Successful Nonprofits Podcast

Latest Episodes:

11 Donor-Tested Ways to Say "Thank You" Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

This week kicks off the holiday season here in the US, which is a time of reflection and gratitude. It also kicks off giving season. Whether you have a thank-you plan in place or not, make sure you listen in to this montage episode brimming with donor-tested, staff-approved strategies to convey just how deeply you cherish your end-of-year donors.

We know how important it is to thank donors, yet the quest for a thank-you that truly stands out and resonates with your supporters can be a formidable challenge. So, join us in today's episode for a fountain of thank-you inspiration! You'll hear ideas ranging from personalized video messages to bespoke paintings and even heartfelt gifts handcrafted by the very clients whose lives your nonprofit --- and donors --- touch.

Recommended Episodes:

Unleash Your Donors' Generosity with Brady Josephson on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.
Help Donors Fall In Love…With Your Organization with Abra Annes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website.

Make Yourself Indistractible with Atomic Habits Nov 16, 2023

Show notes

What if you could ignore the incessant demands on your attention, giving you the time and space to develop and maintain habits that make you more productive and help you care for yourself?

I recently read the books Indistractible by Nir Eyal and Atomic Habits by James Clear, and together these two books answer that important question. That's why this Bonus Break shares three key concepts and four time-hacks from the books that will transform your relationship with work, productivity, and time.

Finding and Telling Your Nonprofit's Most Impactful Stories with Kristin Sukraw Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

Kristin Sukraw, an award-winning storyteller and film producer with a passion for bringing nonprofit narratives to life, gives us a masterclass in finding and telling our nonprofit's best stories.

Kristin introduces essential interviewing techniques that transform the way stories are told and received. Techniques like 'embracing the pause', 'doing the dip', and 'effective restatements.'

Kristin and Dolph also tackle potential concerns about re-traumatizing former clients and the ethics of asking individuals to recount personal stories. And Kristen outlines how to invite individuals to share their experience in a way that leads to healing and a sense of pride.

The conversation also explores the importance of selecting the right storyteller, advocating for the inclusion of quieter voices that often carry profound stories, and constructing a 'story vault' to organize potential narratives.

This episode is a treasure trove for nonprofit leaders looking to harness the power of storytelling to advance their mission.

Recommended Episodes:

The Story Your Voice Tells with Tracy Goodwin on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website
Become Your Nonprofit's Brand Ambassador with Rita Soronen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website

Links Mentioned In This Episode:

Does Aretha Franklin's Will Hold a Lesson for Your Nonprofit? Nov 09, 2023

Show notes

For five years after Aretha Franklin's 2018 death, her estate couldn't be settled because her heirs had to wait for a judge to decide which of her multiple wills to recognize. Ultimately, the judge accepted a will found in a notebook stuffed into couch cushions as her last will and testament.

Can you imagine your organization being paralyzed for 5 years waiting for a judge to decide which by-laws were the correct version? Unable to take any action – not even able to appoint new Board members or replace an Executive Director who has left? That would be cataclysmic.

And that's why this episode dives into your document retention process. Not the policy that states how long you have to keep documents, but the procedures for ensuring they are actually retained and transferred during leadership transitions.

Challenging Fundraising Practices that Promote Inequity with Tanya Rumble and Nicole McVan Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

What we've come to believe are fundraising "best practices" can have a damaging impact on those we serve, our staff, donors, and mission. Join today's guests, Tanya Rumble and Nicole McVan, as they discuss philanthropic practices that cause harm and share steps you can take to challenge and dismantle them. Join us for a transformative conversation that challenges the status quo of fundraising and redefines the future of philanthropy.

My $150,000 Lesson on Salary Negotiation Nov 02, 2023

Show notes

Ever accepted a new job then regrated not negotiating enough on your salary and compensation? If so, you're not alone! Navigating job offers and salary negotiations is daunting to most of us because we don't do it every day.

Early in my career, I made a negotiation decision that cost me more $150,000. Fast forward almost 25 years, and I've had significantly more experience negotiating pay – both as the person doing the hiring and the person being hired. And I've learned what works – and what doesn't work.

In this Bonus Break episode, I'll share

Two secrets hiring managers don't tell you
Tips on how to interact with your perspective employer when negotiating salary
Techniques that will help you master the art of salary negotiation

This episode also refers to a Compensation Comparison Worksheet you can download at https://zc.vg/mDNi5.

Make a Successful Case for Unrestricted Funding with Nick Turner Oct 31, 2023

Show notes

If you're tired of restricted funding that only allocates 10% (or less) of a grant for admin and overhead, Nick Turner shares how he successfully makes a case for unrestricted grants and gifts. Nick Vera is the CEO of the Institute of Justice, and he has dramatically grown his organization by soliciting and leveraging unrestricted gifts.

In this episode, you and Nick will explore:

The importance in gaining funder confidence before asking for large unrestricted grants
Strategies for overcoming funder hesitancy to make unrestricted grants
Tactics for setting boundaries with funders who want to be overly granular in their restrictions

Similar episodes you will find useful include:

Ep 170: Challenge the Fundraising Status Quo with Sherry Quam Taylor (Apple) (Spotify)

Ep 279: Standing Up for Equitable Funding Practices with Lauren Steiner (Apple) (Spotify)

Links mentioned in the episode:

Vera Institute of Justice Website https://www.vera.org/

Vera Institute of Justice Twitter https://twitter.com/verainstitute

Vera Institute of Justice LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/verainstitute/

Vera institute of Justice Facebook https://www.facebook.com/verainstitute

Vera Institute of Justice Mastodon https://mstdn.social/@verainstitute

Crafting the Ultimate Dashboard to Achieve Your Nonprofit's Goals Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

You wouldn't drive a car without a dashboard, and you shouldn't lead your organization without one, either! Nonprofit dashboards support your chief executive in managing your organization and facilitating Board governance. In this Bonus Break, you'll learn how to create an effective organizational dashboard that you, your Board, and your team can use to stay on track and achieve your goals.

This episode references an editable spreadsheet with three sample dashboards that you can download from our show notes: https://successfulnonprofits.com/dashboard/.

Build Stronger Teams and Team Members with John Augusto Oct 24, 2023

Show notes

"Understanding your strengths unlocks your potential and leads you and your organization to greater performance." - Gallup, CliftonStrenghts.

This episode does a deep dive in using your strengths as leverage. CliftonStrengths coach, John Augusto shares how nonprofits are using a strength-based approach to motivate, empower, and grow individual staff members and entire teams.

If you found this episode helpful, check out these episodes:

Ep 187: Coaching for Nonprofit Leaders with Deb Stalling (Apple) (Spotify)

Ep 198 Tools to Fire Up Your Productivity with Peter Chatel (Apple) (Spotify)

Links mentioned in the show:

McCarty & Co. Website https://mccartyandcollc.com/

John's LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-augusto-phd/

Why Your Nonprofit Needs a Week of Rest and How to Make It Happen with Kevin Greer Oct 17, 2023

Show notes

Can you imagine everyone at your nonprofit taking a week off at the same time?

You would all return to work without a crushing number of internal emails, and you wouldn't be struggling to catch up with your team about the meetings you missed!

You don't have to imagine because Kevin Greer of New Profit shared with us how is organization did just that.

In 2021, the leadership of New Profit realized staff desperately needed a reset. So they completely closed their office for 7 days to give staff the chance to rest.

And it worked so well that they've continued to do this Radical Reset once per year.

Listen to the episode with Kevin Greer today to learn how New Profit implemented their Radical Reset, what they learned, and the impact this has had on New Profit's work.

If you liked this episode, listen to the following episodes next:

Ep 200: Self-Care Tips for Coming Out Stronger with Beth Kanter (Apple) (Spotify)

Ep 292: Tips for Making Your Dream Sabbatical a Reality with Emily Raskin (Apple) (Spotify)

Links mentioned in the show:

New Profit's Website https://www.newprofit.org/

The Radical Act of Rest https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/radical-act-rest-tulaine-montgomery/?trackingId=FUCCGkNUSv6mExvweP0qdA%3D%3D

How Fundraisers Can Get Off the Road to Exhaustion and Burnout https://www.philanthropy.com/article/rest-can-help-fundraisers-get-off-the-road-to-burnout?sra=true&cid=gen_sign_in

We Are for Good: Unlocking the Impact of Proximate Leadership https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/378