Fundable by Design

Latest Episodes:

The Dangerous Mistake: Starting a Nonprofit Based on Your Idea (Not the Community's Need) Apr 11, 2026

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I want to talk about a mistake I see far too often — and it's a dangerous one.

Starting a nonprofit based on your idea… instead of the community's actual need.

If your organization is built around your idea instead of real, validated need, it will struggle to gain traction, trust, and funding.

Nonprofits are not built to express our ideas. They are built to respond to real problems. If you're in the early stages or even if you've already started, this conversation will help you step back and ask a critical question: Who is this really for?

Because when your work is aligned with actual need, everything changes — from impact to trust to funding.

Why Most Nonprofits Fail Before They Ever Get Funded Mar 26, 2026

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I want to talk about something I see far too often.

Passionate, committed nonprofit leaders doing everything they can — and still feeling stuck, frustrated, and unfunded.

And over time, many of those organizations quietly fade before they ever get the funding they were hoping for.

If you've been showing up, doing the work, and still wondering why it feels so hard, this conversation will help you understand what's really going on.

You're not failing because you care too much.

You're struggling because you were never taught how to build the organization behind the mission.

And once you understand that, you can start building differently.

Why "Infrastructure" Matters for Your Nonprofit Mar 23, 2026

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When I say the word "infrastructure," it may not immediately resonate with you.

And the reason is simple: when many nonprofit leaders start their organizations, no one ever talks to them about infrastructure.

They talk about passion. They talk about programs. They talk about impact.

But very few people explain the internal structure that allows a nonprofit to operate, grow, and sustain its work over time.

The Visible and Invisible Work of Running a Nonprofit Mar 21, 2026

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Today I want to talk about the visible and invisible work of running a nonprofit.

People see the program. They see the events. They see the impact photos. But they don't see the systems, the compliance, the financial tracking, the reporting, the board management, the donor communication, the strategic planning — all the invisible work that keeps the organization alive.

If you've ever felt like you're carrying more than people realize, you are. But here's the key: the invisible work isn't extra. It's essential.

Impact is what the world sees. Operations are what make it possible.

Starting a Nonprofit With Long-Term Sustainability in Mind Mar 18, 2026

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If you're thinking about starting a nonprofit or you've just started one, I want you to pause and ask yourself one question: Are you building this for impact today, or sustainability tomorrow?

Starting is easy. Sustaining is leadership.

If you want your nonprofit to grow, last, and be trusted by funders, sustainability cannot be an afterthought. It must be part of the foundation.

Build it to last. Not just to launch.

The 12-Month Roadmap: Turning Your Passion Into a Fundable Nonprofit Mar 13, 2026

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f you have passion for a cause, that's powerful. But passion alone will not make your nonprofit sustainable, and it will not make it fundable. So today, I want to walk you through what a 12-month roadmap looks like for turning your passion into a fundable nonprofit organization. This is not about rushing. It's about building correctly. If you've started with heart but want to move toward sustainability, this roadmap will help you think differently about your first year.

What "Operating" Your Nonprofit Actually Includes Mar 08, 2026

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When I say "operate your nonprofit organization," I'm not just talking about delivering programs.

I'm talking about operating everything inside the organization that ensures it has what it needs to continue doing the work — consistently and sustainably.

Your programs are the expression of your mission. But your operations are what protect it.

If you've been working hard but constantly feeling stretched, unstable, or reactive, this conversation will help you see what might be missing inside the structure.

How to Position Your Organization to Receive Grants Mar 05, 2026

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Today, I want to talk about how to position your organization to receive grants, and not just apply for them.

There's a difference.

Many organizations submit grant applications before they are actually positioned to be approved.

If you've been applying and hearing no (or not hearing anything at all), this conversation will help you step back and assess whether your organization is truly positioned for funding.

Before you apply again, make sure you're built to be funded.

"We Don't Have Funding" Isn't the Real Problem Mar 03, 2026

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I want to challenge something I hear all the time: "We don't have funding."

But here's the truth: not having funding is a symptom.

When funding isn't coming in, it usually means something critical wasn't put together for the funder to see, receive, or understand before they were asked to give.

If you've been saying, "We just need money," this conversation will help you pause and ask a better question: What haven't we positioned correctly?

Because when you fix the foundation, the funding follows.

How Funders Calculate Risk Before Funding Your Nonprofit Feb 28, 2026

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Today I want to talk about something nonprofit leaders are rarely taught: how funders calculate risk before they fund your organization.

Funding decisions are not emotional. They are calculated.

If you've ever wondered why you keep getting polite rejections or no response at all, this conversation will help you understand what's happening behind closed doors.

Funders don't avoid good missions. They avoid unmanaged risk.

And once you understand how risk is calculated, you can start positioning your nonprofit to feel safe, stable, and investable.