Explore every episode of the podcast Rainmaker Fundraising

Dr. Clark Dickerson has led more than 250 capital campaigns over 40 years. Every one of them has rested on the same three principles:

* God is the owner of all

* We’re stewards and not owners

* We’re blessed to bless others

In this episode, Andrew sits down with Clark Dickerson, the co-founder of DickersonBakker to talk about his new book, Growing into Generosity: God’s Call to Greater Financial Faithfulness. Clark starts at the beginning. His first campaign was a $2 million effort for a Tennessee Christian school in 1985. Then comes a 100th-anniversary campaign at Johnson Bible College. Afterward, the college president pulled him aside and said the only thing wrong with this kind of fundraising was that they hadn’t started 20 years earlier. Clark also shares how he won his first college campaign. When a president asked how many successful college campaigns he’d led, Clark answered, “When we finish yours, it will be one.”

From there, the conversation goes after the hard stuff:

* Why pastors, executive directors and board members avoid talking about money, and what that silence costs their organizations.

* Why up to 40% of Christians give nothing at all.

* Why a couple earning $600,000 a year could say “there just wasn’t anything left” at the end of the month.

* Clark’s argument that the hardest stewardship principle is prayer. He believes many people don’t pray about their giving because they’re afraid of what the answer might be.

Clark also explains why these ideas apply well beyond ministry. His long-time line is that “donors do the good deeds,” and the organization is simply the conduit. His advice to fundraisers is to raise money for the need, not the building.

The episode closes with one of the best donor stories you’ll hear. A board chairman angrily refused a $50,000 ask: “Who in the world do you think you are?” Then he showed up at Clark’s airport hotel at 11 p.m., soaked from a thunderstorm, to say yes. The two talked until 3 a.m., and that conversation changed how the family gave from then on.

In this episode:

* (00:47) Clark’s first capital campaign, in 1985

* (03:34) The campaign that convinced Clark this was his calling

* (07:26) Who Growing into Generosity was written for, and the three principles behind every campaign

* (13:28) What happens to an organization when its leader won’t talk about money

* (18:18) Do these principles work in secular fundraising? Why “donors do the good deeds”

* (20:18) The hardest principle for people to accept: praying about giving

* (23:19) Giving first versus giving last

* (25:38) The midnight knock: stories of generosity that changed lives

* (29:50) When people don’t know, and when they know but aren’t willing

Get the book: Growing into Generosity: God’s Call to Greater Financial Faithfulness by Dr. Clark Dickerson.

This episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast is sponsored by my newest book, Rainmaking: The Fundraiser’s Guide to High-Impact Offers. This 49-page book (yeah, it really is that short — on purpose) is packed with the specific guidance and insights you need to improve your nonprofit’s fundraising offers and raise more money. It includes the exact framework I have used to guide hundreds of organizations through the offer development process over the last 25 years. And you can read it faster than you can read a Trader Joe’s newsletter.

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This might be the most important information you hear today for your nonprofit’s growth.

The majority of wealth in the U.S. is held outside of cash, in other assets like stock, 401k’s, IRA’s, real estate, and closely held business interests.

But nearly every nonprofit I’ve encountered (and at this point, that’s thousands) are focused on asking donors to write them a check or give by credit card. Essentially going after that remaining 3%.

Why?

Nonprofits that are actively seeking asset-based gifts are generating huge returns compared to those that aren’t.

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Justin Wheeler, Founder/CEO of Funraise and I talking about the realities of activating major giving behavior through high-touch direct mail outreach.

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Every fundraiser on the planet has, at some point, wished they could have a prep conversation with a donor before they actually sit in front of them to make an ask of any kind.  But that’s silly. That’s not possible. Instead, most of us settled for half-baked role playing with a colleague from time-to-time.  And that was helpful. Sort of. But it was never exactly what we needed. It was never dialed in as much as many of us wanted. The result?  Many of us still walked into donor visits and meetings nervous, unsure of ourselves, and unprepared to navigate […]
Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Rainmaker Fundraising: Guest Interview
• (00:01:17) - Practical Learning for Fundraisers
• (00:03:31) - Facebook's First Paying Customers
• (00:03:50) - Why I Launched a Tech Company
• (00:08:10) - How the Fear-Based Fundraising System is Changing the Way
• (00:11:10) - Baker Fundraising: From Friendly to Fundraising
• (00:15:46) - The New Way to Coaching
• (00:18:28) - How To Raise Money With a Board of Directors
• (00:19:38) - Beyond the Money Flow
• (00:24:21) - Fundraising Goals and Motivation
• (00:26:15) - The New Goal-oriented Meeting
• (00:28:28) - "A Touch of Mercy"
• (00:29:17) - Give Like a Corporate Coach
• (00:31:08) - Coaching of the Leader
• (00:33:54) - Practivated: How to Navigate the Challenging Personality of
• (00:38:38) - A Few More Favors For You

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“How are you?” Simple question, right?  If you lead a nonprofit organization, a ministry, or work inside one, this probably feels like a loaded question. A trap, if you will.  What we all know, but what so few are willing to admit, is that burnout is at an all-time high in our sector. As Nathan LaGrange, Executive Director at Oasis Rest International says, leaders don’t set out in their careers to flame out. No one wants to burn out, to harm their most precious relationships, or end up on the brink personal and professional failure. But it happens. https://youtube.com/shorts/ksKb5a8B_GI?feature=share In […]
Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast: Rest and Recover
• (00:01:19) - Andrew McMillan on Planting His Soul
• (00:07:38) - Oasis Rest: A Place for Leaders to Talk
• (00:09:06) - Burnout in the Church
• (00:13:47) - The importance of caring for the leader
• (00:19:34) - A Sacred Controversy About Service Profit Chain
• (00:25:26) - How to Reset the Relationship Between CEO and Donor Development
• (00:29:13) - How Do You Retreat Away From Responsibilities?
• (00:32:57) - How to Encourage Your Pastor
• (00:35:54) - The Retreat Safety
• (00:38:04) - Life, Love, Liberty and Legacy
• (00:41:47) - Oasis of Rest
• (00:45:50) - How to Slow Down in Leadership
• (00:50:34) - Oasis REST: Slow Down
• (00:51:23) - How to Reach Out to Nonprofit Leaders
• (00:52:32) - The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast

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With access to clean water remaining a pressing issue in our world, charity: water stands out as a beacon of innovation and change. Brady Josephson, VP of Marketing and Growth (and a semi-regular guest on The Rainmaker show), shares insights into how the organization is transforming the way it engages with the world, driven by a relentless mission to provide clean water to every person on the planet. In our conversation, Brady the power of curiosity, a trait that fuels his (and the entire team’s) approach to innovation at charity: water. Working alongside the organization’s founder Scott Harrison, who embodies […]
Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast
• (00:01:01) - Meet Charity Water's Chief Marketing Officer
• (00:02:50) - Dave Raley on His 'Superpower'
• (00:03:43) - Charity Water Executive Director on Innovation
• (00:07:37) - What's the Balance Between Innovation and Change at Charity Water?
• (00:12:18) - The Nonprofit Organization's Attention Challenge
• (00:15:18) - Creating a Charity Experience Lab in Franklin
• (00:18:11) - The World Without Water Experience
• (00:24:08) - Small Nonprofits: The Next Step in Innovation
• (00:29:57) - How to get in touch with Charity Water
• (00:30:36) - The Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make
• (00:31:04) - A Request for the Rainmaker Podcast

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Should you invest in branding, OR, should you invest in fundraising?  What creates greater impact for your cause?  The answer often depends on who you ask. There are plenty of fundraising consultants who will tell you that investing in brand is a useless exercise, and all you need to do to be successful is invest in fundraising. Buy more direct mail. Spend more on paid ad programs. Hire more consultants. Do more events. If you’re not careful, you’ll invest in a grab bag of tactics that may not move the needle for you on revenue. Sadly, too many nonprofits do […]
Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Kevin Brown on Fundable & Findable
• (00:00:45) - How to Build a Brand for Nonprofits
• (00:02:00) - Writing Down the Book
• (00:02:33) - Getting Out There: The LinkedIn Content
• (00:03:44) - Mission Clarity and How to Raise Money
• (00:06:30) - What is Vision for Nonprofit Leaders?
• (00:08:38) - The Secret to Success in Raising Money
• (00:11:03) - Brand Investment in Community
• (00:11:43) - Brand Investment: An Investment
• (00:13:17) - What Role Do Boards Have in the
• (00:15:01) - Strategic Plan: Everything Is Possible, But Everything Isn't
• (00:17:15) - The Investment Strategy of Building a Brand
• (00:18:17) - Nonprofit Communications and Brand Teams Understaffed
• (00:20:05) - How to Build a Nonprofit Brand with Just One Word
• (00:23:37) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker

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Do you know the 7 key donor performance metrics that drive organizational fundraising success in your nonprofit?  My friends Gabe Cooper and Carly Berna from Virtuous help us dig into those KPI trends in this conversation about the Virtuous 2025 Nonprofit Benchmarking Report. Some of the insights we cover in this conversation include: The importance of donor retention, and the key difference between overall retention and net donor retention Challenges facing the nonprofit sector, and how doubling down on relationship, personalization, and automation can help offset some of those challenges Why you have to start leveraging data and automation (including […]
Chapters

• (00:00:00) - The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast
• (00:01:21) - Virtuous's 2025 Nonprofit Benchmarking Report
• (00:02:17) - The 7 KPIs that Matter The Most to Driving Revenue Growth
• (00:03:49) - Donor Experience: Days Between First and Second Gifts
• (00:06:46) - Donor Welcome Series
• (00:08:31) - The decline of the everyday donor
• (00:12:12) - The Future of Fundraising: Data Literacy
• (00:16:13) - Will AI Change the Way Nonprofits Raise Money?
• (00:19:23) - Mid- and Major Donors
• (00:25:48) - Mid-level Donors: The Middle Child
• (00:27:11) - Donor Outreach
• (00:30:23) - Nonprofit Giving: Average Gift Increases
• (00:33:22) - Are You More Likely to Give Online?
• (00:34:41) - Nonprofit Giving: New Donor Acquisition
• (00:37:43) - Donors' Long Term Value
• (00:39:30) - Ask Again: How to Ask the Donor
• (00:42:07) - Virtuous Nonprofit Data 2017: Most Encouraged
• (00:45:09) - Top Nonprofit Executives Discuss the Benchmark Report
• (00:45:54) - A Few More Favors For You

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Do you know what sets the most generous fundraisers apart from the rest?
In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with David Duxbury, Major Gift Officer at Hammer Residences, to explore the transformative power of generosity. David shares his personal journey from growing up in poverty to becoming a passionate advocate for donor impact. Together, they discuss the importance of humility in fundraising, the role of donor-centric communication, and how nonprofits can better empower the next generation of fundraisers. Packed with honest stories and practical wisdom, this conversation will inspire anyone working to build meaningful relationships in the nonprofit sector.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast
• (00:00:33) - Meet the Hammer Residences Major Gift Officer David Green
• (00:02:20) - In the Elevator With Charitable Givers
• (00:05:26) - Empowering the Next Generation of Fundraising
• (00:13:55) - The Importance of Humility
• (00:16:25) - How to Get Your Salesforce CRM to Do the Things You
• (00:16:57) - Donors Are Terrible People
• (00:17:37) - Philanthropist on How He Views Wealth
• (00:26:25) - Donor Centricity in Fundraising
• (00:31:11) - Donor Experience: How to Win at Fundraising
• (00:35:44) - What is Donor Stewardship?
• (00:39:42) - Top 10 Most Meaningful Donor Conversations
• (00:43:24) - The Rainmaker: Donating to Nonprofits

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

What does it really take to become a great fundraising organization?
In this powerful episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson is joined by Alan Clayton, author of Great Fundraising Organizations and founder of Revolutionise. Together, they explore what separates thriving nonprofits from those that struggle, why fundraising success starts with leadership, and how to run two distinct operations—service delivery and fundraising—under one mission. Alan shares insights from global research, practical leadership strategies, and a call to embrace emotional storytelling, strategic investment, and a purpose-driven culture

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Alan Clayton on the Rainmaker
• (00:00:52) - Revolutionizing What It Is to Raise Money for Nonprofits
• (00:01:29) - Great fundraising organizations: The journey from good to great
• (00:03:08) - Getting organizations to commit to a five year plan
• (00:04:44) - What Makes Nonprofit Organizations Successful?
• (00:06:50) - The need for emotionally relevant engagement
• (00:09:29) - The role of the leader in fundraising
• (00:13:24) - How to Get Your Salesforce CRM to Work
• (00:13:59) - Philanthropy: The Leadership Problem
• (00:16:58) - The Conflict and Tension of the Fundraising
• (00:21:12) - The 3 Step Process of Brand Management
• (00:24:31) - In the Elevator With Andrew Carnegie
• (00:25:17) - What Makes a Charitable Leader So Driven?
• (00:28:58) - Laughably Leadership: A challenge to the
• (00:30:53) - Andrew Olson on the Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make
• (00:31:24) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker

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Is your nonprofit leaving long-term donor value on the table?
In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson talks with Dave Raley, founder of Imago Consulting and author of The Rise of Sustainable Giving. Dave explains how the subscription economy is reshaping recurring giving and why many organizations fail to treat sustainers as the long-term partners they are. They explore the history of recurring giving, the elements of a strong sustainer program, and bust common myths about donor loyalty and communication. This episode is a must if your organization wants to grow predictable revenue and deepen donor commitment.

Chapters

• (00:00:03) - Dave Raley on Why He Started Imago Consulting
• (00:04:12) - Bookmark: The Rise of Recurring Giving
• (00:09:08) - Subscriptions and Recurring Giving
• (00:15:24) - Your 90 Day Leaders Journey Email Course
• (00:19:03) - Sustainer vs. Long Term Value
• (00:20:37) - What Makes an Organization Ready for Sustainer?
• (00:25:49) - Should I Let a Major Donor Be a Monthly Donor?
• (00:26:21) - Are Your Recurring Donors More Valuable Than Your Major Don
• (00:29:50) - When Should a Major Donor Start Giving?
• (00:33:18) - Subscriptions in the Nonprofit Industry
• (00:37:56) - Cancel Your Subscriptions?
• (00:39:54) - Sustainer Program Launch: Benchmark, Evaluate and Design
• (00:44:08) - Sustainable Giving Growth Plan
• (00:45:52) - A Few Favors For You

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Are you telling stories that truly inspire donor action?
In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson talks with Tayloe Clements, Director of Digital Marketing at Barna Group and host of the Mission Money podcast. Tayloe shares her journey from filmmaker to nonprofit strategist and breaks down five key elements of compelling storytelling. She explains why conflict and transformation are essential, and offers practical advice for creating impactful video content—even with limited resources. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this episode will help you level up your digital storytelling.

 

Chapters

• (00:00:03) - Rainmaker: The Fundraising Podcast
• (00:00:46) - Taylor on His Leader Journey
• (00:02:02) - Barna the Swing dancer on How To Fit It All In
• (00:03:02) - Nonprofit Missionary
• (00:06:25) - What Excites You About Storytelling?
• (00:07:35) - The Story of Donor Engagement
• (00:11:19) - 4 Key Elements of a Mission
• (00:14:04) - Your Leadership Journey Email Course
• (00:15:48) - The Donor: The Hero of Nonprofit Marketing
• (00:19:10) - How to Coach Nonprofit Leaders on Camera
• (00:22:18) - How to Tell a Story in Video
• (00:26:15) - Andrew Olson: The Nonprofit Future
• (00:30:32) - Social Media: How to Tell the Story
• (00:33:44) - How to Start a Business in the Digital World
• (00:35:23) - A Few Favors For You

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Could treating fundraising like a skilled trade transform your results?
In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with Jason Zwang, founder of The Giving Group and longtime major gifts leader. Jason shares why major gift fundraising should be approached not just as a career, but as a craft that requires apprenticeship, trust-building, and continual learning. They explore the evolution of major gifts, the tension between science and art, and how organizations can prepare for the next generation of fundraising leadership. This is a masterclass in practical wisdom for anyone serious about long-term fundraising success.

 

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Raising Money Through Major Gifts
• (00:01:11) - Jason Levitt on Major Gifts
• (00:04:15) - Major Gifts as a Trade
• (00:05:13) - Philanthropy as a Trade versus a Career
• (00:09:15) - How to Balance the Pressure of Delivering This Year's
• (00:13:21) - Philanthropy and the Future
• (00:18:23) - The 90 Day Leader's Journey Email Course
• (00:19:47) - David Lively: The Need for Tradecraft
• (00:24:53) - The Art of Raising Money
• (00:28:22) - 3 Rules for Success in Raising Money
• (00:31:46) - What are you most excited for in philanthropy in the coming decade
• (00:33:38) - How Do Nonprofit Pro and Pro Speak?
• (00:34:11) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

How can failure become a catalyst for growth in nonprofit leadership?
In this honest and empowering episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson is joined by Beth Fisher, CEO of Fisher Strategic. They explore how failure—especially public failure—can be one of the most powerful teachers for nonprofit leaders. Beth shares how to recover from setbacks, how to create psychologically safe cultures, and why investing in people is non-negotiable for organizations that want to grow. This episode offers practical insights for leading with authenticity, resilience, and empathy.

 

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Rainmaker: Failure and What We Can Do About It
• (00:00:56) - In the Elevator With Templeton Religion Trust's Director
• (00:01:55) - What is the Risk of Failure?
• (00:07:16) - Tom Clancy on Recovering From a Big Failure
• (00:10:17) - On Coaching and the Need for Support
• (00:14:00) - Steve Jobs on How Do You Manage Your Life?
• (00:15:34) - The 90 Day Leaders' Journey Email Course
• (00:16:47) - On the Toxic Environment
• (00:18:36) - The Need for a Safe Workplace
• (00:19:54) - Performance Review and the Gray Area
• (00:21:08) - Does the Enneagram Affect How You're Seen?
• (00:22:10) - The 3 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make
• (00:25:48) - WSJDLive: Leading Transformational Change
• (00:27:20) - What Have You Learned From Your Biggest Fails?
• (00:30:50) - Rainmaker: A Request for Help

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Are your fundraising and PR efforts working in harmony—or getting in each other’s way?
In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with Jessi Marsh, Senior Director of Creative Strategy at DickersonBakker, to explore how public relations and fundraising can support each other for greater impact. Jessi shares practical strategies for building media relationships, positioning your nonprofit as a thought leader, and coordinating PR efforts to elevate donor engagement. From crisis response to calendar planning to election-season storytelling, you’ll learn how to use the media to raise both your visibility and your revenue—without stepping on your fundraising team’s toes.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - The Intersection of Public Relations and Raising Money
• (00:01:22) - How to Manage Public Relations?
• (00:02:56) - What is a Press Release?
• (00:04:34) - How to Plan Your Public Relations Plan
• (00:09:34) - Are You Needing a News Media Presence?
• (00:10:39) - How to Promote Yourself as a Thought Leader
• (00:12:51) - The 90 Day Leaders' Journey Email Course
• (00:14:10) - How to Leverage Public Relations to Support Fundraising
• (00:20:48) - How Do Non-profits Compete During an Election Season?
• (00:22:32) - Inflation and domestic violence
• (00:23:57) - What Do You Say to Nonprofit Leaders Who Are Afraid to
• (00:27:09) - Responsive PR for Israel's Crisis
• (00:33:11) - Jennifer Marsh and Jesse Baker on Public Relations
• (00:35:39) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker

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Is your organization suffering from quiet decline—and would you even know it if it was?
In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson talks with Jim Langley, founder of Langley Innovations and former advancement leader at Georgetown, Georgia Tech, and UC San Diego. Together they explore the concept of institutional rot in the nonprofit sector, unpack why courage and curiosity are essential leadership traits, and challenge the rinse-and-repeat fundraising mindset that keeps organizations stuck. Jim shares hard truths about complacency, the decline in donor participation, and what it really takes to build lasting community and partnership. If you’re serious about the future of your organization, this conversation will wake you up and point you forward.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Jim Langley on Raising Money
• (00:01:57) - Philanthropy: The Vital Signs of Organizations
• (00:04:53) - The Importance of Courage
• (00:08:47) - Coronation 6: Courageous Leaders
• (00:16:50) - The 90 Day Leader's Journey Email Course
• (00:18:07) - Donor Satisfaction and the
• (00:27:03) - Philanthropy's Future
• (00:34:32) - Jim Vance on How to Reach People
• (00:35:30) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

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

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

Get full access to The Rainmaker Fundraising Newsletter at rainmakerfundraising.substack.com/subscribe

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Rebecca Hendrix is Chief Development Officer at Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas. She joined us on the podcast recently to talk about food bank fundraising, engaging donors throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and how to deal with the various challenges facing the nonprofit sector today.

Some of the highlights from our conversation include:

• Understanding the complexity and challenges that arise with engaging donors in a purely virtual environment


• Navigating crises at your organization and caring well for your people in the process


• Helping fundraisers balance the desire to remain remote with the need to engage directly and deeply with donors


• Why fundraising is “the highest form of sales”


• The key traits for successful nonprofit leaders


• What your organization can do to meet donors where they are today and engage them well for the future

 

Your mission is critical. Your resources are finite. You need a partner that can deliver customized, scalable, and relevant donor communications that increase response and maximize net long-term revenue for your cause.  

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Kevin Feldman is Director of Development at The Salvation Army, Lake County, Indiana. He also advises small and emerging nonprofits on all things fundraising-related. 

Kevin also runs a one-person development shop and has spent years fine-tuning his approach to donor engagement and fundraising. 

We sat down recently to discuss the state of fundraising amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and how that’s changing the nonprofit landscape. Kevin had some great insights about the work and how we ought to be thinking about it. Here are some of the key insights we discussed:

1. The number one factor in driving success for fundraising in an organization is the leader’s passion for the cause. Being “fearlessly sold out” for the mission is critical. This trait drives everything else, keeps you motivated in challenging times, and helps to define the culture for everyone else in the organization.


2. Managing internal expectations around fundraising, donor relationships, revenue and expenses is equally as critical as managing your external donor expectations. In fact, bringing the board and other leaders into your fundraising plan — essentially making it their plan — will help bring shared ownership and greater success than trying to go it alone. 


3. For the one-person shop, determining where to spend your time and energy is the most important decision-making challenge. Think about that decision from the perspective of, “will this activity help me retain more donors, grow the organization’s relationship with more donors, increase giving, or add more new supporters to our cause?” If yes, then do it. If no, pass on it. 


4. As COVID-19 and other social issues continue to impact our country, one key observation (and a warning) is that nonprofits (especially small orgs) need to understand how giving is changing in the foundations and corporations that support them, and what organizations need to do to offset potential changes in their funding mixes. 


5. The impact of social media on donor engagement and fundraising, and why LinkedIn might just be the best social platform for donor engagement, board recruitment, and developing potential major donor relationships. 


6. Why it’s important for fundraisers to understand the program side of their organizations and how the last few years have significantly changed the needs in your local community — and why that matters for fundraising. 

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Anthony Jones is Founder of LinkedInOnePercentClub and formerly led all digital marketing, fundraising and social media strategy at Ducks Unlimited. He’s one of the most prolific digital marketers in our sector, and an all-around great guy. 

Recently, Anthony made a HUGE move, leaving a 15-year career at Ducks Unlimited and launching his own company to help people like you and me improve our personal brands on LinkedIn. 

In this conversation, Anthony and I talk about the importance of building your personal brand, why LinkedIn is the most important platform for personal branding, and how nonprofits can leverage LinkedIn for growth as well. 

Our conversation hit key topics including:

1. Why focusing on your personal brand on LinkedIn can put you in the top 1% of users on the platform.


2. What content is and isn’t “LinkedIn appropriate”.


3. How your nonprofit can gain attention and engagement on LinkedIn.


4. Why nonprofits shouldn’t be afraid of their employees building personal brands on LinkedIn.


5. Understanding how an employee’s personal brand can help build and grow your organization’s credibility. 


6. How best to engage donors, potential board members, and future employees on LinkedIn (and how not to). 

Don’t forget to check out Anthony’s FREE mini-course on personal branding on LinkedIn.

You can also join the Linked In One Percent Club today!

 

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 In our first episode of 2022 we sat down with Andy Carr, Vice President of Development and Marketing at Feed My Starving Children. 

Feed My Starving Children is a Christian international hunger relief organization that will provide 370 million meals to people in need across the globe this year. That’s more than 1 million meals per day. 

In our conversation with Andy, we covered many topics, including:

1. The philanthropic power of an engaging volunteer experience.


2. Crafting easily shareable messages.


3. Why talking about the “big” problem actually keeps people from acting, and how you can boil the big problem down to a single key point.


4. How to use a low-cost, tangible entry point to introduce supporters to your organization in a meaningful way. 


5. The value of creating blended live/virtual fundraising events. 

Andy is a dynamic, engaging speaker who is leading monumental growth at Feed My Starving Children. Take a listen — we’re sure you’ll find value in this conversation!

 

Your mission is critical. Your resources are finite. You need a partner that can deliver customized, scalable, and relevant donor communications that increase response and maximize net long-term revenue for your cause. 

You need Altus Marketing. 

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