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Amber Melanie Smith

I am on a mission to equip nonprofit and social impact changemakers with the tools and resources to grow their impacts. Join me and over 80,000 changemakers on my social impact-focused YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ambermelaniesmith!

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Is your Nonprofit fundable?

Is your Nonprofit fundable? 3 things donors want to know first Read time: 3-4 Minutes Many donors are researching your organization before they give. So what separates the campaigns that actually get funded from the ones that don’t? I’ve seen patterns emerge over hundreds of fundraising campaigns. The most successful campaigns aren’t always the ones with the flashiest videos or even the most emotional stories (though those help!). They’re the ones who communicate clearly. In this week’s...

Using your Nonprofit email signature as a marketing secret weapon Read time: 4-5 Minutes Don't forget: Click here if you want to get notified when my new Zero to $100,000 nonprofit start-up fundraising toolkit launches! What if something you already use every day could help you build stronger relationships, grow your community, and even bring in more donations? Yep, I’m talking about your email signature. ✉️ It’s one of the most underrated tools in your nonprofit’s toolbox. Every message you...

Fundraising Myths Holding Us Back Read time: 3-4 Minutes Don't forget: Click here if you want to get notified when my new Zero to $100,000 nonprofit start-up fundraising toolkit launches! When I started my first nonprofit, I thought that if I just shared a donation link on social media or sent a few emails, people would give. I had the passion, the need was real… so why wasn’t the money rolling in? Turns out, fundraising isn’t about casting a wide net and hoping for the best. It’s about...

How to Make Your Nonprofit Last: Succession Planning 101 Read time: 4 Minutes Don't forget: Click here if you want to get notified when my new Zero to $100,000 nonprofit start-up fundraising toolkit launches! What happens if your nonprofit’s leader steps away tomorrow? 😳 Maybe that’s you. Maybe it’s someone else. Either way – It’s one of those uncomfortable “deal with it later” scenarios…until later becomes now. Whether it’s a founder retiring, a staff departure, or something unexpected,...

Fundraising Laws You Really Need to Know About Read time: 4 Minutes Don't forget: Click here if you want to get notified when my new Zero to $100,000 nonprofit start-up fundraising toolkit launches! Did you know a few small fundraising missteps could land your nonprofit in hot water? 😬 From state licenses to donor privacy laws, there are more rules than most people realize, and ignoring them can lead to hefty fines or even damage your nonprofit’s reputation. Thankfully, you don’t have to be a...

UPDATE! Thanks for sharing what kinds of toolkits would help you! I'm about to publish the one you requested MOST: My "Zero to $100,000" nonprofit start-up fundraising toolkit. It will have a complete guide covering my field-tested system for how to do this, templates, and more. Interested in getting it when it's done? Just click here to get notified! How to Boost Your Nonprofit’s Online Search Visibility in 2025 Read time: 4 Minutes Ever wonder if people can actually discover your nonprofit...

How to Prep for Year-End Fundraising in 4 Steps Read time: 4 Minutes Is it too early to think about year-end fundraising? Not if you want to avoid stress, missed deadlines, or scrambling for a story the night before Giving Tuesday. 😅 Here’s the truth: Nearly one-third of all charitable donations happen in December, but successful campaigns? They start long before that. That’s why in this issue of Changemaker Mondays ☀️ ☕ 🌍, I’m sharing four simple steps you can take now to set your year-end...

3 Refreshing Alternatives toNonprofit Strategic Planning Read time: 4 Minutes So there’s kind of a joke in the nonprofit world that strategic plans are created to collect dust on your shelf. I get it. Doing a full Strategic Planning process can feel overwhelming, especially after a year full of funding delays, policy shifts, and uncertainty. If pulling together a big 3-year plan sounds exhausting right now, you’re not alone. But what if you could tap into the goal-setting powers of strategic...

Hiring staff? How to Research Fair Nonprofit Salaries Read time: 3-4 Minutes To build an effective nonprofit team and ensure new hires actually stick around, it’s crucial to offer salaries that are fair and competitive. But how do you know what’s fair (and competitive)? If you’re like many nonprofit leaders, salary research can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re working with a tight budget and trying to balance your mission with what’s realistic. Here’s the thing: salary research doesn’t...

5 Ingredients You Need To Fundraise Successfully Read time: 4-5 Minutes Ever launch a fundraising campaign, then watch with discouragement as zero donations come in? Many of us jump straight into fundraising by setting up a donation page and crafting the perfect ask. But if your campaign isn’t getting much traction, you might be missing a few crucial steps that make the difference between a flop and a success. In this issue of Changemaker Mondays ☀️ ☕ 🌍, we’re diving into the 5 ingredients...