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The Patterson Foundation drives meaningful change through strategic philanthropy by building relationships, fostering collaboration, and sharing knowledge. Moving beyond its weekly blog posts, the Foundation offers Beyond The Blog podcasts to inform and engage listeners while sharing compelling stories of people, organizations, and communities strengthened by its initiatives. Listen to Beyond The Blog podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and iHeartRadio.
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How Big Cat Habitat Turned Passion Into Profit With Margin & Mission Ignition
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In this episode of the Nonprofit Thrivability podcast, Read Corley sits down with Nancy Nallin and Rene Ferreira from Big Cat Habitat to explore how the Margin & Mission Ignition (MMI) initiative from The Patterson Foundation helped them supercharge sustainability. From gift shops to yoga with animals, they've transformed entrepreneurial ideas into mission-driven revenue streams, all while nurturing a new generation of leadership. Hear how this nonprofit is mastering succession planning, strategic revenue generation, and staying deeply mission-aligned.
Timestamps
- 00:05: Introducing Nancy Nallin & Renee Ferreira of Big Cat Habitat
- 03:00: What Margin & Mission Ignition is and why it matters
- 05:17: MMI's impact on team development and admin structure
- 06:17: Success from round one: launching event rentals
- 08:17: How MMI helped turn ideas into real revenue
- 10:29: Staying focused on mission while growing revenue
- 11:27: Engaging board members and volunteers in earned income ventures
- 14:13: How MMI shifted their long-term thinking around strategy and income
- 15:20: The power of Thrive & Dine sessions and ongoing peer learning
- 17:53: Final advice for nonprofits considering MMI
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