This episode of Agents of Nonprofit features guest James Thorne, founder of Quirk Growth, a marketing and fundraising agency specializing in nontraditional approaches for nonprofits. James shares his unique journey from the food industry to launching a remote digital agency that empowers nonprofits to maximize their fundraising potential through innovative digital strategies.

Topics We Cover:

• James Thorne’s transition from the food industry to nonprofit fundraising
• The foundation and mission of Quirk
• The importance of blending traditional and nontraditional fundraising methods
• How e-commerce can support nonprofit fundraising through print-on-demand and dropshipping
• An introduction to the sweepstakes model as a powerful fundraising tool
• Legal distinctions between raffles and sweepstakes and their implications for nonprofits
• The challenges and benefits of running charity sweepstakes, with insights from "Vehicle for Good.
• Future opportunities for expanding nontraditional fundraising efforts to support a broader range of nonprofits

To Learn More and Connect with James:
Vehicle For Good Website
Quirk Growth Website
@VehicleForGood
@QuirkGrowth

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In this episode of Agents of Nonprofit, we reconnect with Geng Wang, CEO of Civic Champs, to explore the remarkable evolution and growth of the organization over the past year and a half. Civic Champs, dedicated to optimizing volunteer management for nonprofits, has undergone significant changes in team composition and outreach strategy, shifting from outbound to inbound marketing. Geng shares insights on the impact of these changes, the importance of SEO, the value of in-person conferences, and their approach to leveraging both short-term experts and long-term roles.

Topics We Cover:

• The transformation of Civic Champs since the last interview
• Shifting from outbound to inbound marketing strategies
• The importance of SEO and content creation for nonprofit visibility
• Leveraging in-person conferences and external advisors for growth
• Balancing delegation and personal involvement in sales and fundraising
• Challenges and lessons learned from outbound sales and contractor engineers
• The role of technology in refining and automating processes
• Strategies for attracting and retaining purpose-driven talent

To Learn More and Connect with Geng:
Civic Champs Website
E-mail Geng@CivicChamps.com
Geng Wang on LinkedIn

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In this episode of Agents of Nonprofit, I sit down with Julie Edwards, the Nonprofit Maven, to discuss the crucial role of thanking donors in the nonprofit sector. Julie shares her journey from marketing and communications to becoming the Director of Development and Marketing for a local humane society. She highlights how she built successful development and marketing programs from the ground up, significantly boosting donations.

Topics We Cover:

• Julie Edwards’ transition from marketing to nonprofit work
• Building development and marketing programs from scratch
• Ethical persuasion in fundraising and donor relations
• Overcoming the fear of asking for donations in nonprofits
• The importance of donor retention over acquisition
• Creative and cost-effective ways to thank donors
• Real-life stories of impactful donor appreciation gestures
• Current trends in donor behaviour post-Covid and adapting to them

To Learn More and Connect with Julie:
The Nonprofit Maven Website
Julie Seymour Edwards on LinkedIn
E-mail Julie@theNonprofitMaven.co

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