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

Further Together: Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

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Jun 21, 2021 • 27min

Giving Trends with Jacob O'Connor

Send us a textHow have donors been giving this past year? And what’s the outlook for the future of giving? On today’s podcast episode, Jacob O’Connor, Vice President of Engagement at CanadaHelps, comes to share with us the latest giving trends published in CanadaHelps’ 2021 Giving Report. Jacob’s highlights of 2021 giving trends Charities are adopting digital giving rapidly. During the pandemic, online giving grew 86% while overall giving decreased by 10%. While many charities needed to put a stop to their in-person fundraising efforts, they are seeing significant growth to their online giving. There is huge potential for charities that have not yet adopted online giving to make that shift. Young donors are giving to causes they deeply care about. Young donors who don’t necessarily have a very high income have stepped up in major ways during this pandemic. Not only are they giving to individual charities, they are also donating to cause based funds that will benefit a larger number of charities. Because of the diversification of donors, important issues and sectors are being supported in more significant ways. For instance, we’re seeing an increase for individual donation to Indigenous charities and arts and cultural sector6Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social media to share with us!“Young people are really engaged with the issues that are top of mind right now, and that's playing out across the board in all the given trends.”“From a financial perspective, the shift from big checks to community-based giving is much more sustainable and less volatile, when you have 1000 donors versus one funder as your source of funding.”Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipConnect with Jacob on LinkedInRead The 2021 Giving Report by CanadaHelpsSupport the show
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Jun 14, 2021 • 29min

creating our future with André Pawan Vashist

Send us a textHow can we actively create the future we want to see beyond the COVID-19 pandemic? On today’s podcast, André Pawan Vashist, ecosystem facilitator, system solution designer, and seasoned nonprofit leader, shares with us his insights on how to move from a transactional way of thinking and doing to bringing about transformational changes in our sector and in our society as a whole. André’s insights on how we move beyond the COVID-19 pandemic Move beyond transactional based processes. Recognize the limit of the transactional processes (like a grant application for funding) in our system and assess how they can better reflect relationships and perspectives from different communities. Actively learn different ways of knowing and thinking. To bring about transformational changes, We must learn not only the different ways of doing but also the different ways of knowing. In the episode, Audre gives the example of learning from Indigenous communities and how they view ways of knowing.Hold space to heal our intersectional identities. We see through experiences from our different lived experiences and identify. It is important to not only recognize the different identities and perspectives that co-exist, but also celebrate that identities are intrinsically intersectional. Increase transparency and openness. Say goodbye to job postings that don’t disclose salary range. Question the lack of transparency and what kind of structure and value they try to uphold that no longer fit into the equitable world we want to see. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social media to share with us!“To go from transactional to transformation - in the middle of that is our relationships”“Revisit what it means to be an actor in society and not having to always be structured within a hierarchical organizational structure, it's okay to have those structures because they’re foundational in terms of holding space and resources, but they also interact in terms of transformation that requires actors moving in between those spaces"Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipConnect with André Support the show
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Jun 7, 2021 • 25min

06 - 22 Neurodiversity in the workplace with Isabella He and Isabelle Hsu

Send us a textDespite all the research that shows the untapped talent and capabilities of neurodiverse population, neurodiverse individuals are still facing significant barriers when seeking employment and adapting to workplace culture and practice that is not made accessible to them. How can employers proactively design a healthy workplace to support neurodiverse individuals to shine with their incredible talents? On today’s podcast, Isabella He and Isabelle Hsu, two young leaders of advocacy for neurodiversity, join us to share their insight and experience. Isabelle and Isabella’s tips on making workplace accessible for neurodiverse individuals: Adopt a strength-based approach. Neurodiverse individuals might need specific accommodations to equip them to work in the style they feel comfortable with and show their amazing strengths. Focus on their strengths when you communicate and work with neurodiverse individuals. Adopt the mindset of how you can design the workplace to unleash the amazing strengths of your neurodiverse teammates. Raise general awareness and literacy about neurodiversity. The literacy around neurodiversity is still relatively low in our society. Seek resources that raise awareness at your workplace to learn more about neurodiversity so that you and your team know how toSeek help to design the accessibility policy and practice at your workplace. There are professional accessibility specialists that can help you design your workplace practice and support your workplace to be certified neurodiverse workplace. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social media to share with us!“I founded SN Inclusion after realizing that some people I knew that I had no idea were neurodiverse were actually neurodiverse and they had such struggles getting into the workplace and face so many adversities due to a lot of the stigmas that still perpetuate yeah in our world today. Unemployment rates among individuals with autism spectrum disorder is at 85%. I was shocked by that statistics.” - Isabella“One thing to keep in mind is that so many of us with neurodiverse conditions have unfortunately learned to keep our conditions private and try not to bother others or to advocate for our specific needs. Of course, there are also people who are the complete opposite of that. But in general, if an employer wants to make a workplace more friendly, I suggest they approach it in a more proactive way to ask what needs to be done instead of waiting for employees to approach you and tell you what they need.” - IsabelleResources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipSN InclusionSupport the show
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May 31, 2021 • 28min

going back to the office with Alice D'Abreu

Send us a textIs your organization starting to plan for going back to the office? Or is your team going to continue working from home as we slowly transition to post-pandemic reality? Whichever option you’re thinking about, there are considerations for how to ensure your staff has a safe and healthy working environment. On today’s podcast, Alice D’Abreu, an HR expert and founder of Monday Morning, shares with us what employers should be thinking about, planning for, and starting to roll out now. Alice’s tips on going back to the officeDevelop plans and strategies to ensure workplace health and safety at the office. Consider strategies such as installing plexiglass and implementing a shift system and pay attention to details that people might get exposed to health hazards.Have a work-from-home policy. It’s likely that for every organization, working from home will play a part in the post-pandemic reality. So if you don’t already have a work-from-home policy in place at your organization, start planning and implementing one. Make sure that you also consider how to ensure staff working from home have a safe and accommodating work environment. Just because staff are working from home, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to consider their working conditions. Check in on if they have the right equipment and resources to work with and if there is the accommodation that they need at home. Provide targeted support to address the main challenges your employees have faced. Understanding that people have different levels of experiences and challenges during the pandemic, first get a pulse check on what are the specific challenges that your staff have faced, and then look into providing targeted resources, training, or workshops to support them. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social media to share with us!“Before COVID, there were a lot of businesses that didn't even consider work from home and it's just become a fundamental reality for people that this is not going anywhere and this change might be here to stay.”“Think about how this whole pandemic experience has had an impact on people during these very trying times. Get a pulse of what are the main challenges that people have faced and might face going forward and then look into providing targeted support.”Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipFind Alice at Monday MorningSupport the show
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May 24, 2021 • 26min

finding your joy with Lianne Kim

Send us a textWith everything that’s happening in the world right now, work can feel heavy and onerous. How can we bring back the joy in our work and feel aligned? On today’s podcast, business coach extraordinaire Lianne Kim shares with us her insight and tips on how to show up to work with a joy oriented mindset. Get your copy of Lianne’s new bookhere Building a Joyful Business a 15% percent discount code exclusive to our listeners. Simply enter the code GOOD when you’re checking out to get the discount. Self-talk that Lianne wants us to walk away from:“What should I be doing today?”: Rather than operating from the place of asking yourself what you should be doing, try to shift to what you would like to do. That simple mindset shift will bring more joy and meaning to your day to day.  “I have no control during these unprecedented times.”: Yes. We don’t have control over how and when many things are happening in the world, but we do have control on how we respond to them. Our response is a choice that we make. “I have to serve everyone.”: You don’t have to serve every donor, client, or person in the world. Honing down in your strength and being very specific about the community of people you serve is going to make your work that much more aligned and joyful. Lianne’ tips on bringing back joy in our work:Learn to let go. Learn to say no to projects, clients, donors that do not align with your values and vision and make space for things, people and tasks that truly matter. Cultivate the mental awareness for the mindset trap of “I am not enough.” Often when we spend so much time and energy in doing the things we think we should do, we are informed by the mindset of not-enough-ness. Building awareness to the existence of this mindset is the first step to put some distance to it. Stop playing the comparison game. Pick a lane, focus on your strength, doing things the way that you’re great at and feeling great from it. Don’t pay so much attention to what other people or organizations are doing. Think about how much you can accomplish can do with the time and energy that you spend on playing the comparison game. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social media to share with us!“Every single choice that we make can bring us closer to joy or further away.”“I'm a big proponent that mindset really does need to be the foundation for all success. There’s no one tactic or strategy that is going to overcome a crappy mindset.” “It’s in the letting go of the stuff that really isn't serving us, the stuff that is going to serve us shows up.”Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipLianne KimGet your copy of Lianne’s new book Building a Joyful Business with our 15% percent discount code GOOD Support the show
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May 17, 2021 • 48min

Active Allyship - A response to collecting courage with Mazarine Treyz, Chris Conroy, and Scott Russell

Send us a textAs part 2 of Collecting Courage, we invited several white leaders in the sector to talk about how to be real and active allies for anti-racism work. On the podcast today are Mazarine Treyz, Fundraising Author and Coach, Chris Conroy, Partner at the Wellspring Group, and Scott Russell, Chief Executive Director at the Alzheimer Society of Toronto. Mazarine, Chris and Scott’ tips on being active allies: Commit to lifelong learning and listening. Allyship and anti-racism work is not a quick fix - it’s a lifelong commitment. Look for resources to help yourself learn and talk to people around you. Stepping Back and Calling Out. When you’re invited to a panel or speaking engagement that includes only white people, do the work to ask questions, call out the organizers, and step back. Acts like participating in all-white panels is perpetuating the system at work that disproportionately supports white voices over other’s. Get comfortable with confronting your own complicity. We are all complicit one way or another in participating in a system that is racist. Get comfortable with the uncomfortable feeling of coming face to face your own complicity. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social to share with us!“Highlight people of colour and their work. Pay them if you’re inviting them to speak. Ask the questions that people don't want to ask. Like, why is the sector not a safe or good space for a lot of people of colour?” -  Mazarine“We have to be willing to go deeper and to look at things with critical eyes and questions. We have to be honest with ourselves that we don't see our bias and complicity very well and see it very clearly.” - Scott“Getting comfortable with getting uncomfortable is about getting comfortable with letting go of your own empowered worldview, which has come at the expense at the oppression of people with different world views and differing identities, which whiteness has itself framed and named and defined for itself.” - ChrisResources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipConnect with MazarineConnect with ScottConnect with ChrisFeral Visions PodcastThe Mother of All QuestionsSupport the show
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May 10, 2021 • 46min

collecting courage part 1 with Nneka Allen, Camila Vital Nunes Pereira, and Nicole Salmon

Send us a textOn today’s podcast, editors of the book Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love -  Nneka Allen, Camila Vital Nunes Pereira, and Nicole Salmon - share with us their insight and wisdom on how to confront systemic racism in our sector by starting with speaking up and sharing stories. Ways that Nneka, Nicole and Camille encourages us to confront systemic racism:Recognize that we are all part of a racist system. Centre the conversation on the system, and recognize that we all live and breathe in racism. Good people or organizations trying to do good can be actively participating in reinforcing systemic racism too. Recognize that both action and inaction have impact. Not only do words have an impact in making changes or perpetuating harm, silence also can have significant impact. Think about what your silence means and reinforces. Leverage collective power for change. Collective courage and power will mobilize changes. Click the links in the resource section to join and support the community of Black fundraisers or host a book club at your workplace. Show commitment to philanthropy and community that do not subject to the tradition of Western and white philanthropy. Don’t let the tradition of Western and white philanthropy speak for all philanthropic and community endeavour. The Black communities’ love for community, making a difference, and connecting with people through giving predates Western philanthropy. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social to share with us!“The word racism is so charged because we've attached a good, bad binary to the word. And that's problematic and false. Racism is the water we swim in. So we're all infected. The question is what are we each going to do about our own infection?” - Nneka Allen“The impact of your action and inaction lands somewhere. Words you use have a lasting impact on people.” - Nicole Salmon“When I joined the collective, I was looking for a community, because most of the time you feel alone and you feel like you're the only one. We’re here. This is an invitation. If there's any, anyone out there in the nonprofit sector, and you're looking for a community, a place to really feel like you were at home, connect with us.” --Camila Vital Nunes PereiraResources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipCollecting CourageDonate to the Black Philanthropy FundSupport the show
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May 3, 2021 • 30min

changing the world through fundraising with David Love

Send us a textOn today’s podcast, David Love, seasoned fundraiser also known as the Godfather of Good, shares with us his take on the role of fundraisers in achieving change in the world. When we centre our work around the mission and the journey that we are on as an organization and how that aligns with the journey our donors are making - we can impact meaningful and lasting change in the world.Myths that David wants us to walk away fromThe nature of a fundraiser's work to raise money. What fundraisers actually do is create value and make connections - connecting donors to the causes that matter deeply to them. Less people are donating nowadays. Donors are stepping up again and again for different causes. Less people are donating just for a charitable receipt, but more people are giving to causes they are deeply passionate of regardless of the tax receipt. This is why we don’t yet have a great metric on the current state of philanthropy.David’s tips on working with donors:Recognize that the donors’ journey already started and you’re here to support them on their journey. No hard sell is needed. There is a reason that a potential donor is interested in the organization's mission and vision. You’re just here to support them on a path that they’re already on, guided by their own values, interest, and passion.  Help them to find and support initiatives that speak to their values and the changes they want to see in the world. Ask questions or guide the donors to hone in what is it that will make them feel the spark or the connection with the impact that matters to them. Show passion and authenticity in your communication with your donors. Do away with aloof and formal language and focus on showing that you too deeply care about the mission and vision that your donors are invested in. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social to share with us!“It’s a fallacy to think that fundraisers raise money. What fundraisers spend their lives doing is creating value. Fundraisers make dreams come true. Small organizations with difficult causes need to find ways to make the values that are at the heart of what they do come alive in a donor’s soul.”“Donors are already on a journey. We as fundraisers didn't actually start that journey. They come to us because they're on a journey and they're actually trying to find out whether the road that we’re showing them is one we want to go down or not.”Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipConnect with David on LinkedinDavid’s new book: Green Green: Reflections on 51 Years of Raising Money for NatureSupport the show
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Apr 26, 2021 • 23min

a feminist COVID recovery with Chi Nuygen

Send us a textHow do we recover from the exhaustion and pain of the pandemic? How do we lead our organizations into the post-pandemic world with responsible leadership in service for our communities? On today’s episode, social impact leader Chi Nguyen gives us the real talk on how to approach our leadership and the way we show up with a feminist and inclusive lens. Chi’s tips on approaching leadership from a feminist and inclusive lens:Caregiving is deeply feminist. Caregiving translates into leadership at all levels of our society. Leaders who understand the value of caregiving have the potential to transform how we are organized and governed. Purpose and responsibility driven. Think about responsibility not just for ourselves and our immediate community, but our collective responsibility for this planet and future generations. Show up as our whole selves. We carry what’s going on in our lives, our identities, and our values to the table and so let our authenticity and experience shine through our decision making and leadership. Be ok with the discomfort when wrestling with power. Disrupting systemic privilege and power structure is uncomfortable but a necessary part of the work in service for our communities. And it’s not just about disrupting power structures outside of our own organizations and our sector. We have to be able to look inward as well. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social to share with us!“When I think about inclusive leadership and feminist leadership, it's about bringing that whole person and all of the weight of that into decision making, into how we run our organizations with lots of forgiveness and resiliency, and frankly, real humanity.”“The best community programming and best response to community initiatives is a program that is for us by us - fundraised, led, designed, implemented. That is the model for ownership of community solutions, but it is not how our systems have been built. We need to move from a charitable model to collective impact model.”Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipChi Nguyen Support the show
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Apr 19, 2021 • 32min

Collaboration and Partnerships with Charmaine Hammond

Send us a textHow can I close that sponsorship deal? This is the question that keeps many fundraisers and Executive Directors up at night. On today’s episode, Charmaine Hammond, partnership development expert at Raise a Dream, shares with us an easy-to-follow, 7-step framework for building long lasting partnerships.Myths that Charmaine wants us to leave behindYou have to shoehorn your nonprofit into a partnership. Have a discovery call with a potential partner and assess if there is an alignment before proceeding further. You don’t have to pursue a partner that has no value and impact alignment with your organization.If there is a problem with partnership deliverables, let’s not report the problem until the point of no return. Engage your partner early on with the problem and invite them to be part of the solution. Your partner is invested in the success of the partnership just as you are. Charmaine’s tips on building partnershipsListen for the full episode to get all of Charmaine's tips and the complete 7-step framework. Go beyond the obvious for partnership research. Try to see where your partners are speaking at, what social media engagement they are doing, and what campaigns they are involving themselves in. Let the partnerships/sponsors tell you what to include in a proposal. Ask them explicitly what would be helpful to include, what should not be included, who else will be involved in the decision making process and viewing the proposal etc. Continue to consistently engage your partners after the partnership is concluded. Get in touch with partners and see how they’re doing. Keep tabs on what initiatives they’re engaged in. Share program updates from your side. Keep in touch with them like your friends and the relationship will flow organically. Favourite Quotes from Today’s EpisodePost your favourite quote on social to share with us!“I don't want any surprises when potential partners read the proposal and contract I send over. So when a potential partner asks for a proposal, I say absolutely, I can put it together and ask these questions: what would you like me to send you? Who else is going to be looking at it just you? Okay. Oh, you've got to bring in some other team members, what will they want to see? How many pages? What do I not need to cover? What do I need to ensure is in there for you to take this forward and sell it?”“What I have learned is the earlier you bring a possible issue forward to a partner, the more support you get in the solution, because nobody at this point wants to see  failure. Everybody is committed to make the partnership successful. So, let people be part of the solution.”Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipRaise a DreamConnect with Charmaine on LinkedinSupport the show

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