Episode
298: What if Fundraising Were Really About Connection, Not Money? with Matt Roben
- Podcast
- What the Fundraising
- Published
- May 5, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1584
- Processing state
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Summary
Fundraising is often seen as simply asking for money, but it is much deeper than that. What makes people truly connect with a cause? How can fundraisers create moments that donors remember long after an event ends? Meet Matt Roben, benefit auctioneer & farm sanctuary co-founder, who brings a unique background to fundraising, shaped by diverse careers. Before working in fundraising, he spent time as a performer, personal trainer, dietitian, and even a police officer. In each role, his main goal was always the same! It was helping people. He explains that whether he was performing for a crowd or speaking with donors, creating a real human connection was always the most important part. The discussion focuses on how connection and presence are important in fundraising. Matt explains that fundraisers should create meaningful experiences, just like performers connect with their audience. He talks about being intentional by clearly understanding the purpose of an event, preparing well, and linking every fundraising activity to the mission. He also breaks common fundraising myths by reminding people that fundraising should be thoughtful, personal, and deeply connected to the cause, not just about collecting donations. In this episode, you will be able to: Recognize how connections improve fundraising outcomes. Understand the importance of intentionality in fundraising. Identify common fundraising myths and how to challenge them. Recognize the importance of audience awareness in events. Learn how follow-up builds trust and lasting support. Understand how empathy improves donor experience and connection. Get all the resources from today’s episode here. Support for this show is brought to you by Donor Perfect. Our friends at Donor Perfect really understand fundraising on so many…