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  • Why Fundraising Isn’t Enough

    Why Fundraising Isn’t Enough
    2026/04/23

    $30 million raised—and Krystal Valencia still says fundraising isn’t the answer.

    Krystal is the founder and CEO of Rental Rescue, a nonprofit that steps in when affordable rental buildings are at risk of being lost. Instead of starting with grants or campaigns, Rental Rescue started with financial modeling during COVID—nights and weekends spent learning capital stacks, understanding cash flow, and figuring out how housing actually works as an asset.

    Over several years, that approach led to more than $30 million raised. But Krystal is clear: traditional nonprofit funding models aren’t built for problems at this scale.

    Foundations may hold massive endowments, but most distribute only around 5% of their assets each year. That means nonprofits are competing for a shrinking pool of capital while being asked to solve billion‑dollar housing challenges. In housing, the math breaks down fast.

    Rental Rescue flipped the question. Instead of asking “how much can we fundraise?”, they ask “what’s the minimum capital needed to make this sustainable?” From there, they build cash‑flowing structures, partner with credit unions, and put operational and digital systems in place so nonprofits aren’t handed buildings they don’t have the capacity to run.

    Fundraising still matters—but Krystal argues it can’t be the whole plan. Sustainability has to be designed, not hoped for.

    If nonprofits are expected to solve systemic problems, why are so many still built on short‑term nonprofit funding?

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    33 分
  • What Sustainable Nonprofit Revenue Really Looks Like

    What Sustainable Nonprofit Revenue Really Looks Like
    2026/03/26

    In this episode of the Unfiltered Nonprofit Podcast, Cherry sits down with Melissa Ray, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Concord in the City Community Ability Initiative. Melissa shares how the organization supports adults with developmental disabilities through programs focused on independence, life skills, job skills, and community connection. She also explains the gap many families face once adults age out of school at 21 years old and why services like theirs matter so much.

    Melissa also gives a real look at what sustainable nonprofit revenue can look like in practice. One standout example is Concord in the City's coffee truck, which serves 300 to 400 customers every Saturday at the Brampton farmers market. It is not just a revenue stream. It is also a hands-on opportunity for people with disabilities to build confidence, develop job skills, and connect directly with the community.

    A big part of the conversation focuses on affordability for families. Melissa shares that Concord in the City has not raised membership fees since 2021, even as costs continue to rise. She explains that even a small increase of $10 a day would add up to roughly $100 more a month or $1,000 more a year for families, which is why the organization works so hard to grow fundraising, donations, and other community-based revenue instead.

    This episode is a strong reminder that nonprofits do not have to rely on one funding source to stay sustainable. Melissa shares practical examples of how Concord in the City is building a model that protects families, creates meaningful opportunities, and keeps the mission at the centre of every decision.

    • Melissa Ray on LinkedIn — Melissa Ray, Concord in the City Community Ability Initiative
    • Concord in the City on LinkedIn — Concord in the City
    • Instagram — @concordinthecity
    • Instagram — @concordcoffeeonthego
    • Facebook — Concord in the City
    • Website — concordinthecity.ca
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    25 分
  • 5 Things Nonprofits Need Before Fundraising Actually Works

    5 Things Nonprofits Need Before Fundraising Actually Works
    2026/03/12
    What actually makes fundraising work? Is it hiring one strong fundraiser? Is it a better gala? Is it sending more emails? In this episode of The Unfiltered Nonprofit Podcast, Cherry sits down with Sam Laprade, a fundraising leader with 30 years of experience helping charities strengthen fundraising, build better systems, and hire the right talent. This conversation is full of practical insight, but one message comes through loud and clear: fundraising is not a one-person job. Sam explains that a fundraiser cannot succeed without the right setup behind them. Passion alone is not enough. Successful fundraising requires strong systems, leadership support, board involvement, and a clear plan that the entire organization understands. Throughout the conversation, Sam shares where nonprofits often struggle. Many organizations hire a fundraiser but do not give them the foundation they need to succeed. Fundraising works best when the entire organization supports it — from leadership setting the tone, to board members opening doors, to strong internal systems like donor management tools and timely receipting. Another theme that comes up is how organizations focus their energy. Too many nonprofits pour resources into events while overlooking longer-term fundraising strategies like major gifts, monthly giving, and legacy giving. Those strategies take time to build, but they are often what create stability over the long run. Sam also brings a strong analytical perspective to fundraising. Her team analyzes donor data to help organizations better understand their supporters and identify patterns that influence future fundraising success. In many cases, that insight can be generated quickly, sometimes within 72 to 96 hours, by examining donor behavior and trends. Her work in recruitment also reveals how much demand there is for the right fundraising leadership. Since 2020, Sam has helped place 48 fundraising professionals, helping nonprofits find people who are the right fit for their culture, leadership team, and fundraising goals. One of the most practical moments in the conversation is when Sam explains the five pieces nonprofits need working together for fundraising to truly succeed: a strong strategic plan, a clear case for support, a fundraising plan, a stewardship plan, and a communications plan. When those five pieces align, organizations create a system where fundraising can actually grow. One of the strongest takeaways from the conversation is the tension many nonprofits face every day. Leaders are trying to deliver programs now while also building the revenue needed for the future. How do you keep delivering today while still investing in tomorrow? And what happens when no one is thinking beyond the next campaign? This episode is a thoughtful listen for nonprofit leaders who want to move fundraising from reactive to strategic, and build something more sustainable over the long term.
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    29 分
  • How This Outside of the Box Social Enterprise Is Offsetting $1 Million in Costs

    How This Outside of the Box Social Enterprise Is Offsetting $1 Million in Costs
    2026/02/26
    In this episode of The Unfiltered Nonprofit Podcast, Cherry sits down with Adam Joiner, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa—an organization with 100 years of history and a big mission: creating safe, supportive spaces where kids and youth can grow into who they want to be. Adam's story is the kind you don't hear every day. He first walked into the Club at nine years old, nervous and unsure if he belonged. A staff member invited him to play ball hockey, and that small moment changed everything. What started as 40 minutes at the Club became a second home—and eventually, a career where Adam worked his way through multiple roles and locations before becoming Executive Director in May 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. The conversation gets real about what nonprofit leadership actually looks like: carrying the weight of responsibility caring deeply while knowing you can't do everything and trying to build something sustainable in a world where needs keep rising Adam shares a key reality: about 90% of their program funding comes from fundraising. That means the Club's ability to serve more kids often comes down to one thing—revenue. He also talks about a tough decision the organization faced in 2023, when inflation and rising costs forced a 25% service cut, including closing a location and reducing staffing. But this isn't just a story about cuts—it's also about rebuilding. Adam explains how they're growing sustainability through social enterprise, including renting Club and camp spaces to offset costs. Today, that revenue helps offset about $1 million in expenses, with a goal to increase that over time so they can serve more kids. This episode is a strong listen for anyone leading a nonprofit who's trying to balance mission, money, and the long game—without losing heart.
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    27 分
  • How an 83% Grant Approval Rate Actually Happens

    How an 83% Grant Approval Rate Actually Happens
    2026/02/05
    In this episode of the Unfiltered Nonprofit Podcast, we're joined by Deepa Chaudhary, founder of Grant Orb AI, to talk about what really drives grant success — and why so many nonprofit leaders feel stuck in an endless cycle of funding pressure. Deepa brings a rare perspective to the conversation. She's worked on both sides of the grant table: writing applications inside nonprofits under real operational pressure, and reviewing and awarding funding from the funder side. Her experience includes co-founding United Way Mumbai, raising funds for international organizations, and working with major foundations, corporate funders, and government agencies across Asia-Pacific. At one point, as a solo fundraiser, she wrote just six grant applications — and five were approved. That experience shaped how she thinks about grants today. Deepa explains that winning funding isn't about writing more grants — it's about alignment. Understanding who a funder is, what they care about, and how your work fits their priorities matters far more than polished language. She also emphasizes the long game: organizations that build real relationships with funders — beyond reports and deadlines — are far more likely to receive repeat funding. Grant Orb was born out of this reality. Deepa saw firsthand how grant work often falls to executive directors late at night, or doesn't happen at all because teams simply don't have the time or capacity. When new AI tools emerged, she saw an opportunity to apply them to one of the most time-consuming parts of nonprofit work. What once took 40–50 hours — researching opportunities, drafting applications, and tailoring responses — can now be done in minutes, starting from unpolished notes. Because Grant Orb is built by someone who has reviewed grants as a funder, the platform focuses on what actually matters: fit, clarity, and funder priorities. It helps nonprofits find aligned opportunities, strengthen weak sections, and avoid wasting time on grants that were never a good match in the first place. One example Deepa shares is a small Vancouver school that had never written a major grant before, but used the platform to apply for funding and secured $25,000 from the Canada Post Foundation. At its core, this episode is about access. Deepa's goal isn't to replace human judgment, but to level the playing field — so funding success depends less on time, staffing, or budget, and more on the strength of an organization's mission and ideas.
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    32 分
  • Leading a Nonprofit Without Having All the Answers

    Leading a Nonprofit Without Having All the Answers
    2026/01/22

    In this episode, we sit down with Claude-Paul Boivin to talk honestly about the path into nonprofit leadership — and what it really takes to lead well once you're there.

    Claude-Paul shares how his career didn't follow a straight line, and how early exposure to public service helped shape his understanding of impact, responsibility, and decision-making. As the conversation unfolds, he reflects on the moment he realized that strong governance, financial clarity, and internal systems aren't "behind-the-scenes" work — they're what make meaningful mission work possible.

    We dig into the realities of stepping into senior leadership, including the pressure to have all the answers, the isolation that can come with the role, and the importance of learning to ask better questions instead of trying to do everything alone. Claude-Paul speaks candidly about how leadership shifts when you move from doing the work to creating the conditions for others to succeed.

    The conversation also tackles the role of finances in nonprofit sustainability. Claude-Paul explains why understanding your numbers — even at a high level — leads to better decisions, stronger board conversations, and less reactive leadership.

    This episode is a grounded, practical listen for nonprofit leaders at any stage — especially those navigating growth, responsibility, and the quieter challenges that come with leading purpose-driven organizations.

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    33 分
  • The Hidden Risk Nonprofit Boards Keep Missing

    The Hidden Risk Nonprofit Boards Keep Missing
    2026/01/08
    In this episode of the Unfiltered Nonprofit Podcast, our conversation with Angela Fenton, former board Chair of Pleo, went well beyond board mechanics. What really surfaced was the hidden cost of instability — not just to organizations, but to the people leading them. Angela spoke candidly about Executive Directors living in a constant cycle of "we have funding / we don't have funding," and how that emotional whiplash becomes a health risk, not just a leadership challenge. That framing matters. When boards delay decisions around sustainability, they aren't just managing cash — they're transferring pressure directly onto one person. Another underappreciated insight was how boards often misjudge risk. Angela described situations where boards hesitated to spend reserves on a fractional fundraiser because of fear — fear of depleting cash, fear it wouldn't work, fear of being wrong. But she reframed the real question: what is the risk of not investing? Staying understaffed, relying on an already stretched ED, and hoping the funding picture improves on its own isn't neutral — it's a decision with consequences. In this case, the board accepted short-term discomfort to create long-term capacity, giving leadership space to plan instead of constantly react. The episode also highlighted something boards rarely formalize: who carries the thinking load. Angela described how, without intentional support, EDs become the default strategist, fundraiser, operator, and emotional shock absorber. Her board made deliberate choices — allocating professional development funds, embedding future-focused conversations into performance reviews, and involving finance partners early — to redistribute that load. Not because it was generous, but because it was necessary for sustainability. The real insight here is this: good governance isn't about control, and it isn't about caution. It's about absorbing risk at the board level so it doesn't collapse onto staff, and making investments before burnout or crisis forces your hand. For boards and leaders reading this, the harder question isn't "Can we afford to do this?" It's "Who is paying the price if we don't?"
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    26 分
  • Turning $1 Into $3: How OCHF Builds Real Community Impact

    Turning $1 Into $3: How OCHF Builds Real Community Impact
    2025/12/04
    This episode of The Unfiltered Nonprofit Podcast features an honest, open conversation with Traci Spour-Lafrance, Executive Director of the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation — the team supporting 33,000 people across 155 communities, including 12,000 kids and youth. Traci walks us through what it really looks like to keep programs running at that scale, especially when funding shifts and the needs in the community keep growing. A few years ago, their biggest programs were funded by government grants that suddenly disappeared. Instead of cutting back, Traci and her team rebuilt their whole model. Now they stretch every donated dollar into $3 of programming by stacking subsidies, partnering with local recreation providers, and working with corporate groups who actually build the bikes, pack the backpacks, and help fund the programs they're supporting. Their leadership program brings in 150 youth a year, and their recreation program gets kids into activities they never thought they'd access. Traci also shares a moment many nonprofit leaders will relate to — realizing not enough people even knew the Foundation existed. That pushed her to join AFP Ottawa, start showing up at events, and talk about their work one conversation at a time. The result? Their fundraising revenue has more than doubled, their donor base is stronger, and the team has grown from "fundraising on the side of a desk" to a full resource development crew. We wrap the interview with a very real conversation about balance: leading a busy nonprofit, raising two kids, and finding routines that keep her grounded. It's a down-to-earth look at what nonprofit impact really takes when the need is huge, the dollars are tight, and you decide to keep going anyway.
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    31 分