by Andrew Olsen, President of DickersonBakker and two-time bestselling author. Coming from oppposite sides of the profession, major gift consulting and direct response marketing, they reached the same diagnosis: rising acquisition costs, revenue concentrating into the top few percent of donors, and programs optimized for volume rather than relationship. Derric and Andrew discuss what broke, why standard campaign metrics hid it, and what changed when they rebuilt around relationships. They cover the agency incentives that work against donors, what a hybrid relational program looks like when direct mail and major gifts stop operating as separate worlds, and the two behaviors to start with this week. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Welcome and the changing world of fundraising 01:16 Two convergence journeys 04:33 Meet Andrew Olsen 06:51 Cracks in the direct response machine 08:29 Industrialized fundraising versus relationships 12:18 Pushing for change from the inside 16:02 Building a hybrid relational agency 21:13 Market response and proof of concept 25:53 Shifting mindsets and measuring what matters 31:11 Taking ownership and surprising results 32:50 Practical takeaways, listen first and earn the next gift ABOUT THE GUEST Andrew Olsen is President of DickersonBakker. He has held senior leadership roles at Moore, Omnicom, Russ Reid, Strategic Fundraising and Newport ONE, serving more than a thousand ministries and nonprofits and helping them raise over a billion dollars. He is a two-time bestselling author, host of The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, and serves on the board of Downrange Warriors. RESOURCES A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor, by Derric Bakker The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, hosted by Andrew Olsen DickersonBakker LINKS Join the Better Way community Subscribe to Derric's Substack for more on relational fundraising. Work with us! Follow DickersonBakker on LinkedIn ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast is hosted by Derric Bakker, CEO of DickersonBakker and author of the Amazon bestseller A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor. Every episode exists to do one thing: help you treat every donor like a major donor. Not as a theory. As a practice. More at betterwaychampions.org. | |||