If a donor has ever gone silent after a few “great” meetings, let me gently suggest:

It’s probably not you. It’s probably qualification.

We move from conversation to cultivation to ask — without getting real, explicit consent to go deeper.

Qualification isn’t a wealth screen or a good vibe.It’s mutual clarity:

• Are we aligned on timing?

• Do you actually want to explore a bigger partnership?

• Did we agree on the next step?

When we skip this, we ask too soon, donors feel surprised, and we start doubting ourselves.

Qualification isn’t a hurdle.It’s respect.

Fix this step, and everything downstream gets easier.

Important Links:

Webinar: https://go.rheawong.com/donorjourneyauditwebinar-2026 

Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠

Stop fundraising like you’re buying lottery tickets.

In this episode, I’m breaking down why chasing random donors and one-off opportunities keeps you stuck in scarcity mode—and what to do instead. If your fundraising strategy feels like crossing your fingers and hoping for a miracle, it’s time for a shift.

We’re talking about how to build a signal-driven pipeline—one rooted in consent, clarity, and real relationships. When you focus on signals (who’s engaged, who’s responding, who’s leaning in), you stop wasting time convincing people who were never a fit in the first place.

This isn’t about hype. It’s not about viral moments. And no, Mr. Beast is not coming to save you.

It’s about building a sustainable, repeatable system that works—without burnout or magical thinking.

If this resonates and you want to learn more about creating a consent-based fundraising system, head to riawong.com and sign up for my newsletter. I share details about upcoming webinars where I teach this framework in depth.

Important Links:

Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

I got so much feedback from the last episode about boards that we’re going there again.

Here’s the hot take:

Your board isn’t avoiding fundraising. They’re avoiding embarrassment.

They’re protecting their reputation. Their relationships. Their social capital.

And honestly? I get it.

As an executive director, I remember thinking: “I’m out here writing grants and running events. Can you just call your friends?”

But what I’ve learned—both as a former ED and a board member—is that this isn’t a motivation problem.

It’s a safety problem.

Most board members:

Don’t want to burn trust with friendsDon’t want to look foolishDon’t want to feel transactionalDon’t want to ambush anyone with an ask

When fundraising feels risky, vague, or transactional, they shut down.

So here’s the reframe:

Staff executes. Board de-risks.

Board members aren’t there to run your strategy. They’re there to lend trust.

They don’t need more courage. They need guardrails.

If the role is vague, it becomes optional.

If your board isn’t engaged, don’t guilt them. Design for safety.

When people feel safe, they show up.

Important Links:

Book a Call: 

⁠https://connect.rheawong.com/⁠

How to Train ChatGPT: ⁠ ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠⁠ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program:⁠ ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey:⁠ ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠⁠ 

My Newsletter:⁠ ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠⁠ 

Real talk: I tried very hard to avoid this episode. Because boards + fundraising can get… messy.

But if we’re serious about major gifts, we can’t keep skipping this conversation.

In this episode, I unpack why boards and executives keep blaming each other for fundraising results and why the real issue usually isn’t effort, motivation, or commitment.

It’s the system.

Most of us are driving a fundraising “car” that was built for a different era. When it breaks down, boards say, “You’re driving wrong,” and executives say, “You’re not giving me enough gas.” Meanwhile, everyone’s exhausted and nothing changes.

If fundraising feels heavy, risky, or dependent on one or two people, this episode is for you.

Bring a partner. Come ready to be honest.No replay because real change needs shared presence.

Let’s stop blaming the driver, the gas, or each other and fix the dang car.

Important Links:

Register Here: https://go.rheawong.com/murkytomoneysignup 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

If your fundraising feels scattered, exhausting, or like it all lives in your head, this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, I’m breaking down why the old fundraising model is no longer working—and why in 2026 we can’t keep relying on vibes, guesswork, or the heroics of one person. Activity isn’t a system, and burnout isn’t a strategy.

I share what it actually looks like to build a donor-driven, consent-based major gift system that replaces pressure with clarity and makes fundraising feel human again.

I’ll leave you with this question:What would change if fundraising stopped living in your head?

Important Links:

Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

This is not a normal episode of Nonprofit Lowdown.

In this one, I’m sharing something deeply personal: my experience with ayahuasca and why it mattered so much to me as a nonprofit leader.

From the outside, my life looked great. The business was working. The mission was working. I was working. But joy wasn’t part of the equation.

I talk about burnout that doesn’t look like collapse—but like numbness. About over-functioning becoming a leadership identity. About how so many of us in the nonprofit sector are competent, ethical, respected… and quietly exhausted.

I share why I chose a medically licensed ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica, and how the experience helped me move from self-surveillance to self-trust.

This episode isn’t about telling you to do ayahuasca. It’s about asking a bigger question:What happens when being “good” replaces being whole?

If you’re a nonprofit leader who feels like the hallway monitor—holding it all together while losing touch with yourself—this one’s for you.

Healing isn’t a detour from leadership. It’s part of it.

Important Links

Retreat: https://www.rythmia.com/open/worldsfirst?utm_source=post_affiliate_pro&utm_pap_affiliate_id=68cc7cb81ebf5&a_aid=68cc7cb81ebf5 

How to Train ChatGPT:  ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

If your fundraising results depend entirely on one person holding everything together, that's not strategy- that's a vulnerability.

And I see this all the time.

Too many development programs are built on transactional asks, heroic effort, and one exhausted fundraiser keeping the whole thing afloat. That's not sustainable, and it's definitely not the future.

2026 is the year we stop doing fundraising to people and start building consent-based systems that actually work- systems that respect donors, reduce pressure, and create clarity instead of chaos.

That's why I'm hosting a free webinar. No fluff. No vague theory. Just real systems that don't rely on one person's personality or stamina to succeed.

Important Links

Free Webinar:

https://go.rheawong.com/MajorGiftSystem2026 

How to Train ChatGPT:  ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

Nonprofit friends — I’ve been thinking a lot about why so many of us feel exhausted heading into 2026. And honestly? It’s not because we’re lazy or unmotivated. It’s because we’re trying to do everything.

This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I talk about focus — real focus. Not the kind that adds another priority to the list, but the kind that asks us to choose one thing and let the rest go. The kind that replaces fundraising chaos with clarity, and pressure with consent.

So much of our burnout comes from fundraising theater — lots of motion, not enough impact. And leadership, real leadership, is about subtraction. Saying no. Protecting your energy. Deciding what actually moves the needle and having the courage to stop doing the rest.

If you’re craving a calmer, more intentional way to lead fundraising this year — one that honors your time, your donors, and yourself — this episode is for you.

And if you want to go deeper, I’m hosting a free training on January 21 at 12 PM ET on building a major gift system that feels aligned, focused, and human. No forcing. No chasing. Just clarity.

Important Links:

Free Webinar:

⁠https://go.rheawong.com/MajorGiftSystem2026⁠ 

How to Train ChatGPT:  ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

We’re kicking off 2026 with a big conversation—and the perfect guest to start the year.

I’m joined by my friend Cherian Koshy, author of NeuroGiving and Vice President at Hindsight. Cherian’s journey from accidental frontline fundraiser to nonprofit tech founder to bestselling author mirrors so much of what many of us in this sector experience: curiosity, frustration with “best practices,” and a deep desire to do fundraising in a more human way.

In this episode, we dig into why so many traditional fundraising approaches feel off—and what neuroscience and behavioral science can teach us about how people actually make decisions about giving. We talk about generosity, identity, trust, and the mistakes nonprofits make when we over-engineer donations but under-invest in relationships and stewardship.

If you’ve ever felt like fundraising advice wasn’t built for real humans—or real organizations—this conversation is for you.

Happy New Year, and I’m so glad you’re here.

Important Links:

Cherian’s Book- Neurogiving: https://www.amazon.com/Neurogiving-Science-Decision-Making-Cherian-Koshy/dp/1394370458

How to Train ChatGPT:  ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ 

My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

This final episode for 2025 has no tips, no tactics, no strategies.

Just a moment to acknowledge the grief, exhaustion, and weight so many of us—especially in the nonprofit sector—are carrying right now.

If leadership feels heavier than usual…
If fundraising feels harder…
If you’re tired but still showing up anyway…

This episode is for you.

Nonprofits are the quiet machinery of hope. When the world burns, we’re the ones stitching it back together. That work isn’t glamorous, but it matters deeply.

You don’t need to fix the whole world today.
You just need to keep your corner lit.

Give yourself permission to rest, to feel, and then—when you’re ready—to come back steady in 2026. Because hope isn’t passive. Hope is funded.

Happy holidays, friends. Take care of yourselves.
And as always—get that money, honey. 💛

Important Links:

How to Train ChatGPT: ⁠ ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠⁠ 

My Big Ask Gifts Program:⁠ ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠⁠ 

My Book, Get That Money Honey:⁠ ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠⁠ 

My Newsletter:⁠ ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠⁠