Ask Allison

Ep. 7 - Mission Possible: Solving Your Board Problems with Linda Phillips

Board member disengagement is a silent profit leak that keeps most nonprofits playing small. Many executive directors feel like they are pulling teeth just to get a board member to share a post or make an introduction, but the reality is that most members are simply intimidated by the "F" word: fundraising. If your board views their role as a monthly meeting rather than a mission-driven partnership, you are missing out on the organic growth that only peer-to-peer influence can provide. In this episode, I sit down with my long-time friend, mentor, and thirty-year fundraising veteran Linda Phillips to discuss how to move past the fear of the "ask." We get into the tactical reality of turning a passive board into a group of high-performing connectors. We sit down to discuss the "spoon-feeding" method for social media, why a clear job description is the foundation of engagement, and how "mission moments" can arm your members with the stories they need to be effective ambassadors. Linda shares her "secret sauce" for identifying natural connectors and explains why a simple cup of coffee or a "porch party" is often more effective than a high-cost gala. We also dive into the technical necessity of 100% board participation for grant applications and building donor trust. The unglamorous truth is that fundraising isn't about being a slick salesperson; it's about the grit of consistent relationship-building and the willingness to be authentic. You’ll walk away with a practical system for arming your board with "Monday Mission Moments" and a specific strategy for asking for just one introduction per month. We break down the myth that hosting events must be elaborate, proving that vulnerability and passion are your most valuable assets when inviting people into your organization's world. If you care about nonprofit sustainability, effective board management, and lowering the cost of donor acquisition, you’ll get a lot from this conversation. Please subscribe to the Ask Allison podcast and share this episode with a board member or executive director who needs a "fundraising therapy" session today.

Ep. 6 - Legacy Gifts: Impact That Lasts with Amy McGovern

A lot of people think fundraising is just asking for money. That idea is not only wrong, it can quietly wreck your donor relationships. I’m joined by Amy McGovern, Director of Development for the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas and President of AFP Northwest Arkansas, for a real-world conversation about what actually moves giving: listening, trust, and inviting people into something they already care about. Amy shares her unexpected career path into development, then breaks down how the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas works, from managing charitable funds and endowments to supporting communities through a robust nonprofit grants program. We talk funding priorities, why “Methodist” in the name doesn’t automatically mean “not for you,” and how sponsorships and grants can help nonprofits tackling issues like poverty and food insecurity. If you’ve wondered where to look for nonprofit funding in Arkansas, this will point you in a practical direction. We also get honest about what nonprofits can do better, especially around impact reporting and donor stewardship. Stats matter, but stories stick. You’ll hear why handwritten thanks, clear outcomes, and a real human face can outperform the prettiest annual report. Then we zoom out to professional growth through the Association of Fundraising Professionals, including ethics, mentorship, scholarships, and the community that keeps fundraisers from feeling like they’re doing this work alone. If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, share it with a nonprofit friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s one fundraising “rule” you’re ready to unlearn?

Ep. 5 - Funding Follows Clarity: Nonprofit Marketing Secrets with Peyton Stewman

What if your marketing plan isn’t extra, it’s the engine? We sit down with Peyton Stewman, marketing strategist at the Children’s Safety Center of Washington County, to unpack how communications becomes core infrastructure for fundraising, trust, and long-term growth. Peyton shares how she helped launch and legitimize a $15M capital campaign, moved storytelling in-house, and built a steady cadence that turns casual followers into committed donors. We dig into the mindset shift that changes everything: funding follows clarity and trust follows consistency. That means ditching throwaway holiday graphics and leaning into content that matters, prevention education, stat posts with context, therapy milestones, and real moments that humanize your team. Peyton walks through her monthly prevention video series, the categories that keep content fresh, and why a grainy photo of your staff can outperform a glossy graphic. We also talk platforms: why Facebook and Instagram are essential, how to use LinkedIn for professional recognition, and where TikTok fits as an education-first play. Board activation becomes a turning point. You’ll hear how clear expectations, post notifications, and platform-specific sharing transformed engagement and grew legitimacy with local media. We break down proactive press strategy, crisis sequencing, and how to share tough funding news without fear-mongering, starting with donors via mail and email, then scaling to social and the news. On the metrics front, Peyton shares what she actually tracks: follower growth from reels, shares beyond staff, second-degree comments, email clicks, and light paid boosts for key posts. If you’re a one-person shop, you’ll leave with a simple plan: 30 minutes at month’s end to map real-life moments, a lean content calendar, captions with your authentic voice, and a commitment to email as your most reliable conversion tool. When people understand your mission and feel connected to the humans behind it, they don’t just follow, they show up, give, and stay. Subscribe, share with a nonprofit friend, and leave a review to help more mission-driven teams find us.

Ep. 4 - Strategic Stillness: Simple Self-Care for Overworked Hearts

Ever feel like you’re running at 95% capacity and one small hiccup sends the whole day sideways? We’ve been there. That’s why we sat down with meditation teacher and former publisher, Leslie Zanoff, to unpack how small, simple practices can restore your energy, sharpen your focus, and help you lead with calm, even when budgets are tight and event season is on fire. We start by busting myths around mindfulness. You don’t need a cushion or a candle; you need a moment. Leslie explains why stillness can feel uncomfortable at first and shares science-backed practices you can use anywhere: box breathing, fingertip anchoring, gentle tapping over the heart, and five-minute pauses that retrain your nervous system over eight weeks. We talk about “calm excellence” as a leadership standard, making space to respond thoughtfully instead of rushing into urgent perfectionism, and how language and boundaries protect your best work. This conversation also gets personal. Allison opens up about her long weight loss journey and the mindset shift from all-or-nothing to progress over perfection. Movement became medicine: dancing in the living room, walking outside, water workouts, joyful, doable choices that sparked momentum. We explore how exercise can double as meditation, why gratitude is a powerful nightly reset, and how to claim the “snow day” feeling on an ordinary Tuesday by issuing your own permission slip to pause. We honor faith and skepticism, too. If prayer is talking to God, meditation is listening, no beliefs required to practice presence. Whether you lead a nonprofit team or carry a heavy caseload, these tools are for you: five minutes to breathe, reset, and return to the work with clarity. If anxiety is chronic, bring in therapy or medication; mindfulness complements, it doesn’t replace. Ready to release the belief that it has to be hard? Hit play, try one practice today, and share this with a colleague who needs a reset. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us the one small habit you’re starting this week.

Ep. 3 - Crisis Mode: How to Lead When the Money Stops

What happens when the grant you’ve always counted on disappears? We sit down with Teresa Mills, CEO of Peace at Home Family Shelter, to unpack a calm, practical roadmap for nonprofits facing sudden funding cuts. From building a pet sanctuary that keeps survivors and their animals safe to rebuilding donor trust after tough seasons, Teresa offers clear steps leaders can use right now. We start with radical transparency that steadies your inner circle, board, staff, and core donors, without alarming the people you serve. Teresa breaks down how to communicate early and often, frame the real gap, and invite supporters to stand with you. Then we get tactical: how to identify mission-critical programs, rank ROI, and protect the services that change lives. You’ll hear how to diversify revenue so no single grant or gala dominates, and why small, steady reserve-building transforms your ability to weather delays, shutdowns, and policy shifts. If you’ve ever questioned whether events are worth the grind, this conversation will resonate. Teresa shares how cutting a signature event freed up time for deeper donor relationships, monthly giving, and a simple stewardship luncheon that actually strengthens community. We dig into the mechanics of booking donor meetings, what to say on the phone, and how executive directors should lean into fundraising every single day. Along the way, you’ll get practical scripts, post-event follow-up tips that convert attendees into supporters, and a reminder that hope and focus are strategic assets. Looking for one step to take this week? Call five core donors with a candid update and a clear plan.  If this conversation helped, follow the show, share it with a colleague who needs it today, and leave a review so more nonprofit leaders can find it.