Holding the Work Together: Tremayne Edwards on Relational Fundraising, Collaboration, and Hope

Nicole: [00:00:00] Hi, Tremaine. Thank you so much for joining us on today’s nonprofit hive interview. Mm-hmm. If you could, could you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your nonprofit journey. What led you to led you into this work, and what keeps you inspired today? 

Tremayne: Yeah, so I’m Tramaine Edwards pronouncing him.

By day I serve as a director of fundraising and strategic partnerships for a wonderful organization called Community Justice. Um, and for me that means I get the joy every day of building resources and power for community. Um, I often like to think that’s what kind of. Brought me into the space of my nonprofit journey.

Prior to that, over 10 years ago now, um, I started as a public servant, but through the local government, uh, space. And I quickly learned that I loved helping people, um, but it really wasn’t the umbrella that I wanted to do it [00:01:00] under. And so I was trying to find a way to continue to do that work, but in a more meaningful, which I learned the word was mission-based, uh, work.

I started in community centers. That was my love of working with children, working with families who are often overlooked, undervalued, under-resourced. And I wanted to find a way to how continue to do that, um, for c. Um, I think as somebody who also himself just navigated the world without a lot, I knew that I wanted to find a way to help people.

I knew that for the rest of my life, my career was going to be meant for helping people. Um, and so that’s what kind of started me about 10 years ago. Um, when I left local government, funny enough, I took a gap year or two to become a nanny. And during that time, got to really figure out what is it that I wanted to do.

Um, and I really got my first starts. Into the fundraising space of helping in that same community that I left under local government, um, working to open a food co-op in a food desert. So that became my first start of right, meeting people at bars [00:02:00] and literally getting people to sign up and give us money, um, towards our cause.

I got to join a couple of nonprofit. Forwards I get to help start something incorporated as a, as a nonprofit led to help, uh, the food co-op. Um, and then from there kind of just grew, um, into working in a regional arts organization who did the capital campaign to reopen the theater that had been shut down for like 50 years.

Wow. Um, and really got to learn there as well through. Chief Development officer, who is no longer there. But Beth Doyle, if you’re listening, um, she always taught me that, you know, she told me one day, you and Tremaine you also work in development, your relationships and how you interact with people each day when they come through these doors are also development.

Because I was a people person, I love connecting with people, and I think for me, that quickly helped me build in this journey of, oh my goodness, I love talking with people. I love connecting and learning about people. And if I can u utilize that superpower to have them also be aligned with the work that I’m passionate about and giving towards those causes, sign me up.

And so now, 10 years [00:03:00] later here I am still being able to have conversations with people and connect with them in a transformative way and not a transactional way, which is really big for me, um, to have people see I, that I’m passionate about a thing and how they too can find themselves, um, in that same space, in that same lane, in that same fight and movement.

Nicole: I love that you said so many great things, and I think, um, I love that you were able to take time to find what your passion is and like kind of hone in on that space. But then you mentioned something about, um, development and relationships and I think that is so crucial. We’re all, everyone in the nonprofit space, volunteers, staff members, people in programming are all part of that development and everybody has an opportunity to touch.

People within the community of that nonprofit ecosystem, and I love that you naturally fell into that spot. But I think it’s important for all nonprofit folks, working, volunteering, whatever that looks like. They are, they’re all part of that [00:04:00] process. And I just think sometimes, um, it’s undervalued or people don’t see themselves in that space, or they don’t see themselves as a leader or, you know, building that narrative around what that nonprofit offers and helping build that community.

So I love that you name that and, um. Yeah, it’s, it’s, it feels good. Thank you for that. Wow. Um, so throughout all of that, it sounds like you’ve had some really amazing experiences. What’s one part of the work that lights you up the most? It sounds like community is a big part of that, but I’d love to hear like a story or a project or impact moment that reminds you of why you do what you do.

Tremayne: Mm. There I feel like I’m blessed enough that there have been so many opportunities that remind me why I continue to do, um, even as a former CEO used to joke the crazy work of fundraising ’cause it’s a fun world and it is also a chaotic world. It can be, um, especially if you’re not comfortable doing the the yes.

I love relationships and it still comes with an ask. You [00:05:00] have to ask people for money. Um, I would say the thing that helps me often. That I have found my deepest love, even when it’s still brings me back to fundraising, is collaboration. Hmm. I, I love collaborating around events and people who have worked with me and I’ve worn a couple different hats in my career.

Always told a team, I’ve always told partners that like, I am big outside of alliteration ’cause you’re gonna find that a lot in me today as an English major. Um, I don’t believe in competition. I believe in collaboration. I feel that funders often love to see collaboration. I think donors want to see collaboration.

I think our world and our society wants to see more of that collaboration. And so for me, anytime that sometimes, even lately, if I’m doing a grant. If there is an opportunity in a local area that partners also live in, I wanna see how we can bring our folks into that space with us to highlight what you’re doing as well.

Because I don’t think that we ever have to be in a silo [00:06:00] when we can live together in those solutions. Um, and so collaboration is like my favorite thing to do, and I feel like it would be hard to call out just one, because I’ve enjoyed all of them. Um, but collaboration ultimately for me is, is, is that great moment, especially.

I love doing a program grant funded collaboration because I feel like it’s a trust building thing too, right? When you work with somebody to that level and you’re saying, oh, hey, here’s this opportunity. We could have done it ourselves. I wanna actually do it with you. Like I want to expand on this opportunity and strengthen what we can do together as a community.

I feel like it’s a great trust building moment and again, gets us away from transaction. It moves us more into transformational work of how we can continue to do this together. So that was my nice political way of not calling out just one for all the ones that I’ve enjoyed, but the umbrella of it still being collaboration has been my most favorite part of.

The work and like that’s putting people into the work and not just saying, [00:07:00] oh, can you support it? No. Here, can you think with me? 

Nicole: Mm-hmm. 

Tremayne: And actually support this through time, talent, treasure, and ties. 

Nicole: That’s a nice wrap up there. Um, I love, I love collaboration. I think it is, uh, I agree with you. It’s one of my highlights as well.

And finding partners to do that with is sometimes tricky. So I actually would love to like, continue diving down that path. Okay. What is, um. One of your go-to ways to find partners or colabs, like what, what do you do in your space to invite people in to learn more? Like do you do the research or are you asking the community to say, Hey, we’re looking for a partner to do X.

I’d love to hear like how you, mm-hmm. What’s your best way to find collaborative partners? 

Tremayne: I’m a little sleuth, so I love to just be a, uh, a former executive coach of mine used to tell me all the time, I love to get in the weeds. I mean, maybe that’s ’cause I’m an overthinker and an English major, which I think bodes well of [00:08:00] fundraising to get in the weeds.

Um, but I love to find people, um, a little bit organically. Right. Uh, so then I can also see, um, I’m bad at phrases, but I, I think there’s one that. I’m not even gonna chimp to try it, but like, see, see, you know, in the light of day, like see what you look like at all different parts of the day. Yeah. Sorry to the actual person who’s made that phrase.

Um, but I love to find folks in the community and see what they’re in the community doing. I. Prime example, I’m currently in my home state of Virginia, right? And our work is around CVI. It’s around safer communities and I know that there are partners that are in this community, and I know there’s untapped potential in these communities.

And so I found some of those. I’ll go to your Instagram. I may go to your LinkedIn, like I’m, I’ll follow your newsletter. I want to find the opportunities, what you are doing. I wanna volunteer and show up for those as well, and learn intentionally like what it is that you are doing. And then I’ve seen it.

Almost undercover, if you will, to be like, oh, great. This is what I totally want to be behind. Versus I feel [00:09:00] sometimes if you do a big wide announcement of a partnership, yeah. I wouldn’t want somebody to also feel like they have to work themselves into alignment to be with us. I want you like to, to naturally be who you are as an organization to work that you do unapologetically and, and, and work together that way.

Nicole: I love that you are sleuthing your way through those things. It’s, uh, but honestly it is understanding how people operate in front of the scenes and behind the scenes. Like I think that is so fundamental and yeah, it gives you a, a great sense of what. What’s possible too, because sometimes you don’t even see your unique offering, uh, within your own organization.

It may take somebody else to say, Hey, you do this really well. Can we partner? Mm-hmm. This is a opportunity. Thank you for sharing that. Um, one question. Uh, what’s one challenge or shift you’re currently navigating in your organization or the sector? How are you approaching it or what kind of support would help?

Tremayne: I would [00:10:00] say. Though I don’t feel like it’s unique to us, but I think a lot of us are feeling it too, is just the, the shift that happens with any administrative change and the priorities that happen and the funding that goes along with it. Right. We have a lot of partners that, um, through efforts of organizations like ours at the national level, you know, a couple years ago there was this really big bipartisanship led movement that allowed for.

Tons of organizations across the country and the states to receive funding that has led to now the third year, some lowest historic drops across the country in, um, gun death, which is amazing. And again, with priority shift, so does the funding. And so, so many of those. Partners then lose that funding and if they lose it unexpectedly, right?

Folks like us who are advocates at the national level continue to build that storytelling, then have to find new ways of how can we show up for these organizations and support them. Um, and everybody is looking towards grants right now, [00:11:00] right? And they are overloaded with requests. I think even the amount of times that I’ve recently gotten, you know, feedback of, Hey, this was great, maybe the next cycle.

Right, but they didn’t even have time to give you feedback because they are so, they themselves are overloaded with the amount of that work. So I think that’s something that, right, as we still navigate what grants may be an opportunity shifting even more to how we can expand our donor base, right? How can we continue to expand?

Who can be those folks who want to join us in a major level of partnership and giving, how do we grow out those monthly level giving opportunities? Because those are great, sustainable, predictable ways of revenue. So I think right now that that pivot is the challenge. And I think that I’m somebody who doesn’t believe often in problems of possibilities, again, alliteration.

Um, but I think, again, I’m in that pivot learning moment of, okay, here’s what’s actually happening right now for us and how do we pivot? To keep going because the work can’t stop. Uh, because lives quite [00:12:00] literally, uh, depend on it. But I think right now that’s kind of that new space of really engaging in different conversations with folks that maybe have not historically been used to that with us.

Um, but now we, here’s an opportunity for us to expand on the work that we can do in a new, powerful way. So I think for me it’s also, yes, it’s the pivot of doing it, but it’s an exciting pivot because. We’re expanding based on our destiny, and we just want you to see that with us and help us keep the road going for momentum.

Nicole: Yeah, sometimes telling that like what the future holds or what’s possible and we want you to help build that with us is really a powerful tool. I think it’s interesting, like obviously in the states funding we’ve, I’m in Canada and uh, we’ve watched what’s been happening, um, and I think it’s happening across the globe in different ways, but it is interesting.

I’m finding that people are. Donors are like honing in on this is what I actually want to contribute to. So I think there’s some big, um, moves that need to happen and, and [00:13:00] maybe the smaller nonprofits might be more nimble to do this over the large ones where you can actually build your community and like tell that story.

Like, this is how we’re making a difference and this is why we need your support to help fund that difference. And I think donors are starting to get more strategic in how they actually. Support nonprofits or charities and, um, yeah, I think it’s, it is the way of the future and we have to be very thoughtful and mindful about how we’re making those asks and who we’re making them to.

Mm-hmm. Um, because the reality is it’s everybody’s feeling stretched and we need to find our, our groups that really wanna champion this work with us. 

Tremayne: Mm-hmm. 

Nicole: So how have conversations or connections through the nonprofit Profit Hive, um, helped shape your work or perspective? Is there a person you met or an idea that stuck or just the simply of not or feeling like you’re not doing it alone?[00:14:00] 

Tremayne: Oh, so that has been probably one of my most favorite parts of the nonprofit hive since I joined, uh, last year, is that. Not only just conversation, but like the connectivity and the ongoing conversation. So I’ve been able to, uh, connect with a couple folks through the hive and like we’ve now exchanged numbers and we like talk on an ongoing basis.

We have our own one-on-ones beyond the one that started. Um, we’ve been able to share resources with each other. Folks have been able to share templates with me, you know, as a, you know, often in nonprofit world, it’s teams of one and starting out small Maddie teams, um, having other folks who were also in those similar spaces and were able to grow, um, or expand and have these amazing tools that it’s been, um, one of my key favorites that I’ve had about three particular interactions now, where folks have like, oh, if you want, like, send that document to me.

I’m happy to help you review it. Oh, you know what? I’ve actually got a template that’ll show you how to get A to Z on that opportunity through that foundation [00:15:00] directly. Here it is. And the beauty of not gatekeeping, um, is a beautiful thing and I think an important thing for fundraisers, um, because again, we don’t have to be in competition.

We are in collaboration and I operate out of abundance and there is still, we’re not lacking of anything. We just need to understand that we can, together collectively reach our goals. Um. And so it’s been really fun through the hive to, to have some of those interactions with folks, um, that have no problem sharing those resources and sharing those tips and then saying, oh, and then follow up with me to let me know how it went.

Nicole: Awesome. I love the connection over like, or um, collab over competition. I think that. For, I don’t know why we got stuck in that competitive space in the nonprofit sector. And I know like regionally, we are potentially in in competition with some of the donor dollars, but at the end of the day, there’s. We as a sector are doing such [00:16:00] great work and we need to support one another more.

Um, so I love how you frame that. It was Chef’s Kiss for me. Um, okay. So what’s one insight, resource or mindset that’s helped you recently and might help others in this community too? I’d love to hear kind of what resources you’re utilizing right now. 

Tremayne: Hmm. So I would say I, I am a data nerd. Um, unashamed about being a data nerd.

Um, so I honestly, my greatest resource has been our database. 

Nicole: Cool. 

Tremayne: And utilizing that donor data in a, in a new way, in a different way. Right. Being able to look at who have been some of those. Top donors who have been some of those consistent donors and been looking them up, learning more about them, taking that information that I’ve learned, placing it within their portfolios, sharing that within who next on the team could be a follow up.

Um, our database has quite frankly been a huge resource to me outside of folks, you know, that I’ve been able to meet. Through the [00:17:00] Hive who have been able to meet through LinkedIn, I realized this past year that I was under utilizing my algorithms. Um, and I have synced them up beautifully now that I am getting a lot of tips and, and, and resources by just thought partnership, which is huge for me.

I’m a big lover of thought partnership. Um, so that’s really been helpful for me. Um, and I would say my greatest mindset and fundraising for me, um. Has been the reminder of like relational fundraising, like getting truly away from, and anybody who’s worked with me knows that I have probably said transformation over transaction.

A thousand times. Um, but I believe in it. It’s something that I really believe in and it’s been nice to see other folks, whether it’s been through LinkedIn, LinkedIn or other platforms like the Hive, um, speak often on that, on my timeline to see people talking about, you know, the beauty of, you know, writing those donor cards as I [00:18:00] have some literally to the left with me as I’ve been writing to folks.

Right. And how the data also supports it. Right. Being relational. There’s still science and fact-based evidence that shows us there’s science behind the implications that can come for your organization. But being relational has been my greatest mindset and North Star for me, um, around true community engagement.

Um, I’ve always lived on a principle as well that always said true community engagement is about helping the community find their power. And I really feel like that same principle. Can be utilized in fundraising because you’re not only just unlocking a gift from someone, but you’re unlocking potential of what that gift with them will do for your organization.

And I think that that only comes when you’re being relational. With that partner and understanding how they too want to still be intertwined in this work. Um, and building that relationship with them. That’s not just a Thank you so much, Nicole, for your gift. I’ll talk to you again maybe in six months when I need to like re-up on it.

Right. But taking you through that journey of the six months is saying, oh, hey, [00:19:00] so that gift that you made for us, here’s the opportunity that’s coming up soon. Would you like to come and see it in real time? Would you like to join us for this event? And really kind of just building out, um, a more.

Connected relationship with folks. That, for me, is, I’ve been saying and preaching it for a while. Um, I think as somebody who’s often lived in different fundraising spaces, political fundraising spaces where I feel like they can sometimes be very transactional, right? Because you’re, you’re working towards a gift.

You’ve seen them all on the, the ads and whatnot, please. Gifts. So I can do the thing, right? I want to Yes. And that gift, and then I want to take you on the journey with me to show you what you’re protecting your community from. 

Nicole: Brilliant. I love it. Thank you so much, Tremaine. This conversation has been inspiring, thoughtful, and it’s given me some, some guidance on where and how to take some of my next discussions and partnerships with.

So thank you. Thank you so much. Um, any final thoughts before we wrap? [00:20:00] 

Tremayne: Hmm. My final thoughts before we wrap up? I would just say how wonderful it’s been to make a lot of these connections. Through the hive and it again reminds me to the same mindset of how beautiful it is to have collaborators throughout this work in a time and a season where so many of us are probably just feeling scared and anxious and, and angered and so many different things.

That a feeling that is, I’m reminded every time I get to have these weekly connections with somebody through the Hive, is hope. Hope is still available to us, and it’s really important to be reminded of that. Um, especially in the work that we do, we are providing hope to our community. 

Nicole: Thank you. That was beautiful.