Nonprofit leaders know the pain of a strategic plan that ends up as a PDF collecting dust on a shelf. In this episode of the Nonprofit Counsel Podcast, host May Harris sits down with Andrea Ortega, founder and CEO of Ante Nonprofits, to explore how grassroots and scaling organizations can build strategic plans that drive implementation, accountability, and sustainable impact.

Andrea shares her journey from running a nonprofit in Colombia to launching a consulting firm that helps nonprofits transition from working boards to governing boards, leverage technology, and secure grant funding without burning out their teams.

If you’ve ever struggled with turning your strategic plan into measurable results or wondered how to prepare your board for the next stage of growth this episode is for you.

What You Will Learn in This Episode

✅ How grassroots nonprofits can transition from a working board to a governing board without losing momentum
✅ Why nonprofit strategic planning must be treated as a live document—and how to actually implement it
✅ The role of technology, AI, and tools like Google Workspace in streamlining data, reporting, and grant management
✅ Why funders value measurable outcomes and how to use dashboards, OKRs, and KPIs to prove impact

👉 Want templates and step-by-step nonprofit leadership training
→ https://nonprofitcounsel.com/leadership-accelerator

Episode Timestamps

• 0:00   Why nonprofits often “PDF it and forget about it”

• 1:19   Andrea’s journey from Colombia to U.S. nonprofit leadership

• 3:23   Helping grassroots organizations transition into governing boards

• 5:05 Scaling challenges: reporting, risk, and delegation

• 10:00   How technology shifts the nonprofit landscape (AI, Google Workspace, TechSoup)

• 13:07   Common board obstacles in strategic planning

• 16:09   Why 3-year plans work better than 5-year plans post-COVID

• 19:22   Data, dashboards, and building long-term sustainability

• 25:05   Building organizational culture that embraces innovation and learning

• 29:01   Collaboration, coalitions, and competing for donor dollars the right way

• 32:27   Final advice: making your strategic plan a living document

Key Takeaways

🔹 Strategic planning is implementation, not paperwork – the real work begins after the plan is written
🔹 Technology is a capacity builder – using tools nonprofits already have (Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zapier) creates efficiency and saves staff time
🔹 Measure what matters – align your reporting and metrics with what funders actually request to strengthen sustainability
🔹 Partnerships beat competition – forming coalitions with other nonprofits increases your chances of grant funding and broader community impact

Guest Bio: Andrea Ortega

Andrea Ortega, PhD Candidate, is the founder and CEO of Ante Nonprofits, a consultancy dedicated to helping nonprofits design strategic plans, secure funding, and build sustainable operations. With a background in engineering and nonprofit leadership, Andrea blends analytical skills with deep sector experience. She specializes in capacity building, board governance, fundraising strategy, and nonprofit technology adoption, guiding organizations from grassroots beginnings to scalable impact.

Resources and Links

• For Profit Law Group - Website - https://www.fplglaw.com

• Nonprofit Counsel - Website - https://www.nonprofitcounsel.com/

• https://www.linkedin.com/company/palante-nonprofits-llc/

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