Episode 288: The Donor Wants to Give: Why Aren't We Asking?

July 07, 2026 4:05am 25 min

Most fundraising challenges don't stem from a lack of generous donors. They stem from never extending the right invitation. Organizations stay trapped in endless cultivation meetings, updates, and tours because they have...

Episode 287: Happy Birthday America: Celebrating Freedom Around the World and with Philanthropy

June 30, 2026 4:17am 19 min

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, it's worth reflecting on something even bigger than our nation's history: the enduring value of freedom. In this special episode we explore how freedom has shaped civilizations, ...

Episode 286: The Use of Data and Removing Bias - Known and Unknown

June 23, 2026 4:00am 26 min

Artificial intelligence and predictive analytics are transforming fundraising, but better technology does not automatically create better decisions. Let’s look at how bias, incomplete records, flawed assumptions, and ove...

Episode 285: Mapping Donor Networks: Influencer Dynamics

June 16, 2026 4:01am 27 min

Many fundraising conversations focus on the donor sitting across the table, but rarely are major philanthropic decisions made by one person alone. Spouses, children, attorneys, financial advisors, and trusted friends oft...

Episode 284: The Donor Waltz Three Conversation Sequencing that Builds Momentum

June 09, 2026 4:00am 28 min

Fundraising is relationship building, but too many donor conversations feel disconnected, repetitive, and transactional. Enter the “Donor Waltz”. A three-step sequence of conversations designed to move donors from discov...

Special 19: The Great Philanthropists - Andrew Carnegie: The Starting Point of Modern Philanthropy

June 02, 2026 4:00am 19 min

Andrew Carnegie did not believe philanthropy was simply about relieving immediate need. He believed it was about creating opportunities that could create generational change. In this special episode, we look at how Carne...

Episode 283: Qualification Calls – Meetings: Getting to the Point and Not Wasting Time or Resources

May 26, 2026 4:00am 29 min

Fundraisers often spend enormous amounts of time pursuing prospects who will never make a gift. Not because they lack capacity, but because nobody properly qualified their intent. In this episode, we look at one of the b...

Episode 282: A Physical Stewardship Matrix: Creating, Having, and Using One

May 19, 2026 4:00am 25 min

Most nonprofits talk about stewardship, but few can actually show you a structured plan for how it happens. In this episode, we explore the idea of a donor stewardship matrix. A simple but powerful framework that brings ...

Episode 281: Podcast 300 - Fighting a Failure of Imagination

May 12, 2026 4:00am 25 min

A tragedy in the Apollo program revealed a powerful truth: the greatest failures aren’t always technical; they’re failures of imagination. In this milestone 300th episode, Randall challenges nonprofit leaders to rethink ...

Episode 280: Truly Fighting the Term Overhead in our Nonprofit Work

May 05, 2026 4:00am 25 min

Nonprofits don’t have an overhead problem, they have a narrative problem. When organizations obsess over keeping costs low, they often starve the very investments that drive growth, impact, and long-term sustainability. ...

Episode 279: Succession Planning at All Levels: How to Not Get Caught in Bad Transition

April 28, 2026 4:07am 27 min

Succession planning isn’t just a CEO issue. It’s a frontline necessity in a nonprofit sector where turnover is constant and stability is fragile. When organizations fail to plan, they risk revenue disruption, donor attri...

Episode 278: Fractional Work: How to Make It Work

April 21, 2026 4:05am 25 min

Fractional employees are quickly becoming a practical solution for nonprofits facing talent shortages and budget constraints, but they’re not a simple fix. This episode explores how fractional roles can unlock high-level...

Episode 277: Where Advocacy Ends - Good and Lobbying Begins - Bad

April 14, 2026 4:05am 25 min

Nonprofits often hesitate to engage in public policy, fearing they might cross into prohibited territory. But the real risk may be staying silent. Missing opportunities to shape the very systems that define their impact....

Episode 276: Shooters Keep Shooting: How to Overcome that Fundraising Drought

April 07, 2026 4:30am 26 min

Every fundraiser eventually hits a drought. Calls go unanswered, meetings stall, and momentum disappears. In those moments, the instinct is to hesitate, to overthink, or to pull back entirely. But the most successful fun...

Episode 275: Emotional Quotient-Intelligence in Philanthropy – the Office, Donors, and Teamwork

March 31, 2026 4:30am 29 min

Emotional intelligence isn’t a “soft skill” in nonprofit work. It’s the foundation of everything that works. In a field built entirely on relationships, the ability to read the room, manage your own reactions, and unders...

Episode 274: The Importance of Culture: How to Ensure the Right One to Drive Results

March 24, 2026 4:00am 23 min

Talent alone doesn’t determine success – culture does. The same individual can struggle in one environment and thrive in another, not because their ability changed, but because the system around them did. Over time, what...

Episode 273: Has Fundraising Work Really Changed much in 50 Years: A Question to be Answered

March 17, 2026 4:00am 23 min

Episode 272: The Fundraisers Bill of Rights - What we Should be Looking for to Achieve Success

March 10, 2026 4:00am 23 min

Most fundraisers know the Donor Bill of Rights – but what about the Fundraiser’s Bill of Rights? It’s about the organization behind them. Leadership engagement, board functionality, strategic clarity, data systems, reali...

Episode 271: Communication Fatigue in a Hyperconnected World - Better mass communication tactics

March 03, 2026 4:30am 25 min

In a world of overflowing inboxes and nonstop notifications, nonprofits risk becoming part of the noise. Tackle donor fatigue head-on. Most organizations don’t have a generosity problem. They have an attention and trust ...

Episode 270: Using Faith Based Fundraising Lessons in Secular Organizations

February 24, 2026 4:00am 27 min

Faith-based giving and secular nonprofits aren’t opposites. They share a powerful common thread: values. Today, we explore how nonprofits can learn from faith-driven philanthropy without becoming religious organizations....