Nonprofit Lowdown

We’re kicking off 2026 with a big conversation—and the perfect guest to start the year. I’m joined by my friend Cherian Koshy, author of NeuroGiving and Vice President at Hindsight. Cherian’s journey from accidental frontline fundraiser to nonprofit tech founder to bestselling author mirrors so much of what many of us in this sector experience: curiosity, frustration with “best practices,” and a d...

This final episode for 2025 has no tips, no tactics, no strategies. Just a moment to acknowledge the grief, exhaustion, and weight so many of us—especially in the nonprofit sector—are carrying right now. If leadership feels heavier than usual… If fundraising feels harder… If you’re tired but still showing up anyway… This episode is for you. Nonprofits are the quiet machinery of hope. When the worl...

2025 was a pressure cooker year. Tariffs. Funding cuts. Attacks on DEI. AI overload. Donor fatigue. Burnout everywhere. In this episode, I reflect on what 2025 revealed about leadership, fundraising, and trust—and more importantly, what to do next as we head into 2026. Here’s what I cover: - Why burnout is not a personal failure—it’s a structural reality - The 5 trends that will define successful...

If your Giving Tuesday results felt… underwhelming, you’re not alone. And more importantly—you’re not too late. In this special episode, I break down the real reasons campaigns flop and show you exactly how to course-correct for your year-end campaign. Giving Tuesday isn’t the finale. It’s the kickoff to the most important 28 days of your fundraising year. Important Links: Year-End Sprint Webinar:...

I’m coming to you the Monday after Thanksgiving, still full of pie and finally catching my breath. I hope you had a moment to rest too, because I know what tomorrow means for so many of us: Giving Tuesday and the sprint to year-end. If you’re feeling the weight of it all—your goals, your board, the world in general—I just want you to know: I see you. You’re doing meaningful work in a very complica...

In this episode, I get real about the biggest pain point every fundraiser knows too well: we’re drowning in admin and not spending nearly enough time building real relationships. I share why most of us feel burned out, overwhelmed, and disconnected from the work we came here to do. I talk about my own journey as an accidental fundraiser and how AI would’ve saved me years of stress. Today, AI can h...

In this week’s episode of Nonprofit Lowdown, I’m sharing a juicy slice of one of my free live webinars—and trust me, this isn’t your typical “Giving Tuesday tips” vibe. Instead of talking about social posts, I break down how to turn Giving Tuesday into a major donor discovery day. Yep. One day. Major donor pipeline. Let’s go. Why Giving Tuesday is secretly one of the BEST moments to surface major...

If you’ve been listening to me for a while, maybe caught one of my trainings, or you’re on my email list, this is your nudge: now is the time to work with me on your major gift strategy. I only have 20 spots left between now and the end of 2025 in my Big Ask Gift Program, and prices will increase in 2026. Let’s be real — one of the biggest blockers I see when folks reach out to me is their board....

We’re counting down to Giving Tuesday, and my good friend Jess Campbell is dropping ALL the fundraising wisdom you need to finish the year strong. She’s the queen of email 👑 — but in this convo, Jess goes way beyond inbox strategy to share the “do this, not that” of end-of-year campaigns. From securing a match donor (“matches are magic!” ✨) to building real momentum before December 31, this epis...

We’re in what I like to call the Super Bowl of fundraising — that mad sprint to December 31st. Before you pour all your time and energy into your year-end campaign, I want to make sure you’re not losing money through hidden leaks in your donor funnel. In this episode, I break down the four biggest leaks that cost nonprofits thousands every year — and how to fix them before the giving rush begins:...

As we sprint toward the Super Bowl of fundraising — year-end giving — let’s talk about something that too many of us overlook: stewardship . Recently, I joined a K-Pop Demon Hunters singalong with 250 strangers in a rainy Brooklyn room. Did I hit the right notes? Nope. Did it matter? Also nope. Because we created something beautiful together. And that’s what fundraising should feel like. It’s not...

I sat down with Stephanie Roth and Haley Bash, co-authors of the updated Accidental Fundraiser , and we got into what it really means to fundraise when you didn’t plan on it—and maybe don’t feel totally ready for it. We talked about: Why so many people still feel uncomfortable asking for money How house parties can be more effective (and fun) than galas The power of tapping your volunteers as dono...

I’m so excited about this episode with the amazing Erika Carley, Chief Impact Officer at National Angels (and one of the smartest donor retention minds I know). If you’ve ever said, “We just need more donors,” STOP. What you really need is to keep the donors you already have — and Erica is here to show us how. In this episode, we dive deep into: ✨ Why donor retention should be your first priority...

This week, I’m chatting with my brilliant friend Rachel Bearbower, founder of the Nonprofit Automation Agency and my go-to tech guru. We’re talking all things tech stacks — the good, the bad, and the painfully expensive. In this episode, we dig into: ✅ Why so many nonprofit tech setups are a hot mess ✅ What tools are actually worth the money and time ✅ The hidden costs (staff time, training, ma...

It’s year-end giving season — and if your strategy still relies on wealth screens and spray-and-pray asks, it’s time for a reset. On this week’s Nonprofit Lowdown, I’m joined by my friend (and fan favorite) Greg Warner, CEO of MarketSmart, to talk about why trust is your only currency — and how we’re getting it so, so wrong. 💥 Why wealth screens can backfire 💥 How trust has eroded across generat...

This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I’m joined by my business bestie and returning favorite, Brooke Richie-Babbage — strategist, executive, founder of Bending Arc, and all-around AI powerhouse. We’re diving deep into how AI is actually being used in the nonprofit space — beyond the hype. We discuss: How AI can support (but not replace) your thinking Use cases for AI in finance, fundraising, and data a...

I’m joined by my friend and returning guest, Mitch Stein, now Head of Strategy at Chariot, and we’re breaking down the truth about Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) — what they are, how they work, and what nonprofits are getting wrong about them. Here's what we cover: What a DAF actually is (and no, it's not just for the ultra-wealthy) Why $250 billion is just sitting in DAFs right now — and how...

This episode is a juicy one. I’m joined by my pal Nate Wong. Nate is a partner at The Bridgespan Group and co-author of a recent white paper, “AI Cannot Be Ignored,” which dives deep into the opportunities (and responsibilities!) that AI presents to nonprofits and the broader social sector. With the Fundraising. AI conference around the corner—where I’ll be speaking, by the way—this conversation c...

In this special episode, I host my powerhouse 10X crew for an energetic roundtable on one of the nonprofit sector’s most important seasons: end-of-year fundraising . The conversation covers: The fundraising landscape in 2025 How to use AI and automation without losing the human touch Maintaining donor trust The importance of mid-level donor strategy Zigging when others zag (analog in a digital wor...

I am so excited to drop this convo with my friend and powerhouse guest, Tisha Hyter. We’re talking all about something I’m totally obsessed with right now: the Primetime Woman – women aged 45–65 who are stepping into their full power, purpose, and philanthropic influence . Tisha and I go deep on: 💥 What it means to be a Primetime Woman 💰 Why this group is the most philanthropic cohort in history...

Welcome back to Nonprofit Lowdown — I'm Rhea Wong, and today you're getting the raw, unfiltered replay of the power session I co-led with my ride-or-die, Brooke Ritchie-Babbage, at AFP’s Fundraising Day in NYC. Here’s what we unpack: ✅ The ONE written give/get policy that shuts down the “I don’t fundraise” excuse. ✅ Our 2x2 skills map that sorts your board in 10 minutes flat. ✅ Real-world tools...

This week, I’m joined by the ever-brilliant Connor Kirkpatrick , Director of Development at Book Harvest. Connor’s a proud alum of my Big Ask Big Give program, and in this convo we go deep on: -Going from 8 to 24 major donors in 2 years -Using data + automation to build a scalable fundraising engine -What it really means to build a culture of philanthropy 💥 Connor proves that when you mix solid s...

Welcome to the FIRST episode of Fundraising Fri-Yay with me, Rhea Wong! 🎉 Kicking things off with a solo episode that gets real about the uncertainty we’re all feeling right now in the nonprofit world—tariff shifts, funding freezes, economic turbulence... it’s a lot . But here’s the deal: panic won’t pay the bills. So instead of reacting, let’s respond—with strategy. 💪 ✨ You’ll learn: 🔹 How to...

I’m so excited to share this powerful convo with my friend and guest, Rhonda Allen, CEO of Dev Color . We went in on what it means to lead an org that centers Black technologists — especially in a moment when DEI is under fire and folks are playing it safe. In this episode, we talk about: ➡️ Navigating leadership as a Black woman in tech ➡️ What it really takes to fundraise when DEI isn’t “trendy”...

I had the real pleasure of sitting down with my brilliant friend Anysa Holder, Chief Advancement Officer at Easterseals NJ, on the latest episode of Nonprofit Lowdown . 🙌🏽 We covered so much ground , including: 💥 What it’s like to stay in the nonprofit sector for 15+ years 💥 The emotional labor of fundraising (especially as women of color) 💥 Unpacking money trauma and mindset 💥 Why board tra...