Nonprofit Lowdown

Rhea Wong
  • 4.9 (124)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Nonprofit Lowdown

This is Nonprofit Lowdown where I review and recommend the best ideas, resources, tools, tricks and tips to run your nonprofit like a pro!

  1. 3D AGO

    #345- Cinderella Nonprofit: How a Brooklyn Debate Coach Went Viral and Raised $1.3 Million in 48 Hours with DiCo

    This week’s episode of Nonprofit Lowdown is straight-up magic. 🪄 I sat down with my friend DiCo, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Debate League, and their story is nothing short of jaw-dropping. One minute, they're a public school teacher running debate club on Fridays. The next? A viral Humans of New York post, a GoFundMe that raises $1.3 million in two days, and suddenly they're leading a movement to bring speech and debate to all kids—especially those from historically excluded communities. In this episode, we talk about: 💥 The power of speech & debate to literally change lives 💡 What it’s like to scale a nonprofit overnight 🤝 Why asking for help isn’t weakness—it’s strategy 🔥 And how DiCo built a powerhouse network just by being kind (seriously) I left this convo so inspired, fired up about the future of youth leadership, and ready to help scale this thing to the moon. Important Links: Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

    35 min

  2. JUN 30

    #344- Beyond Burnout with Dr. Dee Frayne

    On the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Dr. Dee Frayne (aka Dr. D), a life + business coach and former nonprofit exec who gets it. We went deep on what it means to burn out in a sector that’s often under-resourced, under-supported, and powered by people who care way too much to quit… until we’re forced to. We talked about:✨ Why the nonprofit world can feel like a parking lot for potential change-makers✨ How martyrdom and hustle culture are literally making us sick✨ What it really looks like to lead with integrity (hint: it includes rest)✨ Why selflessness is a trap — and how to create space for joy, boundaries, and sustainability “There’s no medal for suffering.” If you’ve ever skipped meals, ignored your own needs, or run yourself ragged in the name of “the mission” — please give this episode a listen. This one is for us. The helpers. The givers. The change-makers who want to do it differently — and better. Important Links: Connect with Dr. Dee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deefrayne Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

    42 min

  3. JUN 23

    #343: Defending Democracy + Raising Money for Policy with Omri Preiss

    I’m so excited to share this week’s episode of Nonprofit Lowdown with you. I sat down with my friend and former student, Omri Preiss, the Co-Founder & Managing Director of Alliance for Europe — and we had a powerful, eye-opening conversation. We don’t often feature voices from outside the U.S., so this one is extra special. Omri is on the frontlines of preserving democracy across Europe, and what he shared about disinformation, authoritarian playbooks, and what’s at stake globally is both terrifying and incredibly motivating. Here’s what we got into: ✔️ The global playbook for undermining democracy — and how it’s playing out right now ✔️ What Alliance for Europe is doing to fight back (including tracking influence ops 👀) ✔️ Why building a strong nonprofit brand isn’t optional anymore ✔️ And how we communicate big, abstract ideas like “democracy” in a way that moves people to act Honestly, this is one of those conversations that really stayed with me — especially in the current political climate. If you care about the future of democracy, this one’s a must-listen. Important Links: Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

    38 min

  4. JUN 16

    #342- Fundraising for International NGO with Katy Troyer

    I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend and former student, Katy Troyer, the Executive Director of the KGSA Foundation — the U.S.-based fundraising arm for the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy in Nairobi, Kenya. We talked about what it’s really like to raise money for a cause that’s thousands of miles away, how the international development sector is shifting due to major funding cuts, and why community and storytelling are more important than ever. Katy shares how she's built a passionate donor base across the U.S., the power of immersive donor trips to Kenya (yes, they played soccer and got beat 11–2), and what it takes to keep donors close when you can’t invite them to see the work in person. If you're leading an international nonprofit or just trying to deepen donor engagement, this is one to listen to. Katy is smart, strategic, and deeply committed to empowering girls through education. Important Links: KGSA: https://kgsafoundation.org/  Katy’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-troyer-5a84a810?trk=people-guest_people_search-card   Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

    26 min

  5. JUN 9

    #341- Building A Nonprofit From Scratch with Dr. Nastassia Harris

    This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I sit down with the phenomenal Dr. Nastassia Harris (@perinatalhealthequity) to talk about her journey from professor and nurse to full-time founder and CEO of the Perinatal Health Equity Initiative. We talk about: ✅ Making the leap into nonprofit leadership ✅ Facing fears around fundraising & salary ✅ “Burning the ships” and doing it scared ✅ Why YOU are the bottleneck in your org (and how to stop it) ✅ Building a donor base that actually cares ✅ Hiring lessons every founder needs to hear This is a must-listen for anyone who's ever wondered if they can turn their mission into a sustainable movement. Nastassia did—and she's sharing how. 💜 Important Links: Nastassia’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnastassiakharris   Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com

    34 min

  6. JUN 2

    #340- Scaling an Organization to 7 Figures with Jehron Petty

    I’m beyond excited to share my latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown featuring one of my former students and now nonprofit powerhouse, Jehron Petty, founder and CEO of ColorStack. Y’all—Jehron started ColorStack during the height of the pandemic, fresh out of Cornell, and five years later? He’s leading a national org serving over 15,000 Black and Latino CS students with a $2.4M budget and a full-time team of 8. In this convo, we dive deep into: - Why he focused on revenue first (yes, even as a nonprofit)- The mindset shift from founder to CEO- Hiring mistakes (we’ve ALL been there)- Building both earned revenue and philanthropy models- And why you can’t just “hug the panda bears” — you’ve got to fund the mission too Jehron is the real deal — smart, humble, and building something truly impactful in tech and education. If you're dreaming about launching or growing a mission-driven org, this is a must-listen. 🙌 Important Links: ColorStack: https://www.colorstack.org/  Jehron’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jehron  Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

    33 min

  7. MAY 26

    #339- Stepping Into Consulting with Amber Buck Hamilton

    I got to chat with my friend and former student Amber Buck Hamilton, founder of Fig Leaf Development and a total rockstar in the fundraising world. We talked about: ✅ Why she left her high-level nonprofit job to start her own consulting biz ✅ How burnout, family, and values drove her decision ✅ What it really feels like to take the leap (spoiler: terrifying AND amazing) ✅ That pesky imposter syndrome ✅ And why there’s more than enough work to go around Amber is proof that you can build a career that aligns with your life and your purpose. If you’ve been toying with the idea of starting your own thing but feel overwhelmed by the “what ifs,” this episode is for you. It’s honest, real, and packed with gems. Important Links: Fig Leaf Development: https://www.figleafdevelopment.com/  Amber’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-buck-hamilton-5a533287/  Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

    33 min

  8. MAY 19

    #338- Power of a Healthy Pipeline with Maria Griffin

    I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with my friend and fundraising rockstar Maria Griffin on the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown — and trust me, you need to hear this one. Maria is the Chief Advancement Officer at DREAM (yes, the same DREAM from the episode with Rich Berlin!) and she's about to launch her own consultancy to help nonprofits raise big money with big strategy. 💸 In this convo, we got real about what it actually takes to raise $20M+ annually, build a high-functioning development team, and stop spinning our wheels with gala after gala. Here’s what we cover: ✅ Why your gala might be a B2B event (and why that matters) ✅ The power of small, intimate gatherings for actual donor conversion ✅ How to build the right team based on strategy (not just more people) ✅ How Maria uses weekly pipeline meetings and KPIs to drive results ✅ Why comms and development need to be besties, not siloed If you're a fundraiser, nonprofit leader, or just someone trying to make fundraising make sense — this is the episode you don’t want to miss. Important Links: Maria’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-griffin-32663823/  Griffin Associated: https://www.griffinassociated.com/  Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/  My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program  My Book, Get That Money Honey: https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey  My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/

    41 min
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4.9
out of 5
124 Ratings

About

This is Nonprofit Lowdown where I review and recommend the best ideas, resources, tools, tricks and tips to run your nonprofit like a pro!

Information

  • Creator
    Rhea Wong
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    352
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Rhea Wong
  • Show Website
    Nonprofit Lowdown

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