Nonprofit Vision With Gregory Nielsen

The departure of a key leader can be a difficult time for any nonprofit organization.  One approach to ensure organizational stability and momentum is to hire an interim executive for a defined period of time.  Jarrett Ransom joins Greg to discuss the ins and outs of hiring an interim leader.  

Nonprofit organizations with effective fundraising strategies exhibit 5 key behaviors.  Philanthropy expert Sybil Ackerman-Munson joins Greg to discuss these key attributes and empower nonprofit leaders to feel good about their fundraising strategies.  

Healthy fundraising strategies begin by focusing on cultivating deep and lasting relationships with those who believe in and support your mission.  As Giving Tuesday approaches, Nejeed Kassam -- Founder of Keela -- joins Greg to discuss 5 donor types to engage this Giving Tuesday in order to enhance your fundraising success.  Greg and Nejeed also discuss tips and strategies for taking a...

A capital campaign represents an organization-wide focused effort to generate resources for a specific project or undertaking.  Hal Hedley, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana, joins Greg to discuss strategies for successful capital campaigns, from critically important planning efforts to managing the highs and lows of a campaign.  You won't want to miss this insightful...

Healthy nonprofits carefully nurture and cultivate resources from a variety of sources.  One of the most important of these are transformational, or major gifts.  Brian Wells, a highly successful development professional, joins Greg to discuss approaches to develop or enhance your nonprofit's ability to attract and secure major gifts.  

How connected do you feel to the core values of your nonprofit?  This episode features a discussion of values-based leadership for nonprofits.  Listen as Greg shares practical tips for developing or revising core values as well as ensuring that values play an integral role in the leadership and culture of your organization.   

A healthy Board-CEO relationship is critical to effective nonprofit leadership.  However, these relationships can often be tricky , as issues are complex and the dynamics of the relationship can be challenging.  Amy Fass, CEO of the nonprofit Shoes That Fit, joins Greg for a lively and entertaining discussion about cultivating healthy nonprofit Board-CEO relationships.   

Did you know that while charitable giving grew by 2% last year, online giving grew by nearly 21%, representing more than a 32% increase over the last three years.  Tim Kachuriak, founder of NextAfter, a fundraising research lab consultancy, joins Greg to discuss tips and strategies for nonprofits to optimize their online fundraising.  

The term Gold Star Family recognizes the sacrifice that military family members make when a father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, or other loved one dies in service to the nation.  As we honor the fallen this week on Memorial Day, Chad Graham of the Woody Williams Foundation joins Greg for a memorable podcast episode.  Woody Williams is the last remaining Medal of Honor awardee...

While we sometimes think of risk in terms of things that may go wrong, risk also encompasses evaluating opportunities for your nonprofit.  Ted Bilich joins Greg to discuss effective risk management processes and approaches for nonprofits.

Informing and inspiring Board members to to greater engagement is a challenge shared by nonprofit leaders.  We all search for unique and effective ways of fostering Board interaction.  Brian Brandt has taken the power of a story and applied it to share important lessons and questions about Board service.  Brian joins Greg to discuss his new book "The Ambassador's Journey: A Parable...

Over the past several years, social entrepreneurship has become a widely discussed concept in nonprofit circles.  Social enterprises have the potential to offer many benefits for nonprofits, but as with any change or expansion to one's business model, must be approached thoughtfully and with intentionality.  Brian Jenkins, Founder and President of Entrenuity, joins Greg to discuss social...

Shaped in her part by her experience in the Peace Corps, Sondra Jenzer believes passionately in the holistic model of nonprofit leadership.  Sondra joins Greg to discuss the benefits of a holistic model and the critical role of values such as humility, trust, and empowerment.   

Debra Porta is the Executive Director of Pride Northwest.  Like many other nonprofit leaders, Debra has led her team through an evolution over the past year, examining many critical questions, but none more vital than "Who does the community need us to be?"  Debra joins Greg to discuss this journey.  

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) encompasses a wide spectrum of activities, from sponsorships/donations to employee volunteerism.  Meike Eilert joins Greg to discuss the important differences between CSR and corporate activism, motivations and risks businesses weigh in this area, and tips for developing meaningful partnerships between corporations and nonprofits that have deep roots, wis...

Nneka Allen has inspired philanthropy in the nonprofit sector for 20 years. She honors the spirit of generosity in all people and is passionate about the many contributions of Black Canadian philanthropists and fundraisers.  Her recent work entitle "Our Right to Heal" brought together a group of women at various points in their fundraising careers to share both their professional and personal...

Is a scarcity mindset holding your nonprofit back from reaching its full potential?  Nell Edgington joins Greg to share practical and actionable tips for transforming your nonprofit leadership from a scarcity mindset to one of abundance.  Listen as we discuss the potential of one three-letter word to unlock the power of possibility for your nonprofit. 

2020 has been a volatile year for nonprofits, and leaders have had to adapt and change at breakneck speed.  This accelerated pace of change threatens to create "change fatigue" within organizations and leaders.  Ginny Waller joins Greg to discuss how leaders can look for the signs of change fatigue within their organization and take steps to create a healthier culture and environment. &n...

Increasing numbers of nonprofit organizations are re-examining their space and office needs in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors.  Hannah Odell of GreaterSpace and Colleen Susini of Servcorp join Greg to discuss this growing trend, including what nonprofits should look for and pitfalls to avoid.  They also discuss the unique and impactful collaboration between GreaterSpace...

Gary Romano of Civitas Strategies and Gregory Nielsen of Nielsen Training & Consulting discuss the impact of the potential stimulus bill on nonprofits and small businesses.  We discuss what we know now, what we are hearing, and how the potential legislation could impact nonprofits and small businesses.

Instead of succumbing to his terminal diagnosis, Matthew Zachary became the ultimate advocate for young adult cancer patients. From starting the first-ever healthcare podcast and founding Stupid Cancer, to serving as a Strategic Advisor for Nord and The Google Health Advisory, Matt shares tips for harnessing the advocacy impact of your nonprofit.  

Would your nonprofit ever decline a gift from a donor?  Should you?  Effective gift acceptance policies provide vital guardrails for nonprofit Boards and staffs as they pursue gifts and other donations to advance their mission.  In this podcast episode, Greg provides a deeper understanding of the what, the why, and the how of drafting and adopting effective gift acceptance policies...

Understanding the ecosystem or landscape in which your nonprofit operates is critical to your team's ability to make effective decisions.  Alison LaRocca joins Greg to discuss evaluation tools and approaches -- including interviews, surveys, and focus groups -- that can give you a clearer snapshot of your organization.

Assembling a diverse team of Board members is not only the right thing to do, it is also essential for effective governance and decisionmaking.  Pamela Cannell and John Hernandez join Greg to discuss specific steps nonprofits can take to enhance diversity and share the innovative way in which BoardBuild is combining technology and training to elevate nonprofit Boards.  

Nonprofit leaders and fundraisers continually strive to develop deeper relationships with their donors.  The more we understand our donors' motivations for giving, the more likely we are to build the types of relationships that lead to lasting support.  Gabe Cooper, CEO of Virtuous, joins Greg to discuss strategies for using technology and other resources to build systems that enhance do...