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Send us Fan Mail The course is finished, and the conference notes are full. Then year-end fundraising takes over, and the best idea never leaves the folder. Jena Lynch sits down with Daniel Francavilla, founder of The Good Growth Company and a Donorbox Ambassador, to talk about making nonprofit training stick. Daniel shares a simple four-step loop that moves learning out of one person’s notes and into the whole team’s habits. He also makes the case for a 20-minute meeting you can hold with your team this week. A practical listen for any team planning 2027 while Giving Season is in full swing. What You’ll Learn How to decide which training deserves your team’s time Daniel’s simple filter for what to learn now and what can waitWhy teams don’t know what they don’t know, and how to find the gaps anywayWhy conference takeaways stall at the leadership level and how to break the bottleneckDaniel’s four-step loop for sharing what one person learns with the whole teamHow a year-end campaign debrief can set your 2027 training prioritiesThe 20-minute meeting to book with your team this weekMore About Daniel Daniel Francavilla founded The Good Growth Company in 2023 to help nonprofits train their teams and grow their mission. He teaches advertising and design at the post-secondary level and convenes sector leaders through the Together for Impact Summit in Toronto today! He is also a Donorbox Ambassador. Resources and Links The Good Growth CompanyTogether for Impact SummitDaniel Francavilla's WebsiteDaniel Francavilla on LinkedInJena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, specializes in donor stewardship and retention, including peer-to-peer fundraising. She works closely with nonprofit teams to strengthen donor relationships and build practical systems for long-term growth. As anchor of The Nonprofit Podcast, she keeps strategy clear and practical. Chapters: 00:00 - The Training Trap During Busy Seasons 01:33 - Filtering Learning Priorities  03:49 - The Capacity Triage: Immediate Needs vs. Long-Term Planning 06:09 - How to Identify Real Organizational Skill Gaps 12:27 - Why Training Stalls - Bottleneck Busters 17:08 - The 4-Step Knowledge Loop 19:14 - Debriefing Campaigns and Setting 2027 Priorities 21:08 - Bridging the Responsible AI Training Gap 23:10 - The 20-Minute Implementation Meeting 25:11 - Sector Collaboration at the Together for Impact Summit Listener Survey We’re planning our 2027 content and want to ensure we’re delivering what you need to do more good - two quick questions. Your answers help shape future episodes…just click here.   Completely anonymous and incredibly helpful - thank you! About Donorbox Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by 100,000-plus organizations to raise more than $4 billion worldwide.  Let us help you do more good! Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for specific guidance. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Your year-end campaign’s biggest barrier might not be the appeal letter. It might be your checkout. Jena Lynch and fundraising coach Britt Stockert run a 15-minute friction audit to protect donor conversion and stop supporters from walking away mid-gift. Run the full audit with your team. Download the free field guide here. Your turn to coach the show. Two quick taps, totally anonymous, here, so we can bring you more of what you need to know. In this episode: In Part 2 of the Science of Giving series, Jena and Britt walk through a 4-stage friction audit based on our field guide, Donorbox’s 10 Principles of Donor Conversion and Retention: The Science of Giving. Every December, donors land on giving pages ready to give, then hit a slow, cluttered form and walk away. Small, zero-cost tweaks to attention flow, mobile accessibility, form fields, and receipt timing can stop that drop-off before the busiest fundraising weeks arrive. Friction is what stops a donor who already wanted to give. It is the easiest and cheapest thing to fix, and the most commonly ignored. What You’ll Learn: The mailer mistake: why long printed URLs quietly cost gifts, and the simple fixThe “kitchen sink” trap: how extra links and buttons pull attention away from the donate buttonThe 3-second speed test: how many mobile visitors a slow form loses before they read a wordThe mobile checkout killers: why forced passwords and manual card entry lead to abandoned giftsThe “costume jewelry” rule: which fields to strip, and how many preset gift amounts to offerThe recurring sweet spot: why the confirmation screen is the best moment to secure a monthly donorThe 15-minute phone audit: how to test a giving flow on cell data before campaign traffic hitsChapters: 00:00 - Why Are Donors Leaving Your Donation Page Without Giving? 04:17 - Stage 1 (Attention): Why Are Long Links and Clutter Costing You Gifts? 09:50 - Stage 2 (Accessibility): How Do You Protect In-Person and Mobile Donations? 14:35 - Stage 3 (Checkout Friction): Why Do Extra Form Fields Feel Like Homework to Donors? 21:10 - Stage 4 (Retention): How Do Fast Receipts and Monthly Asks Win Donors Back? 26:15 - Action Step: How Do You Run a 15-Minute Friction Audit Before December? Jena Lynch is the Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and host of The Nonprofit Podcast. She regularly coaches nonprofit leaders on donor stewardship and digital fundraising. Britt Stockert, CFRE, is a Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, specializing in donor retention and board engagement. Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform helping more than 100,000 organizations raise over $4 billion worldwide. Learn more at donorbox.org.  Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This episode is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail A packed room isn't necessarily a fundraising strategy. If you’re already losing sleep over seating charts, guest counts, and selling every last ticket, take a breath.  The event doesn't raise the money - relationships do. Here is what actually happens when you stop trying to fill the room and start building it.  Cara Augspurger pulls back the curtain on a recent live fundraising event that didn't just meet a bold fundraising target…it more than doubled it. Cara breaks down the real-world mechanics behind what worked, moving past fundraising event theory into actionable strategies you can ‘steal’ immediately.  From shifting your focus from ticket sales to relationship capacity, enhancing the advantages of trimming program clutter so your mission owns the room, and - the one that makes every fundraiser deeply uncomfortable - making bold stretch asks with confidence, this is your tactical cheat sheet to producing an event that delivers real, multi-year impact. What You'll Learn: Why ticket sales aren't a fundraising strategy: The critical difference between packing the room with bodies and filling it with donors who can actually give.The 3-column spreadsheet: A simple exercise to get your board and connectors inviting high-impact guests today.The "morning-after test": How to cut the fluff and keep your program focused. How to invite "stretch gifts": The no-pressure live ask framework that allows donors to give at higher levels.Multi-year pledges: How to confidently pitch gifts that fund your organization's future.The pre-written thank-you: Why and how an imperfect email within 24 hours beats a late recap.The event doesn't raise the money. The relationships do. The event gives those relationships a moment. Get to grips with planning your Year-End event with a quick refresh of Episode 222, digging into what may be missing from your strategy. Plus, download our event planning guide to keep you on track this Giving Season here.    Chapters: 00:00 - How Did We Double Our Fundraising Event Goal? 01:45 - Can a Guest Speaker Overtake Your Nonprofit's Mission? 02:50 - Why Is Building the Room Better Than Just Filling It? 04:45 - Why Doesn't High Event Attendance Equal Fundraising Capacity? 05:15 - How Do You Use a 3-Column Spreadsheet to Target Key Donors? 05:55 - How Do You Ensure Your Mission Owns the Room? 07:15 - How Do You Avoid the 47-Minute Program Trap? 08:30 - What Is the "Morning-After Spouse Test" for Event Programs? 09:18 - Why Should You Ask Event Guests for Stretch Gifts? 10:45 - Are You Making the Giving Decision for Your Donors? 11:45 - How Do You Say Big Numbers Out Loud and Handle the Silence? 12:25 - Why Do Multi-Year Commitments Matter More Than One-Night Asks? 13:10 - Why Does an Imperfect Thank-You Beat a Polished Recap? 14:40 - Why Should You Write 80% of Your Thank-You Before the Event? 15:20 - Do Events Actually Raise Money, or Do Relationships? 16:25 - What Three Questions Should Drive Your Next Fundraising Event? Cara Augspurger, Ed.M., CFRE, is an experienced frontline fundraiser, Executive Director of Grace Care Center Foundation, and co-host of The Nonprofit Podcast. Bringing a boots-on-the-ground perspective to every conversation, Cara focuses on turning fundraising strategy into sustainable revenue and real-world community impact. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with another nonprofit leader, leave a review, or subscribe to the channel! Planning an upcoming event? Donorbox Events gives you seamless registration, attendee tracking, and automated guest communication to keep your community engaged from ticket purchase to follow-up. Learn more here.  Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process over $4 billion in donations worldwide. The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult with a professional advisor for specific guidance. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Why - and when - do donors actually trust your organization? Every gift is a decision, and every decision has mechanics. Donorbox has mapped them in a new field guide, 10 Principles of Donor Conversion and Retention: The Science of Giving. It draws on published research into why donors give and why they stop. In the first of two episodes that break down the mechanics of the giving decision, Jena Lynch and Britt Stockert talk us through the six principles that build donor confidence: transparency, credibility, congruence, security, impactful messaging, and reciprocation. Along the way, they unpack the changes the guide recommends nonprofits make before Giving Season. About half of first-time donors never make a second gift. The research suggests that’s rarely a marketing problem. It’s a design problem, and it’s fixable. The guide is built to be used, not just read. It closes with a ten-principle self-audit: one yes-or-no test per principle, to score before any campaign goes live. Every “no” marks a specific, fixable conversion loss. Each principle also comes with practical steps a fundraiser can complete without a developer. Each principle is grounded in behavioral science, from the goal gradient effect to the reciprocity norm, and brought to life with examples from Britt’s coaching. It’s practical listening for any fundraiser focused on donor conversion and retention heading into year-end. Download your FREE copy of Donorbox’s 10 Principles of Donor Conversion and Retention: The Science of Giving today, and run the self-audit before your campaign goes live. It’s a practical first step toward turning this Giving Season’s first-time donors into next year’s repeat supporters. So, what are we talking about? Donors rarely evaluate an organization consciously. Nobody sits on a donation page weighing credibility. But donors notice when something feels off, and they leave without explaining why. That makes donor confidence hard to measure and easy to lose. Each of the six confidence principles maps to a question donors are quietly asking, from “Where does my money actually go?” to “Did anyone notice that I gave?” Building donor confidence doesn’t require a complete overhaul. It starts with spotting the small things that make someone hesitate, and addressing them before Giving Season traffic arrives. Chapters 00:00 - Why First-Time Donors Don’t Return 01:54 - Defining Confidence vs. Friction 04:09 - Principle 1: Transparency (Where the Money Goes) 06:54 - The Goal Gradient Effect & Visible Progress 07:56 - Principle 2: Credibility & Social Proof 11:31 - Principle 3: Congruence & Consistent Branding 16:01 - DonorBox Field Guide Overview 16:25 - Principle 4: Payment Security & Loss Aversion 19:10 - Principle 5: Impactful Messaging (Stories vs. Numbers) 22:22 - The Identifiable Victim Effect 23:37 - Principle 6: Reciprocation & Meaningful Thank-Yous 26:58 - The Reciprocity Norm & Retention Impact 29:01 - Key Takeaways & Next Steps for Giving Season About the Hosts Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and anchor of The Nonprofit Podcast, a 2025 Silver Anthem Award winner. She speaks regularly to nonprofit audiences on donor stewardship and retention. Britt Stockert is a Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox with more than 20 years of public-sector experience. She coaches nonprofit teams one-on-one and serves on the board of an immigrant- and refugee-led nonprofit. About Donorbox Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process over $4 billion in donations worldwide. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult with a professional advisor for specific guidance. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Happy DAF Day. Here's something to think about. Nearly one in four dollars of individual giving in the US now moves through donor advised funds, and DAF giving is growing 8X faster than everything else. Jena Lynch and Cara Augspurger get into who DAF donors really are (**Spoiler** not all are billionaires - most give under $1,000), why they tend to stay longer and give more, and where in the past these gifts have run into friction for donors and nonprofits alike. Then Jena shares what Donorbox launched today: DAFPay, powered by Chariot and built right into your Donorbox OmniGive donation form. It's available on the Pro and Premium tiers for US-registered 501(c)(3) organizations. See how Donorbox DAFPay works here New to DAFs? Download Episode 192, Cara’s DAF 101. In this episode: What a donor-advised fund is, in plain terms, and why the decision to give has already been madeWho DAF donors really are, and why the “wealthy donors only” picture is wrongWhere DAF gifts can get stuck, for donors and for nonprofitsThe receipting mistake that can turn into an IRS headacheHow Donorbox DAFPay brings DAF giving onto your OmniGive donation formAnd if you’re ready for a deeper dive, here are links to the research reports and resources mentioned in the show: Donorbox Pro and Premium plansEpisode 192: Cara’s DAF fundamentals episodeChariot 2026 DAF Fundraising Report Donor Advised Fund Research Collaborative Donorbox Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to DAF Day and the Growth of DAFs 00:29 The Rise of Donor-Advised Funds in Giving 01:20 Cara’s Perspective on DAF Trends 02:28 Understanding What a DAF Is and How It Works 03:20 Who Are DAF Donors and Why They Give 05:03 Common Misconceptions About DAF Donors 08:09 The Rapid Growth and Scale of DAFs 09:37 How DAFs Distribute Funds Faster  10:16 Donor Demographics and Giving Patterns 12:14 Impact of DAFs on Donor Support and Giving Behavior 13:59 The Challenges of Managing DAF Gifts for Nonprofits 19:19 Making DAF Giving Easier: Chariot DAFPay on Donorbox 22:37 Practical Steps for Nonprofits to Engage DAF Donors About Donorbox Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process over $4 billion in donations worldwide. Learn more at donorbox.org.  Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and host of The Nonprofit Podcast. She speaks widely on donor relationships and fundraising at conferences, webinars, and on other shows.  Cara Augspurger is a frontline fundraiser and co-host of The Nonprofit Podcast. She brings what she sees on the ground at her own organization to every conversation, and hosted Episode 192, our DAF 101, for first-timers.  Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This episode is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail You pulled the report. 1,800 people who gave last year haven't given a cent this year. And it's October. Cue Giving Season panic. Jena Lynch and Britt Stockert see it differently. Most of those lapsed donors didn't leave. They drifted. This episode is all about winning back LYBUNT donors (Last Year But Unfortunately Not This) before December 3 - no guilt trips. No "we miss you" emails. These donors already said yes once. That counts for a lot. Donors with a giving history come back 66% of the time. New donors come back just 24% of the time. And there's still time. Last year, December brought in 37% of nonprofits' online revenue. Britt shares the exact voicemail she'd leave a lapsed donor, and makes the case for skipping the ask in the first message (yes, even in October). Jena brings the gym membership comparison nobody wanted, but everybody needed. Got 30 minutes this week? Britt's action plan at the end is built for exactly that. What You'll Learn Why and how "hasn't given yet" and "gone for good" are two very different listsThe unglamorous check that saves a lot of awkward emailsHow to pick 30 personal calls from a list of 1,800 (hint: not by gift size)Who in the organization should really be making those callsWhat to do when a donor leaves you on readHow to ask in December without sounding like a final noticeThe one thing every fundraiser should do on their phone todayA LYBUNT report shows who hasn't given. It can't show why. Before assuming the worst, check the data. Then start a conversation. As Jena puts it, "You are a nonprofit fundraiser, you are not a debt collector." Chapters: 00:00 That report you've been avoiding 01:00 LYBUNT: the acronym Britt loves 03:25 The 24% vs 66% gap 04:09 Check before you reach out 06:02 Bounced emails and the Promotions tab myth 07:13 1,800 names, 30 phone calls 08:01 The biggest gift isn't always the best relationship 10:05 First touch: skip the ask 10:47 The voicemail you should leave 13:02 Ask a question, not for money 16:04 When donors leave you on read 17:03 Adjusting expectations 18:08 The December ask that actually lands 18:50 A nonprofit, not a debt collector 21:02 Your 30-minute action plan Jena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, and Britt Stockert, Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox, co-host this episode. Together, they bring hands-on experience helping nonprofits strengthen donor relationships and build fundraising systems that hold up under pressure...especially in Giving Season! Links Mentioned M+R Benchmarks studyEp 192| Donor-Advised Funds: What Fundraisers Need to Know Now with Cara Augspurger Donorbox: donorbox.org About Donorbox Donorbox is a global fundraising platform trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits, with $4B+ raised worldwide.   This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Consult a professional advisor. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail How far can one campaign travel this Giving Season?  Further than your email list, if you set it up right. Today, Jena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, shares how a crowdfunding campaign gives supporters a clear, specific goal to rally around, and how peer-to-peer fundraising turns that campaign into something supporters carry into their own networks…reaching people a nonprofit hasn't earned trust with yet. In this episode, Jena digs into: What makes a crowdfunding campaign worth sharing, not just donating toWhat a campaign page needs so a stranger understands it in secondsWhy a supporter's personal ask lands differently than a simple shareHow to choose the first few supporters to invite as fundraisersWhat to do with the year-end plan next weekStart your Giving Season campaign Donorbox Crowdfunding gives supporters a page worth sharing, a goal meter, a live donor wall, and one-click sharing built in. Turn on Donorbox Peer-to-Peer and empower supporters to build their own pages, with every dollar automatically feeding the main goal. Launch in as little as 15 minutes: donorbox.org  Get your downloadable guides now, packed with tips and strategy support, from the Donorbox library: Donation Page Design Guide - image sizes, logo dimensions, and copy tips Peer-to-Peer Fundraising 101 - campaign types, a launch plan, and event ideas  Chapters  00:00 Welcome  00:23 Why one campaign should outgrow the email list 02:57 What makes a crowdfunding campaign worth sharing 05:11 Building the crowdfunding page as home base 07:25 From sharing to peer-to-peer fundraising 08:23 Borrowed trust: Leveraging personal networks for outreach 10:05 Choosing the first supporters to invite 11:49 Setting up supporter pages on Donorbox 12:30 Next week's to-do for Giving Season campaigns 13:15 Resources and close Host Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and anchor host of The Nonprofit Podcast. About Donorbox Donorbox is a global fundraising platform trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits, with $4B+ raised worldwide. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Consult a professional advisor. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Most nonprofit events open exactly one path to giving: the ticket.  Jena Lynch and Britt Stockert map the fundraising moments most events miss, before doors open, during the event, after everyone goes home, and unpack how nonprofits can open more paths to giving - without extra work for their team. What You'll Learn Why the ticket purchase is one of the best, and most frequently ignored, fundraising opportunities of the event life-cycleWhat good ticket data actually looks like (knowing who to expect before your guests even walk in)Where the most donation opportunities quietly slip away once the event is underwayWhy one unified donor record beats three spreadsheets and a manual mail mergeThe one friction point Britt says to fix first, before your very next eventIf you're deep into your year-end event planning, this one is for you! Engage attendees. Simplify giving. Grow your impact. Find out more about maximizing your events with the double-down power of Donorbox Dynamic Duo  - from ticketing to post-event stewardship. You can: Streamline ticket sales and collect donations from ticket buyersManage your event in one easy-to-track placeCheck guests in with easeCollect in-person, cashless donations with just a tap, dip, or swipeChapters 00:00 The Mindset Shift in Event Fundraising 00:56 Welcome to The Nonprofit Podcast 02:28 Capturing Generosity at Ticket Checkout 04:08 Streamlining Table Registration & Payments 06:00 Common In-Event Pitfalls to Avoid 07:16 Eliminating Friction for Event Attendees 08:52 Using Donorbox Live Kiosk & Offline Auto-Sync 11:00 Post-Event Data Integration & Donor Segmentation 12:55 Timely Stewardship and Follow-Up Emails 13:44 Practical Action Step for Your Next Event 14:51 Closing Remarks & Resources Host Bios Jena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, anchors The Nonprofit Podcast. Brittan Stockert, Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox, co-hosts The Nonprofit Podcast. Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by more than 100,000 organizations worldwide, raising over $4 billion for nonprofit causes. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and shouldn't be considered legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Heart does that panicked double-thump. Stomach drops. Ohh - there goes gravity!  Sound familiar?  That's what happens right before most fundraisers call a donor to ask for money…and Britt Stockert, Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox, says that feeling is telling you the opposite of what you think. In this quick, coffee-break episode, Britt shares the four words she scribbled on a sticky note for a burned-out nonprofit leader who needed something simpler than a script. It changed how that leader's whole team makes the ask. This is perfect for fundraisers who want a low-pressure way to build donor trust, especially heading into year-end.  Discover: Why the discomfort of asking for a gift is a sign of a healthy donor relationship, not a warning signA four-word framework simple enough to fit on a sticky noteHow to open a donor call without mentioning money at allWhat to say when a donor pushes back on overhead or transparencyWhy silence after an ask is doing more work than most fundraisers realizeHow to measure success in donor outreach beyond whether a gift landed that dayIf you’re ready to refine your ‘Ask’ approach and get on track for Giving Season, schedule time with Britt here. That nervous feeling before asking for a gift isn't proof something's wrong. It's proof the moment matters. Britt's fix isn't more confidence - it's structure: four words on a sticky note that turn a high-pressure ask into a real conversation between two people who both care about the same thing. Chapters: 00:00 - Why Asking for Support Feels Uncomfortable02:10 - The Trust Gap & the Power of Personal Connection03:40 - A 4-Beat Framework for Donor Conversations06:55 - Timing the Ask & Permission-Based Giving08:15 - Redefining Success Through Small Wins09:15 - Overcoming Rejection & Closing ThoughtsDonorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by 100,000-plus organizations worldwide, helping them raise over $4 billion collectively. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail ChatGPT. Claude. Gemini. Or Google...Search visibility has changed. AI search is changing how donors and volunteers find nonprofits, and most teams are still figuring out what to do about it.  This week, host Jena Lynch talks with Jessica King, Director at Getting Attention, about what's actually working in search right now...from why ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are showing up as real traffic sources, to why relying on one platform is risky, plus how to make full use of the $120,000-a-year Google Ad Grant.  Jessica's take: you don't need a new playbook for AI, just a stronger version of the marketing fundamentals you already know.  What You'll Learn Why ChatGPT and Claude are already shortlisting nonprofits before donors ever reach your site, and what that means for your funnel.Why AI search doesn't call for a new strategy, just sharper execution of the SEO fundamentals you already have in place.How to build a channel mix that holds up when a single algorithm or platform shifts.How to extend the reach of your $120,000-a-year Google Ad Grant as search behavior changes.Why page-level content depth outweighs metadata for both AI and traditional search, and what that means for your content priorities.If your team has just a few hours a month for online visibility this Giving Season, this episode tells you where to spend them. About Our Guest Jessica King is Director at Getting Attention, where she helps nonprofits get more from Google Ad Grants, paid Google Ads, and search-focused content strategy. Before Getting Attention, Jessica worked in communications and digital marketing across higher education and the nonprofit sector, with a focus on SEO for mission-driven organizations. She holds a Master's degree in Communication from Virginia Tech. Links Mentioned Getting Attention: gettingattention.org - free guides, templates, and Google Ad Grant auditsGetting Attention on YouTube: weekly tutorials and marketing adviceBook recommendation: Steal Like an Artist by Austin KleonDonorbox: donorbox.org  - fundraising tools for nonprofitsHost Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox. Each week on The Nonprofit Podcast, she brings nonprofit leaders practical strategies and clear insight to help them raise more and reach further. Chapters: 0:00 Intro & Welcome 1:43 Meet Jessica King from Getting Attention 2:24 AI as a Traffic Source and the Shifting Search Landscape 6:38 Donor Trust, AEO/AIO Buzz, and Not Losing Sight of the Fundamentals 8:34 Why Foundational SEO Is the Basis for AEO 10:50 Building a Marketing Mix With No Single Point of Failure 13:26 Making the Most of the Google Ad Grant 19:05 Why Traditional Website SEO Isn't Dead 21:24 How AI Levels the Playing Field for Smaller Nonprofits 24:11 Non-Negotiables for Giving Season 27:53 Connect With Jessica and Getting Attention 28:35 Wrap-Up Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process more than $4 billion in donations worldwide. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult with a professional advisor for specific guidance. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail A simple donor survey is the closest thing you will get to reading your supporters' minds, yet the answers you get are rarely what you expect Donors are sitting on insights most nonprofits never think to look for. Cara Augspurger, our field correspondent and CEO of Grace Care Center Foundation, joins Jena Lynch to share what happened when her team surveyed hundreds of donors ahead of Giving Season, and what the answers revealed about messaging, trust, and the surprising link between volunteering and giving. And brace yourself - your best donors may not understand your organization as well as you think. What You'll Learn How to build and segment a short, anonymous donor surveyWhy loyal donors can still misunderstand your programsHow the volunteer experience shapes donor trustFour steps to launch a donor survey before year-endResources and Links Consolidate today’s framework with a helpful in-depth Donorbox blog:  Surveying Your Donors, How to Do It Right - you can find it here About the Hosts Cara Augspurger has been a nonprofit leader and fundraiser since 1996. As President and CEO of Grace Care Center Foundation and a founding board member, she brings decades of hands-on experience to conversations spanning annual fundraising, capital campaigns, donor stewardship, and relationship building. A Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) and University of Illinois graduate, Cara previously served as a fundraising coach at Donorbox, where she helped nonprofits connect the dots between strategy and results. Jena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, specialises in donor stewardship, retention, and peer-to-peer fundraising. She works closely with nonprofit teams to strengthen donor relationships and build practical systems that support long-term growth. As the anchor of The Nonprofit Podcast, she keeps strategy clear, steady, and actionable. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: Why Donor Surveys Matter 01:15 – Timing Your Survey Before the Fall Push 03:08 – Survey Mechanics: Length, Platforms, and Subject Lines 06:27 – Key Questions to Include in Your Survey 08:23 – How Well Do Donors Know Your Programs? 12:27 – Where Volunteering Meets Giving 16:35 – The Power of One Open Question 19:59 – 4 Action Steps to Launch Your Donor Survey 22:42 – Wrap-Up & Final Thoughts About Donorbox Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process more than $4 billion in donations worldwide. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult with a professional advisor for specific guidance. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail You can't repair the runway while the plane is taking off. 🛫 That's Darrin Cook's blunt take on why Giving Season prep has to start in August, not November.  Darrin joins Jena Lynch to break down how early infrastructure work, not last-minute campaign scrambling, drives real Giving Season results. He shares a framework for auditing donor data and donation flows now, building stronger donor segments, and knowing where automation earns its keep without losing the human side of donor stewardship. Plus, why protecting your fundraising team from burnout is part of the strategy, not separate from it. Head straight to the Donorbox Blog to dive deeper into Giving Season prep with a 3-phase roadmap to keep you on track from now until January, here. Chapters  00:00 Why Giving Season Prep Starts in August  01:47   Meet Darren Cook (MyMogul Media)  02:45  Don't Repair the Runway Mid-Flight: Giving Season Timeline  05:07  Systems Audit: Tech, Websites, and Mobile Optimization 08:31  Nurturing Donors: Relationship Messages Before the Big Ask  11:14    Simple Donor Segmentation: 6 Key Groups to Target  14:55  Humanizing Automation: What to Automate vs. What to Keep Personal  18:10  Preventing Team Burnout During the Year-End Rush  19:51  The January Debrief: Turning Campaign Data into Next Year's Strategy  22:58  Where to Find Giving Season Resources About Our Guest  Darrin Cook is the founder of My Mogul Media. Since 2009, he's helped nonprofits across the US build cleaner, more connected digital systems, so teams can stop grinding and start growing. About Our Host  Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and host of The Nonprofit Podcast, bringing practical strategies every week for nonprofits that want to raise more and do more. Resources and Links: My Mogul MediaDarrin Cook on LinkedInDonorbox Blog: Giving Season Fundraising, Your 3-Phase RoadmapDonorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by more than 100,000 organizations worldwide, helping raise more than $4 billion for causes globally. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail A plan built by a few people at the top and handed down is just paperwork.  Dr. Renee Rubin Ross argues real ownership comes from who's in the room while the goals get decided, not just who signs off on them. Dr. Ross is the founder of The Ross Collective and author of Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits. In this episode, she and Britt break down her five-step spiral planning process, including step zero: how to know your organization is actually ready to plan. They also talk about what happens when planning uncovers real dysfunction, and how to tell whether it's a planning problem or a leadership one. Grab Renee's free Strategic Planning Template, the Five-Step Spiral breakdown, and sample strategic plans in the links below. Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits (book) can be purchased here The Five-Step Spiral, explained here Get Your Free Strategic Planning Template here And, Sample nonprofit strategic plans here Chapters: 00:00 - Why Traditional Strategic Planning Fails 02:10 - Why Write Another Book on Strategic Planning? 04:47 - The 5-Step Spiral Planning Framework 07:26 - Balancing Visioning with Concrete Execution 09:29 - Why 3-Year Strategic Plans Work Best 10:50 - Step 0: Assessing Organizational Readiness 12:51 - Navigating Internal Tension & Staff Culture 15:45 - The 3 Circles of Participation (Deciders, Builders, Sharers) 18:46 - Translating Your Plan into Action (Using RACI) 22:13 - What You Lose by Excluding Frontline Staff 23:35 - Where to Find Dr. Ross  About Donorbox: Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by more than 100,000 organizations to raise over $4 billion worldwide. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Only 26% of nonprofits tell donors when AI helped write to them. 76% of donors say they should be told.  That's not small! It's a fifty-point trust gap that grows every time an organization reaches for a new tool without a plan for it. This week, Jena Lynch digs into what's actually pulling nonprofits toward AI right now (hint: it's burnout, not hype), why donors can tell when a human checked out of the process, and the socioeconomic costs that rarely make it into the fundraising conversation. She shares four practical moves any organization can put in place this week, no tech background required. What you'll learn: Why AI-governed organizations are pulling ahead while everyone else is improvisingThe three numbers behind nonprofit AI's donor trust problem, and why donors notice even when they can't name what feels offThe real cost behind the tools that never shows up in a donor letterFour moves to close the trust gap, starting with a policy you can write todayResources for you from this episode: Free nonprofit AI policy template download to get you started hereAn easy-read blog with a full breakdown on how to use AI responsibly as a nonprofit,  here.Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform serving more than 100,000 organizations worldwide, helping them raise over $4 billion and counting. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Most nonprofit strategic planning mistakes don't show up until year-end, right when your fundraising push exposes exactly what's missing. Being busy isn't the same as having direction. In this Summer Rewind, Cara Augspurger, CFRE, breaks down the five steps that took her organization from constant firefighting to a plan that actually holds up, in six months. What you'll learn How to tell real growth from just being busy, before it costs you at year-endThe one question your strategic plan has to answer firstHow to run a funding reality check that shows exactly where the gaps areHow to set numbers-based targets for a "good year", no gut feel requiredAbout Cara Augspurger, CFRE Cara is the Executive Director of Grace Care Center Foundation and host of The Nonprofit Podcast. About Donorbox Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by more than 100,000 organizations worldwide, helping raise over $4 billion for causes that matter. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This episode is for educational purposes only and isn't legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show