Advocating for change seems daunting, especially when you're working with limited resources and a small team. What if you knew the insider strategies to make a significant impact in your community and get your voice heard at city council meetings? In today's episode, we'll pull back the curtain on the power of local engagement and show you how a small team can pedal their message to the top.

Join us as we chat with the super inspiring Alison Stewart from Cycle Toronto. Her passion for sharing the joy of biking paired with her desire to make Toronto a vibrant cycling city led her to take on several volunteer roles since 2013. Her background includes senior leadership roles in the post secondary sector which saw her develop strategic plans that focused on supporting the diverse needs of international and domestic students on the one hand, while also securing funding and developing government and community partnerships on the other.

What if walking away from the organization you've built is the bravest and most selfless choice you can make? Struggling to let go, battling founder’s syndrome, feeling like an organization will fall apart without you, and putting your life above your work—these are emotions many leaders in our sector face. Today's must-listen episode is a conversation with one such leader who tackled these issues head-on. Then, he turned that experience into expertise he now shares with others.

Mike Prosserman shares his story in this episode; from founder, to leaving the organization, to helping others transition gracefully from their roles. Mike ‘Piecez’ Prosserman is a bestselling author, professional B-Boy (breakdancer), university instructor, and certified coach who specializes in scaling non-profits, team culture, and succession. In Michael’s book Building Unity: Leading a Non-Profit From Spark to Succession, he shares practical tools to building resilient and responsive organizations. He founded and scaled Unity Charity, a grassroots movement using Hip-Hop to improve youth mental health. Through EPIC leadership, Michael is empowering non-profit leaders to build more resilient and responsible organizations.

Feeling lost in the noise and chaos of social media? Let's shift our perspective and rediscover the power of emails. In today's episode of we'll explore why emails remain a timeless tool for building meaningful supporter connections. While social media can be attention-grabbing, it's through emails that genuine conversations and long-lasting bonds are nurtured.

Our guest, Sara Hoshooley is a fundraising consultant and coach with a passion for small nonprofit organizations. As a former small charity Executive Director, she understands the challenges and opportunities facing small but growing nonprofits. Her unique approach uses each organization's strengths to grow fundraising in an authentic and achievable way.

Are the challenges in your nonprofit growing pains or signs of deeper issues? With a New Year, we have the opportunity to reflect on what is working and what is not! If we don't address the roots of operational dysfunction, our mission is at risk.

In today’s episode, we’re exploring how the heart and soul of our work – our culture – plays a huge role in our success. We're discussing how nurturing the right environment can make your nonprofit more effective, scalable, and fundable.

Is your major gifts fundraising aligned with your organization’s core values? In today’s episode, we're tackling the sometimes intimidating (but rewarding!) world of major gifts through a values-aligned, community-centric lens.

Does face-to-face fundraising feel out of reach for your small nonprofit? Many you think you need a big amount saved just to start. What if I told you there's a way to step into large-scale face-to-face fundraising, just like the big, well-funded organizations, but without the financial barrier of hiring an agency? Today, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of pricey face-to-face campaigns and reveal accessible (and scalable!) paths for smaller nonprofits.

Today we're talking about how nonprofits share their stories - especially in the digital age - and the ethical issues that can arise from how we choose to share stories. We'll explore how lived experience influences how we portray community members and how we can can use social media to connect with supporters while staying true to our values.

Is your nonprofit facing challenges with staff leaving, keeping donors happy, or having competent leaders? This episode of The Small Nonprofit talks about these big issues in the charity world and how they affect your fundraising. We also look at possible ways to fix these problems.

Our guest is Frank Mumford, a seasoned fundraiser with 14 years in the charity sector. Frank started as a student fundraiser and now works at Gravyty, where he helps charities with new software solutions. He's been a CFRE since 2019 and is active in several nonprofit boards. Frank will share his views on the challenges that charities and fundraisers face today.

Is your nonprofit aligned with your values or is it perpetuating harm? How does the culture within our organizations shape our effectiveness and well-being?In today's episode, we're diving into the realities many of us face in the nonprofit sector. From acknowledging ethical dilemmas in our work practices to recognizing our alignment (or misalignment) with organizational values, we discuss the complexities of working for a cause.

Sheetal Puri, our guest today, has dedicated her career to non-profit fundraising, marketing and communications for organizations globally. Having raised hundreds of millions for multiple organizations over the past 15 years, Sheetal’s commitment to the sector has given her the insight to identify areas in present day fundraising models that perpetuate colonial modes of power and prevent the ability to practice and implement our core values and missions. She is a strong advocate for community-centric approaches to fundraising that prioritize the return of power and agency to those who have experienced disempowerment.

Are you wondering if your small nonprofit is getting the attention it deserves from key decision-makers? Today's episode of The Small Nonprofit is all about unlocking the potential of government relations to amplify the impact of small organizations.

We're chatting with Tristan Downe-Dewdney, a lobbyist who's an expert at turning influence into real action. Tristan is a seasoned government expert with over 15 years in policy and advocacy. His expertise spans both community-level and systemic advocacy strategies, making him the perfect guide for small nonprofits looking to make a significant impact through government engagement.

In this brand new episode of 'The Small Nonprofit'—we have some exciting news! Our beloved host Cindy is handing over the microphone to Maria Rio, another leader in the non-profit world. A dynamic and passionate personality, Maria started her career as a face-to-face fundraiser, climbed the nonprofit ladder with dedication and hard work, and eventually found her niche in community-centric fundraising. She's worked with many small nonprofits, and knows the struggles that come with low capacity and limited funds. She is the proud founder of Further Together, a fundraising consultancy dedicated to supporting organizations implement community-centric fundraising values. So, gear up, get comfortable and join us as we embark on this new season with our new host!

The pandemic has changed the way that many teams work. More people are working from home, or in a hybrid arrangement. And as we rethink our culture, many of us wonder how we can cultivate a sense of connection and create a unique and meaningful team culture in this ever-changing world?

Working with a consultant can be beneficial for nonprofits. They enable organizations to focus on keeping things running smoothly and efficiently by freeing up time for the bigger picture. But how do you find the right consultant for your organization?

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about working with consultants with Jessica Campbell, Founder and CEO of Out in the Boons and a dear friend of mine. She is a trained nonprofit fundraiser who has worked with big and small organizations and runs a consulting business where she helps organizations to connect with the right consultants to get the help they need.

If you’re a regular listener, you will know that we love exploring brain science. And I am so excited to be exploring that in the context of branding. While I’ve been diving deeper into my own study of neuroscience, I haven't seen it applied to branding ever before.

In today’s episode, Chloé Nwangwu, Brand Scientist, Digital Diplomacy Consultant, and Conflict Mediator, shares with us the brain science behind brands and how you can leverage that to connect more with your audience and create more impact with your small nonprofit.

These days it's easy to feel like we're not passionate about our work. Very often we get into the sector because we are passionate about changing the world. And then something happens over time and we lose that passion. And now we layer over COVID and isolation (and now a new global conflict) and all the other things, and that passion feels like a very distant memory.

In today’s episode, Shilbee Dhalla-Kim, Passion and Social Enterprise Coach, talks about how we can reignite the fire within us and find balance in doing our passion without burning out.

Strategic planning is one of those seemingly boring things that we need to do every once in a while to have a vision and clarity around where our organization is going. But I've never seen it done as an exciting or innovative process in most small organizations.

In today’s episode, Jennifer Riel, IDEO’s global director of strategy (and probably one of the smartest people I’ve met), talks about how you can actually use that process to think about innovation and really have a strong impact on your organization.

LinkedIn is known for being a professional social media platform that can help you find a job and make stronger connections with individuals in your industry. However, it’s also a great place for nonprofits to make new connections or do prospect research, or find people who can help or volunteer.

In today’s podcast, Jane Garthson, President of Garthson Leadership Centre and experienced interim executive director, will talk about how interim leadership can help nonprofits navigate change and organizational transition.

In this episode, Kim Dechaine, Founder of Inner Powered Leaders, will discuss how we can change our mindset, and prevent and overcome burnout at work. If you're struggling with burnout, this episode is for you!

In this episode, Kim Dechaine, Founder of Inner Powered Leaders, will discuss how we can change our mindset, and prevent and overcome burnout at work. If you're struggling with burnout, this episode is for you!