The Nonprofit Edge

ara Quarrie delivers one of the most practical and thought-provoking conversations we've had on the future of nonprofit leadership. Artificial intelligence is no longer a future issue. It's already influencing donor engagement, shaping fundraising workflows, and quietly making decisions inside organizations whether leaders realize it or not. The question isn't whether your nonprofit will use AI. T...

The Nonprofit Edge Podcast | Episode 21 Fundraising Is Innately Human with Lynne Wester In an era dominated by AI, automation, and digital communication, it is easy to believe that fundraising success will belong to the organizations with the most sophisticated technology. But according to donor relations expert Lynne Wester, the future belongs to organizations that never forget a timeless truth:...

What happens when nonprofit fundraising swings from mailbox overload to digital overload? In this thought-provoking episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Ruben Gonzalez of The Dot Corp shares the evolution of direct response fundraising, from the dominance of direct mail to the rise of digital communication and the growing fatigue surrounding both. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience executing di...

The Cost of Doing Good: Redesigning Leadership and Success What if one of the biggest challenges facing nonprofit leaders today isn’t strategy, fundraising, or governance… but the hidden cost of doing good? In this thought-provoking episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Chris Looney sits down with Dr. Brian Evans to explore a reality many leaders feel but rarely articulate. Across the sector, an unspoken...

What if the biggest leadership mistakes aren’t about strategy… but about self-awareness? In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, I sit down with Stephanie Blackburn Freeth, leadership coach and advisor, to unpack one of the most critical transitions in any career: the move from individual contributor to manager. It’s a transition many underestimate and one that can quietly shape the trajectory of a...

What if the biggest barrier to fundraising success isn’t donors… but what’s happening inside your organization? In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, host Chris Looney sits down with Randall Hallett, CEO and founder of Hallett Philanthropy, to explore a powerful leadership concept that many nonprofit leaders overlook: the role of the Chief Political Officer (CPO). And no, this has nothing to do w...

When Bad Things Happen to Good Organizations: Crisis Communications for Nonprofits In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, host Chris Looney sits down with Rebecca Hall, President and CEO of Idea Hall, to explore one of the most challenging realities nonprofit leaders face: navigating a crisis. Whether it is an unexpected leadership transition, a reputational challenge, a funding disruption, or a s...

The Nonprofit Edge | Best Practices in Strategic Planning for Nonprofits Guest: Rebecca Alvarez, Co-Founder and Principal, NP Strategies Strategic planning is one of the most important responsibilities of nonprofit leadership. Yet too often, plans are created with great enthusiasm and then quietly shelved. In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Chris Looney sits down with Rebecca Alvarez to explor...

Reclaim Your Agency | Self Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders with Janine McClintock Nonprofit leadership is demanding. Budgets shift. Staff transitions happen. Expectations rise. In the middle of all that pressure, there is still one thing you always have: the ability to choose your next move. In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Chris Looney sits down with Janine McClintock, founder of J9 Leading...

The Nonprofit Edge: Kyle Houlton on Preparing Leaders Before They Manage People** Too many nonprofit professionals find themselves placed into management roles without the training, support, or preparation they need to succeed. In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Chris Looney sits down with Kyle Houlton, CEO of Covenant Philanthropic Solutions, to unpack why this continues to happen and how org...

In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Chris Looney welcomes Howard Pearl, CEO of CARS, a nonprofit social enterprise that supports nearly 11,000 organizations nationwide through vehicle, real estate, and asset donation programs. Howard shares how his career evolved from entrepreneurship and global business leadership into nonprofit management, and how CARS became a mission-aligned enterprise desi...

Choosing the right investment advisor is one of the most important and least understood decisions nonprofit leaders face. In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, host Chris Looney is joined by Michael Skillman, Partner and Senior Wealth Advisor at Beacon Pointe Advisors, to break down how nonprofits can lead a smart, confident investment counsel search without needing to be investment experts. Mich...

Mergers & Acquisitions in the Nonprofit Sector: A Conversation with Tim Davis of Glick Davis & Associates In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, host Chris Looney sits down with Tim Davis, President of Glick Davis & Associates, to explore one of the most misunderstood and transformative topics in nonprofit leadership: mergers and acquisitions. Tim draws on more than two decades of expe...

In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, host Chris Looney sits down with Chad Paris, CEO and Creative Director of Parisleaf, to unpack one of the most misunderstood elements of major fundraising efforts: campaign communications. Whether your organization is planning a billion-dollar university campaign, a hospital expansion, or a large-scale nonprofit initiative, how you tell your story matters. Ch...

The Nonprofit Edge: Growth Mindset, Culture, and Team Alignment with Stuart Wachs In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, host Chris Looney sits down with Stuart Wachs, Founder and CEO of Impact Group, to explore what it truly takes to lead and grow a thriving nonprofit in today’s complex environment. Stuart shares insights on cultivating a growth mindset, building a strong organizational culture,...

Most nonprofit organizations are leaving transformational gifts on the table… and they don’t even realize it. In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, Chris sits down with Dave Smith, one of the leading voices in philanthropic strategy and gift planning, to challenge how we think about fundraising at its core. This is not a conversation about planned giving as you know it. It is a masterclass in ret...

What if the future of nonprofit finance isn’t about doing more with less… but doing less of what slows you down? In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, I sit down with Neil Shah, Founder of Altruva.ai and a seasoned nonprofit CFO who has worked alongside more than 100 organizations, to unpack one of the most important shifts happening in our sector right now. This is not a conversation about hype....

Interim Leadership: A Strategic Bridge for Nonprofits in Transition Leadership transitions are some of the most vulnerable moments for nonprofit organizations. When an executive leader departs, organizations are often tempted to rush into a replacement hire. But what if the better answer is to pause? In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge Podcast, I sit down with Jeffrey Wilcox, CEO of Third Sector...

How can nonprofits create deeper, more meaningful relationships with donors in a world filled with communication noise and shrinking attention spans? In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge Podcast, host Chris Looney sits down with Jeff Kliewer, founder of ViewSpark, to explore how fundraisers can move beyond transactional giving and create transformational donor relationships. Jeff shares insights...

In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge, host Chris Looney welcomes Nathan Chappell for a wide ranging and deeply practical conversation about artificial intelligence, leadership, and the future of philanthropy. Nathan, Chief AI Officer at Virtuous and co author of The Generosity Crisis and Nonprofit AI, has been exploring AI in the nonprofit sector since long before it was mainstream. In this conve...

Welcome to The Nonprofit Edge: A Podcast to Promote Purpose in Practice. Each week The Nonprofit Edge features an extraordinary individual that provides valuable and impactful services, helping to transform the capabilities of their nonprofit clients. Join us as we explore a variety of topics, all vital to the success of nonprofit organizations. Learn and grow from the experience and expertise of...