Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

Good Works estimates that a staggering $280 billion in estate wealth is expected to flow into Canadian charities. That’s not a number small nonprofits can afford to overlook. Planned giving doesn’t have to be exclusive, intimidating, or tax-code-heavy. In this episode, we dive into how small nonprofits can approach planned giving in a way that’s equitable, inclusive, and deeply aligned with community values. We’re joined by Chantelle Ohrling, a thought leader in both the planned giving and Community-Centric Fundraising spaces. She is the Planned Giving Officer at Ecojustice, is the Communications Chair for the Greater Vancouver Chapter of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners and contributes her voice to the Black Canadian Fundraisers Collective and Hogan’s Alley Society. Chantelle also holds a certification in Legacy Giving Psychology from the Institute for Sustainable Philanthropy and received the 2023 Birgit Smith Burton R.I.S.E. Award. Chantelle brings not just technical expertise, but a fierce commitment to justice, equity, and community-led philanthropy. Planned Giving and Community-Centric Fundraising – Episode Highlights 1. Planned giving is not just for the ultra-wealthy. Many transformational legacy gifts come from long-time supporters who aren’t high-dollar donors. A $50-a-year donor who volunteers, reads the newsletter, and shows up for events? They might be your next million-dollar legacy gift. 2. Racialized communities are generous and underserved. Research shows Black and racialized communities are among the most generous in Canada. The issue isn’t willingness: it’s access, representation, and trust. Planned giving strategies must meet these communities where they are. 3. Planned giving can close the racial wealth gap. It’s not just a funding strategy, it’s also a justice strategy. Promoting estate planning in underserved communities supports financial literacy, generational wealth-building, and autonomy over where wealth flows after death. 4. Values-led storytelling beats tax talk. Don’t lead with tax benefits. Lead with stories. Tell donors about people like them who’ve left a legacy that aligns with their values. Planned giving is emotional, not transactional. 5. Don’t silo legacy giving into major gifts. Some of the largest bequests come from people who’ve never made a major gift in their lifetime. That’s why Chantelle doesn’t segment her messaging by giving levels—she hand-signs 700 newsletters if she has to. Resources and Links Read more from Chantelle on the CCF Hub Read Chantelle’s piece on The Philanthropist Connect with our host, Maria Rio Support our show. We are fully self-funded! Watch this episode on YouTube Need help with your fundraising? Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show

Too many small nonprofits build their budgets on optimism alone, dreaming big without the strategy or infrastructure to back it up. This episode is all about why that’s a problem, and how to stop the cycle of setting fundraising goals that hurt more than they help. In this episode of The Small Nonprofit, Maria Rio and co-host Caitlin McBride get real about what it means to set realistic, strategic fundraising goals, and what happens when you don’t. From pressure-filled board expectations to outlier-year budgeting mistakes, they unpack the ripple effects of extremely optimistic thinking and offer grounded ways to move forward. Want to avoid budget burnout and build goals that actually serve your mission? This episode is your guide. Listen now and share it with your board.  Realistic Fundraising Goals – The Highlights 1. Unrealistic fundraising goals hurt everyone. When goals are set without evidence or planning, it’s frustrating and it’s harmful. Fundraisers feel like they're being set up to fail, and the community loses access to reliable services. 2. Outlier years aren’t a the baseline. Got a huge planned gift or a surge of support during a major global event? Great. But don’t build your next budget assuming that lightning will strike twice. 3. The board can’t just wish money into existence. When leadership insists on big numbers without offering support or resources, they undermine the very people doing the work. Fundraising isn’t magical, it’s methodical. 4. Growth means more than dollars. A 40% increase in revenue equals a 40% increase in workload. If you’re not adding capacity, you’re adding stress. 5. You need to track leading indicators. Revenue is a lagging indicator. Things like donor meetings, emails sent, and stewardship actions are what create that revenue. Track what’s in your control. 3 Actionable Tips for Setting Realistic Fundraising Goals: 1. Use real data, not wishful thinking. Look at historical trends, capacity, and the types of revenue you’ve secured. Don’t budget based on what you want to happen, budget based on what’s likely. 2. Break down your revenue streams. Separate out grants, major gifts, recurring donors, etc. Goals should be specific to each stream, not one vague number slapped across the board. 3. Consider organizational context. If your staff just turned over, your website crashed last Giving Tuesday, or inflation is affecting your donors, factor that in. Not every year is a growth year. Resources and Links Connect with our host, Maria Rio Connect with our cohost, Caitlin McBride Support our show. We are fully self-funded! Watch this episode on YouTube Need help with your fundraising? Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :) Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show

Street fundraising teaches you more than grit, it teaches you the psychology of yes. Maria shares how to use these powers for good. In this episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria shares real-world insights from her time as a face-to-face fundraiser, where she learned the science and subtlety behind why people say yes. It’s about harnessing cognitive biases and psychology to ethically move people toward action.  Whether you're fundraising in person, online, or in campaigns, this episode gives you the tools to make your ask more effective, and more human. 🔑 5 Cognitive Biases Every Fundraiser Should Know Body Language Speaks Louder Than Words: 93% of communication is non-verbal. That means posture, facial expressions, and tone matter far more than the words you choose. Maria breaks down tips like open posture, strategic eye contact, and the subtle power of mirroring to build trust instantly. Harness the Halo Effect: First impressions matter—a lot. By dressing the part, speaking confidently, and using vocal inflection effectively, you set the stage for your ask before you even make it. Six Cognitive Biases That Boost Fundraising: Maria explains how to ethically apply human impulses like the Jones Effect (social proof), Fear of Loss, Indifference, Urgency, Time Limits, and Self-Interest. Each bias comes with relatable nonprofit examples and campaign ideas you can use today.Confidence is Contagious: Whether it’s a superhero power pose or detaching from a donor’s response, exuding quiet confidence helps potential supporters feel safe and inspired to give.Use Donor Psychology in Design Too: Beyond the pitch, consider how cognitive biases show up in email design, campaign thermometers, peer-to-peer highlights, and donation forms. Every touchpoint is a chance to reinforce credibility and emotional urgency. 🎧 Listen to more episodes for actionable fundraising tips and insights on nonprofit leadership, nonprofit governance, productivity & tools, and donor engagement strategies that work. We're here to eliminate nonprofit burnout and boost your donations! ✅  3 Ways to Ethically Persuade with Impact Practice Your Pitch in the Mirror: Use mirroring, tone variation, and body language practice to get comfortable with your ask. Confidence on the outside signals confidence in your mission. Build in Social Proof Everywhere: Add real-time donor counts, testimonials, or "Ashley’s team just raised $5,000" shout-outs to your emails and donation pages. The Jones Effect drives results. Create Time-Limited Offers: Run a 72-hour match campaign, feature exclusive merch, or tie donations to specific, urgent needs. People are more likely to act when the opportunity feels fleeting. Resources and Links Connect with our host, Maria Rio Decision Lab Cognitive Bias List Support our show. We are fully self-funded! Watch this episode on YouTube Need help with your fundraising? Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :) Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show

Marketing doesn’t have to mean manipulation. But for many small nonprofits, common practices like donor recognition, emotional appeals, and urgency-driven fundraising can unintentionally cause harm. In this episode, Maria and anti-oppressive marketer Natalia Sanyal unpack how to shift your messaging and methods without compromising your values or your impact. Natalia works with human-first brands, helping for-profit and nonprofit organizations market more ethically. Here she shares her seven ethical marketing filters, reflects on her own missteps, and gives nonprofit leaders practical ways to rethink recognition, storytelling, and inclusion — especially in a world where perfectionism is no longer the standard. 🎯 Ethical Marketing - 5 Key Takeaways: 1. Ethical Marketing Starts with Consent and AgencyMarketing practices often bypass true consent whether it’s adding someone to a mailing list via a Zoom link or disguising a sales pitch as a webinar. Nonprofits must ensure people know what they’re signing up for. 2. Language Matters—But So Does Context Using terms like "stakeholder" or "homeless" without thought can alienate the very communities you serve. But changing language is complicated. It won't be perfect, and that’s okay. Keep trying, explain your choices transparently, and leave space for feedback. 3. Donor Recognition Can Reinforce Harmful Power Dynamics Celebrating donors, especially white donors, funding work for racialized communities, can reinforce white savior narratives.  4. Filters Help but Capacity Still Matters Natalia outlines seven filters to guide ethical marketing: agency, accessibility, appropriation, exploitation, saviorism, current climate, and inclusivity. But she also acknowledges the reality of limited capacity: do what you can, iterate, and give yourself grace. 5. Choosing Values Over Profit Can Still Work Whether prioritizing a BIPOC-majority program cohort or experimenting with donor recognition, Natalia emphasizes that values-aligned decisions may feel risky, but they can be your differentiator. Integrity can attract the right people. ✅ 3 Actionable Tips for Ethical Marketing 1. Run Every Campaign Through the Seven Filters Before and after you write a fundraising appeal or create a campaign, apply Natalia’s filters: agency, accessibility, appropriation, exploitation, current climate, saviorism, and inclusivity. You won’t catch everything, but you’ll catch more than if you didn’t. 2. Shift Away from Public Donor Recognition Experiment with anonymous giving or shift recognition toward volunteers and community members. Educate donors on why this matters and invite them to participate in more ethical storytelling practices. 3. Choose Imperfect Progress Over Inaction If you can’t do everything, do something. Don’t wait for the perfect DEI strategy or most inclusive language to get started. Opt for transparency, explain your evolving process, and build trust along the way. 🎧 Listen for more insights on ethical marketing, inclusive language, and how to navigate harm reduction in your nonprofit communications. Resources and Links Connect with our host, Maria Rio Connect with our guest, Natalia Sanyal Support our show. We are fully self-funded! Watch this episode on YouTubeLiked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show

Running a small nonprofit often means juggling strategy, people, programs, and inbox chaos, all while making what feels like a million decisions a day. If you’ve ever felt stuck between leading and just trying to keep up, this episode is for you. In this candid and insightful conversation, Maria chats with returning guest Veronica LaFemina about one of the most overlooked pain points in nonprofit life: how decisions are made, delegated, and communicated. From messy inboxes to that nagging feeling of "did I already assign this?"- Veronica offers both clarity and real tools to help leaders make better decisions, faster. 🎯 Nonprofit Leadership -  5 Key Takeaways: 1. Decision-Making is an Invisible Problem Until It’s Not Unlike line items like fundraising or program delivery, decision-making doesn’t get its own budget category. But when it’s broken, it shows up everywhere: delays, confusion, and burnout. 2. Know Your Decision-Making Style Veronica explains that leaders need to be able to articulate how they make decisions: do you need data or gut instinct? Do you want solutions or options? Being clear on this helps your team help you. 3. Repeatable Decisions Need Repeatable Systems Create simple processes for recurring decisions; who owns them, what criteria they use, and how often they happen. This takes unnecessary urgency off the table and empowers your staff. 4. Delegation Requires Letting Go (and Being Okay with Imperfection) One of Veronica’s biggest shifts came when she stopped reviewing every piece of content and let her directors support each other. Things moved faster, and the team grew stronger. 5. Change Starts with You, Not Your Team  If you want your organization to shift how it works, you have to model it. From mindset to systems to communication, effective change management begins at the top. 🎧 Listen to more episodes for actionable fundraising tips and insights on nonprofit leadership, nonprofit governance, productivity & tools, and donor engagement strategies that work. We're here to eliminate nonprofit burnout and boost your donations! ✅ 3 Actionable Tips for Small Nonprofit Leaders: 1. Map Out Recurring Decisions Spend 30 minutes listing common decisions you make weekly or monthly. Identify who should own each one and draft a quick process for how those decisions get made and communicated. 2. Pick One Project Management System and Stick to It  Whether it’s Asana, Trello, or a shared Google Sheet, choose a system to track delegated tasks. This reduces “Did I send this?” stress and makes work more transparent across your team. 3. Practice the “Three-Month Test” for New Systems  When rolling out a new decision-making or delegation process, give it 3 months before judging. Let your team practice. Check in. Adjust. Real change takes space to land. Resources and Links Connect with our host, Maria Rio Connect with our guest, Veronica LaFemina: LinkedIn & Website Support our show. We are fully self-funded! Watch this episode on YouTube Need help with your fundraising? Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show

Explore the transformative role of board members in nonprofit fundraising. Discover how to shift perceptions of fundraising from begging to an invitation for community engagement. Learn the power of personal stories in connecting with donors, and how storytelling can enhance board members' outreach efforts. Uncover practical strategies for empowering fundraising committees and fostering accountability. With real-world tactics and mindset shifts, get ready to activate your board and drive meaningful impact!

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. If you want to learn how my company helps nonprofits create a fundraising plan, this link will explain: https://www.gofurthertogether.ca/discoverycall How to create a GREAT fundraising strategy for your small nonprofit Every thriving nonprofit starts with a plan, not a guess. In this episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, we break down how a thoughtful, strategic fundraising plan can set your organization up for sustainable growth, smarter decisions, and way less chaos. You’ll get a practical overview of what goes into a successful plan, how to make it work for your team (no matter the size), and why it’s the single best tool to help you stop reacting and start leading. This episode is hosted by Maria Rio, a seasoned fundraising expert with over a decade of experience helping nonprofits grow their impact through clear strategy and effective implementation. Creating a fundraising plan for your nonprofit: 5 key takeaways A great plan is more than a calendar of events. A strong fundraising plan isn’t a to-do list; it’s your mission’s compass. It links your big goals to everyday actions and keeps everyone pointed in the same direction. Start with what you know. Use your current data (donor history, revenue sources, and engagement patterns) as a foundation. You can’t look ahead if you don’t know where you’re starting from. Short-term wins + long-term vision = sustainability. A good plan should help you meet today’s goals and build the systems you need for future growth. Your plan helps you say no. When everything feels urgent, it’s easy to chase shiny objects. But a plan gives you permission to decline distractions and stay focused on what really matters. Real growth comes from realistic goals. Forget plucked-from-thin-air numbers. Use benchmarks and historical trends to set fundraising targets you can actually achieve, and build momentum from there. 🎧 Listen to more episodes for actionable fundraising tips and insights on nonprofit leadership, nonprofit governance, productivity & tools, and donor engagement strategies that work. We're here to eliminate nonprofit burnout and boost your donations! ✅ 3 Actionable Tips for fundraising strategy creation Use a SWOT analysis to pick the right goals. Interview 6–12 people inside and outside your team. Talk about what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next. It’s a great way to find gaps and inspire new direction. Turn your plan into a monthly workback schedule. Break goals into tasks, assign them, and set deadlines. A plan only works if it actually gets used (and revisited) by your team. Make space for regular updates. Revisit your plan quarterly or monthly. It should evolve as your organization grows, and the regular check-ins will keep it fresh and relevant. Resources and Links Connect with our host, Maria Rio Support our show. We are fully self-funded! Watch this episode on YouTube Need help with your fundraising? Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show

Wondering how to make millions for your nonprofit? Join us for an inspiring conversation with Quilen Blackwell, co-founder of Chicago Eco House and Southside Blooms, as he shares how sustainability and social enterprise can transform communities. Quilen discusses his journey from starting with zero funds to running a $2 million nonprofit. Learn how his organization uses vacant lots to create solar-powered flower farms that employ at-risk youth, creating a self-sustaining business model that brings wealth and resilience to underserved communities. This episode is packed with insights into scaling a nonprofit, the power of human resources, and the critical lessons of running a mission-driven social enterprise. Scaling Nonprofits & Building Economic Resilience – The Highlights: How to transform vacant lots into thriving social enterprises. Building sustainable business models for nonprofit organizations. Overcoming challenges in human resources and culture building. How Southside Blooms converts customers into donors Leveraging social enterprise to create economic resilience. Lessons learned from scaling a nonprofit from $0 to $2M.  🎧 Listen to more episodes for actionable fundraising tips and insights on nonprofit leadership, nonprofit governance, donor retention, productivity & tools, and donor engagement strategies that work! We're here to eliminate nonprofit burnout and boost your donations!About Quilen Blackwell:The Chicago Eco House, founded in 2014 by Quilen Blackwell, uses sustainability to combat poverty in Chicago’s inner city. Inspired by his family’s history and his experiences in Englewood, Quilen and his wife, Hannah, invested their own money to establish a headquarters and launch an off-grid flower farm in 2017. The initiative quickly grew, creating jobs and economic opportunities. Today, the organization operates multiple farms in Chicago and Detroit, along with Southside Blooms, an in-house flower shop, empowering communities through urban agriculture.Rosurces and Links: Connect with Maria Connect with Quilen: Personal Instagram, Southside Blooms, Chicago Eco House Chicago Eco House: Website Southside Blooms: Website Watch this episode on YouTube, subscribe and leave us a review!Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show

Michelle Okere, an expert in equity, diversity, and inclusion, shares her insights from her extensive experience, including her time as CEO of the Compassion House Foundation. She discusses the vital role of communication in fostering inclusivity within nonprofits. Michelle emphasizes the importance of building trust and empowering underrepresented voices. She reflects on her journey from rural and Indigenous communities to leadership roles, advocating for innovative governance and inclusive strategic planning to enhance organizational growth.

How about turning your LinkedIn profile into a powerful fundraising tool? Join Maria Rio and LinkedIn expert, Michelle Benson, as they share actionable strategies for nonprofits to build their digital presence and attract funders via LinkedIn. In this episode, Michelle discusses how to create content that actually enagges donors and funders as well as how to use the platform for donor prospecting and stewardship. Learn how to connect with funders, enhance your nonprofit’s visibility, and turn LinkedIn into a powerful tool for achieving your fundraising goals.Fundraising on LinkedIn – The Highlights:How to optimize your LinkedIn profile to attract funders and partners.Why LinkedIn is the ideal platform for donor prospecting and relationship building.How to spark conversations that lead to direct messages from funders.Tips for creating engaging LinkedIn content that drives donor engagement.How to use LinkedIn’s algorithm to enhance your nonprofit’s visibility and impact.🎧 Listen to more episodes for actionable fundraising tips and insights on nonprofit leadership, nonprofit governance, donor engagement, productivity & tools, and nonprofit storytelling strategies!About Michelle Benson:Michelle helps charity leaders and senior fundraisers use LinkedIn to fundraise – especially high value partnerships that you cannot reach off-line. She shows fundraisers and CEOs how to connect and start a relationship on-line and take that off-line, so you can cultivate the people you need to reach to an ask in a GDPR and human friendly way.Links and Resources:  Connect with Michelle Benson on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-benson-creates-digital-pipelines/Check out the Website: https://www.cultureofphilanthropy.co/ Connect with Maria on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/mariario/Support the show: https://www.buzzsprout.com/208666/supporters/newWatch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/krjZ871CUoo Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a text HERE :)Support the show