What the Fundraising

Mallory Erickson
  • 4.9 (124)
  • Non-Profit
  • Updated Weekly

What the Fundraising is the podcast for impact leaders and change-makers who are tired of doing things the old school way and are looking for best practices to raise money, run their organization, and think about the nonprofit sector in a whole new way.  Every Tuesday for 40-60 min, your host, Mallory Erickson, will be having real and raw conversations with some of the best personal and professional development experts, many of whom are outside the nonprofit sector. These are bestselling authors, world-renowned researchers, and TEDx experts, most of whom have never spoken to a non-profit audience before. They have come ready to share expertise, lessons, and stories that will fundamentally change the way you show up as a leader and fundraiser. There are so many valuable lessons nonprofit leaders are missing because they are outside of their typical orbit, but no more. Mallory is bringing them in and helping to apply her guest's expertise to disrupt the nonprofit sector once and for all. So if you are ready to learn how to upgrade your fundraising strategy, leadership skills, energy, habits, and mindset to bring in more funding and actually have some fun doing it, then this is the right podcast for you. If you’re wanting to implement ideas you heard, visit MalloryErickson.com/Podcast for the top tips and tools, full transcripts, quotes, videos, and additional resources from each episode.

  1. 7h ago

    How to Stop Making Assumptions About Your Donors and Asking Better Questions with Kyle Buchmann

    Asking better questions and leaning into uncomfortable moments can help teams build real trust and connect deeply with donors! Kyle Buchmann, Senior Vice President at Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, shares practical lessons from his long career in higher-education fundraising. He joined the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association in 2012, moving up from leading the engineering development team to his current role as Senior Vice President. Drawing on his experience managing frontline fundraisers and leading large teams, Kyle explains how to guide people through big changes and train them to succeed. During the conversation, Kyle also discusses easy-to-use tools such as the "Ladder of Inference," which helps team members catch their own assumptions before making bad decisions. Moreover, he explains why fundraisers should focus on asking thoughtful questions instead of just memorizing donor data. Finally, Kyle covers practical communication tips such as using DISC personality tests to respect different thinking styles, clear up misunderstandings quickly, and keep everyone focused on a shared mission. In this episode, you will be able to:  Identify and interrupt implicit assumptions to make clearer, more objective organizational decisions. Frame insightful, open-ended questions for donor meetings rather than relying solely on lagging historical data. Guide teams productively through moments of change, discomfort, and uncertainty toward resolution. Apply tools like DISC profiling to adapt to neurodivergent styles and prevent workplace misunderstandings. Create a safe environment where team members can respectfully challenge each other's assumptions in real time. Engage donors by helping them author their own giving stories through active, non-judgmental listening. Get all the resources from today’s episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Bay Business Group. Our friends at Bay Business Group really understand nonprofit accounting and financial management on so many levels. Focus on your mission while gaining complete clarity and confidence over your organization's finances. Partner with an employee-owned team built solely to support you, handling everything from bookkeeping and payroll to budgeting and fractional CFO guidance. Learn more at bay-biz.com/mallory. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

  2. Sep 29

    How Nonprofits Can Use AI Without Amplifying Bad Culture with Tim Lockie

    When modern technology fails to solve an organization's friction, the root cause is rarely the software; it is the human systems behind it. This episode reframes digital transformation, proving that operational harmony relies far more on culture, mindset, and people than on shiny digital products. Meet Tim Lockie, who brings over 20 years of experience working inside and outside the nonprofit sector. As a human-centric tech and AI expert, Tim has spent his career helping organizations bridge the gap between technical infrastructure and human behavior.  Today's conversation dismantles common software marketing myths, pointing out how buying products without updating organizational habits leads to widespread adoption failure. Moreover, using an orchestra analogy, Tim explains that while individual tools act as instruments, organizations struggle with orchestration, often spending less than 3% of budgets on staff support compared to software. To fix this, he advocates appointing "first chairs," or dedicated leads, to guide teams from basic software support to true success. Finally, the discussion warns that AI will amplify existing organizational habits, making poorly run teams play bad music faster while noting that smaller teams can achieve paradigm shifts rapidly when they prioritize mindset over mechanics. In this episode, you will be able to:  Identify the Root Cause of Technology Failures Evaluate Common Tech Marketing Myths Formulate a Human-Centered Resource Strategy Implement the "First Chair" Operations Model Predict the Cultural Impact of AI Adoption Get all the resources from today’s episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

  3. Sep 22

    Thousand Day Planning: A Different Approach to Fundraising Leadership with Jay E. Davenport

    In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What happens when we stop thinking about fundraising as simply asking for money and start thinking about it as relationship building, connection, and philanthropy? In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, Mallory Erickson talks with Jay E. Davenport, Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at Penn State University, about building a culture where alumni engagement, fundraising, leadership, and philanthropy are deeply interconnected. Drawing from his 32-year career in higher education, Jay shares how his experience at VCU shaped his philosophy around “base building”, nurturing relationships with people at every level of the fundraising pyramid and creating meaningful opportunities for engagement before a financial gift is ever expected. Jay also shares how he approaches leadership and change management within an institution with deep history and tradition. Rather than abandoning what has worked, he believes in “innovating on behalf of tradition”, and finding ways to improve existing practices while honoring the institution's legacy. A major focus of the conversation is Jay’s 1,000-day planning framework, which translates a big organizational vision into clear priorities, responsibilities, and milestones. He explains how this approach gives teams clarity about where they are going, how their individual work contributes to the larger mission, and what needs to happen next. In this episode, you will be able to:  Understand why donor engagement should come before the financial ask. Think beyond major gifts and nurture lifelong relationships across the entire fundraising pyramid. Build more connected and integrated alumni and donor experiences. Lead organizational change while honoring institutional history and tradition. Use a 1,000-day plan to turn a big vision into actionable priorities. Create clarity around roles, responsibilities, and organizational priorities. Develop a culture where the entire team sees itself as part of fundraising. Prioritize relationship building as a leading indicator of fundraising success. Recognize and celebrate your team in ways that are meaningful to them. Shift from asking for money to connecting donor passion with institutional need. Get all the resources from today’s episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

  4. Sep 18

    How to Build Win-Win Content Partnerships in the Social Impact Space with Cindy Wagman

    Mallory Erickson and Cindy Wagman pull back the curtain on what it really looks like to build partnerships between coaches, consultants, and technology companies in the social impact space. Cindy Wagman is a nonprofit consultant, educator, and founder of the Nonprofit Fractionals Network. After years of working as an in-house fundraiser, Cindy began consulting in 2015 and later built a business focused on helping nonprofit professionals transition into fractional consulting while creating sustainable businesses without burnout. Originally recorded as a webinar, this conversation explores why tech companies want to partner with coaches and consultants, what you can gain from these relationships, and how to determine whether a partnership is actually aligned with your business and values. Mallory and Cindy share their own experiences navigating partnerships, sponsorships, speaking opportunities, referral revenue, webinars, and emerging AI partnerships. They also talk honestly about what makes these opportunities worthwhile, what can become a drain on your time, and how to protect your intellectual property when technology becomes part of your service delivery. Whether you're just starting to explore partnerships or you've already worked with technology companies, this episode will help you approach these relationships with more intention, discernment, and agency. In this episode, you will be able to: - Identify why technology companies partner with coaches and consultants and what they are ultimately hoping to gain from those relationships. - Evaluate potential partnerships based on your own business goals, values, audience, and desired outcomes. - Understand the different ways partnerships can support brand visibility, audience growth, revenue generation, and impact. - Approach speaking opportunities more strategically by thinking about lead capture, audience growth, and how to make the most of the opportunity. - Think critically about referral and affiliate partnerships, including transparency and disclosure around referral revenue. - Understand how AI is creating new opportunities for coaches and consultants to scale their impact while maintaining the human value of their work. - Ask better questions about intellectual property, privacy, data, and how your content is being used when partnering with technology companies. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

  5. Sep 17

    From Free Webinars to $10K Keynotes: How I Built My Speaking Business with Mallory Erickson

    Have you ever wondered how to turn speaking opportunities into a meaningful part of your business? In this solo episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson gets candid about how she built her paid speaking business, what she did before people were paying her, how she decides which opportunities are worth her time, and why being a great speaker is only one part of building a sustainable speaking career. Mallory shares what she learned from years of unpaid speaking, how she used content partnerships to make early opportunities financially possible, and the role that webinars, word of mouth, testimonials, and a speaker reel played in growing her reputation. She also talks openly about her current speaking rates, the value of protecting her time and family commitments, and why she believes speakers should advocate for fair compensation while also considering equity across the sector. Most importantly, Mallory offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions she makes when evaluating speaking opportunities and the relationships that have helped her speaking business grow organically. In this episode, you will be able to:  - Understand how unpaid speaking opportunities can help build the reputation, experience, and word-of-mouth referrals that lead to paid opportunities. - Identify ways to make speaking opportunities more financially accessible early in your career, including content and platform partnerships. - Create the foundational materials you need to market yourself as a speaker, including a speaker reel and media kit. - Think strategically about your speaking rates by considering travel, preparation, lost business time, and personal commitments. - Create space in your calendar for higher-value speaking opportunities instead of automatically saying yes to every opportunity that comes your way. - Build stronger relationships with event organizers by being thoughtful, collaborative, kind, and easy to work with while still maintaining clear boundaries. Check out Mallory’s speaking media kit and speaking reel: https://malloryerickson.com/speaking-workshops/  Get all the resources from today’s episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

  6. Sep 17

    Writing a Book: The Unfiltered Truth About My Book-Writing Process with Mallory Erickson

    What does it actually take to write a book? In this solo episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory Erickson pulls back the curtain on her experience writing and publishing her book, What the Fundraising. From signing a publishing contract with Wiley before she even knew what she wanted to write, to getting pregnant, navigating a difficult pregnancy, becoming a new parent, and rewriting the entire book six weeks postpartum, Mallory shares the messy reality behind the finished product. Mallory also talks about the limiting belief she had that she needed a book in order to get paid speaking opportunities, how writing the book ultimately changed the way she thinks and communicates, and why she believes a book should be valuable because of its unique ideas and perspective, not simply because you can say you wrote one. She also gets honest about perfectionism, ADHD, the challenges of sequencing a long-form argument, using AI for feedback but not for writing, and the importance of having systems and support around you. Most importantly, Mallory shares why your book doesn't need to be perfect. It needs to sound like you. In this episode, you will be able to:  - Understand what Mallory's actual book-writing process looked like, including the unexpected circumstances that shaped it. - Recognize the difference between creating long-form social content and developing a cohesive argument for a book. - Identify how sequencing an argument can become one of the hardest parts of writing a book, especially when you have lots of ideas and information to connect. - Consider how a book can strengthen your thinking, speaking, podcasting, and overall ability to articulate your ideas. - Think more strategically about whether writing a book actually supports the business, career, or change you want to create. - Use AI as a tool for feedback and identifying gaps without outsourcing your unique perspective and voice. - Let go of the idea that your book needs to be perfect before you put it into the world. - Write something that actually matters to you and gives readers a perspective they couldn't get anywhere else. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

  7. Sep 15

    Starting a Podcast with Mallory Erickson

    In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast, What does it really take to start a podcast and more importantly, keep doing it for years? In this behind-the-scenes episode of What The Fundraising, Mallory pulls back the curtain on how the podcast started, why she created it in the first place, how she landed her first sponsors before she even had listeners, and what has kept her going for more than 300 episodes. But this isn't really an episode about podcast equipment, download numbers, or how to land sponsors. It's about building something from a place of genuine curiosity instead of chasing metrics. Mallory shares why she thinks the best reason to start a podcast is because you actually want to have the conversations, what she learned about creating an environment where guests can be their most authentic selves, why she stopped doing pre-show calls, and how being willing to have uncomfortable and unexpected conversations helped What The Fundraising stand out. She also gets candid about pitching yourself to podcasts, building a personal brand, creating unique content, and using a podcast as a public learning lab. In this episode, you will be able to:  — Identify whether starting a podcast is actually aligned with the conversations you want to have and the way you naturally learn. — Create a podcast concept rooted in a unique purpose rather than simply replicating conversations that are already happening in your industry. — Develop a hosting approach that allows you to bring your genuine curiosity and personality into conversations. — Create an experience that provides meaningful value to both your guests and your audience. — Use a podcast as a tool for building relationships, developing ideas, and deepening your expertise over time. — Build a sustainable podcast by focusing on the value and joy of the work rather than getting caught up in rankings, downloads, or other external metrics. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

  8. Sep 14

    How to Build a Personal Brand with Mallory Erickson

    What actually makes a personal brand memorable? According to Mallory Erickson, it's not a perfectly curated aesthetic, a complicated content strategy, or having the perfect business plan. It's getting crystal clear on the problem you want to solve—and how you solve it differently from everyone else. In this solo episode of What the Fundraising, Mallory pulls back the curtain on how her own personal brand and coaching business actually developed. Spoiler alert: it wasn't particularly strategic, linear, or polished. It started with a problem she was experiencing herself, a desire to help other fundraisers, and a willingness to keep talking about the same problem over and over again. Mallory shares the unexpected origins of her coaching business, how the Power Partners Formula™ became an anchor for her brand, why vulnerability and authenticity have been critical to her growth, and what she did when people told her to talk less about mindset and nervous system work and give people more templates instead. She also talks about the importance of repeating your message—even when you are sick of hearing yourself say it—and why she recommends giving yourself 180 days of creating content before obsessing over engagement metrics. In this episode, you will be able to:  — Get clearer on the specific problem you want your business to solve. — Understand why specificity is more powerful than simply calling yourself a coach or consultant. — See how your own lived experience can inform your business and brand. — Understand how consistency can create a strong brand identity—even when your services evolve. — Learn why vulnerability can strengthen rather than weaken your authority. — Resist the temptation to shape-shift based on other people's opinions. — Understand why repeating your message is essential to building recognition. — Create content without becoming obsessed with engagement metrics. — Use coaching and self-coaching to navigate visibility and business growth. — Build a personal brand that people can actually see themselves in. Get all the resources from today’s episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many levels. Stay aligned while working online with a seamless and secure payments experience for your donors and your team. Empower donors to give where they are, whenever they like, automate data entry, and process online, monthly, and mobile payments, and accept payments over the phone. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.

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About

What the Fundraising is the podcast for impact leaders and change-makers who are tired of doing things the old school way and are looking for best practices to raise money, run their organization, and think about the nonprofit sector in a whole new way.  Every Tuesday for 40-60 min, your host, Mallory Erickson, will be having real and raw conversations with some of the best personal and professional development experts, many of whom are outside the nonprofit sector. These are bestselling authors, world-renowned researchers, and TEDx experts, most of whom have never spoken to a non-profit audience before. They have come ready to share expertise, lessons, and stories that will fundamentally change the way you show up as a leader and fundraiser. There are so many valuable lessons nonprofit leaders are missing because they are outside of their typical orbit, but no more. Mallory is bringing them in and helping to apply her guest's expertise to disrupt the nonprofit sector once and for all. So if you are ready to learn how to upgrade your fundraising strategy, leadership skills, energy, habits, and mindset to bring in more funding and actually have some fun doing it, then this is the right podcast for you. If you’re wanting to implement ideas you heard, visit MalloryErickson.com/Podcast for the top tips and tools, full transcripts, quotes, videos, and additional resources from each episode.

Information

  • Creator
    Mallory Erickson
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    337
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Mallory Erickson Coaching
  • Show Website
    What the Fundraising

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