Nonprofit People to Pay Attention to in 2023
It’s a new year which means it’s time to share my annual list of nonprofit professionals and organizations I’ve been paying attention to 👀 and who I think at the very least - are worth a follow. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE 2022 LIST.
These folks are all unique, talented and have a something ✨special✨ that made me think, “Damn, they’ve really got it.”
Each of these people has something to teach - I’ve found myself learning from each of them.
So, without further adieu, please enjoy my list of 2023 Nonprofit People to Pay Attention To:
MEET SAM PRATER | Nonprofit Founder
I don’t remember when exactly I started following Sam, but I’m pretty sure I was following his nonprofit LA Room & Board first. This nonprofit is a first of it’s kind with the mission of keeping community college students housed so that they can reach their postsecondary education goals.
The main thing that Sam does that I wish more nonprofit leaders would do is he doesn’t just talk about the work - he SHOWS it. Each time it’s move in day, Sam is documenting, each time LA Room & Board is renovating a new building, Sam is filming the processes, want to get a glimpse into the high quality meals LA Room & Board provides it’s students - Sam shows you and introduces you to the chef. It makes knowing, liking and trusting his work easy. Take a look at this end-of-year short film that had me crying at my desk as I watched the pure joy of students getting in and making the move to LA Room & Board.
Quick hits:
MEET ERIKA CARLY | Nonprofit Operations Pro
One day while I was scrolling on LinkedIn, a post about a nonprofit organization that retains 98% of it’s monthly donors caught my eye. In a world where nonprofit’s struggle to retain even 45% of their donors - this post quickly had my attention.
It was authored by none other than Erika Carly, Senior Director of Operations at Chive Charities.
Of course, I had to learn more.
Erika generously shared her wisdom at the 2022 Raise More Together Summit for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers and now - I introduce her to every person willing to give her a megaphone that I can.
Quick hits:
MEET TIKTOK | The short form video powerhouse taking the Internet by storm
Are you on TikTok yet? First, I spent months as an observer and now I create content sometimes too.
It was the most visited site in 2021 and if you need more convincing that you should be on the platform, users watched 22.6T (yes, trillion with a T) minutes on TikTok that year too. Compare that to the 9.6T minutes watched on Netflix - Netflix!
I’ve also watched in real time nonprofit pros like Jamyle Cannon (a 2022 person to pay attention to!) blow up to have a real platform where he is free to talk about issues that matter to him, educate his audience on topics related to his nonprofit The Bloc and yes - even fundraise. The last time I asked Jamyle about the impact of TikTok on his nonprofit he estimated that he will raise $100k off the platform without making the ask this year AND that 50% of his volunteers come via the platform too.
If short form video is in your marketing plan for 2023 - and frankly even if it’s not - it’s definitely a platform I wouldn’t sleep on.
MEET DEARONDA HARRISON | Nonprofit grant writer turned grant writing coach
Let me sing DeaRonda’s name from the rooftops 🗣 because I think she might have the best offer on the market if you are looking for support with grant writing in 2023.
DeaRonda is a talented grant writer, but after watching so many nonprofits struggle to find, write and secure foundation support - she decided to train up grant writers to help established and budding pros step up their grant writing game.
Dozens of people later - DeaRonda has coached everyone from new hires to executive assistants to be talented grant writers for their development teams. If you are a nonprofit leader who needs an extra set of hands, but doesn’t know where to start - DeaRonda’s program might be the perfect professional development solution for someone junior on your team.
Quick hits:
MEET JOHN WALSH | Digital Fundraising & Email Specialist
Ah - the people you meet while scrolling LinkedIn! That’s how I found John.
Literally, I find every 👏 single 👏 one 👏 of his posts so helpful. He is a digital marketer master with a speciality in nonprofit email marketing (man after my own heart! 😍).
What I love about John and all of the incredibly smart content he puts out into the world is that he is operating from within the system - meaning: he is actually on the frontlines inside a nonprofit and testing each and every day what is and isn’t working.
Want to see some of his wisdom? I found his Giving Tuesday report especially helpful.
Quick hits:
MEET KAMILAH MARTIN | Former Nonprofit ED who now supports nonprofit leaders
Kamilah and I first met in a networking group. We found ourselves chatting and I was immediately taken by her passion to heal nonprofit leaders - especially BIPOC women - from burnout.
She doesn’t just practice any healing, but specializes in luxury. Her 2023 Fill Up Your Cup Retreat looks next level.
Her community of dozens of female leaders is the perfect place to tap into talent - whether you are looking for your next hire or a consultant.
Quick hits:
MEET RACHELI FELDMAN | Nonprofit marketing maven
If I’m being totally honest - a lot of what I see on social media bores me to tears (except on TikTok which is known to have me scrolling for hours 🫣).
The exception: Racheli Feldman, CEO of Pedal - a boutique marketing firm that provides done-with-you work in the form of campaigns, social media, email marketing and more.
Everything Racheli posts packs a punch in a clear and impactful way. As a fellow marketer - I can be hard to impress, but Racheli has me commenting 🔥 emojis just about every time.
Quick hits:
Who have I missed? Who else should I be watching in 2023? Tell me in the comments below!