Podcasts about nonprofit leaders

What if the key to a more impactful 2027 is the work you do before the new year begins? In this amazing episode of The She Believed She Could™ Podcast, Allison Walsh sits down with Carolina Flores to take you behind the vision for Iconic Impact, an intentional experience created for ambitious women, entrepreneurs, leaders, thought leaders, and change-makers who are ready to create their next incredible chapter. Allison and Carolina explore what it means to honor where you are while still being ambitious about where you're going. They dive into alignment, mindset, personal branding, visibility, leadership, influence, and the importance of channeling ambition in a direction that creates meaningful impact—not simply doing more because you feel like you should. They also talk about why Q4 is the perfect time to start preparing for 2027. Instead of waiting until January 1 to set goals, this is an opportunity to reflect on what worked, what didn't, what you want more of, what you're ready to release, and what you need to put in place now to enter the new year with clarity and momentum. For women who have spent years building behind the scenes, Allison and Carolina also explore the next step of becoming more visible. Whether you're growing a business, advancing your career, building a personal brand, leading a nonprofit, or expanding your influence, visibility can help you take the expertise and experience you've already built and turn it into greater impact. And then there's the power of community. Iconic Impact was created to bring together ambitious women who understand what it means to build something meaningful—and who believe that success becomes even more powerful when we use it to support, champion, and create opportunities for other women. From the incredible speaker lineup to the hands-on Impact Lab, meaningful connections, and the new Impact Grants supporting women entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders, Allison and Carolina share what makes this experience different and why every detail has been created with intention. If you're ready to strengthen your visibility, expand your influence, connect with women who understand the journey, and create a more intentional next chapter, this conversation will give you a glimpse of what's waiting for you at Iconic Impact. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why Q4 is the perfect time to prepare for a more impactful 2027 How to align your ambition with your purpose and values Why ambitious women often compare themselves to their own expectations How to move beyond comparison and focus on meaningful impact Why personal branding and visibility matter for your next level How women can turn their expertise into greater influence The importance of building a strong community around you Why you don't have to build your business or career alone How to recognize when you're ready for your next chapter What to expect from the Iconic Impact experience How Impact Lab will help women strengthen their visibility and create content How the Iconic Impact Grants will support emerging founders and nonprofit leaders Why investing in women creates a ripple effect of meaningful change How to think about your legacy and the women coming behind you Join Us at Iconic Impact Ready to create your next incredible chapter? The She Believed She Could™ ICONIC IMPACT takes place November 5, 2026, in The Center for Health and Wellbeing | Winter Park, Florida, bringing together ambitious, accomplished women for meaningful conversations around leadership, visibility, business growth, wellbeing, purpose, and impact. The experience continues November 6 with the exclusive VIP Impact Lab at Hi Hello Labs.

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

Being more strategic starts with changing the questions nonprofit leaders ask themselves. This episode brings together insights from a dozen previous conversations to show that effective leadership is built through everyday practices of curiosity, reflection, and intentional decision-making. Across topics ranging from crisis leadership and organizational design to evaluation, innovation, and nonprofit careers, a common thread emerges: leaders make better decisions when they: ·      slow down,  ·      challenge assumptions,  ·      seek diverse perspectives,  ·      remain grounded in both their mission and their humanity. For nonprofit leaders navigating uncertainty, these practical questions become strategic tools. They: ·      encourage leaders to care for themselves and their teams,  ·      resist the pull of constant urgency,  ·      test assumptions before acting,  ·      understand their organizational culture and design, and  ·      evaluate new opportunities through the lenses of alignment and capacity.  Together, these practices help organizations build greater clarity, resilience, and long-term impact rather than simply reacting to whatever comes next. Episode Highlights 00:00 – Strategy Begins with Better Questions 05:25 – Build Capacity by Taking Care of Basic Human Needs 09:40 – Don't Lead Alone 11:35 – Ask "What Am I Missing?" 12:38 – Examine Your Expectations 14:19 – Surface and Test Your Assumptions 15:39 – Keep Asking "So What?" 18:58 – Understand the Organization You Actually Have 20:06 – Look Honestly at Organizational Culture 21:42 – Evaluate New Opportunities Through Alignment and Capacity 22:49 – Choose Sustainability Over Constant Urgency 24:41 – Strategy Is Built Through Everyday Practice About your podcast host: Carol Hamilton, principal of Grace Social Sector Consulting, helps nonprofits become more strategic and effective through inclusive strategic planning, evaluation design, and organizational assessment. With over 30 years of experience, she brings a practical, human-centered approach that helps organizations align around clear priorities and take meaningful action toward their mission. Her Shared Action Strategic Planning Framework moves groups from shared language to shared understanding, shared vision, shared priorities to shared action. When she is not working with nonprofits to improve their strategy and alignment, you can find her reading a good book, making diary comics, having a dance party in the kitchen, swimming, biking or kayaking on the Anacostia River.   Be in Touch: ✉️ Subscribe to Carol's newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting and receive the Common Mistakes Nonprofits Make In Strategic Planning And How To Avoid Them

What if nonprofit leaders stopped seeing wealth as something separate from mission and began viewing it as the capacity to create greater impact? In this episode of The Nonprofit Exchange, Hugh Ballou talks with Nathan Barkocy about moving from scarcity thinking to an abundance mindset grounded in stewardship, time, relationships, faith, and sustainable impact. Episode Summary Nonprofit leaders talk often about generosity, sacrifice, stewardship, and service, yet the word wealth can still feel uncomfortable in mission-driven organizations. Nathan Barkocy challenges that tension by redefining wealth as something much larger than financial accumulation. In his view, true wealth includes money, but it also includes ownership of time, meaningful relationships, purpose, faith, health, resilience, and the ability to multiply positive impact for others. Nathan's perspective was shaped by a life-changing experience. At age 16, while a nationally ranked competitive cyclist with ambitions of reaching the Tour de France and the Olympics, he was struck by a car traveling about 60 miles per hour. He survived, spent two weeks in a coma, and awoke paralyzed. Recovery required him to relearn how to walk, talk, and eat. That experience reshaped his understanding of what is truly valuable and led him to live by the conviction that tomorrow is never promised. For Nathan, time became the most limited and precious asset because once it is spent, it cannot be recovered. That insight became foundational to his philosophy of True Wealth. Nathan explains that money matters because it provides capacity: the capacity to build, to give, to serve, and to expand impact. But money is not the final measure. True wealth is revealed in what a person or organization is able to multiply for others. The conversation turns directly to the nonprofit sector and the persistent scarcity mindset that can limit leaders and organizations. Nonprofits often operate from assumptions such as "we can't afford it," "there isn't enough," or "we have to do everything ourselves." Nathan argues that leaders should instead begin with a different question: How much impact do you want to make? He points to the abundance of capital and opportunity already present in the marketplace and encourages nonprofit leaders to recognize that many people with resources are actively looking for meaningful ways to create social impact. Hugh and Nathan also explore wealth as stewardship rather than accumulation. Nathan distinguishes among old wealth, new wealth, and true wealth. Old wealth emphasizes long-term accumulation and preservation. New wealth often reflects entrepreneurial speed, visibility, and lifestyle. True wealth, as Nathan describes it, integrates the useful aspects of both while focusing on ownership of time, multiple streams of income, personal well-being, and impact. For nonprofit leaders, that means treating money as fuel for the mission rather than as something to fear or avoid. A major part of the conversation centers on relationships. Nathan emphasizes the "power of association" and the importance of intentionally surrounding yourself with people who can expand your thinking, open doors, and help you grow. He credits his relationship with Sharon Lechter, co-author of Rich Dad Poor Dad and his co-author on Old Wealth. New Wealth. True Wealth., as an example of how mentorship and association can transform opportunity. His father's advice captures the idea simply: "Show me your friends and I'll show you your future." For nonprofits, this relational wealth has practical consequences. Strong relationships with donors, investors, community leaders, mentors, and other nonprofit professionals can expand both funding and influence. Nathan describes the nonprofit model as a potential win-win-win: when organizations create value for others, donors and partners can participate in that impact, and the broader community benefits. Faith is another essential part of Nathan's understanding of abundance. His encounter with death deepened his gratitude for each day and reinforced the importance of using time intentionally. He describes every day as "an abundance of opportunity" and connects true wealth with creating positive relationships and building God's kingdom through meaningful impact. Nathan closes with practical advice for leaders who recognize that they have been operating from scarcity: get into the right rooms. Surround yourself with people who are where you want to be, learn from people who have created the kind of impact you seek, and stop allowing limited beliefs to determine the size of your mission. The amount of impact a nonprofit can create, he argues, is deeply connected to the abundance mindset of its leaders. ·       True wealth includes money, but it also includes time, purpose, faith, health, relationships, resilience, and the ability to create impact. ·       Time is a finite asset. Nonprofit leaders should audit how they spend it and whether those choices move the mission forward. ·       Scarcity thinking can limit an organization's impact long before actual resources do. ·       Money is not the mission, but it is fuel for the mission. ·       Wealth is strongest when it is stewarded and multiplied for others rather than merely accumulated. ·       Relationships are a form of capital. The people around a leader can expand opportunity, learning, funding, and impact. ·       An abundance mindset begins by recognizing that there are people, resources, and opportunities available to support meaningful work. ·       Leaders should intentionally place themselves in rooms with people who challenge and expand their thinking. “Tomorrow is never promised. Make the most of today.” “True wealth is measured in what you multiply for others.” “Every day is an abundance of opportunity.” “Show me your friends and I'll show you your future.” Nathan Barkocy is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, mentor, and advocate for a broader definition of wealth. After surviving a near-fatal accident as a teenager, he rebuilt his health, faith, and life and developed a philosophy centered on ownership of time, purpose, relationships, generosity, and sustainable impact. He is a co-author of Old Wealth. New Wealth. True Wealth. with Sharon Lechter and leads the True Wealth Community for proactive and aspiring entrepreneurs. Nathan Barkocy: https://nathanbarkocy.com Key TakeawaysMemorable Ideas from the ConversationAbout Nathan BarkocyLearn More Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you walk into the end of the year with your monthly giving program finally built? More than HALF of the nonprofit professionals who joined my recent monthly giving webinars either had no recurring giving program or had started one and stalled. And after analyzing feedback and behavior from more than 1,000 nonprofit leaders, I found that there are three primary barriers keeping organizations from making recurring giving the front door to fundraising.I also take you behind the scenes of how I use Claude and MCP connectors to analyze webinar registrations, purchasing behavior, and participant feedback in a single afternoon. Plus, why another webinar, workbook, or framework won't solve the problem unless it helps your team produce the actual program name, landing page copy, email sequence, and board-ready plan.Resources & Links 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!

When you start a nonprofit, your heart is in serving people. Your time is spent creating programs, delivering services, and responding to community needs. Naturally, it feels like the program is the organization. But after 40 years in the nonprofit sector, I've learned that this misunderstanding is one of the biggest reasons organizations struggle to become sustainable. When leaders focus only on programs, they often overlook the systems, governance, financial planning, operations, communications, and leadership that keep those programs alive. If you want your nonprofit to thrive, you have to build an organization that's capable of sustaining them.

People often ask me why I'm so passionate about teaching nonprofit leaders. The answer is simple: because I believe we need to change the way nonprofit leaders are taught to build organizations. I've watched passionate, mission-driven leaders struggle because they lacked the education, guidance, and framework to build organizations that could sustain their mission. My mission isn't simply to help nonprofits get funding. It's to help nonprofit leaders build organizations with the capacity, systems, leadership, and infrastructure to create lasting impact.

What if the most important leadership moment of your career lasts only five minutes? Angela Burgess believes that meaningful change often begins with a single conversation. In this episode, she shares the story of a manager who saw potential in her when she was struggling, offered a different perspective, and changed the trajectory of her career. That experience shaped Angela's belief that leaders have an extraordinary opportunity to help people see possibilities in themselves that they cannot yet see on their own.  As Founder and CEO of Broad Oaks Consulting, Angela works with nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and advisors who need to navigate conversations that many people avoid. Along the way, she has become a passionate advocate for curiosity, active listening, and encouragement. You'll hear why asking better questions matters, why listening is more than hearing words, and how small acts of genuine caring can leave a lasting impact long after we forget we ever made them. You'll discoverWhy one conversation can alter a career How curiosity creates deeper connections What great listeners do differently Why encouragement matters more than you realize How to serve others through conversation Connect with Angela Burgess on Social MediaLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaburgesshtxFacebook https://www.facebook.com/broadoaksconsulting YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlHvCYUSmc0ResourcesWebsite Angela Burgess https://angelaburgesshtx.comBroad Oaks Consulting https://broadoaksconsulting.com/ BookAre You On the Right Bus?: Navigating Change on the Road to Success https://www.amazon.com/Are-You-Right-Bus-Navigating/dp/B0D2JG5D5K Check out all the episodesLeave a review on Apple PodcastsConnect with Meredith on LinkedIn

Most nonprofits know how to get people to pay attention. Fewer know how to turn that attention into lasting change. In this conversation, Rashad Robinson shares what makes the difference.

Send us Fan MailAI strategy for nonprofit leaders is no longer a future-planning exercise. AI is already influencing fundraising decisions, staff workflows, donor research, website visibility, and how prospective supporters evaluate nonprofit organizations.Darren Richards, Founder and Director of Charity AI Partners, explains why the central AI issue is not choosing the newest tool. It is exercising sound leadership judgment.“The tools aren't the problem,” Darren tells us. “The issue is where you do and don't use it. Where are the red lines?”Darren introduces three ways nonprofits can apply AI: predict, iterate, and automate. Predictive AI can analyze donor data, identify supporters at risk of lapsing, and improve campaign segmentation. Generative AI can adapt a case for support for different funders and audiences. AI agents can assist with research, analysis, writing, and routine administrative work. But capability does not equal permission!Nonprofit leaders must establish clear guardrails around donor data, communications, staff responsibilities, approvals, and the activities that must remain human. Darren's operating principle is direct: “Governance before gadgets.”This lively conversation also examines a major change in nonprofit visibility. Donors are increasingly asking AI systems which organizations are credible, efficient, local, or trustworthy. Those systems may answer without sending the donor to the nonprofit's website!!That makes traditional SEO only part of the equation. Darren explains the growing importance of generative engine optimization and answer engine optimization, including clear question-and-answer content that helps AI systems interpret an organization accurately.The fundraising opportunity is significant. . . . . Darren shares an example of a children's hospital that used AI to increase an appeal's return from 2-to-1 to 6-to-1, raise the average gift by nearly one-third, and mail half as many people.The goal is not fundraising without people. It is removing repetitive work so fundraisers can invest more time in judgment, empathy, creativity, gratitude, and donor relationships.Key Takeaways:Establish an organization-wide AI strategy before expanding tool usage.Use predictive AI to strengthen donor segmentation, retention, and campaign efficiency.Protect donor relationships, trust-building, and sensitive conversations as human responsibilities.Review what major AI platforms currently say about your organization.Structure website content around the questions prospective donors actually ask.Treat clean data, consistent messaging, and governance as prerequisites for successful AI adoption.00:00:00 AI Is a Leadership Issue00:02:04 Darren Richards' Fundraising and AI Journey00:03:41 Why Nonprofits Need AI Guardrails00:05:51 Predict, Iterate, and Automate00:08:18 What AI Should Never Do00:09:51 Protecting Authenticity and Human Connection00:11:39 How AI Is Changing Donor Search00:13:21 SEO, GEO, and Answer Engine Optimization00:17:26 Donor Trust in an AI-Directed World00:19:19 Why Governance Must Come Before Gadgets00:20:35 Will AI Eliminate Nonprofit Jobs?00:23:57 Using AI as a Thinking and Writing Partner00:26:01 Raising More Money With Better Data00:28:19 Free AI Fundraising Resources#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitLeadership #NonprofitAIFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Madge Thomas leads a leadership academy most nonprofit professionals have never heard of — one that's quietly spent nearly two decades and $100M+ training over 165,000 nonprofit leaders worldwide. As president of the American Express Foundation and head of corporate sustainability at American Express, she's built it on a deceptively simple premise: invest in the leader, not just their programs, and the impact ripples outward — to the organization, the community, and long after any single initiative ends.Madge makes the case that the people powering nonprofits are the sector's most under-resourced asset — then shows how the Academy is changing that with funding, peer cohorts, alumni grants, and a curriculum rebuilt for this moment: AI training with Microsoft, storytelling with TED, and resilience for a shifting funding landscape. If you've ever poured everything into your programs with nothing left for yourself or your team, this episode names that tension out loud — and offers a different way through.In this episode, you'll hear:Why investing in individuals instead of just programs creates a "two plus two makes five" ripple effect that most funders never think to measureHow the Academy stacks funding, a peer cohort of ~75 leaders, and alumni grants to attack nonprofit burnout at the root — by removing the impossible choice between developing your people and running your programsWhat today's nonprofit leaders need that they didn't a decade ago, including AI training built with Microsoft and storytelling training built with TEDYou'll walk away with a new lens on where philanthropy should focus — and a reminder that you don't need a $100 million budget to start a ripple. A ripple starts with one tiny fracture in the surface.

In this inspiring episode of The Nonprofit Exchange, Hugh Ballou welcomes Phil Cousineau, author of The Wisdom of the Odyssey: Twenty-Four Life Lessons from Homer's Epic, for a rich conversation about ancient wisdom and modern leadership. Phil explores why Homer's Odyssey still speaks powerfully to leaders today, especially those serving through nonprofit work. He describes myth not as an old story locked in the past, but as a sacred story that continues to reveal how we live, lead, suffer, heal, remember, and return home. Through the journey of Odysseus, the devotion of Penelope, the growth of Telemachus, and the wisdom of mentorship, Phil draws out lessons on endurance, responsibility, hospitality, trust, healing, and the deeper meaning of service. The conversation connects the themes of The Odyssey directly to nonprofit leadership: staying rooted in mission, remembering the original “why,” creating places of welcome for the wounded or forgotten, and leading with courage through uncertainty, scarcity, and conflict. Phil also highlights the Greek concept of xenia, or sacred hospitality, as a model for building trust, listening to people's stories, and creating communities where people feel seen and valued. At the heart of the episode is the question every leader eventually faces: How do we keep going when we feel far from home? Phil's answer is simple and profound: follow the love. Remember what called you into the work, what contribution you hoped to make, and what shared story can bring people together again. This episode invites nonprofit leaders to see their own work as an odyssey through storms, temptation, loss, discovery, responsibility, and renewal—and to recognize that wisdom is often formed along the journey itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most nonprofit leaders know what burnout feels like. But not everyone burns out the same way.In this episode, Tosha Anderson sits down with Britt Stockert, Certified Fundraising Executive and coach at Donorbox, to talk about something that rarely comes up in the nonprofit leadership conversation: neurodivergence and the invisible workload it creates.Britt and Tosha both share their own experiences realizing, in their 40s, that what they thought was anxiety, over-ambition, or just being "a lot" was actually something more specific. And they explore why the nonprofit sector may be uniquely positioned to both attract and burn out neurodivergent leaders at an alarming rate.In this conversation, you'll hear about:What "superhero mode" looks like in practice, and why it eventually collapsesThe secondary operating system neurodivergent leaders carry that neurotypical colleagues don'tWhy neurodivergent burnout often goes undetected in teams until it's a crisisWhat alexithymia is and why it matters for nonprofit leadersSmall, practical changes that leaders and organizations can make right nowWhy a formal diagnosis is not required to start advocating for yourselfThis is one of those episodes that will make a lot of people feel a lot less alone.Read more on our blog: https://thecharitycfo.com/neurodivergent-burnout-nonprofit-leaders/Connect With Brittan Stockert

Send us Fan MailNonprofit CEO succession planning is no longer a future issue—it's a current business challenge. As leadership turnover accelerates across the sector, boards and executives must rethink how they identify, recruit, and support the next generation of nonprofit CEOs.Dana Scurlock, Managing Director at Staffing Boutique, joins Julia Patrick and Sherry Quam Taylor to discuss what organizations should be looking for when hiring a CEO and how leadership expectations are changing.With research indicating that approximately 75% of nonprofit leaders are expected to retire by 2036, organizations face a major transition that will impact fundraising, operations, culture, and long-term sustainability. Dana explores why successful CEOs must be more than administrators—they must be communicators, relationship builders, and visionary leaders who can represent the mission externally while helping position the organization for future growth.As Dana explains, "A CEO is a visionary, an orator, somebody that's out representing the organization elsewhere and helping the organization grow."The conversation also examines the growing need to separate operational leadership from external leadership responsibilities. Many organizations are exploring structures that pair a forward-facing CEO with strong operational leadership to improve effectiveness, fundraising capacity, and organizational resilience.Dana also offers guidance on one of the biggest board-level decisions nonprofits face: whether to promote from within or recruit externally. The answer depends on the organization's goals, culture, and future vision—but boards must first define where they want the organization to go."If you haven't defined it yet, where do we want to be? And if you don't have the answer to that, therein lies where the first leg of the work needs to come."Whether you're a board member, executive director, CEO, or nonprofit leadership candidate, this discussion offers valuable insight into preparing your organization for the next decade of change.Key Takeaways:Approximately 75% of nonprofit leaders are expected to retire by 2036, creating significant succession planning challenges.Effective nonprofit CEOs increasingly serve as visionaries, communicators, and public ambassadors for the mission.Boards should consider separating operational leadership and external leadership responsibilities as organizations grow.Professional fundraising expertise allows CEOs to focus on growth, partnerships, and strategic positioning.Internal and external CEO candidates both offer advantages; organizational goals should drive the decision.Leadership transitions should be accompanied by a clear narrative that explains the organization's future direction. 00:00:00 Introduction: The Future of Nonprofit Leadership 00:04:02 75% of Nonprofit Leaders Expected to Retire 00:05:18 What Makes a Great Nonprofit CEO Today? 00:08:57 Visionary Leadership vs Operational Leadership 00:11:25 Should Nonprofits Redefine the CEO Role? 00:13:45 Why More CEOs Need Strong Operations Partners 00:19:39 The CEO's Role in Fundraising and Growth 00:22:19 Why Professional Fundraisers Matter 00:24:24 Hiring a CEO: Internal Promotion or External Search? 00:26:53 Controlling the Narrative During Leadership Transitions 00:29:01 Defining the Organization's Future Before Hiring Find us Live daily on YouTube!Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Managing a team that spans five generations isn't a Gen Z problem. It's a leadership challenge. In this episode, I sit down with Jason Burlingame to talk about the workplace tensions that seem to resurface with every generation and what it takes to lead through them.

Reflections from host Sarah Olivieri ... The Hidden Cost of "Efficient" Leadership Most nonprofit leaders I work with want to move faster, decide cleaner, and hold the standard. From the outside, that looks responsible. From the inside, something else is usually happening. When a leader skips the relational work because it feels slow, the cost doesn't disappear. It moves. It shows up later as rework, attrition, board friction, and team members who go quiet in meetings because they have stopped expecting to be heard. The bill comes due downstream, where it is harder to trace. The truth is, the time you spend being human with your team is not extra. It is the infrastructure that makes everything else faster. Source of Insight I've been thinking a lot about this lately. I recently had a conversation about exactly this with Yerachmiel Stern, the executive director of Pesach Tikvah, and it was an important reminder to me that there are still many leaders out there who think compassion is "soft" and a "waste of time". Those leaders are missing out on the important role compassion plays in a well run, highly effective organization. The Tone You Set Is the System You Get The single most underrated piece of organizational design is the emotional state of the leader walking into the room. Not the agenda. Not the org chart. The leader's tone. When a leader walks in, regulated, warm, and present, the team's nervous system gets a signal: it's safe to think out loud here. Hard things can be named here. Mistakes can surface here without triggering self-protection. That signal is doing real operational work. It is shortening the time between a problem appearing and a problem getting solved. When a leader walks in tight, transactional, or performatively calm, the team picks that up too. People stop volunteering information. Decisions move underground. The same problems take three meetings to surface that should have taken one. In short: The leader's nervous system sets the team's nervous system. That isn't a vibe. It's a throughput metric. Information moves faster in a regulated room than a guarded one. This is why "read the room" is not a soft skill. It is a leadership requirement. Before you open your mouth in a meeting, you are already leading. The Goalposts Question One of the cleaner ways to diagnose whether a leader is operating from infrastructure or from extraction is to watch what happens when a team member brings a request that doesn't fit the existing rule. The old reflex is to point at the rule. Policy says no. Budget says no. We don't do that here. The infrastructure-minded leader asks a different question:  "Is this rule still serving the outcome we actually want, or is it serving the convenience of saying no?" Sometimes the answer is genuinely no, and the leader holds the line. Often the rule was set in a different context, the request is reasonable, and the cost of saying yes is much smaller than the goodwill you lose by reflexively saying no. In short: Rules are tools, not identities. When the rule no longer serves the outcome, the rule is the problem. Saying yes when you can is a form of system maintenance. This isn't about being a pushover. It is about staying connected to why the rule existed in the first place. Hiring for the Heart, Not the Resume Conventional hiring asks: Have you done this exact job before? It optimizes for risk reduction. It also reliably under-selects for the people who would have been excellent in the role with a slightly different background. Relational hiring asks a different question: what does this person actually want to do, and is that aligned with what we need done? The shift sounds soft. It is not. It is one of the highest-leverage operational moves a CEO or executive director can make. People who are doing work that matches what they actually want to do produce more, stay longer, and require less management. People who are doing work they took because it was available produce less, leave sooner, and require constant supervision. In short: Match the heart to the role. Heart-aligned hires need less management. Heart-misaligned hires cost twice: once in their tenure, once in the rehire. You will not get this right every time. Nobody does. But shifting the question from "have you done this" to "do you want to do this" changes your hiring math permanently. (For more on the underlying skill of leading with this kind of attunement, see) The Power of Soft Skills for Nonprofit Leaders. Compassionate Release The harder version of this same principle shows up in firing. Most leaders avoid letting someone go for too long. They tell themselves they are being compassionate. The person needs the job. The team is already stretched. The performance gap isn't catastrophic. We'll give it another quarter. What is actually happening, in most of these situations, is that the person being kept in the wrong role already knows. Their nervous system knows. Their family knows. The team knows. Everyone is in a quiet, low-grade limbo that costs energy from every direction at once. When the leader finally has the conversation, the most common response isn't anger. It's relief. Sometimes spoken, sometimes not. The person was waiting to be released from a fit that was never going to work, and they were too loyal, too scared, or too tired to release themselves. I call this a compassionate release. The compassion is in the clarity, not in the delay. In short: Limbo is more painful than a clean ending. Delay is a form of harm dressed up as kindness. Compassionate release ends the cost on both sides. Holding someone in a misfit role isn't generosity. It's a tax everyone is paying, and the longest-paying account is the person you think you're protecting. The Ford and the Cadillac There is a version of nonprofit leadership that aims for "good enough." The reasoning sounds responsible. We don't have unlimited resources. We can't deliver gold-standard service to every client. We have to triage. We have to be realistic. This framing adds risk. The math isn't wrong. The framing is. It confuses two different things: what you can deliver structurally, and how you deliver what you have. Two organizations can offer the exact same baseline service, and one will feel like an extraordinary experience and the other will feel like a transaction. The difference isn't the budget. The difference is the personal touch wrapped around the delivery. One line from my conversation with Yerachmiel stayed with me: "If you give the clients that personal touch, the Ford could be better than the Cadillac." What I appreciate about this framing is that it explains the mechanism. The personal touch is what converts a service into a relationship. The relationship is what produces retention, referrals, advocacy, and the willingness to come back when things get hard. None of that requires more money. All of it requires presence. I had this experience recently in an emergency room. The equipment was advanced. The diagnostics were thorough. The most meaningful 30 seconds of the entire visit was a staff member taking a breath, asking how I was doing, and telling me my chair could recline. He delivered the most excellent service of the visit, and it cost him nothing. That is the Ford becoming the Cadillac. The structure didn't change. The presence did. When Going Slow Is Going Fast The hardest piece of this for high-performing leaders to internalize is that the relational work, which feels slow, is what creates the speed. I learned this with my own son, who is on the autism spectrum and has ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia, and anxiety. The clinicians who took an extra five minutes to let him regulate consistently finished on time. The clinicians who tried to muscle through and just hold him still consistently turned a 30-minute appointment into a two-hour event. Sometimes the visit had to be rescheduled at a different office entirely. The "fast" approach was the slowest approach. The "slow" approach was actually the fastest one. The math is unambiguous once you start counting all the hours, not just the visible ones. In short: The relational time isn't extra. It's structural. Skipping it doesn't save time. It moves the cost. Going slow at the start is what produces speed at the finish. This same pattern shows up everywhere a nonprofit leader operates. With board members. With staff. With donors. With clients. The minutes you invest in being a person before you are a transaction are the minutes that compound. Humility Is a Confidence Move There is an older model of leadership that equates confidence with never apologizing, never being wrong, and never being visibly uncertain. It's still around, and it's slowly being retired for a good reason. Confidence in a leadership role isn't the absence of mistakes. It is the willingness to absorb the final responsibility for the outcome, mistakes included. When the team trusts that the leader will carry the weight at the macro level, the leader is then free to be humble and openly learn at the everyday level. That doesn't subtract from authority. It deepens it. People follow humans, not personas. (For more on this, see The Power of Vulnerability with Becca Pearce.) What This Makes Possible When compassion is treated as infrastructure rather than personality, a few things shift. What shifts: Meetings get shorter because information surfaces faster. Hiring gets cleaner because you're matching hearts to roles, not resumes to slots. Firing gets kinder because delay stops getting confused with mercy. Service quality goes up without the budget going up. The leader stops carrying the team's nervous system as a second job. None of this is about being softer. It is about understanding what creates throughput in a human system, and building for it on purpose. It's Work That Compounds… and we like that This isn't about doing less work. It's about doing work that compounds. Nonprofits can run on compassion and run on time. They can hold high standards and hold their people. They can deliver excellent service without spending more. Not by pushing harder, but by building systems that treat human connection as the structural asset it actually is. About the Guest Yerachmiel Stern is the Executive Director of Pesach Tikvah, where he has dedicated his career to expanding access to quality mental health care. Before stepping into this role, he spent a decade as Borough Park Clinics Director, bringing affordable, sophisticated services to underserved neighborhoods. A Touro University graduate, he began at Pesach Tikvah as an intern and counselor, later becoming known for his work with children and his expertise across multiple therapeutic modalities. Today, Mr. Stern is leading the organization into its 40th year, advancing excellence in mental health and developmental disability services.  Connect with Yerachmiel: Www.pesachtikvah.org 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.

Nonprofit burnout is real and nonprofit leaders are carrying more than ever before.In this episode, Tosha Anderson sits down with productivity coach and Winning the Week co-author Demir Bentley to talk about sustainable leadership, weekly planning, productivity systems, and how nonprofit professionals can stop living in constant overwhelm.If you constantly feel behind, struggle to disconnect from work, or feel guilty setting boundaries, this episode will help you rethink what healthy leadership actually looks like.In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ Why nonprofit professionals experience extreme burnout ✔ How perfectionism and urgency culture hurt organizations ✔ Why weekly planning creates calm and clarity ✔ The importance of operational systems and delegation ✔ How leaders unintentionally create organizational dependency ✔ Boundary-setting strategies for mission-driven leaders ✔ Practical habits to reduce overwhelm immediatelyThis episode is packed with actionable strategies nonprofit executives can start using this week.

Have you ever stepped into a leadership role thinking your biggest challenge would be strategy, only to discover the hardest part was managing people, pressure, perception, and your own emotions all at the same time?Research shows that nonprofit leadership transitions are among the most vulnerable periods in an organization's life. Donor confidence can decline. Staff anxiety increases. Expectations rise immediately. Yet most new nonprofit leaders are handed the keys to complex organizations with very little preparation for what the role actually feels like behind closed doors.If you're a new executive director, first-time CEO, or emerging nonprofit leader trying to navigate change while carrying the weight of a mission, today's conversation is for you.

Today we talk to our first ever pair of Nonprofit Leaders of the Year! We talk to Sue Durkin and Gregory White, co-CEOs of Lamprey Health Care about leading this 55-year-old nonprofit organization. For more information about Lamprey Health Care, click here. For more information about, or to register for, the Business of the Year Awards event, click here.

Today I want to walk you through something I've observed after nearly 40 years in the nonprofit space: There are patterns in how nonprofit leaders show up. And over time, I've seen that most leaders tend to fall into one of seven types, each with its own strengths, blind spots, and impact on how the organization grows and gets funded. If you've ever felt stuck or unsure about what needs to shift, this conversation will give you a new lens to understand your role as a leader.

AI Implementation Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders (Live Panel in Brooklyn, NY) Recorded live April 16, 2026 at Fundraise Up's Brooklyn offices, this panel moderated by Megan Anhault (Whole Whale) brings together Amy Greenwood (Urban Assembly), Rodrigo Camarena (Scale Justice / JustDC Lab), George (Whole Whale / CauseWriter AI), and Joshua Peskay(Meet The Moment) to discuss what's working—and quietly failing—in nonprofit AI adoption. They cover rapid AI capability growth, practical change management steps (licenses, sharing use cases, surveys), and real applications like automating format conversions, summarizing research, building tools quickly, and deploying a worker-rights legal information chatbot via web/WhatsApp/voice. The conversation also highlights risks: outdated chatbot content, trust and “work slop,” data privacy from free tools, the need for AI policies and accountability, ethical tradeoffs in high-stakes domains, and how AI is reshaping hiring and durable skills. 00:00 Live Panel Kickoff 01:14 Moderator Welcome and Goals 03:01 Meet the Panelists 04:14 Hype Cycle Reality Check 07:57 Building Modular AI Products 10:00 What's Working in Practice 12:57 AI for Access to Justice 16:32 Rapid App Building with AI 20:50 Nonprofit AI Missteps 26:35 Hidden Risks and BYO AI 30:22 Bias and AI as Advisor 33:23 Leading Internal Adoption 37:12 Fighting Work Slop 40:50 Culture and Source of Truth 43:24 Calling Out AI Work 44:54 Accountability And QA 46:33 Ethics Concerns Poll 47:28 Ethical AI In Practice 50:11 Moloch And Trolley Dilemmas 53:50 Access Versus Accuracy 56:10 How The Audience Uses AI 56:48 Surprising Personal Use Cases 01:01:31 Improving Legal Tool Reliability 01:04:46 Helping Leaders Trust AI 01:08:26 Hiring In The AI Era 01:14:47 What To Try This Week 01:21:15 Closing And Thanks

This episode features Gabe Cooper, CEO and founder of Virtuous Software. Starting the conversation, Gabe shares his journey, explaining how his background in the nonprofit sector inspired him to build Virtuous with a mission to make giving more personal and meaningful. He explores the idea of "responsive fundraising," a model that uses data to create deeper, more human connections with donors rather than simply storing information.  As the conversation unfolds, Gabe discusses how this concept evolved and how it is transforming nonprofit engagement. He also explains the challenges nonprofits face in adopting AI, emphasizing curiosity, experimentation, and ethical responsibility. The episode closes with practical advice for nonprofit leaders and an optimistic view of how technology can empower generosity and drive meaningful impact.  HIGHLIGHTS   [03:28] Nathan's Journey with Virtuous   [05:41] The Evolution of Responsive Fundraising   [13:42] The Future of Responsive Fundraising and AI  [18:01] Impact of AI on Fundraising and Generosity   [26:01] Challenges and Opportunities in Adopting AI   [31:38] Virtuous's Multi-Product Strategy and AI Leadership   [34:41] Practical Advice for Nonprofit Leaders   Resources:  Connect with Gabe:  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gabecooper/  Website: virtuous.org/ 

362: It's Never Just the Money: What Donor Psychology Means for Nonprofit Leaders (Marcia Dawood)Episode SummaryMost nonprofit leaders approach fundraising as a logical transaction — make the case, present the data, close the gift. But according to Marcia Dawood, angel investor, author, and TEDx speaker, that approach misses the deeper psychology driving every giving decision. In Episode 362, Marcia draws on her experience investing in 50+ startups and chairing the Angel Capital Association to reveal what truly motivates donors — and it has far more to do with money stories, values alignment, and identity than logic ever will. From unpacking the scarcity mindset that keeps even wealthy donors from giving, to reframing legacy conversations as something donors can experience while they're still alive, Marcia offers nonprofit leaders a practical shift in how they engage prospects. Listeners will walk away with new language for donor conversations, a powerful group exercise for unlocking money stories at events, and a fresh understanding of why the most effective fundraising ask isn't an ask at all — it's an invitation.About MarciaMarcia Dawood is an early-stage investor, author, and advocate for expanding access to capital across both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Having invested in over 50 startups and funds, she serves as a Venture Partner at Mindshift Capital, a member of Golden Seeds, and as Chair Emeritus of the Angel Capital Association (ACA), the global professional society for angel investors, where she chaired the board for a decade. Marcia also serves as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission's Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee and is the founder and chair of the ACA's Growing Women's Capital Group, which builds syndication and collaboration among U.S. investment groups focused on women-led companies. A TEDx Charlotte speaker and host of The Angel Next Door Podcast — now more than 170 episodes — she is the author of Do Good While Doing Well (2024) and Unapologetic Wealth (2026), and served as an Associate Producer on the documentary Show Her the Money, which debuted at the Women's Film Festival in Philadelphia in 2023. She splits her time between New York City and Charlotte, North Carolina.ResourcesUnapologetic Wealth: Rewrite Your Money Story From Any Beginning by Marcia Dawood — releasing this week! Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.orgConnect with Marcia on LinkedInMarcia's website and free resources — marciadawood.comThe Angel Next Door PodcastDo Good While Doing Well: Invest For Change, Reap Financial Rewards and Increase Your Happiness by Marcia DawoodBuoyant: The Entrepreneur's Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free by Susie DeVilleFollow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership — and please leave a review!Learn more about the leadership resources at Armstrong McGuire — ArmstrongMcGuire.com

Send us Fan MailNonprofit leadership coaching ROI isn't about feel-good conversations—it's about measurable performance, accountability, and organizational alignment that drives real results. In this powerful conversation, Wendy F. Adams, CFRE and CEO of Cultivate for Good, breaks down what coaching actually delivers for nonprofit leaders—and why many organizations misunderstand its value. From executive directors to development leaders, coaching is not a luxury—it's a strategic tool for improving leadership effectiveness and organizational outcomes. Wendy emphasizes that leadership is the starting point for all impact: “Where the leader goes, there goes the organization.” Without alignment at the top, teams stall, cultures fracture, and missions drift. Coaching helps leaders identify blind spots, clarify priorities, and move from insight to action. One of the most compelling ideas in this discussion is the need to “name the elephant.” Avoiding hard truths slows progress and limits growth. As Wendy explains, “Honesty is the price of transformation.” Without it, coaching becomes conversation—not change. This episode also challenges a common assumption: coaching is not therapy or a sounding board. While reflection plays a role, real coaching demands accountability, structure, and execution. Leaders must commit to consistent action between sessions—because insight alone doesn't move organizations forward. You'll also gain practical guidance on how to structure coaching: Ideal engagement length (6–12 months)Frequency (twice monthly)Investment expectations (~$2,500/month)When boards should initiate coaching For nonprofit executives, board members, and HR leaders, this conversation reframes coaching as a business decision—one that directly impacts performance, culture, and long-term sustainability.  If you're serious about leadership growth, team alignment, and measurable results, this is a must-watch. 00:00:00 Coaching ROI for Nonprofit Leaders 00:03:04 Why Leadership Alignment Drives Everything 00:06:07 Naming the “Elephant” in Leadership 00:09:13 Clarity vs Chemistry in Coaching 00:11:14 Coaching vs Loneliness in Leadership 00:13:47 Honesty and Transformation in Leadership 00:15:42 High Support + High Accountability Model 00:18:38 Insight vs Action in Nonprofit Growth 00:22:22 Coaching Across Boards and Teams 00:26:19 Structuring Coaching Engagements 00:28:12 Investment and ROI Expectations  #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitLeadership #ExecutiveCoachingFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

You got into nonprofit work to make a difference. So why does it feel like you're running on empty most days?On this episode of All About Capital Campaigns, Amy Eisenstein sat down with Indra Lahiri — an organizational psychologist, certified traumatic stress specialist, and founder of Indraloka Animal Sanctuary — to talk about what burnout really looks like, why it's more dangerous than most leaders realize, and what you can actually do about it.Most people think of burnout as simply being tired. And while exhaustion is part of it, Lahiri explains that burnout is more nuanced than that. It shows up as cynicism about your work, loss of motivation, and behavioral shifts you might not even recognize in yourself—like becoming overly controlling or short-tempered with colleagues and donors. For nonprofit professionals, burnout often stems from financial strain, overwhelming caseloads, or the emotional toll of serving people in crisis.But there's a related condition that's even more insidious: secondary traumatic stress. This occurs when you absorb the trauma of the people you're trying to help. Unlike burnout, which builds gradually, secondary traumatic stress can rewire your brain in ways that mirror the effects of direct trauma. Your amygdala—the part of your brain responsible for detecting danger—gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode. And when that happens, your prefrontal cortex, the region you rely on for strategic thinking, clear communication, and relationship-building, gets hijacked.Think about what that means for fundraising. The skills you need most—asking donors for major gifts, coordinating with board members, explaining your capital campaign vision with clarity and confidence—are exactly the skills that suffer when your nervous system is in overdrive. You might think you're functioning normally, but the people around you can tell something is off.Lahiri frames the choice every leader faces in stark terms: when you encounter trauma or chronic stress, you will either transcend it or transmit it. Transmitting looks like snapping at staff, micromanaging, withdrawing from donor relationships, or creating a culture of fear and reactivity. Transcending means doing the internal work required to regulate your nervous system, process what you've experienced, and lead from a place of stability rather than survival.That framing matters because it makes burnout a leadership issue, not just a personal one. When a nonprofit leader transmits their stress, it ripples through the entire organization—staff morale drops, donor relationships suffer, and the mission takes a hit. When they transcend it, they model resilience for their team and create the conditions for everyone to do their best work.So what does transcending actually look like in practice? Lahiri offers several accessible starting points. First, give yourself permission to take time—even an hour—that is entirely for you, not for your team, your board, or your donors. Second, learn basic nervous system regulation techniques. Deep breathing, meditation, physical movement, or even turning on music and dancing around your living room all count. The point is consistency, not perfection.One of her most practical recommendations is creating what she calls a self-care itinerary. Think of it like a project plan, but for your own wellbeing. Identify the emotional states you need throughout the day—calm, energized, soothed—and map specific activities to each one. Then schedule three small acts of self-care daily: morning, midday, and evening. Treat them as non-negotiable appointments, the same way you would treat a meeting with a major donor.If you're preparing for or in the middle of a capital campaign and wondering whether your organization—and your team—are truly ready, start with a clear-eyed assessment. Take our free Capital Campaign Readiness Assessment to identify strengths, uncover gaps, and build a stronger foundation for success. https://capitalcampaignpro.com/assess

What does it take to develop resilient nonprofit leaders, and why does that matter so much today? In this episode of the Do One Better Podcast, Alberto Lidji speaks with Madge Thomas, President of the American Express Foundation, about how the Foundation is investing in people, communities, and institutions to drive meaningful, long-term social impact. With a legacy spanning more than 50 years, the Foundation has remained rooted in a simple but powerful idea: strong local communities are the foundation for broader societal progress. From disaster response and recovery to small business support and nonprofit leadership development, its work reflects a deep commitment to helping communities thrive, especially in moments of need. At the centre of this conversation is the American Express Leadership Academy, a flagship initiative designed to equip emerging and mid-to-senior-level nonprofit leaders with the tools, confidence, and networks they need to lead effectively in a rapidly changing and often resource-constrained environment. Madge shares how the Academy has evolved to reflect the realities nonprofit leaders face today, including growing financial pressures, increasing complexity, and the need for resilience, adaptability, and stronger connection across the sector. This is a thoughtful conversation about leadership, philanthropy, capacity building, and the importance of investing in the people closest to the work. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 350+ case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship. 

In this episode of The Nonprofit Exchange, I had the pleasure of welcoming back Will Willimon, a United Methodist bishop, pastor, professor, and prolific author. We discussed his latest book, "Changing My Mind: The Overlooked Virtue for Faithful Ministry," which reflects on his decades of experience in ministry and leadership. Willimon emphasizes the importance of humility, adaptability, and lifelong learning for leaders, particularly in the nonprofit sector. He shared insights on the necessity of changing one's mind and approach in response to the evolving needs of the community and the mission of organizations. We explored how leaders often cling to familiar methods, but true leadership requires recognizing when change is needed, especially in a rapidly changing world. Throughout our conversation, we touched on the significance of active listening as a leadership discipline, the challenges of over-functioning, and the importance of creating a culture that encourages risk-taking and innovation. Willimon also shared personal anecdotes about his leadership journey, including the lessons he learned about delegation and the need for honest communication within organizations. As we wrapped up, we discussed the hope for the future of the church and mission-driven organizations, grounded in the belief that working towards good aligns with a higher purpose. This episode is packed with valuable insights for anyone in a leadership role, especially those in nonprofit and faith-based organizations. I encourage our listeners to check out Willimon's book for a deeper understanding of these concepts and to reflect on their own leadership practices. Thank you for joining us on this enlightening journey! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the thing standing between your nonprofit and a million dollar gift wasn't your programming, your data or even your ask, but your story?Emmy Award-winning journalist and StoryLede founder Bofta Yimam is here to talk about why stepping into visibility is no longer optional for nonprofit leaders. She shares a powerful example of a leader who landed international speaking gigs, doubled her organization's revenue, and later received a $1M gift.We break down how to use LinkedIn to reach donors and board members, how to turn your story into content that builds trust, and why visibility is a leadership responsibility. The real question is: are you willing to push past the discomfort and step into the visibility game?Resources & LinksConnect with Bofta on LinkedIn and learn more about StoryLede on their website. LettrLabs is the proud presenter of Missions to Movements. LettrLabs helps nonprofits build lasting donor relationships through real, handwritten mail that's fully automated - turning moments of intent into meaningful connection. From thank-yous to impact updates, they help you cut through with mail donors actually open, remember, and trust.Join me and the LettrLabs team on March 30th at 1pm Eastern for a FREE webinar that will showcase even more examples and case studies of how direct mail can work for you.The Monthly Giving Builder: Generate your comprehensive monthly giving plan and build your program step by step - with a guided companion working alongside you from start to finish. 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? ...

358: What Nonprofit Leaders Need Now: Guidance from Four Sector ExpertsSUMMARYFor this special multi-state panel, we convened four statewide nonprofit leaders: Ivan Canada, Mariane Asad Doyle, Karen Riordan, and Kevin Dean, to explore what organizations need most as they prepare for an uncertain 2026. From financial volatility and policy change to workforce burnout and collaboration, these experts share frontline insights drawn from the thousands of nonprofit leaders they support. Their guidance is clear: diversify funding, strengthen advocacy, engage peer networks, and invest in the wellbeing of your people. The conversation offers timely clarity and practical tools for emerging leaders, mid-career professionals, and senior executives committed to navigating complexity with confidence.ABOUT THE PANELISTSIvan Canada – NC Center for Nonprofits. Ivan leads statewide efforts in research, policy, and nonprofit capacity-building, helping North Carolina organizations strengthen sustainability and navigate emerging sector trends.Mariane Asad Doyle, Ph.D. – Center for Nonprofit Excellence (VA). Mariane supports organizations across Virginia through governance, advocacy, and rural leadership development, equipping nonprofits to manage workforce strain and policy shifts.Karen Riordan – Together SC. Karen guides South Carolina's nonprofit ecosystem through peer convenings, leadership development, and a focus on operational excellence rooted in guiding principles.Kevin Dean, Ed.D. – Tennessee Nonprofit Network. Kevin emphasizes organizational resilience, partnership, and the human side of leadership, helping Tennessee nonprofits navigate burnout, collaboration, and long-term sustainability.RESOURCESNC Center for NonprofitsCenter for Nonprofit ExcellenceTogether SCTennessee Nonprofit NetworkArmstrong McGuireFollow the Podcast

356: AI Without Overwhelm: 4 Insights Nonprofit Leaders Can Use Now (Mary Gallivan)Episode SummaryAI is already reshaping how nonprofit teams work, and leaders who avoid it risk falling behind. In this episode, Mary Gallivan, Founder of Joyline Consulting, shares a practical, nonprofit-centered approach to adopting generative AI without fear or overwhelm. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience across fundraising, operations, grant management, and partnership development, Mary explains why AI literacy is quickly becoming a workplace expectation, why adoption is primarily a people and change management challenge, and how clear guardrails can actually speed progress. She offers simple, actionable steps for getting started, from picking one tool and creating a login to using prompts for faster first drafts, better tone, and more time for the human relationships that build trust and impact.About MaryMary Gallivan, MBA, helps nonprofits and mission-driven small businesses build sustainable capacity by improving how work actually gets done. As the founder of Joyline Consulting, she serves as a capacity partner to leaders and teams, helping them improve operations, adopt AI and modern tools, and implement practical systems that reduce friction, increase effectiveness, and support long-term sustainability. Her work is especially focused on organizations navigating growth, change, or tool overload who want hands-on support, not just strategy decks. Prior to founding Joyline, Mary held leadership roles at CNM Ingenuity, CCS Fundraising, Foundation For The Carolinas, E4E Relief, and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. She holds a BA from Duke University and an MBA from Queens University and has completed multiple leadership fellowships and civic leadership programs.ResourcesMary Gallivan on LinkedinJoyline Consulting WebsiteEveryday AI One Pager (tips, guardrails, and starter guidance)SkillPop, Everyday AIBook: Zingerman's Guide to Giving Great ServiceFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about the PMA and Armstrong McGuire merger

Send a textIn today's fast-paced business environment, HR leaders face a myriad of challenges that demand their immediate attention. From the rise of artificial intelligence to the increasing need for pay transparency, the landscape is constantly evolving. This episode delves into these key themes, highlighting the pressures HR professionals encounter and offering insights to navigate these turbulent waters.Check out the program outline for the HR Certificate Workshop that John has been hosting. It's currently set up for Nonprofit Leaders but let us know if you'd be interested in having it outside of nonprofit! Support the showOur new book...The Ultimate Guide to HR: Checklists Edition is now AVAILABLE! Go to UltimateGuidetoHR.com to Get HR Right: and Avoid Costly Mistakes. Certified and approved for 3 SHRM Recertification Credits.Join the HR Team of One Community on Facebook or visit TeamAtHRstories.com and sign up for emails so you can be the first to know about new things we have coming up.You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at @HRstoriesPodcast Don't forget to rate our podcast, it really helps other people find it!Do you have a situation or topic you'd like the team to discuss? Are you interested in having Chuck or John talk to your team or Emcee your event? You can reach the Team at Email@TeamAtHRStories.com for suggestions and inquiries.The viewpoints expressed by the characters in the stories are not necessarily that of The Team at HR Stories. The stories are shared to present various, real-world scenarios and share how they were handled by policy and, at times, law. Chuck and John are not lawyers and always recommend working with an employment lawyer to address concerns.

Send a textNonprofit leaders are navigating an exceptionally difficult moment. Political uncertainty, financial uncertainty, the weight of leading through crisis, you name it. It's easy to feel isolated, numb, or like you're carrying it all alone. But the path ahead doesn't have to feel lonely. We're talking about finding your people and creating intentional spaces for joy, connection, and authentic dialogue.On this week's episode of The Small Nonprofit Podcast, Maria sits down with Frank Velasquez Jr., founder of 4 Da Hood and the Ascending Leaders in Color leadership program. Frank shares practical strategies for accessing joy during challenging times, building meaningful peer networks, and using restorative circle practices to foster healthy conflict and deeper connection. Frank argues that healthy conflict, grounded in agreements, is essential for building trust, understanding, and authentic collaboration. This conversation offers a roadmap for leading with authenticity, vulnerability, and community.Resources and Links:Connect with Frank: frank@4dahood.comVisit 4 Da Hood: www.4dahood.comSupport the show Connect with the show: Watch the episode on YouTube; follow Maria Rio on LinkedIn for more conversations and resources. Or support our show. We are fully self-funded! Book a Discovery Call with Further Together: Need help with your fundraising? See if our values-aligned fundraisers are a fit for your organization.

354: A Lifelong Learning Framework for Nonprofit Leaders (Kelsey Picken)SUMMARYNonprofit leaders are surrounded by professional development options - degrees, certifications, conferences, and credentials - but many still struggle to build a learning plan that feels intentional rather than reactive. In this episode, Kelsey Picken offers a practical framework to help leaders step back, clarify their why, and make smarter decisions about how they invest in their own growth. Kelsey breaks lifelong learning into three distinct but connected areas: formal learning (degrees, certificates, and structured programs), informal learning (peer groups, mentoring, reading, and networks), and leadership as multiplication, the idea that helping others grow is one of the most powerful ways leaders deepen their own development. The conversation also explores how organizations and funders can better support leadership development, and why modeling learning from the top matters more than policies or budgets alone.ABOUT KELSEYKelsey Picken is Senior Director of Legacy Giving at The Dallas Foundation, where she works with donors to build charitable legacies that strengthen communities over time. Based in Dallas, Texas, Kelsey brings experience across multiple nonprofit and philanthropic contexts, with a particular focus on connecting academic learning, professional practice, and leadership development. A lifelong learner herself, Kelsey regularly writes, speaks, and facilitates conversations on philanthropy, credentials, and the evolving expectations of nonprofit leadership.RESOURCES & LINKSThe Dallas Foundation Kelsey Picken on LinkedInOrganization mentioned: National Association of Charitable Gift PlannersBook recommendation: Atlas of the Heart by Brené BrownFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about the PMA & Armstrong McGuire merger

What should you be focusing on this year to keep your nonprofit strong, strategic, and sustainable? In this special episode, I asked a group of brilliant nonprofit professionals and consultants to share their predictions for 2026—and what they believe mission-driven organizations need to do now to prepare. From leveraging AI to treating retention as a growth strategy, these insights are sharp, actionable, and forward-thinking. I've pulled together their responses in this episode to help you zoom out and think big—without losing focus on what actually works. 2026 Predictions at a Glance:Tess Conrad (Full Potential Fundraising)Fundraising: Mid-sized nonprofits are shifting to prioritize Planned Giving, focusing on donors' assets, not just cash.Laurie Ehrlich (Elevate Marketing Strategy)Communication, Marketing, Fundraising: Nonprofits will thrive by using AI as a collaborative tool and embracing clarity, intentionality, and relational engagement.Naomi Hattaway (8th & Home | Leaving Well)Leadership, Organizational Resilience: Foundations will step up with capacity-building and cohort learning, not just checks.Daniel Francavilla (The Good Growth Company)Communication, Marketing: Donor retention will become a growth strategy; trust and brand clarity will be key to long-term success.Rachel Bearbower (Nonprofit Automation Agency)Automation/Technology: Automation will become essential infrastructure for sustainability and consistency.Jess Campbell (Out in the Boons)Marketing: Nonprofits that don't prioritize email list growth will struggle to hit their fundraising goals.In this episode, you'll learn:Why planned giving is no longer just for large organizations—and how to get started nowHow automation and AI can support real relationships, not replace themWhat funders can do differently to build long-term nonprofit resilience3 Key Takeaways:Mid-sized charities are stepping up: 2026 marks a turning point in planned giving adoption beyond just the big players.Retention > acquisition: Smart content, segmentation, and relationship-building will beat spray-and-pray fundraising strategies.Infrastructure matters: Systems, automation, and cohort-based support are critical for scale, sustainability, and avoiding burnout.Want to work together? Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale. Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board! Connect with me! LinkedIn Instagram YouTube

Recent data shows that more than half of all nonprofit leaders in the US are women. Unfortunately, we also know that many nonprofit leaders are on the brink of burnout.This calls into question what we are doing to support these female leaders and prompts us to consider how we can give them the support they truly need.In this episode, I'm joined by Marisa Ciesluk, a women's  leadership development facilitator and coach, to help us figure out how to do that at a time when women's leadership development is under scrutiny. You'll learn practical strategies at the organizational and individual levels to make a difference.▶️ How Most Nonprofits Approach Women's Leadership Development (and What You Should Do Instead) with Marisa Ciesluk ▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 From burnout to women's leadership coaching0:09:33 Beyond skills: do the inner work, build capacity0:18:35 How nonprofits are supporting female leaders0:20:42 Organizational shifts to better support women0:24:59 Ways nonprofit L&D pros can help women0:29:19 A conversation that must continue to happenResources from this episode:Check out the book Marisa recommends: Playing Big by Tara Mohr.Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveWas this episode helpful? If you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!

It can be frustrating when nonprofit leaders and other stakeholders approach us demanding training to solve a problem. However, it's important to remember that people outside of learning and development don't always know which tools are available or which one is right for each situation, so they stick to the familiar. But it's our job as nonprofit L&D pros to diagnose the problem and offer the right solution.That's why in this episode, I'm sharing a quick diagnostic process to help you determine whether the issue brought to you is a training problem or if another solution will work better.▶️ Is This a Training Problem? A Quick Diagnostic Tool for Nonprofit Learning & Development Leaders▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 Why we often go for training as the solution0:04:19 Two questions to diagnose a training problem0:09:46 Navigating the diagnostic and stakeholdersResources from this episode:Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveWas this episode helpful? If you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!

Nonprofit burnout doesn't happen because leaders don't care enough. It happens because most founders are building, fundraising, and serving without the structure that makes funding possible. If you've been doing everything (running programs, posting online, applying for grants) and still feel stuck, this isn't a motivation issue. It's a fundability issue. Burnout is a warning sign, not a personal failure.

In this episode, Glennda and I reflect on what last year revealed about leadership–and what must change going forward. From adaptive leadership to intentional planning to shared power and long-term thinking, this conversation explores how nonprofit leaders can move beyond reaction and lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose in the year ahead.

In this episode of RKD Group: Thinkers, we sit down with Kimberly O'Donnell, chief fundraising officer at Bonterra and former executive director. Kimberly shares how growing up in a family of seven, early exposure to service and a career defined by curiosity shaped her leadership philosophy, and how that mindset is more critical than ever as nonprofits navigate uncertainty, AI and rapid change. As the sixth of seven children, Kimberly learned early how to listen, collaborate, negotiate and find her voice. That upbringing, paired with parents who modeled philanthropy and volunteerism, created a foundation rooted in compassion and service. From candy striping in middle school to working on a bipartisan federal commission early in her career, Kimberly's path into the sector wasn't linear, but it was intentional. Throughout her career, she discovered that curiosity, not fear, was the throughline that helped her take risks, grow as a leader and step confidently into new challenges. Today, Kimberly works at the intersection of nonprofit strategy, fundraising and technology, where she helps organizations adapt, innovate and build confidence in a rapidly evolving landscape. From AI readiness to innovation funds, leadership development to intentional living, her perspective offers both reassurance and a call to action for nonprofit professionals heading into 2026.

Nonprofit friends — I've been thinking a lot about why so many of us feel exhausted heading into 2026. And honestly? It's not because we're lazy or unmotivated. It's because we're trying to do everything.This week on Nonprofit Lowdown, I talk about focus — real focus. Not the kind that adds another priority to the list, but the kind that asks us to choose one thing and let the rest go. The kind that replaces fundraising chaos with clarity, and pressure with consent.So much of our burnout comes from fundraising theater — lots of motion, not enough impact. And leadership, real leadership, is about subtraction. Saying no. Protecting your energy. Deciding what actually moves the needle and having the courage to stop doing the rest.If you're craving a calmer, more intentional way to lead fundraising this year — one that honors your time, your donors, and yourself — this episode is for you.And if you want to go deeper, I'm hosting a free training on January 21 at 12 PM ET on building a major gift system that feels aligned, focused, and human. No forcing. No chasing. Just clarity.Important Links:How to Train ChatGPT:  ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/annual-fundraising-plan-tracker1-3127-4300⁠ My Big Ask Gifts Program: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/big-ask-gifts-program⁠ My Book, Get That Money Honey: ⁠https://go.rheawong.com/get-that-money-honey⁠ My Newsletter: ⁠https://www.rheawong.com/⁠ 

Starting a nonprofit often begins with passion — but passion alone won't protect you from burnout, chaos, or costly mistakes. In this episode, I share what I wish nonprofit leaders understood before starting their organizations. We'll talk about the realities of leadership, the importance of structure and systems, and why chasing funding without a foundation can hold you back instead of moving you forward. This isn't meant to discourage you — it's meant to help you start smarter, stronger, and more sustainably.

Betsy Schmidt In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, host Rob Harter sits down with Elizabeth “Betsy” Schmidt, senior research fellow at the University of Massachusetts and author of the new book Rules of the Road for Nonprofit Leaders. Betsy brings her decades of experience in public policy and nonprofit law to the table to demystify complex legal frameworks and help leaders leverage the law to support their mission. Together, Rob and Betsy explore the often misunderstood legal and ethical responsibilities of nonprofit leaders. From navigating political activity and advocacy to understanding the distinctions between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, this episode offers practical and empowering guidance for social impact organizations seeking to remain compliant and mission-focused in an evolving landscape. Key Topics Include: The difference between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, and when to consider forming a C4 Legal boundaries for nonprofit advocacy, lobbying, and political activity How staying true to your mission often ensures legal compliance Best practices for nonprofit governance, financial oversight, and ethics How federal and state-level regulations are shifting and what to watch for in 2026 Common legal pitfalls nonprofits face and how to avoid them Resources and tools for staying up to date with nonprofit law Mentioned in This Episode: Rules of the Road for Nonprofit Leaders (Georgetown University Press) NonprofitRules.com Bookshop.org This Episode is Sponsored By: DonorBox Links to Resources: Interested in Leadership and Life Coaching? Visit Rob's website: RobHarter.com Find us on YouTube: Nonprofit Leadership Podcast YouTube Channel Suggestions for the show? Email us at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com Request a sample coaching session: Email Rob at rob@robharter.com Subscribe and ShareListen and subscribe to the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or Amazon. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share with other nonprofit leaders!

Ever felt that ache of reaching out endlessly, yet still standing alone in a crowded room? You're not alone, true connection is the heartbeat nonprofits are missing right now.In this episode of Shifts in 2026, Susan McPherson, author of The Lost Art of Connecting and Founder + CEO of McPherson Strategies—returns with her signature warmth and wisdom to explore the deeper meaning of connection in today's world. Together, they dive into the "reconnection era," shifting nonprofits from communication overload to dialog that rebuilds trust, sparks belonging, and tackles the loneliness epidemic head-on.Susan shares eye-opening stats, candid truths on AI's limits, and a heartfelt playbook—from leading with twice-as-much listening and empathy, to simple local salons, skills-based volunteering, and brave vulnerability. It's honest, hilarious, and that rare human spark that leaves you lighter and ready to show up differently.If you're craving deeper ties with your team, donors, and community, this one's pure gold.Episode Highlights: Understanding Loneliness and Disconnection (04:25)Evolving Perspectives on Connection (12:11)Shifting from Communication to Connection (15:41)Actionable Steps for Nonprofit Leaders (24:06)Susan's One Good Thing + Homework (25:00)Episode Shownotes: www.wearforgood.com/episode/672//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com Say hi

349: What Funders Want Nonprofit Leaders to Know (Sarah Mann Willcox)SUMMARYThis episode is brought to you by TowneBank, whose ongoing support can be a powerful partner for your organization. Learn more at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. As you ponder your New Year's resolutions as a nonprofit leader, funding for your organization is almost certainly on the list. That's why Sarah Mann Willcox's insight is such a timely way to begin the year. As Executive Director of the NC Network of Grantmakers - and a former fundraiser herself - Sarah offers an inside look at how funders think, what pressures and constraints they face, and what nonprofit leaders can do in 2026 to build stronger and more authentic relationships with them. She explains why program officers should be seen as partners rather than gatekeepers, how to communicate more effectively about your work, and why transparency helps both sides make better decisions. Sarah also shares broader sector trends: trust-based philanthropy, collaboration across the independent sector, donor-advised funds, and the growing need for collective solutions—as well as candid advice about burnout and leadership sustainability. Her message is clear: if you want a more confident and strategic year of fundraising, it starts with understanding the humans behind the grantmaking process.ABOUT SARAHSarah Mann Willcox is the Executive Director of the NC Network of Grantmakers (NCNG), North Carolina's statewide association for funders. With more than a decade of experience supporting foundations, corporate donors, and philanthropic leaders, she serves as a connector, convener, and trusted guide for grantmakers navigating complex community needs. Sarah previously served as a fundraiser with the NC Center for Nonprofits and brings both sides of the funding relationship into her work—helping funders collaborate more effectively while demystifying the philanthropic landscape for nonprofit leaders. She serves on the board of the United Philanthropy Forum, connecting North Carolina to national conversations about sector health, equity, advocacy, and philanthropic practice.RESOURCESNC Network of Grantmakers – ncgrantmakers.orgUnited Philanthropy Forum – philanthropyforum.orgNational Council of Nonprofits – councilofnonprofits.orgBook recommendation: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky ChambersArmstrong McGuire – armstrongmcguire.comYour Path to Nonprofit Leadership (Audible edition available)Ready for a Mastermind in 2026?

 Explore how nonprofit leaders can cultivate grounded presence, clarify their sphere of control, and stay anchored in mission and values while leading through ongoing uncertainty and disruption. As nonprofit leaders continue navigating unprecedented levels of uncertainty, this "learning out loud" episode of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, host Carol Hamilton and guest Danielle Marshall offers a grounded, human-centered exploration of how leaders can steady themselves—and their organizations—amid chaos. Drawing on lived experience, strategic frameworks, and resilience practices, the conversation centers on: cultivating a grounded presence, clarifying what is within one's sphere of control, and anchoring decision-making in mission, values, and community. Rather than offering quick fixes, the episode invites nonprofit leaders to slow down, filter the noise, strengthen boundaries, and choose intentional actions that sustain both personal wellbeing and collective impact over the long haul. Episode Highlights [00:00–02:05] Regrounding in Turbulent Times [04:15–06:39] Grounded Presence as a Leadership Practice [06:39–08:23] Chaos Is the Strategy—So Center Your Why [08:23–10:19] Filtering the Noise & Choosing Information Wisely [12:08–14:44] Resilience Isn't Perfection [15:24–17:31] Making Space for Presence [19:23–20:41] Scenario Planning & the Sphere of Control [21:21–23:32] Don't Reinvent the Wheel—Find the Organizers [24:07–25:41] Mission as the Unifying Center [26:03–27:57] Agency Over Outrage [29:13–31:08] Community Built Before Crisis [31:08–33:26] The Power of the Local [34:56–36:05] Intentionality Over Fear [40:39–42:40] Boundaries as Leadership Responsibility [46:03–49:00] Doubling Down on Values Important Links and Resources: Danielle Marshall Culture Principles Linktree Unpacked: Culture Chronicles Draw Together with Wendy MacNaughton Guardian US edition). Week magazine Heather Cox Richardson's Letters from an American on Substack How to survive the end of the world podcast with adrienne and Autumn Brown The feminist survival project 2025 podcast Dear White Women podcast On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder  which is available in a video series The Sum of Us by Heather McGee Decluttering Your Leadership by Judy Oyedele   Be in Touch: ✉️ Subscribe to Carol's newsletter at Grace Social Sector Consulting and receive the Common Mistakes Nonprofits Make In Strategic Planning And How To Avoid Them

 A recent report by the Portland City Administrator shows traffic deaths in the city have continued to fall after a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. Are Portlanders driving differently now than they were when the streets were emptier? Are earlier state and federal investments in traffic safety now just taking shape? Nonprofit leaders and city officials agree there are multiple factors involved in the decline. But as pandemic recovery continues, and the future of Gov. Tina Kotek’s road funding bill remains unclear, it’s an open question whether the city will be able to keep the trendline down.  We’re joined by Dana Dickman, the Vision Zero policy manager for the City of Portland, to unpack the latest data and discuss how the city is working to make roads safer. Also joining us are Sarah Iannarone, executive director of The Street Trust, and Zachary Lauritzen, executive director of Oregon Walks.

In this podcast episode, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Chris Wong about how nonprofit leaders can engage and develop employees , despite a lack of resources. Chris Wong is a licensed therapist, executive coach, and co-host of The Art and Science of Difficult Conversations—a podcast for people who want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and courage... by leaning into the hard conversations.  With over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit and healthcare sectors, Chris specializes in helping purpose-driven leaders navigate messy transitions, fix dysfunctional teams, and lead culture change that actually sticks. He's worked as a therapist, built leadership programs from scratch, and coached hundreds of leaders who were brought in to “turn things around” under pressure. Chris lives outside Boston with his wife and two kids, serves on multiple nonprofit boards, and runs Leadership Potential, where he coaches new nonprofit executives to lead through chaos and build high-performing, values-aligned teams. Check out all of the podcasts in the HCI Podcast Network!

 Nonprofits often view training as a cost. I've heard it, and I'm sure you've heard it as well. However, it's actually an investment in the very thing that moves your mission forward: your people.That's why, in this episode, I'm sitting down with Nancy Bacon to debunk the idea that training is a cost and highlight all the value it brings when done right. She is a teacher, instructional designer, and learning strategist who has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 25 years.This episode is a game-changer for nonprofit leaders who are struggling with the decision to invest in training, and for nonprofit L&D pros who are struggling to frame up the value of what they do to secure the partners and funding they need.▶️ Training Isn't a Cost: Here's How Nonprofits Actually Save Money Through Learning and Development with Nancy Bacon ▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 How Nancy became a nonprofit learning strategist 0:06:05 Cost vs. investment: the ROI of training0:11:02 Hidden costs of  not investing in L&D0:16:48 Effectively communicate the real value of training21:31 The need to shift our mindset from scarcity to abundanceResources from this episode:Check out Mark Nilles and Nancy Bacon's ebook  Conferences That Make a Difference.Catch up with Episode 156 of Learning For Good, where I talk about the cost of training.Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveIf you're a nonprofit leader who's ready to invest in your people, complete our consulting application form.Was this episode helpful? If you're listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!

342: Lessons That Shape Great Nonprofit Leaders (Garrett Cathcart)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their ongoing support of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership.  Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking.What does it take to build something from the ground up - and lead it with purpose, humility, and vision? In episode 342 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Garrett Cathcart shares the lessons he's learned in creating and scaling organizations that strengthen communities and unite people across divides. As Co-Founder and Executive Director of +More Perfect Union, a veteran-led nonprofit rebuilding civic and social trust through connection, service, and engagement, Garrett explores the power of starting from zero, leading volunteers with accountability, and measuring impact through both empathy and data.ABOUT GARRETTGarrett Cathcart is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of +More Perfect Union, a veteran-led movement to strengthen communities and heal the divides in our country through meaningful connections built on service, civic engagement, and leadership development. He also co-founded 550 Capital Partners, a venture firm investing in early-stage startups led by military veterans. Previously, Garrett served as the founding Executive Director of Mission Roll Call and as Southeast Regional Director of Team Red, White & Blue. A U.S. Army Cavalry officer for nine years, Garrett is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, where he served in multiple combat leadership roles and earned three Bronze Stars and the Meritorious Service Medal. He continues to serve as a Major in the U.S. Army Reserves and teaches leadership and military science at Georgia Tech. A graduate of West Point and Emory University's Goizueta Business School, he is a Truman National Security Fellow and a George W. Bush Veteran Leadership Scholar.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESIt Worked for Me by Colin PowellLearn more about +More Perfect UnionExplore our Mastermind Program, now accepting applications for 2026!

In this episode of What the Fundraising... Fundraising isn't just about asking; it's about understanding. The most successful fundraisers know that sustaining an organization couldn't be done with passion alone. Passion must be combined with skill, strategy, and authentic human connection.  David Rhodes is an award-winning and bestselling author, keynote speaker, educator, deputy director at PennPAC, and founder of Dot Dot Org. With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, David helped organizations and leaders grow with clarity, purpose, and sustainability. As for a former founder and executive director who led an organization for 15 years, he now focuses on CEO mentoring and coaching. David also teaches nonprofit branding and consulting at the University of Pennsylvania, bringing a practical, real-world perspective to the next generation of changemakers. He is the Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Medal winner for “Passion Isn't Enough: A Practical Guide for Nonprofit Leaders,” released in November 2024, which helps nonprofit leaders develop the skills and confidence that are needed to lead beyond passion. He and his family now live in New York City. He joined us today to discuss the importance of skills beyond passion for nonprofit leaders.  In this episode, you will be able to: Learn why passion alone isn't enough to sustain effective nonprofit leadership. Understand how to ask deeper questions that lead to transformational giving. Discover ways to navigate close donor relationships while keeping impact at the center. Understand the importance of embracing authenticity in fundraising conversations. Learn what practical strategies can develop the mindset and skills needed to lead with confidence and clarity. Get all the resources from today's episode here.  Support for this show is brought to you by Zeffy. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Unlike other platforms that take a cut of your hard work through credit card and transaction fees, Zeffy is 100% free from transaction and platform fees. That means every dollar you raise goes directly toward fueling your mission. Trusted by more than 50,000 nonprofits, Zeffy empowers organizations of every size to streamline their fundraising with tools to collect donations, sell tickets, and manage donors all in one place. Getting started takes less than 15 minutes, and once you're set up, you'll have more resources to put toward what really matters: your cause. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/ Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652 If you haven't already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link. If you're looking to raise more from the right funders, then you'll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point.