Nonprofit Leadership Podcast

Nikki Clifton Human trafficking today has become one of the most overlooked humanitarian crises of our time. It is a shockingly widespread problem, with an estimated 27.6 million victims worldwide. And on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, it’s time to bring this hidden issue out of the shadows. Rob sits down with Nikki Clifton, the head of the UPS Foundation, to discuss the organization’s...

AI has been a topic of conversation for many of us in the nonprofit sector. Is the reliance on AI a good thing or a bad thing? Will the implementation of AI completely eliminate jobs? Like most things in life, it’s nuanced.  Today’s guest, Bertina Ceccarelli, explains how AI is affecting jobs in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors, and ways we can utilize this smart technology wisely. ...

Tiara Green As leaders of nonprofits, receiving donations or grants from corporations is essential to our ability to provide services that make an impact. It’s important we are effective in our approach to obtaining financial gifts from these large organizations. Today’s guest, Tiara Green, shares some best practices regarding corporate philanthropy.  Rob’s guest, Tiara Green, is the Presiden...

Jacob Harold, author of The Toolbox: Strategies for Crafting Social Impact and Co-founder of Candid Nonprofits are driven by the desire to create social change in their communities and in the world overall. Today’s guest, Jacob Harold, explains why creating a map of your intentions, developing storytelling, and using mathematical modeling are all great tools to bring about social change.  Jacob is...

Lynn Margherio, founder and CEO of Cradles to Crayons As nonprofit leaders, we often find we are filling a gap in society by resolving specific needs the government or the private sector is not addressing. Rob’s guest, Lynn Margherio, explains how her twenty year organization has been filling a large gap that affects approximately 1 in 5 children across the United States. Lynn is the founder and C...

To understand the people you are leading, you must first understand yourself. Truly becoming curious about who you are and being honest with yourself, will help you embody important traits needed to be a great leader. Today’s guest, Brenda Jimenez, describes the three traits she believes are most important for a nonprofit leader to have. Rob’s guest, Brenda Jimenez, is the CEO of Mentor New York....

How can AI help your nonprofit? Today’s guests are going to continue a conversation I had a few months back with Justin Spelhaug of Microsoft. The topic is AI, and more specifically the good use of AI to benefit your nonprofit. So how can AI be used for good to help you and your organization? Rob’s guests are going to talk about just a few of the ways they are seeking to do just that. On the...

Julia Devine According to the 2024 Social Impact Staff Retention Report, three out of every four nonprofit employees are looking for a new job. More than half of those people are unsure they will continue working in the nonprofit sector. Rob’s guest, Julia Devine, shares what nonprofit leaders can do to alleviate this retention issue. Julia is the Co-founder of Relatable Nonprofit. The team at Rel...

Tomi Hiers To affect significant change in the community, a nonprofit leader must be willing to collaborate and engage with the community they serve. Today’s guest, Tomi Hiers, believes we can make a meaningful impact in our communities through collective action and data-driven solutions. Rob’s guest, Tomi Hiers, is the Vice President of the Center for Civic Sites and Community Change at the Annie...

Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1976 and is one of the strongest nonprofit brands in the United States. Many nonprofit leaders can learn valuable lessons from this impactful organization that has changed lives all over the world. Rob’s guest, Jonathan Reckford, shares some of his insights on a variety of topics that affect nonprofit organiza...

Adrien Lewis To affect big change in the world, a nonprofit leader must be willing to take risks and must be willing to fail along the way. To put it simply, it takes courage. Today’s guest, Adrien Lewis, explains what is required to be a courageous leader.  Rob’s guest, Adrien Lewis, is the founder and President of CarePortal. CarePortal is a technology platform that drives action for local...

David Dye Conflict happens in the workplace, whether we like to admit it or not. According to a recent survey, 70% of people worldwide report experiencing the same or worsening levels of conflict in the past few years. Today’s guest, David Dye, describes the factors contributing to increasing levels of workplace conflict and how to manage it effectively. David is an author, podcaster, and nonprofi...

Erik Hanberg We often discuss topics related to fundraising, branding, and culture. While these are all important areas of discussion, there is another critical topic we must focus on as nonprofit leaders. This topic is board governance. Today’s guest, Erik Hanberg, shares how nonprofits can effectively approach board recruitment and development. Rob’s guest, Erik Hanberg, is a consultant who work...

Alex Budak, professor at University of California, Berkeley and author of “Becoming a Changemaker.” Are you a leader at a nonprofit who wants to bring about change, but you don’t think your idea will be welcomed by the rest of the team? Are you struggling to get everyone on board with this new mission and feel your efforts are futile?  Today’s guest, Alex Budak, explains that you don’t need e...

Anum Qadir It’s no secret we appreciate hearing insights from The Bridgespan Group on the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast. We invite two more voices from their organization to speak on relevant topics in the nonprofit space. Today’s guests, Anum Qadir and Christian Celeste Tate, discuss current trends in giving, how to improve retention and leading with intention.  Christian Celeste Tate Anum an...

Colleen Kelly Many of those working in nonprofits, often started in the nonprofit space. This doesn’t mean of course that someone in the for-profit sector cannot transition over. In fact, it is becoming more common. Today’s guest, Colleen Kelly, did just that, switching to the nonprofit sector after working for 30 years in the for-profit world doing marketing and advertising.  Rob’s guest, Co...

Joe Davis When you hear the term “generous leader” you may automatically think of financial generosity. Being a generous leader means more than that. Today’s guest, Joe Davis, explains that a generous leader is someone who shows vulnerability, supports inclusion and seeks to understand individuals at a deeper level. Rob’s guest, Joe Davis, is the Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Cons...

What kind of brand and what kind of culture do you have? Is there a gap between how you see your brand and how your community sees your brand? Rob’s guest, Ted Vaughn, explains why so many nonprofits inadvertently develop a “brand gap” by failing to integrate their culture and brand strategy. He also shares how you can avoid making this mistake. Ted Vaughn, is the co-author of the rece...

Because nonprofit organizations thrive on the dedication of volunteers, we want to ensure we are not only recruiting the right people but also maximizing their impact. Today’s guest, Tyler Manley, shares how nonprofit leaders can improve volunteer recruitment and retention so volunteers become empowered champions of the mission. Rob’s guest, Tyler Manley, is the VP of Growth and Engagement of Catc...

Hannah Bellamy Every year, approximately two million people worldwide are dying from water-borne diseases. Lack of safe drinking water, while not a new problem, is an issue that can be solved. Today’s guest, Hannah Bellamy, shares how Charity Water allocates 100% of the donations they receive to long-term, sustainable systems that provide clean water to different communities across the world.&#160...

Mike Lee When most people think of nonprofits, they think of 501(c)3 organizations. Did you know that there are over thirty different types of nonprofit organizations, including 501(c)8 organizations? Today’s guest, Mike Lee, explains how nonprofit leaders can access extra financial resources for their missions, by becoming a member of a 501(c)8.  Rob’s guest, Mike Lee, is the founder of the...

Gauri Manglik, CEO & Co-founder of Instrumentl Whether grants generate a large portion or a small portion of your budget, it is important to be efficient in your grant prospecting process. Today’s guest, Gauri Manglik, explains how nonprofits can improve their fundraising and grant prospecting.  Rob’s guest, Gauri Manglik, is the CEO and Co-founder of Instrumentl . Instrumentl is a platfo...

Angela Redding It’s one thing to have a belief or a hypothesis. It’s another thing to have credible numbers available to you as a nonprofit leader looking to make a real difference. Today’s guest, Angela Redding, shares how the power of data can help shape an organization’s story and impact.  Rob’s guest, Angela Redding, is the Executive Director of Radiant Foundation. The goal of the f...

Donald Summers When we talk about nonprofits struggling with fundraising, typically we focus on solutions that address just the fundraising aspects of that organization. But often times, perhaps most of the time, if a nonprofit is really struggling with fundraising, it’s not just a fundraising challenge, it is an  organization-wide challenge . So the solution to solving the issue is muc...

Vilma Consuegra How much should your nonprofit invest in marketing and fundraising before it becomes excessive? This is the question we aim to discuss today. Rob’s guest, Vilma Consuegra, explains how you can find a healthy balance between your marketing budget and your mission.  Vilma Consuegra is the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at the Wounded Warrior Project. WWP offers...