What if your most powerful fundraisers are already inside your organization… and you’re not even using them?

In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly challenges the traditional view of volunteer engagement and reveals why volunteers are often your most trusted, authentic, and effective growth engine.

Most nonprofits treat volunteers like extra hands. But volunteers aren’t just helpers — they’re social proof. They’re storytellers. They’re trusted voices in their communities. And when empowered the right way, they naturally attract donors, referrals, and new supporters without ever making an awkward ask.

You’ll learn why peer trust beats professional pitches, how to capture authentic volunteer stories, and how to create a simple system that turns volunteers into mission ambassadors. No scripts. No pressure. No forced fundraising goals. Just real stories that spark real engagement.

If you want more donors without chasing them — and more growth without burning out your team — this episode shows you how to unlock the power already sitting in your volunteer base.

Campaign stress doesn’t come from the work — it comes from uncertainty.

In this episode of The Million Dollar Nonprofit, Tom Kelly breaks down how to forecast your fundraising campaign results before you launch. No fancy software. No complicated dashboards. Just four simple numbers that determine your outcome: audience size, engagement, conversion, and average gift.

You’ll learn:

• Why campaign results aren’t random
• The simple math model behind predictable revenue
• How segmentation increases forecasting accuracy
• What to adjust before launch instead of panicking after
• How clarity reduces stress and improves results

If you’re tired of refreshing your dashboard and hoping for miracles, this episode will give you calm, data-backed confidence.

Most nonprofit leaders don’t have a board problem.

They have a clarity problem.

In this episode of the Million Dollar Nonprofit Podcast, Tom sits down with nonprofit founder-turned-consultant David Rhode, author of Passion Isn’t Enough, to unpack what’s really going wrong when boards feel disengaged, unhelpful, or frustrating.

David has been on both sides — as an executive director building a board from scratch and now as an advisor helping leaders course-correct when things go sideways. Together, they dive into:

• Why unmet (and unspoken) expectations are at the root of most board tension
• The two biggest areas where board members misunderstand their role: time and money
• The difference between a working board and a capacity-building board — and why you must choose intentionally
• How to transition from a “friends and family” board to a more strategic one (without blowing up relationships)
• Practical ways to hold volunteer board members accountable — without shame or blame
• Why passion alone won’t build a sustainable nonprofit

If you’re leading an organization under $1M and quietly thinking, “My board is a mess… where do I even start?” — this episode gives you a clear first step you can take this week.

Find David on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-rhode-1129183/

and head to his website to learn more https://dotdotorg.com/