We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

Latest Episodes:

341. Your Giving Tuesday Pep Talk + Playbook - Floyd Jones Oct 24, 2022

Show notes

Meet Floyd. This brand-new New Yorker believes deeply in the power of community. His excitement for Giving Tuesday started with a campaign of childhood sports photos that spread across social media. He’s teaching how to coalesce your community, how to plan your campaign, and making it more than just a day. He's sharing his years of learning and adding in some awesome resources from our GiveButter friends. Tune in to get a blueprint for a campaign that inspires denotations and creates rabid fans of your mission.

💡Learn

How to gather your community around a day of giving
The 4 S’s of Success for your Giving Tuesday campaign
The power of playing the long game when developing partnerships

Today’s Guest
Floyd Jones, Community and Partnerships Lead, Givebutter

Episode Highlights

Floyd’s story (4:00)
Setting the scene for what opportunity there is for nonprofits this year with Giving Tuesday (8:00)
Givebutter Gives Back (11:50)
Reimagining your Giving Tuesday Campaign (16:00)
Where to start (22:00)
Partnerships 2.0 (25:00)
Cutting through the clutter (29:00)
Floyd’s One Good Thing: Lead with Love (43:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/341
About Our Sponsor Givebutter 💛
Welcome to Giving Tuesday prep week, presented by Givebutter. Givebutter is giving back again this Giving Tuesday by donating $50K to verified nonprofits. If you’re looking for a free, easy-to-use fundraising platform, and want a slice of $50K this Giving Tuesday, head over to givebutter.com/giving-tuesday to learn more and apply.
About Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.
About Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

We Are For Good is joining forces with GB to host in-person hackathon meetups on Friday, Oct. 2, in New York, Seattle, LA, Denver, and Indianapolis, so you can build alongside other nonprofits in the community.

Learn more and save your free spot today.

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Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.
Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.com

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

340. Habits of an Impactful Annual Giving Officer - Mike Duerksen Oct 21, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back to our Friday Series The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we're taking on the discussion about the base with Do-Gooder M ike Duerksen, founder of BuildGood who's breaking down Habits of an Impactful Annual Giving Officer. We're bringing tips, case studies and the Do's/Dont's for a modern fundraiser. Tune in✌️
Special Guest
Mike Duerksen, CEO + Founder, BuildGood

Episode Highlights

Introducing Mike Duerksen (1:15)
What are the big picture questions we need to be asking (4:00)
Habits of an impactful Annual Giving Officer (8:55)
How to prioritize relationships in this role (20:50)
KPI’s and success indicators that matter and some that don’t matter (34:40)
Mental Health Minute (40:40)
How to connect with Mike (44:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/340
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.
About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.
About our Sponsor Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

339. Meet Unshattered: The Mission Upskilling a Community of Women in Recovery - Kelly Lyndgaard Oct 19, 2022

Show notes

Overview

Meet Kelly. She's the Founder and CEO of Unshattered, a nonprofit social enterprise whose mission is to end the addiction relapse cycle through ethical, sustainable fashion. The org provides job skills training and employment for women in recovery to help them build a path toward economic stability and sustained sobriety. Kelly's education is in Engineering Physics, her title is CEO, but her calling is Ambassador of Possibility. Come hear about this nonprofit that's only experienced a single relapse in six years💗

Today’s Guest
Kelly Lyndgaard, Founder and CEO, Unshattered

Episode Highlights

Kelly’s story and journey to where she is today (3:45)
Overview of Unshattered (7:00)
What is means to be an ambassador of possibility (11:00)
Three secrets of every Unshattered bag (18:25)
Unshattered’s investment collection of bags (26:45)
What Kelly brings to the social good sector from the corporate world (29:30)
What’s on the horizon for Unshattered (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kelly’s life (39:50)
Kelly’s One Good Thing: It becomes possible by being open handed (42:40)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/339
About Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.
About Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.
About Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

338. The Art of Perception in Fundraising - Amy Herman Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

Meet Amy. She's a lawyer and art historian who uses works of art to sharpen observation, analysis, and communication skills. By showing people how to look closely at art, she helps them hone their visual intelligence to recognize the most pertinent and useful information as well as recognize biases that impede decision-making. She's not here to change your biases; she's here to make you aware of them 👀

💡Learn:

The art of perception in fundraising
The Four A's of Critical Inquiry
The dangers of assumptions and biases

Today’s Guest
Amy Herman, Founder + President, The Art of Perception
Episode Highlights

Amy’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
The Art of Perception (12:00)
The Art of Perception in Fundraising (15:00)
Assumptions and Biases (23:40)
Visual Intelligence (31:30)
Four A’s of critical inquiry: Assess, Analyze, Articulate, and Adapt (33:10)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amy’s life (36:45)
Amy’s One Good Thing: As human beings, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. We need to use them proportionately. (41:45)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/338

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to recruit and hire great leaders, build remarkable teams, and unleash your mission’s potential.
You know we talk often about how much your organization’s culture matters especially today - in being not just being a place that attracts talent - but also becomes a magnet to connect donors to your mission. Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.
About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

337. Time Off Well Spent: The Case for Sabbaticals - DJ DiDonna Oct 14, 2022

Show notes

Meet DJ. He’s sharing the gift of rest and rejuvenation. In 2019, he founded The Sabbatical Project to define, explore, and research sabbaticals following a 900-mile pilgrimage in Shi-Ko-Ku, Japan. He knows nonprofits doubt their ability to implement a sabbatical-focused work experience, but keep an open mind! He’s bringing the playbook (and data!) to show how it’s good for business. We’re working toward a world where extended leave is the norm, not the exception. Tune in and hear the science and benefits behind rest.
Today’s Guest
DJ DiDonna, Founder, The Sabbatical Project
Episode Highlights

DJ’s story and journey to where he is today (1:15)
External catalysts that result in sabbaticals (6:00)
Types off sabbaticals people take (11:50)
DJ’s sabbatical + walking 900 miles (16:00)
Barriers that prevent people from taking a sabbatical (21:45)
Archetypes of sabbaticals (24:20)
Business case for sabbaticals (30:10)
Case studies of nonprofit leaders taking sabbaticals (35:00)
DJ’s advice for people exploring sabbaticals in the nonprofit sector (42:00)
A story of powerful philanthropy + impact that DJ witnessed in his career (45:15)
DJ’s One Good Thing: Life is too short to not take a sabbatical. (50:25)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/337
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

336. Bekah's Story: From Burnout to Radical Healing - Bekah Giacomantonio Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

Meet Bekah. She’s a self-proclaimed nonprofit dropout and founder of the Interdependence Incubator, a community for white women who crave healing and a space to practice freedom. She’s made us a believer in the power of leaning into healing and making a collective change. She courageously shares her mental health journey in nonprofit and the change it awakened in personal, interpersonal and systemic levels.

💡Learn

Bekah’s mental health journey story
Slowing down as self- & community-care
Advice for leaders looking to foster a culture of balance & well-being
Adopting a curiosity mindset to be “medicine in these fractured and fracturing times”

Today’s Guest
Bekah Giacomantonio, Liberatory Healing Doula & Facilitator
Episode Highlights

Bekah’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Bekah’s personal mental health story and what she experienced in the nonprofit sector (10:20)
Signals of burnout Bekah experienced (18:00)
What Bekah learned in community in Guatemala (22:45)
What slowing down looks like (28:05)
Activation (34:45)
Fostering a culture of wellbeing (41:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Bekah’s life (43:25)
Bekah’s One Good Thing: Go outside. (46:35)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/336
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

335. How to Center Mental Health in Culture + Mission - Kirk Brown Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

Meet Kirk. He believes managing mental health should be done in community - and he’s got plenty of lived experience & stories to prove it. This executive director and mental health leader has spent 20 years working with economically disadvantaged families and actively recruited rabid fans to become activists in educating, empowering & embracing communities in need. And his org, HANDY Inc, is doing it, one child at a time. Tune in for the story of how a hamster funeral embodied the core of how to care for your mission and people equally. Bring tissues🤧

💡Learn

Protecting the well-being of the nonprofit superheroes who save lives
Defining micro and macro harm
Counsel for NP leaders on prioritizing the well-being of their staff, volunteers, and those surrounding their missions.
Overview of Handy’s mission

Today’s Guest
Kirk Brown, CEO, HANDY Inc.
Episode Highlights

Kirk’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
Overview of HANDY (4:05)
Over the past 2 years reflection (10:00)
Macro harm that turns into micro hate in communities and homes (12:35)
How to support your staff through this time in our world (17:00)
Making the unique case for our needs (24:00)
Mental Health Today: Kindness is not difficult. (30:00)
Be a human being and ask your staff: (31:00)
- How are we doing?
- How are you on your 5 year plan?
- If you were me, what would you do different so your job could be easier?
Kirk’s One Good Thing: You don’t know everything. (37:00)
How to connect with HANDY Inc. (45:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/335
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

334. The Practice of Vulnerability + How to Build Your Resilience - Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal Oct 11, 2022

Show notes

Meet Dr. Taryn Marie. This resiliency expert believes there’s a lot of info on building resilient mindset, but that the world knows very little about resilient doing. This convo is about how vulnerability enhances and creates resiliency. Tune in and discover tools/resources that promote resilience when we inevitably face challenges, change and complexity.
💡Learn

The practice of vulnerability
5️⃣ Practices of Highly Resilient People
Defining vulnerability biases
Activation, tools & resources to help

Today’s Guest

Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal, International Keynote Speaker and Author

Episode Highlights

Dr. Taryn’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Defining resilience and misconceptions around it (6:45)
The practice of vulnerability (10:45)
Vulnerability comes alive in community (18:45)
Further exploring the 5 Practices of Highly Resilient People (27:55)
How to lean into vulnerability and build resiliency (37:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dr. Taryn’s life (47:00)
Dr. Taryn’s One Good Thing: The power of simple pleasures and presence. (50:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/334.
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

333. You Are Not a Burden: The Story + Mission of TWLOHA - Lindsay Kolsch and Chad Moses Oct 10, 2022

Show notes

Meet Lindsay and Chad. They want you to know that you are not a burden. These two heart-wired humans are leading conversation and community at To Write Love on Her Arms - a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. We’re talking self-love, self-care in community and the importance of being connected. TWLOHA is preaching that we’re “all part of this bigger story. And without that, we don't know where this story's going. So stay.”
💡Learn

Overview of TWLOHA’s mission
Building Digital Community + The Power of Storytelling
Architecting a digital “nonprofit movement” grounded in caring & listening
Counsel for nonprofit professionals who are feeling burnt out, anxious & struggling with compassion fatigue

Today’s Guests
Lindsay Kolsch, Co-Executive Director, To Write Love on Her Arms
Chad Moses, Director of Outreach and Experience, To Write Love on Her Arms

Episode Highlights

Lindsay’s story (4:30)
Chad’s Story (6:25)
Founding story of TWLOHA (10:00)
Nontraditional approach to measuring impact (17:05)
Grassroots movement built in authenticity (30:55)
Mental health for nonprofit professionals today (38:35)
Chad’s One Good Thing: Lead with honesty. (46:20)
Lindsay’s One Good Thing: Be willing to listen and hear how hard things are right now (48:30)
How to connect with To Write Love on Her Arms (51:40)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/333
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

332. It's Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Nonprofit Sector - Nneka Allen, Eleanor Wells, Aila Malik, and Jean Pierre-Louis Oct 07, 2022

Show notes

We're warming up for Mental Health Week next week, and we wanted to set the tone with a powerful mental health conversation we powered at the Virtuous Summit. Join Nneka Allen, Eleanor Wells, Aila Malik and Jean Pierre-Louis for a robust discussion about Why it’s time to Prioritize Mental Health & Well-Being in the Nonprofit Sector.You’re not alone. Join us in community and feel seen, inspired and ready to take steps toward healing on Friday's podcast episode moderated by Jon and Becky. Tune in ✌️

Today’s Guest Panelists

Nneka Allen, Principal + Founder, The Empathy Agency
Aila Malik, Founder and CEO, Venture Leadership Consulting
Eleanor Wells, Co-Founder, Cohort4Care
Jean Pierre-Louis, Founder, President + CEO, capracare

Episode Highlights

Introducing the panelists (1:00)
Compassion fatigue and burnout in the nonprofit sector (3:35)
Importance of leaders celebrating wins (8:40)
Racism is a mental health issue (12:25)
Need for space to grieve (25:15)
Prioritizing mental health as a nonprofit leader
Letting team members take care of themselves, but also respond to crises (40:45)
Power of community and healing (45:25)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/332
About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.
About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Join us at The Spread!

Givebutter's biggest innovation event of the year is here — The Spread, built entirely around co-creating with nonprofits like yours. 💛

Learn more and save your free spot today.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

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