The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser
By: Erin
Language: en-us
Categories: Business, Non-profit
The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser is the podcast I wish had existed during my 15 years in fundraising. It’s a love offering to the people behind the mission—the professional fundraisers who give their hearts and energy every day to make the world better.This show isn’t about strategy, metrics, or money. It’s about you—the human being doing the work. Each episode offers real tools and soulful conversations to help you regulate your nervous system, reconnect with your purpose, and renew your energy so you can lead with clarity, compassion, and courage.If you’ve ever felt stretched th...
Episodes
Meditation: Making the Ask
Jan 10, 2026Send us a text
A somatic, compassionate practice to regulate your nervous system before making the ask.
đ Episode Summary
This bonus meditation is a guided somatic practice designed to support you before donor meetings, fundraising conversations, or any moment when anxiety begins to take over. In this practice, Erin gently guides you through grounding in your body, noticing your felt experience, and working with Byron Katieâs inquiry process (âThe Workâ) to loosen the grip of anxious thoughts that often show up before making an ask.
Youâll explore a real fund...
Duration: 00:13:00Fundraising Anxiety: What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You
Jan 09, 2026Send us a text
A somatic look at stress, pressure, and the internal signals fundraisers ignore.
Fundraising anxiety isnât a mindset problem â itâs a nervous system response. In this episode, Erin breaks down why fundraisers experience tight chests, clenched stomachs, throat pressure, and racing thoughts when preparing to make an ask⌠and why none of this means youâre bad at your job.
Drawing on somatic practice, trauma-informed coaching, and fifteen years of fundraising experience, this episode helps you understand how your ancient wiring interprets budget shortfalls like a threat, how donors pic...
Duration: 00:20:51Why Fundraisers Burn Out: The Hidden Pattern No One Talks About
Jan 08, 2026Send us a text
Understanding the emotional cost of fundraisingâand why itâs not your fault.
đ Episode Summary
Why do fundraisers leave their jobs every 16â24 months? In this episode, Erin reveals the hidden pattern driving burnout: the chronic under-resourcing of the fundraiserâs inner life.
Erin shares how rising goals, shifting funders, and donor pressure interact with deeper, often unconscious beliefs about money, worthiness, and belonging. You'll learn why fundraising can mirror old patterns from our pastâand why understanding this brings relief, power, and choice.
If youâve eve...
Duration: 00:12:55Is This Podcast for YOU?
Jan 07, 2026Send us a text
Why fundraisers burn outâwhat it costs us, and what becomes possible when we finally turn inward and get free.
Episode Summary
In this opening episode, Erin McQuade-Wrightâformer professional fundraiser of 15 yearsâshares why she created The Brave & Balanced Fundraiser and why focusing on the inner life of the fundraiser is not only healing⌠but essential for our sectorâs sustainability.
Fundraising is the engine of the nonprofit world, yet fundraisers are burning out every 16â24 months. Erin names this reality, shares her personal story of fundraisi...
Duration: 00:03:12Brave and Balanced Fundraiser Welcome
Jan 02, 2026Send us a text
A podcast for fundraisers ready to stop burning out and start showing up whole.
Summary
Welcome to The Brave and Balanced Fundraiser, a podcast created for fundraisers who are committed to their mission and ready to care for their inner world. Hosted by former professional fundraiser and coach Erin McQuade-Wright, this show is your space to breathe, realign, and reconnect with the part of you that chose this work for a reason.
Each week, youâll explore practices that help you shift from st...
Duration: 00:00:39