Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions
Further Together: Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations
Welcome to Small Nonprofit, the podcast designed for leaders, fundraisers, and advocates in the nonprofit sector who want to create real change. We provide small nonprofit organizations with strategies to enhance their fundraising campaigns, improve nonprofit governance, and implement ethical fundraising practices that resonate with today’s values-driven donors. Hosted by an experienced nonprofit consultant, Maria Rio, this show delves into the unique challenges of nonprofit fundraising and community-centric fundraising, providing tools for donor engagement and major gifts fundraising.👤 Who Should Listen?This podcast is perfect for anyone involved in a small nonprofit seeking practical advice on fundraising strategy, nonprofit leadership, and board accountability. Whether you're looking for innovative fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations or trying to create an impact measurement framework that demonstrates your organization’s value, Small Nonprofit is here to guide you.🎤 Core Topics We CoverCommunity-Centric Fundraising: Learn how ethical fundraising practices can strengthen donor relationships, enhance donor engagement, and align your organization with values-based major giving principles. We’ll help you shift from a donor-centric model to one that prioritizes the community.Systemic Change and Governance: From participatory budgeting to nonprofit board of directors best practices, we explore how to navigate the nonprofit industrial complex and embrace structures that foster diversity in nonprofit leadership and board accountability.Preventing Nonprofit Burnout: Tackle topics such as nonprofit burnout prevention and learn how to cultivate a healthy, anti-oppressive work culture that supports your team’s well-being.Nonprofit Storytelling: Understand how to measure your nonprofit’s effectiveness through nonprofit impact measurement strategies and leverage nonprofit storytelling to create compelling narratives that attract donors.📣 Engaging Conversations and Real-World AdviceIn each episode, we bring you insights from experts in fundraising consulting, nonprofit grant writing, and capital campaign strategies. From interviews with fractional fundraisers and major gift officers to deep dives on fundraising tips and innovative fundraising ideas, we offer actionable advice that you can implement immediately to strengthen your organization’s impact.💰 Learn How to Build a Sustainable NonprofitEvery nonprofit leader faces the challenge of achieving financial sustainability. Our episodes address critical fundraising strategies for nonprofit organizations, providing insights on volunteer management, capacity building, and nonprofit marketing strategy. Gain access to tools that help you execute successful fundraising campaigns and build a foundation for long-term growth.🤝 Join the Movement for Systemic ChangeAt The Small Nonprofit, we’re committed to transforming the nonprofit sector from the ground up. Our focus on systemic change and community-centric fundraising aligns with our mission to support nonprofits in creating equitable, sustainable communities. By addressing topics like values-based decision making and nonprofit transparency, we’re working to build a more ethical, inclusive sector.❤️ Stay ConnectedSubscribe to Small Nonprofit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast platform. Don’t miss an episode as we explore everything from fundraising tips to nonprofit social media strategy, and learn how you can become a stronger advocate for your organization’s mission.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 26, 2020 • 45min
sharing the responsiblity for decolonization with Tim Fox
Send us a textHow do you go beyond the land acknowledgement?In recent years, we see more and more nonprofits including decolonization as their strategic priorities. But if we do a gut check, how’re we actually committing to decolonization everyday?On today’s podcast, Tim Fox, Vice President of Indigenous Relations and Racial Equity at Calgary Foundation, shares his lived experience of facilitating the Calgary Foundation to commit to transformative changes and learning. Tim urges us to challenge us to think beyond decolonization as a short term project that has easy fixes. He encourages us to reflect on how we might make ourselves open and vulnerable in sharing our responsibilities for decolonization and commit to life-long actions. Myths that Tim wants us to leave behindIf we do this and that, it will get us to decolonization. There is no quick fix. Systemic oppression has existed for hundreds of years, and decolonization is generational work. It’s not enough to just do land acknowledgements. It’s not enough to just include indigenous communities in your funding catchment areas. With actions like that come responsibility to intentionally learn and understand the Indigenous communities. Indigenous, black and people of colour have all the answers for decolonization. It is not the responsibility for BIPOC people to lead decolonization. BIPOC people are there to walk alongside with settlers to facilitate change. The responsibility for leading change rests with settlers. As well, the idea that some people are experts and have all the answers in and of itself is an assumption encoded with settlers’ logic. Tim’s tips on transformative unlearning and learningRecognize and try different processes of learning. Shifting away from the linear learning process of getting knowledge from experts or listening in workshops, Tim encourages us to be open to different methods and ways of learning, such as the circle learning process and art of hosting. Letting go of the idea of perfection. Don’t set a deadline for decolonization work, and walk away from the mindset that there is a perfect way to do this. Allow yourself and your organizations to make mistakes, acknowledge them, and keep push through. Be open and vulnerable. If you’re not an Indigenous person or a BIPOC person, put yourself in situations and settings where you’re the minority. Be vulnerable and don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable. Resources from this Episode The Good PartnershipThe Calgary FoundationIndigenous Ally ToolkitTim FoxSupport the show
Oct 19, 2020 • 36min
hack your brain for fundraising success with Cindy Wagman
Send us a text“Just because we've been told one story about philanthropy, or about ourselves as fundraisers, it doesn't have to be true. We can change the narrative.”We become what we believe in. In this special episode, Cindy Wagman, the Founder and CEO of The Good Partnership and host of our podcast talks about why it is so important to tackle our mindset when fundraising, and how to do that without compromising our values and authenticity. Myths that Cindy wants us to leave behindFundraising is hard and icky. The more that we tell our brain that fundraising is hard, the more that our brain will reinforce this notion and make it feel icky. It's a negatively reinforcing loop. You have to become someone else to fundraise successfully. Having a growth mindset for fundraising does not mean you need to be inauthentic or sell out your values and mission. Pretending to be someone else when fundraising is exhausting, and no one can sustain that in the long term.Cindy’s tips on hacking your brain for fundraising successAlign your mindset first, then build habits and tactics. No matter how many tactics you learn for fundraising, if you’re putting on the brake (ie, negative mindset), you’re not going to get the results you want. Align your mindset first then lean into the tools and tactics. Give your brain space to change. The more you force yourself to change, the harder it is to change. That’s natural survival mechanisms. So when trying to create new pathways of thinking for your brain, be patient with yourself and set aside self judgements. Stay true to your values. One of the biggest turning points for many students at Flipside Fundraising is gaining the understanding that their values and mission are what inspire funders and donors to support them. So stay true to your values as you align your mindset for fundraising success.Want to learn more about Cindy’s secrets for raising over 8 million dollar for small nonprofits, join her on this FREE live webinar on October 20 1 pm EST. (If you can’t make it, sign up anyway to get the recording afterward)Resources from this EpisodeThe Good PartnershipSupport the show
Oct 13, 2020 • 41min
Embracing Advocacy with Cathy Taylor
Send us a textAdvocacy is in the DNA of our sector. Every day, whether it’s a front line social agency, or an arts organization, nonprofits are doing great advocacy work at the community level. How can we as a sector lift each other up and support each other’s advocacy efforts? Joining us today for this discussion is Cathy Taylor, the Executive Director of the Ontario Nonprofit Network. Resources from this EpisodeFREE Webinar - Fundraising SecretsThe Good PartnershipOntario Nonprofit NetworkCathy on LinkedinSupport the show
Oct 5, 2020 • 42min
Overhauling your fundraising mindset with Yvonne Harding
Send us a textIn this special episode of the podcast, one of the students from our spring 2020 Flipside Fundraising cohort, Yvonne Harding, Resource Development Manager at Assaulted Women’s Helpline, to share the transformation she has experienced after she changed her fundraising mindset with the lessons learned in Flipside Fundraising. If you want to be like Yvonne and turn fundraising from something you dread into something that is meaningful, productive, and successful for you and your small nonprofit, apply for the Flipside Fundraising scholarships today. The scholarship recipients will receive life-time access to the program and its materials, launching in November. Deadline for scholarship applications is October 9 11:59 PM EST. The application will only take you 3 minutes!Support the show
Sep 28, 2020 • 40min
"What I learned from my daughter's COVID wedding" with Nneka Allen
Send us a textIn fundraising, we often talk about surprising and delighting donors. Sending them updates, creating special experiences, writing them cards etc.. But let me ask you this instead: have your donors ever surprised you?Whether it is a gift made unprompted at the time that your organization really needs it, or it's a simple message to check in on how you and your team are doing - our donors often go beyond our expectation, especially those who truly care about you and your work. I’ll never forget the donor who hand-knitted me a baby blanket when I was pregnant with my first born. It made my heart sing!When a relationship is aligned and authentic, your donors have your back. You wouldn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable reaching out and having an honest conversation with them, especially when your organization has a need your donor can help with.So how can we cultivate authentic relationships with donors? Nneka Allen, the guest on today's podcast, asks us to look no further than in our own lives. You're familiar with Nneka's incredible work. In the summer, we shared the amazing series that she curated, Our Right to Heal, a series that features inspiring stories and journeys of Black women fundraisers.I am so excited to share with you this conversation I had with Nneka, in which she turned observations that she made at her daughter's wedding during the pandemic into nuggets of wisdom about meaningful relationship-building. Give it a listen, and keep up the great work.Support the show
Sep 21, 2020 • 43min
real-life succession planning with Mike Prosserman
Send us a textYour organization is like your baby. And that is exactly why you have to make sure that it can grow on its own without you. In order to get to that state, the organization needs you to build in some great planning and set up the right culture and systems. On today's podcast, our returning guest Michael Prosserman shares his insight on how to lead an organization from the ground up to planning for succession so that it continues to thrive beyond his tenure. Michael urges us to think and act: succession planning starts today.Mike P is also hosting a FREE book launch party on Oct 24th! Here is the link to join: https://buildingunity.eventbrite.caSupport the show
Sep 14, 2020 • 34min
managing imposter syndrome with Mimosa Kabir
Send us a textImposter Syndrome - we don't talk about it very often. But when we do, there's so many nodding heads and people in agreement saying “of course, I experienced that too.” Imposter syndrome seems to be more prevalent for people who don't see themselves reflected in the leadership around them. There's no role model so how do I know I'm doing things, right? With representation, diversity and anti-oppression work becoming more prevalent, it can be easy to wonder whether we were hired for our skills or simply to be that “token” employee within your organization. On today’s podcast, I am excited to have Mimosa Kabir share her perspective to help us unpack the conversation. Tune in as we tackle topics like what imposter syndrome looks like in action, imposter syndrome and risk-aversion, how this can actually contribute to relationship-building and much more! Support the show
Sep 7, 2020 • 51min
managing culture change with Surranna Sandy
Send us a textWhen the pandemic started in March, no one knew what was going to happen.EDs at nonprofits big and small were projecting layoffs and devastating deficits. And that happened. To be sure - the impact of COVID on our sector and all of us has been significant. And mostly awful. People had to quickly adjust their work and lives to adapt. Yes. It's been a rough year. 6 months later, we're still dealing with an ongoing pandemic with no foreseeable end date. So, let's recognize this: our sector has also made some huge wins. Nonprofits have become more nimble than ever. They're shifting long-existing programming online, making their workplace remote-friendly, communicating to donors in ways they never tried before. Most of these things have been on our bucket lists for years, but we haven’t had the time and space to move forward with these changes.In many ways, the COVID-19 pandemic has been the perfect storm that forced us to change. When our environment forces us to change, we become more resilient than we thought we ever would or could be. We realize that changes are not as scary as we imagined. Can we reverse engineer this process and lead necessary changes with courage?I am so excited to launch the new season of the Small Nonprofit Podcast with a conversation on managing change. Surranna Sandy, the CEO of Skills of Change, shares her philosophy on leading change with people at the centre. She walks us through how to leverage this pandemic to set up the infrastructure that will enable positive changes. Ready for a new season of change and courage?Support the show
Jun 22, 2020 • 38min
always be learning with Aaron Sanderson
Send us a textIt seems like on all fronts we are currently engaged in deep unlearning and learning. Whether it’s around anti-racism or new technologies, the world is a changing place and learning has become more routine than ever.Right now, while our learning might be accelerated, it’s a good time to reflect on how we can integrate this type of growth and development into the long-term. Today’s podcast is all about lifelong learning with guest Aaron Sanderson, SVP, Advancement & Chief Development Officer at Kids Help Phone. Give it a listen and start planning your next learning!For access to the show notes and resources, click here.Support the show
Jun 15, 2020 • 32min
surprise and delight your donors with Matt Barnett
Send us a textAs things are slowly opening up, do you have a favourite cafe nearby your home or work that you always visit and can't wait to go back to? If you do, you'll be familiar with this scenario: you go to the cafe a few times, and the barista starts remembering your order. The next time you show up, the barista smiles at you and asks: "americano with oat milk?" (that's my order!)Surprised, right there and then, the barista has fostered a sense of connection. Before you know it, that cafe becomes your favourite spot. A simple gesture of acknowledging "I know you" is so powerful for sparking connection. How can we also make that magical spark happen with our donors?Well, I want to introduce to you one of my favourite tools to foster those connections in today’s digital age and in the absence of having donor phone numbers: Bonjoro, a personalized one-to-one video messaging service. On this week's podcast, I chatted with Bonjoro's founder Matt Barnett. Matt shared with us some really doable tips to build authentic connection with your donors remotely.At The Good Partnership, we started using Bonjoro to send personalized videos to onboard clients and students for Flipside Fundraising, and it’s getting great responses and engagement. We’re also using it with our clients and their donors. As you know, I don’t usually recommend a specific product without context. But we fell in love with Bonjoro, and we know that can be such a great tool for you right now to connect with your donors in a socially distanced world. But, even if it’s not the right tool for you (p.s they have a free version), you can try the tactics in this podcast with other tools too!For access to the show notes and resources, click here.Support the show
