Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast

The 5 Horsemen of Nonprofit Stagnation

Brooke Richie-Babbage

Hitting a growth ceiling in your nonprofit? You’re not alone. Many organizations get stuck in the same patterns—underfunding, overextending, or trying to do too much with too little. The good news? There are clear, actionable shifts you can make to move forward. In this episode, I break down the five most common roadblocks nonprofits face and the hard but necessary changes that lead to real, sustainable growth.

Fair warning: staying stuck is just as hard, but it keeps your nonprofit underfunded, overworked, and spinning its wheels. Let’s break the cycle.

What You’ll Learn:

  • The #1 messaging mistake that keeps donors disengaged—and how to fix it
  • Why underfunding overhead isn’t efficient—it’s exhausting (and what to do instead)
  • The tough but necessary team decisions that unlock real growth

Key Takeaways:

  1. Clarify Your Message – Speaking to too many audiences dilutes your impact. Focus on the audience that moves the needle most.
  2. Budget for Sustainability – Underfunding overhead keeps your nonprofit in survival mode. Fund the full cost of impact.
  3. Align Your Team for Growth – The right people in the right roles make scaling possible. Assess, restructure, and hire accordingly.

Want to work together?

Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Accelerator, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations that want a smart, powerful playbook for taking their growing organization to the next level.

Connect with me!