What the Fundraising

If you’re sidestepping cryptocurrency because it seems too abstract or risky, you won’t want to miss this episode of What the Fundraising. It features Veronica Hash, program manager of Belonging at Coinbase, a secure online platform for buying, selling, transferring, and storing digital currency. Coinbase – among the largest crypto exchange platforms in the world – built a philanthropic mission into the heart of its business plan: To increase economic freedom in the world. By demystifying terms like “blockchain” and “NFTs,” Veronica opens a window on the fundraising opportunity many non-profits are currently leaving on the table. Plus, in true What the Fundraising fashion we explore the why behind our fear of talking about crypto and what you can do about it. Facing your fear, Veronica adds, is the best way to locate mentors, acquire education and find the tools to embrace digital currency. Non-profits that hide from or ignore crypto are very likely leaving money and partnerships on the table. What does all this mean for you and your non-profit? Listen now because we’re here to help you figure it out!If you’d like to incorporate cryptocurrency as an option for donors, it has just been integrated into the powerful e-commerce giving platform provided by our sponsor, Pledge. Give it a try!Episode Highlights:(00:30) – Get to know Veronica and her role as Manager for Belonging at Coinbase(02:30) – Crypto 101: Veronica explains “digital money” and the blockchain technology on which it is built.(04:10) – What “belonging” means in the context of the program Veronica is building(05:40) – Staying at the core of the mission: Economic freedom. (07:50) – Pivoting from the non-profit world to a model that integrates cause-oriented work into the business itself.(09: 57) – All about Coinbase Giving, a program that leverages the direct nature of crypto (no admin and bank fees, etc.) in support of a range of compelling non-profits.(14:06) – Veronica shares her personal experience with cryptocurrency (19:15) – Start Now! For Veronica, it’s never too late to get started with crypto, and here’s why using a platform like Coinbase can be helpful(22:18) – There is an abundance to be tapped(23:35) – Women often feel a psychological barrier to crypto and here’s what they can do about it.(29:29) – A willingness to be vulnerable has played a big role in Veronica’s personal and professional growth.(32:30) – Case studies that underscore Crypto’s role in correcting power imbalances and corruption baked into international banking systems.(34:40) – Excitement about what’s happening in the crypto space and donors who are eager to participate. (36:30) – Veronica reflects on how crypto has changed her life – and the ways in which she thinks about and invests money(43:03) – Where to find Veronica and learn more about Coinbase and E-Soccer’s Inclusive Sports Program. 

This episode dives right into the importance of strong relationships between donors and nonprofits. As someone who has been on both sides, but now works primarily with funders, our guest is keenly aware of what foundations are looking for in their partnerships. In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast…Sybil Ackerman-Munson and I discuss what nonprofits can do to level up their pitch when asking foundation funders for money. In addition, Sybil gives us an insider's perspective on how funders can make sure they are being effective and impactful when donating to reduce the risk of burnout and to ensure they feel fulfilled in the end. Listen now to get all the great takeaways from this episode.Episode Highlights:(00:46)- Introducing Sybil Ackerman-Munson (05:53)- How donors can perform a self-check to ensure they are being effective with their funding.(11:55)- Discussing the different categories of donors including, Sustainer Donors, Campaign Donors, and Launcher Donors.(14:11)- How nonprofits can approach the different donor types to maximize the effectiveness of their pitch.(23:15)- The importance of including donors in nonprofit organization decision-making as a means of helping them feel connected and involved.(32:12)- Sybil tells real-life stories highlighting the benefits of keeping donors included and in the loop and the possible consequences of leaving them out.(36:00)- Honest and transparent conversations with donors are essential to helping nonprofits decide if their initiatives align with donor expectations.(43:05)- The dangers of donors overstepping and leading conversations rather than sitting back to hear the nonprofit's pitch and suggestions. (46:28)- Closing statements as well as information about contacting Sybil at DoYourGood.com and @DoYourGood on Instagram.This episode is a part of a mini-series on What Funders Want thanks to our incredible sponsors at Givebutter. To learn more about how you can get started on Givebutter, head on over to givebutter.com/mallory. 

Simone Gordon is a single mother of a severely autistic son and the founder of the Black Fairy Godmother Organization which helps marginalized black and brown families. To date, Simone has helped over 500 families and has housed more than 122. In this episode, we talk about the broken parts of the nonprofit sector and why we need to stop putting people in boxes and really listen to their needs. Simone’s journey is tied to her own experience in the sector and it poses important questions about the role the sector can play in customized support for individuals, ways to connect donors with recipients, and how to listen to the needs of individuals and let them define what support looks like for them. Join this real and raw conversation with The Black Fairy Godmother to get an inside look at her work and walk away with some great takeaways for how to run your next grassroots campaigns.Episode highlights: (02:39) - Simone’s quest for assistance and the shortcomings in the nonprofit sector(05:52) - A new discourse around helping women  (09:04) - A recent story of inspiration (12:56) - The tension between covering salaries for paid staff and using fundraising dollars to go straight to beneficiaries (14:59) - The different ways you can sponsor and support a family today!(16:53) - How Simone currently operates the organization and her dreams of the future (20:21) - Simone’s suggestions for anyone who wants to start grassroots fundraising like her. Being aware of the ups and downs of being an impact leader: Financial stress and self-care. (21:05) - The need for a holistic assistance service: Tips for anyone who wants to help & what’s missing from organizations. This episode is a part of a mini-series on What Funders Want thanks to our incredible sponsors at Givebutter. To learn more about how you can get started on Givebutter, head on over to givebutter.com/mallory. 

If change is hard, massive and meaningful change can seem impossible. But my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is up to the task. As head of Community Impact and Partnerships for Patagonia, Whitney Clapper is innovating strategies designed to accelerate a paradigm shift in the way we live together and treat the planet. In this episode, much of our discussion focuses on the partnership dynamic between nonprofits and Patagonia, and what Patagonia looks for in its non-profit partnerships. You’ll find out the four specific areas that are currently the focus of Patagonia’s grantmaking and how, outside of grantmaking, Whitney acts as a conduit among different communities – expanding and binding together a network of activist organizations and the environmental and human causes they serve. Whitney’s marketing experience positions her perfectly to grow a community engagement platform based on communication, empathy, inclusion, and education. But, as Whitney points out, the work actually starts with the most basic of connections: Sharing stories. It’s what knits us together in all our diversity, and is our best hope. “We’ve got to get out of our own way and figure out how to be in partnership with one another if we are ever going to survive this world and climate change,” says Whitney. Listen now to join us in this boundary-pushing conversation about business partnerships, human connection, and what it will take to actually tackle the challenges ahead of us - like climate change.Episode Highlights:(00:30) – Get to know Whitney and her non-traditional career path.(05:15) – What the term “community impact” means to Whitney. (07:30) – About the challenge to shift mindsets on a large scale while also hitting corporate milestones. (09:24) – Communicating and advancing a robust impact agenda beyond Patagonia’s culture to the massive outdoor industry at large.(11:00) – The importance of collective learning among companies and non-profits, including alignment around core values, practices, and commitments.(13:34) – Whitney is constantly aware of the influence Patagonia wields as a provider of narratives and as a non-profit funder.(18:10) – Practices that foster stronger ties between funders and non-profit organizations.(20:49) – Bringing alignment and the right fit: Transparency is the way to go. (26:20) – Though not her personal area of focus, Whitney explains how Patagonia’s grant-making structure is prioritized to support four core partnership pillars(31:00) – Beyond the money: Patagonia Action Works is a platform that starts with seed funding but extends beyond to offer tools(35:30) – Holding space for true empathy across partnerships (39:00) – Whitney serves as a conduit between Patagonia and BIPOC, LGBTQ+ communities motivated to create a wider circle centered in a regenerative mindset.(41:00) – Where to find Whitney and shout-out for The Wilderness Society’s Imago InitiativeThis episode is a part of a mini-series on What Funders Want thanks to our incredible sponsors at Givebutter. With modern donation forms, fundraising pages, and events, Givebutter raises more than $150 million annually in support of more than 35,000 meaningful causes – from local youth groups to world-renowned charities. To learn more about how you can get started on Givebutter, head on over to givebutter.com/mallory.   

Shannon Lohr, Founder, and CEO of Factory45 helps her clients navigate the complexities involved in getting a sustainable clothing brand off the ground. What does this have to do with nonprofits? Well, her pragmatic advice applies to nonprofits too - everything from keeping your mindset right to how to prioritize the right brand and launch activities. We get into the nitty-gritty about things like content polishing, logo massaging, and font swapping that often keep us stuck from being more visible when we need to be focused on getting in front of our audience. Shannon and I share thoughts on the importance of knowing your own value and how to build confidence so you show up with that value in mind to all of your engagements. Enjoy this lively conversation with a woman who has carved out a unique coaching niche and is here with concrete marketing, sales, and other elements to consider as you look at ways to partner with, support, or start up a brand.Episode Highlights:(00:30) – Shannon introduces herself, gives the high-level on Factory45 (04:37) – The importance of content marketing to create problem aware audiences (06:32) – Identifying a target customer or audience niche (11:19) – Marketing and audience acquisition are key components to building the volume of donors and brand recognition that underpin a business model.(12:50) – About non-profit practices that bring value-add(13:49) – Mallory mentions her Asset Mapping tool, which highlights marketing and education as valuable components that non-profits can bring to business partners.(15:08) – About the emotional components Shannon’s clients work through on their journey (22:13) – How to start to understand the value that you are bringing to the table (27:50) – Shannon’s Top Tip for new entrepreneurs or non-profits just starting up: It’s all about putting one foot in front of the other. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of the good or procrastination paralyze you. Stay out of the weeds!(30:00) – Some of the top offenders that lead to analysis paralysis (31:58) – What does Shannon do when she experiences imposter syndrome?(32:50) – Another strategy for getting unstuck(33:45) – The power of separating your identity from your non-profit (35:40) – Shannon’s journey as a mom and the work/life balance (40:00) – About the value of Factory45’s startup community: support, accountability, camaraderie, shared milestones and mentorship. Click here to learn more.Huge thanks to our episode’s sponsor, Pledge, and their amazing e-commerce platform that will help you build amazing cross-sector partnerships.

Kate Williams is the CEO of 1% for the Planet, a non-profit whose 6,000+ members are integrating environmental giving into standard best business practices. She helps us imagine a world in which every operating budget includes line items to underwrite social causes as routinely as office space or equipment rental. Conjured some 20 years ago on the banks of the Madison River in Montana, the founders of Patagonia and Blue Ribbon Flies, a fly fishing company, foresaw a need for businesses to support environmental organizations far beyond simple check-the-box annual giving. Out of their vision for paying back the planet has grown a network that partners socially responsible businesses with on-the-ground resources.In this episode, Kate explains why companies of all sizes (as well as individuals) are willing to tithe 1% of their annual revenue under the umbrella of 1% for the Planet. We talk about all of the results that come from this model - mutual learning, storytelling, opportunity, and, perhaps most of all, a sustainable win-win-win proposition. There are so many learnings for nonprofits and businesses in this episode, tune in now to learn about what businesses are looking for when partnering with nonprofits and how 1% for the Planet plays matchmaker, coach, and co-dreamer to support successful cross-sector partnerships.Episode Hightlights:(01:00) - 1% for the Planet’s origin story(02:30) - The organization's accomplishments and reach over the past 20 years (05:20) - What 1% for the Planet members get for their commitment(09:20) - Why 1% of sales versus 1% of profit? (14:25) - The win-win equation: Credibly doing the right thing resonates with consumers, boosts sales, and extends business longevity and viability.(17:43) - All about due diligence: 1% for the Planet offers a knowledge-based vetting process that verifies partners, measures impact, and identifies narratives.(20:22) - 1%’s Matchmaking Function(24:00) - Long-term versus short-term partnering: Ongoing relationships reduce the overhead costs inherent in start-up fundraising efforts and frees up resources for other broader pursuits.(26:27) - 1% for the Planet provides a bridge, facilitating conversations across for- and non-profit entities whose language, goals and perspectives don’t always align.(33:22) - Donors often don’t recognize the direct and indirect power they wield and impacts they have on the giving process.(33:05) - On the horizon: The vision is to grow and brand a global standard for giving and social responsibility knit into business operation in a core way.(36:25) - Calls to action (and considerations) for smaller businesses contemplating a 1% commitment.(37:24) - How to get in touch with Kate and learn more about 1% for the planet.

Inside this episode, I touch on a major golden nugget that isn’t about fundraising strategy at all, but rather involves personal growth strategies surrounding human psychology, which is a larger key element we don’t highlight enough. I define the comfortable elements of the fundraiser hustle (you’ll get what I mean when you listen) and how that hustle mindset isn’t productive but rather detrimental in how we strive toward accomplishing our goals. I dissect this concept and talk about self-coaching tools you can implement now to start changing your mindset which in turn will help improve all facets of how you fundraise and how you can push through both personal and organizational challenges. This episode is a part of a mini-series on donor retention thanks to our incredible sponsors at DonorPerfect. DonorPerfect has a lot of free educational resources for fundraisers. Learn more and download some of their guides and tools today at donorperfect.com/mallory

Megan Staples Jacob is the Senior Development Director for CSF Philadelphia and has been working in the nonprofit realm for over 13 years. Megan is deeply passionate about the underserved communities in Philadelphia and understands children gain their greatest opportunities through education. In this episode, we discuss the drive and curiosity that fuels her openness to try different strategies in an effort to maximize donor retention, and she openly shares the tactics she’s successfully uncovered. Megan explains how defining your personal mission inside your efforts with an organization unveils a deeper motivation, which can help connect with potential and current donors on various levels. Listen to our conversation inside this riveting interview. Megan is extremely passionate and generous with all of her tips and tricks and you don’t want to miss it! This episode is a part of a mini-series on donor retention thanks to our incredible sponsors at DonorPerfect. DonorPerfect has a lot of free educational resources for fundraisers. Learn more and download some of their guides and tools today at donorperfect.com/mallory 

Ayelet Fishbach, Ph.D., is the Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, and the author of Get It Done (surprising lessons from the science of motivation). In this episode, Ayelet breaks down the intricate details behind donor motivation and how motivation differs based on the segment of donor. She gives us a number of helpful language suggestions for engagement, as well as other real-time strategies you can implement when trying to reach your fundraising goals. We also get into the motivation of the fundraiser and how fundraising is impacted by challenges around sustaining motivation and prioritizing when there are multiple goals.There are so many fundraising takeaways from this conversation. Join in and listen to this motivation expert’s experience and take a journey with her through her research and findings around the science of motivation.This episode is a part of a mini-series on donor retention thanks to our incredible sponsors at DonorPerfect. DonorPerfect has a lot of free educational resources for fundraisers. Learn more and download some of their guides and tools today at donorperfect.com/mallory

Lindsay Simonds is a senior, nonprofit, fundraising and management professional with notable experience partnering with organizations for transformational change. In this episode, Lindsay provides donor retention strategies and best practices you can implement inside your fundraising approaches and use to strengthen your team, right now. You can feel our excitement around these topics while we make revelation after revelation about retention tactics in this space. It’s an episode you can’t afford to miss! This episode is a part of a mini-series on donor retention thanks to our incredible sponsors at DonorPerfect. DonorPerfect has a lot of free educational resources for fundraisers. Learn more and download some of their guides and tools today at donorperfect.com/mallory