The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser

Why Emotional Intelligence Matters More Than Fundraising Experience

Serving on a nonprofit board can be one of the most meaningful ways to give back—but it can also become one of the fastest paths to burnout if you're carrying too much responsibility without enough support.

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores what effective board fundraising really looks like, why asking for mone...

How cognitive distortions drive fundraising anxiety—and a simple progressive muscle relaxation practice to shift your nervous system back into ease, clarity, and authentic confidence.

Ever feel like you have to be “palatable” to donors—like you need to shrink, mask, or perform to succeed? In this episode, Erin sits down with Kelly Hint, LMHC, NCC, and OCD specialist, to unpack the difference between cognitive...

Why Other People's Emotions Keep Pulling You Away from Your Most Important Work

Have you ever sat down with a clear plan for your day… only to find yourself pulled into everyone else's problems?

In this episode, Erin shares a simple metaphor from the New Mexico desert that completely changed the way she thinks about work, leadership, and people-pleasing. Using the image of lava rock—with all of its tiny holes and distrac...

What Teachers and Fundraisers Can Teach Each Other About Burnout, Boundaries, and Being Human

Teachers and fundraisers may seem worlds apart—but underneath the surface, they're doing remarkably similar emotional work.

In this special podcast swap episode, Erin joins Betsy Burris, host of Teaching Through Emotions, for a wide-ranging conversation about the invisible emotional labor that comes with helping professions.

Together th...

How Your Words Can Make Donors Pull Away

Have you ever answered a simple question and then kept talking long after you'd already answered it?

Maybe you've explained your reasoning, then explained your explanation, then explained why you explained it in the first place. If so, you're not alone.

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden emotional and nervous-system dynamics behind ov...

 Why Moving Faster Isn't Always the Answer

What if the thing making you feel like you need to speed up is actually the thing asking you to slow down?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden cost of living in a constant state of urgency. From fundraising campaigns and Giving Tuesday deadlines to overflowing inboxes and endless to-do lists, many nonprofit professionals have l...

The “state” shift that turns scarcity into abundance… fast

In this episode, Erin sits down with Dr. Pollyanna Chavez, hypnotherapist and NLP trainer, to explore why your state might be your most powerful fundraising tool. Pollyanna shares the surprising origin story that led her into hypnosis and neurolinguistic programming — a wild mustang that mirrored her internal anxiety — and then guides Erin thro...

And Why They Keep Becoming Your Reality

What if the thoughts you repeat most often about money are quietly shaping your entire life?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden “money mantras” many of us inherited in childhood — beliefs like money is hard to make, there’s never enough, I have to sacrifice myself for money, or people with money are selfish &md...

Why Overresponsibility Eventually Turns Into Resentment

What if the very thing that makes you “good” at fundraising is also quietly exhausting you?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin McQuade-Wright explores the hidden emotional pattern behind overgiving, over-functioning, and burnout in the nonprofit world: the Selfless Servant persona.

With humor, honesty, and powerful personal stories, Erin unpa...

How resentment quietly builds when you abandon yourself for the mission

Have you ever noticed how some people in fundraising start out hopeful, warm, and deeply connected to the mission… and a few years later they’re cynical, exhausted, and quietly resentful?

In this episode, Erin McQuade-Wright explores why bitterness is often not a character flaw—but accumulated self-abandonment.

When we constantly override our ne...

The invisible limit that’s controlling how much money you raise.

Have you ever had a stretch in your fundraising where things feel easy—momentum is building, conversations are flowing—and then suddenly, it’s like you hit a wall?

Same effort. Same strategy. Completely different results.

What if you’re not stuck… you’ve just hit your money ceiling?

In this episode, Erin McQuade-Wright explores t...

Why Stress, Comparison, and “Not Enough” Are Driving More Than You Think

In this conversation, Erin McQuade-Wright sits down with fundraising coach and What the Fundraising host Mallory Erickson to explore the inner dynamics that shape how fundraisers show up: comparison, visibility discomfort, nervous system dysregulation, and the quiet belief of “not enough.”

Together, they unpack the hidden cost of tying yo...

The hidden filter that’s keeping you from seeing opportunity right in front of you

If you’re not raising the money you want, what if the issue isn’t effort—but awareness?

In this episode, Erin McQuade-Wright explores a powerful (and often invisible) truth: you may be walking past opportunities every single day—not because they aren’t there, but because your brain is filtering them out.

Drawing on a ...

The hidden reason you’re avoiding action—and how to move anyway

If you’ve ever tried to push yourself out of feeling stuck—only to end up overthinking, procrastinating, or avoiding the very thing you know you need to do—this episode is for you.

In today’s conversation, Erin McQuade-Wright unpacks what’s actually happening beneath the surface when you feel stuck. Instead of treating it like a ...

The Psychology Behind Fundraising Discomfort — And What to Do About It

Why does asking for money feel so… personal?

In this episode, Erin explores the moment many fundraisers recognize: when a professional ask suddenly feels like something about you is on the line. Not strategic. Not neutral. Personal.

This isn’t a tactics problem—it’s a human one.

You’ll learn why the ask can trigger a sense of soc...

The Hidden Pressure Behind Nonprofit Revenue Goals

If you work in fundraising, you may know the quiet pressure that lives in the background of the job: the feeling that if the money doesn’t come in, something bad might happen. Programs could shrink, staff jobs could be at risk, and the mission you care about might struggle to continue.

In this episode, Erin explores why so many fundraisers end up carrying the emotional weight o...

What Fundraisers, Donors, and Doctors Can Teach Us About Sustainability, Mental Health, and the Long Game

In this episode of The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser, Erin is joined by Mary Beth Alvarez, a dual-boarded internist and psychiatrist, public health professional, philanthropist, and longtime nonprofit board member.

Together, they explore why burnout isn’t actually solved by self-care alone… how secrecy and discomfort...

A Nervous System Approach to Donor Events, Fundraising Anxiety, and Executive Presence

Have you ever left a fundraising gala feeling outwardly successful but internally depleted?

Fundraising events are high-stimulation environments — filled with noise, hierarchy, expectation, and subtle power dynamics. For many nonprofit professionals — especially empathic or highly sensitive fundraisers — these spaces can trigger n...

How Your Enneagram Type Shapes Donor Relationships, Major Gifts, and Sustainable Fundraising Success

Have you ever wondered why certain parts of fundraising feel effortless — while others drain you?

In this episode of The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser, Erin explores how the nine Enneagram types show up in fundraising. You’ll discover your fundraising superpower, your hidden growth edge, and how your unconscious personal...