Nonprofit Lowdown

Latest Episodes:

#342- Fundraising for International NGO with Katy Troyer Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend and former student, Katy Troyer, the Executive Director of the KGSA Foundation — the U.S.-based fundraising arm for the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy in Nairobi, Kenya.

We talked about what it’s really like to raise money for a cause that’s thousands of miles away, how the international development sector is shifting due to major funding cuts, and why community and storytelling are more important than ever.

Katy shares how she's built a passionate donor base across the U.S., the power of immersive donor trips to Kenya (yes, they played soccer and got beat 11–2), and what it takes to keep donors close when you can’t invite them to see the work in person.

If you're leading an international nonprofit or just trying to deepen donor engagement, this is one to listen to. Katy is smart, strategic, and deeply committed to empowering girls through education.

Important Links:

KGSA: https://kgsafoundation.org/

Katy’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-troyer-5a84a810?trk=people-guest_people_search-card

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/

#341- Building A Nonprofit From Scratch with Dr. Nastassia Harris Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I sit down with the phenomenal Dr. Nastassia Harris (@perinatalhealthequity) to talk about her journey from professor and nurse to full-time founder and CEO of the Perinatal Health Equity Initiative.

We talk about:

✅ Making the leap into nonprofit leadership

✅ Facing fears around fundraising & salary

✅ “Burning the ships” and doing it scared

✅ Why YOU are the bottleneck in your org (and how to stop it)

✅ Building a donor base that actually cares

✅ Hiring lessons every founder needs to hear

This is a must-listen for anyone who's ever wondered if they can turn their mission into a sustainable movement. Nastassia did—and she's sharing how. 💜

Important Links:

Nastassia’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnastassiakharris

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

#340- Scaling an Organization to 7 Figures with Jehron Petty Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

I’m beyond excited to share my latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown featuring one of my former students and now nonprofit powerhouse, Jehron Petty, founder and CEO of ColorStack.

Y’all—Jehron started ColorStack during the height of the pandemic, fresh out of Cornell, and five years later? He’s leading a national org serving over 15,000 Black and Latino CS students with a $2.4M budget and a full-time team of 8.

In this convo, we dive deep into:
- Why he focused on revenue first (yes, even as a nonprofit)
- The mindset shift from founder to CEO
- Hiring mistakes (we’ve ALL been there)
- Building both earned revenue and philanthropy models
- And why you can’t just “hug the panda bears” — you’ve got to fund the mission too

Jehron is the real deal — smart, humble, and building something truly impactful in tech and education. If you're dreaming about launching or growing a mission-driven org, this is a must-listen. 🙌

Important Links:

ColorStack: https://www.colorstack.org/

Jehron’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jehron

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/

#339- Stepping Into Consulting with Amber Buck Hamilton May 26, 2025

Show notes

I got to chat with my friend and former student Amber Buck Hamilton, founder of Fig Leaf Development and a total rockstar in the fundraising world.

We talked about:

✅ Why she left her high-level nonprofit job to start her own consulting biz

✅ How burnout, family, and values drove her decision

✅ What it really feels like to take the leap (spoiler: terrifying AND amazing)

✅ That pesky imposter syndrome

✅ And why there’s more than enough work to go around

Amber is proof that you can build a career that aligns with your life and your purpose. If you’ve been toying with the idea of starting your own thing but feel overwhelmed by the “what ifs,” this episode is for you.

It’s honest, real, and packed with gems.

Important Links:

Fig Leaf Development: https://www.figleafdevelopment.com/

Amber’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-buck-hamilton-5a533287/

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/

#338- Power of a Healthy Pipeline with Maria Griffin May 19, 2025

Show notes

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with my friend and fundraising rockstar Maria Griffin on the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown — and trust me, you need to hear this one.

Maria is the Chief Advancement Officer at DREAM (yes, the same DREAM from the episode with Rich Berlin!) and she's about to launch her own consultancy to help nonprofits raise big money with big strategy. 💸

In this convo, we got real about what it actually takes to raise $20M+ annually, build a high-functioning development team, and stop spinning our wheels with gala after gala.

Here’s what we cover:

✅ Why your gala might be a B2B event (and why that matters)

✅ The power of small, intimate gatherings for actual donor conversion

✅ How to build the right team based on strategy (not just more people)

✅ How Maria uses weekly pipeline meetings and KPIs to drive results

✅ Why comms and development need to be besties, not siloed

If you're a fundraiser, nonprofit leader, or just someone trying to make fundraising make sense — this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

Important Links:

Maria’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-griffin-32663823/

Griffin Associated: https://www.griffinassociated.com/

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/

#337- Tenacious Fundraising in Tough Times May 12, 2025

Show notes

Hey friends—I'm turning my recent Leadership Connect session into a podcast episode because the conversation was too real not to share with a wider audience.

If you’re a fundraiser, ED, or nonprofit leader navigating today’s uncertainty, this one’s for you. Yes, the economy is wobbly. Yes, federal and state dollars are shrinking. But no, that doesn't mean the money isn’t out there.

In this episode, I break down:

The 5 hidden leaks in your fundraising pipeline
5 power moves you can implement today to keep money flowing
Why people don’t stop giving during recessions—and the data to prove it
The neuroscience behind why we sabotage our own fundraising (spoiler: survival brain)
Why your email list is more valuable than your social media following
And how to stop seeing yourself as a fundraiser and start showing up as a philanthropic advisor

This is the mindset and math that will keep you afloat—and thriving—even in turbulent times.

Important Links:

Nonprofit Connect: https://www.nonprofitconnectnj.org/

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/

#336- Values Driven Fundraising with Karla Altmayer May 05, 2025

Show notes

I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Karla Altmayer, co-founder of Healing to Action, on Nonprofit Lowdown this week — and wow, this conversation is a must-listen.

We talked about how her team is flipping the script on both gender-based violence and traditional fundraising. Instead of fancy decks or transactional asks, they’re hosting underground dinners that focus on authentic connection, shared values, and deep community building.

As Karla said, donors aren’t just checkbooks — they’re part of the movement. 🙌

If you’ve ever felt stuck in the grind of fundraising or disconnected from your mission, this episode will inspire you to rethink everything.

Important Links:

Karla’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlaaltmayer/

Healing to Action: https://www.healingtoaction.org/

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/

#335- Celebration + Joy as Resistance with Yully Cha Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I had the absolute pleasure of reconnecting with my friend Yully Cha, SVP of Research & Policy and Senior Advisor at Embrace Boston.

We dove into a deep and inspiring conversation about what it really means to lead equity work in today’s climate—and why joy and belonging are central to the fight for justice. 💥

We talked about:

✨ The story behind the Embrace MLK monument in Boston ✨ The power of public space in shaping belonging and democracy

✨ Fundraising as storytelling (and yes, I coached her through it back in the day!)

✨ Why we must be LOUD and unafraid in this political moment

✨ How we get young people engaged in democracy again

There’s so much heart in this one. Yully is brilliant, bold, and deeply committed—and I know you’ll walk away feeling fired up.

“You can always get another dollar—but never another moment of time.” That hit me hard.

🎧 Take a listen and let me know what you think!

Important Links:

Yully’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yullycha/

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/

#334- Retention Marketing with Sean Littman Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

If you’re struggling with donor retention (let’s be real — who isn’t?), you need to hear this convo I had with my friend Sean Littman, founder of GiveSuite.com.

We got into the real talk about why retention in the nonprofit sector is so dismal (below 40% — yikes), and more importantly, what to actually do about it. 💡

Here’s a taste of what we covered:

-Why “continuing the conversation” works better than traditional follow-up

-How to build trust before you ask someone to coffee

-Why your quarterly impact report isn’t moving the needle

-How storytelling emails and small, creative offers can transform donor relationships

-The power of giving first to create real reciprocity

Sean dropped so many gems in this one — if you want to raise more money without burning out constantly chasing new donors, give it a listen. 🎧

Important Links:

Sean’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-littman-catch22nonprofit/

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/

#333- Power of Authencity with Jacob Adams Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

Nonprofit fam, you do not want to miss this one.

On the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I sit down with the brilliant, bold, and beautifully authentic Jacob Adams — founder + CEO of Inner Spark — to talk about what it really means to lead and fundraise with authenticity. 🙌🏽🔥

We go deep on:

Being unapologetically real in funder relationships
Why authenticity isn't just a buzzword — it's a strategy
Navigating political + environmental uncertainty while staying rooted in equity
Fundraising as relationship-building, not performance

Jacob drops truth bombs about compliance culture in schools, the myth of professionalism, and why he refuses to "obey in advance." You’ll laugh, you’ll nod, you’ll probably rewind a few times.

Important Links:

Jacob’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobadams706/

Jacob’s Newsletter: https://www.innersparklab.org/

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/