Advertise on podcast: Fundraising Growth Now!

We’re continuing our podcast series: Hear from Your Peer. Today’s episode features Amy Williams, President and CEO of the Savannah Philharmonic, who has reshaped the orchestra’s programming to uniquely serve its community—and in doing so, unlock new fundraising growth. Listen today for clear, candid guidance from people who are doing the work every day, and to highlight the strategies, habits, and decisions that are moving arts organizations forward. 

We’re continuing our podcast series: Hear from Your Peer. Today’s episode features Kathryn R Martin, President and CEO of the Santa Barbara Symphony, who reflects on securing transformational gifts and the universal principles that inspire donors to make a gift of a lifetime. Listen today for clear, candid guidance from people who are doing the work every day, and to highlight the strategies, habits, and decisions that are moving arts organizations forward. 

We’re in our new podcast series: Hear from Your Peer.  Today’s episode features Mary McFadden Lawson, Chief Philanthropy Officer with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, who highlights how team alignment and intentional planning, paired with a culture that celebrates every win, are the foundations of meaningful long-term donor success.

Last week, we launched our new podcast series: Hear From Your Peer. Today’s episode features Paul Hogle, President and Chief Executive Officer with the Cleveland Institute of Music, who has crafted ambitious Strategic Plans that stay pragmatic and relational, and most importantly, drive fundraising growth.

We’re starting the new year with an 8-week podcast series: Hear from Your Peer. Each week through January and February, we’ll share a conversation with an arts leader who has achieved meaningful fundraising results in their organization. Across the series, we’ll explore how they approached their biggest wins, what’s driving their momentum, and the practical insights they’ve gained along the way.  Our first episode features Jonathan Norris, Chief Development Officer at the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, where Jonathan led the organization to reverse a multi-year decline in membership levels through an overhaul of both the internal process and external communications. 

We’re keeping things short and sharp this month. Everyone’s busy and could use a quick laugh and some practical advice. So, listen today for a practical approach on how to quickly increase results.

We’re mixing things up this month with a quick, 90-second spin—because everyone’s short on time and could use a laugh and a little practical advice. Listen today for THE most important thing you need to know about DAFs.

We’ve been talking about the "Art of the Ask" lately, but today, we’ll take a step back and address a question we hear all the time: what if I can’t even get the meeting? It’s one of the top frustrations we hear from fundraisers – “I ask, but my donors won’t meet with me.” Sound familiar?  Listen today as we talk through some practical tactics that are working in the current environment.

Relief funds are a thing of the past. Expenses keep climbing. Ticket sales are unpredictable. And public funding is shifting.  It’s no wonder so many organizations are feeling paralyzed when it comes to fundraising. Listen today for why individual giving still reigns supreme when it comes to driving sustainable revenue growth.

Today, let’s talk about YES. This is a word every fundraiser wants to hear, especially when it’s in response to a major gift Ask. But it’s important to remember that BIG yeses are built on SMALL yeses. Listen today, and learn how small yeses are the path to strong donor relationships.

Let's address a topic that comes up with EVERY organization we work with regardless of staff or budget size, and that’s: getting your Board more active in fundraising. Often, this begins with the client sharing they’ve TRIED EVERYTHING but still feel stuck. If you’re there, I’m going to share two practical tips to help you move forward.

The “Ask” moment can fluster even the most seasoned fundraiser, but with a few simple steps, you can create a conversation that feels natural, authentic, and effective while strengthening your donor relationships Listen today, and become more confident and prepared for your next donor conversations.

We often hear: “I know I need to Ask more personally, but once I’m face-to-face with a donor, what do I say?” It’s a big topic, so we’re breaking it down, starting today with an overview of a full Ask conversation and the first two steps that set you up for success. Listen today as we talk about a roadmap for your next donor solicitation meeting.

If you’ve been in the trenches long enough, you know exactly what we’re talking about today when I say a single word: burnout. Leadership burnout is not just some buzz phrase. It’s a very real problem in arts organizations, and if we don’t take it seriously, we’re going to continue losing great industry people.  So, let’s break it down. What is leadership burnout in arts management and Board leadership? Why is it more widespread than it was ten years ago? And most importantly, what can we do about it?

One of the biggest obstacles to sustainable revenue growth? Making time to consistently fundraise.Whether you're a CEO, a Development Committee member or a Board member at-large, your job isn’t just about keeping the lights on to provide your art – it’s about building the future. And guess what? That future depends on fundraising. But let’s be honest – most leaders know they should be more engaged in fundraising, yet somehow, there’s rarely enough time.  Listen today as we talk about why this happens, and more importantly, how you can fix it.