A New Book by Todd Hiestand
A better way for for nonprofits to build belonging
Stop treating community like a funnel. Start building relationships that last.
"We don't get to decide if someone belongs. They do."
Most nonprofits treat engagement like a sales process: move people through a funnel, hit the right triggers, close the gift. But real relationships don't follow a script.
The Welcoming Nonprofit offers a different approach — a framework grounded in how people actually connect, belong, and build trust. Instead of pushing donors through stages, it creates spaces where they can decide for themselves how close they want to be.
Buy the Book
What if the problem isn't your donors? What if it's the funnel? The Welcoming Nonprofit introduces a hospitality-centered framework for engagement that actually works.
Invite Todd to Speak
Looking for a speaker who won't just inspire your team but equip them? Todd leads keynotes and workshops on nonprofit engagement, including the hands-on Sidewalk Statement Workshop.
Learn about liminal
Todd is co-owner of Liminal, a brand strategy agency for nonprofits. If your organization needs help with messaging, positioning, or engagement strategy, that's where the deeper work happens.
What People Are Saying
Endorsements
"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."
David C. Baker
"The Expert's Expert" (NYT)
"Todd gives leaders a clear, human-centered framework for replacing urgency-driven fundraising with trust-based partnership."
Mallory Erickson
CEO, Practivated
"For any organization seeking to move beyond the limitations of funnel-based thinking, this book provides a clear, actionable blueprint for doing so."
Tom Ward
Executive Director, Advocacy Global
"The Welcoming Nonprofit replaces an outdated mental model with the Four Spaces, a clear and actionable guide grounded in how people actually connect.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."
Kelley Hecht
Nonprofit Industry Executive
The Framework
The Four Spaces of Nonprofit Engagement
Rooted in the research of Edward T. Hall, Christopher Alexander, and Joseph R. Myers, this framework meets people where they are rather than where your org chart says they should be.
The Sidewalk
Strangers
The space of first impressions. Where clarity, not complexity, earns a second look. Your job here is to say just enough that someone can decide whether to keep the conversation going.
The Front Porch
Acquaintances
The in-between space. Not quite inside the house, not entirely outside. Where curiosity turns into connection and people decide whether to invest in the relationship.
The Living Room
Friends
Where deeper belonging takes shape. Conversations move below the surface, trust takes root, and people begin to see themselves as part of the story you're telling.
The Kitchen Table
Partners
The most intimate space. Papers strewn about, real decisions being made. Where your closest partners don't just support the mission. They help shape it.
Todd Hiestand
Co-Founder, Liminal
Todd has spent over two decades building communities and helping nonprofits do the same. He co-founded and led a community-based nonprofit for 14 years and has worked alongside hundreds of nonprofit teams to help them communicate their mission with greater clarity and conviction.
Today, Todd co-leads Liminal, a brand strategy agency serving nonprofits navigating critical moments of transition. He lives in the Portland, Oregon area with his wife Melanie, four sons, and a lively collection of goats, ducks, chickens, dogs, and other creatures.