328: Trust-Raising, Not Fundraising with Josh Bloomfield

Is your online donation form secretly scaring donors away? In this episode of Inspired Nonprofit Leadership, I'm joined by Josh Bloomfield, founder of GiveCloud, for a refreshingly honest look at why most nonprofit fundraising tech is stuck in the past—and how small changes can make a big impact. We talk about "trust-raising" instead of just fundraising, what nonprofits can learn from e-commerce giants like Amazon, and why a slow, thoughtful donor journey almost always beats a rushed one. If your donation form feels like an IRS document, it's time for a change. Episode Highlights 02:51 Challenges in Traditional Fundraising 03:49 The Birth of GiveCloud 04:34 Optimizing Donor Experience 06:50 Addressing Donor Imposition 11:38 Lessons from GiveCloud's Journey 14:23 Capitalizing on Momentum 14:32 The Impact of Social Media Tactics 15:14 Design Patterns for Engagement 15:45 The Power of Simple Rewards 17:13 Understanding Trust in Design 19:47 Trust and Cognitive Dissonance 21:27 The Emotional Basis of Trust 27:12 Future-Proofing Fundraising   Josh Bloomfield, CEO and Founder of Givecloud, is transforming the way nonprofits engage donors and raise funds. With a background in sales, strategy, and software development, Josh has spent over a decade building enterprise solutions, including for the U.S. government. His passion lies in helping nonprofits focus less on fundraising and more on their mission to change the world, empowering them through innovative, donor-centric technology. Connect with Josh: Givecloud LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/givecloud-com Givecloud Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Givecloud Josh's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshbloomfield/ Website: www.givecloud.com Sponsored Resource Join the Inspired Nonprofit Leadership Newsletter for weekly tips and inspiration for leading your nonprofit! Access it here >> Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated!   Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.