Claim OwnershipThe Nonprofit Podcast
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The Nonprofit Podcast is your weekly dose of real-talk fundraising, designed for the doers, dreamers, and difference-makers powering today’s nonprofit world.
Hosted by Jena Lynch, Donorbox’s Education & Community Engagement Manager, and fundraising strategist Britt Stockert, CFRE, each episode delivers clear, practical insights you can act on right away, no fluff, no filler.
You’ll also hear from Cara Augspurger, Ed.M., CFRE, ED of Grace Care Center Foundation, sharing field updates and frontline perspectives.
Whether you’re building something new or leveling up your impact, we bring you bold ideas, honest conversations, and tools to help you fundraise smarter and lead with confidence.
Information. Inspiration. Implementation. Impact.
That’s the energy we bring…every week.
Let’s get to work.
208 Episodes
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Send a text Email is where most supporters experience your organization over time – not just during campaigns, but in the quieter moments in between. Jena Lynch sits down with our on-the-ground fundraising expert, Cara Augspurger, CFRE, to talk about what’s really happening in those in-between spaces. Because the emails you send every day? They’re shaping donor relationships long before the next ask ever lands. They dig into what happens when email becomes something you send just to tick the ...
Send us a text Where do donor relationships go after the gift? Donor retention is shaped by what carries the relationship forward over time. When that continuity isn’t intentionally supported, donors don’t disengage all at once...they slowly lose their sense of connection. In this episode, Jena Lynch unpacks how simple, repeatable structures, not more asks, help relationships hold between campaigns, especially for small teams. Join Jena to discover: What fills the space between gifts and c...
Send us a text Most teams learn pretty quickly what happens when they give feedback and adjust accordingly. When people feel safer being honest anywhere except work, trust isn’t the issue...safety is. Britt Stockert chats with Tasha Van Vlack, founder of The Nonprofit Hive, about psychological safety in nonprofit teams...and why silence often shows up long before burnout or turnover. Together, they unpack what psychological safety really looks like in day-to-day nonprofit work: the abi...
Send us a text DAFs don’t delay generosity - they reveal giving friction. Donor-advised funds are shaping how people give, but many nonprofits aren’t quite ready for it. In this episode, Cara Augspurger shares what she’s seeing firsthand as a frontline fundraiser, including why DAF donors are often some of the most prepared, responsive, and relationship-driven supporters - when nonprofits make it easy to say yes. You’ll hear: What fundraisers often misunderstand about DAF donorsWhy DAF giving...
Send us a text January is framed as a reset in many fields. Nonprofits know it isn’t. Budgets are set, programs are already moving, and fundraising goals don’t wait for the calendar. Strategy doesn’t usually break in the planning – it frays later, in the small decisions that stretch capacity and make sustainability harder. In this energy-sustaining focused episode, fundraiser coach Britt Stockert shares one grounding question fundraisers can use as a gut-check for strategy, capacity, an...
Send us a text Happy New Year! We’re kicking off 2026 with a conversation many nonprofit leaders are already having behind the scenes: What’s actually changing in fundraising…and what’s just noise? Every year, nonprofits get told to prepare for the next big trend. But the shifts shaping 2026 aren’t about shiny tools or louder campaigns. They’re quieter…and far more structural. Leaders are rethinking how fundraising holds up over time, not just how it performs in the next campaign. Join us as...
Send us a text Final Episode of 2025! Jena sits down with Jessica LaMesa, Co-CEO of The Life You Can Save, for a powerful, action-oriented conversation on how strategic, evidence-based giving translates into life-saving impact. In this episode, you’ll discover: The Power of Rapid Response: How The Life You Can Save mobilized over $13 million in just six months, funding critical healthcare and nutrition across Sub-Saharan Africa and saving over 4,000 lives, amid U.S. foreign aid cuts.Beh...
Send us a text Giving Tuesday felt quieter than you hoped? Take a breath. Your December is still wide open. In this episode, Jena and Britt break down what a slow Giving Tuesday really means, and what to do next without panic, pressure, or a full campaign rewrite. You’ll learn how to: Read the data signals behind a “quiet” Giving TuesdayReconnect donors without selling harderMake small, smart shifts that unlock stronger December givingTurn this moment into momentum – fast!If your confidence t...
Send us a text December is where your year-end campaign is won or lost - and today, we’re making sure you stay steady, strategic, and connected all the way through December 31. Jena and Cara Augspurger walk through the two actions that shape your final numbers: follow-through and follow-up. Get ready for pro-tips covering: Stay consistent with your December communication rhythmWhy tight messaging keeps donors engaged (especially this month)How to steward donors well with thoughtful, timely fo...
Send us a text Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at The Nonprofit Podcast. 🦃 Today’s episode is simply a pause - a moment to acknowledge the people who keep showing up, even in a year that’s felt heavier than most. If you’re writing the extra email, answering the late call, carrying more need than resources, or holding hope for someone else when your own feels thin… this is for you. Your work is noticed. Your impact is real. And we’re grateful for the way you keep moving your mission forward....
Send us a text Giving Tuesday Is Days Away - Here’s Your Game Plan Giving Tuesday is almost here…and yes, you still have time to show up with clarity, confidence, and zero panic. In this episode, Cara Augspurger walks you through the final steps that make the biggest difference – the practical moves, the strategic choices, and the calm mindset that help your nonprofit show up and shine in one of the biggest giving moments of the year. You’ll discover: Why Giving Tuesday is absolutely worth sh...
Send us a text Writer’s block for Christmas? You’re not alone. Try these Giving Season AI writing prompts that actually work In this short, informative easy listen, Britt Stockert shares how AI can be the creative writing partner you didn’t know you needed this Giving Season. She walks through how to use AI prompts to beat the blank page, keep your tone real, and save time on those endless donor messages. What’s inside: Why, and how, AI can be your creative sidekick for campaign writing...
Send us a text November is Giving Season Go Time It’s here - now is the time to transition your year-end campaigns from planning to performance. Your message is live, donors are active, and every touchpoint counts. In this episode, Jena and Cara break down how to confidently lead your campaign, stay engaged, and keep supporters connected through every moment of Giving Season. What you’ll learn A simple 3-step rhythm to lead your campaign with clarityThe mistake that quietly stalls year-end fu...
Send us a text Recent events reminded nonprofits everywhere: if you don’t shape your online presence, someone else might. In this episode, Jena Lynch digs into how transparency, nonprofit visibility, and AI discoverability shape donor trust and organizational credibility. She walks through practical steps to review your digital footprint, ensure accurate results across search and AI tools, to keep your story consistent before year-end. Your story deserves to be told - accurately, clearly, and...
Send us a text Freezing Before Donor Meetings? Let’s Fix That. Why do donor meetings feel so stressful - especially at year-end? Brittan breaks down the real reason so many fundraisers dread sitting down with donors, and why it's not about your fundraising skills. You’ll learn how cultural money stories shape your confidence, how to reframe the fear, and how to lead donor meetings that are grounded in curiosity, connection, and trust - not pressure or perfection. Takeaways include: Wh...
Send us a text Some tools evolve. Others endure. Direct mail does both. Cara Augspurger sits down with Joe Leach, CEO of AppealMaker, to unpack how technology is reshaping one of fundraising’s most trusted tools - direct mail. They dig deep into how automation, follow-up strategies, and smart timing can turn traditional mail into a high-performing element of your year-end fundraising strategy. Plus, Joe shares how smaller nonprofits can use agility to their advantage, and why the simple...
Send us a text Year-end appeals are your nonprofit’s biggest fundraising moment - and you only get one shot. Fundraising coach Britt Stockert shares 4 smart ways to help your appeal break through the noise and connect where it counts. Discover: A better way to segment your donorsThe story shift that grabs attention fastWhat donors actually want to hearHow to make your ask land with confidenceListen in - build an appeal that works and write your strongest year-end message yet. 🗓 Want Britt to ...
Send us a text Skip the scramble. These 3 October fundraising don’ts turn stress into strategy. October is where the pressure builds, and where many nonprofits either set themselves up for success or stumble into a December scramble. In this episode of The Nonprofit Podcast, host Jena Lynch and co-host Cara Augspurger walk through practical planning tips to stop you from tripping over the 3 Don’ts of October Fundraising: Don’t keep it all in your headDon’t surprise your donorsDon’t assume it’...
Send us a text Ready to go from year-end gifts to year-round growth? Year-end giving may steal the spotlight, but what happens after December is what determines lasting success. The nonprofits that thrive aren’t just chasing one-time gifts - they’re building relationships that carry impact well into the new year. Today, Jena revisits a standout 2024 conversation with Chris Barlow of Beeline Marketing, layered with fresh insights for Giving Season 2025. Together, they explore how nonprofits ca...
Send us a text What if your nonprofit event did more than raise money for a night? What if it sparked long-term donor loyalty? This week, Jena Lynch sits down with master fundraising strategist Chad Barger to rethink how we measure event success. Forget vanity metrics. We're talking about the event ROI that actually counts, and how your fall events should be the start of something bigger than a single gift. Ready to flip the script on your next Year-end event? Tune in to learn: What you...
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