Nonprofit leaders, are you wasting money on unnecessary things? I know this sounds like a harsh question, but it’s so important to evaluate. It’s something I see all the time with many of the nonprofits my team and I work with. That’s why, in this episode, I dive into the six main things nonprofits need to stop spending money on and what you can do instead.   I’m sharing strategies for evaluating your budget and how you’re allocating precious resources. Plus, a different way of thinking...

Are you looking for fresh, new ways to up your individual fundraising game? This is the episode for you! I chatted with special guest, Haley Cooper, CFRE, about how she is empowering new nonprofits to be strategic with their individual fundraising.  We dove into how Haley stumbled into the nonprofit world after one mission trip completely changed the trajectory of her life. Plus, how she is using her experience as both a nonprofit founder and an entrepreneur to help organizations build a...

Does your organization have team retreats? Whether you’re just beginning to explore them or you’re looking for new ideas for your next one, this episode is for you. I’m diving into a special, behind-the-scenes look at our annual team retreat.  I’m discussing the benefits of retreats and why I think they are 100% worth the investment. Plus, the logistics and considerations leaders need to keep in mind when planning them. I’m also sharing the lessons I’ve learned from this retreat and from...

How does your nonprofit take care of its employees? Recent research shows that employees who strongly agree their employer cares about their overall well-being (compared with those who don't) are 71% less likely to report high levels of burnout, leading to happier and more productive employees. In this episode, I spoke with special guest, Melissa Wesner, Licensed Counselor, about how nonprofit leaders can create a culture of wellness that benefits both employees and your bottom line.  ...

When was the last time you took a long, hard look at your systems and processes? Although this isn’t exactly an exciting process, it is so beneficial for your nonprofit. Organizations that regularly look at how they can improve their processes not only save time but money and resources as well.  In this episode, I’m discussing why taking a deep dive into your processes is important, how it builds trust with your donors, and how this can help your nonprofit scale in the future. I’m also...

Is your nonprofit getting donations from Donor-Advised Funds (DAF)? Whether your nonprofit is seasoned, brand new, or just looking to start accepting donations from DAFs, this episode is for you! I chatted with special guest, Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy for Chariot, a Donor-Advised Fund solution for nonprofits to maximize DAF fundraising.  Mitch shared how he is helping nonprofits leverage the power of DAFs by explaining what they are, why they’re important, and how he is breaking down...

Are you leveraging the power of strong community relationships? This episode is full of strategies leaders can use to build lasting relationships in their communities and help diversify their funding with earned income. I spoke with special guest, Megan McNally, co-founder of The Foundry, who shared how she’s using the relationships she’s built to fund her nonprofit primarily through earned income.  She discussed how she is building a social enterprise, partnering with the community, and not...

Are you looking for ways to scale your nonprofit? This episode is full of strategies leaders can use to grow their organizations and boost their impact on the communities they serve. I spoke with special guest, Sara Allen, Executive Director for Sojourns Community Health Clinic, who shared how she’s managed to do just that by using unconventional revenue streams.  She chatted about how she’s shifted her mindset to think of her nonprofit as more like a business, and how this has positively...

Are you a nonprofit leader searching for ways to better serve your community? Look no further! I chat with special guest, Kelly Dumas, about how you can have a bigger impact on the people you serve. She discusses the importance of cultural considerations, going beyond “checking the box” and truly understanding your community. Kelly shares her first-hand experience of this when an individual came to her organization after a hallucination misdiagnosis. In reality, this person was performing a...

If you’re a nonprofit leader looking to 4x your fundraising revenue, then this episode is for you. I chat with special guest, Christina Edwards who shares how she is teaching nonprofit leaders to break industry norms to skyrocket their fundraising. We dive into the importance of investing in professional development, nonprofit “rules” Christina wants us to break when it comes to social media and email outreach, how to leverage social media influencers, and so much more!    About Christina ...

Have you settled on a word of the year for 2024 yet? This is one of my favorite ways to prepare for the upcoming year. It helps me set an intention and gives me something to work towards. However, choosing a word was a struggle for me this year. I wasn’t resonating with anything, and I didn’t want it to feel forced. In this episode, I’m diving into how I set my intention for the new year, even when choosing a word was a struggle. I’m sharing important lessons I’ve learned from unexpected...

As nonprofit leaders, we are always looking for ways to grow our impact on the communities we serve. It can be a challenge especially when we’re depending on government funding, which can be unpredictable and limited. My podcast guest, Ali Rabe, is sharing how she managed to 10x her nonprofit in under 5 years, even with government funding.  Ali is diving into strategies she’s used to get creative with her fundraising, marketing, and growing her nonprofit, Jesse Tree. Her organization went...

Nonprofit leaders, when is the last time you set aside time to read? Whether you’re an avid reader like me, or it’s been a while since you picked up (or listened to) a book, you’ll want to give this episode a listen. I’m giving you my top book recommendations for 2024! I read 48 books in 2023 and now I’m diving into my favorites, from fun reads to the most inspiring and impactful. Some of these books have quite literally changed my life and how I’m leading my team. Several of these books are...

Knowing Your Numbers and Planning for the Future with Margaret Chapman Pomponio How do you use your nonprofit numbers to plan for the future? Knowing where your organization stands with its finances is so important for continuing to grow your impact on the communities you serve. In this episode, I chat with special guest Margaret Chapman Pomponio about how she’s using this knowledge to plan for the future sustainability of her nonprofit, West Virginia FREE.   Margaret dives into how she is...

Overcoming the Challenges of Inflation Is your organization struggling with the many challenges that come with inflation? The rising cost of everything has been top of mind for most people, including nonprofit leaders. Inflation is impacting our employees, the communities we serve, and our donors.  While rising costs are all around us, there are some strategies your organization can implement to overcome these challenges. In this episode, I dive into how you can keep up with rising costs...

Is one of your New Year's resolutions to attend more conferences and professional development opportunities? Maybe you’re looking for how to make the most of these experiences. If this is on your 2024 bucket list, then this episode is for you! Your time and money are precious, so you want to be sure you are getting the highest possible return on investment (ROI) from the events you attend.  In this podcast episode, I’m diving into ways to elevate your ROI of conferences by telling you the...

Are you tired of feeling like you’re not getting anywhere with problem-solving in your organization? So many leaders and decision-makers have adopted a status quo with how they solve problems in their organization. It almost feels like they’re on autopilot.   While having a good process for solving issues is beneficial, sometimes we don’t give enough thought to how these problems are impacting our staff and community members. That’s why I’m so excited to have special guest, Heather Hiscox on...

Are you feeling bogged down by a busy work schedule? Is 20 meetings a week your norm? I’ve been there and that’s exactly why I recorded this podcast episode. Today, I’m diving into the New Year’s resolution that completely changed my life!  I’m sharing with you four tips to avoid the burnout being a nonprofit leader can sometimes bring. Plus, I’m giving you real-world examples of how you can start implementing these strategies in your everyday life. I’m talking about batching work, using...

Are you looking for fresh ideas to shake up your nonprofit and grow your impact? If so, then you’re in luck! Special guest and founder of Humble Design, Treger Strasberg, is sharing all the different ways she’s shaking up the nonprofit world like…  how she communicates with her donors, and using empathy, dignity, and creativity as part of her nonprofit’s mission. She also dives into how she’s been able to grow her nonprofit beyond Detroit to Chicago, Cleveland, Seattle, and San Diego by...

2023 is quickly coming to a close, so I thought I’d do a podcast highlights episode. I’m diving into the top 10 most downloaded episodes of 2023 and boy oh boy are they juicy… like the episode where I announced that we were shutting down half of our business. It was absolutely terrifying, but 100% the best and most aligned decision for us. That experience was part of the inspiration for my ‘Building Confidence Doing Scary Things’ episode that aired shortly after.  This year, we also dove...

Are you a small nonprofit leader looking for ways to spruce up your fundraising strategy to meet your goals? If you said yes, then you’re in luck as fundraising expert, Cindy Wagman, is joining us on today’s episode.  She is sharing a wealth of knowledge, like the number one factor in fundraising success, how she’s seen fundraising change over the past two decades, and how having the right person in a fundraising role makes a huge difference for the nonprofit. She even tells us how access to...

Are you effectively using your budget to support your team's culture and values? One of the most important qualities of a prosperous nonprofit is having a healthy, well-taken-care-of team. But is it reflected in your budget?  In this episode, I’m diving into five ways your budget can support your organization’s team values. I’ll share strategies around defining your team culture and how you can work those values into your budget. And don’t worry, if you’re limited on funds, there are a ton...

Are you stressing about wrapping up your 2023 finances? There are so many regulations to adhere to and tasks to get done. It can get overwhelming very quickly. In our latest episode, special guest, Mark Pate, shares several great strategies for wrapping up your 2023 finances so you can go into 2024 stronger than ever. Mark answers burning questions like, “Should nonprofits change audit firms every three to five years?” He also shares how nonprofits can get the most out of working with an...

Are you a nonprofit leader feeling intimidated by public relations? You know you want to spread awareness for your organization, but PR feels scary and you have questions. Is it marketing? Is it fundraising? What is it exactly? If this sounds familiar, then stick around.  In this episode of The Prosperous Nonprofit, I’m chatting with two special guests, Caitlin Copple and Holly Conti, co-owners of Full Swing Public Relations. They’re addressing your burning questions about PR and how you can...