You may remember your grandparents talking about back in the day when the family huddled around the radio listening to different hosts tell stories. Today, we’re almost doing the same thing by listening to fundraising podcasts, but in the privacy of our cars, at the gym, or while walking.
Podcasts are ubiquitous, and there’s one or more for every niche, topic, hobby, obsession, and interest. One-third of Americans listen to podcasts weekly, and it’s no surprise that 66% of podcasts globally, that’s 1,896,056, are in the US as of 2023.
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Launch Your Auction NowWhy are Podcasts so Popular?
We love stories and tend to remember information better when told in story form. Storytelling invites communication and discussion. Unlike traditional media outlets that require significant resources and infrastructure, podcasting allows anyone with a microphone and an internet connection to create their show. This has led to a proliferation of independent creators who produce unique and niche content that may not have found a place in traditional media channels. There are thousands of nonprofit fundraising podcasts.
Expand Your Mind
Podcasts expand the listener’s knowledge of topics they enjoy. It teaches the listener strong storytelling skills, which are handy during fundraising time! Listening and learning new ideas, concepts, and how-tos will make anyone more efficient on the job and a heck of a party small talker.
Podcasts’ Many Purposes
Want to get an edge on your coworkers? Listen to the right podcasts to learn new trends—a nonprofit’s secret weapon. Need some company? Finding a podcast host you enjoy is like making a new friend. Podcasts fill many holes, whether social or educational. Want to learn how to host your own podcast? There’s a podcast for that! Whatever areas you'd like to develop or when you’d like some easy listening, devote time each week to your favorite topics and take what you need.
Ads? Yes and No
As a medium, podcasting is a refreshing way to detach from mainstream news to enjoy topics that make you smile. Yes, some have ads; some don’t. Listeners can buy ungraded support of their favorite podcasts to get them earlier than their neighbors and without ads. But without paying extra just to have ads removed, you can skip them using the fast-forward button.
Doing Your Best; Being Your Best
Whether you’re a new executive director, a development officer, a sponsorship maven, or hold one of many mission-critical positions in your operation, doing your best and being your best are keen goals. Listening to fundraising podcasts is a simple way to stay on top of nonprofit trends, hone your leadership skills, and learn how to be a stand-out fundraiser!
Go Ahead, Try a Fundraising Podcast or Two
Who knows, you may tap into a few of the fundraising podcasts below that we’ve recommended only to discover they offer a great way to improve every one of your fundraising skills, from leadership to development to donation procurement skills.
These podcasts cover a wide range of topics related to fundraising, including strategies, best practices, donor cultivation, leadership, and more. Each podcast offers unique insights and perspectives from experienced hosts who are experts in the field of fundraising and more.
Each of our recommended podcasts is available on Apple Podcasts, a free app you can download from the OS App Store or the Android Play Store, from any podcast app, or simply play on your desktop. One more thing—a podcast isn’t “published,” it’s “dropped,” so when you read that a podcast drops on Tuesdays, you’ll know what it means!
Fundraising Podcasts—May We Suggest:
The Accidental Fundraiser
Network for Good
Host: Kimberly O’Donnell
The Accidental Fundraiser, an original fundraising podcast from Network for Good, answers questions for smaller nonprofit leaders like you who are often called, “the Chief Everything Officer.”
Kimberly lets you know that no matter what’s ahead, you’re not alone. She empowers you with a “yes, I can” mentality, ready for anything—including your next big fundraiser. There’s a lot of torque behind her motivation!
How would you like to increase your low donation rate? Keep more of your donors? Balance your fundraising goals with your board’s mission? Learn how to fundraise on Facebook? Learn to include the board in fundraising? These are issues that rattle in heads of nonprofit fundraisers that get answered during the fundraising podcast.
Hey Fundraiser! Host: Mary Hackett
A new episode drops every Friday with veteran host Mary Hackett at the mic. Sharing tailored advice for nonprofits seeking fundraising guidance, she inspires the audience of busy fundraisers to take action. Mary is fun, passionate, and a fountain of nonprofit fundraising knowledge.
With over two decades of nonprofit experience, she employs her expertise to empower nonprofits to level up. But she doesn’t simply give advice and say goodbye; she encourages listeners to put it into action to make an impact within their organization. Delivered passionately each week, Mary quickly becomes a friendly voice whose tutelage you anticipate and appreciate.
The Philanthropy
Podcast Host: Sean MacCready
This popular fundraising podcast explores the world of philanthropy and fundraising through insightful interviews with industry experts. Sean is a fundraising professional with experience in major gifts and planned giving. The podcast covers a wide range of topics including donor relations, prospect research, campaign planning, donor psychology, and more. Sean's passion for philanthropy shines through his conversations as he delves into the motivations behind giving and shares practical strategies for successful fundraising.
Nonprofits are Messy Podcast
Host: Joan Garry
Some bill her as the “Dear Abby” of the nonprofit world, but most exclaim that her creative energy aids her ability to lead discussions and offer logical solutions to nonprofit leadership's most pressing issues. Joan and her guests tackle topics such as the overhead myth, the best way to run special events, how to make a big fundraising ask, nonprofit career advice, marketing, social media, and building a solid board, for starters! Listeners can identify with the familiar issues discussed and applaud the ingenious solutions they create. The podcasts can be funny and uplifting as the camaraderie flows. Joan started the weekly podcast in 2015.
Fundraising
Bright Spots Podcast Host: Rob Woods
Rob’s secret sauce is that he’s an award-winning fundraising trainer. If your goal is to raise more money for your organization, you’ve found the right fundraising podcast! Rob offers new ideas with examples, topped off with inspiration.
Rob is the author of several books, including The Fundraiser Who Wanted More, and an award-winning fundraising trainer. Each week he and his guests share examples of successful fundraising and lots of practical tips to help you apply these techniques in your job. Since 2000, he has helped over 12,000 fundraisers.
Fundraising
Secrets Show Host: Maya McNulty
Host Maya McNulty is an award-winning business strategist, author, and philanthropist.
Fundraising Secrets brings together the best in the nonprofit sector in her highly-rated fundraising podcast. When the mic is in front of her, there’s no stopping the flow of fresh ideas peppered with tried and true methods. McNulty knows her stuff which you’ll discover as she teaches best practices for your fundraising success. Something we enjoyed about her is that she listens to the fundraising needs of the nonprofit markets.
What the Fundraising
Host: Mallory Erickson
Hot tips and tools are just a few of the gifts you’ll discover with Mallory! If you’re tired of doing things the same old way, you’re in for new perspectives from some of the best personal and professional development experts, many of whom are outside the nonprofit sector. They include bestselling authors, world-renowned researchers, and more—many who have never talked with a non-profit audience before. They share expertise, lessons, and stories to help you change your skill as a leader and fundraiser.
Every Tuesday, Mallory has real and raw conversations with some of the best personal and professional development experts, many of whom are outside the nonprofit sector. These are bestselling authors, world-renowned researchers, and TEDx experts, most of whom have never spoken to a non-profit audience before. They have come ready to share expertise, lessons, and stories that will fundamentally change the way you show up as a leader and fundraiser.
“Fundraising podcasts are thought-provoking. They’re like taking a university class once a week, learning new ways to grow, but no final exams!”
Nonprofit Coach
Podcast Host: Ted Hart
Ted Hart is one of the foremost nonprofit thought leaders. His books range from successful online fundraising to the use of social media and how to make your nonprofit green. Ted’s guests are pillars of the nonprofit industry who share their secrets and load you with tips for success. As an author, he has written books on online fundraising, how to use social media to fundraise, and even one to teach you how to make your agency green.
We Are For Good
Podcast Hosts: Jon McCoy, CFRE, and Becky Endicott, CFRE
Jon and Becky like listeners to “Get cozy, grab a coffee, and get ready to be inspired,” but if you’re driving, skip the cozy part. They know the pressure you’re under to do more (often with less). And they understand how passionate you are about helping others. They’re that way, too.
You’ll be inspired as you listen to rich stories peppered with ah-ha moments by an eclectic list of guests, sure to make a difference in your life. They’ll share innovative ideas, inspiration, and fresh stories from new and exciting perspectives.
If listening to nonprofit professionals, philanthropists, world changers, innovators, and others who have been there; done that well, inspires you, then this fundraising podcast is exactly what’s going to turbo-charge your fundraising efforts.
Their eclectic guests who share lives and stories are on a spectrum that will make you excited for the next episode. And that’s no hype:
to their past guests and episodes. We haven’t listened to them all yet but think the Dolly Parton episode will be an enlightening story that will infuse lives with passion. We’re also excited about the Brene Brown and the Simon Sinek episodes, as each has a different perspective and experience that will surely fill your cup.
“Go one step further and ask your team to listen to the same podcast, then meet for coffee the next day to discuss and share takeaways. Grow your team and your nonprofit. That’s a fundraising strategy.”
Nonprofit
SnapCast Host: Mickey Desai
Dropping every Tuesday, the Nonprofit SnapCast is an interview-based podcast focusing on issues in nonprofit management. From fundraising to board development and everything in between. They attract a varied audience comprised of every member of the nonprofit team.
The interview-based podcast focuses on issues that rattle every nonprofit, regardless of where it is in the growth cycle. There’s much to learn from Mickey and guests to help your nonprofit soar. There is no lack of inspiration.
The Fundraising
Coach Host: Marc A. Pitman
Marc is an internationally recognized fundraising trainer and consultant with over two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector. His podcast offers practical advice, tips, and strategies to help fundraisers excel in their roles. Marc covers a wide range of topics, including donor stewardship, grant writing, capital campaigns, board engagement, and more. With his energetic and relatable style, Marc empowers fundraisers to overcome challenges and achieve fundraising success.
Nonprofit
Optimist Host: Molly MacCready
Learn practical lessons you may have never even considered to help leverage growth for your nonprofit, driven by passionate people who are committed to making the world a better place to thrive. Molly MacCready uses her unbridled passion to increase the awareness of good and to support small nonprofits in their work.
In addition to the stories of good, her podcast is a platform for nonprofits to share what they do, how others can get involved, and successes that others can implement. Since small nonprofits typically lack significant marketing budgets, the Nonprofit Optimist is Molly’s small way of providing a platform to share their mission.
Go Ahead. Grow!
The good news is that the most talented and experienced “professors” of nonprofit fundraising have created their own educational tool just for you—the podcast. We hope you’ll take a stab and listen to one of the above podcasts to see what sticks. A well done podcast can change a mood, change a belief, teach a new topic, change someone’s world, and even someone’s life.
A fundraising podcast can improve your career performance, exceed fundraising goals, and help nonprofits grow in a myriad of ways. We hope you’ll take a podcast test-drive and begin your ascent to better times for you and your nonprofit.
Lastly, the podcasts we have presented to you are ones that we think are inspiring. At any time, the podcast hosts can change their direction, decide to drop episodes less frequently, or even stop broadcasting altogether. While we have a content check in place to ensure we catch any changes that may affect our readers, it's possible that something may change before we get to it. Please feel free to contact us at: support@charityauctionstoday.com .
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should nonprofit teams listen to fundraising podcasts?
Podcasts offer bite-size professional development on trends, tactics, and case studies you can apply immediately. They’re easy to fit into commutes, walks, or admin time and help smaller teams keep pace with best practices.
What makes a fundraising podcast one of the “best” for our organization?
- Hosts/guests with real nonprofit operating experience.
- Clear takeaways, frameworks, and downloadable notes.
- Diverse voices and sectors, not just major-market orgs.
- Episodes that show results, not just opinions.
Which podcast topics should we prioritize this year?
- Donor retention and stewardship journeys.
- Digital fundraising (email/SMS, landing pages, ads).
- Auctions and event optimization (silent, live, online).
- Major gifts, corporate partnerships, and grants.
- Board engagement and fundraising leadership.
What podcast formats work best for learning and implementation?
- How-to episodes: step-by-step playbooks you can test this week.
- Case studies: real campaigns with numbers and lessons learned.
- Roundtables: multiple perspectives on a single challenge.
- Short tips: 10–15 minute sprints for quick wins.
How do small shops choose podcasts that fit limited capacity and budget?
Favor shows that focus on low-cost tactics, DIY tools, and simple measurement. Look for episodes that include templates, scripts, or checklists rather than enterprise-level tech stacks.
How do we vet a podcast’s credibility before using its advice?
- Scan show notes for data, examples, and links to further reading.
- Check guest bios and whether advice is backed by results.
- Cross-check recommendations with your policies and context.
What’s the best way to turn listening into concrete fundraising results?
- Create a one-page “apply it” note: insight → test → owner → due date → metric.
- Run a two-week experiment (subject lines, donation page tweaks, ask amounts).
- Share results at your next standup and decide to scale, tweak, or drop.
Can we build role-based playlists to speed up onboarding and training?
Yes—create short playlists for new fundraisers (donor calls, stewardship), marketing (email/SMS/ads), events (auctions, run-of-show), and leadership (KPIs, budgets, boards).
How many fundraising podcasts should we realistically follow at once?
Start with 2–3 core shows that match your goals and add special-topic episodes as needed. Consistency beats volume—apply one insight per week rather than collecting dozens of ideas you never test.
How do we find high-value episodes without scrolling for hours?
- Search episode titles for keywords (e.g., “Giving Tuesday,” “donor retention”).
- Sort by “most popular” or “most shared” when available.
- Skim show notes for bullets and downloadable resources.
What’s a simple note-taking method to capture podcast insights for the team?
Use a shared doc with three headings: Idea (one sentence), Steps (3 bullets), Metric (how we’ll know it worked). Paste transcript snippets only where necessary for context.
Are there compliance or policy concerns when acting on podcast advice? (General information)
Yes—align with your organization’s privacy, accessibility, and fundraising policies. When episodes touch on legal, tax, or gaming/raffle topics, treat as general information and consult your advisors as needed.
How do we measure the ROI of time spent listening to podcasts?
- Track a monthly “ideas applied” count and resulting KPI change.
- Assign each episode 1 actionable test and record outcomes.
- Retire podcasts that don’t yield measurable improvements.
Can we use podcast episodes for board or committee training sessions?
Absolutely—select a 15–25 minute episode, provide a one-page brief, and run a 20-minute discussion focused on 2–3 commitments (e.g., warm introductions, stewardship calls, event roles).
How do we stay current on trends without getting overwhelmed by content?
- Schedule one 30-minute “learning block” each week.
- Rotate themes monthly (email, events, major gifts, tech).
- Unfollow shows that duplicate content or lack clear takeaways.
Should our nonprofit pitch itself to appear as a guest on fundraising podcasts?
If you have a tested campaign or insight, yes. Prepare a short pitch with the problem, what you tried, results, and 3 takeaways for listeners. Guest spots lift credibility and can attract donors and partners.
How can we make podcast learning accessible for our whole team? (General information)
- Use transcripts and captioned clips for key segments.
- Provide written summaries and action checklists.
- When possible, share multilingual resources relevant to your staff.
How do we avoid chasing fads or “silver bullet” tips we hear on podcasts?
Pilot new ideas with small A/B tests, set a clear success metric, cap time/expense, and stop quickly if results don’t materialize. Prioritize fundamentals like donor journeys and clear CTAs first.
What’s an easy way to run a “podcast club” for our development team?
- Pick one episode per month tied to a quarterly goal.
- Use a discussion guide with three questions and one decision.
- Document one experiment to run before the next meeting.
How do we curate a starter list of fundraising podcasts without getting lost in options?
Select 3–5 shows that collectively cover digital fundraising, major gifts/board leadership, and events/auctions. Add specialty episodes for grant writing or corporate partnerships as needed, and review the lineup every quarter.
💡 Try this in ChatGPT
- Summarize the article "Fundraising Podcasts: Secret Weapon for Nonprofits" from https://ghost.charityauctionstoday.com/p/fundraising-ideas-best-fundraising-podcasts/ in 3 bullet points for a board update.
- Turn the article "Fundraising Podcasts: Secret Weapon for Nonprofits" (https://ghost.charityauctionstoday.com/p/fundraising-ideas-best-fundraising-podcasts/) into a 60-second talking script with one example and one CTA.
- Extract 5 SEO keywords and 3 internal link ideas from "Fundraising Podcasts: Secret Weapon for Nonprofits": https://ghost.charityauctionstoday.com/p/fundraising-ideas-best-fundraising-podcasts/.
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Tip: Paste the whole prompt (with the URL) so the AI can fetch context.
