NonProfit Nuggets with Jennifer Yarbrough

If you're at the point where you know something in your nonprofit isn't working and you're ready to actually fix it, this conversation is for you. Not just to motivate you. But to help you move forward with clarity. I've seen organizations stay stuck not because they don't care… but because they don't know what to fix first. If you're ready to stop guessing, stop circling the same problems, and start building something that actually works, this is where you begin.

Starting a nonprofit is not the hard part. Getting approved is not the hard part. The hard part is everything that comes after that. And the problem is — most people were never told that. This isn't about discouraging you. It's about preparing you. Because once you understand where the real work is, you can start building your organization with clarity instead of confusion.

If you're thinking about starting a nonprofit, or you've just started one, I want to give you four strategic tips that can save you time, money, and frustration. Because starting a nonprofit is not just about passion or paperwork. It's about how you build it from the very beginning. If you want to start your nonprofit with clarity instead of confusion, this conversation will help you build it the right way from day one.

I want to show you the other side of this conversation. We talk a lot about what's not working, what's missing, and where nonprofits struggle. But today, I want to talk about what happens when you build your nonprofit correctly. When your nonprofit is built correctly, things don't feel as heavy. You're not constantly guessing. You're not carrying everything alone. You're not chasing funding without direction. Instead, your organization starts to function the way it was meant to.

Have you ever felt like something isn't working in your nonprofit… but you can't quite explain what it is? You're showing up. You're doing the work. You're trying different things. And still, something feels off. That feeling is usually pointing to something deeper that hasn't been clearly identified yet. If you've been feeling frustrated, uncertain, or like you're missing something you can't quite name, this conversation will help you step back and start identifying what needs your attention.

Trying to figure everything out on your own is not saving you money… it's costing you money. I understand the instinct. You care about your mission, you want to be responsible, and you're trying to make the most of limited resources. Trying to figure everything out on your own is not saving you money… it's costing you money. I understand the instinct. You care about your mission, you want to be responsible, and you're trying to make the most of limited resources. If you've been trying to figure it out as you go and feel like progress is slower than it should be, this conversation will help you see what might be costing you — and how to move forward more effectively.

A nonprofit gets registered, the paperwork is filed… and there's an expectation that funding should start coming in. But I want to say this clearly: filing your paperwork does not mean your nonprofit is ready. Paperwork gives you permission to exist. But it doesn't prepare you to operate. If you've already filed and you're wondering why things still feel unclear, slow, or stuck, this conversation will help you understand what's missing and what to build next.

If you feel like you've tried everything — applied for funding, told your story, built programs, showed up consistently — and it's still not working… I want you to hear this clearly: The issue is not your effort. More effort won't fix what structure hasn't solved. If you've been pushing, trying, and still not seeing results, this conversation will help you step back and identify what's really holding your organization back.

Today I want to walk you through something I've observed after nearly 40 years in the nonprofit space: There are patterns in how nonprofit leaders show up. And over time, I've seen that most leaders tend to fall into one of seven types, each with its own strengths, blind spots, and impact on how the organization grows and gets funded. If you've ever felt stuck or unsure about what needs to shift, this conversation will give you a new lens to understand your role as a leader.

You're not struggling because your mission isn't good. Your cause matters. The work you want to do matters. That's not the issue. This isn't about questioning your mission. It's about strengthening the organization behind it. If you've been working hard and wondering why it still feels difficult, this conversation will help you shift your perspective — and start focusing on what actually moves things forward.

I want to talk about a pattern I see all the time: Nonprofit leaders pouring everything into their programs… while the structure of the organization is left underdeveloped. Now let me be clear, your programs matter. They are the expression of your mission. But they are not what sustains your organization. If you've been working hard on your programs but still feeling stuck, underfunded, or overwhelmed, this conversation will help you understand what's missing and where to shift your focus. Because without structure, even the best programs struggle to survive.

I see this pattern all the time: someone starts a nonprofit… and then waits for a grant to come in. And when it doesn't happen, confusion and frustration start to build. So today, I want to talk about why starting a nonprofit and then waiting for a grant is one of the biggest mistakes I see and why it keeps so many organizations stuck. If you've been feeling stuck, hoping the right opportunity will show up, this conversation will help you shift from waiting to building.

I want to talk about a mistake I see far too often — and it's a dangerous one. Starting a nonprofit based on your idea… instead of the community's actual need. If your organization is built around your idea instead of real, validated need, it will struggle to gain traction, trust, and funding. Nonprofits are not built to express our ideas. They are built to respond to real problems. If you're in the early stages or even if you've already started, this conversation will help you step back and ask a critical question: Who is this really for? Because when your work is aligned with actual need, everything changes — from impact to trust to funding.

When I say the word "infrastructure," it may not immediately resonate with you. And the reason is simple: when many nonprofit leaders start their organizations, no one ever talks to them about infrastructure. They talk about passion. They talk about programs. They talk about impact. But very few people explain the internal structure that allows a nonprofit to operate, grow, and sustain its work over time.

Today I want to talk about the visible and invisible work of running a nonprofit. People see the program. They see the events. They see the impact photos. But they don't see the systems, the compliance, the financial tracking, the reporting, the board management, the donor communication, the strategic planning — all the invisible work that keeps the organization alive. If you've ever felt like you're carrying more than people realize, you are. But here's the key: the invisible work isn't extra. It's essential. Impact is what the world sees. Operations are what make it possible.

If you're thinking about starting a nonprofit or you've just started one, I want you to pause and ask yourself one question: Are you building this for impact today, or sustainability tomorrow? Starting is easy. Sustaining is leadership. If you want your nonprofit to grow, last, and be trusted by funders, sustainability cannot be an afterthought. It must be part of the foundation. Build it to last. Not just to launch.

f you have passion for a cause, that's powerful. But passion alone will not make your nonprofit sustainable, and it will not make it fundable. So today, I want to walk you through what a 12-month roadmap looks like for turning your passion into a fundable nonprofit organization. This is not about rushing. It's about building correctly. If you've started with heart but want to move toward sustainability, this roadmap will help you think differently about your first year.

When I say "operate your nonprofit organization," I'm not just talking about delivering programs.  I'm talking about operating everything inside the organization that ensures it has what it needs to continue doing the work — consistently and sustainably. Your programs are the expression of your mission. But your operations are what protect it. If you've been working hard but constantly feeling stretched, unstable, or reactive, this conversation will help you see what might be missing inside the structure.

Today, I want to talk about how to position your organization to receive grants, and not just apply for them. There's a difference. Many organizations submit grant applications before they are actually positioned to be approved. If you've been applying and hearing no (or not hearing anything at all), this conversation will help you step back and assess whether your organization is truly positioned for funding. Before you apply again, make sure you're built to be funded.

I want to challenge something I hear all the time: "We don't have funding." But here's the truth: not having funding is a symptom. When funding isn't coming in, it usually means something critical wasn't put together for the funder to see, receive, or understand before they were asked to give. If you've been saying, "We just need money," this conversation will help you pause and ask a better question: What haven't we positioned correctly? Because when you fix the foundation, the funding follows.

Today I want to talk about something nonprofit leaders are rarely taught: how funders calculate risk before they fund your organization. Funding decisions are not emotional. They are calculated. If you've ever wondered why you keep getting polite rejections or no response at all, this conversation will help you understand what's happening behind closed doors. Funders don't avoid good missions. They avoid unmanaged risk. And once you understand how risk is calculated, you can start positioning your nonprofit to feel safe, stable, and investable.

I hear nonprofit leaders say this all the time: "We just need to become more fundable." But when I ask what that actually means, most people can't clearly explain it. So today, I want to talk about what fundable really means — not from the nonprofit's perspective, but from the funder's. If you've been doing the work but still not seeing consistent funding, this conversation will help you identify the real gap. Fundable is not a label. It's a position you build into your organization. And once you understand that, everything shifts.

I hear this question constantly: "Where is the money?" Because from your side, it can feel like funding has dried up, donors have disappeared, and grants are harder than ever to secure. But I can tell you this clearly that the money didn't disappear. Funding doesn't move randomly. It moves toward clarity, structure, and reduced risk. If you've been working hard but still wondering why the money isn't reaching your organization, this conversation will help you see what funders see — and what needs to shift. The money is there. The question is whether you're positioned for it.

Today I want to talk about something that might challenge you a little bit. Funders do care about your story. They care about the people you serve. They care about impact. But they invest in systems.  After nearly 40 years in the nonprofit space, I've watched organizations tell powerful, emotional stories — and still walk away without funding. Not because the story wasn't strong. But because the structure behind it wasn't. If you've been leading with story but struggling with sustainability, this conversation will help you understand what funders are actually evaluating. Stories open hearts. Systems open checkbooks. And if you want funding to be consistent, you have to build what makes you safe to invest in.

I'm often asked, "What should we be doing before we get our first grant?" And the truth is, what happens before that first grant matters more than the grant itself. If you're waiting on your first grant and wondering why it hasn't happened yet, this conversation will help you understand what needs to come first — and how to build it the right way. Grants don't build organizations. Prepared organizations earn grants.

If you're paying for your nonprofit out of your own pocket, I want you to know something first: you're not alone. I see this all the time. Passionate leaders quietly covering costs, filling gaps, and telling themselves it's just "for now." But the truth is, most nonprofit founders were never taught why this happens or how to stop it. If you're tired of carrying the organization on your back and want to build something that can actually sustain itself, this conversation will help you understand what's missing and what to do next. Your mission deserves support. So do you.

If you've ever applied for funding and received a rejection email… or a generic "we went in another direction"… or no response at all, then this conversation is for you. In this video, I talk directly to nonprofit leaders who have done the work, submitted the applications, waited patiently, and still heard no. I share what those rejections usually mean, what funders are really saying (even when they don't explain it), and why rejection is often about positioning and readiness, not worth or effort.

Let's talk about next steps. If you've been learning, listening, and realizing that something needs to change in how your organization is set up, this video is about moving from awareness to action. In this conversation, I walk you through how I think about positioning an organization to be fully funded within the next 90 days, not through wishful thinking, but through clarity, structure, and alignment.

I see this mistake over and over again: smart, passionate leaders working hard and still not getting the results they want. And the problem usually isn't effort. It's understanding. If you've felt like you're doing everything you're "supposed" to do but nothing is clicking, this conversation will help you identify where the misunderstanding started and how to realign. You don't need to work harder. You need to understand better.

There are two hats you wear. You wear a program hat, and you wear an administrative entity hat. If you've ever felt like you're doing everything and still falling behind, this conversation will help you understand what's really happening and how to lead more effectively. You don't need to do more. You need to lead differently.

I want to say this plainly, because I've seen the cost of it for decades: passion is not a plan. If you care deeply about your mission but feel like you're working nonstop with little progress, this isn't a motivation problem. It's a planning problem, and that's fixable. Passion starts the work. A plan is what makes it sustainable.

I hear nonprofit leaders say it all the time: "Once we're fully funded, everything will be fine." But after nearly 40 years in the nonprofit space, I can tell you this: most people don't actually know what fully funded means. In this episode, I break down what being fully funded really looks like from an operational and funder perspective, not just a hopeful one. If you're bringing in some money but still feel stretched, overwhelmed, or uncertain, this conversation will help you understand what's missing, and what to build next. Fully funded isn't a feeling. It's a system.

I've seen this over and over again in the nonprofit world: incredible missions, passionate leaders and organizations that still struggle. Here's the truth I've learned after nearly 40 years in this space: Nonprofit success starts with operations.  In this episode, I explain why operations are what determine whether a nonprofit survives and grows. If you've started your nonprofit but still feel overwhelmed, inconsistent, or unsure why funding hasn't followed, this conversation will help you understand what funders see and what you can fix. Operations aren't the boring part. They're the foundation.

One of the biggest mistakes new nonprofit founders make is confusing the nonprofit, the program, and the paperwork, and that confusion can quietly block funding. Your paperwork makes you legal. Your program delivers services. Your nonprofit is the system that makes both sustainable. If you've done "everything right" on paper but still feel stuck, this conversation will help you reframe how you're building and why structure matters more than forms.

One of the biggest myths in nonprofit fundraising is this: "Fundraising is hard because donors don't want to give." That's simply not true. Donors aren't withholding money. They're avoiding uncertainty and risk. If fundraising feels exhausting, awkward, or impossible, this conversation will help you see fundraising through the donor's eyes — and change how you approach it.

When nonprofit leaders hear the word risk, they often think about money. Funders think about something very different. Funders don't avoid impact. They avoid uncertainty. If your nonprofit keeps hearing "not right now" or "not a fit," this conversation will help you understand what funders are seeing and how to position your organization differently.

Passion is often what starts the work, but leadership is what sustains it. Turning your passion into leadership doesn't mean losing heart. It means building something that can last beyond you. If you've felt the tension between loving the mission and carrying the weight of responsibility, this conversation will help you step into the next level of your work.

When funders talk about capacity, many nonprofit leaders hear one thing: money. But that's not what capacity actually means, and misunderstanding it is one of the biggest reasons nonprofits stay unfunded. Capacity is about ability, not balance. It's about whether your nonprofit can deliver what it promises. If you've been told you "lack capacity" and assumed it meant you needed more money, this video will change how you see funding and how you prepare for it.

Nonprofit burnout doesn't happen because leaders don't care enough. It happens because most founders are building, fundraising, and serving without the structure that makes funding possible. If you've been doing everything (running programs, posting online, applying for grants) and still feel stuck, this isn't a motivation issue. It's a fundability issue. Burnout is a warning sign, not a personal failure.

Many founders still believe that getting nonprofit status leads to grants. Not only is that wrong, but it's making the journey harder than ever. Funding doesn't come from starting a nonprofit. Funding comes from being fundable. In this episode of Nonprofit Nuggets, I'm discussing why today's nonprofit landscape makes the "start a nonprofit and get a grant" mindset more damaging than ever.

Starting a nonprofit often begins with passion — but passion alone won't protect you from burnout, chaos, or costly mistakes. In this episode, I share what I wish nonprofit leaders understood before starting their organizations. We'll talk about the realities of leadership, the importance of structure and systems, and why chasing funding without a foundation can hold you back instead of moving you forward. This isn't meant to discourage you — it's meant to help you start smarter, stronger, and more sustainably.

Most nonprofit founders don't fail because they lack heart — they fail because they don't understand what it actually takes to survive long-term. If you're feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or unsure why things aren't clicking yet, this episode will give you the clarity you need to move forward with confidence.

If your nonprofit feels stuck, chaotic, or constantly scrambling, there's a good chance it's missing one critical thing: an engine that makes it run. In this episode, I break down why passion, good intentions, and even funding aren't enough to sustain a nonprofit — and what "the engine" actually is. You'll learn how systems, structure, and strategy work together to keep your organization moving forward instead of stalling out.  This episode is for nonprofit founders who are doing the work but aren't seeing momentum, growth, or stability. If you want your nonprofit to run with clarity instead of chaos, this is where you start.

Most nonprofits don't fail because of a lack of passion — they fail because they lack structure. In this episode, I break down what "structure" actually means and why it's the system your nonprofit runs on. You'll learn how clear roles, processes, and decision-making frameworks create stability, prevent burnout, and make your organization more credible to donors, funders, and partners. If you want a nonprofit that doesn't rely on chaos, hustle, or constant emergencies to survive, this episode will help you start building the system that supports real, sustainable impact.

If you think money is your nonprofit's biggest problem, this conversation may change everything. In this episode of Nonprofit Nuggets, you'll learn why funding does NOT fix a broken nonprofit — and why getting money too soon can actually make things worse. If your nonprofit feels confusing, inconsistent, or invisible to funders, this is not a motivation problem; it's a structure and clarity problem.

If you've started a nonprofit and already feel stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated — this conversation is for you. Most nonprofit founders rush straight to funding… grants, donations, events, partnerships, and then wonder why nothing is working. In this episode of Nonprofit Nuggets, I'm telling you exactly what to do in the first 30 days of your nonprofit before you ask for money so you don't lose momentum, confidence, or credibility.

Are you feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or discouraged as a nonprofit founder? You're not failing — you're building your nonprofit out of order. In this episode of Nonprofit Nuggets, I'm explaining why so many nonprofits struggle to attract donors, funders, and supporters, and why money isn't actually the problem. If you've started your nonprofit with passion but now feel exhausted, confused, or unsure how to move forward, this video will give you the roadmap you've been missing.

Starting a nonprofit can feel overwhelming — especially when it comes to finding your first donor. In this episode, I break down actionable steps that new nonprofit founders can take to secure that first supporter, build credibility, and set your organization up for long-term fundraising success. Learn what really matters to donors, how to present your mission effectively, and how to start building meaningful relationships that translate into funding.

You finally filed the paperwork. The nonprofit is official. So why does everything still feel messy, overwhelming, and unsustainable? In this episode, I break down what really happens after registration, and why this is where most nonprofits quietly start to struggle. We'll talk about the hidden gaps that drain your time, money, and energy, and the early warning signs that your organization is bleeding capacity. More importantly, I'll walk you through how to stabilize your nonprofit, shift from survival mode to strategy, and build the structure most founders skip if they want to last.

Too many new founders think that once the paperwork is filed, the nonprofit is officially "started." It's not. In this episode, I break down the dangerous gap between being legally registered and being operationally ready. We'll talk about why paperwork creates permission and what you actually need in place before donors, partners, and communities take you seriously. If you've checked all the legal boxes but still feel stuck, this episode will help you understand what comes next and how to build a real nonprofit, not just an entity on paper.