Purpose & Profit Club® – The Nonprofit Fundraising & Marketing Podcast

Something is missing in your recipe for success. Not a tool. Not a strategy. But something deeper: your inner grit. This isn’t about hustling harder or pushing yourself until you burn out. It’s about the strength you draw on when you’re tired, when the campaign feels heavy, when the grant report is due, and when your to-do list is longer than your capacity. 

In this episode, I’m sharing why grit matters just as much as skill in fundraising, the mindset shifts that make it sustainable, and how to build your own reserve o...

What does it look like when a 35-year-old organization that has never fundraised decides to go all in on individual donors?

In this special episode recorded live at GiveCon, I sit down with Penn Street, returning podcast guest, Development & Outreach Director at Aftersight, and host of The Blind Chick podcast. Penn walks us through Aftersight's transformation from a grant-only model to running successful sprint campaigns, including a $20K in 20 Days campaign that exceeded its goal and changed how the entire organization thinks about fundraising. We also dig into something most nonprofits completely overlook: accessibility as a revenue...

What's the real difference between a donor who gives once and disappears and one who goes to bat for your organization in rooms you've never been in?

In this conversation, I sit down with Jaz' Vick, Managing Director of Development at One Goal Georgia, a pastor, and one of the most genuinely gifted relationship builders I've ever met. We dig into what it actually means to fundraise from a place of connection instead of transaction, why assumptions about donor capacity destroy trust faster than almost anything else, and the simple habits that have...

Americans gave $592 billion to charity last year. That was a record year, in the same economy, in the same tumultuous climate, with the same donors everyone says are pulling back. So why does it feel so hard?

In this special session recorded live, I break down the summer fundraising forecast and make the case for why right now (not September, not year-end) is the most wide-open fundraising opportunity of the year. I cover what's actually keeping organizations stuck (it's not donor fatigue, it's messaging), why 60% of nonprofits are fighting over 0.4% of grant money, and how to run...

There's a marketing concept that applies directly to how nonprofits fundraise: some messages are painkillers, and some are vitamins. Painkillers solve immediate problems: urgent, scarce, make-or-break. Vitamins build something sustainable: aspirational, visionary, long-term. Most nonprofits accidentally built their entire fundraising strategy around one extreme or the other, and both extremes are costing them donors.

In this episode, I break down the difference between painkiller and vitamin fundraising, when each one belongs in your strategy, and what happens when you overuse either. I also dig into the dangerous gray zone I call vague vitamin messaging, content that sounds...

What does it look like to fundraise tens of thousands of dollars before a single wall is built?

In this episode, I sit down with Louise Henry, founder of Tim's Club, a nonprofit community space in Panama being built from scratch to support individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Inspired by her younger brother Tim, Louise spent years building an online business first so she could dedicate herself to bringing this vision to life. We dig into how she transferred her entrepreneurial and email marketing skills to nonprofit fundraising, how she uses Pinterest...

This is a special episode recorded live at GiveCon 2026, sponsored by Bloomerang.

I joined three powerhouse experts, fundraising event strategist Samantha Swaim, digital marketing consultant Julia Campbell, and Bloomerang CMO Ann Fellman, for a candid panel called "The Advice We Don't Put on Slides." No safe takes, no polished talking points, just the real stuff consultants say behind closed doors. We cover what nonprofits consistently get wrong, the trade-offs nobody wants to make, what actually moves the needle, and the advice we give all the time but wish we didn't have to. From...

What if the pressure you're putting on your fundraising campaign is actually the thing slowing it down?

In this episode, I'm talking about something I watched play out on a Little League field this weekend: two coaches, same-age kids, same skill level, completely different energy, and completely different outcomes. And I couldn't stop thinking about how much it looked like what I see inside fundraising campaigns every single week. When you hold too tightly to a goal, when every quiet day feels like failure, when the whole campaign starts to feel like a final exam, that pressure...

Your donors don't need a goodie bag, a raffle prize, an auction item, a t-shirt, or a chicken dinner. If your fundraising strategy is built around giving them something in order to get something back, that's the give-get model, and it might be exactly what's slowing your organization down.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the difference between a real SPRINT™ campaign and an old-school fundraising method wrapped in new language. I talk about why events, raffles, auctions, and 5Ks aren't inherently bad, but why building your entire fundraising strategy around them adds friction, drains people's power, an...

I recently got an email from a development manager telling me I send too many emails. She's not wrong for feeling that way, but that feeling is rooted in one of the most expensive beliefs in nonprofit fundraising. And that's exactly what I'm unpacking in this episode.

Today, I'm breaking down the data behind email frequency, what it actually costs your organization when you hold back, and why the inner monologue of "I don't want to bother people" is quietly limiting your mission. I talk about what the M+R benchmarks report actually shows...

AI is everywhere right now, and in the nonprofit sector, it's making some organizations' fundraising sharper and others completely generic. The difference isn't the tool; it's how you're using it.

In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly where AI helps and where it quietly hurts your fundraising emails. I talk about the most expensive mistake I see nonprofits making - handing the wheel over to AI completely and treating the first draft like the final answer. I share how my clients inside The SPRINT Method™ and The Purpose & Profit Club® are actually using AI as a thought par...

If sending emails feels like something you dread, rush, or quietly avoid, this episode is for you. I walk through the seven reasons nonprofit emails aren't converting into donations, and I want you to listen not for what sounds good, but for where you recognize yourself, because the second you see it, you can change it.

From writing emails that are polished but completely forgettable to stopping too soon just as momentum is about to build, these are the patterns I see across organizations of every size, from solo founders to teams with 100,000 subscribers. None of this...

Somewhere along the way, many nonprofit leaders start carrying a version of their story that is heavier than it needs to be. A missed goal becomes proof they should be further along; a hard year becomes evidence they're behind; and what's tricky is that this story can sound incredibly responsible, measured, even accurate, but it's still a story. And it's costing you funding.

In this episode, I introduce the concept of the wound version versus the hero's version, and why the story you're telling about your organization (to your donors, your board, your team, and yourself) changes...

Online fundraising isn't hard because your donors aren't online. It's hard because most nonprofit leaders were never actually taught how to fundraise in the first place, and that's exactly what I'm fixing in this episode.

In this follow-up to last week's episode on campaign frequency, I dig into why so many organizations try online fundraising once, don't hit their goal, and walk away convinced it doesn't work for them. I break down what a real SPRINT™ campaign looks like versus what most nonprofits do (sending one email, posting a donation link, and hoping for the best). I co...

Most nonprofit leaders assume that million-dollar organizations are doing something they can't: bigger teams, bigger events, bigger budgets. But when you actually look at how high-growth nonprofits raise unrestricted money at scale, the secret isn't size; it's speed.

Today, I break down why million-dollar-plus organizations run five to ten times as many fundraising campaigns per year as smaller nonprofits, and why that rhythm (not the gala or the grant cycle) is what actually drives sustainable funding growth. I make the case for short, focused, online SPRINT™ campaigns as the modern fundraising engine your organization can start using no...

What does it look like when a solo nonprofit founder stops playing small and finally breaks through her fundraising ceiling? 

In this episode, I’m joined by Mary Muroski, founder and Executive Director of the Children's Legacy Partnership Foundation. After 20 years of teaching middle school and nearly a decade building her Uganda-based foundation (largely alone), Mary hit a wall. She was doing everything, raising from the same small circle of friends and family, and couldn't figure out what came next. Then she discovered The SPRINT Method™. Mary shares how she went from a $3,000 year-end campaign to hitting a $12...

Sometimes the most powerful shifts in fundraising start with a simple decision: we’re not doing it the old way anymore.

That’s exactly what happened for Sophia Caputo and Jami Porzl, co-founders of Sharing Hope Africa. Balancing full-time careers, they were preparing for a large gala when they decided to pause and rethink their approach. What followed was a completely different fundraising path, one built on clarity, community, and focused campaigns using The SPRINT Method™.

In this conversation, we discuss what shifted when they stopped guessing and started fundraising with intent...

If your nonprofit feels stuck at the same funding level year after year, the problem might not actually be your donors. It might be your calendar.

In this episode, I’m introducing a leadership habit I call CEO Time. It’s the protected time where nonprofit leaders step out of the constant reaction cycle and focus on the work that actually generates revenue.

Too often, nonprofit leaders spend their weeks managing operations, responding to emails, preparing board materials, and solving daily problems. All of that work matters, but none of it directly builds the funding pipe...

What does the Winter Olympics have to do with monthly giving? More than you think. Watching Alysa Liu’s gold medal performance, I couldn’t stop thinking about magnetism, how some athletes make you want to cheer for them, root for them, watch them again and again. That’s the energy monthly giving requires.

In this episode, I explain why simply adding a “give monthly” checkbox to your donation form isn’t a strategy. Recurring revenue isn’t built through automation; it’s built through retention, campaign energy, and relational depth. Monthly giving is the result of belonging, not b...

Most nonprofits think influencer partnerships mean celebrity shoutouts, paid posts, or “social media strategy.” That’s not what this is.

In this episode, I break down why influencer partnerships are actually about borrowed trust, not follower count. I explain why 99% of nonprofits are missing this opportunity, how to build true ambassador relationships instead of transactional posts, and why this works even if you don’t have a big budget. I talk about the Social Street Team® Method, why influence is a free visibility superhighway, and how to use it to warm donors before you ever ask. If your orga...

What if your fundraising challenges aren’t about effort, but about design?

In this episode, I break down six indicators that your fundraising strategy may be quietly underperforming. If your team feels tired, campaigns feel heavier every time, or growth has plateaued despite working harder, this conversation will give you clarity. I unpack the hidden signs I see in nonprofit teams: overreliance on a few people, waiting instead of inviting, campaign cold starts, stalled monthly giving, and measuring success by campaign rather than by donor. This episode is about momentum, alignment, and designing a fundraising engine that co...

If you want bigger gifts, stronger partnerships, and more sustainable revenue, you can’t grow in isolation.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what strategic networking actually looks like for nonprofit leaders, and why staying hidden in your inbox is one of the fastest ways to stall growth. This isn’t about awkward mixers, cheesy pitches, or forcing yourself to be someone you’re not. It’s about intentionally placing yourself in rooms where influence, generosity, and decision-making already exist, and learning how to show up with confidence, clarity, and alignment. I talk about why familiar routines k...

I see this pattern constantly with nonprofit leaders: staying busy, staying loyal to systems and strategies that feel familiar, and wondering why results have plateaued. Today, I break down what I call the familiarity trap,  the tendency to cling to fundraising tactics, tools, and routines not because they’re effective, but because they’re comfortable. I talk about how burnout often shows up as indecision, avoidance, and endless tinkering instead of forward momentum. I unpack why familiarity feels safe to the brain, how it keeps leaders stuck in low-impact work, and why decisiveness (not perfection) is the faste...

If you’ve found yourself feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or wondering how you’re supposed to do another year of fundraising like this, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what fundraising burnout actually is and why it keeps showing up for capable, committed nonprofit leaders. This isn’t about working harder, pushing through, or needing more discipline. Most burnout isn’t solved by rest alone. It comes from carrying too many open decisions, too many mental tabs, and too much responsibility without enough structure or support. I talk about how stress cycles stay open...

If you’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and still staring at the same fundraising numbers, this episode is your reset.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why most nonprofit leaders don’t actually need more ideas, tactics, or tools; they need better systems, clearer priorities, and fewer distractions. I walk through the hidden reasons fundraising can feel chaotic, how “busy” can disguise stagnation, and what it actually looks like to move from reactive mode to focused, revenue-driving leadership. I talk about simplifying your calendar, choosing fewer strategies that actually convert, and building a fundraising rhythm that supports growth without bu...

What does it really look like to run a focused fundraising SPRINT™ without a gala, a big team, or running yourself into the ground?

In this episode, I’m joined by Megan Ihnen, Executive Director of Live Music Project, for an honest conversation about what actually changed when she simplified her approach and trusted momentum over perfection. In just two weeks, Megan raised 108% of her campaign goal, not by doing more, but by doing the right things in the right order. We talk about what happens when you stop overcomplicating fundraising, shorten the timeline, lean into direct, huma...

In this episode, I’m joined again by Nathan Ruby, Executive Director of Friends of the Children of Haiti (FOTCOH), who has spent more than twenty years raising major gifts, and doing it without relying on galas, grants, or flashy events. Instead, Nathan has built a deeply effective fundraising engine through micro events: small, relationship-centered gatherings hosted by board members and key volunteers.

Nathan walks us through the exact structure of these 45-minute “CPM events,” why they consistently attract the right donors, and how they eliminate the burnout, costs, and low ROI that plague traditional events. We talk a...

In Part 2 of my 2026 Fundraising Trends series, we’re going deeper into the tools, tech, and leadership shifts that will define nonprofit growth this year. 

If Part 1 was about strategy and visibility, this episode is about the systems and decision-making that actually make those strategies possible. I discuss upgrading outdated CRMs and donation tools, the rise of AI-assisted fundraising, the acceleration of donor-advised fund (DAF) giving, why leaders must color outside the lines to stay relevant, and how decision speed has become a key competitive advantage for nonprofits. I close with a look at...

If you want to grow in 2026, you cannot rely on outdated playbooks or wait for a perfect case study to tell you what to do. In this two-part series, I’m breaking down the real fundraising trends I’m seeing across every organization in my ecosystem, not theory, not headlines, not generic Google wisdom. These trends are based on live data, donor behavior, digital strategy sessions, leadership conversations, and thousands of campaigns across my programs, and they’re already reshaping how nonprofits grow.

In Part 1, I cover six strategic and visibility shifts that will d...

If you believed the headlines this year, you’d think generosity was shrinking. Inflation up. Layoffs everywhere. Grant budgets tightening. Every sector talking about a downturn and uncertainty. But inside my world (thousands of podcast listeners, email subscribers, clients, and community members), the story was completely different. This year was record-breaking! Record-breaking campaigns, major gifts, digital fundraising wins, growth for my clients, and for my own business.

In this episode, I share the seven biggest lessons that created growth in a year everyone expected to be hard, lessons about donor behavior, clarity, courage, visibility, momentum, ri...

If you’re worried you’re behind on year-end fundraising, take a breath; December isn’t over. In fact, the most generous days of the year are still ahead.

In this episode, I break down the three hidden psychological reasons donors give again before year-end, even if they've already given this month. I go deep into donor momentum, identity and reciprocity, and why “donor fatigue” is one of the biggest myths in our sector. You’ll learn how to use progress updates, public-facing goals, segmentation, tailored messaging, and consistent communication to activate second gifts without feeling repetitive or overwhelm...

Major gift fundraising is where many nonprofit leaders freeze, but not because they lack passion or skill. The fear lives in the body, the brain, and the stories we tell ourselves long before we walk into the room.

In this episode, I’m joined by Nathan Ruby, Executive Director of FOTCOH (Friends of the Children of Haiti), one of the rare EDs who has raised millions of dollars from individual donors, not foundations. Nathan brings 20+ years of experience in major gifts, donor psychology, cross-cultural fundraising, and what it actually takes to have confident, courageous donor conversations. Together, we...

If you’ve hit that post-campaign wall, tired, drained, and wondering if anyone else feels the same, this episode is for you.

In today’s episode, I share what to do when you’re completely wiped from GivingTuesday or a year-end push but still have fundraising goals to hit. You’ll learn how to recover strategically (without going silent), re-engage donors who gave once, and use short “sprint campaigns” to rebuild your energy and results. Because burnout isn’t a sign that you’re doing it wrong, it’s a signal that you need structure, rest, and a smarter rhythm t...

If you’ve ever caught yourself overthinking a donor email, hesitating to post, or waiting for “the perfect timing” to launch your next campaign, this episode is for you.

In today’s episode, I reveal the mindset pattern that’s quietly keeping you stuck: fear disguised as strategy. You’ll learn how to recognize when your “planning” is really just procrastination, why bravery always comes before clarity, and how to finally stop waiting for confidence to arrive before taking action. This is your invitation to stop playing small, lead boldly, and start moving your mission forward, even when it feels un...

Every year, billions are donated on GivingTuesday, but only a small percentage of nonprofits turn that day into real momentum.

In this episode, I share exactly what the top 1% of nonprofits do differently to make GivingTuesday their biggest fundraising win of the year (without burnout, perfectionism, or chaos). You’ll learn the seven steps to lead with clarity, confidence, and courage, from creating a curated donation page to leading on email, activating your team, and treating the day like a 24-hour relay, not a morning sprint. Whether you’re a small shop or scaling organization, this episode is y...

If you’re ending your workday exhausted but can’t point to how you actually moved your fundraising forward, you might be caught in the fundraising busywork trap.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why so many nonprofit leaders confuse “activity” with “progress,” and how fear, comfort, and overthinking keep your mission stuck in motion but not momentum. You’ll learn how to identify low-ROI tasks, make courageous decisions that drive funding, and replace cluttered calendars with confident action that actually grows your organization. Because the opposite of busy isn’t lazy, it’s focused.

If you’re done following the same old fundraising playbook, the polite one that keeps your goals small and your growth stuck, this episode is your permission slip to break the rules.

In The Rule-Breaker’s Guide to Year-End Fundraising, I share how safe, “board-approved” strategies are quietly capping your potential, and how modern fundraisers are rewriting the rules to build momentum, trust, and record-breaking campaigns. You’ll hear how one of my clients ran two back-to-back campaigns that both exceeded goals by leading with authenticity, urgency, and story, not fear or etiquette. Because the truth is, safe doesn...

If you’ve ever hesitated to hit send, make the call, or follow up because you didn’t want to “bug” your donors, this episode is for you.

That fear isn’t really about your donors, it’s about you. It’s your ego trying to keep you safe from rejection, discomfort, or embarrassment. But every time you let that fear win, you lose more than a donation. You lose momentum, trust, and connection. In this episode, I share how I coach fundraisers to move from me mode to mission mode. Because when you stop performing and start leading...

GoFundMe launched a new “Nonprofit Pages” feature — automatically creating donation pages for over 1.4 million nonprofits across the U.S. without direct consent -- here's the latest update on the pages being unpublished and de-indexed. 

Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.

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GoFundMe launched a new “Nonprofit Pages” feature — automatically creating donation pages for over 1.4 million nonprofits across the U.S. without direct consent.

If your organization never set up a GoFundMe campaign, you might still have a live, searchable page collecting donations right now — with funds routed through the PayPal Giving Fund and a 15–45 day delay before the nonprofit ever sees them.

In this episode, Christina breaks down: