EverTrue launches new advancement thought leadership podcast, “Talking Shop,” featuring Northwestern’s David Lively and EverTrue’s Erin Moran

EverTrue recently launched a new podcast, Talking Shop, co-hosted by long-time advancement leader and author of “Managing Major Gifts Fundraisers: A Contrarian’s Guide,” David Lively, and advancement operations expert Erin Moran, founder of The Solas Group and Director of Product Management at EverTrue.

The EverTrue Studios Podcast Network (www.evertrue.com/studios) is now home to a new original podcast.

On the Talking Shop podcast, co-hosts Erin Moran and David Lively will dive into hot topics in advancement, including:

Is there such thing as a bad gift?

What are the first things you should do as a new Vice President for Advancement?

What can you do to quell toxic fundraiser competition?

How do you build a genuine culture of philanthropy?

How can we improve the relationship between prospect researchers and fundraisers?

What’s the right way to kill zombie proposals?

Reflecting on her decision to co-host Talking Shop podcast, EverTrue’s Erin Moran says, “David and I worked together for years at DePaul, and we’ve been friends ever since. Between the two of us, we’ve seen advancement from all sides: from the trenches of prospect research data dives to the hallowed ground of principal gift fundraising, from managing dozens of front-line folks to founding third-party companies that serve the advancement space. We love to talk shop and bat around ideas that have been on our minds every step of the way.”

“Erin and I love to chat about challenging or taboo advancement topics. These are issues that we all face but that we so rarely talk about openly. So, we thought, ‘Why not have these conversations out loud on a podcast?’ And this way, more folks can join us in thinking through these topics and helping move our industry forward in a more honest and transparent direction,” says David Lively, Senior Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development and Campaign Manager at Northwestern University.

Erin and David are trusted voices in this community with decades of experience in higher ed fundraising under their belts. On the Talking Shop podcast, they will examine the hottest topics in advancement from many different angles with the end goal of inspiring more forthright (and fun) conversations. And, they’re inviting the larger advancement community to Talk Shop with them by submitting topics and questions via email to talkingshop@evertrue.com.

The Talking Shop podcast can be found alongside other podcasts serving the advancement and non-profit space on the EverTrue Studios Podcast Network (www.evertrue.com/studios).

About Erin Moran and David Lively, Co-Hosts of the Talking Shop Podcast

Erin Moran has more than 20 years of experience serving fundraising professionals. She has led areas as diverse as advancement services, operations, donor relations, communications, alumni relations, and annual giving. She has served as an interim VP for Advancement as well as a campaign director for a comprehensive, eight-year university campaign. Having held these roles, Erin has a unique understanding of the pressures faced by campus leaders and the information and resources they need to support their work.

Erin was a partner and co-founder of The Solas Group, an advancement analytics firm that worked with more than 30 clients over its three years in operation. In 2022, Erin and her partners decided to join forces with EverTrue, where she now serves as the Director of Product Management, leading the effort to bring Solas tools to the EverTrue platform.

Erin holds a BA in theatre with honors from Grinnell College and an MA in English with distinction from DePaul University.

With over 30 years of experience in higher education advancement, David Lively has directed successful development strategies across five comprehensive fundraising campaigns. David joined Northwestern University in January 2012 and in his current role manages “We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern,” a $5 billion University-wide fundraising campaign. Additionally, he oversees a team of 60 development professionals responsible for principal gifts, regional and international major gifts (including offices in New York and San Francisco), and gift planning.

David earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Southern Methodist University, a master’s degree in history from Colorado State University, an MBA from the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, and a certificate from the Management Development Program at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. In April 2017, he authored Managing Major Gift Fundraisers: A Contrarian’s Guide (published by CASE).

About EverTrue

EverTrue’s software, data, and services empower higher education and independent school advancement teams to create personalized experiences for donors. Hundreds of teams use EverTrue’s network of social and demographic data sources and modern, mobile-first software to reach more donors and increase fundraising. The company is backed by Rubicon Technology Partners and serves more than 2,000 nonprofit customers. Visit www.evertrue.com for more information.