Successful Nonprofits Podcast

Are you considering a career change?  Looking for something with a little more purpose and passion? How about a career in the nonprofit sector!? Today’s guest, Ellen McCarty, discusses her process for helping professionals make the switch from the for-profit to the nonprofit sector.  Join us as we delve into the culture and common myths of working at a nonprofit and see if this career path might be right for you.

Looking to boost your incoming donations?  Not sure how to do that given our uncertain economic climate?  Then check out today’s episode on legacy giving.  Join Lori Kranczer, lawyer and legacy giving expert, to hear her tips for creating and marketing an effective legacy giving campaign. 

Let’s talk money.  We all need more money.  We all want more money.  We all hate to ask for money.  But making that ask is essential for every nonprofit’s day-to-day programming and long term sustainability.  Listen in on our conversation with Dr. Shantell Chambliss, a self-described “sustainability junkie,” for expert tips on how to support your team of solicitors as they prepare for and conduct the perfect ask. 

Does your organization sometimes struggle to get results – despite having a talented, dedicated team and a phenomenal strategy?  Today’s guest, Leslie MacKrell, explains how your operating model, or lack of one, often stands in your way.  Join her as she asks tough questions and looks for honest answers about what you need, what you have, and how you can make up the difference.  So, put on your Operating Model Hat and tune in to learn how to start or enhance your own operating model.

As  leaders and nonprofit organizations, we are facing uncertain and difficult times ahead. All organizations face periods of hardship, but an unprecedented number of nonprofits are wondering how they will survive.  And, beyond that, how can they possibly thrive again?  If you are feeling alone, please know that you are not.  And know that there is hope.  To prove it, Toni Pergolin shares her experiences bringing a nonprofit back from the brink of bankruptcy and turning it into a healthy, vibrant, and thriving organization.  So please take a few minutes to join us for Toni’s key lessons for nonprofit, and personal, survival.

As this episode is released, the US Congress is nearing a deal to reopen the Payroll Protection Program with an additional $300 billion of funding. This episode offers important strategies for accessing PPP funds, reducing expenses without harming staff and raising more funds quickly. Highlights: (7:23) Know your burn rate and cash flow projections (10:00 ) Actionable ideas for cutting your expenses without harming staff (18:00) Your staff might make more money from unemployment if you furloughed them now (23:00) Generate cash and raise more money fast (38:35) Prepare your organization to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program when it’s refunded

If you’ve worked in the nonprofit sector, even for just a few years, then you have probably experienced burnout at least once.  Some people are able to push through it, but many eventually decide to leave their jobs, their fields, or nonprofit work altogether.  Therefore, it is imperative for everyone, from team members to team leaders, to take preventative measures.  Today Diane Leonard joins us to share how her teams identify and maintain a sustainable work pace via the Scrum framework.  Listen in as Diane explains the steps she takes to keep her team productive and happy.

Volunteers are the backbone of so many nonprofits.  While many nonprofits could not keep their doors open without them,  volunteers and volunteer programs are often overlooked. These volunteers come from all backgrounds and serve at all levels, from experienced professionals to four year olds, from board members to office assistants.  On this episode, Rob Jackson shares just a few of his groundbreaking ideas to ramp up your organization’s volunteer program. Join us as we shake up the norms surrounding who makes a great volunteer manager and how to retain volunteers.      

In these polarized times it is especially hard to contemplate, let alone actually sit down with those we see as the enemies of our cause.  But as our guest, Leah Garces, points out, it is exactly these people we need to work with to create change.  Join Leah as she challenges us to become comfortable with the uncomfortable, recognize the humanity of our so-called enemies, look for the win-win solution, and ultimately make effective and lasting change.

Whether you are a candidate or the hiring manager, understanding interview best practices is essential. Our guest Evan Piekara shares everything you need to know about job interview questions and answers. In this episode, we discuss case study interview questions, the “right” answers for common interview questions, and tons of good ideas for your next job interview. Evan also shares how to position yourself as a leading candidate by preparing meaningful questions that reveal your pre-interview research, taking a genuine interest in those you interact with throughout the process and demonstrating your expertise. Most important, his advice is pertinent whether you are interviewing for a management position or an entry-level one. 

We started the year off with strong intentions to manage stress, take care of ourselves and be kind to our inner child. But those of us working in the nonprofit sector have significantly more pressure on us every day. And, with the year almost 25% over, now is the perfect time to share this conversation with Matt Bennett about trauma-informed leadership and self-care.   This dynamic conversation with Matt Bennett leads us on a journey through nonprofit leadership, trauma informed care, self-care and more. In this podcast episode, listeners will get self-care ideas and tips, as well as practical leadership advice for building professional and personal resiliency throughout your nonprofit.

“Here’s the keys, here is the restroom, here's your office – good luck!” That's a terrible orientation for any staff member, but this is the orientation that many nonprofit executive directors receive. It’s ironic because boards have taken great care in selecting the new chief executive, paid them the highest salary in the organization, and then don’t position them for success. In this episode, we talk about six ways your board can prepare the organization for a successful new chief executive.  

“Big bets give organizations the chance to think about what it looks like to go from serving to solving.” That is always the goal isn’t it? As much as smaller contributions and fundraising campaigns appreciated and valued, the big donations we receive from philanthropists can not only determine but also expand our organization's achievements. Sridhar Prasad, a partner with The Bridgespan Group, realized this long before he began researching “Big Bets” in philanthropy. Listen in to the show to learn how to better poise your nonprofit to become “big bettable”. 

Recruiting the right board is the key to a strong, healthy and successful nonprofit organization. Yet too many charities view board recruitment as an afterthought and rush through a process that results in ineffective board members and weak boards. Dolph Goldenburg shared techniques for recruiting the right board members at a live seminar at the CenterLink E-summit.  With CenterLink’s permission, we are sharing this seminar as a podcast mini-series.   In this second half of the live presentation, we cover The board candidate vetting process Your board recruitment timeline Orientation of new members The 5 hacks for a better board recruitment process.  

Though my greatest mistakes and successes have been the people that I have chosen to hire, my 2nd greatest mistakes and successes have been those I have recruited for boards. Tune in to hear my best practices for recruiting committed, progressive, and overall great board members!

You may have a well-run nonprofit organization, a great strategic plan, and effective programs with great outcomes. But your constituents live in a world full of distractions screaming for their attention. So how do you ensure that your charity’s message is heard? Silicon Valley’s AHA Guy, Mitchell Levy, joins us on the podcast to share his answer: thought leadership. Mitchell chats with us about how to apply the five best practices of thought leadership so that you and your nonprofit get the recognition you deserve. Mitchell is a global credibility expert, entrepreneur,  and CEO of AHA-that, which helps accomplished professionals share their ideas with an amazon best-selling book.

It’s the first week of January in America, which means we’re all creating resolutions that the vast majority of us will bail on by January 17th.  Dolph explores 11 tips, tricks and hacks for achieving your resolution. Show notes: https://successfulnonprofits.com/portfolio/76839/ Highlights: (2:15) Resolutions are really goals (2:55) How to create a plan that will achieve your goals (12:20) Hack #2: Celebrate milestones appropriately (24:00) Hack #7: Know what you'll do when the going gets tough. (27:30) Hack #8: Don’t let failure derail you (20:10) Hack #11: Make it a lifestyle Want the other 7 tips and tricks for achieving your New Years resolution? Download and listen to the podcast!

Nonprofit fraud is the topic of this conversation with Tiffany Couch, CEO of Acuity Forensics. Sharing true stories of fraud found in her book, The Thief in Your Company, Tiffany breaks down what fraud looks like, who is likely to do it, and how to prevent it from happening to your organization.

Join Dolph and Wayne Sleight on this week’s episode of the Successful Nonprofits Podcast to talk about 97th Floor nationally recognized company culture! From the decision to never track vacation days to Wayne’s philosophical vendetta against ping-pong tables in the office, there is plenty to love and learn.

More time and money is not the answer to every nonprofit problem! Listen in to this week’s episode of the Successful Nonprofits Podcast where Carol Hamilton gives us a few techniques from her everyday consulting toolbox.