733. The Creator Partnership Playbook Every Nonprofit Leader Needs - Patricia McLoughlin, The Anthem Awards
Listen to this episode
About This Episode
One in five adults now get their news from TikTok. Over 40% of adults under 30 do. That same feed is where younger donors are finding the causes they'll give to. Trust has shifted from institutions to individuals, and most nonprofits are still running the old playbook. š©µ
Patricia McLaughlin is General Manager of The Anthem Awards, where she reviews more than 2,000 entries a year from 42 countries. Her team turned that vantage point into the Shared Influence report, then into something more useful: a set of plays any nonprofit can run, whether you have a media budget or a staff of three.
In this episode, you'll hear:
The difference between an influencer and a creator, and why hiring the wrong one wastes both the money and the story
The four plays for finding and vetting a creator partner: look inward, look adjacent, name the ask, drop the script
Why a single creator post can carry a $50,000 price tag, and what changes when you steward creators like major gift prospects
You'll walk away with a playbook you can take to your board this week. š©µ
Episode Highlights:
(2:30) Patricia's origin story: a 46-hour dance marathon and a career decision
(6:18) Inside The Anthem Awards: 2,000+ entries, 42 countries, and the patterns in the data
(8:35) Why trust shifted from institutions to individuals
(11:32) Influencer vs. creator: the distinction that shapes the whole playbook
(14:06) Plays 1 and 2: look inward, then look adjacent
(16:00) Why micro creators often beat millions of followers
(17:26) Play 4: creators don't want your script
(18:35) Put creators in your portfolio: the major gift reframe
(19:30) What a $50,000 post means for your in-kind math
(20:19) How to measure creator impact
(21:41) The long game: content that outlives the post
(23:16) Where creator partnerships are heading
(26:42) Run one play: start with one local person
(31:04) Patricia's one good thing: stay curious
Meet Patricia: The Awards Leader Who Turned 2,000 Impact Stories Into a Playbook
Patricia McLaughlin is General Manager of The Anthem Awards, now six seasons in and recognizing work across seven cause areas from more than 40 countries. Before Anthem, she spent years in consulting as in-house support for roughly 20 nonprofits, from New York Cares to MedStar to community organizations in Virginia.
She got her start as a student volunteer with Penn State's THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, and never left the sector. She brings a rare pairing to this conversation: the pattern recognition of someone reading thousands of impact stories a year, and the empathy of someone who has worked inside the constraints.
Powerful Quotes
"It's removing some of that barrier to entry, but also inspiring people when they see these creators and individuals that they look up to actually speaking out about some of these issues." - Patricia
"When we can combine powers and find someone that fits our organization really well, it's a superpower." - Patricia
"Find someone that's adjacent to your niche or already talking about topics that are adjacent to your mission." - Patricia
"They don't want a script. They have a way of speaking. They've built this community through the content that they create." - Patricia
"If you hand me a script, you're just wasting your time and money." - Marky Stardust, quoted from the Shared Influence report
"My people will see this in the first three seconds, know that it's basically an ad and not something that is coming from me." - Marky Stardust, quoted from the Shared Influence report
"A $50,000 in-kind gift is basically one of these posts speaking about your organization." - Patricia
"It does not need to be that you are going out to someone tomorrow and begging them for a post. This is part of that long game." - Patricia
"Let's create these creator coalitions. Let's educate them on the work that we're doing, so they can speak to these issues in a way that makes them feel confident." - Patricia
"It's actually the most important time to step outside, try new things, experiment with partnerships in different ways." - Patricia
"Gone are the days of trying to control the microphone. We don't want robots. We actually are looking for creators to be creative." - Jon
"These individuals should be in your portfolio. They should be worked as a major gift prospect." - Becky
"Find one local person who can get in the game with you. Start from there." - Becky
Resources Mentioned
The Anthem Awards: recognition program celebrating mission-driven work across seven cause areas; entry deadline September 18
Shared Influence report: The Anthem Awards' report on creator partnerships, including payment models, partnership examples, and interviews with creators and organizations.
Pew Research Center: cited for the finding that one in five adults get their news from TikTok, and over 40% of adults under 30 get information there
Tiltify: fundraising platform for streamers and creators; its Catalyst research surveyed 1,000 donors and 1,000 creators
Penn State THON: the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, raising close to $18 million annually for pediatric cancer
To Write Love on Her Arms and The Elevate Prize ā named by Becky as organizations doing creator and amplifier work well
Stephen Hackett: has raised more than $2 million for St. Jude through his podcastathon
Sixto Cancel: foster care policy nonprofit leader, cited for a values-aligned partnership with Paris Hilton
Connect with Patricia: LinkedIn (Patricia McLaughlin); The Anthem Awards on TikTok, Instagram, and X
Come join us in the We Are For Good Community!
Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this episode, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com
Say hiš
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube
