In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter talks with fellow Senior Advisor Howard Cohen. They role-play a scenario where the board chair has to deliver the unfortunate news that the board member has not been chosen by the nominating committee for another term on the board. Then they offer […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner speaks with Dr. F. Willis Johnson about how faith-based fundraising is reimagining and impacting community. In their discussion, Dr. Johnson addresses issues including: About our guest A third-generation educator, Dr. Johnson is a spiritual entrepreneur and an elder in the West […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter talks with her Lighthouse Counsel colleague, Senior Advisor Howard Cohen, about creating and maintaining high-functioning boards. In their discussion, Howard addresses topics including: About our guest In addition to his role with Lighthouse Counsel, Howard is chancellor emeritus at Purdue University Northwest. […]

In today’s episode of The Beacon Podcast, Margaret Gardner talks with Willeke van Rijn, CEO of The Resource Alliance, about how unity on various levels can increase the impact of the social sector. In their discussion, Willeke addresses issues including: About our guest The Resource Alliance exists to strengthen the social impact sector by ensuring […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Content Coordinator Margaret Gardner speaks with Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter about the challenging world of grant-writing. In their discussion, Carole addresses topics including: About our guest Carole Carter has nearly three decades of experience in nonprofit fundraising and leadership with extensive experience in capital […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel’s Margaret Gardner talks with Dr. Angelo Valenti about personal happiness and how to unravel the reasons we make living in joy so hard on ourselves. Dr. Valenti is the author of the book, “You’re Making This Way Too Hard: Find Your EASY Way to NJOYLFE.” In […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with Lighthouse Senior Consultant Victor Wilson about the challenges and hurdles leaders are facing today. In their discussion, Jeff and Victor address topics including: About our guest Victor Wilson has more than four decades of experience in higher education administration and student affairs. […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner talks with long-time fundraiser and volunteer Jeff Lukacsena about diversity, equity and inclusion in the nonprofit world. In their discussion, Lilya and Jeff address issues including: About our guest Jeff Lukacsena currently is a Master of Arts student at the Lilly […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter talks with Clark Baker about board engagement. Clark retired as CEO of the YMCA of Greater Houston after more than 50 years working within the YMCA organization. In their conversation, Carole and Clark discuss: About our guest Clark Baker spent much of […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Content Coordinator Margaret Gardner speaks with Nicole Rivera, vice president of programs for Musicians On Call, about recruiting and empowering volunteers. In their discussion, Nicole talks about: About our guest Nicole has been with Musicians On Call since 2014, when she started as assistant to the […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Marty Dickens about building powerful and impactful boards. Marty recently retired as chairman of the board of trustees of Belmont University after serving 17 years in that role.  In their discussion, Marty addresses issues including: About our guest Marty Dickens recently […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Content Coordinator Margaret Gardner talks with Polina Pompliano, author of the book “Hidden Genius: The secret ways of thinking that power the world’s most successful people” and founder of The Profile, a media organization that studies successful people and companies. In their discussion, Polina: About our guest […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Council Content Coordinator Margaret Gardner speaks with Nathan Chappell, senior vice president at DonorSearch AI, who is on a mission to reignite generosity and transform the future of fundraising through responsible and beneficial AI. In their discussion, Nathan addresses issue including: About our guest Nathan is a […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Marty Dickens about an aspect of board leadership that doesn’t get talked about much – being ready, willing and able to stand up and make tough calls when they’re needed. Marty recently retired as chairman of the board of trustees of […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner leads a conversation about nonprofit leadership and management and the importance of project management in fundraising. Dr. Wagner is joined by Prof. Darryl Allen, partner and chief education officer at the Mentorship Institute. In their discussion, they’ll talk about: About our […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner speaks with Dr. Dwight Burlingame, a major contributor to the field of philanthropy in the United States for more than 30 years, about nonprofit education and professional development for fundraisers. In their discussion, Dwight explores: About our guest Dr. Dwight Burlingame […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner talks with Harry Dorcus about the role of the chief financial officer in a nonprofit organization’s fundraising. Harry has 39 years of international financial management experience, with special emphasis on establishing new missions for the United States Agency for International Development, […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, special guest host Parker Middleton talks with Tom Johnson, former president of CNN, chairman and CEO of CNN News Group and former president and publisher of The Los Angeles Times about philanthropy and the heart of giving. In their discussion, Tom shares his thoughts on an array of […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Jodi Weiss, senior client partner at global organizational consulting firm Korn Ferry, about leadership succession planning for nonprofits. In their discussion, Jodi and Jeff talk about issues including: About our guest Jodi Weiss is senior client partner for Korn Ferry’s Professional […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with Vern Snyder, former vice president for institutional advancement at the University of Toledo. In their discussion, Vern addresses topics including: About our guest Vern Snyder was the vice president for institutional advancement at the University of Toledo for 12 years. Prior […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Karen Baldwin talks with Mike Richey, who retired recently as vice president of philanthropy and alumni engagement at the University of Kentucky after a five-decade career at the school. In their discussion, Mike addresses: About our guest Mike Richey retired in January 2022 as […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Harry Chapman talks with Dr. Russell James, professor in the School of Financial Planning at Texas Tech University, about making the ask.  In their discussion, Russell addresses: ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Russell James is a professor in the School of Financial Planning at Texas […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Martha Ross talks with Ken Cheeseman, head of school at The Webb School, a boarding and day school in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. In their discussion, Martha and Ken talk about: About our guest Prior to Webb, Ken Cheeseman served as head of school of […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Martha Ross speaks with Patricia Glaser Shea, founder and CEO of Being Giveful, about giving as a wellness practice and how individuals and nonprofits can foster a more giveful life. In their discussion, Pat addresses: About our guest Patricia Glaser Shea is a visionary […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy welcomes Dr. Lilya Wagner and Dr. Mark Hager for a discussion on dysfunctional organizations. Mark and Lilya go way back to when they co-authored “Board members beware! Warning signs of a dysfunctional organization” in the late ‘90s for Nonprofit World magazine. In this […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Director of Business Development Ryan Woroniecki talks with Micah James, manager of professional services at data management company Bloomerang, about technology for nonprofits. In their discussion, Ryan and Micah discuss topics including: About our guest In her role as manager of professional services at Bloomerang, Micah supervises a […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Martha Ross talks with longtime independent school leader Brad Gioia about some of the changes he’s seen in the independent school landscape over his 40-year career. Martha and Brad talk about topics including: About our guest Brad Gioia was the headmaster at Montgomery Bell Academy […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Joan Bahner speaks with Bob Poole about donor relationships. For 14 years, Bob was senior vice president at Meherry Medical College and is now senior philanthropic advisor at Saad & Shaw. In their discussion, Joan and Bob talk about: About our guest Bob Poole […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner speaks with Erik Daubert, who’ll be sharing insights from AFP’s Fundraising Effectiveness Project’s latest report. The Fundraising Effectiveness Project was created in 2006 as a joint project of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Director of Business Development Ryan Woroniecki talks with David Lawson, the son of fundraising icon Doug Lawson, who passed away in 2020. In their discussion, David talks about: About our guest David Lawson is co-founder and CEO of Call Simulator, an AI-powered call center software. He […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner talks with David Patrick King about the Lake Institute on Faith & Giving at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and about what faith-based giving looks like now.  David is the Karen Lake Buttrey director of the institute and associate […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Content Coordinator Margaret Gardner talks with Willeke van Rijn, CEO of The Resource Alliance, about participative leadership and how it can transform the culture of an organization. In their discussion, Willeke: About our guest The Resource Alliance exists to strengthen the social impact sector by ensuring […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy is joined by John O’Kane for a discussion on nonprofit boards and fundraising. John has been an influence in the nonprofit sector in the US for more than five decades and recently joined Lighthouse Counsel of counsel. In their conversation, John talks about: About our guest […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Director of Business Development Ryan Woroniecki talks with Erik Tomalis, director of business development and chief evangelist at responsive fundraising platform Virtuous.  In their discussion, Erik shares some of the thought-provoking insights and questions from the joint Lighthouse Counsel/Virtuous 2023 Giving USA Briefing, including  About our […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with Héctor Colón, president and CEO of Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Héctor also is a seven-time national boxing champion and the author of “My Journey from Boxing Ring to Boardroom: Five Essential Virtues for Life and Leadership.”  In […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, OneCause CEO Steve Johns talks with Lighthouse Counsel Director of Business Development Ryan Woroniecki, about fearless leadership and what that looks like in the nonprofit world. Steve, author of “Fearless: Leadership Lessons at the Crossroads,” answers questions including: About our Guest Steve Johns is the CEO of nonprofit digital […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Martha Ross speaks with Mark Stanek, head of school at Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mark shares his experience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic as an education leader and addresses topics including: About our Guest Prior to joining Shady Hill as head […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Margaret Gardner talks with fundraising guru and rabble rouser Roger Craver.  Roger is the editor of fundraising and communications blog The Agitator, which has been his main space for rousing rabble for more than a decade. So, it seemed only natural to ask, “What’s agitating you now?” Roger […]

In today’s episode of The Beacon Podcast, Ryan Woroniecki  talks with Nathan Chappell, author of the book, “Generosity Crisis: The case for radical connection to solve humanity’s greatest challenges.”  In their discussion, Nathan explains what the generosity crisis is and answers questions including: About our Guest As a thought leader, public speaker, author and inventor, […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, fundraising icon Kay Sprinkel Grace talks with Margaret Gardner about how and why nonprofits should collaborate to increase their impact. Kay shares experiences and words of wisdom gleaned from her decades-long career and discusses: About our Guest More than 1,000 organizations and tens of thousands of participants at […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Margaret Gardner speaks with Ted Bilich, founder and CEO of Risk Alternatives, about managing your nonprofit for resilience.  Ted talks about the current economic landscape for nonprofits and answers questions including: About our Guest Before founding Risk Alternatives LLC, Ted Bilich was a Distinguished Visiting Professor from Practice […]

In this episode of  The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Susan Hosbach speaks with Kevin Foyle, chairman of the global board for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, about AFP and what fundraisers and other nonprofit staff can expect from membership. During the interview, Kevin discusses: About our Guest Kevin Foyle is the senior vice […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Joan Bahner talks with author and PR pro Marc Whitt about the public relations in the nonprofit sector. Marc shares his eight habits that elevate a public relations professional to the masterful level and discusses topics including: About our Guest Marc Whitt has served […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Susan Hosbach speaks with Kevin Foyle, chairman of the global board for the Association of Fundraising Professionals, about maximizing the role of volunteers in a successful fundraising campaign.  During the interview, Kevin discusses: About our Guest Kevin Foyle is the senior vice president for […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Pat Duffy, co-founder of The Giving Block, joins host Margaret Gardner for a discussion on cryptocurrency. Pat provides a primer on the subject and answers questions including: What is cryptocurrency is and how does it work? How does cryptocurrency fit into the philanthropic landscape?

“Before the pandemic, we were all moving in a million different directions and everybody knew what they were doing. And we were just moving quickly through a busy programming schedule. The pandemic forced us to slow down a little bit; it created the opportunity for us to work on strategy and really keep mission front […]

“Before you dive in deeply to these types of strategies, you want to make sure that you have solid donor relationships, you want to make sure that you have a good annual effort and that you are moving into those major gifts to really establish these legacy and lifetime gifts.” Lisa Chmiola In this episode […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, host Margaret Gardner speaks with fundraising strategist and mentor Tammy Zonker about transforming fundraising.  Tammy explains how sometimes just changing isn’t enough and discusses: About our Guest Recognized as one of America’s Top 20 fundraising experts, Tammy Zonker is an inspiring international speaker and trainer in the discipline […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Glenn Cranfield, president and CEO at the Nashville Rescue Mission, about how nonprofit leaders can get out of their comfort zone and embrace risk – and why they should. Glenn covers topics such as: Why comfort zones are detrimental to nonprofit […]

“A lot of organizations aren’t clear on what a best prospect or a major gift prospect is. And once you define that, using some kind of formula or lens or matrix through which to examine your donors or your prospects, magically, they appear; you can identify them.” Jennifer Filla In this episode of The Beacon […]

“I think we continuously miss the opportunity to talk about what we need and how what we do makes an impact. Because if we told that story of how what we need to accomplish includes having a rock solid back office, I don’t think donors would be offended at that.” Jess Birken In this episode […]

“Hope is what it takes to pull people together. It’s hard to get pumped up and motivated, but hope can really take you a long ways.” Dr. Bob Fisher In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Harry Chapman talks with Dr. Bob Fisher, president emeritus of Belmont University in Nashville. Bob […]

“People are giving to people. So really focus your storytelling on the people and how a giver can actually affect change – and make it real and tangible and easy.” Celeste Flores In this episode of The Beacon, Margaret Gardner speaks with Celeste Flores, US Communities Lead for Giving Tuesday, about making the most of […]

“In the end, we want to make a positive impact on the lives of the people we serve. Sometimes that means getting outside of what we do and partnering with somebody else because they do it and they do it well.” – Glenn Cranfield In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff […]

“We have what’s called system one and system two. System one is our irrational, emotional side – the Captain Kirk. And system two is our rational, logical side – the Mr. Spock. Fundraisers very often think that Mr. Spock is in charge and, actually, Captain Kirk’s in charge. That’s why he’s called the captain and […]

“Year-end does an amazing thing. It happens at the same time every year, there’s never guesswork, we don’t wake up one morning and hear on the radio or read on an app that year-end this year has been scheduled for such and such a date. It is always December 31. So, if you’re behind the […]

“I would suggest that nonprofits invite African Americans to sit on large foundation boards so that they are a part of the decision-making process. Blacks are not only recipients of charitable giving; we also are important donors.“ Joan Bahner In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Communications Manager Yolanda Darville talks with Lighthouse […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Margaret Gardner talks with Bernard Ross, director of The Management Center, a global management consultancy working in the social impact sector, about an essential part of fundraising – making the ask. Bernard shares insight from his book, “Making the Ask: The artful science of high-value fundraising, and answers […]

“One of the things she just harped on all the time were what she called cage-rattling questions, questions that kept a conversation with a prospect going and alive and productive for both sides. So instead of going in and talking, you were doing a lot of listening with the occasional prompt.” Tom Ahern This edition […]

“In my world, I can’t tell you how often I hear people say ‘my’ … my board, my school, my faculty. And when you say ‘our,” it just sounds like a little bit different message.” Jim Kubacki In this edition of The Beacon Podcast, we talk with Jim Kubacki, author of the book “Choose to […]

In this edition of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Gail Glasser talks with Steve Ives, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Houston, about things nonprofit leaders were able to glean from the chaos that was and, to some degree, still is the coronavirus pandemic. In this discussion, Steve answers questions including: […]

In this edition of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Kathy Gaston talks with Dick Horton, past president of the Tennessee Golf Foundation, about relationship building and its importance in fundraising. Dick shared his insights on how organizations can harness the power of relationships to keep their fundraising going strong. Among the topics discussed: […]

“I don’t care if it’s fear of asking for a gift. I don’t care if it’s fear of root canal or anything else. Usually, fear is based on fear of the unknown. And I think too few of our board members and our volunteers have actually experienced a solicitation for themselves.” Jim Eskin In this […]

“Nonprofits should look at their community of participants, community of donors, kind of as a tribe, a group of people that have like-minded interests and ways of looking at a particular challenge or issue that the nonprofit is trying to solve for.” Chris Lyons In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, writer and podcast coordinator […]

“Amazon knows I need detergent before I know I need detergent, right? And so every brand experience I have is hyper-personalized to me. Donors now expect that sort of personalization because they care deeply about these causes. They expect you to know who they are and be connected with them.” Gabe Cooper In this edition […]

“Nonprofits should consider going beyond the typical ask of recurring donations and really encourage donors to incorporate charitable giving into every budget decision that they make.” Rebecca Moffett In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant David Snow speaks withRebecca Moffett, president of Vanguard Charitable, a national donor-advised fund provider and one […]

In our world of nonprofits, one of the big things we have is a changing of the guard. Baby boomers are retiring and we must embrace the millennials, Generation X, Generation Z. We must embrace that they are coming into their roles as leaders. Bo Ryles In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse President […]

“Putting in best practices ahead of time helped us. For those organizations that hadn’t, I would recommend looking at those types of things and saying. ‘Hey this wasn’t a pandemic fix, but maybe there are other ways we could be organizing the way we do our business, the way we treat our donors so that […]

“One common misconception is that an endowment fund will hurt annual giving. Research has shown that endowment donors not only continue to support the annual fund but often increase their annual support.” David Snow In this edition of The Beacon Podcast, Karen Baldwin speaks to David Snow, a senior consultant with Lighthouse Counsel, about endowment […]

“It’s not enough for a nonprofit to just be thinking about the mission, vision, values of your organization. You need to think about how you can engage your employees so that they are also in alignment and helping you drive that forward because it’s helping them live their own individual life purpose.” Patrice Tanaka In […]

“In a strategic plan, the goals need to be S.M.A.R.T. Smart goals are goals that are specific and measurable, goals that are attainable and that are responsive and relevant and goals that are timely.” Howard Cohen In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Karen Baldwin speaks with Howard Cohen, a senior […]

The organizations that I saw, the nonprofit that I saw that now, in retrospect I should have known would be the ones that would thrive during all of this were the ones that reacted quickly and proactively. Alice Ferris Think about those things that were the rules and the norms that you used to live […]

“Really thoughtful governance is a lot of work. It doesn’t just happen. It forces hard decisions. But if you can get those decisions memorialized, you’re going to be better off in the long run for sure.” Adam Dretler In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Adam Dretler, a principal […]

“A lot of times nonprofits tend to be focused on telling their story. And looking for small gifts, you can focus on telling your story as a nonprofit. But for major gifts, which includes planned gifts, it’s really about the donor’s story and how your organization fits into the donor’s story.” Russell James In this […]

“The leaders that seem to struggle the most, or have teams that struggle the most, are the ones that … have just given up and feel like, ‘I don’t want to learn anymore. I’ve been at this too long. Been there, done that.’ Marc Pitman In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Margaret Gardner speaks […]

“If you’re not out there actively asking for support, you are doing a disservice to your organization and therefore a disservice to those you serve.” Jim Anderson In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Jim Anderson, a founding partner of GoalBusters Consulting, about donor motivation and how properly […]

“Servant leadership is not about acquiring power, wealth or fame for oneself as a leader; it’s about identifying and meeting the needs of others.”  Kent Keith In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy talks with Dr. Kent Keith,  author of “Anyway: The Paradoxical Commandments.” You no doubt have heard of the “paradoxical commandments” […]

“Conversations about diversity, equity and inclusion have been ongoing for decades, but they’ve really reached a new level of intentionality and thought over the past year; organizations we’re working with want a rich tapestry of voices at the table.” Sally Bryant In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with […]

“Coaching is a huge piece around a succession, and it doesn’t have to be elaborate. It’s about having the right conversations with your people, developing others through direct coaching. And I think it’s becoming more and more important as a skill for nonprofit leaders.” Frank Parsons In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy […]

“Acknowledging that giving by diverse population groups or buying by diverse population groups is nothing new. But we need to understand how and why donors might give because one size no longer does fit all.“ Lilya Wagner In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy talks with Lilya Wagner, retired director of Philanthropic Service […]

“The one thing you don’t want to do is go into a corporation as a nonprofit asking for a million dollars when their traditional giving level is only $5,000.” Jeremy Park In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Jeremy Park, CEO of cityCURRENT, about identifying and maintaining relationships with corporate donors. […]

“The first thing that fundraising experts are missing is the huge opportunity that exists within the Latino market. And the high return on investment that focusing on this market could bring.” Patricia Ramirez Pinckney In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant David Key speaks with Patricia Ramirez Pinckney, founder of the […]

“We are going to have to face the reality that we are just going to be in a different world for the near term.” Cecil Staton In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Cecil Staton, president and CEO of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), about how associations can advocate […]

“Succession planning is not an independent entity. It needs to be related to the organization’s vision and mission and their plans.” – Dan Ryan In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy and Dan Ryan, CEO and president of Ryan Partners, discuss succession planning and the importance of building bench strength. Dan explains: which […]

“Those schools that have more success are the ones that build a structure and a plan around diversity and inclusiveness that is both internally focused and externally focused.” – Matthew Winston In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Joan Bahner speaks with Matthew Winston, former senior associate vice president for alumni relations at Virginia Tech, […]

“The better, the deeper, the more connected the relationship, the easier, the faster the resources, infrastructure, and so on will come.” – Derek Young In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Derek Young, owner of YMG Enterprises, about strategically building relationships for your nonprofit. Believing that relationships are an organization’s most […]

“You need to be sensitive; you need to be a professional about how you approach people. But it is important to recognize that these are some of your best donors.” – Joe Chickey In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Sharpe Group Vice President Joe Chickey about estate giving, and why […]

“There is an essential human element to fundraising that can never be replaced and should never be replaced.” Steven Shattuck In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Bloomerang’s Chief Engagement Officer, Steven Shattuck, joins Jeff Jowdy for a conversation about fundraising automation. Steven explains what fundraising automation is and: How nonprofits can use automation to […]

“One of the most important ways an institution can facilitate having alumni who are engaged, loyal and generous is by helping them have profoundly positive experiences as undergrads.” Jay Lemons In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy and Jay Lemons, president of Academic Search, discuss fundraising in higher education and the importance of […]

“Positioning is all about creating a perception about your organization in the minds of your prospects.” Dave Goetz In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy talks with president of CZ Strategies, Dave Goetz, about nonprofit positioning strategies. Dave explains what a positioning strategy is and shares: How nonprofits can craft a positioning strategy […]

“You want to make a gift in planned giving that will last; that will carry forward into the future; that will share your beliefs and your sense of mission with an organization that you care deeply about.” Bill McMorran In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy and Bill McMorran, founder, senior partner and […]

“If you have met one foundation, you have met one foundation. Don’t treat all foundations the same.” Steve Rasmussen In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Steve Rasmussen, executive director of the Andrea Wiatt Carlton Family Foundation. Through their discussion, Jeff asks Steve for advice for fundraising professionals. Steve shares: What […]

“It’s in everybody’s best interest – ultimately the students’ – that the board chair and head of school are figuratively on the same page when it comes to governance and administrative responsibilities.” Bill Mott In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Bill Mott, an adjunct instructor for the master’s program in […]

“Without the data behind it, to know how to achieve it is a pipe dream; it’s not a strategy” Clay Buck In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with fundraising consultant Clay Buck about donor data, how to use it and how to keep it secure. Clay emphasizes the importance of maintaining […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Vern Snyder about university advancement, the field from which he retired after a long and successful career. Vern discusses: The changes in university advancement over the decades How university fundraising work differs from that of other nonprofits Advice he would give to someone looking […]

“When you’re dealing with individuals, it’s more of a longer-term cultivation that matches your institution’s or your organization’s needs with their passion, versus foundations and corporations, where it’s a checklist.” Patrick Johnson In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Joan Bahner, senior consultant, talks with Patrick Johnson, senior vice president of institutional advancement at Meharry […]

“Recognize that leaders of your organization come in all different sizes and styles, so leadership is not one finite category.” Karen Baldwin In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Karen and Norm Baldwin about women and higher education leadership roles. Karen is a philanthropy consultant and the former vice president for […]

“If you have five years or more, and you have individual donors who are roughly 55 and over, then you’re ready to embark on planned giving.” Tony Martigentti In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy is joined by planned giving consultant and host of Nonprofit Radio, Tony Martignetti. As a planned giving expert, […]

“Have a plan. Be flexible with that plan; it will change. And then follow it regularly.” – Rick Byrd In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant David Snow discusses how Executive Director Rick Byrd successfully executed a virtual gala with the Houston Gulf Coast Chapter of JDRF. Rick shares: About JDRF […]

“This arm’s-length fundraising culture ultimately interferes with the fundraising professional’s ability to accomplish their goals.” – Jason Lewis In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Jason Lewis, managing partner of Lewis Fundraising and author of “The War for Fundraising Talent.”In their discussion, Jason explains how we can be better fundraising professionals […]

“We need to take time to listen. We need to take time to observe. Then, listen even more. Listen to counsel. Listen more, and then act.” – Marc Whitt In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Marc Whitt, the University of Kentucky’s Office of Public Relations and Strategic Communication’s director of […]

“Coordination of the message is not luxury but is critical as institutions communicate with their donors.” – Marc Whitt In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Marc Whitt, director of philanthropy and advancement communications for the University of Kentucky’s Office of Public Relations and Strategic Communications’, joins Jeff Jowdy to discuss integrating fundraising and communications […]

“It’s not that IRS-compliance necessity has gone down. It’s just that the state-level compliance has gone up and there’s a number of things that are driving that.” – Greg McRay In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy is joined by Greg McRay, founder and CEO of the Foundation Group. Greg shares the different […]

“Genuineness and excitement about the candidate could be very helpful, but you have to take them with a grain of salt.” – Bill Moran On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with executive search professional Bill Moran, the founder of The Moran Company. Bill explains the executive search process and shares tips […]

“Don’t let the next three months go by without seeing a big uptick in the number of cultivation calls.” – Shannon Williams In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Armstrong McGuire’s principal advisor and director of client engagement, Shannon Williams, joins Jeff Jowdy to discuss major gift fundraising during difficult times.With over two decades of […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Tommy Thomas, lead partner of  JobfitMatters, and board member and managing director of SIMA International. Tommy specializes in cabinet-level retained executive searches for nonprofits. In his discussion with Jeff, Tommy shares: emerging trends in regard to the executive search, particularly in fundraising. advice for […]

“Everything is open to public inspection and every decision, I feel, that you make as a nonprofit organization should be assuming that the public is going to be looking at that same decision, whether they are or not.” – Jeff Fucito In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Karen Kemp speaks with Jeff Fucito, CPA […]

“One of the biggest benefits with investment policy statements is that it removes the emotion and any personal biases on a board.” – Jeff Schultz In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff speaks about investment policy statements with Jeff Schultz, executive vice president and financial advisor for Schultz Wealth Management of Janney Montgomery Scott […]

“How do donor advised funds compare to family foundations? Very favorably, assuming you prefer fewer costs and administrative burden.” – Kevin McKane In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff speaks with Kevin McKane about the uses and benefits of donor advised funds during these challenging times. Kevin is the senior financial planner for Schultz […]

“When you’re fearful, you make a plea. When you’re courageous, you make a plan.” – Chuck Bentley In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff is joined by Chuck Bentley, CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, to discuss ways to lead your nonprofit through a crisis. Chuck shares examples of how his team adapted to the […]

“If your work is directly impacted by COVID-19, yes, it makes sense for you to raise money for it. But if it isn’t, don’t do it — because your donors are going to see through it.“ – Pamela Barden This is part two of Jeff and Pamela’s discussion. To listen to the fist half, click […]

“Just like remote work will challenge you to become a better manager, I think remote work also challenges your team members to become better contributors.” — Ben Stroup In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy hosts Ben Stroup, chief growth architect and president of Velocity Strategy Solutions. Ben describes how to lead and […]

“I think this is a really good time to correct some problems that we’ve created for ourselves in the nonprofit community.” — Pamela Barden In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Pamela Barden, president of PJBarden Inc. and of counsel to Lighthouse Counsel, joins Jeff Jowdy for a discussion on what nonprofits can do to […]

“The most important thing — and we stress this in all environments — is for all organizations to have some sort of an operating reserve in addition to their endowment. Maybe three months of barebones, keep-the-lights-on expenses in cash … with very little volatility for times like these that we’re in right now.” – Clare […]

“Remember, there are four types of no, and only one of them is permanent. The others are not now, but maybe later; no to this amount; and no to this project.” – Bill Sturtevant Making a major gift ask is a crucial moment for any nonprofit. In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, fundraising consultant, […]

“If [a nonprofit] leverages [personalized communications] well, it can elevate the number of engaged folks. And not only how well they are engaged, but also how much they contribute to your cause.” – Chris Lyons In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Chris Lyons, publisher for NonProfit Pro and group president and chief revenue officer […]

“There’s no such thing as a successful fundraiser who is not a giver.” – Doug Lawson In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with fundraising icon Doug Lawson. Doug has nearly 50 years of nonprofit and fundraising consulting experience as the founder of Lawson Associates. He also is the best-selling author of Give […]

This episode of The Beacon Podcast looks at executive searches, specifically focused on the search for higher education leadership. Finding the perfect leader for your college or university is proving to be more difficult with tenures in development and advancement positions becoming increasingly shorter. The hiring of an executive search firm simplifies the process and […]

“Nonprofit board members across the country tell me the number one reason they become disengaged is because of poor communication. And it is not communication isn’t happening, it’s the communication is not effective.” – Hardy Smith In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Hardy Smith about nonprofit boards. Hardy is a […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Pat Bassett, founder and president of Heads up Educational Consulting and former president of the National Association of Independent Schools. Pat has decades of independent school experience as both a teacher and head of school and advocates for change agency leadership within education. Through […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Ben Miller, chief analytic officer at DonorTrends and an AFP Fundraising Effectiveness Project Growth in Giving Initiative steering committee member, about the Fundraising Effectiveness project. Ben uses his mathematics background to discover trends in the nonprofit industry. In his conversation, Ben answers: What is […]

“Trust within an organization is foundational to how effective it is.” – BG Allen In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with BG Allen, leadership coach for Coachwell, a customized coaching program for individuals, teams and organizations. BG has extensive experience in military, business and nonprofit leadership, which has […]

“It’s incumbent upon the development officers to really advocate for AFP and membership in AFP.” – Susan Hosbach In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Susan Hosbach, chief development officer of the Adventure Science Center in Nashville, Tenn., and immediate past chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy. […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Joan Bahner speaks with Jens Frederiksen, Fisk University’s vice president for institutional advancement and strategic development.  Jens was instrumental in increasing alumni giving participation and raising a record $25 million during a critical time for the university.  During their conversation, Jens answers: What were […]

“A new donor, who has given once… they probably need to hear different things from you than someone who has given 10 years in a row like clockwork. Those are two very different donors, even if the gift amount is the same.” -Steven Shattuck In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff speaks with Steven Shattuck, […]

“Find every opportunity to really listen to people, to ask them questions that nobody else has really taken the time to ask them.” – Jay Frost In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Jay Frost, nonprofit and fundraising consultant, advisor, speaker and trainer. Jay has worked with thousands […]

“Just about everything a dean does is directly related to advancement. Like when we hire the best faculty, we have to turn around and say, ‘We need to advance their work with support.’” – Cully Clark In today’s podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with E. Culpepper “Cully” Clark about advancement in institutions of higher […]

“Nowadays you get a lot of data; it’s almost like data overload. But what’s missing from [a lot of these] direct responses is the why. Understanding the why can only be achieved by market research.” – Li Li In today’s podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Li Li, managing partner at FourSquare Research, Inc. […]

“In terms of major giving, what I see trending is the concept of metrics and the necessity of us as professionals to be much more proactive in figuring out what the end game is for each individual development officer and how to appropriately measure someone’s success.” – Dr.Perry Moulds In today’s podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with David Lawson, co-founder and CEO of NewSci and author of Big Good:Philanthropy in the Age of Big Data. With over 25 years as a fundraising and tech entrepreneur, David Lawson focuses on bringing actionable insight to the nonprofit arena. In his conversation with Jeff, David […]

“There’s so much more to giving, and giving well, than just trying to prey on donors’ emotional responses.” – Gray Keller In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy discusses intentional giving with writer, speaker and philanthropic leadership consultant Gray Keller. The author of Everybody Wants Your Money: Helping You Navigate Through Philanthropy, Gray […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Association of Fundraising Professionals President and CEO Mike Geiger about AFP and three new member benefits designed to elevate nonprofit professionals – and the sector as a whole.  For more than 50 years, AFP has offered guidance and education for fundraisers on how to […]

“If the development staff gets to really understand the interests and the direction that a potential donor wants to go in terms of how they give their money, it just sets up a wonderful situation where the development staff then can early recognize opportunities that would really fit the bill. When someone brings you an […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Lighthouse Counsel senior consultant, David Snow. David has more than four decades of experience in leadership and development roles, and today he’s speaking with Jeff about best practices around campaigns and case statements, fundraising, and staff development. He also addresses critical issues such as […]

Steve MacLaughlin, Vice President of Data and Analytics at Blackbaud and best-selling author of Data Driven Nonprofits, speaks with Jeff Jowdy in this episode of The Beacon Podcast to discuss how nonprofits can use data to drive their fundraising efforts. Steve describes the competitive edge data driven nonprofits have among nonprofits who do not use […]

Nhu Te, editor-in-chief and content director for NonProfit Pro, rejoins The BeaconPodcast to discuss the importance of nonprofits creating their own digital content. Through her conversation with Jeff Jowdy, Nhu shares what qualifies as“good content” and gives her own insight to help you transform your nonprofit into a thought leader online. She answers questions such […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy meets with the former chancellor of the University System of Georgia, Hank Huckaby, who recently retired with several leadership and achievement awards to his credit. Here, Hank sheds light on what makes college presidents effective. Some points he ponders: What are the top roles for a […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy sits down with Bernard Ross, director at the UK-based Management Centre (=mc) to talk about what motivates people to care, to change, to act, to give.   Understanding the way people think and behave is a huge part of fundraising, but people often don’t act as expected. […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Nhu Te, editor-in-chief and Content Director for NonProfit Pro, about hot topics in nonprofits. Some of the questions she answers include: What are some hot topics and trends nonprofits should be aware of today?What topics on your site garner the most attention and why […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy asks Bob Smith, Special Advisor for Executive Leadership and Talent Development at the University of the Tennessee, about the kind of leadership demands that a university faces. With over 14 years of experience in different university leadership positions, Bob answers questions such as: What are some […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy sits down with Roland Lundy, Operating Partner of Buffkin/Baker, to discuss CEOs and leadership. Some of the questions he answers include: What differences do you look for in a nonprofit CEO compared to a for profit CEO? What advice would you give someone aspiring to be […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant David Snow speaks with Carolyn and Clark Baker. Clark spent much of his life as a YMCA executive in Tennessee and Texas. Throughout his career, he successfully raised millions of dollars to build new YMCAs and camps. He is also proud of the 23 […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Beth Ann Locke, director of advancement at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver about best practices in fundraising and adapting to regional differences. Some of the questions she answers include: What practices do you depend on today that you learned early in your career? As […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Mark Galvin, CEO and Founder of ePresence, LLC, about nonprofits and nonprofit leaders having a presence online. Some of the questions he answers include: If I only had an hour to improve my LinkedIn profile, what should I attack?When you land on a LinkedIn profile for someone new to you, what […]

In today’s episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy sits down with Pat Wathen, who recently retired after 20 years working with Toyota Indiana. They focus their discussion on how to empower a culture of excellence and communication within an organization. Pat shares his knowledge, answering questions that include: How can a nonprofit build open […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Dr. Michael Lindsay, president of Gordon College, to discuss leadership. Dr. Lindsay shares his findings on leaders in his most recent book, “View from the Top.” Their discussion gives answers to these questions: What is one thing that does make a major difference in […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Karen Kemp sits down with Sandy Lish, Principal and Founder of The Castle Group, to discuss communications strategy. Sandy taps into her vast amount of experience with communications strategies to go over everything from why it’s important, to where to start creating one, to tailoring it to your […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Karen Kemp interviews Philip Hauserman, Vice President of The Castle Group. Karen and Philip discuss crisis communications and the importance of planning for the inevitability of needing a plan in place. A highly experienced expert in crisis communications and communications plans, Philip answers vital questions including: What is a […]

On today’s episode, Tom Landrum has a conversation with Greg Daniels, Senior Executive Director of Leadership Giving at the University of Georgia. Greg has 26 years of fundraising experience, with much of it in today’s topic: major gift fundraising. Their conversation covers topics like: Greg’s career as a major gift officerCharacteristics of a great major […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy interviews envelope-pushing fundraising practitioner Tammy Zonker. They discuss the five languages of donor love, an idea that Tammy formulated in response to the challenge of donor retention and the “#donorlove” movement. Some of the questions that Tammy answers with great insight include: Why did you come up with […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy interviews Roger Craver, a pioneer in various kinds of fundraiser and author of “Retention Fundraising: The New Art and Science of Keeping Your Donors for Life.” Jeff and Roger discuss the significance of donor retention as a metric in fundraising, and Roger touches on: Trends in […]

Kay Sprinkel Grace is the guest in this episode of The Beacon Podcast. Jeff Jowdy and Kay discuss the “truth” of fundraising, based on her most recent book The Busy Volunteer’s Guide to Fundraising. Kay uses her experience and research to inform this insightful conversation. Some of the questions she answers include: What are some effective […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy interviews Simone Joyaux, an internationally recognized expert in fund development, board and organizational development, strategic planning and management. Simone is the author of Firing Lousy Board Members – And Helping the Others Succeed, which much of today’s conversation is drawn from. Some of the questions Simone answers […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy speaks with Tom Ahern of Ahern Donor Communications, one of the most respected authorities on donor-centered communication. Through the conversation, Tom shares what it’s like to see through a donor’s eyes and how that can help nonprofits operate more effectively. Some of the questions Tom addresses include: How […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy discusses venture philanthropy with author, editor, publisher and media executive W. Randall Jones. Jeff and Randall cover some of the history of venture philanthropy, the characteristics of venture philanthropy in today’s world, and some of the most important factors that are influencing wealthy donors’ decisions about where […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy interviews Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Seattle Children’s Hospital Peter Drury. They cover the topic of measuring fundraising success. “Your measurement for fundraising success has to give you insight into future years and how you’re doing in planning for future years,” Peter shares. “If […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Jeff Jowdy interviews John Lepp, donor champion and partner at Agents of Good. Their conversation focuses on the importance of donor love and what nonprofits can do to improve it. Jeff and John address many critical questions, including: How can nonprofits improve their relationships with donors?Are both large and small organizations […]

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Karen Kemp interviews Alicia Philipp of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. They discuss the work being done at the Community Foundation, how they identify nonprofits that are the most effective, and key factors driving nonprofit success. These factors, Alicia says, include good strategic planning, staff and board […]

In today’s episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with Matt Bodnar, a partner at Fresh Hospitality and the host of “The Science of Success” podcast. They discuss some of the surprising findings from Matt’s podcast, which uses research-based evidence to explain the science of being successful, and how those findings impact nonprofit […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Dr. Pamela Barden, a well-respected 35-year successful fundraising executive, is interviewed by Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy to discuss communications in fundraising. Pamela addresses some of the most critical issues when it comes to communications, including: What is the number one job of fundraising communications?What are the three […]

In today’s episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Tom Landrum sits down with fundraising professional Mac Corry, who recently retired from his longtime role with the University of Georgia. In this conversation, they discuss the relationship between board involvement and fundraising, always a current topic for small nonprofits and large organizations alike. […]

In today’s episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with storytelling and philanthropy powerhouse Ruth Ann Harnisch. In this conversation, they discuss the crucial role storytelling plays in raising funds for nonprofit organizations, and offers an inside look at how nonprofit leaders, fundraisers and board members can better reach donors through […]

Harvey McKinnon is working to expand our thinking about giving. His new book, “The Power of Giving: How Giving Back Enriches Us All,” provides readers with ideas, exercises and stories that help reveal the unique gifts each person has to give. It emphasizes that the more you give, the more you have, and that we […]

In today’s podcast, “The Art of Asking,” Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with fundraising icon Jerry Panas. Some of the crucial topics they’ll cover: What motivates donors to give?What are the attributes of a great gift solicitation?What are common mistakes made during solicitations? In this chat, Jerry admits that he’s gotten a couple of […]

James Finck has been figuring out ways to spread the YMCA’s mission as far as possible since he began his career as director of health and fitness with the Kern County Y in Bakersfield, Calif., right after graduating from college. Finck has been president and CEO of the YMCA Austin since 2008. Along the way, […]

On this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Joe Scarlett, the retired CEO and chairman of Tractor Supply Company and founder of the Scarlett Leadership Institute in Franklin, Tennessee, shares his insight on forming a culture of ethics in any organization. He covers: Success stemmed from personal ethicsMaintaining ethics during rapid growthHow to build a culture […]

David Jones, Executive Director for Annual Giving & Constituent Development at the University of Georgia, remembers when annual giving campaigns were 2 mailings and a single-ask telemarketing effort. Now, it’s a much more sophisticated operation. “Annual giving offices are focused on channeled integration using every tool we have to communicate a consistent message, and honoring […]

“By sharing the story with our staff through proper cultivation, asking, and stewardship, all levels will understand the story…. If they understand the story, they’re better connected to what they do each day, and they’re more likely to support the organization in both time and treasure.” Adam Clevenger, Regional Collaboration Manager for the YMCA of […]

Bernard Ross, director of the Management Centre, shares how fundraisers can apply the nobel-prize winning work of psychologist Dr. Daniel Kahneman to better understand how donors think. Kahneman argues that we use two processes to make decisions: System 1 and System 2. System 1 is fast, instinctive, and emotional, while System 2 is slower, more […]

Guest of The Beacon Podcast is Steven Shattuck, VP of Marketing for Bloomerang which helps nonprofit organizations to reach, engage and retain the advocates they depend on to achieve their vision for a better world. This successful industry executive is interviewed by Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy to share his expertise on the important metric […]

Dr. Pamela Barden, a well-respected 35-year successful fundraising executive is interviewed by Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy to share her insight on the important topic of overhead and the dramatic role it plays in our industry. According to Pamela, “Overhead is the cost of doing business and we should stop treating it like a nasty […]

Does your next campaign have the kind of appeal that makes people say, “I can’t wait to write a check for that. That is just so important.”? If you’d like it to, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s edition of The Beacon Jeff Jowdy talks with development powerhouse Jerry Linzy about campaign planning […]

Gail Perry, international fundraising consultant, speaker and thought leader, shares her insight on an essential element in fundraising success – board involvement! “When in doubt, throw a party,” Gail shares her perspective on: What a great board looks like: How to get a board involved in fundraisingThe top fundraising challenges with boardsHow to recruit members […]

In this edition of The Beacon Podcast, Jay Love, founder and CEO of Bloomerang discusses why donor retention is important: It is easier to retain a donor than aquire one It is less expensiveMulti-year donors refer other donors and yield larger gifts and legacy gifts. Donor retention is a hot topic in the nonprofit arena […]

Jeff Jowdy speaks with Tony Martignetti in this edition of The Beacon. Tony is the host of the Nonprofit Radio podcast and consults with many organizations about their planned giving strategies. He is also an author and speaks nationally about opening dialogue with donors about their planned giving options. In this segment, Tony discusses the […]

Today’s issue of The Beacon features an insightful discussion with Dr. Russell James about recent findings in the American Charitable Bequests Demographics Report. The report is a portion of the larger Health and Retirement Study, a national, longitudinal study began in 1992 that serves as the premier study of retirement and giving patterns in the […]

In this edition of The Beacon Podcast features a conversation with J.D. Elliott, president of The Memorial Foundation in Hendersonville, Tennessee. J.D. Elliott has been involved in philanthropy for over 20 years and shares his insights on current trends in fundraising and grant making. He offers perspective on attributes he looks for – both in […]

In this edition of The Beacon, Larry Johnson, author of the award-winning book The Eight Principles of Sustainable Fundraising, talks with Jeff Jowdy about the bilateral relationship of fundraising. Larry shares that nonprofit organizations must recognize that what they are offering to donors is as significant as what they are asking from donors. He challenges […]

Pete Bird offers tremendous perspective from a foundation CEO in this Beacon Podcast interview with Jeff Jowdy. Pete discusses:  The need for recurring revenue: both philanthropic support and earned income Features of a strong proposal Trends in the foundation arena Attributes of a great nonprofit board chair, CEO and chief development officer About our guest Pete Bird has […]

In this conversation with Lighthouse Counsel president Jeff Jowdy, Bob covers the challenges with greatly diminished state funding, the need for college presidents to be focused on fundraising and the challenge of securing the right fundraising talent. Bob also looks at: Trends in public higher education fundraisingChallenges facing private fundraising in today’s institutionsSome strategies higher […]

Tom Landrum, former vice president for development and alumni relations at the University of Georgia, discusses the importance of an annual fund and engaging younger alumni. In this conversation with Jeff Jowdy, founder of Lighthouse Counsel, Tom covers: Importance of annual givingChallenges in higher education annual fund programsWhy some fundraising programs are directed at younger alumniThe importance […]

In this podcast, Curt Hazelbaker, President and Chief Executive Officer for YMCA of Northwest North Carolina discusses the importance of several elements in nonprofit annual campaigns with Dave Fulscher. Curt came to the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina in March of 2003 as the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer after spending twenty years […]

This podcast features Erik Daubert, Director of Fund Development Partnerships for the YMCA of the USA, discussing a variety of topics regarding annual campaigns with David Fulscher. With almost 25 years of non-profit experience, Erik Daubert is regarded as a leader in the nonprofit sector. Erik has worked and trained with thousands of nonprofit organizations […]

This week’s podcast features Deborah Dietzler, Executive Director of Campaign Engagement for the University of Georgia’s Development Office. Deborah provided leadership to UGA’s Alumni Association for 17 years. Prior to her arrival at UGA, she was the Director of Alumni Services at Teachers College, Columbia University and Director of Alumni Affairs at Stony Brook University. Topics […]

This week’s podcast features Penelope Cagney, MA, CFRE, CEO of the Cagney Company on the topic of global fundraising. She has 25 years of experience in planning, development and governance. About our guest Penelope began her nonprofit management career at one of the largest healthcare institutions in Chicago and soon after dedicated herself to consulting. […]

Jeff Jowdy hosted this week’s podcast with Margaret Battistelli Gardner, editor-in-chief and founding editor of FundRaising Success: the fundraiser’s complete source for multichannel strategy and integration techniques. Together, they discuss nonprofit organizations moving beyond multichannel integration and into holistic fundraising. In this podcast Margaret covers the following: What is holistic fundraising?How does it relate to […]

In our second podcast of The Beacon: Your Connection to Nonprofit Success, Dave Fulscher of Lighthouse Counsel speaks with Gail Glasser, Senior Vice President for Association Advancement at the Capital District YMCA in Albany, New York. Previously, Gail served as President and CEO of the YMCA of Central Kentucky in Lexington. She has also worked […]

In our very first podcast of The Beacon: Your Connection to Nonprofit Success, Jeff Jowdy of Lighthouse Counsel introduces Del Martin of DEL-ux Consulting Group. Del has earned numerous accomplishments in the nonprofit community. Of her many achievements, Del has provided results-oriented counsel to hundreds of capital and endowment campaigns, as well as helping clients […]