Just Ask - Rethinking Development podcast

06.20.2024

Building Alumni Participation

Alumni Participation in the Annual Fund. Why do so few graduates support their alma mater? What can be done? Greg and Bryan brainstorm ideas for building alumni participation.

06.11.2024

The President’s Role. Formerly a teacher and principal, you’ve just accepted a job as president of a Catholic high school. What does this new job entail? How is it different than principal? Greg leads a discussion about how to take...

06.04.2024

The Foundation Beauty Pageant

Are foundation appeals just another beauty contest? Bryan shares his take regarding the return on investment of pursuing grant dollars.

05.28.2024

Why Fundraisers Get Out or Sell Out

Bryan explores a question with Greg: why do so many development professionals leave the non-profit world or turn to consulting jobs? Listen as they diagnose what is causing fundraisers to “get out or sell out.”

05.20.2024

People Give Because You Ask

Why do people give? On a basic level, most people of us know the answer. Because you asked! But in practice, how many nonprofits ask and ask well? Bryan shares a success story that highlights the fine art of asking.

05.14.2024

Nice Charities Finish Last

If your non-profit is out to change the world, just about the last thing you want your cause to be referred to as is “nice.” Bryan discuss with Greg how you can avoid being just another “nice” charity.

05.06.2024

Don’t Confuse Money with Relationships

A common pitfall non-profits fall into is the tendency to confuse money with relationships. What do we mean? When searching for A Team volunteers, don’t default to the ones you know will say yes. Greg explains why nonprofits often get...

04.29.2024

Building the A Team

How do you attract “A level talent” as volunteers? What would it mean for your charity to have the right benefactors involved on a high level? Greg shares five things you need to know for building the A Team.

04.24.2024

Fighting out of the Fundraising Friendzone [Encore]

Have you ever found yourself in the “Friendzone?” How about the “Fundraising Friendzone”. This is where a fundraiser has the perfect person to partner with their mission, but they somehow never get around to asking for support. They’re stuck in...

03.29.2024

Mission Effectiveness Pt 4: Wise Stewardship

Welcome back to the Mission Effectiveness finale! In part four of a four part series, Greg and Bryan tackle the concept of Wise Stewardship. Stewardship is a term we hear often in the non-profit world. Greg and Bryan break down...

03.22.2024

Mission Effectiveness Pt 3: Courage

Welcome back to part three of a four part series on Mission Effectiveness! There is one element to Mission Effectiveness that often gets overlooked: Courage.

03.14.2024

Mission Effectiveness Pt 2: Strategy

Welcome back to part two of a four part series on Mission Effectiveness! In this episode, Greg takes us into the importance of organization having a strategy. Strategic is a word that gets thrown around. What makes a decision truly...

03.06.2024

Mission Effectiveness Pt 1: Smart and Healthy

Welcome to part one of a four part series on Mission Effectiveness! The inspiration for this series came from an article by Jake Stanley from the Amazing Parish that was featured in the October 2023 issue of Catechetical Review. The...

01.31.2024

The Devil and Fundraising

Battling the unseen. When you are trying to do something beautiful for God, understand the forces against you. Greg dives into an exploration of the mystical encounter, both good and bad, and shares what this means for you as a...

01.17.2024

First Steps to Setting Up a Development Program

The Startup – Choosing Database Software. Your parish decided to start a development program to support the parish and school. Greg offers advice on step one-setting up a development database.

01.05.2024

What To Do When You Have No Propects

The Startup – Finding Your First Donors. You’ve just started a non-profit, and you don’t even have a prospect list. Here’s ideas on how to get started.

12.28.2023

Top 5 Ways to Kickstart Your Fundraising in 2024

With the new year upon us, the time to set a solid fundraising strategy is here. One of the challenges non-profits face is too many “good” things to focus our time on. So what are the most essential tasks for...

12.20.2023

Asking is the Easy Part

Greg recounts how a donor recently told him, “Asking is the easy part.” Listen in on why that transformed his thinking about fundraising.

12.13.2023

Warsaw, The Dentist and the Great Flood of ’97: Faith as the Great Motivator

What can motivate individuals to give beyond what seems possible? Today Greg talks about the relationship between God and Money. Specifically, he shares a real life study on Warsaw, the Dentist and the Great Flood of ’97.

12.01.2023

Listening: The Quintessential Development Skill

Bryan and Greg share perhaps the most important skill a development officer can master: the art of listening. In this episode, you’ll learn about listening on a deeper level and uncover what it takes to really get to know someone.

11.22.2023

No One Wants You Until Everyone Wants You

There’s a saying in show biz, “No one wants you ‘til everyone wants you.” Bryan explains how that principle applies to non-profits, as he recounts the growth of St. Paul’s Newman Center in Fargo, ND.

11.15.2023

Your First Campaign

Why is the first campaign the most difficult? Greg shares some words of encouragement to those launching their first capital campaign. Odds are it will be the most difficult campaign your non-profit will undertake. Greg shares why that is and why...

11.08.2023

The Firsthand Experience

Is there any replacement for a firsthand experience? Some of the most loyal donors of your non-profit had their own firsthand experiences with your cause. So how can you give a firsthand experience to donors who are new to your...

10.20.2023

Pt 2: What to Do When Your Campaign Stalls

Every campaign will face challenges and setbacks. So what do you do when these challenges cause your campaign to stall? Bryan and Greg continue their conversation on how you can break out of a stall in your fundraising efforts. This...

10.13.2023

Pt 1: What to Do When Your Campaign Stalls

In every campaign, you encounter challenges and setbacks. So what do you do when these challenges cause your campaign to stall? Bryan shares what steps helped his non-profit to overcome a stall of a goal rising by over $10 million....

09.28.2023

Some Donors Just Aren’t That Into You

Despite your best efforts in fundraising, you will inevitably be met with a hard truth: some donors just aren’t that into you. Given this reality, what can you do to still build organizational trust? Bryan discusses how to navigate a...

09.06.2023

Troubleshooting Pending Pledges

You asked, you waited. Still no decision. What could be holding up a major donor’s decision? Perhaps you need to suggest a ‘contingent pledge.’ Here’s how it works.

08.28.2023

How to Fundraise Without Losing Your Soul

Development can be a grind. When you work for a non-profit, there will never be a time when your mission no longer needs funding. Add on a substantial campaign, and you’re already full schedule is about to expand. The grind...

08.17.2023

Don’t Waste Time Convincing the Wrong Person with the Right Reasons

Have you ever spent considerable time convincing someone of an idea or a beneficial partnership? Chances are, if you’re a fundraiser, this is part of you’re job description. But, you can actually save yourself time and hassle by first asking...

08.07.2023

Do Your Organization’s Best Donors Die With You?

A common problem within the fundraising world is the attachment of donors to individuals rather than organizations. Greg highlights the problem a non-profit founder can face when all the best donors are their own direct contacts. How do you build...

07.24.2023

Is Diversity Always a Good Thing?

Is diversity always a good thing? It depends upon your definition. Greg talks about what is the actual Catholic understanding of diversity as well as how the distorted modern view of diversity is affecting our Catholic institutions.

06.30.2023

Cash Crunch Pt 2: The Aging of the Catholic Donor Base

Greg and Bryan continue their conversation on the changing Catholic donor base and what this means for your non-profit.

06.23.2023

Cash Crunch Pt 1: The Aging of the Catholic Donor Base

What will happen to the Catholic donor base over the next 15-20 years? It is no secret that younger Americans are becoming less and less religiously affiliated. At the same time, the most supportive Catholic benefactors are getting older. In...

06.15.2023

Trust Me, I’m a Consultant

When a need to raise considerable funds comes up, you’ll most likely look to hire a consultant. The question then becomes, we do you trust? Before you blindly choose the big shiny firm, Bryan and Greg invite you to stop...

06.02.2023

Should Your Non-Profit Cancel the Event?

How do you know when it’s time to cancel the event? You know the one. It’s the one that comes up annually and your organization has been doing it for years. But, is it really worth the time, energy, and...

05.26.2023

You Can Raise The Money… But Should You?

As fundraisers, we like to ask questions like, “how are we going to raise the money?” Unfortunately, we too often don’t ask a related question: should we raise the money? Bryan and Greg discuss what you need to do in...

05.18.2023

Why is Asking for Money So Hard?

This may be the most important topic ever covered on Just Ask. Why is asking for money so hard? If you’re in the field of fundraising, you will have to ask others for money. So why is that so hard?...

05.03.2023

The Gift from the Car Window

What's the difference between a major gift and the one you give from your car window? Using a recent donor experience, Greg tackles the psychology behind why major donors make major gifts. How do you give a donor hope that their...

04.26.2023

Does God have an Executive Assistant?: A Word of Encouragement

What factors are out of your control as a fundraiser? As the fiscal year end approaches, Greg discusses why you may be laying too much of the burden on yourself. In this episode you'll learn: - The number one factor affecting major gifts -...

04.13.2023

Jump Start Your Major Gifts

Does your organization have any "major" donors? Where should you begin when seeking to solicit "major" gifts. This is a massive topic, but there are key steps you can take to jump start your major gifts program. Listen in as Bryan and...

03.31.2023

The Diva Donor

What do you do if your donor is a diva? In a perfect world, you live in a drama free fundraising world. But inevitably, you will encounter at one time or another, the diva donor. Bryan discusses with Greg what a...

03.24.2023

Up Your Game With Texting

Getting ahold of someone remains one of the greatest hurdles in fundraising. Leaving a voicemail and expecting a call back is often just wishful thinking. But, there is an increasingly effective medium for reaching people: texting. Greg explores ways to...

03.10.2023

The New Catholic Parent

Greg channels his 30 years of fundraising for Catholic schools and charities to highlight a changing demographic: Catholic parents. Greg has noticed the emergence of a new mindset among parents, and it may have significant consequences for your fundraising approach....

02.10.2023

What are the Traits of an Ideal Development Professional?

This marks our 75th episode! We are taking time again answer some listener questions. Here is what we cover today: 1. What are traits of an ideal development professional? 2. What makes for a great working relationship between the lead fundraiser and executive...

02.03.2023

Should You Expand Your Development Office?

More listener questions! Today, Bryan and Greg answer: How do you know if it's time to expand your development office? Is it time to hire an outside company or more personnel? What should you look for in an organization before...

01.27.2023

Should You Take That Development Job and Are You A Good Fit?

Today we answer a few listener questions! 1. What does it look like to start a development operation from scratch? 2. Why aren't there many people who want to do development? 3. How do I know if I'm a good fit for development?

01.18.2023

Watch the Solicitation Game Tape

What does every great NFL team spend time on after a game? They watch the game tape. Greg argues today that this may be the single most important key to his growth as a 30 year fundraiser. After a solicitation...

01.11.2023

Dinner and an Ask

Greg walks you through what to do when you find yourself in the position of doing business over a meal. A meal by its nature is social. This can present a challenge when determining what is the right time to bring...

01.04.2023

It's All About the Follow-Up

What separates great development professionals from mediocre fundraisers? Follow-up. Tenacity and consistency in following up an ask made to a donor by you and your non-profit. Simple enough to do, and yet this skill is often done poorly by many. Not a...

12.29.2022

Establishing Family Endowments

What do you think of when you hear the term endowments? They can be a perpetual source of funding to your non-profit, but often, we see it as something to tackle in the future. Greg advocates today for a new...

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