Nonprofit Lowdown

Rhea Wong
  • 4.9 (128)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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. 5D AGO

    #384- Stop Flying Blind: Fix Your Leaky Fundraising System

    I’ve been in this sector for over 20 years, and I keep seeing the same thing: Great fundraisers don’t stay. And it’s not because they don’t care—it’s because we’re asking them to be the system. They’re holding donor relationships, strategy, and next steps all in their heads… and when they leave, everything leaves with them. That’s not a people problem. It’s a systems problem. In this episode, I talk about why burnout keeps happening, the real cost of turnover, and why hiring “better” fundraisers won’t fix it. Because the truth is: You don’t rise to the level of your goals—you fall to the level of your systems. If this sounds familiar, I’m hosting a free webinar: Stop Flying Blind: Fix Your Leaky Fundraising System I’ll walk you through a simple 6-part audit to help you find what’s broken and fix it. Important Links: Stop Flying Blind: Fix Your Leaky Fundraising System: https://go.rheawong.com/donorjourneyauditwebinar-2026  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/⁠

    14 min

  2. APR 6

    #383- Equanimity is a Fundraising Strategy

    I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately: before you even say a word, your donor can feel you. Your energy—your calm, your stress, your urgency—it all shows up in the conversation. In this episode, I’m making the case that equanimity isn’t just a nice-to-have… it’s a real fundraising strategy. Because when you’re anxious or rushing to “get it right,” donors feel that—and they pull back. But when you show up grounded and curious? Everything shifts. Especially right now, when the world feels loud and uncertain, your donors don’t need more urgency. They need someone steady. Someone who’s actually there to understand them—not just make an ask. A few things I’m practicing: Preparing to listen, not perform Taking a quick pause to check my own state before calls Trusting my system so I’m not operating from panic If there’s one thing I want you to take away, it’s this: your presence is your pitch. Show up calm. Stay curious. That’s the work. Important Links: Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/  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/⁠

    14 min

  3. MAR 30

    #382- Cracking the Oprah Effect with Kyle Woody

    What happens when your nonprofit gets featured by Oprah? This week, I sat down with Kyle Woody to talk about his “Oprah moment”—and why it didn’t instantly change everything the way you might think. We got into the deeper story behind his work supporting male caregivers (who are often invisible, even to themselves), and how shifting his focus to real relationships—not big events or big hype—completely changed his approach to fundraising. The conversation that stayed with me most? This reminder: You are worthy of your own compassion. Whether you’re leading a nonprofit or caring for someone you love, you don’t have to do it alone. Important Links: Connect with Kyle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacksed/ Jack’s Caregiver Coalition: https://www.jackscaregiverco.org/  Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/  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/⁠

    30 min

  4. MAR 23

    #381- Building Trust and Psychological Safety in Fundraising with Marcia Beckner

    What if your fundraising challenges aren’t really about strategy—but about culture? In this episode, I sit down with Marcia Beckner to unpack how trust, safety, and leadership shape everything—from team performance to donor relationships. We dig into why fear holds fundraisers back, how toxic team members quietly drain revenue, and what it actually takes to build a culture where people (and fundraising) thrive. Important Links: Connect with Marcia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marciabeckner/  Culture CARES: https://culturecares.com/ Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/  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

  5. MAR 16

    #380- No More Poverty Porn in Fundraising with Maria Rio

    In this episode, I sit down with fundraising strategist Maria Rio, founder of Further Together Fundraising and host of the Small Nonprofit Podcast. Maria brings a powerful perspective to the conversation—not only as a longtime fundraiser, but as someone who once relied on nonprofit services herself after arriving in Canada as a refugee. We talk about one of the most important questions in fundraising today: How do we tell stories that inspire giving without exploiting the people we serve? Important Links: Further Together: https://www.gofurthertogether.ca/ Webinar: https://go.rheawong.com/donorjourneyauditwebinar-2026  Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/  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. MAR 9

    #379- So You're Thinking About a Capital Campaign with Amy Eisenstein

    Capital campaigns sound exciting—big vision, big gifts, big impact. But they’re also one of the most misunderstood parts of fundraising. In this episode, I sat down with my friend Amy Eisenstein, CEO and co-founder of Capital Campaign Pro, to talk about what a capital campaign actually is, how to know if your organization is ready, and why planning matters far more than people realize. If you’ve ever wondered whether your nonprofit should launch a campaign—or worried it might cannibalize your annual fund—this conversation is for you. Important Links: Connect with Amy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amyeisensteinacfre/  Capital Campaign Pro: https://capitalcampaignpro.com/  Webinar: https://go.rheawong.com/donorjourneyauditwebinar-2026  Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/  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/⁠

    30 min

  7. MAR 2

    #378- Why Your Donors Are Ghosting You

    If a donor has ever gone silent after a few “great” meetings, let me gently suggest: It’s probably not you. It’s probably qualification. We move from conversation to cultivation to ask — without getting real, explicit consent to go deeper. Qualification isn’t a wealth screen or a good vibe.It’s mutual clarity: Are we aligned on timing? Do you actually want to explore a bigger partnership? Did we agree on the next step? When we skip this, we ask too soon, donors feel surprised, and we start doubting ourselves. Qualification isn’t a hurdle.It’s respect. Fix this step, and everything downstream gets easier. Important Links: Webinar: https://go.rheawong.com/donorjourneyauditwebinar-2026  Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/  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/⁠

    20 min

  8. FEB 23

    #377- MrBeast Is Not Your Fundraising Strategy

    Stop fundraising like you’re buying lottery tickets. In this episode, I’m breaking down why chasing random donors and one-off opportunities keeps you stuck in scarcity mode—and what to do instead. If your fundraising strategy feels like crossing your fingers and hoping for a miracle, it’s time for a shift. We’re talking about how to build a signal-driven pipeline—one rooted in consent, clarity, and real relationships. When you focus on signals (who’s engaged, who’s responding, who’s leaning in), you stop wasting time convincing people who were never a fit in the first place. This isn’t about hype. It’s not about viral moments. And no, Mr. Beast is not coming to save you. It’s about building a sustainable, repeatable system that works—without burnout or magical thinking. If this resonates and you want to learn more about creating a consent-based fundraising system, head to riawong.com and sign up for my newsletter. I share details about upcoming webinars where I teach this framework in depth. Important Links: Book a Call: https://connect.rheawong.com/  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/⁠

    21 min
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4.9
out of 5
128 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 - 2026
  • Episodes
    397
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Rhea Wong
  • Show Website
    Nonprofit Lowdown

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