The Fund Raising School

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., sits down with Muhsin Hassan, Managing Director at Lever for Change, to unpack the power, and practicality, of nonprofit collaboration. Drawing from his role advising the Community Collaboration Initiative led by the Muslim Philanthropy Initiative at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Hassan explains why partnerships aren’t just nice-to-have, they’re mission multipliers. From maximizing impact during economic downturns to sparking innovation across issue areas, collaboration can create better ideas, stronger fundraising, and more efficient service delivery.

Listen to the latest episode 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/collaboration-innovation-and

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., sits down with fundraising powerhouse John Zeller, former Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Pennsylvania, to unpack the behind-the-scenes magic of major gift fundraising. While the headlines may tout seven- and eight-figure gifts, Zeller emphasizes that consistent cultivation, stewardship, and relationship-building are the real power players behind any billion-dollar campaign. Case in point: nearly a third of gifts during Penn’s $5.4 billion campaign came from donors giving less than $50,000. The message? Every gift counts, and every donor deserves attention.

Listen to the latest episode 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/8-questions-to-improve-donor

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., sits down with executive search guru Bill Peterson of CarterBaldwin Executive Search to unpack the high-stakes world of CEO transitions, and their ripple effect on fundraising. Think of it as succession planning with heart, spreadsheets, and maybe a few tissues. Drawing from the recent Compassion International case study, Peterson emphasizes that a successful handoff isn't just about filling a seat; it's about preserving mission momentum, minimizing disruption, and setting the new leader up for a heroic entrance.

Listen to the latest episode 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/ceo-transitions-and-their

In this episode of The First Day from The Fundraising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes back the brilliant Una Osili, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. They dive into the hot-off-the-press study, The Next Generation of Philanthropy, revealing how Millennials and Gen Z are shaping the future of charitable giving. Spoiler alert: these younger donors may not have all the money yet, but they sure have the passion, and they’re bringing fresh expectations to the table.

Listen to the episode here 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/younger-donors-new-fundraising-strategies

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. welcomes back the ever-insightful Lindsay Marciniak, MPA, Managing Director of CCS Fundraising, to dissect the latest edition of CCS’s Philanthropy Pulse Report. Broadcasting from the heart of Chicago, Lindsay dives into this year’s fundraising pulse check, highlighting trends, triumphs, and the occasional head-scratcher. The survey gathered insights from nearly 650 organizations worldwide, with about 70% of respondents in senior fundraising or leadership roles. The report reveals that 62% of organizations experienced revenue growth in 2024, with 30% enjoying growth of 10% or more. Lindsay calls this a testament to philanthropy’s resilience.

Listen to the episode here 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/taking-the-pulse-of

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., reconnects with his longtime mentor and fundraising sage, Tim Seiler, Ph.D., Director Emeritus of The Fund Raising School. Together, they dive into a topic that’s more relevant than ever: how to navigate the stormy seas of fundraising during uncertain times. Dr. Seiler shares war stories from his early fundraising days, reflecting on crises from the 1987 stock market crash to today’s mix of economic and social uncertainties. His message? While fundraisers can’t control the turbulence, they can control their approach, and it starts with what he calls “rational hope.”

Listen to the episode 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/reasonable-hope-the-courage-to-continue-fundraising

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes back Dan Heist, Ph.D. and Genevieve Shaker, Ph.D., to explore new research on how fundraisers are navigating relationships with donors who give through donor-advised funds (DAFs). With nearly 2 million DAF accounts holding $250 billion and distributing over $50 billion annually, these philanthropic vehicles are now a central feature of the fundraising landscape. The study, presented at AFP ICON, sheds light on the unique opportunities and challenges DAFs present for building meaningful donor relationships.

Listen to the episode 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/how-to-build-relationships-with-daf-donors

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., welcomes back Rick Dunham, founder and chair of Dunham+Company, for an insightful breakdown of donor confidence heading into 2025. Drawing on a fresh national survey of 1,500 active donors (each having given at least $20 in the past year), Dunham reports that 91% of donors plan to continue giving, an encouraging signal in a landscape often marred by doom-and-gloom headlines. Even more uplifting? A robust 79% intend to give the same or more this year, marking one of the strongest confidence ratings since 2020.

Listen to the latest episode 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/donor-confidence-and

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. sits down with Mark Mayer, Ph.D., clinical associate professor at the Kelley School of Business and former brand manager turned humor scholar, to explore the serious power of being funny in fundraising. Mayer’s deep dive into advertising and branding reveals that humor isn’t just a crowd-pleaser, it’s a message-multiplier. “You don’t want it just to be funny,” Mayer notes, “you want it to achieve something, like increasing donations or building trust.” It’s not about getting laughs for laughs’ sake. It’s about crafting meaningful connections with a wink and a smile.

Listen to the latest episode 🔗 https://soundcloud.com/thefundraisingschool/put-the-funny-in-fundraising