Podcasts about nonprofits

"There's so many brands for division in this country. Where's the brand for unity?"That question is why Us United exists. Adam Mizel spent more than 30 years in finance and entrepreneurship before his wife Tanya asked him the question that ended that chapter: What are you going to do?

Episode Description Many nonprofit leaders pick a marketing tactic first- a gala, a Facebook fundraiser, a social media takeover, and then hope it works. The organizations that get a real return pick the goal first and let the goal decide the tactic. Sarah goes solo to work through how to build a marketing strategy simple enough to fit on one page, drawing on the years she spent running a marketing agency for nonprofits. In This Episode, You'll Learn Executive directors about to spend money on a tactic a board member suggested Leaders whose fundraising activity is busy but whose donor numbers are flat Small organizations wondering whether a website is the right first investment Anyone who has run a fundraising event that cost more than it brought in Who This Episode Is For • Why picking a tactic before a goal is where the money goes • What the three marketing goals are and how to spot yours • Why a website converts people who already found you, and does not create them • How Sarah defines a real donor, and why the second gift is the line • What to do about lifetime value when you have almost no donors yet About Your Host, Sarah Olivieri Bold, strategic, and refreshingly human… Sarah Olivieri is the go-to expert for conversations on aligned leadership, outcome delegation, and sustainable growth.She brings wit, warmth, and real-world wisdom to mission-driven founders, visionary CEOs, and change-makers who want more clarity, more joy, and more results. Most leaders hit a wall when success depends on them holding it all together. Sarah helps them change that by redefining leadership around outcomes instead of activity, empowering teams to own results that scale and freeing leaders to focus on the vision that drives them. A former director of three nonprofits and founder of five businesses, she has a rare ability to spot opportunity where others see chaos, shift stuck patterns, and build organizations that support both legacy and life. Sarah leads with the same mindset that made her an award-winning sailor: iterate on what works, stay focused in the storm, and never forget the joy of the journey. Links Website: saraholivieri.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sarah-olivieri Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.

In this episode, I sit down with Andi Simon, a corporate anthropologist, founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants, award-winning author, global keynote speaker, and host of the On the Brink with Andi Simon podcast. With over 20 years of business executive experience and a PhD in anthropology, Andi breaks down what happens when work ends but life continues, exploring why retirement has become one of the most misunderstood and emotionally complex transitions. In this episode, we discuss: How anthropology led Andi to appreciate human culture Bridging anthropology and business to help leaders navigate change Helping stalled organizations learn new ways to see and think Living in a senior community to study retirement expectations Why purpose requires asking who you matter to Redefining personal identity beyond a corporate title Structuring daily routine and community outside the workplace Planning deliberately for time, health, and fulfillment in longevity Key takeaways from her book, Rethink Retirement Applying curiosity, courage, and creativity to personal reinvention About Andi: Andi Simon, PhD, is a corporate anthropologist studying what happens when work ends but life doesn't, and why retirement has become one of the most misunderstood and emotionally complex transitions of our time. She's the founder of Simon Associates Management Consultants (SAMC), an award-winning author, and a global keynote speaker who helps leaders see culture and identity more clearly, turning observation into innovation and designing smarter transitions for people and organizations. Book:https://www.andisimon.com/the-books/ Website: https://www.andisimon.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andisimon/ Podcast: https://www.simonassociates.net/category/podcast/ Book: https://www.andisimon.com/the-books/ ----- Connect with Candice Snyder! Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdr Passion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/ Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/ Go to FusionaryFormulas.com and use code PASSION at checkout for 15% off your first order. Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxation

What if greater nonprofit impact isn't about doing more? Glennda Testone talks with Better Good author Scott M. Curran about focusing on what works and using what you already have more intentionally.

This Week:  A Board Revolution, Or Just Improvement? Linda Lysakowski's book is “The Revolutionary Board.” Do you need to go that far? Or will a few tweaks suffice for your board? She shares her experience and advice around governance versus … Continue reading →

What if the hardest conversations you have with your mentee could actually become some of the most important moments in your relationship? In this episode of You Can Mentor, Zach and Derrick unpack the power of building trust, creating a safe environment, and earning the right to speak truth—even when that truth is difficult to hear. Discover how to have hard conversations with love, wisdom, courage, and the fruit of the Spirit while calling the people you mentor toward the person God created them to be. If this podcast has encouraged or equipped you, would you take 30 seconds to leave a 5-star rating? On Apple Podcasts, scroll to the bottom of the You Can Mentor page and click “Write a Review.” On Spotify, go to our page, click the three dots next to the settings wheel, and hit “Rate Show.” It helps us reach more mentors like you.Want to go deeper?• Join our Learning Lab for mentoring resources and community• Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop• Come to our annual You Can Mentor GatheringYou can find everything at www.youcanmentor.com or follow us on instagram @youcanmentor

383: What Nonprofit Leaders Get Wrong About Growing Fast (Steve Isom)Episode SummaryNonprofit professionals often come to the sector craving mission, not metrics, and the discomfort that creates around money, growth, and hard numbers can quietly limit how far an organization goes. Steve Isom, Chief Operating and Financial Officer at Bloomerang, has spent nearly six years professionalizing the finance, operations, and customer functions behind the giving platform that now serves more than 24,000 nonprofits, and in this conversation he draws a direct line between his own path from Wall Street investment banking to nonprofit-adjacent leadership and the mindset shifts he sees separating scarcity-minded organizations from ones that grow without losing themselves. He talks candidly about scaling Bloomerang from 114 employees to roughly 600 without sacrificing the culture that built it, why hiring the “great people” leaders think they can't afford is usually the real unlock, and the three principles now guiding Bloomerang's approach to AI: mission is the metric, the relationship stays human, and your data stays yours. Listeners will walk away with a clearer case for treating fundraising and finance as fuel for the mission rather than a distraction from it, and a practical framework for growing fast without losing what made their organization work in the first place.About SteveSteve Isom is the Chief Operating and Financial Officer at Bloomerang, an Omaha, NE-based giving platform that unifies CRM, fundraising, and volunteer management for more than 24,000 nonprofit customers. He began his career in investment banking on Wall Street before moving into private equity investing in technology companies, then ran FP&A and finance for high-growth tech companies. He joined Bloomerang nearly six years ago, brought in by JMI Equity to professionalize the company's finance, accounting, legal, and IT functions, and earlier this year expanded his role to lead Bloomerang's customer organization as well, overseeing support, onboarding, and customer success. Isom serves on multiple nonprofit boards and has met with more than 100 Bloomerang customers in person over the past five years. Outside the office, he's a self-described “Type A” list-maker who still writes everything on scrap paper before consolidating it each night, and a devoted LEGO collector who runs his own LEGO fan account on Instagram.ResourcesSteve's LinkedInBloomerangBloomerang's three AI principles: mission is the metric, the relationship stays human, your data stays yoursBonus: Steve's LEGO fan account, @lego_doug_not_dad on InstagramBook recommendation: The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz (not a past guest)Join the Emerging Leaders in Philanthropy! www.institutepl.orgFollow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership — and please leave a review!Learn more about the leadership resources at Armstrong McGuire — ArmstrongMcGuire.com

In addition to all the heat, some new weather may enter the chat today... thunderstorms. The homelessness non-profit that took millions and may not have done a thing. A pair of states ask the Supreme Court to step in over California's suit against Paramount. Plus, more on Morning Edition. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Global Catalyst is on a mission to mentor girls around the world to become powerful advocates and confident leaders. They went from just 7 monthly donors in July 2025, to growing their Girls First community by 500% to 35 monthly donors.As a girl mom, this episode with Courtney Stricklin Burgan hits deep to my heart. In her role as VP of Engagement and Communications, Courtney leads a passionate team of fundraising and storytelling professionals, and we're going to get into every single detail of how she did it.You'll discover why donors started choosing $20, $25, and even $33 a month, how they steward their community with birthday cards, anniversary emails, sticker packs, and personal outreach, and why Courtney sees monthly giving as “major giving in a different way.”Resources & LinksLearn more about Global Catalyst, follow them on Instagram, and connect with Courtney at c.strickland@globalgirlsglow.org. Check out Courtney's book recs, Dungeon Crawler Carl and I Am A Girl From Africa.This episode is presented by The Monthly Giving Builder. If you are leaving real impact dollars on the table, sign up by August 12th for just $49.99/month and get FREE access to 3 LIVE sessions on August 17, 20, and 27 to help you stand up your monthly giving program.With the Monthly Giving Builder, you can generate your comprehensive monthly giving plan and build your program step by step - with a guided companion working alongside you from start to finish. Supercharge your monthly giving program and apply for my Monthly Giving VIP Intensive session. Only 2 spots are available this fall!Let's Connect!Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Nonprofit think tanks conduct research, prepare policy reports, and hold briefings for lawmakers. But does anyone in the halls of power really care? This question guides today's conversation with Scott Centorino. Scott previously served as President Trump's Special Assistant for Domestic Policy in the White House and as a senior fellow at the Foundation for […]

On this episode of the Charity Charge Show, host Grayson Harris sits down with Erika Swilley, Executive Director of the NBPA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the National Basketball Players Association. Swilley explains how the foundation turns NBA player fines into matching grants. Her core message applies to any nonprofit leader: intent is not enough, and lasting impact comes from focus, not volume.About the guest. Erika Swilley has spent more than two decades in sports philanthropy, including senior community and social responsibility roles with the Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, and Chicago Sky. She now leads the NBPA Foundation, where she created the Fined and Philanthropic campaign and advises active and retired players on building genuine, durable community impact.Quick SummaryThe NBPA Foundation funds much of its work through pooled player fines, then matches player donations up to $25,000 a year for active players and $15,000 for many retired players.The Fined and Philanthropic campaign educates players, agents, and families on where fine money goes and how to tap the match.Swilley pushes players away from one-off events like turkey drives and toward year-round, focused giving that builds a legacy.Most young players are steered away from starting their own foundation and toward donor-advised funds, fiscal sponsors, or established nonprofits.Nonprofits can connect with the foundation through its website or LinkedIn to be considered for player partnerships.Inside the NBPA Foundation: how player fines fund community workThe NBPA Foundation is a nonprofit that channels NBA player fine money into community programming led by the players themselves. When players receive technical fouls or ejections, those fines are pooled and, at the end of the season, split between NBA Cares and the foundation.The foundation then reinvests those dollars through a matching grant program that has existed since 2015. Engagement has climbed sharply under Swilley, who describes the model as non-traditional because so much of the funding starts as penalties. In the 2025 offseason, the NBPA reported distributing roughly $1.6 million in matching grants from fine money.Player statusAnnual matching grant capActive players | Up to $25,000 per yearEligible retired players | Up to $15,000 per yearFined and Philanthropic: turning penalties into purposeFined and Philanthropic is the campaign Swilley created to show players exactly where their fine money goes and how to put it to work. Many players assumed their fines vanished into a black hole with no idea the money funded community programs they could tap.The campaign uses simple, memorable touches, including hats that tell players where their fine dollars land. The goal is awareness across the full circle around a player, meaning agents, family members, and team staff. Swilley spent 19 years on the team side without knowing these resources existed, so she built the campaign to close that exact gap.

Nadia and Rob sit down with Leah Parker-Moldover, Executive Director of the MetroWest Nonprofit Network, to explore the challenges facing nonprofits today; from funding volatility and burnout to leadership capacity, collaboration, and AI. Leah shares practical insights on how nonprofit leaders, boards, and funders can build sustainable organizations while staying focused on mission and impact.Connect with Leah:Leah: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-kathleen-parker-moldover-3a6519207/⁠MWNN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/metro-west-non-profit-network/MWNN: https://metrowestnonprofit.org/ Find season 6 episode transcripts here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bP3N6QYBG0UkzdRm5GwiFfoQLvGtIRrK?usp=sharing  Connect with us: Visit www.nazconsultants.com to learn more about Dr. Nadia Butt's work in leadership, culture, and organizational effectiveness, and check out http://www.tekanoconsulting.com/ to explore Rob Hadley's approach to data-driven people and culture strategy. Send us your thoughts or topic ideas at inclusivecollectivepodcast@gmail.comFollow Inclusive Collective LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/inclusivecollective/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@inclusivecollectivepodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inclusivecollectivepodcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InclusiveCollective/ Connect with Nadia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadianazbutt/Connect with Rob: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hadley-utah/

Nonprofit think tanks conduct research, prepare policy reports, and hold briefings for lawmakers. But does anyone in the halls of power really care? That's the question that guides this conversation with Scott Centorino. Scott previously served as President Trump's Special Assistant for Domestic Policy in the White House and as a senior fellow at the Foundation for Government Accountability, a Florida-based think tank. His experiences give him special insight into what makes a think tank effective and how donors should evaluate their success.

n 2015, Shantae Johnson and Arthur Shavers decided to embark on a major life shift and begin a career as farmers. In the past decade, their work has expanded immensely to include a nonprofit, two farms, a commercial kitchen, a food pantry in the Portland-metro area and a soon-to-be Black Community Food Hub opening in Gresham.   It’s all dedicated to their mission of empowering, educating and creating economic opportunity for Black, Indigenous and People of Color who want to work in food systems. This work is done under the nonprofit “The Feed’em Freedom Foundation.” Executive Director Shantae Johnson joins us to talk about their work.  

In this episode, I sit down with Alexander Chaparro, an ACC executive coach, leadership and business transformation strategist, author of The Dreamer's Guide, and founder of Power Up Coaching Solutions. With decades of experience in leadership, sales, recruiting, and team development, Alex breaks down how blending neuroscience, mindset transformation, and practical business strategy can help high achievers move beyond limiting beliefs. Together, we explore his personal journey of overcoming childhood dyslexia, ADHD, and a 200-pound weight loss, highlighting how self-acceptance, active hope, and continuous movement unlock lasting achievement and clear purpose.   In this episode, we discuss: How childhood challenges with dyslexia and ADHD in the '70s and '80s initially created limiting beliefs Developing a solution-based mindset to navigate adversity The difference between passive wishing and active hope How self-love, self-acceptance, and peace became the true catalysts for Alex losing 200 pounds after decades of struggle The inspiration behind his book, The Dreamer's Guide to Achieving in Uncertain Times Why dreaming is an essential muscle to communicate with the subconscious mind Utilizing repetition and patient, small adjustments to build lasting healthy habits into muscle memory Knowing when to leverage strength versus momentum during seasons of low motivation Alex's current training for the 500-mile El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage to celebrate his mobility and health   About Alexander: Alexander Chaparro is an ACC executive coach, leadership and business transformation strategist, author of The Dreamer's Guide, and founder of PowerUp Coaching Solutions. With decades of experience in leadership, sales, recruiting, and team development, he has built his work around helping leaders and high achievers move beyond limiting beliefs and translate vision into meaningful, lasting achievement. Through his coaching and speaking, Alex equips individuals to think bigger, act bolder, and lead with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose. Blending neuroscience, mindset transformation, and practical business strategy, he helps others unlock their potential and pursue what once felt impossible.   The Dreamer's Guide bookhttps://a.co/d/0cpYj5C5 https://powerupcoach.net   Book An Appointment with Alex:https://calendly.com/powerupcoach/power-up-coaching   Personal Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/chaparrogroup Personal LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderchaparro/ PowerUp Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/powerupcoachinghub PowerUp FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566632063013   ----- Connect with Candice Snyder! Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdr Passion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/ Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/ Go to FusionaryFormulas.com and use code PASSION at checkout for 15% off your first order.  Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxation

Jeremy Harrell shares how his work helping veterans led to a federal conviction, raising questions about VA disability rules, nonprofit leadership, and the consequences veterans can face for staying active in their communities.⁣ ⁣ Jeremy's links - ⁣ Instagram: @jeremy_w_harrell_official⁣ TikTok: @jeremywharrellofficial⁣ X: @JeremyWHarrell⁣ Facebook: Jeremy Harrell⁣ ⁣ Do you want to be a guest? Fill out the form https://www.insidetruecrimepodcast.com/apply-to-be-a-guest⁣ ⁣ Get 10% sitewide for a limited time. Just visit https://GhostBed.com/cox and use code COX at checkout. ⁣ ⁣ Shop my merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MatthewCoxCollection⁣ ⁣ Send me an email here: insidetruecrime@gmail.com⁣ ⁣ Do you extra clips and behind the scenes content?⁣ Subscribe to my Patreon: https://patreon.com/InsideTrueCrime ⁣ ⁣ Check out my Dark Docs YouTube channel here -⁣ https://www.youtube.com/@DarkDocsMatthewCox⁣ ⁣ Follow me on all socials!⁣ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidetruecrime/⁣ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewcoxtruecrime⁣ ⁣ ⁣ Do you want a custom painting done by me? Check out my Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/coxpopart⁣ ⁣ Listen to my True Crime Podcasts anywhere: https://anchor.fm/mattcox ⁣ ⁣ Check out my true crime books! ⁣ Shark in the Housing Pool: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851KBYCF⁣ Bent: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BV4GC7TM⁣ It's Insanity: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KFYXKK8⁣ Devil Exposed: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TH1WT5G⁣ Devil Exposed (The Abridgment): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1070682438⁣ The Program: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0858W4G3K⁣ Bailout: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bailout-matthew-cox/1142275402⁣ Dude, Where's My Hand-Grenade?: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXNFHBDF/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1678623676&sr=1-1⁣ ⁣ Checkout my disturbingly twisted satiric novel!⁣ Stranger Danger: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSWQP3WX⁣ ⁣ If you would like to support me directly, I accept donations here:⁣ Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/MattCox69⁣ Cashapp: $coxcon69⁣ ⁣ Chapters: ⁣ 00:00 - Arrest & Indictment⁣ 00:17 - Military Service & PTSD⁣ 08:12 - Starting Veterans Club⁣ 15:01 - VA Investigation & Indictment⁣ 25:13 - Preparing for Trial⁣ 33:01 - Jury Selection & Testimony⁣ 39:57 - Verdict & Sentencing⁣ 45:06 - Continuing the Mission⁣ 49:04 - Federal Camp Experience⁣ 1:02:40 - Halfway House Experience⁣ 1:10:08 - Media Attention & Home Confinement⁣ 1:17:48 - BOP Director & Congressional Testimony⁣ 1:30:08 - Post-Conviction Filing⁣ 1:31:50 - Forfeiture Appeal⁣ 1:36:33 - Clemency & Veteran Advocacy⁣ 1:45:10 - Work & Probation Restrictions⁣ 2:03:25 - Pardons & Public Support⁣ 2:05:45 - Trial & Investigation Questions⁣ 2:17:20 - Risks for Veterans & Nonprofits⁣ 2:21:14 - Final Message Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Week:  Calling This Decision Making Only Scratches The Surface  The book is The Tyranny of False Choices: A Guide to Authentic Decision-Making. The author, Rey Ramsey, reveals his research and thinking that go way beyond decisions. Let's talk about … Continue reading →

Cecilie Fjellhoy shares how she became a victim of the infamous Tinder Swindler, revealing the sophisticated tactics behind romance fraud and how she turned her experience into a mission to help protect others.⁣ ⁣ Cecilie's links - ⁣ https://www.instagram.com/cecilie_/?hl=en⁣ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCykFlmOmrgxRMgemryvsSAg⁣ Check out her book here -https://podiumentertainment.com/titles/94890/swindled-never-after ⁣ ⁣ Do you want to be a guest? Fill out the form https://www.insidetruecrimepodcast.com/apply-to-be-a-guest⁣ ⁣ Don't sleep on @UltraPouches . New customers get 15% Off with code COX at https://takeultra.com! #UltraPouches #ad⁣ ⁣ Get 10% sitewide for a limited time. Just visit https://GhostBed.com/cox and use code COX at checkout. ⁣ ⁣ Shop my merch: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MatthewCoxCollection⁣ ⁣ Send me an email here: insidetruecrime@gmail.com⁣ ⁣ Do you extra clips and behind the scenes content?⁣ Subscribe to my Patreon: https://patreon.com/InsideTrueCrime ⁣ ⁣ Check out my Dark Docs YouTube channel here -⁣ https://www.youtube.com/@DarkDocsMatthewCox⁣ ⁣ Follow me on all socials!⁣ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insidetruecrime/⁣ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@matthewcoxtruecrime⁣ ⁣ ⁣ Do you want a custom painting done by me? Check out my Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/coxpopart⁣ ⁣ Listen to my True Crime Podcasts anywhere: https://anchor.fm/mattcox ⁣ ⁣ Check out my true crime books! ⁣ Shark in the Housing Pool: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0851KBYCF⁣ Bent: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BV4GC7TM⁣ It's Insanity: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08KFYXKK8⁣ Devil Exposed: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TH1WT5G⁣ Devil Exposed (The Abridgment): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1070682438⁣ The Program: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0858W4G3K⁣ Bailout: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bailout-matthew-cox/1142275402⁣ Dude, Where's My Hand-Grenade?: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BXNFHBDF/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1678623676&sr=1-1⁣ ⁣ Checkout my disturbingly twisted satiric novel!⁣ Stranger Danger: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BSWQP3WX⁣ ⁣ If you would like to support me directly, I accept donations here:⁣ Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/MattCox69⁣ Cashapp: $coxcon69⁣ ⁣ Chapters:⁣ 00:00 - Meeting Simon on Tinder⁣ 02:27 - Private Jet & Elaborate Setup⁣ 11:14 - How Con Artists Build Trust⁣ 16:06 - Building Trust & the Setup⁣ 22:40 - How the Scheme Worked⁣ 33:43 - Grand Gestures & Future Plans⁣ 36:36 - Credit Cards & Financial Fallout⁣ 46:39 - Loans & Escalating Demands⁣ 54:52 - Realization & Confrontation⁣ 1:00:04 - Financial Red Flags Surface⁣ 1:01:08 - Aftermath & Police Response⁣ 1:06:03 - Media Exposure & Other Victims⁣ 1:19:18 - Confrontation & Love Con Revenge⁣ 1:26:50 - Long-Term Consequences⁣ 1:30:36 - Nonprofit & Book for Victims Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As AI changes the way nonprofits connect with donors, the big question is: can technology make fundraising more personal, not less?  Derric Bakker, CEO at DickersonBakker, explores how fundraising has moved from personal, relationship-based work to more transactional communication. He shares how AI can help nonprofits bring personalized donor experiences to more people, not just major donors.  The discussion covers key ideas such as listening to donors, personalizing messages, showing genuine thanks, building trust, respecting donor timing, and focusing on long-term relationships.   Derric also highlights the importance of using AI responsibly. Nonprofits should be honest when AI is involved and should never use technology to trick or pressure donors. Trust is at the heart of successful fundraising, and once it is lost, it can be difficult to rebuild.   The conversation also looks at how nonprofits can use AI to scale personal communication while keeping the human side of fundraising strong.   Overall, the message is simple: use AI to strengthen relationships, not replace them. The future of fundraising should combine smart technology with genuine human connection.  HIGHLIGHST   [02:00] Derric's Professional Journey   [06:07] The Shift Toward Transactional Fundraising  [10:37] Genesis of A Better Way to Fundraise   [16:46] Core Principles of Relationship Fundraising  [21:17] AI Ethics and Maintaining Donor Trust   [35:19] The Future Outlook for Fundraising  Resources:  Connect with Derric:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/derricbakker/  Website: betterwaychampions.org/  Website: dickersonbakker.com/  Mentioned in the episode:  A Better Way to Fundraise - Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor: How AI is Enabling Major Giving at Scale - And Reshaping the Future of Philanthropy: amazon.com/Better-Way-Fundraise-Reshaping-Philanthropy    Better Way Champions — Resources and a growing community of nonprofit leaders working to rethink the future of fundraising: BetterWayChampions.org    Better Way Champions on Substack — Derric's latest writing on fundraising, philanthropy, AI, and the changes reshaping our sector: https://betterwaychampions.substack.com/subscribe 

One in five adults now get their news from TikTok. Over 40% of adults under 30 do. That same feed is where younger donors are finding the causes they'll give to. Trust has shifted from institutions to individuals, and most nonprofits are still running the old playbook.

It's Wednesday, August 19th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark, Timothy Reed, and Adam McManus 40 European hate crimes against Christians Christians in Europe faced dozens of hate crimes in July. The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe recorded 40 cases last month. Vandalism was the most common incident. In one case, authorities arrested an Islamic-State sympathizer who was planning an arson attack on a church in Hamm, Germany. The highest number of recorded incidents occurred in Germany, followed by France, Italy, and the United Kingdom.   Ebola virus has killed 2,300 people in Congo This year's Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now the deadliest in the country's history. Over 2,300 people have died as of Sunday. And cases have reached about 5,000.  Christian aid groups like Samaritan's Purse are on the ground in Congo. Franklin Graham, president of the Christian relief group, said, “Samaritan's Purse has been on the frontlines of fighting Ebola for more than a decade, and we aren't going to stop now. We are going to do everything we can to help save lives. We want people to know that God loves them, and they are not alone.”  You can donate to Samaritan's Purse relief effort in Congo through a link in our transcript today at TheWorldview.com.  Trump gives $2 billion to Christian non-profits for disaster relief Here in the United States, the Trump administration announced nearly $2 billion in health and humanitarian assistance to faith-based organizations this month.  This includes over $500 million in disaster response funding for Samaritan's Purse and a consortium jointly led by World Vision and Compassion International.  The U.S. Department of State noted, “This historic announcement is the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in over 20 years.” Conservative kicked out of school board meeting over filthy books Texas conservative Bonnie Wallace is suing the Houston Independent School District for removing her from a school board meeting. Wallace, who is a member of Protecting Texas Children, had sought to shine light on the immoral and inappropriate materials children are subjected to in schools. When she stepped up to the podium at first, she said this which was captured on video. WALLACE: “Before you purchase new books, you need to get rid of the 500 filthy books that you have. If there's children in the audience, they need to leave.” BOARD MEMBER: “Ma'am, Point of Order. This is a public hearing.” WALLACE: “I understand that.” BOARD MEMBER: “You will not be allowed to read things that are not appropriate.” WALLACE: “Oh, not appropriate? Then, why are they in your schools?” After she cited the first vulgar reference from a children's book in the school library, the board member said this. BOARD MEMBER: ”Absolutely not! Ma'am, you are now out of order. This is your first warning. One more word, and you will be removed.” After Bonnie Wallace read a second vulgar passage from the book in the children's library, the school board member asked for a police officer to remove her from the meeting. BOARD MEMBER: “Officer, please remove this woman from the podium.” WALLACE: “If you don't like it, remove it so the children don't have access to it!” BOARD MEMBER: “Thank you very much.” Grant Stinchfield, a conservative talk show host on Real America's Voice, was understandably outraged. STINCHFIELD: “That woman you see there, being walked out, simply read one of the books in the school library. Now, if it's not appropriate for a school board meeting, how is it appropriate for our children?” In her lawsuit, Wallace alleged, “This was textbook viewpoint discrimination: Such conduct is ‘an egregious form' of content regulation that the First Amendment almost never tolerates.” Isaiah 5:20-21 says, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness. … Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” Planned Parenthood closes Albuquerque, New Mexico abortion mill Planned Parenthood shut down its Northeast Heights abortion facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico last month.  It's the latest closure as the abortion giant consolidates locations in the state.  Bud Shaver, executive director of Abortion Free New Mexico, told LifeNews, “Despite New Mexico leaders pouring taxpayer money into abortion and using government policy to prop up the industry, abortion facilities are still consolidating and closing.” Vaccination rate for kindergartners dropped slightly Vaccination rates for kindergartners dropped slightly during the 2025-2026 school year.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the rate dropped by one percent overall.  Exemptions from one or more vaccines rose to 4.2 percent, up from 3.6 percent the previous year. Christian men, mainline Protestants, and Catholics dissatisfied with church And finally, the American Bible Society released the latest chapter of its State of the Bible: USA 2026 report.  The survey found some population groups struggled with church attendance compared to others. These include Christian men, young adult Christians, mainline Protestants, and Roman Catholics. Gen Z men reported the lowest satisfaction with the churches they attend. Overall, weekly and monthly church attendance remain unchanged from two years ago. The survey did note an uptick in people attending church about twice a year. That amounts to about eight million more Americans attending a church service in 2025 compared to two years earlier. Psalm 84:2 and 10 says, “My soul longs, yes, even faints for the courts of the LORD. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. … For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, August 19th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

The nonprofit Stepping Stones Alliance formed in 2020 to provide a year-round shelter for people experiencing homelessness in and around Umatilla County. The organization partnered with several cities and the county to build a temporary housing project, which opened in 2023. The facility includes an overnight shelter, as well as individual shelter units where “members” can receive wraparound services while seeking more permanent housing.   We’ll hear more about how the project is going from Executive Director Jesalyn Cole, who took us on a tour of the site. We’ll also talk with member Sean Scanlon, who came to Stepping Stones last year.  

Twenty years in the nonprofit sector taught Claire Crum something most operators never get told: the causes you care about are often where your skills are worth the most. She now runs a six person ops agency helping mission driven organizations do more with what they already have. We get into why nonprofits so strongly prefer operators who understand their funding streams and stakeholders, how outgrown systems quietly cap an organization's growth, and why operations have never belonged in the overhead column. If you have a cause you love and a skill set you have not yet monetized, Claire has already walked this road. For full show notes, check out https://theopsauthority.com/podcast/312-inside-a-six-person-ops-agency-built-for-nonprofits-with-claire-crum/ Connect with Claire Website: https://calm-ops.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairecrum/ Stay Connected: Join the Ops Insiders FREE Facebook community! Other Ways to Connect with Me: Facebook Page Instagram

Planned giving does not have to be complicated OR expensive, and you don't need an estate attorney to get started. What if your nonprofit already has planned giving prospects sitting inside your donor database, but you just haven't asked them yet?Tony Martignetti worked with a historical society who mailed just 250 people about planned giving. SIX donors responded that they had already included the organization in their wills!We talk about how Tony built St. John's University's planned giving program to $20 million, why your best prospects are often your most loyal long-term donors, and why he recommends starting with donors around age 55-60+ and older. And yes, monthly donors absolutely belong in this conversation. Someone who has supported your organization month after month for years can make an incredible planned giving prospect.Resources & LinksConnect with Tony on LinkedIn, tune in to his podcast Nonprofit Radio, and learn more Planned Giving Accelerated.This episode is presented by The Monthly Giving Builder. If you are leaving real impact dollars on the table, sign up by August 12th for just $49.99/month and get FREE access to 3 LIVE sessions on August 17, 20, and 27 to help you stand up your monthly giving program.With the Monthly Giving Builder, you can generate your comprehensive monthly giving plan and build your program step by step - with a guided companion working alongside you from start to finish. Supercharge your monthly giving program and apply for my Monthly Giving VIP Intensive session. Only 2 spots are available this fall!Let's Connect!Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

Updating a brand across connected, yet independent organizations is no small feat. Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Omoiye Kinney, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for United Way Worldwide, about managing a global brand refresh across 1,000 local United Ways in 30+ countries. They explore how United Way conducted an 18-month data-driven process that centered trust and listening with network leaders and balanced brand consistency with local autonomy. Omoiye shares lessons on phasing brand rollout, empowering brand ambassadors, connecting brand to fundraising, and why your brand is more fragile than you think. Get practical strategies for any organization managing a nonprofit brand.

The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, along with 21 other nonprofit organizations, has won a federal lawsuit against the Trump Administration. PCADV says new guidelines would have made them choose between its funding and its mission.More than a dozen current or former Penn State students are facing drug trafficking charges.PennDOT is finalizing plans for a project designed to improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists on one of Harrisburg's oldest bridges. PennDOT is asking the public to provide feedback.The Pennsylvania Turnpike is seeing improving finances, but debt management and unpaid toll collection continue as challenges. That's according to an audit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.The Pennsylvania Game Commission is ending its Deputy Warden Program. A spokesperson with the Pennsylvania Game Commission says the program is ending effective September 1st.Hope House of Cumberland Valley will break ground on the county's first transitional home this Thursday, August 20th. It will be dedicated to survivors of domestic abuse.Five school districts in the state's 100th House District will receive grant funding for school safety and mental health.Some Pennsylvania schools are cutting off charter students' access to yellow school buses after a court ruling.Triple-A is reminding parents and college students to prepare for their return to campus by making sure car maintenance and insurance are up-to-date.It's been one year since public media's federal funding was revoked. Thanks to our community, we're still here for you and looking toward the future. Join the thousands of members who are building a stronger WITF. Go to  www.witf.org/givenow. And thank you.

“We have agency in this. AI is a mirror to humanity. And I think that becomes a moral imperative to push our way to the front of that mirror.” – Nathan ChappellHave you been avoiding addressing AI in your nonprofit out of fear, uncertainty, or lack of expertise?Nathan Chappell would say you're not alone. But he does have good news:Nathan is the Chief AI Officer at Virtuous, and he studies how we can use AI to advance mission-driven organizations. Recently, he determined that nonprofits hold a unique advantage in shaping the future of AI, and can uniquely benefit from it.(No AI experience required.)After this episode, you'll walk away with a new perspective on the opportunities available to your organization in this moment.Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/nathan-chappell

A capital campaign may be the largest fundraising effort your nonprofit ever undertakes, but is hiring a campaign consultant really worth the investment?In this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein and Andrea Kihlstedt explain why experienced capital campaign counsel can make such a significant difference when the goals are high, donor relationships are at stake, and your staff and board are entering unfamiliar territory.Most nonprofits conduct a capital campaign only once every 15 or 20 years. Even seasoned development professionals may have participated in only one campaign or handled a small piece of the process. Campaign consultants develop a different level of expertise by guiding organization after organization through feasibility studies, campaign planning, quiet phases, major gift solicitations, public launches, and the inevitable challenges that arise along the way.Amy and Andrea discuss the difference between a consultant and an additional staff member. A consultant should not be hired simply to take campaign tasks off your team's plate. Staff members and volunteers still bring the relationships, institutional knowledge, and day-to-day implementation a campaign requires. A strong consultant supplies the strategy, structure, training, sequencing, accountability, and judgment that keep everyone moving in the right direction.You'll also hear why an outside consultant can often address sensitive issues and work across organizational levels more effectively than someone on staff. Consultants can speak with board members, executives, development professionals, campaign volunteers, and support staff without becoming caught in internal politics. Their experience also helps them recognize problems quickly, recommend the right next step, and prevent organizations from losing months or years to avoidable mistakes.The conversation also takes on a timely question: Can AI take the place of a capital campaign consultant? Amy and Andrea are enthusiastic users of AI, but they explain why a generated campaign plan cannot replace the judgment, relationships, accountability, and in-the-room guidance of an experienced advisor. AI may help your team generate ideas or complete tasks. It cannot read a campaign committee meeting, recognize when a donor strategy is going off course, or draw on firsthand experience from dozens of campaigns.Finally, Amy and Andrea share questions every nonprofit should ask before selecting a campaign consultant. How many campaigns has the person led from beginning to end? Were those campaigns successful? Can the consultant provide references from organizations they guided through the full process? Your capital campaign is too consequential to become someone else's training ground.This episode will help nonprofit executives, development directors, board members, and campaign leaders decide whether they need outside counsel, understand what a consultant should contribute, and identify the experience that matters most.To see how many nonprofits hire a consultant to help with their capital campaign, as well as many other benchmarks with which you can compare your organization to, be sure to download our annual Capital Campaign Benchmark Report.

Show SummaryOn today's episode, we're having a conversation with Military Intelligence and Civil Affairs Veteran Rebecca Monaco, co-founder of Next Mission, an organization dedicated to empowering and supporting resettled Afghan women veterans who served alongside U.S. Special Operations forcesEpisode Partner:Our sponsor this week is Aetna, a trusted health care company, committed to serving Veterans, military families, and caregivers through meaningful, community-centered care. Provide FeedbackAs a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you. If you PsychArmor has helped you learn, grow, and support those who've served and those who care for them, we would appreciate hearing your story. Please follow this link to share how PsychArmor has helped you in your service journey Share PsychArmor StoriesAbout Today's GuestRebecca Monaco, MPH, is a public health leader, researcher, and program strategist with more than ten years of experience leading complex initiatives across healthcare, nonprofit, government, and military organizations. She earned her Master of Public Health from Dartmouth College, where she developed a passion for behavioral health research, implementation science, and innovative approaches to improving care. Her current interests focus on psychedelic-assisted therapy, women's health, and translating emerging research into real-world impact.A former U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Intelligence Officer, Rebecca deployed to Afghanistan as a Cultural Support Team (CST) member with Joint Special Operations Command, where she served alongside Afghan Female Tactical Platoon (FTP) members. Following the fall of Afghanistan, her team coordinated the evacuation of 42 Afghan female Special Operations personnel, an experience that continues to shape her commitment to service, leadership, and advancing opportunities for vulnerable communities.Rebecca currently serves as the volunteer Project Manager and Board Secretary for NXT Mission, where she leads initiatives supporting refugee resettlement, education, workforce development, and long-term integration for displaced Afghan women and families across the United States.Links Mentioned During the EpisodeNext Mission WebsiteNext Mission on LinkedInPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThis week's PsychArmor Resource of the Week is a previous episode of the Behind The Mission podcast, episode 184 with Kari McDonough. Kari is Vice President of Welcome.US and Senior Advisor to the Welcome Fund, a program of Welcome.us that provides a source for grantmaking to organizations as they involve community members to welcoming coalition allies coming to the US as part of resettlement efforts. You can find the resource here: https://psycharmor.org/podcast/kari-mcdonough Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on XPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

As you head into your busiest fundraising season of the year, you are facing a second challenge most campaign calendars do not account for. Keeping your people, not just the ones raising the money, but every role that keeps your mission running. According to the Center for Effective Philanthropy's State of Nonprofits 2026 report, one in four nonprofit CEOs now say burnout is significantly affecting their staff, up from seventeen percent the year before, and thirty percent of nonprofits have already reduced staff since last year. At the same time, the 2026 Social Impact Staff Retention Report found that seventy two percent of nonprofit professionals are actively looking for new opportunities, and only thirty five percent say they definitely plan to stay in the nonprofit sector at all. If you are heading into Giving Day, your annual campaign, and year end fundraising without a plan to protect your whole team, today's episode is your narrow window to build one.

Michael Wayne grew up in Mississippi, attended the Naval Academy, left after his father died, built a career in business and investments while running a hedge fund for fifteen years, spent twenty-five years as a clandestine CIA contractor operating across some of the most sensitive and most dangerous missions available — and then went to Ukraine after the 2022 Russian invasion to organize humanitarian aid, evacuate women and children from combat zones, train Ukrainian soldiers, and deliver equipment to the front line before discovering widespread corruption tied to Ukraine aid that he says reached powerful US politicians. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, he shares what twenty-five years as a CIA contractor actually looked like from the inside, what changed after 9/11 in the intelligence world, what the Ukraine work actually involved, what the corruption he discovered actually implicated, and what the DOJ prosecution that followed his decision to push back against that corruption actually produced — including a wire fraud conviction, a federal prison sentence at FPC Montgomery, and what he believes was a deliberate government effort to make him a convicted felon before he could become a whistleblower. _____________________________________________  #TrueCrime #espionage #cia #prisonstory _____________________________________________ Thank you to CASH APP for sponsoring this episode: Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/ksjh06pb #CashAppPod Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App's bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. Cash App Visa® Debit Flex Cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC, and The Bancorp Bank, N.A., pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. See terms and conditions for the Sutton prepaid card, Sutton debit flex card, and Bancorp debit flex card. Discounts and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. _____________________________________________   Connect with Michael Wayne: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialmichaelwayne/ Website: https://officialmichaelwayne.com/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro and Guest Introduction 01:31 Family and Entrepreneurship 05:00 The Call to the Naval Academy 12:42 The Challenges of the Naval Academy 15:17 Leaving Annapolis After Two Years 17:51 The Tragic Loss of His Father 21:41 The Funeral and a Call from the Captain 24:23 Choosing Family Over Country 28:55 Rethinking Leaving Annapolis 31:14 The Plan to Return Falls Apart 36:24 The Decision to Stay Out of the Military 37:57 Mississippi State and Running the Family Business 41:17 Sponsor Break: Cash App Security 44:27 College Life and Degrees 55:36 Buying Properties and Developing a Strategy 01:00:20 Moving to Atlanta and Sports Betting 01:03:30 The Unexpected Call from an Agency 01:08:40 The First Interview for a CIA Contractor 01:14:40 The Path to Becoming a Contractor 01:19:03 Interviews and the Training Invitation 01:24:05 Paramilitary Training and Selection 01:29:07 Understanding Classification and Compartmentalization 01:34:55 The Intensity of the Initial Training 01:39:19 Field Exercises and Testing Survival Skills 01:47:26 The Importance of Knowing Your Limits 02:01:20 Working as a Paramilitary Contractor 02:04:20 A Career of Off-the-Books Missions 02:07:09 Getting Shot and the Impact of 9/11 02:12:30 The Post-9/11 World and the War on Terror 02:24:03 A Screenplay That Predicted 9/11 02:31:10 Transitioning to a New Role and Grad School 02:37:50 Living as a NOC (Non-Official Cover) 02:42:10 The Intensity of the NOC World  02:47:51 Running a Hedge Fund as Cover 02:57:21 Making Money and Helping a Nonprofit 03:02:41 Volunteering in Ukraine After the Invasion 03:05:00 The Corrupt Side of Humanitarian Aid 03:10:34 Protecting Aid and Empowering People 03:15:14 The Hidden World of Powerful Elites 03:21:18 Learning You're a Target 03:28:08 The Plan to Discredit Him 03:34:55 A New SEC Inquiry and the Missing Questions 03:39:01 The Target Letter and the DOJ 03:44:37 Attempting to Investigate the Management Company 03:50:59 The Reverse Proffer: The DOJ's Show of Force 03:57:20 Realizing the System Can't Be Beaten 04:01:44 The Threats That Forced His Hand 04:03:42 The Strategic Choice to Plead Guilty 04:08:35 The Courtroom Deal and Sentencing Guidelines 04:12:00 The Aftermath of the Guilty Plea 04:16:08 The Hit to His Reputation 04:18:24 The FBI Agent and the Press Release 04:22:47 Dealing with the PSR and Sentencing 04:27:44 The Leak and the Fallout 04:31:14 The PSR: A Document Full of Falsehoods 04:35:35 The Sentencing Hearing 04:40:20 The Judge's Unusual Statement 04:45:36 Getting a Year and a Day 04:50:00 A Trip to Federal Prison Camp 04:56:30 The Confusing Charges and the Real Crime 05:04:20 The Plea Deal and the Missing Documentation 05:09:30 The Sentencing Hearing and a Shoutout to the Judge 05:12:10 The Camp: A Place for the Forgotten 05:16:08 Life After Prison and the Supervised Release 05:21:01 The CIA and the Burning of Bridges 05:25:20 Finding a New Path Post-Prison

In this episode, I sit down with Peter Samuelson, an award-winning film producer, bestselling author, philanthropist, and founder of multiple non-profits dedicated to creating lasting social impact. With 27 films under his belt and decades spent founding impactful charities (including the Starlight Children's Foundation with Steven Spielberg and First Star for foster youth), Peter breaks down how he applies the ultimate entrepreneurial startup toolkit to solve unmet societal needs. Together, we explore his latest mission, Random Opportunities for Kindness, launched to elevate kindness into a viral, gamified movement capable of building bridges and countering societal hatred.   In this episode, we discuss: How Peter applies his 27-film producer toolkit as the ultimate entrepreneurial framework for founding non-profits Teaching foster youth to become philanthropists using a $200 grant exercise to build agency and self-worth The inspiration behind his latest initiative, Random Opportunities for Kindness How passing kindness cards with QR codes tracks multi-generational "family trees" of good deeds Gamifying kindness through points, virtual medals, and frequent flyer-style tiers like rock climber, rock star, and rock champion Securing support from 15 state governors across both parties to host press conferences and present physical state kindness medals How local faith leaders, schools, and community challenges like the Vail Valley initiative can adopt the platform for free The distinction between short-term happiness and the long-term fulfillment found in elevating others, as explored in Peter's book Finding Happy   About Peter: Peter Samuelson is an award-winning film producer, bestselling author, philanthropist, and founder of multiple nonprofits dedicated to creating lasting social impact. For decades, he has used storytelling, innovation, and service to make a difference in the lives of countless individuals and communities. Today, Peter is focused on an ambitious new mission inspired by a simple yet powerful belief: if negativity can be loud and pervasive, kindness can be loud and powerful too. As an ambassador for ROK—Random Opportunities of Kindness, a new initiative launched by Kindness Worldwide—Peter is helping elevate kindness from a quiet act to a movement capable of changing lives and changing the conversation. ROKindness.org transforms everyday kindness into a visible, measurable movement, spreading empathy at a time when we need more. Through a website, mobile apps, and QR cards, participants inspire others to pay kindness forward, creating expanding waves of positive action. Acts of kindness are tracked, mapped, and rewarded through recognition levels that encourage ongoing engagement. The platform partners with families, schools, faith communities, nonprofits, corporations, and civic organizations to strengthen community impact. A program of Kindness Worldwide, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering a culture of kindness, ROKindness.org launches August 15, 2026. Supporters participate, share, partner, and volunteer, for lasting social change.   https://www.ROKindness.orghttps://www.rokindness.comhttps://www.samuelson.lahttps://www.LinkedIn.com/in/petersamuelsonhttps://www.instagram.com/petergsamuelson Peter's Book: Finding Happy: A User's Guide to Your Life, with Lessons From Minehttps://a.co/d/0dffRJk8   ----- Connect with Candice Snyder! Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdr Passion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/ Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/ Go to FusionaryFormulas.com and use code PASSION at checkout for 15% off your first order.  Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxation

What happens when a nonprofit merger becomes more than a possibility—and starts to become a reality? In this episode, I sit down with Dave LeVan, CEO of Water for Good, to explore the leadership realities of nonprofit mergers and acquisitions in a funding-constrained environment.We discuss how leaders can navigate a merger without losing sight of the mission, culture, or people who make the organization effective—and why strong Board and leadership buy-in is essential to turning a merger from a theoretical conversation into a successful reality.It's a candid conversation about the opportunities, challenges, and leadership choices that can determine whether a nonprofit merger simply combines organizations—or creates something stronger.

It's been a bit of a heavy show today -- a lot of crime and drama. So let's finish the show with something a little more positive: nonprofits. In fact, today is National Nonprofit Day! What kind of impact do nonprofit organizations have in our state? We turn to the CEO of Utah Nonprofits Association, Jill Bennett, for a chat on the state of Utah's nonprofit industry.

Check out the first of a two-part For the People Special Report celebrating National Nonprofit Day by focusing on how nonprofits are diversifying their funding. We called on the VP and CFO at Connecticut's Community Economic Development Fund (CEDF) to explain how her organization not only helps small businesses, but also nonprofits through affordable financing, targeted training, and one-on-one coaching.

Part 2 of our Special Report continues with one of CEDF's own clients, the CEO and founder of Divine Strategic Solutions. This consulting firm partners with nonprofits, municipalities, and mission-driven organizations to strengthen leadership, improve operations, and build long-term sustainability. Our guest has lots of advice to offer for nonprofits regarding practical alternate funding sources, so if you have anything to do with a nonprofit, listen in!

Keach Hagey: Keach Hagey, author of The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future, explores the rise of Sam Altman and the founding of OpenAI, which launched in 2015 as a nonprofit research lab aimed at developing artificial general intelligence safely. Altman partnered with Greg Brockman and lead scientist Ilya Sutskever, securing initial billion-dollar commitments from major players such as Elon Musk and Peter Thiel. The narrative follows Altman's trajectory from a brilliant student at John Burroughs School to a Stanford dropout who founded the startup Loopt. Though Loopt was considered a relative failure, Altman's charismatic storytelling and investment prowess eventually led him to succeed Paul Graham as president of Y Combinator. As OpenAI's needs for computational power grew, the organization transitioned into a complex for-profit structure, leading to a power struggle that saw Musk depart. The account highlights a pivotal 2023 crisis in which the board fired Altman over concerns regarding his transparency, only for him to be reinstated after a massive staff revolt. Throughout, the book balances Altman's unwavering optimism for the future against stark warnings from AI godfathers about the potential existential risks of unaligned artificial intelligence. (1)

In this episode of The First Day from The Fund Raising School, Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D., is joined by Ted Grossnickle, CFRE, Senior Consultant and Chairman at JGA Counsel, to explore one of the nonprofit sector's perennial challenges; meaningful board engagement. Grossnickle argues that board members often underestimate just how much influence they have on current and prospective donors, and that effective board service requires something deeper than simply attending meetings and filling a seat. He describes board membership as a “covenant” and distinguishes between mere alliance and true allegiance to the organization. When trustees approach their role with seriousness of purpose, understand the mission, and see how their service can create real impact, board work becomes not an obligation to endure but an opportunity to lead. That deeper engagement begins with thoughtful recruitment and clear expectations. Bill and Ted caution against selecting board members simply because they have a prominent name, impressive title, or substantial financial resources. Those qualities can be valuable, but research consistently points to passion for the cause as a critical ingredient. Rather than racing to fill open seats, nonprofits should use a deliberate process of conversations and discernment to determine whether prospective trustees understand the organization, care deeply about its work, and possess the judgment needed to address both successes and difficult challenges. Bill notes that when fundraising expectations are communicated during recruitment and orientation, board members are 11 times more likely to donate and fundraise for the organization, a powerful reminder that clarity at the beginning can shape engagement for years to come. The conversation then turns to what Grossnickle calls a board member's “bias for action.” That does not mean trustees should swoop in and start managing staff. Role clarity matters. Board members should focus on governance, strategic direction, advice, and partnership with staff, while also recognizing the unique contribution they can make to fundraising. They do not have to become professional solicitors, but they should be willing to tell the organization's story, introduce prospective supporters, accompany staff on donor visits, and ask, “How can I help?” Bill also emphasizes the importance of pursuing 100% board giving while avoiding mandatory minimum gifts, which can exclude passionate and valuable trustees. The goal is full participation at a personally meaningful level, allowing board members to lead by example when inviting others to invest. Finally, Ted warns nonprofit leaders against becoming victims of “the tyranny of the urgent.” Strong boards are not built by rushing recruitment, compressing important conversations, or assuming trustees will somehow figure out their responsibilities along the way. His advice is wonderfully simple, “Measure twice and cut once.” Invest time upfront in clarifying roles, discussing expectations, providing context, and preparing board members to contribute effectively to advancement. That extra care, he argues, saves time, money, and frustration later while treating trustees with the respect their role deserves. Bill closes by reinforcing the central message: board seats are special, expectations should be intentional, and when nonprofits cultivate allegiance, clarity, and a genuine bias for action, board members can become some of the organization's most credible and influential ambassadors.

Former Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do may be responsible for more questionable contracts. A nonprofits struggles to help Eaton Fire survivors rebuild. The latest poll on the California governor's race. Plus, more on the Evening Edition. Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comSupport the show: https://laist.com

Henry is joined in studio by John Baker from Be The Change as they discuss how the economy has affected nonprofit organizations, why they wanted to work with the Minneapolis Police Department, Lake helping with the spontaneous creation of a children's golf tournament Sat. Sept. 12 and more. You can check out their website, www.bethechangemn.com

Show SummaryAs military-connected students head back to school, we're revisiting a conversation with Mary Bier, MBA, President and CEO of the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC). Mary joins host Duane France to discuss the unique educational experiences of military-connected children, the challenges families can face navigating school transitions, and how MCEC helps families, educators, and communities support military students throughout their educational journey.Episode Partner:Our sponsor this week is Aetna, a trusted health care company, committed to serving Veterans, military families, and caregivers through meaningful, community-centered care. Provide FeedbackAs a dedicated member of the audience, we would like to hear from you. If you PsychArmor has helped you learn, grow, and support those who've served and those who care for them, we would appreciate hearing your story. Please follow this link to share how PsychArmor has helped you in your service journey Share PsychArmor StoriesAbout Today's GuestMary Bier, MBA, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC). A seasoned leader with more than 20 years of experience in business strategy, organizational leadership, and community engagement, she brings a dynamic vision to MCEC's mission of ensuring every military-connected child has access to quality educational opportunities.As a military spouse and parent, Bier has firsthand insight into the unique challenges and strengths of military families. This lived experience fuels her passion for advocating for military-connected students, ensuring they receive the educational support and opportunities they deserve.Bier's professional background spans both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, where she has successfully led high-impact initiatives, built collaborative partnerships, and served as a subject matter expert on veteran and military family issues. She has been invited to the White House to share insights on military-connected programs, testified before the New York City Department of Veteran Affairs, and facilitated expert panels on military family well-being.Prior to joining MCEC, Bier held leadership roles in business strategy, customer success, and military initiatives, where she was instrumental in scaling operations, optimizing talent development, and fostering inclusive organizational cultures. Her ability to translate strategic goals into actionable outcomes has driven mission impact across multiple organizations.At MCEC, Bier is committed to expanding the organization's reach, deepening partnerships, and championing the needs of military-connected children. Under her leadership, MCEC will continue to be a trusted resource for families, educators, and policymakers dedicated to supporting military students on their educational journey.Bier holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on Management and Organizational Behavior and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from California Lutheran University.She resides with her family in Madison, Wisconsin.Links Mentioned During the EpisodeMilitary Child Education Coalition Website Heroic Hearts ScholarshipCall for the Arts ScholarshipMonth of the Military Child ToolkitPurple Star National AdvocateStudent to Student ProgramPsychArmor Resource of the WeekThis week's resource of the week is the PsychArmor course, Supporting Children Who Support Veterans. Although your children may be small now, we hope this course gives you some building blocks to address any parenting challenges you may encounter as your children mature.You can find the resource here: https://learn.psycharmor.org/courses/Supporting-Children-Who-Support-Veterans  Contact Us and Join Us on Social Media Email PsychArmorPsychArmor on XPsychArmor on FacebookPsychArmor on YouTubePsychArmor on LinkedInPsychArmor on InstagramTheme MusicOur theme music Don't Kill the Messenger was written and performed by Navy Veteran Jerry Maniscalco, in cooperation with Operation Encore, a non profit committed to supporting singer/songwriter and musicians across the military and Veteran communities.Producer and Host Duane France is a retired Army Noncommissioned Officer, combat veteran, and clinical mental health counselor for service members, veterans, and their families.  You can find more about the work that he is doing at www.veteranmentalhealth.com  

Carol Adelkoff was paid $1.6 million over a two-year stretch serving as the CEO of Los Angles based nonprofit "1736 Family Crisis Center".But when you dive deeper into the numbers, you might start to focus more on the board of directors than the CEO herself.Plus, this brings up the age-old question of how much should nonprofit executive directors be paid.L.A. Times article by Audrey McGlinchy here: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-08-06/la-homeless-provider-has-paid-ceo-who-lives-in-hawaii-1-6-million-in-salary-vacation-over-two-yearsListen to this episode on Apple here: https://bit.ly/Ep82TheNonprofitInsiderPodcastAppleListen to this episode on Spotify here: https://bit.ly/Ep82TheNonprofitInsiderPodcastSpotify

In this special episode, Brooke Thomas shares the powerful story behind the launch and mission of Love Out Loud, highlighting how small seeds of generosity can multiply into life-changing impact. Brooke discusses the journey from humble beginnings—raising $33,300 in just five days for single moms—to partnering with A21 and witnessing the community give over $500,000 to combat human trafficking and online exploitation. Through real-life testimonies of collective giving, Brooke illustrates the transformative power of aligning business, faith, and philanthropy. Listeners are encouraged to stretch themselves, join the movement, and experience firsthand how increased income can fuel greater purpose and lasting change. Support Love Out Loud's partnership with A21 to help prevent online exploitation, protect vulnerable children, and create lasting global impact. https://loveoutloudgiving.org/a21/ Key Moments & Timestamps 00:00 – The Power of a Seed: Brooke shares how a single act of generosity blossomed into a movement. 02:28 – The Birth of Love Out Loud: Brooke recounts the unexpected $10,000 check that launched the nonprofit. 06:37 – First Big Fundraiser: The heart and hustle behind raising $33,300 in just five days for single moms. 12:46 – Giving Together: The impact of collective giving and writing the first $50,000 check to A21. 17:46 – Athens Office Initiative: How a small group raised $300,000 to help open a new A21 office in Greece. 24:27 – One Million Dollar Vision: Setting a bold goal to fight human trafficking and online exploitation. Resources: Building at a high level but craving deeper alignment? The Elite Mastermind is a 12-month, faith-fueled business mastermind for high-achieving women who refuse to choose between business excellence and their faith. Join Kingdom-minded leaders for luxury in-person retreats, monthly coaching with Brooke Thomas, and a powerful network that will expand your vision, revenue, and impact. When you lead with God as your CEO, anything is possible.  Apply at https://brookethomas.com/mastermind/    Feel Like Yourself Again, From The Inside Out If you've been navigating low energy, hormone shifts, or feeling off in your body, this is the wellness stack Brooke personally uses and recommends. Designed to support inflammation, hormones, energy, and overall vitality, this is what helped her feel strong, clear, and aligned again. Explore the stack at https://brookethomas.com/stack    Find Your People. Build With Purpose.  Activate Your Impact is where faith-driven women stop building alone and start building together. Access monthly teaching, live coaching, and a network of women who are moving in the same direction you are. This is what keeps you plugged in, growing, and activated between the big moments. Join today at https://brookethomas.com/activate    Activate Your Impact! There's a version of you God is waiting to activate. This book will show you how to step boldly into your calling with unshakable faith and build a life and business that honors Him.  Get your copy and special bonuses at https://brookethomas.com/book 

Meredith Murray is a Christian nonprofit leader and host of the Empowered Life Podcast with Allies in Youth Development, an organization serving vulnerable children through mentoring around the world. With a background in education, ministry, community engagement, and supporting survivors of human trafficking, Meredith has spent her career walking alongside people and helping them recognize their God-given value and purpose.Allies in Youth Development is a Christian nonprofit that equips local mentors around the world to provide vulnerable and orphaned children with consistent relationships, life skills, education, and spiritual support.This episode centers on the idea that you don't need the perfect story, experience, or answers to make a difference—you simply need to show up and be present. Zach and Meredith explore how God uses mentors to bring hope, healing, and transformation not only to vulnerable kids, but to mentors, families, and entire communities around the world. Plus, they go into great detail of the power of prayer in your mentoring org and mentoring relationship. If you've ever wondered whether you're qualified to mentor, this conversation will remind you that what God has placed in you may be exactly what someone else needs. If this podcast has encouraged or equipped you, would you take 30 seconds to leave a 5-star rating? On Apple Podcasts, scroll to the bottom of the You Can Mentor page and click “Write a Review.” On Spotify, go to our page, click the three dots next to the settings wheel, and hit “Rate Show.” It helps us reach more mentors like you.--Want to go deeper?• Join our Learning Lab for mentoring resources and community• Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop• Come to our annual You Can Mentor GatheringYou can find everything at www.youcanmentor.com or follow us on instagram @youcanmentor

Reflections from host Sarah Olivieri ... Is Your Budget Killing Your Major Gifts Program? Many nonprofit leaders I talk to about major gifts describe some version of the same wall. They know the money is out there. They have heard the statistics about wealth transfer and donor-advised funds. They have sat through the trainings. And still, nothing moves. So they go looking for the missing skill. Better scripts. A new CRM. A workshop on how to ask. Here's what I often find when I see an organization trying to do major gifts but struggling. They're actually operating with systems and processes that work against major gifts. Systems like: annual fundraising strategies a schedule of campaigns an annual budget that rewards short-term gifting, which often comes at the expense of building the proper long-term relationship that leads to true, significant, sustainable funding from major donors Relationships operate on systems as well, but these are not the systems that relationships run on. When the wrong systems are in place, people rarely call out the system. They compensate with effort instead. In fundraising, that effort goes into activity that can be measured this quarter. Events. Appeals. Data entry. All of it visible, all of it defensible, and very little of it building the thing that tends to produce seven-figure gifts. A version of this came up on almost every strategy call I had this spring, which is why I was glad to sit down with Bill Crouch and talk it through. Bill has spent more than forty years inside this work, first as a college president raising private money in the shadow of a state flagship, now advising nonprofits nationally. He has lived this work and he has taught it, which is a rarer combination than it sounds. What the conversation gave me was not a new idea. It was a sharper explanation of why the patient approach holds up and why so few organizations are structured to survive the wait. The Annual Budget Is the Clock Everything Else Runs On Start with the operating budget, because everything downstream inherits its timeline. A relationship with a high capacity donor takes eighteen months. Sometimes three years. Bill spent eighteen months getting the first million dollar commitment for a giving group at his own college. Six weeks after that, he had five more, because the first person made calls to friends. Eighteen months of nothing, then five gifts in six weeks. Now put that curve inside an organization that closes its books every twelve months and asks the development office what it brought in. The gap is rarely a matter of discipline. The organization has committed to a reporting cycle that cannot see the work until it is already finished. So the work does not get funded, does not get protected on anyone's calendar, and does not survive the first cash flow scare in month seven. I write and talk a lot about how the layout of your budget shapes the decisions you make, and this is the most expensive version of that. A twelve-month frame makes long horizon relationship work look like underperformance. Then leaders respond to the number in front of them, which is the only responsible thing to do with the information the system gives them. The Desk Always Wins Bill described development work as needing two different capabilities. The technical side, sitting in the office getting things done. And the relational side, out in the world with people. Two skill sets, often two different humans. In a small shop, one person holds both. Ask that person what they did last week and you will hear about the database, the appeal, the grant report, the reconciliation. Not the coffee that took ninety minutes and produced no measurable outcome. The desk wins because the desk has deadlines. The relationship has none. This is a design flaw with a simple mechanism. Every task in the office has a due date attached to it and a visible consequence for missing it. Relationship building has neither. Give one person both jobs and the work with a deadline tends to consume the work without one, week after week, however much that person believes in the relational side. Which means the fix is structural. Protect the time in a way the person cannot trade away, or separate the roles. Telling someone to prioritize relationships more is asking them to out-discipline their own job description. The Mechanism, Named One line from that conversation has stayed with me: "That forces nonprofits to make short-term decisions that hurt long-term strategies." What I appreciate about this framing is that it locates the problem in the design rather than in the people executing it. The short-term decision is the rational one given the reporting cycle. Change the cycle, or build a revenue floor that takes the pressure off it, and the same team will often behave differently. Not much had to change in anyone's character. The structure stopped charging them for patience. Turnover Is What the Design Produces Forty years ago, the number one problem in nonprofit fundraising was development staff turnover. It is still the number one problem. Bill named four causes, and the timeline inside them is the part worth sitting with. It takes about sixteen months for the wrong hire to realize they do not want this job. It takes the supervisor about sixteen months to accept the same thing. So roughly a year and a half of relationship equity walks out the door, and the next person starts from zero with donors who have now been handed off twice. Run that loop three times and you have a decade of fundraising with no compounding whatsoever. The organization has been paying for major gifts capacity the entire time and never accumulating any. And the third cause Bill listed is the one nonprofits could fix tomorrow. The only way to get a meaningful raise in this field is to leave. We hand out cost of living adjustments and call it compensation strategy. Then we act surprised when the person holding four years of donor history takes a call from a recruiter. The turnover looks to me like an output. The design tends to produce it, and hiring better rarely changes what the design produces. If you want to see the same mechanism from another angle, emotional intelligence functions as retention infrastructure inside these teams, not as a soft add-on. Relationship Building Is a Practice You Can Teach Here is the part that gets skipped. The long horizon only pays off if something real happens inside it, and most organizations treat what happens in the room as a matter of charm. Some people have it. Some people do not. Hire for it and hope. Bill asks every high capacity person he meets about their favorite childhood toy. That is the whole thing. A simple question about a toy, and within a couple of minutes he is hearing what someone actually cares about, in their own words, before any case statement enters the conversation. I have been collecting strategic questions for years, and I recently started a separate collection just for get to know you questions. His goes at the top of that list. I asked my next podcast guest the same thing, and it changed the shape of the whole interview. Which tells you something about the mechanism. A good question is repeatable. It can be written down, taught, practiced, and handed to a nervous program director who has never asked anyone for money. Charm cannot. So when an organization decides that relationship building is a talent rather than a practice, it has quietly made that work impossible to train, impossible to delegate, and impossible to sustain past the tenure of whoever happened to be good at it. Bill also brings brain science into how he approaches this, and that tracks. Relationship building, brain science, and psychology go hand in hand. People give when they feel seen, heard, and valued, and there is a physiological story underneath that, not just a sentimental one. Which means the patient work is doing something specific in those eighteen months. Those months are where the ask becomes possible. Skip them and you are asking a stranger. Titles Are Structure Bill told a story about interviewing a researcher at a large university. She had put the institution in her will. She had been there sixteen years. She had identified and researched a donor who eventually gave a million dollars. No major gift officer had ever walked into her office to thank her. Nobody, in sixteen years. She stayed because her children had a tuition waiver. His response to this pattern is to give every person in the development operation the same title: "Every person in the development shop should have the same title. Director of Major Gifts." This makes sense given the setup. A title describes what the organization believes a role is for. When the researcher's title says researcher and the gift officer's title says major gifts, the org chart has already suggested who is doing the real fundraising and who is doing support work. Most people read that correctly and behave accordingly. I coach clients on titles constantly, usually while helping them build a first development department, and my rule is that people should have whatever title helps them do their job best. Bill's version goes further, and I think he is right about it. It does two things at once. Inside the organization, it tells the researcher and the data entry person that they matter, which is the same thing every donor is trying to find out about themselves. Outside the organization, it gives every one of those people a title they can carry into a room and use to build a real relationship. Give everyone the title that names the actual goal, and you have used structure to say something that a values statement on the wall never manages to say. The Board Question That Is Easy to Sequence Wrong Then there is the board, where two incompatible jobs get stuffed into one body. Bill's framing came from a retired chamber of commerce CEO. Most nonprofit boards are made up of sparrows. Sparrows come to the quarterly meeting, sit through staff reports, argue about whether to spend two hundred dollars on a computer, write a thousand dollar check, and buy a seat at the gala. Most nonprofits could not operate without them. Plenty of boards also want an eagle. Someone who can write a seven-figure check. Eagles tend to hate meetings, do not care about the computer, and rarely sit through reports. Put one on your board and within a year they will often either turn into a sparrow or quit. So Bill builds his clients a separate group. Five or six people, all high capacity, meeting twice a year in each other's homes rather than at your facility, with a single agenda item. Which of our friends can we ask. I give the same advice and I get there differently. I do not want money, power, and decision-making consolidated into the same group of people. Your governing board should be the people who want to do the careful, unglamorous work of oversight, checking that nothing is going off the rails. Not the people with the biggest checkbooks, who are usually the furthest from the weeds and the least accountable for the outcome. So give the givers their own structure where giving is the actual job. Two groups, two purposes, no competition between them. This is also why the board chair and executive director relationship works better when the governance lane is clearly drawn. What a Built System Looks Like Build the plumbing first. Here that means a small number of specific things in place before anyone worries about scripts. The CEO carries a real portfolio, ten people or fewer, and treats it as a standing commitment rather than a fourth quarter push. The relational time is protected structurally, not aspirationally. Compensation is designed so that staying is financially rational. There is a revenue floor that does not depend on this year's major gift closing, which is what makes waiting affordable. And there is a group whose entire purpose is giving and opening doors, separate from the group that governs. Fully built or partially built matters enormously here. A partially built major gifts function has all the cost and none of the compounding. You are paying for the staff, the software, and the events, and you are still starting over every eighteen months. Diversifying and de-risking your revenue base is part of the same picture, which is why revenue design deserves attention before the ask does. What This Makes Possible When leaders see this clearly, the fear around major gifts usually drops several notches. The conversation stops being about whether anyone on the team is brave enough to ask a person for a million dollars and starts being about whether the organization can hold a relationship for three years without flinching. That is a design question, and design questions have answers. What can stop being so heavy is the self-blame. Chances are nobody failed at fundraising here. The organization was built with a twelve-month clock and then asked to do multi-year work, and it did roughly what that setup tends to produce. You are where you are, it is what it is. Once the structure changes, the same people, the same mission, and the same donor list start producing something entirely different, because the effort finally accumulates instead of resetting. Doing Work That Compounds This is not about asking bigger. It is about building an organization that can hold a relationship long enough for the ask to make sense. Nonprofits can raise transformational money.They can pay their fundraisers well enough to keep them.They can stop rebuilding donor relationships from scratch every eighteen months. Not by pushing harder, by building systems that hold. About the Guest Bill Crouch is the CEO of BrightDot Fundraising Advisors and has spent more than 40 years helping nonprofits transform fundraising into meaningful, lasting relationships with donors. A former college president, fundraising expert, author, and Honorary Fellow at Oxford University, Bill is the author of Mattership™: Making Donors Feel They Matter, where he shares practical strategies for building trust and inspiring generosity. Connect with Bill: Website: http://thebrightdot.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brightdot LinkedIn personal: Bill Crouch LinkedIn Be sure to subscribe to Inspired Nonprofit Leadership so that you don't miss a single episode, and while you're at it, won't you take a moment to write a short review and rate our show? It would be greatly appreciated! Let us know the topics or questions you would like to hear about in a future episode. You can do that and follow us on LinkedIn.

Episode 381: What Leaders Must Know to Build Cross-Sector Power (Karen Riordan)Episode SummaryNonprofit leaders often assume advocacy, cross-sector partnerships, and funding diversification are someone else's job — but Karen Riordan, President & CEO of Together SC in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, argues that building real power for the sector starts with everyday relationship-building. Drawing on three decades of for-profit marketing experience before her move into nonprofit leadership, Riordan makes the case that nonprofits are businesses too, deserving of the same respect, visibility, and strategic rigor as any company in the community. She shares how to build relationships with lawmakers long before you ever need something from them, why chambers of commerce and civic groups are an underused bridge to the business community, and how to have hard budget conversations with your board before a funding crisis forces the issue. Listeners will walk away with concrete, low-lift ways to build cross-sector alliances, advocate for their organization without feeling like a lobbyist, and lead with pride even when the funding landscape feels shaky.About KarenKaren Riordan is President & CEO of Together SC (formerly the South Carolina Nonprofit Association), the statewide network that strengthens and champions the nonprofit sector across South Carolina, a role she stepped into in 2024. She spent three decades building brands in the for-profit world, first in the tourism industry and later in automotive marketing, where she managed teams of up to 1,200 employees, before moving into the nonprofit space by way of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, where she founded both Keep Myrtle Beach Beautiful and Partnership Grand Strand. A journalism graduate who has volunteered for nonprofits since high school - across subsectors from animal welfare to food insecurity - Riordan now channels that business rigor and marketing instinct into raising the visibility and respect of nonprofits statewide. She's an avowed re-reader of Jim Collins' Good to Great and a self-described “maniac” for a good thriller series in her downtime.ResourcesKaren's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/karen-riordan-72a88a2Together SC: TogetherSC.orgCheck out Together SC's “Nonprofits Get It Done” campaign (modeled on the National Council of Nonprofits) and their upcoming scenario-planning workshops for budget diversificationBook recommendation: Impact Networks by David EhrlichmanFollow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership and please leave a review!Learn more about the leadership resources at Armstrong McGuire:  ArmstrongMcGuire.com

If you've ever wondered what's possible with zero full-time paid staff and zero development budget, this episode is for you. Magical Creatures Sanctuary is a 100% volunteer-run farmed animal rescue on Hawaii Island that cares for more than 100 rescued animals, and today, 48% of their individual donor revenue comes from recurring gifts, with an 83% donor retention rate.Executive Director Jill Vanderhoef joins me to break down their Adopt a Magical Creature sponsorship program and how even a $5 monthly gift can create meaningful stability.Plus, Jill shares EXACTLY what's working for them on Instagram and TikTok and why emotional connection, before-and-after storytelling, and paying attention to the questions your audience is already asking can help create content that brings supporters closer to your mission.Resources & LinksLearn more about Magical Creatures Sanctuary and follow them on Instagram and TikTok. This episode is presented by The Monthly Giving Builder. If you are leaving real impact dollars on the table, sign up by August 12th for just $49.99/month and get FREE access to 3 LIVE sessions on August 17, 20, and 27 to help you stand up your monthly giving program.With the Monthly Giving Builder, you can generate your comprehensive monthly giving plan and build your program step by step - with a guided companion working alongside you from start to finish. Supercharge your monthly giving program and apply for my Monthly Giving VIP Intensive session. Only 2 spots are available this fall!Let's Connect!Send a DM on Instagram or LinkedIn and let us know what you think of the show!My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.Want to book Dana as a speaker for your event? Click here!

What does it really take to grow a nonprofit without exhausting your team, overwhelming your board, or burning yourself out along the way?On this week's episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with nonprofit consultant, fundraising strategist, and leadership expert Sarah Andrews for a conversation about sustainable growth, strong leadership, and building the capacity nonprofits need to thrive.With more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising, Sarah has helped organizations navigate strategic growth, fundraising campaigns, organizational capacity building, major gifts, grants, sponsorships, and donor engagement. Together, Julia and Sarah explore what separates nonprofits that continue to grow from those that feel stuck, and why building the right foundation before pursuing bigger fundraising goals is so important. They also dig into some of the fundraising and leadership misconceptions that can hold organizations back, how to know when an organization is truly ready for a major campaign, and practical ways to help nonprofit boards become more confident ambassadors and fundraisers. And in a conversation that goes beyond traditional nonprofit strategy, Sarah shares how her work as a yoga instructor has shaped her approach to leadership, resilience, mindfulness, and balance, lessons that can be especially valuable for nonprofit professionals navigating today's pressures. About Sarah AndrewsSarah Andrews is a nonprofit consultant, fundraising strategist, and leadership expert with more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising. As the Founder & Lead Consultant, she works with organizations on strategic growth planning, organizational capacity building, annual and capital campaigns, engagement and stewardship programs, sponsorships and promotions, grant writing, and major giving programs. Sarah is passionate about those “aha moments” when things click and turn into action. A native of Manchester, New Hampshire, she enjoys strong coffee, 90s throwbacks, and spending time outdoors with her family and friends. She is a proud mom of two daughters and is married to her husband, Justin. Sarah is also a yoga instructor at Humble Warrior Power Yoga. Learn more about Sarah and her work at sarahjandrews.com. In this episode, we discuss:✔ What sustainable nonprofit growth really looks like ✔ Common leadership mistakes that can limit organizational impact ✔ How to build organizational capacity before pursuing major growth or fundraising initiatives ✔ Fundraising misconceptions that may be holding nonprofits back ✔ How to determine whether your organization is ready for a capital campaign ✔ Warning signs that it may be time to pause before launching a major campaign ✔ Strategies for engaging boards in fundraising and philanthropy ✔ How nonprofits can balance annual giving, major gifts, grants, events, and corporate partnerships ✔ Emerging fundraising trends and where nonprofit leaders should focus their attention ✔ What nonprofit leaders can learn from yoga about resilience, mindfulness, and balance ✔ Practical ways to pursue ambitious goals without burning out your team—or yourself Don't forget!If you enjoyed this episode of Nonprofit Nation, subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this conversation with a nonprofit leader, fundraiser, or board member who could use a little inspiration around sustainable growth and leadership.Because growing your nonprofit shouldn't mean burning out the people who make the mission possible.Take my free masterclass: 3 Must-Have Elements of Social Media Content that Converts

Scott Curran has helped former presidents, Fortune 500 companies, and street-corner nonprofits turn good intentions into real impact. After a decade as general counsel of the Clinton Foundation and ten years building Beyond Advisors, he kept noticing the same thing: the world's most effective changemakers and the hometown hero nobody's heard of have the exact same nine things in common.So do you. That pattern became his new book, Better Good — a framework any organization can start using today with a Post-it note.

Jacks joins us this week to begin our journey into Paris Is Always a Good Idea. ABOUT: PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 1 & 2) Nonprofit executive Chelsea is in Paris to secure a major donor, but begins an unexpected journey across Europe to reconnect with her past loves. + Chelsea begins her journey to reconnect to her past and to find Colin, a sheep farmer in Ireland; Annabelle accompanies her and Knightly grows curious. AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR: PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 1 & 2) July 31, 2026 | Hallmark+ CAST & CREW OF: PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 1 & 2) Lacey Chabert as Chelsea Martin BRAN'S PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA (SEASON 1 EPISODES 1 & 2) SYNOPSIS Chelsea is talking into her phone, telling someone about her love story. It all takes place in Europe where she was on a gap year. What Chelsea wasn't expecting was that she'd fall in love with not 1, not 2, but 3 different men! That gap year ended suddenly when she finds out that her mom is dying. 10 years later, she walks into her office at the American Cancer Coalition to find her work rival, Jason Knightly, using her treadmill desk. Chelsea isn't having Jason's nonsense. She is working hard on trying to secure a big $50 million donation. The CEO of this skincare company is intrigued by this but wants to talk to her more in person...in Paris! She's very hesitant to go back to Paris. She goes over to her dad's house to have family dinner with her sister, Annabelle, and their dad Glenn. Oh and his new boo thang Sheri. Chelsea tells them about going to Paris and they all look at her like she's dying. Apparently they all went to Paris together after their mom passed to complete her bucket list but Chelsea broke down crying before they could do any of the things on their mom's list. Annabelle and Dad decide they're gonna come with to be her support system. But when they get there, Chelsea sees Annabelle brought their mom's itinerary and she gets really mad. She's not ready to say goodbye to mom. To make matters worse, she looks out the window of the hotel and Jason Knightly is there. She goes down there and he's like oh our boss didn't tell you? We're partners. I'm your closer. She opens up about why her family is there and he encourages her to do it. So she calls the family and off they go to start the journey. And it starts off ok but the fun quickly ends when the 2nd stop of the trip is closed down. It becomes clear in these audio messages that a lot has changed for them in the past 10 years. This is a mess. She and her sister make up and go out to dinner. Annabelle was surprised to hear their mom describe Chelsea as a romantic. Annabelle says she's never even seen her date. Chelsea tells her about the 3 guys she fell in love with. Annabelle tells her to go for it - try to find those guys. They go dancing and wouldn't you know it, Jason Knightly is there when he should be working on the pitch. She tells him she hates him but when she touches his chest, the sparks fly. I'm sure it's nothing. The next morning, Chelsea gets word that her meeting has been rescheduled. Classic power move. Chelsea decides not to get mad. Instead, she's going to try to find these 3 lovers. So off to Ireland she goes to try to find the first one. We get a bit of their story. She met this dude and fell for him when he sang a song for her. He handmade her a compass. They kissed looking over the water and she promised to come back. But she never did. So she heads back to Ireland with her sister to try to track this Colin down. In a crazy move, apparently Chelsea didn't tell Jason Knightly that she was going on a short vacay. She finally catches him up to speed but won't tell him why she's in Ireland, so he takes to some Instagram stalking. She makes it to the farm but runs off when she sees him walking up. She's freaking out. He's not just a guy. What if he's THE guy? She goes back into town to get a change of shoes and clothes and heads back to the farm. He's pumped to see her. He's busy shearing the sheep but they agree to go out for dinner. But shocker of the century, he shows up with his WIFE AND KIDS!!! So I guess that's not where she's supposed to be. She ends the day by calling Jason Knightly to talk about work...and anything else. The episode ends with her Paris beau emailing her back asking to meet. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.