The Influential Nonprofit

Key Takeaways: Sustainable change begins by raising standards, not just managing expectations. Standards define the floor you will no longer fall below, while expectations shape the ceiling you desire. Boundaries and agreements act as the walls that uphold both. Boundaries focus on what you no longer want to tolerate or experience. Agreements clarify what you do want and how it will work in practi...

Key Takeaways: Many nonprofit leaders enter the new year already depleted from the holiday rush. Emotional residue from 2025 lingers in the body and shapes early decisions. A reset begins by acknowledging how much energy was carried forward unnoticed. Leaders often bring guilt, unfinished conversations, and unresolved pressure into 2026. Closing loops matters more than fixing everything that happe...

Key Takeaways: Influence is the art of getting people you have no authority over to do what you want them to do, not just because they have to do it, but because they choose to. Your ability to influence others is critical to your success.  The first step in mastering the art of influence and showing up as an influential leader is knowing yourself. It’s not about anybody else. Train yourself first...

Key Takeaways: Understanding how thoughts and feelings contribute to decision-making is key to influential leadership. Influential leadership creates sustainable workforces with less turnover and more productivity. The first step towards becoming an influential leader is to go inward. Be willing to understand how the thoughts, beliefs, and experiences that you had when you were young impact the de...

Key Takeaways: Supporters engage for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, each bringing unique value. Instead of expecting long-term loyalty from everyone, recognize the natural ebb and flow. Gratitude for every contribution keeps the relationship healthy and grounded. Tourists, seasonal residents, and townies each play a meaningful role in the ecosystem. One-time donors bring energy, visibility, an...

Key Takeaways: Goals are meant to guide, not judge. When they serve as a compass instead of a scorecard, they inspire growth and unity instead of strain or shame. Progress becomes something to celebrate, not a verdict on worth. Nonprofit leaders often walk the line between big dreams and achievable results. Rigid focus on financial targets can create tension and burnout, but realistic goals rooted...

Key Takeaways: Goals are meant to guide, not judge. When they serve as a compass instead of a scorecard, they inspire growth and unity instead of strain or shame. Progress becomes something to celebrate, not a verdict on worth. Nonprofit leaders often walk the line between big dreams and achievable results. Rigid focus on financial targets can create tension and burnout, but realistic goals rooted...

Key Takeaways: True commitment begins with finding like-minded people, not convincing others to care. Instead of pitching or pushing, nonprofits should focus on shared values and invite donors into a community built on authentic connection. Meaningful conversations start with listening, not selling. By asking thoughtful questions and validating donors’ stories, organizations create space for peopl...

Javan Van Gronigen is the Co-Founder of Donately, a leading fundraising platform that has processed over $180M in donations for 1,400+ nonprofits. With 15+ years in digital marketing and social impact, he helped create accessible, transparent fundraising technology after his work on the global Kony 2012 campaign.   Key Takeaways: Nonprofits thrive when they align marketing, storytelling, and data...

Key Takeaways: True leadership success is measured by alignment with your values and season of life. It is not about busyness but about making intentional, sustainable choices that bring fulfillment. Leadership has natural rhythms of growth, energy, refinement, and rest. Recognizing and embracing each season allows leaders to act with clarity and avoid burnout. Success is reflected in energized we...

David Blyer is the Co-Founder, CEO, and President of Arreva, a leading provider of fundraising and donor relationship management software for nonprofits. With over three decades in the industry, he’s passionate about helping organizations strengthen donor engagement through technology and innovation. He previously founded DonorCommunity, the first all-in-one fundraising software for nonprofits, an...

Key Takeaways: True leadership often means loosening your grip. You cannot force outcomes, timelines, or people, but you can release and lead with trust. Surrender opens space for wisdom and growth. Surrender is not weakness but strength in disguise. Rest becomes a strategic act when we allow it to restore us. In slowing down, we sharpen clarity and courage. Perfection and rigid plans weigh leader...

A Canadian direct response strategist, designer, and author with over 25 years of experience. He champions donor-centered approaches that prioritize authenticity and emotional connection. His 2022 book, Creative Deviations, has inspired fundraisers worldwide to embrace creativity in storytelling and communication. John brings warmth, insight, and a human-first philosophy to every stage. Empowering...

Key Takeaways: Go through a seamless process with the donor; don’t go from unaware to action. Create a replicable, consistent donor experience through these stages of relationship building: awareness, interest, connection, and action. Build relationships with donors through direct communication, creating content that provides value to others, rather than simply bragging about one's own accomplishm...

Matt Nash is the executive director of The Blackbaud Giving Fund, leading the organization’s mission to unleash generosity by connecting people to causes they care about worldwide. An experienced executive with a focus on customer relationships and an expert in donor-advised funds and philanthropy, Matt previously served as the executive director of the Generosity Commission Working Group.   Key T...

Jen Recla is a leadership coach, facilitator, and adventure-seeker who helps leaders navigate their workload, build team trust, and lead with clarity, even when demands are high and resources are thin. With 15+ years in leadership, coaching, and organizational development, she brings a practical yet energizing approach to helping mission-driven leaders feel more capable and connected in their work...

Key Takeaways: Effective change management begins with acknowledging and inventorying concerns rather than dismissing them. Benefits should be clearly articulated and emphasized in order to outweigh perceived risks. Aligning proposed benefits with shared organizational values strengthens collective buy-in. Identifying the tipping point, where benefits surpass concerns, creates momentum for meaning...

Key Takeaways: Change unfolds in stages, and readiness cannot be forced. Recognizing that change follows a psychological process helps set realistic expectations. People move through stages at their own pace, and you cannot make yourself—or someone else—be ready before the time comes. Meet people where they are, not where you want them to be. Effective support means accepting others for who they a...

Nicole Stewart is the Executive Director of Boston CASA, a nonprofit that trains and supports community volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) for children who have suffered from abuse and neglect. She has over 25 years of experience supporting vulnerable children and advancing equity, education, and justice.   Key Takeaways: Effective leadership begins with a clear sense...

Key Takeaways: Fear Has a Role. It’s not something to eliminate but to understand. It can guide rather than block you when approached with awareness. Confidence Can Hold Fear. You don’t need to be fearless to lead. True confidence comes from naming your fears, narrowing them down, and choosing your next step anyway. Vulnerability Builds Trust. Leaders who show up with honesty and openness create s...

Robin is the Founder and CEO of The Abundant Nonprofit and the creator of the 7-Figure Nonprofit Framework. She is a speaker, strategist, culture-builder, and team whisperer. She works with nonprofit leaders who are done feeling stuck, underfunded, and overwhelmed—and who are ready to lead with clarity, confidence, and cash flow. For over 30 years, Robin has helped visionaries transform burnt-out...

Key Takeaways: Energy shapes everything. Energy is the foundation of all outcomes—your energy affects your thoughts, words, and ultimately, your results. You broadcast what you carry. As a leader, your thoughts and emotions are felt by others. Your energy influences how people respond to you. Attention creates direction. Where you focus your attention determines what grows. Choose to notice what w...

Key Takeaways: Fundraising begins with energy. Donors respond more to your emotional presence than your pitch, confidence, and authenticity attract, while desperation repels. Influence through presence, not perfection. Being grounded and emotionally attuned makes you more influential than having the "perfect" ask or script. Manage your energy intentionally. Simple practices like choosing a focus w...

Key Takeaways: Successful fundraising is more than just strategy—it begins with your internal world. Your mindset, emotional energy, and unconscious patterns play a major role in how you connect with others and inspire support. We all have sub-personalities—like the pleaser, perfectionist, or rebel—that try to protect us. These “parts” aren’t bad, but they can unintentionally undermine your effort...

Key Takeaways: Receptivity is an intentional strength. True openness toward money, ideas, feedback, or kindness is not passive. It is an active, rewired mindset that can be shaped over time, despite early conditioning. Receptive leaders influence through presence, not pressure. Leadership rooted in listening, collaboration, and invitation creates space for growth and impact, far more than force or...