Responsive Lab Podcast

Global philanthropy consultant Kris Putnam-Walkerly has advised top philanthropists for over 20 years, transforming their giving and catapulting their impact. As a sought after philanthropy advisor, expert and award-winning author, she's helped hundreds of wealthy families, foundations, Fortune 500 companies, Giving Pledge signatories, and wealth advisors strategically influence and allocate over half a billion dollars in grants and gifts. She is the author of Delusional Altruism, Confident Giving, and The ImpactAssets Handbook for Investors.

Casey Davis, the Executive Director at the Diabetes Research Connection, joins the Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss her experience leading a growing nonprofit through transition and trials. During our conversation we discuss Casey’s “partner with” fundraising approach, the importance of having a holistic fundraising strategy, and why Casey is optimistic about the industry’s future. Diabetes Research Connection empowers people affected by type 1 diabetes and supports highly innovative research, for which seed funding is notoriously hard to obtain. This unique, disease-specific crowdfunding platform was established by leading diabetes scientists and advocates. This one-of-a-kind community is uniquely focused on funding innovative, discovery research and supporting early career scientists in type 1 diabetes research.

Gabe Cooper, Virtuous' CEO and founder joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss what we can glean from the events of 2020 and how fundraisers should pivot to maximize the potential of 2021. 2020 has been a year of massive change for nonprofits. Everything has changed from entire teams going remote overnight to a chaotic election season, to a civil rights movement driving systemic change, to the devastating impact of COVID-19. During the discussion Gabe shares six fundraising strategies nonprofit teams can carry forward into 2021. 6 Fundraising Strategies To Help You Grow 1) You must know your donors. And in order to know them, you must listen. 2) Generosity begets generosity. 3) Let 2021 be the year you get educated on donor advised funds and planned giving.4) Don’t let the crisis go wasted.5) Double down on your efforts to generate sustainable revenue.6) Plan out your strategy, but do it with a pencil, not a pen. https://www.virtuous.org/blog/2021-fundraising-strategies/https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabecooper/   

Chris Hammond and Jen Linck of CGC joined The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to get deep into the practical details, steps, and strategies of crafting an effective nonprofit marketing plan. Chris Hammond founded CGC in order to simplify the giving process between nonprofits and corporations. He developed this unique concept as a result of his experience in working in fundraising and nonprofit consulting management. By means of his pursuits as a nonprofit fundraising consultant, he recognized the need for an all-encompassing company that would utilize the “four pots of fundraising”: event management, grant writing, individual and corporate giving. Chris has 8+ years of event management and 6+ years of nonprofit fundraising consulting & leadership experience. He holds a BA in Political Science and an MA in Public Policy and Administration from California Lutheran University. Jen Linck, CMO, came to CGC after twenty years of marketing experience in the entertainment industry, working in book publishing, television, and film. A driven marketing professional with a passion for innovation and a reputation as a highly analytical consumer engagement expert with proven project management skills, Jen is responsible for leading the marketing strategy for CGC and its nonprofit consulting clients. Jen holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from James Madison University and an Executive MBA from Pepperdine University where she graduated with honors and now serves as adjunct faculty teaching marketing at the business school.  

JB Stark (they/them) joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to talk about leading their team to resiliency and growth during COVID-19 and beyond. JB  is the Director of Individual Giving at The Trevor Project and is honored to work with Trevor’s family of donors who support the organization’s operations and growth. Prior to this, JB worked at the NYU Stern School of Business on the Development and Alumni Relations Team, working with alumni to bring the Dean’s vision to success by raising critical funds for programs and scholarships. JB has years of experience working in fundraising and nonprofit leadership in economic empowerment, education, and LGBTQ youth advocacy spaces. As the Deputy Executive Director of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition, JB worked on LGBTQ youth community mobilization, health education, disease prevention, and engagement initiatives across the country. The Trevor Project is the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning (LGBTQ) young people. The Trevor Project offers a suite of 24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention programs, including TrevorLifeline, TrevorText, and TrevorChat as well as the world’s largest safe space social networking site for LGBTQ youth, TrevorSpace. Trevor also operates an education program with resources for youth-serving adults and organizations, an advocacy department fighting for pro-LGBTQ legislation and against anti-LGBTQ rhetoric/policy positions, and a research team to discover the most effective means to help young LGBTQ people in crisis and end suicide. Donate here. Find the resources JB mentioned here.

Sarah Landman joins the Responsive Fundraising podcast to discuss personalized donor stewardship. During our conversation we discuss the tie between theatre and fundraising, key donor signals nonprofits must tune in on, and how you turn signals into more personalized cultivation plans, especially in 2021. Sarah is the Sr. VP of Philanthropy Services at NewsBank / Insightful, a web-based platform to help nonprofits know more about their donors that lead to deeper relationships. Sarah is an experienced fundraising and business executive with a 15 year history and successful results working in the fundraising industry. Skilled in major gift fundraising, business development, marketing, capital campaign consulting, women's philanthropy and legacy planning. M.A. in Philanthropy and Development from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota. https://www.insightfulphilanthropy.com/home https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjanelandman/   

Steven Aguiar joins The Responsive Fundraising podcast to discuss how nonprofits can grow their donor base through digital acquisition and paid campaigns. During the conversation we discuss essential elements of digital marketing campaigns and why a growth blueprint should replace your traditional fundraising plan. Steven is the founder of Good Goes Further, a company that helps nonprofits create and execute a plan for digital growth. He is a full-stack digital marketer with experience running all aspects of a company's digital marketing and is now using his experience for good by focusing completely on growing nonprofits. Over the past four years, Steven has helped dozens of businesses scale and activate digital audiences and with Good Goes Further, he hopes to bring all of those growth marketing capabilities directly to nonprofits. https://goodgoesfurther.com

Lindsay Voltz, the Sr. Director of Major Gifts at the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF), joins The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss donor stewardship strategies and what today's donor is looking for from fundraisers. During the discussion we unpack what's top of mind for today's philanthropist, how you navigate the balance between what a donor desires to do with your nonprofit's mission, and the importance of improv within fundraising. Lindsay Voltz, CFRE currently serves as Senior Director, Major Gifts at the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) overseeing a team of frontline major gift fundraisers and DRIF’s expansion to a regional major gift model. Prior to joining DRIF, Lindsay was the Director of Major Giving, Southeast at the Parkinson’s Foundation. While with the Parkinson’s Foundation, Lindsay led major gift efforts for the southeast region of the U.S. and built a robust pipeline of major donors across nine states. Lindsay has been in the nonprofit sector for more than thirteen years, with a focus on development and major gift fundraising for the majority of her career. Prior to her role at the Parkinson’s Foundation, Lindsay raised crucial funds for cancer research for Moffitt Cancer Center. Lindsay held a number of roles while at Moffitt, including as a Development Officer building a midlevel giving program, Associate Director of Principal Gifts during which time she secured multiple six and seven-figure gifts and as Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations overseeing the CFR program. Lindsay began her nonprofit career with Obesity Action Coalition, a national patient advocacy organization, where she initially served as Marketing Manager, followed by her role as Director of Development and Engagement Initiatives. https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsayvoltz https://www.diabetesresearch.org/ 

David J. O'Brien and Matthew D. Craig join The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to discuss the insights from their new book Building Smart Nonprofits. During the conversation we dig into  alternative funding models, how to move beyond golf tournaments, galas, and grants, and ask the question whether there are too many nonprofits. Many contrarian notes, but insightful. Building Smart Nonprofits: A Roadmap for Mission Success is a handbook of best practices nonprofits can use to improve sustainability - a book of knowledge and know-how distilled from interviews with over 60 industry leaders who are in the nonprofit trenches every day—as executives, leaders, board members, funders, publishers, and service providers. David J. O’Brien and Matthew D. Craig provide real-life examples of nonprofits deploying best practices and emerging industry trends – such as the rise of socially conscious investing – to position their organizations for the long term. Topics include, among others, funding models, impact investing, compensation, strategic restructuring, leadership, full-cost grantmaking, program evaluation, storytelling, and financing. Readers learn how to best position their non-profit organization for a sustainable and long-term future. https://requiemforthegala.org/our-book/

Bridget Jones and Kelly Hayman join The Responsive Fundraising Podcast to share how they help transform the Boys & Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley fundraising programs in light of tremendous challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the conversation we take a step back to March 2020 to recall how Bridget, Kelly, and their team's decision making process amidst the chaos and upending that COVID-19 had on their fundraising channels which was in contrast to the rapid growth in demand for their programs. Bridget Jones started as a part time Youth Development Worker with Boys & Girls Clubs in her hometown of Greeneville, TN. With a degree in education from Carson Newman College, a passion for young people and a love of gathering people together, she was able to use her skillset as the Director of Development & Corporate Events to raise funds to support the mission and vision of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee.  Her heart truly desires to serve young people who need us most and provide them with life-changing opportunities each time they enter the BGS doors. Kelly Hayman came to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley in 2006 as an Education Director in one of the school based sites.  Over the next fourteen years, Kelly progressed into leadership positions such as Technology Director, Club Director and Executive Director.  He was moved into the role of Annual Gifts Officer in 2019. In his current role, Kelly is responsible is responsible for developing and stewarding both annual and recurring gifts.  His role allows for him to work with both small and mid-level donors.  Kelly began his Boys & Girls Club career in 1995 when he was hired to work as a summer staff member for the Boys & Girls Club of Valdosta, GA.  Becoming the Club Director in 2003, he led the Lake Laurie facility from serving 75 members to more than 140 members in 2005.  https://bgctnv.org/leadership/