Leading and Creating Movements with Vu Le

The Small Nonprofit

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In this episode of The Small Nonprofit, Maria welcomes Vu Le, a prominent voice in the nonprofit sector and the writer behind the influential blog Nonprofit AF. Known for his humor and sharp insights, Vu discusses his journey from “aspiring to be a doctor” to becoming a leader in community-centric fundraising and nonprofit advocacy.

He shares his thoughts on the systemic issues within traditional fundraising practices, the importance of ethical storytelling, and the need for nonprofits to engage in advocacy for systemic change. Vu's unique perspective and unwavering commitment to equity and justice provide invaluable lessons for anyone involved in the nonprofit sector.

Key Topics:

• The Role of Humor in Nonprofit Work: Learn how Vu uses humor to address and analyze the challenges and absurdities in the nonprofit sector.
• Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF): Understand the principles of CCF and why Vu believes it’s crucial for promoting equity and justice in fundraising.
• Systemic Issues and Advocacy: Explore Vu’s views on the need for nonprofits to engage in advocacy and policy change to address root causes of social issues.
• Future Vision for the Sector: Hear Vu’s vision for a future where CCF principles are widely adopted and lead to systemic change.

Quotable Moments:

• "We should be working as a sector to support one another, but we often don't. It's challenging, but it's essential for better serving our communities."
• "Humor and baby animals are my go-to for coping with the frustrations in the sector. They bring some light to the heavy work we do."
• "The donor-centered model often infantilizes donors while putting them on pedestals. We need to treat donors as equal partners and have honest conversations with them."

Resources Mentioned:

• Nonprofit AF Blog
• Community-Centric Fundraising Principles
• Crappy Funding Practices
• The Slavery of our Times by Leo Tolstoy

For personalized fundraising advice and strategies tailored to your organization's needs, contact Maria Rio or Further Together Fundraising. Together, we can create impactful, equitable, and community-focused fundraising strategies.

Connect with Us:

• Connect with Maria
• Connect with Vu: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram
• Nonprofit AF Website

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Next Episode Teaser:

Join us next week as we talk with Roz Zavras about the Center for Community Collaboration. Don’t miss it!

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