Ep 19. You can be doing incredible work, but if people don’t understand the heart behind it, how will they know they want to be part of it? In this episode of Passion Inspires, Jeff sits down with longtime friend and nonprofit leader, Joe Dulin. Together they look back on nearly 15 years of working together, and the lessons they’ve learned about fundraising, storytelling, and connecting people to a mission along the way. Their partnership began at Paws With A Cause, where listening to donors and clients uncovered that they weren’t simply a “dog organization.” Paws With A Cause is about people’s lives; their independence, and the doors an assistance dog can open for them. That insight helped shape the You Open Doors campaign and gave donors a clearer picture of the role they played in making that possible. Years later, Joe brought Scott Allen Creative alongside him again, at A New Leaf in Arizona, this time with a completely different request. The challenge was how to bring more than 40 programs together and tell one clear, meaningful story. Throughout the conversation, Joe shares what decades in philanthropy have taught him about what really connects people to a cause. For anyone working in the nonprofit world, this episode is a thoughtful conversation about listening well, understanding your donors, and telling your story in a way that helps people see where they fit into it. How do donors fit into your story?

#PassionInspires #NonprofitStorytelling #Fundraising #DonorRelations #NonprofitLeadership #DonorEngagement #NonprofitMarketing

Ep 18. What if the way we tell someone’s story could change the way others see them?

In this episode of Passion Inspires, Jeff sits down with Abbey Sladick for a heartfelt conversation about storytelling, empathy, faith, and the responsibility we have to truly see the people behind the stories we tell.

Abbey’s career began in broadcast journalism, where she learned that the most powerful stories aren’t simply about what happened; they’re about the people living through it. That passion eventually led her into nonprofit communications, fundraising, and community relations, where storytelling became a way to challenge assumptions and inspire meaningful change.

One of the most impactful chapters of Abbey’s journey came during her time at Mel Trotter Ministries. Getting to know people experiencing homelessness changed her own perspective and reinforced a powerful idea: instead of asking, “What’s wrong with you?” we should be asking, “What happened to you?”

Abbey and Jeff also look back on the partnership between Mel Trotter Ministries and Scott Allen Creative during the Immeasurably More capital campaign, which raised the goal from $12 million to $19 million. They revisit the research, strategy, photography, video, and creative process behind the campaign, and how taking the time to deeply understand the mission helped tell stories of homelessness with dignity and humanity.

For nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and communicators, this episode is a reminder that the strongest campaigns don’t start with creative; they start with understanding. You’ll hear why research matters, how empathy can transform the way you communicate your mission, and why investing in thoughtful storytelling can strengthen far more than a single campaign. If you want to walk away feeling inspired by stories that help people care, connect, and see others differently, this conversation is worth a listen.

https://scottallencreative.com/ #PassionInspires #NonprofitStorytelling #Storytelling #NonprofitMarketing #NonprofitLeadership #Fundraising #FundraisingStrategy #Empathy #SocialImpact #MissionDriven #PurposeDriven #StorytellingForChange #CommunityImpact #NonprofitCommunications #Philanthropy

Ep 17. Most nonprofits spend countless hours pursuing annual donations, yet overlook one of the greatest opportunities for lasting impact. In this insightful episode of Passion Inspires, Jeff sits down with Mike Buwalda, founder of Money for Ministry (now Canopy Giving), to explore how legacy giving can transform the future of nonprofit organizations—not through complicated legal strategies, but through meaningful relationships built on trust, faith, and family. Mike shares the remarkable story of how an unexpected assignment at a small Christian school eventually led him to develop a nationally recognized approach to planned giving that has helped nonprofits build more than $1 billion in documented legacy gift commitments. Along the way, he reveals why the most valuable donors are often not the wealthiest, but the most faithful. Together, Jeff and Mike challenge many of the assumptions nonprofits hold about fundraising. They discuss why organizations should stop chasing wealth indicators and instead focus on loyalty, why planned giving conversations should center on values instead of death and legal terminology, and how simply listening to donors can uncover opportunities no marketing strategy ever could. The conversation also dives into practical strategies any nonprofit can begin implementing today—from creating donor-centered messaging and building organization-wide ownership of legacy giving to cultivating deeper relationships that strengthen both current generosity and future impact.

#LegacyGiving #PlannedGiving #Fundraising #NonprofitLeadership #FundraisingStrategy #DonorRelations #Philanthropy #Stewardship #ChristianLeadership #MissionDriven #Generosity #NonprofitMarketing #MajorGifts #PassionInspires #Podcast