Nonprofit Leadership Podcast

Jason Kruger As nonprofit leaders, we aim to run organizations that thrive, especially in a tough economic climate. In order to thrive, we have to be able to make the right decisions. One area that impacts our ability to make the right decisions is accounting. Rob’s guest is Jason Kruger and he explains that nonprofits who have financial clarity are better able to manage their organizations...

Nonprofits have been dealing with a downward trend when it comes to the donations they receive and the volunteers that join their organizations. For example, contributions from individuals to nonprofits have decreased over thirteen percent, while corporations have given over ten percent less in 2022 compared to the previous year. Additionally, there has been a decline in volunteering for the past...

Tommy Spaulding As nonprofit leaders, we are not only making an impact in the lives of those we serve, but we have the opportunity to lead others within our organizations. So what does it take to be an effective leader? Rob’s guest is Tommy Spaulding who explains how we can be better at leading our teams, what an effective leader looks like and one key underrated trait we should all develop...

Vedika Bhandarkar Safe water. While most of us have access to it, there are millions across the world who do not. There are approximately 700 million people, all over the world, who do not have access to safe water or sanitation. Rob’s guest, Vedika Bhandarkar, describes a unique and effective strategy for getting more clean water to those in need. Vedika is the Chief Operating Officer at Water.or...

Artificial Intelligence. Did you know that AI is embedded in almost everything we do? It’s often embedded in our workflow, our fundraising and our data analytics. Already, there are many in the nonprofit sector who are using AI but many not even realize that they are using. For example, in 2020, 75% of nonprofits reported using AI for predictive analytics to enhance their fundraising efforts. (Sou...

Cara Augspurger A discouraging trend in the nonprofit space is the steady decrease in the number of donors that are giving to nonprofit organizations. Simply put, if an organization cannot retain its donors, then it won’t be around very long. Rob’s guest,  Cara Augspurger, Ed. M., CFRE  shares specific ways we can improve our efforts in relation to donor retention. Cara is a Fundra...

Diana Mao As of a September 2022 report on the global estimates on modern slavery, more than 27 million people are in forced labor. Out of those people affected, approximately 1 million are in the United States. Rob’s guest, Diana Mao, describes why the issue of human trafficking is so prevalent and what can be done to fight this problem. Diana is the Co-founder and President of the Nomi Net...

Evan Wildstein What is the first thing that you think about when you hear the term, “servant leadership?” While this term isn’t very popular anymore, the essence of being a servant leader is precisely what most nonprofit leaders aspire to be. Today’s guest, Evan Wildstein breaks down what this term means and what it practically looks like to apply servant leadership to everyday situations.  R...

Hardy Smith As a nonprofit leader, do you ever feel frustrated at the engagement of your board members? Do you wonder why they aren’t performing the way they should be? Rob’s guest, Hardy Smith explains the reasons why board engagement may be down and what you can do to improve it. Hardy is a speaker and consultant who helps nonprofits customize solutions, strategies, and systems. He is also...

Julie Gehrki, Vice President of Philanthropy at Walmart We know that Walmart is a successful corporation, selling goods throughout the world, but that is not all they do. You may be surprised by the impact Walmart is making through their many philanthropic efforts, local and world-wide. Today’s guest, Julie Gehrki, explains the various ways Walmart is supporting nonprofits through their new social...

Dean Dalzell Do you have financial processes in place for your nonprofit organization? Does your financial team have the skills and knowledge to handle financial complexities as your nonprofit grows? Today’s guests, Dean Dalzell and Jerry Frick explain why it is important to have solid and transparent financial processes in place, so you don’t mismanage this area of your organization.  Rob’s...

Allyson Fryhoff Amazon is not just a place full of great products to purchase and movies to stream, but the company is also making a social impact. Rob’s guest, Allyson Fryhoff, explains how Amazon Web Services provides many tech tools to nonprofits which is helping them to go further, faster.  Allyson is the Managing Director of Nonprofit and Nonprofit Health at Amazon Web Services. Amazon Web Se...

Stephanie Yan Many donors give to nonprofits via family foundations. There are times that this type of donation could pose a conflict of interest, which could eventually lead to ethical or legal issues down the line. Rob’s guest, Stephanie Yan, explains that this conflict of interest is known as “self-dealing.” She also explains how foundations can avoid finding themselves in this type of si...

Brian Crimmins When it comes to traditional giving to nonprofits, we are facing a downward trend. Today’s guest, Brian Crimmins, shares why traditional giving is declining. He also describes ways nonprofit leaders can change how they approach development and fundraising in order to turn things around.  Brian is the co-author of the book, The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Conne...

Ann Lee As nonprofit leaders, we aim to make the biggest impact possible. Sometimes in order to make the biggest and most effective impact long term, we need to be humble and consider collaborating or partnering with other organizations. Today’s’ guest, Ann Lee, shares not only why it’s important to approach your mission from a holistic, long term perspective, but to understand the importance of c...

In today’s digital age, it is more important than ever for nonprofit organizations to innovate and optimize their fundraising. Today we are honored to learn from nonprofit thought leaders who recently attended the 2023 Nonprofit Innovation and Optimization(NIO) Summit in Dallas, TX. These leaders share the best practices for how nonprofits can improve their fundraising efforts. Rob’s guests are Ti...

Lindsay Hadley Tanisha Shedden When looking at the current state of the nonprofit sector, we have to look at both the biggest challenges and the biggest opportunities facing nonprofit leaders. Today we are honored to learn from nonprofit leaders who recently attended the 2023 Utah Nonprofits Association’s (UNA) Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Rob’s guests are Lindsay Hadley, Tanis...

Michelle Boggs, Executive Nonprofit Industry Advisor, Classy What are the current trends facing the nonprofit sector when it comes to giving? What can we do as nonprofit leaders to adjust our fundraising strategies? Today’s guest, Michelle Boggs, shares some fascinating pieces of data from a 2022 report that we can use to improve our fundraising efforts and grow donations. Michelle is the Executiv...

Nonprofit. It’s a word we all use to describe our organizations, but are we inadvertently hurting ourselves by using that word? When you hear the name “nonprofit” what comes to mind? Perhaps scarcity, or the opposite of something, or work that we shouldn’t get paid to do? Why do we call this sector by its tax exempt status rather than for what we do? Shouldn’t we be known for the impact and...

Too often, nonprofits think they’re the cause that the community wants to support. But nonprofits are not the cause. They’re the conduit for the cause. Rob’s guest today is Bill McKendry, a marketing expert who’s spent 35 years successfully doing marketing for many for-profit companies. He pivoted out of the for-profit world to not only start a nonprofit, but is now an author of a book...

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 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 CEO of Cradles to Crayo...

Jasper van Brakel, CEO of RSF Social Finance 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 c...

Paul Falcone Right now we are living in a time when the challenges facing management is at an all time high, especially when it comes to managing crises. The combination of advancements in technology, economic uncertainty and volatility of the marketplace all have put unique pressure on not only nonprofit leaders but for-profit leaders as well. Perhaps you as a nonprofit leader feel like every wee...

Jakada Imani, CEO of The Management Center Recruitment and retention are hot topics on the minds of many nonprofit leaders right now. Today’s guest, Jakada Imani argues that if you want to recruit and retain a diverse staff, then the organization’s leaders must create an honest culture where people feel like they actually belong.  Jakada is the CEO of The Management Center. The Management Cen...

Leading and motivating staff is a difficult job for every leader, especially the CEO or Executive Director of an organization. Staff communication, staff conflict and staff competition are very real issues that all leaders have to navigate through as they seek to move the organization towards a common mission. Could you imagine having two staff members who are literally working side by side who ar...