Nonprofit Lowdown

Latest Episodes:

#347- Advice from a BIPOC Fundraiser with Anysa Holder Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

I had the real pleasure of sitting down with my brilliant friend Anysa Holder, Chief Advancement Officer at Easterseals NJ, on the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown. 🙌🏽

We covered so much ground, including:
💥 What it’s like to stay in the nonprofit sector for 15+ years
💥 The emotional labor of fundraising (especially as women of color)
💥 Unpacking money trauma and mindset
💥 Why board training needs a major upgrade—and how Anysa’s leading that charge
💥 How to avoid burnout while staying mission-driven

One of my favorite things Anysa said?
👉🏽 “The whole job is unpacking stuff… because it’s relational.”

We laughed, got deep, and got real about what it takes to do this work and still stay grounded.

If you’re a nonprofit leader, fundraiser, or just trying to do meaningful work without losing yourself—this one is for you.

Important Links:

Connect with Anysa : https://www.linkedin.com/in/anysaholder/

The Donor Reckoning: https://go.rheawong.com/thedonorreckoning

Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/

My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey

My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

SPECIAL: The #1 Mistake in Donor Emails Jul 20, 2025

Show notes

If you’re ready to stop guessing and start converting—join me live on July 23.🎯 The Donor Reckoning™ is where real pipeline repair starts.

There’s No fluff. No replay. Just results.

https://go.rheawong.com/thedonorreckoning

SPECIAL: Why You’re Not Getting a Second Gift Jul 19, 2025

Show notes

Don’t lose your biggest future gifts to silence.

Join me live on July 23 for The Donor Reckoning™.

I’ll give you the tools to rebuild your trust sequence, so you can see massive results for the rest of the year!

https://go.rheawong.com/thedonorreckoning

SPECIAL: The Fix for Panic Fundraising (in 90 Days or Less) Jul 18, 2025

Show notes

🎯 Join me for The Donor Reckoning™ live on July 23.You’ll walk away with the full playbook + the tools to implement it: my 24-Touch Revenue Rhythm & the Donor Decoder GPT

There is No replay... Just results.

https://go.rheawong.com/thedonorreckoning

SPECIAL: Signal vs. Noise: How Fundraisers Waste Their Best Leads Jul 17, 2025

Show notes

Join me live on July 23 for The Donor Reckoning™.We’re unpacking the Signal-Driven System—and building your exit ramp from the panic loop.

🎟 Reserve your seat now. Only 300 spots, no replay.

https://go.rheawong.com/thedonorreckoning

SPECIAL: Why 92% of Your Donors Have Disappeared Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

Join The Donor Reckoning™ on July 23
🎟 No replay. No fluff. Just truth + tactics.
→ Save your seat now (only 300 spots): https://go.rheawong.com/thedonorreckoning

#346- How an Indie Newsroom Fights Big‑Money Media with Yukari Kane Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

I'm so excited to share this week’s conversation with my guest and friend Yukari Kane, CEO and co-founder of the Prison Journalism Project (@prisonjournalism).

Yukari is a former @WSJ tech reporter who made the leap into nonprofit leadership — and let me tell you, her story is incredible. We talk about what it’s like to run a growing org that operates at the intersection of journalism, education, and criminal justice reform.

Here’s what we dig into:
✍️ How Yukari went from covering Apple to teaching journalism inside San Quentin
📉 The broken media landscape and why storytelling from the inside matters more than ever
💡 What it takes to raise $1.7M from scratch — without a fundraising background
📊 Why building a loyal audience = building your donor pipeline
🧠 Real talk on sustainability, strategy, and how to say no as a leader

One of my favorite quotes from her:
🗣️ “I’m not asking for money. I’m building relationships.”

This is a must-listen for anyone running a small (but mighty!) nonprofit, building community through storytelling, or wondering how to lead through tough times with clarity and purpose.

Important Links:

Connect with Yukari : https://www.linkedin.com/in/yukarikane/

Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/

My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey

My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

#345- Cinderella Nonprofit: How a Brooklyn Debate Coach Went Viral and Raised $1.3 Million in 48 Hours with DiCo Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

This week’s episode of Nonprofit Lowdown is straight-up magic. 🪄

I sat down with my friend DiCo, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Debate League, and their story is nothing short of jaw-dropping.

One minute, they're a public school teacher running debate club on Fridays. The next? A viral Humans of New York post, a GoFundMe that raises $1.3 million in two days, and suddenly they're leading a movement to bring speech and debate to all kids—especially those from historically excluded communities.

In this episode, we talk about:

💥 The power of speech & debate to literally change lives

💡 What it’s like to scale a nonprofit overnight

🤝 Why asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s strategy

🔥 And how DiCo built a powerhouse network just by being kind (seriously)

I left this convo so inspired, fired up about the future of youth leadership, and ready to help scale this thing to the moon.

Important Links:

Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/

My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey

My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

#344- Beyond Burnout with Dr. Dee Frayne Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

On the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Dr. Dee Frayne (aka Dr. D), a life + business coach and former nonprofit exec who gets it. We went deep on what it means to burn out in a sector that’s often under-resourced, under-supported, and powered by people who care way too much to quit… until we’re forced to.

We talked about:
✨ Why the nonprofit world can feel like a parking lot for potential change-makers
✨ How martyrdom and hustle culture are literally making us sick
✨ What it really looks like to lead with integrity (hint: it includes rest)
✨ Why selflessness is a trap — and how to create space for joy, boundaries, and sustainability

“There’s no medal for suffering.”
If you’ve ever skipped meals, ignored your own needs, or run yourself ragged in the name of “the mission” — please give this episode a listen.

This one is for us. The helpers. The givers. The change-makers who want to do it differently — and better.

Important Links:

Connect with Dr. Dee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deefrayne

Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/

My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey

My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

#343: Defending Democracy + Raising Money for Policy with Omri Preiss Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

I’m so excited to share this week’s episode of Nonprofit Lowdown with you. I sat down with my friend and former student, Omri Preiss, the Co-Founder & Managing Director of Alliance for Europe — and we had a powerful, eye-opening conversation.

We don’t often feature voices from outside the U.S., so this one is extra special. Omri is on the frontlines of preserving democracy across Europe, and what he shared about disinformation, authoritarian playbooks, and what’s at stake globally is both terrifying and incredibly motivating.

Here’s what we got into:

✔️ The global playbook for undermining democracy — and how it’s playing out right now

✔️ What Alliance for Europe is doing to fight back (including tracking influence ops 👀)

✔️ Why building a strong nonprofit brand isn’t optional anymore

✔️ And how we communicate big, abstract ideas like “democracy” in a way that moves people to act

Honestly, this is one of those conversations that really stayed with me — especially in the current political climate. If you care about the future of democracy, this one’s a must-listen.

Important Links:

Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/

My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program

My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey

My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

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