The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast

The old script was give first, then get involved. For younger donors it has flipped, and most nonprofits are still fundraising off the old one. In this episode, host Derric Bakker welcomes Dr. Michael Moody, Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and co-author of Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving. Together they explore the shifting paradigm of youth generosity and unpack why traditional donor journeys no longer produce results with rising generations. Rather than generosity fading among younger donors, the traditional script has reversed. Next-gen donors want to get involved, build connection, and see impact before making a financial gift. Derric and Michael discuss how nonprofits can adapt to this hands-on, cause-driven approach, foster multi-generational giving conversations, and adopt a strategy of treating every donor like a major donor. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Introduction and flipping the donor script 03:18 Is generosity actually fading? 05:31 The current golden age of giving 08:45 Why traditional methods are not working 13:16 How millennials approach giving 16:17 Giving tryouts and involvement first 19:52 Asking the right question 22:28 Lightning round, the traits of next-gen donors 25:56 Beyond 501c3s, LLCs, impact investing and DAFs 28:28 Treating every donor like a major donor 30:36 Practical suggestions and why waiting is a mistake ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Michael Moody is Professor of Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, where his research focuses on family and next generation donors. RESOURCES Generation Impact, by Dr. Michael Moody Young Donors Aren't Ignoring Nonprofits. Nonprofits Are Ignoring Them., by Derric Bakker on Substack Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor, by Derric Bakker DickersonBakker LINKS Join the Better Way community Subscribe to Derric's Substack for more on relational fundraising Work with us! Watch on YouTube Follow DickersonBakker on LinkedIn ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast is hosted by Derric Bakker, CEO of DickersonBakker and author of the Amazon bestseller A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor. Every episode exists to do one thing: help you treat every donor like a major donor. Not as a theory. As a practice. More at betterwaychampions.org .

Great fundraisers have always listened, personalized, and thanked well. They just could never do it for everyone. That constraint is dissolving. In this episode, host Derric Bakker sits down with Dr. Cheryl Contee, pioneering technology entrepreneur, digital transformation expert, and author of AI for Nonprofits. Together they explore how mission-driven organizations can extend high-touch, relationship-based fundraising to donors at every level. Rather than using technology to automate away the human element, Derric and Cheryl discuss how predictive and generative AI can serve as a co-pilot. They walk all seven behaviors from A Better Way to Fundraise, outline five essential ethical guardrails for protecting donor trust, and explain how automating administrative work gives fundraisers more time to build authentic connections. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Introduction and the infrastructure shift 03:18 Meet Dr. Cheryl Contee 06:39 Behavior 1, Listen First 09:59 Behavior 2, Personalize Every Touch Point 14:38 Behavior 3, Express Genuine Gratitude 20:00 Behavior 4, Earn Their Next Gift 24:30 Behaviors 5 and 6, predictive AI 28:30 Behavior 7, Never Betray Trust, the five guardrails 38:16 Transparency and disclosure 41:16 The ultimate AI killer app ABOUT THE GUEST Dr. Cheryl Contee runs Brightworks AI, her consultancy for nonprofits ready to begin an AI journey, and is a senior advisor to posterchild.ai . She previously co-founded Attentive.ly , an early social listening platform for nonprofits. RESOURCES AI for Nonprofits, by Dr. Cheryl Contee Brightworks AI A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor, by Derric Bakker DickersonBakker LINKS Join the Better Way community Subscribe to Derric's Substack for more on relational fundraising Work with us! Watch on YouTube Follow DickersonBakker on LinkedIn ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast is hosted by Derric Bakker, CEO of DickersonBakker and author of the Amazon bestseller A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor. Every episode exists to do one thing: help you treat every donor like a major donor. Not as a theory. As a practice. More at betterwaychampions.org .

The Better Way did not start with a book. It started with two people in the same profession, looking at the same problem from opposite seats. In the premier episode, host Derric Bakker is joined by Andrew Olsen, President of DickersonBakker and two-time bestselling author. Coming from oppposite sides of the profession, major gift consulting and direct response marketing, they reached the same diagnosis: rising acquisition costs, revenue concentrating into the top few percent of donors, and programs optimized for volume rather than relationship. Derric and Andrew discuss what broke, why standard campaign metrics hid it, and what changed when they rebuilt around relationships. They cover the agency incentives that work against donors, what a hybrid relational program looks like when direct mail and major gifts stop operating as separate worlds, and the two behaviors to start with this week. IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 Welcome and the changing world of fundraising 01:16 Two convergence journeys 04:33 Meet Andrew Olsen 06:51 Cracks in the direct response machine 08:29 Industrialized fundraising versus relationships 12:18 Pushing for change from the inside 16:02 Building a hybrid relational agency 21:13 Market response and proof of concept 25:53 Shifting mindsets and measuring what matters 31:11 Taking ownership and surprising results 32:50 Practical takeaways, listen first and earn the next gift ABOUT THE GUEST Andrew Olsen is President of DickersonBakker. He has held senior leadership roles at Moore, Omnicom, Russ Reid, Strategic Fundraising and Newport ONE, serving more than a thousand ministries and nonprofits and helping them raise over a billion dollars. He is a two-time bestselling author, host of The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, and serves on the board of Downrange Warriors. RESOURCES A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor, by Derric Bakker The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast, hosted by Andrew Olsen Downrange Warriors DickersonBakker LINKS Join the Better Way community Subscribe to Derric's Substack for more on relational fundraising . Work with us! Watch on YouTube Follow DickersonBakker on LinkedIn ABOUT THE SHOW The Better Way Nonprofit Podcast is hosted by Derric Bakker, CEO of DickersonBakker and author of the Amazon bestseller A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor. Every episode exists to do one thing: help you treat every donor like a major donor. Not as a theory. As a practice. More at betterwaychampions.org.