It's About the Golden Rule
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Olga Moshinsky Woltman is the Founder and Principal of LemonSkies, a company that helps other organizations shine brighter through fundraising, marketing, creative, affiliates, and leadership initiatives. Although it’s only three years old, LemonSkies has already built a reputation for smart strategy and innovative ideas that help good causes.
Olga has spent decades working with major American nonprofits and charities, including the American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Special Olympics. Olga approaches every client and project with a lens of empathy, and she’s a frequent contributor to nonprofit industry publications. She serves on the board of directors for BRAWS, a nonprofit bringing dignity and empowerment to women and girls living in shelters.
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:
Olga Moshinsky Woltman talks about what led her to work in the nonprofit sector and start LemonSkies
Olga discusses the current trends in nonprofit fundraising
How can large, well-known institutions communicate their mission?
Mistakes nonprofits make with donor retention engagement
The importance of personal branding
Getting your kids involved in philanthropic giving
The people that have influenced Olga — and her work at BRAWS
In this episode…
What does it take to succeed in the fundraising space? How can you communicate your mission, engage with donors, and do better in the world?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman approaches all people and projects with empathy, asking “what would I do if I were in your shoes making decisions for your organization?” This has allowed her to make a significant impact on donors and nonprofits. Instead of treating donors like ATMs, Olga says you have to focus on stewardship and transparency and authentically engage with your donors. What other advice does Olga have for those in the nonprofit sector?
In this episode of Greater Returns: A Fundraising Podcast, Dennis Hoffman is joined by Olga Moshinsky Woltman, the Founder and Principal of LemonSkies, to talk about fundraising best practices. Olga shares tips for donor engagement and retention, mistakes you should avoid when fundraising, how to get your kids involved in philanthropic giving, and the importance of being your true, authentic self.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Email Olga Moshinsky Woltman: owoltman@lemon-skies.com
Sponsor for this episode...
This episode is brought to you by Engage USA.
At Engage USA, we maximize direct mail fundraising efforts for nonprofit and charitable organizations by streamlining processes, providing obsessively accurate data, and delivering personalized and transparent expert caging and commercial lockbox services.
We pride ourselves on being quick to respond to customers. Our systems capture, verify, and balance data in real-time, allowing us to provide our clients with obsessively accurate data and deposits within 24 hours. At Engage USA, we help nonprofits, charities, and political campaigns run more successful fundraising efforts.
So what are you waiting for?
Visit engageusa.com to learn more about our work or contact us today!
Episode Transcript
Intro 0:00
Welcome to the Greater Returns Podcast, where we talk about nonprofit fundraising analytics and how to get better every day. Now, let's get started with the show.
Dennis Hoffman 0:17
Dennis Hoffman here. I'm the host of Greater Returns: A Fundraising Podcast where I talk with top nonprofit leaders about marketing, direct mail and analytics. I have Olga Moshinsky Woltman here from LemonSkies, Olga has worked with organizations like Special Olympics, American Heart Association, and the Smithsonian Institution. This episode is brought to you by Engage USA and Engage USA we provide expert teaching and lockbox services to help nonprofits meet their unique fundraising needs. Our proprietary systems capture, verify and balanced data in real time, allowing us to provide our clients with obsessively accurate data and deposits within 24 hours. State and National charities, advocacy organizations and political candidates found on Engage USA helped their fundraising campaigns be more successful. So what are you waiting for? Visit engageusa.com or email info@engageusa.com to learn more. Before I introduce today's guest, I want to give a big thank you to Kevin Lee, Bob Rudderow, and John Corcoran, who have been very patient with me as I fumble through my first three interviews on this Greater Returns Fundraising Podcast. And now about Olga Moshinsky Woltman. I'm really excited to be talking with you. After nearly two decades working with major American charities like American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, the Smithsonian Institution and Special Olympics. Olga founded LemonSkies to channel her passion for advancing social good limits guys focuses on messaging and storytelling and helps nonprofits tell their stories. While it's only three years old, LemonSkies has already built a reputation for smart strategy and creative ideas to help good causes. That has been the driving force behind your office work the nonprofit sector will go over approaches every client and every project to the lens of empathy. What would we do if we were in your shoes making decisions for your organization? Well, there's a frequent contributor to the nonprofit industry publications and is currently serving the board of directors of BRAWS and organizations organization dedicated to bringing dignity and empowerment to women and girls. Okay, thanks for being here. So thank you for inviting me. So tell me about LemonSkies. who you are what you do, what led you to found your own company?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 2:43
That's a great question. After spending a long time in nonprofit space, I was just ready to take the leap. And it was partially professional decision. I wanted to work with causes. And that really allowed me to unleash my creativity and energy. I get really excited. I'm really curious about new organizations, new issues, new topics. So this was really an opportunity that would allow me that freedom. But it was also a personal decision. I started limits guys before the pandemic when teleworking jobs were not as common or as frequent as they are today. And I just wanted to be home when my kids walk home from school, so so it was really kind of a combination of the two came together.
Dennis Hoffman 3:27
Excellent. And what led you to work with nonprofits in general.
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 3:31
You know, some people really kind of set out on the path and they know exactly what they want to do when they when they grow up. And I was never one of those people. So I came to Washington, DC, I spent the semester here when I was an undergrad, and that just really liked the city. I liked how accessible it was. I like the metro rail. So when I moved here, right after college graduation, it sort of naturally led me to to a job and nonprofit space and over the years that really kind of ingrained in you and over time, really enriches you and I became really who I am today.
Dennis Hoffman 4:09
Very cool. I I know you specialize in storytelling, but you also specialize in digital fundraising. Tell me what you think's going well with that what's going bad? Badly? What do you expect in the future?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 4:23
Yeah, you know, it was it's an interesting question. I'm not sure that any trends are just good or just bad. I think some of it is really an application. And some of the things that I think about probably apply, not just in digital space, but just broader and nonprofit fundraising. One of the good things that I'm seeing social media, I have really felt like in recent years, makes our involvement in nonprofit charities, organizations that are close to us, more visible to our friends, our peers, our colleagues, and I don't think that existed before. So it's really sort of, on one hand, there's a little bit of balance. Anything that goes along with it. But in, in doing so it really makes involvement more visible and creates almost like a positive sense of FOMO. Right? You know, seeing somebody at a, at a charitable run or a 5k, or maybe it's a fundraiser of some sort, really makes people turn out and engage. So I think we're seeing, and I would say, we've been seeing it for a few years now a shift from institutional support to more of a mission and cause support. And that really, in working with nonprofits that I interact with, with clients, it really forces you to think differently about how we communicate, it's not about the reputation of your, of your organization that's been around for however many years, but it's about the impact and the work you do. So it really kind of leads you down this path of thinking and communicating differently. I think stewardship and relationship building and authenticity of those relationships, that's another. And again, we've been talking about it probably for about a decade, but it sort of has come from, that's a good best practice to really you can't afford not to do that you really have to have genuine relationships with your constituents and not treat them as ATMs. One, perhaps less positive trend, I'm seeing some of the charitable involvement and charitable giving, has gotten a little bit too cute. So everything from gamification to challenges that are really fun. But they don't really engage subjects and participants in a deeper level, to really understand why it's important or why it matters, it sort of becomes more about being a thing to do, rather than why it actually matters. And I think we need to work on kind of deepening that understanding. It's great as a gateway point. But how do we take our participants and our supporters from, from that entry point to actually really understand why what we do matters. So. So yeah, I don't know what to expect. But I think what I'm hoping to see, I don't know, if you agree, it's just more transparency in what we do, and why we do it, in communicating our mission and what we do not hiding behind kind of the fancy big words. But really being very, very clear. If, if it sounds a little confusing, then maybe we're not being transparent enough. So.
Dennis Hoffman 7:26
So how do you think large institutions should? Like the Smithsonian? How do they best addition to that, I mean, an organization that people have in the past donated to because of who they are. And now, now people are asking them know, was, where's my money going? What, what is it? What could What does a social budget doing? How do they make that transition?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 7:53
Yeah, I mean, you know, it's been a few years since I worked on their mission, specifically. But I would say that, you know, we all have memories of visiting, and you know, whether it's a visit to and Space Museum that may be led you down the path of engineering, or, you know, how does it shape you? How does it transform you. So it's really talking about the impact, and not just sort of solely leaning on your reputation in the past, that was sort of trust, seal of approval, trustworthiness, but it's really kind of just translating, what you already do is just being clear and upfront about it, and not trying to kind of wrap things in big fancy words. But it's really relying on how it impacts in a positive way your subjects.
Dennis Hoffman 8:38
You know, it kind of makes sense, we think about the baby boomers are entering donor, donor age, and they were a lot less, they had a lot less respect for institutions than their than the generation before them. And so this, this change makes a lot of sense. So I know you and I have communicated before about donor retention and engagement, and what mistakes do you see nonprofits? Not anybody we know, of course, but other nonprofits, what mistakes do you see them making? And what can they do better? What can we all do? Yeah, no, I
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 9:16
think you know, I'm very much a relationship person. And that's what I think donor retention and donor engagement is about, I keep coming back to how do we communicate? How do we communicate with our constituents and our supporters? I think the biggest mistake and this comes as a surprise to no one, it's treating donors like your ATMs and just sort of sending that perfunctory thank you notes on Thanksgiving and then hitting them over with 10 fundraising appeals in from given Tuesday through the end of the year. Well, that doesn't feel very, very good to a donor. So it's really kind of stewardship is the name of the game and by stewardship, I mean conveying, why does my donation matter, what is it that we do that's impactful and important, and not leaving it to sort of those moments when you know, you're about to ask them for money, but really threading it throughout? It's really just, what would you want to hear as a human? What would make you feel good about giving? And acting accordingly?
Dennis Hoffman 10:21
How would we like to be treated?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 10:23
Exactly, exactly. Do you send a thank you card? Do you text your friend and let them know? Thanks for doing something for you. So it's really translating that? That emotional intelligence, I
Dennis Hoffman 10:36
guess? Yeah. Absolutely. And something else, some of you talk about that I'm new to is personal branding. And I know you're pretty passionate about that. Why do you why is it important? And how do people get started with that?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 10:52
Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting and emerging thing. And it seems like he can't log into LinkedIn. That's, that's what everyone talks about algorithms and personal branding. But I mean, really, personal branding is nothing more, nothing less than just being your authentic self. It's just really showing up and being present, first and foremost, and just being yourself. I think of it as a reflection of reality, it needs to really reflect who you are, and what things get you excited, what things you think about what is your experience and being relatable. It's not about always sounding as the most intelligent person in the room, it's about just being true to yourself. And if it sounds a little bit inauthentic in your head and a little bit fake, then probably not something you should put out there. You know, I think, for me, it's tuning out the voices in my head and not trying to come up with the, you know, recommendation, or, you know, case study every time, it's just really a reflection of what I think about and what I want to share with others.
Dennis Hoffman 11:53
I mean, a little bit vulnerable. Something with I know, I know that when I, when I post on LinkedIn that when I talk about my family, or I talk about when I when I'm more vulnerable, people are much more engaged with me.
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 12:11
Yeah, it's been real. And it's really, you know, when we share our stories, it's really less about us and putting ourselves out there, it's really more a reflection of who people are and how they think about themselves. So if it's something that you can relate to, we've been talking a lot about engaging kids and philanthropic giving, which is sometimes a little bit of an uphill battle. So that's something that many of us think about. And it's not trying to kind of portray some sort of perfection or some sort of image for others to aspire to be.
Dennis Hoffman 12:45
Sure, I have three boys, and we are one for three with that we put up there. We call it a family bank, but their allowance goes has to go those two posts for charity. And it builds up and eventually they Oh, yeah, I'll send it to wherever. But one of my sons has gotten into it now. And he actually raised almost $1,000, for the, for the Dave Thomas Foundation for adoption, he's adopted. So it was a cause that he was passionate about. How do you how do you? How do you get your kids involved in?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 13:24
So and actually, I'm glad you asked that question, Dennis. And I didn't plan that with you. But last year, for GivingTuesday, I gave each one of my kids a certain amount that they could choose a charity they could contribute to. So they, they were responsible for doing a little bit of research. And then we contributed them that day. So I'm planning to do something similar. And I'm hoping others will join me in that. And it almost doesn't matter if it's $5, if it's $20, if it's 100, whatever the amount, I think really makes a difference. I will say that we're starting to talk about it a little bit earlier, kind of back to our stewardship point with the kids. So it's not just giving Tuesday. Okay, kids, it's time to contribute. So we're starting those conversations. I think it will take time for them to internalize it beyond to really for it to come from the heart and not sort of something that mom is forcing on them. Yeah, but last year, one of them selected a local animal shelter in our, in our area nearby, because they like animals and and that was the charity that he selected. And the second child gave to the same charity because his older brother did. So that's kind of the social proof for you there. So we'll see. We'll see how things pan out this year. Excellent.
Dennis Hoffman 14:49
So who's been doing impressive things in our industry? Who do you really think is worth talking about? worth noticing?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 14:58
Yeah, you know, so One person who's really shaped my thinking and is Jen Chang. So I don't know if you've, you're familiar, but she's been doing a lot of research into how thanking donors impacts their subsequent giving. And it's a it's a very, it's a very scientific, scientific kind of level. So she's, she's at the Institute for Sustainable philanthropy, and, you know, kind of the donor Centricity theme, definitely threads through through the work she does. But I mean, honestly, I draw inspiration from any number of things. Like I bought a bar of chocolate, and it had a number of nonprofits that were benefiting from it. So I'm going and looking up those organizations. I learned a lot from my clients every day and kind of their situations and their circumstances. So they teach me a lot from peers from from colleagues from conversations.
Dennis Hoffman 15:55
Not too long look, Jen Chang. Mm hmm. Yep. We have to look her up and interested in hearing what yeah, I'll send you the link. Excellent. And you serve on a local board of a local organization called BRAWS, and you seem really passionate about, tell us about the work to do there.
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 16:13
This is great. So we have a very tight knit community, sort of that town green and small town feel right in the suburbs of Washington, DC. So bras started out about six years ago now in in Holly Seibold kitchen, and she literally invited a bunch of local women, and asked them to bring a box of tampons or pads. She realize the children were not getting feminine hygiene products that they needed. And she just saw the need that was very solvable. But a very acute in those circumstances. So so that's what we do. We provide tampons and also bras underwear to shelters, we recently helped some of the refugees that have been resettled around this area from Afghanistan. So we We also supply these sorts of things to middle schools, where some of the girls simply don't have access or cannot afford those things.
Dennis Hoffman 17:10
That's what if that's fantastic. And you've been involved in other ways in the community, you're running a turkey trot for fire station, is that right?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 17:20
Yeah. So Turkey Trot is a big thing in Vienna, Virginia, we run it every year. And there's an actual person dressed as a turkey. So yes, so I'm sponsoring 5k turkey trot in November. So if you want to come out and run with us, it actually supports local fire station, and also one of the local high schools, their marching band, which is kind of a big deal in this area. So yeah, and it's just a huge community event. That's just really fun. And we'll be running a very hilly 5k down, which is cool. So this is from Madison High School. Now it's just down the street in Vienna.
Dennis Hoffman 18:02
So we played them in football.
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 18:04
I don't think I knew that. So my kids are actually at Marshall. And, you know, just nearby, which has IB program as well.
Dennis Hoffman 18:16
Well, it's been. So let's pretend you're at an awards banquet. It's like the Oscars or the Emmys. And you're being given an award for the amazing things you've done in philanthropy. Who would you think? Would you who the people who really have been mentors to you or done been put in parts of your life in your business life?
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 18:45
I love that question. So what category I assume supporting actress unseen as a consultant, that's, that's kind of the role we play? Um, no. I mean, there's so many people that have impacted me knowingly, or sometimes unknowingly just sort of saying the right thing at the right time that that just gives you the boost. You need them that moment, but but there's a few people I would call out by name. I had a professor when I was spending a semester in Washington, DC. And she was a ruthless, ruthless editor. It was, I mean, truly, truly awful. Like you would get your paperback and there would be just x out. And you know, I don't think I was very fond of her at the time. But I really learned a ton about writing and how to keep things simple and how to structure my argument in the process. So I'm just really grateful for that. Kim Cubine formerly at Allen and Hussey CC she was she somebody I worked with about a decade and a half ago. And I just learned so much from robots fundraising, but also about problem solving, and just really approaching every challenge, not from the perspective, the sky is falling. How am I going to do this but it's really More like Okay, great, how am I going to solve for it? So definitely, we would have to mention her and then Joan Wheatley, who was my boss at Special Olympics for a number of years. And, you know, I really learned a lot from her about being donor centric and talking about impact, and also how to be very strategic and patient in achieving your objectives. So I would I owe them a debt of gratitude, but I would probably go down the list until you start playing music to to bring me off the stage.
Dennis Hoffman 20:28
Thanks Olga. I've been talking with Olga, Moshinsky Woltman. Olga is the Founder of LemonSkies, where she works with nonprofit organizations on communications, fundraising, and storytelling. Okay, how can people get in touch with you to learn more or just to check you out? Oh, sure.
Olga Moshinsky Woltman 20:46
Yeah, connect with me on LinkedIn. Olga Woltman or you can email me at owoltman@lemon-skies.com. I'd love to hear from you.
Outro 20:59
Thanks for listening to the Greater Returns Podcast. We'll see you again next time. And be sure to click Subscribe to get future episodes.