The Influential Nonprofit

Key Takeaways:Chasing a yes often comes from anxiety, not intention, and people can feel that pressure immediately. When you stop needing a specific outcome, your tone relaxes and trust increases naturally. Your role is to help others decide freely, not to manage your own fear through follow-ups.Momentum shows up as shared energy, mutual curiosity, and agreed-upon next steps. Chasing looks like one-sided check-ins, escalating urgency, and tension after sending messages. Learning to tell the difference protects your time and preserves relational integrity.People avoid giving honest answers when saying no feels costly or awkward. Explicit permission to decline reduces avoidance and leads to faster, cleaner decisions. Trust grows when people feel respected, regardless of what they choose.Fantasy relationships rely on polite delays that sound like yes but function as no. Booking the next meeting during the current one turns vague interest into real movement. When someone will not schedule a follow-up, it is often wiser to release than to pursue. “Pressure is when a donor feels managed. Relationship is when they feel respected.” “A fantasy relationship just means that you’re not able to be honest. So you’re both pretending… because nobody knows what to say to actually get you out of it.” “The more permission you give people to say no, the more likely they are to say yes.” - Maryanne Dersch    Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Lasting fundraising growth does not come from better tactics alone but from changing the internal narratives that drive behavior. Coaching addresses fear, money stories, and self-doubt that silently undermine even the best strategies.Fundraising leaders often carry invisible baggage that affects how they show up with donors and teams. Coaching builds awareness, emotional neutrality, and sovereignty by separating facts from stories and reducing reactive behavior.Effective fundraising leaders coach boards and staff through fear, avoidance, and shame rather than simply training them. Through questions, accountability, and normalized discomfort, coaching creates ownership without blame.Over-functioning leaders burn out when they carry all the emotional and relational weight alone. Coaching redistributes responsibility, strengthens collaboration, and removes leaders as the bottleneck in fundraising efforts. “Strategy is great. Training is great. You need both those things, but mostly they do not shift your mindset. They do not shift your thinking.” “Sovereignty means you own your own thoughts, choices, and actions. You do not outsource your confidence to outcomes, and you do not let no define your worth or competence.” “At its heart, fundraising is a team sport. When you coach instead of carry, you stop being the bottleneck.” - Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Fundraising nos and prolonged indecision often reflect emotional readiness, not the quality of the ask. Letting go of over-attachment to a yes allows fundraisers to listen more clearly.The Map of Consciousness offers a practical way to understand donor behavior without ranking people as better or worse. Effective fundraising adapts presence and strategy to a donor’s current emotional state.Lower emotional states call for safety and acknowledgment rather than solicitation. Courage is the turning point where donors become open to clear, values-based asks.Repeated follow-up does not move donors emotionally; trust and presence do. When a relationship leads, financial support follows. “The issue isn’t your ask. It isn’t your words. It isn’t your case. It’s that the ask is happening at the wrong level of readiness.” “You cannot argue your way into a yes.” “Love doesn’t need a pitch; it needs a pathway.” - Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Centering fundraising on genuine care, honesty, and alignment creates trust and long-term support rather than transactional gains. Actions from authentic relationships feel meaningful, while actions solely for money feel manipulative.Loving donor relationships are honest, authentic, and aligned. They are not transactional or performative, and both the donor and organization benefit from shared values and mutual yeses.Applying love languages in fundraising—words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, meaningful gifts, and shared experiences—builds connection without pressure or manipulation. Each interaction should reflect respect, care, and intention.Listening, personalization, and alignment are critical. Engaging only with donors who resonate with the organization’s mission fosters sustainable giving, while letting go of misaligned relationships protects energy, trust, and long-term impact. “If we are doing things for our donors because we genuinely love and care about them… that’s a loving relationship.” “Love languages don’t replace integrity. They express integrity.” “Healthy donor relationships don’t come from saying the right thing. They come from being in the right relationship.”- Maryanne Dersch    Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:90 days is long enough to get something done, but short enough that there’s some urgency to it. The 90-day MOST stands for Mission, Objective, Strategy, and Tactics. It accounts for having an overall vision and creating simple strategies to implement each quarter. We need to have a clear vision so that we know what we’re looking for. Before creating a plan, take time to create a vision board. Visualize what you want to create in your life and depict it in your vision board. Once you have a vision, determine an objective. Then, create three strategies that will serve to achieve that objective. Under each strategy, create three simple tactics. Keep it simple.  “90 days has been studied to be very effective. It's long enough to get something done. But it's short enough that you there's some urgency to it.” “We create the vision. And then from that vision, we create the plan. But we don't want to plan while creating the vision, because we wind up talking ourselves out of doing some bold things.” “We're keeping it very, very simple. The more complicated you make this, the less likely it's going to work for you. So you pick what would make this quarter be the win for you.” - Maryanne Dersch  Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Reframe goals as guides, not judgments. Traditional output-focused goals can create pressure and burnout; goals should inform your direction, not define your worth or success.Wrap up the year holistically. Reflect on wins, surprises, and growth beyond numeric targets, release what no longer serves you, and recognize internal and relational progress as real achievements.Make goals human-centered, not just metric-centered. Reframing SMART goals to be Supportive, Meaningful, Aligned, Relational, and Tension-free ensures they strengthen trust, connection, and values alongside traditional metrics.Measure relationships, not just money. Track trust, reciprocity, affinity, consistency, and advocacy to prioritize connection and mission impact, understanding that financial outcomes naturally follow strong relational foundations. “Goals aren't good or bad. They are just what they are. They are information.” “If we're only measuring our worth by input and output, we're really missing a lot on what we're doing and the progress that we're making.” "Work can be joyful. Grace, ease, joy is sustainable. Hustle and grind is not.”- Maryanne Dersch    Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Sustainable change begins by raising standards, not just managing expectations. Standards define the floor you will no longer fall below, while expectations shape the ceiling you desire. Boundaries and agreements act as the walls that uphold both.Boundaries focus on what you no longer want to tolerate or experience. Agreements clarify what you do want and how it will work in practice. They turn avoidance into intention and make expectations visible to others.Agreements reduce resentment by replacing unspoken rules with shared understanding. They teach others how to relate to you personally, professionally, and in leadership spaces. Strong agreements create safety, predictability, and mutual respect.Raising standards often invites testing, especially in the early stages. Holding the agreement while releasing the outcome allows relationships to adjust naturally. Over time, people either rise to meet the standard or drift away. “We can't change behavior unless we change the boundaries and agreements that uphold and support that behavior.” “We teach people how to treat us.” “Your internal agreements will determine your external results.” - Maryanne Dersch    Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Many nonprofit leaders enter the new year already depleted from the holiday rush. Emotional residue from 2025 lingers in the body and shapes early decisions. A reset begins by acknowledging how much energy was carried forward unnoticed.Leaders often bring guilt, unfinished conversations, and unresolved pressure into 2026. Closing loops matters more than fixing everything that happened. Release becomes the doorway to entering the new year with clarity and choice.Leadership begins with knowing your actual energetic capacity, not the idealized version. From that honesty, you choose what stays, what shifts, and what boundaries support you. Agreements rooted in calm reshape how you lead and how you protect your energy.Reclaiming means deciding who you are becoming and leading from that center. Leaders choose identities like calmer, clearer, or more sovereign and act from that energy. This practice restores agency and ensures no circumstance dictates your value. “If you don't pause or reset, you're going to step into the new year carrying the energy of the old one.” “Every boundary, every decision, every conversation, every interaction is going to come from that survival mode place - that's the lens through which you're going to view the world.” “Reclaiming your energy means consciously choosing the leadership identity you want to embody this year.” - Maryanne Dersch    Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Influence is the art of getting people you have no authority over to do what you want them to do, not just because they have to do it, but because they choose to. Your ability to influence others is critical to your success. The first step in mastering the art of influence and showing up as an influential leader is knowing yourself. It’s not about anybody else. Train yourself first before anybody else in the organization, because you are the trailblazer who sets the limit for others. If you raise your game, they will rise with you. Discover and honor the things that make each person in your team unique. Acknowledge those things so that they will light up and they will join you in your vision. Look within yourself for credibility rather than relying on others to recognize your worth. This is the key to becoming a sovereign, influential leader. If you want them to recognize something in you, you have to recognize it in yourself first.  “An influential leader shifts that narrative from going to somebody who needs other people to feel good. Instead, we know ourselves, and we cultivate our own energy ourselves so that we stay sovereign.” “If you can feel anything, you can do anything, and influential leaders understand how their thoughts and feelings play into their everyday decision-making, and they know how to navigate in a way that feels really good, really easy, and really aligned. ” “Showing up as an influential leader means having deep trust in yourself and others, that everything is working out as it should, that there is nothing to fear. ” - Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Understanding how thoughts and feelings contribute to decision-making is key to influential leadership. Influential leadership creates sustainable workforces with less turnover and more productivity.The first step towards becoming an influential leader is to go inward. Be willing to understand how the thoughts, beliefs, and experiences that you had when you were young impact the decisions that you make today.Guilt is when we feel bad for what we do, and shame is when we feel bad about who we are. Most things that upset us originate from deeply rooted feelings of guilt and shame. When navigating conflicts of others or your own, pay attention to what’s making you and others feel uncomfortable.An influential leader’s job is to create more good leaders. When you practice influential leadership, not only are you creating a more influential and conscious leadership for yourself, but you're also teaching others how their thoughts and feelings contribute to their everyday decision-making, which helps them resolve things internally. “Every minute we spend in clean-up conversations that could have been avoided with better communication and leadership - we're moving away from the work we were called to do.” “You have to be willing to go inside, and understand what thoughts and beliefs were implanted in you when you were young, and how those can be affecting the decision-making that you make today.” “When you find yourself in a conflict or navigating somebody else's conflict, first you have to pay attention to what's happening in your body, what am I feeling? And then seeing other people - there’s something inside of them that’s uncomfortable with this, what can we do?”  “Good leaders create more good leaders and influential leaders; their job is to create more good leaders.”- Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Supporters engage for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, each bringing unique value. Instead of expecting long-term loyalty from everyone, recognize the natural ebb and flow. Gratitude for every contribution keeps the relationship healthy and grounded.Tourists, seasonal residents, and townies each play a meaningful role in the ecosystem. One-time donors bring energy, visibility, and new connections when they matter most. Long-term supporters reveal themselves through aligned values and deeper engagement.Lasting relationships grow through purpose, connection, and involvement beyond giving. Inviting donors into stories, conversations, or behind-the-scenes roles builds ownership. When people feel seen and included, loyalty naturally strengthens and expands.Not every donor will stay forever, and that is part of a healthy pipeline. Letting go with appreciation frees energy to invest in aligned relationships. Focusing on shared values ensures every interaction remains meaningful and mutual. “Our job is to give them meaningful experience while they're with us and release them with gratitude when they're ready to go.” “Every donor plays a role in your ecosystem. You know, tourists bring energy and visibility, townies bring depth and sustainability, and there's space in between them, where just the relationships involved.” “Relationship first, money will follow that. Build belonging, not just giving.” - Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Goals are meant to guide, not judge. When they serve as a compass instead of a scorecard, they inspire growth and unity instead of strain or shame. Progress becomes something to celebrate, not a verdict on worth.Nonprofit leaders often walk the line between big dreams and achievable results. Rigid focus on financial targets can create tension and burnout, but realistic goals rooted in purpose help teams stay motivated and grounded.True success goes beyond numbers. Relationships, learning, and consistent effort shape sustainable impact. By valuing process over perfection, organizations can find meaning in every outcome—good or bad.Lasting results come from people, not pressure. Relationship-building should be prioritized over transactions, with gratitude and reflection fueling resilience, renewal, and authentic growth for the long run. “Rejection isn't the opposite of success. It is part of success.” “Goals should stretch us, not strain us. They should unite, connect us, not divide us, and they should inspire us to grow, not shame us for being human.” “Remember: every ‘no’ refines your ‘yes’. You're not rejected, you're redirected. Rejection is protection.”- Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Goals are meant to guide, not judge. When they serve as a compass instead of a scorecard, they inspire growth and unity instead of strain or shame. Progress becomes something to celebrate, not a verdict on worth.Nonprofit leaders often walk the line between big dreams and achievable results. Rigid focus on financial targets can create tension and burnout, but realistic goals rooted in purpose help teams stay motivated and grounded.True success goes beyond numbers. Relationships, learning, and consistent effort shape sustainable impact. By valuing process over perfection, organizations can find meaning in every outcome—good or bad.Lasting results come from people, not pressure. Relationship-building should be prioritized over transactions, with gratitude and reflection fueling resilience, renewal, and authentic growth for the long run. “Goals should stretch us, not strain us. They should unite, connect us, not divide us, and they should inspire us to grow, not shame us for being human.” “What if we saw goals as a compass instead of a scorecard? It gives us direction, but it doesn’t judge us.” “The growth comes from the receptivity of all of it: what worked and what didn’t, because everything was progress, everything was a lesson, everything was information.” - Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:True commitment begins with finding like-minded people, not convincing others to care. Instead of pitching or pushing, nonprofits should focus on shared values and invite donors into a community built on authentic connection.Meaningful conversations start with listening, not selling. By asking thoughtful questions and validating donors’ stories, organizations create space for people to feel seen and heard, laying the groundwork for lasting trust.Letting go of results transforms how we communicate. When fundraisers detach from fear or pressure, they become more open to honesty, mutual respect, and new possibilities that turn rejection into redirection and growth.Donors move naturally toward giving when each step feels like their choice. Using small yeses, open-ended questions, and calm follow-ups helps convert interest into action while maintaining dignity and genuine rapport. “People buy to the level they feel seen and heard. Your job isn’t to convince—it’s to listen.” “If you’re making friends with someone because they have money, that’s manipulation. Build relationships first; the money will follow.” “Authentic, honest, transparent relationships create loyal donors for life.”- Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Javan Van Gronigen is the Co-Founder of Donately, a leading fundraising platform that has processed over $180M in donations for 1,400+ nonprofits. With 15+ years in digital marketing and social impact, he helped create accessible, transparent fundraising technology after his work on the global Kony 2012 campaign. Key Takeaways:Nonprofits thrive when they align marketing, storytelling, and data into a unified approach that strengthens both mission and message, especially when working with small teams and limited resources.Tools like Donately, Google Analytics, and AI empower nonprofits to personalize donor experiences, track engagement, and make informed decisions that drive sustainable growth.Establishing a steady rhythm—such as quarterly roadmaps—helps organizations stay consistent while leaving room to explore new ideas, platforms, and emerging technologies.Nonprofits that take risks, communicate openly, and lead with authenticity build stronger trust, greater visibility, and lasting donor relationships. “Act like for-profit businesses, take those risks. You will be rewarded for that if you're more bold and you go after being unique in that space.”“With AI...you just have the ability to audit and look through mounds of information far better than you used to. Understanding who your audience is, what's working, what's not, that's really critical.”“If you don't know where your donors are coming from, you don't know where to put your money.”   - Javan Van Gronigen Reach out to Javan Van Gronigen at:Website: http://www.donately.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javanvangronigen/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearedonatelyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/donately_org/X: https://x.com/donately   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:True leadership success is measured by alignment with your values and season of life. It is not about busyness but about making intentional, sustainable choices that bring fulfillment.Leadership has natural rhythms of growth, energy, refinement, and rest. Recognizing and embracing each season allows leaders to act with clarity and avoid burnout.Success is reflected in energized weeks, meaningful relationships, lasting influence, and personal joy. Leadership thrives when others feel better and positive change continues.Lead from peace, set boundaries, and focus on depth over breadth. Continuously evolve your definition of success to expand in wisdom and align your leadership with purpose. “Sometimes you have to stop moving to see where you're really going.” “Busyness is not being important. It's just filling your life with stuff so you can feel important.” “Joy is not optional. It's a leadership strategy.”- Maryanne Dersch   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

David Blyer is the Co-Founder, CEO, and President of Arreva, a leading provider of fundraising and donor relationship management software for nonprofits. With over three decades in the industry, he’s passionate about helping organizations strengthen donor engagement through technology and innovation.He previously founded DonorCommunity, the first all-in-one fundraising software for nonprofits, and co-founded Arreva through a merger with Susan Packard Orr’s company, Telosa. Earlier in his career, David led Vento Software, later acquired by SPSS and IBM. He also serves on NonProfit PRO’s Editorial Advisory Board. Key Takeaways:Donor acquisition and retention decline not because people stop caring—but because organizations often fail to acknowledge and engage donors quickly and personally.Fragmented systems hurt relationships. When fundraising, events, and CRM data don’t “talk” to each other, nonprofits lose time, insight, and donor trust.Integration and automation empower nonprofits to respond faster, personalize communication, and strengthen long-term loyalty.Timely gratitude matters: reaching out within 48–72 hours after an event or donation dramatically increases donor satisfaction and retention.Peer-to-peer fundraising, when integrated into a nonprofit’s ecosystem (unlike GoFundMe), helps acquire new donors, foster engagement, and turn supporters into ambassadors.A donor-centric website and seamless online giving experience—especially mobile-friendly—serve as the foundation of modern fundraising success. "I can honestly say I'm so proud of the team that I have. I've never had the opportunity to work with a collective team like this and and be so proud of them every single day.""When you're a nonprofit, I caution you do not use GoFundMe, because I'll tell you why, what you want to have, and I go back to software you want to have a pit. I'll call it, as opposed to a GoFundMe. I look at that as what I will call the peer to peer fundraising.""But my challenge has always been and now I'm very frustrated that my last tribute gift and I just gave another one, but my last tribute gift, it's been four months. I didn't get any acknowledgement that the person I gave a tribute gift to...was acknowledged.""61% of donors worldwide prefer giving online. So if you're giving your volunteers, if you're giving your board members, maybe even your active donors, the ability to send something out online, there's a better chance of them raising more money and an easier way of doing this."- David Blyer Reach out to David Blyer at:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arreva/Website (Company): https://www.arreva.com/   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:True leadership often means loosening your grip. You cannot force outcomes, timelines, or people, but you can release and lead with trust. Surrender opens space for wisdom and growth.Surrender is not weakness but strength in disguise. Rest becomes a strategic act when we allow it to restore us. In slowing down, we sharpen clarity and courage.Perfection and rigid plans weigh leaders down. Balance is found in the natural rhythm of effort and rest. Honoring both flow and pause leads to sustainable impact.Leadership is not a solo journey but a shared one. Trusting your team and support network empowers them to rise higher. In giving space, you multiply strength together. “Surrender isn't weakness. It's wisdom. Choosing rest is a strategic decision.” “Let go of perfection and timelines. Whatever you missed happened anyway. It's all okay, nothing's going to pass you by.” “Balance comes from rhythm, not rigidity. Leadership is expansion and contraction. Go with the flow… honoring the rest as much as the pushes, honoring the ebb and the flow.” - Maryanne Dersch  Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

A Canadian direct response strategist, designer, and author with over 25 years of experience. He champions donor-centered approaches that prioritize authenticity and emotional connection. His 2022 book, Creative Deviations, has inspired fundraisers worldwide to embrace creativity in storytelling and communication. John brings warmth, insight, and a human-first philosophy to every stage. Empowering fundraisers to build more meaningful donor relationships. Key Takeaways:Donor relationships thrive when leaders allow open, honest dialogue rooted in empathy. Vulnerability invites trust, making it easier for supporters to share openly and feel truly heard.Engagement comes not from polished presentations but from being human. Dropping the “professional bubble wrap” allows values-driven conversations that foster deeper bonds.Direct mail and appeals work best when they feel one-to-one, conversational, and emotionally compelling. Donors respond when a message feels like it was written just for them.Great fundraising relies on trusting experienced people and never losing vulnerability. Staying passionate and authentic ensures both donors and leaders stay connected to the deeper “why.” “We’re being emotional. We’re connecting with each other as humans. That’s how we create engagement with donors. … Not by me showing up a suit and tie and in a big desk with gold stuff around me.” “The more mail looks personal and looks like I sent it to you, the better it performs all the time…” “We want donors feeling something. It’s the emotions that make us take action. And it can be joy, it can be anger, it can be sadness, whatever it is.” - John Lepp Reach out to John Lepp at:LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/johnleppInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnlepp_aog/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgentsofGood/Twitter: https://twitter.com/agentsofgood   Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

Key Takeaways:Go through a seamless process with the donor; don’t go from unaware to action. Create a replicable, consistent donor experience through these stages of relationship building: awareness, interest, connection, and action.Build relationships with donors through direct communication, creating content that provides value to others, rather than simply bragging about one's own accomplishments. Identify your areas of expertise and share them with others in a way that is informative, entertaining, or emotionally resonant.Personalized invitations create deeper connections with potential donors, and so does creating trust through smooth processes and acting in donors' best interests. Be a value to others in every interaction.Set up nurture sequences before and after events in order to engage attendees. Connect with the attendees and understand their needs, and build relationships with them by reaching out and listening to their values and interests. Don’t neglect follow-up. “A lot of times, what I see is people go from unaware to action. We have to create an experience. It's like courting or dating, where you're enrolling someone slowly. And you're allowing them to move through this experience at their own pace.” “They have to know you to like you, like you to love you, or trust you enough to give, to act.” “What gets smiles on screens and souls on seats is a personal invitation.” - Maryanne Dersch  Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker