Nonprofit CourageLab

Have a big 6 or 7-figure ask coming up? Book a Big Gift 1:1 Strategy Session today. Let's plan your approach before the meeting, the ask, any written proposal, and the follow-up. I've helped nonprofit CEOs raise $95 million in major gifts in the last 7 years. Click here to book your 1-hour private call now. Stop treating summer like a fundraising break. The nonprofits that have a calm, confident S...

Most nonprofits are sitting on more donor potential than they realize. In this second part of my live CourageLab coaching session, I walk through some of the fundraising principles that separate organizations stuck at one level from those that break through to the next. If you're raising $1 million and trying to get to $3 million, these are the kinds of mindset shifts and fundraising behaviors tha...

Stop trying to earn donor trust with polished updates. In this episode, I’m giving you a behind-the-scenes look at a training I recently led inside Courage Lab. These are the kinds of conversations we have with nonprofit leaders who are serious about raising more money and leading at a higher level. This is Part 1 of a teaching on Million Dollar Success Principles. Not tactics. Not donor hacks. Th...

This episode might ruffle some feathers. Good. Because we need to talk honestly about the real cost of galas, especially for small nonprofit teams that are already stretched thin. After hearing yet another executive director say, “the gala nearly killed me,” I wanted to pull this conversation into the light. Not because I’m anti-event in every circumstance, but because too many organizations are s...

Stop doing fundraising that nearly kills you. Seriously. In this episode, I’m walking through the profitable fundraising swaps I would make every single time after helping clients raise more than $70 million. These are the simpler, more sustainable, higher-return strategies I’d choose over the exhausting nonprofit habits that so many teams normalize. Some of the most common fundraising strategies...

A donor asked one of my clients, “How much do I have to give for you to stop asking?” Oof. That question hit me right in the chest. And honestly, I think a lot of fundraisers have either been asked something like this or secretly fear hearing it. In this episode, I break down exactly how I would respond and why I believe obligation has no place in major gifts fundraising. None. I’m not interested...

There are a handful of patterns I see over and over again when organizations get stuck around $300K in individual giving. Not because they don’t care. Not because their mission isn’t strong. But because of how they’re operating day to day. In this episode, I’m breaking down the biggest mistakes that quietly cap your growth. The ones that feel normal. Even smart. But are actually keeping you from g...

If your board keeps saying they’ll help fundraise but nothing actually happens, this is for you. This is one of the biggest frustrations I hear from EDs and development leaders. You ask. You remind. You bring it up in meetings. And still… no real results. In this episode, I break down the three mistakes that are keeping your board stuck and what to do instead. Because your board can be one of your...

You don’t need more time. You need a better strategy. In this Ask Julie episode, I answer a question from a CEO who just lost their head of fundraising and now has to grow individual giving from $400K to $1M… solo. No time. No team. No margin for wasted effort. So we cut the fluff. I walk through exactly what I would do in that situation. What to stop doing immediately. Where to focus instead. And...

Moves management is slowing you down. And it’s costing you real money. In this episode, I’m breaking down why the traditional donor life cycle is outdated at best and harmful at worst. We’ve been taught to move donors through a neat, predictable pipeline. Discovery, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship. Sounds clean. Doesn’t work in real life. Because donors don’t move on your timeline. And they...

You’re not stuck. You’re just playing it way too cool. If you’ve been feeling discouraged, checked out, or like fundraising just isn’t working right now, this is your wake-up call. Because the problem isn’t your donors. It’s not the economy. It’s not timing. You’ve lost your edge. In this episode, I’m walking you through what it actually takes to shake yourself out of that half-hearted energy and...

If you’ve hit a million in revenue and suddenly everything feels harder, you’re not doing it wrong. You’ve just hit the plateau almost no one talks about. This episode breaks down why growth slows down right when you’re trying to scale. Not because your mission isn’t strong. Not because you need more tactics. But because the way you lead, communicate, and ask has to change. I walk through the exac...

In this episode, I’m sharing something I’ve never broken down this clearly before: the core qualities and inner leadership skills I see in fundraisers who consistently close major gifts with more ease, confidence, and integrity. These ideas come directly from my own experience, from the work I do inside Courage Lab, and from watching fundraisers transform their results simply by shifting how they...

In today’s episode, I’m bringing you a really special conversation with someone I adore — my friend and Courage Lab grad, Sheena Grosshans If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I love highlighting fundraisers who are doing courageous, meaningful work, and Sheena is truly one of the best examples of what’s possible when you combine heart, boldness, and a willingness to grow. Sheena raise...

This episode originally aired on the We Are For Good Podcast in their Working Sessions series. I’m sharing it here on my own channel so you can dive into practical strategies for closing major gifts this season. It’s giving season, and if you want to close major gifts in the next few weeks, this episode is for you. I walk you through exactly who to ask, how to ask, and how to approach these conver...

In this episode, I’m bringing you a powerful conversation with someone I’ve had the absolute privilege of working with over the last year and a half: Katherine Powers , Executive Director at Pacific Opera Project (POP). Katherine’s story is one of real transformation — as a leader, as a fundraiser, and as a steward of a growing arts organization that’s doing incredible, joyful, boundary-pushing wo...

 In this episode, I’m digging into the real shifts that happen when leaders stop performing, stop softening themselves, and start showing up with clarity, honesty, and real authority — especially in major gifts work. Regina, an Executive Director in Courage Lab, shares her experience of shedding the “always upbeat, always polished” persona and stepping fully into her CEO energy. She talks abo...

Hey friend — this episode is a bit of a rant, because honestly, I just can’t take it anymore. There is some really bad fundraising advice floating around the nonprofit world, and one piece in particular absolutely drives me up the wall. You may have heard it before — “If you want money, ask for advice. If you want advice, ask for money.” The idea behind it is that you should ask donors for their i...

Hey friend! I’m recording from my new apartment in Chicago, and I’m so excited to bring you Part 3 of my series on end-of-year giving strategies. This episode is a pep talk about the single most important thing I want you to focus on for a successful end of year: asking for more. I know it sounds simple, but asking for more is the strategy that makes the biggest difference in raising money. I’m ta...

Hey friend, I’m coming to you from Chicago (yes, I just moved here a few days ago!) and I’m not missing a beat. Rain or shine, I’m showing up to help you crush your end-of-year fundraising goals. This episode is part two of our mini-series on end-of-year giving. If you haven’t already listened to the workshop replay in the previous episode, go back and queue that up - it’s full of strategy, tactic...

Hey friends,  Welcome to this week’s episode, a special replay of a workshop I hosted on end-of-year fundraising strategies. If you’re in the nonprofit or fundraising world, this is a must-listen! I’m diving into **practical, tactical advice** for how I approach major gift fundraising to crush ambitious year-end goals. Spoiler alert: this is all about keeping it *simple*—because simplicity is...

If you’ve ever wondered whether your gala is really worth all the time, money, and energy it takes to pull off, this episode is for you. I’ve been in the trenches planning big-name events with celebrity co-chairs and keynote speakers, and I’ve also seen nonprofits raise six- and seven-figure gifts in just a few conversations. When you compare the cost, the time, and the results—it’s not even close...

 Hi friends! I’m so excited to share this episode with you because it’s a conversation with one of my Courage Lab grads, Cara Augspurger. Cara is the Executive Director of the Grace Care Center Foundation just north of Indianapolis, and she’s an all-star leader who has experienced incredible growth over the last six months. When Cara and I started working together, she was confident in operat...

Season seven of Nonprofit Courage Lab kicks off with a truth-telling pep talk. End-of-year fundraising doesn’t have to mean sleepless nights, burnout, or tolerating underperforming teams and boards. You’re capable of raising millions—unrestricted— and doing it in a way that feels fun and sustainable. In this episode, I’m calling out the silent habits that hold fundraisers back: saying yes when you...

We’ve made it to the final episode of Season 6! Honestly, I’ve lost count of how many episodes we’ve done together, but I do know this: I’m so grateful for you. Thank you for being here, for trusting me, and for committing to your own journey of becoming a more courageous fundraiser, leader, and human. In this episode, I’m talking all about how to build confidence — and not in the fluffy, "say aff...