Podcasts about cause strategy partners

Empowering Professionals and Corporate Culture Through Nonprofit Board Service: Insights from Whitley RichardsIn a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Podcast, host Josh Elledge sat down with Whitley Richards, the CEO of Cause Strategy Partners, to explore the high-impact intersection of corporate talent and social good. Their conversation highlights how nonprofit board service is no longer just an act of charity; it is a strategic vehicle for leadership development and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Whitley explains how her organization bridges the gap between major corporations and the nonprofit sector, ensuring that professionals from companies like Google and JPMorgan Chase are not only placed on boards but are equipped with the governance training necessary to drive real systemic change.The Strategic Triple Win: Professionals, Companies, and CommunitiesFacilitating nonprofit board service creates a powerful synergy that addresses the most pressing pain points for modern business leaders: employee disengagement and the "skills gap." When a company encourages its rising talent to serve on a board, it is essentially outsourcing high-level leadership training to the real world. In the boardroom, professionals must navigate complex challenges such as financial oversight, strategic planning, and consensus-building among diverse stakeholders—all of which are "power skills" that translate directly back to their corporate roles. This hands-on experience often proves more effective than traditional classroom-style leadership retreats, as it places the individual in a position of high-stakes accountability for a cause they genuinely care about.From a corporate perspective, supporting board service is a robust retention tool that satisfies the modern worker's hunger for purpose. Employees who feel their personal values align with their professional environment are significantly more likely to remain loyal and engaged. Furthermore, these placements act as a force multiplier for a company's corporate citizenship. Instead of merely writing a check, a corporation is lending its intellectual capital to the community, building deeper, more authentic ties with local organizations. This proactive approach to corporate citizenship bolsters brand reputation and establishes the company as a pillar of the community, which is increasingly vital in a consumer landscape that rewards social transparency and impact.For the nonprofits involved, the influx of corporate expertise provides a level of professionalization and strategic rigor that can be difficult to acquire otherwise. Cause Strategy Partners uses a technology-driven approach to ensure these matches are based on more than just proximity; they are based on a deep alignment of skills and passion. This ensures that the professional isn't just a figurehead but a high-value contributor who can help the nonprofit navigate resource allocation and organizational direction. By shifting the narrative from "volunteering" to "strategic board service," Whitley and her team are redefining how we think about social impact, creating a sustainable model where every participant walks away with measurable growth and a renewed sense of mission.About Whitley RichardsWhitley Richards is the CEO of Cause Strategy Partners and a recognized leader in the social impact space. With an MPA from NYU Wagner, she has dedicated her career to the belief that the private sector holds the keys to solving many of the world's most difficult social challenges. She oversees the strategic direction of the firm, focusing on expanding the reach of their board placement and governance training programs to empower the next generation of social-impact leaders.About Cause Strategy PartnersCause Strategy Partners is a social enterprise that helps individuals and corporations achieve their greatest social impact. Through their flagship BoardLead program and a suite of governance resources, they match talented professionals with nonprofit board opportunities. By providing rigorous training and technology-powered matching, the firm ensures that nonprofit boards are diverse, skilled, and prepared to lead their organizations toward long-term success.Links Mentioned in This EpisodeCause Strategy Partners Official WebsiteWhitley Richards on LinkedInKey Episode HighlightsThe "Triple Win" Framework: How board service simultaneously benefits the professional, the corporation, and the nonprofit partner.Governance as Leadership Training: Why the boardroom is the ultimate environment for developing emotional intelligence and strategic thinking.Bridging the Purpose Gap: Strategies for companies to retain top talent by facilitating meaningful social engagement.Technology in Placements: The role of data-driven matching in ensuring that board service is high-impact rather than just high-intent.The "My Cause Finder" Tool: A practical resource for individuals to identify where their skills meet the world's needs.ConclusionThe conversation with Whitley Richards underscores that nonprofit board service is a transformative opportunity for professional and organizational growth. By aligning personal passions with strategic service, individuals can develop critical leadership skills while corporations strengthen their culture and community impact.More from The Thoughtful Entrepreneur

What if the biggest barrier to your mission isn't funding, or talent, or market conditions — but the people sitting in your boardroom?Not because they're bad people. But because they don't have clear expectations about their role. They weren't trained on the very real skills required for governance. And they're shoved into systems that don't allow them to bring their best strengths to the table.In this episode, I sit down with Rob Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, to explore what separates boards that multiply impact from boards that drain resources. After serving as a nonprofit CEO for 11 years and watching boards either accelerate or anchor organizations, Rob has spent the last decade placing over 3,000 board members across 1,500 organizations — and he's figured out exactly what makes the difference.It's not about finding wealthy donors or well-connected people. It's about design. Because most nonprofit boards aren't built — they just happen. A friend of a friend. Someone who can write a check. A warm body to fill a seat. That's governance by accident. And governance by accident creates dysfunction by design.In our conversation, we explore:The invisible hand problem: when boards feel like barriers instead of assets [01:59]The three foundations of effective boards: expectations, design, and culture [04:43]Why you shouldn't apologize for setting high expectations [06:33]Building strategic diversity beyond demographics [07:42]Getting outside your existing network to find the right candidates [09:46]Where to draw the line between board and staff work [10:15]The collaboration model: why boards can't set strategy alone (but CEOs can't either) [12:27]What fiduciary oversight actually means in practice [13:54]The B minus problem: why boards get mediocre grades from their CEOs [14:48]Why less than 5% of board members ever receive governance training [17:28]Where the buck stops: who's responsible for board training [18:32]What crisis reveals about board quality [42:38]Why high-capacity people lean in when things get hard [43:36]Notable Quotes"I can't think of anything worse than a nonprofit organization — we don't operate around the edges of society, we're taking care of homelessness, kids, the sick, the environment — to have a board that's actually draining resources instead of contributing." — Rob Acton [04:03]"I've seen people apologize for the roles and responsibilities and expectations. That makes me sad. There's no apology. You're stepping into a role where you'll be one of 10, 12, 15 people shepherding this important work." — Rob Acton [04:43]"Don't just ask 'who do we know?' Really be thoughtful around what is the right mix of backgrounds, experiences, skill sets, industries that we need represented in these strategic conversations." — Rob Acton [05:11]"When a board has delegated everything else to the CEO and said 'okay, we'll just raise money,' they've really lost track of their core responsibilities." — Rob Acton [09:18]Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

Rob Acton is the Founder & CEO of Cause Strategy Partners. Through his firm's signature program BoardLead, Cause Strategy Partners has placed nearly 3,000 professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom on nonprofit boards, while training tens-of-thousands more in high-impact nonprofit board service. Rob is a recognized expert on nonprofit governance and leadership. He has nearly three decades of experience founding, leading, and scaling social good organizations as both a nonprofit chief executive and board leader. Rob currently chairs the Board of Directors of Broadway Inspirational Voices. His causes are second chances for formerly incarcerated individuals, nonprofit capacity building, and the performing arts. Rob's forthcoming book, Becoming a Causie: Champion Your Cause Through Nonprofit Board Leadership will be available for preorders on July 5th and is slated for release in early September. In this episode, we discuss: ●     The personal—and professional—benefits of joining a nonprofit board ●     What makes a great board member (and what makes a terrible board member) ●     Why diverse representation on nonprofit boards matters Key Takeaways: ●     Shifting The Conversation To Meaningful Action. “What causes do you support, and how do you support them?” This was a question Rob started asking people, instead of the standard “What do you do for a living.” It stopped people in their tracks. I love this question. In an age when so many people confuse liking an Instagram post with action, this question moves beyond what causes matter to you and into the world-changing realm of actions. With that in mind, I'd like to ask you: “What causes do you support, and how do you support them?” ●     The Three T's of Board Commitment. Rob discussed the commitment expected of nonprofit board members, emphasizing the three T's: Time, Talent, and Treasure. Time involves dedicating 4-6 hours a month, manageable alongside a regular job. Talent means leveraging your professional skills to guide the nonprofit. Treasure is about financially supporting the cause, reinforcing your commitment. There's a psychological shift when you invest your own resources, and it feels disingenuous to ask others to donate if you haven't done so yourself. ●     Setting Up for Success. Cause Strategy Partners provides a blueprint for success that all organizations can learn from. They emphasize three key components: high expectations, training, and accountability. High expectations mean clearly defining the job role and responsibilities from the start. Training ensures individuals acquire the necessary skills to excel. Accountability involves regular check-ins to track progress and ensure each person meets the established expectations. This structured approach sets new board members—and employees—up for success. References: Connect with Rob on LinkedIn Cause Strategy Partners Taproot Foundation Broadway Inspirational Voices Connect & Share: If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading them! If this episode resonated with you, I ask you to send it to a friend. Help bring even more visibility to these leaders that are using business as a force for good! Subscribe to the Purpose and Profit newsletter to make sure you don't miss future episodes. This podcast is for you, the listener. I'd love to hear what resonated with you, or if you have a suggestion on who would be a great guest for this show. Please send me a note at info@KathyVarol.com.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Rob Acton, founder and CEO, and Erin Pierson, director of strategic growth, from Cause Strategy Partners to discuss how to engage board members in marketing and communications from recruitment through board service to alumni status.

Not surprisingly, most people have a cause or two that is very near and dear to their heart – the plight of economically challenged school systems, the need to bring literacy to life, or the care capacity of animal shelters, to name a few.  What is surprising though is that most people are not actively engaged in the causes they care most about!  Rob Acton, Founder of Cause Strategy Partners, has some valuable insights on how to move “from the sidelines to the center field” by combining our passions with our professional skills as nonprofit Board Members who can bring impact and outcomes to those in need. Story highlights: What causes the gap between the desire to engage and actually engaging, and why it's so important for each of us to bridge that gap. Why nonprofit boards seek professional talent in their efforts to meet their mission and engage their stakeholders. What unique challenges boards have faced over the past few years and the strategies they employed to overcome them. How to maximize any board's effectiveness in utilizing key resources such as time, money, and networks! Related link:  Cause Strategy Partners  Contact: Rob Acton

Our episode today is one that is fueled by our own desire to continue to push for a fair and representative democracy. While voting is not something that everyone does in every election (local or presidential) we want to urge people to go and vote so that your voices are heard more loudly and consistently. The Atlantic is saying to brace yourself for the voter “tsunami” and Pew Center Research is showing that Gen X’ers, Millennials, and Gen Z are turning out in higher numbers than Baby Boomers. The importance of getting your voice heard through your vote has never been more apparent or needed, which is why we wanted to bring on our guest today, Jess Riegel. Jess Riegel is Co-Founder and CEO of Motivote, a voting accountability platform for Millennials. Jess started her career with Teach for America, leading first-grade classrooms in New Orleans and Newark. As a consultant with Cause Strategy Partners, she advised nonprofits and foundations on board governance. She also led impact evaluation efforts for an educational tech startup, Kinvolved. While earning her MPA in Social Impact, Innovation and Investment from the NYU Wagner School of Public Service, Jess served on the Rockefeller Foundation’s social finance team. Jess holds a B.A. in Urban Studies and Political Economy from the University of Pennsylvania. Connect with Jess: Learn about Motivote: https://www.motivote.us/ Join Motivote: https://join.motivote.us/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/motivoteUS Meanwhile, we want to invite you into the Backstage Pass Goal Magic Community Group on Facebook. Our group is a very dynamic, supportive, and creative bunch who is full of awesome ideas, is always willing to help, and has already had some amazing conversations about our struggles and goals. We’d love to meet you, and so would our community, so drop us a note to say hi once you’re in! Here’s to Getting Unstuck, Cynthia & Brennen     Goal Magic Music Credits

Episode 36 features Robert Acton, the CEO of Cause Strategy Partners who discusses board seat placement, managing pushback, setting a vision, and inspiring a shared vision.

Board builder Rob Acton joins us to discuss specific strategies and tactics to optimize your board. He offers actionable tactics that you can implement today. Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, discusses the three categories of tactics: making better use of board meeting, treating board members as individuals not “the board” and reshaping board culture. ****Timestamped Highlights***** (10:00) Designing board meetings that are not snooze fests (11:30) An alternative to simply reading the Executive Director’s report (13:30) The “Plus, Delta, Question” exercise every executive director can use with their board (17:00) The power of generative questions (21:40) Building the strategic dashboard your board needs (28:00) Uncovering the unique strengths of board candidates (33:15) Rob’s advice for nonprofit board candidates to consider (35:45) The amount of time a board candidate should expect to volunteer each month.   Links: Cause Strategy Partners: http://causestrategypartners.com/ Robert’s Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/robertacton Cause Strategy’s Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/causestrategy

Board builder Rob Acton joins us to discuss specific strategies and tactics to optimize your board. He offers actionable tactics that you can implement today. Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, discusses the three categories of tactics: Making better use of board meetings Treating board members as individuals not “the board" Reshaping board culture Links: Cause Strategy Partners: http://causestrategypartners.com/ Twitter: @RobertActon Twitter: @causestrategy *****Time Stamped Highlights***** (10:00) Designing board meetings that are not snooze fests (11:30) An alternative to simply reading the Executive Director’s report (13:30) The “Plus, Delta, Question” exercise every executive director can use with their board (17:00) The power of generative questions (21:40) Building the strategic dashboard your board needs (28:00) Uncovering the unique strengths of board candidates (33:15) Rob’s advice for nonprofit board candidates to consider (35:45) The amount of time a board candidate should expect to volunteer each month.