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It’s a fact of life that every generation criticizes the generation to come after it. Boomers criticized Gen X. Gen X criticized millennials. And now it seems that we’re all ganging up on Gen Z.  But why?  For all the bad press they receive on social media about their supposed lack of work ethic, social […]

What makes an NPO successful at fundraising?  Is it a really great vision? A charismatic ED? A board who pulls their weight with fundraising and recruiting?  Actually, in my opinion, there are a lot of things that will make your NPO a success, but they can be summed up into two categories:  Your mindset.  Your

Don’t fall for this common mistake in your NPO.  I see it all the time. You and your board are passionate about the mission of your organization, but you’re really strapped for cash. You need to get your budget up so you can afford to pay your staff and expand and really make your vision

Do you ever feel utterly exhausted trying to secure funding from donors and in spaces that just don’t get you? Like no matter how clearly you state your case, the receptive ears and open hearts just aren’t there. 😕 I’ve been in those shoes too! As fundraisers, we pour endless energy into changing donors’ minds

I know I talk a lot about mindset and money baggage, and trauma, and brain science… all these things that are 100% true but also intangible.  And, I’m sure some of you are following along like, Rhea, it sounds great. But is it really true? Does it really work?  If I just work on myself

Years ago, as a baby ED, I remember taking a fancy fundraising training program. I was ready to get my strategy on and learn some high-powered tricks of the trade when, to my surprise, the person running the program said these words: “The internal energy blocks you’re putting up are repelling money.” What? Okay, I

One question I get all the time is, “Where do I find new donors?” And while that might feel like the most logical question to ask when you’re looking to boost donations, it’s not necessarily the best place to start.    Why?    One, because donor acquisition takes a lot of effort.    And, two,

Well, it’s the new year, and I don’t know about you, but the stress levels are high. Lack of time, money, and staff can lead us to have a level of baseline stress that feels unpleasant at least—crippling at most.  It has to make you wonder: What is stress doing to your fundraising efforts?  Well,

With just one week left in 2023, so many of you are looking at the New Year’s finish line and wondering how to have the biggest impact on your year-end fundraising.  And, you still haven’t tapped into your email list. So I’m going to say it louder for the people in the back:    📢 Email

It’s a digital-centered world out there, and sometimes it seems like every popsicle stand and hot dog cart has a website.  Where nonprofits used to prioritize in-person donor cultivation, now we’re seeing the demographic shift to a more digitally inclined donor. And that’s great news for nonprofits… if our websites are up to snuff.  I’m

We need to have an open and honest conversation about bad fundraising tactics.  I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to how nonprofits cultivate, solicit, and even receive donations. Too often the process feels inauthentic, pushy, ungrateful, and outright ineffective – both for frontline fundraisers and donors alike. The problem

I wanted to grab your attention this week of December for some very important and timely info that will help you smash your fundraising goals right here in the fourth quarter of 2023.  And, guess what. It’s not a new TikTok dance 😅. Thank God.  Here’s the deal. Your time and energy is limited. As

I hear from a lot of EDs that fundraising is the number one stressor in their day. They know they need the funds to pay their staff and continue the mission. But, the general attitude tends toward, “Bleh, gag me with a spoon if I have to ask another rich person to open their pocketbook.”

As a leader of color in the nonprofit industry, I have often facilitated conversations about equity and racial inequality in the philanthropic space. The inequalities are undeniable. In my experience, I’ve seen money flow so easily with rich, white men at the helm of nonprofit organizations while organizations led by folks of color are funded

You have entered the Twilight Zone.  But don’t be alarmed. I only want to break the fourth wall for a moment to talk about email marketing for your small-shop NPO. 👀 See, if you’re someone who opens my email on a semi-regular basis, I know that I’ve built a level of trust with you that

Today, I’d like to discuss a topic that’s both compelling and transformative: Servant leadership and its incredible potential for fundraising. Many moons ago when I initially took the reins as an Executive Director, I found myself treading water in the vast sea of fundraising. The call of duty was loud, but the path to execution?

Let’s talk about cultivating your board.  I know, I know. They’re already on the team. They’re part of the family. We shouldn’t need to wine and dine them in the same way we would cultivate our prospective donors. Right? Wrong.  There’s an old saying, “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” In other words, the work

There’s this weird misconception about fundraising I see circulating on LinkedIn, and it has to be addressed.  Here’s what certain fundraising “experts” have to say on the topic of solicitation:  “If you do your job right as a fundraiser, you don’t even have to do the ask.”  And, okay, I think I can read between

Do you remember when social media was “the bomb dot com”? Then all of a sudden it wasn’t anymore. And then it was, but only if you got on ALL the platforms, or maybe you needed to find the right platform and go really hard at it to build a following… 🤔 Just like fundraising,

Today we’re going to talk about your NPO’s biggest time and energy waster: chasing donors. But, Rhea, isn’t that basically what fundraising is? I know, I know. Somewhere along the line, we’ve all had the same misconception that scoring big donations requires buckets full of blood, sweat, tears, and maybe a little groveling too.  But,