Nonprofit Lowdown

It's a whole new gala world where fundraisers are online, formal wear means your house slippers and hosts are the size of your screen.  The pandemic has made the entire gala industry pivot in ways we couldn't imagine.  Join me and Benjamin Ryan Nathan, founder of All of Us Films, as we discuss some of the successes and failures of virtual galas.  Ben runs a production company that d...

This one is for all of you aspiring nonprofit founders.  In this episode, we serve up a hefty dose of reality about what it takes to found and run a successful nonprofit organization.  News flash: running a nonprofit is actually running a small business.  We speak with new founder, Kenneth Brown, about everything he's learned in the first year of his nonprofit and Andrea Ortega who...

True story: on top of my nonprofit work, I'm an aspiring stand-up comedian.  And, lemme tell ya, it's rough out there for a comic.  Join me and fellow stand-up comedian and Chief Story Smith Carlos Maestas to talk about how to be a better communicator.  We talk about how to find your own story, why it's a good idea to not take yourself too seriously and how to get out of pitch mode...

Join me and George "In the Mix" Suttles to talk about a very important topic.  We discuss the myths of the lack of BIPOC talent, how to set BIPOC leaders up for success and how to celebrate leadership reclamation.  This is a hugely important topic for the sector because if we say that we want to center Black and brown leadership, then we have to be prepared to do business differently. &n...

This summer, after George Floyd's murder, everyone started looking for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) consultants for their teams and organizations.  Not coincidentally, all of a sudden, there were a whole bunch of people calling themselves DEI experts.  Join me as I chat with Naté Hoover about how to assess whether a DEI consultant is actually skilled, how to know when your organ...

Ah, founders...they are the stuff of legend.  The ones who birth a nonprofit, nurture it through its infancy and watch it grow.  But, what happens when founders move on?  Today, we're talking with Anne Eidelman, CEO and Elandria Jackson Charles, VP of Development and External Affairs of Blue Engine about what happens when a charismatic founder moves on.  What are some of the le...

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what's a beautiful video worth?  We're visual animals and there's nothing more inspiring than beautiful visual stories that can move us.  Join me and expert Rachel Jellinek to discuss the art of vulnerable storytelling, what three stories your nonprofit should be telling and how to veer away from the poverty porn that is so embedded in our nonprofi...

Summer 2020: everyone is putting out anti-racist statements on their websites and blacking out their IG feeds.  Fine, but what does it ACTUALLY mean to start the journey of being an anti-racist organization?  What does personal and professional DEI work look like for organizations?  Expert consultants Tracey Allard and George Hsieh talk about their experiences of their anti-racist D...

Hi folks, Today's episode is a brief solo show about time and money.  I've gotten a real bug up my butt about the scarcity mindset that we see in nonprofits.  It shows up everywhere from the way we talk about time and money.  What would it take for us to tell ourselves different stories and how could we shift our relationship with time and money to one of intentionality and abundanc...

Join me and my buddy Heather Malin as we talk about her transition from a dog-enthusiast to a major gift fundraiser.  We talk about some of the common mistakes of fundraisers, how to turn your board into your biggest fundraisers and advocates and why people wait too long to ask.  Need some inspiration to go ask for that $$?  Listen to this one!

Join me and my friend Benny Vasquez, long-time educator and current Chief Equity Officer at the KIPP Foundation, as we discuss what it means to be anti-racist on a personal and organizational level.  Benny offers his perspectives as a lifelong educator and passionate DEI activist.  In this conversation we discuss: The role of white people in dismantling racism. Specific tips for anti-rac...

Join me and my friend David Hoffman as he shares five ways that your nonprofit can up your media game.  He walks us through his engagement funnel and gives us the keys to creating media (video, photos) that grab your donor's attention and get results.  His advice is actionable and effective to make your message stand out from the crowd.  In this podcast, you'll understand the differ...

Note: This episode contains some *adult* content so listener discretion is advised unless you want to have some very interesting conversations with your children. We know what being an ED or a nonprofit executive is tough.  We're called to work miracles on shoestring budgets.  Add COVID on top of that and it's a recipe for burn-out.  What happens when we let work take over our lives...

Organizing and documenting my business processes was about as high up on my list as scheduling a root canal.  Or writing the Great American Novel.  Yeah, yeah, totally one of my goals, but there are a million other things that get in the way.   Then, one day, you realize that it's mayhem and you're running ragged because "Nobody can do it like me!" or one of your key staff members h...

What does the future of NYC look like if we re-imagined it through the lens of equity and diversity?  Who's at the table and, more importantly, who isn't and why?  Join me and Dr. Rahsaan Harris, CEO of Citizens Committee for New York as we talk about our love of New York, Black philanthropy and how to build a more equitable New York after the twin pandemics have passed.  Listen in...

It's not often that my socks get knocked off, but believe me when I tell you Mike Kim knocked. My. Socks. Off.  In fact, I haven't even WORN socks since I recorded this episode. Realtalk: Mike drops value bombs aplenty about how to move prospective donors from zero awareness of your cause to becoming a donor (hint: it's a learnable framework), how to tell a memorable story (hint: it's a frame...

What a week it's been.  For those of you looking to take a break and find a moment of calm, I invite you to listen to this interview with Phil Weinberg.  Phil, a lifelong teacher, principal and, most recently, the Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at the NY Department of Education, shares his thoughts and philosophies about leadership.  By taking an educator's approach to...

Join me and the Charity CFO, Tosha Anderson, to talk about all of the finances.  Though this may not be the most thrilling topic, being responsible for fiscal oversight is one of the most important jobs for a board member.  Tosha and I talk about the differences between for-profit and nonprofit accounting, how to get the board focused on the right things and at the right level and how to...

Ah, strategic planning...a generative process an exercise in frustration or a little bit of both?  Join me on today's pod as we talk with expert strategic planning consultant Carol Hamilton about her perspectives on strategic planning.  What are some of the most common mistakes she's seen?  How do you know when an organization is ready for it?  How do you pick the right consult...

Full confession: my personal pet peeve = clunky, TMI nonprofit websites.  Everyone trying to tell their whole life story complete with annoying pop-ups asking for my email, bad photography and hard-to-read fonts are just NO BUENOS.  Websites are like dating profiles--providing just enough to invite engagement.  Join me and website expert Chijo Takeda as we talk about ways to improve...

This episode comes with a warning label: Could trigger flashbacks of bad funder memories!  Join me and Kris Putnam-Walkerly, philanthropy advisor, to talk about her new book Delusional Altruism.  In this episode, we get into the minds and behind the scenes of funders.  Surprise!   Philanthropists: they're just like us!  We discuss how fear and scarcity hold philanthro...

Founder's syndrome is a thing, y'all.  As many of us have seen, founders can struggle once their organizations grow and scale because the skills set and mindset of starting an organization is different than managing it.  Join me and Elizabeth Green, CEO of Chalkbeat , to share how she grew her passion project into a multi-city, multi-million dollar national nonprofit.  She's one of...

I've been a long-time fan of Guadalupe Nickell since Day One.  Lupe is a master fundraiser, fellow Californian and high school classmate (Go Toads!) who has found her calling in fundraising.  In this episode, we talk about how she found her purpose in fundraising, how to masterfully manage a relationship between EDs and Directors of Development and advice she would give to her younger se...

You know you want to...it's whispering to you...start your own business...be your own boss...On this week's pod, I'm talking with Nakeia Drummond, founder of NLD Strategic and the WELL, a group of Black womxn entrepreneurs.  In this fascinating and fun chat, we talk about getting paid, how to overcome your fears of being an imposter and being homeless by the side of the river, and the joys of...

The best part about having a podcast is all the learning I get to do with new friends and colleagues.  Join me and my new friend Khafre Jay , ED of Hip Hop for Change , about how he grew his organization from scratch to a $700K organization with grassroots canvassing as the backbone.  He has about 18,000 small-gift donors who he met on the streets of San Francisco and Oakland.  Lear...