The Fundraising Coach

Tom Iselin
  • 4.0 (8)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED DAILY

Learn tactics and strategies you need to become an expert at raising money and building a high-performance fundraising program. There are Interviews with industry experts, as well as dozens of practical tactics you can apply immediately to raise more money, improve your program's effectiveness, and inspire you about the art of fundraising.

  1. 11/07/2025

    10 Strategic Fundraising Principles - Every Fundraiser Should Know

    Fundraising—it's part charm offensive, part emotional trapeze act, part caffeine-fueled chaos. Some days you feel like a philanthropic superhero, and other days you're crying into your donor database while searching for the 'undo' button. But you don't have to go it alone. Enter the Rainmakers: the mythical, magical, magnificently strategic fundraisers who know how to play the long game—with flair. What's their secret? These 10 fundraising principles. We're talking about donor stickiness, connection asks, custom everything, and enough 'You' language to make even Shakespeare blush. Strap in, folks. You're about to take a rollercoaster ride through fundraising best practices—Robin Williams style. Listen and learn . . .

    9 min

  2. 11/07/2025

    Don't Pitch—Connect: 10 Smart Moves for First Donor Meetings

    Your first face-to-face meeting with a donor isn't a sales pitch or interview. And it's definitely not the time to comb through the details for your 30-page strategic plan. It's a discovery conversation—a delightful dance where you listen, learn, and laugh. Apply the following 10 tactics to get your first meeting right and the odds of landing a second meeting (and ultimately a donation) jump to more than 70%. Not bad for the cost of a latte and scone. Listen in and learn . . .

    8 min

  3. 11/07/2025

    A Lighthearted Field Guide to Fundraising Disasters

    Here's a crash course in what "not" to do when fundraising, what donors secretly loathe, and a short list of how to ask for money without breaking into hives. Listen in and learn . . .

    7 min

  4. 11/07/2025

    Make Your Board Retreats Outcomes Stick with "Ownership."

    Ah, the board retreat. A magical time when board members gather to dive into strategic discussions, unleash big ideas, and nod sagely at visionary plans. You laugh, you brainstorm, you may even awkwardly roleplay. By the end, you've covered walls with stickies and flipchart paper, deepened your culture, and high-fived over fresh possibilities. And then… nothing. Everyone returns home. Retreat outcomes are emailed but never opened. The notes from the flipcharts are filed away and the long list of follow-up ToDos sits unopened in Dropbox. Another week passes and the staff still waits for next steps. The energy? Gone. The ideas? Ghosted. And that beautiful vision for the future has faded into the background noise of daily operations. Welcome to the infamous retreat afterglow hangover —where inspiration without implementation goes to die. This podcast is your resuscitation manual for retreat outcomes. Because unless you want all that time, energy, and trust to evaporate like a dry erase marker, you need more than good intentions. You need action planning. You need structure. And most of all, you need ownership. Listen in and learn . . .

    10 min

  5. 11/07/2025

    Donor Objections: Part 3: Common and Uncommon Types (includes scripts)

    Fundraisers know that most donor objections boil down to just two things: the amount you're asking for and the timing of the ask. But here's the good news—both are manageable. In this article, you'll discover practical tactics to navigate these common roadblocks, plus smart ways to handle the trickier, less common objections that inevitably pop up. By the end, you'll not only be ready to face objections with confidence—you'll actually welcome them as opportunities to move the conversation forward and close more gifts. Listen in to learn A LOT more and there are scripts . . .

    30 min

  6. 11/07/2025

    Donor Objections: Part 2: A Simple 3-Step Process

    Encountering objections when asking donors for money is a given. One tactic for handling objections would be to develop and memorize canned responses to every possible type of objec­tion. Experienced fundraisers know this tactic is futile, because a simple "ask" often triggers an avalanche of donor replies, ranging from polite deflections to excuses worthy of an improv show. A more effective approach is to master a simple process for handling objections that can be applied to any objection. Below is a simple, three-step process for handling objections. Just repeat it until you land a "yes," a "no," or an agreement on next steps—whether that means another meeting, sending a proposal, giving a tour, or showing off the blueprints for that shiny new facility. Tune in and learn . . .

    9 min

  7. 11/07/2025

    Donor Objections: Part 1: A Primer

    Experienced fundraisers know objections are part of the ask process, which is why they embrace them. There are dozens of reasons why donors throw caution signs that feel like red lights. What follows is a high-level primer that unpacks why donors hesitate, paired with clear principles for handling those objections with confidence—so you can turn tough questions into lasting commitments. Listen in and learn!

    17 min

  8. 11/07/2025

    The Golden Hour: Tips for Mastering the Art of Donor Cultivation

    Cultivation is the golden hour before the ask. It's when you introduce someone to your nonprofit, show them the heart behind the stats, the faces behind the facts, and the mission behind the jargon. And it isn't just about raising money—it's about raising friends, champions, connectors, and believers. Done well, cultivation deepens emotional connection, builds trust, and turns a casual observer into a loyal supporter. Done poorly, it feels like a used car sales pitch on a rainy afternoon.  Listen in and learn!

    10 min
See All (70)

Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Learn tactics and strategies you need to become an expert at raising money and building a high-performance fundraising program. There are Interviews with industry experts, as well as dozens of practical tactics you can apply immediately to raise more money, improve your program's effectiveness, and inspire you about the art of fundraising.

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Iselin
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2025
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 Tom Iselin. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Fundraising Coach