Nonprofits Now: Leading Today

Are we living in unprecedented times for philanthropy, or have we seen this all before? Stacy Palmer , Chronicle of Philanthropy CEO, has some answers. We're excited to share a recent episode from The Solve Effect podcast, where host Hala Hanna sat down with Stacy, who has reported for four decades on trends in giving, government funding, and the extremely wealthy people who power philanthrop...

We're excited to share a special episode of Sharpe Insights , a podcast about planned giving. Tune in as two Chronicle of Philanthropy editors discuss why the human element remains essential in fundraising, even in our digital age. Host Grant Miller welcomes Rasheeda Childress and M.J. Prest to discuss ways technology can shore up — or erode — donor relationships, the short- and long-term eff...

What if the defining feature of nonprofit leadership right now isn’t burnout or bravery, but a kind of double vision—an ability to stare straight at worsening conditions and still believe, perhaps stubbornly, that impact can grow? The Chronicle of Philanthropy joined forces with Mission Partners to take the pulse of the nonprofit world. In this episode of the Mission Forward podcast, Chronicle CEO...

Federal funding cuts and increased demand for their services have left nonprofits across the country and issue areas reeling — with many questioning whether they will survive. The consequences are stark, given the vital work nonprofits do in communities across the country.  To help nonprofits navigate this challenging time, we here at "Nonprofits Now" would like to share this podcast epi...

We here at Nonprofits Now would like to introduce you to our friends at the We Are for Good Podcast , where innovative philanthropy leaders share ideas and strategies that change the world. In addition to podcasts, the folks at We Are for Good also run a community hub where nonprofit professionals can connect and learn from each other. We were honored that the hosts of the We Are for Good Podcast,...

We here at Nonprofits Now have loved joining the vibrant community of philanthropy podcasters. We'd like to introduce you to our friends at Becoming The Vision , a podcast that believes we must change ourselves to change the world. Join hosts Dr. Chera Reid, Efraín Gutiérrez, and Dr. Trinel Torian as they interview visionaries inside and outside of philanthropy. In this episode, Chera, Efraín...

We love introducing you to meaningful conversations and powerful ideas, and today, we're thrilled to bring you something a little different — a bonus episode from our friends at the Mission Forward podcast. If you haven’t tuned in yet, Mission Forward is all about the people and stories driving social change, and we think you’ll find a lot to love. In this special episode, host Carrie Fox sit...

Why are urban and rural America so at odds? Author Barbara Kingsolver has answers as she joins the second episode of our sister podcast from the Chronicle of Philanthropy : The Commons in Conversation .   The Pulitzer Prize winner frequently writes and talks about the origins of — and cure for — what she calls "urban-rural antipathy." Her most recent novel, Demon Copperhead, aims to dism...

We're excited to introduce you to the Chronicle of Philanthropy 's latest podcast, The Commons in Conversation  — a new show that explores how nonprofits and philanthropy can bring Americans together and strengthen fractured communities. The Commons in Conversation uncovers solutions in interviews with advocates, leaders, and thinkers, including philanthropist Reid Hoffman, author Barbar...

As federal spending cuts, government policy shifts, and economic turbulence roil the nonprofit world, nearly 90 percent of leaders are worried they’re burning out, according to a new study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy. To help leaders figure out how to avoid exhausting themselves and their staffs, we turned to Sean Goode, an executive coach, to tackle this topic for our final episode o...

As leaders at every nonprofit — no matter the size or cause — grapple with challenges to their missions and finances, it’s especially important to tap into the wisdom of executives who have helped their organizations weather previous threats. Barron Segar is one of those leaders. He took over as head of World Food Program USA just a few months before Covid ripped across the globe. Before that, he...

Valerie Jarrett is no stranger to the tough challenges nonprofit leaders face today. She is now head of the Obama Foundation , which is working to build an extensive library and community center in Chicago. From that perch she collaborates closely with leaders who pursue a wide range of social-change and economic development efforts.  Jarrett built many of her leadership muscles decades ago, when...

Like all workplaces, nonprofits are now filled with up to four generations of workers as boomers work along with millennials and people in Generations X and Z. Each generation approaches work and careers differently, which leads to struggles at some organizations. But at the best-run nonprofits, leaders are ensuring that differences in work styles and life experience enhance an organization’s abil...

Nonprofits are facing a series of financial hits — or bracing for them. Federal spending cuts have already forced many organizations to trim programs and lay off workers — and with policymakers considering more far-reaching reductions, additional austerity is likely. Meanwhile, the growing possibility of a recession could spell trouble for nonprofits that depend on foundations, corporations, and i...

With the prospect of an economic downturn looming ― and the number of nonprofit layoffs on the rise ― many leaders are coping with a jittery workforce and new pressures to keep staff members motivated. These new developments come on top of one of the most challenging staff recruitment landscapes in recent memory, after the Covid pandemic changed how and where work gets done. In search of solutions...

As nonprofit leaders grapple with increasingly dire threats to their funding and missions, it’s more important than ever to understand what it takes to lead resilient organizations. For a look at what skills are most important, we hear from Vanessa Priya Daniel, who interviewed 45 social-justice leaders for her new book, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning . Daniel...

Two leaders, Kathleen St. Louis Caliento and Nick Grono , join Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer to explain how they have engaged their board in financial efforts. St. Louis Caliento runs Cara Collective , a Chicago nonprofit that helps low-income people find jobs.  Grono heads the Freedom Fund , an organization that pools funds from donors who want to fight modern-day slavery. He’s the author of How to...

Tim Dixon, co-founder of More in Common , joins Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer to offer research-based strategies leaders can use to bridge divides in the workplace and in their communities. More in Common helps political leaders and social-change movements strengthen their coalitions by including unlikely allies. Bridging divides is top-of-mind for nonprofit leaders today. Nearly two-thirds of nonpro...

Nonprofit leaders are overworked, struggling to retain top talent, and facing budgetary shortfalls. In Nonprofits Now: Leading Today , host Stacy Palmer interviews innovative leaders who have developed smart solutions to common, tough challenges. The podcast series springs from an exclusive Chronicle of Philanthropy   survey that uncovered troubling pain points in nonprofit leadership and a loomin...