The Build Good Fundraising Podcast

Send a textIf it hasn't already, COVID-19 will impact your cause and your fundraising. Maybe you’re wondering if you’re about to face the biggest revenue crash of your career. And that's a real possibility. As panic and fear about the virus spread across the globe, many nonprofit organizations are about to make some choices that could seriously wreck their fundraising for years to come. The decisions nonprofit leaders will make out of fear might erode the value of their donor file and jeopardize their ability to sustain their mission in the future.So to make sure you’re not one of them, I called up Sean Triner of Moceanic for a quick chat about how your nonprofit can not only survive, but also thrive, during this uncertain time. Sean is a lifetime professional fundraiser who has lived and fundraised through recessions and times of crisis. He’s the co-founder of the Pareto Fundraising businesses in Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.These days he runs Moceanic, an online training company focused on best practices for fundraisers like you.In our conversation you’re going to learn:Why you shouldn’t cancel your fundraising right now – and in fact, should increase your fundraising budget.How you can approach your major donors who might be looking at their losses in the stock market and evaluating their charitable giving.What you can do to replace the fundraising events and face to face meetings you rely on to bring in revenue.We’ll also get into some common questions we’ve seen from fundraisers online, and Sean shares a letter from a CEO you can learn from if you have to create a campaign for urgently needed funds.And just a note: since this is a last-minute podcast we’re not using our usual recording setup today – so the audio quality isn’t as good as it usually is. 

Send a textYou’ve likely heard that combining your fundraising with data analytics is the most efficient way to grow your revenue and engage the right donors at the right time.It’s true: donors speak to us through data.Data is simply a measure of our donor’s actions. And most of the time those actions speak louder than words. So we need to listen carefully to what our donors are saying.But…maybe you’re not sure where to start? Maybe you don’t know what metrics you should measure? And what do they mean anyway…and how can they help you?  Well today on the show, you are going to learn 5 key metrics you should be measuring that will help you raise more money from more donors more effectively. We’re talking to Sam Laprade, a seasoned fundraiser who has raised money for important charities such as the Ottawa Hospital Foundation, the Ottawa Human Society and the Ottawa Mission. She’s a fundraising consultant and director at Gryphon Fundraising where she helps organizations make sense of their donor data and improve database analytics. You’re going to learn…1.    What donor data analytics you should measure – and how to measure them2.    How you can interpret those results 3.    And practical ways of using those results to make a difference in your fundraising  

Send a textWhat do you think when you hear the words strategic planning?If you're like most nonprofit leaders today, you know strategy is important. You know a good strategy has the power to completely transform your organization's fundraising and development performance. It can energize your staff, volunteers and donors. It can give you the clarify and focus needed to take on the world's most pressing problems. And for small and mid-sized organizations who are working under all kinds of constraints, a good strategy helps you decide where to allocate all of your time and energy and money and staff to make the most difference. But I know what you might be thinking...because unfortunately for many of us, our experience with strategic planning is often just a big binder full of good intentions that ends up sitting on a shelf collecting dust. And that seems like a waste of time and money.Today's guest is on a mission to change that. And he's going to walk us through an easy framework anyone can use to create a clear and compelling strategy for their organization. We're talking to Chris Bosch, former head of strategy for World Vision Canada where he led a major process involving staff at all levels and external stakeholders to re-imagine the future of the $450m NGO. Chris now runs Chisel Consulting, a company that helps organizations get clear about their own mission and purpose so they know what to focus on.

Send a textToday on the show, we’re talking about a massive opportunity for your nonprofit to add revenue to your bottom line for years to come. We’re talking about the largest gift your donor may ever give to your organization. We’re talking about legacy marketing. Did you know charitable bequests are now worth literally hundreds of billions of dollars in Canada? So if you’re not already giving your donors a chance to leave behind a gift for generations to come that honours their values and beliefs…today is the day to start. And if you already have a legacy marketing program in place, you’re likely looking for effective ways to improve your messaging and strategy.Well today’s guest is going to show you 3 common mistakes nonprofits make when asking donors to leave a gift in their will…and 3 easy solutions you can implement today.We’re talking to David Kravinchuk, seasoned fundraiser and the also the founder and convener of the Western Canada Fundraising Conference. You’re going to learn from David:Why you shouldn’t educate your donor on how to leave a gift in their willWhy you may need to ignore some of your brand standards to effectively communicate with your donors And why you shouldn’t mention most planned gift options And as a gift for you, David is going to share one of the biggest blunders of his career…and help you avoid making the same mistake.LINKS Attend the Day of GoodAttends the Western Canada Fundraising Conference 

Send a textIf you've worked in fundraising for some time, you'll know that direct mail still enjoys some of the best response rates of any communications channel. But because we're living in a digital world, it's easy to think of direct mail as outdated with nothing new to offer.  You and I hear that all the time.If you still rely on the mailbox to connect with your donors and to grow your revenue, you know that's not the case. You know it's still where most donations come in. You know it leads to higher donor retention. You know it's useful in acquiring large gift donors.And you also know that digital tools actually make direct mail work better now than ever before.Today we're talking to Dan Sonners about 4 different ways you can boost your direct mail response by adding digital channels to your fundraising campaigns. Dan is the Director of Non-Profit Marketing at Conrad Direct, a family owned direct marketing firm which has specialized in the nonprofit sector for over 35 years. As a list broker he’s written direct mail and digital media plans which have helped nonprofits acquire nearly a million donors for organizations in wide range of markets and sizes. He also hosts and Dynamic Nonprofits podcast, which is dedicated to advocating for an unsiloed approach to fundraising and spurring innovation in the nonprofit sector. LINKS Connect with Dan on LinkedIn Listen to the Dynamic Nonprofits with Dan PodcastEmail Dan 

Send a textAre you having a hard time finding and retaining a good Director of Development? If that sounds like you, you're not alone. Studies show the average tenure for a Director of Development is between 16-18 months — among the highest in any profession. And while it's true for organizations of all sizes, it's especially true in smaller organizations where more than 50% of Development Directors say they anticipate leaving their jobs in 2 years or less.Today on the podcast, we talk with John Janzen, Director of Development at Inner City Youth Alive in Winnipeg, Canada. John is a first-time DoD who's just finishing his first year on the job. We're going to hear from John on what he's learned in his first year, how he has learned to tell his organization's story, and what every prospective small-shop DoD should know about going into the job.Make sure to stick around, because the end of our conversation John plays a song from a musical he wrote to engage the community in issues of poverty.LINKSInner City Youth Alive