Nonprofit Lowdown

I loved, loved, loved this conversation with Marvin who is an Annual Giving Officer at MIT Sloan School of Management.  We talk about the mental shifts he has made to be an effective fundraiser, how his job is more "philanthropic advisor" than "salesman" and what it's been like for him to be the  "only" in many rooms.  Marvin's wise, generous and insightful take on fundraising and h...

Holy moly!  It's my 100th episode!  Thank you so much to everyone who has listened.  When I started this, I never thought we would be at 100 episodes or that I would be talking to the One and Only Beth Kanter.  Beth, nonprofit goddess, talks about her long career in nonprofit and nonprofit tech and her recent book The Healthy, Happy Nonprofit.   We talk about how to take c...

Join me and Northstar Fund's Executive Director Jennifer Ching to discuss decolonizing philanthropy.  In this hugely important conversation, Jen shares how the work of the Northstar Fund is actively working towards dismantling white supremacy and power and centering the work and decision-making of BIPOC activists.  By recasting our own relationship and assumptions about money, we can eng...

It's the first solo show in a while.  In this show, I walk through my 5 M framework to building an effective fundraising program.  The five elements are: mindset, message, market, methodology and management.  Take a listen to figure out how to tighten up your nonprofit program.  Also, I've just launched my group coaching program for folks who want to do a deeper dive on these t...

Erica Hamilton: mother, wife, social justice warrior, leader.  For those of you who missed Erica's previous podcast episode, I'm thrilled to interview her again as she kicks off her newest adventures.  Erica is passionate about social justice and supporting BIPOC womxn who may struggle to thrive in environments that were not created for them.  In this interview, we chat about some b...

Hey.  So, my pal, Emily wrote a book called Obsessed .  She also happens to be the branding genius behind household brands like Casper, Boxed, and Allbirds.  So, yeah, she knows a thing or two about branding.  Listen in to this episode where Emily drops huge value bombs like: 1) How to simplify and streamline your message (literally, NOBODY needs to know about the mind-numbing...

What a treat this interview with my dear friend and soul sister Maureen Yusuf-Morales is!  Mo and I worked together at Breakthrough New York and she has gone on to become an expert educator, school founder and principal and DEI trainer.  In this interview, we talk about examining and unpacking the racist practices of schooling in America, how to be an anti-racist parent and what educators and pare...

Join me and my long-time pal Jenn David-Lang to discuss how to start and run a mastermind group.  In this podcast, you'll learn: 1) What is a mastermind and how can I use it to up my game? 2) Tactical tips on how to run the group 3) How masterminds are effective in reinforcing learning and adopting new behaviors. 4) How to deal with that pesky Imposter Syndrome For more about Jenn, check out:...

Join me and CPA Chyla Graham to talk about how to deal with your nonprofit budgeting and money management during this crazy time.  Chyla drops a ton of value bombs like: Why women of color may shy away from the finances. How to train your board at the appropriate level of financial oversight. Benefits of zero-based budgeting How to align your budgets with the stuff you care about and value. C...

Oh, our boards.  In this time of BLM and the broader conversations around racial equity, it can be hard to know where to begin with your board.  Boards are often more conservative, wealthier and less diverse than our staff and clients so how do we get them on their DEI path?  In this really important conversation with DEI consultant Martha Haakmat, we talk about 1) How to get boards...

Today my guest Vanessa Wakeman, founder of the Wakeman Agency, discusses PR in the nonprofit sector.  Why do we need it and how do we demonstrate an ROI?  We also discuss how to elevate the voices of women and folks of color as experts and thought leaders in the field.  Vanessa shares a step by step playbook on how to be recognized for your ideas, how to show up as your whole self u...

In this tumultuous time, we are all asking ourselves what we can do to support racial justice and equity (and if you're not, why are you even listening to my podcast?).  Join me and Karen Fleshman, founder of Racy Conversations, to learn about the history of white women's role in holding up white supremacy in America, how you can start to have hard conversations about race with white family a...

Hot off the press!  Join me and today's guest Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou, New York State's ONLY Asian-American female Assemblymember representing Lower Manhattan (Lower East Side, Chinatown, Financial District, Battery Park and South Street Sea Port). In this conversation, we discuss the recent protests, how Asians can be allies to the Black community, what the impact of Asian under-represe...

In the midst of a pandemic, there has never been a better time to think about starting that side-hustle or that full-hustle.  Join me, Kishshana and Brooke to talk about making the leap from nonprofit executives to small business owners.  We talk about what is hard and what is joyful about owning your own business, how to feel the fear and do it anyway and how to stop comparing yourself...

My friend Dianne Morales is running for Mayor of New York.  She is the first Latina to ever do so and the very first woman in this mayoral race.  Listen in as she shares her platform positions on racial equity and justice, access to mental health and how her brand of female leadership would transform New York for the better.  Dianne is aligned with many of my personal values and I h...

The documented rise of racist attacks against Asian-Americans is real and hits particularly close to home for me.  Join me, Dr. Peter Keo of UCLA and Carlyn Cowen of the Chinese American Planning Council to explore the historical roots of anti-Asian racism in the US, how to avoid upholding racist stereotypes of the "model minority myth" and how to be an ally.  This is a really deep and t...

Join me and my friend and mentor Cynthia Rivera Weissblum for some sound advice and comfort on leading your nonprofit during these tumultuous times.  Cindy has been both an Executive Director and now oversees the Edwin Gould Foundation as CEO.  Her advice comes from a thirty year history in the sector coupled with her deep empathy and wisdom.  Some takeaway thoughts include: How and...

In this interview from our webinar series, we're talking with Minna Taylor, Founder of Energize Your Voice, about how to effectively communicate with your team via Zoom, how your content is the LEAST important thing that you're communicating and how to harness your breath and body for impactful communication.  This is a must-listen for leaders who want to maximize their impact, especially in...

We are all going through a challenging time right now, but it won't be forever.  Dr. Lisette Nieves is one of the kindest, wisest and most effective leaders I've had the pleasure of knowing.  Listen into a recent interview with her where we talk about how to both hold space for people's emotions while also looking at the opportunities ahead of us.  She provides both truth and hope i...

Today's guest is none other than the phenomenal Kaya Henderson.  Among many accomplishments, she was the former Chancellor of DC Public Schools, Executive Director of Teach for America DC, and a Spanish teacher in the Bronx.  Kaya knows a thing or two about leading through challenging circumstances and this chat was both a warm hug and a fire in the belly.  Kaya shares her perspecti...

As fundraisers, this COVID-19 has presented more than a few challenges.  Join me and master fundraiser Kara Logan Berlin to talk about what savvy development directors are doing now, what to communicate to your funders and how to come out stronger when this ends.  Kara has raised millions of dollars and is passionately committed to teaching people how to do development well.  We are...

“Leadership is accepting responsibility for enabling others to achieve shared purpose in the face of uncertainty” -Marshall Ganz Now more than ever, we are facing uncertainty.  We all have a choice to make: will we grow and rise to meet the challenge and lean into this moment to create grace and community or will we let fear lead us to make ourselves smaller?  Join me and master fundrais...

I know you're stressed out, worried about what's happening now and uncertain about the future.  In the midst of all this COVID-19 madness, don't forget that you need to take care of yourself.  Join me and my naturopathic doctor, Dr. Gabrielle Francis, as we discuss strategies to take care of yourself, especially as an empath in this work.  We talk about signs of adrenal fatigue, die...

I invited my pal Heather Malin to talk about the state of fundraising in these challenging times.  Heather is an expert fundraiser and we talk about strategies that fundraisers can implement right now, how to survive and how to move forward in the face of recession.  With obstacle comes opportunity and those who adapt will survive.  Take a listen and let me know what other supports...

Join me and my friend (and first boss!) Sam Marks to understand the financial side of nonprofits.  As the new CEO of FJC: A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds, we talk about what exactly a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is, how nonprofits who need a loan to even out cash flow can get one, why it's important to get a handle on your expenses and what he's learned from over twenty years in the social s...