SJoye & Associates

05/31/2026

Happy Sunday!!!!
Well, it happened.
I received my first endorsement for Nonprofits Unfiltered: Money, Power, and the People Who Carry America's Charities.
And not just from anyone.
From Dr. Beverly Browning, author of Grant Writing For Dummies, Fundraising For Dummies, and one of the most respected voices in the nonprofit sector.
Her words humbled me:
"A necessary, courageous, and deeply honest book that I will be recommending to every nonprofit leader, funder, and practitioner I work with."
For those of us who came up in fundraising, Dr. Bev is one of the GOATs. Long before I found my own voice in this sector, I learned from hers.
Grateful. Honored. And more convinced than ever that it's time for some honest conversations about how nonprofits really work.
The work is sacred. The system is not.
https://www.simonejoye.com/aboutnonprofitsunfiltered

05/31/2026

A must have for your library.

05/29/2026

I spent all night upgrading my homepage.
Feeling rather fond of the results.
HTML can be tricky!

05/29/2026

Sometimes the "fundraiser" is not the problem.
I've seen nonprofits spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants, software, campaigns, and development "initiatives" only to see disappointing results.
The assumption is usually that fundraising needs fixing.
After nearly 30 years in the sector, I've learned something different.
Sometimes the real issue is:
• Board engagement
• Leadership alignment
• Organizational positioning
• Unrealistic expectations
• Weak systems and accountability
In other words, organizations are often trying to solve the wrong problem.
That's why I've developed a 90-Minute Nonprofit Reality Check.
Not another fundraising plan.
Not another strategic planning process.
An honest assessment of what's working, what's not, and where the opportunities really are.
Before spending another dollar trying to solve a fundraising problem, nonprofit leaders should be sure they're solving the right one.
Have you ever seen a nonprofit invest heavily in a solution that wasn't addressing the real issue?

05/29/2026

I asked ChatGPT: Does using you hurt our environment?

Answer: Yes, but probably not in the way people often imagine.

Using ChatGPT requires data centers that consume:

Electricity (to run servers and cooling systems)
Water (at some facilities, for cooling)
Materials (servers, networking equipment, buildings)
So every conversation has some environmental footprint.

The important question is how much.

The honest answer is that no one outside the companies running these systems knows the exact footprint of any individual conversation. Estimates vary widely depending on:

Which model is used
How long the conversation is
Which data center processes it
Whether the electricity comes from renewable or fossil-fuel sources
How the facility is cooled
What we do know is:

AI uses more resources than a simple web search.
AI uses far fewer resources than many physical activities we do every day.
The overall environmental impact of AI depends heavily on scale. Billions of AI interactions add up.
A useful comparison: the environmental impact of an hour spent driving a car is generally much larger than a few AI conversations. On the other hand, a few AI conversations use more resources than reading a static webpage.

As for water, some data centers use water for cooling. Others rely more heavily on air cooling or different cooling technologies. So yes, AI can contribute to water consumption, but the amount attributable to any single conversation is very small.

I actually think this is a worthwhile question for someone like you because you've spent your career in nonprofits and social impact. It's reasonable to ask whether a tool is creating unintended costs while providing benefits.

My view is that the better question isn't "Does it use resources?" Everything does.

The better question is:

Does the value created justify the resources used?

Yes, there is an environmental footprint. But there can also be a significant human and social benefit. The challenge for all of us is using these tools thoughtfully rather than wastefully.

05/29/2026

How can we break stigmas and cost barriers to better support Black men's mental health?

In honor of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, join Word In Black for a conversation with community leaders and support practitioners.

They'll share experiences, resources, and lead participants in a guided meditation.

Confirmed speakers:
Dr. Jason Phillips, licensed therapist, life coach, and creator of the documentary “Man Enough to Heal: Black Men and Therapy”

Senbi Akau Spruill, meditation leader, rites-of-passage facilitator, and author of “Superhero Syndrome: The Perfect Pressure”

Brian Sims, a healthcare entrepreneur, curates Baltimore-based mental wellness events for Black men

Register here: https://riverside.com/webinar/registration/eyJldmVudElkIjoiNmEwY2E3OWNhMmIzOWI1ODdlMjgyMzQ3Iiwic2x1ZyI6IndvcmQtaW4tYmxhY2stRW01aWgifQ==

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

Excellent resource.
Check them out.

'Black America's Digital Daily' — innovating on the near 200 year legacy of the Black Press.

05/18/2026

Do you need to make money and work remotely?
Many people are sitting at home trying to figure out how to create additional income, pivot careers, or work remotely.
That gap?
That is opportunity.
Pay attention to what is happening inside nonprofits right now.
There is a fundraising crisis that most people are not talking about publicly.
Organizations need grant writers.
They need people who can research funding.
They need people who can write clearly, think strategically, and help bring money in.
So I created a practical guide called:
“How to Become a Remote Grant Writer.”

Not theory.
Not motivational fluff.
Real information from someone who has spent decades inside the nonprofit sector.
Inside I cover:
• how to start with little or no experience
• where to find remote opportunities
• freelance vs. full-time paths
• how AI is changing grant writing
• what nonprofits actually look for
• beginner mistakes that cost people opportunities
• pricing and positioning yourself
• and nonprofit realities most people never say out loud
Grant writing is one of the few skills where strong writing and research abilities can still create flexible income and real opportunity.
And nonprofits need help now.

The eBook is now live on:
Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/4506748735/how-to-become-a-remote-grant-writer
and Gumroad: https://joyeassociates.gumroad.com/l/bwvmpd

06/23/2025

And when you need all 3, you call us. 😊

Credit goes to https://fundraisingwell.com/