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PODCAST

Responsive Lab Podcast

Virtuous Software

Welcome to The Responsive Lab, presented by Virtuous. In this podcast, we"re exploring how nonprofits leverage technology to deepen donor engagement. Join us in the lab as we mix innovation with impact, tackling challenges and discovering new possibilities for the nonprofit sector.

business non-profit

All Episodes

26:36

EP 80: Building Healthy Nonprofit Cultures That Fight...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/04/02

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Dr. Jeff McGee, a leadership and organizational culture strategist and creator of the Triple Loop Leadership framework. Dr. McGee has worked in nonprofits from frontline staff to executive leadership for over a decade and now coaches organizations nationwide on building healthy cultures and managing AI adoption. You'll hear about:* Why lack of honest communication creates quiet disengagement and an "us versus them"

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31:33

EP 79: Building AI-Powered Major Gift Programs That...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/03/25

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Griff Bohm. As one of the founders of Momentum, an AI-powered donor engagement platform for mid-level & major gifts, Griff brings unique insights into how artificial intelligence can transform fundraising without losing the human connection that drives giving.You'll hear about:• Starting with problems instead of solutions when adopting AI tools• Building major gift programs that leverage technology to create more donor

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32:37

EP 78: Building a Loyalty Program That Celebrates...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/03/19

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Carly Plate and Dominika McLean from the University of South Florida to talk about building a consecutive giving recognition program that celebrates loyalty over gift size.Their core belief? The donor who gives $25 every year for 30 years deserves just as much recognition as someone who writes one large check.You'll hear about:Why USF created Loyalty Herd to close the gap between major giving programs and unrecognized

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37:16

EP 77: Building a Donor Strategy That Honors Every...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/03/10

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Dean Axelrod, Vice President of Partnerships and Philanthropy at Direct Relief. Dean's career has spanned business, law, and financial services. But the common thread? Helping people and organizations succeed.His core belief? If someone is giving all they have to give, they're a major donor. No matter the dollar amount. You'll hear about: Why Direct Relief moved away from traditional major donor definitions How

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47:49

EP 76: How to Build a Brand That Drives Long-Term...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/03/05

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Donna Lucas, Chief Marketing and Development Officer at Joni and Friends. Donna spent decades in consumer products marketing at brands like Adidas, K-Swiss, and Dickies before making the jump to the nonprofit world. Her core belief? Planting comes before the harvest. Brand awareness has to come before the fundraising ask. You'll hear about: Why being "the best-kept secret" is actually a failure How Donna convinced

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34:25

EP 75: What the 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/02/17

92% of nonprofits are using AI. Only 7% say it's actually making a strategic impact. So what's going wrong?In this episode, Carly and Scott sit down with Nathan Chappell, Chief AI Officer at Virtuous and co-founder of Fundraising.ai, to unpack the findings of the 2026 Nonprofit AI Adoption Report. Nathan breaks down why more AI tools don't equal better results, what happens when organizations use AI to speed up broken practices, and what the 7% are doing differently. You'll hear

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28:58

EP 74: How to Build a Capital Campaign Around Real...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/02/11

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly & Scott sit down with Meg George, Co-Founder and President at George Philanthropy Group. Meg has spent her career in major gifts and now consults with nonprofits on campaign preparation and principal gift strategies.Her core belief? Campaign planning is a practice, not a moment. The organizations that raise the most money are always in some phase of a campaign. You'll hear about: Why "comprehensive campaign" is a better term than

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35:37

EP 73: What AI Actually Changes (And Doesn't Change)...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/02/05

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with T. Clay Buck, Founder and Principal of Next River Fundraising Strategies. Together they explore what AI actually changes about nonprofit data. And what it doesn't.Clay has spent thirty years in fundraising. He's done everything from database administration to chief development officer. He watched the sector adopt online giving forms in the early dot-com days. Now he's watching it navigate AI. You'll

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37:48

EP 72: Building Trust with Donors Through Better...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/01/28

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Sonja Schappert Howden, Chief Impact Officer at Seed Impact, to unpack what meaningful impact really looks like and how fundraisers can communicate it in ways donors understand and trust.Drawing from more than two decades of experience in faith-based nonprofits, Sonja explains why outputs are only the starting point, how outcomes reveal personal change, and why true impact often

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49:55

EP 71: Building a Relationship-First Fundraising...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2026/01/21

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Marc Stein, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Jews for Jesus, to unpack what it really looks like to put donor relationships first without sacrificing growth. Marc brings a rare perspective shaped by decades as an entrepreneur, donor, board member, and now nonprofit executive. He shares how his team redefined success by shifting away from revenue-first metrics and toward meaningful partner

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50:28

EP 70: Digital Strategies to Drive Sustainable...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/12/16

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Matt Lombardi, Founder of Share, to unpack what real digital engagement looks like when it’s done well and why it actually leads people to take action.Matt brings a practitioner’s perspective from working alongside nonprofits of all sizes, sharing what separates organizations that grow sustainably from those stuck on the acquisition hamster wheel. From donor personas and retention strategies to

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50:34

EP 69: Mid-Level Matters: Turning Overlooked Donors...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/12/09

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with fundraising strategist Kel Haney, who has made more than twenty thousand asks by phone and helped nonprofits generate over twenty million dollars in mid-level giving.Kel shares how she went from directing theater in New York to discovering the power of a well-structured donor conversation, and why a simple five-minute call can be one of the most effective tools a fundraiser has. In this

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11:40

EP 68: How Nonprofits Can Grow Major Gifts Using...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/12/04

On this episode of Ask a Responsive Fundraiser, Scott Holthaus sits down with Bailey Huston, Partnerships and Integrations Manager at The Giving Block, to answer your top questions about noncash giving and donor behavior in a changing fundraising landscape.Bailey shares why donor choice, convenience, and control are now essential parts of the giving experience… and how offering options like crypto, stock, and donor-advised funds can unlock major gifts you may be

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39:07

EP 67: Using Neuroscience to Strengthen Donor...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/12/02

What really happens inside a donor’s mind when they choose to give? In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Virtuous co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Cherian Koshy, VP at Kindsight and author of NeuroGiving: The Science of Donor Decision Making. Cherian unpacks why giving is rooted in identity, how friction quietly slows generous brains down, and what fundraisers can do to design clearer, more intuitive donor experiences. You will hear why one

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34:42

EP 66: Measuring What Matters: Turning Impact into...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/11/20

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Lauren and John Mark Vanderpool from Social Impact Solutions to answer some pressing questions we didn’t have time to cover during a recent webinar.Lauren and John Mark break down what impact really means, how to measure it, and how clear impact data can deepen donor trust and grow giving. You’ll also hear practical advice for using logic models, building realistic internal

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44:05

EP 65: Building a Healthy, Human-Centered Culture in...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/11/18

Nonprofit leadership is meaningful work, but it can also feel exhausting. Between fundraising pressure, staff turnover, and board expectations, many leaders quietly run on empty long before they ever consider stepping away. In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Virtuous co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with CEO of the Seattle Police Foundation, Ian Adair, to talk about what it really takes to stay healthy in leadership and build organizations where

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40:57

EP 64: Relationship at Scale: Building Smarter,...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/11/11

Speed matters. So does being seen. In this episode, co-hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with fundraiser, former executive director, and founder of the Nonprofit Automation Agency, Rachel Bearbower, to unpack how small teams can deliver big-feeling donor experiences. We cover the “first 100 days” journey, the one-minute thank-you, and why silence erodes trust faster than anything. You’ll hear practical steps to turn repeatable stewardship moments into lightweight

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44:58

EP 63: What It Really Takes to Run a Multi-Year...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/11/04

Launching a capital campaign is one thing. Raising over $200 million and outgrowing your original goals is another. In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Dr. Will Smallwood, Vice President for Advancement at Cedarville University, to unpack the story behind the wildly successful “One Thousand Days Transformed” campaign.Dr. Smallwood shares the campaign’s roots in mission-first storytelling, how strategic planning

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36:04

EP 62: How to Keep Donors Engaged When the Economy...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/10/28

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus are joined by Aarika Riddle, Executive Director of Kristi Yamaguchi’s Always Dream, for a conversation about leading through uncertainty, stewarding well in challenging moments, and grounding your work in mission when fatigue sets in.Aarika shares lessons from navigating multiple economic downturns in her fundraising career, including the 2008 recession and recent years of uncertainty. She

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37:52

EP 61: Energized Fundraising: Happiness Habits for...

Responsive Lab Podcast ·

2025/10/21

In this episode of The Responsive Lab, hosts Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with capital campaign expert Amy Eisenstein of Capital Campaign Pro to demystify one of the most ambitious and often misunderstood fundraising tools in a nonprofit’s playbook: the capital campaign.Amy shares her journey from development director to co-founder of a firm that has guided hundreds of organizations through campaigns ranging from $3M to $150M. You’ll learn the key

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179 results

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