💡 Episode Summary:

Today, we're digging into the budgeting mistake that nearly every nonprofit makes—ignoring the revenue side. While most leaders meticulously track every dollar spent, they often leave income projections vague or nonexistent. Spoiler alert: “Raise as much as we can” is not a strategy.

In this episode, Bernadette breaks down how to build a smarter revenue budget—one that’s tied to actual goals, aligned with your programming, and designed to help you fundraise with clarity and confidence. Whether you're a seasoned ED or just tackling your first budget, this one’s for you.

Why most nonprofit budgets are glorified expense trackers

The danger of budgeting without revenue goals

How to reverse-engineer your income needs for real planning

Three simple steps to build your revenue budget without guessing

A real-world walkthrough of a membership goal—and how to break it down

Why missing your goal still counts as a huge win

Take a look at your budget—but focus only on the revenue side.

Are you using real goals or just repeating last year’s numbers?

Can you break down how you’ll reach those goals?

Do you know your targets by month, donor type, or campaign?

Pick one program and sketch out a basic revenue plan. Start building from there.

Do you have a winning revenue budget strategy? Or a lesson learned from missing the mark? I want to hear it!