Nonprofit Management And Staffing
Discover the art of strategic management and effective staffing in our collection of education videos–dedicated to the unique needs of nonprofits and NGO’s. Dive into crucial facets of successful executive leadership, exploring everything from team building and volunteer coordination to performance management and conflict resolution. These array of lessons, from Top Nonprofit Sector Experts, illuminate the complexities of managing a nonprofit, offering you actionable insights and practical tactics to elevate your organization. You’ll find ways to assemble a passionate team, who shares your mission, with in-depth guidance on cultivating a positive work culture, fostering employee engagement, and keeping your staff motivated, regardless of the challenges that arise.
Our hosts chatted with Jeff Young, Senior Vice President at First Bank, about why your nonprofit absolutely needs a good banker—and it's probably not for the reasons you think. Jeff breaks down exactly why banks see nonprofits as desirable clients and how having a strong relationship with your banker can open doors to some unexpected benefits.
Jeff shared that banks don't just see nonprofits as checking and savings accounts; they genuinely want to support organizations doing good in their communities. Surprisingly, there's even federal encouragement under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), where banks get ratings for their community engagement—so working with nonprofits actually helps banks, too. "Good banks want to do good for their communities," Jeff explains, "and what better way to do that than support the organizations that actually have boots on the ground?"
But how do you make sure you're getting the most out of your banking relationship? Jeff emphasized asking the right questions—especially whether your bank has experience specifically working with nonprofits and if they offer special products like discounted fees and preferred rates. Also crucial is finding someone at the bank who genuinely believes in your mission. Jeff mentioned that bankers who truly connect with your organization's purpose will become internal advocates, helping secure better deals and even promoting your cause within their network.
Should your banker join your nonprofit's board? It's possible, Jeff says, but proceed carefully. He highlights the importance of maintaining clear boundaries to avoid conflicts of interest, especially when it involves lending and financial incentives. A better practice might be for the banker to provide advice while another team member handles specific transactions.
Jeff also clarified the roles of various financial professionals on nonprofit boards, explaining that accountants look at historical financials and compliance, investment professionals focus on asset management, and bankers are forward-looking, helping nonprofits strategically plan growth and manage risk. Having these diverse perspectives ensures stronger decision-making.
Lastly, Jeff gives practical advice for organizations looking to deepen their banking relationships. Start with your local branch manager, ask about nonprofit-specific services, and leverage LinkedIn to find bankers already active in your community. He also encourages tapping your current board's network, as existing members often have strong banking relationships that can benefit your organization.
The conversation wraps up with an engaging look at best practices for nonprofit financial management, highlighting that proactive, relationship-based banking is always better than reactive scrambling when problems arise. By building solid relationships with bankers early, nonprofits can secure more than just financial support—they gain committed partners who are truly invested in their success.
00:00:00 Introduction to Jeff Young, First Bank
00:02:28 How banks specifically support nonprofits
00:03:42 The Community Reinvestment Act and bank incentives
00:06:55 Importance of asking your bank the right questions
00:08:36 Top questions nonprofits should ask their banker
00:10:27 Should your banker be on your nonprofit board?
00:13:17 Differences between accountants, bankers, and investment advisors
00:15:36 Building relationships with your banker
00:17:59 Leveraging your current board for banking connections
00:20:25 Navigating conflicts of interest with bankers
00:22:46 Managing multiple bank relationships and risk
When finance and mission meet, it's often a delicate dance—but Terri Sorrentino, Director of Finance and Administration at Friends of Karen, shows that collaboration can be both powerful and transformative. In this candid and compassionate episode, Terri walks us through how her organization supports families of children facing life-threatening illnesses and how operational departments—often hidden from public view—become the engine behind meaningful impact.
FriendsOfKaren.org serves over 1,200 children annually, most battling cancer. What sets them apart? A comprehensive approach that uplifts the entire family—from social workers who visit homes and hospitals to child life specialists focused on siblings, all delivered with empathy and financial relief. Yet behind this emotional mission is a finely tuned financial machine—and a finance leader who sees herself not as a gatekeeper, but a guide.
Terri shares the often unseen tension between program needs and accounting rules, especially in emotionally charged scenarios. "Everyone has their role and every role is important...we're all trying to get to the same place, which is to help the families," she shares. Her approach centers on open communication, mutual respect, and ongoing staff education on budgeting and reporting.
Terri also dives into the evolving demands of grant reporting, emphasizing that funders now want more than expense breakdowns. They seek data-driven impact narratives that quantify emotional and advocacy-based work—especially the cost of social workers, a vital but often overlooked pillar of the mission.
This informative dialog explores how organizations can better prepare for audits without compromising compassion, and how relationships between finance, fundraising, and programming must be built on shared goals, not silos. Through storytelling and systems thinking, Terri exemplifies how to lead with heart and structure—ensuring that every dollar, spreadsheet, and report ultimately serves the mission.
Drew Moran, Chief Development Officer at Nourishing Hope, joins our cohosts,Julia Patrick and Sherry Quam Taylor, for a conversation that blends visionary thinking with practical strategies. From the moment the discussion begins, you’ll see that this is more than a typical food pantry story. Drew’s journey—from volunteer manager to a leader at a $20 million organization—illustrates how a commitment to innovation and compassion can drive exponential growth. You will be energized by the candid dialogue on marrying development and technology to better serve communities in need.
At the heart of the conversation is the imperative for nonprofits to invest in smart technology. Drew provides data, making a clear point: digital tools are not a luxury but a necessity for modern service delivery. By integrating a CRM, electronic medical records, and online ordering, Nourishing Hope streamlines operations, attracts forward‑thinking funders, and reduces barriers, all while honoring the dignity of the clients it serves.
Nourishing Hope, formerly Lakeview Pantry, has transformed over its 55‑year history, leveraging technology to expand its reach beyond Chicago’s north side. Under Drew’s leadership, the pantry launched the city’s first online market in 2019 and recently celebrated its 100,000th service. Combined with free mental healthcare and social services for over 55,000 individuals, the organization delivers more than 200,000 distinct services each year. This wrap‑around approach ensures every person who walks through its doors receives not just a meal, but respect and the tools needed to thrive.
Sherry and Julia spotlight the importance of a values‑aligned team and trust‑based philanthropy in driving impact. Drew emphasizes that fostering a culture of flexibility and abundance enables volunteers, staff, and donors to become co‑creators of change. From recruiting 7,000 annual volunteers to partnering with visionary foundations, the organization’s success hinges on building authentic relationships. This fast paced episode offers an actionable blueprint for nonprofit leaders seeking to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset—one that invites risk, prioritizes client experience, and leverages strategic partnerships to achieve sustainable growth.
Whether your mission is feeding families, providing mental health support, or reimagining service delivery in your community, this episode delivers the inspiration and insights needed to turn bold ideas into reality.
We are joined by Srikar Chinam, CEO of KarmaSuite, for a conversation that flips conventional grant thinking on its head. While most nonprofit leaders pour their energy into winning grants, Srikar urges the sector to focus just as hard—if not more so—on what comes after the win: post-award grant management.
Srikar explains that managing grants isn't just about compliance; it's about aligning multiple stakeholders, vocabulary sets, and reporting requirements—all while staying within highly specific timelines and budgetary restrictions. “It’s absolutely a spreadsheet nightmare out there,” he says, describing the all-too-familiar scenario of finance teams scrambling to reconcile expenses manually in donor-specific formats. For organizations juggling five to seven grants or more, the administrative load becomes unsustainable!
The conversation digs into why nonprofits often find themselves underprepared for this reality. “If you leave money on the table, that means the donor has missed their impact goals because of you,” warns Srikar, pointing to how such gaps can erode credibility and diminish future funding opportunities.
From federal grant freezes to the internal silos between development, finance, and programming, the conversation paints a vivid picture of a sector straining under outdated processes. Srikar shares that Karma Suite is designed not to replace accounting systems, but to sit atop them—removing 75% of the manual work currently managed through spreadsheets and late-night email chains.
One of the most impactful observations in the episode? The disconnect in language between departments and between nonprofits and funders. “Programs control the spending, but they’re not finance experts—and finance teams don’t always have the program context,” says Srikar, emphasizing the importance of connective tools that unify these voices.
From fiscal uncertainty to renewed donor expectations, the stakes have never been higher. But KarmaSuite’s tech-forward solution feels approachable, logical, and needed. With user-friendly integration and swift onboarding, it’s a promising answer to a huge overlooked problem.
00:00:00 Welcome and guest introduction
00:01:49 What is Karma Suite?
00:03:03 Why grant management is more than getting the check
00:04:30 Restrictions, expiration dates, and manual allocation
00:06:38 Spreadsheet overload: why current tools fall short
00:11:02 Disconnect between finance, programming, and fundraising
00:13:51 Grant mismanagement: how common is it?
00:16:21 Understanding funder expectations and impact goals
00:19:01 Software, process, and people: what’s missing
00:22:23 Federal funding freezes and reimbursement delays
00:24:56 Accuracy in reporting matters more than ever
#GrantManagement
#NonprofitFinance
#ImpactStrategy
What does it take to reimagine child welfare on a global scale? Caroline Boudreaux, Founder of the Miracle Foundation, shares her extraordinary evolution from corporate life to global changemaker. Her journey began on a spontaneous trip to India where, on Mother’s Day in 2000, she met a group of orphaned children—and one moment changed her forever.
“I put a hungry orphan on a wooden bed and heard her bones hit the wood. I’ve never been the same,” Boudreaux recalls.
Originally launching Miracle Foundation as an international adoption agency, Caroline soon realized that adoption couldn’t scale fast enough to match the need. She pivoted. Then, another revelation: 80% of institutionalized children actually had living family. “We couldn’t just make orphanages better anymore—we had to help children go home,” she shares. That shift required a new model, a bold strategy, and a lot of resilience.
The organization began empowering ‘kinship care’—supporting extended families to take children back in by addressing barriers like housing, education, or income. Then came Thrive Well: a transformative app that puts this care model into the hands of over 30,000 social workers, enabling systems change at scale.
This inspiring discussion adds in the role of healthy board dynamics, founder self-awareness, and breaking through the myth that only “rich people” give. “You're not looking for donors with money,” Caroline says. “You’re looking for souls who want to do something bigger than themselves.”
Her metaphor? “We’re all jumping into the river to save babies. But someone has to look upstream to stop them from falling in.”
This conversation will challenge your assumptions, ignite your passion for systemic change, and offer inspiration for every nonprofit leader navigating evolving missions and growing impact.
00:00:00 Welcome to Caroline Boudreaux
00:01:29 How a trip to India sparked a mission
00:04:14 The moment that changed everything on Mother’s Day
00:07:10 Founding the Miracle Foundation
00:08:50 Early struggles and pivot from adoption
00:11:18 Discovering most “orphans” had families
00:13:03 The kinship care model explained
00:16:19 Partnering with Indian government and local leaders
00:17:40 Launching the Thrive Well app
00:20:01 Founder syndrome and building a strong board
00:21:22 Metaphor: saving babies vs. stopping them from falling in
00:23:22 Finding the right donors: look for souls, not dollars
00:25:27 The journey of learning, pivoting, and systemic change
00:27:08 Vision for a world without orphanages by 2040
#FamilyFirst #MiracleFoundation #SystemsChange
Paul Preziotti, CPA and partner at Johnson Lambert, joins co-hosts Julia Patrick and Meico Marquette Whitlock to provide a grounded, real-time financial snapshot of the nonprofit sector in 2025. As Paul begins, “Each month, it’s like, oh, that happened… now that happened,” capturing the fast-moving nature of today’s funding landscape.
The hosts and guest explore lessons learned from past crises and how nonprofits must evolve their planning models, including annual board and staff financial trainings, contingency-based budgets, and integrating cash flow analysis into strategic decision-making. Paul emphasizes that scenario planning is not a one-time task, but an organizational mindset: “You can’t do this overnight… you need to build in review time at all levels—starting with the board.”
The conversation digs deep into scenario planning—why it’s essential, and how it gives nonprofits a flexible roadmap when the future is uncertain. Gone are the days of assuming government funding is reliable. Preziotti says, “Even if your agency isn’t one of the ones in the news, I think you have to think about a scenario in the future where that funding doesn’t exist.”
The trio also address the communication gap between finance professionals and non-financial staff or board members. Paul and Meico discuss creating a budgeting culture that empowers all roles with the right knowledge and confidence to engage in financial discussions—without fear of judgment—adding that staying calm and building a supportive tone at the top helps organizations weather instability with resilience.
Outsourcing is presented as a flexible and cost-efficient solution, especially for smaller nonprofits. Whether outsourcing payroll, the CFO role, or just the budget process, it’s all about customizing help where it's most needed e.g.tailoring financial communication for diverse board members, using dashboards, infographics, or narrative reporting as appropriate.
00:00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:01:52 Meet Paul Preziotti from Johnson Lambert
00:03:14 Nonprofit Budget and Funding Uncertainty in 2025
00:05:22 Why Scenario Planning Matters for Nonprofits
00:07:18 Lessons Learned from COVID and Natural Disasters
00:08:54 What Non-Financial Board Members Should Know
00:11:14 How Smaller Nonprofits Can Manage Scenario Planning
00:12:00 Outsourcing Financial Roles as a Cost-Saving Strategy
00:14:50 Building a Culture of Budgeting and Communication
00:17:23 Training Financial Staff to Communicate Clearly
00:21:02 How to Communicate Finances to the Board
00:23:35 What Boards Should Really Focus On Financially
00:25:44 How to Stay Calm During Financial Uncertainty
00:28:16 Sector-Wide Warnings and Final Thoughts
Dr. Pierre Berastaín, Regional Director at the Centre for Public Impact, invites us into a powerful conversation about leadership, cultural humility, and living with integrity across lines of difference. With warmth and depth, Dr. Berastaín shares how personal identity can be a source of strength in leadership—not something to minimize or check at the door.
"We all lead from a cultural lens, whether we name it or not," Dr. Berastaín explains. "The danger isn’t bringing your culture into leadership—the danger is bringing it in unconsciously and expecting it to be the norm for everyone."
Dr. Berastaín’s personal journey fuels his systems change work. His role at CPI—a nonprofit incubated by Boston Consulting Group—blends macro strategy with community-rooted implementation. The goal: reimagine how governments and public institutions serve people, especially those pushed to the margins.
At the heart of this discussion is an honest reckoning with cultural difference and a plea to bring one's full self into leadership. “Cultural humility isn’t about shrinking yourself,” he shares. “It’s about knowing yourself well enough to make room for others.”
The conversation explores what it means to acknowledge culture without stereotyping, the impact of asking, “What are you?” and how silence—intended to be safe—can sometimes feel like erasure. Dr. Berastaín advocates for “relational warmth before analytical interest,” encouraging listeners to shift from tokenizing curiosity to reciprocal connection.
He also offers practical tools for introspection: therapy, spiritual grounding, and forming a “personal board of directors” who challenge and support growth. These elements, he says, are vital in cultivating not only emotional intelligence but the capacity to lead with vision.
By the end of the chat, with host Julia Patrick, it’s clear that Dr. Berastaín’s leadership is not performative—it is personal, deliberate, and anchored in truth. And he challenges all of us to ask: What are we carrying into the room?
This episode is a must-watch for nonprofit professionals, board leaders, and changemakers looking to lead with depth and humanity in today’s increasingly complex world.
In a moment of transformational clarity, life and leadership coach George “Iceberg” Miller addresses what so many in the sector struggle with but rarely name: fear. Hosted by Julia Patrick, this conversation dares nonprofit leaders to face their internal barriers and lead from a place of emotional intelligence.
“We train ourselves out of even feeling anxiety and fear,” George says. But instead of rejecting fear, he challenges us to embrace it as a guide—not a threat. With heartfelt stories and grounded strategies, he redefines fear as a powerful source of data and growth. “What if we change that to—no, this is part of life?”
Together, the duo unpack the burnout crisis plaguing the nonprofit sector, especially among development professionals who rarely stay longer than 19 months. But rather than despair, George offers a hopeful alternative: presence. “All I did was say, ‘I’m angry.’ And it led to the most productive meeting of my career.”
From volunteer teachers who avoid burnout by staying connected to meaningful work, to financial leaders unlocking emotional resilience through micro-interactions, George shows that radical change begins within. His vision is clear: leadership isn't just about competence—it's about relational courage.
For anyone navigating budget cuts, burnout, or policy shifts, this episode is a masterclass in transforming fear into fuel. “If I can allow myself to feel that fear, stop criticizing myself for it… then I can create something new.”
Let this dynamic session be your invitation to pause, breathe, and reimagine your leadership—not as something to fix, but as something to feel.
00:00:00 Welcome introduction
00:03:46 Recognizing fear in nonprofit leadership
00:05:06 Reframing fear as useful, not wrong
00:07:01 Burnout and emotional suppression in development roles
00:09:04 Avoid burnout through meaningful service
00:11:42 Can emotional growth happen quickly?
00:13:22 Emotions as foundational leadership data
00:17:06 A single sentence that changed a team
00:21:03 Leaders modeling emotional presence
00:22:44 Fear, change, and historical perspective
00:25:52 Using anxiety to fuel creativity and hope
#EmotionalIntelligence #NonprofitLeadership #FearToFriend
It’s Fundraiser’s Friday—and we engage in a candid, layered conversation about one of the sector’s least addressed yet most persistent realities: stress. Specifically, the stress experienced by nonprofit fundraisers who juggle mounting expectations, emotional labor, event overload, and relentless revenue goals.
Cohost Julia Patrick opens with a sobering observation: “We can’t, as a sector, keep fundraisers going. They burn out and leave—an average tenure of only 18 months.” This sets the tone for a deep dive into the sources of that burnout and practical frameworks to address them. Cohost Tony Beall offers a powerful, centering reminder: “Give yourself the grace and accept that you need these things for yourself. There’s no guilt in taking care of the caretaker.”
Together, they examine six categories of stress fundraisers commonly endure: revenue pressure, donor expectations, event management demands, campaign overload, internal organizational scrutiny, and peer isolation. Instead of simply bemoaning these conditions, the cohosts provide tactical insight. From outsourcing logistics and investing in professional benefit auctioneers, to building strong volunteer committees and peer support networks, they propose both mindset shifts and structural solutions.
Tony emphasizes the importance of open and honest communication—up, down, and across the organization—as one of the most effective antidotes to mounting stress. Equally essential, Julia insists, is understanding the often-forgotten emotional toll of donor relationships and campaign deadlines, which can be exacerbated by unrealistic leadership expectations or outdated traditions like “we’ve always done this event.”
What emerges is a roadmap for healing a profession at risk. This isn’t just an episode—it’s a resource, a reset, and a reaffirmation for nonprofit professionals who need permission and tools to stay in the work they love.
00:00:00 Welcome to Fundraisers Friday
00:01:00 Fundraiser burnout and short tenure
00:02:00 Revenue pressure and mental strain
00:05:00 Open communication as stress management
00:07:35 Donor relationships and expectation stress
00:10:00 Fundraisers as accidental event managers
00:13:15 Return on effort for fundraising events
00:16:00 Volunteer committees and shared ownership
00:18:10 Benefit auctioneers and event ROI
00:21:00 Campaign overload and tech tools
00:24:00 Internal scrutiny and team pressure
00:27:00 Peer support and professional associations
00:30:00 Final takeaways and call for self-care
In a conversation as timely as it is timeless, we welcome Gordon Sims, Director of Development at the Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, to explore how nonprofits can sustain their commitment to DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) amid increasing societal and political scrutiny. Joined by cohosts Wendy F. Adams and Julia Patrick, this dialogue doesn’t flinch from the complex realities of today’s climate—but it also doesn’t surrender to them.
Gordon traces the DEIB movement's lineage back nearly a century, when Catholics and Jews united to counter hate, showing that “this movement and this work is far bigger than this political cycle.” His words remind us that while terminology and tactics may shift, the core intention remains: equal access, safety, and dignity for all. "The intent really was never to create preferential treatment for anyone,” he says, “but to just give equal treatment and opportunities."
This conversation acknowledges how the DEIB landscape has been reshaped by fear, legislation, and misinformation. Yet it offers clarity and resolve. Gordon uses a poignant metaphor comparing DEIB to theme park "fast passes," where historically marginalized communities have been left to wait in line while others bypassed them. DEIB, he emphasizes, is about giving everyone the opportunity to get on the ride—no more, no less.
Equally compelling is the discussion around strategy. Gordon highlights the importance of language, framing, and tone when approaching these issues, especially in environments where such topics are misunderstood or even banned. “Sometimes we have to choose between being right and being strategic,” he shares, quoting trainer Erica Merritt. The challenge lies in advancing the work without triggering defensiveness or political backlash.
Ultimately, this episode is about courage, compassion, and connection. It's about listening deeply, creating safe spaces, and convening in strength. Whether it’s through roundtables with LGBTQ centers, school districts, or town hall-style block parties, Gordon and his team are modeling how collaboration itself becomes a form of resilience.
For those unsure how to proceed or afraid to speak, this episode provides a framework not just for advocacy, but for hope.
Dawn Trapp, CEO of the Civitan Foundation AZ, delivers an inspiring and detailed look into how her organization successfully runs a summer camp for individuals with disabilities. With operations dating back to 1968, Civitan has evolved from a modest two-week camp into a year-round service hub providing inclusive programming, employment training, arts initiatives, and a deeply supportive community.
Dawn shares the journey of navigating decades of change—from shifting public perceptions to compliance with modern licensing, insurance, and risk management needs. The organization made a pivotal decision during COVID to remain open, extending their camp season when many others shut down. “We stayed open… and it was probably one of the best decisions that we made for everybody,” she says, reflecting on how camp served as a safe haven for campers and staff during uncertain times.
Camp Civitan serves a broad age range—from 5 to 83—and a spectrum of disabilities, tailoring programming to meet diverse needs. Dawn emphasizes the importance of respite not just for the campers, but for their families. Many use state-provided respite funding to cover attendance, enabling caregivers to rest, while campers experience joy, independence, and connection.
Staffing is one of Civitan’s most pressing challenges, especially given its rural location. Dawn shares how they addressed this by bringing in international staff and launching the "Grow Our Own" program, cultivating future leaders from within their own volunteer base—some of whom started at age six and are now on staff. Civitan also maintains ownership of its 15-acre camp, which provides long-term flexibility but comes with substantial cost and maintenance responsibilities.
From risk mitigation to community partnerships, Dawn’s candid discussion reveals the complexity of operating a mission-aligned, community-centered facility. Her closing thoughts on legacy and leadership succession reflect a long-view commitment: ensuring Civitan continues to thrive for generations to come.
#InclusiveCamps #DisabilityServices #NonprofitLeadership
Understanding what it really means for a nonprofit to be financially successful—and no, it’s not just about the size of your bank account. Beth Larsen, VP of Client Accounting and Advisory Services at JMT Consulting, explains.
Financial success, Beth explains, is fundamentally about “whether or not you have the resources to fulfill your mission effectively.” It’s a mindset shift from passive accounting to active financial management, where success is defined by the ability to match your assets to your mission-driven activities.
Beth digs into how nonprofits can and should assess their financial health by tracking three core metrics: monthly operating results, available unrestricted cash, and current ratio. She emphasizes that these metrics aren’t just nice-to-have—they’re essential to making real-time strategic decisions and maintaining stability in uncertain economic times.
“Most nonprofits are dealing with demand that far exceeds available resources,” she shares. “That means decision-making must be rooted in data and aligned with mission, not just money.”
The conversation moves from theory to practice, with Beth advocating for a solid financial foundation built on clean data, clear processes, and internal discipline. She outlines actionable best practices like having written financial procedures, separation of duties, automated systems, and integrated budget planning that includes development and operations.
Host Julia Patrick and Beth also reflect on their past experiences during the 2008 recession—where both faced impossible decisions around shelter programs and fundraising gaps—and draw relevant lessons for today's leaders.
Whether your nonprofit is flying blind with checkbook accounting or wrestling with boardroom fear around financial topics, Beth’s calm, strategic approach lights a clear path forward. Her message is both urgent and empowering: “You can’t afford not to do this work.”
Executive Director Janelle Miller Moravek of Youth and Family Counseling takes us behind the curtain of what it really means to make HR the Executive Director’s greatest ally. This isn’t just an HR pep talk—it’s a dive into how transactional excellence, emotional intelligence, and succession planning can transform your organization’s culture, resilience, and impact.
Janelle brings real-world insights from her 15-year journey leading a nonprofit mental health organization that grew from a $680,000 budget to $2.8 million and expanded to three locations. What’s her secret? A thoughtful, strategic approach to human resources.
“We’ve always had to create an experience for our employees that attracts the talent we need,” she shares. In a sector where nonprofits can’t match private sector salaries, Janelle emphasizes designing career ladders and crafting meaningful employee experiences as key levers in recruitment and retention.
She also doesn’t shy away from accountability: “We need to look back at ourselves. Our staffing changes often come about because of something we’ve done.” Her refreshing honesty sets the tone for a discussion that’s as practical as it is reflective.
From the nitty-gritty of job descriptions to navigating a multigenerational workforce and preparing for the “silver tsunami” of retirements, Janelle urges leaders to embrace HR not just as a compliance mechanism, but as strategic scaffolding that supports every function in the organization.
The episode explores how nonprofits—especially smaller ones—can structure succession planning without fear, cultivate middle management, and share leadership in ways that increase organizational capacity and decrease burnout.
As she puts it, “HR is scaffolding. It’s how you manage the work and the people—it can’t just be the ED holding it up.”
If you're a nonprofit leader navigating hiring woes, team development, or succession worries, watch this for a generous dose of real-world experience mixed with humor, clarity, and heart.
The nonprofit workforce is facing a seismic shift—and Dana Scurlock, Director of Recruitment at Staffing Boutique, is sounding the alarm. Dana shares her front-line insights into how nonprofit hiring, funding, and retention are being shaken by rapid economic changes, sudden government funding losses, and the ripple effects of widespread layoffs.
“This isn’t like the 2008 recession—it’s a new kind of shock,” Dana warns, “caused by government decisions, not just market forces. And it’s hitting nonprofits harder than most expect.” With federal funding like USAID vanishing overnight, entire nonprofit teams are being let go. “We had people with 10-year careers suddenly unemployed, instantly flooding the job market,” she explains.
But it’s not just about job loss—it’s about how organizations and individuals can respond strategically. Dana urges nonprofit leaders to prepare now: streamline hiring strategies, proactively build relationships, and invest in operational resilience. For job seekers, her advice is clear: tailor your resume, keep your online presence updated, and target your applications with laser focus. “Five thoughtful applications are better than twenty generic ones,” she advises.
In today’s chaotic labor environment, many hiring managers are frozen in fear, paralyzed by a rattled economy. Even temporary hiring is down. Yet Dana sees this as an opportunity. “Now is the time to be proactive. Hire for strategy—bring in a temp to build a grant pipeline or kick off a new campaign before the fiscal year resets,” she suggests.
What’s the biggest takeaway for nonprofit leaders? Talk to each other. Share intelligence. Cross-pollinate ideas. “The best information comes from each other,” says Dana. “Let’s stop gatekeeping and start collaborating.”
This episode isn’t just a conversation—it’s a wake-up call. If you lead a nonprofit, manage a team, or are navigating a career pivot, this dialogue is your blueprint for staying ahead of the curve.
#NonprofitWorkforce #LaborTrends2025 #RattledEconomy
Unpacking what it really takes to move from frontline nonprofit roles into independent consulting—with cohosts Tony Beall, Founder of Mr. Nonprofit Consultancy, and Julia Patrick.
If you've ever felt boxed in by one organization, this conversation will challenge your assumptions. From building your personal brand and selecting a niche to navigating ethical landmines and saying “no” to work that doesn’t fit — Tony doesn’t sugarcoat the reality of consulting. He shares how he scaled impact while protecting sanity and why too many consultants chase dollars instead of purpose. Thinking about making the jump? This is your essential primer.