Episodes
Australian fundraising legend Peter Dalton joins Bianca to talk about his latest book, Giving Hope: The Journey of the For-Purpose Organisation and Its Quest for Success. Peter tackles a set of six fundraising dilemmas, and explains to Bianca how small non-profits can overcome them. Peter has been a huge influence in the Australian non-profit sector, with more than 30 years experience in working in fundraising. Among many well known campaigns in Australia and globally, he lead the Olivia...
Published 04/18/23
In our charity world, ‘overheads’ is a blanket term for any expenses a non-profit has, that aren’t program costs.  In this episode of Short Stuff, Bianca shares why there's often too much emphasis on the issue of overhead expenses, why it's a mistake to use it to measure a charity's efficiency, what non-profits can do to educate donors. The study mentioned in this episode can be found here:...
Published 02/10/23
It's time to bust some non-profit myths! In this episode, Bianca and Kirsty bust four commonly-held myths about small organisations in the non-profit sector in 2022, including whether fundraising is trending down, if social media still works for non-profits anymore, high donor fatigue rates, and how many social media platforms you really need to be on. For more resources created specifically for small non-profits join the Small Non-Profits Alliance for FREE here:...
Published 12/23/22
The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the grants and funding landscape for non-profits. In this episode, Bianca talks to grants expert, Lindy Fentiman from Strategic Grants about new trends in grants landscape and how small non-profits can better communicate their impact to funders. 11 mins - Advice for small charities on how to communicate their impact to funders 13 mins - Why a non-profit's key messages are so important 20 mins - Three tips for how small charities can become grant-ready The...
Published 12/13/22
With so many recent changes on the Meta platforms – Facebook and Instagram – social media can be a discouraging space for small non-profits right now. In this episode of Short Stuff, Kirsty shares why Instagram can still work for small charities and the three areas to focus on. Our Small But Mighty 'Short Stuff' episodes are advice for small non-profit success, delivered in under five minutes. For more resources created specifically for small non-profits join the Small Non-Profits Alliance...
Published 11/29/22
Creating social change is a goal of many small non-profits. but it's not an easy task. In this episode, Kirsty chats to Rhen Soggee, Executive Director and Co-CEO of ActNow Theatre, a socially conscious theatre company in Adelaide that's been a grassroots organisation for 14 years. Rhen shares insights into how ActNow uses the arts and theatre to educate and inform on issues such a racism, gender and cultural diversity, and domestic violence. Rhen also explains why it's important for small...
Published 03/29/22
An annual supporter survey is a great way to check in with your donor base each year. It gives non-profits an opportunity to connect and learn more about donors, both as individuals and collectively. In this episode of Short Stuff, Bianca shares a few simple points to remember when creating a donor survey, including technical tips and example questions. The resources mentioned in this survey can be found here:...
Published 02/14/22
2021 was a challenging year for many small charities, particularly for digital and peer-to-peer fundraising.  Peer-to-peer fundraising events were heavily affected during covid lockdowns, but virtual events have proved very successful for some charities able to pivot quickly. So, in this episode Bianca chats to social entrepreneur and digital fundraising expert Tania Burstin, about digital fundraising advice and trends for small charities in 2022. Tania is the founder of mycause.com.au –...
Published 01/23/22
What a rollercoaster of challenges 2021 has been for small non-profits! It's also been a year where small non-profits have shown themselves to be small but mighty: adapting to challenges, succeeding during a global pandemic, and embracing the digital world. In the final episode for 2021 Bianca and Kirsty share their highlights for small non-profits in 2021, from a new focus on donor engagement, and a shift towards instagram for many small non-profits to build awareness and...
Published 12/23/21
Social media is an important part of every small non-profit’s digital arsenal, but often leaders of small organisations can find it hard to make time to engage on social media. In this episode of Short Stuff, social media specialist & Co-Founder of the Small Non-Profits Alliance, Kirsty Wallett, shares three easy ways you can engage with your supporters on social media as a non-profit leader. Our Small But Mighty 'Short Stuff' episodes are advice for small non-profit success, delivered in...
Published 12/15/21
Small charities are often more in touch with their donors than larger charities, and starting out in their fundraising efforts can be challenging on many fronts. So, what can small charities do to ensure they are acting ethically? In this episode Bianca chats to Katherine Raskob, the CEO of Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) - the professional fundraising body in Australia - about the FIA Code and the importance of ethics in best-practice fundraising. Katherine has a wealth of experience...
Published 11/26/21
When we're working tirelessly in the for-purpose space, it's important to find inspiration and hope from other sources In this episode of Short Stuff, Bianca Crocker shares four books that are essential reads for non-profit leaders. Content note: this episode was recorded before the passing of author and holocaust survivor Eddie Jaku, mentioned in this episode. Our Small But Mighty 'Short Stuff' episodes are advice for small non-profit success, delivered in under five minutes. For more...
Published 11/09/21
Dr Chrisanta Muli's grandmother didn't get past grade two in school. So her mother was raised her with a determination to ensure her daughter and granddaughter didn't suffer the same fate. Fast forward to her generation and Chrisanta is a feminist academic, gender justice expert, and the CEO of One Girl, a small but mighty international development organisation doing big things to educate girls all over the globe. In this episode Bianca chats to Chrisanta about her journey as an African...
Published 10/08/21
It's time to bust some non-profit myths! In this episode Bianca and Kirsty bust four commonly-held myths about small organisations in the non-profit sector, covering contentious topics like whether charities should make a profit, operating without a website and if non-profits should really have paid staff. For more resources created specifically for small non-profits join the Small Non-Profits Alliance for FREE here: https://smallnonprofits.com.au/membership-account/membership-levels/ 
Published 09/24/21
Prue Ingram began her career as a speech pathologist. Fast forward 20 years and Prue is an experienced CEO and leader in the non-profit sector, leading international development organisation, Assisi Aid. Prue shares her leadership journey with Bianca, from her experience across the international development space and her tips for the challenging nature of leadership in the small non-profit sector, particularly during COVID-19 and working virtually. Prue and Assisi Aid are members of the...
Published 08/22/21
Just because you’re a small charity, doesn’t mean you should exclude major donors from your fundraising strategy. In this episode of Short Stuff, Bianca explains why some philanthropists prefer to give to a smaller charity and what make major donors tick, so you can better engage and inspire your biggest supporters. Our Small But Mighty 'Short Stuff' episodes are advice for small non-profit success, delivered in under five minutes. For more resources created specifically for small...
Published 07/28/21
Sonya Ryan dedicates herself to promoting internet safety for children and teenagers through the Carly Ryan Foundation, established in memory of her daughter Carly, who was murdered by an online predator posing as a teenage boy, 14 years ago.  Sonya has worked tirelessly in her small charity to influence some mighty changes of Australian legislation to better protect young people on the internet. Her work has also made inroads of change in the UK and US.  Sonya shares her both devastating and...
Published 07/06/21
Getting positive media coverage for your cause is harder than ever, but with the right knowledge of news, getting positive PR for your organisation is something every small non-profit can achieve. In this episode of Short Stuff Kirsty, a former journalist, shares her five fundamentals for gaining media coverage for your non-profit. Our Small But Mighty 'Short Stuff' episodes are advice for small non-profit success, delivered in under five minutes. For more resources created specifically for...
Published 06/15/21
It's Reconciliation Week and this year's theme is More than a word. Reconciliation takes action, urging the reconciliation movement towards braver and more impactful action. Bianca chats to proud Yugambeh man and community consultant Mark Watego, about how small non-profits can work towards reconciliation. Mark explains why Reconciliation is an ongoing process or empathy and recognition, and shares some of the common misconceptions. Episode highlights 8.15 mins - How non-profits can play...
Published 05/27/21
It's time to bust some non-profit myths! In this episode Bianca and Kirsty bust four commonly-held myth within the non-profit sector, covering contentious topics like how often you should post on social media and the admin costs of running a charity. For more resources created specifically for small non-profits join the Small Non-Profits Alliance for FREE here: https://smallnonprofits.com.au/membership-account/membership-levels/   
Published 05/18/21
A fundraising plan is one of the most important documents you’ll put together for your small non-profit. Not only is it a road map for your fundraising efforts, it allows you to be proactive, rather than reactive. And we all know time is precious when you work in, or run, a small charity. In this episode of Short Stuff, Bianca shares five must-haves for your small non-profit's fundraising plan. Our Small But Mighty 'Short Stuff' episodes are advice for small non-profit success, delivered...
Published 05/03/21
In this episode Bianca chats to Novela about how her own personal experience inspired her to create a small non-profit, and the challenges and joys that went along with it.
Published 04/06/21
Your small non-profit’s digital presence has never been more important. It’s a way to ensure robustness in the ways you communicate, fundraise and basically do the good work you’re doing.The impact of COVID and recent issues with Facebook’s news ban...
Published 03/16/21
Rich Stephens was in his 30s before he gave himself permission to stutter, now he's the Founder of SAY Australia, a small non-profit inspiring and supporting Aussie kids living with a stutter.Bianca chats to Rich about his experience establishing SAY...
Published 03/04/21