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

Hosted by Further Together: Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

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Episodes

335

Latest episode

Jun 2026

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EN-CA

About the show

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.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

June 16, 202628 min

Sorry Isn't Enough: A 5-Step Framework for Nonprofit Accountability That Actually Repairs Harm

Send us Fan MailMost nonprofits are good at issuing apologies, but terrible at actually changing. There's a difference between saying "I'm sorry" and doing the work of repair, and that gap is exactly where trust goes to die. In this episode, we get into what accountability actually means, why so few organizations do it well, and what it looks like when it's done right.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Chris Talbot (they/them), Communications Lead for Community-Centric Fundraising, and a queer, transmasc, non-binary, mixed race, autistic advocate who has spent years working to make spaces genuinely safe for marginalized people. Nonprofit leaders listening to this episode will walk away with a concrete framework for taking accountability, a clearer picture of why changed behavior, and not apologies, is the actual measure of accountability, and a harder look at the double standard of who gets held to account in our sector.Shahem Mclaurin's page, which has links to their socials, podcast, and work: https://www.5hahem.com/Christabel Mintah-Galloway's page, which has links to her relational toolkit, relational skills workbook, workshop, and socials: https://www.christabelmintahgalloway.com/Book: Turn this world inside out: The emergence of nurturance culture: https://bookshop.org/p/books/turn-this-world-inside-out-the-emergence-of-nurturance-culture-nora-samaran/012f25ca4db67954Chris's website: https://www.mxchristalbot.com/Twitter: https://x.com/mxchristalbotInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mxchristalbot/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mxchristalbot/Them's Wild podcast: https://dashboard.rss.com/podcasts/themswild/If this episode was useful, grab the 30-Day Board Fundraising Challenge at gofurthertogether.ca/boardchallenge — it's free and it gives your board actual structure. Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help raising money in a way aligned with your values. Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

June 9, 202632 min

Donor-Centric Fundraising: The Real Price of Keeping Donors Comfortable

Send us Fan MailYou've been told that keeping donors happy is how you protect your revenue. What if that's actually the thing bleeding your organization dry? In this episode, Maria Rio makes the case that donor-centric fundraising isn't just a values problem, but also financial one. She breaks down exactly how centering donor comfort drives away your most aligned supporters, tanks staff morale, and keeps your organization stuck addressing symptoms instead of causes. Maria introduces the ACT framework, a concrete three-step roadmap that any fundraiser can start using without board approval, a strategic planning retreat, or organizational consensus.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria Rio draws on over a decade of fundraising experience, her personal history as a service user, and real results from organizations like The Stop Community Food Centre and Out on Screen to show nonprofit leaders what Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) actually looks like in practice, and how to start shifting toward it, starting tomorrow. This episode is a re-recording of the keynote Maria gave at ENCC 2026.Learn more about CCF here: https://communitycentricfundraising.org/If this episode was useful, grab the 30-Day Board Fundraising Challenge at gofurthertogether.ca/boardchallenge — it's free and it gives your board actual structure. Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help raising money in a way aligned with your values. Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

June 2, 202621 min

Why Hiring a Fundraiser Too Soon Is Costing You More Than You Think

Send us Fan MailHiring a fundraiser feels like the obvious solution when revenue is tight and the need is growing, but doing it before you're ready can set everyone up to fail, including the person you just hired. Before you draft that job description, there are real systems, mindsets, and infrastructure pieces that need to be in place. And if you don't have them yet, there's a smarter path forward that most small nonprofits haven't considered. This episode breaks down what "ready" actually looks like, what supports might be the bridge your organization needs, and how to stop the costly cycle of hiring, struggling, and starting over.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria Rio is joined by Caitlin McBride, a Certified Fundraising Executive with over a decade of experience helping organizations raise money with less chaos.Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

May 26, 202622 min

Living Wages: How Nonprofits Can Adopt Dignified Work Practices

Send us Fan MailThe Changemaker Wellbeing Index reports that 31% of nonprofit workers experience food insecurity — and for frontline staff, that rises to 48%. The very sector working to end poverty is, in many cases, perpetuating it through its own payroll. The good news? There's a practical, achievable path forward, and it is easy to get started.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Anne Coleman, newly-appointed Executive Director at the Ontario Living Wage Network. Anne has been doing this work since 2014, supporting employers across Ontario, including a significant number of nonprofits, to calculate, commit to, and get certified for paying living wages. This episode tackles one of the most uncomfortable truths in the nonprofit world: we can't claim to believe in economic justice if we're not paying our own people enough to live on. You'll hear what a living wage actually is, how it's calculated, why it's so different from minimum wage, and what it looks like to make the commitment as an organization. You'll also get the real business case for paying better so you can make the pitch to your board with confidence.Connect with Anne at anne@ontariolivingwage.caCheck out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

May 19, 202620 min

Volunteer Engagement: Getting and maintaining large commitments

Send us Fan MailYour volunteers are giving something money can't buy, and most nonprofits are treating that gift like an afterthought. When you start seeing volunteers through the same lens as major donors, the way you recruit, steward, and engage them completely changes. And when you connect volunteerism to your broader fundraising and governance pipeline, you stop treating it as a nice-to-have and start building something that actually lasts.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Karen Leies, President and CEO of The Seeing Eye, the world's oldest guide dog school, to talk about what it really means to run a volunteer program well. With 500+ puppy raisers a year, a robust volunteer program, and a board of directors that often wears multiple hats, Karen brings hard-won insight on how nonprofits can stop leaving volunteer potential on the table. If you've ever struggled to keep volunteers engaged, convert their involvement into deeper commitment, or get your board to actually show up — this one's for you.Connect with Karen on LinkedIn Visit their website: https://seeingeye.org/Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

May 12, 202621 min

Succession Planning for Executive Directors: When to start, and how to do it right

Send us Fan MailMost nonprofits don't have a succession plan for their Executive Director because the whole thing feels risky to bring up. What if the board thinks you're already halfway out the door? What if there's no time, no budget, or no one ready to take over? Learn what a real succession plan actually contains, how to start the conversation without putting yourself on the chopping block, and why waiting until someone retires (or worse, dies suddenly) is not a strategy.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio sits down with Dr. Keena Mosley, CEO and Chief Transformation Officer of Momentum Leadership Group, with over 20 years of experience in leadership development across the nonprofit and education sectors. We dig into what happens after a role transition, what that person does before they walk in on day one, and how they navigate those first few weeks. Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

May 5, 202622 min

Vu Le's Equitable Grant Making Continuum: Stop Wasting Time on the Wrong Funders

Send us Fan MailSome funders are quietly draining your organization's capacity before they even decide whether to fund you. This episode breaks down the difference between funders who treat nonprofits as true partners and those who bury you in 140-page applications with a 3% chance of success. You'll learn how to identify where a funder falls on the spectrum, what equitable grantmaking actually looks like in practice, and why your time is worth protecting as a strategic resource. We also get into the nuts and bolts of building a smarter grant strategy so you can make better decisions about where to spend your energy.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria Rio is joined by Caitlin McBride, a Certified Fundraising Executive with over a decade of experience in the sector on a mission to make fundraising feel less chaotic for small nonprofits. Together, they dig into Vu Le's Equitable Grantmaking Continuum, share their own experiences with A+ and not-so-A+ funders, and give nonprofit leaders a practical lens for evaluating grant opportunities before spending hours on an application that was never really winnable.The Equitable Grantmaking Continuum: https://legalfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Equitable-Grantmaking-Continuum-Full-Version-Updated-March-2021-2.pdfCheck out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

April 28, 202625 min

Digital Fundraising: Finding and Converting Supporters into Donors

Send us Fan MailIf your nonprofit is still pouring most of its energy into grants and social media, this episode is your wake-up call. Email marketing is one of the most underutilized and highest-return fundraising tools available to small nonprofits. When it's paired with a smooth, friction-free donation experience, it can transform how your organization generates unrestricted revenue.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio sits down with Christina Edwards, founder of Splendid Consulting and host of the Purpose and Profit Club podcast. You'll learn why your email list is one of your most valuable owned assets, how to build a sustainable email strategy without burning out, and what it actually means to make giving easy for your donors. You'll also hear a story about a nonprofit that raised $1,000 in seven minutes using email alone — and why that's more possible than you think.Connect with Christina: https://www.splendidatl.com/Ten email subject lines that you can use: https://www.splendidcourses.com/10If this episode was useful, grab the 30-Day Board Fundraising Challenge at gofurthertogether.ca/boardchallenge — it's free and it gives your board actual structure. Book a Discovery Call with Further Together if you need help raising money in a way aligned with your values. Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

April 21, 202621 min

Beyond Survival: How Nonprofit Mergers and Collaborations Can Move Your Mission Forward

Send us Fan MailThe word "merger" makes a lot of nonprofit leaders flinch — and honestly, that's understandable. When you've poured years of your life into building an organization, considering a structural change can feel like waving the white flag. But here's the reframe: a merger isn't the end of your mission, it might actually be the most powerful way to advance it. In this episode, we dig into what it really looks like when nonprofits explore collaboration, formal partnerships, and mergers — and why the leaders who avoid these conversations entirely may actually be putting their organizations at greater risk.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Jon Hoffmann, Director of Elevate NP of Southwestern Pennsylvania, a capacity building initiative supporting small and midsize nonprofits. Jon brings a rich background spanning human services, executive leadership, fundraising, and consulting, and has guided many organizations through partnership and merger processes. Whether you're an ED who's quietly wondering if a merger might make sense, or a leader who just wants to understand the full spectrum of collaboration options, this episode will help you get clear, get strategic, and get moving.Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show

April 14, 202622 min

The Great Wealth Transfer Is Here — Is Your Nonprofit Ready?

Send us Fan MailPlanned giving is one of those things that lives permanently on the "we'll get to it someday" list, and that someday keeps getting pushed back. But the Great Wealth Transfer is already happening, and nonprofits that aren't at least laying the groundwork are going to miss out on one of the biggest funding opportunities of our generation.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria is joined by Tess Conrad, CFRE, a planned giving specialist. We're breaking down the four core components you need to get started, why "planned giving" is actually the wrong term to use with donors, and how to start having legacy conversations without it feeling awkward or morbid.Free Planned Giving website guide with examples: www.fullpotentialfundraising.com/freeguideConnect with Tess on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tess-conrad-cfre/Learn more about done-for-you Planned Giving: https://www.fullpotentialfundraising.com/Email Tess at tess@fullpotentialfundraising.comCheck out the What The Fundraising podcast here.Support the show