If you’re anything like me, you could use a solid boost of positive energy and a feel-good story for inspiration. Look or listen no further! In the most recent episode of the Fundraising HayDay podcast interview, Dr. Brandi Rae Hicks shared her remarkable 25-year journey from a college student working in athletic scholarships to becoming a nationally recognized grant writing and fundraising expert who has helped organizations secure over $1 billion in funding.
There are a lot more stories shared with Dr. Brandi’s infectious enthusiasm HERE.
Starting as a “conference crasher” who volunteered at professional development events because she couldn’t afford the registration fees, she promised herself that when she reached a certain point in her career, she would create affordable, accessible resources for others facing the same barriers. This commitment led to the creation of SERV University, where she teaches people “how to serve in their community more abundantly.”
Dr. Brandi’s doctoral research on organizational resilience, conducted during the pandemic, identified six critical qualities that help organizations survive disruptive times: mission commitment, improvisation, community reciprocity, transformational leadership, fiscal transparency, and hope and optimism.
Her research revealed that the biggest obstacles organizations face are improvisation and community reciprocity. “Nonprofits score low because they’re not nimble and can’t quickly get out of partnerships that are not equitable, or when they respond to a crisis, sometimes leaders can’t improvise on a dime,” she noted.
The solution? Organizations must conduct cost analyses, maintain fiscal transparency with stakeholders, and consider strategic consolidations. “It may be advantageous for organizations serving the same demographic or geographical area to come together like Transformers and create this super organization where you’re expanding your reach and creating a bigger impact instead of competing for the same dollars.”
With federal funding facing significant cuts and private foundations reducing their giving due to market conditions, Dr. Brandi emphasized the critical importance of funding diversification.
“We’re going to have to go back to old school,” she advised, recommending strategies like direct mail campaigns, storytelling initiatives, and creating evergreen video content featuring board members, program staff, and alumni. Her “thank-a-thon” approach involves having volunteers call simply to thank donors after Labor Day, setting the stage for year-end asks.
One of the most intriguing aspects of Dr. Brandi’s career is her work in celebrity philanthropy. She revealed that many celebrities, including Tyler Perry, actively monitor news outlets and call organizations directly when they see compelling stories. Her approach involves timing outreach during athletes’ off-seasons and creating win-win partnerships that benefit both the celebrity and the nonprofit.
“You want to have everything set up with those nonprofits because you want to talk to them about contingency programs or ongoing collaboration,” she explained. The key is providing value through data collection, increased visibility, and professional event coordination.
As the nonprofit sector faces unprecedented challenges, Dr. Brandi’s message is clear: organizations must be proactive, transparent, and innovative. Whether it’s through strategic partnerships, diversified funding strategies, or creative marketing approaches, success requires thinking beyond traditional methods.
She says, “It’s a publish or perish situation for our organizations. You’ve got to get ahead of the game and start talking to your community.”
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The Fundraising HayDay Podcast charted on the 90 Best Fundraising Podcast list compiled by Feedspot . In fact, we landed at spot #4.
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