Values Alignment 101: The Fundraiser's Guide to Picking Funders

Send us Fan MailEver felt pressure to chase every funding opportunity that crosses your desk just because the deadline lines up and the dollar amount looks good? This episode is your permission to slow down. You'll learn why "does this person have money" is the wrong first question, and what to actually look for before you sink hours into an application or a pitch. You'll hear the real cost of chasing misaligned funders (hint: it's not just your time), and get a practical framework for spotting values alignment before you're locked into a partnership. On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, host Maria Rio is joined by Caitlin McBride, a certified fundraising executive with close to 15 years of experience helping small nonprofit leaders make fundraising feel easy, ethical, and less chaotic. Together, they unpack how experienced fundraisers actually assess whether a funding opportunity is worth pursuing, and nonprofit leaders will walk away with a clear-eyed way to evaluate funders before committing time, energy, or their organization's reputation.Connect with Caitlin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/caitlinmcbride-ethical-fundraising/The Unbearable Hypocrisy: Fundraising in a World of Compromised Integrity: Read hereCHAPTERS00:00 Why Not Every Funder Is Worth Chasing01:43 Meet Caitlin McBride: Making Fundraising Ethical and Less Chaotic02:35 The "Looks Good on Paper" Trap — Money, Deadlines and Program Fit03:41 Not All Money Is Good Money: Hidden Time and Reputational Costs05:58 How to Check a Funder's Real Giving History (CRA Website Tip)07:27 Values Alignment: Vision, Tactics, and How Donors Treat Your Staff09:11 Closed-Door Funders: Why "They Won't Talk to You" Is the Answer12:14 Scarcity Mindset vs. Being Strategically Picky About Funders13:21 The "Ends Justify the Means" Debate in Nonprofit Fundraising14:49 Funding Should Follow Mission, Not the Other Way Around15:27 Assessing the Grant Application: Is It Worth Your Time?16:23 Sneaky Recognition Requirements (Christmas Gifts, Logo Wars, and More)18:41 Sponsorship vs. Donation: Know What You're Actually Signing20:00 Why Being Picky Is the Strategic MoveSupport the show