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Book Review: Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen

My latest book review comes with some vulnerable personal truths. I hope you’ll indulge me. Here goes. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been afraid of confrontation. Conflict has always felt like stepping into a spotlight I never wanted. Because of childhood experiences that left me wary of most people, I’ve spent much

Need New Funding Streams? Start With Your Brand.

Nonprofit leaders are under pressure to find new revenue streams and fast. The Candid blog [LINKED] recently highlighted a range of expert strategies, from diversifying fundraising models to embracing corporate partnerships and earned income ventures. These are all smart, strategic approaches. But if your messaging isn’t connecting, if your audience isn’t crystal clear, if your

Small Team, Big Impact: Low-Budget Marketing Strategies That Actually Work

Let’s be honest: marketing with a shoestring budget can feel impossible. When you’re a mission-driven organization with a small comms team and limited resources, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly behind the curve. This is especially true now that threats of funding cuts loom. Yet now is the time to accelerate your efforts. Elevating

From Mission Drift to Brand Lift: Refreshing Your Nonprofit Brand After Organizational Shifts

Nonprofits evolve over time. Programs grow, organizations merge, communities change, and sometimes even the mission expands to meet new needs. But all too often, branding doesn’t keep up. This disconnect, known as mission drift, can quietly erode your organization’s relevance and impact. If your message no longer reflects your work, it might be time for

When Everyone Believes: The Case for Internal Branding for Nonprofits

If you’re leading a mission-driven organization, internal branding for nonprofits isn’t optional. It’s essential. Here’s a startling fact. Only 4 in 10 employees say they know what their organization stands for. Here’s another one. 2 in 10 feel connected to their employer. That’s a problem. It’s also an opportunity. As nonprofit leaders, we talk a

Balancing Urgency and Hope in Nonprofit Messaging

In this week’s LinkedIn article, I wrote about how nonprofits can rise above today’s uncertainty by anchoring communications in hopeful stories of mission-driven impact. My theory is that nonprofits have a unique opportunity to highlight the positive impact of their daily work (and thereby inspire new support) rather than the steady drumbeat of bad news

Smart Branding Inspires Deeper Multi-Channel Donor Engagement

Want to hear something wonderful? People are more generous than we often give them credit for. According to the 2025 Generosity Report from Neon One, donors don’t just give money once. They show up in all kinds of meaningful ways. In fact: That’s powerful. That’s generosity. And it deserves to be celebrated and nurtured. Are