Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions for Canadian and American Nonprofits

Hosted by Further Together: Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

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Episodes

345

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

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

September 1, 202636 min

Fundraising Strategy for Small Nonprofits: Building Acquisition and Retention Systems

Send us Fan Mail Throwing spaghetti at the wall can't fix broken fundraising systems. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria Rio, a fundraising expert with over 15 years of experience, shares what it actually takes to turn acquisition and retention into a repeatable system instead of a scramble. You'll learn how to move donors through each stage of the funnel, from total stranger to lifelong supporter, and why retention deserves more of your attention. This episode is Part 1 of Maria's live workshop, "How to Get More Donors, Retain Your Base, and Deepen Their Connection," recorded for a cohort of nonprofit leaders. Connect with Maria on LinkedIn Watch The Golden Circle by Simon Sinek (TED Talk) Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

August 25, 202622 min

Nonprofit Collaboration Tips For Growing a Small Nonprofit

Send us Fan Mail Small nonprofits are constantly told to do more with less. More fundraising, more reporting, more services, same tiny team. This episode flips that pressure on its head. Instead of asking "how do we do more ourselves," our guest makes the case for asking "who could we build this with together?" You'll hear real examples of what collaboration actually looks like on the ground, from a food bank that partnered with mental health organizations to a youth coalition that hit real growing pains. We break down why duplicated efforts hold small nonprofits back and how the right partnerships create capacity instead of just more work. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Daniel Francavilla, a marketing strategist and capacity-building consultant who works with nonprofits through The Good Growth Company, Daniel Does, and Clarity Content. Daniel has spent years helping nonprofits and social purpose organizations tell their stories and build the kind of partnerships that expand reach. Nonprofit leaders will walk away with a clearer sense of what collaboration can look like beyond the usual program partnership and why capacity-sharing might be the missing piece in their strategy. Visit Daniel's website: https://www.thegoodgrowth.company/ Learn more about the Together for Impact Summit, coming this November 5th: https://www.thegoodgrowth.company/summit Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

August 18, 202620 min

First-Time EDs: The Messes, the Fear, and What Actually Helps

Send us Fan Mail Most leaders don't talk about what actually happens the day you walk into an ED role. They talk about the vision and the strategy, not the fact that your admin manager just quit, the reserves are empty, and you're going to have to let people go before you've even found the bathroom. This episode is about that first year as an ED, unfiltered . On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, I sit down with Lenny Sweeney, Executive Director at SHORE Centre and a fundraiser of nearly 20 years across community services, gender-based violence, disability, and reproductive justice work. If you're a first-time ED, considering becoming one, or currently in the middle of a challenge, this episode will make you feel a lot less alone. Connect with Lenny Sweeny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenny-sweeney-cfre-a8309b11/ Learn more about SHORE Centre (Sexual Health Options, Resources and Education): https://www.shorecentre.ca/ Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

August 11, 202625 min

Donors Can't Find You. Here's How to Fix That.

Send us Fan Mail Search engines were never built with equity in mind. The organizations that show up first are the ones with money for ads, not necessarily the ones doing the most impactful work. For small and grassroots nonprofits, that means decades of good work can go unseen by the donors, program officers, and advisors who'd want to support it if they only knew it existed. It's clear the playing field was uneven long before AI entered the picture. But AI is also changing who gets found, and not always in the direction people assume. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio sits down with Brandolon Barnett, Chief Innovation and Philanthropy Officer at Giving Compass, to unpack why small nonprofits struggle to be discovered and what it actually takes for donors to find you in a AI-first digital landscape. Nonprofit leaders will walk away understanding why "just post more on social media" isn't the fix it used to be and what steps they can take instead without needing a tech team or a big budget. Connect with Brandolon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandolon/ Visit their website: https://givingcompass.org/ or https://gg.givingcompass.org/ Learn more about how donors and funders find you in the age of AI: Free self-paced course here Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

August 4, 202622 min

Values Alignment 101: The Fundraiser's Guide to Picking Funders

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt pressure to chase every funding opportunity that crosses your desk just because the deadline lines up and the dollar amount looks good? This episode is your permission to slow down. You'll learn why "does this person have money" is the wrong first question, and what to actually look for before you sink hours into an application or a pitch. You'll hear the real cost of chasing misaligned funders (hint: it's not just your time), and get a practical framework for spotting values alignment before you're locked into a partnership. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio is joined by Caitlin McBride, a certified fundraising executive with close to 15 years of experience helping small nonprofit leaders make fundraising feel easy, ethical, and less chaotic. Together, they unpack how experienced fundraisers actually assess whether a funding opportunity is worth pursuing, and nonprofit leaders will walk away with a clear-eyed way to evaluate funders before committing time, energy, or their organization's reputation. Connect with Caitlin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/caitlinmcbride-ethical-fundraising/ The Unbearable Hypocrisy: Fundraising in a World of Compromised Integrity: Read here CHAPTERS 00:00 Why Not Every Funder Is Worth Chasing 01:43 Meet Caitlin McBride: Making Fundraising Ethical and Less Chaotic 02:35 The "Looks Good on Paper" Trap — Money, Deadlines and Program Fit 03:41 Not All Money Is Good Money: Hidden Time and Reputational Costs 05:58 How to Check a Funder's Real Giving History (CRA Website Tip) 07:27 Values Alignment: Vision, Tactics, and How Donors Treat Your Staff 09:11 Closed-Door Funders: Why "They Won't Talk to You" Is the Answer 12:14 Scarcity Mindset vs. Being Strategically Picky About Funders 13:21 The "Ends Justify the Means" Debate in Nonprofit Fundraising 14:49 Funding Should Follow Mission, Not the Other Way Around 15:27 Assessing the Grant Application: Is It Worth Your Time? 16:23 Sneaky Recognition Requirements (Christmas Gifts, Logo Wars, and More) 18:41 Sponsorship vs. Donation: Know What You're Actually Signing 20:00 Why Being Picky Is the Strategic Move Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

July 28, 202621 min

Taking Care of the Caretakers: Compassion Fatigue Is Real and Here's How To Fight It

Send us Fan Mail Most nonprofits pour everything into the people and causes they serve, and forget the staff doing that work every single day. This episode flips the script. We're talking about what it actually looks like to take care of the caretakers, especially when your team is dealing with trauma, grief, or emotional burnout as part of the job. You'll hear how one nonprofit built a staff wellness program from the ground up, fueled almost entirely through community donations, not big budget line items. We also get into what happens when a founder hits her own breaking point, and what she changed because of it. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Laurie Hood, founder and CEO of Alaqua Animal Refuge, a 20-year-old organization that rescues and rehabilitates animals from cruelty and neglect cases. Nonprofit leaders will walk away with a real framework for supporting staff wellbeing without needing a bigger budget, and a reminder that modeling rest starts at the top. Visit their website: https://alaqua.org/ Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

July 21, 202621 min

You Don't Have to Love Donor-Advised Funds to Have a Strategy for Them

Send us Fan Mail Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are the fastest-growing way to give in Canada, the US, and the UK, and most nonprofits still don't have the words "donor-advised fund" anywhere on their website. This episode isn't a case for DAFs. It's a case for having a strategy for them anyway, so that money moves toward community instead of sitting in an advisor's spreadsheet. In this episode, Mike Todd (Transform Philanthropy) breaks down what's actually happening when a DAF gift lands in your mailbox, why "anonymous" almost never means what you think it means, and how to stop losing gifts you didn't even know you were being considered for. Connect with Mike: mike@transformphilanthropy.ca Connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miketodd/ Visit their website: https://www.transformphilanthropy.ca Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

July 14, 202621 min

Plain Language, Real Impact: How to Communicate So Donors Actually Listen

Send us Fan Mail Posting on social media and hoping donations follow? You might be setting yourself up for disappointment. In this episode, we get into why social media is often a top-of-funnel tool, not a direct-response one, and why that's not a bad thing once you understand how to use it right. We talk about the algorithm problem nobody wants to admit: that even your own followers might never see your posts. We also dig into what actually makes content land, from ditching jargon to using strength-based framing that invites people in instead of guilt-tripping them. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Farra Trompeter, co-director and worker-owner at Big Duck, who has spent over 30 years helping nonprofits use communications to build brands, run campaigns, and grow sustainably. If you've ever wondered whether your org "should" be on every platform, or worried your content isn't landing the way you hoped, this conversation gives you a clearer way to think about both. Connect with Farra: farra@bigduck.com Connect with Farra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farra/ Visit their website: https://bigduck.com/ Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

July 7, 202621 min

Getting Off the Grants Hamster Wheel: The Skills You Already Have to Diversify Your Funding

Send us Fan Mail If your fundraising calendar is back-to-back grant deadlines and event planning, you might be stuck on a treadmill that's working against you. Grants and events share something that doesn't get talked about enough: they're two of the highest time investment portfolios in the fundraising world. The good news? If you're good at grants, you're already sitting on a foundation of skills that translate directly into individual giving, corporate, and social enterprise. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria Rio is joined by Caitlin McBride, CFRE, a Certified Fundraising Executive with over a decade of experience who is on a mission to make fundraising feel less chaotic and more doable for small nonprofits. Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show

June 30, 202627 min

What to Do When Your Fundraiser Quits to Maintain Momentum and Find the Right Candidate

Send us Fan Mail Your fundraiser just handed in their notice. Now what? Before you dust off that three-year-old job description and blast it out, there are a few things you need to know. Fundraiser turnover is one of the most disruptive events a small nonprofit can face. Donor relationships go quiet, grant deadlines get missed, and someone who already has a full plate suddenly inherits a whole new set of responsibilities. If the hiring process that follows is reactive rather than intentional, you risk losing good candidates, burning out your team further, and making an expensive hire that doesn't stick. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Brittny Wilson, CEO and founder of Rooted Hire, an executive search firm built specifically for nonprofits. With over 20 years of in-house fundraising experience and six years running her own search and interim services firm, Brittny knows this terrain from every angle. In this episode, she walks Executive Directors through the real cost of skipping the assessment stage, why the "starry-eyed" hire from a big shop usually doesn't work out, and what you can do differently starting today. Visit Brittny's website: https://www.rootedhire.com/ Connect with Brittny: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittnywilson/ https://www.instagram.com/rootedhire Hiring Process Audit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Q7ax3DqErnzNmepydJEx5ncjuCJHoKh4/view 10 Pitfalls of Nonprofit Hiring: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dBnxhytGuSyAB55G7e21YYq4iVtRqIas/view Check out the What The Fundraising podcast here. Support the show