People in Fundraising: A Nonprofit Podcast by Tim Wilson

People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 7: Jennifer Filla, Founder Prospect Research Institute

Originally recorded in spring 2023: Nonprofit Prospect Research is full of generous people sharing their talents and enthusiasm for our work in fundraising. To welcome one of the most enthusiastic, generous, and insightful leaders, Jennifer Filla, to my webcast is an honor!2023 marks the 10th anniversary of Jennifer establishing the Prospect Research Institute! Jennifer had earlier also launched Aspire Research Group, which has overseen the Institute for the last two years.

People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 6: Lucas Horns, Project Rainbow Utah

Originally recorded in spring 2023: In celebration of Pride Month, Utah native Lucas Horns joins People in Fundraising to discuss his founding role at Project Rainbow Utah. This nonprofit, now in its fifth year, has numerous programs and initiatives to raise awareness and provide resources for the LGBTQIA+ community in this conservative state (take it from me, a New Englander).
Lucas shares his personal background for launching this nonprofit, which among other activities uses a team of volunteers across the state to plant Pride flags in donors' lawns. I have been a flag-staking volunteer a few times since moving to Utah in 2018, and it's a really worthwhile effort. Lucas has been involved in queer advocacy for over a decade, and his commitment to supporting Utah's LGBTQIA+ community is remarkable.

People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 5: Beth Inman, Shriners’ Childrens, North Carolina

Originally recorded in spring 2023: Longtime Apra International and Apra Carolinas volunteer leader Beth Trammell Inman joins "People in Fundraising"  to discuss her prospect development career.
She and past "People in Fundraising" guest Jennifer Vincent recently co-presented at the annual NEDRA Conference. Beth received Apra International's Distinguished Service Award in 2019.Beth discusses her art history background and earlier work in museums, including the impact that mentor Terry Mularkey had on Beth's onramp to fundraising. She shares how her art background and creativity complemented the working-with-numbers aspect of development. Beth has worked at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and George Washington U. among other nonprofits, and in 2022 joined Shriners Children's, a system of 20 hospitals separate from Shriners International that celebrated its centennial in 2022.Beth concludes our conversation by discussing the rituals that start her day and Michelle Obama's focus on working one's hands to rest one's mind.

People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 4: Jenn Grasso, Bates College, Maine

Originally recorded and aired in spring 2023: Jenn Grasso is the first guest to represent Vacationland (Maine)! She talks about how being a first-generation college student motivated her to want to give back. Jenn has since worked in national cause-based nonprofits and universities, in hybrid, fully remote, and in-person settings.Jenn shares about trying to balance her work and volunteer affiliations – including in her local community - and how freeing it can be to know how much one can take on at any one time. We talk briefly about some lessons Jenn has gleaned from "Ted Lasso," too! She concludes by sharing a quote from her daughter that motivates her: “You be you and do what you do!”

People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 3: Bruce Berg, Northeastern University

Originally recorded and aired in spring 2023: Bruce Berg, a longtime prospect development leader, is my guest in "People in Fundraising." A few days after our conversation, Bruce was honored on Thursday, May 4th, at the New England Development Research Association's (NEDRA) annual conference with its Ann Castle Award.
This award "acknowledges outstanding effort or achievement in the field of development research and related fields," per NEDRA's website.Our conversation touches on the prevalence of mountains of easy-to-access info vs. actionable, strategic intelligence; his career origin, starting with orchestras and symphonies before moving into prospect research; and the invaluable mentoring of fellow prospect development leader Valerie Anastasio, the 2008 Ann Castle Award winner.

People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 2: Rachel Reschke, Cystic Fibrosis Warrior

Originally recorded and aired in spring 2023: In the second season of "People in Fundraising," I will continue to feature guests who work in development and also bring in people whose lives have been impacted by nonprofit funding. Today features one such guest, my friend Rachel Reschke, a cystic fibrosis warrior.
May is National Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, to inform people about this chronic and potentially terminal lung disease. Rachel shares how this condition impacts her daily life, such as maintaining at least 6 feet distance from other people living with CF.
She also discusses how philanthropy has helped fund scientific breakthroughs that have lengthened the life expectancy and improved the quality of life for many people with CF, including Rachel and my brother-in-law.

People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 1: Liza Brantely, uAspire

Originally recorded and aired in early 2023: Liza Brantley kicks off People in Fundraising's second season! She discusses frontline fundraising at her nonprofit, uAspire, and shares info from Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith on "The Seven Types of Rest" that Liza has found helpful.uAspire works to break down financial barriers and ensure that every young person has affordable access to higher education. Liza shares terrific insights into uAspire's work. 

People in Fundraising, Season 1, Ep. 40: Amanda Pulawski, The Taft School

Originally recorded and aired in early 2023: Closing out my first year of "People in Fundraising," Amanda Pulawski joins from her work office to discuss her career in independent school nonprofit work.
She works back on this beautiful campus in Connecticut and describes how her current role as Director of Constituent Engagement was created in response to the Covid pandemic. Amanda also shares her career journey, becoming "an accidental fundraiser" like so many other people in development. Volunteering with Susan G. Komen for on-the-ground fundraisers was a critical first step in Amanda's career.

People in Fundraising, Season 1, Ep. 39: Tyler Clark, It Takes a Village/Village Book Builders

Originally recorded and aired in early 2023: Tyler Clark joins my program to discuss his non-profit, Village Book Builders. Tyler and I were connected by a prior guest, Marci Romney. 
Village Book Builders is providing books, education, and - ultimately - hope to children in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, Nepal, Mexico, and India. It offers a monthly "author village," where children's book authors speak via video to classrooms of students in one of the locations where Village Book Builders operates. Tyler describes all of these initiatives and more in a richly detailed and moving conversation. 
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People in Fundraising, Season 1, Ep. 38: Amber Countis, University of Houston-Victoria

Originally recorded and aired in early 2023: Amber Countis joins the People in Fundraising program from the Lone Star State, where she recently became the Vice President of Advancement and External Relations at the University of Houston-Victoria. This institution proudly serves many first-generation students.
She shares her career history, from prospect research and management to a broader and more forward-facing portfolio of responsibilities, including engaging alumni and other donors in her community. Amber talks about her tenure on the NEDRA board, as well as how having a diverse background of roles in various states has enriched her career.
She discusses how in her new role, Amber has to be up-to-date on student and campus issues in order to communicate with a wide variety of donors and civic leaders, as well as bring in faculty and the board of regents to help represent their institution.