Feb 11, 2026
As donor demographics shift and concerns regarding data-sharing practices grow, nonprofits are facing a significant challenge in maintaining the trust of an increasingly skeptical audience. Many leaders are now asking: How do we prove our impact with true transparency to earn long-term, continued support? In today’s episode, host Russ Phaneuf welcomes Kyle Gardner, SVP of Development with Charity Navigator, to dig into the hard truths behind donor skepticism and discover where the greatest opportunities for rebuilding trust currently lie. Tune in to learn practical steps for auditing donor privacy policies, the benefits of "opt-down" email features, and strategies to create durable, repeatable stewardship.
Want to suggest a topic, guest, or nonprofit organization for an upcoming episode? Send an email with the subject "NPFX suggestion" to contact@ipmadvancement.com.
Additional Resources
Charity Navigator Nonprofit Portal
https://www.charitynavigator.org/portal
M+R Benchmarks
https://mrbenchmarks.com/
Guest
Kyle Gardner, Senior Vice President of
Development with Charity Navigator, leads his
team in raising the resources needed to expand the breadth and
depth of the organization's charity ratings and other giving
resources. Before joining Charity Navigator in 2017, Kyle was in
electoral politics, fundraising for candidates and political
committees. Kyle has proudly held his CFRE accreditation since
2021. Kyle earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science
from the University of Kansas. In his free time, Kyle enjoys
spending quality time with his wife, three kids, two dogs, two
cats, and five chickens, as well as rooting for his Kansas Jayhawks
and Kansas City Chiefs.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleconnergardner/
https://www.charitynavigator.org/
Host
Russ Phaneuf, a
co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a
background in higher education development, with positions at the
University of Hartford, Northern Arizona University, and
Thunderbird School of Global Management. As IPM's managing director
& chief strategist, Russ serves as lead fundraising strategist,
award-winning content creator, and program analyst specializing in
applied system dynamics.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/russphaneuf/
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/
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