Responsive Lab Podcast

Donor retention is broken. This is no surprise to anyone who has worked in the nonprofit industry for any length of time. Despite all the best practices tactics about sending thank you cards, making phone calls, investing in new technology, etc. – the average donor retention rate seems to be stuck around 45%. I n a brand-new research endeavor analyzing both the donor retention performance and the donor experience of 212 nonprofit organizations, the team at NextAfter has begun to uncover what may be the most important ingredient to keep donors around for the long term. The best part? This magical ingredient has nothing to do with your technology, your reach, or your budget. Instead, it has everything to do with why your donors give. Tune into the latest episode with Nathan Hill, VP of NextAfter Institute, to learn about their research-based strategies to increase donor retention.

This week we are featuring a conversation from The Beacon Podcast hosted by Lighthouse Counsel’s Director of Business Development, Ryan Woroniecki. This conversation with Ryan and our very own Erik Tomalis, Director of Business Development at Virtuous, have a follow-up conversation to the last episode’s discussion on the Giving USA 2023 report.  Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the practical donor engagement insights learned from the Giving USA 2023 Report. In this discussion, you’ll learn:  The top 3 takeaways from the report  The best way to build meaningful relationships with donors  How organizations can counter a decline in total donors giving Learn more about the top 3 practical donor engagement insights here.

Earlier this summer, the results came in from the Giving USA 2023 report, showcasing the current state of the philanthropic sector. In this conversation, nonprofit leaders across the sector gathered to discuss 2022’s biggest headlines, as well as what we can expect in 2023 in the current fundraising climate.  The following nonprofit leaders joined us to discuss the biggest issues facing the nonprofit sector: Jason Wyssmann, SVP of Technology and Data Analytics at HonorHealth Foundation; Nathan Chappell, SVP at DonorSearch; and Meena Das, CEO of NamasteData. In this episode, you will learn how to: Navigate the evolving philanthropic landscape Leverage the insights to inform a data-driven fundraising strategy Apply practical, responsive fundraising strategies to engage donors effectively

Responsive nonprofits harness measurement and data to increase generosity for their mission. A critical data point is measuring the short, mid, and long-term impact of your programs and showcasing to donors the power of the impact they create. John Mark Vanderpool, Co-Founder of Social Impact Solutions, shares his expertise and 8 reasons nonprofits should measure their impact. He’ll walk you through how to leverage technology to utilize impact data and communicate that impact to your donors for long-lasting effect. About Social Impact Solutions Social Impact Solutions helps you raise more money to advance your cause. They give nonprofits access to the best marketing and impact resources to help them communicate their value, accelerate their fundraising, and expand their reach.  Are you looking to raise more money for your nonprofit? Take this online quiz to discover where your organization could be leaving money on the table.

Society for Science was looking for a new title sponsor for the second time in their 100-year history. That’s when Maya Ajmera, President and CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News, decided to flip the traditional RFP model on its head. Society for Science announced its own RFP. They asked donors to pitch them on why they should accept their sponsorship to support the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors and champion the future STEM workforce of America. In this episode, you’ll learn how Maya pioneered a new RFP model to secure 50 applications from philanthropists, organizations, and corporations to select a new partner that aligns with their passion and vision for the future.

This week, Toby Weiss - Founder & CEO of Rooted Software - joins Rob on the podcast to talk about all things tech. Toby has extensive expertise as a global nonprofit technologist and walks us through the steps of how to think well about the role of technology to scale impact for our missions. We operate in a digitally platform dependent space, and there are key decisions that must be made to strategically make progress for the good of all involved. Are you enjoying the Responsive Nonprofit Podcast and want to dive deeper into the framework and methodology growing nonprofits use to build deeper relationships with all donors to unlock mission transformation? I'd love to send you a free copy of our book, Responsive Fundraising, so you can get started today!

In this episode, Bill and Sarah TeDesco of DonorSearch join Rob to talk about what nonprofit leaders need to know about deep tech as it pertains to the fundraising market. They double-click on the topic of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning) and how any size nonprofit can utilize these technologies to enrich their supporter data and prompt actionable next steps. Are you enjoying the Responsive Nonprofit Podcast and want to dive deeper into the framework and methodology growing nonprofits use to build deeper relationships with all donors to unlock mission transformation? I'd love to send you a free copy of our book, Responsive Fundraising, so you can get started today!

In this episode, Katrina VanHuss (Founder and CEO) and Otis Fulton (VP for Psychological Strategy) of Turnkey join Rob for an enlightening deep dive on peer-to-peer social fundraising. Not only do they have vast experience working with the largest nonprofits in the US, but they also apply psychology to fundraising and donor behavior resulting in significant thought leadership in this space. Katrina and Otis discuss best practices of fundraising with social media, the "Trifecta of Satisfaction," why you are most likely rewarding your volunteers wrong, and how to maximize peer-to-peer giving for any organization. Are you enjoying the Responsive Nonprofit Podcast and want to dive deeper into the framework and methodology growing nonprofits use to build deeper relationships with all donors to unlock mission transformation? I'd love to send you a free copy of our book, Responsive Fundraising, so you can get started today!

In this episode, Heather Hiscox of Pause for Change, joins Rob and tackles what it means to dismantle the status quo to make true change in your organization. Using her PAUSE framework, she has helped countless social impact organizations address challenges in less time, using fewer resources, to achieve greater impact. Heather's insight is a must listen for any nonprofit leader.

In this episode, Ben Johnson, Founder and Chief Strategist of Frontier Marketing joins us to talk about how to achieve transformational growth at your nonprofit. It's been thirteen years since he founded Frontier, and Ben has a wealth of knowledge that helps inform the necessary pivots that must be made in order to choose growth and organizational impact. Are you enjoying the Responsive Nonprofit Podcast and want to dive deeper into the framework and methodology growing nonprofits use to build deeper relationships with all donors to unlock mission transformation? I'd love to send you a free copy of our book, Responsive Fundraising, so you can get started today!