The Nonprofit Syndicate Podcast

Branding is not just your logo, your fonts, or your colors. It is the reputation your organization builds over time.

In this episode, the team gets honest about nonprofit branding: what it is, what it is not, and why so many organizations misunderstand the role it plays in fundraising and growth. They debate whether rebrands are worth it, talk through the risks of visual identity changes, and explain why brand consistency, positioning, and messaging matter so much more than most people think.

If your organization is considering a rebrand, struggling to stand out, or trying to clarify its identity in a crowded market, this conversation is worth your time.

 00:01 Welcome and branding hot takes

 01:38 Recognition is cheap. Belief is expensive

 02:39 Why branding is much bigger than visual identity

 03:28 The “ugly tax” and what bad design costs you

 04:14 Why nonprofit brands often play it too safe

 07:18 Can a better brand actually improve fundraising?

 11:51 Why messaging should be fixed before the logo

 17:15 What kind of branding actually boosts fundraising

 23:16 What a logo is really for

 34:47 Gary V’s “not on brand” quote gets debated 

Why do so many projects go off the rails, even when the team has the right tools?

In this episode, the team breaks down the real reasons projects become frustrating, delayed, and messy. They talk about authority, trust, delegation, communication breakdowns, notification fatigue, and why project management software often becomes a substitute for the hard conversations teams actually need to have.

They also share strong opinions on tools like Basecamp, ClickUp, Trello, Linear, Monday, Asana, Slack, and even Google Calendar, along with practical advice on how to lead projects more clearly and keep teams aligned.

If you lead people, manage clients, or feel like your projects are constantly getting stuck, this episode is packed with honest insight and useful takeaways.

Timestamps

00:08 Why projects turn into dumpster fires

00:29 Authority, trust, and setting people up to succeed

03:25 Unmet expectations are what break projects

05:24 Do great project managers delegate or just get it done?

09:00 How to decide what should be delegated

12:43 Are all project management tools trash pandas?

21:26 Do teams buy software to avoid hard conversations?

24:22 Notification fatigue and why people stop engaging

32:41 Best practices that actually make projects run better

34:45 Why AI-generated project briefs create problems

Is your nonprofit using the right tech stack… or just the most popular one?

In this episode of The Nonprofit Syndicate Podcast, we do something most people won’t: we rank nonprofit technology platforms as either “Solid” or “Trash Panda.” No middle ground.

From Salesforce and Virtuous to Classy, Fundraise Up, Bloomerang, GiveButter, and more — we break down what actually works, what’s overpriced, what’s overkill, and what’s just riding on brand reputation.

We cover:

When Salesforce actually makes sense (and when it doesn’t)
The truth about fundraising form conversion rates
Why most nonprofits are overbuying tech
The difference between “checkout optimization” and “donor relationship automation”
And how to evaluate platforms based on partnership, not just features

This one is spicy. We probably made some people mad. But if you’re responsible for growth, retention, or tech decisions at your organization, this episode will save you time, money, and frustration.

Let us know in the comments:
What tech platform do you swear by? And which one burned you?

00:08 – Setting the Rules: “Solid” or “Trash Panda” Only

02:50 – Why Tech Strategy Matters More Than Features

07:05 – Salesforce: Overkill or Necessary Power Tool?

10:09 – The Revenue Threshold Debate (When Is Salesforce Worth It?)

12:36 – The Only Real CRM Option Under $10M?

17:36 – Classy: Enterprise Standard or Conversion Killer?

19:57 – Fundraise Up: Best Form on the Market?

24:50 – Qgiv Debate: Are There Better Free Options?

29:50 – WeGive: Checkout Tool or Relationship Platform?

34:41 – The Real Test of a Tech Company: Do They Actually Listen?

Nonprofits love talking about growth. New donors. Bigger lists. More campaigns.

But what if the real problem isn’t acquisition… it’s retention?

In this episode of The Nonprofit Syndicate, Matt Lombardi sits down with Jonathan, Ryan, and Schwab to unpack why nonprofits are stuck on the “new donor hamster wheel” — and why chasing acquisition might actually be masking deeper foundational issues.

We dig into:

• Why donor retention is harder (and less sexy) than acquisition
• The psychology behind fundraising dopamine hits
• How direct mail and digital shaped today’s mindset
• Why modern donors expect Amazon-level personalization
• What a true “retention-first” fundraising model would look like
• And whether retention talk is just a coping mechanism

If you’re a nonprofit leader, fundraiser, or agency partner who wants sustainable growth — this conversation will challenge the way you think about fundraising.

👉 Subscribe for more candid conversations about what’s actually working in nonprofit growth.

00:00 – The $100K Question: Acquisition or Infrastructure?

01:45 – Why Nonprofits Are Addicted to the “New Donor Hamster Wheel”

03:30 – The Leaky Bucket Problem (And Why Growth Stalls)

07:55 – If You Don’t Grow the Story, You Lose the Donor

10:00 – Dopamine Hits: The Psychology Behind Chasing New Donors

15:20 – Boards, Short-Term Goals, and Structural Incentive Problems

20:15 – Is Direct Mail to Blame? (The Tail Wagging the Dog)

29:50 – Why Sector-Wide Retention Rates Are Still So Weak

30:45 – Boomers vs. The Next Generation of Donors

36:50 – Scaling Major Donor Relationships to Every $100 Donor

Are nonprofits really scams—or is culture getting the math wrong? In this episode of The Nonprofit Syndicate, the guys react to viral podcast clips claiming charities waste donor money and expose the biggest lie in fundraising: the “overhead myth.” From startup economics to Dan Pallotta’s famous $1→$4 fundraising paradox, we break down why investing in staff and marketing actually creates more impact—not less. If you work in the nonprofit world (or plan to give someday), this episode will change how you think about generosity, trust, and what actually moves the mission forward.

00:00 – Hook: “Nonprofits are basically scams…” (our reaction)

00:45 – Why this messaging is spreading across major podcasts

02:00 – David’s rant: the people doing the work are underpaid and overworked

03:50 – The 80/20 “overhead myth” explained (and why it’s nonsense)

04:50 – Startup math vs nonprofit math (double standard exposed)

06:20 – Why broad-brush criticism hurts the good charities most

07:25 – The real risk: shaping the next generation of donors

10:05 – Dan Pallotta’s TED Talk + the $1 → $4 fundraising paradox

12:00 – Trust in institutions is collapsing (not just nonprofits)

18:55 – So what should nonprofits actually do moving forward?

Welcome to Episode 003 of The Nonprofit Syndicate Podcast. 
This week: We take turns talking about how we'd spend $100k in digital acquisition budget, what nonprofits get wrong on acquisition, and how to scale your programs with infrastructure first.

00:00 – Episode kickoff + year-end nonprofit chaos
Quick intro and real talk on burnout, calendar-year pressure, and year-end fundraising stress.

01:05 – Giving Tuesday performance is… weird
Why Giving Tuesday volume felt flat this year and what’s actually happening behind the numbers.

03:22 – “What digital channels are actually printing money?”
The core question every nonprofit asks—and the uncomfortable silence that follows.

04:09 – Hot take: No channel is printing money anymore
Why strategy beats channels and why the old “just pick a platform” mindset is broken.

06:11 – Why channel testing fails (and clients get frustrated)
A real agency example of Meta ads, short timelines, and unrealistic expectations.

09:38 – The patience problem in digital fundraising
Why most orgs quit campaigns right before they would’ve worked.

10:44 – Cheap leads ≠ donor intent
Why $1 email leads don’t mean anything if there’s no giving motivation.

12:55 – Thumbs up or down on Meta, Google, YouTube, OTT
A candid vibe-check on today’s major digital channels (spoiler: effort is way up).

13:25 – Why Bing & AI search might be a hidden opportunity
How ChatGPT, OpenAI, and Bing are quietly reshaping donor discovery.

17:02 – Is Giving Tuesday losing its power?
A spicy debate: cultural momentum vs donor fatigue—and why opinions differ.

26:12 – “You have $100k for donor acquisition. What do you do?”
Portfolio thinking, infrastructure first, and how pros would actually spend the money.

34:43 – Influencers, PR, and borrowing trust at scale
Why micro-influencers and partnerships may outperform traditional ads.

37:15 – The leaky bucket problem (and why acquisition alone fails)
Why retention, experience, and infrastructure matter more than media spend.

43:40 – Shocking data: $0 correlation between ad spend and revenue growth
Five years of data that flips common nonprofit assumptions upside down.

Welcome to Episode 002 of The Nonprofit Syndicate Podcast. 
This week: We all bash organic social media for nonprofits, we talk about what is actually appropriate in storytelling for nonprofits, and we breakdown some sacred cow marketing myths.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 – Things got spicy… and they still can’t stop arguing about GoFundMe

01:05 – What “organic growth” actually means for nonprofits (and why it’s misunderstood)

01:28 – Why organic search doesn’t really work in nonprofit fundraising

03:43 – Donors aren’t buying impact—they’re buying membership in a story

05:21 – The overlooked organic growth lever: donor customer experience

06:41 – “If you’re a commodity nonprofit, organic growth is brutal”

10:58 – Transparency vs dignity: how much storytelling is too much?

13:13 – 🔥 Rant: “If your mission is to save people… tell stories of people being saved”

21:13 – “If I give $100, don’t send me a report—send me vibes”

25:39 – 🔮 Hot take: social will be the most important growth channel in the next 5 years

Hosts: Matt Lombardi (Share), David Schwab (DickersonBakker), Jonathan Beck (WeGive), Ryan (JetBlack Solutions)

👉 SUBSCRIBE for semi-regular episodes where we debate, disagree, and tell you what's actually working in nonprofit fundraising.

Drop your hot takes in the comments. We read everything.

Welcome to Episode 001 of The Nonprofit Syndicate Podcast

This week: the AI hype vs. reality, the GoFundMe scandal, and why most "revolutionary" tech is failing nonprofits.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Intro: Who we are and why this podcast exists

3:41 - AI in nonprofit fundraising: Revolution or overhype?

4:26 - The "great equalizer" debate: Does AI help or hurt top performers?

6:21 - The genius four-year-old metaphor (this is gold)

9:20 - Why 95% of enterprise AI pilots are failing

14:16 - Has AI actually revolutionized software development?

18:22 - How we actually use AI: The draft bot system

19:25 - AI fundraising features: Real value or buzzwords?

25:11 - The bandwidth problem: Data insights vs. actual capacity

34:40 - THE GOFUNDME RANT (you'll want to hear this)

40:07 - The ethics debate: Was GoFundMe's move actually okay?

45:09 - Google Ad Grants: The biggest scam in digital media?

50:51 - Bottom line: What should nonprofits actually invest in?

Hosts: Matt Lombardi (Share), David Schwab (DickersonBakker), Jonathan Beck (WeGive), Ryan (JetBlack Solutions)

👉 SUBSCRIBE for bi-weekly episodes where we debate, disagree, and tell you what's actually working in nonprofit fundraising.

Drop your hot takes in the comments. We read everything.

In this episode of the Holy Donuts podcast, host Matt Lombardi dives into the integration of AI in nonprofit communications with Simeon Lorman from Novo. The conversation starts with a lighthearted intro about Novo's mission, then segues into an entertaining donut review (yes, you read that right!). As Matt delves into Simeon's career journey, they discuss the balance between AI efficiency and human empathy in nonprofit operations. Simeon shares insights on Novo's experimentation with AI in podcast production, social media marketing, and content evaluation, emphasizing the need for a formalized AI usage policy. The episode also touches on practical AI use cases and resource recommendations for nonprofit professionals. If you're keen on learning how to harness AI while maintaining authentic human connections in nonprofit communications, this episode is a must-listen. Matt's engaging approach and Simeon's valuable insights make this podcast a worthwhile exploration of the evolving landscape of AI integration in the nonprofit sector. So grab a donut, settle in, and get ready to dive into this engaging and informative conversation!,In this episode of the Holy Donuts podcast, host Matt Lombardi engages in a compelling discussion about integrating AI in nonprofit communications with Simeon Lorman from Novo. The episode kicks off with an insightful exploration of Novo's mission and vision, followed by an entertaining donut review segment. As Matt delves into Simeon's career trajectory, they delve into the importance of balancing AI efficiency with maintaining human empathy in nonprofit operations. Simeon shares practical examples of Novo's AI experimentation in podcast production, social media marketing, and content evaluation, underscoring the need for a formalized AI usage policy. The episode also features valuable resource recommendations for nonprofit professionals. This podcast provides an engaging and informative exploration of AI integration in the nonprofit sector, offering relevant insights for those interested in leveraging AI while preserving genuine human connections in nonprofit communications.

Are you ready for a surprising twist in the world of nonprofit communications? Dive into this laid-back, casual conversation about integrating AI in nonprofit operations. But hold on, because there's an unexpected revelation that will change the way you think about leveraging AI for improved efficiency and human empathy in nonprofit communications. Get ready to uncover the unexpected and stay tuned for the big reveal!

Key Moments

• Maximize nonprofit impact with AI-powered communications strategies.
• Elevate donor engagement through innovative AI integration in nonprofit communications.
• Streamline operations and enhance efficiency with AI in nonprofit digital marketing.
• Cultivate deeper donor relationships using AI-driven communication techniques.
• Uncover the power of AI to revolutionize missionary fundraising in nonprofits.

Recommended Resources

• Spirituality of Fundraising by Henry Nouwen - A book recommended for personal support fundraising and organizational perspective, focusing on the spiritual formation aspect of fundraising.
• Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership by Ruth Haley Barton - A book that offers practical insights and leadership lessons using the story of Moses, particularly beneficial during challenging leadership seasons.
• The Performance Factor: Unlocking the Secrets of Teamwork by Pat McMillan - A book providing insights into effective teamwork and the impact of adding new teammates to a team, offering practical guidance for team development.
• Beyond Podcast by Novo - A podcast platform sharing stories of people saying yes to Jesus, taking risks in their faith journey, and how God shows up, featuring missionaries, everyday disciple makers, and donors.

Hey there, nonprofit pros! Ever feel like you're doing everything to engage planned giving donors, but still coming up short? You've probably been told to bombard them with complex plan giving information, leaving you feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the lack of results. It's like trying to bake the perfect donut and ending up with an empty jelly center. Sound familiar? Let's flip the script and find a better way to connect with planned giving donors for real impact and donor retention.

My special guest is Christopher McGown

Christopher McGown, the founder and principal at peak 98 60, is a seasoned expert in plan giving, boasting a background in education and a serendipitous segue into fundraising. With a knack for simplifying the intricacies of planned giving and a genuine passion for donor engagement, Christopher offers a refreshing and accessible approach to navigating the world of nonprofit fundraising. His emphasis on integrity in organizational policies and his ability to debunk the myths surrounding planned giving make him an invaluable asset for nonprofits seeking to establish meaningful connections with their planned giving donors. Christopher's wealth of experience and commitment to demystifying plan giving strategies bring a wealth of knowledge and insight to the Holy Donuts audience, providing a unique perspective on donor engagement and retention in the nonprofit sector.

Key Moments

Discover effective planned giving strategies to maximize donor impact and support your nonprofit's mission.
Uncover the significant impact of donor advised funds on charities and how they can benefit your organization.
Learn proven techniques to maximize donor retention through strategic planned gifts and foster long-term support.
Explore how to seamlessly integrate planned giving into your nonprofit's marketing efforts for greater donor engagement and impact.
Master the art of effectively communicating with planned giving donors to build lasting relationships and secure vital support for your nonprofit.

Recommended Resources

Check out wegive.com for the world's best donor experience, donor portals, checkouts, and engagement features. This is the sponsor of the Holy Donuts podcast, and they offer a comprehensive software tool for nonprofits to enhance their donor experience.
For those interested in learning more about plan giving, I recommend the book The Spirituality of Fundraising by Henry Nguyen. It's a valuable resource for understanding the spiritual aspect of fundraising.
Consider reading Ask Without Fear by Mark Pitman, a book that provides valuable insights for those in the major giving sector or communicating with major donors.
Explore The Millionaire Next Door, a book that delves into the psychology of potential donors and provides valuable insights into understanding donor behavior.
Connect with Christopher McGown on LinkedIn to learn more about plan giving and to get excited about its value. You can also visit the website peak9860.com to explore their services and resources for plan giving.