#336- Values Driven Fundraising with Karla Altmayer
I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Karla Altmayer, co-founder of Healing to Action, on Nonprofit Lowdown this week — and wow, this conversation is a must-listen.We talked about how her team is flipping the script on both gender-based violence and traditional fundraising. Instead of fancy decks or transactional asks, they’re hosting underground dinners that focus on authentic connection, shared values, and deep community building.As Karla said, donors aren’t just checkbooks — they’re part of the movement. 🙌If you’ve ever felt stuck in the grind of fundraising or disconnected from your mission, this episode will inspire you to rethink everything.Important Links:Karla’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlaaltmayer/ Healing to Action: https://www.healingtoaction.org/ Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/ 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/
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#335- Celebration + Joy as Resistance with Yully Cha
This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I had the absolute pleasure of reconnecting with my friend Yully Cha, SVP of Research & Policy and Senior Advisor at Embrace Boston. We dove into a deep and inspiring conversation about what it really means to lead equity work in today’s climate—and why joy and belonging are central to the fight for justice. 💥We talked about: ✨ The story behind the Embrace MLK monument in Boston ✨ The power of public space in shaping belonging and democracy ✨ Fundraising as storytelling (and yes, I coached her through it back in the day!) ✨ Why we must be LOUD and unafraid in this political moment ✨ How we get young people engaged in democracy againThere’s so much heart in this one. Yully is brilliant, bold, and deeply committed—and I know you’ll walk away feeling fired up.“You can always get another dollar—but never another moment of time.” That hit me hard.🎧 Take a listen and let me know what you think!Important Links:Yully’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yullycha/ Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/ 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/
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#334- Retention Marketing with Sean Littman
If you’re struggling with donor retention (let’s be real — who isn’t?), you need to hear this convo I had with my friend Sean Littman, founder of GiveSuite.com.We got into the real talk about why retention in the nonprofit sector is so dismal (below 40% — yikes), and more importantly, what to actually do about it. 💡Here’s a taste of what we covered: -Why “continuing the conversation” works better than traditional follow-up -How to build trust before you ask someone to coffee -Why your quarterly impact report isn’t moving the needle -How storytelling emails and small, creative offers can transform donor relationships -The power of giving first to create real reciprocitySean dropped so many gems in this one — if you want to raise more money without burning out constantly chasing new donors, give it a listen. 🎧Important Links:Sean’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-littman-catch22nonprofit/ Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/ 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/
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#333- Power of Authencity with Jacob Adams
Nonprofit fam, you do not want to miss this one.On the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I sit down with the brilliant, bold, and beautifully authentic Jacob Adams — founder + CEO of Inner Spark — to talk about what it really means to lead and fundraise with authenticity. 🙌🏽🔥We go deep on: Being unapologetically real in funder relationshipsWhy authenticity isn't just a buzzword — it's a strategy Navigating political + environmental uncertainty while staying rooted in equityFundraising as relationship-building, not performanceJacob drops truth bombs about compliance culture in schools, the myth of professionalism, and why he refuses to "obey in advance." You’ll laugh, you’ll nod, you’ll probably rewind a few times.Important Links:Jacob’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacobadams706/ Jacob’s Newsletter: https://www.innersparklab.org/ Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/ 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/
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#332- The State of Nonprofit Staffing with Evan Wildstein and Michelle Flores Vryn
Nonprofit Leaders, it's time to wake up and take action! In the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I sit down with two experts, Michelle Flores Vryn and Evan Wildstein, to dive deep into a critical issue facing our sector: nonprofit staffing struggles.They discuss trends from their groundbreaking Social Impact Staff Retention Report, revealing that 7 out of 10 nonprofit staff are actively looking for new jobs in 2025 — a number that's still alarmingly high, and indicative of widespread burnout, insufficient support, and unrealistic workload expectations. In this eye-opening conversation, they explore:The true reasons behind nonprofit staff turnover (hint: it's not just about pay 💸)How to better support your team by letting go of outdated practices and fostering growth 🔄AI in the nonprofit sector: Can it help reduce burnout by taking over repetitive tasks? 🤖One of the most important takeaways? Leaders need to model healthy work-life balance to retain staff and create sustainable success. 🌟Important Links:Evan’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-a-wildstein/ Michelle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvryn/ The Nonprofiteers: https://www.thenonprofiteers.com/ SISR:https://www.thenonprofiteers.com/sisr Upcoming Events: https://www.rheawong.com/events/ 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
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