Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions for Canadian and American Nonprofits

Send us Fan Mail

Your volunteers are giving something money can't buy, and most nonprofits are treating that gift like an afterthought. When you start seeing volunteers through the same lens as major donors, the way you recruit, steward, and engage them completely changes. And when you connect volunteerism to your broader fundraising and governance pipeline, you stop treating it as a nice-to-have and start building something that actually lasts.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Karen Leies, President and CEO of The Seeing Eye, the world's oldest guide dog school, to talk about what it really means to run a volunteer program well. With 500+ puppy raisers a year, a robust volunteer program, and a board of directors that often wears multiple hats, Karen brings hard-won insight on how nonprofits can stop leaving volunteer potential on the table. If you've ever struggled to keep volunteers engaged, convert their involvement into deeper commitment, or get your board to actually show up — this one's for you.

• Connect with Karen on LinkedIn
•  Visit their website: https://seeingeye.org/

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Most nonprofits don't have a succession plan for their Executive Director because the whole thing feels risky to bring up. What if the board thinks you're already halfway out the door? What if there's no time, no budget, or no one ready to take over? Learn what a real succession plan actually contains, how to start the conversation without putting yourself on the chopping block, and why waiting until someone retires (or worse, dies suddenly) is not a strategy.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio sits down with Dr. Keena Mosley, CEO and Chief Transformation Officer of Momentum Leadership Group, with over 20 years of experience in leadership development across the nonprofit and education sectors. We  dig into what happens after a role transition, what that person does before they walk in on day one, and how they navigate those first few weeks. 

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Some funders are quietly draining your organization's capacity before they even decide whether to fund you. This episode breaks down the difference between funders who treat nonprofits as true partners and those who bury you in 140-page applications with a 3% chance of success. You'll learn how to identify where a funder falls on the spectrum, what equitable grantmaking actually looks like in practice, and why your time is worth protecting as a strategic resource. We also get into the nuts and bolts of building a smarter grant strategy so you can make better decisions about where to spend your energy.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria Rio is joined by Caitlin McBride, a Certified Fundraising Executive with over a decade of experience in the sector on a mission to make fundraising feel less chaotic for small nonprofits. Together, they dig into Vu Le's Equitable Grantmaking Continuum, share their own experiences with A+ and not-so-A+ funders, and give nonprofit leaders a practical lens for evaluating grant opportunities before spending hours on an application that was never really winnable.

The Equitable Grantmaking Continuum: https://legalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Equitable-Grantmaking-Continuum-Full-Version-Updated-March-2021-2.pdf

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

If your nonprofit is still pouring most of its energy into grants and social media, this episode is your wake-up call. Email marketing is one of the most underutilized and highest-return fundraising tools available to small nonprofits. When it's paired with a smooth, friction-free donation experience, it can transform how your organization generates unrestricted revenue.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio sits down with Christina Edwards, founder of Splendid Consulting and host of the Purpose and Profit Club podcast. You'll learn why your email list is one of your most valuable owned assets, how to build a sustainable email strategy without burning out, and what it actually means to make giving easy for your donors. You'll also hear a story about a nonprofit that raised $1,000 in seven minutes using email alone — and why that's more possible than you think.

Connect with Christina: https://www.splendidatl.com/

Ten email subject lines that you can use: https://www.splendidcourses.com/10

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

The word "merger" makes a lot of nonprofit leaders flinch — and honestly, that's understandable. When you've poured years of your life into building an organization, considering a structural change can feel like waving the white flag. But here's the reframe: a merger isn't the end of your mission, it might actually be the most powerful way to advance it. In this episode, we dig into what it really looks like when nonprofits explore collaboration, formal partnerships, and mergers — and why the leaders who avoid these conversations entirely may actually be putting their organizations at greater risk.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Jon Hoffmann, Director of Elevate NP of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a capacity building initiative supporting small and midsize nonprofits. Jon brings a rich background spanning human services, executive leadership, fundraising, and consulting, and has guided many organizations through partnership and merger processes. Whether you're an ED who's quietly wondering if a merger might make sense, or a leader who just wants to understand the full spectrum of collaboration options, this episode will help you get clear, get strategic, and get moving.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Planned giving is one of those things that lives permanently on the "we'll get to it someday" list, and that someday keeps getting pushed back. But the Great Wealth Transfer is already happening, and nonprofits that aren't at least laying the groundwork are going to miss out on one of the biggest funding opportunities of our generation.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria is joined by Tess Conrad, CFRE, a planned giving specialist. We're breaking down the four core components you need to get started, why "planned giving" is actually the wrong term to use with donors, and how to start having legacy conversations without it feeling awkward or morbid.

• Free Planned Giving website guide with examples: www.fullpotentialfundraising.com/freeguide
• Connect with Tess on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tess-conrad-cfre/
• Learn more about done-for-you Planned Giving: https://www.fullpotentialfundraising.com/
• Email Tess at [email protected]

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

We found the cure for your organizations' "we've always done it this way", and we are sharing it with you today.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Andrea Silverstone (CEO of Sagesse) and Carrie McManus (Director of Innovation and Programs at Sagesse). Sagesse is a nonprofit working to disrupt the structures of abuse and eradicate domestic violence. Together, they share what it looks like to lead strategically during lean times, how to build psychological safety, and why the path forward, even through a brutal year, is almost always innovation.

• Visit their website: https://www.sagesse.org
• Connect with Andrea: [email protected]
• Connect with Carrie: [email protected]

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

If you've been hearing the word "fractional" thrown around and nodding along like you totally know what it means, this episode is for you. Fractional work is one of the fastest-growing models in the nonprofit sector, and it's not just for fundraising anymore. From HR to finance to communications, fractional executives are stepping in to give small organizations access to high-level expertise they could never afford full-time. But there are a LOT of myths floating around about what fractional is and isn't, and this episode sets the record straight.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio is joined by co-host Caitlin McBride. Together, they break down the fractional model, dispel common misconceptions, and make the case for why embracing fractional leadership could be one of the smartest moves small nonprofits can make right now.

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

Fundraising fear is real and it's holding a lot of nonprofit leaders back from doing their best work. Whether it's the dread of being seen as pushy, the worry that donors don't want to hear from you, or the nagging feeling that you're just not "polished" enough, these limiting beliefs are more common than you think. The good news? They're also completely workable. This episode unpacks where fundraising fear actually comes from, why it makes total sense that so many EDs feel this way, and — more importantly — what you can do about it. You'll walk away with concrete strategies for shifting your mindset, showing up more authentically, and building the kinds of donor relationships that actually generate generosity. Spoiler: it has a lot less to do with PowerPoint decks than you'd think.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Vanessa Baker Rodriguez, a fundraising consultant and coach based in Northern California with a career-long dedication to the sector. Vanessa's work centers on helping nonprofit leaders fundraise with more ease, authenticity, and values alignment — and this conversation is packed with the kind of practical wisdom that executive directors and development staff at any stage can put to work right away.

• Connect with Vanessa: [email protected]
• Free gift: bravelyaligned.com/gift

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

What if the storytelling practices you're using are actually harming the people you're trying to serve? Many nonprofits believe that sharing clients' most traumatic moments is the only way to raise funds, but what's the real cost of this approach? The way we tell stories has consequences far beyond the donation page, like re-traumatizing vulnerable community members, or conditioning donors to expect exploitation, to name a few.

On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Diana Farias Heinrich, CEO of Habrá Marketing and creator of the Equastory Framework. Diana shares how a storytelling mistake early in her career, one that put a domestic violence survivor at risk, set her on a mission to transform how nonprofits approach client stories. Together, they challenge the sector's donor-centric storytelling norms and explore what it means to truly center dignity, consent, and community in fundraising. If you've ever felt uncomfortable with how your organization tells stories, or if you're ready to build systems that honor all stakeholders, and not just donors, this conversation is for you.

Visit their website: www.habramarketing.com

Register for the Ethical Nonprofit Summit HERE. 
PS: Here is a code to save $15: FURTHERTOGETHER

Support the show