Fundraising Unfiltered

In this episode of Fundraising Unfiltered, I’m talking with my friend Stella Morrison, an SEO and content strategy expert, about something that is often pushed to the bottom of a nonprofit’s priority list: online visibility.Your organization can have an incredible mission and life-changing programs, but if people cannot find you online, they cannot donate, volunteer, refer others, or connect with your work. Stella breaks down SEO, websites, content, Google, AI search, and digital reputation in a way that makes these topics much less intimidating.We talk about why your website should be the central hub of your digital presence, how search engines and AI tools find information about your organization, and several simple things you can do right now to become more visible.Most importantly, this conversation is a reminder that visibility isn't about vanity. It is about making it easier for the people who need your mission to find you.💡 Key Takeaways Include:Your website should be the central hub of your nonprofit's online presence because it is a platform you control.SEO is about communicating clearly with both people and search engines so they understand who you are, what you do, and why your organization matters.Your online presence also influences how donors, volunteers, and supporters perceive your credibility and trustworthiness.AI tools such as ChatGPT are pulling information from websites and other online sources, which makes having accurate, authoritative information about your organization increasingly important.Small nonprofits do not need to tackle everything at once. Start with a plan and make consistent progress.Build links with your community partners and ask them to link back to your website. This is a simple way to strengthen your online presence.Set up tools such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Microsoft Clarity so you can understand how people are finding and interacting with your organization.Claim and clean up your free online profiles, including your Google Business Profile.Check your donation button! A broken donation link can create friction and potentially cost you a donor.Keep your website accurate and updated when important things change, such as board members, services, hours, or partnerships.SEO takes time, so start now, focus on progress instead of perfection, and keep moving forward.Subscribe to my email newsletter.Share this episode with a nonprofit leader who needs to hear this!🔗 LINKS & RESOURCESLearn more about Stella's work in SEO, content strategy, web design, and digital visibility.The Stellastra Effect🎓 Stellar DIY SEOWant to understand SEO and learn how to manage the basics yourself? Check out Stella's Stellar DIY SEO program.Register for Stellar DIY SEOSpecial offer mentioned in the episode: Use code LOCKE for the discount offered to Danielle's audience.📊 Helpful SEO & Website ToolsGoogle Search ConsoleGoogle AnalyticsMicrosoft ClarityGoogle Business Profile👤 CONTACT OUR GUESTStella MorrisonSEO & Content Strategy ExpertFounder, The Stellastra Effect📧 [email protected]📞 (732) 646-8877🔗 Stella Morrison on LinkedIn🌐 The Stellastra Effect💼 WORK WITH ME📅 Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call: (https://scheduler.zoom.us/daniellemlocke-philanthropic-partner)Complete a Client Interest Form: (https://www.lockestep.com/work-with-me)Courses & Downloads: (https://www.lockestep.com/courses-and-downloads)📱 LET'S GET SOCIAL🌐 Website: (www.LockeStep.com)📩 Email me to get it: ([email protected])🔗 LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/company/lockestep-partners/)▶️ YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/@lockesteppartners)

In this episode, I’m diving into a topic that nonprofit leaders don’t talk about enough: burnout, energy depletion, and what it actually costs us to keep pouring from an empty cup.I sat down with Lori Spivey, founder of Energgirl LLC, to talk about what’s really happening in our bodies when we’re exhausted, overwhelmed, and constantly giving to everyone else. Lori shares her powerful personal story of healing after a traumatic brain injury and how that led her into energy work and holistic wellness.If you’ve ever felt like you’re running on fumes but still expected to show up at 100%, this conversation is for you.💡 Key Takeaways include:Burnout often shows up physically first. This can include disrupted sleep, headaches, mood swings, and even illness.You cannot operate at full capacity if your “energy tank” is already half empty.Self-care is not a luxury. It directly impacts your ability to lead effectively.Saying “yes” to everything creates resentment that your body eventually holds onto.Healing and energy management is a practice, not a one-time fix.Even small steps, like a 5-minute breathing exercise, can start to reset your nervous system.Subscribe to my email newsletter.Share this with a nonprofit leader who needs this reminder.🔗GUEST’S LINKS & RESOURCES✨ Energy Assessment QuizNot sure where your energy levels are right now? Start here: https://quiz.theliven.com/en/9854_qbydc/quizCONTACT OUR GUEST🔗 LinkedIn – Lori Spivey🌐 Website 📘 Facebook 📸 Instagram▶️ YouTube【ꚠ】Tiktok📩 Email: [email protected] WITH ME (DANIELLE LOCKE)📅 Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery CallComplete a Client Interest FormCourses & Downloads🌐 www.LockeStep.com📩 Email me to get it: [email protected]📱 LET’S GET SOCIAL🔗 LinkedIn📸 Instagram📘 Facebook▶️ YouTube

In this episode, I sit down with Ronald Pruitt, Founder of 4aGoodCause, to unpack why monthly (recurring) giving is one of the most powerful tools for small nonprofits. We dive into how monthly donors tend to stay longer, give more over time, and create a stable, predictable revenue stream.I also share how to remove the fear around asking for recurring support, the tools that make it simple to set up, and how to invite your donors into something bigger, a community of committed, long-term supporters.💡 Key Takeaways include:- Average monthly gift between $24 and $36, that’s between $288 and $432 a year!- 6% of monthly donors make at least one extra gift during the year, when asked- 12% of monthly donors upgrade their monthly gift once a year, when asked- Monthly donors are 6 (six) times more likely to leave you in their will.- Monthly giving does not replace events or year-end giving,  it complements them.- Simplicity and automation are key to making recurring giving sustainable. A good platform matters. Not all platforms let you leave with your monthly info! - Monthly giving is an invitation to join a community of like-minded supporters.Subscribe to my email newsletter. Share this with your nonprofit bestie who needs the pep talk!Here’s the link to avail 4aGC’s free month when you sign up.🔗 LINKS & RESOURCES FROM OUR GUEST4aGC 3 "pillar articles" on monthly giving:Monthly Giving Programs: The Guide to Convincing Yourself, Team, and Board That You Need OneHow to Start a Monthly Giving Program: The Clarity You Need to Finally Do ItHow to Get Monthly Donors and Grow Your Recurring Giving Program4aGC Donation Page Audit ChecklistUse this resource to see how well your donation form is optimized.Why Our Charity Needs a Monthly Giving Program slide deck (from 4aGC)Link to the slide deck.CONTACT OUR GUEST🔗 LinkedIn – Ronald Pruitt🌐 Website – 4 a Good CauseWORK WITH ME📅 Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery CallComplete a Client Interest FormCourses & Downloads🌐 www.LockeStep.com📩 Email me to get it: [email protected]📱 LET’S GET SOCIAL🔗 LinkedIn📸 Instagram📘 Facebook▶️ YouTube

How to Finish the Year Strong (Without Losing Your Mind)Summary:Overwhelmed by all the “shoulds” of year-end fundraising? Take a breath — Danielle Locke’s here to help. In this episode, she walks you through how to use what you already have — your stories, your donors, your mission — to create a heartfelt, high-impact campaign. Because effective fundraising isn’t about doing it all. It’s about doing what matters most, with purpose.In this episode, you’ll learn:How to focus on what truly drives donor engagement.The art of reusing and recycling content that still resonates.Tips for building urgency without pressure or burnout.Why skipping Giving Tuesday might be the smartest move this year.How to approach Q4 planning with clarity and confidence.Subscribe to my email newsletter.⁠ Share this with your nonprofit bestie who needs the pep talk!FREE RESOURCE✅⁠ - Online Donation Systems & CRMs - an oldie but a goodie! ⁠WORK WITH ME📅 ⁠Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call⁠⁠⁠📱 LET’S GET SOCIAL🔗 ⁠LinkedIn⁠📸 ⁠Instagram⁠📘 ⁠Facebook⁠▶️ ⁠YouTube⁠🌐 ⁠www.LockeStep.com⁠📩 Email me to get it: [email protected]#FundraisingTips #NonprofitStrategy #YearEndAppeal #YearEndFundraising #DonorRetention #NonprofitGrowth #CampaignPlanning #EmailMarketingForNonprofits #GivingSeason #NonprofitLeadership #DonorStories #MarketingForGood #FundraisingPodcast #DanielleLocke #Lockestep

🎧 Episode 3 – “Tech Tools That Actually Save You Time (Even If You're Not Techie)”Think you’re too busy—or too “non-techie”—to use AI and tech tools in your nonprofit? Think again.In this episode of Fundraising Unfiltered, I'll break down the no-fluff, real-life tech tools I actually use in my day-to-day to save time, stay organized, and build stronger donor relationships. From AI note takers and file sharing to CRMs and ChatGPT, sharing the practical ways tech can help you do more without doing the most.💥 If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the tech talk, this one’s for you.🎯 You’ll learn:The #1 AI tool that saves hours on meeting notesHow to stop the version-control nightmare and collaborate betterWhy CRMs aren’t just for big orgs (and which low-cost one to start with)How AI can give you a 75% head start on your next grant or appealSubscribe to my email newsletter. Share this with your nonprofit bestie who needs the pep talk!FREE RESOURCE✅ - Online Donation Systems & CRMs - an oldie but a goodie! WORK WITH ME📅 Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call📱 LET’S GET SOCIAL🔗 LinkedIn📸 Instagram📘 Facebook▶️ YouTube🌐 www.LockeStep.com📩 Email me to get it: [email protected]

In this eye-opening episode, we’re unpacking where the real money is hiding—and spoiler: it’s not just federal grants. We’re talking about underestimated goldmines like churches, local businesses, small family foundations, giving circles, and service clubs that are still giving generously.Whether you’re new to fundraising or a seasoned pro, this episode is your reminder:If you’re not asking, you’re not getting.💡 Takeaways include:• Why individual donors still lead in giving• Small family foundations are everywhere—are you looking?• Local businesses, churches, and Rotary Clubs want to support you• Fundraising isn’t begging—it’s inviting people to invest in impact⁠Subscribe to my email newsletter.⁠ Share this with your nonprofit bestie who needs the pep talk!✅ FREE RESOURCENew Donor Brainstorming Worksheet!Use this creative tool to unearth prospects you never thought of. Even better? Assign it as Board homework!📩 Email me to get it: [email protected] WITH ME📅 Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call🎓 Check out the mini course: “All the Places You Can Ask for Money” for even more gems📱 LET’S GET SOCIAL🔗 LinkedIn📸 Instagram📘 Facebook▶️ YouTube🌐 www.LockeStep.com

Kicking off Fundraising Unfiltered with the story that started it all—where we trade in sugar-coated nonsense for real talk, hard-earned wisdom, and the occasional F-bomb (because fundraising is not for the faint of heart).I’m Danielle Locke, your Nonprofit Success Partner, and in this very first episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of the moment that flipped my life upside down... and set me on a path to build a thriving business helping nonprofits like yours stop scrambling and start scaling. Here’s the tea: I raised $30 millionBuilt 130+ endowment fundsand had the respect of my board, my team, and my community. I was killing it in my job at a community foundation.  Then one day? BOOM—fired. No warning. But here’s the thing: getting fired was the best damn thing that ever happened to me. In this episode, I spill:Whether you’ve ever been blindsided by leadership drama, underestimated by your board, or just wondered how the hell to turn your nonprofit’s big messy mission into something funders can actually get behind—this one’s for you. And because this podcast isn’t just about me and my dramatic origin story, I’m also handing over the practical advice your strategic plan forgot to include:👉 Why you need to toot your own damn horn👉 How to break down your impact so donors actually understand it👉 What fundraising is really about (hint: not sales, not manipulation, just meaningful connections with the people who care most) So, pour yourself a strong one, hit play, and let’s go!🔥BONUS: When you’re ready to dig deeper, hit up ⁠⁠www.LockeStep.com⁠⁠ for tools, training, and totally doable strategies to help your nonprofit grow without the grind.Subscribe to my email newsletter. Share this with your nonprofit bestie who needs the pep talk!WORK WITH ME📅 Book a Free 30-Minute Discovery Call📱 LET’S GET SOCIAL🔗 LinkedIn📸 Instagram📘 Facebook▶️ YouTube📩 Email me to get it: [email protected]