THE LIVE DAILY SHOW FOR NONPROFITS!
The Nonprofit Show is the daily live video broadcast where our National Nonprofit community comes together for problem solving, innovation and reflection. Each day the hosts and their guests cover current and relevant topics with fresh thinking to help you and your nonprofit amplify your social impact and achieve your mission, vision and values.
Join Co-Hosts Julia C. Patrick, CEO of The American Nonprofit Academy and Jarrett Ransom, The Nonprofit Nerd and CEO of The Rayvan Group, where you can ask questions, get feedback, connect with nonprofit cohorts from across the globe–and Be Inspired!
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ALL TOPICS FROM MISSIONS–TO MONEY–TO MANAGEMENT
HUNDREDS OF NATIONAL EXPERTS TO HELP YOU LEARN
The founder of 4DaHood talks about the importance of creating spaces for racial healing during this conversation focused on empowering authentic leadership. Frank Velasquez, Jr.’s organization is dedicated to supporting nonprofits and individuals in addressing racial equity issues, and he shares insights into his journey, motivations, and the evolution of his work.
One of his key quotes during the discussion is, "Creating a space where people of color can heal." Frank underscores the significance of providing safe and supportive environments where people of color can come together to heal from the wounds of racial discrimination, microaggressions, and systemic inequities. These spaces offer individuals a sense of belonging and understanding among peers who share similar experiences.
Frank also describes the concept of "learning separately to lead collectively," emphasizing the need for separate spaces where both people of color and white allies can engage in learning and dialogue about racial issues from their unique perspectives. He points out that these separate spaces allow individuals to work through their own biases and challenges before coming together to collectively address racial equity. This approach recognizes the value of both groups working in tandem to bring about change in policies and systems.
Additionally, Frank highlights his efforts to create spaces for white allies to confront feelings of guilt and shame related to racial issues, acknowledging the significance of both people of color and white allies in the journey toward addressing systemic racism, emphasizing the importance of difficult conversations and the gradual process of chipping away at biases and misunderstandings.
As he looks ahead to 2024, Frank Velazquez Jr. predicts a growing empowerment of individuals to authentically address racial issues and discussed the positive impact of his organization's programs, citing instances where individuals advocated for themselves and overcame challenges related to race. Watch and learn more about Frank's work around providing safe spaces, fostering understanding, and empowering individuals to address racial equity both separately and collectively in pursuit of positive change.
Outsourcing accounting and financial services at your nonprofit can be a game-changer, as Carole Melvin, the regional director at Your Part Time Controller (YPTC), highlights in her insightful interview. She explains how outsourcing these services can provide nonprofits with specialized expertise, cost savings, and scalability while allowing them to focus on their mission. It's a trend that is likely to gain momentum as nonprofits discover the benefits of this approach. As Carole aptly puts it, "You're not just hiring one person; you're hiring the whole firm."
According to Carole, outsourcing is a business practice where an organization contracts out specific functions to an external service provider, with the goal of leveraging specialized services, reducing costs, improving efficiency, and allowing the nonprofit to focus on its core activities, such as programming and fundraising.
During this fast paced interview, you’ll learn about the types of outsourcing, the annual tasks typically done, where the cost savings are, how flexibility plays a key role, and the timelines of finding and engaging with these outside experts. Carole also digs into how the outsiders integrate with the NPO team and what the board involvement might look like.
She wraps up the discussion with some insightful comments on the future of outsourcing.
Special guest Jerry Diaz, CFRE, founder, and CEO of Geronimo Consulting, brings to light the substantial value that nonprofit consultants can bring to organizations, underscoring the importance of viewing them as strategic partners in advancing the mission. He begins by affirming, "Working with consultants is an investment, not an expense. They bring in expertise that you may not have on your team or not be able to afford somebody. So when you choose them, choose them wisely."
The discussion revolves around various facets of nonprofit consulting, including the significance of being a proactive and cooperative client when collaborating with consultants. Jerry emphasizes that consultants operate across a broad spectrum of areas within nonprofits, such as fund development, organizational development, board engagement, program and data management. They provide a fresh perspective and invaluable insights that can prove highly cost-effective for organizations.
The conversation also touches on the changing landscape of nonprofit consulting. Funders are increasingly open to supporting transitional projects and initiatives, recognizing the pivotal role consultants can play during times of change. Consultants can help organizations navigate transitions resulting from leadership changes, periods of growth, or strategic shifts.
Furthermore, the dialogue explores the essential role of consultants in project management. Consultants, with their wealth of experience and an array of tools at their disposal, are well-equipped to oversee specific projects efficiently. They can assist organizations in successfully managing projects, even if those projects lie outside the organization's typical purview.
In this annual Thanksgiving special episode, Host Julia Patrick shares the podium with her daughter Camaley Joy Patrick Jennings as they answer questions from NPO’s and discuss Camaley's work in the nonprofit sector and her experiences on a nonprofit board. Camaley works as a marketing and project manager at GitHub, a subsidiary of Microsoft, on their social impact team.
Camaley shares insights into how GitHub encourages its employees to engage in philanthropic activities, citing one of their programs that incentivizes volunteering by offering a donation of $20 for every hour volunteered, which employees can contribute to a nonprofit of their choice.
The two chat about the challenges of educating employees in the tech sector about philanthropy, along with aspects of how GitHub faces cultural differences in volunteerism and philanthropy among its international employees. Camaley also talks about the importance of personal connections in a remote work environment and the ongoing efforts to communicate and engage employees effectively.
Julia asks Camaley about her experiences serving on a nonprofit board and whether her age and background have influenced her interactions with other board members. Camaley shares her thoughts on the board she serves on and continues by emphasizing the importance of passion and finding a balance between impact-driven work in one's job and outside of it.
They explore the involvement of millennials in nonprofit boards, then discuss ways to make board commitments, especially financial ones, more achievable for younger board members. They propose the idea of offering scholarships to cover some of the financial commitments, thus diversifying the board's composition and perspectives.
This fun family tradition concludes with gratitude for Camaley's insights and wishes for a happy Thanksgiving.
In this inspirational discussion about leadership in the nonprofit sector, Anthony A. Dicks Jr., a senior leadership consultant at 180 Management Group, shares insights on developing courageous leaders. He defines courageous leadership as the ability to inspire others to aspire to do and be greater than themselves, emphasizing the importance of community, curiosity, competence, and confidence in achieving this goal.
As Anthony eloquently puts it, "The number one benefit of courageous leadership is that it's contagious." Indeed, he emphasizes that when one sees someone else leading with courage and doing so effectively, it has the power to bring out the same quality in others within the organization. This contagion effect, where courageous leadership becomes a shared trait, can have a transformative impact on the entire organization.
Anthony also touches on the challenges individuals face, such as feelings of inadequacy and imposter syndrome. He stresses that having diverse role models who have successfully overcome such challenges is crucial for inspiring future leaders. As he aptly states, "If I've seen you do it, then I know it can be done." Recognizing and celebrating leaders from various backgrounds and experiences can help individuals, especially those from underrepresented groups, believe in their own potential.
Throughout the conversation, the impact of fear in leadership is discussed, especially in the context of recent global challenges. Anthony highlights how fear has been prevalent in these times, affecting decision-making and actions. However, he counters this by underlining the significance of cultivating courageous leadership. He suggests that by promoting and celebrating courageous leaders who are willing to take risks, organizations can foster a culture where fear takes a backseat to courage and resilience.
Watch and enjoy learning how courageous leadership is not a solitary endeavor but rather a quality that can spread within your nonprofit, ultimately helping it navigate challenges and inspire positive change.
The director of engagement at CapitalCampaignPro.com talks about capital campaigns in the nonprofit sector and shares insights from their recent national research on the impact of campaigns on nonprofits. The fast-paced conversation with Steven Shattuck, elaborates on the value of data-driven research and strategic planning in successful capital campaigns, debunks some myths, and explains why nonprofits should strongly consider the benefits of feasibility studies in their fundraising efforts.
The discussion touches on the success of capital campaigns despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and economic uncertainty. Steven emphasizes that bold and visionary leadership played a significant role in the success of these campaigns during challenging times. Steven says "When it comes to capital campaigns, it's worth remembering that bold leadership and vision can overcome external challenges. People needed help, and if you had a clear case for support with a sense of urgency, those are the people who won in the last three years." -
They address the myth of capital campaign cannibalization, where organizations fear that launching a capital campaign will negatively impact their annual fund. The research showed that this fear is largely unfounded, with most organizations reporting that their annual funds either increased or remained stable during capital campaigns.
You’ll learn the importance of feasibility studies in capital campaigns. Steven shares how these studies not only help organizations determine their campaign's viability but also strengthen donor relationships, with organizations that conducted feasibility studies reporting stronger major donor relationships.
In this Power Week conversation with Rita L. Soronen, CEO and President of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, she shares her insights into nonprofit leadership, board engagement, and the foundation's impactful work in the field of adoption. As the foundation celebrates its 25th year, it continues to make strides in its mission to find permanent homes for children in foster care.
Rita begins with discussing her 22-year tenure with the foundation and how it allows her to elevate her passion for child welfare and advocacy. She also highlights the importance of board recruitment, emphasizing the need for board members who are not only professionally skilled but also personally passionate about the organization's mission. She offers, "We want to make sure on our board that we have folks who have either adopted, were adopted, have fostered, have some connection, if not directly to themselves, through extended family."
Continuing, and discussing board engagement, Rita details how the foundation has managed to engage more than 80% of its board members actively, attributing this success to a focus on committee work and regular check-ins. She also shares strategies for promoting self-care among staff, emphasizing the importance of creating a supportive and inclusive work environment. She says, "We try and encourage that as much as possible...cancel whatever's on your calendar and make sure that we're flexible enough to acknowledge that weeks are tough."
When asked about the foundation's impact on adoption, Soronen mentions the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, which is embedded in 17 states and aims to be present in all 50 states by 2028. She acknowledges the progress made in improving adoption rates but also highlights the need to address myths and misperceptions surrounding vulnerable children and families. She states, "We've been able to do that now in 17 states with the goal of 28 states by the end of...all 50 states by the end of 2028."
Rita adds to the discussion, mentioning the challenges and opportunities presented by remote work, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a sense of connection and collaboration among team members. She suggests that while technology has enabled remote work, face-to-face interaction remains valuable, particularly in a mission-driven organization like hers. She mentions, "Learning and sharing from each other face to face is critical."
The inspiring episode concludes with a discussion of the foundation's upcoming event, "Home for the Holidays," celebrating its 25th anniversary. Soronen highlights the show's purpose of raising awareness about foster care adoption and bringing families together during the holiday season. She encourages people to tune in for the event, which features a variety of musical talent.
Focusing on the significance of ongoing testing and measurement in nonprofit marketing, Jill Crumbacher, the Senior VP of Marketing and Development at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, shares how they boost fundraising and brand awareness in this Nonprofit Power Week episode!
Jill begins, stating "We have to test our marketing because there are two key components to raising money. We have to have a lot of market fundraising efforts, which the marketing team supports all of those through all of their channels... But also, to fundraise, you have to have brand awareness, somebody's got to know who you are, and that is 100% a marketing function.". She continues, highlighting that revenue is just one part of the equation. She details how their organization has a marketing team and a fundraising team, totaling around 22 employees, and these two teams work closely together. One key aspect of their testing involves evaluating the effectiveness of different creative elements in marketing campaigns, such as fonts, colors, and messaging. They use surveys to measure if audiences remember their organization's name after exposure to various marketing materials.
Jill also emphasizes the importance of consistency in branding across different channels and the need to adapt creative elements for different mediums, such as direct mail, email, and digital advertising. She suggests conducting tests whenever entering a new channel and retesting every 18 months to two years to stay updated with changing trends.
Additionally, Jill shares examples on how nonprofits can leverage their corporate partners for research opportunities, as many of them have access to resources that can aid in testing and research efforts.
In this special Nonprofit Power Week episode, Rita Soronen, the President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, shared insights into the organization's origin story, founder syndrome, and the vital work they do in the field of adoption.
Rita begins by emphasizing the significance of National Adoption Awareness Month and highlights the importance of focusing on foster care adoption, understanding its complexities, and encouraging communities to support children and families involved in the foster care system.
One of the key takeaways from Rita's insights is the deep connection between the foundation's namesake, Dave Thomas, and the cause of adoption. Dave Thomas, known for founding Wendy's, was himself adopted as an infant and experienced the challenges of growing up without a stable family environment. His commitment to giving back to the community and his personal connection to adoption led to the creation of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption.
In Rita's words, "Dave Thomas . . . . it's our namesake Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, but underneath that is the legacy of this incredible person who started the incredible Wendy's brand."
Rita also discusses the evolution of the foundation's mission and its shift from raising awareness to implementing evidence-based programs. She highlights the ongoing complexities in the field of child welfare, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for adaptable strategies and continuous growth.
Rita continues, touching upon the topic of succession planning, stressing the importance of preparing for leadership transitions both internally and externally. She describes how the foundation is actively developing its leadership team to ensure a seamless transition when the time comes.
In Rita's words, "It is my job to assure sustainability of the organization because typically all of us are working in causes that aren't going to be solved in our lifetimes."
Rita Soronen's thoughtful insights and dedication to the cause of adoption, foster care and child welfare are inspiring and provide valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities faced by nonprofits in these fields.
Melinda Haggerty, Esq., serves as the Senior VP and General Counsel at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. She shares her personal journey and how her background as an adopted individual who grew up in the foster care system informs her perspective and commitment to the foundation’s cause. This Nonprofit Power Week episode highlights the significance of recognizing one's own boundaries, the value of self-care, and the importance of diverse perspectives from individuals with lived experiences in the nonprofit sector. Melinda's openness and authenticity in sharing her story serve as a powerful example of how personal experiences can inform and inspire meaningful work in the nonprofit world.
During the conversation, Melinda discusses her upbringing, being the oldest of five children with parents struggling with mental health and addiction issues. She highlights the disparities in how the system responds to her and her 12-year-old sister, who ends up in the juvenile justice system. This early experience leads her to a deep understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable children.
She emphasizes the importance of permanency for youth in the child welfare system and how her own adoption at the age of 18 provides her with stability and support.
The co-hosts ask about her role as General Counsel at the Dave Thomas Foundation, where she manages legal and policy aspects. She also discusses the challenges of disclosing her personal experience, setting boundaries, and balancing her lived experience with her professional role. She explained, "I never want to make a decision because of my lived experience because I would be missing the lived experience of everyone else in the child welfare system." She emphasized the need to always consider various viewpoints and not let her personal experience overshadow the broader experiences of others.
Melinda points out the importance of maintaining self-care, including ongoing therapy, and her role as a mother, which provides her with healing and a sense of normalcy in her life. She acknowledges that her lived experience doesn't define her qualifications but adds another lens to her perspective.
Julianne Nichols, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, discusses how nonprofits use research effectively to drive positive change in attitudes and behaviors, and shares an inside look on how their foundation’s approach can serve as a compelling example. Throughout this Nonprofit Power Week episode, the emphasis is on the importance of continuous, strategic, and multi-channel efforts to change attitudes and drive action. Julianne emphasizes the long-term commitment needed to shift public perceptions about foster care adoption and the critical role of storytelling in this process.
Julianne begins by emphasizing the importance of research in shaping public perceptions and attitudes towards foster care adoption. She cites several examples, such as their Adoption and Foster Care Attitude Survey, which reveals that 30% of the public believe that teenagers in foster care can fend for themselves without the support of a permanent family. This finding drives the organization to leverage storytelling through public service announcements and other channels to humanize the issue and challenge misconceptions.
An important quote from Julianne highlights the power of storytelling: "What we have really found is that a storytelling approach is among the most powerful tools in your toolbox." She explains how sharing personal stories of adopted children and adoptive parents changes minds and inspires action.
Additionally, she discusses how research informs the development of programs like Wendy's Wonderful Kids, which demonstrates through rigorous evaluation that children referred to the program are up to three times more likely to be adopted, leading to the scaling of this initiative.
This lively fast-paced conversation also touches on the cost and time associated with research, highlighting that it varies widely based on the complexity and scope of the study, and why external research partners are considered crucial when research results will inform policy decisions or public claims.
Co-host Julia Patrick and guest co-host LaShonda Williams respond to questions from viewers. The first question comes from a board committee in Detroit, regarding the short tenure of CEOs in their resumes. LaShonda advises not to worry about this trend and suggests that shorter CEO tenures are often due to the nature of the job, which involves making substantial changes in a short time. Instead, she emphasizes the value of diverse experiences CEOs can bring and recommends checking references during the vetting process, adding that employee fit and happiness are crucial, and how it's essential to adapt to the changing times for the benefit of the NPO.
The second question asks about the ideal number of donors in a donor portfolio. LaShonda advises considering factors like the organization's size, available time, and resources. She recommends creating a priority list based on gift history, interest, and capacity. In an ideal scenario, a smaller portfolio of around 60 donors is ideal, but in reality, 80 to 100 donors might be more practical.
Julia asks about major gift officers and their portfolio sizes. LaShonda adds-in that the size of the portfolio depends on the organization's size and resources. She emphasizes the importance of manageability and quality over quantity in donor relationships.
The conversation then turns to the CEO's role in securing major donations. LaShonda suggests involving other team members in donor visits and introducing them into the circle of potential donors. She highlights the importance of support staff in handling administrative tasks.
The final question discusses the dilemma of investing in professional development for fundraising versus programming. LaShonda advises a balanced approach, investing in both areas. She suggests maybe sending one team member to training who can then share the new knowledge with the rest of the team.
Lastly, a question came in asking about expanding donor relationships beyond the local community. LaShonda encourages organizations to look beyond geographical boundaries and adapt to changing donor preferences, emphasizing the importance of growth and expansion.
In this Master Class on nonprofit fundraising, Jarrett Ransom, the CEO of the Rayvan Group, discusses the importance of understanding fundraising data and using it strategically to achieve nonprofit goals.
Jarrett emphasizes the significance of passion and commitment in the nonprofit sector and highlights the need for diverse thought and actions, as she discusses the challenges nonprofits face, especially at year-end when they're uncertain about meeting their goals.
Jarrett works with organizations and individuals to help them navigate their fundraising challenges. She begins with the idea of understanding where an organization stands at any given point in time and how data can help guide their efforts.
Jarrett mentions the importance of analyzing data points related to revenue goals, donor databases, year-over-year data, and the impact of historical events like the pandemic and presidential campaigns on fundraising efforts and then touches on the concept of major gifts, emphasizing the need for organizations to define their major gift levels and adapt them as needed.
The discussion then turns to the relevance of direct mail in the digital age, with Jarrett highlighting the value of direct mail campaigns, particularly for donor retention and acquisition.
The discussion wraps up with words about the use of a dashboard and data analysis in nonprofit fundraising, emphasizing the need for organizations to set clear goals and strategies based on data. Jarrett shares a physical document that can be used as a dashboard for tracking key fundraising metrics.
Our co-hosts welcome Christal Cherry, the President of TheBoardPro.com, and explore strategies for motivating nonprofit board members. Christal highlights practical strategies for energizing nonprofit boards, fostering a positive board culture, and improving board engagement in fundraising efforts.
Christol starts by explaining her motivation for founding TheBoardPro.com, emphasizing her desire to help nonprofit boards thrive. She stresses the importance of recruiting the right board members by conducting a thorough vetting process, like a job search, to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities and align with the organization's mission.
The conversation then jumps into building a positive board culture, as Christol advocates for creating an environment of open communication, respect, and camaraderie among board members. She recommends setting a clear culture statement that outlines the expected behaviors and values.
The lively chat also touches on the topic of staff members attending board meetings. Christol emphasizes that traditional hierarchies are being questioned, and some organizations are now open to staff participation in board meetings, especially when staff members have valuable insights or achievements to share.
Regarding fundraising, Christol shares her approach, emphasizing that board members should make a personal donation to demonstrate commitment and then providing them with a toolkit to equip them for fundraising efforts. She encourages board members to tell compelling stories about the organization rather than feeling like they are begging for money.
Lastly, Christol discusses the importance of recognizing board members who bring in funds or donations through their efforts, even if they don't make a personal financial contribution.
Learn more at TheBoardPro.com
An important conversation with Katie Warnock, CEO of Staffing Boutique, shedding light on the intricate process of recruiting nonprofit CEOs and executive directors. Her insights emphasize the importance of careful planning, setting realistic expectations, and how the role of professional interims can ensure a smooth leadership transition. Katie shares all these insights on recruiting tips, beginning with, as she aptly put it, "Allow for time, but be proactive."
She begins by highlighting the significance of thoroughly assessing the nonprofit's needs before starting the search. This involves evaluating the organization's current state, its successes and shortcomings, and where it envisions itself in the future.
Katie stresses the importance of forming a search committee, particularly for organizations lacking HR departments. She suggests appointing a search chair who can handle the administrative work involved in the hiring process effectively. Additionally, she discusses the necessity of creating a realistic and accurate job description that outlines the CEO's responsibilities and expectations.
The conversation also touches on the value of professional interim CEOs in the transition period. Katie points out that having an interim CEO can help manage the organization during the search process and provide a fresh perspective. She mentions that interims can play a significant role in handling the emotional aspects of staff and board members during transitions.
When it came to the overall current job market, Katie updates us and notes that there's an unusual quietness in the sector, even after a strong year for philanthropy. Watch as she describes it’s sense of uncertainty, with many organizations and professionals waiting to see what changes might come.