• Fundable & Findable with Kevin L. Brown
    Jul 7 2025
    Should you invest in branding, OR, should you invest in fundraising? What creates greater impact for your cause? The answer often depends on who you ask. There are plenty of fundraising consultants who will tell you that investing in brand is a useless exercise, and all you need to do to be successful is invest in fundraising. Buy more direct mail. Spend more on paid ad programs. Hire more consultants. Do more events. If you’re not careful, you’ll invest in a grab bag of tactics that may not move the needle for you on revenue. Sadly, too many nonprofits do […] Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Kevin Brown on Fundable & Findable
    • (00:00:45) - How to Build a Brand for Nonprofits
    • (00:02:00) - Writing Down the Book
    • (00:02:33) - Getting Out There: The LinkedIn Content
    • (00:03:44) - Mission Clarity and How to Raise Money
    • (00:06:30) - What is Vision for Nonprofit Leaders?
    • (00:08:38) - The Secret to Success in Raising Money
    • (00:11:03) - Brand Investment in Community
    • (00:11:43) - Brand Investment: An Investment
    • (00:13:17) - What Role Do Boards Have in the
    • (00:15:01) - Strategic Plan: Everything Is Possible, But Everything Isn't
    • (00:17:15) - The Investment Strategy of Building a Brand
    • (00:18:17) - Nonprofit Communications and Brand Teams Understaffed
    • (00:20:05) - How to Build a Nonprofit Brand with Just One Word
    • (00:23:37) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker
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    24 mins
  • Virtuous 2025 Benchmark Report
    Jun 25 2025
    Do you know the 7 key donor performance metrics that drive organizational fundraising success in your nonprofit? My friends Gabe Cooper and Carly Berna from Virtuous help us dig into those KPI trends in this conversation about the Virtuous 2025 Nonprofit Benchmarking Report. Some of the insights we cover in this conversation include: The importance of donor retention, and the key difference between overall retention and net donor retention Challenges facing the nonprofit sector, and how doubling down on relationship, personalization, and automation can help offset some of those challenges Why you have to start leveraging data and automation (including […] Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast
    • (00:01:21) - Virtuous's 2025 Nonprofit Benchmarking Report
    • (00:02:17) - The 7 KPIs that Matter The Most to Driving Revenue Growth
    • (00:03:49) - Donor Experience: Days Between First and Second Gifts
    • (00:06:46) - Donor Welcome Series
    • (00:08:31) - The decline of the everyday donor
    • (00:12:12) - The Future of Fundraising: Data Literacy
    • (00:16:13) - Will AI Change the Way Nonprofits Raise Money?
    • (00:19:23) - Mid- and Major Donors
    • (00:25:48) - Mid-level Donors: The Middle Child
    • (00:27:11) - Donor Outreach
    • (00:30:23) - Nonprofit Giving: Average Gift Increases
    • (00:33:22) - Are You More Likely to Give Online?
    • (00:34:41) - Nonprofit Giving: New Donor Acquisition
    • (00:37:43) - Donors' Long Term Value
    • (00:39:30) - Ask Again: How to Ask the Donor
    • (00:42:07) - Virtuous Nonprofit Data 2017: Most Encouraged
    • (00:45:09) - Top Nonprofit Executives Discuss the Benchmark Report
    • (00:45:54) - A Few More Favors For You
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    47 mins
  • A Journey Into Generosity
    May 22 2025

    In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with David Duxbury, Major Gift Officer at Hammer Residences, to explore the transformative power of generosity. David shares his personal journey from growing up in poverty to becoming a passionate advocate for donor impact. Together, they discuss the importance of humility in fundraising, the role of donor-centric communication, and how nonprofits can better empower the next generation of fundraisers. Packed with honest stories and practical wisdom, this conversation will inspire anyone working to build meaningful relationships in the nonprofit sector.

    Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast
    • (00:00:33) - Meet the Hammer Residences Major Gift Officer David Green
    • (00:02:20) - In the Elevator With Charitable Givers
    • (00:05:26) - Empowering the Next Generation of Fundraising
    • (00:13:55) - The Importance of Humility
    • (00:16:25) - How to Get Your Salesforce CRM to Do the Things You
    • (00:16:57) - Donors Are Terrible People
    • (00:17:37) - Philanthropist on How He Views Wealth
    • (00:26:25) - Donor Centricity in Fundraising
    • (00:31:11) - Donor Experience: How to Win at Fundraising
    • (00:35:44) - What is Donor Stewardship?
    • (00:39:42) - Top 10 Most Meaningful Donor Conversations
    • (00:43:24) - The Rainmaker: Donating to Nonprofits
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    45 mins
  • What does it take to be a great fundraising organization?
    Feb 19 2025

    In this powerful episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson is joined by Alan Clayton, author of Great Fundraising Organizations and founder of Revolutionise. Together, they explore what separates thriving nonprofits from those that struggle, why fundraising success starts with leadership, and how to run two distinct businesses (service delivery and fundraising) within one mission. Alan shares key insights from 12 years of global research, offers practical leadership strategies, and issues a call to embrace emotional storytelling, strategic investment, and purpose-driven culture. If you want to unlock transformational growth at your organization, this conversation is essential.

    Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Alan Clayton on the Rainmaker
    • (00:00:52) - Revolutionizing What It Is to Raise Money for Nonprofits
    • (00:01:29) - Great fundraising organizations: The journey from good to great
    • (00:03:08) - Getting organizations to commit to a five year plan
    • (00:04:44) - What Makes Nonprofit Organizations Successful?
    • (00:06:50) - The need for emotionally relevant engagement
    • (00:09:29) - The role of the leader in fundraising
    • (00:13:24) - How to Get Your Salesforce CRM to Work
    • (00:13:59) - Philanthropy: The Leadership Problem
    • (00:16:58) - The Conflict and Tension of the Fundraising
    • (00:21:12) - The 3 Step Process of Brand Management
    • (00:24:31) - In the Elevator With Andrew Carnegie
    • (00:25:17) - What Makes a Charitable Leader So Driven?
    • (00:28:58) - Laughably Leadership: A challenge to the
    • (00:30:53) - Andrew Olson on the Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make
    • (00:31:24) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker
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    32 mins
  • The Rise of Sustainable Giving
    Feb 4 2025

    In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson talks with Dave Raley, founder of Imago Consulting and author of the new book The Rise of Sustainable Giving. Dave shares how the subscription economy is reshaping recurring giving and why most nonprofits are missing out on long-term value by treating sustainers like one-time donors. They dive into the historical roots of recurring giving, explore what makes a strong sustainer program today, and bust some of the most common myths about donor loyalty and communication. If your organization wants to grow predictable revenue and deepen donor commitment, this conversation is a must.

    Chapters
    • (00:00:03) - Dave Raley on Why He Started Imago Consulting
    • (00:04:12) - Bookmark: The Rise of Recurring Giving
    • (00:09:08) - Subscriptions and Recurring Giving
    • (00:15:24) - Your 90 Day Leaders Journey Email Course
    • (00:19:03) - Sustainer vs. Long Term Value
    • (00:20:37) - What Makes an Organization Ready for Sustainer?
    • (00:25:49) - Should I Let a Major Donor Be a Monthly Donor?
    • (00:26:21) - Are Your Recurring Donors More Valuable Than Your Major Don
    • (00:29:50) - When Should a Major Donor Start Giving?
    • (00:33:18) - Subscriptions in the Nonprofit Industry
    • (00:37:56) - Cancel Your Subscriptions?
    • (00:39:54) - Sustainer Program Launch: Benchmark, Evaluate and Design
    • (00:44:08) - Sustainable Giving Growth Plan
    • (00:45:52) - A Few Favors For You
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    46 mins
  • Digital Storytelling for Nonprofits
    Dec 19 2024

    In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson talks with Tayloe Clements, Director of Digital Marketing at Barna Group and host of the Mission Money podcast. Tayloe shares her journey from filmmaker to nonprofit strategist and breaks down what it takes to tell authentic, emotionally resonant stories that inspire donor action. She outlines five key elements of compelling storytelling, explains why conflict and transformation are essential, and offers practical advice for creating high-impact video content—even on a small budget. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just getting started with digital, this episode will help you elevate your storytelling and deepen your donor connections.

    Chapters
    • (00:00:03) - Rainmaker: The Fundraising Podcast
    • (00:00:46) - Taylor on His Leader Journey
    • (00:02:02) - Barna the Swing dancer on How To Fit It All In
    • (00:03:02) - Nonprofit Missionary
    • (00:06:25) - What Excites You About Storytelling?
    • (00:07:35) - The Story of Donor Engagement
    • (00:11:19) - 4 Key Elements of a Mission
    • (00:14:04) - Your Leadership Journey Email Course
    • (00:15:48) - The Donor: The Hero of Nonprofit Marketing
    • (00:19:10) - How to Coach Nonprofit Leaders on Camera
    • (00:22:18) - How to Tell a Story in Video
    • (00:26:15) - Andrew Olson: The Nonprofit Future
    • (00:30:32) - Social Media: How to Tell the Story
    • (00:33:44) - How to Start a Business in the Digital World
    • (00:35:23) - A Few Favors For You
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    36 mins
  • Major Gift Fundraising as a Trade
    Dec 3 2024

    Could treating fundraising like a skilled trade transform your results?
    In this episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson sits down with Jason Zwang, founder of The Giving Group and longtime major gifts leader. Jason shares why major gift fundraising should be approached not just as a career, but as a craft that requires apprenticeship, trust-building, and continual learning. They explore the evolution of major gifts, the tension between science and art, and how organizations can prepare for the next generation of fundraising leadership. This is a masterclass in practical wisdom for anyone serious about long-term fundraising success.

    Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Raising Money Through Major Gifts
    • (00:01:11) - Jason Levitt on Major Gifts
    • (00:04:15) - Major Gifts as a Trade
    • (00:05:13) - Philanthropy as a Trade versus a Career
    • (00:09:15) - How to Balance the Pressure of Delivering This Year's
    • (00:13:21) - Philanthropy and the Future
    • (00:18:23) - The 90 Day Leader's Journey Email Course
    • (00:19:47) - David Lively: The Need for Tradecraft
    • (00:24:53) - The Art of Raising Money
    • (00:28:22) - 3 Rules for Success in Raising Money
    • (00:31:46) - What are you most excited for in philanthropy in the coming decade
    • (00:33:38) - How Do Nonprofit Pro and Pro Speak?
    • (00:34:11) - A Few Favors for the Rainmaker
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    35 mins
  • Embracing Failure: Learning from Setbacks
    Oct 23 2024

    How can failure become a catalyst for growth in nonprofit leadership?
    In this honest and empowering episode of the Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, Andrew Olson is joined by Beth Fisher, CEO of Fisher Strategic. They explore how failure—especially public failure—can be one of the most powerful teachers for nonprofit leaders. Beth shares how to recover from setbacks, how to create psychologically safe cultures, and why investing in people is non-negotiable for organizations that want to grow. This episode offers practical insights for leading with authenticity, resilience, and empathy.

    Chapters
    • (00:00:00) - Rainmaker: Failure and What We Can Do About It
    • (00:00:56) - In the Elevator With Templeton Religion Trust's Director
    • (00:01:55) - What is the Risk of Failure?
    • (00:07:16) - Tom Clancy on Recovering From a Big Failure
    • (00:10:17) - On Coaching and the Need for Support
    • (00:14:00) - Steve Jobs on How Do You Manage Your Life?
    • (00:15:34) - The 90 Day Leaders' Journey Email Course
    • (00:16:47) - On the Toxic Environment
    • (00:18:36) - The Need for a Safe Workplace
    • (00:19:54) - Performance Review and the Gray Area
    • (00:21:08) - Does the Enneagram Affect How You're Seen?
    • (00:22:10) - The 3 Biggest Mistakes Nonprofits Make
    • (00:25:48) - WSJDLive: Leading Transformational Change
    • (00:27:20) - What Have You Learned From Your Biggest Fails?
    • (00:30:50) - Rainmaker: A Request for Help
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    32 mins