Nonprofit Training Resources And Blog Posts
 

Long ago, when I was in college, I drove from Buffalo to Michigan to visit my uncle. I was excited to see his family, but even more excited to spend time with my grandparents, who were visiting from New York. While I was there, my uncle pulled out his brand-new and very swanky, camcorder. For the first time in his life, my brilliant, sophisticated, MIT-graduate grandfather saw himself on a television screen. He was mesmerized… and maybe just a little unsettled. In 2025, that

This weekend, my husband and I hosted "Camp Gramsy and Pops" for our three-year-old and five-month-old grandchildren. Actually, it was mostly for us (and for our daughter and son-in-law, who were able to enjoy some child-free time together). Luckily for everyone involved, both children sleep through the night. As I watched our grandchildren explore the world around them, I found myself reflecting on how our roles change over time. This weekend, I saw clearly how my role at ho

I like to tell people I found my calling in the nonprofit field the traditional way: that is to say, completely by accident. So many of my friends in this sector are the same way. We are fueled by our desire to build stronger communities and make people’s lives better, but we often find we need a lot of on-the-job training. Professional development programs are a lifesaver for people like us! So much of what I learned came from webinars, AFP events, and one-on-one connection

Years ago, I wrote a blog post titled “When Moira Rose Moved to Schitt’s Creek, She Took Her Wigs. It was a lighthearted way of sharing a very real truth: when I made the leap from radio sales into nonprofit management, I didn’t leave my experience behind — I packed it right alongside me. The skills I had spent years building in sales, advertising and marketing, event sponsorships, relationship management, and leadership quickly became some of my greatest assets in this new c

Our Team Kat & Mouse storytelling sessions often begin with a simple but important question: What brought you to the mission? The answer is what fuels our work and allows nonprofit professionals to speak authentically about the impact their organizations have on the communities they serve. But even the deepest passion can become buried beneath daily responsibilities, deadlines, and competing priorities. When that happens, organizations often face an important question:Can you

Let’s be honest—fundraising is one of the hardest parts of running a nonprofit. Not because the mission isn’t strong. Not because the team doesn’t care. But because the constant pressure to secure funding can be exhausting. That’s where we come in. At Team Kat & Mouse, we believe fundraising shouldn’t feel like a scramble—it should be a system. One that works, grows, and supports your mission long-term. Raising funds is generally acknowledged as a challenge in operating a non

Yes, we are all very busy. So now must be the time for you to protect every moment of your day. Long ago, I moved from the world of radio to the ad agency world. There, I learned something that completely shifted my perspective: you must keep track of your time to bill clients. This was a huge surprise to me, since I had always just spent whatever time was needed to get the job done. SURPRISE!! I was learning what I had never fully understood before: your time is money--- thi

Earlier this month, I went on my annual “Girls Weekend” with my four college besties. Not surprisingly, our conversations have evolved over the years. This time, instead of dissecting college applications or early career decisions, we found ourselves talking about caring for our aging parents—and making sure our own financial and estate plans are in order. Some of the questions were practical (When should we start taking social security?) and others led to more philosophical

When I talk to nonprofit leaders about their grant strategy, the conversation usually starts the same way: “We need more grants in the pipeline.” It sounds reasonable. More opportunities should mean more funding, right? Not necessarily. In fact, one of the biggest risks I’m seeing right now isn’t a lack of grant activity. It’s the wrong kind of grant activity. On paper, the pipeline looks full. In reality, it’s fragile. And that fragility tends to show up at the worst possibl

The story of Brian is a common one. He gathered business cards and contacts like they were valuable proof that he was building his business. They were saved in his phone and stacked on his desk like a small memorial to what might be possible. There was only one problem. He never followed up with any of them. That’s right—after every networking event, meeting, or introduction, Brian simply returned to his daily routine of answering requests from advertising agencies and sellin

At the beginning of 2026, like many people looking for a fresh start, I spent some time choosing a “word for the year.” I hoped it would guide me through a year that I already knew might be complicated — and maybe help keep one of my personal tendencies in check: the instinct to disconnect when things get overwhelming. I wanted a word that would remind me to stay present. The word I chose was AVAILABLE . There are a lot of people counting on me (more on that in a bit), and I

When headlines start warning about a potential recession, fundraisers tend to feel the tension immediately. Board members begin asking cautious questions. Development teams start wondering whether they should scale back their goals. And somewhere along the way, a quiet assumption starts to creep into conversations: If the economy turns, fundraising is going to collapse. It’s an understandable fear. Many nonprofits remember the uncertainty of the early days of the pandemic or

I am a very lucky woman. I have a circle of friends I adore — including friends from my childhood in Queens. Sometimes we talk about “the old days,” but mostly we talk about today and tomorrow. That is the basis of my theory about old friends:You don’t keep old friends around because of yesterday.You keep them because you would choose them again today. That is certainly true of my friend Linda. We met when we were five years old. We have spent decades celebrating birthdays, m

We have a training that we’ve brought to many of our Team Kat & Mouse partner clients on the topic of nimble fundraising — ensuring that your organization’s fundraising can respond to changes in circumstances. These changes can be natural disasters (hurricanes), political disruptions (government shutdowns that impact funding), foundation sunset decisions, or even a board decision to cancel a long-standing special event. Diversification and adaptability are essential to resili

Last week, I had what felt like a zillion conversations about Lindsey Vonn . While I used to ski—and ruptured my ACL twice—I am not an expert in either. What I am obsessed with is the kind of passion that allows people to come back from great injury, sorrow, or defeat and decide they will succeed again—sometimes in an even bigger and better way. Early in my career with the American Red Cross , while serving as Executive Director, I was asked to respond to a multi-unit fir

Spring is supposed to feel lighter. The weather improves (in theory). The year no longer feels brand new and overwhelming. Year-end fundraising is behind us, reports are submitted, and the panic of December has faded. On paper, this should be a more manageable season. And yet, for many fundraisers, spring is when burnout quietly starts to set in. Not the dramatic, crash-and-burn version. The subtle kind. The kind that creeps in while you’re still getting things done. Here’s w

Ernest is retired from a long corporate career and a recent transplant to Florida. We met as poll workers at a recent special election here in Palm Beach County. It was a primary election, and it was not a busy day at our assigned polling location—meaning there was plenty of time to get to know the other people who had stepped up for a long day of work preserving democracy. It turns out that Ernest is willing to show up for just about anything that promises joy or a sense of

A few weeks ago, McDonald’s celebrated 1 in 8 Day—a nod to the fact that one in eight Americans has worked at the Golden Arches at some point in their life. That 1 in 8 includes some pretty notable names: Pink – worked multiple fast-food jobs, including McDonald’s Rachel McAdams – worked there for three years and openly admits she wasn’t the best employee Sharon Stone – was a “fry girl” and learned early lessons in customer service Pharrell Williams – reportedly fired three t

Every year, funders publish new priority areas, refresh their websites, and update their guidelines. And every year, nonprofits spend countless hours trying to decode what those updates really mean. But some of the biggest shifts in philanthropy don’t show up in bold headlines or revised mission statements. They show up quietly in conversations, feedback calls, funding patterns, and decisions about what doesn’t get funded. Here are a few priorities we’re seeing funders lean i

In 2021, on the first anniversary of Team Kat & Mouse , I wrote a blog post titled “ I Have Resigned—Now What?” It was a raw and honest reflection on the first 525,600 minutes of starting a business—not just any business, but our business. I wrote about the angst and passion that led us to day one and carried us through that first year. From Panic to Purpose Amy and I envisioned a business with clarity and purpose. While we’ve grown doing exactly what we hoped to do, we’v