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Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

Further Together: Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations
Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions
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324 episodes

  • Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

    Donor Relations: Overcoming Fundraising Anxiety and Building Real Relationships

    24/03/2026 | 21 mins.
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    Fundraising fear is real and it's holding a lot of nonprofit leaders back from doing their best work. Whether it's the dread of being seen as pushy, the worry that donors don't want to hear from you, or the nagging feeling that you're just not "polished" enough, these limiting beliefs are more common than you think. The good news? They're also completely workable. This episode unpacks where fundraising fear actually comes from, why it makes total sense that so many EDs feel this way, and — more importantly — what you can do about it. You'll walk away with concrete strategies for shifting your mindset, showing up more authentically, and building the kinds of donor relationships that actually generate generosity. Spoiler: it has a lot less to do with PowerPoint decks than you'd think.
    On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Vanessa Baker Rodriguez, a fundraising consultant and coach based in Northern California with a career-long dedication to the sector. Vanessa's work centers on helping nonprofit leaders fundraise with more ease, authenticity, and values alignment — and this conversation is packed with the kind of practical wisdom that executive directors and development staff at any stage can put to work right away.
    Connect with Vanessa: [email protected]
    Free gift: bravelyaligned.com/gift
    The Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) Family Reunion is back!  Register here to lock in your spot before they sell out. 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help with building fundraising systems, raising money in a way aligned with your values, or developing a fundraising strategy,
    Support the show
    Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded! 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising?  See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.
  • Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

    Dignified Storytelling: Stop Treating Clients Like Props

    17/03/2026 | 24 mins.
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    What if the storytelling practices you're using are actually harming the people you're trying to serve? Many nonprofits believe that sharing clients' most traumatic moments is the only way to raise funds, but what's the real cost of this approach? The way we tell stories has consequences far beyond the donation page, like re-traumatizing vulnerable community members, or conditioning donors to expect exploitation, to name a few.
    On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Diana Farias Heinrich, CEO of Habrá Marketing and creator of the Equastory Framework. Diana shares how a storytelling mistake early in her career, one that put a domestic violence survivor at risk, set her on a mission to transform how nonprofits approach client stories. Together, they challenge the sector's donor-centric storytelling norms and explore what it means to truly center dignity, consent, and community in fundraising. If you've ever felt uncomfortable with how your organization tells stories, or if you're ready to build systems that honor all stakeholders, and not just donors, this conversation is for you.
    Visit their website: www.habramarketing.com
    Register for the Ethical Nonprofit Summit HERE. 
    PS: Here is a code to save $15: FURTHERTOGETHER
    The Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) Family Reunion is back!  Register here to lock in your spot before they sell out. 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help with building fundraising systems, raising money in a way aligned with your values, or developing a fundraising strategy,
    Support the show
    Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded! 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising?  See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.
  • Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

    Major Gifts Fundraising: Getting That First Donor Meeting

    10/03/2026 | 31 mins.
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    Getting a first meeting with a prospective donor can feel like one of the biggest hurdles in major gifts fundraising, but it doesn't have to. This episode breaks it all down in a way that's refreshingly practical and zero percent intimidating. You'll learn why warm introductions are worth every awkward board conversation, how to follow up without spiraling into anxiety about being "annoying," and why the best thing you can do in the meeting itself is ask great questions and actually listen to the answers. Real stories, real strategies, and a lot of reassurance.
    On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria is joined by Caitlin McBride, a Certified Fundraising Executive with over a decade of experience helping small nonprofits make fundraising feel less chaotic and more doable. Together, they walk nonprofit leaders through the full arc of the first donor meeting: from tracking down the right contact to leaving the call with a clear reason to follow up. If major gifts fundraising has ever felt out of reach for your organization, this one's for you.
    The Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) Family Reunion is back!  Register here to lock in your spot before they sell out. 
    Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help with building fundraising systems, raising money in a way aligned with your values, or developing a fundraising strategy,
    Support the show
    Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded! 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising?  See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.
  • Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

    Earned Revenue AND Increased Impact? Licensing Your Nonprofit Program

    03/03/2026 | 21 mins.
    Send us Fan Mail
    What if the program you've spent years perfecting could fund your nonprofit and serve exponentially more people... without you burning out trying to do it all yourself? Most executive directors don't realize that the SOPs, worksheets, and workflows living in their heads are actually valuable intellectual property that other nonprofits would pay to access.
    On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Rebecca Britt, founder of Stable Moments, a mentorship program for foster and adopted youth now operating in over 40 locations across the United States. We're breaking down exactly how you can package your proven program model, license it to other organizations, and create a new revenue stream that keeps giving, all while expanding your mission's reach far beyond your local community. Nonprofit leaders tuning in will walk away with a concrete roadmap for assessing whether their program is ready to scale, how to structure a licensing model, and how to start approaching other organizations about adopting it.
    The Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) Family Reunion is back!  Register here to lock in your spot before they sell out. 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help with building fundraising systems, raising money in a way aligned with your values, or developing a fundraising strategy,
    Support the show
    Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded! 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising?  See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.
  • Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

    Executive Director Burnout: Why Finding Your People Is The Most Important Strategy

    24/02/2026 | 22 mins.
    Send us Fan Mail
    In this raw and hopeful conversation, you'll hear about the physical and emotional toll of nonprofit leadership and the intentional steps one ED took to not just recover, but to build an entire community dedicated to sector wellness. Laura Istead opens up about recognizing her own burnout, advocating for time off, and discovering the ways that she had normalized her own symptoms of stress. But this isn't just a cautionary tale. It's a blueprint for how nonprofit leaders can break free from the martyr mentality, find their people, and create the joy and connection that makes this work sustainable.
    On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Laura Istead, Executive Director of Two Wheel View and founder of the Social Sector Club. Laura has spent 15 years in the nonprofit sector and 8 years in executive leadership, and she's learned some hard lessons about what it takes to survive and thrive in this work. Nonprofit leaders will walk away with practical strategies for building peer support networks, recognizing the signs of burnout before it's too late, and understanding why treating yourself with the same care you give your community is essential.
    Connect with Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraistead/
    The Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) Family Reunion is back!  Register here to lock in your spot before they sell out. 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help with building fundraising systems, raising money in a way aligned with your values, or developing a fundraising strategy,
    Support the show
    Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded! 
    Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising?  See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.

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About Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions

Welcome to Small Nonprofit, the podcast designed for leaders, fundraisers, and advocates in the nonprofit sector who want to create real change. We provide small nonprofit organizations with strategies to enhance their fundraising campaigns, improve nonprofit governance, and implement ethical fundraising practices that resonate with today’s values-driven donors. Hosted by an experienced nonprofit consultant, Maria Rio, this show delves into the unique challenges of nonprofit fundraising and community-centric fundraising, providing tools for donor engagement and major gifts fundraising.👤 Who Should Listen?This podcast is perfect for anyone involved in a small nonprofit seeking practical advice on fundraising strategy, nonprofit leadership, and board accountability. Whether you're looking for innovative fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations or trying to create an impact measurement framework that demonstrates your organization’s value, Small Nonprofit is here to guide you.🎤 Core Topics We CoverCommunity-Centric Fundraising: Learn how ethical fundraising practices can strengthen donor relationships, enhance donor engagement, and align your organization with values-based major giving principles. We’ll help you shift from a donor-centric model to one that prioritizes the community.Systemic Change and Governance: From participatory budgeting to nonprofit board of directors best practices, we explore how to navigate the nonprofit industrial complex and embrace structures that foster diversity in nonprofit leadership and board accountability.Preventing Nonprofit Burnout: Tackle topics such as nonprofit burnout prevention and learn how to cultivate a healthy, anti-oppressive work culture that supports your team’s well-being.Nonprofit Storytelling: Understand how to measure your nonprofit’s effectiveness through nonprofit impact measurement strategies and leverage nonprofit storytelling to create compelling narratives that attract donors.📣 Engaging Conversations and Real-World AdviceIn each episode, we bring you insights from experts in fundraising consulting, nonprofit grant writing, and capital campaign strategies. From interviews with fractional fundraisers and major gift officers to deep dives on fundraising tips and innovative fundraising ideas, we offer actionable advice that you can implement immediately to strengthen your organization’s impact.💰 Learn How to Build a Sustainable NonprofitEvery nonprofit leader faces the challenge of achieving financial sustainability. Our episodes address critical fundraising strategies for nonprofit organizations, providing insights on volunteer management, capacity building, and nonprofit marketing strategy. Gain access to tools that help you execute successful fundraising campaigns and build a foundation for long-term growth.🤝 Join the Movement for Systemic ChangeAt The Small Nonprofit, we’re committed to transforming the nonprofit sector from the ground up. Our focus on systemic change and community-centric fundraising aligns with our mission to support nonprofits in creating equitable, sustainable communities. By addressing topics like values-based decision making and nonprofit transparency, we’re working to build a more ethical, inclusive sector.❤️ Stay ConnectedSubscribe to Small Nonprofit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast platform. Don’t miss an episode as we explore everything from fundraising tips to nonprofit social media strategy, and learn how you can become a stronger advocate for your organization’s mission.
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