Building Community and Collaboration with Roz Zavras

The Small Nonprofit

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In this episode of The Small Nonprofit, Maria sits down with Roz Zavras, founder of the Center for Community Collaboration (C3) and CEO of Aropa Consulting. Roz shares her unique approach to supporting community-based nonprofits, particularly those led by people of colour or individuals with lived experience.

Through C3, Roz is finding innovative ways to foster collaboration, provide essential services, and break down the silos that often hinder nonprofits from achieving their full potential. She talks about collaborative fundraising events and sharing HR or bookkeeping services.
Key Topics:

• The Vision Behind C3
• Collaborative Fundraising Events
• Building Trust Among Nonprofits
• Shared Services Model

Quotable Moments:

• “The feedback that I get from small nonprofits is often, how do I build a donor list? How do I find donors that are interested in my work? If we have six organizations together, pooling their lists and pooling their networks, you're going to naturally grow your donor list.”
• "Let's work together, have fun together, and share our donors, share the revenue, and share the work."
• "Trust-building starts with one step. It’s all about taking that first step towards collaboration and partnership."

Actionable Tips:

1. Leverage Collaboration for Greater Impact
   • Consider partnering with other nonprofits on fundraising events or shared services to maximize resources and reduce costs. Start small with a joint project to build trust and rapport.
2. Focus on Donor Education
   • Educate your donors about the benefits of supporting a collaborative, community-based approach. Highlight how their contributions can drive systemic change by supporting multiple organizations with aligned missions.
3. Embrace an Abundance Mindset
   • Shift from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance. Trust that collaborating with others can lead to greater impact and stronger communities, rather than diminishing your own resources.

Resources Mentioned:

• Center for Community Collaboration Website
• Community-Centric Fundraising Principles

Connect with Us:

• Connect with Maria
• Connect with Roz
• Center for Community Collaboration LinkTree

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Next Episode Teaser:

Join us next week as we dive into the world of trust-based philanthropy with Juliana Sprott, another member of The Sprott Foundation. Don’t miss it!

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