Nonprofits On A Mission

This week's guest is John Judge, Scout Executive and CEO of Scouting America Greater Boston. John shares how the organization is rebuilding trust and expanding access to the outdoors after a challenging few years, plus what's driving growth in youth safety, urban outreach, and fundraising. He also opens up about his new book, exploring how nonprofits can protect human agency and purpose in the age...

Sarah catches up with Lauren Bombardier, VP of Advancement at Families in Transition, about the incredible work FIT is doing to prevent and break the cycle of homelessness in New Hampshire. Lauren shares how her team built a donor-focused fundraising strategy, smart board engagement tactics, and a few unexpected lessons learned along the way.

Hannah Beth Hembree is the Director of Development at the Salem Pantry, a food access hub on the North Shore of Massachusetts that serves 33,000 individuals a year and supports 31 partner organizations with last-mile food distribution. In this episode, she shares how she grew the pantry's annual fundraising from $500K to $2.6 million — and the mentorship, donor relationships, and board engagement...

Kara Bradford traded kindergarten for a capital campaign, and she's never looked back. In this episode, Sarah sits down with Kara to hear how a burned-out teacher landed her dream nonprofit job with zero experience, and how she's now leading a $1.1M major gifts campaign in her first year at Addison Housing Works in Vermont.

Lindsay Gilbert from Connor's Climb Foundation stops by to talk about how a small but mighty team is tackling suicide prevention across New Hampshire, from training teachers and students to empowering high schoolers to lead the charge in their own communities.

AJ Hebert cofounded Roca Kidz Club in Manchester, NH back in 2011, what started as a summer program feeding 30 kids on Thursday nights has grown into a thriving, faith based youth organization serving hundreds of children across three locations. In this episode, AJ shares the origin story, the power of relationship driven programming, and his ambitious vision for bringing Roca to cities nationwide...

Sarah sits down with Sue Centner and Lorrie Belinsky from the Community Alliance for Teen Safety (CATS), a New Hampshire nonprofit born from tragedy that has spent 30 years championing youth safety through grassroots community building, advocacy, and education. Sue and Lorrie share how CATS has evolved from a seatbelt law campaign in the '90s to launching student-led safety clubs and a community e...

Bethany Cottrell, the inaugural Executive Director of Families Flourish Northeast, a groundbreaking new organization in New Hampshire working to close a critical gap in recovery services for pregnant and parenting people facing substance use disorder.

Luke Mickelson was just a farm kid from Idaho who built one bunk bed for a family in need and accidentally launched Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a national nonprofit that has delivered over 100,000 beds to children sleeping on floors. In this episode, Luke joins Sarah to share the story behind the movement and gets candid about "founder syndrome", the painful reality of building something so big it st...

Corinne Benfield, Executive Director of Stay Work Play, a NH-based 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on attracting and retaining young talent (ages 18-40) in New Hampshire through programming, employer partnerships, and policy advocacy. Corinne discusses her experience leading the organization, highlighting growth in community engagement, stakeholder relationships, and policy work at the state level as th...

Polly Towner, Executive Director of the Manchester Community Music School, discussed her background in music education and the school's mission to make music accessible for everyone through diverse programs, 48 faculty members, and a strong music therapy department.

Tim Smith-Gerding of Blackbird Collective discusses his consulting work with nonprofits, focusing on strategic planning for organizations like Stay Work Play, and emphasizing the critical need for collaboration and shared administrative services among smaller nonprofits to improve efficiency and attract larger donors.

Al Cantor, Owner of Alan Cantor Consulting, discusses key issues like the growing role of Donor Advised Funds and private foundations, advising nonprofits to proactively integrate conversations about the distribution of these funds into their planned giving strategies.

Granite United Way President and CEO Nichole Martin Reimer discusses her first year in the role, highlighting the organization's work as a community connector through responsive grantmaking, 211, and major initiatives like the opioid abatement fund, while offering advice to nonprofit leaders on donor and board engagement, and the importance of connection and self-care.

Lara Quiroga, Owner and President of Larksparre Consulting, discusses her extensive background in early childhood education and nonprofit work before founding her own consulting firm in June 2024 to provide strategic planning, grant writing, and project management services to nonprofits.

Samantha Swaim, Founder of Swaim Strategies, discusses the evolution of fundraising events, emphasizing the shift from auctions to direct mission-based giving like the paddle raise, and highlights her company's work in consulting and producing hybrid events.

Becky Kates from Becky Kates Development Consulting discusses her work helping organizations with development, focusing on fundraising as building relationships, and emphasizes the crucial need for nonprofits to invest in infrastructure, technology, and staff.

Lindsay (Messina) Perreault, Executive Director of Austin17House, discussed the New Hampshire nonprofit's mission as a youth and family community center, detailing its hands-on programs, daily operations including providing dinner, and its success in helping troubled youth and fostering community engagement.

Jen Miller, Director of Development and Partnerships at Nashua PAL discusses her ten-year tenure and the organization's mission to empower youth through diverse programs. She shares impactful success stories, fundraising strategies, and emphasizes the importance of community support and self-care in the non-profit sector.

Chris Duhaime discusses his businesses, Pivot Creative and Flexhub Offices, and his work with nonprofits like Best Buddies New Hampshire, emphasizing the importance of marketing and board alignment for fundraising success.

Beth Dever, Executive Director of the Circle Program, discusses her nonprofit's mission to support disadvantaged rural girls through camp and mentorship. She also shares organizational goals, including a college readiness initiative, a van purchase, and the challenge of meeting the girls' increasing needs for resources.

White Mountain Science, Inc. is a New Hampshire-based STEM education nonprofit, led by Executive Director Jeremy Knowlton, that brings project-based learning and teacher coaching to over 50 rural schools. 

Bonnie Angulas, Library Director and Founding Board Member of the Mont Vernon Library Charitable Foundation, details the challenging but ultimately successful five-year journey to fund and build a new, accessible Daland Memorial Library in Mount Vernon, which is on track to open around January 2026.

Tricia Brannen, Executive Director of YouthWell, discusses the organization's mission to improve youth mental health in New Hampshire, highlighting the importance of developing relationships, early intervention education, and the inspiring work of YouthWell Voices. She shares personal and professional insights, emphasizing the need to reduce mental health stigma and amplify young people's voices....

Javan Van Gronigen, founder of Donately, discusses his journey from the agency world to creating a fundraising platform and digital agency focused on the nonprofit sector, emphasizing a holistic approach to fundraising and marketing. He encourages organizations to embrace consistency and leverage technology and AI to enhance their efforts.