The sgENGAGE Podcast: Recent Episodes

Blackbaud, Inc.

Subscribe to The sgENGAGE Podcast to hear experts from across the social good community share best practices, tips and must-know trends that will help organizations increase their impact.

Formerly called the Raise & Engage Podcast.

National Doctors' Day is observed on March 30th to honor physicians for their dedication and contributions to society and their community. This date can be a great opportunity to fundraise for your healthcare organization by sharing your successes and challenges with donors. Join Tracey Bozzelli, managing director for the healthcare vertical in customer success at Blackbaud, and Paul St. Onge, co-founder of Doing Good Digital, for ideas on donor outreach through digital strategy.

Topics discussed:

Deciding on a fundraising strategy
Focusing on donor stewardship
Direct email messaging
Engaging the patient file for donor acquisition
Existing patient donors
Honoring the caregiver

Resources:

Webinar: Online Fundraising Strategies for Doctors' Day

Taking Doctors’ Day Beyond the Direct Mail Appeal | The ENGAGE Blog

Doing Good Digital: Weighing the Pros and Cons of Doctors' Day

Quotes:

"The trick is to really engage that patient file throughout those twelve months and again when we get to one of those tentpole moments like Doctors' Day."

"I'd recommend if you have some non-solicitation and communication that's going out at the start of month start, tease out the fact that Doctors' Day is coming up, tease out some some nice stories about some of the doctors that are on your staff."

"When we think of some of the basics when it comes to a successful Doctors' Day campaign, warming up the audience is part of it."

Andrew Troup, Director of Giving & Engagement at Blackbaud, speaks with Brandolon Barnett, Head of Innovation & Philanthropy at Giving Compass, about the merging of artificial intelligence (AI) and social impact. What are the opportunities for AI and what are the potential pitfalls?

Topics covered in this episode:

•The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence

•Experimenting with user testing

•The donor’s journey using AI

•Leveraging AI tools for annual reports and donor outreach

•Creating consumable content for machines

•Importance of cyber security

•Risk of AI in job replacement

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or your preferred streaming service for future episodes!

Quotes:

“We really need to be cognizant of the risk of creating a kind of feedback loop. What happens when AI is learning from the data that’s online?”

“You would be surprised how many organizations of all sizes put out annual reports […] through their website or through pdfs that aren't easily machine readable and you really have to start thinking about, ‘Can ChatGPT or similar tools read our annual report?’”

“AI is really uniquely positioned to provide a lot of opportunity, especially for those that have not typically had that opportunity in the past to access or to leverage technology.”

PEAK Grantmaking President and CEO Satonya Fair is back on the Blackbaud Grantmaking™ Thought Leadership Webinar Series to share how her organization is embracing learning and unlearning.

Throughout the conversation, she shares what it means to be an emergent learner and to put down tools that no longer serve you so you can pick up new ways of engaging. She also discusses how learning cannot be an extra task on your list of goals—it has to be engrained in the work you do.

Join us for the first part of our conversation with Satonya and watch the webinar to hear the full discussion.

Dan Keyworth, vice president of Customer Success Modernization at Blackbaud, sits down with Dan White, principal counsel on Blackbaud’s Privacy Team, to break down the complex but important topic of data privacy for nonprofits. Learn more about the five key principals across global privacy laws that can help you develop an adaptable data privacy program.

Topics covered in this episode:

•Why do nonprofits need privacy programs?

•What is personal data?

•New laws and legislation

•Identifying themes across the laws

•Individual rights to privacy and transparency

•Key takeaways from laws passed in Colorado specific to nonprofits

•The Universal Opt-Out Mechanism

•Steps you can take to put a privacy program in place

Resources:

Blackbaud’s Privacy Resource Center

Quotes:

“This whole concept of data privacy stems back from the historical view of privacy as a human right and in the digital age, that’s evolved into a focus on personal data.”

“It’s important to understand what data you’re collecting, how you’re using that data, and where you might be sharing that data. If you don’t know that, it makes complying with these laws impossible.”

“Colorado is a good place to look at for a model for privacy laws that are going to go into effect. Oregon and Delaware are following in the footsteps of Colorado’s [privacy] laws.”

They say that the only constant is change, and change is often brought on by crises. In this panel discussion, Blackbaud’s Melissa Furr talks with two veteran grantmaking professionals to discuss how their organizations manage their mission while staying in tune with the needs of their communities.

Lisa Tacker from the Two Ten Footwear Foundation and Beth Broomall from the Charles H. Dater Foundation share their best practices and advice for organizations on things to do before, during, and after a crisis to make sure your organization avoids mission creep.

When is the last time you took a bird’s eye view of your engagement strategy? From how many solicitations to send a year to maintaining your donor database and keeping your message aligned across teams, engagement can quickly become stale or ineffective without a tested strategy. In today’s episode, Kate Averett Anderson of the Blackbaud Institute sits down with fundraising experts Lawrence Henze and Nathalie Highland to discuss best practices for engagement and tools you can use to communicate with your supporters more efficiently. After the conversation, check out the free Development Planning Toolkit from the Blackbaud Institute to fill out your own Engagement Strategy framework and put what you’ve learned into practice!

This episode of the ENGAGE podcast features excerpts from the webinar Development Planning: Your Three-Step Guide to Engaging Supporters. Catch the full discussion, on demand, now.

Topics covered in this episode include:

The pitfalls of an unexamined engagement strategy
Breaking down silos for more effective engagement
The benefits of reduced solicitations to supporters
Tips for testing new approaches and conducting donor surveys

Resources:

Development Planning: Your Three-Step Guide to Engaging Supporters

Quotes:

“Through those direct and personal interactions with our staff and our experts, donors were given the opportunity to understand not just what we do, but how and why we do it. And so that has been a real benefit and jumpstarted our major gift program and has helped to spur our growth over time.” – Nathalie Highland

“I've always asked my clients to put me on their mailing list, and I would typically make a donation to them to see how they communicated with me as a donor. And I spent eight years tracking those communications. What I found was that there were some organizations that sent me at least at least 36 direct mail pieces per year!” – Lawrence Henze

As women wield greater economic power and harness their influence to lead change, their generosity is rapidly transforming the philanthropic landscape. What is possible when women are active participants in philanthropic work, engaging all the levers available to advance the public good? The Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI), part of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at IUPUI, increases understanding of women’s philanthropy through rigorous research and education with the vision of empowering women to use their wealth and power to uplift others. Following WPI's sixth national symposium All In, All Rise, WPI Associate Director Jacquie Ackerman sat down with three symposium participants to discuss how women’s involvement in philanthropy influences and strengthens communities, encourages greater strategic giving and builds a more diverse community of engaged citizens.

This is an excerpt of a conversation that was part of the Blackbaud Grantmaking 2023 Thought Leadership Webinar series. For the entire thought-provoking discussion, please watch the full webinar.

Guests: * Moderator: Jacquie Ackerman, Associate Director, Women’s Philanthropy Institute * Dr. Monique Couvson, President and CEO, Grantmakers for Girls of Color * Natanja Craig-Oquendo, Executive Director, Boston Women’s Fund * Marsha Morgan, Board Advisory Member, Community Investment Network and Black Women Give Back honoree

Resources: * Woman’s Philanthropy Insitute * Grantmakers for Girls of Color * Community Investment Network * Boston Women’s Fund * Blog Post: The All-In Woman Philanthropist * Full Webinar

How much impact does volunteerism have on our wellbeing?

Hear from Jude O'Reilley, CEO of VolunteerMatch, as he talks with Blackbaud's social responsiblity manager Melissa Furr about how volunteerism is closely tied to personal health and wellbeing. Jude and Melissa share how you can incorporate volunteering in the workplace and acheive the feeling of being connected to something larger than oneself.

Topics covered in this episode:

What is VolunteerMatch?
A longing for community
The four pillars of wellbeing
Best practices
Employee Input
Physical, Financial, Emotional, Social, and Intellectual wellness
VolunteerMatch's new campaign Get that Grin

Resources:

Get that Grin

VolunteerMatch

Edelman Trust Barometer

Quotes:

"One best practice is to think beyond the volunteer day."

"We shouldn't underestimate employees themselves being the key motivator for other employees."

"Most people rely on colleagures and their employer for information that they trust the most."

As part of our series on the Future of Nonprofit Finance, Blackbaud’s Sarah Curry sat down with George Werbacher, the Senior Manager for Information Security at Blackbaud, to discuss how nonprofit organizations can prioritize cybersecurity in 2023. George talks through how organizations can see data security as an investment and highlights how implementing controls helps the organization do more to drive impact. He explains how organizations can do a “threat model” to start an open dialog about where the risks are, including who is using data and how that’s being used.

Resources:

Full Webinar: Speed-Round: Preparing for the Future of Nonprofit Accounting – Don't Get Left Behind!
Compliance Risk Management for the Empowered Nonprofit
Internal Controls Toolkit

As part of the series Future of Nonprofit Finance, Blackbaud’s Sarah Curry sits down with Alex Wilson, the Co-Founder of The Giving Block to discuss why the conversation around cryptocurrency matters for nonprofit finance teams. They touch on some of the cryptocurrency trends and why organizations should think about owners of cryptocurrency as a donor demographic as well as a way to diversify revenue streams.

Topics covered:

Is cryptocurrency safe?
How does it work?
How is it tracked?
How do taxes work?

Resources:

Infographic: What Technological Era Is Your Nonprofit Finance Office In?

In this excerpt of a conversation with Satonya Fair, President and CEO of PEAK Grantmaking, she encourages grantmaking organizations to rethink their relationship with risk. Instead of focusing on being responsible for the foundation, she recommends looking to how organizations build deeper relationships with applicants and grantees and be poised to be responsive to the needs of the community.

Resources: * PEAK Grantmaking * The Myth of Risk: Fear Not the Dragons, Funder * Full Webinar

For the past 10 years, the Blackbaud Institute Index has tracked year-over-year trends in philanthropy and annual giving statistics—with the goal of empowering organizations to know their sector and raise more, faster. Over this time, the Index has grown to track over $51 billion from over 8,500 organizations in the United States!

To celebrate we’ve invited some of our most trusted advisors, industry experts, and friendly faces to lead virtual fireside chats, podcast episodes, and more! Today’s episode of the sgENGAGE podcast features a conversation between Steve McLaughlin, Vice President of Product Management with Blackbaud and a senior advisor to the Blackbaud Institute, and Dr. Una Osili. A global expert on philanthropy and social innovation, Dr. Osili has more than two decades of experience in leadership, economic policy and research across the public and private sectors. She serves as the Associate Dean for Research and International Programs, Efroymson Chair in Philanthropy, and Dean’s Fellow for the Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

There is no doubt that the giving landscape is shifting—from the donors who are responding to the way they want to be engaged. In this excerpt from their longer conversation, Steve McLaughlin and Dr. Una Osili break down the data on the changing demographic in charitable giving and how fundraisers can leverage this information to grow alongside this new generation of donors.

Topics Covered in this episode:

The latest data on who is giving to charitable organizations, how they choose to give, and what drives them.
Strategies to engage with a new generation of donors and prepare for the future.

Resources:On demand, Blackbaud Institute Index’s 10th Anniversary Celebration More from sgENGAGE and the Blackbaud Institute To receive quarterly updates on the Index straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Source newsletter.

Quote: “There's a bit of a call to action for nonprofits and fundraisers: how do we engage the next generation of donors? We have four generations in the charitable landscape and a big part of our job ahead, our task ahead, and the work ahead–for all of us–is engaging that next generation of donors.” – Dr. Una Osili

Alex Budak, UC Berkeley faculty member and author of Becoming a Changemaker, joins Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson to discuss how to develop your mindset and leadership skills to make positive change as part of our CSR Book Club Series.

Topics discussed in this episode:

What is a changemaker?
How to drive change
Humility in Leadership
Changemaker Index
Leadership book recommendations

Resources:

Alex Budak

Becoming a Changemaker

Changemaker Index

Quotes:

"Leaders might be scarce, but leadership is abundant."

For the past 10 years, the Blackbaud Institute Index has tracked year-over-year trends in philanthropy and annual giving statistics—with the goal of empowering organizations to know their sector and raise more, faster. Over this time, the Index has grown to track over $40 billion from over 8,400 organizations in the United States!

To celebrate we’ve invited some of our most trusted advisors, industry experts, and friendly faces to lead virtual fireside chats, podcast episodes, and more! Today’s episode of the sgENGAGE podcast features a conversation between Blackbaud Institute managing director, Ashley Thompson, and leadership expert and coach Marc Pitman. Marc helps high performers keep their edge, emerging leaders maintain their momentum, new leaders confront the demands of their position, and established leaders find fresh strategies. In this excerpt from their longer conversation, Marc and Ashley explore the concept of doubt and how it can be embraced as a framework for developing your skills and becoming an exceptional leader.

Topics Covered in this episode:

Leveraging your strengths and weaknesses to become an effective leader
Storytelling as a tool for identifying your unique contributions

Resources:

Blackbaud Institute Index’s 10th Anniversary Celebration

More from sgENGAGE and the Blackbaud Institute

To receive quarterly updates on the Index straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Source newsletter.

Quotes:

“My premise in my working with leaders has proven that sometimes, ‘what am I missing?’ isn't the right question; that doubt can push us and can get so big that it pushes us to ask, ‘what if I'm the right person for this role?’ ‘What if I'm exactly what the team needs?’ ‘What if this organization is exactly the voice the sector needs?’” – Marc Pitman

For the past 10 years, the Blackbaud Institute Index has tracked year-over-year trends in philanthropy and annual giving statistics—with the goal of empowering organizations to know their sector and raise more, faster. Over this time, the Index has grown to track over $40 billion from over 8,400 organizations in the United States!

To celebrate we’ve invited some of our most trusted advisors, industry experts, and friendly faces to lead virtual fireside chats, podcast episodes, and more! Today’s episode features a conversation between brand strategist Ben Smithee and the Blackbaud Institute’s Ashley Thompson. At The Smithee Group, Ben Smithee has been helping leaders and businesses dream bigger and achieve more. In this excerpt from their conversation, Ben shares his expert advice on how a powerful brand allows for organizations to drive higher value and cataclysmic demand. Unfortunately, as Ben points out, powerful branding like this is one of the biggest areas where organizations fall behind today. He and Ashley connect on current trends in philanthropy and the for-profit sector to outline how you can get ahead of the curve by creating a relevant, legacy-focused brand in today’s digital ecosystem.

Topics Covered in this episode:

What is a brand and, more importantly, what isn’t?
Building equity by delivering on your brand’s promise
Growing your legacy alongside a new generation of donors

Resources:

Blackbaud Institute Index’s 10th Anniversary Celebration

More from sgENGAGE and the Blackbaud Institute

To receive quarterly updates on the Index straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Source newsletter.

Quotes:

“A brand is a promise that an organization has the opportunity to deliver upon.” – Ben Smithee

“How do we become relevant to the future of the organization and create a legacy? By focusing on the future stakeholders of the organization. We can't fall in love with how we've always done things.” – Ben Smithee

For the past 10 years, the Blackbaud Institute Index has tracked year-over-year trends in philanthropy and annual giving statistics—with the goal of empowering organizations to know their sector and raise more, faster. Over this time, the Index has grown to track over $40 billion from over 8,400 organizations in the United States!

To celebrate we’ve invited some of our most trusted advisors, industry experts, and friendly faces to lead virtual fireside chats, podcast episodes, and more! We couldn’t have kicked off the series with a better guest than Chuck Longfield, renowned data scientist, philanthropy strategist, and the creator of the Blackbaud Institute Index! Now retired, Chuck allowed us to steal him from the golf course for a little while to sit down for a conversation with Steve MacLaughlin—lucky us!

In this excerpt for the sgENGAGE podcast, Chuck shares the inspiration behind the Blackbaud Institute Index and the value of such a significant and diverse data set when determining current trends and best practices in the sector. After the podcast, check out the full webinar, available on demand, where the two discuss the lessons Chuck has learned over his 40 year career, and put their heads together about how these lessons can help organizations navigate the road ahead.

Topics Covered in this episode:

Origins of the Blackbaud Institute Index
The Importance of benchmarking
Applying academic rigor to the study of philanthropy

Resources:

Blackbaud Institute Index’s 10th Anniversary Celebration

More from sgENGAGE and the Blackbaud Institute

To receive quarterly updates on the Index straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Source newsletter.

Quotes:

“Because there really wasn’t any gold standard, different organizations can pick and choose their metrics can pick and choose the definitions of their metrics. And it causes organizations I think, too often, to come to the wrong conclusion about maybe what their next step should be. And so, for many of the years that I've been working in this area, I wanted to try to standardize these metrics.” – Chuck Longfield

Many foundations face hurdles in creating advocacy agendas whether it be convincing a board of directors, finding the time and resources, or seeking funds from grantmakers. Chynna A. Phillips, senior director of policy and research at Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, and Melissa Levesque, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Coastal Community Foundation, spoke with Blackbaud’s Sally Ehrenfreid, government relations lead about implementing advocacy in foundations and their respective journeys.

Topics covered:

Introducing advocacy and policy to boards
Building advocacy into your organizational infrastructure
Creating an advocacy agenda rooted in core values
The distinction of advocacy and policy versus politics
Advice for nonprofit organizations seeking funding from grantmakers

Resources:

Chynna A. Phillips

Melissa Levesque

Sally Ehrenfried

Advocacy and Awareness: 4 Tips for Virtual Campaigning

Quotes:

“Boards decide how fast you’re going to move as an organization.”

“We had our grantmaking and community leadership committee really own sort of the nuts and bolts of developing our advocacy agenda.”

“A great grant proposal is really just exceptional storytelling that matches a need for financial support.”

“Stay connected to your ‘Why?’, build trust with your community leaders, and have honest conversation.”

Many foundations face hurdles in creating advocacy agendas whether it be convincing a board of directors, finding the time and resources, or seeking funds from grantmakers. Chynna A. Phillips, senior director of policy and research at Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, and Melissa Levesque, senior vice president and chief strategy officer at Coastal Community Foundation, spoke with Blackbaud’s Sally Ehrenfreid, government relations lead about implementing advocacy in foundations and their respective journeys.

Topics covered:

Introducing advocacy and policy to boards
Building advocacy into your organizational infrastructure
Creating an advocacy agenda rooted in core values
The distinction of advocacy and policy versus politics
Advice for nonprofit organizations seeking funding from grantmakers

Resources:

Chynna A. Phillips

Melissa Levesque

Sally Ehrenfried

Advocacy and Awareness: 4 Tips for Virtual Campaigning

Quotes:

“Boards decide how fast you’re going to move as an organization.”

“We had our grantmaking and community leadership committee really own sort of the nuts and bolts of developing our advocacy agenda.”

“A great grant proposal is really just exceptional storytelling that matches a need for financial support.”

“Stay connected to your ‘Why?’, build trust with your community leaders, and have honest conversation.”

The shift to remote work post-pandemic has caused many employees to feel stressed, burnt out, and out of control of their workplace dynamic. Meico Marquette Whitlock, founder of The Mindful Techie, shares tools and strategies on how to regain control and relieve the stressors that face us.

Topics covered in this episode:

Major impacts of the pandemic on wellbeing
How values have changed
How nonprofit professionals can adjust to the new workplace
What leaders can do to protect their employees
Tools and strategies to enhance your wellbeing

Resources:

Meico Marquette Whitlock

The Hybrid Workplace Wellness Playbook for Grantmakers

6 Ways Nonprofit Professionals Can Conquer Post-Pandemic Workplace Stress

The sgENGAGE Podcast: Creating and Sustaining a Culture of Wellbeing for Grantmakers

5 Ways Grantmakers Create Work- and Tech-Life Balance

Quotes:

“A lot of organizations are making assumptions of what people want, and I think the first place to start is to actually ask the question.”

“You really have to just be human and be very vulnerable about what you're dealing with and to see them as a person versus an employee or a worker.”

“practicing social distancing with your technology can support you in having a healthier relationship with technology.”

The shift to remote work post-pandemic has caused many employees to feel stressed, burnt out, and out of control of their workplace dynamic. Meico Marquette Whitlock, founder of The Mindful Techie, shares tools and strategies on how to regain control and relieve the stressors that face us.

Topics covered in this episode:

Major impacts of the pandemic on wellbeing
How values have changed
How nonprofit professionals can adjust to the new workplace
What leaders can do to protect their employees
Tools and strategies to enhance your wellbeing

Resources:

Meico Marquette Whitlock

The Hybrid Workplace Wellness Playbook for Grantmakers

6 Ways Nonprofit Professionals Can Conquer Post-Pandemic Workplace Stress

The sgENGAGE Podcast: Creating and Sustaining a Culture of Wellbeing for Grantmakers

5 Ways Grantmakers Create Work- and Tech-Life Balance

Quotes:

“A lot of organizations are making assumptions of what people want, and I think the first place to start is to actually ask the question.”

“You really have to just be human and be very vulnerable about what you're dealing with and to see them as a person versus an employee or a worker.”

“practicing social distancing with your technology can support you in having a healthier relationship with technology.”

Businesses emerged as the most trusted institutions in the 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer, which also showed that people expect more from businesses in solving the world's problems. So, how can companies step up to lead the charge and maintain that position of trust?

Kendra Fogarty, corporate social responsibility manager at UScellular, spoked with Blackbaud's Rachel Hutchisson about the role of CSR and community engagement in building trust with consumers, employees, and community members. Listen in to hear Kendra share her key takeaways from the Edelman Trust Barometer data, how UScellular engages communities and employees, and how companies can make sure that their philanthropic programs truly meet the needs of the communities they are intended to help.

Topics covered in this episode:

The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer
The opportunity for companies to continue to build trust with employees, consumers, and communities
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community connections
How UScellular approaches CSR and community engagement
How companies can help employees feel a sense of community and purpose
Why CSR is important to institutional investors

Resources:

Kendra Fogarty
UScellular
UScellular's Afterschool Access Project
Podcast: Fixing the S in ESG
Blackbaud's Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Employee volunteerism has become an essential component of a company’s corporate social responsibility and employee engagement strategies. In this episode, Melissa Hackmeier, global head of employee & community engagement at MilliporeSigma, joins the podcast to discuss how she launched the company's first ever global volunteer program and the best practices and lessons she’s learned along the way.

Topics covered in this episode:

How Melissa developed and implemented MilliporeSigma's first-ever SPARK™ global volunteer program, which has more than 9,700 employee participants engaging 235,000 students in 36 countries to date
How Melissa secured buy-in for their program
The key's to the program's successful launch and lessons learned along the way
The role of technology in enabling a successful global volunteer program
The SPARK program's biggest impacts, both internally and externally
Melissa's advice for other CSR professionals looking to start or grow employee volunteer programs
What nonprofits looking to engage with corporate volunteers should consider

Resources

Melissa Hackmeier
MilliporeSigma's CSR Program
MilliporeSigma's SPARK Volunteer Program
Blackbaud Institute Report: CSR Programs as an Employee Engagement Tool
Employee Giving and Volunteering Made Easy

Research has shown that women are more prone to burnout than men for a variety of reasons, including societal expectations and imbalances in responsibilities across work and home. This can be further intensified for women working at nonprofits and other social good organizations, which often have higher than average rates of burnout and turnover.

Today’s guest, Stacie Barber, is an integrative life coach and the founder of Stacie Barber Lifestyle. She joined host Rachel Hutchisson in a discussion about why it’s important for women leaders, and all women, to engage in self-care practices at work and at home so they are aren’t overburdened and feel healthy and productive.

Topics covered in this episode:

Stacie’s professional journey
Why women often burn out
What it means to practice self-care
How women can build support systems in the workplace
Why it’s important to delegate
Taking risks and seizing new opportunities

Resources:

Stacie Barber
Stacie Barber Lifestyle on YouTube
The sgENGAGE Podcast Episode 187: Strategies for Avoiding Tech Burnout

Open, honest, and transparent communication with grantee partners can help minimize power imbalances and help foster a sense of mutual transparency and accountability that is critical to our success as grantmakers. Hear from Shaady Salehi, executive director, Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, Lisa Maloney-Vinz, director of global community relations, Ecolab Foundation, Drexel Owusu, chief impact officer, The Dallas Foundation, and Lauren Scott, executive director, Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund about how their organizations are embracing transparency.

Why is due diligence important in grantmaking organizations? The process of satisfying legal requirements impacts many areas within an organization— mission alignment, stewardship, duty of care, reputation, outcomes & impact, and overall effectiveness to name a few.

In this episode, learn from Elizabeth (Liz) Gousse Ballotte, principal at PKF O’Connor Davies, about what the staff at grantmaking organizations need to know to be compliant.

Topics covered in this episode:

Due diligence models
Grant applications and risk identification
Governance
Financial information, including budgets, financial statements, and IRS Form 990
Information Technology and internal controls
Streamlining operations and increasing productivity

Resources

Webinar: Due Diligence Defined: What ‘Being Compliant’ Really Means for Grantmakers
Blackbaud Grantmaking 2022 Thought Leadership Webinar Series
Tip Sheet: 15 Questions Foundations Should Ask as Part of Their Grantee Due Diligence
Internal Controls Resource Toolkit

ESG (environment, social, and governance) is a hot topic amongst for-profit companies and investors, but is it important for nonprofits and other social good organizations too? Today's guest thinks so. Tim McClimon, principal consultant for The Celeste Group, which specializes in corporate social responsibility and nonprofit management strategies and programs, and former head of corporate social responsibility at American Express, joined Rachel Hutchisson to discuss why social good organizations should view ESG as an operating strategy and as a way of being more transparent and accountable to their employees, donors, beneficiaries, communities, and the planet. Rachel and Tim also talked about what nonprofits can learn from companies, including Blackbaud, and how companies can help increase the focus on ESG in the nonprofit sector.

Topics discussed in this episode:

What is ESG?
Why ESG isn't just for companies
Why nonprofits need to create strategies for climate and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
Why higher education institutions have been paying more attention to sustainability
How funders can help nonprofits adopt ESG practices
The importance of transparency in social good organizations
Expectations for transparency and impact from the newest generation of employees

Join Meico Marquette Whitlock, founder and CEO of Mindful Techie, for an interactive training that will inspire you with mindful approaches for creating sustained balance in your life. Prepare to lower your stress level, focus on getting the important things done, and be more present for yourself, your team, and your family. Click here to listen to the full webinar from the Grantmaking Thought Leadership webinar series.

Topics discussed in this episode:

Wellness Survey report findings
Impact of the pandemic on wellbeing
How grantmakers will need to adapt
Setting boundaries

Resources:

Meico Marquette Whitlock

Wellness Survey

5 Ways Grantmakers Create Work- and Tech-Life Balance

Quotes:

"When it comes to preemption, we want to be focused on creating a culture of care (...) that we are building in strong work/life boundaries and not depending on the individual to create those boundaries."

"Addressing the organizational and institutional action of this is a longer term proposition."

"Many of us are making assumptions of what is required of us, but something that is actually not being expected of us."

Rachel Hutchisson is joined by Chris Jarvis, executive director of Realized Worth, to kick off our CSR Book Club Series with an article from Stanford Social Innovation Review called “Fixing the S in ESG.” Listen to learn more about quantifying social impact and what the future of S looks like.

Topics discussed in this episode: * Adapting to changes in world beliefs * What does S want to be? * Redefining what S means to include room for interpretation * Increased accountability puts words into actions * How consumers change their behavior according to company values

Resources: Chris Jarvis Rachel Hutchisson Article: “Fixing the S in ESG” Blackbaud Corporate Social Responsibility Greater Washington Urban League Equity in Black and White Summit Quotes: “I think S should call us to move past the signaling to meaningful change that leads the next generation better.” “You have to engage the people on the ground, the people in the community you’re trying to serve.” “Between E, S, and G, S is the way to involve employees at any level, anywhere, anytime.”

Chantal Forster, executive director of the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG), discusses the top areas where grantmakers can make the most impact in 2022 and how technology can help them achieve that impact.

Topics discussed in this episode: * Who are the members of TAG and how do they impact philanthropy? * The rise in the voices of the people we serve post-pandemic * TAG’s customer experience model * Effectiveness and frequency of surveys * Dependency of digital infrastructure * Dashboard elements that drive success

Resources: Chantal Forster

Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG)

Webinar: The Rising Role of Technology—and the People Behind It—in Advancing Philanthropy's Mission

How to Fund Nonprofit Tech: A Guide for Funders and Nonprofits

Grant Advisor

Quotes: “Imagine if the private sector only surveyed its customers every three years.”

“If philanthropy doesn’t invest in tech infrastructure, then you are enabling inequity.”

As we trend towards a sense of normalcy in 2022, the convenience and cost savings of remote audits are here to stay. Whether you began remote audits out of necessity during the pandemic or have been doing them for a while, join us and Paul Preziotti, CPA, nonprofit audit expert, and Partner with Johnson Lambert, for tips on preparing for and running a successful remote audit. You’ll leave knowing how to: Topics Discussed in This Episode:

-Is a remote audit what your organization needs?
-Plan for what an auditor will need to see
-Create a strong audit trail with documentation, naming conventions, and accessible details
-Gather what you’ll need and provide secure access to your auditor

Resources: Paul Preziotti, CPA

Webinar: Be Audit You Can Be, Remotely: Preparing and Running a Successful Remote Audit

Blog: The Final Step of the Nonprofit Audit: Presenting Financial Statements to your Board

Quotes: "As the auditee, you have the ability to mold this relationship however you want it."

"I think [hybrid audits] are terrific and I think that could be a good solution for a lot of you that want the best of both worlds."

"If we have an audit that's beginning the first week of May, we want to be able to hit the ground running."

There are a lot of ways to think about how technology impacts things, as well as how different constituent types interact with it and the relationships that it helps them build. In today’s episode, we’ll be discussing recent research on how technology improves the relationship between schools and parents.

Joining the podcast today is Chuck English, of English Marketing Works, and Linda Lawrence, of Ransom Everglades. Listen to the episode to hear what they have to say about the key findings of the recent Blackbaud study show, the expectations that people have about the technology they interact with, and how the technology profile at Linda’s school came about.

Topics Discussed in This Episode

Important and key findings of the study of how technology impacts the relationship between parents and schools
Linda’s perspective of the daily experiences between parents and technology at schools
Whether the current state of the world has made parents more willing to use this technology
Chuck’s experience of people's expectations of the technology they use and whether that’s changing.
How the technology portfolio at Linda’s school was developed
The perspective that Linda is examining technology from
The advice that Linda would give schools that have fewer technology resources, but are trying to move in that direction
How Linda’s school leadership helped make needed technological changes during the pandemic
A change that stands out in Linda’s mind that sticks out as something that’s here to stay
Changes Chuck is seeing with the organizations he works with that are here to stay
The extent to which parents drive technology offerings

Resources:

Chuck English

Linda Lawrence

Using Technology to Bridge the Value Gap in Private Schools

Moving Forward: Enriching the Parent Experience with a Focus on Technology

Infographic: K–12 Independent Schools Parent Survey

Quotes:

“Technology has a huge impact on their experience as parents.” – Chuck English

“Parents have learned to become very nimble with what to expect, and we just find ways to ease into those situations at a moment’s notice.” –Linda Lawrence

“I think you develop alliances; you identify those super-users that can provide assistance.” –Linda Lawrence

What do you know about setting goals for yourself and your team and managing those goals? In today’s episode, you’ll hear an excerpt from the Skills UP webinar series. In it, you’ll hear Damaris Herron-Watkins discuss best practices for creating and managing your team’s goals. Listen in to hear what she has to say about the purpose of goal management, the different types of goals, and making goals SMART.

Topics Discussed in This Episode

What A Better Chance does
The purpose of goal management
Why goals are important
Creating goals for yourself and your direct reports
Types of goals
- Cascading goals
- Agile goals
What to do when you set goals for your team
Making sure goals are motivating for your direct reports
What SMART means
How to make sure your goals are SMART
Why you should create between three and five goals
How to know if your goals are SMART
Manager’s goals

Resources:

Damaris Herron-Watkins

Skills UP Webinar Series

5 Keys for Achieving your Organization’s Goals

Quotes:

“A couple of reasons why goals are important is one, they help to prioritize your work and the work of your team.”

“When we’re creating goals for our team, like I said, you have to make sure you know what your goals are for the year.”

“SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.”

International Women’s Day is on March 8th, 2022, and it’s a good time to think about the state of women and girls worldwide, how current events may make violence and abuse even worse than they were, and how to move forward by empowering each other.

Today’s guest is Vesna Jaric, the Interim Chief of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women. Listen to the episode to learn about Vesna’s role at the Trust Fund and how current events affect the state of women and girls around the world.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Vesna’s role at the UN Trust Fund to end Violence Against Women
The state of women and girls around the world
How the pandemic has exacerbated violence against women
The universality of violence against women
How the organizations the UN Trust Fund is supporting has stepped in for women and girls
The lagging of representation and resources for organizations that address violence against women
How to increase resources for organizations that help women and girls
How listeners can follow the research that Vesna is involved in

Resources:

Vesna Jaric

Learning from Practice: The Impact of COVID-19 on Violence Against Women and Girls

UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women

SHINE

UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women on Twitter

UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women on Instagram

Quotes:

“So far, the fund has supported more than 600 organizations in 140 countries and territories across the world.”

“I would argue that violence against women and girls is probably the oldest and most persistent problem the world is dealing with.”

“Women’s rights organizations have been the first responders.”

Many organizations are struggling to hire right now. Is there a way you can set yourself and your candidate up for success? We are highlighting an excerpt from the Skills UP Webinar Series where Deb Taft, CEO of Lindauer Global, will be talking about the dynamics of hiring and how you can achieve success in effective retention. Listen to what she has to say about the Great Resignation, the rise of freelancers and gig workers, and the remote/in-person hybrid.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why talent is more complex than ever
The Great Resignation
Lack of loyalty
Freelancers and gig workers making up more of the workforce
2020-21 Employee PTSD
Reevaluation of life and work, work/life balance
The remote/in-person hybrid recalibration
Multiple interviews.
Staying in communication with candidates
Tax laws and wages for remote workers
Pre-COVID norms have been profoundly changed
Expect disruptions and plan interventions

Resources:

Deb Taft

Skills Up FREE Webinar Series for nonprofit managers

The Future of Executive Search

To Attract Talented Fundraisers of Color, Get Your House in Order

CASE xChange Podcast; President and CEO Sue Cunningham interviews Lindauer CEO Deb Taft

4 Keys for Attracting, Hiring and Retaining a Successful Major Gift Team

Quotes:

“I think one of the dynamics to think about is that there is very little loyalty.”

“So, hiring is on steroids, and if you are struggling to retain and hire, you are not alone.”

“I just need people to understand, that employees will choose you, talent will choose you, or not, depending on what’s possible.”

Public policy impacts decisions made around charitable giving. These policies can influence how people give, when they give, and how much they give. So what are the likely effects for 2022?

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Brian Flahaven to learn how policies have impacted giving over the past few years and what’s ahead for the coming year. Listen in to hear what Brian has to say about his role in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and what they do, what current legislation is on the table, and whether Brian believes it will gain traction this year.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What CASE does
How charitable giving has been impacted by change over the past couple of years
How current legislation can encourage donation
Whether Brian expects legislation that positively impacts giving to gain traction by the end of the year
Trends that CASE is seeing in giving to education
Call to action for listeners

Resources:

Brian Flahaven

Blackbaud’s Charitable Giving Report

Quotes:

“Having an incentive there, sending that signal, will encourage more Americans hopefully to give even more to charitable organizations during these difficult times.”

“In the tax world, it’s pretty much been a partisan game over the past few years.”

“A lot of institutions are actually creating their own giving days.”

Do you need a mentor? Do you know what kind of mentor you need, or what you’re looking to gain from a mentoring relationship? In today’s episode, Tiffany Crumpton, Vice President of Renewals and Retention at Blackbaud and active member of Blackbaud's Senior Women's Community, joins the podcast to discuss mentorship. Listen in to learn about what mentorship means and how it differs from sponsorship, the different kinds of mentors out there, and how to get the most out of a mentor.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Tiffany defines mentoring and what it means to her
What sponsorship means
The different kinds of mentors
What to think about identifying a mentor
How to get the most out of a mentor
The importance of checking back in
One of Tiffany’s experiences with a mentor relationship

Resources:

Tiffany Crumpton

Quotes:

“When you’re identifying a mentor, be really upfront with them about why you’re asking them, why you thought of that person.”

“I also believe that the best mentors are always mentees themselves.”

“Look for the type of sponsor you want, the gender doesn’t matter.”

Giving doesn’t stay static. As things change and more innovations become available, giving changes with it, and that’s true for the upcoming year too. Today, you’ll be hearing about some of the changes and giving and how social good organizations and donors are affected.

Sonia Nigam, Co-founder and CEO of Change, and Amar Shah, Co-founder and President of Change, discuss changes in online shopping, how social good organizations are adjusting to cryptocurrencies and NFTs, and what’s going to happen going forward in 2022

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How the online giving landscape is changing
How the online shopping experience is changing
What is crypto is and how it’s used
The number of nonprofits accepting cryptocurrency
How many donors are interested in giving via cryptocurrency
What NFTs are and how it could be used in giving
How NFTs can become a bigger part of online strategies
What’s going to happen in giving in 2022
Advice for social good organizations
Convincing leaders and staffers to be willing to experiment
How listeners can learn more about what’s happening at Change

Resources:

Sonia Nigam

Amar Shah

Change Blog

Quotes:

“I feel like one of the most interesting evolutions around giving today is how it’s becoming more experience-based.” –Sonia Nigam

“Social good’s really at the foundation of this ecosystem.” –Sonia Nigam

“I think one of the biggest things that’s going to continue is the increase in online giving, either via e-commerce or even via cryptocurrency.” –Amir Shah

What do you know about cybersecurity? You’re probably aware that it’s a threat, but if you don’t know what cybersecurity threats entail or how to increase your own security, how can you really protect yourself or your organization? Listen in to this BBCon excerpt to learn about some of the basics of cybersecurity, including what the risks and threats are, steps you can take to protect yourself, and how to implement policies at the workplace that protect your company.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What cybersecurity is and what it’s for
The cybersecurity threat landscape
Understanding what you’re up against
Types of cyber threats
Remote work threats
Password security measures
Multifactor identification
Secure wifi
Protecting your company
Implementing security policies

Resources:

Cybersecurity Tip Sheet

Cybersecurity Industry Standards

Security at Blackbaud Overview

Quotes:

“Additionally, 85% of the breaches that happen involve some sort of human element.”

“Bottom line, social engineering takes advantage of someone going about their usual day.”

“If you receive an email, phone call, or voicemail that feels odd, it probably is.”

Trends in giving and donor retention are an important topic in the fundraising landscape, and at this time of year, it’s a good idea to take a look at what’s been happening in the fundraising world. Looking closely at giving and donor retention now with help you get a handle on end-of-the-year giving and some clarity about what will be coming in the new year. Listen in to this episode to hear from Erica Wassdorp about current fundraising trends, how online giving has developed in different kinds of organizations, and how to handle benefits for recurring donors.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Standout trends in the overall fundraising landscape
How picking up new donors, even at lower amounts, creates opportunities for recurring giving
Where the focus on recurring giving has come from
The history of recurring giving in certain kinds of organizations
The proliferation of online giving
Which groups to start with when it comes to moving to recurring gifting
The benefits of recurring giving for donors
Why you should keep monthly donation benefits simple
Finding a driver for your goal

Resources:

Erica Waasdorp

Blackbaud Institute Retention Toolkit

Quotes:

“We have to tell them that they can make a difference even when it’s with a smaller recurring gift.”

“I think the other piece that has really helped with that, of course, is the whole digital, online opportunities.”

“The only promise you want to make to your new monthly donor is that they’re going to get updates from you.”

Are you dealing with problems in your organizations and wondering why you can’t solve them, or why you can’t solve them in a lasting way? Listen in to this excerpt from bbcon 2021 Virtual, where Sarah Beauregard, Senior Process Engineer at Blackbaud, discusses root cause analysis.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why some solutions to business problems don’t work
The kinds of business problems your organization needs to solve
Root cause analysis technique
Definition of root cause
Looking at the cause-and-effect chain
Problem solving collaboratively
Three steps to perform root cause analysis
- Describe
- Identify the Whys
- Action
Who can use this method

Resources:

Sarah Beauregard

Root Cause analysis document

Quotes:

“If we pull up the weed by the root, it won’t come back.”

“Also as a part of this step, we identify who those subject matter experts are that could help determine why this problem might be happening.”

“The real value here comes from engaging those subject matter experts on a guided conversation to get to that root cause.”

What do social good organizations need to know about corporate philanthropy? In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Julia Beltran, partnership specialist from Double the Donation, to learn more about corporate giving programs and how to promote them. Listen to the episode to hear what Julia has to say about common types of corporate philanthropy, data points on matching gift programs, and how to boost a companies’ matching gift percentage.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Who Julia is and what her role is at Double the Donation
Common types of corporate philanthropy
How companies enable their employees to do good things in the world
Employee voices in who companies support
How consumers can engage with products
Data points on matching gift programs
How people are engaging in matching gift programs
How companies can boost their matching gift percentage
Guidance about promoting matching gift programs
Resources to learn more about matching gifts

Resources:

Julia Beltran

Double The Donation

Quotes:

“Over 65% of Fortune 500 companies offer matching gift programs, so quite a lot.”

“I think that people do engage in matching gift programs, but they don’t nearly engage as much as they could.”

“Engaging donors during the giving process, or like right when they’re about to give, is a great way to encourage people to submit matching gift requests.”

Volunteering is changing. Many volunteer opportunities went virtual because of the pandemic, and like other types of work, it may never look exactly like it did in a pre-pandemic world. So what does volunteering look like now? What resources are there for professionals in this space who want to learn more about how volunteering has changed and how to rise to those changes? In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Ben Sampson of WeHero. Listen to the conversation to learn more about what WeHero does, the latest trends and changes in the volunteering space, and how to provide new and different volunteer opportunities.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

About WeHero
What trends and changes Ben is seeing in volunteering
How the global landscape is shifting
Volunteering as education
Making sure there are new and different volunteer opportunities
Resources for CSR professionals

Resources:

Ben Sampson

WeHero

Quotes:

“Workers are going to come out of this really wanting agency in how and where they work, but also that ability to really connect meaningfully with people.”

“One of the big pros that we noticed is we saw people from different countries, different cultures, connecting over a common cause and volunteering.”

“Adobe does a really good job of building a portfolio of numerous different kinds of volunteer opportunities.”

Is donor retention different when the donor is acquired online? In this episode, you’ll learn more about ways to improve donor retention for online-acquired donors. Joining the podcast today is Rachel Clemens, Chief Marketing Officer of Mighty Citizen. Listen to today’s conversation to learn what Rachel thinks about building relationships between donors and organizations, the role of segmentation, and how language factors into donor retention.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What organizations do to improve how they retain and engage online donors
Building the relationship between the organization and the donor
Preferences of people making online gifts
How segmentation plays a role in driving the relationship
The factor of language in donor retention
What people want to see in brands
The mindset to retaining different kinds of donors
What organizations can do to focus on retaining online donors
COVID-19 adaptations that might remain helpful going forward
Advice for organizations to double down on retention of online donors

Resources:

Rachel Clemens

Quotes:

“I always think about donor retention as part of the donation process.”

“It’s not a transaction. It’s a relationship.”

“The thing that comes to mind almost immediately is just getting their tech in check.”

The newest Blackbaud Luminate Online® Benchmark Report provides unique insight to online fundraising during its meteoric rise in 2020. Learn more about the shift to email engagement, how one-time online giving changed nonprofit revenue composition, and the steady march of sustainer donors. Joining the podcast today are report analysts Mike Snusz, Rachael Ahrens, and Deb Ashmore of Blackbaud’s Professional Services team as well as Erik Leaver, Principal Customer Success Manager. They also share their predictions for the next big online fundraising opportunity in this new guide.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Background on the Luminate Online Benchmark Report
The difference between this year’s report and previous reports
Increases in online one-time giving
Growth in number of gifts, but not the amounts of the gifts
Growth in first-time online donors
When the biggest spikes occurred
Lessons learned from 2020
Growth of email fundraising and engagement
Growing sustainer programs
How data is segmented in the report
Lessons learned from different sizes of organizations
Takeaways from the metrics
The reliability of open rates

Resources:

Blackbaud Luminate Online Benchmark Report

Quotes:

“Ultimately, I always like to have nonprofits know that the best benchmarks are your own.”

“Be prepared for emergency giving.”

“Those that grow the fastest have the most robust direct acquisition strategies.”

We are now just a little more than a month from GivingTuesday is getting closer all the time, you don’t need to stress if your organization hasn’t yet developed its plan. Today, Blackbaud’s GivingTuesday experts Matt Connell and Jackie Zimmerman join the podcast to talk about the value of Giving Tuesday, how organizations can start planning now for a successful day, and the GivingTuesday campaigns have inspired them.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why Matt and Jackie value Giving Tuesday
What organizations should do if they don’t yet have a plan for Giving Tuesday
Tips and tricks for GivingTuesday
Content strategies for GivingTuesday
Examples of successful GivingTuesday campaigns
Resources that can help organizations with GivingTuesday

Resources:

Giving Tuesday Toolkit

Giving Tuesday Webinar Series

Quotes:

“While we should be giving every day of the year, let’s make sure that we especially give on this particular day of the year.” –Jackie Zimmerman

“If this, again, is your first experiment with it, you’re not the first people experimenting with it.” –Matt Connell

“Giving Tuesday is the day I make sure that my matching gift is used up for the year.” –Matt Connell

Digital communications have become ever more important over the last year and a half, and visual storytelling is a critical part of an effective strategy. Visual images help supporters visualize and understand what the organizations are doing, and how their contributions make a difference.

That's why today we are bringing back an ever relevant episode originally recorded at bbcon 2018 featuring Ira Horowitz, the founder of Cornershop Creative. Listen in to hear what Ira has to say about why visuals matter in storytelling, how to demonstrate to donors that they can be the heroes of the story, and how to match copy with the right visuals for maximum impact.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why visual storytelling matters to fundraising
Ways that organizations can make donors the heroes of the stories they’re telling
Resources that organizations can use to get the visual images that they need
Matching the right copy and content with the right visual images
How to test and fine-tune a story over time
How to make use of imagery even when an organization has limited staff or resources
How visuals can help make data more comprehensible
Examples of great visual storytelling

Resources:

Ira Horowitz
Cornershop Creative
Blackbaud University: Multimedia Storytelling

How can finance and fundraising departments better work with each other? Why does it matter? Often, these disparate personalities find that working together feels chaotic, but it doesn’t need to be that way. In today’s episode, you’ll hear some ideas about how finance and development can build connections and better work together to support the mission.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why collaboration between finance and development is important
Key differences that pop up between these two groups
The different types of jargon that the different departments use
Brainstorming with no fear
Starting a conversation with “I want to know more…”
A few things that a typical person in a finance department is focused on
The role of technology
First steps toward making connections

Resources:

Financial Management Toolkit – Blackbaud Institute

Blackbaud University Curriculum For Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT

Quotes:

“The idea of everybody working together as a team in order to support the mission is immense in a nonprofit.”

“Nobody that is in finance in a nonprofit organization wants to see us go over budget.”

“I would think that the first thing you want to do is open the line of communication.”

Today, improving ESG (environmental, social, and governance) performance is no longer optional. People want to work for companies that are helping to change the world, consumers are making purchasing decisions based on how brands are solving social problems and addressing climate change and investors consider companies that are ESG laggards to be high-risk. Despite the imperative for corporations to be making social change a priority, many businesses continue the practice of "CSR lite," an approach that prioritizes communications and optics over meaningful and measurable change.

Join Paul Klein for a conversation about why it's more important than ever for corporations to shift from a checkbox approach to corporate social responsibility to one that contributes to solving social problems. They will discuss what social change leadership looks like today and how businesses can help solve social problems and benefit from doing so.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Impakt’s role and background
Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) and how a company balances these elements
Why ESG can be hard to measure, especially the S
Quantitative and qualitative data
The practice of CSR lite
What it takes to move a company that isn’t there yet
Which organizations are getting it right
Companies that you don’t hear as much about
Keeping the small and mid-sized businesses in mind
Amazing examples of how companies mobilized their resources
How people can learn more

Resources:

Paul Klein

Impakt

Impakt Foundation

[book] Change for Good by Paul Klein (ECW press) - coming spring 2022

Quotes:

“I think that the social dimension of business is the next frontier of what it means to be a business in society today.”

"There's a leadership vacuum at a social change level."

“So many companies don't take [being socially responsible] beyond the bare minimum and that's what CSR lite is. It's the optics, rather than the substance."

“To me, the essence of innovation is thinking about the fastest way to make the biggest difference at the lowest cost.”

What impact has COVID-19 and the racial justice movement had on corporate social responsibility (CSR)? The Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) partnered with Rocket Social Impact to research just that. Join Carolyn Berkowitz, President and CEO of ACCP, on today’s episode to learn all about it and what motivated their research.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What the ACCP does
What motivated the research on the intersection of COVID-19 and racial justice
What trends and data the research revealed on CSR budgets, importance to the C-suite, staffing needs
Integration between CSR teams and other teams in companies (DEI, HR, ESG, Marketing)
How to access the report: The Impact of Pandemic & Racial Justice Movement on CSR

Resources:

Carolyn Berkowitz

ACCP resources

The Impact of Pandemic & Racial Justice Movement on CSR

Quotes:

“The expectations of CEOs and of senior leadership is significantly raising the game. They want to be reported to more frequently and want to have a greater hand in the [social responsibility] work.”

“There’s a heightened demand for measurement and there is not necessarily an increase in the internal resources to do that work… We’ve got to have the right people in the right places to do the volume of work that is expected and necessary to make change.”

“40% of companies in the survey said that they are making a long-term CSR focus-area shift. 64% of those are shifting or adding racial justice and racial equity as a priority.”

Federal grants complicate the budgeting process. You have to consider a lot of different scenarios, and you don’t have any room for error. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Stacy Fitzsimmons and learn more about budgeting for Community Health Centers when grants are part of the picture. Listen in to learn about where to start with your budget, why you need to break costs into buckets, and how to get yourself audit-ready.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The biggest challenge of grant budgeting
Creating a realistic, achievable budget
Where to start with your budget
Using budget categories for your expenses
Breaking down cost buckets
Knowing how much money you’ve spent and how much is left
The joint responsibility for budgeting
Planning the budgeting cycles for different scenarios
Putting guardrails in place
How to set yourself up to be audit-ready
Documentation back-up
Having policies and procedures that support how you use your system
Using budgeting and expense tracking to tie into performance measures

Resources:

Stacy Fitzsimmons

eBook: Set up Your Community Health Center for Federal Grant Success: https://hello.blackbaud.com/budgeting-for-community-health.html

Whitepaper: Data-Driven Decision Making for Community Health Centers https://hello.blackbaud.com/Datat-Driven-Decisions-eBook.html

Quotes:

“With this type of budgeting, you’ll also be setting yourself up for success and making sure that all of your funds are traceable within the accounting system by your grant award.”

“Why I recommend this is that you will then be able to report against your budget by these categories when you’re asked to report against it.”

“If you have documentation that supports that expense entry, upload it with your entry so that documentation is right there.”

What is corporate purpose? What are the current rules for corporate purpose? And why do we need to redefine them? In today’s interview with Judy Samuelson, Founder and Executive Director of the Aspen Business and Society Program, you’ll learn about her new book, The Six New Rules of Business, and why she’s been on a mission to disrupt economist Milton Friedman’s narrative about corporate purpose.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Judy’s role at The Aspen Institute
Judy’s campaign to disrupt Milton Friedman’s narrative about corporate purpose
Why Judy’s proposed new rules are necessary
How to start thinking about the rules
Companies that are leading the way
Advice for leaders who don’t understand yet that change is needed
Where listeners can find Judy

Resources:

Judy Samuelson

The Six New Rules of Business: Creating Real Value in a Changing World by Judy Samuelson

The Aspen Institute

Quotes:

“I like to say single objective functions, whether it’s about stock price or customers, rarely ends well.”

“In order to do very much, to last for very long, you simply have to be balancing the inputs that are critical to the health of the enterprise.”

“Sustainability is not an end game either, it’s a mindset.”

“Today the responsibility of companies is defined way outside the gate of the business.”

“To solve the most complex problems we need to bring people together, we need to bring these remarkably powerful institutions that we call business together to collaborate to go deeper into systems and change the norm.”

GivingTuesday isn’t a new or unexpected event, but some organizations struggle to make the most of it. Whether it’s learning how to better engage supporters or improving results over previous years, standing up a successful campaign may seem overwhelming. With 2021’s GivingTuesday coming up sooner than you may think, Sophia Latto joins the podcast to give expert advice on what organizations can do to seize the GivingTuesday and make it a repeatable success.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What Sophia would tell organizations about starting their planning for 2021
The importance of engaging imagery
How to prepare in advance
Communication cadence and frequency
Strategy and segmentation
How to improve past GivingTuesday performance
Setting attainable goals
Thanking your donors

Resources:

Sophia Latto

Blackbaud's GivingTuesday Toolkit

Quotes:

“It’s important to connect a personal story about real people with your impact for GivingTuesday.”

“I always think of GivingTuesday as being the kickoff to end of year fundraising.”

“Keeping it simple will help you keep everything streamlined.”

“Think in terms of engagement and build that relationship and that goodwill with your constituents before you hit them with hard asks.”

Over the past year and several months, change has been one of the few constants you can count on. Of course, change always happens eventually, but recently, everyone has been in a period of greater amounts of change than usual – and people are beginning to get fatigued. How can you prevent change burnout in your organization? By implementing change management.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Melissa Rancour, Principal Instructional Designer at Blackbaud University about why it’s important to talk about change management, the importance of the questions that need to be asked about change and what order to ask them in, and what to do with the questions once you know them.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why it’s important to talk about change management
Why you need to do some change preparation
How to make change less exhausting
The right questions to ask about change
Why the order of questions is important
What to do with the questions once you have them
Whether change management needs to be done with every change

Resources:

Melissa Rancour

Quotes:

“All those changes we’ve experienced over the last 14+ months, most of those have been quick changes with no prep. Change management means we need some prep.”

“If you go through the questions process it can help you know if that change is going to ripple into a bigger change.”

“It’s because “what” impacts “when” something can happen.”

For years, the role of development operations teams has been perceived as a data and technology-focused position within the nonprofit world. As technology, nonprofits, and the way we fundraise has significantly changed over the last few decades, so has the role of the operations team. For organizations and leaders willing to evolve, this presents an incredible opportunity – both for the organization’s success and the individual’s advancement.

In today’s episode, Deb Taft, CEO of Lindauer and Luis Morales, senior director of information strategy at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, chat with guest host Ashley Sweeney of Blackbaud about the ways that today’s DBAs are adding value to the organization, how leaders can maximize this impact, and what operations team members should do to advance their career.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The value that operational teams offer healthcare organizations
How leaders in the organization play a key role in the operation team’s value
Cross-functional teams
Why DBA is an important and interesting area to work right now
The different types of people needed to work in the area
Why you need to develop communication and relationship skills
How to think about diversity in donor and prospect pools
The evolution and opportunity of the role

Resources:

Deb Taft

Luis Morales

Promoting Your Value as a Database Administrator

Confessions of a Database Administrator

Confessions of a Database Administrator, Part II

Ashley’s Favorite Things

Quotes:

“The value I see the operations team offering is collaboratively ensuring that our clients, their colleagues, have the context they need to make strategic data-driven decisions.”

“The value of the operations team is different and differently valued than it was years ago as a profound driver really of nonprofits and advancement results.”

“The operations team can create value by enriching conversations.”

“It’s about more than just filling requests and mailing lists and reports. We are the subject matter experts for the organization’s data, integrations, trends, etc.”

“I encourage my team to work as an internal consulting company with different business units in the foundation are our clients.”

How has the future of social good changed since COVID? Much of the answer has to do with how the pandemic impacted leaders in the nonprofit sector. Here to talk about it is Marc A. Pitman, founder and CEO of Concord Leadership Group. Listen in to hear what Marc has to say about the effects of uncertainty on nonprofit leadership, what needs to be left behind as leaders and organizations move forward, and what isn’t coming back post-pandemic.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What leaders need to understand about where we are now
The effects of uncertainty on nonprofit leadership
Areas that need to be left behind in order to move forward
Letting donors make decisions for themselves
Fundraising without big events

Resources:

Marc A. Pitman

Blackbaud Institute npEXPERTS 2021 eBook

The Surprising Gift of Doubt: Use Uncertainty to Become the Exceptional Leader You Are Meant to Be by Marc A. Pitman

Quotes:

“Anytime we start taking over the decision-making for someone else, we’re robbing them of their humanity.”

“Everybody was scared, but some leaders were able to continue navigating the ship, while other leaders were panicking in an unproductive way.”

“I hope we get over the butts-in-seats equals productivity mentality.”

Inclusivity matters. Diversity makes organizations stronger and better. So how do social good organizations engage donors of color? Joining the podcast today to talk about this issue are Brenda Asare, President and CEO of The Alford Group, and JoAnn Yoshimoto, Senior Consultant at The Alford Group. Listen to today’s show to hear what they have to say about why it’s important to engage donors of color, how to build trust with donors of color, and what you need to think about to understand different types of donors.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Brenda’s background
JoAnn’s background
Why engaging donors of color is so important
How to build trust with donors of color
Understanding different donors
What suggests hope for the future
Examples of how organizations are doing it right
What organizations can do to get started
Where listeners can get more information

Resources:

Brenda B. Asare

JoAnn Yoshimoto

The Alford Group

The Mays Family Institute on Diverse Philanthropy

AFP

Quotes:

“When we go back and look at the genesis of what it means to be generous, people of color have been doing that all of their lives.” – Brenda Asare

“It's not as if there's one specific way to approach this community versus another community versus another community. Don’t use what we call a cookie-cutter approach, a one-size-fits-all.” – JoAnn Yoshimoto

“What I really dislike seeing in the field of fundraising is the smile that you put on when you're asking for a gift and then you turn your back and it's over. That's not how you create trust among diverse communities. You need to engage consistently, authentically.” – JoAnn Yoshimoto

“Fundraising doesn't happen in a bubble. It happens within a culture.” – Brenda Asare

“Nonprofits have the opportunity to create even more impact. But how can you do that when you are neglecting 30-40% of a population who have the capacity, desire, and readiness to give but you're not asking?” – Brenda Asare

The past year or so has changed things, including how organizations reach their goals and how they think about their employees. Here to talk about some of these changes is Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas, Managing Director, Corporate Strategy & Impact, CECP. Listen in to hear what Kari has to say about what companies have learned in the past year and a half, how CECP started their journey to racial equity and inclusion, and how they’re supporting other companies along this path.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Who Kari is and what she does
What companies have learned from the past year and a half
CECP’s racial equity and inclusion journey over the last four years
Understanding frontline needs and employee wellbeing
What ESG means to different companies
How CEOs can stand up for what’s right
Studies and reports that listeners can learn more about

Resources:

Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas

CECP

Global Impact at Scale Report

CECP Reports

CECP Pulse Surveys

Giving in Numbers

Investing in Society

Value Volunteering

Quotes:

“But now, broadly, everyone in a company understands that that’s part of their work – how to get close to a society, how to be responsive.”

“The employee, certainly over the years has become one of the most important stakeholders, but in 2020, it became the most important stakeholder for a company.”

“Employees are your first community. And if you didn’t know it before you should know it now.”

“Companies recognize that they have core business needs and those need to be aligned with what’s happening broadly in society thru their partnerships and solving community issues.”

Systems make up the circumstances we live in, so changing the systems can change the circumstances. But how can you make systems change? And how can social good organizations that share common causes come together to make systems change?

Today’s guest is Dr. Sally Uren, CEO of Forum of the Future. In today’s episode, she’ll explain what systems change is and why it’s needed, how organizations can come together to make it happen, and how those organizations can measure their impact. Listen in to learn more about Sally, Forum of the Future, and the importance of systems change to address global challenges.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Dr. Uren's work at Forum of the Future
Defining systems change
Why are systems changes important in solving big problems
How organizations that share a common interest can come together
How to tell when progress is actually happening
Pitfalls in measurement
How an organization can measure its impact on systems change
Why taking a systems change lens can speed up the journey
How to learn more and get inspired about systems change

Resources:

Dr. Sally Uren

Forum for the Future

Quotes:

“The process of driving systems change is really understanding how do we reconfigure the systems we rely on.”

“Where are those areas that we can focus on that if we really improve them, we can derive multiple benefits in multiple places.”

“What we’ve really begun to understand is that no one actor in any given system can solve for the big challenges in that system on their own.”

The story of philanthropy as multi-cultural people experience it is not being told. Today’s guest, Dr. Tashion Macon, is setting out to change the narrative and add nuance and truth to help evolve the philanthropy sector. Dr. Macon is the Senior Vice President of Marketing, Branding and Social Justice Strategy at Bridge Philanthropic Consulting. Listen in to learn more about what Bridge Philanthropic Consulting does, who the pioneers of African American and Hispanic American philanthropy are, and how organizations can adopt a more diverse approach in their fundraising strategies.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Tashion Macon’s background
About Bridge Philanthropic Consulting
Why Bridge launched the Iconic Impact Series
The history of African Americans and Hispanic Americans as philanthropic leaders
Philanthropists across pop culture platforms
Advice for organizations that want to adopt a more diverse approach to fundraising strategies
Where listeners can learn more
What makes Dr. Macon hopeful

Resources:

Dr. Tashion Macon

Iconic Impact Series from Bridge Philanthropic Consulting

Quotes:

“You really can’t gain ground unless you have a ground game. And you need people. People create the ground game.”

“The framework of philanthropy in the multi-cultural experience foundationally begins at home. We’ve had to advance our own from within our own.”

“We are giving. Hispanic Americans are giving. Native Americans are giving. It’s simply not tracked or counted in the traditional philanthropic sense. And because it’s not, there is a myth that the community may not be ‘givers,’ which isn’t true.”

“The dominant perspective has not known how to engage [BIPOC], to dialogue, to dissect ways that are meaningful to the context of their lived-out experience, so that you can engage them in a way that is true. Part of that begins with culturally nuanced communications.”

“If there ever was a time to be authentic, it’s now.”

Protecting patient information is critical. But it is a delicate balance between minimizing a healthcare organization’s risk and enabling development staff to raise mission-critical funds.

In this episode Marti Arvin, Executive Advisor at CynergisTek, joins Blackbaud’s Liza Turcotte for a candid discussion on working together to create this appropriate balance.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Compliance officer’s viewpoint on sharing patient data
Grateful patient programs
Creating a balance between data needed and wanted
Expectations for the development team related to patient information
Ideas for working together as a team

DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast is intended to be legal advice—please consult your organization’s own legal counsel.

Resources:

Marti Arvin
White Paper: HIPAA and Fundraising: Understanding the Regulations, Roles, and Compliance

Quotes:

“The risk appetite of the organization is something that’s up to senior leadership.”

“As long as I felt my leadership had made an informed decision, I could sleep at night.”

“It’s not just HIPAA in all cases that you have to consider, so if you’ve made yourself aware of what the HIPPA regulations are, that may not be enough.”

High donor attrition is a fact of life for fundraisers—even those who excel at donor retention. To grow revenue, social good organizations must attract a steady stream of new donors each year to replace those that will be lost. However, your organization likely has supporters who, despite a lack of giving history, have engaged with you in some way in the past.

In today’s episode, Brooke Hansel, Nonprofit Principal Solutions Marketer at Blackbaud, discusses the challenges associated with acquisition, how to determine which supporters to steward, and the practical steps you can take to establish a more streamlined process for converting your supporters into donors.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Donor acquisition growth in 2020
The importance of diversifying revenue
Multi-year donor retention vs. first-year donor retention
Talking about acquisition in the context of retaining the donors
Understanding donor acquisition cost
How to acquire donors efficiently
Wealth screening tools
What to consider in a data-driven approach
The link between volunteers and donors

Resources:

Brooke Hansel
Webinar: Tap Your Supporter Base for New Donor Acquisition
Technology and Engagement Webinar Series for Nonprofits

Quotes:

“It’s important, more now than ever, to focus your acquisition efforts close to home.”

“Acquisition is critical given the whole “leaky bucket” idea.”

“The more efficient we can be at doing this work, the more time we have to play.”

What’s the difference between fundraising and raising money? Many people may think of successful fundraising as simply getting donations, but that definition leaves out another important element: engaging smaller or future donors. Some may not be able to give large gifts, but they can still become an important source of support for an organization.

Listen in to today’s episode to hear Melissa Rancour, principal instructional designer for Blackbaud University, talk about what social good organizations can do to get others invested and talking about their cause, the effect this has on donor retention, and how it can reduce donor remorse.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What successful fundraising is
The focus on donating money and getting money donations
How to think about retention
Thinking about the “why”
Getting others invested in and talking about your cause
Long-term impact on donor retention
Reducing donor’s remorse
Getting started engaging younger supporters

Resources:

Melissa Rancour

Blackbaud University Organizational Best Practices

Quotes:

“It’s all about time, talents, and treasures.”

“If we’re connecting with people in order to get them to share about our organization, and share with others, you’re connecting with them, so they share about your cause.”

“We need to look beyond just that money piece because we want those long-term donors.”

The last year has brought a lot of change and a lot of new learnings. And from healthcare to poverty to racial justice, social good organizations are looking to find new solutions that meaningfully impact these important issues. However, as with any big social impact initiatives, that will require that organizations embrace learning from the inevitable failures along the way. That’s why today we’re bringing back an episode from August 2019 featuring Kate Robinson, executive director of the documentary film Failing Forward: On the Road to Social Impact.

Kate talked to host Steve MacLaughlin about how nonprofits and other social good organizations can use failure to make a bigger impact. Listen to the episode to hear what Kate Robinson has to say about learning culture, the questions that organizations should be asking to improve programs, and what role funders play in the process of failure and learning.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The purpose of Kate’s documentary, Failing Forward: On the Road to Social Impact
The characteristics of a learning culture
The pressure on nonprofits to appear effective
Using data as a tool to learn and drive decision making
Questions that organizations should ask to learn and improve programs
Overcoming resistance within organizations to “failing fast”
The dangers of not having a learning culture open to failure
The role of funders in adjusting perspectives to make learning from failure a bigger part of the equation
Building trust between funders and grantees to allow for more transparency

Resources:

Kate Robinson

Failing Forward

There’s always something that can throw your organization’s budget off track. Some crises are worse than others – the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, for example, brought completely unforeseen challenges – but even if internal or external factors don’t rise to that level, you can count on some type of shift.

Today’s episode covers how to prepare for budget shifts so you are ready when they come. Listen in to hear Mary Aquino and Melissa Rancour from Blackbaud University talk about how to identify potential causes of budget changes, understanding the legal process for budget shifts, and anticipating and handling fundraising impacts.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How COVID-19 impacted budgets and how organizations responded
Causes of budget variance
The legal obligations that organizations have for using donations
Education about restricted and endowment funds
Documenting the budget process
Questions to ask yourself to get your policy documented

Resources:

Mary Aquino

Melissa Rancour

Webinar: Keep Calm & Carry On: Handling Unplanned Budget Changes

Article: Budget Changes? Keep Calm and Carry On with These Tips!

Article: Annual Planning in an Ever-Changing World

Quotes:

“When the economy’s up, most of the time donations tend to go up with it. But when the economy’s down, then donations normally decrease too.”

“Sometimes people don’t realize there’s a domino effect that kind of goes on with these shifts.”

“Word of mouth is not a budget update process.”

Relationships are everything. While networking may be a buzzword, intentionally building a community and making deep and meaningful connections can have vast positive professional impacts. But how do you get started?

Today’s guest has answers. Susan McPherson, founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies and author of the new book The Lost Art of Connecting, joins the podcast to talk about how she became such a prolific networker, the differences between networking and connecting, and the steps to take to build a network of meaningful connections.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Susan became such a prolific networker
The differences between networking and meaningful connections
The key to building a successful network of connections
Following the gather-ask-do method of building meaningful business connections
Work that people need to do themselves before they can build deep connections
How building deep connections can help an organization or company grow
Where to learn more

Resources:

Susan McPherson

The Lost Art of Connecting

Quotes:

“For introverts and shy people, meaningfully connecting is actually a little more tolerable and palatable and doable.”

“If we lead with how we can be helpful to others, the help will come back.”

“Every single one of us has secret sauces.”

For decades, fundraisers have been trying to understand some of the differences in philanthropic giving between men and women. And, while much remains to be studied regarding same-sex families, women in heterosexual households have increasing financial power. It is a crucial element in understanding decision-making about giving across households.

In today’s episode, you’ll learn more about that process as you listen to Jeannie Sager and Jaquie Ackerman of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, part of the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, talk about this year’s Women Give report. They explain what they were hoping to understand from the research, how it compares to previous years, and how the conversations couples have about philanthropy can affect their giving.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The history of research from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute
The focus of the Women Give 2021 report
What the Women’s Philanthropy Institute was hoping to understand from the research
The changing roles of women’s influence in household financial decisions
The categories of giving decisions in a household
Results of their survey
How current joint and sole decision-making stacks up next to those decision-making choices 15 years ago
How couples talking about giving affects their giving
What was surprising in this year’s report

Resources:

Jeannie Sager

Jaquie Ackerman

Women Give 2021: How Households Make Giving Decisions

Women’s Philanthropy Institute

Quotes:

“Joint giving is still the norm.”

“Most households seem satisfied with the way they make giving decisions.”

“Having robust conversations about giving results in robust giving.”

This episode was originally published in September 2019.

As a charitable organization, how can you leverage the popularity of live streaming to fundraise? How do you find a live streamer to pair up with? And how can you build and have a successful relationship with live streamers?

Today’s episode features Alyssa Sweetman, the Charity Program Manager at Twitch. Tune in to hear her talk to Roz Lemieux, director of Blackbaud Labs, about how nonprofits and other social good organizations can work with live streamers, also known as content creators, to raise money on live streaming platforms.

Topics Discussed in this Episode:

What is Twitch?
Who is a content creator?
How to get started with partnering with a live streamer, or content creator
The kind of support or assets organizations should plan to provide content creators to build relationships and aid them in fundraising
What makes for a good impact statement?
How live streamers make nonprofit content engaging for viewers
The most interesting fundraising live stream event Ally has seen
The different ways content creators raise money on Twitch

Resources:

Twitch
Alyssa Sweetman
Article: How to Harness the Fundraising Power of Twitch

Today’s guest has a mission, and that mission is to teach the people who are doing good how to get noticed by using their words. Erica Mills Barnhart is the CEO of Claxon Marketing, and she joins the podcast today to discuss what people in the social good community need to be saying in order to get noticed in a good way.

Listen in to hear Erica discuss why a social good organization needs an elevator pitch, the biggest mistakes that she sees, and how nouns and verbs need to be used in a mission statement. You’ll also learn how to craft an effective elevator pitch for your organization.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Erica’s background and professional focus
What an elevator pitch is and why social good organizations need one
The biggest mistakes Erica sees in elevator pitches
How deep you get into the mission before you get to the how
The size correlation
Improving your mission statement
How to use nouns and verbs in the mission statement
Where the elevator pitch starts
Resources for listeners

Resources:

Erica Mills Barnhart

Pitchfalls: Why Bad Pitches Happen to Good People

SSIR Article: Great Mission. Bad Statement. Why the social sector should worry more about words.

Quotes:

“Think of it like an invitation. When the door opens, what’s the invitation?”

“There is very much an emotional piece for those in the social good space. We care about what we’re doing. Deeply.”

“There’s always two stories being told even if it’s one or two sentences. What you think the story is, what’s coming out of your mouth, and the story that’s heard and received.”

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Joanne Pasternack, president & chief impact officer at Oliver+Rose and creator of Athletes’ Voices, about her work with athletes who want to engage in philanthropy. Listen in to hear about how Joanne is helping athletes and examples of athlete stories that she is particularly proud of.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Joanne helps athletes engage with the causes they care about
What Athletes’ Voices does
Examples of athletes’ philanthropic actions that Joanne is really proud of
How people can find out more about Athletes’ Voices

Resources:

Joanne Paternack

Athletes’ Voices

Athletes’ Voices webinars

Quotes:

“We are based on the philosophy that athletes could and should and can speak up on any issue that’s of interest to them.”

“In truth, there’s nobody better you could hire than somebody who’s been through everything and has worked over the barriers that have been in their way.”

“You might have kicked the own goal. But, like, what are you going to do next? What’s the next chapter?”

We already relied on technology to communicate before the pandemic, but over the past year we’ve become even more dependent on video and digital communications to live and work. So, how can you make use of the tech you need to navigate the world without succumbing to burnout?

Today’s episode features mindfulness expert Meico Marquette Whitlock in an excerpt from the sgENGAGE Rethinking Change webinar series. Listen in to hear Meico explains how distractions impact us and how to make space for mindfulness and intentionality to avoid burnout.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How distractions impact our lives
Spending mental energy bridging the technology gap
The effects of trying to do multiple things at once
How the time you’re spending online has changed
Why slowing down helps
Mindfully engaging with devices
Reclaiming our lives

Resources:

Meico Marquette Whitlock

The Mindful Techie

7 Steps for Mastering the Art of Work/Life Balance in a Digital World Starter Kit

Webinar: Why Technology is Ruining Your Love Life (And What You Can Do About It)

Rethinking Change webinar series

Working in a Changing World eBook

Quotes:

“It’s not lost on me that it’s not your first or your last perhaps of conversations mediated by video like what we’re having today.”

“The science tells us that it is physically impossible to do multiple things simultaneously.”

“One of the first things that slowing down allows us to do is it allows us to get clear about our aim or our intention.”

The last year has taught us that change is the only constant - however, that makes it difficult to stick to a traditional 3-year or 5-year strategic plan. So, how can social good organizations plan in a way that allows for change?

Here to talk about why adaptive strategy is the new strategic plan is Steve Strang, senior consultant and practice director at Spectrum Nonprofit Services. Listen in to hear what Steve has to say about what an adaptive strategy is, what it looks like when organizations implement an adaptive strategy, and how to get started.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What adaptive strategy is
Why organizations decide to make the shift from the traditional strategic plan to adaptive strategy
Benefits of shifting to an adaptive strategy
How adopting adaptive strategy can better engage board members
The two steps for implementing adaptive strategy
What adaptive strategy looks like in action
How to influence stakeholders to buy in to implementing adaptive strategy
Steps for getting your organization started on the adaptive strategy journey

Resources:

Steve Strang

How to Implement Adaptive Strategy in Nonprofits

Annual Planning in an Ever-Changing World

2021 Planning & Goals Workbook and Calendar

Quotes:

“As tough as the last year has been, being adaptive helps your organization get through crisis moments like this.”

“The important piece to not only this but moving into any strategic process is buy-in from all your stakeholders, especially internal stakeholders.”

“Your budget is really a document that shows how you actualize your strategic plan.”

Database administrators (also commonly called database managers, DBAs or DBMs) are often operating behind the scenes, outside of the spotlight. However, DBAs are critical team members and it’s important they promote their value within their organizations.

That’s what today’s host and guests are here to discuss. Listen in as guest host Ashley Sweeney, Technical Solutions Engineer for Blackbaud talks to Sunshine Watson, Donor Database Manager for Valleywise Health Foundation, and Carlene Johnson, Database Administrator for BC High, about how they shine as DBAs and make sure their value is recognized. They also discuss the importance of networking and continuing education.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Sunshine and Carlene shine as DBAs
Helping others understand what you do and how you help them
Making sure you have a seat at the table
Tips for showing your value to leadership
Making the case for professional development to your manager
The value of networking and user groups

Resources:

Sunshine Watson

Carlene Johnson

Confessions of a Nonprofit Database Administrator

Confessions of a Nonprofit Database Administrator, Part II

Quotes:

“Just being able to be a fly on the wall sometimes helps me so I can do my job better.” –Sunshine Watson

“When I’m paying attention and listening, I can hear the pain points.” –Carlene Johnson

“Because of networking, I was much more easily able to land a position that had the kinds of things I was looking to work on.” –Carlene Johnson

Everyone knows about Giving Tuesday, but it’s not the only giving day out there. At this point, a lot of organizations are running their own giving days that have become a part of their regular giving and fundraising programs. Today’s guests, Kelly Cortes of St. Joseph’s College, New York, and Jeffrey Starrett, of Pine Crest School, join the podcast today to talk about how their organizations gave implemented these giving days and what lessons they’ve learned from their giving days.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why Kelly’s org decided to have a giving day
Why Pine Crest School began doing giving days
How Jeffrey dealt with resistance to the giving day plan
Lessons that Kelly has learned from her first few giving days
How the giving days are approached at Jeffrey’s school
What was different about giving days in 2020
Feedback about shifting to text and email from phone calls
Feedback about the use of giving days

Resources:

Kelly Cortes

Jeffrey Starrett

5 Tips for Successful Online Giving Days

Giving Day Toolkit

Quotes:

“We try to raise about a third of our money in one day now.” –Jeffrey Starrett

“This year, our office, and we’re an office of nine, we did all the texting.” –Jeffrey Starrett

“If we have 90-year-old donors that we have to stay in touch with, we do still do a direct mail campaign and we can keep that piece of it there for them so they can still give in a traditional envelope on giving day.” –Kelly Cortes

Sometimes, change is hard – especially when it seems that there isn’t enough money or other resources to accomplish your organization’s mission. However, by adopting the right mindset, social change leaders can begin to attract more support. That’s where today’s guest comes in.

Nell Edgington is the president of Social Velocity, a management consulting firm for nonprofit organizations, and the author of Reinventing Social Change: Embrace Abundance to Create a Healthier and More Equitable World. She joins the podcast today to discuss moving from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset and what that looks like for social good organizations. Listen in to hear what Nell has to say about why there’s a scarcity mindset in social good organizations, what to do to move to an abundance mindset, and how social change leaders can bring others along into their abundance mindset.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why the way we do social change is broken
Why a scarcity mindset is happening
How the way leaders are thinking contributes to the broken system
The steps to adopt an abundance mindset
How “yet” can help social change leaders think differently
How leaders can get others to join them on the journey to an abundance mindset
Examples of moving past scarcity thinking
Advice for social change leaders looking for a better path

Resources:

Nell Edgington

Reinventing Social Change: Embrace Abundance to Create a Healthier and More Equitable World

Quotes:

“A scarcity mindset is essentially believing that there’s not enough.”

“That scarcity mindset is itself that’s holding these nonprofit leaders back.”

“A broken system isn’t going to change itself.”

Over the past year, a lot of experts have joined the show to talk about the different ways that social good organizations can respond in the age of COVID-19 to continue their missions and impact. Now that we are almost a year in, what have we learned and how can we retain the new donors we’ve had give to our organizations?

Today, Melissa Bank Stepno, Director of Analytics & Business Consulting Services at Blackbaud, joins the podcast to talk about some lessons we’ve learned from organizations that have been successful with engaging new donors during the pandemic. Listen in to hear Melissa speak with Steve MacLaughlin about why retention matters so much right now, how to successfully leverage personas, what organizations are doing differently from a data and analytic standpoint, and how to cut through the noise and better communicate with donors.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What Melissa has seen and learned about fundraising over the past few months
Which sample sets are being looked at and compared
Donor engagement factors
What Melissa has seen organizations do from a data and analytic standpoint that’s different from before COVID-19
How to take advantage of new analytics
How applying the use of more analytics is a way of leveling up
How organizations can cut through the noise and communicate with donors
Choosing messages that resonate with particular groups

Resources:

Melissa Bank Stepno

Supporters in Sight Part 4: A Look at Direct Marketing Personas

The sgENGAGE Podcast Episode 144: Leveraging Personas for Fundraising During COVID-19

Turning Data Into Dollars

Quotes:

“In some ways, 2020 gave us acquisition by happenstance.”

“Those of us who do appreciate the arts want to make sure that when the world returns to whatever our new normal looks like, those organizations that we supported in the past are still there.”

“I do think I’ve seen a lot of organizations who didn’t have good data and analytics practices realize how critical it is this past year.”

Interpersonal and communications skills are essential skills that are vitally important for achieving success in the workplace. But what are the most important interpersonal skills for the way that most of us are working now? And what are the best practices for communication, especially virtual communication? Today’s episode answers those questions.

Today, you’ll hear from Anne Converse Willkomm, Assistant Dean of the Graduate College at Drexel University, talks about interpersonal skills for today’s changing workplace. Listen in to learn about the five most important interpersonal skills, how they’re related to each other, and how you can build strong communication with colleagues and others.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The five most essential interpersonal skills to focus on building: Adaptability, Empathy, Creativity, Collaboration, and Brainstorming
What adaptability really means and how to be more adapatable
How adaptability can be associated with negative changes
What empathy is and why it’s needed in the workplace
Using empathy to encourage others to speak
Creativity as an offshoot of adaptability
The relationship between collaboration and brainstorming
Best practices for virtual brainstorming sessions
Why you should avoid the word “no”
Important elements of personal and professional communication
Best practices for communicating virtually

Resources:

Anne Converse Willkomm

Drexel University Professional Services Blog

Working in a Changing World eBook

Rethinking Change webinar series

Quotes:

“To be successful in today’s workplace, social professionals like yourselves really need to develop and enhance your interpersonal skills.”

“When we’re open-minded, we can see things more clearly from another perspective – which is really empathy – which often means we can turn something negative into an opportunity.”

“Without empathy, people’s voices are not heard. Resentment can build, dysfunction can set in, and then there’s a loss of productivity.”

There’s no question that online communities are more important than they’ve ever been in the past. These communities can offer real action and tangible support to all types of people who live anywhere in the world.

Today’s guests, Lesley Pinder, Head of Supporter Experience for the British Red Cross and Lucy Caldicott, Founder of ChangeOut, discuss their Facebook group, Fundraising Chat, as an example of community development, the sector supporting each other, and lessons learned. Listen in to learn how they set up the group, how they navigated the rules of the group, and how they’ve continued to grow the community.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How the Fundraising Chat Facebook group began
Setting up the ground rules for the group
Policing the rules in the group
The limits of an online community like Fundraising Chat
Cultivating a more international feel in an online community
The power of Fundraising Chat in connecting people and sharing learnings

Resources:

Lesley Pinder

Lucy Caldicott

Fundraising Chat

bbcon

Quotes:

“The people that we seeded the group with, which wasn’t – in hindsight, we can pretend we were being really strategic – but were people that we knew were already really active on social media and already had really good networks.” – Lesley Pinder

“We’re accidental community managers – Lesley Pinder

“When you’ve got something like George Floyd’s murder and everyone’s talking about that in every other space, it felt completely negligent to not do something in Fundraising Chat.” –Lucy Caldicott

Employees are a business’s most valuable asset, which is why more companies are starting to implement employee relief programs to provide a crucial safety net in times of disaster and hardship.

Holly Welch Stubbing, CEO of E4E Relief, joins the podcast today to discuss the results of E4E Relief’s employee impact survey and why employee relief programs are good for business. Listen in to hear Holly discuss how employee relief funds differ from other charitable efforts, the possible negative consequences for companies that don’t consider the impacts of employee stress, and how companies can start an employee relief program.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What E4E relief does
E4E Relief’s Employee Impact Survey
How employee relief funds are different from other charitable efforts
Tips for companies that want to start an employee relief fund
Negative consequences for companies that don’t consider employee stress
The future of employee relief funds and employee wellness

Resources:

Holly Welch Stubbing

E4E Relief Impact Survey

Quotes:

“It is not ideal to wait until a disaster strikes.”

“When you’re launching something short-term and long-term, you want to know what your financial implications of that are.”

“I think we’re still trying to get our arms around what the impact is going to be of COVID.”

While lapsed donors are inevitable, there are strategies you can use to both reacquire them and prevent attrition in the first place.

In today’s episode, Stu Manewith, Director of Thought Leadership and Advocacy for Omatic Software and Bailey Benzlé, Director Of Pre-Sales & Sales Enablement for Omatic Software, discuss leveraging data quality and strategic communication to increase the win-back rate. Listen in to hear them talk about how to identify those donors most likely to re-engage and the steps to take to create a successful win-back strategy.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Lapsed donor definitions and industry standards
The donors who are prized candidates for giving again
How to calculate donor attrition
Information that you need to pull about donors
How to leverage the data you already have
Affinity scoring
Choosing a sample population that reflects the outcome you’re looking for
Wealth rating scores
Preventing lapsed donors
Looking at more than just a donor’s giving history
Creating a deeper profile understanding that allows a more meaningful relationship
Data centralization
Putting individual data point knowledge together to tell a story

Resources:

Stu Manewith
Bailey Benzlé
Whitepaper: Re-engaging Lapsed Donors
Cloud Integration Solutions - What's the Deal?
Understanding the Reasons for Nonprofit Donor Churn
6 Tactics for Increasing Donor Retention

Quotes:

“I guess we have to understand that lapsed donors are going to happen. They come and they go.” –Stu Manewith

“Look internally and ask yourselves which bucket here you fit in.” –Bailey Benzle

“When resources are limited - time, money, etc. - make sure that you are first targeting the donors that are most likely to re-engage.” –Stu Manewith

Do you know how to not only interpret your organization’s financials, but also how to present them to others as a compelling story that offers transparency and increases donations and impact.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Stephanie Skryzowski, founder and CEO of 100 Degrees Consulting, about how to use and communicate your organization’s financials. Listen in to hear what Stephanie has to say about why sharing numbers is important, who needs to know your numbers, and what the best ways are to present your numbers to different audiences.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Stephanie’s role as a CFO
Why it’s important to use and share numbers
Benefits of financial transparency
How sharing numbers improves relationships with donors
How to share financials with your board
How to share numbers with your staff
Sharing with donors and the public
Ensuring that you have a strong financial foundation
Checklist for budgeting best practices
What reports tell your organization’s story on a monthly basis
Five financial reports to review every single month
How your data can be visualized
Checking performance vs. plan

Resources:

Stephanie Skryzowski

bbcon

5 Ways Nonprofits Can Use Financials to Increase Transparency

The Buyer's Guide to Fund Accounting Software

Quotes:

“As these organizations are sharing more information about themselves and about their financials, they got more money, which leads to greater impact.”

“Before we start telling our financial story, we need to have the foundation of financial management really solid at our foundation.”

“You want to make sure that we are coding all of our revenue, all of our expenses to admin, fundraising, or programs along the way, so that we can really easily pull this report.”

Feedback is a gift, but the thought of giving feedback can be scary. However, whether you are giving the gift of feedback to an employee, a manager, a teammate, a donor, a supporter, an advocate or a peer there is a process you can use to ensure your gift is better accepted.

In today’s episode, Monica Mutter, Director of Leadership and Culture at Blackbaud, focuses on the steps you can take to give effective feedback. Listen in to hear why Monica calls feedback a gift and what steps you need to use to give feedback in a way that helps the person receiving it become better for the next similar situation that arises.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why Monica says feedback is a gift
The cost of feedback
The selection process for feedback
The neuroscience of feedback
Where people are left at the end of a feedback conversation
Checking to see that the timing is right
The steps for preparing to provide feedback
The steps for delivering feedback
Resetting expectations
Having the person identify behavior changes they can make to incorporate the feedback

Resources:

Monica Mutter

bbcon

7 Steps for Giving Effective Feedback

Quotes:

“Feedback is a gift on so many levels.”

“Because there is a cost to giving feedback, as we mentioned earlier, we want to make sure the gift is received.”

“What’s most important is where we leave the person at the end of our conversation.”

Content is at the heart of how your constituents engage online. It’s how you inspire supporters to action and nurture their passion for your mission. But getting top-notch quality and performance from content isn’t always easy.

Nyleva Corley, principal user experience designer at Blackbaud, talks all about how to get the most from your content on today’s episode. Listen in to hear Nyleva speak about how content attracts viewers and drives traffic, the link between content and constituent opinion of your organization, and why a content strategy is critical for social good organizations.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What content attracts viewers and drives traffic
How much content is being processed daily
The definition of content strategy
Why working on a content strategy is critical
The link between your content and how your constituents feel about you
How to take inventory of all your content
Performing a content audit
The message hierarchy
Performing a gap analysis
Page description diagrams
Storytelling techniques
Tailoring your content to specific audiences
Creating an editorial calendar
Developing your content style guide

Resources:

Nyleva Corley

bbcon

Guide to the Nonprofit Web Design Process

What Is Content Governance and Why Does It Matter?

How to Write Effective Web Copy (Part 1): Make It Readable

How to Write Effective Web Copy (Part 2): Make It Stick

Quotes:

“If you could focus on the content that was most critical to your organization and expire or archive all of the other content, just think of the great content you could be producing.”

“You want to start relationships with your constituents on your website.”

“Content strategy is not something that you do one time, in a silo, all by yourself.”

End-of-year fundraising is always important, and this year it has added importance with organizations needing to make up potential COVID-19 related shortfalls.

In today’s episode, Michael Johnston, founder of hjc, discusses some of the things that you should be thinking about when it comes to end-of-year giving and busts some common end-of-year fundraising myths.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why this year is the most important year for end-of-year fundraising
What’s great about December donors
What you can find in the End-of-Year Fundraising Toolkit
How to make a holiday persona
Mapping out the holiday journey
The myth that holiday giving is only from October to December
How end-of-year fundraising spans the wide spectrum of society
Bringing different fundraising channels together
Last-minute giving

Resources:

Michael Johnston

End-of-Year Fundraising Toolkit

Last Minute Tips for Year-End Giving

Quotes:

“You might want to make a holiday persona or two.”

“Don’t be afraid to make direct references, but still respect all religions and secular celebrations.”

“People hold off on their giving until the last minute.”

Can you think of a business process in your organization that is inefficient or time consuming, yet no one has been able to change the process for the better? When you know the steps to follow, eliminating waste is easier than you think!

In today’s episode, which features a session from bbcon 2020 Virtual, Jackie Huffman, Operational Excellence Engineer at Blackbaud, shares how to analyze your business processes by identifying and removing waste. Learn how to identify value-add and non-value add steps and ultimately improve your constituent experience.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Jackie’s role with Blackbaud
How to analyze business processes
Value-add activities
Non-value-add activities
The 8 categories of waste
Preventing and removing waste from processes
What a waste walk is and how it can help

Resources:

Jackie Huffman

Guidebook to Becoming a Lean Organization

7 Steps for a Successful Lean Implementation at your Nonprofit

Quiz: How Lean is Your Business Office?

Quotes:

“Anything that does not meet the value-add definition is what we consider waste.”

“The problem with waste is that it consumes our valuable resources of our people’s time.”

“Because transportation is not something we’re willing to pay for, it is clearly a waste.”

With only a little more than a month left for the the 116th U.S. Congress, there is still federal data privacy legislation pending that could affect social good organizations. So, what’s included in those bills and how exactly might your organization be affected if they are passed?

Today’s episode features experts Sally Ehrenfried, who leads government relations at Blackbaud, and Cameron Stoll, Blackbaud’s Director of Privacy. In this session originally hosted at bbcon 2020, Sally and Cameron discuss the current landscape of data privacy legislation in the U.S., the key committees and lawmakers involved in federal data privacy legislation, and where current legislation stands.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The federal data privacy legislation landscape
Key committees and lawmakers involved in federal data privacy legislation
Whether legislation will contain limitations on changing your privacy policy
The principle of consent
Examples of data use that don’t require consent
The Brookings Institution compromise
The impact the election might have on federal data privacy legislation

Resources:

Cameron Stoll

Sally Ehrenfried

bbcon

The sgENGAGE Podcast Episode 112: Tips for a Successful Hill Day

The sgENGAGE Podcast Episode 110: Understanding Data Privacy Regulations

Quotes:

“When we’re looking at what happens to a federal bill, and with California having such a large delegation their delegation can actually have an impact on whether a bill passes or not, especially in light of how it treats CCPA.” –Sally Ehrenfried

“The information has to be presented in a way that’s concise, transparent, intelligent, and easily accessible to the data subjects, using clear and plain language.” –Cameron Stoll

“The GDPR was really the first law to give individuals choice about processing their data on the basis of consent.” –Cameron Stoll

GivingTuesday is less than two weeks away – but there’s no need to panic. We brought in Blackbaud fundraising expert Tanya Fitzgerald to talk about those last-minute things you can do to be successful, whether you’ve been planning for some time or are just pulling something together now.

Listen in to learn about the most important thing to focus on, how you can leverage your #GivingTuesdayNow campaign and how to steward those first-time GivingTuesday donors.

Topics discussed in this episode:

How to adjust your approach to GivingTuesday messaging this year
Leveraging your GivingTuesdayNow campaign for GivingTuesday success
How organizations can plan out a GivingTuesday strategy now
Last minute considerations for organizations that have already planned their GivingTuesday campaigns
What donors want to hear
Stewarding GivingTuesday donors

Resources

Blackbaud GivingTuesday Toolkit
GivingTuesday.org
Free Blackbaud GivingTuesday Webinars
Your 3 Week GivingTuesday Checklist
Stewarding #GivingTuesday: Increase Your Retention Rate

Quotes

“You need to tell your 2020 story - what happened to your organization this year and how did it affect you all sustaining your mission?”

“If your organization hasn't started preparing for GivingTuesday yet, there is plenty of time.”

“You're going to have a lot of traffic on your website on GivingTuesday, and you're going to get a lot of first-time donors. Those are the most costly to acquire so you want to make sure that you keep them.”

“Don't be afraid to reach out to your donors. They want to hear from you. They actually really do want to help you and they want to be part of your team.”

We are more connected than ever, but loneliness continues to increase. The concept of belonging is important not just in our personal lives, but also at work. Belonging in the workplace has real impacts on employee well-being, retention and business results.

Joining the podcast today is Sarah Judd Welch, CEO of Sharehold, an innovation consultancy that recently conducted extensive research into belonging at work. Listen in to hear what Sarah has to say about how organizations should look at belonging, the impact of DEI initiatives, and how times of uncertainty impact belonging at work.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why Sharehold decided to conduct research on belonging
The core findings of the research
Why loneliness is increasing and the impact that has on well-being
The four different types of belonging
The business case for belonging
What employers can do in the workplace to increase feelings of belonging
Who leads the charge on belonging in an organization
What someone could do to start advancing the idea of belonging in their organization
Actionable ideas to increase belonging at work

Resources:

Sarah Judd Welch

Sharehold's Redesigning Belonging Research

Quotes:

“We saw that the key to community transformation was organizational transformation.”

“We’re in the middle of a loneliness epidemic.”

“What we heard in our research was that there is both an explicit as well as tacit power dynamics that show up in how we belong at work.”

What if everything that we know about fundraising is mostly wrong? Is your organization focusing on the right data-based fundraising strategies?

Joining the podcast to discuss this topic with host Steve MacLaughlin is Joe Waters, founder and CEO of Selfish Giving. Listen in to hear Joe and Steve talk about why individual giving matters so much, what’s changing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and thinking about fundraising as a cycle vs. a funnel.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Where most nonprofit revenue is concentrated
A breakdown of nonprofit revenue sources
The importance of individual giving
Leveraging corporate partnerships
The increasing role of online giving for social good organizations
Changes and shifts due to COVID-19
Fundraising as a cycle vs a funnel
The importance of the second gift
Creating a realistic plan

Resources:

Joe Waters

Business for Impact at Georgetown University McDonough School of Business

Blog Post: The End of the Beginning of Online Giving

Quotes:

“If you had to choose between getting money from the company checkbook or going after the consumer, the employee, and engaging them, you’re much better off with the latter.”

“I actually make a recommendation of sixteen different business that people should engage with during normal times, and right now there’s only two that are extremely viable: supermarkets and convenience stores.”

“In a lot of instances, corporate partnerships don’t so much create success as they do reflect it.”

The social good community has massive opportunity and meaningful challenges before us. Recognizing the power of partnerships to build a better world, Blackbaud launched a unique year-long accelerator in 2019 designed to support early-stage startups with the potential to impact the Ecosystem of Good®, and formalized it as the Blackbaud Social Good Startup Program in 2020.

Listen in to hear Roz Lemieux, Senior Director of Platform Product Manager and head of Blackbaud Labs, talk about the goals for the program, how the first year went, and why Blackbaud felt it was important to focus on startups with diverse founders for the 2021 cohort.

Resources:

Roz Lemieux

Blackbaud Social Good Startup Program Application

The Blackbaud Social Good Startup Challenge—Hear from the 2020 Cohort Participants

Quotes:

“These are startups that are really enabling organizations to do things in a different way.”

“From the outset, we said part of the lens and philosophy that we wanted to apply to the program was to encourage founders from traditionally underserved backgrounds to be part of the program.”

“There’s a very tight coupling between breakthrough innovation and the presence of diverse teams.”

“There's every reason for us to put our time and money and effort behind those [diverse] companies because they're the ones that are quite likely to make a big difference.”

In science fiction, artificial intelligence (AI) is often depicted as threatening to humans. But in reality, the science of AI can be used for any number of helpful purposes. What are the implications of this technology in the social good sector? Beth Kanter and Allison Fine join Steve MacLaughlin on the podcast to discuss their research into the use of AI in social good organizations.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why Allison and Beth decided to write the AI4Giving report
Why the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was interested in the report
The definition of artificial intelligence for giving
The questions they wanted to answer in the report
Top findings from the research
What was surprising at the end of the research
How AI works in philanthropy
Cautionary tales about AI
How people without AI skillsets will be able to use AI tools
Recommendations for how social good organizations can start to think about AI

Resources:

Beth Kanter

Allison Fine

Unlocking Generosity with Artificial Intelligence: The Future of Giving

Quotes:

“The most advanced technology in the world can be used to rehumanize fundraising.” –Allison Fine

“Algorithmic discrimination is a huge potential problem that is starting to develop.” –Allison Fine

“They don’t need to know how to necessarily make the sausage themselves, but they need to know how the sausage is made.” – Beth Kanter

Capital campaigns. Maybe you’re in one. Maybe you’re thinking about one. Maybe you’re wrapping one up now. Maybe you have one in the past that you’d like to forget about. Either way, they are important. Capital campaigns can be a tremendous asset to an organization as nearly a century of their history shows.

In today’s episode, we’ll explore the subject of capital campaigns in more depth with guest Amy Eisenstein, CEO and co-founder of The Capital Campaign Toolkit. Listen in to hear what Amy has to say about the key questions you need to answer to get a capital campaign started, the elements of a successful capital campaign, and the state of capital campaigns in the COVID-19 world.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What a capital campaign is
Running a capital campaign without eating your annual fund
Key questions an organization needs to answer to start a capital campaign
How long a capital campaign should take
Your campaign objectives
Why you should be thinking big
Elements of success for a capital campaign
What Amy has found works and doesn’t work through experience
Which donors are most likely to make or break your campaign
The state of capital campaigns in the COVID-19 world
How organizations need to adjust due to the pandemic
What listeners can learn from the capital campaign toolkit

Resources:

Amy Eisenstein

Capital Campaign Toolkit

Article: Planning a Capital Campaign: The Essential First Steps

Quotes:

“There’s always a concern at organizations that a capital campaign will cannibalize an annual campaign or annual fundraising, and what we’ve found is that simply isn’t true.”

“If you want that Olympic size pool, put it in those plans. We can cut it out later if we figure out you can’t raise the money for it. But now’s the time to dream big.”

“You need to have donors who have the capacity to give those lead gifts in order to have that element of a possibility, a real possibility, for success.”

Giving Tuesday, the annual global day of giving, will be held on December 1st this year - just under two months away. Although this has been a year of changes and challenges for many, your organization can still incorporate strategies that will help you leverage GivingTuesday in order to kick off your year-end giving season.

Stephanie Thomas, principal peer-to-peer fundraising consultant for Blackbaud, joins the podcast to discuss methods to help your organization successfully engage supporters to raise awareness and revenue. Listen in to hear her talk about peer-to-peer fundraising strategies, educating fundraisers, and tips for stewarding donors after GivingTuesday.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why peer-to-peer fundraising is a good strategy for this GivingTuesday
The different ways that organizations can leverage peer-to-peer fundraising tools
Education that organizations can do with their peer-to-peer fundraisers to increase success
How to steward supporters and donors after GivingTuesday
Advice for organizations planning out their GivingTuesday strategy now

Resources:

Stephanie H. Thomas

Webinar: Five Steps to Supporter Engagement

Blackbaud's GivingTuesday Webinar Series

Free GivingTuesday Toolkit and Resources

Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising™, powered by JustGiving®

Quotes:

“I think peer-to-peer fundraising offers new channels.”

“Ultimately, the ways that social good organizations can leverage peer-to-peer fundraising tools, it has to be easy, it has to be mobile-friendly, and most importantly, it has to be fun.”

“You really do have to have a strong marketing effort; you really do have to have a strong coaching program for those individuals who are volunteering their time and their network for you.”

During a crisis, you need strategies that will help your organization cope with the situation effectively and come through on the other side. Knowing how to work with your board in these situations can help you continue to fulfill your mission. In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Blackbaud Senior Marketing Manager Tanya Fitzgerald in an excerpt from a webinar about effectively working with your board during a crisis.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The board’s role during a crisis
Using a crisis cycle to communicate with your board
Breaking down the phases of the crisis cycle
Top areas that an organization needs to focus on during a crisis
Planning events during this time
Keeping your mission at the forefront of the community’s mind
How the board can help with a safety plan
Communicating and sharing knowledge

Resources:

Tanya Fitzgerald

Webinar: Stay Cool: Proactively Working with Your Board During a Crisis

Financial Management Thought Leadership Webinar Series

Blog Post: 3 Steps for Developing a Passionate Nonprofit Board

Quotes:

“Consider these six phases for crisis transformation and how your organization will be affected in the best case, the likely case, and the worst-case scenario.”

“You’re going to want to be prepared during the first warning sign.”

“The community is actually going to be receptive to this information more so than they normally were. Information they used to tune out, they’re focusing on now.”

It’s hard to believe that we’re already well into September and it’s time to start thinking about year-end audits. This year, many social good organizations will be having virtual audits, and now is the time to learn about how best to prep for them.

Mel Rancour, principal instructional designer for Blackbaud University’s Organizational Best Practices curriculum, joins today’s episode to talk about why you want to begin audit prep now, how this year is going to differ from previous years, and resources to help you get started with your preparations.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why now is the best time to start audit prep
How audit prep will be different this year
The trickiest part of having a virtual audit
What organizations should do first when preparing for an audit
How organizations can make sure they’re fully prepared
Resources on preparing for a virtual audit

Resources:

Mel Rancour

Webinar: Preparing for a Virtual Audit

Blackbaud University Organizational Best Practices Curriculum: Year-End and Audit Plans

Quotes:

“Well, it is 2020, which has been a year full of changes and differences in policies and procedures and really any organizational and personal norms.”

“When you think about it, our policies and procedures for just about everything have changed.”

“Don’t forget, these guidelines need to be electronic.”

Too many nonprofits overlook the opportunities for planned giving. While planned giving may not be the most typical type of gift, it can be a powerful driver of growth for nonprofit organizations and can be a way of deepening donor relationships.

To talk about the modern landscape of planned giving, today’s guest is Patrick Schmitt. Patrick is the co-founder and co-CEO of FreeWill, a company that specializes in modernizing how organizations can take advantage of planned giving. Listen in to hear what Patrick has to say about how the thinking around planned giving is changing, how organizations can incorporate planned giving into their strategy, and how to steward donors through the planned giving process.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Patrick’s background and experience
Why planned giving allows “average” donors to give much more than they otherwise could
Why right now is the time to focus on planned giving
What Patrick has seen change in the way people are thinking about planned giving in the last year or so
How organizations can start incorporating planned giving into their fundraising strategy
Ways to talk to and steward donors
Giving donors choices
Common questions that donors tend to have
Getting people started with planned giving

Resources:

Patrick Schmitt

Free Will

Quotes:

“We made it so easy for people to give 10 dollars, and yet in some cases, quite hard for them to give a hundred thousand dollars or a million dollars in the same way.”

“It behooves you to start much earlier than people do traditionally, to secure planned giving donors.”

“In some ways, we always talk about how fundraising is a highly specialized skill, and it is, but also, humans are humans.”

We’ve seen evolving challenges and change of 2020, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the racial justice movement. From economic challenges to increased service delivery demands, social good organizations have been impacted in many ways. While it is difficult to determine the future extent of economic impacts, there are valuable insights to be gleaned from historic trends in giving.

In today’s episode, Ashley Thompson, Managing Director of the Blackbaud Institute, discusses the Institute’s new State of the Social Sector series with host Steve MacLaughlin. Listen to the interview to hear Ashley talk about what the data indicates about the social sector right now, how organizations can remain resilient and why organizations should look at history to help inform future actions.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The new State of the Social Sector reports from the Blackbaud Institute
Building resilient programs
The historical impact of economic changes and challenges on social good communities
Surprising findings in the Institute’s latest research
How organizations can positively leverage the moment in 2020
The importance of renewed focus on fundraising fundamentals
The value of being nimble
Making data actionable

Resources:

Ashley Thompson

State of the Social Sector Series

Blackbaud Institute Index

Quotes:

“As we all know, 2020 is shaping up to be a real mixed bag.”

“What’s interesting, though, is that you see this continuation of generosity, kind of through the ages.”

“We talk about retention, and we talk about retention, and we talk about retention, but unfortunately, it’s still the same case.”

Running peer-to-peer fundraising events present a challenge in the current environment. However, the organizations that will be successful this fall are those who realize they must pivot and start proactively planning for these events.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Blackbaud’s Robyn Mendez, Principal Product Marketing Manager, and Shana Masterson, Principal Customer Success Manager, as they explore the topic of peer-to-peer fundraising in more depth. Robyn and Shana spoke with Steve MacLaughlin about the current state of peer-to-peer fundraising, what the data says about how peer-to-peer fundraising has been affected in recent months, and how organizations are reimagining their events. Listen in to learn more about how peer-to-peer fundraising is being changed and adapted.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The current state of peer-to-peer fundraising
What has been surprising about peer-to-peer fundraising in recent months
What the data says about what’s been happening over the last six months
How both organizations and participants are taking “wait-and-see” approaches, and why that may not be the best approach going forward
How organizations are thinking about reimagining their events
Changes to digital fundraising and how it’s changed engagements with peer-to-peer fundraisers
Logical next steps for organizations planning for fall and spring

Resources:

Robyn Mendez

Shana Masterson

A Guide to Evolving Beyond Virtual: SPRING 2020 PEER-TO-PEER FUNDRAISING STUDY

The Time Has Come to Reinvent Fall 2020 Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Events

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Idea Calendar

Quotes:

“What’s happening is people aren’t registering, so as an indirect result of them not being super decisive about what’s happening in the fall, or conversely, what’s happening in the spring, it’s suppressing registration rates.” – Robyn Mendez

“The community is the thing that really drives people.” –Shana Masterson

“I think the idea of getting back to a more grassroots style program is one of the interesting, innovative things that’s happening as a result of the pandemic.” – Robyn Mendez

What is your personal brand, that is, how would others talk about you when you aren’t in the room? Whether you are looking for a new role or just want to be more effective in your current role, personal branding is important. But how is it possible to improve your personal brand and professional network when many people are still working remotely?

Today’s guest, Marcos Salazar, founder and CEO of Be Social Change, joins the podcast today to talk about what a personal brand is and why it’s important. Listen in to learn specific steps to take right now for building your personal brand and network during this time.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Marcos’ background as a social entrepreneur and why he started Be Social Change
The definition of a personal brand
The importance of building your personal brand no matter what your career aspirations are
Actionable strategies for building your personal brand
Tips on how to navigate networking in a virtual world
Where listeners can learn more about networking and branding strategies

Resources:

Marcos Salazar

Be Social Change Webinars

Quotes:

“Human beings aren’t static entities; we’re always growing and changing and having new experiences.”

“The way I think about your personal brand is it’s how you’re perceived by others.”

“Personal branding and networking are tied together, and these are the two most important things that you should be focusing on your career.”

We spend a lot of time, energy, and attention on engaging the right donors, building relationships with them, and reaching other key objectives. But those are mostly external activities, and one of the keys to improvement is looking inward. That’s where the idea of performance management comes into play.

Joining the podcast today is Stacy Rooney, a Principal Business Consultant at Blackbaud, to discuss the concept of fundraiser performance management. Listen in to hear Stacy and host Steve MacLaughlin talk about managing gift officers for optimal performance, portfolio management, and the effects of COVID-19 on fundraising and performance data.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Demystifying the topic of performance management
How to optimize how portfolios are managed by gift officers
Maturity models
Using data to identify good performance and benchmark against peers
The connection between activity and outcome
Investing in officers as fundraisers
Understanding where the focus currently is and where the focus should be
How feedback and coaching factors in to fundraising success
The impacts of COVID-19 on fundraising and data

Resources:

Stacy Rooney

Blackbaud Fundraiser Performance Management

8 Things Resilient Fundraisers Should be Doing Now

10 Things Fundraisers Can Do to Adapt During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

Quotes:

“It’s just like looking in a mirror. Do you like what you see? Is this where you want to be as an organization?”

“We’ve had various profiles that we’ve thought of with the types of officers that might be really good at a certain aspect, and then you have some officers that are good at everything.”

“There are fundraisers out in the world that don’t like asking for money.”

Today’s episode features Derrick Feldmann, a speaker, researcher, and author of a new book, The Corporate Social Mind, which introduces a new cultural and strategic approach to social issue engagement by companies. Listen in to hear Derrick talk to Rachel Hutchisson about what prompted him to write his latest book, what surprises Derrick discovered in his own research, and what his golden principles are and how they can help the social good community.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Derrick’s background with the Ad Council and Influence SG
What prompted Derrick to write his new book
The most important points that Derrick hopes people will take away from his new book
Derrick’s guidance for companies looking to be socially engaged
Major findings from Derrick’s recent research
What surprised Derrick in his study
Derrick’s golden principles
Where listeners can go to learn more

Resources:

Derrick Feldmann

The Corporate Social Mind

Cause and Social Influence

Quotes:

“I’ve always let the research guide what I not only focus on, but also where my interests have really come out to play.”

“One of the core things we do throughout the book is talk about these eight traits.”

“As companies, you don’t have to be the leading voice, you don’t have to be the hero in all of this, but you do have to be a contributing voice.”

Many foundations would like to have a more defined measurement process around their grantmaking but aren’t sure where to start. Today’s episode focuses on that process: how to get started, how to iterate through the process, and how to report on your foundation’s accomplishments.

In an excerpt from a Blackbaud webinar, you’ll hear from Veronica Dickson of the FMH Foundation and Jessica Tudyk of the Mary E. Bivens Foundation about starting with the mission statement, talking to your board, and tracking data. To view the entire webinar, click on the link the Resources section below.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Starting with the mission statement
Looking at the written donor intent and foundation’s history of giving
Talking to the board about strategic planning
Making sure you and your grantees understand your lingo
Meeting nonprofits where they are
The If/Then tree
Which data is needed
How to track data
Keeping track of data changes

Resources:

Veronica Dickson

Jessica Tudyk

Webinar: "Measuring for Success: The Good, The Helpful and the Impactful"

Blackbaud Foundation Solutions Resource Hub

Quotes:

“Our foundation is very big on follow up and making sure that the money went where it should have gone and for the purpose that it was intended.” –Veronica Dickson

“I think that’s really good advice with any foundation. Where do you start? Keep the main thing the main thing. Look at your mission statement.” –Veronica Dickson

“I that it’s important to remember that no two processes are going to look identical, they’re not going to look the same.” –Jessica Tudyk

What does branding mean for nonprofit organizations, and how has it evolved to now require a comprehensive digital strategy?

Joining the podcast today is Farra Trompeter, chief growth officer of Big Duck and the co-author of an article about branding in the Blackbaud Institute’s new 2020 npEXPERTS eBook. Listen in to hear Farra talk to Steve MacLaughlin about the evolution of the marketing and branding tools that nonprofits need to think about using, understanding your why and who your why is for, and the importance of staff in upholding brand image.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How nonprofit branding has evolved over the past seven years since Farra’s article in the original npEXPERTS book.
How the ways that nonprofits use communications and digital marketing tools has changed
Knowing why you’re using the tools the way that you are
Understanding the why for your organization
The intersection between branding and culture
The importance of staff members upholding the brand image
Combining speed and accuracy in communications to build trust and engagement
How outreach and communication has shifted over the last few months
How it helps to get feedback

Resources:

Farra Trompeter

npEXPERTS 2020 - published by the Blackbaud Institute

Quotes:

“Thinking about your audiences and goals as it connects to your mission I think has been around for a while, and it’s still the right way to go about deciding what approach you should take, and then related to that approach, what tools you should use.”

“The staff are the people who are representing the organization day in and day out, and if my experience with that staff person is not one that in some way reinforces what I’m hoping for, then again that organization is not going to be able to uphold that desired perception.”

“What I hope to see is that momentum continue through the summer into the fall. I hope it’s not just a moment.”

Over the past months, racial equity and racial justice have come to the forefront of public consciousness and advocacy in the U.S. and around the world. And while this has also been a topic of discussion in philanthropy for some time, there is a real opportunity now for all social good organizations to really respond in a meaningful way that effects change.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Marcus Walton, President & CEO of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO). Listen in to hear Marcus talk about the current movement, the steps that responsive philanthropy must take to advance racial equity, and how all social good organizations can approach their work through a racial equity lens.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Marcus’s background as a leader in philanthropy and in working on racial equity initiatives
What GEO does and how it’s working with members
Whether Marcus is hopeful that the current moment will move the needle on racial equity
Steps that responsive philanthropy needs to take to advance racial equity
What advice Marcus would give to funders right now
Why it’s critical for all social good organizations to look at their work through a racial equity lens
The importance of partnerships and data

Resources:

Marcus Walton

Article: "Hope is Not a Strategy for Change"

GEO's Vision for Smarter Grantmaking

Marcus Walton's Resource List on Leadership and Racial Equity

Quotes:

“I can only be hopeful, because I’ve seen how quickly change can happen.”

“What I’m observing on one hand is an inclination to do something, to react.”

“Before we make a decision and head down a particular course of action, let’s ground ourselves in the current moment.”

How do leaders embrace their role in the new normal today? What does it mean to lead strategically and purposefully? The experts in today’s webinar will answer these questions.

Listen in to hear Eddie Thompson, Founder and CEO of Thompson & Associates, Mark McCampbell, Senior Vice President of Advancement Resources, and Betsy Chapin Taylor, CEO of Accordant, talk about the challenges of leadership during times of change, why purpose and values are central to good leadership, and the importance of reconsidering strategy right now to lead your organization into a successful future.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The role of leaders in today’s changing new normal
Why who you are is more important than what you do
How values lead to actions
Leadership strategies
Affirming your organization’s vision
Thinking about areas that need to be pruned or changed going forward
The importance of connecting meaningfully
Considering strategic decisions
Holding board members accountable
Using board members as fundraisers
Thinking about how to go after major gifts in the future

Resources:

Eddie Thompson

Mark McCampbell

Betsy Chapin Taylor

WEBINAR: Leadership During Times of Change

TIP SHEET: 8 Things Successful Healthcare Philanthropy Leaders are Doing Right Now

ARTICLE: 6 Tips for Managing a Virtual Workforce

Quotes:

“When you’re authentic, you’re being yourself, and you’re leading from who you are, that’s really the place to be.” –Mark McCampbell

“I think that we are unfortunately entering a period in our hospitals of austerity.” –Betsy Chapin Taylor

“I want to encourage you to reconsider having perpetual naming rights.” –Eddie Thompson

Companies are increasingly recognizing the importance of purpose. But what does it really mean to have a purpose-led organization? And how can you help your organization more effectively put its purpose into practice?

That’s what today’s guest, Bobbi Silten, managing director of the Shared Value Initiative, is here to discuss. Bobbi explains the importance of leading with purpose, the role of shared value and why you need to understand your organization’s cultural dynamics to succeed in being purpose driven. She also discusses The Purpose Playbook, which was recently released by Shared Initiative as an actionable guide for practitioners looking to lead change in their organizations and society.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What the Shared Value Initiative does and how it originated
The definition of shared value
Being a purpose led organization
What the Purpose Playbook teaches practitioners about leading change
Why it’s important to have a grounding in leading with purpose
The importance of understanding an organization’s cultural dynamics

Resources:

Bobbi Silten

The Purpose Playbook from the Shared Value Initiative

CSR 2020: Experts Look Ahead

Quotes:

“Our whole philosophy in building this playbook is that it’s not a cookie-cutter approach.”

“First you have to, as a company, get really clear about what your reason for being is, and your reason beyond profits alone.”

“The more a leader can understand the cultural dynamics of their organization, the more than can use it or start to dial down the things that are getting in the way.”

What do you need to know about talent management to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your team? Today’s episode features an excerpt from Part One of a three-part Blackbaud webinar about how better talent management can up your fundraising game. In the excerpt, you’ll hear from Eric Bowman, talent manager at Texas A&M Foundation. Listen in to hear what Eric has to say about what talent management is, the building blocks of talent management, and the importance of determining your organization’s mission, values, goals, and strategies.

After listening to the episode, click on the link to the webinar in the Resources section to watch the full recording, where you'll hear from Stacy Rooney, business consultant principal at Blackbaud, whose discussions will also include how to seamlessly integrate core fundraising systems into your talent management practices

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Eric’s background
What talent management means
Examples of function areas of talent management
The building blocks to effective, aligned, coordinated talent management
Determining mission, values, goals, and strategies
Talking and thinking about competencies
Building core processes
The new-hire experience
Making sure that people can grow in their role

Resources:

Eric Bowman

Webinar Series: How Better Talent Management Can Up Your Fundraising Game

White Paper: Blackbaud's Strategic Guide to Effective Talent Management

Quotes:

“The ultimate driver to an organization’s success are its people.”

“Having a defined vision, mission or purpose, and values are critical to help the entire organization know why they exist, where they are going, how they will get there, and how they should act along the way.”

“You cannot expect CRM-level performance if you only have Excel-level resources.”

Livestream fundraising – you’ve probably heard the term, but do you really understand how your social good organization can leverage this popular strategy? Have you wondered how you can you use livestreaming to connect with donors and raise more funds?

Robyn Mendez, Principal Product Marketing Manager at Blackbaud, joins the podcast today to explain. Listen in to hear Robyn talk about why livestream fundraising can be an important fundraising tool, the main platforms organizations can use for livestreaming (such as Twitch and Facebook Live), and some of the ways that organizations can leverage livestreaming to reach a larger audience.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The definition of livestream fundraising
Why livestream fundraising can be an important fundraising tool
Popular livestreaming platforms and types of content appropriate for each
Different ideas for livestreaming content
Examples of standalone organizational livestreaming
Advice for organizations considering adopting livestreaming

Resources:

Robyn Mendez

Webinar: Decoding Livestream Fundraising

Livestream Fundraising 101: What is Livestream Fundraising?

How to Harness the Fundraising Power of Twitch

Quotes:

“Generally speaking, livestreaming is becoming a mainstay of our marketing channel mix.”

“Anything that you would have a conversation with your friend about at dinner, they’re doing that. They’re just hanging out online as opposed to hanging out physically together at a restaurant.”

“If you have a phone and an online donation form, you can absolutely use Facebook Live to do livestreaming.”

COVID-19 has impacted fundraising in various ways. What will major and planned giving programs look like in our current landscape, and how can your organization adjust to see continued success with these programs?

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Eddie Thompson, founder and CEO of Thompson and Associates, and Russell James, Professor of Charitable Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, in an excerpt from a Blackbaud webinar. They discuss the challenges of raising major and planned gifts in the current environment, give advice on how to talk to donors and consider how they are feeling and faring during this time, and highlight different giving strategies that can benefit organizations and donors.

After listening to the episode, click on the link to the webinar in the Resources section to watch the full recording, including a panel discussion featuring Eddie and Russell as well as Page Bullington, president and general manager of Blackbaud Healthcare Solutions and Blackbaud Foundation Solutions, and Heather Wiley Starankovic, principal consultant at Accordant Philanthropy.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Four pieces of the frame that holds the nonprofit mosaic together
- Excellent leadership
- Appealing mission
- Dedicated staff
- Visibility in the community
Replacing fear with focus
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on major and planned gifts
Short-term impacts on major and planned giving
Questions that donors are asking themselves
Types of wealth accumulators
Showing support to donors during crisis
Transitioning to different giving opportunities
Permission marketing
Donor-advised fund holders
Plan B for planned gifts
Charitable gift annuities
CARES Act charitable donations

Resources:

Webinar: Raising Major and Planned Gifts in the Current Environment

Tip Sheet: 6 Planned Giving Options to Offer Donors

Tip Sheet: Questions Major Donors Are Asking Themselves Before Making a Gift

Quotes:

“We are really positioning ourselves not just for today, but for the future.” –Eddie Thompson

“I’ll tell you this, almost everyone has been impacted emotionally.” –Eddie Thompson

“We want people to ask us for more information or more details.” –Russell James

Giving days are an increasingly important fundraising tool for social good organizations. And while #GivingTuesday may be the most well-known event, there are a variety of ways to hold a giving day, from organization-specific to regional to national or international, each with their own benefits.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear from Amanda Baldwin, Sr. Principal Solutions Engineer at Blackbaud, about how to plan a successful giving day for your organization. Listen in to hear what Amanda has to say about the importance of giving days as a fundraising strategy, the benefits of organizations holding their own giving days, and technologies that organizations should consider for giving day success.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why giving days are such an important fundraising strategy
Whether organizations with small budgets and staffs can have successful giving days
The benefits of organizations holding their own giving days vs. participating in regional, local, or international giving days
Key steps that organizations need to keep in mind when organizing giving days
The importance of setting and communicating tangible fundraising goals
Technologies that organizations should consider when planning giving days

Resources:

Amanda Baldwin

Webinar: How to Hold a Successful Giving Day for Your Nonprofit

Free Giving Day Toolkit

Creating a Giving Tuesday Strategy That's 'Just Right'

Quotes:

“It is important to remind your audience that fundraising is how you are able to reach those outcomes.”

“You shouldn’t have to apologize for needing to fundraise in order to do all the good work you’re doing in your community and around the world.”

“I think that the more unique you can be, the more you can make yourself stand out, the more likely you won’t have to be concerned about feeling like you’re in competition for donor dollars all on one day with other organizations either in your community or around the world.”

Nonprofits that are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic may be able to receive help through the CARES Act – the large relief bill that Congress passed in an effort to help individuals and organizations weather the crisis. But it can be difficult to understand all of the ins and outs of such a large and complex piece of legislation.

In today’s episode, Ben Kershaw of Independent Sector joins Blackbaud’s Government Relations Manager Sally Ehrenfried to answer questions about the CARES Act that especially concern nonprofit organizations. Listen in to hear what Ben has to say about how nonprofits can get help, how to think about long-term support, and what aspects of the Paycheck Protection Program nonprofits need to be aware of.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The aspects of the CARES Act that apply to nonprofits
How nonprofits can get help through the CARES Act
Whether there’s any thought of long-term support in addition to meeting short-term needs
Insight about charitable tax deductions
Communicating changes to donors
When the 8-week period of the Paycheck Protection Program starts
Whether organizations that receive PPP funds can hire temp employees
The rules around non-payroll expenses
What the process will be around the recent replenishment of funding that Congress has added to the Payroll Protection Program
What reforms and changes will come with the next relief package
What long-term changes might come from coronavirus responses generally and the CARES Act specifically
The importance of speaking up in the nonprofit sector

Resources:

Ben Kershaw

CARES Act Resources from Independent Sector

Blackbaud COVID-19 Resource Center

Blackbaud CARES Act Resource Hub

Quotes:

“As we turn to other legislation, we’ll be talking about 2 trillion-dollar responses, so it’s just a reminder of how quickly both the public awareness and the policy response to this have grown.”

“We will certainly be advocating to extend this incentive and to expand it, so that it can help incentivize the sort of giving that we need as a nation.”

“The intent of the Paycheck Protection Program is clear. It is not small business or a small non-profit protection program, it’s a paycheck protection program. The intent is to make sure that employees stay on payroll.”

In the new normal in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, what’s the best way for organizations to engage and inspire their audiences? Should they be looking to newer types of media, such as podcasts, to help humanize their organizations and more deeply connect with their supporters, customers, donors, etc.?

Today’s guest is Camille Laurente, co-founder and CEO, of Hueman Group Media. Listen to the interview to hear what she has to say about how to engage audiences through storytelling across multiple digital channels, what powerful and compelling stories look like, and how organizations should be thinking about using podcasting and other types of new media.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What Hueman Group Media does
How organizations can engage their audiences using different types of media during this pandemic and beyond
How organizations not on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic can still engage supporters in their ongoing missions
Examples of powerful and compelling stories
The importance of humanizing content
How organizations should think about podcasting and other types of media use in addition to the other things that they’re doing
What Camille is working on right now and what impact she’s hoping to have in the social good sector

Resources:

Camille Laurente

Humaen Group Media Podcast Series

Blackbaud University Course: Multimedia Storytelling

Quotes:

“I think one of the key approaches to this pandemic is really being transparent and really authentic in your messaging.”

“Data is good, and your impact or what you’ve done in the past is good, but don’t forget to humanize your content.”

“I love sharing this because, in the next few weeks, we’re launching a new slate of podcasts on our network.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the funding landscape in various ways. It’s important that both grantmakers and grantees understand each other’s needs and challenges right now.

In today’s episode, Lauren Steiner, president and founder of Grants Plus, talks with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson about the current trends she is seeing in grantmaking. Listen in to hear what Lauren has to say about COVID-related funding resources, changes to funding practices and requirements, and how nonprofits should approach conversations with funders.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

General trends in the funding landscape
How many funders are changing practices and requirements in response to the current situation
The importance of transparency and relationship building
Advice for starting conversations with funders
Changes in the funding situation that may continue once the crisis has passed
The COVID-related funding resources that Lauren has been gathering

Resources:

Lauren Steiner

Grant Plus's Guide to Grant Seeking During the COVID-19 Crisis

COVID-19 Industry Resources for Foundations and Grantmaking Organizations

3 Best Practices for Remote Disaster Grantmaking Response

Chronicle of Philanthropy article: 6 Steps for Grant Makers to Take Now to Ensure Nonprofits Recover From Coronavirus Spread

Quotes:

“The general consensus was we need to advise organizations to not stop because of what’s going on.”

“One of the trends that I’m seeing – and I am here for it – is that foundations are loosening restrictions.”

“If you haven’t started that kind of frequent connection with your funders, do that now.”

Many things have changed in response to COVID-19, but the missions and purposes of social good organizations remain the same even if their methods must adjust to meet the current situation.

In today’s episode, Melissa Bank Stepno, Director of Analytics Consulting at Blackbaud joins the podcast to talk with Steve MacLaughlin about using personas for fundraising during COVID-19. Listen in to hear what Melissa has to say about the value of continued engagement, what organizations should be focusing on right now, and how personas can help their messaging.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What Melissa is hearing from organizations right now about fundraising during COVID-19
The importance of continued engagement
What organizations should focus on right now
The importance of data health
How organizations can use personas to fine-tune messages for their audiences
Examples of personas and how they work
How the imagery can match the message
How organizations can learn more about personas

Resources:

Melissa Bank Stepno

Blackbaud Institute Report: "Supporters in Sight: A Look at Peer-to-Peer Personas"

Blackbaud Institute Report: "Supporters in Sight: An Introduction to Personas"

Article: Harnessing Big Data to Sustain Peer-to-Peer Revenue Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic

Quotes:

“Every nonprofit in the country, in the world, exists for a purpose and for a reason, and those missions are all still valid today.”

“The health of the addresses on your file, the phone numbers on your file, the emails on your file is more critical than ever as we’re thinking about how we can reach people where they are.”

“How can you meet somebody where they are at their point in time in life, and what they’re most interested in?”

GivingTuesday is an annual campaign that has taken off far beyond expectations in the years since it was first implemented, reaching an unprecedented global scale. And now the #GivingTuesday organization has created a new day of giving as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic: #GivingTuesdayNow.

Asha Curran, CEO of #GivingTuesday, joins the sgENGAGE Podcast in this episode to talk with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson about the new #GivingTuesdayNow campaign happening on May 5, 2020. Listen in to hear what Asha has to say about how #GivingTuesdayNow came about, how people are pitching in to help during this crisis, and how to handle messaging and creating campaigns in situations with limited timeframes.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The basics of #GivingTuesday and how it’s become an independent organization
What prompted Asha to create #GivingTuesdayNow
How people are using their unique skills in the COVID-19 crisis
How to focus when there isn’t a lot of ramp-up time to create a new fundraising campaign
Messaging advice to engage supporters around #GivingTuesdayNow
Asha’s goals for #GivingTuesdayNow

Resources:

Asha Curran

#GivingTuesdayNow

#GivingTuesdayNow resources from Blackbaud

Quotes:

“Last year on Giving Tuesday 2019, over 2 billion dollars was donated just in the 24 hours of Giving Tuesday.”

“Right from the beginning, we saw that people were in search of ideas. They wanted to help.”

“We have a saying in the Giving Tuesday community that there’s no stealing in Giving Tuesday, there’s just joyful replication.”

In the midst of COVID-19, virtual volunteerism opportunities are more important than ever. But there have also always been people who want to engage and contribute but who can’t, for various reasons, volunteer in traditional ways. This episode is about understanding and expanding virtual volunteer programs.

Danielle Holly, CEO of Common Impact, an organization dedicated to skills-based volunteerism, joins the Podcast to share her insights and expertise on how nonprofits and corporations can better work together on virtual volunteer programs. Listen in to hear her talk with Blackbaud’s Rachel Hutchisson on different models for virtual volunteering, how companies can encourage employees to give back in this way, and what nonprofits can do to create more virtual volunteer opportunities.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The types of virtual volunteer activities that are available
How companies can set employees up for success with virtual volunteer opportunities
How to get to know your nonprofit partner quickly in a virtual environment
What nonprofits and social good organizations can do to create more virtual volunteer opportunities
Standout examples of virtual volunteer programs

Resources:

Danielle Holly

Common Impact's Catalog of Virtual Volunteer Models

Going Virtual - An Alternative Volunteer Event Guide

Quotes:

“Pro bono and skills-based volunteerism, for the most part, translates very easily into a virtual environment.”

“The encouragement and the modeling of volunteering from mid-level management and from senior management is incredibly important.”

“There are very few projects, initiatives, and challenges that nonprofit leaders face that can’t be supported by service. That can’t be supported by pro bono talent.”

Traditionally, arts and cultural organizations start fundraising after someone buys their first ticket. But is that the best approach for long-term success? What if organizations waited and took a more methodical approach?

In today’s episode, Aubrey Bergauer, Executive Director of the Center for Innovative Leadership and VP of Strategic Communications at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, joins the podcast to talk about developing a long-haul approach to fundraising, being customer-obsessed, and attracting a more diverse audience. You’ll also hear a bonus segment with Aubrey, added after the main interview was originally recorded, in which she discusses how organizations can most effectively operate right now during the COVID-19 crisis.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How the San Francisco Conservatory of Music is responding in the face of COVID-19
How arts and cultural organizations can effectively communicate with their supporters during these uncertain times
Advice for arts and cultural organizations attempting to adapt their operations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic
The success Aubrey has seen with the long-haul fundraising model she developed for fundraising and patron retention
Why organizations should wait to solicit donations
How Aubrey is bringing the long-haul model to higher education
Examples of the wrong types of metrics organizations often focus on
The importance of being customer-obsessed
Shaping your organization’s website for first-time visitors instead of your board of directors or long-term donors
Making programming more attractive and accessible to a younger audience
Attracting more diverse audiences
How to achieve a more diverse staff

Resources:

Follow Aubrey Berguaer on Twitter: @AubreyBergauer

Resources to Guide Arts and Cultural Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Report: Guide to Evaluating your Arts & Cultural Organization's Online Performance

Quotes:

“I think what’s so important for arts organizations is to really be forward-looking.”

“It’s OK to be human. But we must also be positive, and we must also be looking into the future.”

“The key is to talk to users but to also respond, not justify what we’ve been doing.”

The spread of COVID-19 has changed the workplace for many people: in many cases, it means that people are working remotely for the first time or working remotely in different ways than they previously did with partners or kids at home. It’s important to have a strategy in place for keeping team members engaged and productive.

In today’s episode, Tiffany Crumpton, Director of Marketing for Blackbaud Higher Education Solutions talks with Blackbaud change management expert Mike Reardon about the best strategies for successfully maintaining an engaged remote staff. Listen to the episode to hear what Tiffany and Mike have to say about virtually promoting interpersonal communication, maintaining a sense of normalcy during these unprecedented times, and staying engaged while working remotely amidst COVID-19.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Tiffany and her team are managing the transition to working at home
How to promote interpersonal communication remotely
Tips for managers to create collaborative environments for team members
Steps that all people can take to stay engaged
The importance of maintaining a sense of normalcy
Finding ways to help others
Tips and tricks for people who are working remotely for the first time or doing it in a new way

Resources:

Tiffany Crumpton

Article: Take a Shower and Other WFH Tips from Your Social Good Peer

Article: 6 Tips for Managing a Virtual Workforce

Quotes:

“I maintain it’s important to have that regular – I call it drumbeat – of communication.”

“Humor and grace can help in many scenarios.”

“In times of uncertainty, it also helps to think of people we may be able to help.”

Succession planning is a hot topic, but is it the right topic? Today’s guest believes that organizations should go beyond succession planning and think about intentional pathway planning instead for long-term sustainability.

Miecha Ranea Forbes is the senior vice president of Culture, Inclusion and Strategic Advising at Koya Leadership Partners. Miecha joins host Rachel Hutchisson to share her experience and discuss the difference between succession planning and intentional pathway planning, where organizations should start their intentional pathway planning journey, and how everyone can take ownership of their own development and career pathways.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Miecha’s role at Koya Leadership Partners and her human resources background
The difference between success planning and intentional pathway planning
Why and how organizations should start intentional pathway planning
What employees who are aren’t in senior management can do to be a part of the pathway planning process
How individual contributors can invest in and develop their careers outside of what the company offers
The importance of mentorship
Acknowledging failure and providing constructive feedback

Resources:

Miecha Ranea Forbes

Article: Why Succession Planning is an Outdated Concept

Article: 4 Free Professional Development Opportunities You Might Not Be Thinking About

Quotes:

“I think it’s really important to start immediately so that you can actually anticipate the things that could occur.”

“Every role within the organization is essential to making the organization run and run well, but there are some roles that are more critical, particularly from a decision-making perspective.”

“You have to take ownership for your own success, for your development, for your pathway.”

Corporate social responsibility and responsible business are now seen as integral to successful business operations. But have you thought about involving the sourcing and procurement processes in creating social impact?

Today’s guest is Paul Polizzotto, founder and CEO of Givewith, who has had a 30-career of dedicating himself to the idea that businesses can prioritize social impact and deliver a sustainable funding source for nonprofits while distinguishing themselves from the competition. Paul talked to host Rachel Hutchisson about connecting people with their jobs and communities through purposeful business practices.

Listen to the interview to hear what Paul has to say about how he started Givewith, what companies can do to align their sourcing with their social impact programs, and how nonprofits can take advantage of the solutions and movement that Paul is helping to create.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Paul’s background as a social entrepreneur
Finding new sources of funding for CSR initiatives
Advice for companies looking to align sourcing and their social impact
How nonprofits can benefit from this funding stream
Examples of a successful business-nonprofit partnership that benefitted from creating social impact through the sourcing process
How the lines between business and nonprofit are blurring

Resources:

Paul Polizzotto

Givewith

Article: 4 Core Attributes of Authentic Corporate Citizenship

Quotes: 

“In my view, awareness is overrated. Action is never overrated. And awareness without action is a missed opportunity.”

“I think there’s an opportunity to integrate social impact in sourcing and procurement that addresses a number of other business issues.”

“The nonprofits start to really understand that their social impacts that they’re carrying out actually have business value that they didn’t understand.”

What was the state of charitable giving last year? Now is the time to find out so you can benchmark your organization and boost your fundraising performance in 2020.

In a bit of a reversal this episode, host Steve McLaughlin is today’s guest. Steve sat down with Erin Duff from the Blackbaud Institute to talk about Blackbaud’s 2019 Charitable Giving Report, which tracks over $36 billion in U.S-based charitable giving from the Blackbaud Institute Index. Listen to the interview to hear Steve explain why it’s important to consider three-year trends, what the overall giving and online giving numbers mean for nonprofit strategy, and what the most important practice is for social good organizations to focus on in 2020.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Why knowing the giving trends each year matters to the social good sector
How to use the data from the Charitable Giving Report
How philanthropy has weathered recent changes in variables that affect giving
The importance of measuring 3-year trends
Insights on online giving trends and strategies
Average gift amounts by subsector
How organizations should interpret and respond to retention rate figures
Why it’s important to keep an eye on global giving
The single most important practice for social good organizations to focus on

Resources:

2019 Charitable Giving Report

Blackbaud Institute

Quotes:

“This year, we’re not only showing year over year results, but we’re taking those thousands of organizations and those tens of billions of dollars in giving, and looking at it over a 3-year period of time.”

“In 2019, overall giving was up 1% on a year over year basis, but up over 5% on a 3-year trend basis.”

“Online giving continues to be less than 10% of overall fundraising, although we’re starting to see those numbers shift.”

Change comes in many different forms, whether it’s a new technology initiative, a new stakeholder or student engagement approach, change in leadership, crisis resolution, etc. So, what are the steps that institutions can take to implement sustainable change and realize the vision they’re trying to create through any transformation?

Today’s guest, Drumm McNaughton, CEO of The Change Leader, Inc. talks with Blackbaud change management expert Michael Reardon about the best strategies for getting stakeholders involved in change efforts at higher education institutions and other social good organizations. Listen in to hear them discuss common types of institutional change, how to keep up momentum through change efforts, and how to maintain engaged users once a change has been implemented.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The basic steps to implementing sustainable change
The differences between incremental, transformational and revolutionary change
How to get stakeholders involved in change efforts
The different kinds of people required in a change effort
What’s required from leadership during a change effort
Change management as a psychological process
Maintaining engaged users once a change is implemented
Best practices for engaging remote stakeholders
Pitfalls to avoid

Resources:

Drumm McNaughton

Webinar: Proven Change Management Practices for High-Performing Institutions

Webinar: Digital Transformation: Getting Your Institution on Board

Tip Sheet: Six Steps for Implementing New Technology at Your Higher Education Institution

Quotes:

“We do something that we call the stakeholder input and attunement process.”

“We call skeptics our best friend.”

“Change management, however you call it, frankly it’s a psychological process, because you’re working with people and their mental models.”

Decision-making around directing philanthropic giving is an increasingly data-driven exercise. So, it’s more important than ever for social good organizations looking to attract investment to be able to quantify and communicate their defined outcomes and ability to efficiently and effectively achieve them. This is accountable impact.

Today’s episode features an excerpt of a panel session at bbcon 2019 with John Cashman, Senior Principal Account Executive and Tony Boor, Chief Financial Officer at Blackbaud, Paul Preziotti, Principal at Johnson Lambert LLP and Traci Drake, Chief Philanthropy Executive at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Listen in get an inside look at the 2019 Blackbaud Accountable Impact Study and to hear these experts discuss challenges and best practices around adopting a culture of accountable impact to drive support for your mission.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Background on Blackbaud’s 2019 Accountable Impact Study
Why the sub-competencies covered in this study were chosen
Finance benchmark competencies
Funding transparency
Promoting success from a financial perspective
Communication between the finance function and non-financial managers
Why so many nonprofits and social good organizations don’t feel enabled when it comes to technology
The interconnectivity of people, processes, and technology
Working with donors to fund capacity building needs

Resources:

John Cashman, Senior Principal Account Executive, Blackbaud
Tony Boor, Chief Financial Officer, Blackbaud
Paul Preziotti, Principal, Johnson Lambert LLP
Traci Drake, Chief Philanthropy Executive, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
2019 Blackbaud Accountable Impact Study

Quotes:

“The healthier an organization is in terms of vendor and credit management, the higher their overall competencies.” – John Cashman

“Most of the individuals who are making the key decisions don’t have a financial background. Your role in finance is to provide that link, from the accounting information.” –Paul Preziotti

“Technology is not a silver bullet. If you don’t have properly trained people, and you don’t have good processes, technology’s not going to solve it.” –Tony Boor

When you want the best information available, your best bet is to gather expert advice across a broad spectrum of professionals in the field you’re interested in. And that’s just what today’s guest has done.

Martin Leifeld, CEO of Martin Leifeld LLC, is the author of Five Minutes for Fundraising: A Collection of Expert Advice from Gifted Fundraisers, which shares tips from a wide range of social good professionals. Listen in to hear Martin’s discussion with host Steve MacLaughlin, which focused on building relationships with major donors and maintaining involvement and engagement with those donors over a period of years.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Key pieces of wisdom for fundraising professionals who are just starting their journey into major gifts
Building and nurturing long-term relationships with major donors
Managing expectations within your organization about major donors
The 80/20 rule for donor relationships
Strategies for attracting and engaging with different types of donors

Resources:

Martin Leifeld

Five Minutes for Fundraising video series

Supporters in Sight: A Look at Affluent Donor Personas

Top Event Strategies for Major Donor Cultivation

Using Nonprofit Data to Find Your Next Major Donor

Quotes:

“The book overall really focuses on major gift engagement – major gift engagement for professionals and volunteers.”

“You have to educate your executives, you need to educate your board, you yourself perhaps as an executive director or significant volunteer or having the fundraising responsibility – you have to be educated.”

“It’s very rare that there’s some kind of shortcut where a gift mystically magically appears at our doorstep that can change the course of our organization.”

This episode was originally published on April 18, 2018 as part of Blackbaud’s previous Raise & Engage Podcast.

Burnout. We’ve all been there or know someone who has. While work-life balance can be difficult for anyone to maintain, professionals in the non-profit sector face certain challenges that put them at a greater risk for experiencing burnout. How can you prevent burnout on an individual level, and how can an organization’s leadership help prevent employees from experiencing burnout?

Today’s guest is Beth Kanter, consultant, trainer, and author of the book, The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for Impact Without Burnout. Listen to today’s episode to hear what Beth has to say about burnout, why nonprofit employees are at risk for burnout, and how it can be prevented.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What the term “burnout” means in the nonprofit sector and why it happens to nonprofit workers
The stages of burnout
How passion for a cause can be related to burnout
How to recognize the symptoms of burnout
How leadership can prevent burnout in their team
The effect that the workspace can have on employee wellbeing
The Pomodoro method for focusing
How mobile phones and other devices can affect the feeling of burnout
Different methods of self-care
How to be inclusive of remote team members and keep them engaged
First steps organizations and individuals can take to avoid burnout

Resources:

Beth Kanter
The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit

Quotes:

“I think we work in a field where scarcity mindsets lead. We don’t have enough staples in our staplers, or we don’t have enough staff, so I think this leads to trying to compensate by overworking.”

“Well-being is not something that’s foisted onto employees, right? They have to be engaged in it.”

“Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”

The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for Impact without Burnout

So you’ve gotten that first donation, now how can you retain that donor? A welcome series is what should be next. An email welcome series is different from a thank-you email, a newsletter, or other types of ordinary supporter email communications. Getting the email welcome series right can take effort, and it may be more important than you think.

In today’s interview with sgENGAGE Podcast veteran and Blackbaud University instructional designer Jocelyn Wright, you’ll learn more about why a welcome series is important, why they are valuable even in an email overload world, and what the best practices are for developing an email welcome series.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What a welcome series is
Why you should send a welcome series
Statistics about how supporters interact with welcome series
The recommended cadence for sending welcome emails
Whether different types of supporters need different welcome emails
Best practices for developing welcome emails
The type of information to include in a welcome series

Resources:

Jocelyn Wright

Blackbaud University Organizational Best Practices Curriculum

The sgENGAGE Podcast Episode 116: Storytelling 101

Quotes:

“It’s actually a great way to get information in front of supporters in a format that’s more likely to be clicked on and more likely to be opened and interacted with.”

“This isn’t something where they’re getting a message from you every single day for 3 days and then you’re done.”

“Another thing to keep in mind with welcome series is they’re a great opportunity for experimentation, and you really should be testing different things out and seeing what works.”

Direct marketing is an important part of any social good organization’s strategy, but it’s critical that the program is well designed and reaches the right people with the right messages. Have you found yourself asking how to better use analytics to help drive your direct marketing strategy and measure results? That’s what today’s guest is here to talk about.

John Wilburn, director of direct response for the National Park Foundation, joined guest host Christine Newman at bbcon to talk about how being data-driven and open to innovation has helped him develop a successful direct marketing program at the organization. Listen in to hear what John has to say about deciding which marketing ideas to test out, choosing which metrics to follow, and getting others in the organization on board with your ideas.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What is direct marketing?
How to decide which ideas to test
Examples of ideas that worked well for the National Park Foundation
Experiments John tried that didn’t work well
How John uses analytics to drive strategy and measure results
How to choose what metrics to follow
Getting started using analytics
Advice for getting the buy-in from others in the organization

Resources:

John Wilburn

Article: What Fundraisers Can Learn from Direct Marketing

The Next Generation of American Giving

Quotes:

“If you start seeing it enough from different nonprofits, that might be a good idea to try for yours.”

“For us, national parks really are the capital N capital P parks across the big vistas such as Grand Canyon, Yosemite.”

“I think big data’s sort of gone away in terms of the lexicon, it’s more about smart data, and that can be actually small data can be a smart data point.”

The new year is always a time for planning and looking ahead, and that’s true for organizations as well as individuals. Whether January marks the beginning of your fiscal year or the midpoint, creating a fundraising plan for 2020 will help you be more successful in attracting new donors and retaining existing ones.

Today, Tanya Fitzgerald, senior marketing manager at Blackbaud, joins the podcast again to talk to host Steve MacLaughlin about the key aspects to a plan that sets your organization up for success. Listen to the episode to hear what Tanya has to say about what fundraising teams should be looking at, how they should think about giving in 2020, and how technology fits into the picture.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What metrics fundraising teams should look at to improve performance in 2020
How to bring 2019 end-of-year donations into your 2020 plan
Managing communications according to the donor pyramid
Showing donors what their gifts accomplish
The importance of consistent messaging across channels in fundraising
Personalizing donor communications for increased engagement
Looking ahead with donor stewardship plans
How technology fits into the picture for 2020

Resources:

Tanya Fitzgerald

The Explorer from the Blackbaud Institute

The Connected Office: Your Guide to Creating a Cohesive Constituent Experience

Quotes:

“You need to really look into those numbers and those percentages and have them to set your goals.”

“It’s so costly to obtain that first-time donor, so you’re going to want to keep them and get them turned into an annual donor.”

“I really think that transparency is important. These guys want to see inside of your organization as much as possible.”

The U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the set of 17 global goals adopted by 193 U.N. member states to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet, provide a common roadmap for organizations to measure impact. And in particular, the participation of companies and philanthropic organizations will be critical to achieving the SDGs. But with 17 goals and 232 indicators, it can seem overwhelming to know where to begin.

In this episode, you’ll hear from Tiffany Washington, Impact and Integration Lead at DTE Energy, and Alexis Fish, Senior Business Analyst at Blackbaud who helps advise customers on impact measurement. Recorded at bbcon 2019, Tiffany and Alexis talk with host Rachel Hutchisson about why aligning to the SDGs is important, the role that companies and philanthropic organizations will play in achieving the goals by 2030, and how to incorporate the SDGs into business and philanthropic frameworks. Tiffany also shares the process that DTE Energy took to align to the SDGs and how they brought their nonprofit partners along on their journey.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

What the Sustainable Development Goals are and why they matter
The role that companies and other social good organizations play with achieving the SDGs
How philanthropic organizations can align their impact goals with the SDGs
DTE Energy’s SDG journey
How funders and grantees can work together to align with the SDGs
What resources companies and other organizations can look to when they want to incorporate the SDGs into their work

Resources:

Alexis Fish

Tiffany Washington

The Future of Sustainable Business: Making the Global Goals Local Business

Educating on the SDGs

Quotes:

“The SDGs, for one, it helps provide some benchmarking for common and best practices within the CSR industry.” –Tiffany Washington

“Communicate, communicate early and often.” –Tiffany Washington

“All of the UN SDG materials are free. They are an open resource.” – Alexis Fish

Sustainer giving programs provide donors an easy, automatic way to donate while also giving organizations a reliable source of income. In fact, research by the Blackbaud Institute revealed that sustained givers can increase giving to an organization by as much as 300% over two years. So, how can your organization take advantage?

Today’s episode, recorded live at bbcon 2019, is all about how to build and grow a successful sustainer giving program. Kristin Jackson and Bethany Taylor from Boise State Public Radio’s membership team sat down with guest host Christine Newman to talk about the success they’ve had building and expanding their sustainer giving program. Listen in to hear the keys to their success and get insights on how other organizations can do the same.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Boise State Public Radio started a sustainer giving program
Experimenting with a sustainer giving program to increase success
Challenges that Boise State Public Radio faced in growing the sustainer program
Finding the right messaging to attract sustaining donors
Is it worth branding a sustainer program?
How gifts and matching funds can attract more sustainers
Strategies to increase sustainer donor levels
The importance of “thank you” in keeping sustaining donors

Resources:

Kristin Jackson

Bethany Taylor

Sustainers in Focus - research reports from the Blackbaud Institute

Quotes:

“I just felt like – clearly it could grow to more than that.”

“That’s the biggest thing is just get comfortable asking.”

“If you’re in the middle of a campaign, your sustainers want to help. They don’t want to feel left out of your campaign.”

Culture is an important factor for organizations in having a healthy and high performing workplace. The right culture doesn’t just make the workplace more fun – having a cohesive workplace culture can save a company money and make them more effective in their goals in the long term. So, how can organizations more effectively hire people aligned with their culture?

Today’s episode, recorded live at bbcon 2019, discusses just that. Tune in to hear William Vanderbloemen, CEO of The Vanderbloemen Group, talk with host Rachel Hutchisson about how to first determine your organization’s culture, and then how to strategically hire people that fit that culture. William also discusses how to make sure that hiring for culture still brings diversity to the workplace.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

The factors that go into determining an organization’s culture
Questions that organizations can ask themselves to determine their values
How organizations can understand if they have a good organizational culture
How creating a cohesive culture helps organizations save money in the long run
What to do when a new hire doesn’t fit the culture
How to make sure you bring diversity in when looking for culture fit

Resources:

Wlliam Vanderbloemen

The Vanderbloemen Group

More resources about culture on sgENGAGE: Expert Advice for Improving Culture & Morale at Nonprofit Organizations

Quotes:

“By definition, cause-driven organizations should have an easy time hiring because you’re looking for people that are aligned with your cause.”

“If your vision at your company is what you’re trying to accomplish, then your culture is how you as a team behave while you’re trying to accomplish this vision.”

“I think you’re going to see smart organizations in the future are going to focus on culture, not because it’s the hip thing to do, but because if you can get your culture fit right, you have a chance of keeping your employees a little bit longer.”

Peer-to-peer fundraising is an important part of a social good organization’s overall fundraising strategy. But as people increasingly become more committed to causes versus specific organizations, how can organizations engage and guide individual fundraisers who are campaigning to raise funds for causes close to their hearts?

In today’s episode, recorded live at bbcon 2019, Caroline Jones, founder of Knickers Model’s Own and 2015 JustGiving creative fundraiser of the year, joins host Steve MacLaughlin to discuss the journey and success of her crowdfunding campaign raising money for Cancer Research UK. Caroline shares her experience creating and properly supporting her campaign as a working professional, mother, and first-time fundraiser. Listen in to hear Caroline talk about the highs and lows of her journey, what fundraising efforts she took to differentiate herself, and what Caroline thinks other individual fundraisers can do to ensure successful campaigns.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How and why Caroline started fundraising
Connecting to a fundraising platform
The growth of Caroline’s campaign
Controlling authenticity and messaging
Messaging appropriately for each platform
Lessons learned from Caroline’s journey
What tools individual fundraisers need

Resources:

Caroline Jones

2019 Blackbaud Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Study

Knickers Model's Own

Knickers Model's Own - JustGiving

Quotes:

“It was only ever going to be the JustGiving platform.”

“It’s such an uplifting feeling when you’re in that very lonely place of being the sole fundraiser on your own.”

“You can’t do things in half measures.”

Long standing social good organizations have developed foundational fundraising and engagement methods that have provided for them for decades or more. As technology continues to shrink the world, increasing competition and changing the way we communicate with one another, how can business principles and skills help bring historically traditional nonprofits and other social good organizations into the future?

Dorri McWhorter, president and CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, joined host Rachel Hutchisson to discuss how she modernized the organization and is bringing it to new levels of success. Listen in to hear about Dorri’s work, combining business skillsets with a nonprofit, and understanding the value of a cause.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Dorri modernized the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago
Balancing a business approach in the nonprofit sector
Importance of revenue in nonprofits
Understanding and communicating the ultimate value of your organization and cause
Advice for social good leaders looking to future-proof their organizations

Resources:

Dorri McWhorter

Quotes:

“How can we get to the problems and just start solving them?”

“It just so happens that we have this wonderful tax status that allows us to look at the business differently.”

“A business solves problems and we solve problems too, we just don’t frame it like that.”

Pro bono volunteering can be a strategic resource for social change, benefiting companies, social good organizations, and individuals. But what makes pro-bono relationships work for all partners, and how can your company or social good organization set up a pro bono program that has an impact?

In today’s episode, recorded live at bbcon 2019, we explore the construct of successful pro-bono partnerships. Danielle Holly, CEO of Common Impact, joined host Rachel Hutchisson to talk about how organizations can make pro-bono volunteering work. Listen in to hear Danielle’s insights on the benefits of pro-bono, what organizations need to be thinking about when shaping a pro-bono program, and how to measure the success of a pro-bono partnership from both sides of the partnership.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How pro-bono can be a strategic resource for social change
Shaping pro-bono partnerships
Pro-bono volunteer tools for nonprofits
The benefits of pro-bono for companies and employees
Finding the right connections between companies and nonprofits
Why it’s important to avoid pro bono partnerships that are poor fits
How to lay the groundwork at the beginning of a successful engagement
How to measure success on both sides
Examples of companies that successfully plan pro-bono projects

Resources:

Danielle Holly

Read more from Danielle Holly on Pro-Bono Volunteering

Capacity Commons

Quotes:

“At its core, skills-based is about translating any talent, expertise, superpower, whether that’s carpentry or painting or marketing, to a need that a social change organization has.”

“There are very few skillsets, very few projects that don’t translate between sectors.”

“As a company, ensuring that you are committed to an honest, trusted partnership is something that we always say you need to come out of the gate with.”

Companies are under increasing pressure to be socially conscious, if not socially active. But what’s the best way to do this authentically? How can you make sure that your purpose and your business strategies are aligned in a way that resonates with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

In today’s interview with Sarah Chapman, Director of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Deloitte Canada, we discuss how businesses and organizations are following the trend of being more socially active. Listen in to hear Sarah talks with host Rachel Hutchisson about how Deloitte Canada has increasingly incorporated purpose into their strategy, and her advice for how other companies can do the same.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

How Deloitte Canada is reacting to the trend of businesses being socially conscious and active
What Deloitte Canada is seeing across companies it works with in its Corporate Purpose practice, and how it’s advising them to incorporate purpose
Deloitte Canada’s “Tomorrow, Together” strategy and how employees, customers and stakeholders have responded
Impacts that Sarah is particularly proud of
Advice for companies that want to align purpose with business strategy

Resources:

Sarah Chapman

Webinar: The Evolution of CSR: How to Align Your Charity with Corporate Initiatives

Quotes:

“At the end of the day, what it’s really about is standing for something and proving it in everything you say and do.” –Sarah Chapman

“What I’m actually advising clients now is taking a more center of the business approach.”

“Don’t wait for the perfect moments. Go and sort of get some quick wins.”

Smokey Bear, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk, Keep America Beautiful, The Crash Test Dummies…the Ad Council is well known for these and many other successful public service ad campaigns. We sat down with them to peek behind the curtain and get tips that all social good organizations can leverage.

In this episode of the sgENGAGE Podcast, recorded in front of a live audience at bbcon 2019, Anthony Signorelli, SVP of Corporate Partnerships at the Ad Council, talks with host Rachel Hutchisson about how the organization creates its iconic campaigns. Listen to this interview to learn about the key elements for creating a successful campaign, the research that the Ad Council does before launching a campaign, and how organizations with smaller budgets and limited resources can effectively spread their message.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

Key elements of successful ad campaigns
How research factors into the work the Ad Council does
How the Ad Council works with partners to understand and leverage metrics
An example of a particularly successful Ad Council campaign and why it was so successful
Tips for how organizations with smaller budgets and limited resources can run successful campaigns
How the Ad Council is now able to help more organizations get started with its Ad Council Edge consultancy
How organizations can get involved with the Ad Council’s new She Can STEM campaign

Resources:

Anthony Signorelli

She Can STEM

See Anthony speak at bbcon with the bbcon 2019 virtual pass

Quotes:

“I do love really bringing together lots of different people and lots of different organizations.”

“In order to be effective, it’s really important to focus on a single-minded message.”

“If you don’t know what you’re trying to achieve, you’ll never get there.”