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Charity TherapyAuthor: Jess Birken, MNM, JD
What if you could hang out with experienced nonprofit professionals and ask them your burning questions about the day-to-day life of nonprofits? What if you could take their wisdom and bring it back to your organization, for free? That's what we do on Charity Therapy. Hosted by Jess Birken - owner and lawyer at Birken Law Office. Every episode is an in-depth look at how to run a nonprofit, from fundraising to IRS woes to people problems and more! Our goal is to empower nonprofits to achieve your mission by doing things right. Language: en Genres: Business, Management, Non-Profit Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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157: Old Woman Shakes Fist at Sky | How Classy May Be Hurting Your Donor Relationships
Episode 157
Thursday, 5 February, 2026
Nonprofit newsflash - your donation platform might be quietly annoying your biggest donors 😬 In this episode, Meghan and I dig into some nonprofit LinkedIn drama sparked by a post from the one and only Eve Borenstein. Here's the situation: You gave a big donation, and you received an auto-generated donation receipt from the org's donation platform. The problem?  The gift acknowledgement letter and receipt are WRONG.  We break down why donor acknowledgement letters matter so much, what the IRS actually requires in those receipts for gifts over $250, and how automated systems can unintentionally damage donor trust. We also talk about the growing trend of for profit software companies promising to "handle everything" for nonprofits while missing critical compliance details. If you rely on online donation platforms, this conversation will likely make you rethink what you are outsourcing and what still needs human attention. What You'll Learn: What SHOULD be in your donor acknowledgement letters How bad receipts can create donor frustration Where donation platforms and tech solutions for nonprofits can fall short How automation can quietly hurt your donor retention Bottom line: Donor relationships are built on trust and gratitude. When your systems create friction instead of appreciation, even unintentionally, it can cost you future support and credibility. Resources from this Episode Listen to our past episode with Eve Borenstein here: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct104/ Read Eve Borenstein's LinkedIn post about Classy here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/taxexemptlaw_so-annual-gripe-continues-last-week-activity-7412874086961541120-7bsN?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAEjProBQJRvgNexcp-oDkRTlIoUrU5fW7Q Listen to our last episode with Ephraim about GoFundMe here: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/ct150/ Generate a good Gift Acknowledgement Letter here: https://birkenlaw.com/mg-document-app/gift-acknowledgment-letter/ Previous Episode: Can Nonprofits Give Tax-Free Money to People?: https://birkenlaw.com/charity-therapy-podcast/156-nonprofit-give-money/ Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/CT157_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ Meghan Heitkamp: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-heitkamp-829254115/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story  Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
