Published by BuildGood.com
Fundraising isn't easy, but it should be simple. We take the mystery out of fundraising with practical tips and strategies to help nonprofit leaders grow their revenue and impact so they can do more good in the world.
Listen on Apple PodcastsSend us Fan Mail In today’s pod we sat down with Dr. Margaret Faulkner, Senior Marketing Scientist at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science to talk about how nonprofits really grow. The Institute is famous for its evidence-based approach to marketing and the groundbreaking book How Brands Grow . Dr. Faulkner brings decades of research from blue-chip commercial brands to the nonprofit sector, challenging some of our most deeply held beliefs about donor loyalty, retention, and brand differentiation. Key Takeaways Acquisition Beats Retention for Growth: While the nonprofit sector has heavily indexed on donor retention for the last 20 years, science shows that acquisition is actually the vital driver of growth. Because donors naturally lapse due to changing life circumstances (attrition), you must continually acquire new donors just to stand still, let alone grow. Relying solely on retention will eventually erode your donor file and lead to a deficit. The Law of Double Jeopardy: Smaller charities often assume they have better loyalty and deeper connections with their donors than massive organizations. However, research proves otherwise. Big brands naturally have higher loyalty metrics simply because they are highly visible and easy to think of. Mental Availability & Category Entry Points: To grow, you need "mental availability"—the propensity for a donor to easily think of your brand. This is built by connecting your charity to "Category Entry Points," which are the real-life triggers that prompt someone to give (e.g., tax time, turning 60 and wanting to run a marathon, or wanting to leave a legacy). Physical Availability: Mental availability is useless if it's hard to make a gift. Physical availability means making your online platforms streamlined and ensuring that donating, volunteering, or signing up for events requires as few clicks as possible. Focus On Marketing Reach: When spending your marketing budget, prioritize broad reach over high frequency. It is better to reach a wide audience once than to inundate a small group of the same people multiple times. Ensure your creative uses distinctive brand assets early on to capture attention in a cluttered environment. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal rela
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we sit down with Mike Todd from Transform Philanthropy to demystify Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). While often misunderstood or overlooked, DAFs are the fastest-growing giving vehicle and can serve as a recession-resistant revenue stream for your organization. Because DAF money is "pre-funded" by donors who have already received their tax receipts, asking for a grant shifts the conversation entirely from "parting with money" to simply aligning with your mission. Mike Todd breaks down exactly how DAFs work for donors at all wealth levels and explains why donors who switch to DAF giving tend to increase both their grant sizes and retention rates. You will also learn a straightforward, practical strategy to tap into this revenue source, starting with crucial CRM coding practices—specifically the difference between hard and soft credits—and essential communication rules between your finance and fundraising teams. Finally, we get into how a simple, free update to the forgotten copy on your website's "ways to give" page can make your charity instantly "DAF attractive," helping you uncover $50,000 donors currently hiding in your $50 mass-market file. --- ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we sit down with Scott Billows , founder and CEO of Belmar , to walk through a practical, step-by-step framework for evaluating and implementing a new CRM. You’re going to learn how to build a priority "this is what I need" list, gain internal alignment, and navigate vendor selection—including why you might want to skip the traditional RFP process in favor of working with an "architect" to map out your requirements. Scott also shares expert advice for ensuring a smooth implementation, such as building a 20% buffer into your budget and securing strong executive alignment. Finally, we explore why your technology should be treated as a living, evolving asset requiring continuous care to prevent technical and cultural debt. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail The donor pyramid is collapsing. Individual giving is shrinking. And yet, total philanthropic revenue is still growing—just from fewer and fewer people. In this episode, we sit down with Anton Lipkanou, President of Delve Deeper, to unpack what’s really happening beneath the surface of donor data, and how fundraisers can respond. Together we explore: Why donor files are aging faster than time itself How the “Eiffel Tower” of giving reveals a dangerous imbalance What “Jobs to Be Done” means for understanding donor motivation How to listen to donors through data, not just surveys The new role of AI in personalizing donor journeys at scale You’ll leave this episode with practical ideas to start listening like a major gifts officer — even when you’re talking to tens of thousands of donors. Quotes: “Donors are hiring your organization to do a job for them. It’s not about you — it’s what they can do through you.” — Anton Lipkanou “If giving is a story of self, then our job as fundraisers is to listen for the story donors are trying to tell.” — Mike Duerksen — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Giving Tuesday isn’t just one day on the calendar— it’s a chance to build a core pillar of a larger year-end campaign. In this episode, we sit down with Rapinder Dhinsa from Make-A-Wish Canada to learn how she turned Giving Tuesday into a powerful, multi-year growth engine. Rapinder shares how her team built a campaign that got stronger every year — layering in new channels, integrating matched gifts, and weaving Giving Tuesday into the broader year-end strategy to maximize results. You’ll hear how they aligned email, social, direct mail, and paid ads to create a unified donor experience, plus the lessons they learned about timing, storytelling, and making every donor feel like an important part of the team. If you want to make your Giving Tuesday campaign more than a one-day event — and turn it into a launchpad for your whole year-end fundraising — you won’t want to miss this conversation. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Imagine building a huge organization on the back of “$5.38 buys a meal for a neighbour experiencing homelessness”, when a meal is just the doorway, not the destination. It’s a situation many nonprofits find themselves in. Their programming has changed and evolved, but their core value proposition and fundraising offers haven’t—because they are tried, trued, tested and proven. In today’s episode, The Mustard Seed’s Philip Calvert sits down with Mike to pull back the curtain on what happens when an inner city ministry grows into a multi-city, $73m engine for life change—housing, mental health supports, job training and more—while many donors still picture soup lines at Christmas. With 38,000 active donors and a strong brand, Phil and his team are facing a choice: keep raising money on meals… or reframe the offer around real outcomes. Last year alone, 1,300 people graduated from their shelter to affordable housing—effectively exiting homelessness. That’s the story. Now how do you scale it? In this episode you’ll learn: Why meal-based offers work—and when they start to trap your brand. How to test new impact messages (like shelter-to-housing “graduations”) without tanking revenue. Ways to align fundraising, programs, and ops so donors fund what actually drives change. A simple 3-step path to review metrics, pilot new offers, and roll out a refreshed public story. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Think asking for money is scary? Michael Mitchell has been there, done that, and sweated through enough awkward asks to keep the deodorant industry in business for a lifetime. After two decades of nervously asking for everything from $90 to $9 million, he's discovered something unexpected: asking can actually be kind of amazing. Yes, asking someone for money feels about as natural as dancing at a board meeting. Even seasoned fundraising professionals get tongue-tied. But what if you could learn to ask with confidence, courage, and conviction? In this highly practical session recorded live at the Build Good Summit, Michael (who still gets a little nervous every time he asks) will share a proven, permission-based framework to help you overcome the mental and emotional barriers that make asking so intimidating. From how to craft the perfect ask to navigating moments of uncertainty, you'll discover how to approach giving conversations as authentic invitations to create real change. Perfect for leaders who understand that great fundraising doesn't require being fearless -- just the courage to ask anyway. Don't let fear keep you from fueling your mission. Discover the joy of asking without fear as you learn to invite generosity in ways that feel natural and authentic. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Fundraising appeals are packed with bad habits that refuse to die—bolded words, underlined sentences, multiple hard asks, and financial symbols littered throughout. The data is clear: none of this is actually helping. So what does? This practical, no-fluff session recorded live at the Build Good Summit will strip away ineffective tactics and replace them with a proven, behavioral science-backed approach to crafting appeals that work. This session isn’t theory—it’s specific, actionable, and counterintuitive. You’ll walk away with clear do’s and don’ts for writing stronger, more effective appeals—without gimmicks, without pressure, and without the bad habits fundraisers keep passing down. – ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Monthly giving has been the buzzword of the nonprofit industry for the past few years. But most conversations about recurring giving lack substantial data and evidence about what really works to increase recurring revenue. While it can be inspiring to see examples from complex organizations that are seemingly "doing it right", growing your recurring giving program often isn’t as complicated as some would have you think. In this workshop session, you’ll take a hands-on look at your current fundraising efforts to identify tested, proven, and practical opportunities to grow your recurring revenue by acquiring more monthly donors. Throughout the session, we’ll cover tactics and strategies that have been proven to increase results through real-world a/b testing covering key areas including: Converting recurring donors within the one-time donation process Upgrading one-time donors after they’ve made their first gift Launching a dedicated recurring giving acquisition campaign using a proven framework Whether you have a monthly giving program up and running today, or you’re looking to launch one in the future—this session will equip you with proven insights that you can apply to your program right away to start growing your recurring revenue. –– ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! –– #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail When emergencies happen, donors respond. But too often, that generosity fades just as quickly as it arrives. While acquiring new donors is important, how can we better cultivate and steward those who have already given? How do we bridge the gap between crisis-driven giving and long-term donor commitment? And how do we engage supporters in a way that reflects the evolving expectations of Canadian donors? This session recorded live at the Build Good Summit explores what’s changing in fundraising today – how donors are engaging across multiple channels, why traditional storytelling approaches no longer resonate, and what organizations need to do to build deeper, lasting relationships. Shairoze Walji shares her full-circle story about how her family arrived in Canada as refugees and how, years later, she now works to support displaced people through UNHCR. Our personal connections to our work matter, and when we tap into those connections in the right way, we build trust, community and donor relationships that extend far beyond a single moment of crisis. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! –– #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Imagine the impact you could make if your organization had predictable, repeatable, and scalable revenue? In this session recorded live at the Build Good Summit, UNICEF Canada will share how they created and scaled Paddington’s Postcards, an innovative monthly giving subscription that sends postcards from all around the world to Canadian families making a monthly gift, while teaching children about philanthropy at the same time. This session is perfect for anyone (beginners and advanced fundraisers!) looking for inspiration on a unique way to connect with new audiences through your monthly giving program. We’ll discuss actionable insights on channel diversification, key performance metrics to measure success and how we leveraged seasonal moments to drive conversions. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail In this short session with the Canadian Cancer Society and FundraiseUp, you’ll hear why people are less forgiving of nonprofits than they are consumer brands when they're letting go of their hard earned money. The nonprofit sector as a whole remains years, if not decades, behind ecommerce in their efforts to remove friction from the transaction. But new data shows that it's imperative to address this mindset shift with urgency. Don’t miss out on next year’s Build Good Summit. Get on the waitlist now, and be the first to know the dates, location and unlock early bird discounted tickets → www.buildgoodsummit.com — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! -- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail This fast-paced excerpt from a workshop at the Build Good Summit dives into journey mapping as a powerful strategy to cultivate donor relationships and build a supporter-centric organization. Designed for forward-thinking leaders in social impact, the session offers hands-on insights into using journey mapping to create a seamless, tech-enabled approach to engaging donors, advocates, and supporters. Participants will explore the essentials of 21st-century journey mapping, incorporating behavioral science, DEI, and AI. Through collaborative activities, you’ll learn practical mapping techniques for engaging multi-generational donors (Gen Y, Gen X, Boomers, Matures) and leave with actionable steps for fostering a supporter-centric culture. Participants will get to the walls and work in groups to learn how to use the Stanford Design school approach to mapping. It’s a fun session with post it notes, stickies, and more! — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Most fundraisers ask: Who do I send this appeal to? But the better question is, What appeal do I send to this person? We all recognize people are different—yet fundraising relies on a one-size-fits-all approach. Traditional segmentation—internal labels, past giving, or vague attitudinal groupings—fails to capture what truly drives a donor to give. And it’s not as simple as testing Issue A vs. Issue B to see which one "wins." That’s still a one-size-fits-all approach in disguise. Donors don’t give because of an issue or a program—they give because something captures their attention, aligns with how they see the world, and resonates with their core motivators. The missing piece in most appeals? A message that speaks directly to a donor’s innate psychological drivers. This session will unlock the missing link: moving beyond segmentation to delivering the right message for the right person. It will benefit beginner and seasoned fundraisers alike. -- ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Fundraising is at a crossroads. Donor trust is eroding, retention rates are plummeting, and yet, charities continue to rely on the same high-volume, bottom-of-the-funnel tactics—more asks, more urgency, more chasing. But what if the solution isn’t asking more, but becoming something donors want to say yes to? On today’s episode, we listen in to a recorded session from the Build Good Summit where we explored why trust is the most valuable (and perhaps only) asset fundraisers have left. We’ll introduce the fundraising flywheel, a model designed to build momentum by prioritizing donor autonomy, competence, and connection. Unlike the funnel, which treats giving as a linear transaction, the flywheel fosters long-term engagement and sustainable growth. Through case studies and practical examples, you’ll learn how to move beyond relentless solicitation and toward a trust-based approach that treats donors like an important part of the team, with a meaningful role to play. Because fundraising isn’t about forcing generosity—it’s about earning it. — ⛰️ Don’t miss out on the next BuildGood Summit! Sign up to be the first to know about the dates, location and super early bird discounted tickets at www.buildgoodsummit.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail The way we’ve been doing fundraising events might be all wrong. We often focus so much on what happens at the event that we miss the bigger picture: what happens before and after matters just as much—if not more. In this episode, we explore how to use the fundraising flywheel to make your events work harder for you and leave less money (and momentum) on the table. We get into: Why your event shouldn’t be a one-night stand (for your fundraising strategy). How to think about your event as a living, breathing version of your mission. A practical framework to make your next event more successful—from pre-event planning to post-event follow-up. How to activate your donors and sponsors before the event ever happens. What a great “Ask” sounds like during and after your event. And as a bonus, you’ll also get to listen to an exclusive coaching call within The Fundraising Academy with Lauren Isbell from Nevus Outreach. — ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail After longing for the kind of event we wanted to attend, we decided to create it ourselves. Today, Hannah and Mike walk through why we’re launching The Build Good Summit , an in-person fundraising summit in downtown Toronto happening May 22-23, 2025. The lack of world-class fundraising conferences in Canada has left fundraisers with two choices: spend thousands of dollars to attend conferences elsewhere, or miss out altogether. We’re putting an end to that. When you attend the BuildGood Summit, you’re joining our mission to bring Canada’s most ambitious nonprofits together, for good. By coming together and sharing methods that are working on our home turf—along with those working internationally—we'll all walk away with practical tips we can implement right now. In today’s show we talk about how we’re crafting the experience, how we use the flywheel approach ourselves to plan the conference, and how we chose the speakers. And if you stick around to the end of the podcast—listeners of the podcast get a special discount code to join us at the Summit. Don’t miss your chance to secure one of the 350 available seats. Claim your spot now at www.buildgoodsummit.com — ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Today we're celebrating our 100th episode! Come sit down for a fireside chat (complete with Diet Coke) to share the honest story of how this podcast started, where it's headed, and what that means for BuildGood—and for you. Mike gets real about why the original podcast strategy was completely wrong—and why that might’ve been the best thing that could’ve happened. In today’s chat you’ll also hear how BuildGood has grown from a solo consultant to a team of 15 passionate fundraisers. Plus, you’ll learn some of the exciting results we’re seeing with clients—including one digital campaign that's generating returns that seem almost too good to be true. If you’ve loved the podcast so far you’ll love this peek behind the curtain at what's coming next—including some changes that listeners have been asking for. — ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors.
Send us Fan Mail Today we’re launching the Build Good Summit, and introducing the first speaker—Nathan Hill from NextAfter. Nathan and the NextAfter team recently analyzed how the fundraising of 211 nonprofits impacts donor retention. And in today’s chat, he’s sharing 3 key things you can do to retain more donors—backed by research and actual donor data. If you want to get fresh ideas to grow your revenue—and get together with other fundraisers who are doing interesting and innovative things to draw donors closer in to the mission—join ust at the Build Good Summit on May 22-23, 2025 in Toronto. You’ll hear from fundraising innovators who’ll focus on practical examples to grow your fundraising—stuff that’s actually working right now to help some of the most innovative nonprofits grow. You can get your tickets now at www.buildgoodsummit.com — ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com
Send us Fan Mail Today, BuildGood’s resident fundraising copywriter delivers a masterclass in how to craft fundraising copy that leads people toward greater generosity. Hannah Vermeer gets into simple, easy and effective ways you can change the words you use in your fundraising—and changing the words you use is free. It costs you nothing. Whether it’s making your donor feel like they have an important and meaningful role to play, or crafting copy that’s easy to read and emotionally resonant, you’ll walk away with actionable insights to improve your copy immediately. If you want to create compelling, heartfelt, and effective fundraising copy, this episode is for you. — ➡️ Join our FREE training on how to build a fundraising flywheel that can 2x your revenue—without hiring more fundraisers or changing your tech and tools https://flywheel.buildgood.com 🤔 What else would you like to know about improving your fundraising and becoming an effective nonprofit marketer? Connect with Mike Duerksen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeduerksen/ 🔔 Follow the Build Good Fundraising Podcast on your favourite podcast app—and never miss a new episode: https://buildgood.com/category/podcast/ ❤️ And if you haven't yet, subscribe to our Youtube channel for more fundraising videos and actionable strategies that will help you grow your revenue and impact: https://www.youtube.com/@buildgood?sub_confirmation=1 Thanks for listening! ---- #Fundraising #Nonprofit #Philanthropy #Marketing Interested in working with a fundraising agency to grow your nonprofit? BuildGood is a fundraising agency that helps nonprofits raise more money from individual donors. Let our team of experts create your fundraising appeals, emails and newsletters for you, and reclaim the time to do the thing only YOU can do: build genuine, human, personal relationships with your donors. You’ll add proven expertise to your team. You’ll benefit from tested and proven strategies that will make you more money. And you’ll have peace of mind that you’re putting your best foot forward with your fundraising. ➡️For more information, go here: www.buildgood.com