WHAT THE FUNDRAISING
Episode 156: A Deep Dive into Parenthood, Fundraising, and Professional Growth in the Nonprofit Landscape with Lacey Kempinski
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“After becoming a mom of three, I stopped caring about what people thought, for the most part, because I was confident in the mom that I had become.”
– Lacey Kempinski
Episode #156
Overview
In this episode of What the Fundraising Podcast…
Embark on a journey into the world of fundraising, where seasoned professionals share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs in the ever-evolving landscape of non-profit work. In this podcast, we delve into the heart of the matter—balancing the demands of parenthood with the intricacies of fundraising careers.
Our guest today, Lacey Kempinski, is a dynamic force dedicated to transforming the landscape of the non-profit sector. With an illustrious 15-year career in the non-profit realm, Lacey has honed her expertise in donor communications, major gifts, annual fund management, strategic planning, and leadership. However, her most profound revelation came from the heart—realizing the inherent challenge of balancing a thriving career with the demands of motherhood within the traditional ‘in-house’ fundraising model.
Passionate about addressing the struggles faced by working parents, especially in the mission-driven non-profit sector, Lacey embarked on a mission to redefine the narrative. Recognizing the toll on organizational well-being due to burnout and turnover, she envisioned a solution—thoughtful, well-supported parental leave. Lacey firmly believes that the non-profit sector can nurture stronger, more present, and more productive professionals by championing working parents. In doing so, she aspires to inspire the next generation of changemakers—our children.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
- [02:32] Flaws in the Typical Estate Planning Attorney Experience
- [04:09] The Personal Family Lawyer Consortium: Redefining Estate Planning with Care and Trust
- [06:21] Unlocking Generational Wealth: The Transformative Power of Estate Planning
- [09:45] Educating and Empowering Families Through Comprehensive Legacy Planning
- [12:50] The Benefits of Trusts for Everyone: Beyond the Wealthy
- [18:30] Fostering Estate Planning Conversations
- [22:32] Enhancing Equity in Nonprofit Legacy Giving: Strategies and Partnerships
- [25:43] Child Protection and Legacy Education: Collaborative Workshops with PFL Attorneys
RAISE MORE FROM THE RIGHT FUNDERS
Follow
Lacey Kempinski
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/laceykempinski
Website: balancedgood.com
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Many thanks to our sponsor, Overflow, for making this episode possible. This all-in-one platform features some of the lowest cash processing fees in the industry. Check out Overflow to help make your donations go further this holiday season. Learn more and get started at overflow.co/mallory
- If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.
- If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point
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TIPS AND TOOLS TO IMPLEMENT TODAY
- Conduct intentional onboarding sessions with the employee and the employer to understand their goals, hopes, and dreams for the leave.
- Establish a plan to push forward mission goals while accommodating the employee's specific needs.
- Suggest at least a month of overlap for a smooth transition back to work.
- Provide coaching and emotional support during the re-entry process, acknowledging the personal and professional changes that may have occurred.
- Acknowledge that individuals returning from leave may bring new perspectives and skills, contributing to the growth of the team and organization.
- Encourage individuals going on leave to build a support network, whether through paid care, family, friends, or other parents.
- Acknowledge the importance of having people to share the journey with and seek professional coaching if needed.
- Be transparent with the employer about expectations and potential challenges during the leave.
- Communicate how the employee will continue to meet organizational goals, even with adjusted hours or availability.
- Share personal experiences of overcoming postpartum depression and anxiety to inspire confidence in other parents.
FAVORITE QUOTES
- "Every parent knows what's best for them in their parenting journey." - Lacey Kempinski
- "I was a mother. And the mom I wanted to be, and the fundraiser I wanted to be just weren't aligning." - Lacey Kempinski
- "In our sector, the majority of people working are women. And a lot of them are also parents. And this creates what I like to call this parental leave dilemma." - Lacey Kempinski
- "Before I had kids, my baby was my career. I had put so much joy into my career that just to step away seemed absurd." - Lacey Kempinski
- "Sometimes parental leave starts a bit earlier than expected, or it has to wind down or wind up quickly." - Lacey Kempinski
- "As we continue to work for gender equality and work as women, or just as parents, we need to be able to determine how and when we want to lean in and out of our careers." - Lacey Kempinski
- "Work has been my saving grace because it's that little bit of myself that I get to keep consistent." - Lacey Kempinski
- "When somebody goes on leave, they might come back a different person, but they have different skills to bring." - Lacey Kempinski
- Trusting yourself in this journey is the most important thing to all parents." - Lacey Kempinski
RELATED CONTENT
Get to know Lacey Kempinski:
Lacey Kempinski, CFRE, the founder and owner of Balanced Good. She is a graduate of McMaster University and Georgian College’s Fundraising and Resource Development Program. She is a mission driven fundraiser, with nearly 15 years of experience, fueled by a passion to make an impact for the cause she is championing. After 10 years of working in house as a major gift fundraiser, she jumped into consulting – quickly realizing she couldn’t be the mom and professional she wanted to be in a traditional workforce. As an entrepreneur and business owner, she is now focused on changing the way our sector supports parental leaves and working parents. She believes this is one important key to improving the social profit sectors burnout and turnover dilemma. Most importantly, Lacey is a Mom to three children – 7, 5 and 3. When she’s not working or playing LEGO you can find her hiking trails around her family’s off-grid home in northern Ontario.
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I teach nonprofit fundraisers to bring in more gifts from the RIGHT donors… so they can stop hounding people for money. Fundraising doesn’t have to be uncomfortable.
- CEO & Creator of the Power Partners Formula™
- Disruptor in the funding sector, changing lives everyday
- Relentlessly committed to the movement of money into the nonprofit sector
- Focused on win-win partnerships that allow fundraisers to be authentic and empowered in their work
- Over 15 years working in nonprofits (managing director and ED of multiple fast-growth organizations)
MALLORY ERICKSON
