Fundable by Design

When funding is tight, the first question most leaders ask is: "How do we get more money?" "How do we get more grants?" "Where are the donors?" But what if you're asking the wrong question? If you've been spending all your energy searching for the next grant, this conversation may help you step back and identify what actually needs to be strengthened inside your organization.

Many leaders believe their biggest problem is a lack of money. But after nearly 40 years in the nonprofit space, I've learned that the lack of money is often just a symptom. The real problem is usually a lack of capacity. Now, when I say capacity, I'm not simply talking about money. I'm talking about the organization's ability to operate, manage, lead, communicate, fundraise, report, govern, and s...

Today, I want to challenge a belief that many nonprofit leaders have been taught to accept as fact: The better the program, the easier it will be to get grants, donors, and funding. It sounds logical. If the program is effective, impactful, and serving people well, funding should naturally follow. But after nearly 40 years in the nonprofit space, I can tell you that funding decisions are rarely ba...

Today, I want to talk about a moment that almost every nonprofit leader experiences. It usually happens after the paperwork has been filed after the nonprofit has been approved. Everything seems to be moving forward. And then one day, it hits you: " I have no idea how to sustain this. " I have seen this moment countless times over the last 40 years in the nonprofit space. It's the moment when lead...

Today, I want to talk about some things you probably haven't heard about starting a nonprofit organization. Because when most people think about starting a nonprofit, they hear about the mission. They hear about making an impact. They hear about getting grants and raising money. But there are critical realities that many nonprofit founders are never taught. And those missing conversations often be...

Today, I want to talk about a massive hidden crisis in the nonprofit space that most people don't even realize exists. It's not a funding crisis. It's not a grant crisis. It's a leadership crisis. Every day, nonprofit startup leaders are launching organizations with passion, commitment, and a genuine desire to serve their communities. But behind the scenes, many are overwhelmed, confused, and stuc...

Many nonprofit leaders believe their program and their organization are the same thing. They're not. And this misunderstanding creates problems with funding, sustainability, leadership, and long-term growth. If you've ever wondered why your nonprofit is working hard but still feels unstable, this conversation may reveal the misunderstanding that's holding you back.

I want to have an honest conversation with nonprofit leaders today. Many people spend months planning their programs, defining their mission, and filing their paperwork. But they never stop to ask one critical question: Where is the money going to come from? If your entire funding strategy is "we'll figure it out later," you're creating problems that will eventually show up as stress, burnout, and...

Have you noticed the pressure increasing inside your nonprofit? More community need. More expectations. More demand for your programs. But despite all of that… the funding still isn't consistently coming in. So today, I want to talk about why that happens.

I want to talk about something that is quietly affecting a lot of nonprofit leaders: Misinformation. I've seen many organizations struggle, not because the mission wasn't important, but because the leaders were operating from incomplete, outdated, or incorrect information. They were told: "Just start a nonprofit and grants will come." "Passion is enough." "Programs are the priority." "Filing paper...

"I didn't realize running a nonprofit was this much work." Honestly, many people don't realize it because they were never shown what actually goes into operating an organization beyond the mission and the programs. I've seen passionate leaders enter this work with good intentions, only to become overwhelmed by everything happening behind the scenes. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stretched th...

I want to talk about something many nonprofit leaders normalize without even realizing it: paying for the organization themselves. Not just financially, but emotionally, mentally, physically, and with their personal time and resources.  If you've been sacrificing more than people realize just to keep things going, this conversation will help you recognize the real cost and why it matters.

It's okay to ask for help. But more than that—it's necessary. Because doing it alone isn't a strength. Building with the right support is. If you've been carrying more than you should, this conversation will help you rethink what strong leadership actually looks like.

Starting your nonprofit was one phase. But building it to last is a completely different one. Today, I want to talk about what it looks like to move beyond startup and begin building your organization for long-term sustainability. If you've already started but feel like you're still in the early chaos, this conversation will help you understand what to build now so your organization can grow with...

Are you still operating your nonprofit like it's in startup mode… even after several years? Still figuring things out. Still reacting instead of planning. Still inconsistent with funding, systems, or structure. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. Startup mode is temporary. But if you don't recognize when to shift, it can quietly become your normal.

What is a nonprofit structure, really? Because when many people start a nonprofit, they focus on the mission, the programs, and the paperwork—but not the structure that holds everything together. If you've been hearing this term but never fully understood it, this conversation will give you clarity—and help you start seeing your organization differently. Because once you understand structure, you...

If you're at the point where you know something in your nonprofit isn't working and you're ready to actually fix it, this conversation is for you. Not just to motivate you. But to help you move forward with clarity. I've seen organizations stay stuck not because they don't care… but because they don't know what to fix first. If you're ready to stop guessing, stop circling the same problems, and st...

Starting a nonprofit is not the hard part. Getting approved is not the hard part. The hard part is everything that comes after that. And the problem is — most people were never told that. This isn't about discouraging you. It's about preparing you. Because once you understand where the real work is, you can start building your organization with clarity instead of confusion.

If you're thinking about starting a nonprofit, or you've just started one, I want to give you four strategic tips that can save you time, money, and frustration. Because starting a nonprofit is not just about passion or paperwork. It's about how you build it from the very beginning. If you want to start your nonprofit with clarity instead of confusion, this conversation will help you build it the...

I want to show you the other side of this conversation. We talk a lot about what's not working, what's missing, and where nonprofits struggle. But today, I want to talk about what happens when you build your nonprofit correctly. When your nonprofit is built correctly, things don't feel as heavy. You're not constantly guessing. You're not carrying everything alone. You're not chasing funding withou...

Have you ever felt like something isn't working in your nonprofit… but you can't quite explain what it is? You're showing up. You're doing the work. You're trying different things. And still, something feels off. That feeling is usually pointing to something deeper that hasn't been clearly identified yet. If you've been feeling frustrated, uncertain, or like you're missing something you can't quit...

Trying to figure everything out on your own is not saving you money… it's costing you money. I understand the instinct. You care about your mission, you want to be responsible, and you're trying to make the most of limited resources. Trying to figure everything out on your own is not saving you money… it's costing you money. I understand the instinct. You care about your mission, you want to be re...

A nonprofit gets registered, the paperwork is filed… and there's an expectation that funding should start coming in. But I want to say this clearly: filing your paperwork does not mean your nonprofit is ready. Paperwork gives you permission to exist. But it doesn't prepare you to operate. If you've already filed and you're wondering why things still feel unclear, slow, or stuck, this conversation...

If you feel like you've tried everything — applied for funding, told your story, built programs, showed up consistently — and it's still not working… I want you to hear this clearly: The issue is not your effort. More effort won't fix what structure hasn't solved. If you've been pushing, trying, and still not seeing results, this conversation will help you step back and identify what's really hold...

Today I want to walk you through something I've observed after nearly 40 years in the nonprofit space: There are patterns in how nonprofit leaders show up. And over time, I've seen that most leaders tend to fall into one of seven types, each with its own strengths, blind spots, and impact on how the organization grows and gets funded. If you've ever felt stuck or unsure about what needs to shift,...