Nonprofit Lowdown

Kyle Woody, founder and executive director of Jack’s Caregiver Coalition supporting unpaid male caregivers. He recounts an Oprah moment and its surprising aftermath. He explains why male caregivers are often invisible. He shares why shifting to relationship-driven fundraising and major gifts changed his nonprofit’s approach. The conversation centers on compassion, community, and accepting support.

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/⁠ 

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/⁠

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/⁠ 

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/⁠

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/⁠ 

A hot take reframes board reluctance as fear of embarrassment and social risk. The conversation explores how unclear roles and personal money histories make fundraising feel unsafe. Practical fixes focus on creating guardrails so board members can protect relationships while contributing. Advice includes consent-based asks, staff-led solicitations, and clear minimum expectations.

Real talk: I tried very hard to avoid this episode. Because boards + fundraising can get… messy.But if we’re serious about major gifts, we can’t keep skipping this conversation.In this episode, I unpack why boards and executives keep blaming each other for fundraising results and why the real issue usually isn’t effort, motivation, or commitment.It’s the system.Most of us are driving a fundraising “car” that was built for a different era. When it breaks down, boards say, “You’re driving wrong,” and executives say, “You’re not giving me enough gas.” Meanwhile, everyone’s exhausted and nothing changes.If fundraising feels heavy, risky, or dependent on one or two people, this episode is for you.Bring a partner. Come ready to be honest.No replay because real change needs shared presence.Let’s stop blaming the driver, the gas, or each other and fix the dang car.Important Links:Register Here: https://go.rheawong.com/murkytomoneysignup 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/⁠ 

If your fundraising feels scattered, exhausting, or like it all lives in your head, this episode is for you.In today’s conversation, I’m breaking down why the old fundraising model is no longer working—and why in 2026 we can’t keep relying on vibes, guesswork, or the heroics of one person. Activity isn’t a system, and burnout isn’t a strategy.I share what it actually looks like to build a donor-driven, consent-based major gift system that replaces pressure with clarity and makes fundraising feel human again.I’ll leave you with this question:What would change if fundraising stopped living in your head?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/⁠ 

This is not a normal episode of Nonprofit Lowdown.In this one, I’m sharing something deeply personal: my experience with ayahuasca and why it mattered so much to me as a nonprofit leader.From the outside, my life looked great. The business was working. The mission was working. I was working. But joy wasn’t part of the equation.I talk about burnout that doesn’t look like collapse—but like numbness. About over-functioning becoming a leadership identity. About how so many of us in the nonprofit sector are competent, ethical, respected… and quietly exhausted.I share why I chose a medically licensed ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica, and how the experience helped me move from self-surveillance to self-trust.This episode isn’t about telling you to do ayahuasca. It’s about asking a bigger question:What happens when being “good” replaces being whole?If you’re a nonprofit leader who feels like the hallway monitor—holding it all together while losing touch with yourself—this one’s for you.Healing isn’t a detour from leadership. It’s part of it.Important LinksRetreat: https://www.rythmia.com/open/worldsfirst?utm_source=post_affiliate_pro&utm_pap_affiliate_id=68cc7cb81ebf5&a_aid=68cc7cb81ebf5 How to Train ChatGPT:  ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠ 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/⁠