Hey Reader, Guess where I am currently...in Nairobi, Kenya! As you may or may not know, I'm still very much an active fundraiser supporting amazing organizations in growing and mobilizing their funding. Which takes me to some amazing places around the world, including East Africa! I had all these plans to stay on top of my weekly newsletter (I haven't missed a Tuesday email in over a year) and then...life happened. Early mornings (including safari!), packed days, and very fun but very late...
6 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, If you’ve been applying for grants and hearing nothing back—you’re not alone. Grants are becoming more and more competitive - especially with recent changes to federal funding and attacks on the nonprofit sector. Here's the truth: Most grant strategies fail because they’re built on cold outreach, no relationships, and a hope-for-the-best application cycle. Grants can be a powerful source of funding, but only if you approach them with the right strategy. Here’s what I recommend...
16 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, I know from conversations with you that there's a mix of people following NonProfit Life, from experienced fundraisers with $50M+ budgets to those who are just starting their nonprofit journey. If you’re in the latter group, you’ve probably asked the question: “What do I do if I’m starting from zero?” If I were starting from scratch today, here’s the strategy I’d follow. It’s simple and effective, and I call it the 2-prong strategy. This strategy starts with creating two lists...
23 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, AI is everywhere right now. Your inbox is probably full of promises that it'll solve all your problems. If I'm being honest, I tune out a lot of the emails I get about AI, so I haven't thought to talk about it. But I also use AI in my day to day fundraising, AND I've seen it used horribly in fundraising contexts and completely botch securing a donation. This made me wonder...would YOU find it helpful to learn how to use AI in your day to day fundraising? Answer below and you'll...
30 days ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Even though "making the ask" is really just 5% of what you have to do in fundraising, it can feel SO awkward and overwhelming. Trust me, I get it! (Not sure what the remaining 95% is? Reply to this email "95%" and I'll share more!) The truth is, even the best Executive Directors and fundraisers can be tempted to hesitate when it comes time to actually make the ask. Even when you know the value of your work, putting it into words can feel clunky or overly formal. If that’s you—here...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, Most of the time, I focus on the techniques, skills, and "how to's" of fundraising that I have found to be most effective in raising money. There's a LOT of information on the internet about fundraising, and I don't take lightly that you choose to be part of the NonProfit Life community! So I want to make sure my emails are not only practical, but also effective so you don't waste your time or money. But sometimes, you just need a reminder of all the possibilities out there. There...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, When I landed my first fundraising job, I was terrified to ask for money. It sounded awkward. And horrible. It felt like I would be putting people on the spot, and I couldn't imagine that was going to be a fun experience for me OR for the donor. Luckily, I had an incredible mentor who helped me reframe my mindset and understand what fundraising is truly about. Fundraising isn't' about asking for money. It's about giving people an opportunity to invest in something they believe in...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, There are tons of great resources out there for nonprofit professionals. Here at NonProfit Life, my goal is to save you time and money by providing ready-to-use tools so you can spend less time reinventing the wheel and more time raising funds. But sometimes, you want to dive deeper—learn the strategy behind fundraising, grant writing, and nonprofit management through courses and structured training. If that’s you, here are two free resources I highly recommend: 1. NonprofitReady...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hey Reader, The first quarter is coming to a close which means….it’s the season of board meetings. There’s a lot that goes into board meetings, but there's just 3 things you need to focus on in order to run an effective board meeting: A strong agenda - Ahead of each board meeting, you should have a very clear (short!) list of objectives and goals, no more than 2-3. It can be an "open" list that you share with board members, or it can be more "secretive" that only you know. But regardless, you...
2 months ago • 2 min read