Nonprofit Marketing And Communications
Build a brand that moves people and a message that gets results. This collection of expert-led videos gives nonprofit leaders the tools to plan smarter, communicate clearly, and expand their reach across today’s fast-changing media, technology, and stakeholder landscape.
Learn how to position your mission with confidence, develop content that converts, drive engagement across platforms, and create campaigns that attract donors, volunteers, and advocates. These sessions explore everything from brand strategy and storytelling to social media, email impact, and data-informed marketing.
You’ll also gain guidance on internal communications and crisis messaging—so your team stays aligned, your board stays informed, and your organization remains steady when it matters most. Whether you’re refreshing your brand, launching a new campaign, responding to a challenge, or navigating the demands of digital visibility, you’ll find real-world insights and proven methods to amplify your voice and move people to action.
Exploring how nonprofits can build a seamless donor journey strategy by integrating earned revenue, audience experience, and long-term philanthropic engagement. A strong nonprofit donor journey strategy connects every touchpoint—from first interaction to long-term giving. Dr. Jonathon Scott Crider of Fox Tucson Theatre shares how integrating earned revenue, audience experience, and philanthropy can transform financial sustainability for nonprofits.
For organizations balancing mission delivery with revenue realities, this conversation highlights a critical truth: “This organization has to sell tickets in order to fulfill its mission.” Ticket sales drive engagement, but they are only the beginning. The real opportunity lies in what happens next.
Jonathon outlines how his team manages the full continuum—from awareness to ticket purchase, live experience, and ultimately donor cultivation. Rather than separating marketing and development, they treat every attendee as a potential long-term supporter. This unified approach allows them to grow both earned and contributed revenue simultaneously.
One of the most powerful takeaways challenges traditional fundraising assumptions. Many nonprofits focus heavily on high-capacity donors, but Jonathon emphasizes that loyalty may be the most overlooked asset: “You’re leaving money on the table when you’re not talking to people who’ve just been loyal to you.” Consistent, modest donors often represent strong planned giving prospects because of their sustained connection to the mission.
The episode also introduces practical strategies like identifying “super fans”—high-frequency participants who can become key donors—and aligning programming decisions with sponsorship opportunities. By connecting experiences directly to funding, nonprofits can create a more predictable and engaged revenue model.
For nonprofit leaders, this conversation reinforces a critical operational mindset: every interaction is part of the donor journey. When organizations intentionally design that journey, they unlock deeper engagement, stronger loyalty, and more sustainable growth.
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Emotion drives giving; nonprofits must align with donor intent. a sophisticated and deeply reflective conversation on the science behind donor decision-making from Cherian Koshy. Drawing from neuroscience and behavioral research, Cherian reframes fundraising not as persuasion, but as understanding—an evolution that has profound implications for the business of nonprofits.
Cherian shares his own journey into fundraising, describing how early trial-and-error efforts led him to question a fundamental issue: why do donors give? That curiosity sparked a deeper exploration into human behavior, ultimately revealing that giving is not driven primarily by logic, but by emotion. As he explains, “We make the emotional decision… and then our brain says, how do I justify or rationalize that decision based upon proof.”
This insight challenges long-held assumptions in nonprofit strategy. Rather than focusing solely on rational appeals or comparative value, organizations must recognize that donors are already motivated by internal emotional drivers. The fundraiser’s role, Cherian emphasizes, is not to convince, but to facilitate: “Our job as fundraisers is actually to get out of their way… not to convince them to do something that they don’t want to do.”
The discussion also confronts ethical considerations, particularly as technology and AI reshape the sector. Cherian introduces a practical ethical framework: if a donor would feel uncomfortable knowing how their behavior is being influenced, the approach is likely inappropriate. Transparency, consent, and donor intent become essential guardrails.
Importantly, the conversation bridges theory with application. From simplifying donation processes to rethinking stewardship messaging, Cherian illustrates how neuroscience can strengthen donor relationships when used responsibly. His example of moving from transactional acknowledgments to emotionally resonant gratitude reveals a powerful truth: donors are not giving to organizations—they are expressing personal meaning.
As nonprofits face increasing pressure to perform, this episode offers a refined perspective on sustainable fundraising, inviting leaders to move beyond tactics and toward a more human-centered, ethically grounded approach that builds long-term trust and impact.
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Smarter gala strategy can grow revenue and donor loyalty. Nonprofits can turn fundraising events into more efficient, donor-friendly, revenue-generating experiences that support long-term growth. Most events are full of potential, but this learning session makes it clear that the strongest galas are no longer built around chaos, long lines, and overworked staff.
In this energizing conversation, Justin Goodhew, Co-Founder and CEO of Trellis, makes the case that event success is not just about what happens in the ballroom. It starts before the event with better use of donor data, stronger integration with internal systems, and smarter choices about where staff time should go. He explains that many organizations stop doing galas not because events no longer matter, but because the process drains team capacity. By simplifying check-in, reducing friction, and using technology that connects with existing CRM and finance systems, nonprofits can free staff and volunteers to focus on donor relationships rather than administrative bottlenecks.
He also brings a strong business lens to revenue strategy. Instead of piling on low-yield activities that consume time, Justin encourages nonprofits to focus on the highest net return, such as paddle raises, major auction items, and thoughtfully designed upsell options. As he puts it, “We’re actually really a fundraising and a donor retention platform disguised as an event platform.” That perspective shifts the conversation from event logistics to donor value and lifetime engagement.
One of the key takeaways is Justin’s emphasis on what happens after the event. Fast follow-up, integrated donor data, and immediate action are what turn a one-night attendee into a future supporter. He also shares that strategic auction upsells can produce “about 6 to 7% increase in revenue” simply by giving donors another easy, mission-aligned way to give.
This session is a smart reminder that nonprofit events do not need to disappear. They need to evolve. With the right systems, intentional design, and a stronger focus on donor experience, galas can become more productive, more profitable, and far more sustainable for nonprofit teams!
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The Nonprofit Show launches its Global Edition with cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Matthew Murray (CEO, Expand PR / Expand Consultancy), taking listeners inside what it really looks like to start and operate a charity/NGO in the United Kingdom—and why global expansion is as much a business decision as it is a mission decision.
Matthew opens with the on-the-ground reality that “every culture has its own nuances… laws and rules,” and that expanding beyond your home country requires leaders to respect local norms, donor behaviors, and governance expectations. The conversation quickly turns practical: Do Brits give? Matthew says yes—substantially—while noting economic pressures have shifted donor patterns. He also explains a key difference for revenue strategy: the UK doesn’t mirror U.S.-style donor tax deductions, but it does offer Gift Aid, where government adds funding to eligible donations. As Matthew describes it, “25 pence for every pound donated,” meaning a £100 gift can become £125 for the charity—an important lever for fundraising planning, messaging, and cash forecasting.
On governance and transparency, the UK’s Charity Commission functions as a dedicated regulator for charities. Matthew emphasizes the public nature of filings and the reputational impact of being late or sloppy with reporting—because funders, partners, and major donors look. In the UK, board members are typically called trustees, are usually unpaid, and cannot be paid for the trustee role itself (though they may be compensated for a separate job). For organizations with global ambitions, Matthew shares a strategic advantage: non-UK residents can serve as trustees in Britain, which can simplify governance when launching a UK-based entity.
The global discussion also contrasts donor culture. Matthew suggests UK donors may give differently than U.S. donors—often less driven by “momentary adrenaline” and more oriented toward longer-term loyalty—reinforcing the value of relationship, credibility, and consistency. Julia adds a caution for international leaders: expansion fails fast when it arrives with a “we’ll fix you” mindset. The Global Edition’s promise is clear: practical global learning that helps nonprofit executives expand responsibly, protect integrity, and build durable support across borders.
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What happens when a nonprofit needs to raise eight figures fast… and decides to do it with unicorn horns, a donor “blessing,” and a whole lot of joy?
We are joined by Brenda Goldsmith, Executive Director of the El Rio Foundation, the fundraising arm of El Rio Health, a federally qualified community health center (FQHC) in Tucson. Brenda walks us through the business model realities of community health centers—how they’re designed to keep people out of the hospital, how they serve patients “from birth to death,” and why fundraising looks different when many patients live at or below the federal poverty level.
Then the conversation turns into a masterclass in campaign strategy and community education. El Rio needed to support a 91,000-square-foot integrated health center expansion—part of a $50 million community investment—without federal capital support. The foundation was asked to raise $10 million quickly, despite never having run a major capital effort at that scale.
Instead of leading with heaviness, Brenda and her team built a campaign brand that made giving feel welcoming and social. The “Blessing Project” was born after a simple discovery: “Does anyone know what a herd of unicorns is called?… we Googled that and we found out a herd of unicorns is called a blessing.” From there, the foundation created a clear participation on-ramp: a $1,000 commitment for five years made you an “El Rio unicorn,” complete with a unicorn horn photo moment.
Underneath the fun was serious execution: board and senior leadership made first commitments, the team held 100+ face-to-face meetings in roughly 70 days, offered multi-year giving options, used tours to teach donors what an FQHC really does, and engaged younger ambassadors through the El Rio Vecinos (ages 25–40). The results speak for themselves: a stretch goal raised, a revised goal, and a growing donor community that wanted to be part of something that made their neighbors healthier.
Brenda says it best: “Make it fun, make it joyous—put the fun in fundraising.”
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We lean into a timely business truth: nonprofit sustainability is built as much through belonging as through budgets. Cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Tim Sarrantonio welcome Rachel D’Souza, Founder and President of Gladiator Consulting, for a conversation that reframes community-building as a practical growth strategy for donors, volunteers, staff cohesion, and long-term resilience.
Rachel describes nonprofits as one of society’s last best “third spaces”—those informal gathering places that used to create trust across differences. With remote work, the pandemic’s aftershocks, and algorithm-driven polarization, many people have fewer natural pathways into civic life. That shift creates risk for organizations relying on legacy participation habits. It also creates opportunity: nonprofits can intentionally become the place where people reconnect around shared purpose and shared outcomes.
The discussion moves from theory into operating reality: boards at impasses, teams facing funding gaps, and leaders stuck in fight-flight-freeze. Rachel offers a pragmatic path forward—start with shared facts, clarify who holds which decisions, and practice disagreement before the stakes spike. “If you want to be better at conflict, that means you have to practice it, just like anything else,” she said, recommending simple meeting exercises that build the muscle of respectful debate.
Tim grounds this in organizational dynamics leaders recognize instantly: misalignment between finance and fundraising can derail systems decisions, contracts, and staff trust—without anyone “hating” anyone. The fix is not heroics; it’s earlier conversations, shared language, and a commitment to being in the room together.
Rachel draws a bright line leaders need: discomfort is part of growth, but it is not the same as harm. When emotions run hot, the first move is often a pause—reset the temperature so people can listen to process, not just respond. This convo offers a hopeful business case: build community on purpose, and capacity follows.
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We visit with Kate Berkey, a StoryBrand guide for nonprofits, to talk about something that affects every organization’s bottom line — whether they realize it or not: clear messaging. Or more specifically… what happens when we don’t have it.
Kate opens with a reality check that’s hard to ignore: many nonprofits are unintentionally leaving money on the table simply because their communication is confusing. Not wrong. Not poorly intentioned. Just unclear. And as she shares a phrase that sticks with you, “If you confuse, you lose.”
Using the StoryBrand framework, Kate explains how humans are wired for story, not information overload. The model is simple and familiar: a character wants something, faces a problem, meets a guide, gets a plan, takes action, and moves toward success while avoiding failure. The big shift for nonprofits? Your organization is not the hero — your donor or the person you serve is. Your role is the guide. When that dynamic clicks, messaging becomes more relatable, more actionable, and far more effective in fundraising.
Kate also shines a light on a common nonprofit habit: using big, feel-good language that sounds meaningful internally but leaves outsiders scratching their heads. Phrases like “empowering human flourishing” may feel inspiring in a strategy session, but they create mental work for donors who are just trying to understand what you actually do and how they can help. Clear messaging makes it easy to say yes.
The impact goes beyond fundraising. When your message is tight and repeatable, staff, volunteers, and board members gain confidence. They stop fumbling when someone asks, “So what does your organization do?” and start becoming natural ambassadors in everyday conversations.
Kate wraps with a real-world story of a volunteer event that had heart, energy, and great intentions — but lost momentum because it delivered too much information and ended with multiple calls to action. The result? Confusion instead of commitment. Her fix is beautifully simple: one clear story and one clear ask.
If your organization has ever struggled to explain what you do in a way that sparks action, this conversation is a must-watch.
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In this energizing conversation, Ann Fellman, Chief Marketing Officer at Bloomerang, provides a data-forward look at what donors will expect in 2026—and what that means for the business of fundraising. The conversation opens with a “hopeful reframe” rooted in fresh research: Bloomerang conducted a national survey of 1,000 U.S.-based donors in November 2025, and the findings point to a bright, measurable shift—not a collapse—in generosity.
Ann’s central message is numbers-backed and morale-boosting: donor behavior is changing, but people still want to give. As she puts it, “It’s not a decline in generosity. It’s a shift in how generosity shows up.” For nonprofit leaders, that shift demands smarter relationship strategy, not louder volume. Younger donors, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are “more relational,” seeking belonging and alignment. Ann expands the classic “time, talent, treasure” framework with two additional drivers—testimony and ties—because social proof and community can be the catalyst that converts interest into giving.
Several statistics land like actionable business insights. Gen Z respondents were twice as likely as Baby Boomers to give after a positive interaction, and 21% said they were influenced by a celebrity or peer. Millennials showed strong values alignment, with 43% prioritizing shared values. Meanwhile, channel strategy needs a reset: donation sites and nonprofit websites remain leading channels, with 48% of Millennials gravitating toward website giving. Yet the surprise data point for 2026 planning is direct mail: Gen Z reported being twice as likely as older generations to give via direct mail—often because tactile outreach can lead to digital conversion through QR codes.
Trust also emerges as a major retention lever. Ann shares that 70% of Americans have done recurring giving, signaling confidence in mission and stewardship, while Gen Z is the most likely generation to stop giving when trust erodes. The operational mandate is clear: personalized, timely, segmented communication that respects attention. In Ann’s words, “Personalization is not a nice to have… it’s going to be a must to have.”
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Consistency is not glamorous, but it’s the engine that keeps a nonprofit’s business model running when the calendar flips and the pressure spikes. In this conversation with Matt Glazer, Founder and CEO of Blue Sky Partners (Austin-based, national reach), we talk about building consistent engagement without burning out your team or betting the whole year on a Q4 miracle.
Matt brings a practical operator’s lens: simplify what repeats, template what you can, and stop trying to cram “97 things” into the final stretch. His philosophy is steady, sustainable progress that makes room for reality—staff illness, unexpected disruptions, and capacity limits—so quality doesn’t collapse under urgency. As Matt puts it, “I’m a big believer in doing a little bit of work a lot of the time.”
From there, the conversation gets sharply useful for fundraising and stakeholder communications. Matt challenges the sector’s fixation on “unicorn donors” and reminds us that the so-called boring work—like building a sustaining donor program—creates real stability. He shares a concrete example from his early nonprofit leadership: by repeatedly communicating the value of monthly giving, his organization grew from zero sustainers to $7,000 per month, proving that small gifts, stacked with intention, can fund real infrastructure.
The discussion also tackles a leadership truth many avoid: in many nonprofits, clients and customers are not the same people. Funders may be the “customer” demanding reporting and outcomes, while beneficiaries deserve asset-based language and authentic voice. To bridge those realities, Matt recommends human-centered design tools—journey maps, empathy maps, and personas—to understand how people experience your organization and where alignment between mission, funding, and community needs can become a win for everyone.
Finally, Matt introduces decision trees as a way to improve donor asks and engagement pathways by learning not only what people choose—but why they didn’t choose the other option. That’s how your nonprofit can turn assumptions into strategy and strategy into revenue!
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Around the world, women and girls walk long distances every day to fetch water, losing education, income, and safety in the process. On this global episode of The Nonprofit Show, we welcome Shilpa Alva, founder and executive director of Surge for Water, beaming in late at night from Samarkand, Uzbekistan. From the first moments, Shilpa reframes water as a gendered economic issue, not just an infrastructure problem. As Shilpa puts it, “The water crisis is a woman’s crisis” — and it is also a profound injustice baked into race, gender, and geography.
Shilpa walks us through Surge’s “water plus” model: safe water, sanitation, hygiene, and menstrual health, all rooted in a woman centered, community owned approach. Surge does not parachute in solutions; it backs local leaders in rural Uganda, Indonesia, and Haiti so they can design and manage what their communities truly need. For nonprofit executives, the business implications are huge: the World Bank estimates a twenty one to one return for every dollar invested in comprehensive water access, yet most funders still treat water as a narrow infrastructure line item instead of a generational prosperity strategy.
The conversation then moves into power, money, and the shifting landscape of international aid. With government funding cuts shaking the sector, organizations that once relied on large public grants are now competing for the same corporate and individual donors as smaller NGOs. Surge has navigated this by diversifying its revenue model between the United States and Dubai, and by building creative fundraising events that attract sectors like design and architecture into the water conversation.
Shilpa is candid about decolonial practice and the uncomfortable truth that international NGOs are part of a historic power structure. Surge actively works to reduce that power imbalance so local partners shape solutions and control implementation. SurgeForWater.org shows us all how to align mission, funding strategy, equity, and storytelling.
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What if the people we call donors are actually investors? And what if this subtle shift reshapes expectations, power, professionalism, and even the identity of philanthropy itself? Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall challenge one of the nonprofit sector’s most deeply rooted labels.
Julia opens the conversation by admitting she’s ready to change her own vocabulary, saying, “I’m going to really work hard to say investor, because I think you’re right—this is the way we need to go.” Her candor sets an energetic tone for a conversation that questions long-held nonprofit norms while encouraging fundraisers to rethink the relationship they build with contributors.
Tony expands on how much the terminology already shapes his practice. “It’s pretty much standard for me now to speak of donors as investors,” he explains, noting that while the marketplace may not fully be prepared for the switch, fundraisers can begin reframing relationships in ways that strengthen professionalism, transparency, and long-term engagement.
The conversation provocatively asks whether “donor” — rooted in the Latin donare, meaning to give — unintentionally implies release, relinquishment, or even detachment. Meanwhile, “investor,” drawn from investire, meaning to clothe or furnish power, places the contributor inside the organization’s journey, not on the sidelines.
From this vocabulary shift springs a lively exploration of expectations. A donor may hope the gift “does good,” while an investor wants measurable progress, long-term capacity building, and consistent communication tied to real results. That distinction pushes nonprofits toward better data, better systems, and better reporting.
Julia and Tony also discuss how this reframing could meaningfully influence recruitment and retention in the sector. Elevating the profession with language rooted in strategy and expectation — not charity alone — may attract more skilled talent while giving current fundraisers a clearer sense of the complex, meaningful work they perform.
They later explore generational dynamics. Older supporters may lean toward benevolence. Younger supporters are far more metrics-driven, tech-oriented, and impact-focused. For next-gen philanthropy, “investor” may simply feel more accurate.
The informative convo closes with a practical comparison using a $5,000 gift to a food bank. A donor experiences satisfaction and goodwill. An investor expects data: pounds of food purchased, households served, meals distributed. The contrast illuminates how terminology drives operational behavior.
By the end, the case for shifting language becomes both philosophical and functional. It’s a lens that prompts nonprofits to strengthen systems, build trust, and engage contributors more meaningfully — all while honoring the emotional roots of giving.
The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption shows exactly how today’s nonprofits can accelerate mission and amplify revenue by putting marketing and development on the same team! CEO & President Rita L. Soronen and SVP of Marketing & Development Jill Crumbacher explain how an approach that started 11 years ago matured into an integrated structure with shared goals, clear ownership, and board alignment. As Rita puts it, “there’s just this intuitive sense…that one feeds the other,” adding that the shift “became very much an organic, ongoing conversation based on results.”
Jill brings for-profit rigor to the model: a VP of Marketing and a VP of Development co-lead paired “mini teams” for every fundraising channel, tracked in Asana with crystal-clear metrics. “Building a brand builds fundraising and building fundraising builds a brand. It just does,” Jill says. She adds, “For every fundraising team, we have a marketing team that supports the fundraising team”—a simple but powerful mechanism that reduces friction, speeds execution, and raises standards across content, design, and segmentation.
Rita details how leadership benefits from unified messaging: presentation materials, program context, and donor narratives are synthesized by one group that also collaborates tightly with program staff. She emphasizes stewardship and brand guardianship: “we’re not just protecting the brand of children in foster care, we have Dave Thomas in our name… We’re protecting that brand as well,” including the Foundation’s decades-long partnership with Wendy’s. The conversation also takes on today’s polarized climate. “We’re putting resources into the effort of how do we bring polarized conversations back together?” Rita notes, reinforcing the Foundation’s focus on solutions that broaden support without losing mission clarity.
Talent development is intentional. Jill shares how their marketers attend the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy to learn fundraising dynamics, while fundraisers learn marketing language and channels—so both “come out of the same gate.” The approach scales: the department grew from a handful of staff to 25, roughly split between development and marketing, with half of marketing embedded on fundraising squads and half focused on awareness, brand, and sector thought leadership.
The result is a disciplined, collaborative culture that moves faster, communicates smarter, and raises more—while advancing permanency for children in foster care.
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Nonprofits are being yanked into culture wars they never asked for. In this Nonprofit Power Week conversation, Jill Crumbacher, Senior VP of Marketing and Development at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, lays out how to keep your message steady when the public square gets noisy. This episode is a field manual for keeping your purpose intact—and your voice effective—when the temperature rises!
Jill’s team spans both marketing and fundraising—by design. As she puts it, the Foundation treats the whole enterprise “as one big communication strategy,” where audience segmentation, message discipline, and timing live in the same room.
Are foster care and adoption political? Jill’s answer: yes—and no. The Foundation operates at the back end of the process, after courts determine a child cannot safely return home. That’s where “finding forever families” becomes the mission—while the front end (why a child enters care) is where debates about poverty, racism, and systems flare. That nuance matters, and Jill’s team crafts language for each audience: “adoption” for the public; “permanency” for child-welfare professionals who also consider guardianship and reunification.
Jill’s playbook mixes discipline with restraint. She says it plainly: “Just because a reporter calls you doesn’t mean you have to reply.” Years before headlines heat up, her team works with crisis-comms experts to pre-write long and short answers for likely “arrows”—from Dobbs to immigration—paired with a decision tree about whether to engage at all. The goal is to protect mission focus when others try to conscript your voice for their fight.
Inside the house, rigor rules. The comms calendar is “beautifully organized chaos,” mapping channels, suppressions, and variants for donors (new, returning, Wendy’s-affiliated, etc.), followers, and child-welfare audiences. Message control isn’t censorship; it’s service to clarity. The team maintains a “say this, not that” lexicon and sends materials to outside reviewers to catch phrasing that could be misunderstood in other contexts.
There are also non-negotiables. “We will celebrate all children and we’ll advocate for all children in the system, regardless of how they identify,” Jill says. The Foundation’s images and words stay consistent year-round—they don’t “poke,” they persist. And when criticism pops up, they’ve seen the community often step in first, defending the work organically on social media.
If you steward a mission in a volatile moment, borrow these moves: define your lane, choose words precisely, prepare answers in peacetime, monitor hot-button issues for possible linkages, and decide in advance what you will never trade away.
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The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption doesn’t treat partnerships as a side project—they’re the operating system. During this National Adoption Month and in this Nonprofit Power Week kickoff, Senior VP Jill Crumbacher shares how the Foundation builds relationships that move from a good idea to real results. Step one: align the people doing the work. “Our marketing and our development practice is under one department that I lead,” Jill explains. That single team design means awareness and revenue aren’t competing—they’re collaborating—so a PSA, a billboard, a direct-mail test, or an influencer post can ladder up to the same mission outcome.
Jill dismantles the common myth that Wendy’s alone funds the mission. Wendy’s is a long-standing, values-matched partner, but the need—kids and teens waiting for family in the U.S. and Canada—calls for many hands. That’s why DTFA manages a wide mix of partners each year: micro-influencers and media outlets, cause-aligned brands, and fundraising collaborators. To keep everything clear and friendly, they start with the right agreement for the moment—an approachable MOU for brand exchanges and content support; a fuller contract when dollars or large placements are involved. The paperwork isn’t red tape—it’s a map. Who does what, by when, with what approvals. Everyone can move faster because expectations are written down.
Media is changing, and the Foundation adapts. Donated placements are still vital (think PSAs across billboards, airports, radio, and connected TV). But there’s also a growing middle lane Jill calls “low bono”—discounted inventory that isn’t free but is far below market. The team buys when the data says it’s smart, especially in digital, and pairs that with donated reach for scale.
Brand care is a shared responsibility. The Foundation reviews language and usage to protect its name and the Wendy’s connection. If something flares online, they pick up the phone so partners aren’t blindsided. That builds trust, and trust keeps doors open. Multi-year deals? They’re great when they make sense, but Jill’s team prefers to earn renewal through value rather than lock people in. The relationship stays fresh because both sides want to come back.
Maybe the most refreshing part is Jill’s take on celebrity. The organization has tested it; the results weren’t lasting. The real wins come from people and brands who show up because they truly care. As Jill puts it, “You go further with the ones that are organic… when you’re all in it about the mission.” Those partners bring energy, introduce new allies, and help the message travel farther.
If you’re rethinking how your organization shows up with partners—how you set expectations, share brand space, blend donated and paid reach, and keep everyone rowing in the same direction—this conversation is a ready-to-use roadmap for doing it well, and doing it together.
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Nonprofits send more messages than ever, yet many still miss the moment that matters: the decision. The CEO and Co-Founder Kylee Ingram of Wizer Technologies explains how seven decision profiles can transform fundraising emails, stewardship notes, and board communications from “nice” to effective. If donor retention, board alignment, and major-gift outreach are priorities this year, this episode gives you the evidence-based path to communicate the way your audience actually decides.
Built from research originally advanced by Juliette Bourke (author of Which Two Heads Are Better Than One?), Wizer’s framework maps the way people actually choose—across seven profiles: Achiever, Analyzer, Collaborator, Visionary, Explorer, Guardian, and Deliverer.
As Kylee puts it, “What we’ve created is a program called Wize Snaps… it will look at your comms and then live replicate and tell you what’s right and wrong about it—then generate a new email based on that person’s decision profile.” The fix isn’t creepy personalization (“How’s your dog?”). Its decision-relevant signals and templates tuned to how people weigh evidence, risk, outcomes, process, and options. Inside organizations, keeping cognitive diversity matters, too; when teams mirror top leadership styles, innovation drops, and decision errors rise!
Kylee also speaks to what’s in the playbook for 2026: AI can shorten drafting time, but message-market fit still wins. “AI helps people write better… It’s not helping you write the right message necessarily,” Kylee says. Her counsel: slow down, identify the decision profile, and then scale. Use visuals and A/B testing with intent: for some profiles, a results graph will outperform a cute animal photo; for others, a clear process step-down or risk-mitigation note unlocks action. Start inside your nonprofit—board and staff—so your culture and donor experience align.
Wizer offers free full decision profiles for teams and boards, plus Wize Snaps to assess copy and suggest rewrites.
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