Esstaaz Company

05/29/2026

Excited to be teaching a Fundraising Masterclass tonight!!!
Next one will be in September.

If interested or would like a customized training session for your organization, please DM me and I’ll send you more information.

📌𝐇𝐢, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.

𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖!
𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒂.𝒄𝒐𝒎

𝐈 𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧-𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞, 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞-𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴, 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘫𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘵𝘺.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘵, 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭, 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵—𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵? 𝘓𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬.

𝘋𝘔 𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴@𝘨𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

05/29/2026

Everyone waits for the “big donor.”
Most growth starts much smaller.

You’re probably overlooking your healthiest donors.
Because they haven’t “bloomed” yet.

You keep calling it “slow growth.”
Your donors might call it trust.

The best donor signals are easy to ignore.
That’s what makes them valuable.

This spring in Michigan has been a lesson in patience. Just when I thought the warm weather had finally arrived, another chilly morning rolled in. And repeat… until last week when temperatures seem to have stabilized.

My little urban “garden” is weeks behind where I hoped it would be. The tomatoes are still waiting for consistent sunshine, the flowers are slow to bloom, and honestly, I’m late getting almost everything planted.

And yet…despite the delayed start, I’ve already harvested herbs.

Tiny sprigs of basil, parsley, and mint have found their way into dinners and iced tea. Not because I rushed the process, but because I paid attention to what was ready to grow first.

It reminded me a lot of donor cultivation.
In fundraising, we often focus on the “big harvest” — the major gift, the annual campaign, the event sponsorship. We create timelines and goals and expect momentum to happen quickly. But meaningful donor relationships rarely grow on our preferred schedule.

Cultivation takes patience. It takes consistency. It takes showing up even when progress feels slow.

And sometimes, while we’re waiting for the larger harvest, there are small signs of growth already happening.

↪️A donor who starts engaging more often.

↪️A first-time supporter who shares your mission with friends.

↪️A volunteer who becomes an advocate. These are the herbs in the garden — early indicators that something healthy is taking root.

The lesson my little Michigan garden is teaching me this year is simple: growth doesn’t have to be fast to be fruitful.

Keep tending the relationships.
Keep watering the seeds. Celebrate the small harvests along the way.

The bigger blooms will come.

05/29/2026

Everyone waits for the “big donor.”
Most growth starts much smaller.

You’re probably overlooking your healthiest donors.
Because they haven’t “bloomed” yet.

You keep calling it “slow growth.”
Your donors might call it trust.

The best donor signals are easy to ignore.
That’s what makes them valuable.

This spring in Michigan has been a lesson in patience. Just when I thought the warm weather had finally arrived, another chilly morning rolled in. And repeat… until last week when temperatures seem to have stabilized.

My little urban “garden” is weeks behind where I hoped it would be. The tomatoes are still waiting for consistent sunshine, the flowers are slow to bloom, and honestly, I’m late getting almost everything planted.

And yet…despite the delayed start, I’ve already harvested herbs.

Tiny sprigs of basil, parsley, and mint have found their way into dinners and iced tea. Not because I rushed the process, but because I paid attention to what was ready to grow first.

It reminded me a lot of donor cultivation.
In fundraising, we often focus on the “big harvest” — the major gift, the annual campaign, the event sponsorship. We create timelines and goals and expect momentum to happen quickly. But meaningful donor relationships rarely grow on our preferred schedule.

Cultivation takes patience. It takes consistency. It takes showing up even when progress feels slow.

And sometimes, while we’re waiting for the larger harvest, there are small signs of growth already happening.

↪️A donor who starts engaging more often.

↪️A first-time supporter who shares your mission with friends.

↪️A volunteer who becomes an advocate. These are the herbs in the garden — early indicators that something healthy is taking root.

The lesson my little Michigan garden is teaching me this year is simple: growth doesn’t have to be fast to be fruitful.

Keep tending the relationships.
Keep watering the seeds. Celebrate the small harvests along the way.

The bigger blooms will come.

📌𝐇𝐢, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.
𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖! I help nonprofits turn vision into sustainable impact through clear strategy, powerful storytelling, and intentional visibility—minus the jargon

05/28/2026

On June 6th at 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM EDT, I’ll be hosting, leading and moderating our 🆓 Nonprofit Women Circle Live Talk. Our discussion theme is “Women who change the World!” The event is online via Zoom.

PHENOMENAL SPEAKERS. Come listen to their stories of effecting change in the social sector and learn from them.

📌 This is for leaders, , members, aspiring nonprofit founders, students and volunteers who are passionate about creating meaningful impact in society.

**REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED so that we can know how many are coming and also keep you informed about upcoming events.

🔗Registration form link: https://forms.gle/QUMg1QVcbSuK4pER9


SPEAKERS

📌ANNE MUTHONI WACHIRA
Development Leader | Programs Strategist | Community Impact Champion

Anne Muthoni is an accomplished development professional with over 20 years of experience leading transformative programs in underserved communities. As Head of Programmes at Mukuru Slums Development Projects (MSDP), she drives impactful initiatives focused on education, livelihoods, GBV prevention, climate adaptation, and skills development for women, youth, children, and persons with disabilities.

Anne has successfully connected over 10,000 youth to employment through TVET programs, led Mukuru’s first urban mobile cash transfer initiative in partnership with OXFAM GB, and established a plastic recycling plant employing 250 youth while advancing environmental sustainability.

She holds a Master’s in Community Development from Kenyatta University and brings expertise in program design, monitoring and evaluation, policy advocacy, and partnership building. Anne is also trained in leadership, grants development, child safeguarding, and quality assurance.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and systemic change, Anne continues to deliver innovative, scalable solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities.

📌KENYA ROBERTS, CFRE
Nonprofit Fundraising Leader and Strategist

Kenya Roberts is a nonprofit fundraising leader and strategist with more than 20 years of experience driving revenue growth and building high-performing development programs.

She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and has led major gift strategies, endowment campaigns, and national initiatives that have raised tens of millions for mission-driven organizations.

Kenya is the founder of Marcano Thyme Collective, where she partners with nonprofit leaders to design sustainable, revenue-driven fundraising strategies. She is also the author of The Rooted Fundraiser, a guide to relationship-centered fundraising, and is passionate about helping leaders build strong, sustainable fundraising practices.

SIGN UP TODAY!!
https://forms.gle/QUMg1QVcbSuK4pER9

05/22/2026

The Algorithm with a Heartbeat: How AI Is Rewriting the Future of

What if your mission could move at the speed of compassion… and the precision of data?

That’s where we are. is no longer a distant headline.

It’s here. Quietly sitting beside .

Helping them see faster.

Reach further.

Serve deeper.

Not to replace the human heart. But to amplify it. Because when meets machine intelligence, something powerful happens: impact scales.

Read the rest of the blog on the link below 👇🏾

The Algorithm with a Heartbeat: How AI Is Rewriting the Future of Nonprofitsby Esther Amunga05/22/202605/22/2026 What if your mission could move at the speed of compassion… and the precision of data? That’s where we are. AI is no longer a distant headline.It’s here. Quietly sitting beside nonp...

05/18/2026

5 Things Leaders Should Do This Summer to Strengthen

Summer is the perfect checkpoint—a natural pause in the year to reflect, reset, and refocus your fundraising strategy.

Whether you’re leading a nonprofit or working in any mission-driven role, now is the time to evaluate your progress and make intentional adjustments.

Remember: this season isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress.

Here are five steps to help you build stronger fundraising momentum for the rest of the year:

☀️1. Review Your First Half Wins and Gaps

Take a step back and assess January through June.

What campaigns or initiatives exceeded expectations?
Where did you fall short of your goals?
Be honest, but not harsh. Celebrate the wins, and identify the gaps as opportunities. Data is your friend—look at donor retention, gift sizes, response rates, and engagement trends. This clarity will guide your next moves.

☀️2. Extract Lessons Learned

Every success and setback holds insight. Ask yourself:

☑️What patterns are emerging?
☑️What surprised you?
☑️What would you repeat (or avoid) next time?
This reflection transforms experience into strategy. The goal is to turn hindsight into foresight for the second half of the year.

☀️3. Refocus on Mission Alignment

It’s easy to get caught up in tactics and lose sight of the “why.”
Recenter your fundraising efforts around your mission and goals:

☑️Are your campaigns clearly tied to your impact?
☑️Do your donors understand how their giving makes a difference?
Aligned messaging builds trust, and trust drives giving. When your mission is clear, your fundraising becomes compelling.

☀️4. Adjust Strategies for the Next Season

Based on your review and lessons learned, pivot where needed:

☑️Double down on strategies that worked
☑️Refine or replace what didn’t
☑️Experiment with new approaches (events, storytelling, partnerships, digital giving)
The second half of the year is full of opportunity—especially as year-end giving approaches. Start preparing now.

☀️5. Commit to Progress, Not Perfection

Too many leaders get stuck waiting for the “perfect” plan. Don’t.
Fundraising is iterative—it improves over time with testing, learning, and adjusting. Small, consistent improvements will create big results by year-end.

Give yourself permission to move forward with confidence, even if everything isn’t fully figured out.

‼️Ready to Go Deeper?

If you’re ready to strengthen your strategy and grow your impact, I’d love to help you take the next step:

👉 Join my Fundraising Class on May 30
👉 Or attend the Personal Branding Class on June 6

These sessions are designed to give you practical tools, clear strategies, and renewed confidence to elevate your fundraising.

Let’s make the second half of the year your strongest yet.

**Share this article with a nonprofit leader.

📌𝐇𝐢, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.
𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖!
𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒂.𝒄𝒐𝒎

05/13/2026

There’s a lady at my local post office who always makes me smile.

Earlier this week, I walked in and before I even reached the counter, she looked up, smiled warmly, and said, “Oh, I haven’t seen you in a long while. Where have you been?”

And instantly, it felt less like a transaction and more like catching up with a friend.

I see her often because I’ve been going to the same post office for the last seven years. Over time, our conversations became familiar.

Genuine.

Human.

Many Christmases, I even give her a gift because I appreciate the way she makes people feel.

She remembers people.

She notices when someone hasn’t been around.

She creates an experience that makes you actually look forward to going to the post office. Imagine that.

Sometimes I’ll stop in just to buy stamps. Mail a letter. Pick up a package. Nothing extraordinary.

But the experience always feels meaningful because of the relationship she built with the people she serves.

And truly speaking, it made me think deeply about fundraising.

Because this is exactly what donor relationships should feel like.

Not cold.

Not transactional.

Not like people are only remembered when you need something.

Real fundraising is about relationships.
It’s about seeing people.
Knowing them.
Understanding what matters to them.
Appreciating them long before the next ask.
As I always tell my students, donors are not ATMs.

They are human beings.

And if you want to retain a donor, relationship-building cannot be optional.

You must thank them.
You must understand their motivations.
You must make them feel valued beyond their gift.
You must build trust consistently.

Because people stay where they feel seen.

There’s a quote I love that says:
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou

That’s true at the post office.

And it’s true in fundraising too.

So the next time you interact with a donor, supporter, volunteer, or stakeholder, pause and ask yourself:

📌Are you building a relationship?
📌Or just completing a transaction?

📌𝐇𝐢, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.
𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖!
𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒈𝒂.𝒄𝒐𝒎

||Follow Esther Amunga, MNA, ACNP, GradPR.
Helping nonprofits turn vision into sustainable impact through clear strategy, powerful storytelling, and intentional visibility—minus the jargon.

05/12/2026

Save the date and plan to join us. Great lineup of speakers!!!
Excited to be the moderator 🙋🏽‍♀️.
Can’t wait to have this conversation….

05/12/2026

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐈𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞
Somewhere along the way, exhaustion became a badge of honor.

People proudly announce how busy they are.
Stillness feels unproductive.

We live in a culture that applauds burnout and glorifies overworking — as though your worth is measured by how tired you are.

𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒇 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆?

What if the constant chasing is distracting you from the life you were truly called to live?

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 “𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞”
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴.
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺.
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴.
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘪𝘴𝘦.
𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦.

Yet somehow, despite all the “more,” so many people feel deeply empty.

Because fullness does not come from excess.
It comes from alignment.

There is a difference between being productive and being purposeful.

Not everything deserves your energy.
Not every opportunity is your assignment.
Not every open door is meant for you.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simplify.

To focus.
To breathe.
To return to yourself.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐨 𝐃𝐨?

That question matters more than society’s expectations.

𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅?
𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆?
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍?

When you know your assignment, comparison loses its power.

You stop running at the pace of everyone else.
You stop chasing trends, applause, and external approval.
You stop trying to prove yourself through constant motion.

You begin to move with intention instead of pressure.

And there is peace in that.

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Life is not a race to exhaustion.

You were not created merely to survive deadlines, collect stress, and collapse into bed every night wondering where your joy went.

There is beauty in slow mornings.
In present conversations.
In silent reflection.
In being fully where your feet are.

The world will always demand more from you.
More output. More availability. More performance.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦.

𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬.
𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭.
𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦.
𝘚𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵.

𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬

Be present.

Not yesterday’s regrets.
Not tomorrow’s anxieties.
Not the endless pressure to “keep up.”

Right here. Right now.

Notice the breath in your lungs.
Notice the people you love.
Notice the moments you usually rush past.

Mindfulness reminds us that life is happening now — not someday when everything is finally perfect.

The truth is, many people are so busy chasing life that they forget to actually live it.

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞. 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

Maybe less really is more.

Less rushing.
Less proving.
Less comparison.
Less clutter.
Less distraction.

And more clarity.
More peace.
More purpose.
More presence.
More life.

You do not need to do everything.
You only need to stay faithful to what you were called to do.

Stay your course.
Protect your peace.

And remember: a meaningful life is not built by doing the most — but by doing what matters most.

📌𝐇𝐢, 𝐈’𝐦 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫.
𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖! I write and speak to inspire, encourage and build Hope.
𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒚 blog https://stories.estheramunga.com
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