Nonprofit News Feed Podcast

Hosted by NonprofitNewsFeed.com

Business News Commentary PoliticsInterviews guests

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Episodes

234

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Short summaries of nonprofit sector news covering fundraising, trends, and information from 100’s of sources.

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60 recent

October 7, 202613 min

Oops!… I Fundraised Again. Without Your Permission. (news)

Who’s fundraising in your nonprofit’s name? This week on Nonprofit News Feed, we examine “shadow donation pages,” third-party fundraising pages created without a nonprofit’s permission. The discussion takes a close look at Roundup.org and raises concerns about fees and the potential loss of direct donor relationships. We also explore how search engines and AI could steer supporters toward these pages, plus what Charity Navigator’s great leadership in shifting to opt-in donation buttons could mean for nonprofit consent. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post Oops!… I Fundraised Again. Without Your Permission. (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

September 25, 202616 min

Shadow Donation Pages, Donor Protection, and a $4.17B Giving Tuesday Forecast (news)

This week on Nonprofit News Feed , the hosts examine the rise of “shadow donation” platforms—sites that create nonprofit fundraising pages without organizations’ consent. They discuss the takedown of Giving Fountain, ongoing concerns about undelivered crypto donations, and why nonprofits need more control over where AI tools and online platforms route donors. The hosts also preview Whole Whale’s open-source initiative, VerifiedGiving.ai , designed to help nonprofits direct AI agents and donors to their preferred, verified donation platforms. Looking ahead to Giving Tuesday 2026, they predict $4.17 billion in donations—a modest 4% increase over the prior year amid economic uncertainty and declining search interest. Their practical reminder: test your donation flow now, before year-end fundraising begins. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post Shadow Donation Pages, Donor Protection, and a $4.17B Giving Tuesday Forecast (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

September 3, 202620 min

The Fee You Don’t See on Donation Pages (news)

This episode examines fee transparency on GoFundMe donation pages for nonprofits. The discussion explores the difference between platform tips and transaction fees, whether donors can easily see how much of their gift reaches a charity, and what clearer disclosure could look like. Read our full exploration into GoFundMe’s fee transparency here . -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post The Fee You Don’t See on Donation Pages (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

August 31, 202613 min

AI Phishing Threats & Dolly Parton’s Giving Legacy (news)

This episode explores how AI is making phishing scams more convincing—and why nonprofits need stronger staff training, verification procedures, and financial safeguards. Learn how scammers impersonate executives, exploit grant and invoice requests, and use fake document links to bypass security systems. The conversation also spotlights Dolly Parton’s philanthropic legacy, from the Imagination Library’s millions of books for children to support for disaster relief, education, health care, and local music programs. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post AI Phishing Threats & Dolly Parton’s Giving Legacy (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

August 10, 202621 min

AI Politics Are Getting Ugly; Nonprofits Can't Sit It Out (news)

First up: PayPal Giving Fund and why its reported $60B acquisition interest from Stripe should have the nonprofit world paying closer attention. A quick teardown of who actually controls the money moving through it. Then: the politics of AI are getting contentious, and nonprofits are stuck in the crossfire. We dig into the cooling public mood, the two extremes pulling the debate apart, and the case for a transparent AI use policy that draws bright red lines, shows where AI drives impact, and admits where it does harm. Next: Re:wild and the Bezos Earth Fund put $200M behind saving 100 species from extinction, and why celebrity-and-billionaire-built operations earn a raised eyebrow. Closing out: the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s Whole Child school in New Jersey shuts its doors after CZI pulls funding, and what it says about throwing money at problems instead of partnering with the people who already do the work. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post AI Politics Are Getting Ugly; Nonprofits Can't Sit It Out (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

July 30, 202615 min

PayPal Giving Fund: A Deep Dive into Donation Dynamics (news)

This week’s Nonprofit News Feed turns the spotlight on the PayPal Giving Fund (PPGF), a pivotal player in the donation processing ecosystem. Operating like a donor-advised fund (DAF), PPGF processed a staggering $952 million in donations in 2024, marking a 50% increase from the previous year. This growth is largely attributed to PPGF becoming the sole donation processor for Meta platforms like Facebook and Instagram in the US and UK. However, concerns arise over the fund’s operations, particularly its handling of donor data and the creation of “shadow pages.” These pages can reroute donations without nonprofits’ consent, and PPGF’s lack of transparency in passing donor information to nonprofits is a significant issue. Additionally, the PayPal Giving Fund’s close ties to PayPal, a for-profit entity, raise questions about governance and financial transparency, especially regarding the interest accrued on funds held for up to 90 days. The discussion underscores the need for nonprofits to be vigilant about how their donations are processed and the importance of advocating for more transparent and efficient systems that truly benefit charitable organizations. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post PayPal Giving Fund: A Deep Dive into Donation Dynamics (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

June 26, 202617 min

Spam Texts, Scam PACs, and the Burn-and-Churn Fundraising Machine (news)

Political spam texts are flooding phones at scale—and the data shows it’s overwhelmingly a Democratic problem, running 3-4X Republican spending on SMS fundraising since 2008. This week breaks down the loopholes that make it legal (peer-to-peer “technology,” snowshoeing across thousands of numbers, political speech exemptions) and the burn-and-churn vendor model that profits 7-15% off every dollar raised, no matter how much trust it burns. Plus a look at PACSpam.org, a new tool that lets you paste in a spam text, trace the UTM parameters and ActBlue links back to the vendor and PAC behind it, and log it to a public database. Plus: Giving USA 2025 numbers are in. Total US charitable giving hit a record $617B (a 3% inflation-adjusted bump), bequests jumped 17% signaling the great wealth transfer, and a handful of mega-donors accounted for nearly $18B of $19.2B in mega-gifts. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post Spam Texts, Scam PACs, and the Burn-and-Churn Fundraising Machine (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

June 10, 202615 min

The $32B Charitable Wave Is Coming. Your “Donate” Button Isn't Ready. (news)

This week’s Nonprofit News Feed highlights the potential impact of upcoming IPOs in the AI sector on donor-advised funds (DAFs). Major players like SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI are expected to go public, potentially generating $12 to $32 billion in new DAF contributions. This influx could significantly enhance grant-making capacities across the nonprofit sector. The democratization of philanthropy is a key theme, as newly liquid employees—not just billionaires—could make substantial charitable contributions. Nonprofits are advised to prepare by developing relationships with potential donors early and ensuring they can efficiently handle stock gifts and DAF grants. Key insights include the expectation of a massive year for DAFs, similar to the IPO boom of 2021. However, nonprofits should note that liquidity does not equate to immediate increased budgets. The episode emphasizes the importance of strategic communications and understanding the philanthropic mindset of tech sector employees, particularly concerning AI’s societal impacts. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post The $32B Charitable Wave Is Coming. Your “Donate” Button Isn't Ready. (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

June 5, 202614 min

Taiwanese Nonprofits Leave GlobalGiving Over “Chinese Taipei” Relabeling (news)

Global Giving’s Controversial Renaming Decision This episode of the Nonprofit NewsFeed delves into Global Giving’s decision to rename Taiwan as “Chinese Taipei” on its platform, a move reportedly influenced by the Chinese government as the platform expands in China. This change has provoked dissatisfaction among Taiwanese NGOs, leading some to withdraw from the platform. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post Taiwanese Nonprofits Leave GlobalGiving Over “Chinese Taipei” Relabeling (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .

May 22, 202627 min

To AI Or Not To AI (news)

This week the hosts break down three stories circling the same question: who actually consents to AI’s rollout into civic life? Malta adopts ChatGPT. OpenAI’s “OpenAI for Countries” program will give every Maltese citizen free ChatGPT Plus for a year, plus an AI literacy course. Nick warns of Free Basics-style second-order risks; George sees a paid tier as a better deal than the ad-driven alternative. Both flag the year-long lock-in and the temptation for governments to nudge system prompts. Commencement speakers booed for praising AI. 81% of Gen Z think AI will shrink job opportunities, but NY Fed data shows recent grad underemployment (41.5%) is well below its 2012 peak. The takeaway for nonprofits: this is not the quarter to brag about AI efficiencies in your newsletter. Musk loses to Altman. The jury sided with OpenAI. Worth watching: the OpenAI nonprofit arm is about to be extraordinarily well-funded, and Malta may be a preview of its philanthropy. -------- NonprofitNewsfeed.com Summary of hundreds of news sources. The post To AI Or Not To AI (news) first appeared on Nonprofit News Feed .