Nonprofit Lowdown

Latest Episodes:

#282 - Identity Upgrade Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

Ever felt a surge of imposter syndrome just as you're about to hit a major fundraising goal? Wonder why, even after securing that dream funding, a creeping sense of dread shadows your success?

If your accomplishments in the nonprofit realm leave you more anxious than empowered, it’s time we talk about your "Identity Upgrade."

In today’s episode, we dive deep into the idea that our identity sometimes lags behind our achievements, leaving us feeling out of sync with our new realities.

🦞 Just like a lobster needs to grow a new shell to move around comfortably in the great big ocean, you need to upgrade your identity to fit your desired goals. 🦞

I'll take you through the concept of identity - how it shapes our actions, influences our reactions to success, and why upgrading our inner narrative is essential for stepping into our power as leaders. From discussing the psychological effects of sudden changes in our external environment to offering tangible steps on crafting a new, empowering identity, this episode is a guide for those ready to transcend their self-imposed limits.

So, are you ready to align your identity with your achievements and lead with confidence and clarity? Dive into the full episode to discover how to navigate the discomfort of growth, the power of surrounding yourself with the right community, and ultimately, how to step fully into your upgraded identity. 🌟

To join the conversation, reach out, or learn more about upgrading your nonprofit leadership identity, head over to RheaWong.com. Let’s embrace this journey together.

Important links:

https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

https://go.rheawong.com/money-quiz

#281 - Humanity + AI with Vilas Dhar Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

Worried AI will take your job? Fear robots more than global warming? Think AI lacks morals? Well, take a chill pill my nonprofit friends. 💊

Today's guest Vilas Dhar provides a refreshing perspective on AI. Rather than some apocalyptic force, he views it as a "human-centric reflection of our society." Our biases and beliefs shape how it develops.

So who is this optimistic leader guiding us to an ethical AI future? Vilas heads the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, advancing social good through tech. With experience across business, government and nonprofits, he connects communities to steer AI toward human dignity.

Discover how we can distribute AI more broadly so underserved groups have agency to address their needs. Learn what civil society can do now to democratize participation. Hear Vilas' global vision for aligning innovators and people.

The robots aren't coming for us yet, people! 🤖 Tune into this uplifting episode to understand how we shape the ethics and promise of AI. The future remains unwritten - our choices matter.

Important Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vilasdhar/

#280 - Money Mindset and Fundraising Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

Are you giving money too much power in your fundraising efforts? Are desperation and scarcity sabotaging your fundraising success? 😣

You’re not alone, my friend. Many leaders try tactic after tactic, only to come up short again and again. Exhausting, right?

But what if the real barrier isn’t your savvy strategy, but your mindset? 💭

On this week’s episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, we’re diving deep into money mindset to discover how trauma and the stories we tell ourselves about money affect our fundraising for better or worse.

Here are a few of my takeaways:

🔑 Trauma and money experiences get encoded in our brains and bodies, affecting our fundraising mindsets and results

🔑 Attaching heavy emotion like desperation or scarcity to money activates our fight-or-flight response

🔑This traps us in survival mode rather than abundance - and donors feel that!

🔑By unpacking our money stories and shifting to an abundance mindset, our outer results can transform.

This is where the real work starts. We have to go inward to unearth our subsurface money narratives. What did your family say about money? What emotions come up when you fundraise? When you uncover the answers to these questions and shift your mindset, you’re going to see a huge transformation in your numbers too!

Ready to address inner blocks and finally hit your fundraising goals?

Important Links:

https://go.rheawong.com/money-quiz

https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

#279 - Don't Be Afraid of AI with Afua Bruce Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

Is it going to take over the world and make nonprofit work obsolete? Some peeps seem hyped, while others wanna unplug the mainframe, Office Space-style. 💻🚫

Well, never fear! With experience from computer engineering to working for the FBI in the White House (?!?), my guest Afua Bruce knows her bytes from her bits. Afua decrypts how bias gets baked into algorithms and breaks communities. But she also shares how nonprofits can responsibly use AI as a force for good and level up their impact with AI’s help. 👩🏿‍💻

Some of the key takeaways:

Top AI concerns include the invisibility of marginalized groups and scalable bias due to historical data and speed/scale of deployment.

Everyone can educate themselves on AI by trying tools, asking questions, and knowing when to turn systems off if they don't serve you.

Guidance for using AI ethically includes clarifying your strategy and values first, then evaluating if tools align.
AI may risk loss of critical thinking skills but it also presents opportunities like predictive analytics to improve services.

Bottom line: We got this, people! 💪 Ask questions, set guardrails, but don't let fear leave you behind. The tools ain't perfect but we can influence and improve. As Afua says, "...you still have agency in this process." ✊

Listen to the full episode to learn more. 🎧

Important Links:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/afua-bruce/

https://thetechthatcomesnext.com/

#278 - Spring Cleaning Your NPO Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

With the first blooms of spring comes our annual opportunity for renewal. Time to clear out the old and make way for new growth!

In this solo episode, I'll share my best tips for spring cleaning every aspect of your NPO - from refreshing stale programs to pruning unengaged contacts.

Get ready to plant the seeds now for a fruitful year ahead!

Here's what we'll cover:

✅ Breathing life and inspiration into your impact data with impactful storytelling

✅ Pruning and cleaning your email, communications, and database

✅ Cultivating supporters with strategic messaging

✅ Planting the seeds for efficient systems, processes & database moving forward

✅ Sprinkling your day with tasks that energize you and removing the ones that zap your energy.

And because we lead best when we lean into self-care, I'll also share my recipe for a quarterly mental vacation to blossom into the healthiest version of you!

Whether you need serious weeding or just some strategic fertilizing, let this episode seed a sustainable way forward. Now get growing by tuning in! 🌱🎧

Important Links:

https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

#277 - Healing the Wounded Healer with JJ Mubarak Mar 11, 2024

Show notes

This week on the podcast, I had an illuminating discussion with spiritual healer John Jacob Mubarak - a spiritual advisor with a heart for integrating soulful practices into everyday life.

Our deep dive was enlightening, revealing how to pour into the causes we're passionate about without draining our own spirit.

Key Takeaways:

Embracing nature and holistic practices like plant medicine isn't just about healing—it's about unlocking a deeper understanding of who we are. It's a call to nurture our inner selves with the same vigor we use to champion our causes.

We explored the impact of our pasts and the "I must" mentality that often fuels us, highlighting the power of crafting new, life-affirming stories for ourselves. It's a journey to discovering our true "why" and embracing it fully.

Trusting in the grand journey of life, whether that's through the universe, a higher power, or something else entirely, empowers us to persevere. Adopting an abundance mindset reveals a beautiful truth: serving others actually fills our cup.

Feeling the burnout? This episode is your gentle nudge to take a step back, breathe, and realign with what truly matters.

🎧 Tune in for a dose of soulful wisdom and a reminder that self-care and service go hand in hand.

Important Links:

https://junglegayborhood.com/retreat-index/508/remembering-wholeness-a-gbtqia-wellness-retreat

#276- 3 Reasons Why You're Burned Out on Fundraising Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

When we're scraping by each month, it's natural to get transactional with donors. But people give to people, not causes.

The good news? By shifting your mindset and strategies, you can move from survival mode to stability and even abundance. 🙌

In this episode, I’ll outline the top mistakes nonprofit pros make that lead to fundraising fatigue and give you my signature science-backed solutions for…

🚨 Why you can't find the right donors

🚨 How to engage supporters who aren't ready

🚨 Building trust and partnership

If you’re tired of icky, salesy tactics and ready to start granting wishes and helping donors realize their dreams, first you have to learn what YOUR donors really want. I’ll show you how to connect, engage, and cultivate with all the tools and confidence you need for executive-level fundraising.

Whether you’re leading an established organization or building a fundraising machine from scratch, you'll walk away fired up and ready to connect donors to your mission.

Important Links:

https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

#275 - Gen Z Fundraising with Sarah Medina Camiscoli Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

I think we can all agree Gen Z has lofty ideals and a spring in their step for social change that makes some of us old fogeys a little uncomfortable. But could they be the generation that deconstructs the nonprofit industrial complex while the rest of us stand by and watch the show?

Today, I’m joined by Sarah Medina Camiscoli, Assistant Professor of Law at Rutgers and the founding co-director of the Peer Defense Project. Sarah shows us how these visionary zoomers are experimenting with entirely new ways to build mission-driven organizations, from mutual aid networks to worker-self-directed nonprofits and beyond.

My fave takeaway - the power of Gen Z isn’t necessarily in the benjamins they can raise, but rather in their ability to multiply their following.

They’ve done what we Gen Xers and millennials have merely hoped to accomplish–leveraging digital community and grassroots solidarity to advance justice. (Sarah even gave me a template to start integrating some of these "prefigurative politics" into my own organization without fully disrupting the board and funders.)

So whether you lead an established nonprofit empire or are just a wannabe ally looking to support the next generation of world-changers, listen in on the discussion as Sarah breaks down everything you need to know. Stick around to the end for her best tips on bringing Zoomers onto your board, doing right by youth staffers, and opening up decision-making to a consent-based approach in your organization.

Important Links:

https://www.peerdefense.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-medina-camiscoli-74b31912b/

Peer Defense Project Resource Guide:

1. Sociocracy and Worker-Self Directed Nonprofits

Who — Peer Defense Project and Youth Power Coalition
What
How

2. Mutual Aid3. Action Networks (Hub and Spoke Collectives)

3. Action Networks (Hub and Spoke Collectives)

Who— Law Students for Climate Accountability
What
How

#274 - Advice for NPO Start-ups with Tiffany Allen Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

Itching to make your passion project a legendary nonprofit? It might not be as straightforward as you think.

I sat down with my gal pal Tiffany Allen, founder and president of Boss on a Budget, to spill some piping hot tea about the real deal when it comes to starting up your own nonprofit.

And let me tell ya…it ain't as easy as just slapping a 501c3 on your passion project and watchin' the donations roll in! We debunk some major myths around funding and control that trip up many founder executive directors. The key is building relationships, people! Donors are community too.

Tiffany shares straight truth about the pitfalls nonprofit newbies face, like lacking systems and support early on. We dish out some real talk around trusting others to carry the vision, finding the right "who's" for your board, and avoiding burnout. Even us visionary bosses need help sometimes!

Overall, an enlightening convo you don't wanna miss if you're thinking about jumping into the nonprofit battlefield.

Tune in and leave a review!

Important Links:

https://www.youtube.com/@BossonaBudget

https://bossonabudget.lpages.co/purposeprofitsociety/

Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork - by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy - https://www.amazon.com/Who-Not-How-Accelerating-Teamwork-ebook/dp/B0867ZJ151

#273 - Fractional Fundraising with Cindy Wagman Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

Does your nonprofit have a “part-time” fundraising problem?

As an ED, I learned the hard way that hiring well-meaning but inexperienced junior development folks often wastes precious resources. 💸 Their lack of strategic chops yields scattershot efforts and little ROI…leaving us with a half-baked revenue recipe. 🍳

But Cindy suggests a secret ingredient to bake up some major gifts – fractional fundraisers! 💡 These seasoned specialists bring targeted plans and efficient implementation to quickly elevate fundraising. It’s like adding an entire strategic department without the burden of permanent staff. 😍

For small shops stuck in survival mode, fractional fundraising could fast-track stability and growth. Cindy explains what to expect, how to track results, and why it beats blowing your budget on the wrong hires. 💥

So who else wants to take their fundraising from fractured to fully funded? Let’s level up together! 🙌 Hit play to explore fractional fundraising now.

Important Links:

https://www.fractionalfundraising.co/

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