Some organizations suffer from failure to see things as the donors themselves see it, notes Nick Ellinger on this week's session. Nick, vice president of marketing strategy for DonorVoice, joins in to talk about how to create a connection between development and communications, and why communications in nonprofits is often one-sided. He explains how you can get real, substantive feedback from donors—and then how to actually use it. Where can you improve in your messaging so donors feel a personal connection? He shares some key advice, such as be careful what you ask as well as how you ask.

DP 162: The Intersection of Development and Communications

Wonder what other organizations are doing to grow that you might not have thought of? Schools, nonprofits and associations have so much in common when it comes to attracting the right people, keeping them excited to be there and inspiring them to give back. From branding strategies to marketing programs and fundraising communications, organizations of all sizes are trying new ways to inspire action. In Driving Participation, Beth Brodovsky talks with marketers, fundraisers and consultants, exploring what what’s working to get people to show up, stick around and give back.

Education

Training

Language Courses

Higher Education

K-12

Educational Technology

Government & Organizations

Non-Profit

National

Regional

Local

 After five years and 200 episodes, Beth has certainly learned a thing or two (or 200) about participation, such as where it comes from and what it really means. As she turns the final page of the podcast, she reflects on the five principles of participation she’s picked up on with the help from guests along the way, from the meaning and value of collaboration to knowing your audience beyond demographics and much more.

DP 200: 200 Ways You Are Driving Participation

DP 199: Discovering the New Power

  Sarah Olivieri joins this session to talk all about strategy. How do you create a strategy everyone is on board with and can follow? And, more importantly, how do you even define strategy? Sarah, founder of PivotGround, and Beth explore the link between strategy and capacity, what differentiates strategies from tactics, and Sarah’s “secret sauce” to help businesses thrive. She shares tricks for getting time back in your day so you can shift your focus to the activity that is most important, tools for staying on track with the strategy you develop, and more.

DP 198: Developing Strategy Doesn't Have to Take a Year

When it comes to innovation and experimentation, ideas are only half of the challenge. Donna Kastner, founder of Retirepreneur, joins this week’s session to explore the other half: implementation. She and Beth delve into experimentation and how to get from a conversation about an idea to an actual product. Donna explains how to design a conversation that puts everyone on a level playing field and leads to exploring the "why" behind the idea—without jumping to tactics too quickly. She and Beth discuss how a hackathon can create an impact anywhere from a conference to just within your organization and bring people together to solve, or "hack," a problem, the importance of patience, and much more.

DP 197: Little Wins: Tackling Experimentation One Step at a Time

Jeremiah Lane knows the power of putting a face to the name of an organization. After attending a conference, he came back to the Children's Hospital Foundation, where he serves as Communications Director, with an idea that changed how the organization approached its storytelling. With one campaign that directly involves the families they serve, the Foundation has been able to tap into the emotional side of the work they do and share those stories with their audience in ways that resonate, especially because they may be stories about kids from their hometown. Jeremiah shares how to use personal stories to create connections with donors, the link between development and communications, and more.

DP 162: The Intersection of Development and Communications

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