Charity Therapy

We're entering 2022 and closing in on two full years of our pandemic reality – meaning that nonprofits are still making big decisions about how to keep afloat and serve their communities while handling nonprofit crisis after nonprofit crisis . That's why we're pulling this episode out of the backlist, where Meghan and I talk all about making the hard changes in times of crisis. What happens when y...

  Nonprofit organizations are not static, stagnant organizations. They grow and change over time (and that's usually a good thing!). What happens when you grow a little past the original vision for the nonp rofit organization? How do make sure you stay compliant and do things right, even when you're doing something radically different or new? And when can change become a bad thing? Tune in to hear...

We're pulling this episode out of our backlist for your holiday weekend listening! Jason Viana, Executive Director of the Open Door , joins us to answer another batch of nonprofit questions! What rules do you need to follow if you're starting a food shelf? How can executive directors manage their mental health while running a nonprofit? What do you get by being a registered agent of an organizatio...

  All right, folks, we got a little bit snarky on this one… Today Meghan and I are tackling the toxic mentality in the nonprofit sector that we must take a vow of poverty to do this work. We're talking about executive compensation, pro bono services , and when it makes sense to invest real money in the mission. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: Can a Founder of a Nonprofit Ma...

There are lots of differences between nonprofits and for-profits, and today we're talking about a BIG one – accountability. If you own a small business, most people don't care how much money your CEO makes or how many customers you had last year. But in the nonprofit sector, there's a lot more information we need to share publicly. Tune in to this episode to hear me and Meghan tackling your questi...

  To a lot of nonprofits folks, being accused of having a conflict of interest seems like the worst thing ever. But is it really? Introducing, the Conflicts Investigation Unit!! Meghan and I sit down to answer your nonprofit conflict of interest questions: What is a conflict? How do you manage the conflicts that do come up? And what happens when you don't even try to manage a huge and obvious conf...

If you call a nonprofit staff member a 1099 contractor, does that make them a contractor? (Spoiler alert – not necessarily!) In this episode, I'm joined by insurance broker Tom Wertish of Options Insurance to talk about employees, contractors, Worker's Comp, and other nonprofit insurance questions. Tune in to learn more! Check out the MN Attorney General guidance on 1099 vs W2 and the IRS test for...

In the nonprofit world, you see "501(c)(3)" all over the place. But what does that really mean (or not mean)? In this episode, Meghan and I talk through some questions all about IRS tax exemption. Can one organization have multiple tax exempt statuses? What happens if you lose your status? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter  

Your nonprofit's mission is only as strong as your ability to share it. So how do you tell your story in a way that inspires people to engage, give, and share your mission? I'm joined by Emmy-winning video creator and creative strategist Erica Hanna to answer that very question! Tune in to the learn the secret to strong storytelling and how make videos that just don't stink. Check out Erica's Smar...

A board member regularly makes flirty comments to the executive director – does this count as sexual harassment? The board decides to let go an independent contractor due to a program closure, but they're accusing the nonprofit of racial discrimination. The board wants to ask their employees to "volunteer" for other responsibilities – is that legal? Sometimes the answers to these questions are not...

There's a large and thriving part of the nonprofit sector made up of arts organizations – but not every arts org can or should be a nonprofit. So, what's the difference really? And if nonprofit isn't the right fit, how are you supposed to get funding then?? Andy Sturdevant, the Artist Resources Director at Springboard for the Arts , joins me to answer these questions and more! Join me on Facebook...

As the world slowly (or quickly) re-opens this summer, tons of nonprofits are left wondering what their post-pandemic offices and operations will look like. That's why I asked my friend and business law attorney Inti Martínez-Alemán of Ceiba Fôrte Law Firm to join me and answer some of the big re-opening questions. Can you require your employees to be vaccinated? Who does HIPAA apply to anyway? Ho...

Ephraim Gopin of 1832 Communications is a nonprofit marketing whiz, and he joined me in this episode to answer our listeners' burning questions. Should nonprofits have an employee giving program? How can you convince an old organization to modernize? What's really the difference between marketing and fundraising? Get Ephraim's e-book, Employee Giving: Does Charity Begin in the Office? Join me on F...

Lots of nonprofits had to change up their operations during in the past year – but how do you know what changes to make? My guest Maria Huntley, Executive Director of Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians , says that no matter what you decide, you first need to go back to your mission. In this episode, Maria and I put on our creative hats to answer listener questions about how to make big decisio...

We all saw the news not too long ago that Bill and Melinda Gates are getting a divorce – but what does that mean for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation? In this episode, we dive into the world of family foundations and answer the most common questions I've been hearing. Will the nonprofit be divided up in the divorce? What happens to the funding when the Gates aren't a family anymore? Tune in to...

This week we're covering the dreaded nonprofit disease – founders syndrome, aka founderitis. Nonprofit expert Reid Zimmerman joins me to answer listener questions about what it is and how you can fix it if your nonprofit has already infected. Tune in to learn more! Order Reid's book Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

All nonprofits, no matter their size or mission, need to think about fundraising. Where's all the money going to come from to continue to power your mission? In this episode, Ellen Bristol, fundraising expert from Bristol Strategy Group , joins me to answer listener questions about the right way to approach fundraising. Here's a hint for you – it's not just about searching up foundations to ask fo...

Where there are people, there are people problems. And in voting member nonprofits, you've got a lot of people. So in this episode, we tackle listener questions about members and the issues that can come from the voting membership. What do you do when you have one member that causes a ruckus? Or what if you want to get rid of your voting members? Tune in to find out! Join me on Faceb o ok Subscrib...

April showers bring… May tax returns. That doesn't quite have the same ring to it, huh? But it's true – we're coming up on tax season! So while nonprofits rush to prepare their Form 990s, I'm answering listener questions about them. What do you do if a donor accuses you of filling out the 990 wrong? Or, what happens if you (or your CPA) drops the ball and files nothing at all? Tune in to find out!...

When you're running a nonprofit, you're tasked with making the RIGHT decisions for the organization – even in the face of unexpected challenges (hello, global pandemic!). There's no one-size-fits-all approach to deal with a crisis, so making those decisions is tough. In today's episode, we're answering questions from folks making some big, unplanned changes for their organization. Join me on Faceb...

Lots of nonprofit boards use Robert's Rules to run their board meetings – but should they? Robert's Rules is a parliamentary procedure that's meant to keep things orderly and make it easier to make group decisions. But sometimes, the rules make things harder, not easier. Tune in to this episode to hear some listener questions about what to do when Robert's Rules go off the rails. Go to www.birkenl...

Nonprofit dissolution is a difficult decision , no matter your mission. But once you make that decision, do you really know what it means to dissolve your nonprofit? Today, we answer the big questions from listeners in that exact situation: How do you know when it's time to call it a day and close down? And when it is time to close, what steps do you have to take? Tune in to find out! Join me on F...

Not everyone who works in nonprofits is an expert in handling nonprofit funds - and that's okay! If you're getting a gut feeling that something just isn't right (or maybe your nonprofit treasurer is...), you should listen . This episode is a throwback to March of 2020 when hosts Jess and Meghan were joined by Jim Hall to talk through some tricky nonprofit questions. What happens to leftover money...

  Nonprofits are only as good as the people who run them. So what happens if you can't find talented, dedicated people? Or if the awesome people you find keep leaving? Jason Viana, Executive Director of The Open Door, joins me for this conversation about finding, and keeping, great employees. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

  It's the end of a tough year, and nonprofits have been hit hard. Year-end giving is more important than ever. But how do you know who is a good charity to give to? Tune into this episode, revived from 2019, to find out the best (and worst!) ways to decide who deserves your donation. • Join me on Facebook •  Subscribe to my newsletter