Let's Get Real: Perspectives on Canadian Fundraising

Getting Real about Online Giving and Advisors

For the last episode of our Summer Series, Ed and Lisa are joined once again by Peggy Killeen. The three of them dive into the topic of donating online, and recent report

Getting Real about Your Legacy

What will people remember about you after you die? This is the title of a BBC article from this past May, and also the topic of this week’s Let’s Get Real. Peggy Killeen

Getting Real about Conversation and Pro-Social Behaviour

Welcome to the first episode of the Let’s Get Real Summer Series! We have some slightly shorter episodes that you can listen to in between your Summer plans. First up, we

Getting Real about Burnout, Hiring with AI, and Schools for Fundraising

Ed and Lisa are fortunate enough to be joined by Rowena Veylan for this episode! Rowena is the Founder and Lead Instructor at The New School of Fundraising. Along with Ed

Getting Real about Research Gaps and Capturing Data

This week on Let’s Get Real, Ed and Lisa are thrilled to welcome back Marla Smith, CFRE, from the Pathstone Foundation! Marla brings her perspective to a discussion about

Getting (Very) Real about AI

This week on Let’s Get Real, Lisa and Ed dedicate an entire episode to the topic on everyone’s minds right now: AI. How is AI going to affect the fundraising sector? Shou

Getting Real about Admin Work, Leadership Challenges, and Credit Cards

On this week’s episode of Let’s Get Real, Ed and Lisa welcome back Peggy Killeen to discuss more pressing topics in Canadian fundraising! Peggy kicks off the episode by d

Getting Real about Staffing, Vital Metrics, and Event Participation

This week on Let’s Get Real, Ed and Lisa are joined by Kerri LaJeunesse from Harvey MacKinnon Associates. Kerri brings her expertise to discuss the “metric vital signs” t

Getting Real about Leadership, GoFundMe, and Wealthy Donors

What makes a good leader? That's the question Peggy Killeen, Senior Consultant at PGgrowth, poses today. Peggy joins Ed and Lisa to discuss the qualities that boards

Getting Real about Thanking Donors and Academics

This week on Let’s Get Real, Ed and Lisa are joined by Sandra Baker, the Director of Advancement and Admissions at Hamilton District Christian High School. Sandra starts

Getting Real about Small Shop Charities, Gift Agreement Complications, and Irrelevance

Welcome to season two of Let’s Get Real: Perspectives on Canadian Fundraising! To start the season off, Ed, Ken, and Lisa are joined by Lois Graveline, the Founder and CE

Season One Finale

In the final episode of Let’s Get Real’s first season, Ed, Ken, and Lisa summarize some wins and losses from 2025 in the fundraising sector. Everything from political ins

Getting Real about Management, Spirituality, and Losing Sleep

Have you ever considered that fundraising could be a spiritual experience? On this week’s episode of Let’s Get Real: Perspectives on Canadian Fundraising, Ed, Ken, and Li

Getting Real about Gift Agreements, Recruitment, and Returning to the Office

This week on Let’s Get Real: Perspectives on Canadian Fundraising, Ed, Ken, and Lisa discuss gift agreements and how to deal with common complications they cause (here’s

Getting Real about Common Sense, National Philanthropy Day, and the Noble Fundraiser

With National Philanthropy Day approaching on November 15, Ed, Ken, and Lisa use this episode of Let's Get Real to discuss whether the day has a significant impact o

Getting Real about Mediocrity, Metrics, and Donor Motivations

In this episode of Let's Get Real: Perspectives on Canadian Fundraising, Ed and Lisa are joined by Marla Smith, CFRE, the Director of Foundation & Communication at P

Getting Real about AI, Mentorship, and Influencers

This week on "Let's Get Real: Perspectives on Canadian Fundraising," join Ed, Ken, and Lisa as they discuss the rise of AI in the fundraising sector and the many dra

Welcome to "Let's Get Real"

Welcome to Let's Get Real: Perspectives on Canadian Fundraising! Join hosts Ed Sluga, Ken Ramsay, and Lisa MacDonald as they engage in an honest and intentional disc