86. Responsible and Sustainable Nonprofit Leadership with a Celebrity Founder with Careshia Moore of Usher’s New Look

You could sit back and relax if only you had a big celebrity attached to your nonprofit, right? Well not quite, as my guest on this episode of What the Fundraising explains. For all her professional skills and the competent staff behind Usher's New Look, President & CEO Careshia Moore still works hard to keep the organization financially healthy, vibrant and strong. Even with the deep, long-term involvement of a major performer like Usher Raymond IV and his mother, Jonetta Patton, no organization is sustainable without multi-level buy-in, sponsorship and community engagement. Fortunately, Careshia and her team are up to the challenge! 

In this episode, you’ll learn about the roots of Usher's New Look’s and how it has transformed the lives of more than 50,000 under-resourced young people in Atlanta and New York. Their remarkable programs develop global leaders by sparking their passion and breaking down barriers to entry – whether it be access to quality education, internships or career opportunities. In our conversation, we also explore what it means to operate from a position of abundance, which is often hard for fundraisers (who feel perpetually beholden). Careshia is all about speaking up, owning the power of what her organization brings to the table and offering donors a chance to contribute in multiple capacities. And speaking of capacity, here’s something important to consider: Overhead shouldn’t be a source of shame, says Careshia. It’s actually an opportunity for funders to get involved in the infrastructure that supports all those programs that make everyone feel so good!

This conversation is full of actionable strategies, operational and budgetary priority recommendations for unpredictable times and new ways to think about ourselves as mission-driven professionals running enterprises that just happen to have a different tax status. 

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 
Follow along on Instagram 
Connect with Mallory on LinkedIn

Many thanks to our sponsor, Neon One, the all-in-one donor management system that keeps small and midsized nonprofits on track with fundraising, communications, events, volunteers, and more. You can learn about Neon One's entire suite of products and services here.

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!