Anna Taylor has spent more than 20 years in nonprofits, 17 of them in college readiness. Today she works with The Greater Sum Foundation, which began as an effort to do philanthropy the way you would approach investing.
The foundation now runs as an operating foundation with a free six-week incubator for young nonprofits. In this episode of The PR Bunker Podcast, Anna explains what early-stage organizations get wrong and why donors can tell when there's nothing under the story.
A few takeaways from the conversation:
The incubator runs five cohorts a year for nonprofits that are under about five years old and have a 501(c)(3) or a fiscal sponsor. Anna's view is that nonprofits can scale their impact without expanding their footprint.
Anna sees early nonprofits struggle most with fundraising and with building their first team.
A compelling story only works if the financial strategy sits underneath it. Show donors what $100 does, what the work actually costs and how you'll track results. One example is Plane Wellness, a 2026 pitch participant that uses woodworking to support mental health. The foundation also runs partnerships and a matching fundraising accelerator.
Before you file for a 501(c)(3), ask whether a nonprofit is the right structure for what you want to do. And if you want to help, Anna says any skill set can plug into mission work.
Learn more about The Greater Sum Foundation at thegreatersum.org.
Listen to The PR Bunker Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
Who can apply to The Greater Sum Foundation incubator?
Nonprofits that are under about five years old and have a 501(c)(3) or a fiscal sponsor. The six-week program is free and runs five cohorts a year.
What do donors want to see from a young nonprofit?
Anna Taylor says donors want a clear financial strategy under the story: what a gift does, what the work costs and how results are tracked.
Have a project, campaign, or comms challenge in mind?
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