What the Fundraising

Cindy Wagman is the President and Founder of The Good Partnership, a consultancy that is working to unlock the potential of small nonprofits through fundraising. In this episode, me and Cindy talk about the system of beliefs and stigmas that are often associated with fundraising and how we can rewire the neural pathways in our brains that are keeping us stuck. We also explore the power of stories as vehicles for empathy and the importance of meeting your donors and really getting to know them. Join us while we go deep into the fundraiser’s brain and behavior and share some big tips for the small nonprofit!Episode highlights: 01:50 - Introducing Cindy Wagman: How and when did she fall in love with fundraising work? 04:21 - Rewire the shortcuts: Cindy’s tips to start overcoming the fundraising beliefs and habits that might be holding us back .11:56 - ‘Bad’ at fundraising: How does our brain create and interpret the detrimental beliefs that make fundraising a stressful task?24:07 - Look at what’s inside your lens: Explaining what are the ‘Funder Lenses’ and how knowing them helps to shift negative reinforcement loops and act with authenticity.30:25 - A story is an instrument of empathy: Transformative experiences and what happens when the exposure to one piece of information turns into a belief.37:27 - Our work has value: Discussing the negative ways in which pop culture and major organizations have portrayed the fundraiser’s work.

Becky Straw is the Co-Founder of The Adventure Project, and a true believer in the ability to build community through entrepreneurship and move people out of poverty for good. There are so many amazing elements of The Adventure Project but in this episode, we look into their monthly giving program because it uses some innovative strategies to create strong memory peaks with the members of The Collective (both when donors are first inspired to join and throughout their time in The Collective). We go deep into why storytelling is so effective to build a sense of belonging for the donor and real impact on the ground. Join in and listen to this nonprofit leader that is creating a new partnership and international development model that we can all learn from.This series is inspired by Neon One’s new donor report: titled ‘ Donors: Understanding The Future Of Individual Giving’. Get early access to the report by going to neonone.com/mallory.Episode highlights : 02:28 - A passionate volunteer with a dream job: Becky Straw’s first experiences working in the nonprofit sector.8:28 - The Adventure Project’s partnership model: Becky’s process of knowing, engaging and retaining funders.13:43 - The collective adventure: How monthly giving became a sustaining force for The Adventure Project throughout the pandemic.18:23 - Exploring the donor’s experience: Personalization, touchpoints and fundamental aspects of The Adventure Project’s monthly giving program.22:10 - Addressing the right message: How Becky approaches storytelling to engage with donors looking for alternative models of investment.27:41 - Supporting female founded organizations in Africa: How did the nonprofit’s new initiative for the women’s fund arised?

In this episode, I’m interviewing Lys Hugessen from Canada Helps and Celeste Flores from GivingTuesday. More specifically, Lys is the Vice President of Partnerships & GivingTuesday Canada. In her role, Lys leads the growth and development of the national GivingTuesday movement across Canada. Celeste supports and mobilizes GivingTuesday’s network of 200+ communities across the United States. Both of these women are coming to this conversation to talk about the GivingTuesday ‘moment’ - what has created it, what sustains it, and why it’s such a powerful expression of generosity and giving around the world. In this episode, Lys and Celeste are talking about how the movement has grown, what makes a GivingTuesday campaign successful, and why it’s all about generosity and giving that extends far beyond the click of a donation button. Join in and learn about what makes a community and global giving moment matter.This series is inspired by Neon One’s new donor report: titled ‘ Donors: Understanding The Future Of Individual Giving’. Get early access to the report by going to neonone.com/mallory.Episode highlights : 00:24 - Givers all around the world: Lys and Celeste introduce themselves and the nonprofits that they are part of.3:24 - A day to do good: What is the driving methodology and values behind GivingTuesday? How did it grow?10:23 - The 80 hearts of GivingTuesday: What qualities and actions have enabled GivingTuesday to become a social movement that is universally appealing?16:43 - The giver’s behavior: Retention data, multiple layers of engagement and how the peak moments of the experience are created by the global community.27:09 - GivingTuesday’s Golden Moments: Surprising trends inside the overall data of the nonprofit’s donors.33:48 - Honoring and giving people multiple ways to give: The importance of building follow-up experiences and non financial ways to engage.39:24 - From scarcity to abundance mindset shift: How is GivingTuesday helping new organizations to fit into their model?44:12 - Contact information: Learn how your organization can collaborate with GivingTuesday.

Francesco Ambrogetti leads Supporter Engagement for UNICEF worldwide. He has over 20 years’ international experience and has worked for organizations like the WWF, MSF, and the Red Cross World Bank across four different continents. His most recent book, “Hooked on a Feeling”, inspired this episode as it dives deep into the neuroscience of fundraising and explores a number of different topics not typically explained (but highly relevant) when we’re taught fundraising best practices. In this episode, we’re covering many topics inside this amazing book, like how memory works and the way dopamine and serotonin actually shape the donor’s experience and the likelihood they will stay involved in the organization in an ongoing way. We are often told to make a thank you call to a donor within 48 hours because of it’s impact on donor retention, but do you know WHY it has such an impact? Listen to this episode to learn the science behind that fundraising recommendation, and many new science-backed strategies and tips that will change your fundraising immediately! This series is inspired by Neon One’s new donor report: titled ‘ Donors: Understanding The Future Of Individual Giving’. Get early access to the report by going to neonone.com/mallory.Episode highlights : 02:42 - Introducing Francesco Ambrogetti: An author passionate about fundraising and neuroscience.6:24 - The science behind our relationship with donors: Understanding the chemical reactions that happen around fundraising work and how memory comes into play.17:24 - Empathy and social proof: Analyzing the causes of higher retention rates based on collective giving moments.24:42 - The peaks that cement our memory: Key reinforcements in the donor’s journey and how giving is linked to the irrational side of our brains.30:44 - The relationship between memory and motivation: What are the things that we should be paying attention to after the donation is made?43:18 - Celebration over transaction: Discussing the effectiveness of monthly giving programs.

It might be Thursday, but we couldn’t wait another week to introduce you to this amazing guest. So, in honor of Black History Month, we released two episodes this week with two inspiring Black women. Our second guest, Domonique James is the CEO & Founder of Politics With Purpose, a political communications agency helping leaders raise their influence to serve and empower others in media, politics, and philanthropy. In the episode, Domonique explains why media is a fundamental part of what keeps our organization’s ‘car running’, the urgent need to start valuing everyday expertise, and how to stop being the “best-kept secret” and get real influence and press coverage for your organization. Domonique breaks down how to identify the right press partners for you, and how to actually get seen. You don’t want to miss the PR 101 lesson from this amazing expert.Episode highlights : (02:12) - Who is Domonique James? Founder & CEO of Politics With Purpose, a communications agency helping leaders rise. (04:55) - How to go from charity to influence?: Why nonprofits need to change the narrative in the media.(14:34) - Everything about branding: Finding your core purpose, working for it, and leaving your legacy. (18:42) - Harnessing the everyday expert: Creating positive stories and valuing the lived experience in your team.  (26:34) - Redefining expertise: Why everyday people should be talking about their difficulties and not external experts. (31:51) - Professionalization and shifting the way the third sector looks and operates from the inside out.(37:46) - Where should I be seen?: Finding the right alignment between your organization and media. (42:45) - Asset mapping: Understanding what you bring to the table and the strategic work behind successful pitching. (47:59) - Where to find Domonique, how to work with her, and the passions that drive her Politics With Purpose.

Shukurat Adamoh-Faniyan, Executive Director of Reading Partners DC, joins the show and we cover a lot of topics, like why every organization should have a level of flexibility when it comes to their work, how to balance short-term metrics with long-terms goals, and funders’ actual role in community-centered fundraising. Shukurat is an inspiring leader that is asking her staff to think completely differently about how they address the work - it’s not about just continuing to provide services for the long haul, she’s asking them what it would look like to eradicate the literacy gap in the first place. She challenges us to ask - are we even out here trying to solve the right problems? Listen to this episode where we explore the importance of mutual and self-interest, sharing our stories, and the need to respect community leadership and expertise when it comes to human work. This episode is one of two episodes released on the first week of February in honor of Black History Month. We respect, listen to, and learn from so many incredible Black women every day, and are grateful for the wisdom they share on What the Fundraising this week and throughout the year.Episode highlights: (02:23) - Get to know Shukurat: A nonprofit leader rooted in the importance of community involvement through education.(05:19) - Virtual volunteer management: How was it like to lead Reading Partners through the pandemic crisis?(11:16) - On the complexity of education funding and how the relationship with funders changed while building a new model of work.(17:10) - How do we eradicate this problem?: Asking the right questions to shift the conversation around conscious education investment.(28:51) - “Is this sector here just so we feel good?”: Understanding the funders’ actual role in community-centered fundraising.(35:07) - Shukurat’s experience as Executive Director of Reading Partners DC: How has the fundraising work impacted her self-development?(39:47) - How can we fix the dynamic?: On self-interest and the importance of sharing stories to make a change.(49:46) - Shukurat’s contact and how to reach out to Reading Partners DC to know more about them and become a volunteer.

Stephynie Malik is known as an expert negotiator and skilled crisis management consultant. While leading alliances, she has created countless partnerships with huge brands like American Express, Monster.com, Deloitte, and Nike (to name just a few). In this episode of What The Fundraising we talk about why listening to people means building an authentic and genuine connection, and why it’s so important to do your research before you walk in the room. We share some of our views around donor retention, the differences between empathy and sympathy and how to take care of our own energy as leaders. If you want to build new partnerships in 2022, then this is the episode for you! Episode highlights: (02:21) - A passionate about meaningful alliances: Stephynie’s background and early marketing work experiences.(15:32) - How do you show up? The art of executive presence to build trust with organization leaders.(22:25) - Business consulting and high impact consulting coaching: Why is it fundamental to know how to choose your partners?(28:31) - Surveys and MindMup: On the tools that help Stephynie get her priorities right and get closer to her clients.(33:50) - Sympathy vs. Empathy: How to ask the right questions to truly connect with your partners and why it matters.(39:50) - Taking care of your own energy: Effective time management and finding balance between family and work.

This is part two of our conversation with psychologist, award-winning researcher, and professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University, Vanessa Bohns. Here we discuss the psychological aspects and consequences of power dynamics. Plus the ways donors can sometimes underestimate their influence. It’s time to put our funder lenses on to really understand our organization’s potential from different points of view, especially those who share our mission and are interested in investing. Don’t miss this second part of the conversation with this amazing expert!If you haven’t listened to part I of this conversation that focuses on the influence of the fundraiser, go check it out!Episode highlights:(02:45) - Psychological implications within power dynamics: How to deliver an effective and conscious message when in a position of power.(09:24) - Insights on traditional (and biased) restricted funding narratives: The difference between taking perspective and getting perspective.(13:04) - How to open the conversation - When offering new possibilities to funders feels like we’re challenging them.(18:26) - Becoming aware of structural power dynamics principles and how they affect the relationship between funders and nonprofits.(21:52) - What’s behind the philanthropist spirit? On the need for transparency within funding.(26:02) - Contact info and Vannessa’s shout out to a non-profit near and dear to her heart.

Vanessa Bohns is a psychologist, award-winning researcher, and professor of organizational behavior at Cornell University. Plus she is the author of an amazing book that I encourage everyone to read, You Have More Influence Than You Think. Today, Vanessa joins the show to talk about influence and the ways that we as fundraisers might underestimate our own, especially when it comes to making the big ask! Vanessa shares how important it is to talk transparently without making assumptions that can hold our organizations back or restrict funding in unnecessary ways. Join this conversation and learn science’s most valuable takes on influence and trust-building for fundraisers! And don’t forget to listen to Part II of this conversation!Episode highlights: PART I(02:32) - Introducing Vannesa Bohns: An experimental social psychologist that approaches social influence in professional decision making.(09:03) - How are fundraisers underestimating their influence? Vanessa’s reading on rejection and how to create environments of conscious choice based on her book.(18:31) - The impact video has on influence and fundraising: How does video fit amongst in-person and email modes of communication?(21:49) - Follow-up requests: What happens when someone says no the first time? Understanding situational and circumstantial elements of rejection(25:59) - Implications of the fact that 75% of fundraisers are women: Gender differences in how likely people are to ask.(27:59) - Vanessa’s three main takeaways on influence consciousness for fundraisers.(29:28) - Contact info and Vannessa’s shout out to a non-profit near and dear to her heart.

Kishshana Palmer is an international speaker, trainer, and coach with a 20+ year background in fundraising, marketing, and talent management who helps leaders create high-performing teams. Kishshana is known for calling out toxic mindsets and behaviors so that organizations can actually make their missions come true. This conversation is both a wake-up call and a joyful release as we get into all the nitty gritty around what holds organizations and leaders back, and what allows them to thrive. We also talk about the need to start investing in your personal and professional development, and what both of us rely on to keep us going. If you want to get 2022 off to a great start with your organization on track, then you don’t want to miss this episode.Episode highlights:(03:02) -  Who is Kishshana Palmer? A 20+ year nonprofit professional helping everyday leaders make their missions happen.(09:10) - Humor, lightness, and communications skills in nonprofits + The biggest leadership no-no’s. (16:17) - Helper addiction & Martyritis: The mindset behind this epidemic in the nonprofit sector. (22:12) - “But I suffered so much”: Why we need to break the cycle of abuse and neglect inside organizations. (33:18) - Inner safety vs ego: How to be grounded in yourself and build empathy and knowledge from a place of wellbeing. (37:03) - Finding out what works for you: Understanding what your real capacity is and building from there. (46:24) - Where to find Kishshana + how you can work with her this coming year.