Nonprofit Lowdown

It's the first solo show in a while.  In this show, I walk through my 5 M framework to building an effective fundraising program.  The five elements are: mindset, message, market, methodology and management.  Take a listen to figure out how to tighten up your nonprofit program.  Also, I've just launched my group coaching program for folks who want to do a deeper dive on these topics.  Registration will close on Friday, August 14 at midnight and is limited to 12 people, so check it out: www.rheawong.com If you want to get in touch, hit me up at rhea[a]rheawong.com. To register for the Group Coaching Program: https://www.rheawong.com/gcp/september-mastermind For more information about the Bain Elements of Value, click here: https://media.bain.com/elements-of-value/# --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Erica Hamilton: mother, wife, social justice warrior, leader.  For those of you who missed Erica's previous podcast episode, I'm thrilled to interview her again as she kicks off her newest adventures.  Erica is passionate about social justice and supporting BIPOC womxn who may struggle to thrive in environments that were not created for them.  In this interview, we chat about some big things, including: 1) Womxn of color and their relationship to money and wealth-building 2) How to know if an organization is truly down for the cause or simply doing "performative wokeness." 3) How Erica's new coaching business focuses on supporting womxn of color and how to give them the space to exhale. Listen in on this important convo that feels like friends just hanging out and talking about the Important Stuff.   For more about Erica (and to get coaching from her!) check out: https://twitter.com/ehamilton?lang=en To apply for the Institute for Nonprofit Practice: http://www.nonprofitpractice.org/apply-nyc --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Hey.  So, my pal, Emily wrote a book called Obsessed.  She also happens to be the branding genius behind household brands like Casper, Boxed, and Allbirds.  So, yeah, she knows a thing or two about branding.  Listen in to this episode where Emily drops huge value bombs like: 1) How to simplify and streamline your message (literally, NOBODY needs to know about the mind-numbing details of your mission) 2) Why a five-minute elevator pitch is actually a massive failure 3) How to use qualitative research to WIN 4) How the fear of death will help you to clarify your message 5) How good branding is about the emotional experience of your end user and what Danny Meyer knows better than anybody. Listen and learn!  To learn more about Emily, check her out here: https://redantler.com/ To buy Obsessed, click here: https://amzn.to/3f7Bure --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

What a treat this interview with my dear friend and soul sister Maureen Yusuf-Morales is!  Mo and I worked together at Breakthrough New York and she has gone on to become an expert educator, school founder and principal and DEI trainer.  In this interview, we talk about examining and unpacking the racist practices of schooling in America, how to be an anti-racist parent and what educators and parents can do to dismantle racism.  This is a fun, whole-hearted and thoughtful interview from one of the most talented educators I know. For more about Mo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-yusuf-morales-19511553/ To check out anti-racist parenting resources, click here: https://www.facebook.com/curious.parenting/photos/a.113612870282449/146570016986734/?theater For more about the conference Maimuna mentioned: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/maimuna-mohammed-m-s-ed-7595b589_blacklivesmatter-inclusiveleadership-education-activity-6682438959559188480-dgbc --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Join me and my long-time pal Jenn David-Lang to discuss how to start and run a mastermind group.  In this podcast, you'll learn: 1) What is a mastermind and how can I use it to up my game? 2) Tactical tips on how to run the group 3) How masterminds are effective in reinforcing learning and adopting new behaviors. 4) How to deal with that pesky Imposter Syndrome For more about Jenn, check out: https://www.themainidea.net/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Join me and CPA Chyla Graham to talk about how to deal with your nonprofit budgeting and money management during this crazy time.  Chyla drops a ton of value bombs like: Why women of color may shy away from the finances. How to train your board at the appropriate level of financial oversight. Benefits of zero-based budgeting How to align your budgets with the stuff you care about and value. Chyla brings over a decade of experience as an auditor and CPA in the nonprofit sector to the conversation.  She's also a trapeze artist! For more about Chyla, check her out here: https://www.cnrgaccountingadvisory.com/ To download her board meeting dashboard, visit: https://www.cnrgaccountingadvisory.com/financialdashboard/ To download her cash flow projection tool, visit:  https://cnrgaccountingadvisory.com/cashflow/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Oh, our boards.  In this time of BLM and the broader conversations around racial equity, it can be hard to know where to begin with your board.  Boards are often more conservative, wealthier and less diverse than our staff and clients so how do we get them on their DEI path?  In this really important conversation with DEI consultant Martha Haakmat, we talk about 1) How to get boards to understand the continuum of DEI development and what that looks like on a policy and practice level. 2) Creating a DEI culture on the board through norms and recruitment. 3) Creating a sense of shared responsibility for DEI across board and staff. To get in touch with Martha, check out: https://www.haakmatconsulting.com/ To get in touch with Morty Ballen for some free DEI support: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morty-ballen List of resources that Martha recommends: Benaji and Greenwald’s book called Blindspot (about implicit bias) Dolly Chugh’s book called The Person You Mean To Be Jennifer Eberhardt’s book called Biased Ibram Kendi’s How To Be An Anti-Racist Robin DiAngelo's White Fragility Eloquent Rage - Brittney Cooper Anything by Ta-nehisi Coates Podcasts - Code Switch, Seeing White, Race Forward Anti-racism Resources for White People: a compilation of resources for white people and parents to deepen our work in anti-racism The rubric that she uses in work with leadership teams and Boards: https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/Project_Inclusion_NERCHE_Rubric-Self-Assessment-2016.pdf   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Today my guest Vanessa Wakeman, founder of the Wakeman Agency, discusses PR in the nonprofit sector.  Why do we need it and how do we demonstrate an ROI?  We also discuss how to elevate the voices of women and folks of color as experts and thought leaders in the field.  Vanessa shares a step by step playbook on how to be recognized for your ideas, how to show up as your whole self unapologetically and why she has dedicated herself to elevating the the profile of BIPOC in nonprofit.   For more about Vanessa, check out: https://www.thewakemanagency.com/vanessa-wakeman/ For more about She Roars, check out: https://www.thoughtleadershipforwomen.com/vanessa-wakeman --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

In this tumultuous time, we are all asking ourselves what we can do to support racial justice and equity (and if you're not, why are you even listening to my podcast?).  Join me and Karen Fleshman, founder of Racy Conversations, to learn about the history of white women's role in holding up white supremacy in America, how you can start to have hard conversations about race with white family and colleagues and what it would take for us to decolonize wealth.  I invited Karen, who is a white woman, to talk about her work with white people about how to be "woke," which is not the burden of other people of color, specifically Black people, to take on.   For more about Karen, visit: http://racyconversations.com/ For resources that Karen mentions, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/white-people-how-show-up-rn-karen-fleshman-esq-she-her/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Hot off the press!  Join me and today's guest Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, New York State's ONLY Asian-American female Assemblymember representing Lower Manhattan (Lower East Side, Chinatown, Financial District, Battery Park and South Street Sea Port). In this conversation, we discuss the recent protests, how Asians can be allies to the Black community, what the impact of Asian under-representation is and how to shed the shame and silence in our community.  This is an important and timely discussion for the moment we are in. To support Yuh-Line's re-election campaign, visit: https://www.nioufornewyork.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

In the midst of a pandemic, there has never been a better time to think about starting that side-hustle or that full-hustle.  Join me, Kishshana and Brooke to talk about making the leap from nonprofit executives to small business owners.  We talk about what is hard and what is joyful about owning your own business, how to feel the fear and do it anyway and how to stop comparing yourself to others.  In this podcast, we share our hard-won wisdom about starting our own ventures.  Some takeaways: 1) Build a community of accountability partners and friends who can support you. 2) Never stop learning. 3) But don't let procrasti-learning keep you from taking action. 4) If you're lazy about stuff you don't want to do, hire others to do it so you can focus on your Zone of Genius. For more about Kishshana, visit: https://kishshanaco.com/ For more about Brooke, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brooker1/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

My friend Dianne Morales is running for Mayor of New York.  She is the first Latina to ever do so and the very first woman in this mayoral race.  Listen in as she shares her platform positions on racial equity and justice, access to mental health and how her brand of female leadership would transform New York for the better.  Dianne is aligned with many of my personal values and I hope that this interview will convince you: DIANNE MORALES FOR MAYOR. To support Dianne's campaign visit: https://www.dianne.nyc/ She needs your support by the end of June!  Help a sister out! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

The documented rise of racist attacks against Asian-Americans is real and hits particularly close to home for me.  Join me, Dr. Peter Keo of UCLA and Carlyn Cowen of the Chinese American Planning Council to explore the historical roots of anti-Asian racism in the US, how to avoid upholding racist stereotypes of the "model minority myth" and how to be an ally.  This is a really deep and timely discussion that unearths the erasure of Asian-Americans and asks how we disrupt racism both externally and internally within the Asian community.   For a list of resources, link to: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VxAaOHSIitBgq9isoP909PXMPBc7KViq/view?usp=sharing --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Join me and my friend and mentor Cynthia Rivera Weissblum for some sound advice and comfort on leading your nonprofit during these tumultuous times.  Cindy has been both an Executive Director and now oversees the Edwin Gould Foundation as CEO.  Her advice comes from a thirty year history in the sector coupled with her deep empathy and wisdom.  Some takeaway thoughts include: How and what to communicate to funders. How to remain calm and centered as the leader. The unique role of the nonprofit sector and how we can position ourselves to serve and to elevate our brand. How to raise money for the immediate needs and for the future. For more about Cindy, please visit: www.edwingouldfoundation.org --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

In this interview from our webinar series, we're talking with Minna Taylor, Founder of Energize Your Voice, about how to effectively communicate with your team via Zoom, how your content is the LEAST important thing that you're communicating and how to harness your breath and body for impactful communication.  This is a must-listen for leaders who want to maximize their impact, especially in a remote environment. For more about Minna, visit: https://www.energizeyourvoice.net/ To see some of Minna's training videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEGyd7dGgnU --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support