The Nonprofit Show is the nation’s daily live video broadcast for the business of nonprofits — where nonprofit leaders, teams, and changemakers gain practical strategies to strengthen operations, improve performance, and sustain impact.
Each weekday, our Co-hosts and expert guests tackle the most current topics in fundraising, management, marketing, staffing, and technology — all designed to help you run smarter, lead stronger, and deliver on your mission with confidence.
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The Nonprofit Show launches its Global Edition with cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Matthew Murray (CEO, Expand PR / Expand Consultancy), taking listeners inside what it really looks like to start and operate a charity/NGO in the United Kingdom—and why global expansion is as much a business decision as it is a mission decision.
Matthew opens with the on-the-ground reality that “every culture has its own nuances… laws and rules,” and that expanding beyond your home country requires leaders to respect local norms, donor behaviors, and governance expectations. The conversation quickly turns practical: Do Brits give? Matthew says yes—substantially—while noting economic pressures have shifted donor patterns. He also explains a key difference for revenue strategy: the UK doesn’t mirror U.S.-style donor tax deductions, but it does offer Gift Aid, where government adds funding to eligible donations. As Matthew describes it, “25 pence for every pound donated,” meaning a £100 gift can become £125 for the charity—an important lever for fundraising planning, messaging, and cash forecasting.
On governance and transparency, the UK’s Charity Commission functions as a dedicated regulator for charities. Matthew emphasizes the public nature of filings and the reputational impact of being late or sloppy with reporting—because funders, partners, and major donors look. In the UK, board members are typically called trustees, are usually unpaid, and cannot be paid for the trustee role itself (though they may be compensated for a separate job). For organizations with global ambitions, Matthew shares a strategic advantage: non-UK residents can serve as trustees in Britain, which can simplify governance when launching a UK-based entity.
The global discussion also contrasts donor culture. Matthew suggests UK donors may give differently than U.S. donors—often less driven by “momentary adrenaline” and more oriented toward longer-term loyalty—reinforcing the value of relationship, credibility, and consistency. Julia adds a caution for international leaders: expansion fails fast when it arrives with a “we’ll fix you” mindset. The Global Edition’s promise is clear: practical global learning that helps nonprofit executives expand responsibly, protect integrity, and build durable support across borders.
#NonprofitBusiness #GlobalPhilanthropy #TheNonprofitShow
Boards get plenty of attention in the nonprofit sector, but this lively conversation zooms in on the role that can make or break governance performance: the board chair. Alisa Chatinsky, CEO of NonprofitSuccess.org, talks about what strong chair leadership really looks like—and why so many organizations treat the position like an honorific instead of a job with real operational and strategic responsibilities.
Alisa shares that after decades in nonprofit leadership and nearly 14 years consulting and serving in interim roles, she stepped into board service again and was immediately asked to chair. That experience sparked a practical question: How many chairs are actually set up to succeed? Her conclusion is simple and business-minded: “Because when a board chair is strong, the board is strong and the organization is strong.” She explains that boards often “recruit” chairs by minimizing expectations, which leads to sloppy meeting execution, confused roles, and underused talent.
The conversation becomes a working blueprint for better governance. Alisa outlines what effective chairs do: run meetings with purpose and time discipline, keep the board out of day-to-day management, build consensus, listen well, and handle conflict without letting it hijack the mission. She emphasizes governance infrastructure that supports decision-making: a governance calendar, clear expectations, job descriptions, consent agendas, dashboards, and space for generative discussions that move the organization forward.
A standout lesson is the connection between life cycle stage and board behavior. As organizations mature, the board’s work must mature too—and that can mean changing how meetings operate and what board members are willing (or able) to contribute. Alisa also advocates for board mentoring and orientation that includes real business essentials (budget, program allocations, financial results), so members can represent the organization confidently in the community. As she puts it, “We reinvest our profits in our mission.”
The episode closes with her “Five-Star Board Chair” master class concept, pairing training with coaching and a real board meeting uation—designed to build leadership capacity that improves governance, accountability, and long-term organizational strength.
#BoardGovernance #NonprofitLeadership #TheNonprofitShow
What happens when a nonprofit needs to raise eight figures fast… and decides to do it with unicorn horns, a donor “blessing,” and a whole lot of joy?
We are joined by Brenda Goldsmith, Executive Director of the El Rio Foundation, the fundraising arm of El Rio Health, a federally qualified community health center (FQHC) in Tucson. Brenda walks us through the business model realities of community health centers—how they’re designed to keep people out of the hospital, how they serve patients “from birth to death,” and why fundraising looks different when many patients live at or below the federal poverty level.
Then the conversation turns into a masterclass in campaign strategy and community education. El Rio needed to support a 91,000-square-foot integrated health center expansion—part of a $50 million community investment—without federal capital support. The foundation was asked to raise $10 million quickly, despite never having run a major capital effort at that scale.
Instead of leading with heaviness, Brenda and her team built a campaign brand that made giving feel welcoming and social. The “Blessing Project” was born after a simple discovery: “Does anyone know what a herd of unicorns is called?… we Googled that and we found out a herd of unicorns is called a blessing.” From there, the foundation created a clear participation on-ramp: a $1,000 commitment for five years made you an “El Rio unicorn,” complete with a unicorn horn photo moment.
Underneath the fun was serious execution: board and senior leadership made first commitments, the team held 100+ face-to-face meetings in roughly 70 days, offered multi-year giving options, used tours to teach donors what an FQHC really does, and engaged younger ambassadors through the El Rio Vecinos (ages 25–40). The results speak for themselves: a stretch goal raised, a revised goal, and a growing donor community that wanted to be part of something that made their neighbors healthier.
Brenda says it best: “Make it fun, make it joyous—put the fun in fundraising.”
#TheNonprofitShow #FundraisingStrategy #CapitalCampaigns
Gift acceptance policies sound like paperwork—until a donor tries to turn your organization into their personal dare! In this episode, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall get practical about why this policy is a frontline operating tool for modern fundraising teams: it protects mission alignment, strengthens governance, and keeps staff out of reactive, high-pressure decision-making.
Julia opens with a classic “strings attached” scenario that shows why boundaries must be set before the check arrives. “I don’t think you could do that because we make the big donor sign this thing called a gift acceptance policy,” she recalls, describing how even naming rights and donor direction can be clarified in advance. Tony adds real-world texture: unusual asks aren’t hypothetical. Policies exist to protect the organization and the humans raising the money.
From there, the conversation shifts into the business mechanics: ethics and values alignment, legal compliance, and the operational difference between restricted and unrestricted gifts. The cohosts stress that gifts are no longer just cash—especially during the Great Wealth Transfer—so nonprofits must prepare for nontraditional assets like real estate, collectibles, royalty streams, and other property types that carry valuation, liquidation, storage, and reputational implications. The conversation gets real about “wackadoo gifts” and the hidden costs that can turn a “donation” into a liability.
They also address governance: who drafts the policy (development, finance, CEO), how it gets board approval, and why annual review matters. They’re candid that boards can modify policies “at will,” which makes proactive clarity even more essential. Most importantly, they frame the policy as an empowerment tool. “It empowers you to feel good about how you’re responding… it’s in alignment with senior leadership… it’s in alignment with the board,” Tony says, emphasizing how preparedness reduces risk and speeds decision-making when donor conditions get complicated.
Finally, they discuss where the policy should live: typically internal—available when asked, shared in a professional PDF format, but not pushed into donor packets or posted publicly as a default.
#GiftAcceptancePolicy #FundraisingLeadership #TheNonprofitShow
Leadership transitions don’t have to be terrifying revenue cliffs. In this conversation, Travis Craddock, CFRE and Founder of Craddock Strategies, reframes interim development leadership as a powerful strategic advantage—not a temporary patch.
Too often, organizations view interim fundraising support as “a warm body in an empty seat.” Travis challenges that mindset directly. “It prevents rushed or misaligned hires that can be expensive,” he explains, positioning interim leadership as a disciplined pause that protects both donor relationships and long-term revenue health.
Fundraising is built on trust. When leadership shifts, donors notice. Travis prioritizes immediate communication, transparency, and clarity so nothing falls through the cracks. Renewals are tracked. Grants are monitored. Donors are reassured. Strategy stays in motion.
But here’s where the real opportunity emerges.
An interim professional arrives without emotional baggage. That means clearer data analysis, honest conversations about ROI, and strategic uation of legacy traditions. Should the gala continue? Is it delivering meaningful return? Are event attendees being cultivated into major donors? These are business questions—asked gracefully, but directly.
Travis describes himself as “gracefully honest,” and that honesty becomes catalytic. Interim work isn’t simply maintenance. It’s an opportunity to elevate roles, revise job descriptions, shift from event-driven tactics to relationship-based fundraising, and align hiring with long-term strategic direction.
He emphasizes data-driven decisions, CRM fluency, relationship-centered fundraising, and partnership with CEOs and boards. In many cases, he becomes the strategic driver—project-managing fundraising momentum while executives focus on mission execution.
Three months may be the minimum engagement window. Six months may be ideal. But within that time, organizations can stabilize revenue, recalibrate strategy, build infrastructure, and hire with intention.
Anything is possible when nonprofits embrace transition as transformation!
A visit with Doug Chapiewsky, CEO & President of Kanso Software, and Cameron Bowman, CAAS Solutions Consultant at JMT Consulting, for a fast-moving, systems-first conversation on one thing every nonprofit runs on: trustworthy data.
Cameron frames the moment we’re in as “the golden age of software”—more tools, more dashboards, more integrations, and more AI than ever before. But that abundance comes with a price: fragmented systems, duplicated entries, and competing versions of the same truth. His fix is refreshingly operational. Data integrity isn’t a buzzword; it’s a checklist: accurate, complete, consistent across systems, timely, and traceable/auditable. When any one of those breaks, nonprofits pay for it in grant compliance headaches, restricted-fund confusion, audit stress, and board decisions made on shaky information.
Doug brings the lens of housing—where data errors don’t just create inconvenience; they disrupt funding, compliance, and real people’s stability. Kanso’s mission is to simplify a highly regulated, high-stakes domain where sensitive data is everywhere and staffing capacity is often thin. As Doug puts it, “Trust outweighs technology… and if we don’t have that trust, it really gets right to your mission.” The episode drills into the reality that single-vendor “one system does it all” is fading fast; modern organizations operate in an ecosystem. That’s why both speakers prioritize open systems paired with serious guardrails—especially when handling social security numbers, income data, and family composition.
The conversation turns tactical with a Business Process Review (BPR): mapping where data originates, how it moves, who owns it, what controls exist, and where manual workarounds (shadow spreadsheets, email approvals, offline tracking) weaken audit trails and invite risk. Cameron lands a line every operations leader should post near their monitor: “Technology will amplify your process. It won’t correct your misaligned workflows.”
Finally, the duo urge nonprofits to build a cadence—monthly, quarterly, at least annually—to revisit processes, configuration, and integrations as funding rules, reporting needs, staff, and tech keep shifting. The message is clear: clean data isn’t a finance luxury—it’s a mission accelerant.
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitTechnology #DataIntegrity
We lean into a timely business truth: nonprofit sustainability is built as much through belonging as through budgets. Cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Tim Sarrantonio welcome Rachel D’Souza, Founder and President of Gladiator Consulting, for a conversation that reframes community-building as a practical growth strategy for donors, volunteers, staff cohesion, and long-term resilience.
Rachel describes nonprofits as one of society’s last best “third spaces”—those informal gathering places that used to create trust across differences. With remote work, the pandemic’s aftershocks, and algorithm-driven polarization, many people have fewer natural pathways into civic life. That shift creates risk for organizations relying on legacy participation habits. It also creates opportunity: nonprofits can intentionally become the place where people reconnect around shared purpose and shared outcomes.
The discussion moves from theory into operating reality: boards at impasses, teams facing funding gaps, and leaders stuck in fight-flight-freeze. Rachel offers a pragmatic path forward—start with shared facts, clarify who holds which decisions, and practice disagreement before the stakes spike. “If you want to be better at conflict, that means you have to practice it, just like anything else,” she said, recommending simple meeting exercises that build the muscle of respectful debate.
Tim grounds this in organizational dynamics leaders recognize instantly: misalignment between finance and fundraising can derail systems decisions, contracts, and staff trust—without anyone “hating” anyone. The fix is not heroics; it’s earlier conversations, shared language, and a commitment to being in the room together.
Rachel draws a bright line leaders need: discomfort is part of growth, but it is not the same as harm. When emotions run hot, the first move is often a pause—reset the temperature so people can listen to process, not just respond. This convo offers a hopeful business case: build community on purpose, and capacity follows.
#TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitLeadership #CommunityBuilding
Starting a new role as a nonprofit’s fundraiser can feel like stepping onto the field mid-game—high expectations, limited time, and a lot of “what happened before I got here?” On this Fundraisers Friday, cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall offer a practical, confidence-building roadmap for what a new development officer should focus on in the first 30 days—with the business realities of nonprofit revenue, relationships, and systems front and center.
Julia sets the tone with honesty and heart, and Tony brings the steady reassurance every new fundraiser needs: “It’s all about listening, learning, and building trust in your first 30 days.” From there, they lay out the early priorities that protect both results and stamina. First: get anchored in the mission. Tony makes the point that mission alignment isn’t sentimental—it’s operational. If you don’t truly connect with the purpose, the work becomes an uphill climb.
Next, they move into relationship strategy: creating a thoughtful internal and external “relationship tour” so you can meet leadership, board members, and key stakeholders the right way. The emphasis isn’t speed—it’s sequence, context, and smart preparation so those early conversations build momentum instead of misunderstanding.
Then comes the systems side: CRMs, reporting, access issues, and the real-world obstacles that appear when prior staff have departed. Tony offers a realistic view of getting up to speed quickly, and Julia adds the on-the-ground reminder that you’ll be meeting people immediately—so you’ll need to document interactions in the CRM from day one.
Finally, they elevate culture as a performance driver. Julia notes how pressure often lands on the development officer as “the savior,” and Tony reframes it: fundraising works best as a team effort, not a solo canoe trip. As Julia puts it, “It’s the nucleus of the whole organization.” If you’re new in the seat, this episode gives you both direction and permission: respect the past, build trust first, and then earn the right to recommend change.
Sunsetting a nonprofit is one of the most difficult decisions a board and executive team can face. Erin McPartlin, Principal of Erin McPartlin Consulting, guides leaders through the strategic and compassionate realities of organizational closure.
Host Julia Patrick opens the conversation by acknowledging the emotional weight of the topic. Closing an organization can feel like failure. Yet Erin reframes the discussion: sometimes the healthiest business decision is an intentional ending. Whether an organization has achieved its mission, become operationally stagnant, or reached financial unsustainability, the question is not just when to close—but how to do so responsibly.
Erin outlines three common scenarios: mission accomplished, operational decline with weak infrastructure, and full financial unsustainability. In many cases, boards wait too long to confront the truth. “If you get to that point where you're now saying, we need to look at should we stay open or not, you're probably past the decision point,” she explains. That delay often stems from intermittent success—a returning donor, a new grant, a compelling impact story—that keeps leadership hoping for a turnaround.
From a governance standpoint, Erin emphasizes four pillars: people, communication, finance, and risk. Boards must fully engage, understand cash flow, assess liabilities, calculate burn rate, and uate runway. The most important question becomes, “What is the cost of our inaction?”
Rather than allowing an abrupt collapse—locked doors and shocked staff—Erin advocates for a structured 4–6 month minimum runway. This deliberate process allows nonprofits to respect employees, honor donor commitments, manage restricted funds, and protect community trust.
The episode closes on a powerful idea: the “elegant ending.” By planning intentionally, nonprofits can celebrate their impact, transfer knowledge, mentor peer organizations, and potentially redistribute remaining funds to aligned missions. “It’s preserving the public perception and preserving the positivity in the work that this organization did,” Erin shares.
Closing well is not defeat. It is stewardship.
#NonprofitManagement #BoardGovernance #TheNonprofitShow
On this Fundraisers Friday, our cohosts lean into one of the most nuanced and professionally demanding areas of nonprofit leadership: donor research, privacy, ethics, and gift acceptance policy. For nonprofit executives, development leaders, and board members, this episode functions as a governance workshop disguised as a conversation. The message is clear: professionalism in fundraising is not just about revenue—it is about trust architecture, long-term credibility, and disciplined leadership.
In a fundraising ecosystem shaped by rapid technological change, cloud-based systems, and evolving donor expectations, the conversation moves beyond tactics into governance and risk management. Julia Patrick sets the tone by noting that philanthropy is in an exciting era—but it demands more strategic thinking. Tony Beall echoes that reality, sharing that even experienced leaders must continually refine their understanding because the landscape keeps shifting.
At the center of the discussion is a powerful reminder: “Research isn’t surveillance so much as it is stewardship,” Tony explains. Just because information is available does not mean it should be used. Fundraising professionals must balance data access with relational integrity. As Tony adds, “A donor doesn’t want to feel studied. They want to feel understood.”
The cohosts explore practical implications:
• Who has access to donor data internally and externally
• The responsibility of third-party vendors and contract review
• Data breach planning and crisis communication
• Transparency with donors about how their information is protected
• Retention policies for lapsed donors
• Recognition preferences and anonymity in sensitive mission areas
Perhaps the most thought-provoking segment addresses gift acceptance policies. Tony offers a clarifying principle: “A gift acceptance policy isn’t anti-donor, it’s pro-mission.” Without policy, organizations invite inconsistency and risk. With policy, staff are protected from making moral judgment calls alone, and mission credibility remains intact.
If your nonprofit’s checking account looks “healthy,” this episode is your friendly wake-up call: bank balance is not the same as real liquidity. Carole Santilli, CPA, Manager at Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC) Philadelphia, joins us to help leaders, board members, and development teams stop guessing and start managing cash with clarity.
Carole lays out why the bank statement can be “the worst place to look” when assessing what you truly have available to spend. The heart of the conversation is the difference between true operating cash and restricted or conditional funds—money that may be sitting in your account but is already spoken for by purpose, timing, or requirements (like matching). A scholarship grant, a multi-year commitment, or a conditional advance can create the illusion of being flush, even when operations are tight.
From there, the discussion turns practical: separate accounts for restricted funds, monthly reporting that keeps everyone honest, and board-level transparency that supports smarter decisions and stronger trust with funders. Carole also reinforces a widely used benchmark for stability: nonprofits should aim for three to six months of operating cash on hand—but only after restricted dollars are set aside.
Forecasting takes center stage as the real “business muscle” here. Budgets are approved and static, but reality shifts: events move, grants arrive late, reimbursements lag, expenses climb with inflation, and unexpected costs (like snow removal or insurance increases) show up fast. Carole’s message is consistent: forecast monthly, watch variances, and adjust early—before panic becomes policy.
And for boards? She makes it plain: financial oversight isn’t a passive role. Ask the “annoying” questions, understand obligations, and engage early in meetings while energy is high. As Carole puts it, “You can’t support the mission if you don’t have the funding and the resources.” She also reframes audits as a credibility asset: “Look at this as another tool in your toolbox” to reassure funders that your organization is well-run.
This episode is a strong reminder that calm, disciplined financial practices protect mission momentum—especially when life throws curveballs.
#NonprofitFinance #CashFlow #TheNonprofitShow
Planned giving isn’t a “sign the paperwork and move on” moment—it’s a decades-long business strategy that demands discipline, systems, and relationship leadership. James Goalder (Partnerships Manager, Bloomerang) reframes planned gifts as the start of a longer stewardship cycle, not the finish line.
James tackles a mindset shift many organizations need right now: once a donor includes you in a will or trust, your responsibility actually accelerates. As he puts it, “for planned giving and for planned gifts, that’s really when the job is started.” Why? Because life changes, priorities evolve, and estate documents can be revised. The winning move is not celebration alone—it’s consistent, intentional connection that protects donor trust over time.
From there, James lays out three practical pillars that turn long-range stewardship into a repeatable operational system: information management, message delivery, and relationship management. He makes the business case for documentation as the backbone of continuity in a sector where staff turnover is real. “If it’s not in the CRM, it doesn’t exist,” he says—because the next person must be able to step in and carry the relationship forward without scrambling.
The conversation also moves beyond transactions into brand, messaging, and donor experience. Planned givers want to feel like insiders—part of a shared long-term vision, not an ATM. James warns that a “crisis culture” can weaken confidence fast, especially when donors have endless choices. Strong organizations communicate purposefully, listen more than they talk, and match touchpoints to donor preferences (email, coffee, events, family involvement when appropriate).
Finally, James reminds us that planned giving isn’t reserved for the ultra-wealthy. The most inspiring legacy commitments can come from unexpected champions who love your mission and want their impact to continue well into the future.
#PlannedGiving #DonorStewardship #TheNonprofitShow
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