Beyond The Donation – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of Beyond the Donation, guest host Val Kleppen speaks with Sandy Rees, founder of Get Fully Funded, who shares her 20 years of expertise in helping small nonprofits achieve significant fundraising results. 

Sandy discusses the importance of starting with close networks for donor engagement, setting realistic goals, and using personal relationships to foster trust. She emphasizes the value of good donor management tools and strategic planning. 

Sandy also addresses common misconceptions in fundraising and the importance of sustaining long-term donor relationships through consistent communication. Listeners will gain practical tips on building and maintaining donor portfolios, leveraging peer-to-peer campaigns, and optimizing fundraising efforts with limited resources.

00:00 Introduction to Beyond the Donation Podcast

00:28 Meet Sandy Rees: Founder of Get Fully Funded

03:13 Strategies for Finding Initial Donors

12:57 Engaging and Retaining Donors

15:33 Essential Tools for Nonprofit Fundraising

17:04 Actionable Tips for New Nonprofits

19:42 Staying Motivated in Fundraising

22:36 Success Stories and Final Thoughts

25:38 Conclusion and Contact Information

To Connect with Sandy and Get Fully Funded:

Website |  Fundraising Community

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:

BTD Podcast  |  DonorDock
 LinkedIn  |  Matt LinkedIn

In this episode of Beyond the Donation, host Matt Bitzegaio is joined by peer-to-peer fundraising expert Lou Adducci. Lou shares his journey from a theater background to nonprofit arts and ultimately becoming a peer-to-peer fundraising consultant.

Their discussion covers the basics of peer-to-peer fundraising: what it is, why it matters, and the significant impact it can have on nonprofits.

Lou offers practical steps and tools for getting started with peer-to-peer fundraising, discusses key metrics to track, and addresses common challenges.

This episode offers valuable advice for nonprofit leaders looking to explore or grow their peer-to-peer fundraising efforts!

00:00 Introduction to Beyond the Donation

00:29 Meet Lou Adducci: Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Expert

03:18 Understanding Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

04:10 Types of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns

09:09 Success Stories in Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

11:50 Getting Started with Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

14:07 Tools and Metrics for Effective Fundraising

17:38 Challenges and Solutions in Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

22:32 Trends and the Future of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising

24:47 Final Thoughts and Contact Information

To Connect with Lou:
LinkedIn  |  Website

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:
BTD Podcast  |  DonorDock LinkedIn  |  Matt LinkedIn

In this episode of 'Beyond the Donation', host Matt Bitzegaio interviews Sam Fankuchen from Golden Volunteer. Their discussion brings light on the significance of volunteer contributions in nonprofit organizations and delves into the complexities of modern volunteer management. 

Sam underlines how genuine volunteer involvement amplifies the potential of a nonprofit, and can eventually convert volunteers into staff members or significant donors. He also highlights how Golden Volunteer's software helps manage qualifications, background checks, and other parameters for volunteers. 

Moreover, he discusses the future of volunteerism and how technology, such as AI, can lead to smoother, more effective experiences.

00:05 Introduction to Beyond the Donation Podcast

00:25 Meet the Guest: Sam Fankuchen from Golden Volunteer

00:44 Understanding Golden Volunteer's Mission and Impact

02:06 Sam's Journey into Social Entrepreneurship

02:56 The Crucial Role of Volunteers in Nonprofits

04:40 The Connection Between Volunteering and Donations

09:21 The Challenges of Finding New Volunteers

11:32 Ensuring Volunteer Qualifications and Safety

13:35 Maintaining Engagement with Volunteers

17:55 The Future of Volunteerism: AI and Technology Trends

23:43 Advice for Nonprofit Leaders

24:56 Learn More About Golden Volunteer

26:20 Closing Remarks and Future Episodes

To Connect with Sam at Golden Volunteer:

Website
| Instagram
| X

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:

BTD
 Podcast | DonorDock
 LinkedIn | Matt
 LinkedIn

In this episode of Beyond the Donation, host Matt Bitzegaio chats with Jennifer Yarbrough, a veteran in the nonprofit sector with more than 30 years of experience.

Jennifer shares key strategies on getting grant-ready from her three decades of experience in grant writing, fundraising, coaching, and mentoring. She discusses the significance of aligning the nonprofit's mission with the grant funder's objectives, the importance of impact measurement and evaluation, as well as the struggles nonprofits face locating and applying for relevant grants. Jennifer also highlights the value of persistence, networking, clear communication of mission, and relationship building in the funding realm. Lastly, she provides resources for finding grants and measuring impact.

00:04 Introduction

00:26 Getting to Know Jennifer Yarbrough

02:19 Understanding the Basics of Grant Funding

03:21 The Importance of Being Grant Ready

04:24 Starting a Nonprofit and Seeking Grants

06:14 Challenges and Strategies in Securing Grants

07:44 Writing a Compelling Grant Application

10:58 The Role of Relationship Building in Grant Funding

12:50 Finding Relevant Grant Opportunities

15:34 Measuring and Reporting Impact

17:58 Final Advice and Connecting with Jennifer Yarbrough

21:39 Conclusion

Resources:

https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/

https://grants.gov/

https://grantstation.com/

To Connect with Jennifer Yarbrough:

Website
TikTok
LinkedIn

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:

BTD
Podcast
DonorDock
LinkedIn
Matt
LinkedIn

In the 'Beyond the Donation' podcast hosted by Matt Bitzegaio, he is joined by guest Sarah Suarez, a digital community strategist for nonprofits.

They cover key strategies for nonprofits to enhance their fundraising activities by building digital communities, understanding audiences, and creating engaging content. Suarez provides practical recommendations for an effective social media presence, including frequency of posting, using scheduling tools, and turning followers into active supporters. Additionally, she emphasizes the importance of measuring social media engagement to ensure the strategies align with their organizational goals. Suarez encourages nonprofits not to neglect their digital community as it extends their reach beyond their immediate networks and can significantly amplify their impact.

00:04 Introduction to Beyond the Donation

00:26 Meet the Guest: Sarah Suarez

01:46 Understanding Digital Communities

02:57 Creating a Social Media Strategy

04:08 Identifying and Engaging Your Target Audience

06:32 Creating Engaging Content

08:10 Posting Frequency and Tools for Scheduling

10:15 Converting Social Media Followers into Supporters

12:12 Measuring Social Media Success

13:41 Final Advice and Conclusion

To Connect with Sarah Suarez:

Instagram
| Website

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:

BTD
 Podcast |
DonorDock
 LinkedIn |
Matt
 LinkedIn

In this episode of Beyond the Donation, host Matt Bitzegaio interviews Julia Devine from Devine Parker Consulting.

Julia discusses her transition from a traditional nonprofit job to starting her own consulting business during the pandemic. She also outlines her firm's work which includes helping nonprofits create more meaningful donor journeys. Julia stresses the importance of understanding the donor's point of view, creating two-sided relationships that include recognition and relationship building, and leveraging technology. She also provides practical advice such as conducting regular informational
 interviews with stakeholders, testing and improving donation and engagement processes, and tracking key performance indicators. 

Julia concludes by highlighting new initiatives at Devine Parker, including an online course called Donor Flow Academy and a coming training program for nonprofit professionals considering a transition into consulting.

00:24 Guest Introduction

00:48 The Journey of Devine Parker Consulting

02:51 The Evolution of Nonprofit Consulting

04:38 Understanding Donor Journeys

07:30 The Importance of Donor Data

010:12 Effective Strategies for Building Donor Journeys

13:06 Challenges in Creating Donor Journeys

15:55
“For donors, they don’t have to give you their money. So, if you’re just not streamlining and then cutting out those gaps and reducing the friction, you’re going to miss so many opportunities to engage people who are already raising their hand saying, “Hey,
 I want to support you, but you’re not letting me in.” 

17:33 Measuring the Success of Donor Journeys

20:28 Actionable Tips for Starting Donor Journeys

24:31 Connecting with Divine Parker Consulting

26:10 Conclusion

Resources:

Donor
 Journey Map |
Bundle
 Devine Parker and DonorDock

To Connect with Julia Devine:

Instagram
| Website
| DonorFlow
 Academy

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:

BTD
 Podcast |
DonorDock
 LinkedIn |
Matt
 LinkedIn

In this episode of Beyond the Donation, Matt Bitzegaio talks to Tiffany Allen, founder and CEO of Boss on a Budget. They discuss the fundamentals of starting and funding a nonprofit. Allen shares her initial experiences of failures that led to the foundation of Boss on a Budget and shares critical factors to consider before starting a nonprofit, as well as crucial questions to ask, and the importance of having committed board members up front. They also discuss the importance of a strategic plan, a budget, a compelling ask, visibility, and leveraging social media and technology for startups. 

00:24 Introduction and Guest Introduction 

01:04 Tiffany Allen's Journey to Nonprofit Success 

02:13 Key Questions to Ask Before Starting a Nonprofit 

05:52 The Importance of a Strong Board and Clear Goals 

08:07 Overcoming Challenges in Nonprofit Startup Phase 

11:40 Effective Fundraising and Marketing Strategies for New Nonprofits 

15:08 Leveraging Technology and Tools for Nonprofit Success 

22:11 Final Advice for Nonprofit Leaders 

23:37 Conclusion and Sign Off 

To Connect with Tiffany Allen: 

Website | YouTube 

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast: 

BTD Podcast | DonorDock LinkedIn | Matt LinkedIn 

In this episode of Beyond the Donation, host Matt Bitzegaio has a conversation with Kat Lacefield, a veteran in the nonprofit sector, about the challenges of fundraising in nonhuman philanthropy. Kat shares her journey of diving into the nonprofit sector at a young age, volunteering and working for different organizations, and eventually specializing in fundraising. She discusses her growth in the field and the importance of donor management. Kat also discusses the concept of nonhuman philanthropy, which includes organizations focused on animals and the environment. She shares the distinct challenges they face and emphasizes the importance of story sharing for effective donor retention. 

[00:35] Introduction and Guest Background 

[00:44] Journey into Nonprofit Sector and Fundraising 

[03:15] Concept of Nonhuman Philanthropy 

[04:05] “At the end of the day, there's nothing that's really nonhuman because if we're supporting animals, we're also supporting humans. And for the environment, that's a very direct connection to be made with humans of if there's no environment to support us then there's no human societies and communities.” 

[04:46] “There is no such thing as nonhuman or human philanthropy. We’re part of an ecosystem. Each part plays its role.” 

[05:06] Challenges in Storytelling for Nonhuman Causes 

[07:11] “How do we talk about the importance of protecting a river? Try to get people to realize when they themselves have appreciated a river - childhood memories, a lot of nostalgia stories, how we feel when we go out and spend time out in nature.” 

[11:11] Unique Challenges Animal and Environmental Nonprofits Face 

[15:50] Importance of Donor Segmentation and Retention 

[20:19] “People tend to not organize their databases very well. For shelters or animal organizations, it’s thinking about all the connections that your donors have to your organization - a donor can also be an adopter or a foster family, a board member, or a volunteer. You really need to make sure that your list has as much information on this person as possible.”  

[31:05] Advice for Nonprofit Leaders: Invest in your Fundraising and Development Strategy 

[32:48] Conclusion and Contact Information 

More about Kat Lacefield: 

Linkedin Website 

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast: 

BTD Podcast DonorDock LinkedIn Matt LinkedIn 

What better way to start the year than with our own "Best Of" episode, featuring the best guests and advice from 2023!

Enjoy this great recap of our first 22 episodes. Featured guests: 

Episode 2- Anna Larson 

Episode 3- John Fisher

Episode 6- Rachel Cardwell

Episode 7-Patrick Kirby

Episode 8- Maddie Craig

Episode 10- Rob Burke

Episode 12- Sami Bedell-Mulhern

Episode 13- Steve Johns

Episode 16- Austin Hattox

Episode 18- Briana Ruloma

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:  

BTD Podcast  DonorDock LinkedIn  Matt LinkedIn  

What better way to close out the calendar year than with a special, insider-edition episode of our Beyond The Donation podcast? DonorDock co-founders, Matt Bitzegaio and Andrew Lutgen, sat in the hotseat for this episode while Val Kleppen filled in as guest-host. Val tried to get to the nitty-gritty of the history (and future) of DonorDock from the perspective of the very people who got it off the ground. Listen in to this personable, from-the-heart conversation with Matt and Andrew, and comment to share what you learned from this episode that you didn't know before! 

To Connect with Beyond the Donation Podcast:  

BTD Podcast  DonorDock LinkedIn  Matt LinkedIn