"We’re not just telling stories anymore—we’re helping people make sense of the world."

That’s the powerful message behind this week’s episode of Nonprofit Nation featuring Kristen Grimm, founder and strategist of Spitfire Strategies, a leading communications firm that helps nonprofits, foundations, and social changemakers sharpen their voice and deepen their impact.

In this conversation, Kristen introduces the concept of “meaning-making” — the process of helping people interpret what’s happening around them, understand what it means, and decide how to act. With the world experiencing unprecedented levels of uncertainty, polarization, and complexity, Kristen argues that communicators now face a once-in-a-generation opportunity to help people cut through the noise and find clarity, purpose, and direction.

Drawing on her recently published meaning-making blog series, Kristen shares a timely roadmap for nonprofit leaders looking to rise above the chaos and communicate with resonance. You’ll hear about the different phases of meaning-making, how to spot a "meaning-making window" when it opens, and why now is the time to shift from persuasion to perspective-shaping.

🔍 In This Episode, We Discuss:

• What “meaning-making” really is — and why it's vital right now
• Why traditional messaging may fall flat in today’s environment
• The phases of meaning-making: from recognition to resonance
• Tools to assess your organization's readiness to lead with meaning
• Real-world examples of meaning-making strategies in action
• How small or resource-constrained nonprofits can start this work today

💼 About Kristen Grimm

Kristen is the founder of Spitfire Strategies, a public interest firm focused on advancing racial, economic and social justice, protecting the environment and promoting opportunity for all. She has extensive experience running smart communication and campaign efforts that create lasting social change. A hopeful strategist, she believes progress is always possible, setbacks are sources of inspiration and building beyond the choir is where the real work is. She is the mastermind behind Spitfire’s Smart Chart, Planning to Win, Mindful Messaging and Replenishing Trust, thinks fast in a crisis, is deft at drawing phenomenal visionary speeches out of leaders and is someone you want in your corner when you’re ready to go big. When it comes to storytelling, all you need to know is that her last name is Grimm.

🧰 Resources & Links:

• 🔗 Kristen Grimm’s Meaning-Making Series – Spitfire Strategies
• 🔗 Meaning-Making: An Idea Whose Time Has Come and How to Make It Come to Fruition
• 🔗 Meaning-Making: Approaches to Consider
• 🔗 Meaning-Making: Live Examples We Can Watch Play Out

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Social media success isn’t just about posting content and hoping for the best. It's about strategy, audience insight, and internal advocacy.

This was originally a live conversation on LinkedIn. 

Listen in to my conversation with Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D., Senior Digital Comms Manager at Candid and one of the most insightful voices speaking up about what social media professionals really need to succeed. 

Kate shares why social media needs to be seen as an organization-wide responsibility, how SMMs can elevate their role beyond “just posting,” and what nonprofits must do to ensure these roles are sustainable and strategic going into 2026.

In this episode, we cover: 

• Why social media is a team sport, even if you're the only one on the field
• How to advocate for your work and educate others about its value
• Strategies to build a culture of content collaboration across departments
• What systems and tools need to evolve for long-term sustainability
• What’s ahead in 2026: predictions and priorities for social media teams

About Kate: 

With over 14 years of experience, Kate Meyers Emery, Ph.D., has proven track record of using experimentation, data, and creativity to transform complex stories into simple yet compelling content on social media, web, email, and other digital platforms. She is a data nerd who uses her depth of industry knowledge, natural curiosity, and background in anthropology to create innovative, inclusive, and human-centered stories in digital spaces.  

Kate has worked with nonprofits, museums, and universities to engage and educate. She is currently the senior digital communications manager at Candid, where she leads the strategy, content production, and analysis of organic social media. 

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyersemery/ 

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💰 What’s a DAF and why should nonprofits - of every size- care about this trend in giving?

My guest this week is Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy at Chariot, a fintech company revolutionizing how nonprofits receive Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) donations. Mitch shows us the growing significance of DAFs - which now hold over $230 billion in charitable assets - and why most nonprofits are still leaving money on the table. 

From integrating DAFs into digital fundraising to engaging donors more strategically, Mitch shares actionable insights from the field, including recent findings from Chariot’s DAF Fundraising Report. Whether you're new to DAFs or ready to optimize your approach, this conversation offers clear takeaways for every fundraiser and mission-driven leader.

💡 Together, we explore:

• What Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are, and why they’re so important now
• Ways nonprofits can integrate DAFs into digital campaigns and donor journeys
• Surprising insights from Chariot’s DAF Fundraising Report
• Why fundraisers may be overlooking DAF donors in their marketing
• Common misconceptions about DAFs
• What’s ahead for DAFs, and how nonprofits can prepare now

💼 About Mitch Stein

Mitch Stein is the Head of Strategy for Chariot - a financial technology company focused on DAF payments. Mitch leads the company's stakeholder engagement and industry-wide initiatives like the DAF Fundraising Report and DAF Day.

Prior to Chariot, Mitch founded a marketplace for nonprofits called Pond, which connected organizations with the best software and services for their mission. Mitch previously spent 7 years as an Investment Banker at Goldman Sachs, where his work included running client strategy for the CEO and serving as a Vice President in the Technology, Media & Telecom deal team. 

Mitch is an avid fundraiser for nonprofits himself, having participated in Cycle for the Cause since 2016 and serving as a board member for The LGBT Center of NYC since 2019.

🧰 Resources & Links:

•  Chariot’s Website
• DAF Fundraising Report 
• DAF Day

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How do you tell stories that not only inform but inspire people to act? In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, I’m joined by Caroline Keylock, co-founder of LookUP, a global storytelling consultancy helping nonprofits, brands, and agencies harness the power of narrative to drive growth, connection, and impact.

Caroline shares her unique perspective drawn from both the nonprofit and commercial sectors, including her work with Wikimedia, Alzheimer’s organizations, and The Communications Network. Her message is clear: in a noisy world filled with apathy and misinformation, storytelling is not a nice-to-have - it’s absolutely essential. 

🎧 In This Episode, We Discuss:

• he critical difference between telling your story and telling your audience’s story
• How to structure a story to make it memorable—and actionable
• What nonprofits can learn from entertainment storytelling
• Why story is the key to alignment, clarity, and influence—internally and externally

This is a conversation for communicators, leaders, and change-makers who want their messages to matter, and to move. 

💼 About Caroline Keylock

Caroline Keylock is co-founder of LookUP, a storytelling consultancy working with people and organisations to drive growth through the power of story. She spends half her time working with non-profits globally (Wikimedia, Alzheimers, The Communications Network); and the other half working with agencies, media owners, and brands who want to harness their story to give them clarity as to their future goals, get their teams to work together more effectively, or sell what they do more effectively. She believes that storytelling has become the essential skill for organisations working in social good, in a world of apathy and disinformation, and LookUP are increasingly working with companies in this space to help them harness this skill.

🧰 Resources & Links:

• LookUP website
• Follow Caroline on LinkedIn

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What if everything you’ve been taught about fundraising isn’t wrong—but just too safe?

In this episode, I’m joined by Lisa L. Stueckemann, CFRE, author of Fundraising Rebel—a book that’s shaking up how we think about donor relationships, generosity, and what it means to lead with courage in today’s fundraising landscape.

Lisa is a consultant, mentor, and nationally recognized speaker who’s worked with hundreds of nonprofit teams to help them ditch the “donor-centric” buzzwords and build real, lasting connections instead. In a time when donor trust is down and fundraising feels harder than ever, Lisa offers a refreshing—and rebellious—approach to leadership, authenticity, and generosity.

💡 We talk about:

• What it really means to be a fundraising rebel
• How to build donor loyalty in a time of burnout and disconnection
• Why “donor-centered” fundraising may be doing more harm than good
• How to talk about money in ways that feel honest and aligned
• Strategies to lead with courage, not just KPIs

If you’re ready to shake off the guilt, say goodbye to outdated scripts, and fundraise with more freedom—this conversation is for you.

💼 Lisa Stueckemann

Lisa L. Stueckemann, CFRE, is the author of “Fundraising Rebel.” She has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music and Master of Nonprofit Administration from North Park University provide a unique and creative lens to her fundraising strategy and leadership style. She has on-the-ground experience in annual giving, major gifts, corporate philanthropy, event design, cause-marketing, and communications. She truly enjoys encouraging fundraising and marketing teams and forwarding the sector through teaching, consulting, and mentoring. A sought-after speaker on fundraising and leadership, Lisa regularly speaks at local, state, and national conferences.

🧰 Resources & Links:

•  🔗 Learn more at fundraisingrebel.org
• 📘 Get the book: Fundraising Rebel on Amazon

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What does it take to lead with strength and compassion when your work revolves around trauma, crisis, and healing?

In this episode, I’m joined by Bridgette Stumpf, CEO and Co-Founder, and Lindsey Silverberg, Executive Director at Volare, a nonprofit based in Washington, DC that provides free, trauma-informed legal, advocacy, and therapeutic services to survivors of crime. Formerly known as the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Volare has grown from a grassroots startup into a $5M organization with national reach.

Bridgette and Lindsey share what it takes to lead in the survivor services space - from building resilient teams and navigating resource scarcity, to advocating for systemic reform and shifting how organizations think about trauma, healing, and justice.

We also talk about how they use storytelling, marketing, and even their own podcast (TraumaTies) to engage with their community while honoring the complexity and sensitivity of the work.

💡 In this episode, we cover:

• What it means to create a truly trauma-informed organization (not just a program)
• How to prevent burnout and build resilience in your team
• Creative strategies for sharing resources and building cross-sector partnerships
• Fundraising and scaling in a challenging environment
• Using social media and storytelling to deepen impact—without retraumatizing
• Why they launched a podcast, and what it’s taught them about leadership and connection

💼 Bridgette Stumpff

Bridgette Stumpf, Esq., is the CEO at Volare (formerly Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC)), a position she has held since co-founding the organization in 2012. She has over 15 years of experience advocating to ensure those impacted by crime are afforded meaningful rights and access to supportive services to mitigate the negative effects of trauma post-victimization.

💼 Lindsey Silverberg

Lindsey Silverberg is the Executive Director at Volare In this capacity, Lindsey works to ensure seamless delivery of survivor services in the acute crisis response, advocacy and case management, legal, and therapeutic programs. Her responsibilities range from building infrastructure and support for direct service staff, to educating the local and national community about trauma, and thinking big with Volare's CEO on how to help survivors achieve survivor-defined justice. Lindsey joined Volare as one of the first full time staff members in 2012, as an advocate providing hospital accompaniment for sexual assault survivors, attending court, and offering direct advocacy support to survivors of crime. She received her B.A. from the University of Maryland and her M.A. from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

🧰 Resources & Links:

• 🎧 Check out their podcast: TraumaTies
• 🔗 Learn more: volare-empowers.org

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What does it take to build a truly inclusive, culturally competent organization where burnout isn’t the norm — but the exception?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, I’m joined by Dr. Rick Rodriguez, Co-Founder and Learning Partner at The Rooted Life — a first-generation, LGBTQ+, minority-founded, bilingual coaching and consulting organization that centers people, culture, and identity at the heart of leadership.

With over 20 years of experience supporting schools, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations, Rick offers a healing-centered, equity-driven approach to leadership and organizational development. He helps teams go beyond surface-level diversity initiatives to foster environments where people not only feel seen — but truly belong and thrive.

💡 Key Topics:

• Why tackling burnout requires cultural change — not just better scheduling
• How bilingual and bicultural leadership can expand the lens of inclusion
• The difference between performative allyship and transformative equity work
• What it means to lead from a place deeply rooted in identity and values
• Practical steps nonprofits can take to build more culturally competent teams

🔍 About Dr. Rick Rodriguez

Rooted in the Chichimeca people of Central and Southern Mexico -Rick is a first-generation Mexicano Americano originally from Laredo, Texas. Rick has lived through and acknowledges the challenges that individuals and communities of color face across our systems. Barriers to success have further fueled his mission to ensure that the work is laser-focused on removing such barriers and mindsets for others.

Rick brings experience from the corporate , K-12, and social sectors where his leadership has incorporated collaborative approaches to strategies, structures, and frameworks that center on the needs of individuals, teams, and systems while engaging necessary internal and external stakeholders in the process for progress. Rick is a strong believer in the reality that “Si se puede!” and is determined to lead efforts that bring about what is best for all.

Rick holds a B.A. in Sociology from Texas A&M University – San Antonio, an M.S. in Human Resource Development, and an Ed.D in Professional Leadership K-12 from the University of Houston. Now based in La Tierra del Encanto (New Mexico), the mountains are calling and Rick is steadfast in reclaiming what should and will be.

🧰 Resources & Links:

• https://www.therootedlife.org/about 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/rick-rodriguez-ed-d-1667b751/

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🪷Nonprofit Nation is supported by Bloomerang. Download their 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists and get helpful templates to help you raise more. 🪷 

This episode was recorded live on LinkedIn. 

The final months of the year can feel like a sprint—and for nonprofit fundraisers, it’s often a marathon on top of that. Between Giving Tuesday, holiday campaigns, and meeting year-end goals, teams are juggling outreach, reporting, donor stewardship, and internal pressure to perform with limited resources.

But what if fundraisers could move from a place of overwhelm to a sense of abundance—not by working harder, but by working smarter?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, we’re diving into the power and possibility of AI with Tommy Vacek, Chief Technology Officer at Bloomerang. Tommy brings a unique perspective to this conversation—not only as a tech leader, but as someone deeply invested in building tools that amplify, not replace, human effort in the nonprofit sector.

Together, we explore how AI can become a trusted ally to fundraisers, especially during the high-pressure year-end season. From practical ways AI can lighten the lift—like automating repetitive tasks or drafting donor communications—to more strategic considerations around ethics and human connection, this conversation is full of actionable insights for nonprofit leaders looking to embrace AI with confidence and clarity.

Tommy also shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Bloomerang is approaching AI within its own platform, and how the company is working to ensure its tools are aligned with the values and real-world challenges of the fundraising community.

🔍 We Discuss:

• Why year-end fundraising is a perfect test case for smart AI implementation
• Real-world examples of how AI can support donor segmentation, appeal writing, and campaign optimization
• How nonprofit professionals can upskill to stay ahead of the AI curve
• Ethical considerations and how to keep technology aligned with trust and transparency
• A sneak peek into how Bloomerang is integrating AI in ways that empower, not overwhelm, fundraising teams

🧰 Resources & Links:

Learn more about Bloomerang's AI tool: https://bloomerang.com/blog/meet-penny/

Connect with Tommy Vacek on LinkedIn 

🪷🪷 This episode sponsored by Bloomerang! 🪷🪷

What if we named things for what they're not? We'd give teachers non-apples and fly non-cars.  Ridiculous, right? So why is your world-changing organization called a "nonprofit"? Truth is you're for-purpose. And the more you raise, recruit, and retain, the more good you can do.

That's where Bloomerang comes in. Bloomerang's Giving Platform is built for purpose, with easy-to-use tools and powerful insights that help you understand your donors better than ever and unleash generosity! (Slightly faster, more energetic) Imagine... spending less time on admin tasks and more time on what mat

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🪷Nonprofit Nation is supported by Bloomerang. Download their 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists and get helpful templates to help you raise more. 🪷

💰 What if the nonprofit sector could help grow giving by $52 billion every year?

That’s not a pie-in-the-sky projection. It’s the real, data-backed opportunity uncovered by Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer at GivingTuesday, in their latest research from GivingTuesday Data Commons: Growing Giving: How Nonprofits Can Unlock Billions in Generosity.

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Woodrow joins me to share insights that every nonprofit leader, fundraiser, and strategist needs to hear. Drawing from the GivingTuesday Data Commons, which spans 2,000+ collaborators and 150+ data providers around the world, he reveals how to activate hidden giving potential, reach donors who are ready to say "yes," and build lasting generosity in your community.

🔍 Together, we explore:

• Why year-end giving is just the tip of the iceberg
• How recurring giving could be supercharged with smarter acquisition
• The powerful potential of simply “asking” the unasked
• The role of data in building community-centered impact
• What’s next for the GivingTuesday movement and the Data Commons

💼 About Woodrow Rosenbaum

As Chief Data Officer for GivingTuesday, Woodrow has been instrumental in shaping the global generosity movement and has led ground-breaking research and analysis of individual giving behaviors. He leads the GivingTuesday Data Commons, bringing together a coalition of more than 2,000 collaborators coordinated through eight working groups as well as data teams around the world to understand the drivers and impacts of generosity to inspire more giving of all types. Woodrow brings expertise in moving markets and transforming audiences from passive participants to active and vocal ambassadors. Woodrow is also the founder of With Intent Strategies, an international agency specializing in brand reimagination.

🧰 Resources & Links:

• Growing Giving Report
• GivingTuesday Data Commons

🪷🪷 This episode sponsored by Bloomerang! 🪷🪷

What if we named things for what they're not? We'd give teachers non-apples and fly non-cars.  Ridiculous, right? So why is your world-changing organization called a "nonprofit"? Truth is you're for-purpose. And the more you raise, recruit, and retain, the more good you can do.

That's where Bloomerang comes in. Bloomerang's Giving Platform is built for purpose, with easy-to-use tools and powerful insights that help you understand your donors better than ever and unleash generosity! (Slightly faster, more energetic) Imagine... spending less time on admin tasks and more time on what matters: your mission. Bloomerang customers raise an average of 26% more!

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🪷Nonprofit Nation is supported by Bloomerang. Download their 12 Year-End Fundraising Checklists and get helpful templates to help you raise more. 🪷

Why do women give — and what truly inspires them to give more? In this powerful episode of Nonprofit Nation, I’m joined by Jacqueline Ackerman, Director of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.and a leading voice in gender and philanthropy. With a background shaped by early experiences in Haiti and a career grounded in rigorous research, Jacqueline shares why understanding how women give is just as important as how much they give.

If you’re not segmenting, stewarding, and storytelling with women in mind, you’re not just missing out on donations — you’re missing the opportunity to build a more inclusive and sustainable culture of philanthropy.

💡 Key Topics:

• Why women give and why it’s important to understand
• The biggest myths and blind spots nonprofits have about women donors
• How to use storytelling to build trust and deepen engagement
• What it means to create a gender-inclusive fundraising strategy
• How fundraisers can apply an intersectional lens to their work
• Real examples of how WPI research has helped nonprofits grow giving

🧰 Resources & Links:

• Explore the Women’s Philanthropy Institute: https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/institutes/womens-philanthropy-institute/about/index.html
• Access WPI’s latest research reports: https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/institutes/womens-philanthropy-institute/research/index.html
• Connect with Jacqueline Ackerman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelineackerman/
• Learn more from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy: https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/index.html

🪷🪷 This episode sponsored by Bloomerang! 🪷🪷

Bloomerang's Giving Platform is built for purpose, with easy-to-use tools and powerful insights that help you understand your donors better than ever and unleash generosity! (Slightly faster, more energetic) Imagine... spending less time on admin tasks and more time on what matters: your mission. Bloomerang customers raise an average of 26% more!

Ready to join them?  

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