Published by Rhea Wong
This is Nonprofit Lowdown where I review and recommend the best ideas, resources, tools, tricks and tips to run your nonprofit like a pro!
Listen on Apple Podcasts41 min
In this episode, I'm calling out the thing nobody says out loud: your major gift program isn't really a program. The gifts come in, but you can't predict them. Your board member lands a home run, then goes quiet. Your ED holds all the relationships in their head, and when they leave, the revenue leaves with them. I've lived this, and I know you have too. I start by naming what I call the invisible revenue gap: the difference between what your list should be raising and what it actually raises. It's costing mid-sized nonprofits hundreds of thousands a year while the financials look perfectly fine on the surface, and it's the thing that wakes EDs up at 4 AM in a cold sweat. Then I get into the diagnosis. You're not bad at fundraising. You're not lazy or unsophisticated. You're un-infrastructured. You know what to do, you just don't have a system to do it consistently, in the right order, every time. I break down why the old five-stage model we all inherited runs on fragile relationships and hope, and why it falls apart with today's busier, more skeptical donors. From there, I walk through what an actual system looks like: the six stages of the Engagement Fundraising Operating System , the real role of your board as door openers (12 board members, one intro each per quarter, that's 48 new prospects a year, the math maths), and the qualification conversation that stops you from chasing people who were never going to give. I also share results from a $6M client who went from 15 prospects to 47 and doubled her close rate. Not by finding richer donors. By building infrastructure. If every quarter feels like crossing your fingers, this one's for you. Important Links: 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/
37 min
The biggest gift your organization will ever receive might come from a donor who's been quietly giving you $10 a year for two decades. And most of you are ignoring them. Planned giving evangelist Tony Martignetti , retired attorney and author of the upcoming Planned Giving Accelerated , is back to bust the six nasty myths keeping small and mid-size nonprofits out of the game. It's not too complicated, it's not just for the big guys, and you're not having a "death conversation", you're talking about the life and longevity of your mission. The launch is simple: query your database for loyalty and longevity (gift size doesn't matter), pick your top 3-6 prospects, start conversations. Ten hours a month, no splashy website required. Plus: what to say when you make the ask, and the research showing 75% of donors who put you in their will increase their other giving. If planned giving has been on your someday list, this episode moves it to Monday. Important Links: Connect with Tony: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonymartignetti/ Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio : https://tonymartignetti.com/ Join the Planned Giving Accelerated Waitlist: https://www.plannedgivingaccelerated.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/
28 min
I love a good transformation story, and Lucy Madden's is one of my favorites. Lucy was a middle school science teacher who ran a snail mail pen pal program in her classroom, pairing her students with STEM professionals around the world. She watched her kids start imagining bigger futures for themselves, so she turned it into an organization: Letters to a Pre-Scientist. Now she's the CEO, and she's fundraising for it as a team of basically one. When we started working together, Lucy had 10 to 15 donors giving $1,000 or more, and those gifts felt random. In this episode, she walks through what changed: stepping away from grants, getting her board on board, and shedding the ick she felt about asking individuals for real money. The moment that stuck with me: Lucy called a donor just to say thank you for a $10,000 gift. On that call, the donor did the math on Lucy's growth plan herself and said, "You need $140,000. I think we can do that." It became a multi-year six-figure stock gift, the first stock gift her organization has ever received, on a budget of $500K. We also talk about why snail mail is her secret weapon (in programs and in fundraising), why she stopped throwing spaghetti at the wall, and what shifted internally that let her show up to donor conversations with actual confidence. If you've ever told yourself you're not a fundraiser, this conversation is for you. Important Links: Connect with Lucy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-madden/ Letters to a Pre-Scientist: https://prescientist.org/ 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/
17 min
This episode is a little different. It's a bit of a public service announcement. I recently read new nonprofit sector data, and honestly, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. The numbers tell a pretty clear story: organizations that rely heavily on grants and government funding are feeling more pressure than ever, while nonprofits with strong individual giving and major gift programs are weathering the storm much more successfully. If your organization has been putting off building a major gift strategy or if your current program just isn't producing the results you need. I hope this conversation gives you permission to rethink where you're investing your time. In this episode, I share why major gifts are becoming more important than ever, the biggest mistakes I see nonprofits make when trying to build a program, and a few practical steps you can take today to start creating more sustainable fundraising. If you're feeling overwhelmed by fundraising right now, know this: you don't have to keep doing things the way they've always been done. Sometimes the smallest shift in focus can make the biggest difference. Important Links: My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/
37 min
One of my favorite takeaways from this conversation with Claire Wang is that fundraising and pricing have more in common than you might think. At their core, both are about understanding people their values, motivations, and the stories they tell themselves about who they are. Claire shares how great pricing isn't just about numbers; it's about listening deeply, understanding what someone truly values, and creating an experience that feels meaningful. We also explore how these same principles apply to major gifts, donor relationships, and building trust over time. If you've ever wondered how to better understand your donors, ask for larger gifts with confidence, or create a more thoughtful donor experience, this episode is full of insights you'll want to take with you. Important Links: Connect with Claire: https://www.claire-wang.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/
38 min
I sat down with my friend Glennda Testone , CEO of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, to talk about what we're both seeing across the sector right now: burnout, funding uncertainty, increasing demand for services, and nonprofit leaders trying to do more with less. It's easy to get caught up in the anxiety of the moment, but one thing became crystal clear in our conversation: the organizations that will weather this season best are the ones investing in relationships. We talked about why individual donors matter more than ever, the risks of relying too heavily on grants and government funding, and why fundraising is ultimately about human connection not transactions. We also got into some hot takes on galas, donor behavior, AI, and what nonprofit leaders should be focusing on when everything feels uncertain. If you've been wondering how to navigate the current fundraising landscape, I think you'll find this conversation both grounding and encouraging. Important Links: Nonprofit Leadership Lab: https://nonprofitleadershiplab.com/?wickedsource=google&wickedid=Cj0KCQjw0JnRBhDJARIsALobnXYMR6sg7UyNnriy98C0t1QkwFu8XqFOpgP5qXL4hJB-Ly5wREp22jYaAlXLEALw_wcB&w_adid=733701107251&w_campaignid=22263756844&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=22263756844&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22263756844&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0JnRBhDJARIsALobnXYMR6sg7UyNnriy98C0t1QkwFu8XqFOpgP5qXL4hJB-Ly5wREp22jYaAlXLEALw_wcB My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/ My Quiz: https://bit.ly/4vDEBjl
28 min
One of my favorite parts of this work is watching nonprofit leaders grow into fundraisers not because they become slick salespeople, but because they discover that fundraising is really about relationships. That's exactly what happened with my guest this week, Andrew Murphy. When Andrew stepped into the Executive Director role at the Wisconsin Inmate Education Association, he inherited an incredible mission and a passionate community of supporters. What he didn't inherit was a fundraising system. Like so many nonprofit leaders, he found himself staring at a donor list, sending emails, making phone calls, and wondering what he was supposed to do next. Over the last two years, I've had the privilege of working alongside Andrew as he built a fundraising program from the ground up. In this conversation, he shares what changed when he stopped thinking about fundraising as asking people for money and started thinking about it as inviting people into a meaningful partnership. We talk about the donor survey strategy that became the foundation of his work, how prison tours helped supporters connect directly with the mission, and why building genuine relationships created more sustainable results than any fundraising tactic ever could. What I love most about Andrew's story is that it isn't about a magic formula. It's about having a system, staying consistent, and leading with authenticity. And the results speak for themselves. WIEA has nearly doubled its individual giving, created a stronger pipeline of supporters, and moved from worrying about making budget to dreaming about what's possible next. If you've ever felt like you're making fundraising up as you go, if you've inherited a donor program without a roadmap, or if you're tired of operating from a place of scarcity and uncertainty, I think you're going to find a lot of encouragement in this conversation. Enjoy my conversation with Andrew Murphy. Important Links: Connect with Andrew: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-murphy-6b960bb8/ My Big Ask Gifts Program: https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program My Newsletter: https://www.rheawong.com/
21 min
Ever feel like your major gifts program is held together by spreadsheets, good intentions, and crossed fingers? This week, I'm joined by my client and friend Amy Lester, Major Gifts Officer at Polar Bears International, for a candid behind-the-scenes look at how she transformed her fundraising program in just over a year. When Amy started, she inherited a portfolio, a giant spreadsheet of prospects, and what she lovingly calls a "hope strategy." Fast forward 15 months, and she's exceeded her fundraising goal by more than $400,000, doubled major donor gifts, increased her conversion rate from 40% to 84%, and brought in 19 new major donors. My favorite takeaway? Amy's shift from feeling overwhelmed and reactive to confident and strategic. That's the magic of having a system. If you're sitting on a portfolio full of potential and wondering how to turn donor relationships into real revenue growth, this episode is packed with practical lessons you can apply immediately. Important Links: Connect with Amy: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-lester-cfre-40166b49/ 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/ My Quiz: https://bit.ly/4vDEBjl
36 min
This episode honestly changed the way I think about planned giving. I sat down with Tess Conrad and walked away realizing that planned giving isn’t just for giant institutions with fancy development teams. Tess made the case that even small nonprofits can start building a legacy giving program—and that some of your best future donors may already be quietly sitting in your database. We talked about why loyal donors matter more than wealthy ones, why monthly donors are often ideal planned giving prospects, and how relationships, not complicated financial knowledge, are really at the heart of this work. One thing that really stuck with me: the average estate gift is around $50,000, and many of those gifts come from people who never made huge annual donations during their lifetime. If you’ve ever thought, “We’re too small for planned giving,” this conversation is for you. Important Links: Connect with Tess: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tess-conrad-cfre/ 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/ My Quiz: https://bit.ly/4vDEBjl
26 min
In this episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I sat down with Janine Quijije to talk about AI but probably not in the way you’re used to hearing about it. Instead of asking, “How can AI help us do more?” Janine asks a much more important question: How can AI help us preserve our energy and prevent burnout? We talk about the reality of being overextended in the nonprofit sector, the pressure to constantly produce, and how AI can actually help us create more sustainable ways of working. One of my favorite takeaways was Janine’s simple exercise of uploading your calendar into ChatGPT and asking it to audit how you’re spending your energy. The results? A little confronting… and incredibly helpful. This episode is really a reminder that your worth is not tied to how exhausted you are. My Ai Analysis Report: Your export contained 239 campaigns, but most showed 100% open rates against tiny send counts — those are automated/triggered sends (welcome flows, single-recipient sends), not list broadcasts. I filtered to campaigns sent to at least 500 people, which isolated 43 real broadcasts to your full list (median list size ~6,400). For each subject line, I tagged structural features (length, emoji, punctuation, opening word, presence of 'you/your', sender voice, editorial framing, etc.) and compared the top 11 and bottom 11 performers to identify what actually correlates with open rate on your list specifically Important Links: Connect with Janine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janinequijije/ 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/ My Quiz: https://bit.ly/4vDEBjl
27 min
This episode felt personal for me because I’ve been watching so many development directors quietly disappear from organizations lately. And honestly? It’s not just about burnout or “bad hires.” Most of the time, it’s a systems problem. In this episode, I’m unpacking the two biggest reasons development directors leave, what it’s really costing nonprofits when they do, and why so many organizations are unknowingly operating without the infrastructure needed to sustain fundraising success. If you’re an ED, board member, or fundraiser, this conversation is your reminder that busy does not always mean effective and that great people cannot thrive in broken systems forever. 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/
33 min
This episode felt personal—because it is. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, I sat down with Lauren Carson (Black Girls Smile) and April Walker (Philanthropy for the People), and we got real about what’s actually happening right now—in our work, in our communities, and in our bodies. If I’m honest, it feels like a lot. And I know I’m not the only one. We talked about how the pressure out in the world—politics, funding cuts, constant uncertainty—is showing up in our mental health. Especially for Black women and girls, who are so often expected to just… keep going. And then there’s the funding piece. The promises that didn’t last. The lack of transparency. The constant hustle. It’s exhausting—and it’s impacting how we show up as leaders, as teammates, as humans. One thing that really stuck with me: We talk a lot about resilience as “pushing through,” but not enough about healing. And without healing, what are we actually sustaining? So here’s what I’m taking with me this month: Rest isn’t a reward—it’s necessary (even in small moments between meetings) I don’t have to do everything—just focus on what actually matters My inner voice matters—if I’m resting but still beating myself up, that’s not rest And honestly… sometimes the most powerful thing I can do is just breathe If there’s one thing I’d invite you to do this month, it’s this: Tell yourself the truth about how you’re actually doing—and give yourself a little more space to be human. We’re all figuring this out. And you don’t have to do it alone. Important Links: Black Girl Smile: https://www.blackgirlssmile.org/ 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/ My Quiz: https://bit.ly/4vDEBjl
36 min
We’re diving into a topic I have a serious love-hate relationship with: wealth screening. My guest is Tina Duong, founder of Impact ProTech and a 25+ year fundraising veteran. And let me tell you she has thoughts. We’re getting into what wealth screens get wrong, why fundraisers rely on them too much, and what you actually need to know to identify the right donors. Let’s dig in. Important Links: ImpactPro: https://www.impactpro.tech/ 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/ My Quiz: https://bit.ly/4vDEBjl
21 min
I hear this all the time: “Why won’t my board fundraise?” And I get it—it’s frustrating. But here’s the truth I’ve learned: it’s usually not because they don’t care. It’s because no one ever showed them a version of fundraising that feels human. Most board members think fundraising means awkwardly asking friends for money. Of course they avoid it. When we shift the definition to something more relational—making introductions, building connections, saying “join me”—everything starts to soften. We also have to talk about the money stuff. The beliefs we all carry about money? They don’t magically disappear just because someone joined a board. Creating space to unpack that can be a game changer. A few things that really move the needle: Everyone gives something—it creates ownership Make fundraising visible and celebrate the effort Be specific: don’t ask for “help,” ask for responsibility Create real connection between board members And I’ll be honest—changing board culture takes time. Some people will lean in, some won’t. But when it clicks? When your board actually wants to bring people in? There’s nothing more powerful. If this is something you’re working through, you’re not alone—and there is a way forward. Important Links: Board Fundraising Training: https://go.rheawong.com/forboardmembers-929795 Webinar: https://bit.ly/4emZZCX 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/ My Quiz: https://bit.ly/4vDEBjl
14 min
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/
13 min
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/
30 min
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/
32 min
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
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/
30 min
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/