Missions to Movements

  1. 2d ago

    It’s All About the Invitation | Lessons From the GivingTuesday Europe Hub with Birce Altay

    We talk with Birce Altay, Director of the GivingTuesday Europe Hub, about how a global generosity movement grows when it stays local and community-owned. We dig into distributed leadership, why participation is a core metric, and how a simple invitation can mobilize people who were never asked.  Birce's move from digital journalism into civil society communications and philanthropy work How GivingTuesday Turkey starts by reaching out and building local ownership Why localization matters and why “copy and paste” does not work across countries How the Europe Hub strengthens connection, resource sharing, and learning across leaders What GivingTuesday looks like on the ground across Europe from street activations to thought leadership Why distributed leadership helps scale impact, with France activating 12 plus cities Measuring participation and active citizenship alongside nonprofit fundraising totals The power of the ask, starting small, and treating GivingTuesday as an experiment you learn from GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  2. Oct 28 ·  Bonus

    A New Partnership to Scale Recurring Donations: Dana Snyder Joins RKD as Monthly Giving Executive in Residence

    Monthly giving shouldn’t be a line item or a one-off campaign. It should be core infrastructure. In this special announcement episode, I sit down with Justin McCord, EVP of Strategic Partnerships and Corporate Development at RKD, to share something we’ve been working on.  After two years of partnering on Monthly Giving Awareness Week, RKD and Positive Equation are launching the Monthly Giving Accelerator, and I’m joining RKD as Monthly Giving Executive in Residence. In this episode, we cover: Why now is the moment to treat monthly giving as a product, not a tacticHow the Monthly Giving Accelerator works: three months, six organizations per cohort, with peer learning and hands-on supportWhat you get: one-on-one time, The Monthly Giving Mastermind book, access to Monthly Giving Builder, a matched peer, and an in-person retreatWhy programs stall, and what Justin and I see most oftenWho the program is for, and who it’s not forThe first cohort starts in January, with six spots. Apply at https://rkdgroup.com/monthly-giving-accelerator Watch the video version Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  3. Oct 28

    Do You Have a Button Or a Monthly Giving Program? (Findings From 400+ Audits)

    I’ve spent a lot of time this year talking to nonprofit leaders about monthly giving, and after studying more than 400 audits, one thing became REALLY clear. 76% of nonprofits can set up a monthly gift in under three clicks, but the real gap starts after someone gives. In this solo episode, I’m breaking down the five biggest gaps I found, why a $36 monthly gift can actually be worth more than $2,000 over the life of that donor, and how to find new audiences you haven’t asked yet so you can build the kind of stewardship that makes people want to stay. So are you building towards a specific result by December 31st, or are you creating a sustainable monthly giving program for 2027? Resources & Links Is your monthly giving program leaking revenue? Take the 5 minute audit and find out what to fix first. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  4. Oct 21

    What 4 Nonprofit CEOs Would Text Every Leader in the Country Tonight

    46% of nonprofit CEOs say burnout is “very much” a concern, so what needs to change for nonprofit leaders to stay in this work? For a very special final conversation in my Atlanta CEO series, I’m bringing ALL four leaders together to talk about relationships, community, visibility, sustainability, and what it takes to lead an organization right now. Carolina, Tammy, Chidi, and Kenita get into why CEOs need a public voice, how to separate your identity from your job title, succession planning, letting your team own pieces of the vision, and the most important leadership skill… subtraction! We also talk fundraising and challenge long-held nonprofit norms around overhead, wellness, and what funders choose to support. And we end with a reminder I think every nonprofit CEO needs to hear. Resources & Links Connect with our guests on LinkedIn: Carolina García Jayaram, Chidi Asoluka, Kenita Smith, Tammy Tibbetts GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  5. Oct 14

    From $11,000 to $879,000: Kenita Smith on Growing a Nonprofit for Single Parents in College

    Did you know that 88% of nonprofits operate on less than $500,000? Kenita Smith started H.O.P.E, Inc. with no nonprofit experience, no donors, and no grants, AND grew the organization from $11,000 to nearly $900,000 (!) Kenita founded H.O.P.E after her own experience as a single parent trying to finish college, and one of her biggest growth strategies was getting out and telling that story. Whenever she spoke, they raised money, so she made it a goal to speak somewhere every single month. We talk about why Kenita went years without paying herself, the pressure she felt to prove the organization was legitimate, and why 100% board buy-in is non-negotiable for a growing nonprofit. Plus, after helping more than 100 parents graduate and coaching 58 nonprofit CEOs, she shares what she’s building toward next. Resources & Links Connect with Kenita on LinkedIn and learn more about H.O.P.E, Inc. on their website. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  6. Oct 14

    Founding, Growth, Layoffs, Merger: Tammy Tibbetts on the Full Life Cycle of a Nonprofit CEO

    Once a CEO, always a CEO? That's not how my current guest sees it. Tammy Tibbetts started She’s the First at 23, became its first employee after landing two $25,000 grants, and spent nearly 17 years leading the organization through growth, workforce reductions, and ultimately a merger with Girl Rising.  Her biggest lesson from that entire arc? The unglamorous work you’re doing every day is building the muscle you’ll need for the challenges you can’t see coming yet. We talk about what Tammy learned from some of her loneliest years as a solo CEO, why strong boards should be looking after the CEO as a whole person, and a question we don’t talk about enough: what comes AFTER the CEO title? Tammy makes such a good case for why former CEOs can bring an entirely different level of perspective to philanthropy, chief of staff roles, and other seats at the table. Resources & Links Learn more about Tammy Tibbetts on her website, and check out her Merger Diaries series on LinkedIn. Learn more about She’s the First and Girl Rising. International Women’s Forum GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  7. Oct 7

    Giving Teens Real Authority + Real Money to Design Change with Chidi Asoluka

    When a high schooler at NewComm manages a $10,000 budget, the money is real. So is the authority, and so are the neighborhoods they're designing solutions for. Chidi Asoluka spent 16 years as a classroom teacher before founding NewComm, a civic design studio where high schoolers from historically marginalized communities pair literature with real community challenges. He joins me in Atlanta for a special in-person CEO Series episode to share how a dream about Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon became an English elective in Philadelphia, then a summer program for 11 students, and now serves more than 150 students in the Bronx, with Brooklyn coming this fall. We also talk about the bank CEO who paid his full Georgetown tuition, why success shouldn't require erasure, how senior "managing partners" help run the organization, and how the Net Gala, the first project students funded with their $10,000 budget, became NewComm's annual fundraiser. Resources & Links Learn more about NewComm and follow along on Instagram. Connect with Chidi on Instagram and LinkedIn. Watch Chidi's TED Talk GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  8. Oct 7

    Making Good Famous: Carolina García Jayaram on Why Visibility Is Capital for Social Entrepreneurs

    What if the boldest thing philanthropy could do is to hand an organization $250,000, and $50,000 directly to the individual to support the whole leader? My next guest runs a foundation around that exact idea.  Carolina García Jayaram, founding CEO of the Elevate Prize Foundation, believes that strategic visibility can be just as catalytic as funding, especially for social entrepreneurs trying to grow beyond the people and communities who already know them. We talk about Elevate Prize’s “Make Good Famous” philosophy, what relationship-based philanthropy looks like, and how Elevate Studios helped one storytelling series generate more than 3 MILLION views and 100,000 new YouTube subscribers. Resources & Links Connect with Carolina García Jayaram on LinkedIn and Instagram. Learn more about Elevate Studios, the Get Loud Award, and the Elevate Prize Foundation.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  9. Sep 30

    Meet Monthlies Greatest Impact Winner: World Central Kitchen | How 80,000 Kitchen Corps Members Fund Day 0 Disaster Response

    When World Central Kitchen shows up within hours of a disaster, that response didn’t start that day. The relationships, infrastructure, and funding were already in place, and more than 80,000 Kitchen Corps members are a huge reason why. Monthly Giving Manager Lindsey Latham joins me to share how WCK turned an already successful recurring donor base into a true community, including a monthly newsletter that catapulted their open rates to 40-45%, along with a 4-part welcome series designed around stewardship. We also talk about their $500,000 monthly giving match, why it keeps matching gifts through the end of the year instead of just once, and what nonprofits with an unnamed recurring donor base can learn from their retention first strategy. Resources & Links Learn more about World Central Kitchen and Kitchen Corps and connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn. Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  10. Sep 28 ·  Bonus

    If Everything Feels Important, You Haven't Made a Decision | Monthly Giving Year-End Plan

    Use code: MOVEMENTS for 25% off Monthly Giving Builder Join the Sustainer Slack Group (FREE) Is monthly giving on your year-end fundraising plan, or is it just one email? In this tough love episode, Dana Snyder shares two quotes from Emma Grede that changed how she thinks about her work: "If everything feels important, you haven't made a decision" and "The work you avoid would probably change your life." If your nonprofit says it doesn't have time to start a monthly giving program, this episode is for you. Dana shares: Why "we don't have time" usually means monthly giving isn't at the top of the listWhy one monthly giving email at year-end is not enough, and how to build a full season of asksHow leading with a recurring ask can raise one-time gifts tooHow St. Jude turned a booth at Create and Cultivate into new supporters, and how to build visibility before year-endA 3-step challenge: cut one thing this week, choose who owns monthly giving, and block time on your calendar in the next 7 daysJoin the free Sustainer Slack group at positiveequation.com (click Resources) to share your plan with other nonprofit peers. Ready to build a monthly giving program? Use code MOVEMENTS for 25% off the annual plan of the Monthly Giving Builder. On October 22nd, Monthly Giving Builder users get a live coaching call with Dana to work on their year-end plan. Coming Wednesday: our final Monthlies winner, World Central Kitchen, and how their 80,000 Kitchen Corps members fund day zero disaster response. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  11. Sep 23

    Meet Monthlies Most Creative Campaign Winner: Letters to a Pre-Scientist | The Volunteer Pipeline Behind a 500-Member Recurring Program

    During a funding crunch, Lucy Madden, CEO of Letters to a Pre-Scientist, recorded a video asking volunteers if they could spare $5 a month to help the organization finish the school year. That first ask brought in 300 monthly donors, and today, more than 90% of Stamp Squad members have also been penpal volunteers. We get into why this worked so well, including how Lucy embedded the monthly giving ask directly into required volunteer training, and how their word-of-mouth momentum is now spilling into fundraising, too. Recurring revenue changed Lucy’s mindset about what was possible. And her biggest lesson for anyone building a recurring program? Get your tech right! Resources & Links Connect with Lucy on LinkedIn, learn more about Letters to a Pre-Scientist, Stamp Squad, and follow them on Instagram. Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  12. Sep 16

    Meet Monthlies Winner: How AART Turned Monthly Donors Into Organizers (Not Just Givers)

    If you've ever wondered whether a membership model could work for grassroots organizing and not just traditional fundraising, today's guest is going to show you exactly how. The African American Roundtable (AART) won this year’s Monthlies award for Strongest Sense of Community, and Executive Director Markasa Tucker-Harris is joining me to share how AART created a five-tier membership structure, inviting donors to “be the work.” That shift has influenced EVERYTHING, from fundraising and staffing to storytelling and retention, including how they think about dedicated membership roles, relationship-building with donors, and creating pathways for members to organize more people into the movement. Markasa also shares why AART’s churn stays low and what nonprofits considering a membership or recurring giving model should do first. Resources & Links Learn more about the African American Roundtable and their upcoming events. My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good. Want to make Missions to Movements even better? Take a screenshot of this episode and share it on Instagram. Be sure to tag @positivequation so I can connect with you. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  13. Sep 9

    Two Nonprofits' Year End Playbooks: Habitat for Humanity Omaha + Canadian Cancer Society (Q3 State of Recurring Giving)

    Recurring giving now makes up 27% of ALL online revenue, and for many nonprofits, 30-40% of total online revenue can arrive in the final three weeks of the year. Is your monthly giving program actually positioned to take advantage of all that attention and generosity? Today’s episode is your front row seat into my Q3 State of Recurring Giving webinar, where I brought together the team from STella! alongside fundraising leaders from Habitat for Humanity Omaha and the Canadian Cancer Society to share what they’re doing heading into year end. We also get tactical about the channels and tools driving that growth, including Google Performance Max, paid search, SMS, Fundraise Up, UTMs, and AI. Canadian Cancer Society generated an additional $171,000 from pre-donation upsells, while one recurring donor upgrade test produced an average increase of $14 per donor! And if you’re wondering what to do before Q4, we end with four VERY practical actions. Resources & Links Learn more about STella!, Habitat for Humanity Omaha and Canadian Cancer Society. Read the Neon One 2026 Recurring Donor Report and the M+R Benchmarks 2026. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  14. Sep 2

    Agentic Giving Explained: How to Get Your Nonprofit Found, Understood, and Trusted by AI with Fundraise Up CEO Peter Byrnes

    Your next donor may never visit your website! Peter Byrnes, CEO of Fundraise Up, is joining me to explain agentic giving and the shift he sees happening RIGHT now from discovery, to recommendation, to delegation.  Donors are already asking AI tools where they should give, and soon they may be asking those same tools to actually make the donation for them. We get into what nonprofits need to do now to become easier for AI to find, understand, and trust, including why consistency across your website, annual reports, financial information, and outside sources matters more than ever.  We also talk about Fundraise Up’s free Agentic Giving Readiness Assessment, how to audit what AI is already saying about your organization, and why the goal isn’t to panic — it’s to prepare. Resources & Links Check out the Fundraise Up Agentic Giving Readiness Assessment. Connect with Peter on LinkedIn. Learn more about Peec.ai. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  15. Aug 26

    Meet Monthlies Mid-Size Org Winner: Global Catalyst | This Is What Happens When You Stop Waiting

    Global Catalyst is on a mission to mentor girls around the world to become powerful advocates and confident leaders. They went from just 7 monthly donors in July 2025, to growing their Girls First community by 500% to 35 monthly donors. As a girl mom, this episode with Courtney Stricklin Burgan hits deep to my heart. In her role as VP of Engagement and Communications, Courtney leads a passionate team of fundraising and storytelling professionals, and we're going to get into every single detail of how she did it. You’ll discover why donors started choosing $20, $25, and even $33 a month, how they steward their community with birthday cards, anniversary emails, sticker packs, and personal outreach, and why Courtney sees monthly giving as “major giving in a different way.” Resources & Links Learn more about Global Catalyst, follow them on Instagram, and connect with Courtney at c.strickland@globalgirlsglow.org.  Check out Courtney’s book recs, Dungeon Crawler Carl and I Am A Girl From Africa. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  16. Aug 19

    He Wrote the Longest Book Title in Nonprofit History about Planned Giving. The Advice Inside Is Even Better with Tony Martignetti

    Planned giving does not have to be complicated OR expensive, and you don’t need an estate attorney to get started. What if your nonprofit already has planned giving prospects sitting inside your donor database, but you just haven’t asked them yet? Tony Martignetti worked with a historical society who mailed just 250 people about planned giving. SIX donors responded that they had already included the organization in their wills! We talk about how Tony built St. John’s University’s planned giving program to $20 million, why your best prospects are often your most loyal long-term donors, and why he recommends starting with donors around age 55-60+ and older. And yes, monthly donors absolutely belong in this conversation. Someone who has supported your organization month after month for years can make an incredible planned giving prospect. Resources & Links Connect with Tony on LinkedIn, tune in to his podcast Nonprofit Radio, and learn more Planned Giving Accelerated. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  17. Aug 12

    Meet Monthlies Small Org Winner: Magical Creatures Sanctuary | How Authentic Storytelling on Social Media Built a Monthly Giving Program

    If you've ever wondered what's possible with zero full-time paid staff and zero development budget, this episode is for you. Magical Creatures Sanctuary is a 100% volunteer-run farmed animal rescue on Hawaii Island that cares for more than 100 rescued animals, and today, 48% of their individual donor revenue comes from recurring gifts, with an 83% donor retention rate. Executive Director Jill Vanderhoef joins me to break down their Adopt a Magical Creature sponsorship program and how even a $5 monthly gift can create meaningful stability. Plus, Jill shares EXACTLY what’s working for them on Instagram and TikTok and why emotional connection, before-and-after storytelling, and paying attention to the questions your audience is already asking can help create content that brings supporters closer to your mission. Resources & Links Learn more about Magical Creatures Sanctuary and follow them on Instagram and TikTok. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  18. Aug 5

    Why Monthly Giving Stays on the To-Do List (What I've Learned From 1,000 Nonprofit Leaders)

    How do you walk into the end of the year with your monthly giving program finally built? More than HALF of the nonprofit professionals who joined my recent monthly giving webinars either had no recurring giving program or had started one and stalled.  And after analyzing feedback and behavior from more than 1,000 nonprofit leaders, I found that there are three primary barriers keeping organizations from making recurring giving the front door to fundraising. I also take you behind the scenes of how I use Claude and MCP connectors to analyze webinar registrations, purchasing behavior, and participant feedback in a single afternoon. Plus, why another webinar, workbook, or framework won’t solve the problem unless it helps your team produce the actual program name, landing page copy, email sequence, and board-ready plan. Resources & Links GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  19. Jul 29

    Black Philanthropy Month: The $86 Million Case for Funding Ecosystems with Kaci Patterson

    August is Black Philanthropy Month, so consider today’s episode the kickoff! Kaci Patterson has helped raise and leverage more than $86 million for Black-led organizations.  As the founder of Social Good Solutions and the Black Equity Collective, she joins me to get into their incredible study. 220 Black-led nonprofits across California created more than 4,000 jobs and generated over $335 MILLION in salaries. These organizations are powerhouse economic engines, truly driving critical work in health, safety, and racial justice. Kaci also shares how legacy can be a filter for which opportunities to say yes to, why funders must model the collaboration they ask nonprofits to practice, and how both sides can become values-based partners in community co-design. Resources & Links Connect with Kaci on LinkedIn and learn more about Social Good Solutions and Black Equity Collective. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  20. Jul 22

    Your Visibility Is an Asset: Shilpa Alva on Leading Out Loud

    Shilpa Alva is on a mission to fix one of the world’s most fundamental problems: the fact that hundreds of millions of people don’t have access to safe, clean water. Surge for Water is a women-led nonprofit that went from a nights-and-weekends passion project into a global organization delivering clean water, sanitation, hygiene, and women’s health solutions. And after operating across 12 countries and reaching hundreds of thousands of people, Shilpa shares why the organization has shifted its focus from chasing the biggest numbers to demonstrating deeper, community-owned impact. We talk about the business principles Shilpa carried from chemical engineering and corporate leadership into the nonprofit sector, why her board encouraged her to become a more visible speaker and advocate, how media appearances build credibility even when the ROI is difficult to isolate, and why nonprofit leaders should begin telling their stories long before they feel fully ready. Resources & Links Connect with Shilpa on LinkedIn and learn more about Surge for Water on their website. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  21. Jul 15

    The AI Shift Nonprofits Can’t Ignore: Chatbots, Cancer Support, and the Future of Search with Mike Osborne

    Most nonprofits start with the tools. The better question is, what’s the scalable opportunity technology can solve so your team can stay focused on the human interactions that matter most? With 1 in 2 people impacted by cancer in their lifetime, Mike Osborne and his team at Cancer Council Victoria are applying that thinking to one of their biggest pressure points: freeing up counselors from digging through systems so they can stay present and support more people in less time. Mike also reveals research-backed hot takes on AI-generated search summaries, and why teens are more likely to open up to a chatbot than talk to an adult. Resources & Links Connect with Mike on LinkedIn and learn more about Cancer Council Victoria on their website. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  22. Jul 8

    From Months to DAYS: How AI Is Helping Children International Scale to 275,000 Kids with Tim Bachta

    Way too much of our human capacity is spent on tasks that DON’T require human empathy. That’s how Tim Bachta from Children International is thinking about growth as his team works to expand from 220,000 to 275,000 children served. Tim shares how his team is using Microsoft Copilot to eliminate the manual work that’s been slowing them down (like letter translation processes that once took months, to systems running in DAYS!) so their staff can focus on building relationships and supporting families. This episode is a powerful look at what happens when you stop asking, “how can we use AI?!” and start asking where your team’s time is being wasted and who your champions are to help drive change. Resources & Links Connect with Tim on LinkedIn and learn more about Children International on their website. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  23. Jul 1

    From Spikes to Steady: World Central Kitchen's Monthly Giving Rebrand + What the Data Says About Recurring Giving Right Now

    What does the latest recurring giving data actually tell us? In this special State of Recurring Giving episode, three leaders from CharityEngine, GivingTuesday Data Commons, and World Central Kitchen are joining me to unpack the latest recurring giving benchmarks AND one of the most compelling monthly giving case studies of the year. Together, we're exploring the trends shaping recurring giving today, why monthly donors generate nearly 3x the annual value of one-time donors, and how World Central Kitchen turned 2,800 new monthly donors into an estimated $6 million in lifetime value with their Kitchen Core monthly giving program. Resources & Links A special thank you to CharityEngine for making this quarter's State of Recurring Giving webinar possible. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  24. Jun 24

    What 1,000 Donors Are Telling You: Key Takeaways from 2026 Giving Signals Report by Bloomerang

    Did you know 92% of donors say giving is part of who they are? And that 94% say they're MORE motivated to give when they know exactly where their money will go? Today I'm doing one of my favorite things – diving into the data and research from Bloomerang's 2026 Giving Signals Report, and sharing the major opportunity gaps every nonprofit should be paying attention to. Generosity isn't disappearing, but it's becoming much more intentional! This episode is packed with several high-impact changes that can help you remove friction, strengthen donor relationships, and increase giving. Resources & Links Check out Bloomerang’s latest research in their 2026 Giving Signals Report. GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

  25. Jun 17

    From Certification to Skills: Preparing Nonprofits for the AI Economy with Naria Santa Lucia

    With AI adoption exploding, what does that actually mean for how you grow your team, your donors, and your impact? Naria Santa Lucia brought SO much energy and joy to her MC role at the Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit, that I had to sit down with her to hear how nonprofit leaders can build practical pathways for using AI in their day-to-day work and cut through the hype. Naria also brings a perspective every nonprofit needs to hear: take the big swing, stay true to your mission, and don’t pivot just to chase funding. When you focus on real impact (and communicate it clearly!) you’ll draw the right supporters in. Resources & Links Connect with Naria Santa Lucia on LinkedIn and learn more about Microsoft Elevate here. Not sure where to start in building your program? Start with this $5 audit to know where your gap is. Takes 5-10 minutes max, and you'll know where to start --> Monthly Giving Interactive Audit  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate.  GivingTuesday is coming up on December 1! Rally volunteers, raise money, and build awareness for your cause. Tools and resources are at GivingTuesday.org/participate Now is the time to start making your plans for GivingTuesday. Visit GivingTuesday.org/participate for resources and inspiration. Let's Connect! Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!