The Common Good Data Podcast

This podcast episode focuses on planning for successful grant writing in prevention, with an emphasis on factors outside the proposal narrative that are critical to success. This podcast was generated following a workshop given by Drew in collaboration with the Southeast PTTC. Though the examples focus specifically on substance use prevention, many elements of this presentation are relevant for gr...

Roughly 1 in 3 Latino adults do not have access to health insurance in Charlotte, NC - a rate much higher than other cultural groups. Lack of access to health insurance coupled with mental health stigma lead to significant barriers for Latino families in accessing mental health services and programs. As we celebrate May as maternal and mental health awareness month, we’ve invited Juliana Lozano of...

On March 28, 2024, the US Census Bureau published a news release that they have issued updated standards for maintaining, collecting and presenting race and ethnicity data. Because so many nonprofit and public sector organizations base their collection of race and ethnicity data on US Census standards, these changes will likely have far-reaching effects, particularly for those organizations who re...

How does your organization use data and storytelling to drive positive narratives and engage stakeholders in the “why” of your mission? We are joined today by Becca O'Neill and Stefanía Arteaga of Carolina Migrant Network who talk about their work protecting immigrant communities through the provision of legal assistance and organizing/advocacy work. This compelling episode will help you better un...

Writing federal grant proposals can be tough - especially when it comes to writing goals, defining outcomes, and showing how you will demonstrate your impact. In this episode, Drew dives into tips and strategies for how to talk about data collection in your federal grant proposals. He talks about performance measures, building a plan for data collection, identifying useful data collection tools, a...

Announcing: The Common Good Data Podcast! In our trailer episode, we share how this podcast - designed for nonprofit and government leaders - will help you use data and evaluation strategies to build effective and sustainable programs in the areas of prevention, mental health, human services, and education. Hosted by the dynamic social work duo - Drew Reynolds and Roger Suclupe

What brings you joy in your work? How do you find purpose and meaning in your career? This week, we invited award-winning mental health practitioner, speaker, spiritual healer, podcaster, advocate, and author Erica Sandoval to talk meaning, purpose, leadership, and storytelling in social work practice. Erica shares about her experience as President of NASW New York, her career journey in starting...

What is the relationship between food and health? Can food be medicine? This week, we invited Matt Pieper from Open Hand Atlanta to talk about food, nutrition, and community health. We discuss research showing the effectiveness of medically-tailored nutrition interventions, we examine the ways social enterprise can support nonprofits and other socially-conscious missions, and we mix it with great...

“How are we going to win what we want to win?” We’re joined by Fred Brooks of Georgia State School of Social Work this month to talk community organizing. We discuss foundational principles in organizing, including the value that people most affected by an issue should be the agents of social change. Fred shared some strategies in canvassing and campaigning using examples from the field - both whi...

What are some of the myths of nonprofit leadership, and what are leadership postures that make for effective leadership? This week, we are joined by Michele Reiner of Storied Awareness to talk about nonprofit leadership with a focus on awareness, vulnerability, and courage. We discuss the myths of nonprofit leaders, why nonprofit leaders are leaving the field and what helps leaders be more effecti...

What are some of the challenges facing youth with respect to substance use? This week, we are joined by Nilda Delgado and Ricardo Torres of the Alianza Coalition who share about their work in reducing substance use among Latino youth. We talk coalitions, reducing access, communications and messaging, and acculturation stress. At the top of the episode, Roger and Drew also each share their top 5 La...

How are you building community collaborations in your organization? Who are the mentors and professionals who have guided you in your practice? We discuss these topics and more with Dr. Deidre Carmichael of the Child Welfare Training Collaborative and Project Director at GSU’s Professional Excellence Program . We begin with a conversation on gratitude in professional relationships with Natalie Mer...

(Interview only) “They have lost faith, and we have lost credibility with them,” shares our guest Men Tchaas Ari of Communities in Schools as we talk about the importance of relationships in supporting student academic, social, and emotional wellbeing in the wake of the pandemic. We discuss educational inequality, achievement gaps, mental health and trauma, and how nonprofits and community organiz...

(Interview Only) Drew & Roger are back! We're launching the Common Good Mixtape where we mix the music of the 80s and 90s with social work and nonprofit practice. We're joined by Edwin Arce Jr. & Patrick Hayes to kick off our segment on mental health to discuss social work practice with veterans. We talk common misconceptions about veterans, the divide between civilians and those in unifor...

This week, we welcome Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken, George Mitchell, and Hans Peter Schmitz to talk about their book, Between Power and Irrelevance: The Future of Transnational NGOs. We talk about how the “architecture” of the sector - or how nonprofits are set up and function - may in fact get in the way of bringing about the change nonprofits seek. We also discuss inherent challenges in the sector...

Atenas Burrola joins the CGH to talk about her work at the Immigrant Justice Campaign working for and with immigrants and offering legal representation to ensure they receive fair and just treatment under the law. We also talk about nonprofits can think about their connection to the community they serve and how nonprofits can navigate advocacy work as a registered 501(c)3. We begin the episode dis...

What’s a “recipe” for success in housing and homelessness in Atlanta? This week, we invite Marc Pollack, developer, investor, community activist, and home chef to discuss his work in affordable housing and his recent new project, the Quarantine Cookbook. In addition to having a fun conversation on cooking, the slow-food movement, and farm-to-table practices, we talk with Marc about his work with h...

How do the best nonprofits define, know, and serve their community? This week, we invite you to reflect on how you define community in your nonprofit, and how you navigate knowing, serving, and working through issues of insider-ship and outsider-ship as a professional nonprofit leader. For our guest interview, we welcome Whitney Jackson and Monica Akerele this week to talk about the work of https:...

How do we overcome indifference? This week we invite Sam Stanton and Cecilia Espinoza, two former Maryknoll Lay Missioners as they describe their work providing social and family services in the community of Nirivilo, near Linares, Chile, during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. They share their experiences of cross-cultural encounter through international exchange programs and mission trips a...

How do we practice encounter? What does it look like, and what specific practices help create it in our daily work in the nonprofit sector? We begin this episode talking about how to integrate courage, mercy, generosity, humility, and fidelity into our everyday nonprofit practices. We also invite Dr. Marcus Mescher, author of https://www.orbisbooks.com/the-ethics-of-encounter.html (The Ethics of E...

This week, Drew and Roger share practice stories and highlight how moments of encounter often come through ordinary interactions. Anne Archer Dennington and Floyd Hall of https://fluxprojects.org/ (Flux Projects) discuss how artists serve as our community’s best storytellers and documenters of culture, as well as how public art creates spaces of encounter. Alexander “COSTxONE” Acosta of https://ww...

This week, we begin a new series focusing on the theme of encounter and the idea that all good social sector practice begins with and is rooted in relationship. We share three key aspects of encounter that every helping professional can integrate into their practice. In addition, we invite Karen Mariner, Jeff Lax, and Suzanne Boyd of the https://www.nationalmssociety.org/ (National Multiple Sclero...

Over 5 billion people lack access to surgery worldwide, posing a massive global health challenge. This week, Drew shares about his work https://www.childspringintl.org/ (Childspring International), a global health nonprofit based in Atlanta which just completed its 5,000th pediatric surgery this month. Drew describes Childspring’s projects in pediatric orthopedics, cardiology, plastics, and genera...

We’re joined this week by Gerard Littlejohn, Executive Director of the https://www.stevesmithfamilyfdn.org/ (Steve Smith Family Foundation) and co-host of the podcast https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-cut-to-it-featuring-steve-71209583/# (Cut to it) with former NFL player Steve Smith Sr. We kick off the podcast talking about Gerard’s work in East Charlotte, where his organization supports housin...

How are nonprofits and other community organizations accompanying adolescents and college students as they navigate their studies during a pandemic? We are so lucky to be joined this week by Elliot Karp, CEO of Hillels of Georgia, to talk about his work in supporting students on their journey through college. He talks about the importance of creating communities with college students and shares ex...