Nonprofit Marketing And Communications
Uncover the keys to impactful marketing and compelling communications with our extensive collection of educational videos–tailored to meet the needs of nonprofits. Immerse yourself in learning about effective branding, content strategy, social media engagement, and beyond. Each of these lessons, guided by seasoned nonprofit professionals, will provide you with a deeper understanding of the unique marketing landscape nonprofits navigate, and equip you with practical skills to communicate your mission convincingly. You’ll learn how to amplify your organization’s voice and make it resonate with potential donors, volunteers, and the communities you serve. Dive deep into topics like creating inspiring narratives, building influential marketing campaigns, and leveraging the digital world to reach broader audiences.
We sat down with Amos Balongo, keynote speaker and communications coach, to explore a subject rarely discussed in the nonprofit space — personal visibility. Amos challenges the traditional mindset that humility and impact must exist in separate spheres, proposing instead that visibility is both a professional asset and a form of leadership.
Speaking from Honolulu, Amos sets the stage with a simple truth: “If you don’t speak for your work, nobody else will.” His message resonates deeply within a sector that often prizes quiet service over self-advocacy. For Amos, visibility isn’t vanity — it’s strategy. He reframes communication as the ability to connect and insists that becoming visible is a learnable habit rather than an innate gift. “It’s not hope; it’s a strategy,” he says. “You have to be bold, brief, and strategic.”
Show host Julia Patrick draws the connection to the real-world nonprofit landscape, where professionals work tirelessly to amplify their organizations while neglecting their own personal brands. The result, Amos explains, is that talent often remains unseen. Visibility, he emphasizes, begins with intentionality — knowing your stakeholders, communicating outcomes instead of effort, and building recognition across and beyond your nonprofit.
Amos’s philosophy merges clarity with courage. He invites nonprofit leaders to reject the old adage “let your work speak for itself” and instead cultivate everyday visibility — a daily practice of sharing progress, celebrating results, and speaking with confidence. He notes that humility isn’t silence; it’s authenticity. The key is to shift from describing how hard you’ve worked to explaining the difference your work has made.
Networking, too, takes on new meaning. Rather than collecting business cards, Amos urges purposeful connection rooted in belief, preparation, and authenticity. “Networking is an inside job before it becomes an outside job,” he asserts, reminding listeners that confidence in oneself and one’s mission radiates outward.
Ultimately, this conversation transcends self-promotion. It’s about alignment between who you are and how you are perceived — an integrity-driven approach to leadership. Visibility, Amos concludes, is not a one-time project but a lifelong habit, built daily through connection, clarity, and courage.
#TheNonprofitShow #LeadershipVisibility #NonprofitBranding
Joint fundraising: bold idea, complicated feelings. On this Fundraisers Friday, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall swap real-world stories and field notes on how small and midsize nonprofits can team up without tripping over turf, lists, or logistics. Julia sets the table with a grin—“They’re super tricky, they’re very interesting, and I think there’s a lot of fear around it”—then Tony gets granular on where collaboration actually shines: events. Think shared strengths: one NPO’s marketing mojo plus another’s room-flow wizardry equals a stronger guest experience and better net for all.
The throughline is alignment. Serve the same community—youth, seniors, cancer journeys, pets—so the purpose reads as one chorus, not competing solos.
Contracts keep friendships friendly. Spell everything out in an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) or partnership agreement: shared costs, who fronts deposits, marketing responsibilities, volunteer management, night-of logistics, and—vital—who’s the fiscal agent. As Tony puts it, “It’s just a reminder that we are running a business.” Marketing lists stay private; attendee lists can be shared with explicit consent at registration. Afterward, leverage an event page for social recaps while each org pushes post-event notes to its own supporters.
Courage shows up at the recap table. Schedule a quick postmortem to capture wins, gaps, and “never again” insights while memories are fresh. Sometimes the bravest answer is one-and-done: celebrate the success and move on. Julia’s take on reality checks lands with a smile and a nod to capacity: big hearts are fantastic, but bandwidth pays the bills!!
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFundraising #Collaboration
The phrase “overhead myth” still haunts the nonprofit world like a stubborn ghost. Host Julia C. Patrick sits down with Adam Holzberg, Partner and CPA at SAX Advisory Group, to teach viewers why judging nonprofits by their administrative expenses misses the point—and how education, transparency, and storytelling can replace outdated thinking with real understanding.
Adam defines the myth plainly: “It’s the idea that a nonprofit is less effective when it has higher overhead.” That assumption, he stresses, is simply untrue. The salaries, training, technology, IT support, and finance work that make up overhead are the very systems that keep programs running effectively. Yet donors and watchdogs still cling to the notion that only direct program spending matters. “In reality,” Adam says, “those programs can’t even function without this infrastructure behind the scenes.”
He traces the myth’s roots to the early days of charity watchdogs comparing organizations through the functional expense schedule on Form 990 filings. Those comparisons turned rough accounting estimates into moral judgments, and the damage stuck. Many nonprofits still feel pressure to brag about low overhead ratios—even when it hurts them.
Adam teaches that context matters. A government-funded nonprofit may appear more efficient because it spends little on fundraising, while a community charity that relies on individual donations will show a larger overhead percentage. There’s no universal benchmark—though watchdogs like Charity Navigator often cite 70 percent program spending as a target. But he cautions against treating that as a rule: every mission, funding model, and cost structure differs.
When asked how to fix the problem, Adam emphasizes education. Nonprofits must explain why investing in staff well-being, technology, and cybersecurity protects impact. His analogy brings it home: “If you build an offense with Patrick Mahomes and top receivers but neglect your offensive line, your team won’t move the ball. Nonprofits are the same—without infrastructure, even the best programs fail.”
Julia and Adam agree that shifting focus from expense ratios to impact data is the next frontier. Impact storytelling shows outcomes numbers can’t: lives changed, communities strengthened, futures rebuilt. Leaders, boards, and funders must learn to read those stories alongside the spreadsheets.
The conversation closes with hope—and a reminder that every conversation helps rewrite the narrative. By teaching donors, boards, and staff that strong infrastructure equals stronger mission delivery, nonprofits can finally end the burden of the overhead myth.
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #OverheadMyth
Dwyer Workforce Development is rewriting what “possible” looks like for a young, fast-scaling nonprofit. In this compelling conversation, CEO Barb Clapp traces a journey that began with a blank slate in September 2022 and now stands at 10,000 Dwyer Scholars across seven states—with a confident path to 100,000 by 2030. The spark came from founder Jack Dwyer’s twin commitments: expand opportunity for people shut out of stable careers and respond to the nationwide healthcare staffing crisis. Barb’s charge was bold—design a national model that moves quickly, performs consistently, and proves its value to partners, employers, and learners.
Her answer blends entrepreneurial rigor with social mission. Dwyer built a social enterprise engine—a $590 million conversion of a skilled nursing portfolio to nonprofit ownership—whose proceeds help fund training pathways. At ground level, the organization relies on clearly defined referral, training, and employer partnerships, each governed by MOUs and measurable expectations. That clarity enables adaptation to rural, suburban, and urban markets while maintaining one brand, one message, and one standard for outcomes. As Barb puts it, “My little motto is that press brings opportunity and having a consistent brand and understanding consistent messaging will improve outcomes.”
Communications discipline is not a tactic; it is strategy. Internal messaging aligns every team member on values, goals, and voice. External messaging earns trust, investment, and momentum. Boards and leaders who resist marketing spend, Barb notes, miss the compounding returns of consistent communication. The results are striking: rapid state expansion, strong completion and placement outcomes for scholars, and a repeatable market entry framework. States now approach Dwyer—Kansas and New York among them—because the model is explicit, execution-ready, and partnered from day one.
Barb’s leadership philosophy centers on kindness through candor. “Clarity is kindness… I’m like a street shooter, so no one really doesn’t understand what my expectations are.” That stance dignifies partners and scholars alike, and it fuels the organization’s capacity to scale technology, staff, and regional structures without losing its heart. The pandemic exposed both the fragility and heroism of healthcare work; Dwyer’s model honors that reality by opening doors to CNAs and other caregiving roles for individuals overcoming homelessness, domestic violence, and generational limits.
The takeaway is simple and ambitious: when mission meets enterprise discipline and brand coherence, systems begin to shift. Dwyer Workforce Development is proving that national growth and local responsiveness can move together—one clear message, one rigorous playbook, and thousands of new careers at a time.
Nonprofits don’t just need more messages—they need messages that move people. In this fast-paced episode we welcome persuasion instructor and longtime marketer Dean Batson to show how science-based communication turns attention into action. Batson traces his path from launching a digital agency to teaching persuasion at Arizona State University, where he studies the shortcuts our brains use to decide fast. “We make mental shortcuts all day long,” Dean explains. “If you know which way someone may lean because of a heuristic, you can frame your message to nudge that choice.”
He breaks down social proof (those 5,000 five-star reviews that quietly sway your click), the danger of choice overload (the famous jam study where 24 flavors crushed sales), and the “availability heuristic”—why the word “shark” grabs attention while “falling coconuts” doesn’t. Dean’s advice: be the message people recall first. “Be the shark messaging, not the coconut messaging.”
For fundraisers, this means streamlining every pathway from interest to gift. Keep donors in System One (fast, intuitive) rather than forcing System Two (slow, effortful) that stalls giving. Less friction. Fewer steps. Clear next action. Dean contrasts persuasion and manipulation with a simple rule: persuasion is transparent and win-win; manipulation is opaque and win-lose—and it burns trust.
He also flips how teams read results. Many obsess over the 7% who opened an email while ignoring the 93% who didn’t—classic survivorship bias. The fix: study the non-responders and reframe your outreach so more people move. Dean offers practical tactics you can use today, like priming stakeholders with a short Slack note before a meeting to set the idea as the front-runner. And don’t wait: start shaping next week’s “yes” with simple, steady cues today.
Finally, Dean urges leaders to equip the entire organization—not just gift officers—with persuasion skills. When every staffer can frame ideas clearly, your mission becomes the message people remember, share, and support.
If you want donors to move, tell them exactly where to go. In this Fundraisers Friday conversation, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall turn vague appeals into precise, energizing calls to action (CTA’s)—across giving, events, engagement, volunteering, and advocacy. Tony lays the foundation early: “Start with the call to action. What do I want folks to do?” When you begin with the outcome, every sentence supports momentum, not meandering.
Julia puts a common myth on the table: “It’s not just like go out and ask a bunch of rich people for money.” Fundraising isn’t speed-dial; it’s relationship-building, timing, and clarity. Tony reinforces the point: “Fundraising is all about relationships,” and your CTA is the moment you convert relationship energy into tangible next steps—give, register, share, join, or contact.
Time-bound CTAs matter. Use real clocks, not artificial pressure. Matching gifts? Set the deadline: “Donate by October 15 so your gift will be doubled.” Community emergencies? Be specific: protect 20 roofs, feed families during power loss, or restore safe access to services this week. Impact framing turns abstract dollars into visible outcomes: $50 feeds one student for a month—$100 feeds two. That clarity invites bigger gifts because supporters can instantly see scale.
Equally important: truth and fit. If the amount and impact don’t match, supporters feel it. Build your figures from real program data, and keep the language human. Julia adds a practical lens for events: swap “RSVP” for action-forward phrases like “Save my seat.” Tap joyful FOMO without panic. Want engagement? Ask for it. “Click subscribe,” “Invite 10 friends,” “Share with a neighbor adopting a pet.” Want volunteers or in-kind items? Say exactly how to respond and how you’ll make it easy.
Advocacy belongs in your CTA toolkit too. This isn’t about politics—it’s about mission. Invite your community to “Stand with families—email your legislator today to support…” Frame the request around the people you serve and the outcome your programs create.
Finally, close the loop with gratitude-based storytelling. Julia’s favorite “Because of you” CTA wraps action and appreciation into one cadence: Because of you, 50 students received laptops; because of you, seniors got meals during outages. That framing reminds supporters they are the hero—today and tomorrow.
Start with the action you need, frame it with authentic impact, and invite your community to step forward—now.
Donor communication isn’t a seasonal chore—it’s the garden you tend all year. In this lively conversation, James Misner, Founder & Owner of The Kipos Group (Greek for “garden”), shows how consistent, human-centered messages keep supporters engaged, confident, and eager to act. His opening frame is memorable: schools send multiple reminders for an early bus drop-off because people are busy; nonprofits should be just as persistent—thoughtfully. As James says, “You should not be afraid to reach out to your donors… they need you to serve them by communicating frequently.”
James introduces a practical “trust triangle”: organization, leadership, and impact. Rotate your content so supporters see a stable organization with real stories, a visible and thoughtful leader, and outcomes that are tangible. Variety matters—mix email, social, mail, live streams, and short videos so people meet you where they already are.
He’s blunt about retention. Too many nonprofits don’t know their number, and the sector average still hovers around mid-40%. Causes of lapse you can’t control (life events) exist, but others are absolutely in your hands: saying thank you promptly and showing outcomes clearly. “If you do that, and that alone, and you do that regularly, your donors are going to stick with you.” James shares a jaw-dropping example of unthanked five- and six-figure donors—proof that basics move mountains.
To win in today’s attention economy, flip the script: make the donor the main character. Replace “we did X” with “you made X possible,” pairing metrics with meaning. Anchor stories in universal emotions (worry, hope, pride, relief) so even complex issues feel relatable. Segment when useful, but never lose the thread of human feeling.
James also adapts classic business wisdom for fundraising: keep donors, invite them to bring friends, grow generosity without eroding trust, and operate efficiently. The math is compelling—modest retention gains transform budgets, especially under $1M. The mindset is calmer, too: breathe, be thoughtful, and show up regularly with messages that serve.
Bottom line: water the garden weekly. Use stories, data, leadership voice, and channel variety to build trust. Put the donor at the center, thank quickly, report outcomes often, and watch retention—and impact—bloom.
AI isn’t a magic wand—but it can absolutely help nonprofits do more with less when you understand what it is, where it fits, and how to use it wisely. In this energizing conversation, technology associate and CPA Christine Chacko from Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) explains the practical difference between automation and AI, when to use each, and how to keep data safe while you experiment and learn. As Christine puts it, “AI is actually a form of automation,” but it handles open-ended, judgment-heavy tasks while traditional automation follows clear, narrow rules. Think rules for categorizing expenses (automation) versus analyzing trends, benchmarking, and surfacing insights across donor segments (AI).
Christine offers real nonprofit examples: blend automation to roll up donor data by type, then ask AI to interpret changes year over year, spot seasonality, or flag post-pandemic shifts. She shows how AI shines as a writing helper—drafting grant narratives tailored to funders’ preferences or condensing verbose copy into crisp executive summaries—while reminding us to review outputs for voice, accuracy, and appropriateness. “We really like to think of it as a thought partner,” she says, perfect for bouncing ideas, testing messages, and clarifying complex financial stories for boards.
Security matters, too. Christine’s guidance is simple and strong: read the fine print, know what you opt into, and understand the difference between models embedded in trusted systems and those that reach out to other tools. She introduces agentic AI—systems that can act on your behalf (e.g., access Outlook, browse the web, schedule emails)—and explains why permissions, policies, and internal controls must come first. Hallucinations are less frequent in newer reasoning models, but review remains essential—especially for grants and external communications where stakes are high.
Finally, Christine maps the near-term horizon: expect broader, more accessible agentic AI inside finance, IT, customer support, and daily workflows. Success won’t come from tools alone; it comes from culture—clear use cases, communication, training, and solid processes. Used well, AI reduces drudgery (transcripts, notes, routine emails) so nonprofit teams can focus on judgment, relationships, and mission results.
Social media strategist, author, and TEDx speaker, Robin Nathaniel, unpacks the connection between human relationships and digital platforms. With fresh ideas and candid energy, Robin introduces his SYNC Method—a framework designed to help nonprofits create authentic, meaningful engagement online.
Robin explains, “S is for simple. Messages you can say in four words—don’t say in twenty. Don’t overcomplicate your story.” He challenges organizations to focus less on technical jargon and more on clarity. The “Y” stands for Yield—yielding to intention. Instead of just pushing events, campaigns, or donation requests, he urges nonprofits to ask themselves what feelings and actions they want their audiences to experience before hitting “post.”
“N” is for Natural. Too often, Robin points out, organizations spend hours in the “makeup room,” worrying about lighting, graphics, and backgrounds. Instead, he recommends the “best friend test”: write and speak in a way your closest friend would understand. Finally, “C” is for Change It Up. Social media is not a box-checking exercise. Robin stresses adaptability: experiment, reset, and test new content approaches as platforms evolve.
Nonprofits often overwhelm supporters by blasting out too much information at once. Robin’s framework offers a more human and sustainable way forward. He also adds a crucial reminder: “The real measure isn’t clicks or conversions. It’s how you improve the lives of the people receiving your content.”
The conversation takes a deeply personal turn when Robin shares his Joy Audit, developed after the tragic loss of his brother. By redefining his life through the lenses of Create, Connect, and Contribute, Robin discovered how to realign time and energy toward purpose—linking directly to nonprofit burnout, recognizing how leaders often wear multiple hats without space for renewal.
Online giving isn’t just the future of fundraising—it’s the now! Emily Kelly, National Accounts Manager at Bloomerang, delivers a practical, energizing roadmap for nonprofits to raise more money online—without adding more stress to already full plates.
This conversation is for any nonprofit ready to increase online giving, improve donor retention, and strengthen relationships in a digital-first world. Emily blends practical “fix it today” steps with a bigger vision for creating donor experiences that inspire giving, year after year.
Emily’s passion for relationship-building is woven through every tactic she shares. With a background in marriage and family therapy, she sees fundraising not as transactions, but as an opportunity for deeper human connection. “The power of please and thank you is so much more powerful than anything else,” she begins—a reminder that technology should serve relationships, not replace them.
Her first piece of advice is deceptively simple: make sure your donate button works. Too often, organizations overlook this basic step. Then, view your donation page through the eyes of a first-time visitor—would you feel compelled to give? Is it clear, inviting, and emotionally engaging? Placement matters too. The donate button should be easy to spot, ideally at the top of your page, without forcing visitors to search for it.
Emily urges nonprofits to offer multiple payment options—credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH, and even Venmo—to meet donors where they are. Each generation prefers different tools and limiting payment methods risks losing potential gifts.
She also challenges organizations to reimagine the donor experience for online gifts. Segmentation is key—tailoring acknowledgments by gift size, donor type, or relationship history. A generic thank-you isn’t enough; donors want to feel seen and valued. Communication preference tracking—whether donors prefer email, phone, text, or snail mail—helps build authentic connections and increase retention.
And yes, the old-fashioned phone call is making a comeback. Emily shares research showing that calling a first-time donor within 24–48 hours makes them four times more likely to give again. Whether done by staff, volunteers, or board members, these calls create goodwill on both sides—reigniting board member engagement while deepening donor trust.
Emily’s philosophy is clear: treat every gift, whether $50 or $50,000, as the start of a relationship. One-time gifts can become long-term commitments—or even legacy gifts—when nonprofits follow up with gratitude, intentionality, and consistent communication.
Connected TV (CTV) advertising isn’t just for big brands anymore—it’s an emerging frontier for nonprofits to tell their stories on the biggest screen in the house. Kris Johns, CEO and founder of AdGood, shared how his organization is unlocking unused, high-quality streaming ad space for nonprofits—at up to 70% off market rates.
AdGood works directly with major publishers and platforms to collect unfilled “ad slates” (those silent filler moments you see while streaming) and make them available exclusively to nonprofits. “We sit at the bottom of the ad stack,” Kris explains, “so anything they don’t fill, we get access to.” This programmatic approach allows nonprofits to run CTV campaigns with the same flexibility and robust reporting as they would on Meta or Google—except now, they’re on television.
CTV offers a unique blend: the emotional impact of a full-screen, in-home experience with the precise targeting of digital marketing. Nonprofits can target down to a single ZIP code, choose dayparts, and even adjust campaigns mid-flight for maximum return. It’s an opportunity to put your mission front and center while supporters are engaged with content they love.
For organizations without in-house production capabilities, AdGood has built a self-serve AI-powered ad generator. In just minutes, nonprofits can create a 30-second, TV-ready spot by entering their website URL, swapping images or scripts, and even translating into 30+ languages. Ads can be hyper-local (with a budget starting at just $250) or scaled nationally with managed services.
Kris emphasizes that this isn’t just about filling empty ad space—it’s about empowering nonprofits with tools and access they’ve historically been priced out of. AdGood is also piloting full attribution reporting to track which viewers saw an ad, visited a nonprofit’s site, and ultimately donated.
From small-town initiatives to nationwide campaigns, the flexibility and affordability of CTV through AdGood could change how nonprofits think about media. As Kris puts it, “Our goal is to turn marketing from a cost center to a profit center for nonprofits.”
How do you lead when everything feels uncertain? Carina Santa Maria, CEO of Shelter Youth and Family Services, shared a bold, forward-thinking approach to nonprofit leadership in challenging times. From weathering funding impasses and the pandemic to rethinking donor relationships and pioneering new models of care, Carina proves that crisis can be a catalyst for transformation.
Shelter-Inc.org, based outside Chicago, has served vulnerable youth and families for 50 years. Yet Carina candidly shares that despite its legacy, the organization has had to reinvent itself multiple times. Whether navigating Illinois’ state budget freeze or pivoting during COVID-19, the common thread has been resilience backed by strategy. “We had to pivot and find the resources to make sure those services were delivered,” Carina says.
But this conversation is about more than survival—it's about rising. Carina reveals how she and her team moved away from event-based fundraising and focused on cultivating deep donor relationships. The result? A record-setting $1.8 million raised in one year—without galas or trivia nights. This change didn’t come easy, but it paid off with greater mission alignment and long-term investment from supporters.
Carina also discusses the organization's next bold chapter: building Illinois’ first DCFS-approved group home for child victims of human trafficking. What began as a donor’s $50,000 trust experiment has blossomed into a $5 million initiative. “He told me, ‘I don’t care if it works. I just want to see you think outside the box,’” Carina shares. It’s a stunning example of what’s possible when leaders are trusted and supported to innovate.
The episode touches on advocacy, trauma-informed storytelling, and building credibility through impact rather than sentiment. Carina makes a compelling case for nonprofit leaders to demand their place at decision-making tables and challenge outdated narratives that nonprofits are less strategic than their corporate counterparts.
For nonprofit professionals, this conversation is both a challenge and a blueprint. Carina reminds us that strategy, communication, and vision can carry organizations through uncertainty—not just intact, but stronger.
What if becoming a pilot wasn’t a dream reserved for the few—but a real career path for young people in underserved communities? In this inspiring conversation, Dana Donati, CEO of Breaking Down Barriers.org, shares how their aviation nonprofit is rewriting the narrative on who gets to fly.
Founded by former American Airlines CEO Doug Parker and his wife, Gwen, Breaking Down Barriers takes flight training and mentorship directly into Dallas communities where aviation has historically been out of reach. From first-grade classrooms to community colleges, Dana and her team spark interest in aviation careers early—well before the traditional fork-in-the-road moments of college or military service.
Dana explains, “Becoming a pilot is expensive. So sometimes that automatically pushes out the group of people that have the skill, just don’t have the financial means.” That’s where Breaking Down Barriers steps in—with scholarships, mentorship, and ongoing support that go beyond one-time transactions. Students sign a promise on day one: not just to succeed, but to return and uplift others in their community.
In a sector facing a massive talent gap, especially post-pandemic, this model isn’t just feel-good—it’s workforce development at its finest. Dana outlines how they rotate mentors every three months to give students exposure to multiple professionals and expand their aviation networks—replacing outdated “lifelong mentor” models with something more agile and sustainable.
This conversation goes beyond aviation. It becomes a blueprint for how nonprofits can foster generational change by focusing on access, exposure, and reinvestment. From field trips to local airports to connecting aviation with brands kids already know—McDonald's, John Deere, Disney—Dana's team finds innovative ways to plant seeds of possibility.
For nonprofits wrestling with how to reach and shape future professionals, Breaking Down Barriers offers more than a flight path—it offers a runway.
How do you win the hearts—and hands—of Gen Z donors? According to Emily Tisdale, West Coast Manager for Team for Cures at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (TheMMRF.org), you stop seeing them as “the future” and start engaging them right now.
In this lively session, Julia C. Patrick explores Gen Z’s philanthropic behavior with Emily, who’s on the frontlines of volunteer and donor engagement across three major markets. Emily doesn’t mince words: “This generation is not transactional. They want to be part of the change.” That means showing up, speaking out, and yes—expecting organizations to be transparent and impact-driven.
Emily explains how COVID-era isolation shaped Gen Z’s digital-first instincts, but also fueled a hunger for purpose. Whether it’s advocacy via Instagram, fundraising through peer networks, or attending real-life charity walks, Gen Zers are ready to get involved—when the mission speaks to them. “They don’t want to just cut a check and sit back,” she adds. “They want action.”
Julia challenges common assumptions about younger donors being flaky or too young to matter. Emily pushes back with stories of college students becoming long-term supporters, and volunteers maturing into major funders. “We need to meet them where they are today,” she says. “Because where they’re going is powerful.”
The conversation covers everything from social media strategies to cross-generational mentorship. One standout idea? Pair Gen Z volunteers with seasoned ones to create a mutual growth loop. “Our high-impact volunteers can become our highest-impact donors,” Emily points out.
Whether you’re building out a peer-to-peer campaign or rethinking how you cultivate loyalty, this episode offers a smart, real-world roadmap for tapping into Gen Z’s energy and values.
Jared Walker, founder of Dollar For, shares how one TikTok video launched a national movement to eliminate medical debt through little-known hospital financial assistance policies. Joined by cohosts Julia Patrick and Sherry Quam Taylor, Jared recounts how a personal family tragedy sparked his commitment to helping others avoid the crushing financial fallout of medical emergencies.
Dollar For educates the public about financial assistance programs that nonprofit hospitals are legally required to offer under the Affordable Care Act. Despite these policies existing for over a decade, most patients—and even medical professionals—remain unaware. “Most people leave the hospital without any knowledge of these programs,” Jared explains. “It’s the best-kept secret in healthcare.”
Jared’s journey from grassroots crowdfunding in Portland coffee shops to leading a national nonprofit began with a single TikTok that received over 30 million views. That exposure helped grow Dollar For from a one-person operation to an 18-person team that’s relieved $88 million in medical debt so far. “We created a Slack channel where every debt relief success story gets posted,” Jared says. “It’s a little mini-party that keeps us grounded in our mission.”
The discussion explains how Dollar For’s first major initiative was building a national database of 8,000 hospital financial policies. This tool lets users instantly check eligibility based on their income and hospital—a game-changing resource in a fragmented system. It also positioned Dollar For as a watchdog, helping policy groups compare hospitals’ generosity and push for improvements.
Despite the impact, Jared remains humble and forward-looking: “I hope Dollar For doesn’t exist in 10 years,” he says. “We’re trying to push for a policy that requires hospitals to screen for eligibility before sending bills.”
The socially impactful discussion also explores the challenges of funding innovation in the nonprofit sector. Jared candidly shares how finding donors who support both direct service and systemic policy change has been a balancing act—but the return on impact is clear. “We’ve turned every donated dollar into over $20 of medical debt relief,” he notes.
Sherry adds, “This is one of those niches where you have the ability to attract investment-level donors who want root, sustainable change.”
This conversation is more than a dive into leadership—it’s a blueprint for innovation, equity, and the power of digital media to mobilize change in a deeply broken system.
00:00:00 Welcome intro
00:01:38 What Dollar For does and why it matters
00:02:56 Legal background on hospital financial assistance
00:04:45 Jared’s personal story and nonprofit founding
00:06:22 Discovering charity care and launching Dollar For
00:09:29 Going viral on TikTok and building awareness
00:11:04 Celebrating impact through team connection
00:14:36 Data, privacy, and insights from patient cases
00:17:19 Expanding partnerships and target demographics
00:20:11 Long-term vision for policy change
00:22:14 How Dollar For is funded
00:24:55 The dual focus on service and policy advocacy
#MedicalDebtRelief #NonprofitInnovation #HospitalPolicyChange