Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions
Welcome to Small Nonprofit, the podcast designed for leaders, fundraisers, and advocates in the nonprofit sector who want to create real change. We provide small nonprofit organizations with strategies to enhance their fundraising campaigns, improve nonprofit governance, and implement ethical fundraising practices that resonate with today’s values-driven donors. Hosted by an experienced nonprofit consultant, Maria Rio, this show delves into the unique challenges of nonprofit fundraising and community-centric fundraising, providing tools for donor engagement and major gifts fundraising. 👤 Who Should Listen? This podcast is perfect for anyone involved in a small nonprofit seeking practical advice on fundraising strategy, nonprofit leadership, and board accountability. Whether you're looking for innovative fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations or trying to create an impact measurement framework that demonstrates your organization’s value, Small Nonprofit is here to guide you. 🎤 Core Topics We Cover Community-Centric Fundraising: Learn how ethical fundraising practices can strengthen donor relationships, enhance donor engagement, and align your organization with values-based major giving principles. We’ll help you shift from a donor-centric model to one that prioritizes the community. Systemic Change and Governance: From participatory budgeting to nonprofit board of directors best practices, we explore how to navigate the nonprofit industrial complex and embrace structures that foster diversity in nonprofit leadership and board accountability. Preventing Nonprofit Burnout: Tackle topics such as nonprofit burnout prevention and learn how to cultivate a healthy, anti-oppressive work culture that supports your team’s well-being. Nonprofit Storytelling: Understand how to measure your nonprofit’s effectiveness through nonprofit impact measurement strategies and leverage nonprofit storytelling to create compelling narratives that attract donors. 📣 Engaging Conversations and Real-World Advice In each episode, we bring you insights from experts in fundraising consulting, nonprofit grant writing, and capital campaign strategies. From interviews with fractional fundraisers and major gift officers to deep dives on fundraising tips and innovative fundraising ideas, we offer actionable advice that you can implement immediately to strengthen your organization’s impact. 💰 Learn How to Build a Sustainable Nonprofit Every nonprofit leader faces the challenge of achieving financial sustainability. Our episodes address critical fundraising strategies for nonprofit organizations, providing insights on volunteer management, capacity building, and nonprofit marketing strategy. Gain access to tools that help you execute successful fundraising campaigns and build a foundation for long-term growth. 🤝 Join the Movement for Systemic Change At The Small Nonprofit, we’re committed to transforming the nonprofit sector from the ground up. Our focus on systemic change and community-centric fundraising aligns with our mission to support nonprofits in creating equitable, sustainable communities. By addressing topics like values-based decision making and nonprofit transparency, we’re working to build a more ethical, inclusive sector. ❤️ Stay Connected Subscribe to Small Nonprofit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast platform. Don’t miss an episode as we explore everything from fundraising tips to nonprofit social media strategy, and learn how you can become a stronger advocate for your organization’s mission.
Episodes
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...
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 ...
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 wha...
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, M...
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. To...
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...
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 unpa...
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 exp...
Getting a first meeting with a prospective donor can feel like one of the biggest hurdles in major gifts fundraising, but it doesn't have to. This episode breaks it all down in a way that's refreshingly practical and zero percent intimidating. You'll learn why warm introductions are worth every awkward board conversation, how to follow up without spiraling into anxiety about being "annoying,"...
What if the program you've spent years perfecting could fund your nonprofit and serve exponentially more people... without you burning out trying to do it all yourself? Most executive directors don't realize that the SOPs, worksheets, and workflows living in their heads are actually valuable intellectual property that other nonprofits would pay to access.
On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit P...
In this raw and hopeful conversation, you'll hear about the physical and emotional toll of nonprofit leadership and the intentional steps one ED took to not just recover, but to build an entire community dedicated to sector wellness. Laura Istead opens up about recognizing her own burnout, advocating for time off, and discovering the ways that she had normalized her own symptoms of stress. But this isn't j...
What if the biggest challenge facing nonprofits isn't moving donors from $100 to $1,000 gifts, but getting people to make their first charitable donation ever? In this episode, we explore a critical gap in the nonprofit sector: getting people to move from non-donors to donors. While fundraisers are experts at cultivating existing donors, very few organizations are focused on helping people become donors in the ...
Nonprofit leaders are navigating an exceptionally difficult moment. Political uncertainty, financial uncertainty, the weight of leading through crisis, you name it. It's easy to feel isolated, numb, or like you're carrying it all alone. But the path ahead doesn't have to feel lonely. We're talking about finding your people and creating intentional spaces for joy, connection, and authentic dialogu...
Not every nonprofit mission comes with neat, quantifiable results. If your organization works in mental health, activism, research, or addiction recovery, you know that impact isn't always a tidy before-and-after story. But donors still want to understand the difference you're making... So how do you prove your impact when the work is complex, deeply personal, or still unfolding?
On this week's ep...
What do you do when a government shutdown threatens to leave 70% of the families you serve without food? For Growing Up Green Charter Schools in Queens, New York, the answer was clear: respond immediately, mobilize resources fast, and support their community without losing sight of their educational mission.
In this episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Caitlin McBride sits down with Erin Acosta, Director of Family...
Armando hears the same heartbreaking story over and over: talented Latinas been doing their white boss's job for years, training replacement after replacement, but they're never considered for the promotion because they "lack training." Meanwhile, mainstream fundraising conferences and training programs are designed for wealthy organizations, ignoring the small and medium-sized Latino nonprofits ...
Feeling overwhelmed by current challenges in the nonprofit sector? In this episode, host Maria Rio sits down with Robyn Schwartz, historian-turned-fundraiser and co-founder of Dumbo Octopus Consulting, to explore how understanding historical patterns can help nonprofit leaders navigate today's uncertainty.
Robyn draws striking parallels between our current moment and the 1920s, explaining how cyclical patterns o...
Ever wondered why some donors stick around for decades while others disappear after one gift? Join Maria Rio and Caitlin McBride as they break down the eight psychological and social reasons people actually donate to nonprofits. They tackle everything from the power of peer-to-peer fundraising (hint: 80% are brand new donors) to why guilt-based appeals only work once, why your 50th anniversary isn't a fundraisi...
Nonprofits are constantly told to “tell powerful stories” to move donors, but what happens when those stories come at the expense of the people you serve? In this episode, we dive into the messy, important questions behind ethical storytelling: consent, power, and what it really means to honor people’s dignity in your fundraising and communications. Maria and Ceallaigh unpack how photos and personal narratives have ...
Ever wondered how to critique the nonprofit sector while leading an organization within it?
Join Maria Rio for a conversation with Amber Hamilton, President and CEO of the Memphis Music Initiative, who went viral for saying what every nonprofit leader thinks but won't say out loud.
Amber shares why humor became her weapon of choice; creating satirical videos that called out philanthropy's racist funding pr...
Popular Podcasts
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.