Are you a nonprofit leader who is looking for real insight into how to successfully startup, fundraise for, or successfully lead your nonprofit organization. If you answered yes, this podcast is for you. In this podcast you will discover: 1. What a nonprofit really is; 2. Grant tips; and, 3. Ways to raise money for your nonprofit I share with you how I have raised hundreds of millions of dollars stretching beyond traditional grants, and trained thousands of organizations across the globe. Sign…
Have you ever wondered why one nonprofit receives the grant while another walks away with a rejection email? Many nonprofit leaders believe the answer is simple: "They had a better grant writer." "They had a better story." "They knew the right people." But after working as a grant evaluator, I've learned that grant decisions are often about much more than the proposal itself. In this video, I…
Today, I want to challenge the way many nonprofit leaders think about grant funding. If you've ever believed that your grant proposal alone determines whether you receive funding, I want you to consider something different. Funders don't just evaluate your proposal. They evaluate the organization behind it. After 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I've learned that a well-written proposal can open…
Have you ever looked at another nonprofit and asked yourself: "Why are they growing while we're struggling?" It's a question I've heard from nonprofit leaders for decades. And often, the first assumption is that the other organization has better connections, bigger donors, or simply got lucky. But after 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I've found that's usually not the real reason. In many cases,…
A mission can be extraordinary, and an organization can still fail. Not because the work wasn't needed, but because the infrastructure, leadership, systems, governance, and financial strategy weren't strong enough to support the work over time. Your mission deserves more than good intentions. It deserves an organization that's equipped to carry it for years, not just for today. If you've ever…
Is your nonprofit truly worthy of long-term investment? Not just because your mission matters, but because your organization is built to sustain that mission. Funders aren't simply looking for organizations doing good work. They're looking for organizations that have the leadership, systems, governance, and operational capacity to turn their investment into lasting impact. That's why I believe…
Have you ever looked at another nonprofit and wondered: "What are they doing differently?" They seem to attract funding more consistently, grow with confidence, and build long-term partnerships while other organizations with equally important missions continue to struggle. I've learned that the difference is rarely the mission. It's rarely the passion. And it's rarely that they simply work harder.…
If a funder evaluated your organization today, what would they find? Would they find an organization that's prepared for long-term investment? Or would they find a passionate founder carrying the entire nonprofit on their back? Because the answer to that question often explains why funding comes or why it doesn't. The goal isn't simply to receive a grant. The goal is to build an organization that…
When you decided to start your nonprofit, your goal was simple: you wanted to help people. You saw a need in your community, developed a program to address it, and stepped forward to make a difference. But somewhere along the way, you realized you had taken on something much bigger than a program. You had become responsible for an entire organization. I've seen this happen time and time again.…
Too many nonprofit leaders see themselves only as the founder, the program director, the fundraiser, or the person who helps people. While those roles are important, they're only part of the picture. Your mission deserves a leader who understands how to build an organization that can sustain that mission for years to come. That's the leadership shift I want to challenge you to make.
When you start a nonprofit, your heart is in serving people. Your time is spent creating programs, delivering services, and responding to community needs. Naturally, it feels like the program is the organization. But after 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I've learned that this misunderstanding is one of the biggest reasons organizations struggle to become sustainable. When leaders focus only on…