The Nonprofit Podcast

Jena Lynch, Brittan Stockert & Cara Augspurger

The Nonprofit Podcast is your weekly dose of real-talk fundraising, designed for the doers, dreamers, and difference-makers powering today’s nonprofit world.Hosted by Jena Lynch, Donorbox’s Education & Community Engagement Manager, and fundraising strategist Britt Stockert, CFRE, each episode delivers clear, practical insights you can act on right away, no fluff, no filler.You’ll also hear from Cara Augspurger, Ed.M., CFRE, ED of Grace Care Center Foundation, sharing field updates and frontline perspectives.Whether you’re building something new or leveling up your impact, we bring you bold ideas, honest conversations, and tools to help you fundraise smarter and lead with confidence.Information. Inspiration. Implementation. Impact.That’s the energy we bring…every week.Let’s get to work.

  1. 6d ago

    Ep 228| 4 Ways to Fix Your Donation Page: The Science of Giving Pt. 2

    Send us Fan Mail Your year-end campaign’s biggest barrier might not be the appeal letter. It might be your checkout. Jena Lynch and fundraising coach Britt Stockert run a 15-minute friction audit to protect donor conversion and stop supporters from walking away mid-gift. Run the full audit with your team. Download the free field guide here. Your turn to coach the show. Two quick taps, totally anonymous, here, so we can bring you more of what you need to know. In this episode: In Part 2 of the Science of Giving series, Jena and Britt walk through a 4-stage friction audit based on our field guide, Donorbox’s 10 Principles of Donor Conversion and Retention: The Science of Giving. Every December, donors land on giving pages ready to give, then hit a slow, cluttered form and walk away. Small, zero-cost tweaks to attention flow, mobile accessibility, form fields, and receipt timing can stop that drop-off before the busiest fundraising weeks arrive. Friction is what stops a donor who already wanted to give. It is the easiest and cheapest thing to fix, and the most commonly ignored. What You’ll Learn: The mailer mistake: why long printed URLs quietly cost gifts, and the simple fixThe “kitchen sink” trap: how extra links and buttons pull attention away from the donate buttonThe 3-second speed test: how many mobile visitors a slow form loses before they read a wordThe mobile checkout killers: why forced passwords and manual card entry lead to abandoned giftsThe “costume jewelry” rule: which fields to strip, and how many preset gift amounts to offerThe recurring sweet spot: why the confirmation screen is the best moment to secure a monthly donorThe 15-minute phone audit: how to test a giving flow on cell data before campaign traffic hitsChapters: 00:00 - Why Are Donors Leaving Your Donation Page Without Giving? 04:17 - Stage 1 (Attention): Why Are Long Links and Clutter Costing You Gifts? 09:50 - Stage 2 (Accessibility): How Do You Protect In-Person and Mobile Donations? 14:35 - Stage 3 (Checkout Friction): Why Do Extra Form Fields Feel Like Homework to Donors? 21:10 - Stage 4 (Retention): How Do Fast Receipts and Monthly Asks Win Donors Back? 26:15 - Action Step: How Do You Run a 15-Minute Friction Audit Before December? Jena Lynch is the Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and host of The Nonprofit Podcast. She regularly coaches nonprofit leaders on donor stewardship and digital fundraising. Britt Stockert, CFRE, is a Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox with more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit and public sectors, specializing in donor retention and board engagement. Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform helping more than 100,000 organizations raise over $4 billion worldwide. Learn more at donorbox.org.  Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This episode is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

    Ep 228| 4 Ways to Fix Your Donation Page: The Science of Giving Pt. 2

  2. Oct 22

    Ep 227| Why Your Sold-Out Event Isn’t Hitting Your Fundraising Goal

    Send us Fan Mail A packed room isn't necessarily a fundraising strategy. If you’re already losing sleep over seating charts, guest counts, and selling every last ticket, take a breath.  The event doesn't raise the money - relationships do. Here is what actually happens when you stop trying to fill the room and start building it.  Cara Augspurger pulls back the curtain on a recent live fundraising event that didn't just meet a bold fundraising target…it more than doubled it. Cara breaks down the real-world mechanics behind what worked, moving past fundraising event theory into actionable strategies you can ‘steal’ immediately.  From shifting your focus from ticket sales to relationship capacity, enhancing the advantages of trimming program clutter so your mission owns the room, and - the one that makes every fundraiser deeply uncomfortable - making bold stretch asks with confidence, this is your tactical cheat sheet to producing an event that delivers real, multi-year impact. What You'll Learn: Why ticket sales aren't a fundraising strategy: The critical difference between packing the room with bodies and filling it with donors who can actually give.The 3-column spreadsheet: A simple exercise to get your board and connectors inviting high-impact guests today.The "morning-after test": How to cut the fluff and keep your program focused. How to invite "stretch gifts": The no-pressure live ask framework that allows donors to give at higher levels.Multi-year pledges: How to confidently pitch gifts that fund your organization's future.The pre-written thank-you: Why and how an imperfect email within 24 hours beats a late recap.The event doesn't raise the money. The relationships do. The event gives those relationships a moment. Get to grips with planning your Year-End event with a quick refresh of Episode 222, digging into what may be missing from your strategy. Plus, download our event planning guide to keep you on track this Giving Season here.    Chapters: 00:00 - How Did We Double Our Fundraising Event Goal? 01:45 - Can a Guest Speaker Overtake Your Nonprofit's Mission? 02:50 - Why Is Building the Room Better Than Just Filling It? 04:45 - Why Doesn't High Event Attendance Equal Fundraising Capacity? 05:15 - How Do You Use a 3-Column Spreadsheet to Target Key Donors? 05:55 - How Do You Ensure Your Mission Owns the Room? 07:15 - How Do You Avoid the 47-Minute Program Trap? 08:30 - What Is the "Morning-After Spouse Test" for Event Programs? 09:18 - Why Should You Ask Event Guests for Stretch Gifts? 10:45 - Are You Making the Giving Decision for Your Donors? 11:45 - How Do You Say Big Numbers Out Loud and Handle the Silence? 12:25 - Why Do Multi-Year Commitments Matter More Than One-Night Asks? 13:10 - Why Does an Imperfect Thank-You Beat a Polished Recap? 14:40 - Why Should You Write 80% of Your Thank-You Before the Event? 15:20 - Do Events Actually Raise Money, or Do Relationships? 16:25 - What Three Questions Should Drive Your Next Fundraising Event? Cara Augspurger, Ed.M., CFRE, is an experienced frontline fundraiser, Executive Director of Grace Care Center Foundation, and co-host of The Nonprofit Podcast. Bringing a boots-on-the-ground perspective to every conversation, Cara focuses on turning fundraising strategy into sustainable revenue and real-world community impact. If you enjoyed this episode, share it with another nonprofit leader, leave a review, or subscribe to the channel! Planning an upcoming event? Donorbox Events gives you seamless registration, attendee tracking, and automated guest communication to keep your community engaged from ticket purchase to follow-up. Learn more here.  Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process over $4 billion in donations worldwide. The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult with a professional advisor for specific guidance. Support the show

    Ep 227| Why Your Sold-Out Event Isn’t Hitting Your Fundraising Goal

  3. Oct 15

    Ep 226| The Science of Giving: Donor Confidence, Decoded

    Send us Fan Mail Why - and when - do donors actually trust your organization? Every gift is a decision, and every decision has mechanics. Donorbox has mapped them in a new field guide, 10 Principles of Donor Conversion and Retention: The Science of Giving. It draws on published research into why donors give and why they stop. In the first of two episodes that break down the mechanics of the giving decision, Jena Lynch and Britt Stockert talk us through the six principles that build donor confidence: transparency, credibility, congruence, security, impactful messaging, and reciprocation. Along the way, they unpack the changes the guide recommends nonprofits make before Giving Season. About half of first-time donors never make a second gift. The research suggests that’s rarely a marketing problem. It’s a design problem, and it’s fixable. The guide is built to be used, not just read. It closes with a ten-principle self-audit: one yes-or-no test per principle, to score before any campaign goes live. Every “no” marks a specific, fixable conversion loss. Each principle also comes with practical steps a fundraiser can complete without a developer. Each principle is grounded in behavioral science, from the goal gradient effect to the reciprocity norm, and brought to life with examples from Britt’s coaching. It’s practical listening for any fundraiser focused on donor conversion and retention heading into year-end. Download your FREE copy of Donorbox’s 10 Principles of Donor Conversion and Retention: The Science of Giving today, and run the self-audit before your campaign goes live. It’s a practical first step toward turning this Giving Season’s first-time donors into next year’s repeat supporters. So, what are we talking about? Donors rarely evaluate an organization consciously. Nobody sits on a donation page weighing credibility. But donors notice when something feels off, and they leave without explaining why. That makes donor confidence hard to measure and easy to lose. Each of the six confidence principles maps to a question donors are quietly asking, from “Where does my money actually go?” to “Did anyone notice that I gave?” Building donor confidence doesn’t require a complete overhaul. It starts with spotting the small things that make someone hesitate, and addressing them before Giving Season traffic arrives. Chapters 00:00 - Why First-Time Donors Don’t Return 01:54 - Defining Confidence vs. Friction 04:09 - Principle 1: Transparency (Where the Money Goes) 06:54 - The Goal Gradient Effect & Visible Progress 07:56 - Principle 2: Credibility & Social Proof 11:31 - Principle 3: Congruence & Consistent Branding 16:01 - DonorBox Field Guide Overview 16:25 - Principle 4: Payment Security & Loss Aversion 19:10 - Principle 5: Impactful Messaging (Stories vs. Numbers) 22:22 - The Identifiable Victim Effect 23:37 - Principle 6: Reciprocation & Meaningful Thank-Yous 26:58 - The Reciprocity Norm & Retention Impact 29:01 - Key Takeaways & Next Steps for Giving Season About the Hosts Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and anchor of The Nonprofit Podcast, a 2025 Silver Anthem Award winner. She speaks regularly to nonprofit audiences on donor stewardship and retention. Britt Stockert is a Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox with more than 20 years of public-sector experience. She coaches nonprofit teams one-on-one and serves on the board of an immigrant- and refugee-led nonprofit. About Donorbox Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process over $4 billion in donations worldwide. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. The information provided in this series is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Please consult with a professional advisor for specific guidance. Support the show

    Ep 226| The Science of Giving: Donor Confidence, Decoded

  4. Oct 8

    Ep 225| DAF Donors Have Already Said Yes

    Send us Fan Mail Happy DAF Day. Here's something to think about. Nearly one in four dollars of individual giving in the US now moves through donor advised funds, and DAF giving is growing 8X faster than everything else. Jena Lynch and Cara Augspurger get into who DAF donors really are (**Spoiler** not all are billionaires - most give under $1,000), why they tend to stay longer and give more, and where in the past these gifts have run into friction for donors and nonprofits alike. Then Jena shares what Donorbox launched today: DAFPay, powered by Chariot and built right into your Donorbox OmniGive donation form. It's available on the Pro and Premium tiers for US-registered 501(c)(3) organizations. See how Donorbox DAFPay works here New to DAFs? Download Episode 192, Cara’s DAF 101. In this episode: What a donor-advised fund is, in plain terms, and why the decision to give has already been madeWho DAF donors really are, and why the “wealthy donors only” picture is wrongWhere DAF gifts can get stuck, for donors and for nonprofitsThe receipting mistake that can turn into an IRS headacheHow Donorbox DAFPay brings DAF giving onto your OmniGive donation formAnd if you’re ready for a deeper dive, here are links to the research reports and resources mentioned in the show: Donorbox Pro and Premium plansEpisode 192: Cara’s DAF fundamentals episodeChariot 2026 DAF Fundraising Report Donor Advised Fund Research Collaborative Donorbox Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to DAF Day and the Growth of DAFs 00:29 The Rise of Donor-Advised Funds in Giving 01:20 Cara’s Perspective on DAF Trends 02:28 Understanding What a DAF Is and How It Works 03:20 Who Are DAF Donors and Why They Give 05:03 Common Misconceptions About DAF Donors 08:09 The Rapid Growth and Scale of DAFs 09:37 How DAFs Distribute Funds Faster  10:16 Donor Demographics and Giving Patterns 12:14 Impact of DAFs on Donor Support and Giving Behavior 13:59 The Challenges of Managing DAF Gifts for Nonprofits 19:19 Making DAF Giving Easier: Chariot DAFPay on Donorbox 22:37 Practical Steps for Nonprofits to Engage DAF Donors About Donorbox Donorbox is a trusted online and on-location fundraising platform that helps nonprofits raise more. With easy-to-use donation forms, powerful donor management tools, and features designed to grow recurring giving, we have helped 100,000-plus organizations process over $4 billion in donations worldwide. Learn more at donorbox.org.  Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and host of The Nonprofit Podcast. She speaks widely on donor relationships and fundraising at conferences, webinars, and on other shows.  Cara Augspurger is a frontline fundraiser and co-host of The Nonprofit Podcast. She brings what she sees on the ground at her own organization to every conversation, and hosted Episode 192, our DAF 101, for first-timers.  Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. This episode is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

    Ep 225| DAF Donors Have Already Said Yes

  5. Oct 1

    Ep 224| Last Year's Donors Are This Year's Opportunity

    Send us Fan Mail You pulled the report. 1,800 people who gave last year haven't given a cent this year. And it's October. Cue Giving Season panic. Jena Lynch and Britt Stockert see it differently. Most of those lapsed donors didn't leave. They drifted. This episode is all about winning back LYBUNT donors (Last Year But Unfortunately Not This) before December 3 - no guilt trips. No "we miss you" emails. These donors already said yes once. That counts for a lot. Donors with a giving history come back 66% of the time. New donors come back just 24% of the time. And there's still time. Last year, December brought in 37% of nonprofits' online revenue. Britt shares the exact voicemail she'd leave a lapsed donor, and makes the case for skipping the ask in the first message (yes, even in October). Jena brings the gym membership comparison nobody wanted, but everybody needed. Got 30 minutes this week? Britt's action plan at the end is built for exactly that. What You'll Learn Why and how "hasn't given yet" and "gone for good" are two very different listsThe unglamorous check that saves a lot of awkward emailsHow to pick 30 personal calls from a list of 1,800 (hint: not by gift size)Who in the organization should really be making those callsWhat to do when a donor leaves you on readHow to ask in December without sounding like a final noticeThe one thing every fundraiser should do on their phone todayA LYBUNT report shows who hasn't given. It can't show why. Before assuming the worst, check the data. Then start a conversation. As Jena puts it, "You are a nonprofit fundraiser, you are not a debt collector." Chapters: 00:00 That report you've been avoiding 01:00 LYBUNT: the acronym Britt loves 03:25 The 24% vs 66% gap 04:09 Check before you reach out 06:02 Bounced emails and the Promotions tab myth 07:13 1,800 names, 30 phone calls 08:01 The biggest gift isn't always the best relationship 10:05 First touch: skip the ask 10:47 The voicemail you should leave 13:02 Ask a question, not for money 16:04 When donors leave you on read 17:03 Adjusting expectations 18:08 The December ask that actually lands 18:50 A nonprofit, not a debt collector 21:02 Your 30-minute action plan Jena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, and Britt Stockert, Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox, co-host this episode. Together, they bring hands-on experience helping nonprofits strengthen donor relationships and build fundraising systems that hold up under pressure...especially in Giving Season! Links Mentioned M+R Benchmarks studyEp 192| Donor-Advised Funds: What Fundraisers Need to Know Now with Cara Augspurger Donorbox: donorbox.org About Donorbox Donorbox is a global fundraising platform trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits, with $4B+ raised worldwide.   This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Consult a professional advisor. Support the show

    Ep 224| Last Year's Donors Are This Year's Opportunity

  6. Sep 24

    Ep 223| Supporters to Fundraisers: Crowdfunding and Peer-to-Peer

    Send us Fan Mail How far can one campaign travel this Giving Season?  Further than your email list, if you set it up right. Today, Jena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, shares how a crowdfunding campaign gives supporters a clear, specific goal to rally around, and how peer-to-peer fundraising turns that campaign into something supporters carry into their own networks…reaching people a nonprofit hasn't earned trust with yet. In this episode, Jena digs into: What makes a crowdfunding campaign worth sharing, not just donating toWhat a campaign page needs so a stranger understands it in secondsWhy a supporter's personal ask lands differently than a simple shareHow to choose the first few supporters to invite as fundraisersWhat to do with the year-end plan next weekStart your Giving Season campaign Donorbox Crowdfunding gives supporters a page worth sharing, a goal meter, a live donor wall, and one-click sharing built in. Turn on Donorbox Peer-to-Peer and empower supporters to build their own pages, with every dollar automatically feeding the main goal. Launch in as little as 15 minutes: donorbox.org  Get your downloadable guides now, packed with tips and strategy support, from the Donorbox library: Donation Page Design Guide - image sizes, logo dimensions, and copy tips Peer-to-Peer Fundraising 101 - campaign types, a launch plan, and event ideas  Chapters  00:00 Welcome  00:23 Why one campaign should outgrow the email list 02:57 What makes a crowdfunding campaign worth sharing 05:11 Building the crowdfunding page as home base 07:25 From sharing to peer-to-peer fundraising 08:23 Borrowed trust: Leveraging personal networks for outreach 10:05 Choosing the first supporters to invite 11:49 Setting up supporter pages on Donorbox 12:30 Next week's to-do for Giving Season campaigns 13:15 Resources and close Host Jena Lynch is Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox and anchor host of The Nonprofit Podcast. About Donorbox Donorbox is a global fundraising platform trusted by 100,000+ nonprofits, with $4B+ raised worldwide. This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not legal or financial advice. Consult a professional advisor. Support the show

    Ep 223| Supporters to Fundraisers: Crowdfunding and Peer-to-Peer

  7. Sep 17

    Episode 222| The Fundraising Moments Most Nonprofit Events Miss

    Send us Fan Mail Most nonprofit events open exactly one path to giving: the ticket.  Jena Lynch and Britt Stockert map the fundraising moments most events miss, before doors open, during the event, after everyone goes home, and unpack how nonprofits can open more paths to giving - without extra work for their team. What You'll Learn Why the ticket purchase is one of the best, and most frequently ignored, fundraising opportunities of the event life-cycleWhat good ticket data actually looks like (knowing who to expect before your guests even walk in)Where the most donation opportunities quietly slip away once the event is underwayWhy one unified donor record beats three spreadsheets and a manual mail mergeThe one friction point Britt says to fix first, before your very next eventIf you're deep into your year-end event planning, this one is for you! Engage attendees. Simplify giving. Grow your impact. Find out more about maximizing your events with the double-down power of Donorbox Dynamic Duo  - from ticketing to post-event stewardship. You can: Streamline ticket sales and collect donations from ticket buyersManage your event in one easy-to-track placeCheck guests in with easeCollect in-person, cashless donations with just a tap, dip, or swipeChapters 00:00 The Mindset Shift in Event Fundraising 00:56 Welcome to The Nonprofit Podcast 02:28 Capturing Generosity at Ticket Checkout 04:08 Streamlining Table Registration & Payments 06:00 Common In-Event Pitfalls to Avoid 07:16 Eliminating Friction for Event Attendees 08:52 Using Donorbox Live Kiosk & Offline Auto-Sync 11:00 Post-Event Data Integration & Donor Segmentation 12:55 Timely Stewardship and Follow-Up Emails 13:44 Practical Action Step for Your Next Event 14:51 Closing Remarks & Resources Host Bios Jena Lynch, Head of Community Engagement at Donorbox, anchors The Nonprofit Podcast. Brittan Stockert, Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox, co-hosts The Nonprofit Podcast. Donorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by more than 100,000 organizations worldwide, raising over $4 billion for nonprofit causes. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and shouldn't be considered legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

    Episode 222| The Fundraising Moments Most Nonprofit Events Miss

  8. Sep 10

    Ep 221| How to Turn Your Ask Into a Connection

    Send us Fan Mail Heart does that panicked double-thump. Stomach drops. Ohh - there goes gravity!  Sound familiar?  That's what happens right before most fundraisers call a donor to ask for money…and Britt Stockert, Fundraiser Coach at Donorbox, says that feeling is telling you the opposite of what you think. In this quick, coffee-break episode, Britt shares the four words she scribbled on a sticky note for a burned-out nonprofit leader who needed something simpler than a script. It changed how that leader's whole team makes the ask. This is perfect for fundraisers who want a low-pressure way to build donor trust, especially heading into year-end.  Discover: Why the discomfort of asking for a gift is a sign of a healthy donor relationship, not a warning signA four-word framework simple enough to fit on a sticky noteHow to open a donor call without mentioning money at allWhat to say when a donor pushes back on overhead or transparencyWhy silence after an ask is doing more work than most fundraisers realizeHow to measure success in donor outreach beyond whether a gift landed that dayIf you’re ready to refine your ‘Ask’ approach and get on track for Giving Season, schedule time with Britt here. That nervous feeling before asking for a gift isn't proof something's wrong. It's proof the moment matters. Britt's fix isn't more confidence - it's structure: four words on a sticky note that turn a high-pressure ask into a real conversation between two people who both care about the same thing. Chapters: 00:00 - Why Asking for Support Feels Uncomfortable02:10 - The Trust Gap & the Power of Personal Connection03:40 - A 4-Beat Framework for Donor Conversations06:55 - Timing the Ask & Permission-Based Giving08:15 - Redefining Success Through Small Wins09:15 - Overcoming Rejection & Closing ThoughtsDonorbox is a trusted fundraising platform used by 100,000-plus organizations worldwide, helping them raise over $4 billion collectively. Learn more at donorbox.org. Enjoying the show? Subscribe for more practical fundraising strategies, leadership insights, and tools to help your nonprofit grow sustainably. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or financial advice. Please consult a professional advisor for guidance specific to your organization. Support the show

    Ep 221| How to Turn Your Ask Into a Connection
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4.7
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About

The Nonprofit Podcast is your weekly dose of real-talk fundraising, designed for the doers, dreamers, and difference-makers powering today’s nonprofit world.Hosted by Jena Lynch, Donorbox’s Education & Community Engagement Manager, and fundraising strategist Britt Stockert, CFRE, each episode delivers clear, practical insights you can act on right away, no fluff, no filler.You’ll also hear from Cara Augspurger, Ed.M., CFRE, ED of Grace Care Center Foundation, sharing field updates and frontline perspectives.Whether you’re building something new or leveling up your impact, we bring you bold ideas, honest conversations, and tools to help you fundraise smarter and lead with confidence.Information. Inspiration. Implementation. Impact.That’s the energy we bring…every week.Let’s get to work.

Information

  • Creator
    Jena Lynch, Brittan Stockert & Cara Augspurger
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    245
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Nonprofit Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Nonprofit Podcast

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