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

Too many nonprofits overlook the opportunities for planned giving. While planned giving may not be the most typical type of gift, it can be a powerful driver of growth for nonprofit organizations and can be a way of deepening donor relationships. To talk about the modern landscape of planned giving, today’s guest is Patrick Schmitt. Patrick is the co-founder and co-CEO of FreeWill, a company that specializes in modernizing how organizations can take advantage of planned giving. Listen in to hear what Patrick has to say about how the thinking around planned giving is changing, how organizations can incorporate planned giving into their strategy, and how to steward donors through the planned giving process.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Patrick’s background and experience Why planned giving allows “average” donors to give much more than they otherwise could Why right now is the time to focus on planned giving What Patrick has seen change in the way people are thinking about planned giving in the las

We’ve seen evolving challenges and change of 2020, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the racial justice movement. From economic challenges to increased service delivery demands, social good organizations have been impacted in many ways. While it is difficult to determine the future extent of economic impacts, there are valuable insights to be gleaned from historic trends in giving.  In today’s episode, Ashley Thompson, Managing Director of the Blackbaud Institute, discusses the Institute’s new State of the Social Sector series with host Steve MacLaughlin. Listen to the interview to hear Ashley talk about what the data indicates about the social sector right now, how organizations can remain resilient and why organizations should look at history to help inform future actions.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: The new State of the Social Sector reports from the Blackbaud Institute Building resilient programs The historical impact of economic changes and challenges on social good communities Surprising

Running peer-to-peer fundraising events present a challenge in the current environment. However, the organizations that will be successful this fall are those who realize they must pivot and start proactively planning for these events. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Blackbaud’s Robyn Mendez, Principal Product Marketing Manager, and Shana Masterson, Principal Customer Success Manager, as they explore the topic of peer-to-peer fundraising in more depth. Robyn and Shana spoke with Steve MacLaughlin about the current state of peer-to-peer fundraising, what the data says about how peer-to-peer fundraising has been affected in recent months, and how organizations are reimagining their events. Listen in to learn more about how peer-to-peer fundraising is being changed and adapted.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: The current state of peer-to-peer fundraising What has been surprising about peer-to-peer fundraising in recent months What the data says about what’s been happening over the last six months

What is your personal brand, that is, how would others talk about you when you aren’t in the room? Whether you are looking for a new role or just want to be more effective in your current role, personal branding is important. But how is it possible to improve your personal brand and professional network when many people are still working remotely? Today’s guest, Marcos Salazar, founder and CEO of Be Social Change, joins the podcast today to talk about what a personal brand is and why it’s important. Listen in to learn specific steps to take right now for building your personal brand and network during this time.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Marcos’ background as a social entrepreneur and why he started Be Social Change The definition of a personal brand The importance of building your personal brand no matter what your career aspirations are Actionable strategies for building your personal brand Tips on how to navigate networking in a virtual world Where listeners can learn more about networking

We spend a lot of time, energy, and attention on engaging the right donors, building relationships with them, and reaching other key objectives. But those are mostly external activities, and one of the keys to improvement is looking inward. That’s where the idea of performance management comes into play. Joining the podcast today is Stacy Rooney, a Principal Business Consultant at Blackbaud, to discuss the concept of fundraiser performance management. Listen in to hear Stacy and host Steve MacLaughlin talk about managing gift officers for optimal performance, portfolio management, and the effects of COVID-19 on fundraising and performance data.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Demystifying the topic of performance management How to optimize how portfolios are managed by gift officers Maturity models Using data to identify good performance and benchmark against peers The connection between activity and outcome Investing in officers as fundraisers Understanding where the focus currently is and where th

Today’s episode features Derrick Feldmann, a speaker, researcher, and author of a new book, The Corporate Social Mind, which introduces a new cultural and strategic approach to social issue engagement by companies. Listen in to hear Derrick talk to Rachel Hutchisson about what prompted him to write his latest book, what surprises Derrick discovered in his own research, and what his golden principles are and how they can help the social good community.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Derrick’s background with the Ad Council and Influence SG What prompted Derrick to write his new book The most important points that Derrick hopes people will take away from his new book Derrick’s guidance for companies looking to be socially engaged Major findings from Derrick’s recent research What surprised Derrick in his study Derrick’s golden principles Where listeners can go to learn more   Resources: Derrick Feldmann The Corporate Social Mind Cause and Social Influence   Quotes:  “I’ve always let t

Many foundations would like to have a more defined measurement process around their grantmaking but aren’t sure where to start. Today’s episode focuses on that process: how to get started, how to iterate through the process, and how to report on your foundation’s accomplishments.   In an excerpt from a Blackbaud webinar, you’ll hear from Veronica Dickson of the FMH Foundation and Jessica Tudyk of the Mary E. Bivens Foundation about starting with the mission statement, talking to your board, and tracking data. To view the entire webinar, click on the link the Resources section below.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Starting with the mission statement Looking at the written donor intent and foundation’s history of giving Talking to the board about strategic planning Making sure you and your grantees understand your lingo Meeting nonprofits where they are The If/Then tree Which data is needed How to track data Keeping track of data changes     Resources: Veronica Dickson Jessica Tudyk W

What does branding mean for nonprofit organizations, and how has it evolved to now require a comprehensive digital strategy? Joining the podcast today is Farra Trompeter, chief growth officer of Big Duck and the co-author of an article about branding in the Blackbaud Institute’s new 2020 npEXPERTS eBook. Listen in to hear Farra talk to Steve MacLaughlin about the evolution of the marketing and branding tools that nonprofits need to think about using, understanding your why and who your why is for, and the importance of staff in upholding brand image.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: How nonprofit branding has evolved over the past seven years since Farra’s article in the original npEXPERTS book. How the ways that nonprofits use communications and digital marketing tools has changed Knowing why you’re using the tools the way that you are Understanding the why for your organization The intersection between branding and culture The importance of staff members upholding the brand image Combining speed an

  Over the past months, racial equity and racial justice have come to the forefront of public consciousness and advocacy in the U.S. and around the world. And while this has also been a topic of discussion in philanthropy for some time, there is a real opportunity now for all social good organizations to really respond in a meaningful way that effects change. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Marcus Walton, President & CEO of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO). Listen in to hear Marcus talk about the current movement, the steps that responsive philanthropy must take to advance racial equity, and how all social good organizations can approach their work through a racial equity lens.   Topics Discussed in This Episode: Marcus’s background as a leader in philanthropy and in working on racial equity initiatives What GEO does and how it’s working with members Whether Marcus is hopeful that the current moment will move the needle on racial equity Steps that responsive philanthropy needs

How do leaders embrace their role in the new normal today? What does it mean to lead strategically and purposefully?  The experts in today’s webinar will answer these questions. Listen in to hear Eddie Thompson, Founder and CEO of Thompson & Associates, Mark McCampbell, Senior Vice President of Advancement Resources, and Betsy Chapin Taylor, CEO of Accordant, talk about the challenges of leadership during times of change, why purpose and values are central to good leadership, and the importance of reconsidering strategy right now to lead your organization into a successful future. Topics Discussed in This Episode: The role of leaders in today’s changing new normal Why who you are is more important than what you do How values lead to actions Leadership strategies Affirming your organization’s vision Thinking about areas that need to be pruned or changed going forward The importance of connecting meaningfully Considering strategic decisions Holding board members accountable Using board members as fund

Companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of purpose. But what does it really mean to have a purpose-led organization? And how can you help your organization more effectively put its purpose into practice? That’s what today’s guest, Bobbi Silten, managing director of the Shared Value Initiative, is here to discuss. Bobbi explains the importance of leading with purpose, the role of shared value and why you need to understand your organization’s cultural dynamics to succeed in being purpose driven. She also discusses The Purpose Playbook, which was recently released by Shared Initiative as an actionable guide for practitioners looking to lead change in their organizations and society. Topics Discussed in This Episode: What the Shared Value Initiative does and how it originated The definition of shared value Being a purpose led organization What the Purpose Playbook teaches practitioners about leading change Why it’s important to have a grounding in leading with purpose The importance of understandi

  What do you need to know about talent management to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your team? Today’s episode features an excerpt from Part One of a three-part Blackbaud webinar about how better talent management can up your fundraising game. In the excerpt, you’ll hear from Eric Bowman, talent manager at Texas A&M Foundation. Listen in to hear what Eric has to say about what talent management is, the building blocks of talent management, and the importance of determining your organization’s mission, values, goals, and strategies. After listening to the episode, click on the link to the webinar in the Resources section to watch the full recording, where you'll hear from Stacy Rooney, business consultant principal at Blackbaud, whose discussions will also include how to seamlessly integrate core fundraising systems into your talent management practices Topics Discussed in This Episode: Eric’s background What talent management means Examples of function areas of talent management The