The Monthly Leap - September 2025
Hi there!
I don’t know about all of you but it’s hard to believe that we are squarely in fall already. It’s back-to-school season, the leaves in my yard are already changing, and the nights are cool enough to open our windows. While I’m a fall girl, I’m not quite ready to let go of summer yet. But here we are… looking ahead at September already.
Per usual in our monthly newsletters, keep reading to find out:
What's on my mind: Scarcity vs. Abundance
What's coming up: Hitting the Road (and the Mic!)
A tip of the month: Strong Appeals Start in September
A quick request: Help Us Plan What’s Next
I hope this email is a little spot of joy in your week!
Rikki
Founder & CEO
LEAP Nonprofit Consulting
What's on my mind?
The last few weeks have been filled with computer and internet issues on my end, and honestly, it’s been exhausting. It’s not just about the frustration of slow connections or glitchy software. It’s about how much harder it is to do my job well when I don’t have the right tools working as they should. It’s frustrating when tools that should make things easier instead become roadblocks.
It got me thinking about how often nonprofits operate in the same way. I see it all the time: volunteers struggling to “figure it out,” staff making do with outdated systems, and leaders pushing forward under the banner of “doing more with less.” On the surface, that sounds noble. But in reality, the scarcity mindset can hold organizations back from real impact.
I’m not saying the solution is to throw money at every problem. But there’s a difference between being resourceful and being stuck. Sometimes, refusing to invest in tools, training, or infrastructure ends up costing more in lost time, burnout, and missed opportunities. And sometimes, the best way to serve your mission is to give your people what they actually need to succeed.
Scarcity says: We can’t afford to invest in staff development. Donors won’t understand if we spend money on infrastructure. We should be grateful for any gift, regardless of how it makes us feel.
Abundance says: Investing in our people is investing in our mission. Donors want to fund excellence, not desperation. We deserve partnerships that honor our dignity and values.
The shift happens when you realize your mission is valuable. Your work matters. You deserve resources that match the importance of what you’re doing. So here’s my reflection for you this month: What little annoyances or scarcity assumptions are getting in the way of your organization achieving its vision? Where in your organization could you shift to abundance thinking?
What's coming up?
Fall is shaping up to be the season of speaking engagements and professional development opportunities! September isn’t too busy but buckle up for October. We have one week with 3 different presentations planned in 3 very different locations! In the meantime, join us for one of these opportunities we have scheduled in September.
On Tuesday, September 9, I’ll be in LaCrosse to engage in some professional development of my own! I’m excited to attend the AFP-Upper Mississippi Valley quarterly program and learn from Amy Eisenstein some new tips and tricks around major gift fundraising. (Even those of us who are experts in this work can always learn something!)
I was delighted to be asked to speak at this Awsomology Event on September 16 in Marshfield. I’ll be joining several other amazing speakers to give a short talk on Building a Life That Fuels Your Soul. I can’t wait to get inspired by the other speakers on the lineup as well!
We’ve also got a few community or fundraising events coming up for current clients, previous projects we’ve worked on, and organizations we just love to support. To keep an eye on what we’re up to in those spaces, make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram!
Tip of the month
September is the perfect time to plan. Don’t wait until November to plan your year-end appeal!
Block time this month to outline your story, gather impact data, and clean up your mailing list. A little preparation now will save you stress later and make your appeal much stronger.
Looking for more ideas for how to crush your year-end fundraising campaign? Let us know and we’ll send you some resources we created for last year’s giving season!
A Quick Request
We’re already looking ahead to 2026, and one of the big questions on our minds is what our educational offerings should look like. Should we keep monthly trainings as client-only sessions or open them up more broadly? Should we shift from a monthly schedule to shorter, limited-run courses? Everything is on the table right now, and we’d love your input.
What would be most valuable to you from LEAP in 2026 when it comes to online trainings and courses?