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The ENGAGE Podcast

Subscribe to The ENGAGE Podcast to hear experts from across the social good community share best practices, tips and must-know trends that will help organizations increase their impact. Formerly called The sgENGAGE Podcast.
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Now displaying: Page 5
Jun 4, 2020

Livestream fundraising – you’ve probably heard the term, but do you really understand how your social good organization can leverage this popular strategy? Have you wondered how you can you use livestreaming to connect with donors and raise more funds?

Robyn Mendez, Principal Product Marketing Manager at Blackbaud, joins the podcast today to explain. Listen in to hear Robyn talk about why livestream fundraising can be an important fundraising tool, the main platforms organizations can use for livestreaming (such as Twitch and Facebook Live), and some of the ways that organizations can leverage livestreaming to reach a larger audience.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • The definition of livestream fundraising
  • Why livestream fundraising can be an important fundraising tool
  • Popular livestreaming platforms and types of content appropriate for each
  • Different ideas for livestreaming content
  • Examples of standalone organizational livestreaming
  • Advice for organizations considering adopting livestreaming

Resources:

Robyn Mendez

Webinar: Decoding Livestream Fundraising

Livestream Fundraising 101: What is Livestream Fundraising?

How to Harness the Fundraising Power of Twitch

Quotes: 

“Generally speaking, livestreaming is becoming a mainstay of our marketing channel mix.”

“Anything that you would have a conversation with your friend about at dinner, they’re doing that. They’re just hanging out online as opposed to hanging out physically together at a restaurant.”

“If you have a phone and an online donation form, you can absolutely use Facebook Live to do livestreaming.”

 

May 28, 2020

COVID-19 has impacted fundraising in various ways. What will major and planned giving programs look like in our current landscape, and how can your organization adjust to see continued success with these programs?

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Eddie Thompson, founder and CEO of Thompson and Associates, and Russell James, Professor of Charitable Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, in an excerpt from a Blackbaud webinar. They discuss the challenges of raising major and planned gifts in the current environment, give advice on how to talk to donors and consider how they are feeling and faring during this time, and highlight different giving strategies that can benefit organizations and donors. 

After listening to the episode, click on the link to the webinar in the Resources section to watch the full recording, including a panel discussion featuring Eddie and Russell as well as Page Bullington, president and general manager of Blackbaud Healthcare Solutions and Blackbaud Foundation Solutions, and Heather Wiley Starankovic, principal consultant at Accordant Philanthropy.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • Four pieces of the frame that holds the nonprofit mosaic together
    • Excellent leadership
    • Appealing mission
    • Dedicated staff
    • Visibility in the community
  • Replacing fear with focus
  • Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on major and planned gifts
  • Short-term impacts on major and planned giving
  • Questions that donors are asking themselves
  • Types of wealth accumulators
  • Showing support to donors during crisis
  • Transitioning to different giving opportunities
  • Permission marketing
  • Donor-advised fund holders
  • Plan B for planned gifts
  • Charitable gift annuities
  • CARES Act charitable donations

Resources:

Webinar: Raising Major and Planned Gifts in the Current Environment

Tip Sheet: 6 Planned Giving Options to Offer Donors

Tip Sheet: Questions Major Donors Are Asking Themselves Before Making a Gift

Quotes: 

“We are really positioning ourselves not just for today, but for the future.” –Eddie Thompson

“I’ll tell you this, almost everyone has been impacted emotionally.” –Eddie Thompson

“We want people to ask us for more information or more details.” –Russell James

May 21, 2020

Giving days are an increasingly important fundraising tool for social good organizations. And while #GivingTuesday may be the most well-known event, there are a variety of ways to hold a giving day, from organization-specific to regional to national or international, each with their own benefits.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Amanda Baldwin, Sr. Principal Solutions Engineer at Blackbaud, about how to plan a successful giving day for your organization. Listen in to hear what Amanda has to say about the importance of giving days as a fundraising strategy, the benefits of organizations holding their own giving days, and technologies that organizations should consider for giving day success.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • Why giving days are such an important fundraising strategy
  • Whether organizations with small budgets and staffs can have successful giving days
  • The benefits of organizations holding their own giving days vs. participating in regional, local, or international giving days
  • Key steps that organizations need to keep in mind when organizing giving days
  • The importance of setting and communicating tangible fundraising goals
  • Technologies that organizations should consider when planning giving days

Resources:

Amanda Baldwin

Webinar: How to Hold a Successful Giving Day for Your Nonprofit

Free Giving Day Toolkit

Creating a Giving Tuesday Strategy That's 'Just Right'

Quotes: 

“It is important to remind your audience that fundraising is how you are able to reach those outcomes.”

“You shouldn’t have to apologize for needing to fundraise in order to do all the good work you’re doing in your community and around the world.”

“I think that the more unique you can be, the more you can make yourself stand out, the more likely you won’t have to be concerned about feeling like you’re in competition for donor dollars all on one day with other organizations either in your community or around the world.”

May 14, 2020

Nonprofits that are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may be able to receive help through the CARES Act – the large relief bill that Congress passed in an effort to help individuals and organizations weather the crisis. But it can be difficult to understand all of the ins and outs of such a large and complex piece of legislation.

In today’s episode, Ben Kershaw of Independent Sector joins Blackbaud’s Government Relations Manager Sally Ehrenfried to answer questions about the CARES Act that especially concern nonprofit organizations. Listen in to hear what Ben has to say about how nonprofits can get help, how to think about long-term support, and what aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program nonprofits need to be aware of.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • The aspects of the CARES Act that apply to nonprofits
  • How nonprofits can get help through the CARES Act
  • Whether there’s any thought of long-term support in addition to meeting short-term needs
  • Insight about charitable tax deductions
  • Communicating changes to donors
  • When the 8-week period of the Paycheck Protection Program starts
  • Whether organizations that receive PPP funds can hire temp employees
  • The rules around non-payroll expenses
  • What the process will be around the recent replenishment of funding that Congress has added to the Payroll Protection Program
  • What reforms and changes will come with the next relief package
  • What long-term changes might come from coronavirus responses generally and the CARES Act specifically
  • The importance of speaking up in the nonprofit sector

Resources:

Ben Kershaw

CARES Act Resources from Independent Sector

Blackbaud COVID-19 Resource Center

Blackbaud CARES Act Resource Hub

Quotes: 

“As we turn to other legislation, we’ll be talking about 2 trillion-dollar responses, so it’s just a reminder of how quickly both the public awareness and the policy response to this have grown.”

“We will certainly be advocating to extend this incentive and to expand it, so that it can help incentivize the sort of giving that we need as a nation.”

“The intent of the Paycheck Protection Program is clear. It is not small business or a small non-profit protection program, it’s a paycheck protection program. The intent is to make sure that employees stay on payroll.”

May 7, 2020

In the new normal in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what’s the best way for organizations to engage and inspire their audiences? Should they be looking to newer types of media, such as podcasts, to help humanize their organizations and more deeply connect with their supporters, customers, donors, etc.?

Today’s guest is Camille Laurente, co-founder and CEO, of Hueman Group Media. Listen to the interview to hear what she has to say about how to engage audiences through storytelling across multiple digital channels, what powerful and compelling stories look like, and how organizations should be thinking about using podcasting and other types of new media.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • What Hueman Group Media does
  • How organizations can engage their audiences using different types of media during this pandemic and beyond
  • How organizations not on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic can still engage supporters in their ongoing missions
  • Examples of powerful and compelling stories
  • The importance of humanizing content
  • How organizations should think about podcasting and other types of media use in addition to the other things that they’re doing
  • What Camille is working on right now and what impact she’s hoping to have in the social good sector

Resources:

Camille Laurente

Humaen Group Media Podcast Series

Blackbaud University Course: Multimedia Storytelling

Quotes: 

“I think one of the key approaches to this pandemic is really being transparent and really authentic in your messaging.”

“Data is good, and your impact or what you’ve done in the past is good, but don’t forget to humanize your content.”

“I love sharing this because, in the next few weeks, we’re launching a new slate of podcasts on our network.”

Apr 30, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the funding landscape in various ways. It’s important that both grantmakers and grantees understand each other’s needs and challenges right now.

In today’s episode, Lauren Steiner, president and founder of Grants Plus, talks with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson about the current trends she is seeing in grantmaking. Listen in to hear what Lauren has to say about COVID-related funding resources, changes to funding practices and requirements, and how nonprofits should approach conversations with funders.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • General trends in the funding landscape
  • How many funders are changing practices and requirements in response to the current situation
  • The importance of transparency and relationship building
  • Advice for starting conversations with funders
  • Changes in the funding situation that may continue once the crisis has passed
  • The COVID-related funding resources that Lauren has been gathering

Resources:

Lauren Steiner

Grant Plus's Guide to Grant Seeking During the COVID-19 Crisis

COVID-19 Industry Resources for Foundations and Grantmaking Organizations

3 Best Practices for Remote Disaster Grantmaking Response

Chronicle of Philanthropy article: 6 Steps for Grant Makers to Take Now to Ensure Nonprofits Recover From Coronavirus Spread

Quotes: 

“The general consensus was we need to advise organizations to not stop because of what’s going on.”

“One of the trends that I’m seeing – and I am here for it – is that foundations are loosening restrictions.”

“If you haven’t started that kind of frequent connection with your funders, do that now.”

Apr 23, 2020

Many things have changed in response to COVID-19, but the missions and purposes of social good organizations remain the same even if their methods must adjust to meet the current situation.

In today’s episode, Melissa Bank Stepno, Director of Analytics Consulting at Blackbaud joins the podcast to talk with Steve MacLaughlin about using personas for fundraising during COVID-19. Listen in to hear what Melissa has to say about the value of continued engagement, what organizations should be focusing on right now, and how personas can help their messaging.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • What Melissa is hearing from organizations right now about fundraising during COVID-19
  • The importance of continued engagement
  • What organizations should focus on right now
  • The importance of data health
  • How organizations can use personas to fine-tune messages for their audiences
  • Examples of personas and how they work
  • How the imagery can match the message
  • How organizations can learn more about personas

Resources:

Melissa Bank Stepno

Blackbaud Institute Report: "Supporters in Sight: A Look at Peer-to-Peer Personas"

Blackbaud Institute Report: "Supporters in Sight: An Introduction to Personas"

Article: Harnessing Big Data to Sustain Peer-to-Peer Revenue Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

Quotes: 

“Every nonprofit in the country, in the world, exists for a purpose and for a reason, and those missions are all still valid today.”

“The health of the addresses on your file, the phone numbers on your file, the emails on your file is more critical than ever as we’re thinking about how we can reach people where they are.”

“How can you meet somebody where they are at their point in time in life, and what they’re most interested in?”

Apr 16, 2020

#GivingTuesday is an annual campaign that has taken off far beyond expectations in the years since it was first implemented, reaching an unprecedented global scale. And now the #GivingTuesday organization has created a new day of giving as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic: #GivingTuesdayNow.

Asha Curran, CEO of #GivingTuesday, joins the sgENGAGE Podcast in this episode to talk with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson about the new #GivingTuesdayNow campaign happening on May 5, 2020. Listen in to hear what Asha has to say about how #GivingTuesdayNow came about, how people are pitching in to help during this crisis, and how to handle messaging and creating campaigns in situations with limited timeframes. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • The basics of #GivingTuesday and how it’s become an independent organization
  • What prompted Asha to create #GivingTuesdayNow
  • How people are using their unique skills in the COVID-19 crisis
  • How to focus when there isn’t a lot of ramp-up time to create a new fundraising campaign
  • Messaging advice to engage supporters around #GivingTuesdayNow
  • Asha’s goals for #GivingTuesdayNow

Resources:

Asha Curran

#GivingTuesdayNow

#GivingTuesdayNow resources from Blackbaud 

Quotes: 

“Last year on Giving Tuesday 2019, over 2 billion dollars was donated just in the 24 hours of Giving Tuesday.”

“Right from the beginning, we saw that people were in search of ideas. They wanted to help.”

“We have a saying in the Giving Tuesday community that there’s no stealing in Giving Tuesday, there’s just joyful replication.”

Apr 9, 2020

In the midst of COVID-19, virtual volunteerism opportunities are more important than ever. But there have also always been people who want to engage and contribute but who can’t, for various reasons, volunteer in traditional ways. This episode is about understanding and expanding virtual volunteer programs. 

Danielle Holly, CEO of Common Impact, an organization dedicated to skills-based volunteerism, joins the Podcast to share her insights and expertise on how nonprofits and corporations can better work together on virtual volunteer programs. Listen in to hear her talk with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson on different models for virtual volunteering, how companies can encourage employees to give back in this way, and what nonprofits can do to create more virtual volunteer opportunities. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • The types of virtual volunteer activities that are available
  • How companies can set employees up for success with virtual volunteer opportunities
  • How to get to know your nonprofit partner quickly in a virtual environment
  • What nonprofits and social good organizations can do to create more virtual volunteer opportunities
  • Standout examples of virtual volunteer programs

Resources:

Danielle Holly

Common Impact's Catalog of Virtual Volunteer Models

Going Virtual - An Alternative Volunteer Event Guide

Quotes: 

“Pro bono and skills-based volunteerism, for the most part, translates very easily into a virtual environment.”

“The encouragement and the modeling of volunteering from mid-level management and from senior management is incredibly important.”

“There are very few projects, initiatives, and challenges that nonprofit leaders face that can’t be supported by service. That can’t be supported by pro bono talent.”

Apr 2, 2020

Traditionally, arts and cultural organizations start fundraising after someone buys their first ticket. But is that the best approach for long-term success? What if organizations waited and took a more methodical approach?

In today’s episode, Aubrey Bergauer, Executive Director of the Center for Innovative Leadership and VP of Strategic Communications at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, joins the podcast to talk about developing a long-haul approach to fundraising, being customer-obsessed, and attracting a more diverse audience. You’ll also hear a bonus segment with Aubrey, added after the main interview was originally recorded, in which she discusses how organizations can most effectively operate right now during the COVID-19 crisis. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • How the San Francisco Conservatory of Music is responding in the face of COVID-19
  • How arts and cultural organizations can effectively communicate with their supporters during these uncertain times
  • Advice for arts and cultural organizations attempting to adapt their operations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The success Aubrey has seen with the long-haul fundraising model she developed for fundraising and patron retention
  • Why organizations should wait to solicit donations
  • How Aubrey is bringing the long-haul model to higher education
  • Examples of the wrong types of metrics organizations often focus on
  • The importance of being customer-obsessed
  • Shaping your organization’s website for first-time visitors instead of your board of directors or long-term donors
  • Making programming more attractive and accessible to a younger audience
  • Attracting more diverse audiences
  • How to achieve a more diverse staff

Resources:

Follow Aubrey Berguaer on Twitter: @AubreyBergauer

Resources to Guide Arts and Cultural Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Report: Guide to Evaluating your Arts & Cultural Organization's Online Performance

Quotes: 

“I think what’s so important for arts organizations is to really be forward-looking.”

“It’s OK to be human. But we must also be positive, and we must also be looking into the future.”

“The key is to talk to users but to also respond, not justify what we’ve been doing.”

Mar 26, 2020

The spread of COVID-19 has changed the workplace for many people: in many cases, it means that people are working remotely for the first time or working remotely in different ways than they previously did with partners or kids at home. It’s important to have a strategy in place for keeping team members engaged and productive. 

In today’s episode, Tiffany Crumpton, Director of Marketing for Blackbaud Higher Education Solutions talks with Blackbaud change management expert Mike Reardon about the best strategies for successfully maintaining an engaged remote staff. Listen to the episode to hear what Tiffany and Mike have to say about virtually promoting interpersonal communication, maintaining a sense of normalcy during these unprecedented times, and staying engaged while working remotely amidst COVID-19.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • How Tiffany and her team are managing the transition to working at home
  • How to promote interpersonal communication remotely
  • Tips for managers to create collaborative environments for team members
  • Steps that all people can take to stay engaged
  • The importance of maintaining a sense of normalcy
  • Finding ways to help others
  • Tips and tricks for people who are working remotely for the first time or doing it in a new way 

Resources:

Tiffany Crumpton

Article: Take a Shower and Other WFH Tips from Your Social Good Peer

Article: 6 Tips for Managing a Virtual Workforce

Quotes: 

“I maintain it’s important to have that regular – I call it drumbeat – of communication.”

“Humor and grace can help in many scenarios.”

“In times of uncertainty, it also helps to think of people we may be able to help.”

Mar 19, 2020

Succession planning is a hot topic, but is it the right topic? Today’s guest believes that organizations should go beyond succession planning and think about intentional pathway planning instead for long-term sustainability.

Miecha Ranea Forbes is the senior vice president of Culture, Inclusion and Strategic Advising at Koya Leadership Partners. Miecha joins host Rachel Hutchisson to share her experience and discuss the difference between succession planning and intentional pathway planning, where organizations should start their intentional pathway planning journey, and how everyone can take ownership of their own development and career pathways.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • Miecha’s role at Koya Leadership Partners and her human resources background
  • The difference between success planning and intentional pathway planning
  • Why and how organizations should start intentional pathway planning 
  • What employees who are aren’t in senior management can do to be a part of the pathway planning process
  • How individual contributors can invest in and develop their careers outside of what the company offers 
  • The importance of mentorship 
  • Acknowledging failure and providing constructive feedback

Resources:

Miecha Ranea Forbes

Article: Why Succession Planning is an Outdated Concept

Article: 4 Free Professional Development Opportunities You Might Not Be Thinking About 

Quotes: 

“I think it’s really important to start immediately so that you can actually anticipate the things that could occur.”

“Every role within the organization is essential to making the organization run and run well, but there are some roles that are more critical, particularly from a decision-making perspective.”

“You have to take ownership for your own success, for your development, for your pathway.”

Mar 12, 2020

Corporate social responsibility and responsible business are now seen as integral to successful business operations. But have you thought about involving the sourcing and procurement processes in creating social impact?  

Today’s guest is Paul Polizzotto, founder and CEO of Givewith, who has had a 30-career of dedicating himself to the idea that businesses can prioritize social impact and deliver a sustainable funding source for nonprofits while distinguishing themselves from the competition. Paul talked to host Rachel Hutchisson about  connecting people with their jobs and communities through purposeful business practices.

Listen to the interview to hear what Paul has to say about how he started Givewith, what companies can do to align their sourcing with their social impact programs, and how nonprofits can take advantage of the solutions and movement that Paul is helping to create.  

Topics Discussed in This Episode: 

  • Paul’s background as a social entrepreneur
  • Finding new sources of funding for CSR initiatives
  • Advice for companies looking to align sourcing and their social impact
  • How nonprofits can benefit from this funding stream
  • Examples of a successful business-nonprofit partnership that benefitted from creating social impact through the sourcing process
  • How the lines between business and nonprofit are blurring

Resources: 

Paul Polizzotto 

Givewith 

Article: 4 Core Attributes of Authentic Corporate Citizenship 

Quotes:  

“In my view, awareness is overrated. Action is never overrated. And awareness without action is a missed opportunity.” 

“I think there’s an opportunity to integrate social impact in sourcing and procurement that addresses a number of other business issues.” 

“The nonprofits start to really understand that their social impacts that they’re carrying out actually have business value that they didn’t understand.” 

Mar 5, 2020

What was the state of charitable giving last year? Now is the time to find out so you can benchmark your organization and boost your fundraising performance in 2020.

In a bit of a reversal this episode, host Steve McLaughlin is today’s guest. Steve sat down with Erin Duff from the Blackbaud Institute to talk about Blackbaud’s 2019 Charitable Giving Report, which tracks over $36 billion in U.S-based charitable giving from the Blackbaud Institute Index. Listen to the interview to hear Steve explain why it’s important to consider three-year trends, what the overall giving and online giving numbers mean for nonprofit strategy, and what the most important practice is for social good organizations to focus on in 2020.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • Why knowing the giving trends each year matters to the social good sector
  • How to use the data from the Charitable Giving Report
  • How philanthropy has weathered recent changes in variables that affect giving
  • The importance of measuring 3-year trends
  • Insights on online giving trends and strategies
  • Average gift amounts by subsector
  • How organizations should interpret and respond to retention rate figures
  • Why it’s important to keep an eye on global giving
  • The single most important practice for social good organizations to focus on 

Resources:

2019 Charitable Giving Report

Blackbaud Institute

Quotes: 

“This year, we’re not only showing year over year results, but we’re taking those thousands of organizations and those tens of billions of dollars in giving, and looking at it over a 3-year period of time.”

“In 2019, overall giving was up 1% on a year over year basis, but up over 5% on a 3-year trend basis.”

“Online giving continues to be less than 10% of overall fundraising, although we’re starting to see those numbers shift.”

Feb 27, 2020

Change comes in many different forms, whether it’s a new technology initiative, a new stakeholder or student engagement approach, change in leadership, crisis resolution, etc. So, what are the steps that institutions can take to implement sustainable change and realize the vision they’re trying to create through any transformation? 

Today’s guest, Drumm McNaughton, CEO of The Change Leader, Inc. talks with Blackbaud change management expert Michael Reardon about the best strategies for getting stakeholders involved in change efforts at higher education institutions and other social good organizations. Listen in to hear them discuss common types of institutional change, how to keep up momentum through change efforts, and how to maintain engaged users once a change has been implemented. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • The basic steps to implementing sustainable change
  • The differences between incremental, transformational and revolutionary change
  • How to get stakeholders involved in change efforts
  • The different kinds of people required in a change effort
  • What’s required from leadership during a change effort
  • Change management as a psychological process
  • Maintaining engaged users once a change is implemented
  • Best practices for engaging remote stakeholders
  • Pitfalls to avoid 

Resources:

Drumm McNaughton

Webinar: Proven Change Management Practices for High-Performing Institutions

Webinar: Digital Transformation: Getting Your Institution on Board

Tip Sheet: Six Steps for Implementing New Technology at Your Higher Education Institution 

Quotes: 

“We do something that we call the stakeholder input and attunement process.”

“We call skeptics our best friend.”

“Change management, however you call it, frankly it’s a psychological process, because you’re working with people and their mental models.”

Feb 20, 2020

Decision-making around directing philanthropic giving is an increasingly data-driven exercise. So, it’s more important than ever for social good organizations looking to attract investment to be able to quantify and communicate their defined outcomes and ability to efficiently and effectively achieve them. This is accountable impact.

Today’s episode features an excerpt of a panel session at bbcon 2019 with John Cashman, Senior Principal Account Executive and Tony Boor, Chief Financial Officer at Blackbaud, Paul Preziotti, Principal at Johnson Lambert LLP and Traci Drake, Chief Philanthropy Executive at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Listen in get an inside look at the 2019 Blackbaud Accountable Impact Study and to hear these experts discuss challenges and best practices around adopting a culture of accountable impact to drive support for your mission.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • Background on Blackbaud’s 2019 Accountable Impact Study
  • Why the sub-competencies covered in this study were chosen
  • Finance benchmark competencies
  • Funding transparency
  • Promoting success from a financial perspective
  • Communication between the finance function and non-financial managers
  • Why so many nonprofits and social good organizations don’t feel enabled when it comes to technology
  • The interconnectivity of people, processes, and technology
  • Working with donors to fund capacity building needs

Resources:

Quotes: 

“The healthier an organization is in terms of vendor and credit management, the higher their overall competencies.” – John Cashman

“Most of the individuals who are making the key decisions don’t have a financial background. Your role in finance is to provide that link, from the accounting information.” –Paul Preziotti

“Technology is not a silver bullet. If you don’t have properly trained people, and you don’t have good processes, technology’s not going to solve it.” –Tony Boor

Feb 13, 2020

When you want the best information available, your best bet is to gather expert advice across a broad spectrum of professionals in the field you’re interested in. And that’s just what today’s guest has done. 

Martin Leifeld, CEO of Martin Leifeld LLC, is the author of Five Minutes for Fundraising: A Collection of Expert Advice from Gifted Fundraisers, which shares tips from a wide range of social good professionals. Listen in to hear Martin’s discussion with host Steve MacLaughlin, which focused on building relationships with major donors and maintaining involvement and engagement with those donors over a period of years. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • Key pieces of wisdom for fundraising professionals who are just starting their journey into major gifts
  • Building and nurturing long-term relationships with major donors
  • Managing expectations within your organization about major donors 
  • The 80/20 rule for donor relationships
  • Strategies for attracting and engaging with different types of donors

Resources:

Martin Leifeld

Five Minutes for Fundraising video series

Supporters in Sight: A Look at Affluent Donor Personas

Top Event Strategies for Major Donor Cultivation

Using Nonprofit Data to Find Your Next Major Donor

 Quotes: 

“The book overall really focuses on major gift engagement – major gift engagement for professionals and volunteers.”

“You have to educate your executives, you need to educate your board, you yourself perhaps as an executive director or significant volunteer or having the fundraising responsibility – you have to be educated.” 

“It’s very rare that there’s some kind of shortcut where a gift mystically magically appears at our doorstep that can change the course of our organization.”

Feb 6, 2020

This episode was originally published on April 18, 2018 as part of Blackbaud’s previous Raise & Engage Podcast.

Burnout. We’ve all been there or know someone who has. While work-life balance can be difficult for anyone to maintain, professionals in the non-profit sector face certain challenges that put them at a greater risk for experiencing burnout. How can you prevent burnout on an individual level, and how can an organization’s leadership help prevent employees from experiencing burnout?

Today’s guest is Beth Kanter, consultant, trainer, and author of the book, The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for Impact Without Burnout. Listen to today’s episode to hear what Beth has to say about burnout, why nonprofit employees are at risk for burnout, and how it can be prevented.

Topics Discussed in This Episode: 

  • What the term “burnout” means in the nonprofit sector and why it happens to nonprofit workers
  • The stages of burnout
  • How passion for a cause can be related to burnout
  • How to recognize the symptoms of burnout
  • How leadership can prevent burnout in their team
  • The effect that the workspace can have on employee wellbeing
  • The Pomodoro method for focusing
  • How mobile phones and other devices can affect the feeling of burnout
  • Different methods of self-care
  • How to be inclusive of remote team members and keep them engaged
  • First steps organizations and individuals can take to avoid burnout

Resources:

Beth Kanter
The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit

Quotes:

“I think we work in a field where scarcity mindsets lead. We don’t have enough staples in our staplers, or we don’t have enough staff, so I think this leads to trying to compensate by overworking.”

“Well-being is not something that’s foisted onto employees, right? They have to be engaged in it.”

“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”

Jan 30, 2020

So you’ve gotten that first donation, now how can you retain that donor? A welcome series is what should be next. An email welcome series is different from a thank-you email, a newsletter, or other types of ordinary supporter email communications. Getting the email welcome series right can take effort, and it may be more important than you think. 

In today’s interview with sgENGAGE Podcast veteran and Blackbaud University instructional designer Jocelyn Wright, you’ll learn more about why a welcome series is important, why they are valuable even in an email overload world, and what the best practices are for developing an email welcome series. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • What a welcome series is
  • Why you should send a welcome series
  • Statistics about how supporters interact with welcome series
  • The recommended cadence for sending welcome emails
  • Whether different types of supporters need different welcome emails
  • Best practices for developing welcome emails
  • The type of information to include in a welcome series

Resources:

Jocelyn Wright

Blackbaud University Organizational Best Practices Curriculum

The sgENGAGE Podcast Episode 116: Storytelling 101

Quotes: 

“It’s actually a great way to get information in front of supporters in a format that’s more likely to be clicked on and more likely to be opened and interacted with.”

“This isn’t something where they’re getting a message from you every single day for 3 days and then you’re done.”

“Another thing to keep in mind with welcome series is they’re a great opportunity for experimentation, and you really should be testing different things out and seeing what works.”

Jan 23, 2020

Direct marketing is an important part of any social good organization’s strategy, but it’s critical that the program is well designed and reaches the right people with the right messages. Have you found yourself asking how to better use analytics to help drive your direct marketing strategy and measure results? That’s what today’s guest is here to talk about. 

John Wilburn, director of direct response for the National Park Foundation, joined guest host Christine Newman at bbcon to talk about how being data-driven and open to innovation has helped him develop a successful direct marketing program at the organization. Listen in to hear what John has to say about deciding which marketing ideas to test out, choosing which metrics to follow, and getting others in the organization on board with your ideas. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • What is direct marketing?
  • How to decide which ideas to test
  • Examples of ideas that worked well for the National Park Foundation
  • Experiments John tried that didn’t work well
  • How John uses analytics to drive strategy and measure results
  • How to choose what metrics to follow
  • Getting started using analytics
  • Advice for getting the buy-in from others in the organization 

Resources:

John Wilburn

Article: What Fundraisers Can Learn from Direct Marketing

The Next Generation of American Giving

Quotes: 

“If you start seeing it enough from different nonprofits, that might be a good idea to try for yours.”

“For us, national parks really are the capital N capital P parks across the big vistas such as Grand Canyon, Yosemite.”

“I think big data’s sort of gone away in terms of the lexicon, it’s more about smart data, and that can be actually small data can be a smart data point.”

Jan 16, 2020

The new year is always a time for planning and looking ahead, and that’s true for organizations as well as individuals. Whether January marks the beginning of your fiscal year or the midpoint, creating a fundraising plan for 2020 will help you be more successful in attracting new donors and retaining existing ones. 

Today, Tanya Fitzgerald, senior marketing manager at Blackbaud, joins the podcast again to talk to host Steve MacLaughlin about the key aspects to a plan that sets your organization up for success. Listen to the episode to hear what Tanya has to say about what fundraising teams should be looking at, how they should think about giving in 2020, and how technology fits into the picture. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • What metrics fundraising teams should look at to improve performance in 2020
  • How to bring 2019 end-of-year donations into your 2020 plan
  • Managing communications according to the donor pyramid
  • Showing donors what their gifts accomplish
  • The importance of consistent messaging across channels in fundraising
  • Personalizing donor communications for increased engagement
  • Looking ahead with donor stewardship plans
  • How technology fits into the picture for 2020 

Resources:

Tanya Fitzgerald

The Explorer from the Blackbaud Institute 

The Connected Office: Your Guide to Creating a Cohesive Constituent Experience

Quotes: 

“You need to really look into those numbers and those percentages and have them to set your goals.”

“It’s so costly to obtain that first-time donor, so you’re going to want to keep them and get them turned into an annual donor.”

“I really think that transparency is important. These guys want to see inside of your organization as much as possible.”

Jan 9, 2020

The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the set of 17 global goals adopted by 193 U.N. member states to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet, provide a common roadmap for organizations to measure impact. And in particular, the participation of companies and philanthropic organizations will be critical to achieving the SDGs. But with 17 goals and 232 indicators, it can seem overwhelming to know where to begin.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Tiffany Washington, Impact and Integration Lead at DTE Energy, and Alexis Fish, Senior Business Analyst at Blackbaud who helps advise customers on impact measurement. Recorded at bbcon 2019, Tiffany and Alexis talk with host Rachel Hutchisson about why aligning to the SDGs is important, the role that companies and philanthropic organizations will play in achieving the goals by 2030, and how to incorporate the SDGs into business and philanthropic frameworks. Tiffany also shares the process that DTE Energy took to align to the SDGs and how they brought their nonprofit partners along on their journey.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • What the Sustainable Development Goals are and why they matter
  • The role that companies and other social good organizations play with achieving the SDGs
  • How philanthropic organizations can align their impact goals with the SDGs
  • DTE Energy’s SDG journey 
  • How funders and grantees can work together to align with the SDGs
  • What resources companies and other organizations can look to when they want to incorporate the SDGs into their work 

Resources:

Alexis Fish

Tiffany Washington

The Future of Sustainable Business: Making the Global Goals Local Business

Educating on the SDGs

Quotes: 

“The SDGs, for one, it helps provide some benchmarking for common and best practices within the CSR industry.” –Tiffany Washington

“Communicate, communicate early and often.” –Tiffany Washington

“All of the UN SDG materials are free. They are an open resource.” – Alexis Fish

Jan 2, 2020

Sustainer giving programs provide donors an easy, automatic way to donate while also giving organizations a reliable source of income. In fact, research by the Blackbaud Institute revealed that sustained givers can increase giving to an organization by as much as 300% over two years. So, how can your organization take advantage?

Today’s episode, recorded live at bbcon 2019, is all about how to build and grow a successful sustainer giving program. Kristin Jackson and Bethany Taylor from Boise State Public Radio’s membership team sat down with guest host Christine Newman to talk about the success they’ve had building and expanding their sustainer giving program. Listen in to hear the keys to their success and get insights on how other organizations can do the same. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • How Boise State Public Radio started a sustainer giving program 
  • Experimenting with a sustainer giving program to increase success
  • Challenges that Boise State Public Radio faced in growing the sustainer program
  • Finding the right messaging to attract sustaining donors
  • Is it worth branding a sustainer program?
  • How gifts and matching funds can attract more sustainers
  • Strategies to increase sustainer donor levels
  • The importance of “thank you” in keeping sustaining donors

Resources:

Kristin Jackson

Bethany Taylor

Sustainers in Focus - research reports from the Blackbaud Institute

Quotes: 

“I just felt like – clearly it could grow to more than that.” 

“That’s the biggest thing is just get comfortable asking.”

“If you’re in the middle of a campaign, your sustainers want to help. They don’t want to feel left out of your campaign.”

Dec 26, 2019

Culture is an important factor for organizations in having a healthy and high performing workplace. The right culture doesn’t just make the workplace more fun – having a cohesive workplace culture can save a company money and make them more effective in their goals in the long term. So, how can organizations more effectively hire people aligned with their culture?  

Today’s episode, recorded live at bbcon 2019, discusses just that. Tune in to hear William Vanderbloemen, CEO of The Vanderbloemen Group, talk with host Rachel Hutchisson about how to first determine your organization’s culture, and then how to strategically hire people that fit that culture. William also discusses how to make sure that hiring for culture still brings diversity to the workplace.  

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • The factors that go into determining an organization’s culture
  • Questions that organizations can ask themselves to determine their values
  • How organizations can understand if they have a good organizational culture
  • How creating a cohesive culture helps organizations save money in the long run
  • What to do when a new hire doesn’t fit the culture
  • How to make sure you bring diversity in when looking for culture fit 

Resources:

Wlliam Vanderbloemen

The Vanderbloemen Group

More resources about culture on sgENGAGE: Expert Advice for Improving Culture & Morale at Nonprofit Organizations 

Quotes: 

“By definition, cause-driven organizations should have an easy time hiring because you’re looking for people that are aligned with your cause.”

“If your vision at your company is what you’re trying to accomplish, then your culture is how you as a team behave while you’re trying to accomplish this vision.”

“I think you’re going to see smart organizations in the future are going to focus on culture, not because it’s the hip thing to do, but because if you can get your culture fit right, you have a chance of keeping your employees a little bit longer.”

Dec 19, 2019

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an important part of a social good organization’s overall fundraising strategy. But as people increasingly become more committed to causes versus specific organizations, how can organizations engage and guide individual fundraisers who are campaigning to raise funds for causes close to their hearts?

In today’s episode, recorded live at bbcon 2019, Caroline Jones, founder of Knickers Model’s Own and 2015 JustGiving creative fundraiser of the year, joins host Steve MacLaughlin to discuss the journey and success of her crowdfunding campaign raising money for Cancer Research UK. Caroline shares her experience creating and properly supporting her campaign as a working professional, mother, and first-time fundraiser. Listen in to hear Caroline talk about the highs and lows of her journey, what fundraising efforts she took to differentiate herself, and what Caroline thinks other individual fundraisers can do to ensure successful campaigns. 

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

  • How and why Caroline started fundraising
  • Connecting to a fundraising platform
  • The growth of Caroline’s campaign
  • Controlling authenticity and messaging
  • Messaging appropriately for each platform
  • Lessons learned from Caroline’s journey
  • What tools individual fundraisers need

Resources:

Caroline Jones

2019 Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Study

Knickers Model's Own

Knickers Model's Own - JustGiving

Quotes: 

“It was only ever going to be the JustGiving platform.”

“It’s such an uplifting feeling when you’re in that very lonely place of being the sole fundraiser on your own.”

“You can’t do things in half measures.”

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