Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development

Latest Episodes:

Ep 262: How to Be a Force for Good When Your Tank Is Empty (with Sam Horn) Sep 26, 2026

Show notes

Some weeks the news takes something out of you and doesn't put it back. Author Sam Horn has spent a year with people who kept going anyway, and she draws a line between three kinds of people that will make you check which one you've been.

Ep 261: What Would Dolly Do? Leadership Lessons from a Life of Giving Sep 12, 2026

Show notes

Glennda Testone, CEO of Nonprofit Leadership Lab, did not grow up on Dolly Parton. A year and a half of full immersion later, she came away with three lessons about Dolly Parton philanthropy that every nonprofit leader should hear.

Ep 260: How Can Nonprofits Do Better Good? Hint: Doing More Isn’t the Answer. Aug 29, 2026

Show notes

What if greater nonprofit impact isn’t about doing more? Glennda Testone talks with Better Good author Scott M. Curran about focusing on what works and using what you already have more intentionally.

Ep 259: Nonprofit Unions: What Leaders, Staff, and Boards Need to Know with Bev Tillery Aug 15, 2026

Show notes

For many nonprofit leaders, unionization can feel deeply personal. Explore the questions, challenges, and realities of nonprofit unionization, and how leaders, staff, and boards can navigate the process while preserving trust, culture, and their org’s values.

Ep 258: Burn on vs. Burnout: A Conversation With Jim Collins About What Matters in Life Aug 01, 2026

Show notes

What if the goal isn’t simply to avoid burnout, but to learn how to burn on? Jim Collins joins Joan Garry to explore why some leaders stay energized for decades, what it means to stay “in frame,” and how to build a life around what matters most.

Ep 257: Presence ≠ Power: What Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know with Rashad Robinson Jul 18, 2026

Show notes

Most nonprofits know how to get people to pay attention. Fewer know how to turn that attention into lasting change. In this conversation, Rashad Robinson shares what makes the difference.

Ep 256: What are Corporate Sponsors Really Looking for From Nonprofits? with Mariah Monique Jun 20, 2026

Show notes

Some sponsorship conversations turn into long-term partnerships. Others quietly disappear after the first meeting. What's the difference?

Ep 255: Managing Across Generations: What Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know with Jason Burlingame Jun 08, 2026

Show notes

Managing a team that spans five generations isn't a Gen Z problem. It's a leadership challenge. In this episode, I sit down with Jason Burlingame to talk about the workplace tensions that seem to resurface with every generation and what it takes to lead through them.

Ep 254: Building Belonging When DEI Feels Like a Four-Letter Word with Dr Kiki Ramsey May 23, 2026

Show notes

I sat down with Dr. Kiki Ramsey, positive psychologist and CEO of the Positive Psychology Coaching and Diversity Institute, to have an honest conversation about DEI that nonprofit leaders need to hear right now. We’re covering what’s changing and how nonprofits can keep building belonging even in a hostile climate.

Ep 253: Still Figuring It Out: An Honest Take on People Pleasing and Leadership May 09, 2026

Show notes

For a long time, Glennda Testone’s people-pleasing nature shaped – and sometimes complicated – her leadership. In this honest, personal solo episode, she shares her journey from people pleaser to recovering people pleaser. Plus, five practical strategies for leading well when you’re wired to make everyone happy.

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