Fridays 4 Fundraising

By Kelly McLaughlin

Fresh fundraising recipes delivered every Friday!

Join Kelly McLaughlin of From Scratch Fundraising for bite-sized assignments that help nonprofits raise more dough without burning out. No half-bake... more

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FAQs about Fridays 4 Fundraising:

How many episodes does Fridays 4 Fundraising have?

The podcast currently has 41 episodes available.

Fridays 4 Fundraising episodes:

June 26, 2026What are you doing wrong? Ask a lapsed donor.
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares practical strategies for engaging lapsed donors, including real-life success stories and actionable steps to re-engage supporters and boost fundraising efforts.
Links
Check Out Donorbox
Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways
It's worth calling lapsed donors, not to raise more, but to find out how to improve your fundraising efforts.
A real life story about how Kelly brought a donor back into the fold at a higher level than they'd ever given before.
Keywords
fundraising, lapsed donors, donor engagement, nonprofit, Kelly McLaughlin, donor retention, fundraising tips
...more
13min
June 18, 2026Drop fundraising busy work with Zaps
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares how nonprofit organizations can leverage Zapier to automate routine tasks, saving time and increasing efficiency in fundraising efforts.

Links to Tools Mentioned
Zapier - https://zapier.com
DonorBox - https://www.donorbox.org
Neon One - https://neonone.com
Monday.com - https://monday.com
Takeaways
Zapier can connect multiple tools to automate fundraising tasks.
Automation frees up staff to focus on relationship-building rather than data entry.
A well-structured automation system can operate seamlessly without constant oversight.
Nonprofits can implement sophisticated workflows even with small teams.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising
00:48 Thanks to Donorbox!
01:17 This Week's Focus: Drop busywork with Zapier
02:07 How to drop busywork with Zapier
06:55 Resources to Support You
08:10 This Week's Assignment: Automate something that will save you hours
Keywords
fundraising automation, Zapier, nonprofit efficiency, donor management, workflow automation
...more
10min
June 11, 2026Advocate for a Professional Development Budget
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly talks about how to get your board to buy into professional development budgets.
Links
Check Out Donorbox
Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways
Present fundraising investments as gains, not a way to prevent losses.
Use data to show the potential return on investment.
Frame fundraising needs as opportunities for growth.
Keywords
fundraising, nonprofit, professional development, donor retention, board engagement, fundraising strategy, nonprofit success, donor retention improvement, fundraising support
...more
15min
June 05, 2026Call Your Donors: 10 Donors You Don't Know
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly emphasizes the importance of personal donor engagement through calls, advocating for a return to traditional relationship-building methods to boost fundraising effectiveness. She shares practical steps for nonprofit leaders to reconnect with donors and improve retention.
Links
Check Out Donorbox
Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways
The decline of digital-only fundraising strategies
The importance of personal donor relationships
Practical steps for calling and engaging donors
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising
00:41 Thank You to Donorbox!
01:08 This Week's Focus: Call Your Donors, part 2!
04:10 How to Approach Calling Donors You Don't Know
05:49 Let's hang out!
06:53 Your Homework Assignment: Call 10 Donors You Don't Know

Keywords
fundraising, donor engagement, nonprofit, relationship-building, donor calls, fundraising strategy, Kelly McLaughlin, From Scratch Fundraising
...more
8min
May 29, 2026Land more donor meetings with one simple strategy
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly explains how nonprofit fundraisers can leverage calendar scheduling links to increase efficiency and build stronger donor relationships. Kelly shares practical steps to implement these tools and improve fundraising outcomes.

Links
Check Out Donorbox
Request a Discovery Call

Takeaways
Using calendar links is now essential for donor engagement.
Set up three default meeting types: 30-min virtual, 60-min virtual, 90-min in-person.
Choose a platform that integrates well with your existing tools.
Donors prefer efficient, no-hassle scheduling options.
Chapters
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising
01:07 The Shift in Donor Scheduling Preferences
01:38 Why Calendar Links Are a Must Now
03:55 Choosing the Right Scheduling Platform
05:17 Setting Up Default Meeting Types
06:09 Matching Meeting Types to Donor Needs
06:50 Quick Setup Tips for Calendar Links
06:58 Your Weekly Homework: Implement a Calendar Link

Keywords
fundraising, nonprofit, calendar scheduling, donor relationships, efficiency, digital tools, fundraising tips
...more
8min
May 15, 2026Stop Fundraiser Burnout
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares insights on managing fundraiser burnout by understanding the physiological stress response and practical techniques to stay resilient.

Links
Check Out Donorbox
Request a Discovery Call
Sign up for How To Fundraise Without Burning Out workshop

Takeaways
Burnout is the freeze response, a physiological reaction to stress.
Managing stress involves making your body feel safe through physical and social activities.
Understanding the physicality of stress is crucial for long-term resilience.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising
02:40 Understanding Fundraiser Burnout
05:19 Physiological Responses to Stress
08:14 Strategies for Managing Stress
10:58 Building a Burnout Recovery Action Plan
13:51 Workshop Invitation and Conclusion

Keywords
fundraiser burnout, stress management, nonprofit, sustainable fundraising, mental health, stress response, burnout recovery, Kelly McLaughlin, DonorBox, fundraising tips
...more
18min
May 08, 2026Boost Donor Retention: BCC yourself on donation thank yous
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares a simple yet powerful technique to enhance donor relationships and increase retention—BCC'ing team members on donation autoresponders. She explains how this easy step can foster real conversations, improve engagement, and ultimately boost fundraising success.

Links
Check Out Donorbox
Request a Discovery Call
Sign up for How To Fundraise Without Burning Out workshop

Takeaways
Using BCC in autoresponders helps to build relationships by prompting conversations with donors you wouldn't have otherwise.
Improving donor retention requires personalized engagement

Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising
00:47 Thank You Donorbox!
01:31 This Week's Focus: Optimize Your Thank Yous
04:31 How To Set Up a BCC on your Autoresponder
10:25 Workshop: How to Fundraise Without Burning Outt
13:01 This Week's Assignment: Set up a BCC on your autoresponders

Keywords
fundraising, donor relationships, autoresponders, donor retention, nonprofit, digital fundraising, relationship building, Kelly McLaughlin, fundraising tips
...more
14min
May 01, 2026Call Your Donors: Top 10 Donors
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly talks about why phone calls to donors still matter—even (and maybe in spite of) the age of digital efficiency. This week, start with your top 10 donors to begin making strides in donor retention and upgrades.

Links
Check Out Donorbox
Request a Discovery Call
Sign up for How To Fundraise Without Burning Out workshop

Takeaways
The importance of calling donors for relationship building
Steps to effectively call top donors
Using digital tools to enhance face-to-face interactions
Managing fundraising burnout and stress

Chapters
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Fundraising Focus
00:38 Kelly's Weekly Fundraising Assignment
01:34 Introducing the Call Your Donors Series
01:58 The Impact of Donor Calls on Fundraising
03:51 Digital Tools vs. Personal Relationships
06:04 How to Identify Your Top 10 Donors
06:42 Simple Steps to Call Your Donors
08:00 Treat Every Donor as Valuable
08:52 Voicemail and Follow-up Tips
09:22 Upcoming Free Workshop on Burnout Prevention
11:36 Weekly Homework: Call Your Top 10 Donors

Keywords
fundraising, donor calls, nonprofit, relationship building, donor retention, burnout prevention, digital tools, fundraising strategy
...more
13min
April 24, 2026Boost Your Fundraising Productivity: Eliminate!
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares practical strategies for nonprofit fundraising success, focusing on eliminating non-essential tasks to free up time for relationship building and mission impact. She emphasizes the importance of focusing on activities that directly support organizational goals.
Links
Join Sustain & Thrive: https://www.fromscratchfundraising.com/sustain-thrive
Schedule a Discovery Call: https://www.fromscratchfundraising.com/schedule
Check Out DonorBox: https://donorbox.org/?kfl_ln=zdbknju
Takeaways
Eliminate tasks that don't support primary goals or organizational survival.
Use a three-question test to evaluate each task's importance.
Focus on relationship-building activities to move fundraising forward.
Automation and delegation are key to increasing productivity.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising
00:45 Thank You to our First Sponsor: Donorbox!
01:28 This Week's Focus: Boost Productivity & Eliminate!
02:22 How to Eliminate Non-Essential Tasks
04:24 Resources to Support You
04:59 This Week's Assignment: Find things to eliminate on your to do list

Keywords
fundraising, nonprofit, productivity, task elimination, relationship building, Kelly McLaughlin, From Scratch Fundraising, nonprofit tips
...more
6min
April 17, 2026Boost Your Fundraising Productivity: Delegate!
Summary
In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly shares a practical framework for nonprofit leaders to boost productivity by automating, operating efficiently, and delegating tasks. This episode offers actionable steps to free up time for relationship building and strategic growth via delegation--even when there's nobody to delegate to!
Links
Join Sustain & Thrive: https://www.fromscratchfundraising.com/sustain-thrive
Schedule a Discovery Call: https://www.fromscratchfundraising.com/schedule
Check Out DonorBox: https://donorbox.org/?kfl_ln=zdbknju
Takeaways
Automate repetitive tasks using tools like Zapier and QuickBooks.
Delegate non-value-adding tasks to volunteers, contractors, or software.
Use platforms like Volunteer Match to find volunteers for specific tasks.
Hiring an accountant can save time and money, often more than the cost.
Focus on relationship-building activities that drive fundraising.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising
01:31 This Week's Focus: Framework for Productivity - Delegate!
02:50 How To Delegate - even when there's nobody to delegate to
06:49 Resources to Support You
08:00 This Week's Assignment: Figure out something you can delegate today
Keywords
nonprofit, productivity, delegation, automation, fundraising, volunteer, small nonprofit, efficiency, Kelly McLaughlin, From Scratch Fundraising
...more
9min

FAQs about Fridays 4 Fundraising:

How many episodes does Fridays 4 Fundraising have?

The podcast currently has 41 episodes available.