The Rich Nonprofit

Lisa Avila
  • 5.0 (3)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Your vision is too big to keep putting off. I'm Lisa Avila, and this podcast is about creating impact and legacy by starting or scaling a nonprofit. We dig into the real strategy behind building organizations that change lives. If you've been told you can't make money AND change the world, you're in the right place. I've worked for nonprofits, served on nonprofit boards, and I'm here to share what I've learned so women entrepreneurs can see that they can start their own nonprofits and pursue their big vision. We're going to talk about making money while saving the world. About creating generational wealth and sharing it with other women. About what it looks like when you're building impact and legacy, when you're hopeful because you're changing lives and seeing the outcomes. In some episodes, I'm walking you through frameworks and real decisions. Others, I'm sitting down with women who are building their nonprofits in real time. Every conversation is about turning ideas into strategy and strategy into impact. This is for the woman who's ready to make her nonprofit work, whether she's been running one for years or she's finally ready to start. Let's get to work.

  1. 6D AGO

    What Nobody Tells You about Running a Nonprofit as a Mom, Wife, and CEO with Brindley Brooks

    What does running a nonprofit look like when you’re also a mom navigating your daughter’s surgery, managing a growing team, chasing pharma sponsorships, and trying to remember the last time you took a day off? This week on The Rich Nonprofit, my client Brindley Brooks, founder and CEO of HS Connect, is pulling back the curtain on all of it. HS Connect is a nonprofit raising awareness for Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), a chronic skin condition that affects 1 in 100 people and is rarely talked about. Brindley went from working a full-time job while building her nonprofit on the side to running a global organization, pulling off a runway show on the largest billboard in Times Square in 60 days, and closing in on $1.75 million in funding. She treats her nonprofit like a business because it is one. And she learned that lesson the hard way. This conversation covers nonprofit funding strategy, what nonprofit founder burnout looks like when no one sees what’s happening behind the scenes, how to pivot your nonprofit strategy without losing your mission, building a team and letting go of your ego, going global, and the advice Brindley would give any woman thinking about starting a nonprofit. If you’re running a nonprofit or sitting on an idea for one, this is the episode you need to hear. Main Topics Covered in this Episode: - How Brindley started a nonprofit while working a full-time job - The Times Square billboard and runway show (and pulling it off in 60 days) - Nonprofit funding strategy: the chicken-or-the-egg budget problem every founder faces - How to pivot your nonprofit strategy midstream without losing your mission - Nonprofit founder burnout: the invisible cost of leading as a mom, wife, and CEO - Why your nonprofit is a business and should be treated like one from day one - How chronic illness steals everyday experiences and how HS Connect gives them back Connect with Lisa Avila: - Join Built for Bigger FREE Telegram Community: https://poppygrovellc.myflodesk.com/built-for-bigger - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/ More About The Rich Nonprofit Podcast: The Rich Nonprofit is for mission-driven women who are starting or scaling nonprofits. Each week, Lisa Avila delivers straight talk on nonprofit strategy, funding, leadership, and legacy.

    1 hr

  2. MAR 10

    Why Smart Women Put Their Name on a Nonprofit (And You Should Also)

    You've been told that the most noble form of giving is anonymous. Quiet. Behind the scenes. And that wanting your name on a foundation or nonprofit is ego. In this episode, Lisa calls that out for what it is: conditioning that keeps powerful women on the sidelines of philanthropy. She discusses why visible leadership isn't vanity, it's accountability. Why your great-grandchildren deserve to find more than a LinkedIn profile when they look you up. And why the double standard around women claiming credit for their impactful work needs to end. If you've been thinking about the foundation you want to build, this episode will encourage you. Main Topics Covered in this Episode: •  Why wanting your name on a nonprofit or foundation isn't ego •  The conditioning that keeps successful women giving quietly instead of leading visibly •  Accountability, visibility, and legacy: the three reasons your name matters •  The double standard women face when they claim credit for impact work •  What happens to women who never claim their philanthropic vision Resources Mentioned in the Episode: •  Join Nonprofit Ready on Telegram (free): https://poppygrovellc.myflodesk.com/nonprofitready Connect with Lisa: •  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/ •  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila More About The Rich Nonprofit: The Rich Nonprofit is for mission-driven women who are starting or scaling nonprofits. Each week, Lisa Avila delivers straight talk on nonprofit strategy, funding, leadership, and legacy.

    11 min

  3. MAR 3

    Nonprofit vs. Foundation: How to Choose the Right Structure

    You know you want to build something. But should it be a nonprofit or a foundation? What's the difference, and which one fits your life, your leadership style, and your mission? In this episode, Lisa cuts through the confusion and discusses the core difference between nonprofits and foundations.  She walks through 4 questions to help you figure out which structure is right for you, and shares a client story from a Momentum Strategy Intensive where the 4 P's framework made the decision obvious. If you've been Googling 'nonprofit vs. foundation' and still haven't found clarity, this is the episode that finally makes it click. Main Topics Covered in this Episode: •  The core difference between a nonprofit and a foundation  •  Four questions to ask yourself before choosing a structure •  How your leadership style determines which vehicle fits •  Client story: how the 4 P's framework helped one woman choose a nonprofit over a foundation •  Why you don't start with the structure, you start with the vision •  What to consider about control, time commitment, legacy, and sustainability Resources Mentioned in the Episode: •  Join Nonprofit Ready on Telegram (free): https://poppygrovellc.myflodesk.com/nonprofitready Episode Timestamps: •  [00:00] Welcome + why this decision trips women up •  [02:00] The simplest way to understand nonprofit vs. foundation •  [04:30] Question 1: Do you want to be hands-on or strategic? •  [06:30] Question 2: Build something new or amplify what exists? •  [08:30] Question 3: How much time can you realistically commit? •  [10:00] Question 4: What's your leadership style? •  [12:00] Client story from the Momentum Strategy Intensive •  [15:00] Can you switch from one to the other? •  [17:00] Control, legacy, sustainability, and what matters most Connect with Lisa •  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/ •  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila More About The Rich Nonprofit: The Rich Nonprofit is for mission-driven women who are starting or scaling nonprofits. Each week, Lisa Avila delivers straight talk on nonprofit strategy, funding, leadership, and legacy.

    13 min

  4. FEB 24

    Why This Is the Best Time for Women to Start a Nonprofit

    Billions of dollars in nonprofit funding have been cut. Programs that communities depended on for decades are shutting down. And everybody's looking around, waiting for someone to step up. In this episode, Lisa discusses why women with business experience, resources, and vision are best positioned to fill the gap. She shares what's happening in her own community, where a 40-year literacy nonprofit is on the verge of closing, and gets candid about what starting a nonprofit is and isn't. Spoiler: it's not about saving people. It's about building infrastructure so communities can move forward on their own terms. If you've been sitting on a nonprofit idea and telling yourself 'someday,' this episode is your wake-up call. Someday just got a deadline. Main Topics Covered in this Episode: Why billions in nonprofit funding cuts are creating gaps that women need to fillA local literacy nonprofit serving adults for 40+ years that may shut down due to funding lossesWhat starting a nonprofit is really about: resources and autonomy, not saving peopleWhy women with business skills are uniquely positioned to build sustainable nonprofitsHow to identify the gap in your own community and decide if you're the one to fill itWhy 'someday' is no longer a timeline the people you want to serve can afford Resources Mentioned in the Episode: Join Nonprofit Ready on Telegram (free): http://poppygrovellc.myflodesk.com/nonprofitready Episode Timestamps: [00:00] Welcome + what's happening in Lisa's community [02:30] The nonprofit funding crisis: what got cut and what it means [06:00] Starting a nonprofit isn't about saving people. Here's what it IS about. [10:00] Why women with business experience are positioned to lead right now [14:00] What's different about this moment vs. every other time you thought about starting [17:00] How to look at your own community and find the gap [19:00] Your challenge this week Connect with Lisa: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila More About The Rich Nonprofit: The Rich Nonprofit is for mission-driven women who are starting or scaling nonprofits. Each week, Lisa Avila delivers straight talk on nonprofit strategy, funding, leadership, and legacy.

    11 min

  5. FEB 20

    How to Turn Your Nonprofit Idea Into a Strategic Plan in 2 Days

    Lisa sits down with client Gabs Hayes fresh off their two-day Momentum Strategy Intensive in Tulsa to talk about what it's like to walk into a room with a head full of ideas and walk out with a plan. Gabs shares how she went from nervous about having "too many ideas" to building a full strategic plan for her nonprofit, Overwhelmed and Over It, a community space where parents can find support and parent differently. They talk elevator pitches, event planning, involving your family in the mission, and why feedback is the most underrated tool in nonprofit leadership. If you've ever had a nonprofit idea living rent-free in your head and wondered what it would feel like to finally get it on paper with someone in your corner, this is the episode. In this episode: What it's like inside a Momentum Strategy Intensive How Gabs went from scattered ideas to a clear elevator pitchPlanning community events that families will feel, not just attendWhy involving your kids in your mission makes the work deeperThe role of feedback and asking the right questions to the right audienceWhy nonprofits need to run like businesses to survive Chapters: 00:00 Strategic Planning Reflections  05:39 Elevator Pitch Breakthrough  11:15 Event Planning and Execution  16:44 Building Confidence in Nonprofit Leadership 19:25 Family Involvement in Nonprofit Journey 21:36 Navigating Teen Relationships: The Importance of Space 25:18 Human-Centered Design in Parenting 27:02 Finding Connection in Everyday Moments 28:16 The Emotional Weight of Parenting 30:28 Creating a Family Vision and Goals 33:00 Strategic Planning for Nonprofits 36:41 Feedback and Growth in Community Events Connect with Gabs: https://gabshayes.com/podcast Connect with Lisa: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavilaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/

    44 min

  6. FEB 10

    6 Questions to Test If Your Nonprofit Idea Should Really Be Built

    You have an idea. Maybe you’ve had it for years. But before you invest your time, energy, and leadership, you need to know if it’s something that should actually be built. Caring deeply isn’t enough. Passion isn’t enough. A nonprofit has to sustain itself, create real impact, and grow beyond relying on you to hold everything together. In this episode, I walk you through six questions I use with clients to evaluate whether a nonprofit idea is viable before you commit years to something that may not last if not done correctly. This isn’t about discouraging you. It’s about helping you lead responsibly and protecting your bandwidth. In this episode, we cover: How to validate the problem you want to solveWhy competition is often a sign you’re on the right trackThe difference between wanting to help and offering a clear solutionWhy “I’ll figure out funding later” creates fragile nonprofitsHow to assess whether you’re the right person to lead thisWhat long-term nonprofit leadership requires If you’re serious about building a nonprofit that creates true impact and you don’t want to do this incorrectly, this episode is your starting point. The Rich Nonprofit - https://poppygrovellc.com/the-rich-nonprofit Connect with LisaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila

    16 min

  7. FEB 3

    Strategic Planning for Nonprofits: How One Founder Turned Overwhelm Into Action

    You have the idea. The resources. The drive.But you're exhausted before you even start.Not because you can't figure it out. Because you're doing it alone.In this episode, I talk with Gabs Hayes about preparing for strategic planning for her nonprofit and why trying to build by yourself makes everything harder than it needs to be.We cover:Why smart, capable women still get stuck What happens when you stop second-guessing and start building with guidanceWhy decisiveness matters more than having all the answersHow mentorship creates momentum you can't get from YouTube videosIf you've been carrying your nonprofit vision alone, this conversation shows you what's possible when you stop doing it alone.Connect with Lisa:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila

    36 min

  8. JAN 27

    Why Successful Women Are Using Nonprofits as Their Legacy Vehicle

    You hit every revenue goal. Built the team. Got the freedom. And instead of feeling satisfied, you're asking, "What's this all for?" Scattered giving stopped working. Writing checks to seven organizations doesn't create the change you want to see. So successful women are doing something different. They're building nonprofits. Their own nonprofits. In this episode, I talk about why nonprofits are becoming the legacy vehicle for women who've built wealth. Main Topics Covered: Why scattered giving doesn't create lasting changeThe difference between funding someone else's vision and building your ownHow your business skills transfer directly to nonprofit leadershipWhy wanting your name on it is accountability, not egoHow your wealth was preparation for this work Resources Mentioned: The Rich Nonprofit group program - https://poppygrovellc.com/the-rich-nonprofit Connect with Lisa: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisathestrategist/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisamavila/

    11 min
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5
out of 5
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About

Your vision is too big to keep putting off. I'm Lisa Avila, and this podcast is about creating impact and legacy by starting or scaling a nonprofit. We dig into the real strategy behind building organizations that change lives. If you've been told you can't make money AND change the world, you're in the right place. I've worked for nonprofits, served on nonprofit boards, and I'm here to share what I've learned so women entrepreneurs can see that they can start their own nonprofits and pursue their big vision. We're going to talk about making money while saving the world. About creating generational wealth and sharing it with other women. About what it looks like when you're building impact and legacy, when you're hopeful because you're changing lives and seeing the outcomes. In some episodes, I'm walking you through frameworks and real decisions. Others, I'm sitting down with women who are building their nonprofits in real time. Every conversation is about turning ideas into strategy and strategy into impact. This is for the woman who's ready to make her nonprofit work, whether she's been running one for years or she's finally ready to start. Let's get to work.

Information

  • Creator
    Lisa Avila
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Lisa Avila
  • Show Website
    The Rich Nonprofit