Nonprofit Lowdown

By Rhea Wong

What's Nonprofit Lowdown about?

This is Nonprofit Lowdown where I review and recommend the best ideas, resources, tools, tricks and tips to run your nonprofit like a pro! Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nonprofitlowdown/support

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Nonprofit Lowdown episodes:

05.27.2024
#288 - The 5 Minute Ask with Kel Haney
Feeling jittery about making that fundraising call? You’re not alone. Many fear the dreaded hang-up when reaching out to potential donors. But imagine turning calls from cold to gold, sparking genuine connections that open doors to vital funds. This week, I chat...
05.20.2024
#287 - Why Your Board Isn't Participating in Fundraising
05.13.2024
#286 - Annual Donors vs. Major Donors
05.06.2024
#285 - Why Your Donors Aren't Giving Again
What if I told you the reason 82% of your donors never give again is because of something you’re doing?
04.29.2024
#284 - Pipeline Training
Executive directors, are you tired of chasing after those $20 donations like a squirrel on espresso? Yeah, me too. And let me tell you, focusing all our energy on foundation grants and corporate donations because they seem easier is a...
04.22.2024
#283 - The Future of AI with Devi Thomas
Feeling overwhelmed by the tsunami wave of AI chatter? Wondering how your nonprofit can ride the AI wave without wiping out? You're not alone. The rapid evolution of AI technology has everyone's heads spinning, trying to figure out how to adopt...
04.15.2024
#282 - Identity Upgrade
Ever felt a surge of imposter syndrome just as you're about to hit a major fundraising goal? Wonder why, even after securing that dream funding, a creeping sense of dread shadows your success? If your accomplishments in the nonprofit realm leave...
04.08.2024
#281 - Humanity + AI with Vilas Dhar
Worried AI will take your job? Fear robots more than global warming? Think AI lacks morals? Well, take a chill pill my nonprofit friends.
04.01.2024
#280 - Money Mindset and Fundraising
Are you giving money too much power in your fundraising efforts? Are desperation and scarcity sabotaging your fundraising success?
03.25.2024
#279 - Don't Be Afraid of AI with Afua Bruce
Is it going to take over the world and make nonprofit work obsolete? Some peeps seem hyped, while others wanna unplug the mainframe, Office Space-style.
03.18.2024
#278 - Spring Cleaning Your NPO
With the first blooms of spring comes our annual opportunity for renewal. Time to clear out the old and make way for new growth! In this solo episode, I'll share my best tips for spring cleaning every aspect of your NPO...
03.11.2024
#277 - Healing the Wounded Healer with JJ Mubarak
This week on the podcast, I had an illuminating discussion with spiritual healer John Jacob Mubarak - a spiritual advisor with a heart for integrating soulful practices into everyday life. Our deep dive was enlightening, revealing how to pour into the...
03.04.2024
#276- 3 Reasons Why You're Burned Out on Fundraising
When we're scraping by each month, it's natural to get transactional with donors. But people give to people, not causes. The good news? By shifting your mindset and strategies, you can move from survival mode to stability and even abundance.
02.26.2024
#275 - Gen Z Fundraising with Sarah Medina Camiscoli
I think we can all agree Gen Z has lofty ideals and a spring in their step for social change that makes some of us old fogeys a little uncomfortable. But could they be the generation that deconstructs the nonprofit...
02.19.2024
#274 - Advice for NPO Start-ups with Tiffany Allen
Itching to make your passion project a legendary nonprofit? It might not be as straightforward as you think. I sat down with my gal pal Tiffany Allen, founder and president of Boss on a Budget, to spill some piping hot...
02.12.2024
#273 - Fractional Fundraising with Cindy Wagman
Does your nonprofit have a “part-time” fundraising problem? As an ED, I learned the hard way that hiring well-meaning but inexperienced junior development folks often wastes precious resources.
02.05.2024
#272- No More Money Shame! with Shulamit Ber Levtov
Sick of shame sabotaging your fundraising?
01.29.2024
#271 - My First $1M Gift with Dr. Emerald Mitchell
Does chasing big donor bucks leave you feeling shook? Here’s a little secret to flip the switch on our inner dialogue so you can start bringing in major gifts: When you fix your mindset, you fix your money probs. But don’t...
01.22.2024
#270 - Managing Your Mindset for Fundraising Success with Hugh Ballou
Fundraising leaving you frazzled?
01.15.2024
#269 - Where Do Donors Come From?
Sick of "spraying and praying" when it comes to finding new donors? I'm dishing my best tips on targeting your ideal supporters in this solo episode. I'm tackling the common mistakes I see nonprofits make, from failing to define their audience...
01.08.2024
#268 - State of Mind
Are you trudging through the fundraising world, feeling the weight of 'never enough'? It's time to drop the scarcity storyline and embrace the abundance that surrounds us. We've all carried baggage into our donor meetings, narratives laced with trauma and...
12.26.2023
BONUS- Top 5 Gems of 2023
12.18.2023
#267 - Email: Your First Stop for Funding with Christina Edwards
Burned by social media and its tiny ROI?
12.11.2023
#266 - Is Your Website "Funder Friendly"? - with Lou Kotsinis
Does your nonprofit website attract donors like a 20-year-old Geo Metro?
12.07.2023
BONUS: End Your Year Strong with Email with Jess Campbell
Are visions of year-end dollar signs turning into lumps of coal?
12.04.2023
#265 - Philanthropy Revolution with Lisa Greer
Fundraising can feel transactional, manipulative, and just plain icky. But it doesn’t have to be that way. As donor-turned-expert Lisa Greer explains, with authentic connection and a "ditch the pitch" mindset, fundraising can actually feel human. Lisa gets what it’s like...
11.27.2023
#264 - The Business of an NPO with Robert Fukui
In love with your mission but not getting warm fuzzies from the fundraising? You’ve got to start thinking of your NPO as a business! Wait, what? Robert is the founder of Power Couples by Design and co-author of the book Tandem:...
11.20.2023
#263 - Rich White Men with Garrett Neiman
Ever feel like no matter how hard you shake the money tree, the fruit only falls for certain folks?
11.13.2023
#262 - Marketing on a Shoestring Budget with Krystal Covington
Confused about all the options for nonprofit marketing?
11.06.2023
#261 - Servant Leadership + Fundraising with Evan Wildstein
10.30.2023
#260 - Diversifying Your Board with Andy Rathmann-Noonan and Mayowa Awe
Diversifying your board - yup, it's time for that awkward convo! But it's so key for representing your community, getting new perspectives, and just making decisions with more empathy and cultural awareness. Am I right?In this episode, I chat with...
10.23.2023
#259 - Hard Asks Made Easy with Laura Fredricks
Ask and you shall receive! Making big fundraising asks doesn't have to feel scary or daunting. My brilliant guest Laura Fredricks shares her golden rules for powering through the fear of asking and inspiring donors to take action. Laura is a...
10.16.2023
#258 Facebook Fundraisers with Sean Kosofsky
Could Facebook be an untapped goldmine for your NPO? Sean Kosofsky, a veteran nonprofit leader turned consultant, makes a compelling case for maximizing Facebook fundraisers. He shares hard-won insights on how to run effective peer-to-peer campaigns that leverage individuals' networks for...
10.09.2023
#257 - How to Stop Chasing Donors and 10x Your Thinking with Brooke Richie-Babbage, Cindy Wagman and Jess Campbell
Join me as I chat with Brooke Richie-Babbage, Cindy Wagman, and Jess Campbell about “How to stop chasing donors and 10x your thinking.” This episode feels a little different than past episodes not just because we’re coming to you from behind...
10.02.2023
#256 - Surviving and Thriving as a Black Leader with LaTresse Snead
While the tides are changing for people of color in the corporate world, there’s this awkward space where pillars of the old system still stand ominous while the framework of a new system begins to take shape. So where does that...
09.25.2023
#255 - Unf*ck Yourself as a White Person with Jen Mayer
How do we untangle the web of systemic racism and inherent bias that are deeply etched into our society's fabric? How do white individuals fit into this dialogue, and more importantly, confront their roles in perpetuating or combating racism? All...
09.18.2023
#254 - Being Fiscally SeCURE with Raj Thakkar
Hey friends and fellow nonprofit nerds! Get ready for a super fun and informative chat with my buddy Raj Thakkar. You may know Raj as the founding genius behind FOREsight Financial Services for Good. But did you also know he's the...
09.11.2023
#253 - Joy in Storytelling with Tara Dorabji
We all know storytelling is a powerful way to move people and effect change on the important issues of today. But in the fundraising world, storytelling has gotten a bad rap. Poverty porn, sensationalism, and negative storytelling practices have left...
09.04.2023
#252 - Maximizing LinkedIn for your NPO with Tania Bhattacharyya
Social media is a modern-day jungle. If you don’t know who you are and what you want to say; the algorithms will eat you for breakfast. So what choice do non-profit folks have if we want to be heard above...
08.28.2023
#251 - When a Black Founder Transitions with Cassie Haynes & Jean Friedman-Rudovsky
Succession planning. We all know it’s a possibility, but none of us wants to think about it. What processes do you have in place to protect your organization from losing funding? How will you manage the optics and let funders...
08.21.2023
#250 - Philanthropy by the Numbers with Dr. Una Osili
I’ve said it before; if you want to get big contributions, you have to make big asks. But, for so many of us, our scarcity mindset holds us back. We wonder, can we really make big asks in an economic...
08.14.2023
#249 - Women's Leadership Council
In this episode, we're joined by the inspiring voices of Alison Overseth, Gisele Castro, and Erica Hamilton at The Women's Leadership Council. Our discussion centers around the dynamic landscape of leadership, highlighting our personal experiences, insights, and the ever-important journey...
08.07.2023
#248 - Small Shop Strategies with Rachel Bearbower
Meet my friend and homegirl, the amazing Rachel Bearbower. She is the Founder of Small Shop Strategies, a nonprofit consultancy focused on teaching Executive Directors how to detangle their systems so they can focus their time + energy on building...
07.31.2023
#247 - Root Causes of Burnout with Dr. Emily Bennett
In this episode, we’re joined by the mind-bending Dr. Emily Bennet, ND, CEO of Kindling who answers the question, “How can we take better personal responsibility for our own well-being in the midst of being devoted to this purpose-driven work?” We...
07.24.2023
#246 - Childfree by Choice with Therese Shechter
In this episode, we're joined by the fierce Therese Shechter, the brain behind "My So-Called Selfish Life," who's flipping the script on pronatalism and societal norms. From tearing apart the underpinnings of pronatalism to exposing its ties with white supremacy and...
07.17.2023
#245 - Funding Feminist Movements with Latanya Mapp Frett
In this insightful episode, I engage in a profound discussion with the esteemed Latanya Mapp Frett, Executive Director of Global Fund for Women, and author of 'The Everyday Feminist: The Key to Sustainable Social Impact - Driving Movements We Need...
07.10.2023
#244 - Innovations in Board Management with Bill Ryan
Get ready for some board management wisdom! In this episode, I sat down with the brilliant Bill Ryan, a nonprofit board governance expert
07.03.2023
#243 - Gen Z staff, Gen X leaders with Darren Isom
My friend and repeat guest Darren Isom is down to speak some truth. In this fun episode, we talk about the generational and cultural shifts in the workplace as Boomers retire and millennials are taking up the mantle of leadership....
06.26.2023
#242 - How to Use Chat GPT for Fundraising with Robby Fowler
In today's episode, we have a special guest joining us: Robby Fowler. Together, we'll explore the game-changing potential of ChatGPT in the world of fundraising. ChatGPT, powered by OpenAI, is an AI language model that's creating waves in the fundraising landscape....
06.19.2023
#241 - Non-boring Events for Nonprofits with Joey Goone
Welcome to a captivating conversation with Joey Goone, an expert in creating connective fundraising events for nonprofits. With a unique blend of event planning and neuroscience, Joey reveals the remarkable role our brains play in designing transformative experiences. Get ready...

What's Nonprofit Lowdown about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Nonprofit Lowdown episodes:

#288 - The 5 Minute Ask with Kel Haney

#287 - Why Your Board Isn't Participating in Fundraising

#286 - Annual Donors vs. Major Donors

#285 - Why Your Donors Aren't Giving Again

#284 - Pipeline Training

#283 - The Future of AI with Devi Thomas

#282 - Identity Upgrade

#281 - Humanity + AI with Vilas Dhar

#280 - Money Mindset and Fundraising

#279 - Don't Be Afraid of AI with Afua Bruce

#278 - Spring Cleaning Your NPO

#277 - Healing the Wounded Healer with JJ Mubarak

#276- 3 Reasons Why You're Burned Out on Fundraising

#275 - Gen Z Fundraising with Sarah Medina Camiscoli

#274 - Advice for NPO Start-ups with Tiffany Allen

#273 - Fractional Fundraising with Cindy Wagman

#272- No More Money Shame! with Shulamit Ber Levtov

#271 - My First $1M Gift with Dr. Emerald Mitchell

#270 - Managing Your Mindset for Fundraising Success with Hugh Ballou

#269 - Where Do Donors Come From?

#268 - State of Mind

BONUS- Top 5 Gems of 2023

#267 - Email: Your First Stop for Funding with Christina Edwards

#266 - Is Your Website "Funder Friendly"? - with Lou Kotsinis

BONUS: End Your Year Strong with Email with Jess Campbell

#265 - Philanthropy Revolution with Lisa Greer

#264 - The Business of an NPO with Robert Fukui

#263 - Rich White Men with Garrett Neiman

#262 - Marketing on a Shoestring Budget with Krystal Covington

#261 - Servant Leadership + Fundraising with Evan Wildstein

#260 - Diversifying Your Board with Andy Rathmann-Noonan and Mayowa Awe

#259 - Hard Asks Made Easy with Laura Fredricks

#258 Facebook Fundraisers with Sean Kosofsky

#257 - How to Stop Chasing Donors and 10x Your Thinking with Brooke Richie-Babbage, Cindy Wagman and Jess Campbell

#256 - Surviving and Thriving as a Black Leader with LaTresse Snead

#255 - Unf*ck Yourself as a White Person with Jen Mayer

#254 - Being Fiscally SeCURE with Raj Thakkar

#253 - Joy in Storytelling with Tara Dorabji

#252 - Maximizing LinkedIn for your NPO with Tania Bhattacharyya

#251 - When a Black Founder Transitions with Cassie Haynes & Jean Friedman-Rudovsky

#250 - Philanthropy by the Numbers with Dr. Una Osili

#249 - Women's Leadership Council

#248 - Small Shop Strategies with Rachel Bearbower

#247 - Root Causes of Burnout with Dr. Emily Bennett

#246 - Childfree by Choice with Therese Shechter

#245 - Funding Feminist Movements with Latanya Mapp Frett

#244 - Innovations in Board Management with Bill Ryan

#243 - Gen Z staff, Gen X leaders with Darren Isom

#242 - How to Use Chat GPT for Fundraising with Robby Fowler

#241 - Non-boring Events for Nonprofits with Joey Goone