PODCAST · business
What the Fundraising
by Mallory Erickson
What the Fundraising is the podcast for impact leaders and change-makers who are tired of doing things the old school way and are looking for best practices to raise money, run their organization, and think about the nonprofit sector in a whole new way. Every Tuesday for 40-60 min, your host, Mallory Erickson, will be having real and raw conversations with some of the best personal and professional development experts, many of whom are outside the nonprofit sector. These are bestselling authors, world-renowned researchers, and TEDx experts, most of whom have never spoken to a non-profit audience before. They have come ready to share expertise, lessons, and stories that will fundamentally change the way you show up as a leader and fundraiser. There are so many valuable lessons nonprofit leaders are missing because they are outside of their typical orbit, but no more. Mallory is bringing them in and helping to apply her guest's expertise to disrupt the nonprofit sector on
Episodes
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331: Ditch the KPI Hamster Wheel with Charlie Melichar
Fundraising is often mistaken for a mechanical game of hitting quotas, but sustainable growth requires balancing metrics with human connection. When organizations focus solely on short-term numbers, they risk turning lifelong donor relationships into transactional exchanges. Today, let's meet...
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330: AI for Nonprofits: How to Start with the Problem, Not the Technology with Naomi Morenzoni
Technology is rapidly reshaping how organizations create social impact, and AI is emerging as a powerful force for change. Naomi Morenzoni is Senior Vice President of Corporate Philanthropy and Employee Impact at Salesforce, where she leads corporate giving, employee volunteering, matching...
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329: How to Stop Making Assumptions About Your Donors and Asking Better Questions with Kyle Buchmann
Asking better questions and leaning into uncomfortable moments can help teams build real trust and connect deeply with donors! Kyle Buchmann, Senior Vice President at Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, shares practical lessons from his long career in higher-education fundraising. He...
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328: How Nonprofits Can Use AI Without Amplifying Bad Culture with Tim Lockie
When modern technology fails to solve an organization's friction, the root cause is rarely the software; it is the human systems behind it. This episode reframes digital transformation, proving that operational harmony relies far more on culture, mindset, and people than on shiny digital…
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327: Thousand Day Planning: A Different Approach to Fundraising Leadership with Jay E. Davenport
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What happens when we stop thinking about fundraising as simply asking for money and start thinking about it as relationship building, connection, and philanthropy? In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Mallory Erickson talks with Jay E....
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326: How to Build Win-Win Content Partnerships in the Social Impact Space with Cindy Wagman
Mallory Erickson and Cindy Wagman pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to build partnerships between coaches, consultants, and technology companies in the social impact space. Cindy Wagman is a nonprofit consultant, educator, and founder of the Nonprofit Fractionals Network. After...
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325: From Free Webinars to $10K Keynotes: How I Built My Speaking Business with Mallory Erickson
Have you ever wondered how to turn speaking opportunities into a meaningful part of your business? In this solo episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson gets candid about how she built her paid speaking business, what she did before people were paying her, how she decides which...
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324: Writing a Book: The Unfiltered Truth About My Book-Writing Process with Mallory Erickson
What does it actually take to write a book? In this solo episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson pulls back the curtain on her experience writing and publishing her book, What the Fundraising. From signing a publishing contract with Wiley before she even knew what she wanted to write…
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323: Starting a Podcast with Mallory Erickson
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What does it really take to start a podcast and more importantly, keep doing it for years? In this behind-the-scenes episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory pulls back the curtain on how the podcast started, why she created it in the first place,...
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322: How to Build a Personal Brand with Mallory Erickson
What actually makes a personal brand memorable? According to Mallory Erickson, it's not a perfectly curated aesthetic, a complicated content strategy, or having the perfect business plan. It's getting crystal clear on the problem you want to solve—and how you solve it differently from everyone...
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321: A Practical Guide to Launching Planned Giving in Your Nonprofit with Tony Martignetti
Planned giving may sound complicated, but it does not have to be! This episode features Tony Martignetti, an expert in planned giving strategies & accelerated programs. Tony began his planned giving career in 1997 after working as a lawyer for two years. In 2003, he started Martignetti Planned...
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320: Fundraising and Funder Behavior: The Tiny Habits That Will Change Your Life with BJ Fogg, PhD
We are releasing a special bonus episode of What The Fundraising! In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast… I talked to behavior scientist and author BJ Fogg, PhD. BJ is one of my biggest teachers and superheroes, he has run a lab at Stanford University for 20 years now, and for the last…
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319: 3 Fundraising Readiness Gaps Standing Between You and Your Next Yes with Mallory Erickson
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What if the reason you're avoiding fundraising outreach isn't because you're bad at fundraising, but because you have a readiness gap? In this solo episode of What the Fundraising, Mallory Erickson breaks down three common fundraising readiness…
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318: From Loss to Legacy: How Joey’s Song Scales Volunteer-Led Fundraising
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What if music could do more than entertain people? For Mike, concerts have become a way to bring people together and raise money for an important cause: finding better treatments for epilepsy. Mike Gomoll founded Joey's Song, a 100% volunteer...
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317: Lead with Trust, Not Control with Rebecca Blume
What if becoming a better leader starts with letting go of who you think you should be? Meet Rebecca Blume, the Vice Chancellor for Advancement at the University of Washington Bothell. She has 22 years of fundraising experience and has worked with organizations including Fair Start and the YWCA…
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316: Campaign Success Starts Before You Fundraise with Amy Eisenstein & Sarah
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Capital campaigns don't succeed by luck; they succeed through preparation, education, and strong leadership. Today, let's discover why empowering board members with the right knowledge can transform uncertainty into confidence and lay the…
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315: Conscious Fundraising: How to Move From Reaction to Intentional Action
After a week of executive coaching tools, reflections, and strategies, Mallory closes out this series with one of the most important foundations of sustainable growth: consciousness. In this episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory explores how increasing awareness of our thoughts, emotions, and...
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314: You Are Enough: A Reminder for Every Fundraiser Doing The Hard, Important Work
Fundraising is deeply human work. It requires vulnerability, connection, courage, and the ability to hold the hopes and dreams of an entire community. But in a profession that often carries immense pressure, it can be easy for fundraisers to forget something essential: they are already enough. In...
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313: How Fleeing Discomfort Is Holding Back Your Fundraising
Fundraising is filled with uncertainty, vulnerability, and moments of discomfort—but what happens when those feelings start driving our decisions? In this episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson dives into the hidden ways fundraisers respond to discomfort and how those stress responses...
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312: Conscious Values vs. Fear-Based Values: Making Decisions That Truly Align
Have you ever felt torn between competing priorities—wanting to excel at work while also being present for your family, or saying "yes" to helping everyone even when you're overwhelmed? The tension you feel may not be because your values are unclear, but because they're competing with one…
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311: Why Discomfort Isn't the Problem: A Better Way to Handle Stress in Fundraising
Fundraising can be uncomfortable—but what if discomfort isn't actually the problem? In this solo coaching episode, Mallory Erickson introduces one of the foundational concepts of executive coaching: understanding the difference between discomfort and stress. While many fundraisers believe that...
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310: Fear, Mindset, and Money: How Fundraisers Build Courage for Major Donor Asks
Behind every successful fundraiser is someone who has learned to face fear, embrace discomfort, and build the confidence to keep moving forward. In this conversation, we explore why mindset, not just strategy, is often the biggest factor in fundraising success. Michael Mitchell, Co-Founder and…
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309: Responsible AI Adoption for Grassroots and Justice-Focused Nonprofits with DeAnna Hoskins
AI is no longer a future trend. It is reshaping how organizations lead, innovate, and create impact today, and nonprofits are no exception. DeAnna Hoskins is the President and CEO of JustLeadershipUSA, an organization led by formerly incarcerated people. She also served as a senior policy advisor...
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308: Using Donor Matching to Grow Impact and Community with Pooya Pourak
What if the best way to raise more money is not just to find new donors, but to help existing donors give more meaningfully? Today, let's explore how matching campaigns can turn fundraising into a shared experience that builds trust, excitement, and community. Pooya Pourak is an industrial and...
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307 - The Partnerships That Change More Than Metrics with Renee Daniel Flagler
Raising young people out of poverty takes far more than good intentions. It requires trust, healing, opportunity, and unwavering community support. Also, meaningful mentorship can become a powerful force for breaking generational barriers. Meet Renee Daniel Flagler, President of the National…
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306: Healing Starts Within with Dawn Wensel
Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs begin with the hardest struggles! Today, Mallory and Dawn Wensel, the Director of Development at Hope Street Group, talk about healing, resilience, and the powerful connection between the mind and body. Their honest stories remind us that growth often starts…
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305: Turning Online Communities into Powerful Fundraisers with Michael Wasserman
Fundraising is changing, and organizations need new ways to connect with younger people! In this conversation, Michael Wasserman explains how digital communities and online creators are shaping the future of fundraising. He shares why traditional methods are no longer enough and how organizations...
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304: The Hidden Challenges of Skill-Based Hiring with A.P Porch
Fundraising and alumni relations are evolving faster than many institutions are prepared for. But the concept of hiring people who make us feel comfortable remains the biggest threat to innovation since these practices often remain rooted in familiarity, rigidity, and outdated ideas of “fit.”…
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303: The Culture Behind Successful Fundraising Teams with Jill Anderson
The secret to a successful campaign is a culture shaped by trust, collaboration, emotional resilience, and a shared sense of purpose. A successful implementation of a fundraising team is more than just hitting financial goals; it demands leadership that understands and values institutional…
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302: Philanthropy's Role in Preserving Black History with Kristi Williams & Emma Willis
History doesn't only live in books. It lives in who gets remembered, who gets silenced, and who chooses to speak anyway! Meet Kristi Williams, a descendant of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre and member of Historic Vernon AME Church, who brings a deeply personal lens to historical preservation, and...
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301: Building Values-Based Alumni Relationships in Higher Education with Howard Heevner
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Alumni relationships are shifting from tradition-bound loyalty to something more dynamic, personal, and value-driven. In this conversation, the focus turns toward what institutions are getting wrong and how listening more carefully could reshape…
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300: Rethinking Nonprofits as Businesses: Earned Revenue, Sustainability & Innovation with Pradnya Haldipur
The nonprofit world is changing faster than ever, and organizations are being forced to rethink how they survive and grow in uncertain times! This episode features Pradnya Haldipur, who brings more than 30 years of experience across the nonprofit landscape. Her career has spanned the arts,...
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299: What Most Fundraisers Are Doing Wrong Today with Meredith Johnston
This conversation explores why modern fundraising still struggles with outdated systems despite living in a technology-driven world. It raises important questions about how fundraisers are expected to manage hundreds of donor relationships while spending hours on administrative tasks rather than...
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298: What if Fundraising Were Really About Connection, Not Money? with Matt Roben
Fundraising is often seen as simply asking for money, but it is much deeper than that. What makes people truly connect with a cause? How can fundraisers create moments that donors remember long after an event ends? Meet Matt Roben, benefit auctioneer & farm sanctuary co-founder, who brings a…
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297: Why Big Giving Falls Short and How Fundraisers Can Push Back with Glen Galaich
What happens when philanthropy becomes more about control than community? Can generosity still be called generosity when tax benefits and personal recognition take center stage? Join us for today's episode to question the hidden dynamics behind modern fundraising and explore what true public...
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296: Real Talk on Confident Fundraising: Answering Your Questions with Mallory Erickson
This episode takes a slightly different approach. Instead of the usual format, Mallory responds directly to a range of thoughtful questions from her community! She begins by discussing how to handle anxiety before donor conversations, encouraging fundraisers to acknowledge their feelings rather...
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295: Breaking the Cycle: Empowerment, Stress Management, and Sustainable Leadership with Amanda Gulino
Today's episode offers valuable insights into how to create more intentional, empowered, and balanced ways of working and living. Tune in to discover how to break the cycle of stress and start building a life and career that truly supports you! In this episode, Amanda Gulino delves into the…
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294: Navigating Fear: Insights from Neuroscience, Trauma Research, and Fundraising Challenges with Arash Javanbakht
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Join Arash Javanbakht, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and director of the Stress, Trauma, and Anxiety Research Clinic (STARC), as he delves into the intricate workings of fear and anxiety. With expertise spanning neuroscience, trauma research, and...
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293: Fundraiser Wellness & Healing Your Nervous System with Dr. Linnea Passaler
As a fundraiser, your ability to handle stress is constantly tested. Fundraising requires lot of hard work, sacrifice, rejection, and honestly, sometimes trauma. If you have a sensitive nervous system, like many fundraisers do, you’re more prone to burnout, anxiety, and chronic stress. So, how…
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292: The Science of Stuck & How to Move Forward in Your Fundraising with Britt Frank
We’ve all been there: Ghosted by a donor and wondering why, why, why? My guest on this episode of What the Fundraising is showing us how to redirect our minds, dismantling the reflexive responses that play in our heads and inhabit our bodies. Britt Frank, a somatic psychotherapist, trauma expert,...
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291: Harnessing Your Inner Voice for Fundraising Success with Dr. Ethan Kross
Do you hear negative, nagging, bullying voices in your head? Are they telling you you’re a bad leader or fundraiser? That you’ll never raise what you need to grow your organization? In this week’s episode, I talk to Dr. Ethan Kross, psychologist, neuroscientist, professor, and the author of...
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290: A Fresh Look at Planned Giving with Tess Conrad
Planned giving is often seen as complex and intimidating, but is it really that complicated? Today's conversation takes a closer look at what planned giving truly involves and why many organizations may be approaching it the wrong way. This episode uncovers simple yet powerful ideas that can...
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289: Smarter Missions, Stronger Impact with Darian Rodriguez Heyman
What if the very technology that feels overwhelming today could become the strongest ally for nonprofits tomorrow? Meet Darian Rodriguez Heyman, an experienced fundraiser, social entrepreneur, and best-selling author. His work has always focused on "helping people help." He began this journey...
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288: Delusion, Disruption, and the Future of Fundraising Systems with Natalie Poindexter
Sometimes the most meaningful innovations begin with frustration. In this conversation, Natalie Poindexter shares how questioning broken systems, both in nonprofit funding and in technology, led her to build new solutions designed with empathy, accessibility, and human support at their core....
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287: The Fundraising Reset: Patience, Gratitude, and Real Connection with Trevor Nelson
Technology may be a powerful tool of fundraising, but human connection seems far superior to anything else. Fundraising is a sector shaped by digital tools, automation, and constant urgency, but the real work of fundraising always comes to its roots: relationships. Organizations that are smart...
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286: From Service to Fundraising: Lessons in Fear, Focus, and Action with Trish Davis
Challenges, uncertainty, and high expectations are natural components of nonprofit. Its leadership is shaped by mindset, resilience, and action by focusing on what they can control, staying present, and fostering momentum over perfection. Join with us and explore how purpose-driven focus and...
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285: Shaking Up Major Gift Strategies Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration with Meg George
Generosity is a muscle that must be trained, but in the nonprofit sector, we often wait for donors to find us rather than building the bridges they need to cross. Real progress requires shaking up the status quo and recognizing that philanthropy does not exist in a vacuum; it is complemented by...
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284: Breaking the Stigma: Fundraising and Hope in Lung Cancer Research with Natalie Reilly-Finch
What does it really take to raise money for a cause that many people misunderstand? In this conversation, Natalie Reilly-Finch, the Vice President of Growth at the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (LCRF), shares the real challenges behind fundraising for lung cancer research and the responsibility...
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283: Unlocking the Power of Mid-Level Donors with Ashley Hardt & Jeff Grandy
When the relationships stop evolving, so does the donor interest. Overlooked due to time constraints, fear of personal outreach, and assumptions, the mid-level donors are sitting in plain sight with loyalty, consistency, and readiness for more. Now is the time to explore the importance of...
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282: Building Trust & Breaking Myths: Humanizing Housing Insecurity with Joseph Bradford III
Surrounded by myths that prevent real solutions, homelessness and housing insecurity are often misunderstood in the public eye. Requiring more than short-term fixes, it demands empathy, trust, and systemic thinking. In this conversation, Mallory is joined by Joseph Bradford lll to explore how...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
What the Fundraising is the podcast for impact leaders and change-makers who are tired of doing things the old school way and are looking for best practices to raise money, run their organization, and think about the nonprofit sector in a whole new way.
Every Tuesday for 40-60 min, your host, Mallory Erickson, will be having real and raw conversations with some of the best personal and professional development experts, many of whom are outside the nonprofit sector. These are bestselling authors, world-renowned researchers, and TEDx experts, most of whom have never spoken to a non-profit audience before. They have come ready to share expertise, lessons, and stories that will fundamentally change the way you show up as a leader and fundraiser.
There are so many valuable lessons nonprofit leaders are missing because they are outside of their typical orbit, but no more. Mallory is bringing them in and helping to apply her guest's expertise to disrupt the nonprofit sector on
HOSTED BY
Mallory Erickson
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does What the Fundraising have?
What the Fundraising currently has 339 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is What the Fundraising about?
What the Fundraising is the podcast for impact leaders and change-makers who are tired of doing things the old school way and are looking for best practices to raise money, run their organization, and think about the nonprofit sector in a whole new way. Every Tuesday for 40-60 min, your host,...
How often does What the Fundraising release new episodes?
What the Fundraising publishes regularly with 339 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to What the Fundraising?
You can listen to What the Fundraising on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts What the Fundraising?
What the Fundraising is created and hosted by Mallory Erickson.
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