485. Saving Time + Engaging Your Rabid Fans: Automation Tips from SODA - Nicole Nidea

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Overview

Meet Nicole. Her passion for educating others about organ donation started in 2015💚 That passion has continued to grow as she helped lead the original Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA) chapter at Washington University in St. Louis 🎓 She then Nicole joined the SODA National Team in 2020 as the volunteer Director of Development and the next year their first full-time employee. This small but mighty team leans into automation to support more than 50 chapters and 20 community partnerships across the country 🤖 She’s sharing lessons learned along the way about how automation can transform an organization with everything from donor engagement to internal processes.

💡 Learn

  • Overview of Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA)

  • Case Study: automation to scale impact

  • Tips for young professionals entering the nonprofit sector

Today’s Guest

Nicole Nidea, Program Director, Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA)

It’s quick, it’s customizable, and it makes burnout happen less.
— Nicole Nidea, Program Director, Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA)

Episode Transcript

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Episode Highlights

  • Nicole’s story and journey to where she is today (3:10)

  • Overview of mission of SODA (7:00)

  • Where SODA started with automation (9:30)

  • Using Zapier (10:00)

  • How nonprofit organizations can utilize automation (12:20)

  • Using automation to transform donor engagement (15:00)

  • Tips for nonprofit leaders considering automation (18:45)

  • Advice for early career professionals in the nonprofit sector (21:15)

  • A powerful moment of philanthropy in Nicole’s life (22:50)

  • Nicole’s One Good Thing: Always write thank you notes. (26:35)

Impactful Quotes

"I became an organ donation advocate and I helped lead that chapter at Wash U. That was so formative to me because it really prepared me for a career in nonprofits." - Nicole

“Our mission is to inspire and support student-led education and registration initiatives on high school, college, and graduate school campuses." - Nicole

“We want to have 100 chapters by the end of 2025.” -Nicole

“I'm ready to send them off as soon as we get a donation letter, which is great because everybody says you should be thanking donors within 24 hours and automation helps us do that” -Nicole

“It's quick, it's customizable, and it makes burnout happen less.” -Nicole

“I think a good handwritten thank you note really stands out with today's technology.” -Nicole

CONNECT WITH Nicole + SODA

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486. Unlocking Your Working Genius for Innovation + Impact - Dave Raley

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484. Empowering Equity: Navigating Leadership, Justice and Power in Nonprofits - Mia Henry