Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

51: Is a Merger Right for Your Nonprofit? (Laura Belcher) SUMMARY As uncertain conditions continue to challenge nonprofit leaders and their ability to plan strategically, the need for effective collaboration is greater than ever.  While effective partnerships and collaborative opportunities exist without an actual merger taking place, many nonprofit leaders are contemplating what an actual merger...

50: Elevating A Cause Through Nonprofit Leadership (Curtis Drafton) SUMMARY Not many nonprofit leaders have actually experienced the personal and professional challenges facing the individuals their organization serves.  After two Army tours in the Middle East left him injured, Curtis Drafton then had to overcome the tragic loss of his fiancé to cancer.  In his words, he was “mentally broken and c...

049:  4 Tips for Effective & Efficient Fundraising ( Patton McDowell ) SUMMARY  Patton had an opportunity to be a guest on Dolph Goldenburg’s great podcast and discuss four key tips he’s found to help nonprofit organizations organize their fundraising efforts.  This was also our first opportunity to participate in a “reverse podcast,” as this episode first appeared on Dolph’s feed on July 16,...

48: Agile Arts Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector (Devlin McNeil) SUMMARY How do you manage an Arts organization when every aspect of your program is disrupted? Perhaps no nonprofit sector has more challenges right now than Arts & Culture organizations, given the limitations to programming, performances and gatherings.  And with the philanthropic community understandably focused on health and...

47: Millennials & Corporate Partners: What Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know (Derrick Feldmann) SUMMARY How do you get the millennial generation to engage in your nonprofit’s cause?  That’s the first question Derrick Feldmann and I explored during our conversation on episode #47 of the Path Podcast .  There is no one more qualified to answer that question, given his decade-long research on the mi...

46: Finding New Opportunities Through Nonprofit Leadership (Cheryl Richards) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, how do you know when it’s the right time to make a change?  That’s exactly where Dr. Cheryl Richards and I started our conversation, as she was only two weeks into her new role as the first female President of Johnson & Wales University’s Charlotte Campus.  After great success in her pre...

45: Navigating the Nonprofit Leadership Journey (David Malloy) SUMMARY Making a job transition is challenging enough under any circumstance, but how about with the addition of a pandemic, cross-country logistics, and the addition of a new baby in the family?!?! That’s exactly what David Malloy had to maneuver as he assumed his new role as Executive Director of the California-Nevada United Methodis...

44: Building A Supercharged Nonprofit Board (Dolph Goldenburg) SUMMARY How do you best engage your board members as a nonprofit leader, especially given the challenges the sector is facing right now?  This episode of the Path poses that question to someone who literally wrote a book about the topic, called Successful Nonprofits Build Supercharged Boards .  Dolph Goldenburg and I certainly discuss...

43:  What is Your Nonprofit Career Vision? 6 Questions You Need to Answer (Patton McDowell)  SUMMARY These are challenging times for all kinds of reasons, given the isolation of the pandemic, the obvious disparities of race and privilege we’re seeing up close, and the economic uncertainties that affect our personal and professional livelihoods.  These existential questions don’t have easy answers,...

42: Challenging the Nonprofit Status Quo (Tina Postel) SUMMARY What should you put in place at your nonprofit organization before you encounter challenges like those we’re facing right now?  That’s one of the many topics Tina Postel and I discuss in episode #42 of the Path podcast, and fortunately you’re not too late to implement many of her great ideas.  Families struggling with food insecurities...

41: Dealing with Adversity as a Nonprofit Leader (Michael Ward) SUMMARY It’s easy to celebrate successes when things are going well for you as a nonprofit leader, but what about when things don’t go so well?   Michael Ward has had some fantastic successes as a fundraiser and nonprofit leader, but what made our conversation so powerful was his willingness to tackle adversity.  His thoughtful and pr...

40: What Do I Do With My Nonprofit’s Strategic Plan? (Andrew Hollo) SUMMARY Given the uncertainty nonprofit leaders are facing right now, it’s no wonder many are dismissing long-range strategic plans as practically useless.  However, Andrew Hollo brings a much needed and fresh perspective to this strategic planning dilemma and demonstrates that the work he has done across Australia is very much ap...

39: Nonprofit Leadership in Healthcare Philanthropy (Adam Cook) SUMMARY What’s it like to lead a healthcare foundation in the midst of a pandemic?  How do you stay organized when all of your events are pushed off the calendar and everyone you speak with has a new idea?  Adam Cook has great insight and perspective on these questions and many more in episode #40 of the Path .  He has served multiple...

38: The Secret Lives of Nonprofit Leaders (Kishshana Palmer) SUMMARY Kishshana Palmer is not afraid tell us what we need to hear, even if we’re not sure we’re ready for it!   She’s the kind of truth-teller the sector needs, and our conversation on the Path provided all kinds of valuable insight for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers that can be applied right now.  Kishshana shared a candid view of...

037: Maintaining Strategic Focus as a Nonprofit Leader (Brian Maness) SUMMARY What do you do to stay organized in an ever-changing environment with children and families from across the state depending on you?  Like many nonprofit CEO’s right now, Brian Maness has had to navigate both the personal and professional demands of nonprofit leadership despite an uncertain landscape around him.  Brian is...

036: Fortune 500 to Nonprofit Founder & CEO (Tina Admans) SUMMARY It’s quite possible that you (or someone you know) have contemplated leaving the for-profit world to pursue an opportunity in the nonprofit sector.  That’s exactly what Tina Admans did after moving to Los Angeles over a decade ago. She could very well have stayed on a successful corporate track that included senior positions at...

035: Vital Resources from BoardSource (Jim Taylor) SUMMARY How can a nonprofit leader take advantage of the resources BoardSource has to offer, especially in a time of uncertainty and strategic challenge?  The answers come from Jim Taylor , who not only highlights the tools available from BoardSource for nonprofit leaders everywhere, but also leans on his personal and professional experience to ad...

034:  The War for Fundraising Talent (Jason Lewis) SUMMARY Fundraising is on every nonprofit leader’s mind right now, and perhaps there is no one better to talk about that topic than Jason Lewis , who literally wrote a book about the topic, The War for Fundraising Talent .  As Jason and I discuss, many of the topics he raised in the book are even more relevant right now.   Why do so many organizat...

033: Adapting to Short-Term Challenges with Long-Term Benefits (Carrie Bhada) SUMMARY Carrie Bhada’s journey in nonprofit leadership has led her to outstanding higher education and healthcare institutions, but it has also given her the experience of dealing with internal and external challenges. While nothing compares to the unique complexities of the COVID-19 situation, she has utilized previous...

032: Community Leadership in the Philanthropic Sector (Michael Marsicano) SUMMARY Michael Marsicano leads one of the largest community foundations in the United States. He is passionate about bringing communities together to maximize philanthropy and improve all aspects of society.  Like nonprofit leaders around the world, he was faced with an unprecedented challenge – and opportunity – with the a...

031: Making the Jump: Corporate America to Nonprofit Executive (Kristin Beck) SUMMARY After twenty years of success in the for-profit arena, Kristin Beck could have easily continued on her upward trajectory.  But her inner voice confirmed something was missing and she knew a change might be warranted.  She then began a thoughtful process to evaluate her options and make sure she was prepared for t...

030: Nonprofit Leadership in Uncertain Times (Angela Woods) SUMMARY As the COVID-19 situation descended on her organization with stunning speed, Angela Woods knew she would have to make critical strategic decisions without the luxury of time to thoroughly evaluate options or wait for additional data.  Like so many nonprofit leaders right now, she had to rely on her instincts and experience to best...

029: Agile Nonprofit Leadership During the COVID-19 Crisis (Mike Blackwelder) SUMMARY Uncertainty abounds in the charitable sector, but leadership is needed now more than ever.  My colleague Mike Blackwelder and I tackle five critical areas of leadership, and lift up examples, suggestions and resources to better address each of them. Whether you’re a current nonprofit leader or aspire to be one, t...

028: 5 Questions to Answer Before Using A Nonprofit Consultant (Heather Yandow) SUMMARY As you move into senior leadership in the nonprofit sector, the opportunity to explore external contractors and consultants will likely present itself.  How do you evaluate such an option?  What are the factors you should consider before engaging such a resource?  These are exactly the questions Heather Yandow...

027: Building A Culture of Philanthropy at Your Nonprofit (Stamie Despo) SUMMARY Despite her successful fundraising experience, Stamie Despo knew as a new Executive Director she would need the entire organization to embrace philanthropy for it to achieve the kind of mission success she knew was possible. That’s exactly what Stamie and I discussed during this episode.  What exactly is a culture of...