The Monthly Leap - May 2025

Hi there!

I write this today on a rainy afternoon in the midst of the busiest couple of weeks I’ve seen in a long time (and that’s saying something), but I knew I didn’t want to miss my monthly chance to share some reflections with all of you.

Keep reading to find out:

• What's on my mind

• What's coming up

• A tip of the month

• A quick request

I hope this email is a little spot of joy in your week!

Rikki
Founder & CEO
LEAP Nonprofit Consulting

What's on my mind?

If you know me in real life, you probably know that I celebrated my 40th birthday last weekend. Some of you reading are probably thinking I’m still practically a child (I feel that way somedays!) and others are probably thinking that sounds ancient (I also feel that way somedays…).

Regardless of where you fall on that spectrum, anytime you hit a milestone birthday like I did this year, it’s a good time to pause and reflect. I do a lot of that in this monthly newsletter so today, I actually want to do something that we don’t do nearly enough of as we get older – celebrate.

I did a darn good job of celebrating this year, if I do say so myself. We checked out the NFL draft in my hometown of Green Bay, and I enjoyed several hours just wandering the draft zone, meeting people from all over the country who were enjoying my hometown. I got sloppy kisses and gigantic hugs from my nieces and nephews, ate dessert multiple days in a row (which is not the norm for me… I’m a crunchy, salty snacker), and spent hours on end just being with people I love. We threw a party in our yard full of friends and family. All in all, it was a great birthday weekend.

But I’m determined that the celebration doesn’t end here.

First of all, I’m 40 this entire year. And that’s a big deal!

But even after this year, I want to be better about marking all kinds of occasions.

We talk a lot in our house about how important it is to show up for people. Honestly, once we become adults, we tend to only show up for the big things. Weddings, baby showers, funerals. Those are all important, obviously. But so are the smaller occasions. The non-milestone birthdays. The school plays, the tee-ball games, the book clubs, the random mid-summer celebrations. We move 100 miles an hour and we (ok, I) sometimes forget to slow down and really enjoy those moments for, and with, people I love.

That’s what’s on my mind as I turn 40. Thankfully, women in my family tend to live very long, very happy lives. Both of my grandmothers are still alive and one is already in her 90s and one is getting there quickly. So, if I’m lucky, I still have half of my life to go yet. And while there’s a whole lot I’m proud of from the last 40 years, I am going to try my darndest to be a little more present and do a whole lot more celebrating the small stuff for the next 4+ decades.

What's coming up?

• Holy moly, was April busy! May looks a little better, both personally and professionally... phew!

  • Finals are all due May 6 for my doctoral program, so if you need me May 3-6, I’ll probably be at my office writing papers. Summer classes start back up again May 12 so I won’t get much of a break before diving back in but I’m looking forward to having this semester behind me.

  • Chelsey, my assistant (i.e. the person who keeps the wheels on the train around here), will be holding down the fort at LEAP from May 9-13 while I take some much-needed time away between those classes to drink wine in Napa.

  • Then we hit the ground running back at the office! In general, summer is looking a little quieter, but two of the campaigns we’re supporting have big goals to reach by the end of August, so I know we’ll be busy doing trainings and helping with donor strategy behind the scenes.

  • We’ll be planning for our next group workshop. This one is an in-person 5-day session to help organizations build their development plans. If you’re in Central Wisconsin, we’d love to have you join us!

  • I have three proposals outstanding right now for conferences later this summer, so once we know for sure where we’ll be presenting, we’ll let you know!

Tip of the Month

If you’re in the Midwest, which most of you are, this is the month when a lot of the snowbirds are back. While it’s tempting to relax for the summer, it’s the perfect time for most organizations to engage with donors face-to-face – especially those who aren’t here year-round.

If you run a program that’s busiest during the school year, use this downtime to have more conversations with your donors.

Put together a small, informal outdoor gathering. It gives donors a chance to connect with friends who they don’t see in the winter while providing an opportunity for your team to share updates about the organization. (Hint: this is often a great job for a board member who wants to help with fundraising without making the ask!)

Invite donors to go for a walk while the weather cooperates.

Whatever you do, don’t sleep on using these early summer months to deepen donor engagement. It’s so much easier to sink into good conversation when the sun is shining and the birds are chirping!

A Quick Request

This month, I’m in a contest with other nonprofit consultants to grow my LinkedIn connections. If we aren’t already connected, I’d love it if you could send me a request. (I think the prize is like $25… but it’s been a good motivator for me to do a better job talking about our work on that platform!)