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 Cover
Community-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 Advice
In 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 Nonprofit
Every 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 Change
At 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 Connected
Subscribe 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.
Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions
Nonprofit Leadership: Practical Tools to Reduce Burnout
Running a small nonprofit often means juggling strategy, people, programs, and inbox chaos, all while making what feels like a million decisions a day. If you’ve ever felt stuck between leading and just trying to keep up, this episode is for you.
In this candid and insightful conversation, Maria chats with returning guest Veronica LaFemina about one of the most overlooked pain points in nonprofit life: how decisions are made, delegated, and communicated. From messy inboxes to that nagging feeling of "did I already assign this?"- Veronica offers both clarity and real tools to help leaders make better decisions, faster.
🎯 Nonprofit Leadership - 5 Key Takeaways:
1. Decision-Making is an Invisible Problem Until It’s Not
Unlike line items like fundraising or program delivery, decision-making doesn’t get its own budget category. But when it’s broken, it shows up everywhere: delays, confusion, and burnout.
2. Know Your Decision-Making Style
Veronica explains that leaders need to be able to articulate how they make decisions: do you need data or gut instinct? Do you want solutions or options? Being clear on this helps your team help you.
3. Repeatable Decisions Need Repeatable Systems
Create simple processes for recurring decisions; who owns them, what criteria they use, and how often they happen. This takes unnecessary urgency off the table and empowers your staff.
4. Delegation Requires Letting Go (and Being Okay with Imperfection)
One of Veronica’s biggest shifts came when she stopped reviewing every piece of content and let her directors support each other. Things moved faster, and the team grew stronger.
5. Change Starts with You, Not Your Team
If you want your organization to shift how it works, you have to model it. From mindset to systems to communication, effective change management begins at the top.
🎧 Listen to more episodes for actionable fundraising tips and insights on nonprofit leadership, nonprofit governance, productivity & tools, and donor engagement strategies that work. We're here to eliminate nonprofit burnout and boost your donations!
✅ 3 Actionable Tips for Small Nonprofit Leaders:
1. Map Out Recurring Decisions
Spend 30 minutes listing common decisions you make weekly or monthly. Identify who should own each one and draft a quick process for how those decisions get made and communicated.
2. Pick One Project Management System and Stick to It
Whether it’s Asana, Trello, or a shared Google Sheet, choose a system to track delegated tasks. This reduces “Did I send this?” stress and makes work more transparent across your team.
3. Practice the “Three-Month Test” for New Systems
When rolling out a new decision-making or delegation process, give it 3 months before judging. Let your team practice. Check in. Adjust. Real change takes space to land.
Resources and Links
- Connect with our host, Maria Rio
- Connect with our guest, Veronica LaFemina: LinkedIn & Website
- Support our show. We are fully self-funded!
- Watch this episode on YouTube
- Need help with your fundraising?
- Liked this episode? Have an idea? Send us a