Raise & Engage: A Filters-off Podcast Series For Nonprofits

Over the past year, a lot of experts have joined the show to talk about the different ways that social good organizations can respond in the age of COVID-19 to continue their missions and impact. Now that we are almost a year in, what have we learned and how can we retain the new donors we’ve had give to our organizations? Today, Melissa Bank Stepno, Director of Analytics & Business Consulting Services at Blackbaud, joins the podcast to talk about some lessons we’ve learned from organizations that have been successful with engaging new donors during the pandemic. Listen in to hear Melissa speak with Steve MacLaughlin about why retention matters so much right now, how to successfully leverage personas, what organizations are doing differently from a data and analytic standpoint, and how to cut through the noise and better communicate with donors.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: What Melissa has seen and learned about fundraising over the past few months Which sample sets are being looked at and c

Interpersonal and communications skills are essential skills that are vitally important for achieving success in the workplace. But what are the most important interpersonal skills for the way that most of us are working now? And what are the best practices for communication, especially virtual communication? Today’s episode answers those questions. Today, you’ll hear from Anne Converse Willkomm, Assistant Dean of the Graduate College at Drexel University, talks about interpersonal skills for today’s changing workplace. Listen in to learn about the five most important interpersonal skills, how they’re related to each other, and how you can build strong communication with colleagues and others.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: The five most essential interpersonal skills to focus on building: Adaptability, Empathy, Creativity, Collaboration, and Brainstorming What adaptability really means and how to be more adapatable How adaptability can be associated with negative changes What empathy is and why it

There’s no question that online communities are more important than they’ve ever been in the past. These communities can offer real action and tangible support to all types of people who live anywhere in the world. Today’s guests, Lesley Pinder, Head of Supporter Experience for the British Red Cross and Lucy Caldicott, Founder of ChangeOut, discuss their Facebook group, Fundraising Chat, as an example of community development, the sector supporting each other, and lessons learned. Listen in to learn how they set up the group, how they navigated the rules of the group, and how they’ve continued to grow the community.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: How the Fundraising Chat Facebook group began Setting up the ground rules for the group Policing the rules in the group The limits of an online community like Fundraising Chat Cultivating a more international feel in an online community The power of Fundraising Chat in connecting people and sharing learnings   Resources: Lesley Pinder Lucy Caldicott

Employees are a business’s most valuable asset, which is why more companies are starting to implement employee relief programs to provide a crucial safety net in times of disaster and hardship. Holly Welch Stubbing, CEO of E4E Relief, joins the podcast today to discuss the results of E4E Relief’s employee impact survey and why employee relief programs are good for business. Listen in to hear Holly discuss how employee relief funds differ from other charitable efforts, the possible negative consequences for companies that don’t consider the impacts of employee stress, and how companies can start an employee relief program.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: What E4E relief does E4E Relief’s Employee Impact Survey How employee relief funds are different from other charitable efforts Tips for companies that want to start an employee relief fund Negative consequences for companies that don’t consider employee stress The future of employee relief funds and employee wellness   Resources: Holly Welch St

While lapsed donors are inevitable, there are strategies you can use to both reacquire them and prevent attrition in the first place. In today’s episode, Stu Manewith, Director of Thought Leadership and Advocacy for Omatic Software and Bailey Benzlé, Director Of Pre-Sales & Sales Enablement for Omatic Software, discuss leveraging data quality and strategic communication to increase the win-back rate. Listen in to hear them talk about how to identify those donors most likely to re-engage and the steps to take to create a successful win-back strategy.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lapsed donor definitions and industry standards The donors who are prized candidates for giving again How to calculate donor attrition Information that you need to pull about donors How to leverage the data you already have Affinity scoring Choosing a sample population that reflects the outcome you’re looking for Wealth rating scores Preventing lapsed donors Looking at more than just a donor’s giving history Creating a

Do you know how to not only interpret your organization’s financials, but also how to present them to others as a compelling story that offers transparency and increases donations and impact. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Stephanie Skryzowski, founder and CEO of 100 Degrees Consulting, about how to use and communicate your organization’s financials. Listen in to hear what Stephanie has to say about why sharing numbers is important, who needs to know your numbers, and what the best ways are to present your numbers to different audiences.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Stephanie’s role as a CFO Why it’s important to use and share numbers Benefits of financial transparency How sharing numbers improves relationships with donors How to share financials with your board How to share numbers with your staff Sharing with donors and the public Ensuring that you have a strong financial foundation Checklist for budgeting best practices What reports tell your organization’s story on a monthly basis Five

Feedback is a gift, but the thought of giving feedback can be scary. However, whether you are giving the gift of feedback to an employee, a manager, a teammate, a donor, a supporter, an advocate or a peer there is a process you can use to ensure your gift is better accepted. In today’s episode, Monica Mutter, Director of Leadership and Culture at Blackbaud, focuses on the steps you can take to give effective feedback. Listen in to hear why Monica calls feedback a gift and what steps you need to use to give feedback in a way that helps the person receiving it become better for the next similar situation that arises.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why Monica says feedback is a gift The cost of feedback The selection process for feedback The neuroscience of feedback Where people are left at the end of a feedback conversation Checking to see that the timing is right The steps for preparing to provide feedback The steps for delivering feedback Resetting expectations Having the person identify behavior c

Content is at the heart of how your constituents engage online. It’s how you inspire supporters to action and nurture their passion for your mission. But getting top-notch quality and performance from content isn’t always easy.  Nyleva Corley, principal user experience designer at Blackbaud, talks all about how to get the most from your content on today’s episode. Listen in to hear Nyleva speak about how content attracts viewers and drives traffic, the link between content and constituent opinion of your organization, and why a content strategy is critical for social good organizations.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: What content attracts viewers and drives traffic How much content is being processed daily The definition of content strategy Why working on a content strategy is critical The link between your content and how your constituents feel about you How to take inventory of all your content Performing a content audit The message hierarchy Performing a gap analysis Page description diagra

End-of-year fundraising is always important, and this year it has added importance with organizations needing to make up potential COVID-19 related shortfalls. In today’s episode, Michael Johnston, founder of hjc, discusses some of the things that you should be thinking about when it comes to end-of-year giving and busts some common end-of-year fundraising myths.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why this year is the most important year for end-of-year fundraising What’s great about December donors What you can find in the End-of-Year Fundraising Toolkit How to make a holiday persona Mapping out the holiday journey The myth that holiday giving is only from October to December How end-of-year fundraising spans the wide spectrum of society Bringing different fundraising channels together Last-minute giving   Resources: Michael Johnston End-of-Year Fundraising Toolkit Last Minute Tips for Year-End Giving   Quotes:  “You might want to make a holiday persona or two.” “Don’t be afraid to mak

Can you think of a business process in your organization that is inefficient or time consuming, yet no one has been able to change the process for the better? When you know the steps to follow, eliminating waste is easier than you think! In today’s episode, which features a session from bbcon 2020 Virtual, Jackie Huffman, Operational Excellence Engineer at Blackbaud, shares how to analyze your business processes by identifying and removing waste. Learn how to identify value-add and non-value add steps and ultimately improve your constituent experience.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Jackie’s role with Blackbaud How to analyze business processes Value-add activities Non-value-add activities The 8 categories of waste Preventing and removing waste from processes What a waste walk is and how it can help   Resources: Jackie Huffman Guidebook to Becoming a Lean Organization 7 Steps for a Successful Lean Implementation at your Nonprofit Quiz: How Lean is Your Business Office?   Quotes:  “A

With only a little more than a month left for the the 116th U.S. Congress, there is still federal data privacy legislation pending that could affect social good organizations. So, what’s included in those bills and how exactly might your organization be affected if they are passed? Today’s episode features experts Sally Ehrenfried, who leads government relations at Blackbaud, and Cameron Stoll, Blackbaud’s Director of Privacy. In this session originally hosted at bbcon 2020, Sally and Cameron discuss the current landscape of data privacy legislation in the U.S., the key committees and lawmakers involved in federal data privacy legislation, and where current legislation stands.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: The federal data privacy legislation landscape Key committees and lawmakers involved in federal data privacy legislation Whether legislation will contain limitations on changing your privacy policy The principle of consent Examples of data use that don’t require consent The Brookings Institution

GivingTuesday is less than two weeks away – but there’s no need to panic. We brought in Blackbaud fundraising expert Tanya Fitzgerald to talk about those last-minute things you can do to be successful, whether you’ve been planning for some time or are just pulling something together now. Listen in to learn about the most important thing to focus on, how you can leverage your #GivingTuesdayNow campaign and how to steward those first-time GivingTuesday donors. Topics discussed in this episode: How to adjust your approach to GivingTuesday messaging this year Leveraging your GivingTuesdayNow campaign for GivingTuesday success How organizations can plan out a GivingTuesday strategy now Last minute considerations for organizations that have already planned their GivingTuesday campaigns What donors want to hear Stewarding GivingTuesday donors Resources Blackbaud GivingTuesday Toolkit GivingTuesday.org Free Blackbaud GivingTuesday Webinars Your 3 Week GivingTuesday Checklist Stewarding #GivingTuesday: Increase You

We are more connected than ever, but loneliness continues to increase. The concept of belonging is important not just in our personal lives, but also at work. Belonging in the workplace has real impacts on employee well-being, retention and business results. Joining the podcast today is Sarah Judd Welch, CEO of Sharehold, an innovation consultancy that recently conducted extensive research into belonging at work. Listen in to hear what Sarah has to say about how organizations should look at belonging, the impact of DEI initiatives, and how times of uncertainty impact belonging at work.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why Sharehold decided to conduct research on belonging The core findings of the research Why loneliness is increasing and the impact that has on well-being The four different types of belonging The business case for belonging What employers can do in the workplace to increase feelings of belonging Who leads the charge on belonging in an organization What someone could do to start advanc

What if everything that we know about fundraising is mostly wrong? Is your organization focusing on the right data-based fundraising strategies? Joining the podcast to discuss this topic with host Steve MacLaughlin is Joe Waters, founder and CEO of Selfish Giving. Listen in to hear Joe and Steve talk about why individual giving matters so much, what’s changing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and thinking about fundraising as a cycle vs. a funnel.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Where most nonprofit revenue is concentrated A breakdown of nonprofit revenue sources The importance of individual giving Leveraging corporate partnerships The increasing role of online giving for social good organizations Changes and shifts due to COVID-19 Fundraising as a cycle vs a funnel The importance of the second gift Creating a realistic plan   Resources: Joe Waters Business for Impact at Georgetown University McDonough School of Business Blog Post: The End of the Beginning of Online Giving   Quotes:&

The social good community has massive opportunity and meaningful challenges before us. Recognizing the power of partnerships to build a better world, Blackbaud launched a unique year-long accelerator  in 2019 designed to support early-stage startups with the potential to impact the Ecosystem of Good®, and formalized it as the Blackbaud Social Good Startup Program in 2020. Listen in to hear Roz Lemieux, Senior Director of Platform Product Manager and head of Blackbaud Labs, talk about the goals for the program, how the first year went, and why Blackbaud felt it was important to focus on startups with diverse founders for the 2021 cohort.   Resources: Roz Lemieux Blackbaud Social Good Startup Program Application The Blackbaud Social Good Startup Challenge—Hear from the 2020 Cohort Participants   Quotes: “These are startups that are really enabling organizations to do things in a different way.” “From the outset, we said part of the lens and philosophy that we wanted to apply to the program was to

In science fiction, artificial intelligence (AI) is often depicted as threatening to humans. But in reality, the science of AI can be used for any number of helpful purposes. What are the implications of this technology in the social good sector? Beth Kanter and Allison Fine join Steve MacLaughlin on the podcast to discuss their research into the use of AI in social good organizations.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why Allison and Beth decided to write the AI4Giving report Why the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was interested in the report The definition of artificial intelligence for giving The questions they wanted to answer in the report Top findings from the research What was surprising at the end of the research How AI works in philanthropy Cautionary tales about AI How people without AI skillsets will be able to use AI tools Recommendations for how social good organizations can start to think about AI   Resources: Beth Kanter Allison Fine Unlocking Generosity with Artificial Intelli

Capital campaigns. Maybe you’re in one. Maybe you’re thinking about one. Maybe you’re wrapping one up now. Maybe you have one in the past that you’d like to forget about. Either way, they are important. Capital campaigns can be a tremendous asset to an organization as nearly a century of their history shows. In today’s episode, we’ll explore the subject of capital campaigns in more depth with guest Amy Eisenstein, CEO and co-founder of The Capital Campaign Toolkit. Listen in to hear what Amy has to say about the key questions you need to answer to get a capital campaign started, the elements of a successful capital campaign, and the state of capital campaigns in the COVID-19 world.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: What a capital campaign is Running a capital campaign without eating your annual fund Key questions an organization needs to answer to start a capital campaign How long a capital campaign should take Your campaign objectives Why you should be thinking big Elements of success for a capital c

Giving Tuesday, the annual global day of giving, will be held on December 1st this year - just under two months away. Although this has been a year of changes and challenges for many, your organization can still incorporate strategies that will help you leverage GivingTuesday in order to kick off your year-end giving season. Stephanie Thomas, principal peer-to-peer fundraising consultant for Blackbaud, joins the podcast to discuss methods to help your organization successfully engage supporters to raise awareness and revenue. Listen in to hear her talk about peer-to-peer fundraising strategies, educating fundraisers, and tips for stewarding donors after GivingTuesday.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why peer-to-peer fundraising is a good strategy for this GivingTuesday The different ways that organizations can leverage peer-to-peer fundraising tools Education that organizations can do with their peer-to-peer fundraisers to increase success How to steward supporters and donors after GivingTuesday Adv

During a crisis, you need strategies that will help your organization cope with the situation effectively and come through on the other side. Knowing how to work with your board in these situations can help you continue to fulfill your mission. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Blackbaud Senior Marketing Manager Tanya Fitzgerald in an excerpt from a webinar about effectively working with your board during a crisis.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: The board’s role during a crisis Using a crisis cycle to communicate with your board Breaking down the phases of the crisis cycle Top areas that an organization needs to focus on during a crisis Planning events during this time Keeping your mission at the forefront of the community’s mind How the board can help with a safety plan Communicating and sharing knowledge   Resources: Tanya Fitzgerald Webinar: Stay Cool: Proactively Working with Your Board During a Crisis Financial Management Thought Leadership Webinar Series Blog Post: 3 Steps for Develo

It’s hard to believe that we’re already well into September and it’s time to start thinking about year-end audits. This year, many social good organizations will be having virtual audits, and now is the time to learn about how best to prep for them. Mel Rancour, principal instructional designer for Blackbaud University’s Organizational Best Practices curriculum, joins today’s episode to talk about why you want to begin audit prep now, how this year is going to differ from previous years, and resources to help you get started with your preparations.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why now is the best time to start audit prep How audit prep will be different this year The trickiest part of having a virtual audit What organizations should do first when preparing for an audit How organizations can make sure they’re fully prepared Resources on preparing for a virtual audit   Resources: Mel Rancour Webinar: Preparing for a Virtual Audit Blackbaud University Organizational Best Practices Curriculum: