One Hundred Percent - An Interview with Bryan Wilburn on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Bryan Wilburn, the Director of Development at the St. Paul Catholic Newman Center at North Dakota State University in Fargo, North Dakota. They discuss how Bryan got his start in development and what they are doing to advance Catholic evangelism on the plains of North Dakota. As well as how being a great development officer can make you a better spouse. We hope that you enjoy the conversation and be sure to stick around for Andrew's three takeaways.
Show Notes:
Background
Bryan is from Montana and went to college in North Dakota. His time there depended his faith. After college, he devoted four years to FOCUS. As for development, he started in development during a college internship. And fundraising for himself for his time in FOCUS.
He has been back in North Dakota for six years. Fr. Cheney brought him on as a Sustained Giving Officer, helping to build monthly giving partners for the Newman Center. After one year, he became involved...
Virtuous and Responsive Fundraising - An Interview with Gabe Cooper on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Gabe Cooper. Gabe is the Founder of Virtuous, a responsive fundraising platform designed to help nonprofit teams build better donor relationships and increase impact with confidence. Andrew and Gabe discuss the power of data and automation and how the ultimate goal is to be able to treat every donor as if they were a major gift donor. They also discuss how Virtuous came to be and their thoughts on the Church as a leader of innovation.
Show Notes:
Welcome to Episode 79 of the Petrus Development Show. As a liberal arts major and a little more of a right brain thinker, I certainly appreciate stories, connections, imagination and things like that more than the analytical aspects of life. I have always said that I am so thankful for the engineers and mathematicians of the world because if I was in charge of building bridges or calculating long formulas or designing computer software, we would all be in big trouble. I kind of feel the...
March Madness and Fundraising
By Mary P. Walker, Petrus Blog Contributor & Local Charity Board Member
March Madness and Fundraising
March Madness is upon us! I love basketball and I love this time of year. Winning teams have different strategies, and I can’t help comparing them to fundraising practices.
Big Star Strategy in Basketball
Over the past two years, a team I followed recruited a REALLY GREAT player. The coaches designed their game strategy around this player. Other players tried to get him the ball and let him score. The team enjoyed a level of success for a while. Then the players who wanted a more active role transferred to other teams. Also, at times, the star player had an off game, or got injured. The rest of the team had trouble stepping up to win.
Big Star Strategy in Fundraising
What can this teach us about fundraising? Big Stars in fundraising have the means and interest in making gifts that can jumpstart or transform your ministry. Focusing on them is a great...
OSV Innovation Challenge - An Interview with Dr. Matt Smith on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Dr. Matt Smith, Director of Strategic Alliances at OSV Institute for Catholic Innovation. Andrew and Matt discuss the OSV Innovation Challenge that was launched in 2020 which is now accepting applications for its 2021 Challenge. Through this Challenge, OSV is “building up Catholic innovators by offering contestants opportunities for personal development, professional guidance, and idea incubation — and a shot at one of three $100,000 project prizes.”
If you want to learn more or apply for your shot at a $100,000 prize, go to www.OSVchallenge.com for more information.
Show Notes:
Our Sunday Visitor was founded in 1915.
Rebranded in 2021 to the OSV Institute for Catholic Innovation. Which felt like it supported their vision in a clearer way. The 2021 Challenge opened to applications on February 1, 2021.
Innovation Challenge
2020 was the first year of the Challenge and it was highly...
A Master Class in Major Gift Fundraising - An Interview with Patrick Williams on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Patrick Williams, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Texas A&M Foundation. In the world of development and philanthropy, there are a handful of people who you know were just built to be amazing fundraisers. My guest today is without question, one of those people. From building long-lasting and meaningful relationships, to understanding the art & science of fundraising, to knowing what it takes to recruit, train and retain a passionate and effective workforce and to having the courage to ask for and secure multi-million dollar gifts, Patrick is amazing. This podcast episode is quite literally a master class in major gift fundraising and I know that you won’t walk away from this without a list of strategies for success.
Show Notes:
Patrick is originally from small town Palestine, TX. He comes from a family of 14 kids and was a first generation college student to Texas A&M University.
In...
Saving Tolkien's House: Project Northmoor - An Interview with Julia Golding on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Julia Golding, successful author with works such as the Cat Royal series and the Companions Quartet. They discuss the project that Julia has launched to purchase Tolkien’s home at 20 Northmoor Road in Oxford and turn it into the first literary center devoted to Tolkien and his works. Project Northmoor, as it is called, kicked off in November 2020, with a goal to raise 4.6 million pounds, or $6 million US dollars to buy the house and convert it into a literary center. Andrew and Julia discuss the project and what she has learned about fundraising through her efforts. It's a fascinating conversation with lessons and parallels to fundraising of all kinds. If you want to learn more about the project or make a donation, you can find more information at www.projectnorthmoor.org. So as they say in the books, let the quest begin.
Show Notes:
There are few literary phrases that are more well known than Middle Earth, Gandolph the Grey,...
The Rule of Radical Generosity
“Listen carefully, my son, to the master’s instructions, and attend to them with the ear of your heart. This is the advice from a father who loves you; welcome it, and faithfully put it into practice.”
From the very first line in the prologue of his Rule, Saint Benedict is showing his desire to call followers of Christ to a fullness of love and faith not through his own instruction or for his own personal glorification, but simply because he knows God loves them. Benedict understands that obedience to Christ is what gives us purpose and freedom. Benedict loved his fellow man and saw firsthand what is necessary for true joy. Abandonment of our own temptations and desires opens us up to give everything to God and experience a completeness that can only come from Him.
“The good of all concerned, however, may prompt us to a little strictness in order to amend faults and to safeguard love. Do not be daunted immediately by fear and run away from...
The Rule of Radical Generosity - An Interview with Fr. Meinrad Miller on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with Father Meinrad Miller of St. Benedict's Abbey and Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Andrew and Fr. Meinrad discuss St. Benedict of Nursia's life and about the Rule of St. Benedict. They discuss how generosity can lead to temperance, one of the Cardinal virtues and the main one that Andrew has come to associate with Benedict’s life and legacy. Hopefully you can take something away from this interview and from the Rule of Radical Generosity that Andrew shares at the end.
We wish you a wonderful New Year and pray that we can all be healthier, wealthier, wiser and more generous in 2021. God bless and enjoy this episode with Fr. Meinrad Miller on St. Benedict of Nursia.
Show Notes:
As we close out 2020, we decided to share an interview that i did with Fr. Meinrad Miller of St. Benedicts Abbey and Benedictine College in Achison Kansas. Not surprisingly, Fr. Meinrad is an expert on St. Benedict of Nursia and...
Saint Benedict of Nursia
St. Benedict of Nursia
July 11, 480 - March 21, 547
When it comes to the virtue of temperance, there are few people throughout history that more clearly embody this than Saint Benedict of Nursia. The author of the Rule of St. Benedict and the “Father of Western Monasticism”, Saint Benedict was a monk who lived 1,500 years ago and yet still influences millions of people every day through his words and instruction on wisdom, moderation and humility.
So who was Saint Benedict of Nursia?
Born in A.D. 480 to a wealthy Roman nobleman, Benedict spent his early years living in comfort with his parents and his twin sister, Scholastica. In his early teens, Benedict was sent to Rome to formally begin his studies. Disgusted by the immoral standards of Romans, Benedict left his studies in 500 and sought a life of solitude. He lived for three years in a cave on the side of a mountain outside of Subiaco, Italy.
During this time, he spent his days...
Making the Transition - An Interview with JoAnn Shull on the Petrus Development Show
In this episode, Andrew visits with JoAnn Shull, Director of Development at St. Thomas More Newman Center at the University of Missouri. In this episode, Andrew and JoAnn discuss making the transition from campus minister to director of development, fundraising and the importance of communication and design work. They also discuss the challenges you can face when you combine family life with working in development, as well as, how to create a tribe that supports you.
Show Notes:
Background
JoAnn Shull worked as the Campus Minister at St. Thomas More Newman Center at University of Missouri for 8 years before transitioning to the role of Director of Development, which she has held for the last 5 years.
Bringing FOCUS to the campus is what jump started the need for a devoted development position. FOCUS was fantastic, but what comes with the program is more students. More students meant more retreats, more transportation needs, more food...
