The Nonprofit Show

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What happens when one of your best donors gives far more to another nonprofit? These major donor stewardship strategies can help your organization move beyond frustration, learn what influenced the gift, and build stronger opportunities for future investment.

On this Fundraisers Friday conversation, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall confront a painful fundraising reality: a donor may care about your mission, possess considerable giving capacity, and still make their transformational or legacy gift somewhere else!

The wrong response is indignation. The stronger business response is curiosity, gratitude, and an...

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How AI saves time for nonprofits depends far less on the excitement surrounding the technology and far more on the quality of the organization’s data, workflows, and financial controls. Buu-Linh Tran, Senior Vice President of Financial Solutions at JMT Consulting, and Torbjorn Nilsen, Director of Business Solutions at DATABASICS, explain where AI can deliver measurable value—and where nonprofit leaders should proceed carefully.

The conversation moves beyond broad promises about efficiency and into the daily work of nonprofit finance operations. Data entry, receipt review, expense coding, compliance checks, anomaly detection, and...

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Nonprofit prospect research beyond wealth screening requires more than locating wealthy people. It means finding funders with the capacity, mission alignment, and relationship connections that can lead to a credible fundraising conversation.

Shahar Brukner, Co-Founder, President, and CRO of Impala Digital, explains why traditional nonprofit wealth screening often leaves development teams with plenty of data—but no clear path to a donor.

Shahar organizes effective prospect research around three business priorities: capacity, alignment, and relationships. A prospective donor may possess enormous wealth, but that does not mean the person su...

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What is the state of the nonprofit sector in 2026—and can organizations sustain rising demand while protecting their workforce, leadership pipeline, and financial strength? Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO of Independent Sector, joins us for a far-reaching conversation about the business conditions shaping America’s 1.9 million charitable nonprofits.

Nonprofits continue to hold one of the strongest positions of public trust among American institutions. Dr. Watkins reports that 57% of Americans express very high or favorable trust toward nonprofits. Yet that confidence exists alongside increasing pressure: weakened public safety nets, a more diff...

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How nonprofits can improve AI visibility is quickly becoming a fundraising and revenue question—not merely a marketing concern. As donors increasingly use AI search tools and workplace-giving platforms to decide which organizations to support, nonprofits must ensure their mission, impact, financial credibility, and organizational information can be found and understood.

Catherine LaCour, CEO and Executive Director of the Blackbaud Giving Fund, joins The Nonprofit Show to explain how donor discovery is changing and what nonprofit leaders should do now.

The Blackbaud Giving Fund has distributed nearly $3 billion since 2020 to...

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Nonprofit CEO fundraising responsibility is not optional when fiscal health, donor relationships, and organizational sustainability are on the line. In this Fundraisers Friday episode, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall take on a tough leadership question: what happens when a nonprofit CEO won’t fundraise?

This conversation goes straight to the business of nonprofits. Tony makes the case that even if a CEO is not making daily asks, every CEO carries responsibility for the organization’s financial health. As he puts it, “I can’t imagine there is a job desc...

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Mindset as an operational skill for nonprofit leaders is becoming one of the most important conversations in nonprofit management. As burnout, decision fatigue, and constant change impact organizations across the sector, leaders are discovering that resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness are not optional—they are essential business competencies.

The Nonprofit Show sits down with Karli-Rose McIntyre, Training Content Manager at Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC), to explore why mindset should be viewed as organizational infrastructure rather than personal development.

Karli-Rose shares what leaders are really asking for. While technical topics li...

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Nonprofit donor behavior trends in 2026 are revealing something unexpected: generosity is alive and well! The challenge isn't donor willingness to give—it's whether nonprofits are making it easy, clear, and compelling for supporters to take action.

We welcome Mary Crogan, Vice President of Brand Marketing at Bloomerang, to discuss findings from the newly released Giving Signals Report. Based on research conducted with more than 1,000 donors and 405 fundraisers, the report challenges many assumptions about today's fundraising environment.

The data shows that donors remain highly motivated to support causes th...

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Nonprofit CEO succession planning is no longer a future issue—it’s a current business challenge. As leadership turnover accelerates across the sector, boards and executives must rethink how they identify, recruit, and support the next generation of nonprofit CEOs.

Dana Scurlock, Managing Director at Staffing Boutique, joins Julia Patrick and Sherry Quam Taylor to discuss what organizations should be looking for when hiring a CEO and how leadership expectations are changing.

With research indicating that approximately 75% of nonprofit leaders are expected to retire by 2036, organizations face a major tran...

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Nonprofit interim leadership strategy is becoming essential as organizations face CEO retirements, founder exits, leadership fatigue, and urgent succession decisions. Joan Brown, COO of Third Sector Company, explains how interim leadership can help nonprofit boards move beyond crisis hiring and use transition as a business-strengthening opportunity.

Joan frames the conversation around four powerful words: purposeful, methodical, profound, and transformational. Each word helps nonprofit leaders rethink what should happen between one leader leaving and the next leader stepping in.

Rather than treating interim leadership as someone “keeping the li...

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Nonprofit donor engagement strategies for 2026 are changing rapidly as donor expectations, technology, and economic realities reshape fundraising. Kimberly O'Donnell, Chief Fundraising Officer at Bonterra, shares fresh research and practical insights from Bonterra's 2026 Impact Report to help nonprofit leaders build stronger donor relationships and sustainable revenue growth.

For decades, charitable giving and volunteerism have remained largely stagnant at approximately 2.5% of GDP. Bonterra's ambitious "3% by 2033" initiative aims to change that by helping organizations increase annual giving through smarter engagement, recurring donor programs, volunteer activation, and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

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When resources are limited, nonprofits often assume they need more funding. But what if scarcity is actually the catalyst for stronger partnerships? In this episode, Van Ton-Quinlivan, Founder and CEO of Futuro Health, shares how nonprofits, employers, educators, and community organizations can align around common goals to solve workforce challenges and create lasting social impact.

If you're searching for nonprofit partnership strategies that create measurable impact, this conversation delivers a powerful framework for building coalitions, aligning stakeholders, and solving complex workforce challenges.

Organizations can achieve more by working together...

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Nonprofit marketing strategy using neuroscience can help organizations create messages that earn attention, build trust, and move donors toward engagement. Sally Mildren, CEO and Chief Strategist of CommonWell Marketing, shares why effective nonprofit marketing starts with how the human brain filters, feels, trusts, and decides.

For nonprofit leaders working with limited time, staff, and budgets, this conversation offers a sharper way to think about marketing performance. Sally explains that the brain is processing millions of bits of information every second, which means nonprofits have only a brief window to become relevant...

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Nonprofit crisis fundraising strategy is not about making every donor message sound urgent—it is about knowing when urgency is real, how to communicate it honestly, and how to keep donor trust intact. In this Fundraisers Friday episode, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall take on one of the most familiar fundraising habits in the sector: the constant use of emergency-driven appeals.

From “now more than ever” messaging to year-end giving campaigns, this conversation challenges nonprofit leaders to think carefully about the business impact of their fundraising language. Tony explains why repeat...

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Community wealth building for nonprofits takes center stage in this lively discussion, as Lauren Turner Hines of the André Cailloux Center shares how art, history, ownership, and earned revenue can become a powerful operating model. This is a deeply strategic conversation for nonprofit leaders thinking about sustainability, capital campaigns, cultural infrastructure, and the future of community-centered growth.

Lauren Turner Hines, Founding ‘Envisionist’ and Executive Lead of the André Cailloux Center in New Orleans, takes us inside a 114-year-old former church on historic Bayou Road, the oldest thoroughfare in the city and a corr...

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This episode is for nonprofits searching for alternatives to traditional aid models and dependency-driven philanthropy. The conversation blends international development, nonprofit operations, sustainability, and social enterprise into a highly searchable leadership discussion.

Sustainable nonprofit development in Africa requires more than donations—it requires long-term economic thinking, local leadership, and community ownership. In this Global Edition of The Nonprofit Show, Paul Smith, UK Director of MUSANA, shares how the organization is transforming rural communities in Uganda through healthcare, education, hospitality businesses, and locally driven enterprise systems designed to become financially sustainable.

...

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Nonprofit infrastructure planning is often overlooked until growth creates operational stress, staff burnout, and organizational confusion. In this energizing discussion, Sharmon Lebby, founder and CEO of Blessed Designs Consulting, explains why nonprofit leaders must build systems, strategy, and internal alignment before major funding arrives.

Many nonprofit organizations operate in survival mode—focused on securing the next grant, donation, or hire—without fully preparing for what sustainable growth actually requires. Sharmon challenges leaders to rethink budgeting, board development, volunteer management, and organizational planning from a long-term operational perspective.

“You’re not plan...

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Managing difficult donors in nonprofits requires more than patience—it requires boundaries, documentation, leadership support, and a clear understanding of donor behavior. In this Fundraisers Friday episode, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall explore how nonprofit teams can identify challenging donor patterns before they disrupt the mission, staff, or fundraising strategy.

Not every difficult donor is difficult in the same way. Some want control. Some want recognition. Some have disengaged because of a past disappointment. Others cross lines that should never be ignored. This conversation gives nonprofit professionals a thoughtful framework fo...

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Nonprofit marketing strategy with fractional CMO leadership can help organizations move beyond reactive communications and build smarter pathways to donors, volunteers, clients, and community trust. In this energizing episode of The Nonprofit Show, Andrea Sok, Founder and CEO of Sok Influencer PR, shares how nonprofits can turn marketing into a strategic business function—not just a last-minute scramble.

Many nonprofits treat marketing as a response mechanism: a campaign is behind, a crisis has surfaced, an event needs attention, or another organization is doing something visible. Andrea challenges that mindset and makes th...

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Nonprofit conference strategy for fundraisers is not just about attending sessions — it’s about turning time, travel, relationships, and learning into business value for your organization. Tim Sarrantonio, Founder of The Generosity Spectrum (and also a cohost of the Show), joins to share timely insights from the recent AFP International Conference and the broader conference landscape shaping nonprofit fundraising leadership.

Tim brings a rare perspective as a sector educator, speaker, conference participant, and creator of game-based learning experiences for nonprofit leaders, boards, and communities. The conversation begins with AFP ICON — what it is...

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Nonprofits exploring AI education strategies and immigrant workforce development will find powerful lessons in this conversation with Patricia Machado of SQA Education. Learn how AI language learning for immigrants is helping nonprofits scale services, strengthen community participation, and create real-world outcomes for adult learners.

Patricia, founder of SQA Education, joined us from Argentina to discuss how her nonprofit serves more than 4,000 immigrant adults from over 50 countries through mobile-first English language education powered by both teachers and artificial intelligence.

Rather than replacing educators, SQA Education uses AI to expand learning...

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Nonprofit capital campaign strategy starts long before the ask — it begins with donor trust, board readiness, and a clear business case for growth. Kelly Hill of CASA Heart of Missouri shares how her organization turned a space challenge into a bold campaign to serve more children and strengthen the foster care ecosystem—and what it really takes to lead a capital campaign while still running the daily work of a nonprofit!

CASA Heart of Missouri serves children in foster care through trained volunteer advocates, currently reaching about 60% of the children in need...

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Nonprofit donor database fundraising strategy starts with one powerful idea: your next major opportunity may already be inside your CRM, spreadsheet, or donor history. In this Fundraisers Friday convo, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall explore how nonprofits can stop chasing every new dollar and start cultivating the donor relationships they already have with more intention, structure, and business focus.

The duo deliver a thoughtful conversation about donor data, mid-level giving, CRM systems, planned giving, board engagement, and the daily habits that help fundraising teams grow stronger. The message is clear...

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AI for nonprofit staff burnout is becoming one of the most important operational conversations in the sector. This episode explores how nonprofits can use AI to reduce staff burnout, protect institutional knowledge, and build smarter internal systems. Ben Hays of Your Part-Time Controller explains why burnout belongs in boardroom conversations about risk, finance, staffing, and mission sustainability.

Burnout is often treated as an emotional or HR issue, but Ben reframes it as a financial, governance, and risk issue. When nonprofit employees leave, the organization loses more than a person. It loses...

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AI in nonprofit fundraising strategy is transforming how organizations operate—but using it incorrectly can damage donor relationships and trust. In this conversation, Katie Gaston of Bloomerang opens the box with practical guidance on how to use AI effectively while avoiding the most common pitfalls.

Nonprofit professionals are increasingly turning to AI tools for donor research, reporting, and communications. The opportunity is clear: faster workflows, better insights, and increased capacity. But as Katie explains, AI is not a replacement for human judgment—it’s a tool to enhance it. “AI should be a sup...

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Nonprofit hiring strategy step by step is no longer optional—it’s essential in today’s complex labor market. Katie Warnock, Founder & CEO of Staffing Boutique, shares a practical roadmap to help nonprofit leaders hire smarter, faster, and with better long-term results.

If your NPO is struggling to fill roles, experiencing candidate drop-off, or losing momentum late in the hiring process, this conversation reveals why—and what to do differently.

Katie begins with a foundational truth: hiring success starts before you ever post a job. “It’s kind of like a mishm...

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Nonprofit leadership learning culture is no longer a “nice to have”—it is becoming a business necessity for organizations trying to stay functional, aligned, and mission-ready.   This episode is about how nonprofit leaders can move beyond one-time training and build a learning culture that improves decision-making, team alignment, board performance, and organizational resilience. 

 Jeffrey R. Wilcox of Third Sector Company challenges nonprofit leaders to rethink training, leadership development, board education, and organizational learning.

Jeffrey challenges a familiar assumption: that sending one person to a workshop, webinar, or conference automatically creates o...

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A strong donor advocacy strategy for nonprofits can turn everyday supporters into ambassadors, connectors, storytellers, and referral builders. In this Fundraisers Friday episode, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall explore how nonprofits can move beyond viewing donors only through the lens of dollars — and start building deeper relationships that strengthen fundraising, visibility, and trust.

Tony makes the mindset shift clear: “Your best donor is not necessarily your largest donor.” That one sentence changes the entire conversation. A donor who gives modestly but shares your mission with friends, introduces new supporters, writes a test...

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UK nonprofit fundraising strategy is changing fast as charities face fewer everyday donors, more competition for trust funding, and growing pressure to build stronger major-donor relationships. In this Global Edition of The Nonprofit Show, Dan Lane, Director of Make Good Happen, brings a clear-eyed view of how philanthropy in the United Kingdom is shifting—and what nonprofit leaders everywhere can learn from it.

Dan joins Julia C. Patrick and Matthew Murray for a business-focused conversation about the fundraising squeeze across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. While donor generosity remains alive, th...

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Nonprofit financial management strategy is not just about reports, budgets, or compliance — it’s about giving leaders the right information at the right time to protect mission decisions. Ryan Alexander, Founder of RA Partners and author of ‘Protect Your Mission’, explains why many nonprofit financial challenges are structural, not simply the result of poor discipline.

For nonprofit executives, board members, finance leaders, and department heads, this conversation offers a look at how finance can become a service function that helps the entire organization make stronger decisions. Ryan makes the case that nonprofi...

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Nonprofit finance technology strategy is entering a new phase—and AI adoption is forcing leaders to rethink how teams operate, learn, and deliver impact.

Broadcast Live from Innovate 2026 in Washington, D.C., Jacqueline Tiso (Founder & CEO, JMT Consulting), Samantha Tiso (VP of Finance, JMT Consulting), and John Tiso (VP of Emerging Markets, JMT Consulting) share what nonprofit leaders are really facing when it comes to technology adoption.

Their dynamic isn’t just personal—it reflects what many nonprofit organizations are navigating right now: different generations, different learning styles, and a shar...

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Nonprofit board engagement strategy isn’t about sending more emails or chasing attendance—it’s about building clarity, structure, and purpose into how your board operates.

Katie Spencer, Founder of Zipline Consulting, breaks down why so many nonprofit boards struggle with disengagement—and what leaders can do to fix it. From unclear roles to outdated board structures, the issues are rarely about commitment—they’re about alignment.

As Katie shares, “If it feels like that meeting could have happened without me, then I am not likely to show up to the next on...

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Nonprofit fundraising event etiquette and strategy can make—or break—your organization’s reputation and donor relationships. In this Fundraisers Friday episode, Julia Patrick and Tony Beall share practical, real-world guidance on how nonprofit professionals should approach events with intention, discipline, and strategic awareness.

From alcohol policies to attire, plus-one considerations to event arrival timing, this conversation goes beyond surface-level advice. It challenges fundraisers to recognize that every action at an event reflects on their organization. As Tony notes, “You are held to a different standard when you are representing your organiza...

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Second home donor fundraising strategy is one of the most overlooked opportunities in nonprofit growth today—and it’s costing organizations real revenue. With over 6.5 million second homes in the U.S., nonprofits have access to a donor base that is ready to give… but often ignored or mishandled.

In this continuation conversation, Jeffrey Glebocki, Founder of Strategy Plus Action Philanthropy, shares groundbreaking research into how second homeowners think, give, and engage with nonprofits. The findings challenge common fundraising practices and reveal a major gap between nonprofit assumptions and donor expectations.

O...

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Nonprofit storytelling strategy for donor engagement starts with clarity—not more content. If your organization is struggling to connect with donors, volunteers, or even your own board, the issue may not be effort—it’s alignment.

In this sparkling conversation, Marivi Bryant, Founder and President of Home Agency, shares how nonprofits can transform storytelling into a strategic business tool that drives engagement, trust, and action. Instead of chasing tactics, she explains why organizations must first define their core pillars and communicate a consistent, authentic message.

“If they don’t understand...

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Nonprofit branding and fundraising strategy are more connected than most organizations realize—and when they’re misaligned, donor retention, staff capacity, and revenue all suffer.

Brianna Pyka, Co-Founder of Brandraise, breaks down how nonprofits can bridge the gap between branding and fundraising to create clarity, build trust, and drive sustainable growth. Instead of treating fundraising as a series of transactions, this conversation reframes it as a long-term relationship strategy rooted in consistent messaging and shared understanding across the organization.

As Brianna explains, “That’s not really a capacity problem—it’s a cla...

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Marie Rodriguez of Active Lotus introduces the G.O.S.T. method—Goal, Objective, Strategy, and Tactic—a simple but powerful framework that helps nonprofits translate mission into measurable action. Instead of reacting to constant crises, organizations can create a shared roadmap that guides daily decisions and long-term growth.

Looking for a nonprofit strategic planning framework that actually drives results—not just another plan sitting on a shelf? This episode breaks down a practical system nonprofit leaders can use immediately to improve alignment, reduce burnout, and execute with clarity.

A...

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With nearly 100 leaders retiring daily and 30% of nonprofit CEOs expected to step down within five years, organizations must act now.  Nonprofit succession planning strategy is no longer optional—it’s essential as leadership turnover accelerates across the sector.

In this Fundraisers Friday discussion, Julia Patrick and Tony Beall explore what this leadership shift means for nonprofit operations, talent development, and long-term sustainability. The conversation goes beyond theory—this is about real-world readiness.

Fundraising professionals are increasingly being tapped for executive roles. Why? As Tony explains, “Development professionals are typically tapped fo...

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Nonprofit artisan economic development models are reshaping how organizations approach global impact—and this conversation shows exactly how.

Rebecca Van Bergen, Founder and Executive Director of Nest, shares how her nonprofit built a scalable system supporting artisans across 128 countries by combining business training, ethical sourcing, and strategic partnerships. This isn’t about charity—it’s about building sustainable microenterprises that connect directly to global markets.

At the core is a powerful shift: treating craft not as “supplemental income,” but as a legitimate economic sector. As Rebecca explains, “Nobody saw it as an inves...

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Nonprofit public relations (PR) strategy and messaging clarity are no longer optional—they’re essential to building trust, earning attention, and driving donor action in today’s crowded landscape.

Samantha Flynn, Founder of JuniPR Public Relations, breaks down how nonprofits can move beyond reactive PR and build a proactive communications strategy that actually delivers results. With over 1.8 million nonprofits competing for attention, clarity is what separates organizations that grow from those that get ignored.

“Clarity is a currency,” Flynn explains, emphasizing that donors today are more intentional with their giving. Th...