Fundraising is commonly portrayed as challenging, but for mission-driven leaders, it’s also a privilege because they’ve got to be one of the helpers in this time period. In this episode, Dana Smiley joins Mallory to discuss donor stewardship through the lens of authenticity, purpose, and human connection. Join us as our guest dives into the exhaustion that comes with the role, the mindset shift that keeps teams grounded, and the power of transparent, genuine interactions. 

Hilary Dana Smiley is a seasoned, result-driven fund development professional and currently the Assistant Vice President of Leadership Gifts at Boston Children's Hospital, where she oversees individual giving, direct response efforts, face-to-face fundraising, and volunteer board engagement. She leads with a genuine passion and purpose, believing in authentic enthusiasm strengthening donor relationships and fueling the mission of caring for children and families.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Learn how reconnecting with your purpose elevates donor communication.

Understand the role of authenticity and passion in long-term donor relationships.

Acquire new ways in navigating exhaustion and reframe hard fundraising moments.

How to inspire generosity with transparent, human-centered communication. 

Learn practices that strengthen stewardship and keep teams grounded in mission.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

Change is built through purpose, innovation, and the people who keep showing up. Join with us and explore how social impact and fundraising are evolving beyond traditional boundaries, blending the strategy of business with the heart of philanthropy.

Zachary Hynek is the founder of Morton Labs, a startup venture out of the University of Chicago, developing a multi-physics simulation platform specifically for the nuclear industry, and strategic adviser to Cadenza, an AI platform that helps impact-driven organizations with grant discovery, impact reporting, and fundraising support. Zach is also an MBA candidate at the University of Chicago and a social impact entrepreneur dedicated to reshaping how resources are allocated toward good. With experience in launching ventures, Zach helps organizations access the tools, funding, and alignment necessary to create meaningful change. Outside work, he is navigating life as a first-time dad; balancing purpose, innovation, and parenthood with humor and heart.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Learn how purpose-driven leaders are blending business strategy with social good.

Discover why flexibility, not perfection, drives lasting impact.

Understand how data and storytelling can strengthen fundraising.

Learn why authentic relationships matter more than reach.

Understand the importance of showing up with care. 

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

Donors make decisions regarding generosity faster than you may think. It’s crucial that fundraisers understand how much those split-second decisions matter. This episode delves into the hidden psychology behind giving, the impact of choosing the right words, the signs that shut conversations down, and subtle mistakes even the skilled professionals make. 

Grab a copy of Cherian's book: http://amazon.com/Neurogiving-Science-Decision-Making-Cherian-Koshy/dp/1394370458

Grab your special listener bonus: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yKTTzY5da6SJ-4YfhcnnFRatDAz9MVrT/view?usp=sharing 

Meet Cherian Koshy, a globally recognized expert in the science of generosity, decision-making, and leadership. He brings nearly three decades of fundraising experience molded by curiosity, frustration, and unrelenting drive to understand why donors do what they do. His new book, ‘Neurogiving,’ is the outcome of years of research and real-world testing, offering a comprehensive resource for fundraisers to understand the generosity that already lives inside every donor. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

Understand how donors make split-second decisions shaped by neuroscience and language.

Discover the hidden barriers fundraisers create without realizing it.

Learn the importance of choosing the right words in donor conversations.

Figure out why urgency often backfires and what actually motivates giving.

Learn how to make donor conversations into moments of clarity and trust.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

GivingTuesday is more than just a calendar date; it’s a reminder of what generosity can do when people decide to show up for one another. Generosity isn’t always about money; it can be about time, support, sharing skills, or simply choosing kindness. It is a day to remember that small acts, multiplied by millions, can create lasting impact. 

In this special episode, Mallory is joined by her daughter Emmie to read the book “How to Start Fundraising.” Emmie shares her experience participating in community activities like picking up trash and spreading kindness by cheering for friends in a basketball game, showing how the little act of showing up matters to people. Reading independently for the first time, Emmie reads us a story about Hannah and Steven, reminding us that we can spread kindness to a lot of people at the same time, however small it is. They concluded the episode with much-needed words of encouragement and good luck to fundraisers in their journey of creating lasting change. 

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

What does it mean when we say a fundraising approach is really ‘working’? In this episode, Mallory and Tammy talk about moving past the fixed camps of donor-centric versus community-centric models and call for a shift toward human-centered fundraising. From redefining heroism to making conscious choices about what we measure and what we prioritize, they invite listeners to rethink success through shared values, equity, and intention.

Tammy Zonker is the founder & president of Fundraising Transformed, a passionate leader, strategic thinker, author, and recognized expert in major gift fundraising with nearly three decades of impactful experience. With the passion of empowering nonprofit organizations to achieve extraordinary results, she has guided and trained thousands of nonprofits, including social service organizations, private schools, universities, and healthcare institutions, which collectively raised more than a billion dollars. She won the Dr. John S. Lore Award for Outstanding Fundraising Executive of the Year from the AFP Greater Detroit Chapter in 2024.’ Her book, “Calling All Heroes,” was born from the growing realization that both donor-centered and community-centered models carry light and shadow. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

Learn what it truly means for a fundraising approach to “work”.

Understand the shift from donor-centric or community-centric models to a more human-centered framework.

Learn about the power of dialogue, partnership, and conscious decision-making in creating lasting change.

How to reimagine heroism in fundraising as collective courage rather than individual acclaim.

Grab Tammy's Book here.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

In this episode of What the Fundraising…

Change is the hardest thing to sustain but the most important thing in the nonprofit sector. Most of the time, leaders in nonprofit find themselves stuck between knowing what needs to evolve and struggling to make it happen. From outdated systems and burnout to scarcity mindset and fear of failure, the barriers to change are deeply human and structural. This conversation examines why good intentions aren’t enough, how leadership habits can either stall or spark transformation, and what it takes to combine mission, money, and mindset for lasting impact. 

Our guest today is Andrew Olsen,  the Executive Vice President of Fundraising Solutions at DickersonBakker. He helps organizations strengthen their fundraising and impact with the knowledge he’s got from over 25 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and consulting. He lives with his family on a small farm in Knoxville, Tennessee. He joined us today to talk about the challenges and solutions for change in the nonprofit sector. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

Recognize the common barriers that keep nonprofits from turning awareness into real change.

Learn how leadership habits, culture, and burnout shape an organization’s ability to evolve.

Learn how undervaluing time and avoiding financial discomfort can quietly erode impact.

Discover small but strategic steps to align vision, structure, and budget for sustainable growth.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

In this episode of What the Fundraising...

Fundraising isn’t just about asking; it’s about understanding. The most successful fundraisers know that sustaining an organization couldn’t be done with passion alone. Passion must be combined with skill, strategy, and authentic human connection. 

David Rhodes is an award-winning and bestselling author, keynote speaker, educator, deputy director at PennPAC, and founder of Dot Dot Org. With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, David helped organizations and leaders grow with clarity, purpose, and sustainability. As for a former founder and executive director who led an organization for 15 years, he now focuses on CEO mentoring and coaching. David also teaches nonprofit branding and consulting at the University of Pennsylvania, bringing a practical, real-world perspective to the next generation of changemakers. He is the Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal winner for “Passion Isn’t Enough: A Practical Guide for Nonprofit Leaders,” released in November 2024, which helps nonprofit leaders develop the skills and confidence that are needed to lead beyond passion. He and his family now live in New York City. He joined us today to discuss the importance of skills beyond passion for nonprofit leaders. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

Learn why passion alone isn’t enough to sustain effective nonprofit leadership.

Understand how to ask deeper questions that lead to transformational giving.

Discover ways to navigate close donor relationships while keeping impact at the center.

Understand the importance of embracing authenticity in fundraising conversations.

Learn what practical strategies can develop the mindset and skills needed to lead with confidence and clarity.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Zeffy. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits.

Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Unlike other platforms that take a cut of your hard work through credit card and transaction fees, Zeffy is 100% free from transaction and platform fees. That means every dollar you raise goes directly toward fueling your mission.

Trusted by more than 50,000 nonprofits, Zeffy empowers organizations of every size to streamline their fundraising with tools to collect donations, sell tickets, and manage donors all in one place. Getting started takes less than 15 minutes, and once you’re set up, you’ll have more resources to put toward what really matters: your cause.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

In a world where leadership is often measured by individual success, today's episode shifts the spotlight to the strength found in unity and shared purpose. Joining us is Carmen James Randolph, the Founding President and CEO of the Women's Foundation of the South, to explore how collaboration, compassion, and collective power can transform communities and drive lasting change. 

Carmen introduces the foundation's mission, which is to uplift the health, wealth, and power of women and girls across the South, and reflects on the challenges that nonprofit leaders face in sustaining their work amid funding cuts and burnout.

Carmen emphasizes the vital importance of community and collective strength, urging leaders to rely on one another rather than operate in isolation. She shares insights on board engagement, highlighting how creative campaigns can inspire generosity and involvement.

Throughout the discussion, Carmen advocates for clarity of vision, collaboration, and alliance-building as essential tools for social change. She emphasizes the importance of nonprofits forming strategic partnerships, exploring mergers, and collaborating to address the growing needs of their communities.

The conversation concludes with mutual appreciation and a shared commitment to continue strengthening the sector through unity, resilience, and purpose-driven leadership.

In this episode, you will be able to: 

Understand the mission and impact of the Women's Foundation of the South.

Recognize the importance of collective support in sustaining nonprofit leadership.

Discover strategies to strengthen board engagement and donor participation.

Learn how creative fundraising campaigns can inspire generosity.

Examine how open communication fosters collaboration and mutual support.

Embrace the power of unity and long-term planning for greater social impact.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Zeffy. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits.

Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Unlike other platforms that take a cut of your hard work through credit card and transaction fees, Zeffy is 100% free from transaction and platform fees. That means every dollar you raise goes directly toward fueling your mission.

Trusted by more than 50,000 nonprofits, Zeffy empowers organizations of every size to streamline their fundraising with tools to collect donations, sell tickets, and manage donors all in one place. Getting started takes less than 15 minutes, and once you’re set up, you’ll have more resources to put toward what really matters: your cause.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

Fundraising is often considered to be transformational, but most of the time it’s designed to measure only transactions. Behind the scenes, a quiet disparity has begun to shape the fundraising sector: a major gift fixation, hierarchies of value within teams, and a culture that rewards revenue over relationships. It’s time to reimagine success by tracking what truly matters. Join us in our journey to prove that sustainable philanthropy grows from trust, equity, and care, not just numbers and spreadsheets. 

Leslie (Jablonski) Carmona is Senior Director of Donor Experience and Individual Giving at Wayne State University, a major urban research institution in Detroit. As a rare soul who knew her passion lay in the nonprofit sector from the very beginning, Leslie brings a clear-eyed perspective on the sector’s challenges and opportunities for meaningful change.

In this episode, you will be able to:

Learn why every donor and every role in fundraising matters, not just major gifts.

Discover how proportional giving can reshape donor relationships and build long-term engagement.

Gain knowledge on how to flatten internal hierarchies and value all team contributions.

Learn practical tips for leading with curiosity, calm, and thoughtful risk-taking to drive meaningful innovation.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Zeffy. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits.

Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Unlike other platforms that take a cut of your hard work through credit card and transaction fees, Zeffy is 100% free from transaction and platform fees. That means every dollar you raise goes directly toward fueling your mission.

Trusted by more than 50,000 nonprofits, Zeffy empowers organizations of every size to streamline their fundraising with tools to collect donations, sell tickets, and manage donors all in one place. Getting started takes less than 15 minutes, and once you’re set up, you’ll have more resources to put toward what really matters: your cause.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

In an era of overloaded information, building genuine donor alignment is essential. Join with us and explore how curiosity, care, and flexibility help fundraisers uncover what truly motivates the donors. Let’s examine how AI can be a tool of support but never replaces the human connection at the heart of transformational philanthropic engagement. 

Like most fundraisers, Tyler Mallory stumbled into the industry unexpectedly from a background of sales and business development. He is now a major gifts officer at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He is also experienced in working as an interim chief advancement officer and specializes in creating alignment between alumni, programs, and institutional needs. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

- Learn how genuine curiosity and flexibility help building lasting donor relationships.

- Discover how to move past fear, pressure, and performance metrics that can block authentic connection.

- Gain knowledge on how AI can support, but never replace the human touch in fundraising.

- Learn how mistakes can be powerful teachers in shaping better fundraisers and leaders.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Zeffy. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits.

Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Unlike other platforms that take a cut of your hard work through credit card and transaction fees, Zeffy is 100% free from transaction and platform fees. That means every dollar you raise goes directly toward fueling your mission.

Trusted by more than 50,000 nonprofits, Zeffy empowers organizations of every size to streamline their fundraising with tools to collect donations, sell tickets, and manage donors all in one place. Getting started takes less than 15 minutes, and once you’re set up, you’ll have more resources to put toward what really matters: your cause.

Give your fundraising team more confidence — one conversation at a time. Learn more about Practivated.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.