219: What the Fundraising: Embracing and Enabling the People Behind the Purpose - Mallory Erickson

In this special solo episode of What the Fundraising, Mallory Erickson takes us on a heartfelt and vulnerable journey through the introduction of her new book, "What the Fundraising: Embracing and Enabling the People Behind the Purpose." This is not your typical episode with a guest interview — instead, it's an intimate invitation into Mallory’s personal story, the journey that led to this book, and the core principles that shape her innovative approach to fundraising.

Mallory reflects on her own early struggles as a fundraiser, the isolation and self-doubt she experienced, and the powerful lessons she learned about the relationship between stress, self-worth, and fundraising success. In this episode, she reads the introduction to her book, allowing listeners to hear it in her own voice, filled with passion, reflection, and encouragement.

Key Themes in this Episode:

• The human experience behind fundraising: The connection between internal beliefs, emotions, and external fundraising results.
• The fight, flight, and freeze response as it shows up in fundraising and how it impacts fundraiser wellbeing.
• The concept of "Alignment Fundraising" — a transformational shift from transactional fundraising to power-partner-driven, values-aligned fundraising.
• An invitation to engage in open dialogue around the future of fundraising, the nonprofit sector, and how we support fundraisers.

This episode is packed with storytelling, neuroscience, and strategies to inspire fundraisers and nonprofit leaders alike. It’s an unmissable opportunity to hear directly from Mallory about the deeper purpose of her work and her hopes for the sector's future.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

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If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.