Why Your Board Won’t Fundraise (And What to Do About It) It’s not laziness—it’s what they learned about money long before they joined your Board.

This one of those issues that never really gos away…
“My Board won’t fundraise.”
So, I am bringing it back.

open.substack.com/pub/heynonpr...

Hey Nonprofit Leader—This Work Is Changing You (Whether You Realize It or Not) The impact no one talks about.

Nonprofits measure their impact on the community. But what about the impact on the people doing the work? This week’s blog is a little
more personal. open.substack.com/pub/heynonpr...

Hey Nonprofit Leader—You Might Need Help How to know when your organization is stuck (and what to do about it).

If your nonprofit keeps having the same problems…

It’s not a motivation issue.
It’s a perspective issue.

“It’s not in the budget” isn’t a strategy.

open.substack.com/pub/heynonpr...

Grants are not a startup strategy. Most foundations won’t fund brand new NPOs. Fundraising starts closer to home:
-relationships
-community
-connection.
Start there. Read. Learn. Enjoy.

Karate turns trauma into strength YouTube video by Connie Golds

youtu.be/jYPB5tpeEgA

Karate isn’t just physical.
It’s emotional.
It’s transformational.
Sometimes strength doesn’t come from pushing harder—
it comes from feeling safe enough to grow.

Thinking of Starting a Nonprofit? Read This First. Because passion is great—but it’s not a business plan.

Thinking of starting a nonprofit? Before you do, read this.

Most don't fail because the mission isn't worthy. They fail because no one treated it like a business.

Passion is powerful, but it is not a business plan.
#nonprofits #leadership #socialimpact

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about being willing to do the hard things.
Loved being featured in this Coach Spotlight—sharing thoughts on perception, growth, and how we show up as leaders.
#leadership #coaching #personaldevelopment

Founder’s Syndrome: When Loving Your Nonprofit a Little Too Much Holds It Back A story about grandchildren, independence, and why the healthiest nonprofits eventually outgrow their founders.

open.substack.com/pub/heynonpr...

My granddaughter just turned four.
My son and his wife just had their first child.
Watching my kids become parents reminded me of something my mother used to say:
"Give your children roots and wings."
And somehow… that got me thinking about Founder’s Syndrome.

Your Nonprofit Website Might Be Costing You Donors A quick reality check—and a simple audit every nonprofit leader should run at least once a year.

Nonprofit leaders:
If your donate button is harder to find than your car keys… you may have a website problem.
Your website is your nonprofit’s front door—and first impressions matter.
A quick 30-minute audit can fix most issues.

From the Dojo to the Boardroom: Leadership Lessons from Para-Karate Athletes Why bravery and persistence matter in nonprofits too.

Leadership lesson from this weekend:
A 70-year-old visually impaired student earned his Black Belt at our dojo.
Later, 140 para-athletes competed in a karate tournament.
Watching their courage reminded me:
Nonprofit leaders can do hard things too.

Your Board Approved the Budget… But Do They Actually Understand It? ICYMI from April 2025:

Confession: the first nonprofit budget I ever approved was $1,500.
Three board members. $500 each.
We thought we were financial geniuses.
In reality, most nonprofit boards approve budgets without fully understanding them.
Here’s how to fix that 👇

#nonprofits #boardgovernance #nonprofitleadership

When Nonprofit Board Meetings Turn Contentious How Strong Chairs, Clear Norms, and Brave Directors Protect Governance and Mission

If your nonprofit Board meetings feel like endurance events . . .
It’s not the disagreement.
It’s the lack of structure.

Strong Chairs.
Clear norms.
Brave directors.

Here’s how to protect governance (and your sanity).
#Nonprofits #BoardLeadership #Governance

From Pitch to Partnership: Unlocking the Secrets to Successful Nonprofit Sponsorships ICYMI from October 2024: Sponsorship isn’t about extracting money. It’s about inviting businesses into meaningful partnership.

Event budget ballooning? Before you send another generic sponsorship letter….design the partnership first.
ICYMI: My guide to structuring partnership tiers that attract real partners, not polite declines.

When the Grant Doesn’t Go According to Plan How to Navigate Grant Changes Without Damaging Funder Relationships

A grant award.
Then partners back out.
Now what?
Returning the money isn’t the only option — but silence definitely isn’t either.
Honesty + solutions = preserved relationships.

This week’s Hey Nonprofit Leader dives into midcourse corrections and funder communication.

A grant award.Then partners back out.
Now what? Returning the money isn’t the only option — but silence definitely isn’t either.
Honesty + solutions = preserved relationships.
This week’s Hey Nonprofit Leader dives into midcourse corrections and funder communication.
#Nonprofits #Leadership

When Structure Meets Harmony: Why Your Team Tension Isn’t Personal How Perceptual Style™ Improves Team Communication

Workplace tension isn’t always about competence. Sometimes it’s about perception. When a Method leader manages a Flow team member, friction is predictable, but fixable. This week’s post explores how Perceptual Style TM improves communication and productivity

Evaluation Isn’t a Necessary Evil—It’s Your Nonprofit’s Secret Weapon ICYMI from January 2025: Doing "good work" isn't enough.

Program evaluation isn’t a necessary evil. It’s your nonprofit’s GPS. If you’re avoiding evaluation because it feels expensive or complicated, this post might change your mind. Simple. Practical. No drama.

Hey Nonprofit Leader What's Keeping You Awake at Night? Sometimes, Endings Are the Right Thing

Sometimes leadership means starting something new. Sometimes it means knowing when—and how—to end.
This week’s blog looks at nonprofit dissolution (yes, really), through a personal lens—and explains what California nonprofits need to know before “closing the doors.”

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Strategic Plans: Unicorns, Dust Collectors, and the Ones That Actually Get Used

Nonprofit hot take—a strategic plan that isn’t used is just very expensive desk decor. This week, I explore why plans stall and how Boards can bring strategy back into the room.
#nonprofitLeadership #strategicplanning #BoardWork

Hey Nonprofit Leader, what’s keeping you awake at night? ICYMI from 2024--Avoiding Nonprofit Mission Creep (aka The Sneaky Side Quest Syndrome)

ICYMI for nonprofit folks!
Mission creep=the sneaky side quest no one asks for. Staying mission-focused doesn’t mean saying not to everything. It means say yes, intentionally.
Read. Learn. Subscribe (it’s free!).

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? What the Girl Scouts’ Mega Cookie Drop Can Teach Us About Nonprofit Leadership?

Volunteered at Girl Scout Mega Cookie Drop this weekend—
✔ flawless logistics
✔ empowered volunteers
✔ leadership training disguised as cookie season
Nonprofit leaders, there’s a lesson here for all of us.
New post up--Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night?

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Unpaid interns, good intentions, and how not to accidentally break federal labor law.

Unpaid interns + nonprofits = ???
This week, I unpack IRS & FLSA realities (in plan English, promise) and why good intentions aren’t enough. Not legal advice—just real talk to help you sleep better at night.

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Why leadership is heavy—and why community lightens the load

Nonprofit leaders don’t lose sleep because they don’t care. They lose sleep BECAUSE they care.
This week I wrote about leadership, loneliness and why community matters more than we admit.

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? (Hint: It might not be governance . . . it might be perception.)

What if the problem isn’t your leadership . . . but how you and your team perceive things differently?
This week’s post is all about Perceptual Style™.

Hey Nonprofit Leader, What's Keeping You Awake at Night? ICYMI--capacity building edition

Weekend throwback: one of my most-read posts on capacity building — the unglamorous hero of nonprofit success.
ICYMI, here’s your refresher. Enjoy!