Nonprofit Lowdown

Friends, join me and my brother from another mother Ron Rapatalo to talk all about the Asian things. In this riveting podcast episode, the incredible Ron Rapatalo chats about being a leading advocate for AAPI representation, allyship, and girl dadhood. Ron, a visionary author of "Leverage People: What I Know About People to Personally and Professionally Win," shared his enlightening views on AAPI invisibility, collaborating with other BIPOC leaders, embracing fatherhood, and finding inspiration in Elsa. Join us as we delve into Ron's powerful insights and connect with him on LinkedIn at Ron Rapatalo LinkedIn and grab a copy of his book on Amazon. "People have to earn the full dimensionality and vulnerability of who you are" - Ronald

In honor of AAPI Heritage month, I’m replaying some of my favorite episodes from AAPI leaders. This episode with North Star Fund’s Jennifer Ching is a personal fave. Enjoy! Join me and Northstar Fund's Executive Director Jennifer Ching to discuss decolonizing philanthropy.  In this hugely important conversation, Jen shares how the work of the Northstar Fund is actively working towards dismantling white supremacy and power and centering the work and decision-making of BIPOC activists.  By recasting our own relationship and assumptions about money, we can engage in becoming resource mobilizers, not "fundraisers."  We also touch on the nonprofit and philanthropic industrial complex that is predicated on power, control and lack of transparency.  What does it mean to be a community-led, community-centered philanthropist?  How can we meet this moment at the intersection of race, power, money and action in our own lives and as leaders of organizations?  This is a thought-provoking and high-octane conversation with one of my faves! For more about NorthStar Fund: https://northstarfund.org/ For more about Decolonizing Wealth: https://www.decolonizingwealth.com/

In honor of AAPI heritage month, we’re featuring AAPI guests. This week’s guest is…me! I’m trying out a new monthly feature called Ask Me Anything (AMA) to answer your fundraising queries. Let me know what you think (hello@rheawong.com). ‌ In this week’s episode, I discuss how to know when to hire a Development Director, ways to get started with an individual fundraising program and how to do first approaches to foundations. ‌ Enjoy! "Development Directors are not magical fairies who fart gold out of their butts." - Rhea

Friends, I am OBSESSED with this episode with Yulin Ling. As a long-time nonprofit executive and social change warrior, we talk about the importance of money mindset in raising money for the cause. Yulin discusses her own background as a daughter of immigrants and how we tune into what is possible and how to flood ourselves with the messages that we want. In a world that feels like it’s full of despair, Yulin teaches us how to harness the power of our minds and mindsets to be the light and the bridges that the world needs. Do yourself a favor and listen to this one a few times! ‌ For more about Yulin: Home "Our one and only job in the world is providing hope to everyone else" - Yulin

Join us for a fascinating conversation with Stephen Powers, co-founder of Open Impact Real Estate, and Amy Lawrence, managing director, as they share their expertise on the intersection of real estate and social impact.  In today’s turbulent real estate market, it can be hard to know what to do, especially with big-ticket real estate decisions.  Join me, Stephen Powers and Amy Lawrence to learn how nonprofits can be opportunistic with commercial real estate, how to take advantage of this moment and how to access special financing. This is a fascinating conversation about an intimidating topic. This episode is sponsored by Open Impact Real Estate: https://openregroup.com/ Connect with Stephen Powers: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-powers-9a158b8/ Connect with Amy Lawrence: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-lawrence-5009552/ “Take advantage of this environment and dream big.” - Stephen Powers

In this episode, Aron from 2H Media shared some fascinating insights into how nonprofit organizations can use video to boost their donations. With his trademark enthusiasm, Aron explained how video can help to create a powerful emotional connection between nonprofits and their audiences, resulting in increased support. Aron also stressed the importance of producing high-quality videos that showcase the organization's mission and impact. His tips and tricks for creating compelling video content are sure to be useful for nonprofits looking to take their fundraising to the next level. If you're interested in learning more about how Aron and 2H Media can help your nonprofit leverage the power of video, don't hesitate to drop him an email at aron@2h.media. "Human storytelling will set you apart" - Aron

In our chat with Dana Snyder, she shared four paid ads that nonprofits should run. Here they are: Reach, Video Views, Lead Generation, and Conversions. Reach is all about getting more eyes on your cause. Video Views means creating great video content to engage supporters. Lead Generation is for collecting contact information from potential donors, and Conversions is all about getting people to take specific actions, like donating or volunteering. Want to learn more about these ad types? Check out Dana's website at  Dana Snyder | Positive Equation - Digital Marketing for Nonprofits for tips and tricks to help your nonprofit succeed! "What's an exchange of value you can offer?" - Dana

In this episode, we chat with Tony Martignetti, an expert in planned giving programs. Planned giving is a way for everyday people to make a big impact on their favorite nonprofits by giving a gift through their will or estate. Tony shares his insights on what makes a successful planned giving program and how organizations can get started without a lot of resources or technical expertise. He also recommends the Planned Giving Accelerator, an online course that offers a step-by-step guide to creating a successful program. Check out the Planned Giving Accelerator at plannedgivingaccelerator.com "Don't think that planned giving is only for your wealthy donors." - Tony

My guest, Amy Eisenstein, a fundraising consultant, author, and speaker, shares her expertise on why you SHOULD consider a capital campaign during uncertain times. Amy explains that a capital campaign is a focused fundraising effort to raise a significant amount of money for a specific project or initiative, and it's crucial for nonprofits to achieve their long-term goals and expand their impact. She then goes on to explain that launching a capital campaign during economic uncertainty, like the current pandemic, may seem counterintuitive, but it can actually be a strategic move. Amy explains how nonprofits can use this time to build stronger relationships with donors and demonstrate their resilience. To learn more about capital campaigns and how to launch one for your nonprofit, visit the Capital Campaign Pro website: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/ "When there's a will, there's a way." - Amy

In this episode, we are joined by Britt Savage, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant who shares insights on the report "Unlocking Social Progress by Addressing Structural Racism" by Bridgespan Group. We discuss the findings of the report, its implications, and how organizations can address structural racism to unlock social progress. Key Takeaways: -The report identifies how structural racism hinders social progress and the need to address it.-Structural racism operates within systems and institutions and can be invisible to those who are not directly impacted by it.-Organizations need to acknowledge their role in perpetuating structural racism and take steps to address it.-The report highlights specific actions organizations can take to address structural racism, including hiring practices, organizational culture, and community engagement.-Organizations need to commit to long-term, sustained efforts to address structural racism and create meaningful change. "Unlocking Social Progress by Addressing Structural Racism" report: Unlocking Social Progress by Addressing Structural RacismBritt Savage's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittsavage/ "What if we really gave people the capital they needed?" - Britt Savage