Fundable by Design

Getting a 501(c)(3) is a legal milestone. It is not the same thing as building a functioning nonprofit organization. And simply finding grants to apply for isn't a funding strategy. Funders need to see an organization that is prepared to receive, manage, and steward their investment. In this episode, I want to challenge the advice that has sent too many passionate founders into nonprofit leadershi...

What happens when the funding ends? As a nonprofit leader, you can't communicate stability to funders simply by telling them how important your program is. You have to demonstrate that your organization has the capacity to continue operating, adapting, and delivering results beyond a single grant.

As an Executive Director, your job isn't simply to make sure the work gets done. Your job is also to build an organization capable of doing the work sustainably. In this video, I want to challenge you to look at your role differently. Are you spending all of your time delivering the mission—or are you also building the organization that will sustain it? Because a sustainable mission requires a sus...

In this video, I'm breaking down the organizational capacity issues that can keep nonprofits stuck in the cycle of "we just need more funding"—and why building the right foundation can actually make your organization more fundable, more sustainable, and more prepared for growth. More money cannot fix an organization that doesn't have the capacity to use that money well.

If your biggest donation disappeared tomorrow, could your nonprofit continue operating? And I'm not just talking about whether you could keep your program running for another few months. I'm asking whether your organization has the capacity, systems, financial strategy, leadership, and infrastructure to continue fulfilling its mission after that money is gone. Because receiving funding is one thin...

If you expect funders to invest in your nonprofit, why won't you invest in learning how to build and operate that organization? I don't ask that to criticize you. I ask it because I've spent 40 years working with nonprofit leaders, and I've noticed a common pattern. Many leaders are willing to spend countless hours searching for grants, writing proposals, and asking others to believe in their miss...

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear from nonprofit leaders is this: "Once we get our 501(c)(3) status, we'll be able to get grants." I want to challenge that belief. Because becoming a 501(c)(3) is an important milestone but it's not a guarantee that funders will invest in your organization. If you've been wondering why your nonprofit still isn't attracting grants after receiving your 501(c)(...

Have you ever wondered why one nonprofit receives the grant while another walks away with a rejection email? Many nonprofit leaders believe the answer is simple: "They had a better grant writer." "They had a better story." "They knew the right people." But after working as a grant evaluator, I've learned that grant decisions are often about much more than the proposal itself. In this video, I expl...

Today, I want to challenge the way many nonprofit leaders think about grant funding. If you've ever believed that your grant proposal alone determines whether you receive funding, I want you to consider something different. Funders don't just evaluate your proposal. They evaluate the organization behind it. After 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I've learned that a well-written proposal can open...

Have you ever looked at another nonprofit and asked yourself: "Why are they growing while we're struggling?" It's a question I've heard from nonprofit leaders for decades. And often, the first assumption is that the other organization has better connections, bigger donors, or simply got lucky. But after 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I've found that's usually not the real reason. In many cases,...

A mission can be extraordinary, and an organization can still fail. Not because the work wasn't needed, but because the infrastructure, leadership, systems, governance, and financial strategy weren't strong enough to support the work over time. Your mission deserves more than good intentions. It deserves an organization that's equipped to carry it for years, not just for today. If you've ever wond...

Is your nonprofit truly worthy of long-term investment? Not just because your mission matters, but because your organization is built to sustain that mission. Funders aren't simply looking for organizations doing good work. They're looking for organizations that have the leadership, systems, governance, and operational capacity to turn their investment into lasting impact. That's why I believe non...

Have you ever looked at another nonprofit and wondered: "What are they doing differently?" They seem to attract funding more consistently, grow with confidence, and build long-term partnerships while other organizations with equally important missions continue to struggle. I've learned that the difference is rarely the mission. It's rarely the passion. And it's rarely that they simply work harder....

If a funder evaluated your organization today, what would they find? Would they find an organization that's prepared for long-term investment? Or would they find a passionate founder carrying the entire nonprofit on their back? Because the answer to that question often explains why funding comes or why it doesn't. The goal isn't simply to receive a grant. The goal is to build an organization that...

When you decided to start your nonprofit, your goal was simple: you wanted to help people. You saw a need in your community, developed a program to address it, and stepped forward to make a difference. But somewhere along the way, you realized you had taken on something much bigger than a program. You had become responsible for an entire organization. I've seen this happen time and time again. Pas...

Too many nonprofit leaders see themselves only as the founder, the program director, the fundraiser, or the person who helps people. While those roles are important, they're only part of the picture. Your mission deserves a leader who understands how to build an organization that can sustain that mission for years to come. That's the leadership shift I want to challenge you to make.

When you start a nonprofit, your heart is in serving people. Your time is spent creating programs, delivering services, and responding to community needs. Naturally, it feels like the program is the organization. But after 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I've learned that this misunderstanding is one of the biggest reasons organizations struggle to become sustainable. When leaders focus only on...

People often ask me why I'm so passionate about teaching nonprofit leaders. The answer is simple: because I believe we need to change the way nonprofit leaders are taught to build organizations. I've watched passionate, mission-driven leaders struggle because they lacked the education, guidance, and framework to build organizations that could sustain their mission. My mission isn't simply to help...

After 40 years in the nonprofit space, I've watched thousands of nonprofit leaders dedicate themselves to meaningful work without ever being taught how to build organizations that are sustainable, fundable, and prepared for long-term growth. Most founders are taught how to start a nonprofit, but very few are taught how to operate one. The nonprofit sector needs more leaders who understand how to b...

Today, I want to ask you a question that may completely change the way you think about funding your nonprofit: who told you that grants were supposed to fund your entire organization? It's a belief I hear all the time. Many nonprofit leaders launch their organizations believing that once they receive a grant, their financial challenges will be solved. But after 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I...

I want to challenge a common belief that many nonprofit leaders hold, because it may be the very thing keeping your organization stuck. It's not because you don't care, or you're not working hard, or because your mission isn't important. Often, it's because you've accepted an idea about how nonprofits work that simply isn't true anymore or was never fully true to begin with.

Most of you were never told the full truth about what you're actually starting when you launch a nonprofit organization. You were told about making a difference, serving your community, and even been told about grants and fundraising. But very few people explained that you're not just starting a mission. You're building an organization. And there's a big difference between the two.

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...