Collaboration That Turns Competition into New Revenue

In this episode of the Unfiltered Nonprofit Podcast, Cherry sits down with Vaia Dimas, Executive Director of the Almonte General Hospital–Fairview Manor Foundation. With 20 years in fundraising, Vaia shares how small teams can punch above their weight by getting disciplined, streamlining events, and collaborating—even with “competitors.” She explains why hospital equipment isn’t government-funded, how donor education unlocks giving, and what it takes to stay motivated when leadership feels isolating. You’ll hear a practical playbook: trim what doesn’t move the needle (like time-sucking auctions that underperform), refocus golf tournaments around one or two high-yield mechanics, and convert “nice to have” add-ons into mission-critical gifts. Vaia also breaks down a donor-sparked joint lottery between two nearby hospitals—new money neither could access alone, shared workload, and a stronger community message. If you’re an ED or fundraiser feeling stretched thin, this conversation shows how discipline beats motivation, how to build a personal leadership circle, and how diversified revenue gives you stability when the economy wobbles. Highlights Why donors fund what’s inside the hospital walls—and how to explain it simply The small-shop advantage: deeper relationships, faster learning loops Event redesign that saves staff time and raises more (fewer raffles, clearer case for support) Diversifying revenue beyond galas to reduce risk Collaboration that creates net-new dollars (and shares the workload) Mindset shift: discipline over motivation when leadership feels isolating Practical Tips You Can Use This Quarter Audit one signature event: cut low-yield tasks (e.g., sprawling auctions) and add a direct “fund the equipment” paddle raise/auction Teach the need: make “what government funds vs. what donors fund” a standard one-pager Diversify lightly: add one new stream (vendor program, planned giving starter, small lottery/pilot raffle) without blowing up your calendar Form a leadership circle: three peers you can call for gut-checks and confidential problem-solving