The Prosperous Nonprofit Stephanie Skryzowski

Are you looking for fresh, new ways to up your individual fundraising game? This is the episode for you! I chatted with special guest, Haley Cooper, CFRE, about how she is empowering new nonprofits to be strategic with their individual fundraising. 
We dove into how Haley stumbled into the nonprofit world after one mission trip completely changed the trajectory of her life. Plus, how she is using her experience as both a nonprofit founder and an entrepreneur to help organizations build a strong fundraising strategy, effectively build relationships and communicate with their donors, get buy-in for fundraising initiatives, and create a strong sense of belonging. This episode is full of strategies nonprofit leaders can implement to elevate their individual fundraising and meet their goals.
 
About Haley
Haley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Certified Stress Management Coach, and Certified EmC train the trainer. She is the Founder of The Savvy Fundraiser, a nonprofit consulting and coaching business. Haley is a Founding Board Member and past Board Chair for the Orange County Nonprofit Professionals Network, and a board member of OC Advisors in Philanthropy. She has also served on the boards of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, OC Chapter, and Impact Giving.
 
Read the podcast transcript here.

 
Episode Summary
In this episode, you’ll learn ways to elevate your nonprofit’s individual fundraising strategy including:
Empowering emerging new nonprofits (3:00)
How one mission trip completely changed the trajectory of Haley’s life (4:32)
Being strategic about fundraising efforts (8:40)
Getting buy-in for your fundraising strategy (12:05)
Effectively communicating your vision to donors (14:25)
Being strategic about building a sense of belonging (19:00)
Upping your individual fundraising game (22:50)
Ways organizations can build relationships with individual donors (26:10)
 
Teasers
“Sometimes fundraising is just a band-aid beyond an issue that's actually there.”
“Not all money makes sense for your organization. That $5,000 grant costs way more than $5,000 to apply for, manage, report on, etc.”
“Make that space for safe conversations, because it's a strategic imperative. It's a non-negotiable. Your team will become higher performing and you'll see more results.”
“You have people in your database. You've been around for a while. You've had board members. You've had those events. You've had volunteers. What if you strategically started investing your time in those people so that no matter what grant contract might end, you'll be able to have that sustainability through those seasons?” 
 
Resources
The Savvy Fundraiser Website: https://thesavvyfundraiser.com/quiz/ 
Haley’s Fundraising Course: https://90-day-fundraising-course.teachable.com/p/fundraisingcourse 
Connect with Haley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/haley-cooper-cfre 
Keep up to date with the podcast: @100degreesconsulting
Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie.skry/ 
Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieskryzowski/ 
Visit the podcast page: https://100degreesconsulting.com/elevating-individual-fundraising 
 
Want more of the podcast?
New episodes are released weekly! Find them all plus show notes and exclusive bonus content at 100degreesconsulting.com/podcast.
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Does your organization have team retreats? Whether you’re just beginning to explore them or you’re looking for new ideas for your next one, this episode is for you. I’m diving into a special, behind-the-scenes look at our annual team retreat. 
I’m discussing the benefits of retreats and why I think they are 100% worth the investment. Plus, the logistics and considerations leaders need to keep in mind when planning them. I’m also sharing the lessons I’ve learned from this retreat and from past years like taking pressure off the team, ensuring we allot enough time for activities, and not having a jam-packed itinerary. 
 
Read the podcast transcript here.
 
Episode Summary
In this episode, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at our annual team retreat, including: 
The benefits of an in-person team retreat (1:30)
Travel logistics to consider (4:45)
Why I don’t believe in a jam-packed itinerary (6:40)
Taking pressure off of the team (9:20)
Finding a balance in the types of retreat sessions (13:50)
Considerations for next year’s retreat (19:00)
 
Teasers
“We're just trying new things every year and learning what works and what doesn't work, then revising for the next year.”
“We tried to have a mix of training sessions where we're introducing new ideas or concepts to the team and they're learning something as well as 100 Degrees sessions where we were really informing the team and gathering feedback around the company.”
“I cannot emphasize enough what a great investment a team retreat is. And it is an investment, so you need to budget for it. You need to prepare for it. But it's a fantastic investment into your organization.”
 
Resources
Keep up to date with the podcast: @100degreesconsulting
Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie.skry/ 
Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieskryzowski/ 
Visit the podcast page: https://100degreesconsulting.com/2024-team-retreat 
 
Want more of the podcast?
New episodes are released weekly! Find them all plus show notes and exclusive bonus content at 100degreesconsulting.com/podcast.
Leave us a review! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Let me know what you loved most about this episode!
Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss a thing!
 

How does your nonprofit take care of its employees? Recent research shows that employees who strongly agree their employer cares about their overall well-being (compared with those who don't) are 71% less likely to report high levels of burnout, leading to happier and more productive employees. In this episode, I spoke with special guest, Melissa Wesner, Licensed Counselor, about how nonprofit leaders can create a culture of wellness that benefits both employees and your bottom line. 
Melissa shared a ton of strategies and resources leadership teams can use to cultivate this wellness culture like how to prevent burnout, the importance of addressing your own well-being, and setting strong boundaries. She also discussed how this wellness culture benefits the organization financially with lower employee turnover and more productivity. Plus, Melissa debunked one of the most common myths about taking care of your employees. This is a great episode for nonprofit leaders looking for ways to boost employee well-being and impact on the communities their organization serves. 
 
About Melissa
Melissa Wesner is a Licensed Counselor, Brainspotting Consultant, and Founder of LifeSpring Counseling Services a group counseling practice in Maryland. Melissa loves hosting, planning, and bringing people together for meaningful experiences which is one of the reasons that she is now hosting international retreats for entrepreneurs and leaders. She is also the host of the Dreaming & Doing podcast, a podcast for big dreamers and action-takers looking for weekly doses of inspiration from successful entrepreneurs and wellness experts.
 
Read the podcast transcript here.
 
Episode Summary
In this episode, you’ll learn strategies for creating an organizational culture of wellness including:
What brain spotting is and why it’s beneficial (4:30)
The importance of addressing your well-being (7:10)
Strategies for preventing burnout in the nonprofit sector (10:20)
Setting better boundaries for ourselves (20:10)
How building a culture of employee wellness impacts the bottom line of an organization (26:00)
Cultivating an organizational culture of wellness (38:30)
 
Teasers
“We have this people-pleaser trait, and we want to make everybody happy. We say yes, even when we don't want to say yes. The problem with saying yes when we don't want to say yes is that’s when resentment comes in.”
“Give yourself permission to not feel guilty about taking care of yourself.”
“Taking care of your employees’ well-being does not necessarily mean that you have to spend all of this money on extravagant things.”

 
Resources
Creating Your Burnout Prevention Plan: https://dreaming-and-doing-podcast.ck.page/business-owner-burnout-plan  
A Preparation Checklist for Getting Out of the Office: https://dreaming-and-doing-podcast.ck.page/travel-prep-list 
Costa Rica Retreat: https://lifespringcounseling.net/small-business-owners-retreat-in-costa-rica 
Melissa’s Dreaming and Doing Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dreaming-and-doing-podcast/id1723843028 
Follow Melissa on Instagram: @melissa_wesner_
Follow Melissa on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifespringcounselingservices 
 
Keep up to date with the podcast: @100degreesconsulting
Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie.skry/ 
Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieskryzowski/ 
Visit the podcast page: https://100degreesconsulting.com/creating-culture-of-wellness 
 
Want more of the podcast?
New episodes are released weekly! Find them all plus show notes and exclusive bonus content at 100degreesconsulting.com/podcast.
Leave us a review! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Let me know what you loved most about this episode!
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When was the last time you took a long, hard look at your systems and processes? Although this isn’t exactly an exciting process, it is so beneficial for your nonprofit. Organizations that regularly look at how they can improve their processes not only save time but money and resources as well. 
In this episode, I’m discussing why taking a deep dive into your processes is important, how it builds trust with your donors, and how this can help your nonprofit scale in the future. I’m also sharing my favorite technology solutions, how to review your current tech stack, and how to implement new software. I’m even giving away my favorite tech secret! 
 
Read the podcast transcript here.
 
Episode Summary
In this episode, you’ll learn why it’s important to streamline your systems and processes, including: 
Finding efficiencies in your processes (2:00)
Ensuring your data is accurate (3:55)
Building trust with transparency (5:05)
Optimizing decision making (5:45)
Meeting compliance requirements (6:40)
Scaling your nonprofit (7:30)
Eight different areas of tech solutions for your nonprofit (9:05)
My favorite technology secret (22:05)
Diving into your current tech stack (23:40)
The do’s and dont’s of implementing new software (26:00)
 
Teasers
“Having the right systems really helps make sure you're looking at accurate data, accurate financial information, accurate program information, etc.”
“Before we run out and get all excited and buy a bunch of new software that we may or may not use, I want you to look at what you already have and see if there are places where you can upgrade your existing subscriptions.”
“We can really only do one thing at a time and do it really well.”

 
Resources
Tech Soup: https://techsoup.org 
Keep up to date with the podcast: @100degreesconsulting
Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie.skry/ 
Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieskryzowski/ 
Visit the podcast page: https://100degreesconsulting.com/spring-cleaning-systems 
 
Want more of the podcast?
New episodes are released weekly! Find them all plus show notes and exclusive bonus content at 100degreesconsulting.com/podcast.
Leave us a review! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Let me know what you loved most about this episode!
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Is your nonprofit getting donations from Donor-Advised Funds (DAF)? Whether your nonprofit is seasoned, brand new, or just looking to start accepting donations from DAFs, this episode is for you! I chatted with special guest, Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy for Chariot, a Donor-Advised Fund solution for nonprofits to maximize DAF fundraising. 
Mitch shared how he is helping nonprofits leverage the power of DAFs by explaining what they are, why they’re important, and how he is breaking down barriers for donors. He also talked about why it’s important to prevent costly errors and eliminate administrative challenges so that nonprofits can get the most money from DAFs. This is a great episode for organizations looking for a different way to bring in funding and diversify their revenue streams.
 
About Mitch
Mitch is a social entrepreneur, community builder and impact innovator. He is currently the Head of Strategy for Chariot, a Donor-Advised Fund solution for nonprofits to maximize DAF fundraising. He previously founded a nonprofit marketplace and community called Pond after leaving his role as a VP on Goldman Sachs' Technology Investment Banking team. He's a long-time board member at The LGBT Center of NYC and an active alum of the Startup Leadership Program NYC.
Read the podcast transcript here.

 
Episode Summary
In this episode, you’ll learn about how nonprofits can leverage the power of Donor-Advised Funds to diversify their revenue streams, including: 
Developing a strategy for generalized funds (4:45)
Breaking down barriers for donors (5:55)
What Donor-Advised Funds are (9:50)
Why Donor-Advised Funds can be seen as controversial (12:40)
Making it easy to use Donor-Advised Funds (17:30)
Preventing costly errors and getting your nonprofit the most money (21:05) 
Eliminating administrative challenges (26:40)
Adapting an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset (31:50)
Creating technology for the nonprofit sector (38:20)
 
Teasers
“You’re not too late. It’s the perfect time to start leveling up, planning, and developing a strategy around generalized funds.”
“Just imagine you had a gift card that you couldn’t use. You had to log into your bank account to use your gift card at Starbucks. How likely are you to stop in Starbucks versus knowing how usable the gift card is? You’re going to both use it more often and spend more money because the money is already allocated.”
“We’ve worked with about 6,000 nonprofits. We ran an aggregate test across our current customers and over 40 percent of them had an inconsistency with their name or address.”

 
Resources
Connect with Mitch on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitch-stein/ 
Visit the Chariot website: https://www.givechariot.com/demo-video 
Keep up to date with the podcast: @100degreesconsulting
Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie.skry/ 
Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieskryzowski/ 
Visit the podcast page: https://100degreesconsulting.com/leveraging-donor-advised-funds 
 
Want more of the podcast?
New episodes are released weekly! Find them all plus show notes and exclusive bonus content at 100degreesconsulting.com/podcast.
Leave us a review! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Let me know what you loved most about this episode!
Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss a thing!
 

Are you leveraging the power of strong community relationships? This episode is full of strategies leaders can use to build lasting relationships in their communities and help diversify their funding with earned income. I spoke with special guest, Megan McNally, co-founder of The Foundry, who shared how she’s using the relationships she’s built to fund her nonprofit primarily through earned income. 
She discussed how she is building a social enterprise, partnering with the community, and not heavily relying on fundraising to operate her nonprofit. Megan also shared what financial management looks like for her, how she came to understand the true cost of things like time and efficiency, and why it’s important to have a strong financial foundation. This is a great episode for nonprofit leaders looking to use the relationships they have with the community to diversify their revenue streams. 
 
About Megan
Megan is the co-founder of The Foundry. She graduated from Barnard College with a degree in Environmental Policy, has worked on green building construction sites across the country, and gained experience in woodworking at Yestermorrow Design/Build School. She moved back to Buffalo to run a woodworking business from 2011-2014 and is passionate about supporting women and people of color in "non-traditional" career pathways. 
Megan is active in Big Brothers Big Sisters and encourages everyone to consider mentorship. She has been the recipient of the Women Who Move The City Award, BizJournal's 30 under 30 Award, Protege of The Year from the University at Buffalo’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and one of the finalists in the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo Centennial Awards.
 
Read the podcast transcript here.

 
Episode Summary
In this episode, you’ll learn the importance of diversifying revenue streams and how the community can help support your nonprofit’s mission through earned income, including.
Providing support and advocacy for creative entrepreneurs (5:00)
Creating a social enterprise and new revenue streams (10:45)
Leveraging community relationships for earned income initiatives (14:20)
The importance of building relationships within the community (18:45)
What financial management looks like for a nonprofit leader (24:00)
Shifting your mindset to understand the true cost of things (29:15)
How a strong financial foundation impacts your mission (35:30)
 
Teasers
“I was doing environmental science and learned about a lot of the challenges around the old housing and housing stock in the city of Buffalo. And I ended up convincing my school to buy a house in the foreclosure option.”
“In terms of our approach, we really try to look at what sort of earned income can we do?”
It’s an opportunity for us to employ our young people who are practicing the skills that they’re developing, and they get paid to do it. It’s justification that the skills that they’re learning can actually give you money.”

 
Resources
The Foundry Website: https://www.thefoundrybuffalo.org/donate 
Follow the Foundry on Instagram: @thefoundrybuffalo
Keep up to date with the podcast: @100degreesconsulting
Follow Stephanie on Instagram: @stephanie.skry/ 
Connect with Stephanie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieskryzowski/ 
Visit the podcast page: https://100degreesconsulting.com/strong-community-relationships   
 
Want more of the podcast?
New episodes are released weekly! Find them all plus show notes and exclusive bonus content at 100degreesconsulting.com/podcast.
Leave us a review! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Let me know what you loved most about this episode!
Subscribe to the show so you don’t miss a thing!