I am so excited to welcome Maria Rio to the podcast! Maria is the founder of Further Together, a fundraising consultancy helping nonprofit leaders raise money without stress, scarcity, or burnout. As a former refugee and user of charitable services, Maria brings powerful lived experience to her equity-driven approach to fundraising.

With over 15 years of leadership experience, Maria is a sought-after speaker, writer, and advocate for community-centric fundraising. In this conversation, we explore what an equitable nonprofit sector could look like, how leaders can avoid burnout, and practical ways to transform fundraising into a partnership model rooted in dignity and inclusion.

In this episode:

• [03:01] What an equitable nonprofit sector looks like
• [06:42] Why advocacy is often missing from nonprofits
• [11:18] Executive director loneliness and ways to find support
• [13:58] Building authentic peer networks as nonprofit leaders
• [17:13] Reducing “fillers” and prioritizing what really matters
• [24:47] Community-centric versus donor-centric fundraising models
• [27:11] How to move towards community-centric fundraising
• [30:17] Shifting language to build dignity and inclusion
• [32:48] Boundaries, authenticity, and modeling healthy leadership
• [36:58] Fundraising myths we need to retire

Send Haley a suggestion or request via text HERE!

My book, Sow, Grow, Lead is live on Amazon! It shares my journey of starting a nonprofit in Malawi and offers practical strategies to help nonprofit leaders turn visions into reality, and create meaningful impact

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CONNECT WITH HALEY
Haley is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Stress Management Coach, and EmC trainer. She founded The Savvy Fundraiser, a nonprofit consulting and coaching business, and has experience with nonprofits in human services, homelessness, and youth sectors. Specializing in EmC, leadership, board development, and fundraising, Haley is dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders to create thriving organizations.
Instagram: @thesavvyfundraiser
LinkedIn: Haley Cooper, CFRE
Website: thesavvyfundraiser.com

Produced by Ideablossoms