Responsive Lab Podcast

Welcome to The Responsive Lab, presented by Virtuous. In this podcast, we're exploring how nonprofits leverage technology to deepen donor engagement. Join us in the lab as we mix innovation with impact, tackling challenges and discovering new possibilities for the nonprofit sector.

Responsive Lab Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Virtuous Software, with 188 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 84. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Virtuous Software hosts Responsive Lab Podcast, a business show with 188 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #90

  EP 90: From RNS 2026 | How to Build a Brand That Drives Long-Term Fundraising Growth with Donna Lucas

  Aug 4, 202650 min

  In this episode, we bring you content from the 2026 Responsive Nonprofit Summit from Donna Lucas, Chief Marketing Officer at Joni and Friends. You'll hear about: Why being the "best kept secret" is a sign of failure, not something to celebrate How Donna convinced her CFO to shift 60 percent of the budget to brand awareness The framework of brand first, marketing second, fundraising third Why she compares branding to planting, marketing to cultivation, and fundraising to the harvest How Joni and Friends grew fundraising 95 percent over seven years by investing in brand Why treating every social comment and DM like a phone call transformed donor engagement How a full brand audit uncovered nineteen field offices acting like their own marketing agencies Why aligning internal staff around the brand matters as much as external messaging Connect with Donna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnamlucas/ Learn more about Joni and Friends: https://joniandfriends.org/ Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at virtuous.org .

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #87

  EP 87: Building Product-Centered Donor Experiences with Ben Webb

  Jun 11, 202641 min

  In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Ben Webb, Chief Marketing Officer at International Justice Mission. He's spent more than 15 years across nonprofit leadership, ministry, and creative consultancy, including a global marketing role at Compassion International where he led teams across digital, innovation, and experience design in more than 30 countries. You'll hear about: * Why most nonprofit marketing fails to inspire and what we can learn from Red Bull's space jump campaign * The shift from direct response fundraising toward product-centered donor experiences * How to create relevance and value for donors using the "good friend" framework * Building marketing teams that blend nonprofit expertise with for-profit innovation * Why your real competition isn't other nonprofits but companies like Amazon and Tesla * The five-phase global marketing framework: insight-driven, concept-led, powered by stories, scaled by technology, measured and refined * How to maintain urgency and heart when the work feels overwhelming Links from the episode: * Connect with Ben Webb on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminmwebb/ * Learn more about International Justice Mission: https://www.ijm.org/ Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at virtuous.org .

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #88

  EP 88: Building a Better Way to Fundraise with Derric Bakker

  Jun 4, 202637 min

  In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Derric Bakker, CEO of DickersonBakker. With more than three decades of experience as a practitioner, consultant, and business leader, he helps organizations move beyond legacy fundraising models toward relationship-centered approaches. You'll hear about: * Why fundraising feels harder now and how this represents a fundamental shift, not just a cyclical downturn * What "treat every donor like a major donor" actually means in practice * How younger donors are increasingly behaving like major donors in their selectivity and relationship expectations * Why 94% of nonprofit leaders agree change is needed, but 70% say it's not happening * Where AI fits into relationship-based fundraising without replacing human connection * Using data and technology to personalize donor experiences at scale * Simple changes you can make this week to start expressing genuine gratitude and listening to donors Links from the episode: * Connect with Derric on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derricbakker/ * Visit Better Way Champions: https://betterwaychampions.org/ * Get "A Better Way to Fundraise - Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor": https://a.co/d/0cF5FgIr * Connect with DickersonBakker: https://dickersonbakker.com/ Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at virtuous.org .

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #86

  EP 86: How To Adopt AI Without Destroying Your Culture with Tim Lockie

  May 28, 202645 min

  In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Tim Lockie, founder of The Human Stack. Tim has spent his career at the intersection of data and people, helping nonprofits use information systems to increase impact and decision-making. You'll hear about: * Why the AI conversation happens in a vacuum separate from actual fundraising work * How to think about tech, data, and staff as an integrated system rather than three separate silos * The identity and belonging questions that AI raises for nonprofit staff * How to identify if your tech is ahead of your culture or your culture is ahead of your tech * Finding your AI "first chair" and creating psychological safety for tech adoption * The reality of job displacement and why learning these tools matters regardless * Practical steps for building a culture that supports technology success Links from the episode: * Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tlockie/ * Learn more about The Human Stack: https://thehumanstack.com/ * First follower video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at virtuous.org .

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #85

  EP 85: Using Data Quality to Unlock AI's Potential in Fundraising with Erin Stender

  May 14, 202638 minS1

  In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly and Scott sit down with Erin Stender, CMO at Omatic. With nearly a decade at mission-driven tech companies like Classy and Neon One, Erin brings a unique perspective from both the technology side and the nonprofit board member lens. You'll hear about: * Why nonprofits feel both excitement and trepidation about AI, and how both responses are completely valid * How incomplete or inaccurate data creates costly missed opportunities, from major donors not receiving year-end appeals to lapsed donors getting acquisition-level messaging * Why your CRM serves as the beating heart of your tech ecosystem and how integrations make it more powerful * How to start cleaning up your data without feeling overwhelmed by beginning with one specific decision you're trying to make * Using AI to identify blind spots by asking what you don't know rather than just automating what you do know * Why the mindset shift around AI is often underestimated and how teams can adopt it together Links from the episode: * Connect with Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erin-hall-stender-2644264/ * Learn more about Omatic: https://omaticsoftware.com/ Looking for technology that helps you build deeper donor relationships with less work from your team? Learn more at virtuous.org .

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Responsive Lab Podcast. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.