Charity Therapy

There's this phrase "no man is an island." Well, guess what – no nonprofit is an island, either. In this episode, we're talking about the different ways people try to hack the board of directors and hoard all the control over the organization for themselves. Spoiler alert – it doesn't turn out too well. Tune in to this episode to hear about what can happen when people treat nonprofits like their o...

No one gets into nonprofit work because they LOVE all the paperwork, but that doesn't mean you're exempt from doing it (sorry!). There are some core documents that every nonprofit needs to keep up with – especially when you're growing and evolving. So think about it – do you know where your articles and bylaws are? AND what they say? Tune in to learn why this is so important! Join me on Facebook S...

Nonprofits need to have a board - but how is that board supposed to make decisions? Today, we're getting into your board questions, all about redonk quorums, bureaucratic nightmares, and absentee board members. You don't want to miss this one! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter

Tis the season for… Giving Tuesday! The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, every nonprofit you've ever thought about will be contacting you about giving to their Giving Tuesday campaign. But should they? We're bringing our episode with Ephraim Gopin of 1832 Communications to cover the good, bad, and ugly about Giving Tuesday and year-end giving. Tune in!! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter

We've got a vocab lesson for you today – what's the difference between a nonprofit chapter and a nonprofit affiliate? I don't blame you if you don't know - most people use those words interchangeably! How can you tell the difference, and why does it matter? In this episode, Meghan and I break it all this down and more, all in pursuit of the big question – should you stay a chapter or not? Don't mi...

Hang tight – we're going alllll the way back to our very first episode for this special Halloween celebration! Jordan Couch, lawyer from Tacoma and friend of the pod, came on to answer some ~spooky~ nonprofit questions and brainstorm Halloween puns. Are you haunted by unfinished business at your nonprofit? Spooked about witchy board members? Don't miss this one! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my...

We're reviving a fan favorite for this episode, so roll up your sleeves and dust off that old book of parliamentary procedures. Do nonprofits legally need to follow Robert's Rules of Order in their board meetings? That's a quick answer – NO. Tune into this episode to hear all the ways Robert's Rules can get in the way of your governance. Grab a copy of my Nonprofit Board Meeting Survival Guide . J...

When you think about fundraising, lots of us think about DOLLARS. It's all about raising that revenue, dollar by dollar, right? But what if we changed the way we think about fundraising altogether? This week's guest, Noah Gerding, fundraiser extraordinaire, breaks down how the best way to increase those dollars is to focus instead on the relationships. Tune to hear about what you should do to reli...

No matter what kind of nonprofit you run, it all depends on the people . Board, staff, volunteers, program participants, partners – it's humans involved that make the mission delivery happen. But where humans are involved, drama follows! What happens when the folks involved in the nonprofit do bad things? What do you do when you uncover fraud, prior convictions, assault, or other unsavory things i...

There are several different topics in the nonprofit sector that can reliably kick up some drama, and today we're talking about a big one – executive compensation. How much money should a nonprofit leader be paid? How much is too much, or too little? And what the heck is a "rebuttable presumption of reasonableness"??? Tune into this episode for some mild rants and lots of good info about paying you...

Shutting down a nonprofit organization is a whole messy process – from the legal requirements to the emotional impact, there's a lot to consider. Meghan and I teamed up for this episode to answer your questions about nonprofit dissolution. When do you know it's time to dissolve? What happens if you actually accomplish your mission? What do you do with leftover money? Tune in, and let's get existen...

Social media for nonprofits – is it a huge opportunity, or just another task to add to your growing to-do list? I invited nonprofit social media consultant Julia Campbell to join me on this episode to talk all things social. Do you NEED an account on every single platform? What's the difference between a social platform being active versus actually effective ? How can you leverage a big audience o...

If your nonprofit has voting members, that means your members have REAL LEGAL standing and rights. So, what happens when things go sideways with a voting member? Membership association expert and CEO of Management HQ Dara Rudick joined me to answer all your thorny member questions! Can you remove a member from the nonprofit? What happens when the entire membership is divided into two warring facti...

Fundraising – every nonprofit needs to do it, but not everyone knows how to do it. That's why Simon Scriver from Fundraising Everywhere and Everywhere+ joined me for this episode! We answer nonprofit questions about virtual events, whether "everyone is a fundraiser," and how to change the perception of fundraisers in the sector. And I cannot make any promises about bears! Join me on Facebook Subsc...

Lots of people assume that because nonprofits do good work, they must be a GREAT place to work. But here's the thing – the nonprofit sector is far from perfect, and there are unique issues that can tank a nonprofit's culture. Rickesh Lakhani, ED of Future Possibilities for Kids , helps me tackle listener questions about how to cope with a bad culture at your nonprofit workplace. Join me on Faceboo...

We're all focused on the goals and dollars when it comes to fundraising, but what about the paperwork? That's why I invited Warren Harmon from URS Compliance to join me on this episode. Warren helps nonprofits get compliant when fundraising, no matter what state they're in. What do you need to know when you add that "Donate Now" button to your website? What do you do when you forget to file your r...

Let's be real - the IRS basically has its own language. I mean, even attorneys and CPAs find it confusing! Eve Borenstein , my hero and Queen of the 990, joins me on this episode to help us normal folks understand what we really need to know about the IRS. You may be thinking the IRS is boring….TRUST ME! Eve is the only person who can make it fun! Tune in to find out why the 990 is your best PR to...

It's April and we're in the thick of another 990 season – meaning the IRS wants to know how you're spending your funds! We're reviving this episode to answer your burning questions about 990s. What do you do if you find out you've been doing your 990s wrong? Or even worse, not doing them at all? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter

I think most of us can agree (hopefully) that communication solves most problems. Right? Whether you're a new or a seasoned Executive Director, communication with your board is KEY. Kris Kewitsch from Charities Review Council joins me on this episode to drop some nuggets of wisdom about having a great relationship with your board. Tune in to find out what do you do when the board isn't engaged (or...

Employee fundraising can be great, but boy oh boy, it can also go VERY wrong. My Twitter buddy Clay Buck from TCB Fundraising joins me on this episode to unpack the beef we have with some employee giving programs. Are you doing this ethically? Do your employees actually want to participate in these programs, or does it feel coerced? Are your programs aligning with your values? This one's a doozy –...

  Anyone who has been a part of fundraising for Nonprofits knows it's all about building relationships – not just the all-mighty dollar. That's why I invited Ephraim Gopin from 1832 Communications  back on the pod to share his thoughts on #GivingTuesday and what kind of nonprofit fundraising is actually right for you! How do you start fundraising before you get your 501c3 status? What happens when...

Anyone who deals with nonprofit fundraising has probably been to WAY too many galas and golf tournaments. That's why I invited Alicia Baraga from Ripple Event Marketing to chat with me all about nonprofit fundraising and events! How do you create fun nonprofit fundraising events that people will want to attend year after year? How do you get sponsors for your nonprofit fundraising event? Plus, she...

  We loved our last episode with Amy Arcand from Willow Consulting so much, we asked her to come back! Problems with nonprofits happen . When nonprofits grow and change, it's inevitable that you're going to hit some roadblocks. In this episode, Amy and I answer questions about problems with nonprofits. And some of them are downright messy! How to clean up the mess an old staff member made, what to...

  Everyone has that one person in their life who just keeps talking about cryptocurrency, right? But it's not just for the tech and finance people anymore. In this episode, my BFF Paul and I talk all about bitcoin for nonprofits . What it is, how to buy it, and how to leverage Bitcoin for your mission! Don't worry about your eyes glazing over – I promise we don't get too technical. Get Paul's reco...

What's the secret to successful nonprofit fundraising? According to my guest Clay Buck of TCB Fundraising , it's ALL about data and systems. You can't know where you're going with your nonprofit fundraising if you don't know where you've been, right? Clay and I talk about everything from the nonprofit scarcity mindset to the real difference between nonprofit fundraising and sales . Tune in to step...