Nonprofit Leadership Podcast

Telling your story as a nonprofit leader is absolutely critical and perhaps one of the most important aspects of your job as an Executive Director. So how best can you tell your story and what are the best mediums through which you can have the biggest impact? Rob’s guest today is John Priddy, he is the CEO and co-founder of the Windrider Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to telling captivating sto...

It’s been 18 months since COVID first began to sweep across America. Guests on this show have shared their insights as to what they saw from their own organizations and what they learned as they interacted with leaders around the country. Rob’s guest today is both a consultant and a podcast host, and as such he’s in a unique position to provide interesting reflections and insights as t...

This is the second episode of the Emerging Young Leaders Series about young emerging nonprofit leaders who really want to invest their lives into making real change in our world. Rob’s guest shares how they’re making their world better by helping more kids access computers, get coding training and prepare them for the future.   Rob’s guest today is Robbie Khazan. He is 17 years old and s...

Leadership is hard, period. What can make it even more difficult is when those in leadership positions leave and a new staff person has to follow someone who has been in that role for a long time. If that person was the founder of an organization, it’s an even bigger challenge. In fact, there’s a term for this, it’s called “founder’s syndrome”, which has doomed many n...

Funding is absolutely critical for all nonprofits and there’s a growing group of investors who want to invest in organizations and people who are really changing the world for the better. Is it possible to both fund the mission of a nonprofit, but also give a return to investors at the same time? On the surface, this seems to be two very different and contrary purposes. However, there is one...

Good to Great by Jim Collins is a fantastic leadership book that discusses how great companies each have a common trait of finding a way to continue growing and innovating, year after year. And according to Collins’ research, one of the key ways these companies achieve greatness is by preserving the core while stimulating progress. How can you do the same so that you might have a great organizatio...

Almost everyone is familiar with the YMCA, especially because of the Village People’s infamous song. But many don’t know that the Y, with all of its nationwide affiliates, is actually one of the largest nonprofits, not only in the US, but in the world.  Rob’s guest today is the current but retiring President and CEO of the YMCA of the USA, Kevin Washington. After 43 years of service, Ke...

Diversity, equity and inclusion are on the hearts and minds of every nonprofit leader today. After the events of last year, we started having conversations about these topics like never before. Rob’s guest took the helm of an organization that for the last 25 years, has made equity and inclusion the very focus of their mission efforts. Lysa Ratliff, CEO of Kaboom Rob’s guest today is Lysa Ratliff,...

The relationship between a nonprofit’s board and a nonprofit’s staff can often become the demise of many nonprofits. To start a healthy relationship for any nonprofit board, it’s crucial to have a solid and clear relationship between the CEO or Executive Director of a nonprofit, and its board, especially the Board Chair. Rob’s guest addresses how to turn a dysfunctional board into a healthy one.&#...

Eric Linssen, Demand Generation at Community Boost Marketing is an area nonprofit leaders tend to underestimate when it comes to the impact effective marketing can have. What is the best model for growing your nonprofit through your marketing, which platforms are best suited for attracting and retaining new donors, and why is the Google Ad Grant such a great way for nonprofits to inexpensively exp...

Just like the US, Brazil was hit really hard with COVID, and the Lemann Foundation was instrumental in forming a coalition of leaders to figure out how they could develop and distribute, what became the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine that now has been deployed throughout the country. This foundation has been particularly successful at building coalitions of leaders from a wide range of sectors, includ...

Every little swimmers’ goal is to stand on that podium at the Olympics, but it all starts with that first jump in the water and someone to show you how. Elizabeth Beisel, three-time olympian swimmer and 2016 USA swim team captain Rob’s guest is Elizabeth Beisel, a three-time olympian swimmer and the 2016 USA swim team captain. During her career, she won two Olympic medals and multiple world champi...

You may have noticed a slow return to normal occurring, and with that return comes the opportunity to reflect back on this past year to see what we’ve learned from it. As you reflect, consider this question: What was one weakness in your organization that the COVID pandemic exposed? Or, on the flip side of that question—what was one strength that really stood out about your organization duri...

Social enterprises are surging, more B Corps are being formed and many large corporations now have a social impact arm. All of this has had a lot of nonprofits wondering, “What is the long term impact on nonprofits going to be with all this new ‘competition’?” Rob’s guest has started a network of leaders from across sectors that includes for-profit, nonprofit and cultural o...

2020 skyrocketed the move to online giving for all donors who give to nonprofits. Organizations who already had a clear and robust process for donors to give online really  benefited—those who didn’t, really struggled. They struggled to keep their giving on par with  previous years. Now, the question for all nonprofits of how to “future-proof” fundraising is constantly on our collective...

Ever wondered who makes sure your nonprofit’s website works as it should? Or who makes sure that when someone types in your nonprofit’s web address into Google, that they actually make it to your website and not to a site that explains all of the many languages Tolkien used in the original Lord of the Rings?  Public Interest Registry (PIR) Rob’s guest today is Jon Nevett, President and CEO of...

When you hear the phrase “healthy work-life balance”, what goes through your mind? That it’s impossible or possibly just a myth? Or perhaps you know first hand how the pain of your work has negatively impacted your marriage, your family or your personal life. This topic is certainly not new, and with our new “work from home,  zoom-calls, always online world” that we are living...

There is no doubt today, especially after this last year, that the first place people find out about your organization is through your website. Unfortunately, many smaller nonprofits often don’t have the budget to create and maintain a quality website which then directly impacts their ability to both fundraise and get more volunteers to support their work. This is where 48in48 comes in. Sima Parek...

Ever wondered how philanthropy and charity first began? The answer may surprise you! The Greek roots for the word “philanthropy” refer to the “love of humankind”. Rob’s guest today is author Paul Vallely who has written a new book that serves as an encyclopedic review of the origins and history of philanthropy and charity over the centuries. Paul argues that today, too many people and organization...

Ursula Price, Executive Director of the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice (NOWCRJ) Although racial injustice and social equity issues have existed in our country for years, it seems as if 2020 was the year where we as an entire country started having these urgent conversations and discussions about racial injustice and inequality like never before.  Rob’s guest today is Ursula Pr...

Everyone knows Google by name, but not many people are aware of its social impact through its philanthropic arm, Google.org. Rob’s guest shares how Google.org’s crisis response has evolved since the pandemic all while staying laser-focused on creating a lasting impact in communities that need it most. Rob’s guest today is Alex Diaz, Head of Crisis Response for Humanitarian Aid for Google.org. Alex...

The newest feature of the show aims to highlight young leaders making a difference in their world. Rob’s guest shares what inspired her to launch a nonprofit focused on neurodiversity and a social enterprise centered on children with autism—all while being a high school student!  Isabella He, founder and president of the nonprofit SN Inclusion Rob’s guest today is Isabella He, a junior at Mis...

In 2015, Comic Relief US launched the Red Nose Day campaign to raise awareness and end child poverty. Rob’s guest explains how COVID impacted Red Nose Day and how Comic Relief’s team adjusted its strategy while staying true to its mission of keeping children safe, healthy, and educated.   Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US Rob’s guest today is Alison Moore, CEO of Comic Relief US. Thou...

Julia Jackson, founder of Grounded.org Nonprofits are sometimes created in celebration while others are caused by grief. Rob’s guest shares the aha moment that led her to leave her family’s successful wine business to go all-in as a nonprofit leader with a mission to literally change the world.  Rob’s guest is Julia Jackson, who is fiercely committed to bringing together the brightest minds i...

Even before the Pandemic, fundraising presented a challenge to most nonprofits. Thankfully, Rob’s guest shares tools and resources to help your organization improve your digital presence and fundraising efforts.   Justin Wheeler, CEO and cofounder at Funraise Rob’s guest is Justin Wheeler, CEO and cofounder at Funraise. As a social entrepreneur, Justin helped launch two nonprofits which...