#105: Live from Summit: Why journey mapping is the last, sustainable differentiator in a competitive fundraising marketplace, and how you can master it, with Michael Johnston

Send us Fan Mail In today’s pod we sat down with Dr. Margaret Faulkner, Senior Marketing Scientist at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science to talk about how nonprofits really grow. The Institute is famous for its evidence-based approach to marketing and the groundbreaking book How Brands Grow. Dr. Faulkner brings decades of research from blue-chip commercial brands to the nonprofit sector, challenging some of our most deeply held beliefs about donor loyalty, retention, and brand...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we sit down with Mike Todd from Transform Philanthropy to demystify Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). While often misunderstood or overlooked, DAFs are the fastest-growing giving vehicle and can serve as a recession-resistant revenue stream for your organization. Because DAF money is "pre-funded" by donors who have already received their tax receipts, asking for a grant shifts the conversation entirely from "parting with money" to simply aligning with your mis...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we sit down with Scott Billows, founder and CEO of Belmar, to walk through a practical, step-by-step framework for evaluating and implementing a new CRM. You’re going to learn how to build a priority "this is what I need" list, gain internal alignment, and navigate vendor selection—including why you might want to skip the traditional RFP process in favor of working with an "architect" to map out your requirements. Scott also shares expert advice for ensu...

Send us Fan Mail The donor pyramid is collapsing. Individual giving is shrinking. And yet, total philanthropic revenue is still growing—just from fewer and fewer people. In this episode, we sit down with Anton Lipkanou, President of Delve Deeper, to unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface of donor data, and how fundraisers can respond. Together we explore: Why donor files are aging faster than time itselfHow the “Eiffel Tower” of giving reveals a dangerous imbalanceWhat “Jobs to Be...

Send us Fan Mail Giving Tuesday isn’t just one day on the calendar— it’s a chance to build a core pillar of a larger year-end campaign. In this episode, we sit down with Rapinder Dhinsa from Make-A-Wish Canada to learn how she turned Giving Tuesday into a powerful, multi-year growth engine. Rapinder shares how her team built a campaign that got stronger every year — layering in new channels, integrating matched gifts, and weaving Giving Tuesday into the broader year-end strategy to ma...