#341- Building A Nonprofit From Scratch with Dr. Nastassia Harris

On the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I had the absolute pleasure of speaking with Dr. Dee Frayne (aka Dr. D), a life + business coach and former nonprofit exec who gets it. We went deep on what it means to burn out in a sector that’s often under-resourced, under-supported, and powered by people who care way too much to quit… until we’re forced to.We talked about:✨ Why the nonprofit world can feel like a parking lot for potential change-makers✨ How martyrdom and hustle culture are literally making us sick✨ What it really looks like to lead with integrity (hint: it includes rest)✨ Why selflessness is a trap — and how to create space for joy, boundaries, and sustainability “There’s no medal for suffering.” If you’ve ever skipped meals, ignored your own needs, or run yourself ragged in the name of “the mission” — please give this episode a listen.This one is for us. The helpers. The givers. The change-makers who want to do it differently — and better.Important Links:Connect with Dr. Dee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deefrayne 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/ 

I’m so excited to share this week’s episode of Nonprofit Lowdown with you. I sat down with my friend and former student, Omri Preiss, the Co-Founder & Managing Director of Alliance for Europe — and we had a powerful, eye-opening conversation.We don’t often feature voices from outside the U.S., so this one is extra special. Omri is on the frontlines of preserving democracy across Europe, and what he shared about disinformation, authoritarian playbooks, and what’s at stake globally is both terrifying and incredibly motivating.Here’s what we got into: ✔️ The global playbook for undermining democracy — and how it’s playing out right now ✔️ What Alliance for Europe is doing to fight back (including tracking influence ops 👀) ✔️ Why building a strong nonprofit brand isn’t optional anymore ✔️ And how we communicate big, abstract ideas like “democracy” in a way that moves people to actHonestly, this is one of those conversations that really stayed with me — especially in the current political climate. If you care about the future of democracy, this one’s a must-listen.Important Links: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/ 

I had the pleasure of sitting down with my friend and former student, Katy Troyer, the Executive Director of the KGSA Foundation — the U.S.-based fundraising arm for the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy in Nairobi, Kenya.We talked about what it’s really like to raise money for a cause that’s thousands of miles away, how the international development sector is shifting due to major funding cuts, and why community and storytelling are more important than ever.Katy shares how she's built a passionate donor base across the U.S., the power of immersive donor trips to Kenya (yes, they played soccer and got beat 11–2), and what it takes to keep donors close when you can’t invite them to see the work in person.If you're leading an international nonprofit or just trying to deepen donor engagement, this is one to listen to. Katy is smart, strategic, and deeply committed to empowering girls through education.Important Links:KGSA: https://kgsafoundation.org/ Katy’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-troyer-5a84a810?trk=people-guest_people_search-card  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/ 

This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I sit down with the phenomenal Dr. Nastassia Harris (@perinatalhealthequity) to talk about her journey from professor and nurse to full-time founder and CEO of the Perinatal Health Equity Initiative.We talk about: ✅ Making the leap into nonprofit leadership ✅ Facing fears around fundraising & salary ✅ “Burning the ships” and doing it scared ✅ Why YOU are the bottleneck in your org (and how to stop it) ✅ Building a donor base that actually cares ✅ Hiring lessons every founder needs to hearThis is a must-listen for anyone who's ever wondered if they can turn their mission into a sustainable movement. Nastassia did—and she's sharing how. 💜Important Links:Nastassia’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drnastassiakharris  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

I’m beyond excited to share my latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown featuring one of my former students and now nonprofit powerhouse, Jehron Petty, founder and CEO of ColorStack.Y’all—Jehron started ColorStack during the height of the pandemic, fresh out of Cornell, and five years later? He’s leading a national org serving over 15,000 Black and Latino CS students with a $2.4M budget and a full-time team of 8. In this convo, we dive deep into: - Why he focused on revenue first (yes, even as a nonprofit)- The mindset shift from founder to CEO- Hiring mistakes (we’ve ALL been there)- Building both earned revenue and philanthropy models- And why you can’t just “hug the panda bears” — you’ve got to fund the mission tooJehron is the real deal — smart, humble, and building something truly impactful in tech and education. If you're dreaming about launching or growing a mission-driven org, this is a must-listen. 🙌Important Links:ColorStack: https://www.colorstack.org/ Jehron’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jehron 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/ 

I got to chat with my friend and former student Amber Buck Hamilton, founder of Fig Leaf Development and a total rockstar in the fundraising world. We talked about: ✅ Why she left her high-level nonprofit job to start her own consulting biz ✅ How burnout, family, and values drove her decision ✅ What it really feels like to take the leap (spoiler: terrifying AND amazing) ✅ That pesky imposter syndrome ✅ And why there’s more than enough work to go aroundAmber is proof that you can build a career that aligns with your life and your purpose. If you’ve been toying with the idea of starting your own thing but feel overwhelmed by the “what ifs,” this episode is for you. It’s honest, real, and packed with gems.Important Links:Fig Leaf Development: https://www.figleafdevelopment.com/ Amber’s LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amber-buck-hamilton-5a533287/ 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/ 

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with my friend and fundraising rockstar Maria Griffin on the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown — and trust me, you need to hear this one.Maria is the Chief Advancement Officer at DREAM (yes, the same DREAM from the episode with Rich Berlin!) and she's about to launch her own consultancy to help nonprofits raise big money with big strategy. 💸In this convo, we got real about what it actually takes to raise $20M+ annually, build a high-functioning development team, and stop spinning our wheels with gala after gala.Here’s what we cover: ✅ Why your gala might be a B2B event (and why that matters) ✅ The power of small, intimate gatherings for actual donor conversion ✅ How to build the right team based on strategy (not just more people) ✅ How Maria uses weekly pipeline meetings and KPIs to drive results ✅ Why comms and development need to be besties, not siloedIf you're a fundraiser, nonprofit leader, or just someone trying to make fundraising make sense — this is the episode you don’t want to miss.Important Links:Maria’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-griffin-32663823/ Griffin Associated: https://www.griffinassociated.com/ 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/ 

Hey friends—I'm turning my recent Leadership Connect session into a podcast episode because the conversation was too real not to share with a wider audience.If you’re a fundraiser, ED, or nonprofit leader navigating today’s uncertainty, this one’s for you. Yes, the economy is wobbly. Yes, federal and state dollars are shrinking. But no, that doesn't mean the money isn’t out there.In this episode, I break down:The 5 hidden leaks in your fundraising pipeline5 power moves you can implement today to keep money flowingWhy people don’t stop giving during recessions—and the data to prove itThe neuroscience behind why we sabotage our own fundraising (spoiler: survival brain)Why your email list is more valuable than your social media followingAnd how to stop seeing yourself as a fundraiser and start showing up as a philanthropic advisorThis is the mindset and math that will keep you afloat—and thriving—even in turbulent times.Important Links:Nonprofit Connect: https://www.nonprofitconnectnj.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/ 

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/ 

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/