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Newsflash: If your current donor cultivation strategy was born out of a survival mode mindset, it may not be functioning as well as you think.  That’s because the best fundraising strategies require creativity, ambition, relationships, and future-focused stewardship.  And it’s really hard to be creative, ambitious, and relational when you’re trying not to die. 😵 […]

We’ve been talking a lot about AI lately.  And as much as I’ve harped on this idea that it’s nothing to fear, on the other side of the spectrum, some of us in the nonprofit world feel like we’re out of the loop, slow on the uptake, or maybe even behind the curve when it

Can you secure a huge unrestricted major gift simply because you’re in the right headspace? Can you change your reality with a simple mindset shift? I think so.  But before you throw up your anti-woo cross fingers at me, hear me out… 🙅 If you see yourself as a capable, confident fundraiser who is good

A couple of weeks ago, I had a conversation with technologist Afua Bruce about AI and its role in the nonprofit industry. And it became really clear to me that people are, by and large, worried about the negative influence technology can have on their jobs, their resources, and even on fairness and equality in

As a baby ED, I didn’t understand that my lack of success in fundraising was largely due to my mindset about it. Until one day a master fundraiser told me: “It’s you that is blocking the energy.” And I was so confused. Wasn’t I doing everything I could to chase down donations? Segmenting donors, making

Since the release of ChatGPT back in 2022, there’s been a lot of talk about AI and its dangers.  Will ChatGPT take my job?  Will we lose the human element if we use AI to automate a process?  Will we become dependent on AI for simple tasks? Will one of my staff publish an AI-generated

I’ve done yoga for over twenty years, and, like clockwork, every season my body needs something different.  In the winter, let’s be honest, it’s hibernation. I need rest and renewal.  But in the springtime, I need and crave growth and change.  The funny thing is, even if you aren’t in touch with your body, nature

Have you seen that trend where people introduce themselves as a [fill-in-the-blank] and then they go on to describe what they do in sweeping generalizations?  It might be cliché, but I’m a Gen Xer without a TikTok to speak of, so humor me here, would you?  You’re a nonprofit leader… of course you stay up

As non-profit leaders, we all feel burnt out at one point or another.  Often, that feeling pushes us into survival mode. Our amygdala is all geared up and shouting, “It’s all up to you! You have to get those funds! You have to keep the program alive! You need donors fast!”  And for fundraisers like

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