Tired of chasing donors, begging for money, or following fundraising formulas that never deliver?
Fundraising Is Dead is your antidote.
Hosted by Ryan Dobson, author, speaker, and donor development expert who has helped raise hundreds of millions for nonprofits worldwide.This podcast exposes the broken systems that are failing you and replaces them with practical, relationship-driven strategies that actually work. The same ones used to build Focus on the Family a $163M budget.
If you're ready for fundraising that feels good, builds trust, and creates sustainable growth, you're in the right place.
Flying Blind — Why Data Is the Most Underrated Tool in Donor Development
Host Ryan Dobson explains how tracking specific donor data, not just total donations, prevents loss and builds stronger relationships.
30 Jul 2026
Investing in Donors — From Post Cards to Fishing Trips
Ryan Dobson interviews listeners on how investing in donors, from simple gestures to shared experiences, builds lasting relationships and drives philanthropic success.
2 Jul 2026
The Doughnut Drop-Off — The $20 Fundraising Tool Nobody Is Using
Ryan Dobson shares how consistent, no-strings generosity with a simple $20 tool builds profound trust and opens doors in this interview.
25 Jun 2026
"This Is Not a Fundraiser" — How My Dad Raised $9.7M Without an Ask
Host Ryan Dobson interviews industry experts on how to leverage board members for deeper donor relationships and significant fundraising growth without direct asks.
4 Jun 2026
The $2,000 Donor Nobody Called
Ryan Dobson reveals three critical donor engagement gaps that cause nonprofits to lose valuable supporters, offering actionable insights for building genuine relationships.
28 May 2026
Stop Guessing. Start Knowing. The Donor Intelligence Framework
Host Ryan Dobson explains his Donor Intelligence Framework, a system for building genuine donor relationships that naturally leads to increased generosity.
21 May 2026
What Wealthy Donors Are Actually Looking For (And Why Your Ask Drives Them Away)
Ryan Dobson reveals what wealthy donors truly seek beyond traditional pitches, offering insights into building genuine connections that inspire generosity.
14 May 2026
Why Fundraising is Dead - And What Killed It
Ryan Dobson explains why traditional fundraising fails and reveals a more effective philanthropic approach, drawing from his father Dr. James Dobson's impactful strategies.
8 May 2026
Fundraising is Dead: Trailer
Ryan Dobson shares his father's revolutionary approach to nonprofit funding, revealing a better way for leaders to connect with donors without asking for money.
18 Nov 2025
The Donor Retention Masterclass: How Gratitude Raised $163M a Year
Host Ryan Dobson shares his father's proven gratitude system for donor retention, revealing how to transform first-time donors into lifelong partners and raise significant funds.
11 Jun 2025
There are Only Two Types of Donors
Ryan Dobson explores the critical distinction between seed donors and sacrificial donors, revealing how understanding these donor types can transform fundraising strategies and foster lasting support for nonprofits in this interview.
28 May 2025
The Most UN-Sexy Topic of All!
Ryan Dobson reveals how nonprofits can escape survival mode by leveraging CRM data to cultivate donor relationships, build trust, and secure long-term support; this is an informative episode.
21 May 2025
Should You Hire a Celebrity Speaker?
Ryan Dobson discusses the pros and cons of hiring celebrity speakers for fundraising events, sharing anecdotes and offering key questions to consider before booking, in this interview.
15 May 2025
How to Talk to Donors Without Asking for Money
Ryan Dobson explains how nonprofit leaders can cultivate lasting donor relationships by focusing on building trust and gathering information rather than immediately soliciting funds, which improves donor retention; this is an informational episode.
15 May 2025
Fundraising is Dead: Stop Pretending Its Not!
Hosts Ryan Dobson and Troy Van Go discuss the failures of traditional fundraising methods, highlighting donor attrition and burnout, and advocate for building relationships based on gratitude.
28 Apr 2025
There Are NO Magic Words
Ryan Dobson debunks the myth of magic words in fundraising, emphasizing that genuine relationships, trust, and lasting connections drive sustainable generosity, not clever pitches.
28 Apr 2025
Stop Thanking Your Donors—It’s Costing You Money
Ryan Dobson discusses how ineffective donor thank-you strategies negatively impact donor retention and explores methods to cultivate genuine gratitude that transforms donors into long-term supporters, in this interview episode.
28 Apr 2025
The Myth of the "Big Ask"
Ryan Dobson debunks the myth of the "Big Ask" in nonprofit fundraising, explaining why focusing on deeper relationships cultivates sustainable funding and avoids donor fatigue; this is a solo episode.
Podcast Authority Score: 34 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
69
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Contact Fundraising is Dead
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Fundraising is Dead
Who hosts Fundraising is Dead?
Ryan Dobson host the show. Published by Ryan Dobson.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Fundraising is Dead take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of Fundraising is Dead?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
