The Practice of Nonprofit Leadership

Send a text Ever wondered why some non-profits constantly nail their fundraising efforts while others struggle?  On today's episode, Nathan is peeling back the curtain on the techniques that make a world of difference. We kick off a fun round of fundraising trivia before diving into four practical strategies to buff up your fundraising game. We'll help you to understand what an engaged d...

Send a text Leading a nonprofit is a bit like being in the red zone on a football field?   The Red Zone is where teams win or lose, depending on their ability to select and execute plays that move them forward across the goal line. On today's episode, Tim and Nathan discuss nonprofit leadership activities that can make a difference and move the organization forward.  Some activities discussed...

Send a text How important is a website for a nonprofit organization?  What information should be on the site and how often should it be updated?  What impact can a website have on raising funds for the organization. These questions and more are discussed as Nathan sits down with Sami Bedell-Mulhern, the heart and soul behind First Click. Sami's unique approach to digital marketing has reshape...

Send a text Are you ready to sharpen your leadership skills this summer? No school bus or homework involved, just a fresh perspective on leadership through the lens of elementary math. Join your hosts, Tim Barnes and Nathan Ruby, as they challenge you to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, not numbers, but aspects of your personal and organizational leadership. Tune in and let's go back to s...

Send a text What if you could become the best version of yourself as a Nonprofit Leader? Dr Jack Groppel , co-founder of the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute and current professor at Judson University, Elgin, IL joins Tim and Nathan on today's episode.  His experience in working with world class athletes and sports teams to coaching top business leaders, provides plenty of re...

Send a text Are your nonprofit's new board members prepared for success?   On today's episode, Tim dives into 3 key areas that prepare new board members for a successful stint on your nonprofit board.  These 3 areas are: - Identifying the Information a New Board Member Should Know - Identifying the Expectations for New Board Members - Implementing a Consistent Onboarding Process.  Whethe...

Send a text Ever wondered how to effectively use lagging and leading indicators within your nonprofit organization? On today's episode, Tim and Nathan provide valuable insights and practical tips to help leaders of small to medium-sized nonprofits improve their decision-making process by paying attention to lagging and leading indicators .  Discover how these indicators can inform future deci...

Send a text Numbers .  Especially numbers on a financial statement.  Did you realize that numbers tell a story...the story of the priorities, focus, effectiveness, and challenges of an organization. On today's episode, Tim and Nathan dive into the primary financial statements that a nonprofit should have and the story they each tell.  Tim breaks down each statement and what to be looking for....

Send a text Golf tournaments, 5ks, or banquets.   Are you planning an event for your nonprofit? On today's episode , Tim and Nathan discuss the 3 primary types of nonprofit events  and how they best fit with you and your organization.  They answer the question as to whether every event is a fundraiser, share the key secret to every event, and provide a "pro tip" at the end of the ep...

Send a text Often the things that are important but not urgent are set aside and forgotten...until it's too late. On today's episode, Tim and Nathan discuss three of those items:  Board meeting minutes, Donor notes, and Bylaws .   The items are discussed as to their importance and practical steps to keep them updated and ready to use are shared. The Hosts of  The Practice of NonProfit Le...

Send a text May is Mental Health Awareness Month and today's episode is focused on how Mental Health can impact an Executive Director's leadership.  Mental Health expert and national youth speaker, Brittany Richmond, joins Tim and Nathan to discuss his important topic. For more information about Brittany's work or to contact her, you can go here. Mentioned in this podcast:  The Gap...

Send a text On todays episode, Tim and Nathan discuss social media policy and practice with Sabrina Burkiewicz , an independent communication consultant.  Some of the topics they explore are: Why does a nonprofit need a defined social media policy and what components should be part of an effective policy?  Who is included in the policy and what happens if the policy is violated? What is the best w...

Send a text As a follow up to Episode 75 on Delegation, today's episode of PNPL looks at how perfectionism gets in the way of nonprofit leaders ability to delegate.  In their discussion, Tim and Nathan provide 4 actions to take that can help stop perfectionism getting in the way of needed delegation. The Hosts of  The Practice of NonProfit Leadership: Tim Barnes serves as the Executive Vice P...

Send a text Do you feel like your life is just a series of meetings?  Do you really need all those meetings when leading a nonprofit? On today's episode, Tim and Nathan dive into "all things meetings".  In their discussion they explore the following questions:  What are the typical kinds of meetings in a nonprofit?  What makes for a successful meeting? How do you know when you need...

Send a text There are lots of stakeholders in a nonprofit organization, from the Board to staff, volunteers, and donors.  One of the big challenges for an Executive Director is help them all get on the same page, ensuring organizational alignment. On today's episode, Tim dives into the topic of organizational alignment by sharing 3 benefits that comes from being organizationally aligned and 5...

Send a text Leading a nonprofit organization, requires the use of tools (apps, software, electronic equipment) both personally and organizationally.  But how do you decide which tools to select and use> On today's episode, Tim and Nathan dive into the topic of tools for your organization by discussing the following: Two questions to ask before investing in a new tool. One piece of advice t...

Send a text You are excited about expanding the work of your nonprofit and are looking at adding a new program.  But have you asked the important questions before launching out: Does it fit with our vision and mission? Is this program really needed? Do we have what we need (staff, space, funding)? How will we define success? Tim and Nathan dive into these questions and share from their experiences...

Send a text How might the current upheaval in the banking industry impact small or medium nonprofits?  What actions could nonprofit leaders take to help minimize the risk? On today's episode, Tim and Nathan explore the current challenges in the banking industry and look at the possible impact on nonprofits.  They also propose 3 overarching actions that could be taken to minimize the risk to y...

Send a text The time is right to meet with that donor.  But then questions flood your mind.  "Where should we meet?"  "What should I wear?"  "What materials should I take?"  "What should be on the agenda?" On today's episode, Nathan answers these questions and provides some practical ideas to consider when planning a donor meeting. The Hosts of  The Pra...

Send a text Should Nonprofits be using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their work?  And if so, to what extent? On today's episode, Nathan and special co-host, Christina Edwards from Splendid Consulting discuss the pros and cons of AI and how even small nonprofits can take advantage of AI to save time and increase their impact. On this episode, the following tools are mentioned: - Canva, a des...

Send a text Of all the relationships in a nonprofit organization, one of the most crucial is that of the Executive Director and Board Chair. That relationship has the power to keep the organization on track and running smoothly, or to bring it to a slow pace full of barricades and potholes. And like any relationship, it takes time, effort, and communication to work well. On today's episode, T...

Send a text What runs through your mind when looking at your overwhelming to-do list?  Do you ever think about who might be able to take on one or more the items on your list? On today's episode, Tim and Nathan dive into the topic of delegation and how it is a key to successful nonprofit leadership.  Their discussion strives to answer the following three questions: Why don't leaders dele...

Send a text The question Nathan and Tim get asked the most is " how do I raise funds for my nonprofit?"   The second most asked question is "how do I spend my day?" On today's episode, Nathan and Tim dive into 4 simple steps to consider when determining how you, as a nonprofit executive director, should be spending your day. To get in contact with us, go to www.nonprofitle...

Send a text You have great ideas and initiatives for the new year.  You hope to add program and staff.  But the question comes up..."How do we pay for this?" On today's episode, Tim and Nathan discuss 3 tips that an Executive  Director needs to take when fundraising for their organization.  Practical, yet important if you want to pay for your initiatives, programs, and staff. Here i...

Send a text After listening to the last episode on Identifying Key Initiatives, you may be thinking "I Need Help".   Maybe you are ready to go put a job opening on Indeed.  Before you do, listen to Tim and Nathan discuss the 3 questions an Executive Director  should ask before beginning the hiring process.  The questions are: Who Do You Need? What Will They Need? What Will They Do? Jim C...