The Welcoming Nonprofit
How Hospitality Builds Trust, Belonging, and Sustainable Support
Most organizations don't have a marketing problem. They have a clarity problem — and underneath that, a belonging problem.
This book is the argument for treating the people who fund your work like guests rather than throughput: an alternative to the funnel, built on hospitality, and drawn from Edward T. Hall, Christopher Alexander, and Joseph Myers.
What if the problem isn't your donors? What if it's the funnel?
“This book is transformative. Hiestand explains how we can't apply typical funnels, pipelines, and customer journeys to connecting donors with the causes they care deeply about.”
“Todd gives leaders a clear, human-centered framework for replacing urgency-driven fundraising with trust-based partnership.”
“For any organization seeking to move beyond the limitations of funnel-based thinking, this book provides a clear, actionable blueprint for doing so.”
“The Welcoming Nonprofit replaces an outdated mental model with the Four Spaces — a clear and actionable guide grounded in how people actually connect. Authentic, practical, and overdue.”
The Four Spaces of Nonprofit Engagement.
Rooted in the research of Edward T. Hall, Christopher Alexander, and Joseph R. Myers, the Four Spaces meet people where they are — not where your org chart says they should be. Belonging isn't a pipeline. It's a house with four rooms.
“We don't get to decide if someone belongs. They do.”
The Sidewalk
First impressions, where clarity earns a second look.
The Front Porch
The in-between, where curiosity turns into connection.
The Living Room
Where trust takes root and people join the story you're telling.
The Kitchen Table
The most intimate room — where your closest partners don't just support the mission, they help shape it.
- Title
- The Welcoming Nonprofit: How Hospitality Builds Trust, Belonging, and Sustainable Support
- Foreword
- Joseph R. Myers, author of The Search to Belong
- ISBN
- 979-8-9949973-0-7