The Build Good Fundraising Podcast

Send us a textImagine the impact you could make if your organization had predictable, repeatable, and scalable revenue? In this session recorded live at the Build Good Summit, UNICEF Canada will share how they created and scaled Paddington’s Postcards, an innovative monthly giving subscription that sends postcards from all around the world to Canadian families making a monthly gift, while teaching children about philanthropy at the same time.This session is perfect for anyone (beginners and advanced fundraisers!) looking for inspiration on a unique way to connect with new audiences through your monthly giving program. We’ll discuss actionable insights on channel diversification, key performance metrics to measure success and how we leveraged seasonal moments to drive conversions. —⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com  🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening!---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textIn this short session with the Canadian Cancer Society and FundraiseUp, you’ll hear why people are less forgiving of nonprofits than they are consumer brands when they're letting go of their hard earned money. The nonprofit sector as a whole remains years, if not decades, behind ecommerce in their efforts to remove friction from the transaction. But new data shows that it's imperative to address this mindset shift with urgency.Don’t miss out on next year’s Build Good Summit. Get on the waitlist now, and be the first to know the dates, location and unlock early bird discounted tickets → www.buildgoodsummit.com—⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com  🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! --#Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Michael Johnston, an expert in Japanese Imperial Navy and an omnivorous fundraiser, shares insights from a live workshop on journey mapping. He emphasizes how this strategy cultivates strong donor relationships and fosters a supporter-centric organization. Listeners discover practical techniques for engaging multi-generational donors, leveraging behavioral science, DEI, and AI. Johnston uses real-world examples, including a case study of the Australian Red Cross, to demonstrate how understanding emotional needs can enhance fundraising outcomes and drive donor retention.

Send us a textMost fundraisers ask: Who do I send this appeal to?  But the better question is, What appeal do I send to this person?We all recognize people are different—yet fundraising relies on a one-size-fits-all approach. Traditional segmentation—internal labels, past giving, or vague attitudinal groupings—fails to capture what truly drives a donor to give.And it’s not as simple as testing Issue A vs. Issue B to see which one "wins." That’s still a one-size-fits-all approach in disguise.Donors don’t give because of an issue or a program—they give because something captures their attention, aligns with how they see the world, and resonates with their core motivators. The missing piece in most appeals? A message that speaks directly to a donor’s innate psychological drivers.This session will unlock the missing link: moving beyond segmentation to delivering the right message for the right person. It will benefit beginner and seasoned fundraisers alike.--⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com  🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textFundraising is at a crossroads. Donor trust is eroding, retention rates are plummeting, and yet, charities continue to rely on the same high-volume, bottom-of-the-funnel tactics—more asks, more urgency, more chasing. But what if the solution isn’t asking more, but becoming something donors want to say yes to?On today’s episode, we listen in to a recorded session from the Build Good Summit where we explored why trust is the most valuable (and perhaps only) asset fundraisers have left. We’ll introduce the fundraising flywheel, a model designed to build momentum by prioritizing donor autonomy, competence, and connection. Unlike the funnel, which treats giving as a linear transaction, the flywheel fosters long-term engagement and sustainable growth.Through case studies and practical examples, you’ll learn how to move beyond relentless solicitation and toward a trust-based approach that treats donors like an important part of the team, with a meaningful role to play. Because fundraising isn’t about forcing generosity—it’s about earning it.—⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com  🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Lauren Isbell, the Executive Director at Nevus Outreach, sheds light on effective fundraising strategies that go beyond the event itself. She emphasizes the need for a holistic approach, capturing the importance of pre-event planning and post-event follow-up. Isbell advocates for nurturing donor relationships and customizing sponsor engagement. Discover how to make your fundraising events less of a one-night stand and transform them into ongoing supporter journeys. Plus, learn the art of the perfect 'Ask' to inspire lasting contributions!

Send us a textAfter longing for the kind of event we wanted to attend, we decided to create it ourselves.Today, Hannah and Mike walk through why we’re launching The Build Good Summit, an in-person fundraising summit in downtown Toronto happening May 22-23, 2025. The lack of world-class fundraising conferences in Canada has left fundraisers with two choices: spend thousands of dollars to attend conferences elsewhere, or miss out altogether.We’re putting an end to that.When you attend the BuildGood Summit, you’re joining our mission to bring Canada’s most ambitious nonprofits together, for good. By coming together and sharing methods that are working on our home turf—along with those working internationally—we'll all walk away with practical tips we can implement right now.In today’s show we talk about how we’re crafting the experience, how we use the flywheel approach ourselves to plan the conference, and how we chose the speakers.And if you stick around to the end of the podcast—listeners of the podcast get a special discount code to join us at the Summit. Don’t miss your chance to secure one of the 350 available seats. Claim your spot now at www.buildgoodsummit.com —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textToday we're celebrating our 100th episode! Come sit down for a fireside chat (complete with Diet Coke) to share the honest story of how this podcast started, where it's headed, and what that means for BuildGood—and for you.Mike gets real about why the original podcast strategy was completely wrong—and why that might’ve been the best thing that could’ve happened. In today’s chat you’ll also hear how BuildGood has grown from a solo consultant to a team of 15 passionate fundraisers. Plus, you’ll learn some of the exciting results we’re seeing with clients—including one digital campaign that's generating returns that seem almost too good to be true.If you’ve loved the podcast so far you’ll love this peek behind the curtain at what's coming next—including some changes that listeners have been asking for.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. 

Send us a textToday we’re launching the Build Good Summit, and introducing the first speaker—Nathan Hill from NextAfter.Nathan and the NextAfter team recently analyzed how the fundraising of 211 nonprofits impacts donor retention.And in today’s chat, he’s sharing 3 key things you can do to retain more donors—backed by research and actual donor data.If you want to get fresh ideas to grow your revenue—and get together with other fundraisers who are doing interesting and innovative things to draw donors closer in to the mission—join ust at the Build Good Summit on May 22-23, 2025 in Toronto.You’ll hear from fundraising innovators who’ll focus on practical examples to grow your fundraising—stuff that’s actually working right now to help some of the most innovative nonprofits grow.You can get your tickets now at www.buildgoodsummit.com —➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com

Send us a textToday, BuildGood’s resident fundraising copywriter delivers a masterclass in how to craft fundraising copy that leads people toward greater generosity. Hannah Vermeer gets into simple, easy and effective ways you can change the words you use in your fundraising—and changing the words you use is free. It costs you nothing.  Whether it’s making your donor feel like they have an important and meaningful role to play, or crafting copy that’s easy to read and emotionally resonant, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to improve your copy immediately.If you want to create compelling, heartfelt, and effective fundraising copy, this episode is for you.—➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in  working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit?BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com