Explore every episode of the podcast 7-Figure Fundraising Podcast
Dive into the complete episode list for 7-Figure Fundraising Podcast. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.
Rows per page:
50
1–50 of 58
Title
Pub. Date
Duration
The Topgolf Fundraiser: How to raise $250k in 2.5 hours with Amy Ford
18 Jun 2026
00:35:19
What if your annual fundraiser could raise nearly $300,000 in a single evening without requiring months of donor fatigue or an all-day event?
In this episode, Trevor Bragdon sits down with Amy Ford, co-founder of Embrace Grace, to unpack the fundraising strategy that helped their organization grow a traditional golf tournament from $60,000 to nearly $300,000 annually. Amy shares the exact framework behind their Topgolf fundraising event, including sponsorship pricing, donor underwriting, silent auctions, premium swag, sponsor retention, and event execution.
Whether you're a nonprofit leader looking for a fresh fundraising idea or trying to increase the ROI of your existing events, this episode offers practical tactics that can be implemented immediately.
In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor Bragdon shares a story from a flight home from Orlando where he met a woman flying for the very first time. What started as a simple conversation about turbulence and takeoff became a powerful reminder about what it feels like to learn something new.
Trevor explains how moments of embarrassment, overwhelm, and uncertainty are often unavoidable when developing new skills.. But he also shares the often-overlooked side of growth: people are usually willing to help once you take the first step.
If you’ve been hesitating to try something new, this episode is a reminder that discomfort is temporary, but growth can change everything.
On this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor Bragdon sits down with Matt Paprocki, President and CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, to break down one of the most important skills in fundraising: storytelling.
Matt explains why most fundraising stories fail before they even begin. Instead of creating emotional connection, many fundraisers summarize facts, report outcomes, or speak in vague language that donors quickly forget. In this conversation, Trevor and Matt unpack a practical storytelling framework built around three core ideas: situation, stakes, and shift.
Throughout the episode, Matt shares real examples from donor meetings, family life, leadership, and nonprofit work to show how stories create trust, emotional engagement, and long-term donor relationships. They also discuss how great storytellers use vivid details, dialogue, and emotion to pull listeners into a moment rather than simply describing it.
Whether you are a nonprofit founder, major gift officer, executive director, or communicator, this episode gives actionable tactics you can immediately use in donor conversations, pitches, presentations, newsletters, and public speaking.
If you want donors to remember your mission, start by giving them stories they can feel.
Why Podcasts Are Becoming a Fundraising Advantage with Jared Musgrove of BYX
07 May 2026
00:56:31
“A donor may trust your voice before they ever meet you.”
That idea sits at the center of this conversation between Trevor Bragdon and Dr. Jared Musgrove of Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), the nation’s largest Christian fraternity.
In this episode, Jared breaks down how BYX turned podcasting into a relationship-building tool that strengthens donor trust, deepens alumni engagement, and creates meaningful conversations at scale. What started as an attempt to better tell the organization’s story evolved into a long-term strategy for reaching supporters across the country without relying solely on travel, donor meetings, or traditional marketing.
Trevor and Jared discuss:
Why consistency matters more than perfection in podcasting
How to secure high-level guests for your show
Why evergreen content compounds over time
How podcasts create familiarity before donor meetings
The role storytelling plays in nonprofit fundraising
How appearing on other podcasts can directly lead to donations
In this episode of the 7 Figure Fundraising Podcast, Trevor Bragdon breaks down a proven strategy nonprofit leaders are using to attract new donors: persuasive public speaking. Drawing from both personal experience and recent fundraising trends, Trevor explains why getting in front of the right audience can lead directly to meaningful donor relationships — but only when the message is structured to inspire action.
He introduces the Hand Framework, a five-part model designed to help leaders craft speeches that resonate. From defining the audience’s desired action to opening with a powerful hook, maintaining attention with clear structure, addressing objections, and delivering a frictionless next step, Trevor walks through the exact elements that turn presentations into fundraising opportunities.
Whether preparing for a conference talk or a donor pitch, this episode provides a practical blueprint for building persuasive content that motivates giving and deepens engagement.
Here's the link to the article talk about in the episode:
What do you do when you're hit with a tough question—one you didn’t expect and don’t have a polished answer ready for?
Whether it’s a curveball in a donor meeting, a media interview, or a town hall Q&A, today's episode of the 7-Figure Fundraising Podcast breaks down three clear strategies you can use to stay composed and persuasive—even under pressure.
Trevor shares a memorable story from the Miss Teen USA pageant that became one of the first viral “word salad” moments on YouTube—and how most of us would probably stumble in similar high-stakes situations. From there, he walks through three tactics you can practice and deploy to answer confidently, clearly, and concisely.
What You’ll Learn
The 3 go-to frameworks for answering tough questions:
Two Points – A simple, structured response to organize your thinking.
Story + Insight – A technique to connect emotionally and drive home a takeaway.
Thinking Then and Now – A method for gracefully correcting misinformation.
Why pausing for just a few seconds before responding can help you sound more thoughtful and credible.
53 - The Power of Storytelling in Your Pitch: 7-Figure Fundraising Book Clip
19 Feb 2025
00:07:32
How many of you know a good story? One you've never forgotten—one that moved you, inspired you, or stuck with you long after you heard it. What made it so compelling?
In this clip, we dive into why stories are the lifeblood of an effective pitch and how you can find and frame great stories to persuade donors. Learn about:
The Story Safe—a simple habit for collecting powerful stories
The Story Buckets method for organizing and retrieving compelling narratives
How to frame your story to maximize its impact
Want to get the full formula for crafting unforgettable fundraising stories? Get the book:
52 - Create an Amazing First 100 Days for Your New Donors: 7-Figure Fundraising Book Clip
05 Feb 2025
00:08:57
What do you want your new donors to see and hear from your organization during their first 100 days? This period is your chance to make a lasting impression and turn a first-time donor into a lifelong supporter.
In this clip, we break down how to craft a 100-day plan that keeps donors engaged, including:
The four-part thank-you strategy that sets the right tone
How to plan four meaningful touchpoints over the first 100 days
Proven ideas like behind-the-scenes insights, success stories, and impact updates
Want the full strategy to build donor relationships that last? Get the book:
In this episode, Trevor Bragdon and Tarren Bragdon discuss why project fundraising is not a sustainable strategy for nonprofits. They compare project fundraising to a gift card that offers a one-time benefit but does not engage donors in the organization's overall mission. They explain that project fundraising can actually cost money and send a negative message internally. They emphasize the importance of having a compelling vision and avoiding one-off projects that distract from the organization's mission. They provide tips on how to pitch the big vision to donors and build long-term partnerships.
Takeaways
Project fundraising is not a sustainable strategy for nonprofits as it reduces the organization's vision to one-off projects and can cost money.
Donors who are engaged in the organization's overall mission are more likely to become long-term partners.
When pitching to donors, focus on the problem you solve from their perspective, present a solution that feels safe or unique, and explain how it works in a concise and compelling way.
Share success stories that demonstrate the impact of your organization's work and paint a vision of how lives will be improved in the future.
Avoid project fundraising and instead focus on building relationships with donors based on the organization's big vision.
50 - 7-Figure Fundraising: A guide to help you raise millions to change the world
28 Aug 2024
00:35:59
In this episode of the 7-Figure Fundraising Podcast, hosts Trevor and Tarren Bragdon explore the key strategies outlined in their new book, 7-Figure Fundraising: A Guide to Raising Millions to Change the World. They discuss the practical, step-by-step approach nonprofit leaders can use to transform their fundraising efforts and scale their impact.
Why We Wrote the Book: To help nonprofit leaders understand fundraising both at the big picture level and with specific tactics. It’s a short, actionable read—just 127 pages.
Key Lessons:
Fundraising is a Skill: No one is born a natural fundraiser—it’s a skill you can work on and improve.
Three Levers of Fundraising Growth: GROW your existing donors, KEEP them by increasing retention, and ADD new donors strategically.
Focus Areas for Success:
ASK: Ask once a year with the right timing and a persuasive pitch.
PARTNER: Treat major donors like partners with a 4-star level of service.
FIND: Add a few new donors each year by securing referrals and hosting strategic events.
Team Roles:
Closer: The person who makes the ask—often the CEO.
Conductor: Manages donor relations and ensures they receive top-tier service.
Connector: Focuses on finding new donors and setting up prospect meetings.
Co-founders Elaine Alowo-Matovu and Takako Mino discuss the founding and fundraising journey of Musizi University, a new university in Uganda, and their vision behind it.
They discuss their backgrounds and how they came together to start the university. Elaine and Takako also explain the unique programs and curriculum offered at Musizi University, emphasizing the importance of practical skills and indigenous knowledge.
The podcast includes insights into their fundraising strategy, the importance of warm introductions, building relationships, and crafting compelling pitches. In addition, you’ll hear insights on overcoming university startup challenges, actionable advice for ambitious ideas, donating to Musizi University, and the interesting significance of "Musizi."
00:00 Introduction
00:43 Background and Inspiration for starting Musizi University
03:53 Unique Approach and Model of Musizi University
07:09 Co-founding Musizi University and Takako's Background
13:58 The Meaning of Musizi
16:16 Blending Western and Ugandan Talent in the University
26:32 Fundraising for a Startup University
30:43 Fundraising Success and Building Relationships
38:26 Tactics for Warm Introductions and Relationship Building
41:52 Crafting a Compelling Pitch
47:41 Navigating Challenges of Starting a University
48:16 Actionable Advice for Ambitious Ideas
49:43 Building Meaningful Relationships with Donors
51:07 How to Donate and Learn More About Musizi University
Joey Coleman helps companies keep their customers and employees. As an award-winning speaker, he shares his First 100 Days® methodology for improving customer and employee retention with organizations worldwide (e.g., Whirlpool, Volkswagen Australia, and Zappos). His Wall Street Journal #2 best-selling book, Never Lose a Customer Again, shows how to turn any sale into a lifelong customer or donor.
His new book, Never Lose an Employee Again, details a framework companies and nonprofits can use to reduce turnover, and increase employee engagement.
In this episode we cover
Employee Retention
Treat Employees the same way you would treat a donor
Donor/customer experience is similar to the Employee experience
New Employees Experience
The importance of the first 100 days with a new employee
Job Posting
How to entice the right applicants from the start
Why you should provide interview questions in advance
Off-the-cuff questioning vs. the more common interview questions
Learning about the person as a person instead of an employee
Making a Job Offer
What to do during the "quiet period" - the time between the offer and the first day
Making a lasting impression on the first day and how to "Give them something to talk about."
Making sure a new employee understands their role in the company and why they matter.
Trevor and Tarren Bragdon discuss how to think about fundraising for a startup nonprofit.
We have a lot of people new to fundraising who find us through the podcast and we’d wanted to do a podcast specifically for fundraising for a startup nonprofit.
“You know how [state the problem you solve]. Well I’m starting a nonprofit that [insert your solution here]. In fact, [give a story about your solution]”
In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor Bragdon looks into the Psychology of Fundraising with Tarren Bragdon, co-founder of 7-Figure Fundraising and founder and CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability.
In this episode, they look at:
How you create fundraising habits.
Habits for the task you want to do but don't.
Habits for things you don't want to do but need to do.
Lastly, how do you create habits for those things you hate doing but need to get done?
Mentioned in the episode: Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg https://amzn.to/3R25qrU Show Notes: https://www.7figurefundraising.com/podcast 7-Figure Fundraising Workshop: https://www.7figurefundraising.com/7ff-workshop
In this episode of the 7-Figure Fundraising podcast, Trevor Bragdon and Tarren Bragdon discuss the psychology of fundraising and how it applies to renewing existing donors. They look at the different reasons donors renew and what you can do to set yourself up for your renewal meeting. The goal is to have your major donors happy to meet you and renew their support. This is the second episode in a series on the Psychology of Fundraising.
In this episode of the 7-Figure Fundraising podcast, Trevor Bragdon and Tarren Bragdon discuss the psychology of fundraising and how it applies to new donors. They look at how new donors think differently, how it's critical to establish trust, and strategies to get that first meeting. This is part of a new series on the Psychology of Fundraising.
In this episode, Trevor interviews Dan Remmenga, the Donor Relations Manager for the Foundation for Government Accountability. They discuss the 5-star system FGA uses to create and cultivate meaningful relationships with donors.
Today on 7-Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon interviews Megan Rose, CEO of Better Together. Better Together provides a voluntary and preventative alternative to foster care, serves over 15,000 children, and keeps 96% of them out of the foster care system. Megan shares how her organization developed a strong media strategy as well as how her organization dealt with the challenges of the last year.
Today on 7 Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon interviews Chelsea Sabo, the founder and Executive Director of the Mothers Advocacy Project. Chelsea shares the story of her nonprofit and their mission to support at-risk mothers and their children by helping mothers overcome past trauma.
In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor interviews Amy Ard, the Executive Director of Motherhood Beyond Bars. Amy shares how she got her start in advocating for pregnant women who are incarcerated, the lessons learned along the way, and how she's hoping to expand the nonprofit's mission.
In this episode of 7 Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon is joined by Dr. Sarika Kulkarni. Sarika is the founder of the non-profit Raah Foundation. The podcast begins with Sarika sharing about this foundation, which is aimed at changing and providing better lives for those in the tribal communities of India. She shares her story of how she went from a professor to an entrepreneur to a nonprofit founder.
In this episode, Rory Sutherland and Maddie Croucher, marketing experts and behavioral scientists, join host Trevor Bragdon. Rory and Maddie both work for the global advertising and marketing agency, Ogilvy. They discuss why counterintuitive ideas sometimes work, building trust with donors, and creating a culture of innovation.
Today on 7-Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon is joined by Noemi Perez. Noemi is the Chief Executive Officer of the Immokalee Foundation, a nonprofit that provides a range of education programs focused on building pathways to professional careers. They serve students in kindergarten through post-secondary education. Noemi shares her advice and experience gained from leading her nonprofit throughout the challenges of the last year.
In this 7-Figure Fundraising episode, Trevor interviews Joey Coleman, the award-winning speaker and author of the #2 Wall Street Journal bestseller, Never Lose A Customer Again. During this episode, Joey speaks directly to nonprofit leaders on how to improve their donor retention strategies to achieve lifelong loyalty.
34 - Encore Episode: What Happens in a 7-Figure Donor Meeting - with Tarren Bragdon
07 Oct 2020
00:43:28
This episode was one of most popular episodes from last year and we've received a lot of feedback on how helpful it was in helping prepare for donor meetings.
In this episode of the 7-Figure Fundraising Podcast, host Trevor Bragdon sits down with Tarren Bragdon, his brother, and co-founder of 7-Figure Fundraising. Tarren is the CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability, a nonprofit he started in 2011 with $50,000 in seed money and has grown to produce $13 million in revenue annually. He also teaches the 7-Figure Fundraising Workshop.Tarren shares the details of how to successfully prepare and execute a 7-figure donor meeting. He walks through what fundraisers should ask at the beginning of every donor meeting, how to transition from small talk to asking for money and how to structure a compelling pitch that resonates with donors.
Today on 7-Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon is joined by Dan McGinn. Dan is an author and journalist who serves as the senior editor of the Harvard Business Review, host of the Dear HBR podcast, and is the author of the book Psyched Up: How the Science of Mental Preparation Can Help You Succeed. Trevor and Dan discuss how to use the ten minutes before big moments in your career to improve your performance.
31 - 5-Minute Fundraising: The 100 Hours that Matter Most
02 Sep 2020
00:04:35
In this episode of 5-Minute Fundraising, we're taking a look at the time you spend each year that has the highest impact on your nonprofit. Many fundraisers average 100 hours per year talking to donors. What can you do to turn those critical hours into your peak performance?
In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon interviews Judy Cook, the Development Director at the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA). Judy manages the development staff and the organization’s fundraising plan, and cultivates relationships with prospective donors. During this episode, Judy and Trevor talk through mindsets, tactics, strategies to reach new, major donors.
In this episode, Trevor interviews Sophie von Laer, the Founder and CEO of Nafs Coach. Sophie is a coach, engineer, and consultant. With more than a decade of work experience as a coach and consultant for both non-profits, for-profits, and fortune 500 companies like Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and government agencies. Sophie has vast experiences in creating sustainable solutions for her clients to empower them to achieve higher levels of personal and professional success.
In this episode, Trevor discusses the 3 big reasons major donors give to nonprofits and how you can incorporate these reasons into your donor communications.
We’re excited to share with you the first episode in a new series, 5-Minute Fundraising. Every other Wednesday at 8:00 am ET, we’ll share one specific tactic you can apply immediately to your fundraising. Today’s tactic is called The Story Safe: How to find and capture great stories.
Today on 7-Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon sits down with Joel Manby, author of Love Works: Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders. Joel is also the former CEO of Sea World, Saab North America, and Herschend Enterprises. In this episode, Joel shares his experience and advice on leading major companies through times of turmoil and uncertainty.
In this episode of the 7-Figure Fundraising podcast, Trevor and Tarren Bragdon had a conversation about how fundraising has changed over the last few months for Tarren's nonprofit. They also discussed and previewed content from the upcoming live, online 7-Figure Fundraising workshop.
In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor interviews Kevin Gentry. Kevin is the vice president for special projects at Koch Companies Public Sector and a member of Stand Together’s board of directors. During this interview, they discuss the mindsets of both major donors and fundraisers as well as the keys to successful fundraising events.
Today on 7-Figure Fundraising, Trevor Bragdon continues the series on Fundraising During Uncertainty, in which Trevor discusses the nuances and challenges of fundraising during the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, Trevor outlines a pitch script nonprofit leaders can use to explain to donors the changes and new opportunities their nonprofit is facing. You can download your own copy of the pitch script here.
In this episode of 7-Figure Fundraising, host Trevor Bragdon interviews Roy Lenardson, president of Strategic Advocacy. Roy has worked with some of America's largest companies and organizations as a political strategist, operative, and manager. He is a specialist in crafting specific and clear messaging, and has worked as a pitch coach at all of the 7-Figure Fundraising workshops. Trevor and Roy discuss principles for creating a great pitch in this episode.
Becky Lewis is the Executive Director at Trinity Christian Academy Foundation, one of the largest private K-12 schools in Texas. She provides all fundraising direction for the academy including managing capital campaigns major giving and planned giving. Becky has grown Trinity Christian’s fundraising by more than $8 million a year and through expanding major donor giving and events with speakers like George W. Bush, Payton Manning, and Tim Tebow. In this episode, Trevor interviewed Becky about previous times of uncertainty like 9/11 and the Financial Crisis and what that looked like for fundraising.
Kelly Shackelford, Esq., is President and CEO of First Liberty Institute, the largest legal firm in the nation dedicated exclusively to protecting religious freedom for all Americans. Under his leadership, First Liberty’s legal team has participated in cases before the United States Supreme Court, federal courts of appeals, federal district courts, and various state courts, where they have won more than 90 percent of their cases. In this episode, Trevor and Kelly discuss how First Liberty navigated previous national crises.
With all the uncertainty with the Coronavirus, limited air travel, and the volatility in the stock market, it’s an interesting time to be a fundraiser. For the next few episodes of the podcast, we are going to be focused on fundraising under uncertainty with interviews from people who worked during other times of crisis and how they made decisions and took action. Today’s guest is Fred Fransen. Fred is the Co-Founder of Certell, Inc., an educational non-profit which provides Social Studies curriculum to more than 5,000 teachers, who teach more than 475,000 students across the country. Fred has also worked for years as a donor advisor to major donors and advised them on their charitable giving.
President of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, Donnie Wilson, began his career as a serial entrepreneur in 1977, at only 17 years old. While he originally focused on building equipment for the gas and oil industries, Donnie was later presented with an opportunity to scale his ventures internationally. In recent years, Donnie began dedicating much of his time to advising and mentoring young entrepreneurs and in December 2016, he accepted the position of President of Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship. Donnie is driven by a passion for entrepreneurship and enthusiasm that stems from his own entrepreneurial experience. He has seen first-hand the changes that CEO brings to young people and the promise it holds for communities across the United States. It is his drive, his vision and his enthusiasm that guide the Midland Institute Team and the expansion of the CEO Program nationwide.
In this episode, Trevor Bragdon interviews Horst Schulze the co-founder and former president of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Group and founder and chairman of the Cappella Hotel Group. Horst discusses how to bring a culture of excellence into your nonprofit and how to increase your relationship with donors. Horst also discusses his book, Excellence Wins and how his principles of the highest level of customer services are now used across industries.
Jonathan Bechtle is the Chief Operating Officer and Counsel at the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA). As COO, he specializes in implementing systems that scale for the organization’s rapid growth and making sure FGA is in compliance with state and federal laws in their 38 states of operation. In this episode, Jonathan highlights the business breakthroughs and tools FGA utilizes to help creativity thrive, connect their remote team, and take their annual revenue from $2 million to $13 million in six years.
In today’s episode, the tables turn. Our host and Co-Founder Trevor Bragdon is interviewed by fellow Co-Founder and brother, Tarren Bragdon. Trevor shares how he discovered the power of Behavioral Science and how he taught nonprofit CEOs to implement it in their strategy for powerful fundraising results.
Megan Rose is the CEO of Better Together, a nonprofit that provides a voluntary, preventative alternative to foster care. Megan has spent her entire career working in social services and was recently awarded the 2019 Civil Society Award by the Manhattan Institute. In today’s episode, she shares about the important work Better Together accomplishes, facing Imposter Syndrome as a CEO, and balancing motherhood and leadership.
Co-Founder of 7-Figure Fundraising and the CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability, Tarren Bragdon, is an expert in fundraising and nonprofit success. Today, he’s highlighting the actionable, intentional steps necessary to tailor your year-end communication in a way that is both thoughtful and unforgettable.
Leslie Graves, Founder and Publisher of Ballotpedia, is a leading figure in digital media and civic activism. Today, Ballotpedia is one of the top 500 websites in the country and the gold standard for election information at the federal, state, and local level. She shares the actionable systems and processes that have shaped their success, including their secret weapon that has transformed their workflow and efficiency over the last year.
Today’s show features Tarren Bragdon, the Co-Founder of 7-Figure Fundraising. He’s also the CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability, a nonprofit he started in 2011. He shares the transformational shift and smart strategy that took his nonprofit from $50K in seed money to more than $13 million in revenue yearly with a development staff of three.