Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions
Welcome to Small Nonprofit, the podcast designed for leaders, fundraisers, and advocates in the nonprofit sector who want to create real change. We provide small nonprofit organizations with strategies to enhance their fundraising campaigns, improve nonprofit governance, and implement ethical fundraising practices that resonate with today’s values-driven donors.
Hosted by an experienced nonprofit consultant, Maria Rio, this show delves into the unique challenges of nonprofit fundraising and community-centric fundraising, providing tools for donor engagement and major gifts fundraising.
👤 Who Should Listen?
This podcast is perfect for anyone involved in a small nonprofit seeking practical advice on fundraising strategy, nonprofit leadership, and board accountability. Whether you're looking for innovative fundraising ideas for nonprofit organizations or trying to create an impact measurement framework that demonstrates your organization’s value, Small Nonprofit is here to guide you.
🎤 Core Topics We Cover
Community-Centric Fundraising: Learn how ethical fundraising practices can strengthen donor relationships, enhance donor engagement, and align your organization with values-based major giving principles. We’ll help you shift from a donor-centric model to one that prioritizes the community.
Systemic Change and Governance: From participatory budgeting to nonprofit board of directors best practices, we explore how to navigate the nonprofit industrial complex and embrace structures that foster diversity in nonprofit leadership and board accountability.
Preventing Nonprofit Burnout: Tackle topics such as nonprofit burnout prevention and learn how to cultivate a healthy, anti-oppressive work culture that supports your team’s well-being.
Nonprofit Storytelling: Understand how to measure your nonprofit’s effectiveness through nonprofit impact measurement strategies and leverage nonprofit storytelling to create compelling narratives that attract donors.
📣 Engaging Conversations and Real-World Advice
In each episode, we bring you insights from experts in fundraising consulting, nonprofit grant writing, and capital campaign strategies. From interviews with fractional fundraisers and major gift officers to deep dives on fundraising tips and innovative fundraising ideas, we offer actionable advice that you can implement immediately to strengthen your organization’s impact.
💰 Learn How to Build a Sustainable Nonprofit
Every nonprofit leader faces the challenge of achieving financial sustainability. Our episodes address critical fundraising strategies for nonprofit organizations, providing insights on volunteer management, capacity building, and nonprofit marketing strategy. Gain access to tools that help you execute successful fundraising campaigns and build a foundation for long-term growth.
🤝 Join the Movement for Systemic Change
At The Small Nonprofit, we’re committed to transforming the nonprofit sector from the ground up. Our focus on systemic change and community-centric fundraising aligns with our mission to support nonprofits in creating equitable, sustainable communities. By addressing topics like values-based decision making and nonprofit transparency, we’re working to build a more ethical, inclusive sector.
❤️ Stay Connected
Subscribe to Small Nonprofit on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or your preferred podcast platform. Don’t miss an episode as we explore everything from fundraising tips to nonprofit social media strategy, and learn how you can become a stronger advocate for your organization’s mission.
Small Nonprofit: Fundraising Tips, Leadership Strategies, and Community-Centric Solutions
Marketing Without Harm: How Nonprofits Can Communicate With Integrity
Marketing doesn’t have to mean manipulation. But for many small nonprofits, common practices like donor recognition, emotional appeals, and urgency-driven fundraising can unintentionally cause harm. In this episode, Maria and anti-oppressive marketer Natalia Sanyal unpack how to shift your messaging and methods without compromising your values or your impact.
Natalia works with human-first brands, helping for-profit and nonprofit organizations market more ethically. Here she shares her seven ethical marketing filters, reflects on her own missteps, and gives nonprofit leaders practical ways to rethink recognition, storytelling, and inclusion — especially in a world where perfectionism is no longer the standard.
🎯 Ethical Marketing - 5 Key Takeaways:
1. Ethical Marketing Starts with Consent and Agency
Marketing practices often bypass true consent whether it’s adding someone to a mailing list via a Zoom link or disguising a sales pitch as a webinar. Nonprofits must ensure people know what they’re signing up for.
2. Language Matters—But So Does Context
Using terms like "stakeholder" or "homeless" without thought can alienate the very communities you serve. But changing language is complicated. It won't be perfect, and that’s okay. Keep trying, explain your choices transparently, and leave space for feedback.
3. Donor Recognition Can Reinforce Harmful Power Dynamics
Celebrating donors, especially white donors, funding work for racialized communities, can reinforce white savior narratives.
4. Filters Help but Capacity Still Matters
Natalia outlines seven filters to guide ethical marketing: agency, accessibility, appropriation, exploitation, saviorism, current climate, and inclusivity. But she also acknowledges the reality of limited capacity: do what you can, iterate, and give yourself grace.
5. Choosing Values Over Profit Can Still Work
Whether prioritizing a BIPOC-majority program cohort or experimenting with donor recognition, Natalia emphasizes that values-aligned decisions may feel risky, but they can be your differentiator. Integrity can attract the right people.
✅ 3 Actionable Tips for Ethical Marketing
1. Run Every Campaign Through the Seven Filters
Before and after you write a fundraising appeal or create a campaign, apply Natalia’s filters: agency, accessibility, appropriation, exploitation, current climate, saviorism, and inclusivity. You won’t catch everything, but you’ll catch more than if you didn’t.
2. Shift Away from Public Donor Recognition
Experiment with anonymous giving or shift recognition toward volunteers and community members. Educate donors on why this matters and invite them to participate in more ethical storytelling practices.
3. Choose Imperfect Progress Over Inaction
If you can’t do everything, do something. Don’t wait for the perfect DEI strategy or most inclusive language to get started. Opt for transparency, explain your evolving process, and build trust along the way.
🎧 Listen for more insights on ethical marketing, inclusive language, and how to navigate harm reduction in your nonprofit communications.
Resources and Links
- Connect with our host, Maria Rio
- Connect with our guest, Natalia Sanyal
- Support our show. We are fully self-funded!
- Watch this episode on YouTube