The Nonprofit Show

Grant writers and fundraisers share the same mission, but often work in different corners of the building—and sometimes entirely different worlds. In this Fundraisers Friday convo, cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall peel back the curtain on how these two roles can move from quiet coexistence to true collaboration.Julia opens with gratitude—for long standing sponsors who have never tried to steer the show's content, and for a sector that now offers far more professional development than when many fundraisers began. She reflects on her own journey from community fundraising to co-authoring The Architecture of Fundraising with Tony, noting how accessible tools and training could have transformed her early efforts. “I could have raised so much more money for my community if I had been educated,” Julia admits, inviting viewers to keep learning alongside them.Tony adds his perspective from years in executive leadership, where he saw the strain between event heavy fundraising teams and grant writers tucked away in quiet corners—or now, working remotely. He reminds us that grant writing is both demanding and discouraging work, with many applications never funded despite excellent cases. “We have to find ways to continually celebrate the work that's being done by grant writers, whether the grant is being approved or not,” Tony says, naming the emotional labor behind every proposal.Together, Julia and Tony explore how shared language, aligned metrics, and thoughtful use of technology can connect these roles. They talk about separate goals for grants, events, and individual giving, all tied together through dashboards, regular communication, and clear expectations. They even walk through ethical ways to use board and community relationships to support grant applications—without crossing any lines.In the end, this learning session becomes a gratitude filled call to action: respect each lane, build consistent communication, celebrate the wins, and ensure leadership is championing the relationship between grant writers and fundraisers. When those pieces come together, fund development becomes a unified team effort instead of a quiet, siloed grind.#TheNonprofitShow #FundraisersFriday #NonprofitFundraisingFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Tech, data, and generosity are not abstract buzzwords—they're concrete levers that can stabilize funding, expand impact, and re-energize exhausted fundraisers. Chief Fundraising Officer Kimberly O'Donnell of Bonterra joins us to map out how recurring giving, trust-based philanthropy, and AI-powered tools can move the entire sector from scarcity thinking into a new “generosity generation.”Kimberly starts by reframing recurring giving as non-negotiable infrastructure, not a nice-to-have tactic. As she puts it, “Recurring giving is essential for nonprofit sustainability. Just no, hard stop there.” Bonterra's own research shows why: in its Meet the Moment report, 58% of federally funded nonprofits report financial instability this year. In that environment, a predictable base of sustainers—monthly and annual—can keep programs moving even as federal funds, disaster response dollars, and one-time grants fluctuate.She shares a compelling case study: a Bonterra client that introduced three choices on its donation page—one-time, monthly, and annual. By normalizing both monthly and annual recurring options, that organization grew from zero sustainers to more than 65,000, proving that donors will enthusiastically choose ongoing support when invited clearly and confidently.Kimberly also dismantles the common boardroom fear that sustainers will cannibalize major gifts. In her view, that's simply a myth. Monthly donors should be seen as high-value relationship partners whose lifetime contributions, planned gifts, and sponsorship potential can grow over time. The real problem isn't “small monthly donors”; it's organizations deciding on behalf of donors when and how they will give.From there, the conversation widens. Kimberly explains how Bonterra's vantage point—serving nonprofits, community foundations, CSR programs, and public agencies across the social good ecosystem—reveals sector-wide patterns in real time. Trust-based philanthropy, she notes, hasn't disappeared; it's evolving. Funders are becoming more intentional, concentrating resources on core pillars while streamlining reporting and using their networks to introduce nonprofits to new corporate and philanthropic partners.Achieving that shift, Kimberly argues, will require data, AI, and human connection working together—what Bonterra calls the generosity generation.AI, in particular, is already reshaping daily fundraising practice. Bonterra has been using agentic AI since 2016–2017, and its new tools are built with a “human in the loop” philosophy so fundraisers can test, refine, and own their messages.Kimberly's closing message is both empathetic and urgent: acknowledging nonprofit exhaustion yet pushing leaders to resist retreat: this is not a moment to slow down—it's a moment to experiment, ask bolder questions, and lean on tools that make the work more sustainable. #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFundraising #BonterraTechFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Donor love is measurable, and in this lively discussion, guest Lynne Wester, Principal and Founder of Donor Relations Group, brings the receipts. Drawing on data from her seventh global donor relations survey, conducted every two years since 2013 with more than 1,000 participants, Lynne shows us why retention, not the next big campaign, is where the real money is.Her core message is blunt and refreshing: we obsess over the ask even though it represents a tiny slice of our contact with supporters. As Lynne puts it, “Retention is the secret sauce of fundraising.” Most organizations still pour staff time and budget into events and tactics with weak ROI, while reporting that they are only able to share impact with less than 20 percent of their donors. That gap is not just operational; it is a revenue problem.The survey findings expose a pattern. Many donor relations teams sit under a mountain of tasks but lack a strategic plan, making them vulnerable to “seagulling” requests that fly in, drop work, and disappear. At the same time, donor relations professionals tend to stay in their roles four to nine years, while frontline fundraisers churn in about 16 months. The people who understand donor experience best often have the quietest internal voice, and Lynne's work is about giving them data to change that.She shares how longitudinal data helped the sector mostly abandon donor honor rolls: today, over 80 percent of nonprofits no longer produce donor lists that were costly and not meaningful. The survey is now pushing similar change around giving societies, the split between receipts and acknowledgements, and the use of AI. Lynne is candidly concerned that many organizations use AI tools without organizational policies, even as donor databases at major institutions have been compromised. For her, donor confidentiality and the Donor Bill of Rights demand guardrails before automation.Perhaps the most poignant remark is Lynne's insistence that gratitude and listening are not “extras” but performance drivers. Retaining a donor is five to seven times less expensive than acquiring a new one, and organizations that cared for donors as human beings during crises like the 2008 downturn and COVID raised twice as much as those that just kept asking. She argues that if a donor is not “worth a stamp,” the organization does not deserve the gift.Lynne leaves viewers with a challenge wrapped in encouragement: use data to question tradition, ask donors for their opinions, and treat stewardship as strategic fund management, not a courtesy. When you align technology, policies, and human connection around gratitude and impact, you are not just being nice—you are building a durable, scalable fundraising engine.#TheNonprofitShow #DonorRelations #FundraisingDataFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Who actually owns data protection in a nonprofit? In this fast-paced conversation, host Julia C. Patrick sits down with Taysha Adams, Manager Technology Support at JMT Consulting, and Josh Fricovsky, Engineering Director at Cortavo, to tackle the uncomfortable truth: cybersecurity is no longer “someone else's job.”Taysha starts with a reality check: most vulnerabilities don't begin in a server room. They start with everyday behavior. From checking work email on public Wi-Fi to logging in on a friend's device, casual habits open doors to attackers. As she explains, “Everybody's responsible for data security and protection… most vulnerabilities do come in from the end users.” JMT has spent more than a year realigning internal processes, tightening device controls, and partnering with Cortavo so their own team—and their clients—are better shielded.Josh builds on that by showing how fast the threat landscape is evolving. Cortavo's job as a managed service provider is to sit on the “bleeding edge”: endpoint protection, email security, MFA, VPNs, and now mobile device management for a workforce that increasingly works on the move. He notes that “the cost of inaction is going to be 10 to 100 times more than” the investment in proactive security. It's not just about tools; it's about culture, education, and leadership setting the tone.The conversation then moves to the devices we use every day. Laptops, tablets, and phones are cheaper and more plentiful than ever, but every extra device is another front door. The guests stress that nonprofits need clear policies for using personal phones for work, along with mobile device management to protect company data without “controlling” the phone itself.AI takes the discussion to another level. Both guests are enthusiastic users, but they warn that unregulated use is dangerous. Taysha urges organizations to set guardrails and favor licensed or enterprise tools so prompts, donor details, and templates aren't quietly training public models. Josh goes further, recommending offline or private LLMs for sensitive data and pointing out that attackers are already using AI for sophisticated social engineering, including voice cloning and real-time credential theft.Finally, the trio frames cybersecurity as a governance and financial issue, not just an IT problem. Data loss can mean lost clients, destroyed reputation, and even the end of an organization. Partnering with firms like JMT and Cortavo, building internal awareness, and treating security like an essential protection policy—not a luxury—are presented as non-negotiable steps for modern nonprofits.This episode is a must-watch for executives, boards, and staff who touch data in any way—which is everyone.#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitCybersecurity #DataProtectionFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

What if the people we call donors are actually investors? And what if this subtle shift reshapes expectations, power, professionalism, and even the identity of philanthropy itself? Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall challenge one of the nonprofit sector's most deeply rooted labels.Julia opens the conversation by admitting she's ready to change her own vocabulary, saying, “I'm going to really work hard to say investor, because I think you're right—this is the way we need to go.” Her candor sets an energetic tone for a conversation that questions long-held nonprofit norms while encouraging fundraisers to rethink the relationship they build with contributors.Tony expands on how much the terminology already shapes his practice. “It's pretty much standard for me now to speak of donors as investors,” he explains, noting that while the marketplace may not fully be prepared for the switch, fundraisers can begin reframing relationships in ways that strengthen professionalism, transparency, and long-term engagement.The conversation provocatively asks whether “donor” — rooted in the Latin donare, meaning to give — unintentionally implies release, relinquishment, or even detachment. Meanwhile, “investor,” drawn from investire, meaning to clothe or furnish power, places the contributor inside the organization's journey, not on the sidelines.From this vocabulary shift springs a lively exploration of expectations. A donor may hope the gift “does good,” while an investor wants measurable progress, long-term capacity building, and consistent communication tied to real results. That distinction pushes nonprofits toward better data, better systems, and better reporting.Julia and Tony also discuss how this reframing could meaningfully influence recruitment and retention in the sector. Elevating the profession with language rooted in strategy and expectation — not charity alone — may attract more skilled talent while giving current fundraisers a clearer sense of the complex, meaningful work they perform.They later explore generational dynamics. Older supporters may lean toward benevolence. Younger supporters are far more metrics-driven, tech-oriented, and impact-focused. For next-gen philanthropy, “investor” may simply feel more accurate.The informative convo closes with a practical comparison using a $5,000 gift to a food bank. A donor experiences satisfaction and goodwill. An investor expects data: pounds of food purchased, households served, meals distributed. The contrast illuminates how terminology drives operational behavior.By the end, the case for shifting language becomes both philosophical and functional. It's a lens that prompts nonprofits to strengthen systems, build trust, and engage contributors more meaningfully — all while honoring the emotional roots of giving.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Federal shutdown over! Systems rebooting! Nonprofits on the clock! In this urgent episode, we bring back Derick Dreher, Department Leader, Government Funding at Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC)—just hours after the government reopens from the longest shutdown in U.S. history.Derick starts with what happened in Washington: failed Senate votes, a last-minute continuing resolution, and a deal that funds government operations into January while restoring budgets for agencies like USDA and programs such as SNAP. But this is not just a civics lesson; it's a compliance wake-up call for every nonprofit with federal awards.Even though agencies were closed and portals were offline, he reminds viewers that obligations never went away. As Derick puts it, “It's a challenge, but you still have to do it.” Reports due during the shutdown are still due. If a federal portal was off, organizations should have emailed, mailed certified copies, and documented every step. That paper trail may be the difference between a simple explanation and a “you're in breach” notice now that systems are back up.Derick explains that rules are shifting at the same time pressure is rising. An August executive order on federal grantmaking is reshaping Uniform Guidance and, in some cases, contradicting existing regulations. Nonprofits cannot simply move programs from October to November or rework budgets on their own. Any change—timelines, program design, vendors—requires permission.The human side of this story is just as urgent. Federal employees returning from 43 days of furlough are staring at thousands of unread messages, while agencies are already dealing with staffing shortages. Automated payments and notices may resume quickly, but nuanced approvals, extensions, and clarifications will take time. That means nonprofits must expect delays while still operating at peak year-end demand and navigating food insecurity, SNAP disruption, and stretched donors.Derick calls on leaders to treat this as a mini audit moment: review every award, update budgets and reports, clarify what did and didn't happen during the shutdown, and then proactively request extensions and changes. “Federal awards are complicated beasts that have a lot of details and a lot of moving parts, and there's no reason to be afraid of accepting them,” he says—if leaders build strong internal controls for timesheets, receipts, and documentation.Above all, think of this as a reframe of the relationship with government funders: not as begging with an outstretched hand, but as a handshake partnership where authenticity, preparation, and transparency show you are leading with excellence. Get organized now, communicate wisely, and you can turn this chaotic shutdown into a proving ground for your nonprofit's strength and mission focus.#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #GovernmentGrantsFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Fundraising can feel like walking through mist—messages blur, instincts wobble, and urgency crowds out intention. In this energizing conversation, we welcome returning favorite Micah James (team lead and coach at Bloomerang—and a bride-to-be!) to name the haze and show practical ways through it. Micah calls today's moment “muddy and foggy” because donors face nonstop alerts, shifting giving channels, and rising skepticism about how funds are used. Organizations feel it too: higher costs, greater need, and inboxes stuffed with appeals that all sound the same.So what cuts through? First, stop centering money and recenter mission. As Micah says, “We don't want to give to budgets…we want to give to people, to mission, and to impact.” Translate dollars into outcomes. “There's nothing wrong with saying we're raising $3,000 because it will feed 300 families”—pair the cost with the change. Then make it personal. Tell one vivid story (Stacy, Jim, or Larry), not vague totals. Shift language so the donor becomes the hero; use “you” as often as “we.” That mental switch alone sharpens your message and steadies your strategy.Micah urges radical transparency to build trust. Be clear about what it takes to serve and honest when you're not top-of-mind in the community. Share the real work and the real budget picture without panic language. Invite support in many forms—gifts, volunteer hours, or simple acts of advocacy—and keep communicating the difference each supporter makes.A big unlock is specificity. Use your database tools to reference the donor's last gift and show what it accomplished. Celebrate recurring givers and ask for modest step-ups (from $10 to $15, from $47 to $60). Those small upgrades flatten chaotic cash-flow lines and reduce the pressure that pushes teams into constant alarm. Micah reminds us that the often-forgotten “middle” donors—already engaged, steady in capacity—can become the backbone of predictable revenue when you know them well and speak to what they care about.Bottom line: name the fog, then choose clarity. Tell one true story. Make the donor the protagonist. Map dollars to outcomes. Share the journey openly. When you do, the sun breaks through—and sustainable generosity follows. 00:00:00 Welcome and Micah's joyful news 00:03:06 Defining the fundraising fog today 00:07:14 Why budget-gap appeals miss the mark 00:10:04 Pairing dollars with outcomes that matter 00:11:49 Personalization and showing specific impact 00:13:50 Radical transparency to build trust 00:17:44 One story and donor-as-hero language 00:20:29 Using data and merge fields smartly 00:24:07 Middle donors and recurring upgrades 00:26:26 Escaping crisis mode with steady revenue Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofits can absolutely finish the year strong—especially when they treat staffing as a strategic tool, not a scramble! In this energizing convo, Katie Warnock, founder and president of Staffing Boutique, maps out practical ways organizations can add capacity right when it matters most. Katie is plainspoken and solution-oriented: for major fundraising events, she recommends planning eight to nine months out and matching roles to real workload. “First of all, if you don't have an events director, get one. If that's not feasible, bring in a seasoned temp events director or an events manager to handle day-to-day logistics.” That approach keeps development leaders focused on relationships and revenue instead of table charts and coat checks!!Katie outlines flexible staffing ramps—lighter hours early, surging near event day, then tight close-out to ensure donations, acknowledgments, and data entry are flawless. She is equally direct on year-end donor support: bring in skilled database professionals familiar with your CRM to process gifts fast and accurately. Volunteers are wonderful, but gift integrity demands pros.Volunteer management gets a reality check. Holiday enthusiasm is great, but sustained help across the calendar—June, August, February—changes outcomes. Katie urges orgs to capture individual contacts from corporate volunteer days and cultivate them directly; today's 22–32 year-olds become tomorrow's major donors and often bring corporate dollars with them.Looking beyond December 31, Katie champions prep projects that set teams up for a calm, effective new year: digitizing archives, standardizing folders and calendars, and documenting processes. She even shares a personal productivity win: embracing AI to tame an overloaded inbox. “Embrace AI… it's here and it's making so many things so much easier.” Finally, she models healthy team norms—blocks of focused work, breaks for movement and sunlight, and clarity on priorities—so coverage feels near 24/7 without burning people out.Bottom line: think earlier, staff smarter, protect data, convert volunteers to champions, and set up systems now so January starts smooth. With the right mix of temps, consultants, and clear processes, your organization can thrive through year end and launch into the new year organized, energized, and ready to grow.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

In this capstone to Nonprofit Power Week, Rita L. Soronen, President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, looks forward—past the news cycle and into the work that will shape children, families, and the sector. In a calm, mentoring tone, Rita keeps leaders grounded in first principles: start with the child. As she puts it, “We're not finding what child is best for a family, we're finding what family is best for a child.” That mindset reframes recruitment, kinship care, and inclusion, and it calls leaders to stretch their own practices.Rita shares how public attitudes toward foster care and adoption have matured, yet can backslide when sensational stories appear. Her counsel: hold firm to truth, trauma awareness, and mental health supports. She offers a practical compass for politicized climates: begin where everyone can agree. “Anyone here who's ever been a child, please raise your hand… We have to bring it back to what's best for children.” From there, leaders can convene consensus, reduce noise, and invite real collaboration across agencies, movements, and communities.On funding and donor behavior, Rita maps the changing landscape—fewer donors, larger gifts, and strong interest in measurable impact and systemic change. The lesson for leaders is balance: keep legacy channels available while building digital fluency and fluency in donor-advised funds, non-cash assets, and planned giving. Pair that with scenario planning so your organization is resilient when markets, tax policy, or public health winds shift.Rita's advice on next-gen leadership is both warm and direct. Embrace impatience for progress, mentor toward mastery, and translate across generations. Model curiosity over eye-rolls; teach how boards govern, how budgets work, and how durable change is built—without dampening the urgency younger leaders bring.Finally, Rita urges courage without fear. Hold your mission steady when funding anxieties rise. Convene unusual allies. Keep articulating the value of childhood, permanency, and family—then amplify shared ground loudly. Leaders who do this will guide teams and donors through uncertainty and keep children at the center, where they belong.#TheNonprofitShow #Adoption #FosterCareFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption shows exactly how today's nonprofits can accelerate mission and amplify revenue by putting marketing and development on the same team! CEO & President Rita L. Soronen and SVP of Marketing & Development Jill Crumbacher explain how an approach that started 11 years ago matured into an integrated structure with shared goals, clear ownership, and board alignment. As Rita puts it, “there's just this intuitive sense…that one feeds the other,” adding that the shift “became very much an organic, ongoing conversation based on results.”Jill brings for-profit rigor to the model: a VP of Marketing and a VP of Development co-lead paired “mini teams” for every fundraising channel, tracked in Asana with crystal-clear metrics. “Building a brand builds fundraising and building fundraising builds a brand. It just does,” Jill says. She adds, “For every fundraising team, we have a marketing team that supports the fundraising team”—a simple but powerful mechanism that reduces friction, speeds execution, and raises standards across content, design, and segmentation.Rita details how leadership benefits from unified messaging: presentation materials, program context, and donor narratives are synthesized by one group that also collaborates tightly with program staff. She emphasizes stewardship and brand guardianship: “we're not just protecting the brand of children in foster care, we have Dave Thomas in our name… We're protecting that brand as well,” including the Foundation's decades-long partnership with Wendy's. The conversation also takes on today's polarized climate. “We're putting resources into the effort of how do we bring polarized conversations back together?” Rita notes, reinforcing the Foundation's focus on solutions that broaden support without losing mission clarity.Talent development is intentional. Jill shares how their marketers attend the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy to learn fundraising dynamics, while fundraisers learn marketing language and channels—so both “come out of the same gate.” The approach scales: the department grew from a handful of staff to 25, roughly split between development and marketing, with half of marketing embedded on fundraising squads and half focused on awareness, brand, and sector thought leadership.The result is a disciplined, collaborative culture that moves faster, communicates smarter, and raises more—while advancing permanency for children in foster care.#TheNonprofitShow #Adoption #NonprofitLeadershipFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofits are being yanked into culture wars they never asked for. In this Nonprofit Power Week conversation, Jill Crumbacher, Senior VP of Marketing and Development at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, lays out how to keep your message steady when the public square gets noisy.  This episode is a field manual for keeping your purpose intact—and your voice effective—when the temperature rises!Jill's team spans both marketing and fundraising—by design. As she puts it, the Foundation treats the whole enterprise “as one big communication strategy,” where audience segmentation, message discipline, and timing live in the same room.Are foster care and adoption political? Jill's answer: yes—and no. The Foundation operates at the back end of the process, after courts determine a child cannot safely return home. That's where “finding forever families” becomes the mission—while the front end (why a child enters care) is where debates about poverty, racism, and systems flare. That nuance matters, and Jill's team crafts language for each audience: “adoption” for the public; “permanency” for child-welfare professionals who also consider guardianship and reunification.Jill's playbook mixes discipline with restraint. She says it plainly: “Just because a reporter calls you doesn't mean you have to reply.” Years before headlines heat up, her team works with crisis-comms experts to pre-write long and short answers for likely “arrows”—from Dobbs to immigration—paired with a decision tree about whether to engage at all. The goal is to protect mission focus when others try to conscript your voice for their fight.Inside the house, rigor rules. The comms calendar is “beautifully organized chaos,” mapping channels, suppressions, and variants for donors (new, returning, Wendy's-affiliated, etc.), followers, and child-welfare audiences. Message control isn't censorship; it's service to clarity. The team maintains a “say this, not that” lexicon and sends materials to outside reviewers to catch phrasing that could be misunderstood in other contexts.There are also non-negotiables. “We will celebrate all children and we'll advocate for all children in the system, regardless of how they identify,” Jill says. The Foundation's images and words stay consistent year-round—they don't “poke,” they persist. And when criticism pops up, they've seen the community often step in first, defending the work organically on social media.If you steward a mission in a volatile moment, borrow these moves: define your lane, choose words precisely, prepare answers in peacetime, monitor hot-button issues for possible linkages, and decide in advance what you will never trade away. #TheNonprofitShow #FosterCare #CrisisCommunicationsFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

In this key conversation, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption President & CEO Rita L. Soronen maps out a modern playbook for governing with purpose while sustaining momentum after years of change. She begins with the Dave Thomas legacy—not as a branding exercise, but as a lived journey that shaped a national public charity with a singular focus: permanency for children in foster care. “If you can do one good thing in life,” Rita reflects, “the fact that he created two iconic brands—the Wendy's Company and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption—is just remarkable.” That origin story still informs board design, revenue strategy, and leadership cadence today. The throughline for governing is respect for leaders' time and a culture where advice is welcomed, staff are empowered to execute, and collaboration fuels outcomes for children and families.Rita details a deliberately blended board: seats for Wendy's C-suite leaders (tone from the top), franchisees who steward restaurant-level campaigns, Thomas family members, and public members—researchers, policy experts, legal leaders, and child welfare practitioners—who bring depth to complex decisions. The result is governance that can guide a mission working at local, state, and federal levels without being mistaken for a corporate foundation. “We want donors to see a public charity doing serious work,” she notes, “and not assume we're fully funded by Frosty sales.”Her approach to engagement is disciplined and human. Board meetings are two in-person and two virtual per year, each paired (for the in-person sessions) with intentional social time to build trust. Meetings themselves are crisp—two and a half hours—because the real work happens in committees that meet quarterly, report out, and keep decisions moving. Between meetings, Rita runs a high-touch communication rhythm: January one-on-ones with every director, timely updates to the executive committee, and monthly check-ins to prevent surprises.On fundraising, she favors shared responsibility over quotas: franchisee-driven campaigns; a gala at Wendy's convention; personal giving from all members; and thoughtful introductions to new corporate and individual partners. Equally important is recognizing non-monetary value—when a board member's policy expertise or research acumen is as catalytic as a major gift.Finally, Rita describes their operational maturity: a formal platform (Nasdaq Boardvantage) for materials; a consent agenda; predictable deadlines; and smart seasonality—virtual meetings in December and June to avoid travel disruptions.#TheNonprofitShow #BoardGovernance #AdoptionFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption doesn't treat partnerships as a side project—they're the operating system. During this National Adoption Month and in this Nonprofit Power Week kickoff, Senior VP Jill Crumbacher shares how the Foundation builds relationships that move from a good idea to real results. Step one: align the people doing the work. “Our marketing and our development practice is under one department that I lead,” Jill explains. That single team design means awareness and revenue aren't competing—they're collaborating—so a PSA, a billboard, a direct-mail test, or an influencer post can ladder up to the same mission outcome.Jill dismantles the common myth that Wendy's alone funds the mission. Wendy's is a long-standing, values-matched partner, but the need—kids and teens waiting for family in the U.S. and Canada—calls for many hands. That's why DTFA manages a wide mix of partners each year: micro-influencers and media outlets, cause-aligned brands, and fundraising collaborators. To keep everything clear and friendly, they start with the right agreement for the moment—an approachable MOU for brand exchanges and content support; a fuller contract when dollars or large placements are involved. The paperwork isn't red tape—it's a map. Who does what, by when, with what approvals. Everyone can move faster because expectations are written down.Media is changing, and the Foundation adapts. Donated placements are still vital (think PSAs across billboards, airports, radio, and connected TV). But there's also a growing middle lane Jill calls “low bono”—discounted inventory that isn't free but is far below market. The team buys when the data says it's smart, especially in digital, and pairs that with donated reach for scale.Brand care is a shared responsibility. The Foundation reviews language and usage to protect its name and the Wendy's connection. If something flares online, they pick up the phone so partners aren't blindsided. That builds trust, and trust keeps doors open. Multi-year deals? They're great when they make sense, but Jill's team prefers to earn renewal through value rather than lock people in. The relationship stays fresh because both sides want to come back.Maybe the most refreshing part is Jill's take on celebrity. The organization has tested it; the results weren't lasting. The real wins come from people and brands who show up because they truly care. As Jill puts it, “You go further with the ones that are organic… when you're all in it about the mission.” Those partners bring energy, introduce new allies, and help the message travel farther.If you're rethinking how your organization shows up with partners—how you set expectations, share brand space, blend donated and paid reach, and keep everyone rowing in the same direction—this conversation is a ready-to-use roadmap for doing it well, and doing it together.#TheNonprofitShow #AdoptionMatters #NonprofitPartnershipsFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

On this special Halloween edition of #TheNonprofitShow, Host Julia C. Patrick welcomes “Countess” Justine Townsend of Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC), to turn board governance fears into practical know-how. Capes, cobwebs, and clever metaphors aside, the lesson is real: fiduciary duties aren't folklore; they're law. As Justine explains, “you have a legal and ethical obligation to act on behalf of the organization with their best interest in heart.” Miss that, and the consequences can rattle a boardroom harder than a thunderclap.First comes the duty of care. Think: show up, read the financials, ask questions, and make informed decisions. The monster here is the “ghost board member”—present in name only—who fails to notice a growing payroll tax balance. When the feds knock, there's no hiding in the attic. Justine's warning is blunt: “D&O insurance does not cover unpaid payroll taxes.” That's a real-world jump scare.Next is the duty of loyalty—less about blind allegiance and more about putting the organization's interests ahead of your own. Enter the “vampire board member,” pushing a property sale that benefits them more than the nonprofit. The cure: annual conflict-of-interest disclosures, board recusals, and transparency. Bonus: checking the policy box (and posting it on your website) earns trust points with watchdogs like Candid.Finally, the duty of obedience. No, not the toddler version. This means honoring laws, policies, donor restrictions, and—crucially—the mission. Beware the “zombie board member,” shambling after “money, money, money” while letting programs drift off-mission. That's how donor restrictions get broken and how repayment claims can rise from the grave. File the Form 990 on time, disclose program changes, and keep mission, vision, and values stitched tightly together.Throughout, Julia and Justine keep it witty and useful: schedule your COI renewals before year-end, disclose changes on the 990, and use fiscal sponsorship wisely during early program stages. The closing charm? A simple mnemonic: care (do the work), loyalty (put the org first), obedience (follow the rules). With that, your board won't just survive spooky season—it'll thrive all year.#NonprofitFinance #BoardGovernance #TheNonprofitShowFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofits send more messages than ever, yet many still miss the moment that matters: the decision. The CEO and Co-Founder Kylee Ingram of Wizer Technologies explains how seven decision profiles can transform fundraising emails, stewardship notes, and board communications from “nice” to effective.  If donor retention, board alignment, and major-gift outreach are priorities this year, this episode gives you the evidence-based path to communicate the way your audience actually decides.Built from research originally advanced by Juliette Bourke (author of Which Two Heads Are Better Than One?), Wizer's framework maps the way people actually choose—across seven profiles: Achiever, Analyzer, Collaborator, Visionary, Explorer, Guardian, and Deliverer.As Kylee puts it, “What we've created is a program called Wize Snaps… it will look at your comms and then live replicate and tell you what's right and wrong about it—then generate a new email based on that person's decision profile.” The fix isn't creepy personalization (“How's your dog?”). Its decision-relevant signals and templates tuned to how people weigh evidence, risk, outcomes, process, and options. Inside organizations, keeping cognitive diversity matters, too; when teams mirror top leadership styles, innovation drops, and decision errors rise!Kylee also speaks to what's in the playbook for 2026: AI can shorten drafting time, but message-market fit still wins. “AI helps people write better… It's not helping you write the right message necessarily,” Kylee says. Her counsel: slow down, identify the decision profile, and then scale. Use visuals and A/B testing with intent: for some profiles, a results graph will outperform a cute animal photo; for others, a clear process step-down or risk-mitigation note unlocks action. Start inside your nonprofit—board and staff—so your culture and donor experience align. Wizer offers free full decision profiles for teams and boards, plus Wize Snaps to assess copy and suggest rewrites.#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitMarketing #FundraisingStrategyFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

When fundraising meets humanity, transformation follows—and few express that better than Tammy Zonker, founder of Fundraising Transformed and author of Calling All Heroes. In this powerful episode, host Julia C. Patrick engages Tammy in a deep conversation about reimagining philanthropy through what she calls a human-centered mindset—a new evolution beyond donor- or community-centric models.Tammy explains, “The human-centered mindset is fundamentally about recognizing that everyone involved in the philanthropic process brings unique value—lived experience, expertise, and contribution—all of which deserve to be respected and valued.” That respect, she notes, comes alive through five principles: listening, empathy, belonging, shared values, and authentic partnership. Each principle is deceptively simple but radically powerful in a world that's become more divided and transactional.After 17 years leading Fundraising Transformed, Tammy has seen the shift from transactional giving toward connection-based relationships that sustain missions, not just budgets. Yet, she reminds us that even well-intentioned donor-centered models can reinforce inequity when organizations let large gifts steer mission or silence truth. “We never had the courage to course-correct because we feared losing the funding,” she says candidly—a line that will resonate with fundraisers everywhere.Her solution? Blend the best of both approaches. Donor-centered fundraising taught gratitude and impact reporting; community-centered fundraising elevated justice and inclusion. A human-centered model marries both, removing ego, flattening hierarchy, and restoring empathy across every role—donor, volunteer, staff, and participant.Tammy ties this philosophy to the real data crisis in philanthropy: donor retention at just 43% overall and a mere 19% for first-time givers. With fewer households donating each year, she warns that philanthropy risks becoming an elite sport. Instead, she advocates re-elevating small monthly donors, volunteers, and advocates whose collective action drives real change.The episode ends on a liberating message for nonprofit professionals: progress over perfection. Perfection, Tammy insists, “is overrated.” Real leadership requires risk, humility, and innovation—and that means acting, failing, learning, and trying again.In a time when empathy often feels endangered, Calling All Heroes reminds us that every fundraiser, donor, and community member has a heroic role to play. Humanity, it seems, is the most sustainable fundraising strategy of all.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

What happens when you stop fishing for board members in the same small pond and start casting into the ocean? According to TD Smyers, CEO and co-founder of BoardBuild.org, you get a board that actually reflects the people you serve and a lot more horsepower where it counts. TD admits he learned the hard way. Traditional recruiting leans almost entirely on the social circles of executives and current directors, which means sameness on repeat. BoardBuild flips that habit by opening a national pool and enabling a mutual search that matches what nonprofits need with candidates who are eager and prepared to serve.TD frames diversity with refreshing specificity: race and ethnicity, age, gender, geography, and industry. The platform lets organizations search intentionally across those dimensions and beyond. Why it matters shows up in the results. A six-month study by Maya Consulting found that members sourced through the platform immediately energized strategic planning, governance, and fundraising. Board giving, often stuck around seventy percent participation nationally, moved upward as many of these new directors gave beyond their peers. That is not luck; that is design.The modern boardroom, TD notes, isn't limited by zip code. Remote participation widened the talent aperture without dulling performance. The real work, TD reminds us, happens between meetings—inside committees and follow-through—not during the quarterly roll call.Two BoardBuild differentiators drive outcomes. First, the pool: “We built BoardBuild so there are no barriers to that pool,” TD says. No geographic, language, or socioeconomic walls. Second, the magic of mutual search: candidates define the causes and roles they want, organizations define the skills and lived experience they need, and “when passion and specificity meet the need, the magic happens.”Funders are paying attention too. If you want smarter stewardship of grant dollars, strengthen the people making the decisions. Community foundations and statewide associations now use BoardBuild to help their grantees fortify boards with purpose and capacity. The net effect is a sector that collaborates more, competes smarter, and grows up a bit on boardroom practice. TD' thesis is simple and persuasive: treat board service like the part-time job it really is, recruit from a larger world, and watch your organization's strategy and resources stop wobbling.#TheNonprofitShow #BoardGovernance #NonprofitLeadershipFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

When nonprofits tackle a major platform shift, the tech is only half the story. JMT Consulting pros Brady Haslebacher (Director of Program Management) and Dagmar “Dagi” Stanton (Manager of Education Services) map out the human and operational moves that make change stick. This informative episode breaks down why big projects stall—no top-down buy-in, poor internal communication, and late user inclusion—and then shows how to reverse it with a clear cadence, a requirements doc everyone can point to, and training that respects different learning styles. You'll also hear how to build champions: start with pain points, practice real workflows, revisit what was decided four weeks ago, and connect dashboards to daily tasks so executives and staff share one view of success.Brady puts it plainly: “Without communication, missions fail.” From day one, he presses leaders to create a real pre-decision phase—document requirements, prioritize reporting needs, and establish ownership from the C-suite through front-line users. His data points are clear: a typical engagement runs ~90 days to go-live, ~60 days of hypercare, and one to two working sessions per week—about six months end-to-end.Dagi brings the trainer's lens, focusing on behavior and confidence. She works with teams who didn't even choose the new system, flipping reluctance into momentum by making sessions unexpectedly fun and practical. Her mantra cuts through inertia: “The right answer isn't ‘because we've always done it that way.'” She intentionally sets up safe mistakes so users learn how fast they can correct entries—lowering stress and building mastery. The result is less dread and more people who actually enjoy using the tools.In closing, you'll get details on JMT's Innovate 2026 (Washington, D.C., May 4–6): a pre-conference day for deep skill building, followed by multi-track sessions that span software, finance, management, and sector trends—plus the chance to meet your people in person.If you're planning a system change—or sitting in one right now—this conversation gives you timelines, team roles, and a playbook to move from anxiety to adoption without the hair-on-fire moments.#ChangeManagement #NonprofitTechFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

We sat down with Amos Balongo, keynote speaker and communications coach, to explore a subject rarely discussed in the nonprofit space — personal visibility. Amos challenges the traditional mindset that humility and impact must exist in separate spheres, proposing instead that visibility is both a professional asset and a form of leadership.Speaking from Honolulu, Amos sets the stage with a simple truth: “If you don't speak for your work, nobody else will.” His message resonates deeply within a sector that often prizes quiet service over self-advocacy. For Amos, visibility isn't vanity — it's strategy. He reframes communication as the ability to connect and insists that becoming visible is a learnable habit rather than an innate gift. “It's not hope; it's a strategy,” he says. “You have to be bold, brief, and strategic.”Show host Julia Patrick draws the connection to the real-world nonprofit landscape, where professionals work tirelessly to amplify their organizations while neglecting their own personal brands. The result, Amos explains, is that talent often remains unseen. Visibility, he emphasizes, begins with intentionality — knowing your stakeholders, communicating outcomes instead of effort, and building recognition across and beyond your nonprofit.Amos's philosophy merges clarity with courage. He invites nonprofit leaders to reject the old adage “let your work speak for itself” and instead cultivate everyday visibility — a daily practice of sharing progress, celebrating results, and speaking with confidence. He notes that humility isn't silence; it's authenticity. The key is to shift from describing how hard you've worked to explaining the difference your work has made.Networking, too, takes on new meaning. Rather than collecting business cards, Amos urges purposeful connection rooted in belief, preparation, and authenticity. “Networking is an inside job before it becomes an outside job,” he asserts, reminding listeners that confidence in oneself and one's mission radiates outward.Ultimately, this conversation transcends self-promotion. It's about alignment between who you are and how you are perceived — an integrity-driven approach to leadership. Visibility, Amos concludes, is not a one-time project but a lifelong habit, built daily through connection, clarity, and courage.#TheNonprofitShow #LeadershipVisibility #NonprofitBrandingFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Craig Shelley, CEO of Schultz & Williams, joins Show host Julia Patrick, as they examine how philanthropy and nonprofit leadership are being reshaped under persistent uncertainty. Craig frames the moment succinctly: skepticism toward institutions is rising, which means nonprofits must state their values plainly and show exactly how funds power outcomes. The rubric he uses —“culture, brand, growth,” with culture first—becomes a practical lens leaders can apply immediately.A central thread is fear—of economic signals, of language missteps, of technology's speed. Craig notes that newer terms and jargon often widen the gap between sector insiders and the public. The remedy, he argues, is precision in communication and integrity in positioning. Julia observes a leadership pivot she's hearing across the sector: “I've shifted my focus from task management to almost cheerleader,” which reframes modern leadership as energizing teams, not merely allocating tasks.Remote work adds complexity: video meetings enable contact but thin relationships. Craig cautions that virtual convenience can erode the depth required for durable trust with colleagues and donors. He urges fundraisers—especially early-career professionals—to prioritize in-person relationship building. Otherwise, if their engagement stays purely digital, they compete directly with automated outreach. AI, in his telling, is already table stakes for efficiency—wealth screening, signal-based prospecting, and automated acknowledgments—but not a substitute for human rapport.The conversation widens to concentric circles of stakeholders: start with staff, then the board, donors, and constituents. Invest in people first—reduce friction, understand motivations, build clarity. Curiosity is the catalyst. Craig's own practice—asking about lives beyond job titles—models how depth is built. Julia adds a counterweight on “authentic leadership,” wryly noting that unfiltered authenticity can unsettle teams; leaders must project steadiness even while processing strain.What emerges is a modern leadership compact: clarity about values, consistent communication, judicious use of technology, and intentional relationship work—especially in person. The sector's generosity hasn't waned; the environment around it has shifted. Navigating that shift means centering people and partnerships, then aligning tools to support, not replace, human connection.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Joint fundraising: bold idea, complicated feelings. On this Fundraisers Friday, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall swap real-world stories and field notes on how small and midsize nonprofits can team up without tripping over turf, lists, or logistics. Julia sets the table with a grin—“They're super tricky, they're very interesting, and I think there's a lot of fear around it”—then Tony gets granular on where collaboration actually shines: events. Think shared strengths: one NPO's marketing mojo plus another's room-flow wizardry equals a stronger guest experience and better net for all.The throughline is alignment. Serve the same community—youth, seniors, cancer journeys, pets—so the purpose reads as one chorus, not competing solos.Contracts keep friendships friendly. Spell everything out in an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) or partnership agreement: shared costs, who fronts deposits, marketing responsibilities, volunteer management, night-of logistics, and—vital—who's the fiscal agent. As Tony puts it, “It's just a reminder that we are running a business.” Marketing lists stay private; attendee lists can be shared with explicit consent at registration. Afterward, leverage an event page for social recaps while each org pushes post-event notes to its own supporters.Courage shows up at the recap table. Schedule a quick postmortem to capture wins, gaps, and “never again” insights while memories are fresh. Sometimes the bravest answer is one-and-done: celebrate the success and move on. Julia's take on reality checks lands with a smile and a nod to capacity: big hearts are fantastic, but bandwidth pays the bills!! #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFundraising #Collaboration Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

The phrase “overhead myth” still haunts the nonprofit world like a stubborn ghost. Host Julia C. Patrick sits down with Adam Holzberg, Partner and CPA at SAX Advisory Group, to teach viewers why judging nonprofits by their administrative expenses misses the point—and how education, transparency, and storytelling can replace outdated thinking with real understanding.Adam defines the myth plainly: “It's the idea that a nonprofit is less effective when it has higher overhead.” That assumption, he stresses, is simply untrue. The salaries, training, technology, IT support, and finance work that make up overhead are the very systems that keep programs running effectively. Yet donors and watchdogs still cling to the notion that only direct program spending matters. “In reality,” Adam says, “those programs can't even function without this infrastructure behind the scenes.”He traces the myth's roots to the early days of charity watchdogs comparing organizations through the functional expense schedule on Form 990 filings. Those comparisons turned rough accounting estimates into moral judgments, and the damage stuck. Many nonprofits still feel pressure to brag about low overhead ratios—even when it hurts them.Adam teaches that context matters. A government-funded nonprofit may appear more efficient because it spends little on fundraising, while a community charity that relies on individual donations will show a larger overhead percentage. There's no universal benchmark—though watchdogs like Charity Navigator often cite 70 percent program spending as a target. But he cautions against treating that as a rule: every mission, funding model, and cost structure differs.When asked how to fix the problem, Adam emphasizes education. Nonprofits must explain why investing in staff well-being, technology, and cybersecurity protects impact. His analogy brings it home: “If you build an offense with Patrick Mahomes and top receivers but neglect your offensive line, your team won't move the ball. Nonprofits are the same—without infrastructure, even the best programs fail.”Julia and Adam agree that shifting focus from expense ratios to impact data is the next frontier. Impact storytelling shows outcomes numbers can't: lives changed, communities strengthened, futures rebuilt. Leaders, boards, and funders must learn to read those stories alongside the spreadsheets.The conversation closes with hope—and a reminder that every conversation helps rewrite the narrative. By teaching donors, boards, and staff that strong infrastructure equals stronger mission delivery, nonprofits can finally end the burden of the overhead myth.#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #OverheadMyth Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Temporary work isn't a consolation prize—it's a lever. In this candid conversation, Staffing Boutique's Director of Recruitment, Dana Scurlock, reframes the temp path as a smart way to stay employed, sharpen skills, and earn while exploring fit. She traces her roots to a temp desk in 2006 and explains why the market's realities—shorter tenures, year-end crunches, and staffing bandwidth gaps—make interim roles unusually valuable for both candidates and nonprofits. “One of the great benefits of temporary work is it can fit within your schedule,” she notes, pointing to project-based needs that run two or three days a week and let candidates stack to a full 40 hours across multiple gigs.Dana urges job seekers to check the “temporary” box on job boards instead of waiting months for a direct hire. Put temp and consulting projects on your resume—silence creates gaps. The better story in interviews is momentum: “Instead of saying ‘I'm in between jobs,' you're a hot commodity who's actively working.” She stresses two traits that get temps invited back: self-sufficiency and crisp communication. Arrive with questions that unlock the day's tasks, request the specific information you need up front, and deliver without constant check-ins.Cultural humility matters, especially in mission-driven shops. Temps often see opportunities to improve databases, files, or event processes; offer those observations with tact and with clarity about scope. Ask whether leaders want suggestions now or prefer focus on the assigned project. It's role awareness, not silence.On tech, list the actual tools on your resume and be ready to describe what you did with them—Raiser's Edge queries, Excel data cleaning, Outlook mail merges, LexisNexis research, whatever applies. Keep learning through webinars, libraries, and sector trainings; AI for prospecting and fundraising is here, so stay current. For many assignments, managers need someone who can start immediately with minimal training—so signaling concrete tool fluency is a fast pass.Finally, Dana frames temp roles as on-the-job professional development. You'll earn, learn modern systems, and convert real usage into stronger interview stories. When events and year-end appeals stack up, that readiness is gold for organizations—and a career accelerator for you.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Fundraising folklore says the “one big donor” will save the day! Katie Gaston, Director of Product Marketing at Bloomerang, dismantles that ‘chase' and replaces it with steady, systems-based fundraising. Katie frames her role in product marketing as disciplined storytelling: know your audience, understand what they care about, and read the landscape by listening, surveying, and researching. That same mindset applies to development. Start by cleaning and maintaining data in your CRM so you can actually see who is volunteering, giving monthly, and staying loyal over time. Automation can help—address updates, enrichment, and built-in features you may not have enabled.Katie moves the conversation from wishful thinking to practical math: “Research shows you will actually raise quite a bit more if you just focus on the donors already in your database.” Loyal monthly givers, long-tenured annual donors, and volunteers represent reliable lift and lower risk than a single major-gift “unicorn.” She urges teams to use AI thoughtfully. Whether through platform-native tools or carefully configured external assistants, AI can scan patterns, surface bequest prospects, identify mid-level donors to upgrade, and recommend next actions.This timely episode then maps a clear donor journey. Thank first-time donors within 48 hours, then vary contact across channels—email, short mobile video, text, and a newsletter update—to nurture toward recurring and mid-level giving. Build an automated sequence now so December's influx becomes January's momentum, not a one-month spike. Even modest, realistic steps matter: one sequence, one board call plan, one January volunteer invitation for first-time donors.Boards and leadership often share the myth. Bring them along with evidence. Use AI or CRM reports to present streak length, recency, and consistency. Real stories persuade too: a decades-long modest donor who later made a significant bequest once the relationship was cultivated. Katie offers a simple activation: “A board thank you call will actually increase the next gift size by up to 40%.” Pair that with the “48 hour” rule and you have a repeatable, high-leverage play.Finally, Katie's suggests we reframe year-end. December isn't a finish line; it's the on-ramp for the new year. Lean into the cultural reset of January—invite, ask why they gave, listen, and keep the story going. The takeaway: stop chasing the mythical donor and build a system that compounds loyalty you already have.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall get practical about recruiting fundraising talent when Q4 urgency is peaking. They open with empathy for development teams sprinting toward holiday giving, then move straight into the realities leaders must manage: retention, clarity, and smarter channels for sourcing candidates. Tony reminds us of the data behind turnover—average tenure around 19 months—and turns that into a charge for boards and executives to assess culture and expectations, not just replace people. “I'm an advocate of putting salary ranges in job postings,” he says, framing transparency as both respectful and time-saving for everyone.The core lesson: start with a carefully crafted role. Compensation, deliverables, and core competencies belong upfront so you can source with precision. Julia pushes the conversation further: what if someone has been in the role for ten years? Tony offers a balanced lens—deep relationships can be a huge asset provided the organization's future vision and the person's strengths still connect.From there, they map pathways to strong candidates: specialized job boards (AFP global and chapter sites, Chronicle of Philanthropy, local consulting firms' boards), professional networks, and the university pipeline. Today's philanthropic studies programs and micro-credentials (including LinkedIn Learning) expand opportunities for both organizations and professionals; mid-career learners with real-world experience can be exceptional hires. Julia points to the Lodestar Center at ASU as an example of a robust regional hub producing talent across ages and backgrounds.They also cover the human side: discretion on LinkedIn (quietly indicating recruiter-friendly status), partnering with search firms, and managing communications in small communities where reputations travel fast. Tony's encouragement is simple and memorable: “You have to be in it to win it.” That means showing up, telling trusted peers you're exploring options, and being thoughtful about where and how you share.The episode closes with practical optimism. Recruiting well isn't about luck—it's about clarity, channels, and consistent relationship-building. Name the role. State the range. Know the competencies. Post where fundraisers actually look. Tap universities and certificates. And keep your personal brand healthy—because your next opportunity often starts with the conversations you have today! #TheNonprofitShow #FundraisersFriday #NonprofitCareersFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Dwyer Workforce Development is rewriting what “possible” looks like for a young, fast-scaling nonprofit. In this compelling conversation, CEO Barb Clapp traces a journey that began with a blank slate in September 2022 and now stands at 10,000 Dwyer Scholars across seven states—with a confident path to 100,000 by 2030. The spark came from founder Jack Dwyer's twin commitments: expand opportunity for people shut out of stable careers and respond to the nationwide healthcare staffing crisis. Barb's charge was bold—design a national model that moves quickly, performs consistently, and proves its value to partners, employers, and learners.Her answer blends entrepreneurial rigor with social mission. Dwyer built a social enterprise engine—a $590 million conversion of a skilled nursing portfolio to nonprofit ownership—whose proceeds help fund training pathways. At ground level, the organization relies on clearly defined referral, training, and employer partnerships, each governed by MOUs and measurable expectations. That clarity enables adaptation to rural, suburban, and urban markets while maintaining one brand, one message, and one standard for outcomes. As Barb puts it, “My little motto is that press brings opportunity and having a consistent brand and understanding consistent messaging will improve outcomes.”Communications discipline is not a tactic; it is strategy. Internal messaging aligns every team member on values, goals, and voice. External messaging earns trust, investment, and momentum. Boards and leaders who resist marketing spend, Barb notes, miss the compounding returns of consistent communication. The results are striking: rapid state expansion, strong completion and placement outcomes for scholars, and a repeatable market entry framework. States now approach Dwyer—Kansas and New York among them—because the model is explicit, execution-ready, and partnered from day one.Barb's leadership philosophy centers on kindness through candor. “Clarity is kindness… I'm like a street shooter, so no one really doesn't understand what my expectations are.” That stance dignifies partners and scholars alike, and it fuels the organization's capacity to scale technology, staff, and regional structures without losing its heart. The pandemic exposed both the fragility and heroism of healthcare work; Dwyer's model honors that reality by opening doors to CNAs and other caregiving roles for individuals overcoming homelessness, domestic violence, and generational limits.The takeaway is simple and ambitious: when mission meets enterprise discipline and brand coherence, systems begin to shift. Dwyer Workforce Development is proving that national growth and local responsiveness can move together—one clear message, one rigorous playbook, and thousands of new careers at a time.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofits don't just need more messages—they need messages that move people. In this fast-paced episode we welcome persuasion instructor and longtime marketer Dean Batson to show how science-based communication turns attention into action. Batson traces his path from launching a digital agency to teaching persuasion at Arizona State University, where he studies the shortcuts our brains use to decide fast. “We make mental shortcuts all day long,” Dean explains. “If you know which way someone may lean because of a heuristic, you can frame your message to nudge that choice.”He breaks down social proof (those 5,000 five-star reviews that quietly sway your click), the danger of choice overload (the famous jam study where 24 flavors crushed sales), and the “availability heuristic”—why the word “shark” grabs attention while “falling coconuts” doesn't. Dean's advice: be the message people recall first. “Be the shark messaging, not the coconut messaging.”For fundraisers, this means streamlining every pathway from interest to gift. Keep donors in System One (fast, intuitive) rather than forcing System Two (slow, effortful) that stalls giving. Less friction. Fewer steps. Clear next action. Dean contrasts persuasion and manipulation with a simple rule: persuasion is transparent and win-win; manipulation is opaque and win-lose—and it burns trust.He also flips how teams read results. Many obsess over the 7% who opened an email while ignoring the 93% who didn't—classic survivorship bias. The fix: study the non-responders and reframe your outreach so more people move. Dean offers practical tactics you can use today, like priming stakeholders with a short Slack note before a meeting to set the idea as the front-runner. And don't wait: start shaping next week's “yes” with simple, steady cues today.Finally, Dean urges leaders to equip the entire organization—not just gift officers—with persuasion skills. When every staffer can frame ideas clearly, your mission becomes the message people remember, share, and support.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

ROI and culture rarely share the same sentence in nonprofit circles—yet that's exactly the connection guest Carrie Wright (Wright Consulting) makes with co-hosts Wendy F. Adams and Julia C. Patrick. Carrie argues that retention, performance, and donor experience begin inside the walls: “You will never serve your clients beyond the level of which you serve one another.” If teams are burned out, poorly onboarded, or siloed, no amount of recruiting spend fixes the churn. As she puts it, leaders must “close the back door” with rigorous assessment, honest listening, and visible action.Carrie's playbook is practical. Start with anonymous pulse checks—quarterly if possible—to hear reality, not assumptions. Then act: cross-functional small groups, bridge-building across departments, and norms that reward collaboration instead of comparison. Culture work isn't a memo; it's a habit system. Think heat rising to a boil: one degree at a time until 212.What about power dynamics? Carrie is clear that modeling starts at the top. Wall values must match hallway behavior. If leadership resists inside-out work but pushes customer-facing service, there's a mismatch. That's where courage comes in—for executives and for team members who “lead from where they sit.” Emerging leaders can shape tomorrow's norms today through reverse mentoring, curiosity, and steady ownership.Timelines matter. Culture change isn't instant. Carrie has seen meaningful movement in six to nine months when leaders commit, communicate, and keep at it—while accepting pruning along the way. People will self-select out; that's part of creating healthy soil. The gardener's mindset applies: tend, water, weed, and measure growth.Above all, the path forward is transparent: “Clarity is kindness.” Name the direction, keep conversations open, and invite people into the process—including the moments that are tough. Put culture on the same planning calendar as fundraising and events. If you're asking donors to invest, demonstrate that you're investing in your people with equal focus. The outcome? A mission that gains momentum because the team carrying it is strong, trusted, and aligned.#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitLeadership #WorkplaceCultureFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

When a nonprofit founder steps away, the organization often faces one of the most emotional and uncertain chapters in its history. In this episode, Joan Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Interim Executives Academy, and Catherine Bradshaw, Senior Search Specialist at EOS Transition Partners, discuss the delicate art of following a founder and building stability during leadership succession.Catherine begins, “When a founder leaves, the organization loses not only a leader but often its very identity. The board and staff must learn that the mission can thrive beyond the individual.” Her experience reveals that many boards have never navigated a leadership change — especially one that involves the founder who is the face of the organization.Joan adds, “Interim leaders give organizations breathing space. When there's no heir apparent, an interim provides structure, clarity, and a safe period to determine what the future needs to look like.” She reminds us that interim executives aren't caretakers—they're catalysts for readiness, shaping communication and confidence at every level of the organization.Together, they address the emotional realities that come when a founder steps aside: staff anxiety, donor unease, and the founder's own sense of identity loss. Catherine recommends coaching and structured off-boarding as essential supports: “Departing leaders need grace and guidance too. It's about leaving the organization strong and knowing when to step fully away.”Joan highlights the power of communication: “No one functions well with prolonged uncertainty. Clear communication with staff, donors, and community partners makes all the difference in a smooth transition.” Both guests advocate early succession planning and the importance of professional interim leadership to prevent crisis-driven change.From retaining donor trust to defining new leadership roles, this sparkling conversation reveals why founder transitions, when managed thoughtfully, can be a time of renewal rather than instability. It's a masterclass for nonprofit boards, executives, and founders who want to lead with foresight rather than fear.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

If you want donors to move, tell them exactly where to go. In this Fundraisers Friday conversation, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall turn vague appeals into precise, energizing calls to action (CTA's)—across giving, events, engagement, volunteering, and advocacy. Tony lays the foundation early: “Start with the call to action. What do I want folks to do?” When you begin with the outcome, every sentence supports momentum, not meandering.Julia puts a common myth on the table: “It's not just like go out and ask a bunch of rich people for money.” Fundraising isn't speed-dial; it's relationship-building, timing, and clarity. Tony reinforces the point: “Fundraising is all about relationships,” and your CTA is the moment you convert relationship energy into tangible next steps—give, register, share, join, or contact.Time-bound CTAs matter. Use real clocks, not artificial pressure. Matching gifts? Set the deadline: “Donate by October 15 so your gift will be doubled.” Community emergencies? Be specific: protect 20 roofs, feed families during power loss, or restore safe access to services this week. Impact framing turns abstract dollars into visible outcomes: $50 feeds one student for a month—$100 feeds two. That clarity invites bigger gifts because supporters can instantly see scale.Equally important: truth and fit. If the amount and impact don't match, supporters feel it. Build your figures from real program data, and keep the language human. Julia adds a practical lens for events: swap “RSVP” for action-forward phrases like “Save my seat.” Tap joyful FOMO without panic. Want engagement? Ask for it. “Click subscribe,” “Invite 10 friends,” “Share with a neighbor adopting a pet.” Want volunteers or in-kind items? Say exactly how to respond and how you'll make it easy.Advocacy belongs in your CTA toolkit too. This isn't about politics—it's about mission. Invite your community to “Stand with families—email your legislator today to support…” Frame the request around the people you serve and the outcome your programs create.Finally, close the loop with gratitude-based storytelling. Julia's favorite “Because of you” CTA wraps action and appreciation into one cadence: Because of you, 50 students received laptops; because of you, seniors got meals during outages. That framing reminds supporters they are the hero—today and tomorrow.Start with the action you need, frame it with authentic impact, and invite your community to step forward—now.  Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Matt Glazer arrives with runner's grit and a teacher's patience, asking nonprofit leaders to reconsider what “success” really means when the pace gets punishing and the stakes feel permanent. Blue Sky Partners, he explains, is built on human-centered design—strategy that starts with people, not paperwork—because “things happen with people, not to them.” That simple reframing lands like fresh air in a room that's been working on fumes.Matt traces the practical path from North Star to next step. Vision and mission still matter; values still guide. But unless the destination is explicit, inertia becomes the manager. He's seen organizations celebrate the wrong finish line—an amount raised rather than a result achieved—because the compass got swapped for a calculator. As he puts it plainly, too many teams make “the destination the money, not the mission,” and then feel failure in victory. His remedy: clarity that sequences choices—staffing, board composition, fundraising tactics—toward outcomes that last longer than a news cycle or a fiscal quarter.The episode turns intimate as he describes leading through funding freezes and furloughs, where procurement bottlenecks stall workforce programs and rapid-rehousing efforts. Chaos, he says, is part of the system; the question is how leaders respond. That response writes the culture: junior staff learn what urgency means, what boundaries are allowed, and whether development is an investment or an afterthought.Matt's answer is rhythm. He prefers “work-life rhythm” to balance, because real life surges and ebbs. Micro-rituals—a brain break after deep work, a morning run, hand-ground coffee, ten minutes of reading—become the scaffolding of steadiness. Leaders who model the pause (even leaving early after a 3 a.m. crisis) give permission for healthier habits and better listening. From there, skills compound: interns become staffers, staffers rise to managers, managers to directors, directors to chiefs.He doesn't preach from a distance. Matt shares his own burnout and mental-health journey, the season when achievement eclipsed wellbeing. That candor reframes self-care as operational sense, not personal luxury. The nonprofit sector is vast—and fragile—precisely because it relies on people whose calling meets constraints. Protect the people, he argues, and you protect the mission.This episode is an invitation to re-set: name the North Star, measure what matters, and let rhythm replace adrenaline. Strategy becomes humane. Operations become sustainable. And the work—housed within leaders who can breathe—can keep going for a long time. #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitLeadership #HumanCenteredDesignFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Cybersecurity isn't just firewalls and tech jargon—it's people, habits, and everyday choices. Kicking off National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we bring together two voices who live this every day: Michael Nouguier, Partner, Cybersecurity Services at Richey May, and Tony Rehmer, Senior VP of IT at Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals). Their message is clear: strong security starts with culture.Tony sets the tone early: “We take a major part, but it is everyone.” In other words, security isn't a back-office task—it's a shared responsibility. With hospitals, HIPAA, and multi-state operations in the mix, CMN Hospitals treats staff as the front line. That means training that actually sticks: shorter, “microlearning” nudges delivered through internal channels, real examples, and peer-to-peer conversations. As Tony puts it, “We never, ever shame a person.” Instead, they use supportive coaching after incidents to encourage fast reporting and continuous learning.Michael maps the big picture. Attacks have matured, and wishful thinking won't cut it. “Hope has then become a liability when it's your only defense.” The antidote? Make security part of the mission—top-down and day-to-day. That looks like updating mission statements (“do the work securely”), enabling multifactor for everyone (leaders included), and building a culture where staff quickly raise their hand when something feels off. He provides memorable visual: “Everybody needs a pitchfork… so they can do what they need to do to protect your organization.”The conversation gets real with a story from CMN Hospitals at the start of COVID-19. Threat actors bought credentials on the dark web, slipped into a mailbox, swapped a message body for malware, and re-sent it. Because staff had been invited into the security effort, the team was alerted within five minutes. That fast reporting changed the outcome. Culture wasn't a slogan; it was the safety net.Both guests agree: this is ongoing work. Threats keep shifting—from credit cards to ransomware and data theft—so messaging, training, and audience targeting must evolve too. Practically, that means appointing security champions, aligning IT with communications pros who can translate across departments, and weaving security into leadership conversations and board funding decisions.Takeaways you can use: treat people as partners, keep learning in snackable moments, celebrate fast reporting, and put “securely” in your strategy—not just in your tech stack.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Boards don't magically run themselves—and this lively discussion proves it. Strategist and facilitator Mary Kay Delvo of Inspiring Sight lays out a practical path for turning board service from a vague obligation into purposeful leadership. She starts with a truth we all feel: “If they knew better, they'd do better.” Most board members were never taught governance, so we must teach it—and then expect ownership.Mary Kay reframes board work with a memorable mantra: protect and direct. Every decision should answer, How does this protect the organization and or direct it? Pair that with her second keeper—“Noses in, fingers off”—and you've got a fast filter for staying strategic without micromanaging.Her signature Seasonal Board Cycle makes governance easy to see and easy to use:·        Spring – Plant and cultivate: recruit intentionally for perspectives you truly need.·        Summer – Engage effectively: spread work through committees so knowledge isn't concentrated.·        Fall – Revitalize and harvest: measure real impact, not just attendance.·        Winter – Recharge and look ahead: scan for change, refine strategies, and celebrate wins.On strategy, Mary Kay replaces the dusty plan with a Strategic Map—a living journey to a destination. The destination stays constant; routes change as conditions change. That's why boards must revisit the map, assess detours, and make smart adjustments with staff. After the board approves the map, staff craft an Understanding Impact Map with goals, success indicators, reviews, and board reporting—so every meeting tracks progress, learns from misses, and recommends course corrections.She also addresses the classic tension between boards setting direction and staff living the day-to-day. Her non-negotiable: senior leadership joins the board in mapping, and staff input is synthesized and heard. Otherwise there's no buy-in—and without buy-in, plans gather dust.Most of all, Mary Kay gives boards permission to be human. Seasons change. Routes shift. Progress accelerates when everyone knows the role they play and the questions they must ask. Or in her words: “Boards need to be responsible for their own succession, evaluation, and foresight.” When that happens, governance becomes energizing—and impact becomes visible.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofits talk about programs, fundraising, and boards—but rarely about how to build and lead a modern finance team. JMT Consulting's Taylor Bost and Samantha Tiso deliver a clear, practical playbook for turning finance from a back-office function into a strategic engine.Samantha reframes the relationship right out of the gate: “We view the finance department as the customer support for the rest of the company.” That posture—service, responsiveness, and clarity—reduces fear, boosts collaboration, and speeds decisions. It also demands better systems. As she puts it, “With the right system… that is possible if you have it structured the right way.” Translation: good data in, fast insight out.Taylor widens the lens to organization-wide alignment. Finance is not just P and L. It is grants, restrictions, repeat donor behavior, and cost to raise a dollar—metrics that reshape priorities across teams. That is why she pushes for a single ‘source of truth' and warns against siloed tools: when data is scattered, people end up re-keying information and fixing errors. Her reminder lands: “Every time a human's touching something… you're opening yourself up to room for error.”Measurement matters too—of the finance team itself. Taylor offers practical KPIs any CEO or board can use: monthly close time, volume of audit adjustments, and adoption of automation. If close cycles are drifting from 5–7 business days to 15–20, there is friction you can remove with better workflow, integrations, and roles.Governance shows up repeatedly. Samantha adds: “The C-suite needs to be looking at it. The board needs to be looking at it.” Confidence in numbers is confidence in the organization. And with grantmakers demanding more frequent and better-substantiated reports, integrated systems are no longer optional—they are essential.The quick-paced convo also tackles outsourced and remote finance. Success hinges on clear ownership of recurring tasks, documented deadlines, and transparent communication channels. Taylor's advice: break the monthly engine into parts—reconciliations, payment application, approvals—so nothing stalls.The icing on the cake? We get a preview of Innovate 2026 conference and JMT's three-decade journey—from early outsourced accounting to full-stack finance technology and process advisory. Samantha shares how Innovate blends training with thought leadership on grants, banking, interest rates, and board communication, ensuring every role—from CFO to controller to ops—walks away with practical upgrades.Big takeaway: modern nonprofit finance is a service mindset plus integrated tech plus shared accountability. Or in Taylor's words, “CFOs step a little bit more into the tech strategy role.” When finance leads with service and systems, everyone rows in the same direction—and mission moves faster.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Financial leadership is more than numbers—it's the heartbeat of nonprofit sustainability. In this Nonprofit Power Week finale of The Nonprofit Show, Regional Director Ellie Hume of Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) brings clarity and candor to some of the most frequently asked financial questions. With an “Ask and Answer” format, the conversation covers everything from roles and responsibilities in financial leadership to the evolving landscape of fractional CFOs.Ellie sets the stage by redefining how we see finance in nonprofits: “Finance is literally the thread that draws every piece of the organization together because without it, nothing works.” She dismantles silos by urging finance professionals to engage deeply with program, marketing, and development teams to ensure that data isn't just accurate but also meaningful for decision-making.The discussion takes a practical turn as Ellie differentiates between controllers, comptrollers, and CFOs. She outlines the transactional oversight of controllers, the governmental nuance of comptrollers, and the strategic future-focus of CFOs. She also digs into the importance of internal controls, noting their role in fraud prevention and audit readiness.The lively session shifts into the governance space. How often should boards review and sign Conflict of Interest (COI) policies? Ellie's answer is clear: annually at minimum, but immediately when new conflicts arise. She gives a relatable example: a contractor-board member bidding on a capital campaign project must disclose and recuse themselves. Transparency, she argues, isn't optional—it's fiduciary duty.Ellie also challenges assumptions about credentials. Do finance directors need to be CPAs? Her answer: “You truly just need great accounting skills and a strategic mindset to help the organization use financial information to make good business decisions.” Certifications like CPA or CMA add credibility but don't replace experience or practical skill.The conversation also explores the rise of fractional leadership. Ellie frames fractional CFOs as an efficient way to access high-level talent at a fraction of the time or cost, particularly useful during transitions or to prepare for a new hire. Fractional arrangements, she explains, can be both short-term bridges and long-term partnerships.The conversation wraps with a powerful reminder for board members: ask tough financial questions. Are resources aligned with mission? What risks are we facing? Do internal controls hold up? And crucially—what training do board members need to responsibly interpret financial statements?#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #FractionalCFOFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

In this Nonprofit Power Week conversation, we sit down with Jen Blasy, Manager at Your Part-Time Controller, to confront a topic many organizations would rather avoid: fraud in the nonprofit sector. Jen is unequivocal about the stakes: “Fraud has been a constant. It may look different, but it's still happening.” She explains why the sector's empathy, trust, and lean staffing models can unintentionally create exposure—especially in a remote and hybrid world where e-mail, text, and chat now mediate so many approvals and financial transactions.Jen moves past labels to show how fraud actually occurs. She refreshes the classic “triangle” of pressure, rationalization, and opportunity by adding capability and personal ethics, then wraps it all in culture. Tone at the top matters, she notes, because expectations, zero tolerance, and open conversation are often the only real deterrents. “We need to normalize the discussion of it so that it becomes more normal to talk about,” Jen adds, urging leaders to speak plainly with staff, boards, auditors, and yes—donors—about risks and responsibilities.Concrete scenarios make the message land. From stolen cards being “tested” on donation pages to refund requests designed to route money out through alternate channels, Jen shows how seemingly donor-friendly instincts can be weaponized. She pushes organizations to map their most common money-in and money-out pathways, document updated controls that fit remote workflows, and rehearse a response plan before a crisis. Who do you call first? Legal counsel, your insurer, your auditor, a board champion? Decide now, not mid-incident.The throughline is sector solidarity. Because incidents are underreported and under-prosecuted, offenders can quietly move from one organization to another. Jen challenges leaders to think beyond their own walls and treat transparency as community protection. Make fraud risk a standing board agenda item, ensure auditors' annual fraud conversations are substantive, and appoint an internal champion to coordinate policies, training, and continuous improvement.Fraud will not be eliminated, but its impact can be contained by stronger culture, modernized controls, and candid conversation. This episode equips executives, finance teams, and fundraisers alike to recognize where they're vulnerable and to act. As Jen frames it, progress starts when we stop whispering about fraud and start planning together. #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #FraudPreventionFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofits want the speed of automation and the promise of AI—but Alicia Eastvold, Department Leader for Client Technology Solutions at Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC), explains why many orgs stall at the starting line: messy, bloated, and fragmented data. Her central thesis is simple and powerful: “We can't speed things up if it's not organized, and we can't write simple rules around it for where it belongs.” From the first minute, Alicia reframes “data hygiene” away from fear and toward usefulness—think Marie Kondo for systems: keep what serves the mission, archive the rest, and label everything so your “smart assistant” can actually find the hammer.Alicia maps two common failure modes: too much information (endless, unreadable reports) and poor structure (the same concept scattered across donor CRM, accounting, and spreadsheets). Both grind automation to a halt and produce costly mistakes in grant allocations, budgets, and forecasts. Her practical fix: decide what you need going forward, set a cutoff, inactivate legacy categories, and build simple, durable rules that can run 1,000 times. As she puts it, “Think big about what would happen if I had to do this thing a thousand times and plan your process that way.”A standout story: a client wanted a complex custom payroll allocation tool. After examining their cluttered chart and inconsistent rules, the team cleaned the system, documented clear rules, and discovered an off-the-shelf cost allocation tool that did the job at a fraction of the price. Takeaway: better structure often beats bespoke code.The stakes are real. Misallocations can snowball into seven-figure problems, finger-pointing between development and finance, and restricted funds that can't be used where they're most needed. Clean, rule-based data unlocks credible budgeting, forecasting, and the ability to ask funders for the right dollars—including flexible, unrestricted support. It also fuels data storytelling that boosts trust and investment: when leaders visualize program costs, funding gaps, and outcomes with clarity, credibility skyrockets.Bottom line: start today. Choose what matters for the next 12–24 months, archive the past, enforce naming and categorization rules, and think like an enterprise—no matter your size. Clean data returns time to your people, turns AI from buzz to utility, and powers decisions that move the mission! #TheNonprofitShow #DataHygiene #NonprofitAutomationFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Scenario planning often sounds like a board retreat buzzword, but in this Nonprofit Power Week episode it becomes a practical playbook with receipts. Director Tesa Piccioni of Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) reframes uncertainty as a routine operating condition, not a meteor strike. Her thesis is disarmingly simple: “Let's take the un out of uncertainty and accept that certain things are going to happen. Let's prepare.” Preparation, she argues, isn't about predicting every storm—it's about building a habit of visibility and fast pivots.We start with the kitchen-table finance questions: What do you have? What do you owe? What's promised in and promised out? From there, the “boring” stuff—clean records, timely allocations, grant restrictions, and a rolling forecast—becomes the organization's superpower. As Tesa puts it, “If you have good information in, you get good information out—and that lets you act, not just react.” She expands the aperture beyond budgets: think balance sheet integrity, a just-in-case line of credit, and board fluency in financials so decisions don't stall during turbulence.The clever twist: scenarios aren't just bad-news drills. Tesa insists on planning for lucky breaks too—unexpected windfalls, mergers, or a connector board member who opens doors. That $1.5M surprise check? Without a plan, it's chaos with confetti. With a plan, it's momentum.Her practical framework pairs SWOT with three starter lenses: revenue up, revenue down, and environmental change. Master those, and you're not memorizing scripts; you're training reflexes. Equally important, it's not a finance-only sport. Program leads, executives, and boards need shared situational awareness so services continue even if the lights don't.Tesa links this directly to strategy: strategic planning sets the destination; scenario planning keeps the route open when reality tosses detours. Review cadence? Not annually—responsively. The moment regulations shift, funds lag, or opportunities appear, open the playbook and adjust. That rhythm replaces anxiety with calm, which is precisely what constituents deserve.The payoff is cultural: organizations stop operating in crisis posture and start operating with poise. Think FEMA's checklists, but for food banks, youth programs, and arts orgs—quiet competence that protects the mission on ordinary Tuesdays and extraordinary Thursdays alike.#TheNonprofitShow #ScenarioPlanning #NonprofitFinanceFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

A very timely discussion with Derick Dreher of Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) about what a federal budget stalemate really means for everyday nonprofit operations. Rather than getting lost in D.C. noise, Derick helps translate the process into plain decisions leaders can make right now. He distinguishes the big-picture spending framework from the agency-level appropriations that actually move money—and why, when competing continuing resolutions stall, operational pain shows up fast in grants, cash flow, and communications.Derick is direct about timing and accountability. “Government shutdowns are very disruptive,” he notes, because grants staff are furloughed, portals can go dark, and payments pause. That doesn't suspend your obligations: “If you have a report due date during the shutdown, you better send it in.” When systems are down, mailing with receipt becomes a practical move. He also cautions against attempting full drawdowns before costs are incurred; federal awards are reimbursement-based, and advances (if any) require clear permission and careful documentation.The heart of the conversation is a workable to-do list. First, narrow your information sources: look to the National Council of Nonprofits, your state association, and trusted sector platforms rather than endless doom-scrolling. Second, contact program and fiscal officers now—before furloughs begin—to ask about extensions, submission methods, and any allowable advances. Third, communicate with stakeholders early so they don't fill the silence with assumptions: explain what services could shift, what your contingency looks like, and how supporters can help.On finance, Derick recommends tightening the cadence of cash views to weekly during uncertainty and building a scenario that assumes zero federal revenue for a period. That plan—reviewed with the board—becomes your “break glass” map if payments stall. Pair that with thoughtful revenue diversity (individuals, corporate, foundation, government) so a delay in one stream becomes a solvable liquidity challenge instead of an existential crisis.Derick also flags a recent executive order on federal grantmaking that may slow timelines and alter risk: added political approvals, a preference for lower indirect rates, and a new termination clause could change how awards feel on the ground, at least temporarily. Agencies are emerging from a mandated pause, and budgets remain unsettled—so expect ambiguity, double down on documentation, and keep your communications clear and proactive.The message is steady and usable: focus your inputs, talk to agencies now, model contingencies, and keep people in the loop. Preparedness here isn't alarmist—it's good stewardship under uncertainty. #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #GrantManagementFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall turn board jitters into momentum with a simple, generous framework: four board roles that make fundraising feel natural, human, and actually fun. Julia sets the tone with a zinger that boards will remember: “This is not a no situation. This is a KNOW situation.” From there, Tony maps the path: “Prospector, cultivator, solicitor, and steward—four very simple roles that are really impactful.”Prospectors spark the pipeline by looking at real relationships—LinkedIn, circles of influence, workplace connections—to spot people who might love your mission. Julia notes this is the one job every board member can do without sweaty palms. Cultivators then step in as brand ambassadors, sharing stories, hosting small gatherings, and learning what lights a supporter up—without making the ask. Think hype team with heart!Next up: solicitors. Some board members truly enjoy asking (yes, unicorns exist). Tony clarifies that “strength in numbers” doesn't mean bringing a stranger to the ask; the right voice in the room is the one with an authentic relationship. Finally, stewards keep the glow going—handwritten notes, quick calls, social shout-outs, tours—feeding the feedback loop so staff and board hear what donors feel and see. Introverts rejoice: stewardship offers tons of low-pressure ways to shine.Julia and Tony keep it real about energy, fit, and growth. Not everyone will love every role, but everyone can contribute somewhere—and many will stretch into new skills with a little structure and encouragement. The pair celebrate their new book, The Architecture of Fundraising (artwork by Tony, applause from Julia), and salute Executive Producer Kevin Pace for nudging the dream into reality.Bottom line: pick your lane, keep the lanes moving, and talk about them at every board meeting with intention. When board members match their temperament to the right role, confidence rises, the process hums, and your mission gets the fuel it deserves.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Donor communication isn't a seasonal chore—it's the garden you tend all year. In this lively conversation, James Misner, Founder & Owner of The Kipos Group (Greek for “garden”), shows how consistent, human-centered messages keep supporters engaged, confident, and eager to act. His opening frame is memorable: schools send multiple reminders for an early bus drop-off because people are busy; nonprofits should be just as persistent—thoughtfully. As James says, “You should not be afraid to reach out to your donors… they need you to serve them by communicating frequently.”James introduces a practical “trust triangle”: organization, leadership, and impact. Rotate your content so supporters see a stable organization with real stories, a visible and thoughtful leader, and outcomes that are tangible. Variety matters—mix email, social, mail, live streams, and short videos so people meet you where they already are.He's blunt about retention. Too many nonprofits don't know their number, and the sector average still hovers around mid-40%. Causes of lapse you can't control (life events) exist, but others are absolutely in your hands: saying thank you promptly and showing outcomes clearly. “If you do that, and that alone, and you do that regularly, your donors are going to stick with you.” James shares a jaw-dropping example of unthanked five- and six-figure donors—proof that basics move mountains.To win in today's attention economy, flip the script: make the donor the main character. Replace “we did X” with “you made X possible,” pairing metrics with meaning. Anchor stories in universal emotions (worry, hope, pride, relief) so even complex issues feel relatable. Segment when useful, but never lose the thread of human feeling.James also adapts classic business wisdom for fundraising: keep donors, invite them to bring friends, grow generosity without eroding trust, and operate efficiently. The math is compelling—modest retention gains transform budgets, especially under $1M. The mindset is calmer, too: breathe, be thoughtful, and show up regularly with messages that serve.Bottom line: water the garden weekly. Use stories, data, leadership voice, and channel variety to build trust. Put the donor at the center, thank quickly, report outcomes often, and watch retention—and impact—bloom.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofit hiring is not matching the national headlines, says Katie Warnock, founder and president of Staffing Boutique. While recent reports suggest softer job numbers and higher unemployment, she's seeing the opposite on the ground: “We had a really slow two quarters, and we've been so busy basically since after July 4th weekend.” Executive searches are surging, selective contract roles are back, and LinkedIn is “popping” with real openings—especially across development and campaign management.The cost of churn remains steep. Katie points to a national onboarding average around $4,100—often higher in New York—once you factor technology, training, time from other staff, and HR overhead. Healthcare pressure is reshaping behavior, too: some nonprofits keep long-term temps on agency payroll to avoid absorbing benefits costs. That creates short-term budget relief but risks long-term stability.Compensation is a persistent constraint. Corporate teams can flex salaries across a department; nonprofits live inside board-approved budgets for one to three fiscal years. As a result, Katie urges leaders to compete with something other than base pay: flexible work design, professional development, wellness perks, and individualized schedules. “You do not have a recruitment plan unless you have a retention plan,” she says. That retention plan should be tailored—“a buffet” of options aligned to what your own people actually want.Flexibility is the top request. Remote or hybrid schedules remain a decisive factor for candidates (Katie notes that roughly a third of responses to a 1,000-person outreach said “I want a remote job”). Some organizations are testing a 9/80-style calendar to give every other Friday off. Others fund upskilling, reimburse gym memberships, expand fertility benefits, or simply allow staggered start/stop times to match how people work best.Still, leaders should balance flexibility with culture. Katie acknowledges that fully remote teams can lose the informal learning and creative lift that happens before and after in-person meetings. Board members are noticing the productivity difference. Her view: know your workforce, listen through regular check-ins (not just exit interviews), and publish options everyone can access—then let staff choose what fits their season of life.Finally, plan for burnout—especially in the C-suite where many leaders delayed retirement through COVID and are now exhausted. Encourage time off, normalize boundaries, and recognize that Q4's fundraising sprint amplifies strain. The bottom line: retention is strategy. Build it intentionally, budget for reality, and give your people modern ways to do their best work.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

AI isn't a magic wand—but it can absolutely help nonprofits do more with less when you understand what it is, where it fits, and how to use it wisely. In this energizing conversation, technology associate and CPA Christine Chacko from Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) explains the practical difference between automation and AI, when to use each, and how to keep data safe while you experiment and learn. As Christine puts it, “AI is actually a form of automation,” but it handles open-ended, judgment-heavy tasks while traditional automation follows clear, narrow rules. Think rules for categorizing expenses (automation) versus analyzing trends, benchmarking, and surfacing insights across donor segments (AI).Christine offers real nonprofit examples: blend automation to roll up donor data by type, then ask AI to interpret changes year over year, spot seasonality, or flag post-pandemic shifts. She shows how AI shines as a writing helper—drafting grant narratives tailored to funders' preferences or condensing verbose copy into crisp executive summaries—while reminding us to review outputs for voice, accuracy, and appropriateness. “We really like to think of it as a thought partner,” she says, perfect for bouncing ideas, testing messages, and clarifying complex financial stories for boards.Security matters, too. Christine's guidance is simple and strong: read the fine print, know what you opt into, and understand the difference between models embedded in trusted systems and those that reach out to other tools. She introduces agentic AI—systems that can act on your behalf (e.g., access Outlook, browse the web, schedule emails)—and explains why permissions, policies, and internal controls must come first. Hallucinations are less frequent in newer reasoning models, but review remains essential—especially for grants and external communications where stakes are high.Finally, Christine maps the near-term horizon: expect broader, more accessible agentic AI inside finance, IT, customer support, and daily workflows. Success won't come from tools alone; it comes from culture—clear use cases, communication, training, and solid processes. Used well, AI reduces drudgery (transcripts, notes, routine emails) so nonprofit teams can focus on judgment, relationships, and mission results.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Nonprofits lean on outside platforms to save time and stretch budgets—but those relationships can quietly expose sensitive donor, client, and payment data. In this episode, Senior Cybersecurity Advisor Parker Brissette of Richey May explains how to recognize and manage third-party software risk before it becomes tomorrow's headline. He starts with a simple lens: follow the data. Where is it stored? Who can touch it—directly or indirectly? Many teams only think about contracted vendors, but Parker widens the aperture to “shadow IT” and consumer tools staff use without formal approval. As he puts it, “Third parties is really anybody that can touch the data at any point in your business, whether you have an agreement with them or maybe not.”From privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) to sector-specific rules (HIPAA, PCI), nonprofits carry legal and reputational exposure the moment personal information enters their systems. Parker offers practical steps: inventory paid tools via your accounting system; ask, “If this vendor vanished tomorrow, what would break?”; and press vendors for proof—SOC 2 reports, ISO 27001, or completed security questionnaires. For organizations without a CIO, he recommends clear contracts and one non-negotiable safeguard: “The biggest thing that I recommend in any third-party engagement is setting an expectation of having cyber insurance, because that's a big protection for you financially.”AI enters the picture with both promise and peril. Consumer AI tools can learn from and retain your uploads, potentially exposing proprietary or personal information. Enterprise agreements (e.g., Microsoft Copilot) can offer stronger data protections, but only if configured and used correctly. Parker's guidance is pragmatic: don't ban AI; set guardrails, choose vetted tools, and train teams.Finally, he urges preparation and transparency. Incidents can happen—even with good controls. Donors and corporate funders expect frank communication about what protections exist and what happens if data is exposed. Build trust now by documenting safeguards, validating vendors, and rehearsing your response.You don't have to be a security expert to make smart choices—but you do need a map: know your systems, test your assumptions, ask vendors for evidence, and write risk into your contracts and budgets. That approach turns anxiety into action—and preserves the trust your mission depends on.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Giving Tuesday can feel like a moving target—but after this discussion with guest Jared Throneberry of Bloomerang, you'll have a clear, energizing plan. Jared blends tech savvy with a lived heart for service—Big Brothers Big Sisters, foster parenting since 2011, and community leadership—so his guidance lands with real-world credibility. His first message: you don't have to participate just because everyone else is. If the timing crowds your year-end efforts, your team is stretched thin, or the format doesn't fit your culture, sit it out without guilt. But if you choose to participate, choose to excel.Success begins with a specific purpose. “You want to have a specific campaign for this. You want to have a purpose,” Jared tells us. He urges organizations to set a reasonable, public goal and show visible progress with a giving thermometer. Momentum matters; keep supporters informed throughout the day and celebrate milestones. Matching gifts can amplify urgency—secure a partner that doubles donations during the 24-hour window.Communication is the engine. Schedule emails and posts before, during, and after the day. If social media is your lane, lean in. If your audience responds better to email or text, use those channels with clarity and brevity. Bloomerang's Giving Tuesday templates can help you prepare messages in advance, so your team is executing—not scrambling—on the day.Think beyond dollars. Jared proposes creative non-financial asks: diapers for a pregnancy center, items from an Amazon wish list, or a “share this post” action to expand reach. He even flips the script: host a donor appreciation touchpoint—coffee, breakfast, or a thank-you event—to strengthen relationships and set the tone for year-end. It's generous, memorable, and aligned with the spirit of the day.Competition can be fun, but mission comes first. Craft your campaign around a tangible need—a piece of equipment, a program milestone, or a defined impact story—so supporters feel the “why” in every update. As Jared reminds us, “Don't just give to us because it's Giving Tuesday. Give to us to this cause for this reason.” Choose intentionally, plan early, communicate often, and finish with gratitude. Do that, and #GivingTuesday becomes more than a date—it becomes a launchpad for deeper engagement.#TheNonprofitShow #GivingTuesday #NonprofitFundraisingFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Donor portfolios often feel like a mystery—part science, part art—and this episode of Fundraisers Friday peels back the curtain on what they really mean for nonprofit professionals. Cohosts Julia Patrick and Tony Beall use their signature mix of storytelling and strategy to break down the “book of business” in a way that feels both practical and inspiring.Julia opens with candor about her first experience: “Somebody called me up and said, hey, I'd like to take you out to lunch because you're in my portfolio. And I was like, what?” That moment of confusion and discomfort becomes the jumping-off point for a discussion that many fundraisers will instantly recognize: donors rarely know about these tools, yet they shape so much of the relationship-building process.Tony points to the importance of seeing portfolios not as sterile lists but as vital instruments of stewardship and organizational learning. “These types of portfolios and this technology also allow us to monitor activity—not as a watchdog, but as a way to gauge the success of our strategies.” He reframes portfolios from something “icky” into something essential: a roadmap for deeper donor care.The duo walk through the practical side—averages for donor counts, segmentation across major gifts, planned giving, and annual donors—while weaving in human moments that give the conversation heart. Julia reflects on board experiences where donor binders were passed around over pizza, and Tony shares how his father's fire boots by the front door modeled volunteerism that still fuels his passion today.Data hygiene becomes another teaching moment. Julia compares sloppy data entry to “middle school health class,” driving home the reality that a CRM is only as good as what you put in it. Tony adds nuance by showing how even small details like recording gift frequency—not just dollar amounts—can shape how nonprofits honor commitment and longevity.The most surprising segment is the discussion of “portfolio divorce.” Sometimes a fundraiser and donor simply don't align—politically, personally, or stylistically—and it's healthier for the mission to transition that relationship elsewhere. Tony reminds us that “the mission is more important than your ego,” a guiding principle every nonprofit professional can keep close.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Host Julia Patrick welcomes Herb Paine, CEO of Paine Consulting Services, for a candid and thought-provoking conversation about the future of nonprofit education and leadership development. With decades of experience as a consultant, author, and sector leader, Herb brings a sharp perspective on how nonprofit organizations are preparing—or failing to prepare—for an era defined by disruption and rapid change.Herb cautions that too much of today's training for nonprofit executives and boards is locked in repetitive, outdated models. “A lot of what's going on in these spaces of learning is performative,” he explains, “but it's about doing better, not really engaging in systemic change.” Instead of producing transformative leaders, he argues, programs often reinforce traditional management practices that no longer align with the pace of technological, cultural, and social change.At the heart of his critique is governance. Boards are often celebrated for attracting members with deep pockets or corporate influence, yet that influence can restrict meaningful innovation. Herb recalls moments when distinguished board members blocked advocacy efforts because their corporate employers opposed certain policies. “What I'm more concerned about,” Herb insists, “is rethinking who governs, who's at the table, and how do we engage those people most affected by the policies and actions of organizations.”The deep conversation also surfaces a persistent issue in nonprofit leadership: the lack of standardized education and pathways. Unlike law or architecture, nonprofit leadership does not begin with a common language or academic foundation. Many executives are promoted from program roles without the necessary grounding in governance, financial strategy, or community-driven leadership. This creates a cycle of tactical rather than strategic planning, leaving organizations vulnerable to financial overextension, disengaged boards, and leadership silos.Herb further challenges consultants and educators, urging them to move away from formulaic retreats and stale curricula. Instead, he calls for dynamic, collaborative learning environments that confront fundamental questions of mission, value, and equity. He even suggests a “training school for consultants” to ensure they are equipped not just to facilitate sessions, but to guide transformation.The discussion turns briefly to philanthropy, where Herb sees funders as potential catalysts for change. While acknowledging the restrictions that often shape grantmaking, he advocates for foundations to take bold steps in supporting leadership development and systemic reinvention..Ultimately you will find Herb's message is clear: the nonprofit sector must stop spinning its wheels in repetitive systems and start rethinking leadership, governance, and education in light of the future already upon us. His forthcoming book, Up Your Nonprofit, will expand on these themes, offering a roadmap for organizations ready to embrace change.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Social media strategist, author, and TEDx speaker, Robin Nathaniel, unpacks the connection between human relationships and digital platforms. With fresh ideas and candid energy, Robin introduces his SYNC Method—a framework designed to help nonprofits create authentic, meaningful engagement online.Robin explains, “S is for simple. Messages you can say in four words—don't say in twenty. Don't overcomplicate your story.” He challenges organizations to focus less on technical jargon and more on clarity. The “Y” stands for Yield—yielding to intention. Instead of just pushing events, campaigns, or donation requests, he urges nonprofits to ask themselves what feelings and actions they want their audiences to experience before hitting “post.”“N” is for Natural. Too often, Robin points out, organizations spend hours in the “makeup room,” worrying about lighting, graphics, and backgrounds. Instead, he recommends the “best friend test”: write and speak in a way your closest friend would understand. Finally, “C” is for Change It Up. Social media is not a box-checking exercise. Robin stresses adaptability: experiment, reset, and test new content approaches as platforms evolve.Nonprofits often overwhelm supporters by blasting out too much information at once. Robin's framework offers a more human and sustainable way forward. He also adds a crucial reminder: “The real measure isn't clicks or conversions. It's how you improve the lives of the people receiving your content.”The conversation takes a deeply personal turn when Robin shares his Joy Audit, developed after the tragic loss of his brother. By redefining his life through the lenses of Create, Connect, and Contribute, Robin discovered how to realign time and energy toward purpose—linking directly to nonprofit burnout, recognizing how leaders often wear multiple hats without space for renewal. Robin takes the time to lay out a Nonprofit Social Media Startup Plan:1.     Identify bandwidth and the right person for the role.2.     Define your true audience.3.     Learn where they spend time online.4.     Match the right team skills to the right medium.5.     Commit to six months of consistent effort before reassessment.Investing in social media is not optional—it's fundable, scalable, and mission-enhancing. This robust discussion blends strategic insight with heartfelt wisdom, offering nonprofits a playbook for building digital trust while protecting the joy and resilience of their teams. #TheNonprofitShow #SocialMediaStrategy #NonprofitCommunicationsFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Fundraisers Friday cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall dive into a thought-provoking conversation about the future of corporate sponsorships, the changing dynamics of nonprofit partnerships, and the launch of their new book, The Architecture of Fundraising.The show kicks off with Julia setting the tone for a discussion that is anything but light—because corporate sponsorships in 2026 will demand more strategy, accountability, and creativity than ever before.Tony adds his perspective, explaining how employee engagement has overtaken gala tables as the centerpiece of sponsorship. He explains: “When structured well, employee engagement helps a corporation develop emerging leaders through volunteerism, while strengthening teams through shared service experiences.”Julia expands the conversation by connecting sponsorships to employee retention, HR priorities, and brand loyalty. She shares real stories from her career, including the tough calls nonprofits face when lucrative corporate dollars come from companies with misaligned values. Together, the cohosts explore how consumer behavior and corporate reputation intersect with philanthropy, reminding us that today's donors and customers expect alignment of values, not just a logo on a program.The episode doesn't shy away from controversy. DEIB funding withdrawals, politically charged sponsorships, and “cancel culture” pressure on corporations have already reshaped the landscape. Julia tells of an advisory board that lost funding simply for using DEIB language, while Tony points to Pride organizations nationwide that saw longtime sponsors retreat. Yet both emphasize that diversification of revenue, transparent policies, and mission alignment are essential for weathering these storms.Technology and data are also at the forefront. Sponsors are no longer satisfied with anecdotes or temporary goodwill; they want measurable outcomes. Julia and Tony challenge nonprofits to track impact rigorously, report frequently, and integrate sponsor ROI into community stories. The conversation makes clear: numbers, stories, and values all matter—and nonprofits that can weave them together will win long-term partnerships.This episode motivates nonprofits to rethink how they approach corporate sponsors. The message is unmistakable: the future of sponsorships is about long-term vision, measurable impact, and authentic alignment.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Step into a conversation that goes right to the heart of nonprofit operations: banking relationships, establishing credit, and securing financial footing for long-term stability. Guest Jason Garcia, CEO of Holdings, a bank just for nonprofits, offers real guidance on how nonprofits can think like businesses when it comes to financial credibility and strategy.Jason begins by sharing his vision for HoldingsForGood.com: “Our hope and mission is to be the dedicated partner for nonprofits across the U.S. and help them achieve their goals and increase their chances of success in their missions.” With a career built in community banking and startup finance, Jason brings a sharp perspective to an area where many nonprofits struggle—creditworthiness.The conversation turns to the importance of establishing a credit strategy early. Jason advises that nonprofits should begin as soon as possible, even if they aren't immediately seeking loans or credit lines: “The best time to talk to different credit providers is when you don't need it.”Practical steps emerge throughout the conversation, cohosted by Ellie Hume and Julia Patrick. Building a strong permanent file of organizational documents—EIN, IRS determination letter, bylaws, state registrations—was identified as essential. Ellie emphasizes that many nonprofits have these materials but often can't locate them when needed. Jason describes how physical addresses (not PO boxes) are becoming non-negotiable due to fraud prevention measures, a reminder of how operational details intersect with financial access.This important discussion expands beyond traditional lines of credit. Vendor relationships, government contracts, and reporting to credit bureaus such as Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax were positioned as overlooked opportunities to build a financial profile. Ellie points to the frustrations nonprofits face when executive directors are forced to tie personal social security numbers to organizational credit cards.What will be clear is that banking relationships are not just transactional; they're strategic. From choosing the right accounts and systems that sync seamlessly with accounting platforms, to knowing when to push for the removal of personal guarantees, nonprofits must think about finance as a forward-looking strategy rather than an emergency fix.The episode closes with an energizing call from Jason: operate like a business. By being proactive with credit, asking the right questions of financial partners, and benchmarking against peer organizations, you can position your NPO for resilience!Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

We're exploring a powerful theme that affects every nonprofit: the necessity of diversifying revenue streams—with cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall. While fundraising is often viewed as a singular number to hit, Tony ignites the convo with, “If we are focused on putting everything in one basket, we're putting our programs and services at risk.”Together, they walk through the “lanes” of nonprofit revenue: major gifts, corporate sponsorships, grants, and planned giving—each requiring different skill sets but all anchored in one common thread: relationships. Tony's thinking. . .  “True success in fundraising rests in your ability to build relationships, even in grantmaking where you may need an invitation from a foundation.” Julia echoes the reality that planned giving, while unpredictable, can yield transformational gifts, while corporate sponsorships often demand careful alignment between mission and brand values.The informative conversation covers monthly giving programs, now empowered by digital tools. What once felt arduous is now a viable, forecastable stream. Monthly donors often “testing” an organization with smaller contributions before stepping into major gift or legacy conversations—a fact savvy nonprofits should embrace. Julia points out how this incremental giving builds a sense of community: donors rowing in the same direction together, proving that even $10 a month can matter.‘Cause Marketing' receives sharp focus. Tony explains that beyond revenue, its real value is in brand awareness. “What is the soft dollar value of the exposure your nonprofit gains?” he asks, while cautioning that consumers demand authentic mission alignment; token efforts rarely shift donor or customer behavior without deeper resonance.The discussion wraps with a thoughtful action strategy: how nonprofits allocate time and talent across lanes. For many, events consume disproportionate staff energy—sometimes to the detriment of post-event stewardship. Tony clarifies how staff specialization matters too—grant writers are not gala planners—and leaders must invest in professional development and digital tools to support diversification.Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show