Successful Nonprofits Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Top 5 Mistakes Nonprofit Executive Directors Make with Marvin Webb Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

Nonprofit chief executives are expected to protect the mission, lead the team, and keep the organization financially healthy, often without a CFO sitting beside them. In this episode, Dolph talks with Marvin Webb about five finance mistakes executive directors make, including confusing cash with revenue, ignoring reserves, over-relying on one revenue stream, disconnecting budgets from strategy, and underinvesting in staff compensation. Marvin's core warning is simple: healthy-looking revenue does not mean your organization has the cash, liquidity, or financial strategy it needs to survive. This conversation helps nonprofit CEOs lead with clearer financial judgment, stronger board conversations, and better decisions about the resources required to sustain the mission.

This episode answers questions like:

Why does my nonprofit show revenue but still have no cash?
How much cash should my nonprofit have in reserve?
What financial reports should an executive director read and understand?
How do I explain cash flow problems to my board?
What should a nonprofit CEO do if government funding is delayed?

Links mentioned in this episode:

MIT Living Wage Calculator

Can Your Employees Afford to Stay? Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

We may say that our organization values equity, inclusion, and our mission. But many of us still pay wages that leave employees struggling to cover basic necessities. That contradiction is not just an HR issue, it's a problem with our strategy.

In this episode, I examine why nonprofits are losing the competition for talent, why the nonprofit down the street is not your primary competitor for talent, and how employers in retail and hospitality are changing employee expectations.

I also share how we as executive directors can begin building a thriving wage strategy.

This episode answers the following questions:

Why is my staff turnover so high?
When I need to do a compensation or wage analysis, which employers should I compare wages to?
How can my nonprofit raise wages without going broke?
How do I develop a thriving wage strategy?
How can greater efficiency help fund better compensation?

6 Clauses for your executive director contract Jul 07, 2026

Show notes

Your employment agreement is not just paperwork. It shapes how you and your board handle compensation, performance reviews, incentives, leave, renewal, and the end of the relationship.

I share six newer clauses that I've started seeing in ED contracts now, and how to negotiate your agreement in a way that protects both you as the executive and your organization.

You will hear why cost of living adjustments, performance review deadlines, incentive pay, retention bonuses, sabbaticals, and nonrenewal payments are not just perks. They are tools for clarity, accountability, and a healthier board and executive relationship.

I also explain at what point to bring in legal counsel to negotiate on your behalf, how to tell your board you are doing so, and why negotiating well for yourself can also help you advocate more effectively for your staff.

This is not legal advice. It is practical leadership advice to help nonprofit chief executives themselves, their organization, and their ability to lead.

This episode answers the following questions:

What should I ask for in an employment agreement?
Which clauses are common for nonprofit executive director contracts?
How can my performance bonus and incentive pay be structured more clearly?
When should I bring in legal counsel to negotiate my agreement?
How can I negotiate my contract without damaging my relationship with the board?
How do I get a retention bonus, sabbatical, or nonrenewal payments?

Links mentioned in this episode:

Successful Nonprofits Individual Coaching

A Sabbatical Made My Nonprofit Stronger with Rebecca Stapel-Wax Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Many nonprofit chief executives dream about taking a sabbatical, but few believe their organization is too small to offer sabbaticals. In this episode, SOJOURN Executive Director Rebecca Stapel-Wax shares how she prepared her board, staff, systems, and interim leader for a successful three-month sabbatical that ultimately strengthened the organization.

Dolph and Rebecca discuss succession planning, executive burnout, communication boundaries, re-entry planning, and the operational systems every nonprofit CEO should have in place before stepping away on a sabbatical.

This episode answers questions like:

How do I ask my board for a sabbatical?
Can a nonprofit executive director take a paid sabbatical?
What should a I put in place before taking a sabbatical?
How do I handle leadership coverage during an executive director's sabbatical?
How do I prepare my staff and board before taking extended leave?
What should be included in a nonprofit succession planning playbook?

Links mentioned in this episode:

SOJOURN: sojourngsd.org

Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes:

I took a sabbatical and so can you with David Huitstuman: [on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]
Make your dream sabbatical a reality with Emil Raskin [Episode Title on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes]

The Executive Director's Fire Drill Jun 22, 2026

Show notes

When everything feels urgent, it becomes almost impossible for a nonprofit chief executive to focus on the work that actually moves the organization forward. I share a simple fire triage framework that I first developed during an interim executive director engagement with an organization facing serious financial, staffing, and compliance challenges.

The framework helps leaders sort problems into fire types. We'll dive into each category, clarify who should respond, what level of leadership is needed, and when the executive director should step in personally.

This episode is especially useful for nonprofit CEOs and executive directors who feel pulled into every problem, conflict, complaint, and operational hiccup.

This episode answers the following questions:

How do I decide what problems I should handle as a nonprofit executive director?
How do I stop getting pulled into every staff problem as the CEO?
How do I build a leadership team that can handle problems without me?
What should a nonprofit CEO do when everything feels urgent?
How do I help my staff solve problems without coming to me every time?
When should a nonprofit board get involved in an organizational crisis?

The Three Roles of an Executive Director Jun 18, 2026

Show notes

Many executive directors spend their days in meetings, emails, staff questions, funder requests, budget tweaks, and personnel issues. At the end of the day, they have been busy. They may even feel productive. But they still have the nagging sense that the most important CEO level was untouched.

I share the three roles on you as the CEO can fulfill: futurist, steward, and optimizer. These three roles help executive directors step out of operational gravity, protect time for long term thinking, steward the organization's people and trust, and make the high stakes decisions that move the organization forward.

This episode answers the following questions:

What should I focus on as the CEO of a small nonprofit?
How do I make time for strategy as a nonprofit an executive director?
Why do I feel stuck?
How do nonprofit CEOs balance strategy and operations?
How can nonprofit leaders avoid getting trapped in busywork?

Links

Categorize and Triage Your Fires (blog post)
5 Steps to Tackling Disruptive Behavior at Work (Podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts)

70% of nonprofit CEOs get fired or forced out! Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

While the nonprofit sector rarely talks about it openly, 35% - 70% of executive directors are forced out — usually without even realizing the warning signs.

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on why board confidence erodes, which issues risk accelerating your departure, and steps you can take to ensure you leave on your own terms after a long and successful tenure.

This episode answers the following questions:

How can I improve my relationship with the board?
How do I build and maintain the trust of my board?
Am I at risk of being fired or forced out?
How do I ensure a long and successful tenure as CEO?
Do I need a nonprofit CEO coach?

The Lifecycle of an Executive Director with Claudius Hildebrand Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

Claudius Hildebrand, co-author of the best selling book Life Cycle of a CEO, explores the five stages of a nonprofit executive director's tenure, revealing how these insights apply to your nonprofit leadership journey. Discover practical strategies for launching into new roles, reinvention during your tenure, and intentional succession planning.

This episode answers the following questions:

What can I do to have a strong and impactful start as a new executive director?
How do I know if it's time to reinvent myself as a nonprofit leader?
Do I need to change my leadership strategy?
How do I strengthen my Board relationships?
How can I foster innovation at my organization?

Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes or blog posts:

The Podcast Returns June 16th! May 28, 2026

Show notes

New episodes will be released on June 16th with a sharper focus on providing actionable advice and support for nonprofit executive directors.

If there's a CEO-level topic you'd like covered, email me at dolph@successfulnonprofits.com.

World-Class Benefits for Nonprofit Teams with Curt Ellis Dec 03, 2024

Show notes

Could your nonprofit offer staff benefits they couldn't even get working for a Fortune 500 employer?

Curt Ellis, co-founder and CEO of FoodCorps, joins Dolph Goldenburg to share the secret sauce behind FoodCorps' jaw-dropping benefits package. From a $3,000 401(k) match to 16 weeks of paid parental leave to sabbaticals, FoodCorps is setting new standards in the nonprofit sector. Ellis explains why offering these benefits isn't just about employee satisfaction—it's a business strategy that strengthens FoodCorps' mission to connect children to nourishing food.

Discover how FoodCorps' approach to sabbaticals, half-day Fridays, and family planning support boosts morale and retains talent in the high-turnover nonprofit workforce. Whether you're tackling employee burnout or seeking donor buy-in for better benefits, this episode is your blueprint for success.

This episode answers the following questions: