Nonprofit Leadership Podcast

Currently only five percent of the tech industry is made up of women of color. This figure is extremely low, but thankfully there are nonprofits who are trying to change that. Today’s guest, Bertina Ceccarelli, explains how her organization is changing the lives of so many women who are looking to launch promising careers in the tech industry. Bertina has a Bachelors in Engineering, an MBA from Harvard Business School, and is the CEO of NPower. NPower is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to create pathways to economic prosperity by launching digital careers for women of color, military veterans, and young adults from underserved communities. Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of NPower Bertina shares what led her to working with NPower and how her childhood experience was very similar to the lives of those she serves in the organization. She explains that one of NPower’s main objectives is to double the number of women of color in tech. They are making this possible through partnerships with other passionate leaders in the tech industry. Bertina explains that in order for a nonprofit to be healthy, they must invest in leadership development. She shares two important leadership skills needed for those running nonprofits. Finally, Bertina offers her advice to nonprofit leaders on how they can work through the challenging economic times we are facing.  This Show Is Sponsored by: NPower You can also connect with Bertina here Links to Resources: If you have questions, suggestions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com To be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/

When you hear the phrase “healthy work-life balance”, what goes through your mind? That it’s impossible or possibly just a myth? Or perhaps you know first hand how the pain of your work has negatively impacted your marriage, your family or your personal life. This topic is certainly not new, and with our new “work from home,  zoom-calls, always online world” that we are living in now, the hard edges between work and home have become even more difficult to define.  Megan Hyatt Miller, Author of Win at Work and Succeed at Life Rob’s guest today is Megan Hyatt Miller, who has written a book about work-life balance. Her new book is entitled: Win at Work and Succeed at Life: 5 Principles to Free Yourself From the Cult of Overwork. Megan believes understanding the impact of work-life balance is a conversation that both nonprofit and for-profit leaders must continue to have.    Megan describes the innovative way her company introduced a 6-hour workday, the surprising results of this change while debunking the myth that overworking improves productivity. She explains why more leaders need to embrace work-life balance as a performance strategy, not just a philosophical discussion. She also defines what a “double-win” means and why getting clear on non-negotiables for self care, relational priorities, and professional results is mission critical. Finally, Megan talks about how COVID has allowed leaders to view their people more holistically. #ICYMI #FromThe Archives This episode previously aired. Links to Resources: Win and Succeed: Book | Bonuses | If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com To be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/

What kind of brand and what kind of culture do you have? Is there a gap between how you see your brand and how your community sees your brand? Rob’s guest, Ted Vaughn, explains why so many nonprofits inadvertently develop a “brand gap” by failing to integrate their culture and brand strategy. He also shares how you can avoid making this mistake. Ted Vaughn, is the co-author of the recent book, Culture Built My Brand, along with Mark Miller. Ted is also a Brand and Culture Strategist at Historic Agency. Historic Agency helps organizations build a brand that matters through brand strategy and design.  Ted Vaughn, co-author of “Culture Built My Brand” and serves as Brand and Culture Strategist at Historic Agency Ted explains how many times nonprofits create their brand in a way that is disconnected from their actual culture and performance. He also believes that many nonprofits are not being intentional about their culture, which can lead to creating “mission drift.” Ted points out that clarity and organizational health are the two drivers to an overall healthy culture. Ted discusses the five pillars of a brand, and how nonprofits can create a strategic roadmap. He also shares why a “brand gap” is harmful to your organization and offers ways to fix it. Finally, Ted explains why branding is so important for nonprofits to get right, and offers advice to leaders as to how they can start to develop a brand strategy. This episode was sponsored by: Historic Agency Find out more about Ted’s book here: Culture Built My Brand Links to Resources:To be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/If you have any suggestions, questions for the show, or want to come on the show, you can email Rob at rob@robharter.com

Many nonprofit founders will see a problem in their community and decide to tackle the problem by starting a nonprofit. Today’s guest, Doctor David Nayak, was motivated by a problem and a need in his community to start a foundation to help address this. He explains the reason why he started this foundation and how he is able to maintain balance while wearing multiple hats. Rob’s guest, Doctor David Nayak, is board certified in allergy, immunology and internal medicine. Nayak is the founder of Strength To Love Foundation. The Strength To Love Foundation passionately believes that all human beings have the universal rights to liberty, food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, education and work. Nayak is also the founder of Nayak Farms, which is tackling food insecurity throughout Illinois and other parts of the Midwest. Doctor David Nayak, founder of Strength to Love Foundation David explains the many disparities he witnessed across Illinois, especially concerning health care, food, and gun violence. He decided to make it his mission to help his community by starting both The Strength to Love Foundation and Nayak Farms. Combined, David and his teams are able to provide free asthma and allergy care, free fresh food, and free funeral services to victims of gun violence. David also explains how he is able to focus on his personal life, even as a busy, nonprofit executive director. Finally David shares why he believes mental health is equally as important as physical health. Find Out More Information: This episode is sponsored by the Strength To Love FoundationNayak Farms Links to Resources:If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.comTo be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/If you have any suggestions for the show, email nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com

Gauri Manglik, CEO & Co-founder of Instrumentl Whether grants generate a large portion or a small portion of your budget, it is important to be efficient in your grant prospecting process. Today’s guest, Gauri Manglik, explains how nonprofits can improve their fundraising and grant prospecting.  Rob’s guest, Gauri Manglik, is the CEO and Co-founder of Instrumentl. Instrumentl is a platform that brings grant prospecting, tracking and management into one place. The platform uses a personalized process to help grant seekers discover, research, and track their grants. Gauri explains the top 3 reasons why nonprofits are inefficient with their fundraising and grant prospecting. She believes that if you measure things quantitatively, you can avoid these mistakes. Gauri also outlines the 4 things you need to do, in order to be successful with your grant seeking and why focusing on the funder’s perspective is vital to your success. Gauri discusses why funders require a “logic model” for grant applications. She explains exactly what a logic model is and the benefits to this type of framework for your whole organization. She shares the importance of a “win – win” mindset and why you need to be confident before you reach out to funders. Finally, she discusses why nonprofit leaders should consider offering competitive compensation to their staff.  This Episode is sponsored by: Mentioned: Instrumentl – 14 Day Free TrialInstrumentl Blog Links to Resources:If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at rob@robharter.comTo be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/If you have any suggestions for the show, email nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com

When it comes to auditing the donations coming into your nonprofit organization, have you ever thought about where your donations are primarily coming from? Today’s guest, Vance Roush, explains why nonprofits need to offer donors more options especially the option to give from their stocks. Rob’s guest, Vance Roush, is the founder of Overflow. Overflow makes generosity frictionless by helping nonprofits, churches, and corporations easily accept stock, crypto, and cash donations on a secure donation platform.  Vance Roush, founder of Overflow. Vance explains that nonprofits should encourage donations from non-cash assets, since 90% of a donor’s wealth is stored in these kinds of holdings. Vance realized the difficulty in accepting non-cash donations and knew he could create a win-win situation for both donors and nonprofits. This is what led him to create Overflow. He explains how the frictionless process of donating through Overflow leads to bigger gifts and how it benefits both the donor and the nonprofit which is receiving the donation. Vance also shares that we will see more donations coming from stock holdings and crypto currency. Finally, he offers advice for anyone who is uncomfortable with crypto currency and how they can think about it differently. *This episode is sponsored by Overflow Links to Resources:If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.comTo be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/If you have any suggestions for the show, email nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com

2020 skyrocketed the move to online giving for all donors who give to nonprofits. Organizations who already had a clear and robust process for donors to give online really  benefited—those who didn’t, really struggled. They struggled to keep their giving on par with  previous years. Now, the question for all nonprofits of how to “future-proof” fundraising is constantly on our collective minds. So how does your organization go about doing that? Rob’s guest shares some fascinating data points gleaned from a recent report on the “state of philanthropy” within the nonprofit sector and why an easy and efficient online giving experience for your donors is absolutely essential for your organization’s future success and sustainability. Elizabeth Pun, Manager of Content at Classy Rob’s guest today is Elizabeth Pun, Manager of Content at Classy. Classy is a B-Corp that  focuses on closing the gap between nonprofit and for-profit businesses and Elizabeth is the  primary editor of Classy’s recent report entitled: The State of Modern Philanthropy 2021.  Elizabeth explains how empowering your event attendees to fundraise can organically increase your donations and provide more engagement. She breaks down why recurring giving, subscription services, and donation matching are excellent strategies to drive more funds and donations to your organization. Finally, Elizabeth shares valuable insight about creating a more robust online giving experience, and a powerful reminder that if you want to maximize donations to help safeguard and scale your organization, you must be able and willing to meet donors where they are. (This episode previously aired) #FromTheArchives Links to Resources: Classy: Website  Read the report here. Collaborative Virtual Sessions Conference If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com To be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/

Despite the market being hit hard as of late, thankfully charitable giving has remained resilient. One particular tool that is fueling philanthropy is Donor Advised Funds (DAF). Today’s guest, Stephen Kump, explains the benefits of this fast growing tool and why so many donors prefer to give through a DAF. Rob’s guest, Stephen Kump, is the co-founder and CEO of Charityvest. Charityvest is a startup that simplifies the setup and management of a Donor Advised Fund. A DAF is a third-party entity set up to manage the charitable donations of individuals, families, and/or organizations.  Stephen Kump, Co-founder and CEO of Charityvest Rob and Stephen discuss a recent report from Fidelity Charitable where it is reported that DAFs have helped to sustain philanthropic giving. Stephen explains that while the market cycles may go up and down, it does not affect donor giving. Stephen compares his nonprofit to old DAFs of the past and explains how Charityvest offers a frictionless experience, low fees, and low barriers. Stephen describes the yearly contributions going into Donor Advised Funds and why donors prefer giving to a DAF. Stephen and Rob also discuss why philanthropy is democratizing DAF’s for more people in the future.  This episode was sponsored by Charityvest. Links to Resources: If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.comTo be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/If you have any suggestions for the show, email nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com

Brooke Pace McKenna, Executive Director of The Hunger Coalition The traditional model of having a singular Executive Director can actually be an unsustainable way to lead an organization. This model can be overwhelming for one person and often leads to burn out. Today’s guests are Brooke McKenna and Naomi Spence who are Co-Executive Directors at the Hunger Coalition in Blaine County, Idaho (Sun Valley area). They have been working together for over a decade. They explain how a nonprofit organization can thrive with a distributive leadership model.  Their organization seeks to build a healthy community through providing access to good food and addressing the root causes of food insecurity, in collaboration with key partners. The Hunger Coalition is not your traditional food pantry, as they seek to provide a welcoming space where people can enjoy a healthy meal, make deep connections, and share about their lives. Naomi Spence, Executive Director of The Hunger Coalition Brooke and Naomi explain what food insecurity is and how it is different in their region compared to a traditional urban area. They discuss why it is so difficult for unaffected people to understand the issue of hunger. They are regularly trying to communicate the real stories of people dealing with food insecurity in order to mitigate this misunderstanding. When it comes to their Co-Executive Directors model, Naomi explains the unique ways they involve their participants in the decision making processes. Brooke explains that distributive leadership is wonderful for cross training, creating a feeling of ownership for all, and building great career paths. Naomi offers advice to other nonprofit leaders that want to adopt this type of leadership model and advises why one needs to be committed to unlearning some of what we have learned about leading nonprofits. Brooke explains the role of an effective leader and the way a leader should give feedback to those they lead. Naomi describes the benefits to the weekly staff meetings they hold and why every staff member needs to be present. Both Brooke and Naomi explain how a well rounded leader can create a well rounded organization.  Links to Resources: Find out more about the Hunger Coalition and their story here. https://thehungercoalition.org/about/the-story/ Here is the link they refer to with RVC https://rvcseattle.org If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com To be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/If you have any suggestions for the show, email nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com

Across the United States, nonprofit organizations are all struggling to serve their communities due to the current economic climate. Many people are having issues to afford housing and food and nonprofits need to adapt to the economic changes so they can serve their growing number of clients. Today’s guests are Brianne Snow and Sharel Lund, both Executive Directors of nonprofit organizations in their respective towns. They explain the current challenges their organizations are enduring along with their advice to other nonprofits across the country. Brianne Snow, Executive Director of Family & Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) Rob’s guests both run nonprofits that serve in resort mountain towns. Brianne Snow is the Executive Director of Family & Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) in Summit County, Colorado. FIRC is a social services nonprofit that works to strengthen local families through education and financial resources. They offer assistance with housing, food and education.  Sharel Lund, Executive Director of One22 Sharel Lund is the Executive Director of One22 Resource Center in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. One22 is a nonprofit that was created from a merger of other organizations. They offer assistance with housing, food, language support, and financial assistance. Brianne and Sharel share why they were attracted to the nonprofit sector and what it is like to be an Executive Director of a nonprofit organization. They both agree that it is very difficult to get funding in a mountain town, since a lot of funding goes to urban cities. Brianne and Sharel both recognize that while local governments and businesses they work with are active in giving back to the community, they believe nonprofits have certain advantages over the government and for-profit sectors. They also describe the trends they are seeing in the nonprofit sector, mainly when it comes to turnover for staffing. Brianne shares how the move to remote work has negatively impacted her community in that many city dwellers are now moving to Summit County and thus raising the cost of living for other residents. Sharel wants donors to know the benefits to donating, one of which is the opportunity to make deeper connections in the community. Brianne and Sharel share advice and encouragement for those who are considering joining the nonprofit sector. They also explain their advice for the challenges that face the nonprofit sector, in the next few years. Links to Resources: If you have questions or want to come on the show, email Rob at nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.comTo be added to the monthly email update, go to http://nonprofitleadershippodcast.org/If you have any suggestions for the show, email nonprofitleadershippodcast@gmail.com