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.
Craig Shelley, CEO of Schultz & Williams, joins Show host Julia Patrick, as they examine how philanthropy and nonprofit leadership are being reshaped under persistent uncertainty. Craig frames the moment succinctly: skepticism toward institutions is rising, which means nonprofits must state their values plainly and show exactly how funds power outcomes. The rubric he uses —“culture, brand, growth,” with culture first—becomes a practical lens leaders can apply immediately.
A central thread is fear—of economic signals, of language missteps, of technology’s speed. Craig notes that newer terms and jargon often widen the gap between sector insiders and the public. The remedy, he argues, is precision in communication and integrity in positioning. Julia observes a leadership pivot she’s hearing across the sector: “I’ve shifted my focus from task management to almost cheerleader,” which reframes modern leadership as energizing teams, not merely allocating tasks.
Remote work adds complexity: video meetings enable contact but thin relationships. Craig cautions that virtual convenience can erode the depth required for durable trust with colleagues and donors. He urges fundraisers—especially early-career professionals—to prioritize in-person relationship building. Otherwise, if their engagement stays purely digital, they compete directly with automated outreach. AI, in his telling, is already table stakes for efficiency—wealth screening, signal-based prospecting, and automated acknowledgments—but not a substitute for human rapport.
The conversation widens to concentric circles of stakeholders: start with staff, then the board, donors, and constituents. Invest in people first—reduce friction, understand motivations, build clarity. Curiosity is the catalyst. Craig’s own practice—asking about lives beyond job titles—models how depth is built. Julia adds a counterweight on “authentic leadership,” wryly noting that unfiltered authenticity can unsettle teams; leaders must project steadiness even while processing strain.
What emerges is a modern leadership compact: clarity about values, consistent communication, judicious use of technology, and intentional relationship work—especially in person. The sector’s generosity hasn’t waned; the environment around it has shifted. Navigating that shift means centering people and partnerships, then aligning tools to support, not replace, human connection.
Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall get practical about recruiting fundraising talent when Q4 urgency is peaking. They open with empathy for development teams sprinting toward holiday giving, then move straight into the realities leaders must manage: retention, clarity, and smarter channels for sourcing candidates. Tony reminds us of the data behind turnover—average tenure around 19 months—and turns that into a charge for boards and executives to assess culture and expectations, not just replace people. “I’m an advocate of putting salary ranges in job postings,” he says, framing transparency as both respectful and time-saving for everyone.
The core lesson: start with a carefully crafted role. Compensation, deliverables, and core competencies belong upfront so you can source with precision. Julia pushes the conversation further: what if someone has been in the role for ten years? Tony offers a balanced lens—deep relationships can be a huge asset provided the organization’s future vision and the person’s strengths still connect.
From there, they map pathways to strong candidates: specialized job boards (AFP global and chapter sites, Chronicle of Philanthropy, local consulting firms’ boards), professional networks, and the university pipeline. Today’s philanthropic studies programs and micro-credentials (including LinkedIn Learning) expand opportunities for both organizations and professionals; mid-career learners with real-world experience can be exceptional hires. Julia points to the Lodestar Center at ASU as an example of a robust regional hub producing talent across ages and backgrounds.
They also cover the human side: discretion on LinkedIn (quietly indicating recruiter-friendly status), partnering with search firms, and managing communications in small communities where reputations travel fast. Tony’s encouragement is simple and memorable: “You have to be in it to win it.” That means showing up, telling trusted peers you’re exploring options, and being thoughtful about where and how you share.
The episode closes with practical optimism. Recruiting well isn’t about luck—it’s about clarity, channels, and consistent relationship-building. Name the role. State the range. Know the competencies. Post where fundraisers actually look. Tap universities and certificates. And keep your personal brand healthy—because your next opportunity often starts with the conversations you have today!
#TheNonprofitShow #FundraisersFriday #NonprofitCareers
ROI and culture rarely share the same sentence in nonprofit circles—yet that’s exactly the connection guest Carrie Wright (Wright Consulting) makes with co-hosts Wendy F. Adams and Julia C. Patrick. Carrie argues that retention, performance, and donor experience begin inside the walls: “You will never serve your clients beyond the level of which you serve one another.” If teams are burned out, poorly onboarded, or siloed, no amount of recruiting spend fixes the churn. As she puts it, leaders must “close the back door” with rigorous assessment, honest listening, and visible action.
Carrie’s playbook is practical. Start with anonymous pulse checks—quarterly if possible—to hear reality, not assumptions. Then act: cross-functional small groups, bridge-building across departments, and norms that reward collaboration instead of comparison. Culture work isn’t a memo; it’s a habit system. Think heat rising to a boil: one degree at a time until 212.
What about power dynamics? Carrie is clear that modeling starts at the top. Wall values must match hallway behavior. If leadership resists inside-out work but pushes customer-facing service, there’s a mismatch. That’s where courage comes in—for executives and for team members who “lead from where they sit.” Emerging leaders can shape tomorrow’s norms today through reverse mentoring, curiosity, and steady ownership.
Timelines matter. Culture change isn’t instant. Carrie has seen meaningful movement in six to nine months when leaders commit, communicate, and keep at it—while accepting pruning along the way. People will self-select out; that’s part of creating healthy soil. The gardener’s mindset applies: tend, water, weed, and measure growth.
Above all, the path forward is transparent: “Clarity is kindness.” Name the direction, keep conversations open, and invite people into the process—including the moments that are tough. Put culture on the same planning calendar as fundraising and events. If you’re asking donors to invest, demonstrate that you’re investing in your people with equal focus. The outcome? A mission that gains momentum because the team carrying it is strong, trusted, and aligned.
When a nonprofit founder steps away, the organization often faces one of the most emotional and uncertain chapters in its history. In this episode, Joan Brown, Chief Operating Officer at Interim Executives Academy, and Catherine Bradshaw, Senior Search Specialist at EOS Transition Partners, discuss the delicate art of following a founder and building stability during leadership succession.
Catherine begins, “When a founder leaves, the organization loses not only a leader but often its very identity. The board and staff must learn that the mission can thrive beyond the individual.” Her experience reveals that many boards have never navigated a leadership change — especially one that involves the founder who is the face of the organization.
Joan adds, “Interim leaders give organizations breathing space. When there’s no heir apparent, an interim provides structure, clarity, and a safe period to determine what the future needs to look like.” She reminds us that interim executives aren’t caretakers—they’re catalysts for readiness, shaping communication and confidence at every level of the organization.
Together, they address the emotional realities that come when a founder steps aside: staff anxiety, donor unease, and the founder’s own sense of identity loss. Catherine recommends coaching and structured off-boarding as essential supports: “Departing leaders need grace and guidance too. It’s about leaving the organization strong and knowing when to step fully away.”
Joan highlights the power of communication: “No one functions well with prolonged uncertainty. Clear communication with staff, donors, and community partners makes all the difference in a smooth transition.” Both guests advocate early succession planning and the importance of professional interim leadership to prevent crisis-driven change.
From retaining donor trust to defining new leadership roles, this sparkling conversation reveals why founder transitions, when managed thoughtfully, can be a time of renewal rather than instability. It’s a masterclass for nonprofit boards, executives, and founders who want to lead with foresight rather than fear.
Matt Glazer arrives with runner’s grit and a teacher’s patience, asking nonprofit leaders to reconsider what “success” really means when the pace gets punishing and the stakes feel permanent. Blue Sky Partners, he explains, is built on human-centered design—strategy that starts with people, not paperwork—because “things happen with people, not to them.” That simple reframing lands like fresh air in a room that’s been working on fumes.
Matt traces the practical path from North Star to next step. Vision and mission still matter; values still guide. But unless the destination is explicit, inertia becomes the manager. He’s seen organizations celebrate the wrong finish line—an amount raised rather than a result achieved—because the compass got swapped for a calculator. As he puts it plainly, too many teams make “the destination the money, not the mission,” and then feel failure in victory. His remedy: clarity that sequences choices—staffing, board composition, fundraising tactics—toward outcomes that last longer than a news cycle or a fiscal quarter.
The episode turns intimate as he describes leading through funding freezes and furloughs, where procurement bottlenecks stall workforce programs and rapid-rehousing efforts. Chaos, he says, is part of the system; the question is how leaders respond. That response writes the culture: junior staff learn what urgency means, what boundaries are allowed, and whether development is an investment or an afterthought.
Matt’s answer is rhythm. He prefers “work-life rhythm” to balance, because real life surges and ebbs. Micro-rituals—a brain break after deep work, a morning run, hand-ground coffee, ten minutes of reading—become the scaffolding of steadiness. Leaders who model the pause (even leaving early after a 3 a.m. crisis) give permission for healthier habits and better listening. From there, skills compound: interns become staffers, staffers rise to managers, managers to directors, directors to chiefs.
He doesn’t preach from a distance. Matt shares his own burnout and mental-health journey, the season when achievement eclipsed wellbeing. That candor reframes self-care as operational sense, not personal luxury. The nonprofit sector is vast—and fragile—precisely because it relies on people whose calling meets constraints. Protect the people, he argues, and you protect the mission.
This episode is an invitation to re-set: name the North Star, measure what matters, and let rhythm replace adrenaline. Strategy becomes humane. Operations become sustainable. And the work—housed within leaders who can breathe—can keep going for a long time.
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitLeadership #HumanCenteredDesign
Nonprofits talk about programs, fundraising, and boards—but rarely about how to build and lead a modern finance team. JMT Consulting’s Taylor Bost and Samantha Tiso deliver a clear, practical playbook for turning finance from a back-office function into a strategic engine.
Samantha reframes the relationship right out of the gate: “We view the finance department as the customer support for the rest of the company.” That posture—service, responsiveness, and clarity—reduces fear, boosts collaboration, and speeds decisions. It also demands better systems. As she puts it, “With the right system… that is possible if you have it structured the right way.” Translation: good data in, fast insight out.
Taylor widens the lens to organization-wide alignment. Finance is not just P and L. It is grants, restrictions, repeat donor behavior, and cost to raise a dollar—metrics that reshape priorities across teams. That is why she pushes for a single ‘source of truth’ and warns against siloed tools: when data is scattered, people end up re-keying information and fixing errors. Her reminder lands: “Every time a human’s touching something… you’re opening yourself up to room for error.”
Measurement matters too—of the finance team itself. Taylor offers practical KPIs any CEO or board can use: monthly close time, volume of audit adjustments, and adoption of automation. If close cycles are drifting from 5–7 business days to 15–20, there is friction you can remove with better workflow, integrations, and roles.
Governance shows up repeatedly. Samantha adds: “The C-suite needs to be looking at it. The board needs to be looking at it.” Confidence in numbers is confidence in the organization. And with grantmakers demanding more frequent and better-substantiated reports, integrated systems are no longer optional—they are essential.
The quick-paced convo also tackles outsourced and remote finance. Success hinges on clear ownership of recurring tasks, documented deadlines, and transparent communication channels. Taylor’s advice: break the monthly engine into parts—reconciliations, payment application, approvals—so nothing stalls.
The icing on the cake? We get a preview of Innovate 2026 conference and JMT’s three-decade journey—from early outsourced accounting to full-stack finance technology and process advisory. Samantha shares how Innovate blends training with thought leadership on grants, banking, interest rates, and board communication, ensuring every role—from CFO to controller to ops—walks away with practical upgrades.
Big takeaway: modern nonprofit finance is a service mindset plus integrated tech plus shared accountability. Or in Taylor’s words, “CFOs step a little bit more into the tech strategy role.” When finance leads with service and systems, everyone rows in the same direction—and mission moves faster.
Financial leadership is more than numbers—it’s the heartbeat of nonprofit sustainability. In this Nonprofit Power Week finale of The Nonprofit Show, Regional Director Ellie Hume of Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) brings clarity and candor to some of the most frequently asked financial questions. With an “Ask and Answer” format, the conversation covers everything from roles and responsibilities in financial leadership to the evolving landscape of fractional CFOs.
Ellie sets the stage by redefining how we see finance in nonprofits: “Finance is literally the thread that draws every piece of the organization together because without it, nothing works.” She dismantles silos by urging finance professionals to engage deeply with program, marketing, and development teams to ensure that data isn’t just accurate but also meaningful for decision-making.
The discussion takes a practical turn as Ellie differentiates between controllers, comptrollers, and CFOs. She outlines the transactional oversight of controllers, the governmental nuance of comptrollers, and the strategic future-focus of CFOs. She also digs into the importance of internal controls, noting their role in fraud prevention and audit readiness.
The lively session shifts into the governance space. How often should boards review and sign Conflict of Interest (COI) policies? Ellie’s answer is clear: annually at minimum, but immediately when new conflicts arise. She gives a relatable example: a contractor-board member bidding on a capital campaign project must disclose and recuse themselves. Transparency, she argues, isn’t optional—it’s fiduciary duty.
Ellie also challenges assumptions about credentials. Do finance directors need to be CPAs? Her answer: “You truly just need great accounting skills and a strategic mindset to help the organization use financial information to make good business decisions.” Certifications like CPA or CMA add credibility but don’t replace experience or practical skill.
The conversation also explores the rise of fractional leadership. Ellie frames fractional CFOs as an efficient way to access high-level talent at a fraction of the time or cost, particularly useful during transitions or to prepare for a new hire. Fractional arrangements, she explains, can be both short-term bridges and long-term partnerships.
The conversation wraps with a powerful reminder for board members: ask tough financial questions. Are resources aligned with mission? What risks are we facing? Do internal controls hold up? And crucially—what training do board members need to responsibly interpret financial statements?
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #FractionalCFO
In this Nonprofit Power Week conversation, we sit down with Jen Blasy, Manager at Your Part-Time Controller, to confront a topic many organizations would rather avoid: fraud in the nonprofit sector. Jen is unequivocal about the stakes: “Fraud has been a constant. It may look different, but it’s still happening.” She explains why the sector’s empathy, trust, and lean staffing models can unintentionally create exposure—especially in a remote and hybrid world where e-mail, text, and chat now mediate so many approvals and financial transactions.
Jen moves past labels to show how fraud actually occurs. She refreshes the classic “triangle” of pressure, rationalization, and opportunity by adding capability and personal ethics, then wraps it all in culture. Tone at the top matters, she notes, because expectations, zero tolerance, and open conversation are often the only real deterrents. “We need to normalize the discussion of it so that it becomes more normal to talk about,” Jen adds, urging leaders to speak plainly with staff, boards, auditors, and yes—donors—about risks and responsibilities.
Concrete scenarios make the message land. From stolen cards being “tested” on donation pages to refund requests designed to route money out through alternate channels, Jen shows how seemingly donor-friendly instincts can be weaponized. She pushes organizations to map their most common money-in and money-out pathways, document updated controls that fit remote workflows, and rehearse a response plan before a crisis. Who do you call first? Legal counsel, your insurer, your auditor, a board champion? Decide now, not mid-incident.
The throughline is sector solidarity. Because incidents are underreported and under-prosecuted, offenders can quietly move from one organization to another. Jen challenges leaders to think beyond their own walls and treat transparency as community protection. Make fraud risk a standing board agenda item, ensure auditors’ annual fraud conversations are substantive, and appoint an internal champion to coordinate policies, training, and continuous improvement.
Fraud will not be eliminated, but its impact can be contained by stronger culture, modernized controls, and candid conversation. This episode equips executives, finance teams, and fundraisers alike to recognize where they’re vulnerable and to act. As Jen frames it, progress starts when we stop whispering about fraud and start planning together.
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #FraudPrevention
Nonprofits want the speed of automation and the promise of AI—but Alicia Eastvold, Department Leader for Client Technology Solutions at Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC), explains why many orgs stall at the starting line: messy, bloated, and fragmented data. Her central thesis is simple and powerful: “We can’t speed things up if it’s not organized, and we can’t write simple rules around it for where it belongs.” From the first minute, Alicia reframes “data hygiene” away from fear and toward usefulness—think Marie Kondo for systems: keep what serves the mission, archive the rest, and label everything so your “smart assistant” can actually find the hammer.
Alicia maps two common failure modes: too much information (endless, unreadable reports) and poor structure (the same concept scattered across donor CRM, accounting, and spreadsheets). Both grind automation to a halt and produce costly mistakes in grant allocations, budgets, and forecasts. Her practical fix: decide what you need going forward, set a cutoff, inactivate legacy categories, and build simple, durable rules that can run 1,000 times. As she puts it, “Think big about what would happen if I had to do this thing a thousand times and plan your process that way.”
A standout story: a client wanted a complex custom payroll allocation tool. After examining their cluttered chart and inconsistent rules, the team cleaned the system, documented clear rules, and discovered an off-the-shelf cost allocation tool that did the job at a fraction of the price. Takeaway: better structure often beats bespoke code.
The stakes are real. Misallocations can snowball into seven-figure problems, finger-pointing between development and finance, and restricted funds that can’t be used where they’re most needed. Clean, rule-based data unlocks credible budgeting, forecasting, and the ability to ask funders for the right dollars—including flexible, unrestricted support. It also fuels data storytelling that boosts trust and investment: when leaders visualize program costs, funding gaps, and outcomes with clarity, credibility skyrockets.
Bottom line: start today. Choose what matters for the next 12–24 months, archive the past, enforce naming and categorization rules, and think like an enterprise—no matter your size. Clean data returns time to your people, turns AI from buzz to utility, and powers decisions that move the mission!
Scenario planning often sounds like a board retreat buzzword, but in this Nonprofit Power Week episode it becomes a practical playbook with receipts. Director Tesa Piccioni of Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) reframes uncertainty as a routine operating condition, not a meteor strike. Her thesis is disarmingly simple: “Let’s take the un out of uncertainty and accept that certain things are going to happen. Let’s prepare.” Preparation, she argues, isn’t about predicting every storm—it’s about building a habit of visibility and fast pivots.
We start with the kitchen-table finance questions: What do you have? What do you owe? What’s promised in and promised out? From there, the “boring” stuff—clean records, timely allocations, grant restrictions, and a rolling forecast—becomes the organization’s superpower. As Tesa puts it, “If you have good information in, you get good information out—and that lets you act, not just react.” She expands the aperture beyond budgets: think balance sheet integrity, a just-in-case line of credit, and board fluency in financials so decisions don’t stall during turbulence.
The clever twist: scenarios aren’t just bad-news drills. Tesa insists on planning for lucky breaks too—unexpected windfalls, mergers, or a connector board member who opens doors. That $1.5M surprise check? Without a plan, it’s chaos with confetti. With a plan, it’s momentum.
Her practical framework pairs SWOT with three starter lenses: revenue up, revenue down, and environmental change. Master those, and you’re not memorizing scripts; you’re training reflexes. Equally important, it’s not a finance-only sport. Program leads, executives, and boards need shared situational awareness so services continue even if the lights don’t.
Tesa links this directly to strategy: strategic planning sets the destination; scenario planning keeps the route open when reality tosses detours. Review cadence? Not annually—responsively. The moment regulations shift, funds lag, or opportunities appear, open the playbook and adjust. That rhythm replaces anxiety with calm, which is precisely what constituents deserve.
The payoff is cultural: organizations stop operating in crisis posture and start operating with poise. Think FEMA’s checklists, but for food banks, youth programs, and arts orgs—quiet competence that protects the mission on ordinary Tuesdays and extraordinary Thursdays alike.
#TheNonprofitShow #ScenarioPlanning #NonprofitFinance
Derick Dreher of Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) about what a federal budget stalemate really means for everyday nonprofit operations. Rather than getting lost in D.C. noise, Derick helps translate the process into plain decisions leaders can make right now. He distinguishes the big-picture spending framework from the agency-level appropriations that actually move money—and why, when competing continuing resolutions stall, operational pain shows up fast in grants, cash flow, and communications.
Derick is direct about timing and accountability. “Government shutdowns are very disruptive,” he notes, because grants staff are furloughed, portals can go dark, and payments pause. That doesn’t suspend your obligations: “If you have a report due date during the shutdown, you better send it in.” When systems are down, mailing with receipt becomes a practical move. He also cautions against attempting full drawdowns before costs are incurred; federal awards are reimbursement-based, and advances (if any) require clear permission and careful documentation.
The heart of the conversation is a workable to-do list. First, narrow your information sources: look to the National Council of Nonprofits, your state association, and trusted sector platforms rather than endless doom-scrolling. Second, contact program and fiscal officers now—before furloughs begin—to ask about extensions, submission methods, and any allowable advances. Third, communicate with stakeholders early so they don’t fill the silence with assumptions: explain what services could shift, what your contingency looks like, and how supporters can help.
On finance, Derick recommends tightening the cadence of cash views to weekly during uncertainty and building a scenario that assumes zero federal revenue for a period. That plan—reviewed with the board—becomes your “break glass” map if payments stall. Pair that with thoughtful revenue diversity (individuals, corporate, foundation, government) so a delay in one stream becomes a solvable liquidity challenge instead of an existential crisis.
Derick also flags a recent executive order on federal grantmaking that may slow timelines and alter risk: added political approvals, a preference for lower indirect rates, and a new termination clause could change how awards feel on the ground, at least temporarily. Agencies are emerging from a mandated pause, and budgets remain unsettled—so expect ambiguity, double down on documentation, and keep your communications clear and proactive.
The message is steady and usable: focus your inputs, talk to agencies now, model contingencies, and keep people in the loop. Preparedness here isn’t alarmist—it’s good stewardship under uncertainty.
Nonprofit hiring is not matching the national headlines, says Katie Warnock, founder and president of Staffing Boutique. While recent reports suggest softer job numbers and higher unemployment, she’s seeing the opposite on the ground: “We had a really slow two quarters, and we’ve been so busy basically since after July 4th weekend.” Executive searches are surging, selective contract roles are back, and LinkedIn is “popping” with real openings—especially across development and campaign management.
The cost of churn remains steep. Katie points to a national onboarding average around $4,100—often higher in New York—once you factor technology, training, time from other staff, and HR overhead. Healthcare pressure is reshaping behavior, too: some nonprofits keep long-term temps on agency payroll to avoid absorbing benefits costs. That creates short-term budget relief but risks long-term stability.
Compensation is a persistent constraint. Corporate teams can flex salaries across a department; nonprofits live inside board-approved budgets for one to three fiscal years. As a result, Katie urges leaders to compete with something other than base pay: flexible work design, professional development, wellness perks, and individualized schedules. “You do not have a recruitment plan unless you have a retention plan,” she says. That retention plan should be tailored—“a buffet” of options aligned to what your own people actually want.
Flexibility is the top request. Remote or hybrid schedules remain a decisive factor for candidates (Katie notes that roughly a third of responses to a 1,000-person outreach said “I want a remote job”). Some organizations are testing a 9/80-style calendar to give every other Friday off. Others fund upskilling, reimburse gym memberships, expand fertility benefits, or simply allow staggered start/stop times to match how people work best.
Still, leaders should balance flexibility with culture. Katie acknowledges that fully remote teams can lose the informal learning and creative lift that happens before and after in-person meetings. Board members are noticing the productivity difference. Her view: know your workforce, listen through regular check-ins (not just exit interviews), and publish options everyone can access—then let staff choose what fits their season of life.
Finally, plan for burnout—especially in the C-suite where many leaders delayed retirement through COVID and are now exhausted. Encourage time off, normalize boundaries, and recognize that Q4’s fundraising sprint amplifies strain. The bottom line: retention is strategy. Build it intentionally, budget for reality, and give your people modern ways to do their best work.
Nonprofits lean on outside platforms to save time and stretch budgets—but those relationships can quietly expose sensitive donor, client, and payment data. In this episode, Senior Cybersecurity Advisor Parker Brissette of Richey May explains how to recognize and manage third-party software risk before it becomes tomorrow’s headline. He starts with a simple lens: follow the data. Where is it stored? Who can touch it—directly or indirectly? Many teams only think about contracted vendors, but Parker widens the aperture to “shadow IT” and consumer tools staff use without formal approval. As he puts it, “Third parties is really anybody that can touch the data at any point in your business, whether you have an agreement with them or maybe not.”
From privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA) to sector-specific rules (HIPAA, PCI), nonprofits carry legal and reputational exposure the moment personal information enters their systems. Parker offers practical steps: inventory paid tools via your accounting system; ask, “If this vendor vanished tomorrow, what would break?”; and press vendors for proof—SOC 2 reports, ISO 27001, or completed security questionnaires. For organizations without a CIO, he recommends clear contracts and one non-negotiable safeguard: “The biggest thing that I recommend in any third-party engagement is setting an expectation of having cyber insurance, because that’s a big protection for you financially.”
AI enters the picture with both promise and peril. Consumer AI tools can learn from and retain your uploads, potentially exposing proprietary or personal information. Enterprise agreements (e.g., Microsoft Copilot) can offer stronger data protections, but only if configured and used correctly. Parker’s guidance is pragmatic: don’t ban AI; set guardrails, choose vetted tools, and train teams.
Finally, he urges preparation and transparency. Incidents can happen—even with good controls. Donors and corporate funders expect frank communication about what protections exist and what happens if data is exposed. Build trust now by documenting safeguards, validating vendors, and rehearsing your response.
You don’t have to be a security expert to make smart choices—but you do need a map: know your systems, test your assumptions, ask vendors for evidence, and write risk into your contracts and budgets. That approach turns anxiety into action—and preserves the trust your mission depends on.
Step into a conversation that goes right to the heart of nonprofit operations: banking relationships, establishing credit, and securing financial footing for long-term stability. Guest Jason Garcia, CEO of Holdings, a bank just for nonprofits, offers real guidance on how nonprofits can think like businesses when it comes to financial credibility and strategy.
Jason begins by sharing his vision for HoldingsForGood.com: “Our hope and mission is to be the dedicated partner for nonprofits across the U.S. and help them achieve their goals and increase their chances of success in their missions.” With a career built in community banking and startup finance, Jason brings a sharp perspective to an area where many nonprofits struggle—creditworthiness.
The conversation turns to the importance of establishing a credit strategy early. Jason advises that nonprofits should begin as soon as possible, even if they aren’t immediately seeking loans or credit lines: “The best time to talk to different credit providers is when you don’t need it.”
Practical steps emerge throughout the conversation, cohosted by Ellie Hume and Julia Patrick. Building a strong permanent file of organizational documents—EIN, IRS determination letter, bylaws, state registrations—was identified as essential. Ellie emphasizes that many nonprofits have these materials but often can’t locate them when needed. Jason describes how physical addresses (not PO boxes) are becoming non-negotiable due to fraud prevention measures, a reminder of how operational details intersect with financial access.
This important discussion expands beyond traditional lines of credit. Vendor relationships, government contracts, and reporting to credit bureaus such as Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, and Equifax were positioned as overlooked opportunities to build a financial profile. Ellie points to the frustrations nonprofits face when executive directors are forced to tie personal social security numbers to organizational credit cards.
What will be clear is that banking relationships are not just transactional; they’re strategic. From choosing the right accounts and systems that sync seamlessly with accounting platforms, to knowing when to push for the removal of personal guarantees, nonprofits must think about finance as a forward-looking strategy rather than an emergency fix.
The episode closes with an energizing call from Jason: operate like a business. By being proactive with credit, asking the right questions of financial partners, and benchmarking against peer organizations, you can position your NPO for resilience!
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFinance #BankingForGood
Dr. Stephanie Rose-Belcher, COO of JMT Consulting, and Kristen Stine, HR Director at JMT Consulting, explore the real financial and human costs of nonprofit staffing. This discussion blends finance, HR, and leadership into a compelling narrative about how organizations can protect their missions by rethinking how they hire, onboard, and retain talent.
Stephanie begins by framing the evolution of nonprofit finance within a technological context. Reflecting on the industry’s shift from ledgers to AI-enabled platforms, she notes: “Technology lets finance leaders be much more of a strategist than ever before, not just someone crunching numbers and submitting reports.”, capturing a fundamental truth: today’s nonprofit financial leaders are central to strategy, not just compliance.
Kristen brings the HR dimension into focus by quantifying the staggering financial cost of turnover. “According to the Deloitte survey, we’re looking at anywhere between 50 and 200% of the annual salary of a person to recruit them, onboard them, and get them up to speed,” she warns. Beyond dollars, she points to the strain turnover places on morale, workload, and culture. Investing in retention, she argues, is not a “nice to have” but a fiscal necessity.
The discussion highlights how onboarding inefficiencies further magnify these costs. While skilled professionals may shorten the curve, Stephanie cautions that “to get to mastery and really know the organization and its nuances, it takes a hard four months for an experienced person and six months or more for others.” Without deliberate investment in training, mentorship, and culture-sharing, nonprofits risk losing ground during this critical period.
Both guests emphasize that solutions need not be costly. Flexible scheduling, sabbaticals, leadership development, and even creative benefits platforms can create workplaces that people want to stay in. They stress the importance of tailoring approaches across generations: younger staff may prioritize professional growth, while older or part-time staff may value flexible time. Equity, transparency, and HR creativity, they argue, can reconcile these different expectations.
The episode closes with a look ahead to JMT’s Innovate 2026 conference in Washington, DC—an event designed to unite finance leaders around not just technology, but broader trends shaping nonprofit leadership and sustainability.
This conversation challenges nonprofit leaders to view HR and finance as inseparable. Recruitment and retention decisions are not only about culture—they are also about stewardship of resources, organizational stability, and the ability to serve missions with consistency and strength.