The Small Nonprofit

About The Small Nonprofit

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.

Publisher

Further Together: Fundraising Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

Category

business · business · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Sept 2018

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

153 of 379 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Volunteers Aren't Free Labour: Ethical Volunteer Stewardship for Executive Directors

   Executive Director Maria interviews Jessica Pang-Parks on ethical volunteer stewardship, revealing how to move beyond treating volunteers as free labor for stronger nonprofit engagement.

2. 

   29 Sept 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Bold, Sustainable Leadership for Social Impact Leaders in a Time of Crisis

   Leadership coach Tessa Bridge and host Maria explore how social impact leaders overcome perfectionism and fear to cultivate bold, sustainable leadership.

3. 

   22 Sept 2026

   Great Donor Stewardship: The 4 Step Donor Retention System Your Small Nonprofit Needs

   Host Maria Allen shares a four-step donor retention system to help small nonprofits keep supporters engaged long after their first gift.

Inside a recent episode

Bold, Sustainable Leadership for Social Impact Leaders in a Time of Crisis

Published 29 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] And that's great for the next organization. But it's not great for this one. So it becomes a huge threat if you're not taking care of yourself. We think that we're helping. We are using the strategy that we think is the most important, which is like holding tightly, trying to get it right, trying to make sure nothing goes wrong. But we're creating a system that's completely unsustainable. And ultimately, when we do burn out, then we're in a much worse place. When leaders are able to take a step back in small ways, often you start to see where other people will step forward, but you also start to see like where you don't have the structures that you need yet, where you are filling in ways that are actually covering or putting band-aids over structural issues that could be addressed in a sort of more long-term way. […]

Who has been a guest on The Small Nonprofit

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Jessica Pang-Parks
• Tessa Bridge
• Caitlin McBride
• Maria Rio
• Lenny Sweeney

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.7 / 5

36 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

18 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 77 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

97

Social presence

94

YouTube

0

Engagement

95

Contact The Small Nonprofit

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about The Small Nonprofit