
Successful Nonprofits Podcast
With over half-a-million downloads, the Successful Nonprofits Podcast shares insights, tools, and tips to help you and your nonprofit thrive. Our incredible content is the reason we're ranked in the top 2% of podcasts globally.
Each week, Dolph interviews nonprofit experts and leaders who share their experiences and wisdom on a wide range of topics relevant to the nonprofit sector. From fundraising and board development to leadership and strategic planning, and more!
We also offer shorter Bonus Break episodes you can listen to while taking a tea break – and get the added bonus of making you and your nonprofit stronger. These Bonus Breaks are solo episodes, where Dolph shares hard-learned (sometimes painfully learned) lessons from his 3 decades in the sector. And he often create worksheets and templates that accompany the bonus breaks.
The podcast is hosted by Dolph Goldenburg, a consultant, coach, and confidant to nonprofit leaders across the nation.
Latest episodes

Mar 5, 2024 • 43min
Fostering Inclusion at Your Nonprofit with Kia Croom
When the country shut down in March 2020, Kia Croom realized the shift to remote work also shifted justice, equity, and inclusion dynamics. Racial discrimination, racial trauma, and microaggressions didn’t go away, they just changed a little. And now they were happening in her home. Since then, Kia has been working to disrupt and challenge the norms that lead to lack of inclusion in the nonprofit sector. She joins us today to share why this is an essential conversation for your own nonprofit and steps leadership can take to build an inclusive organization. This episode answers the following questions: How did COVID and working remotely impact justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion dynamics? How can I help my nonprofit be more inclusive? What does an inclusive organization look like? Links mentioned in this episode: Kia’s Website Fundraising in Black Website Looking for more? Check out these other amazing episodes: Women in Nonprofits with Jess Cooper on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes Become a Competitive (and Equitable) Employer with Kevin Dean Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Feb 27, 2024 • 42min
Your Nonprofit Should Start a Podcast with Thomas Murphy
What if you could personally spend time with hundreds of your nonprofit’s supporters every week? Joining them on walks, grocery shopping trips, commutes, dinner preparation, or even whispering in their ear at the gym? For years, I’ve said that your nonprofit can do just that by starting a podcast. And, in addition to spending quality time with your supporters, you will also strengthen relationships, find new donors, and gain greater influence in your community. In this episode, Thomas Murphy tells us about the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund’s podcasting journey. Now in its second season, the Legacy podcast has significant momentum and is generating new supporters, connecting people within its community, amplifying its mission, and even raising more money. This episode answers the following questions: What are the benefits of starting a podcast? How do I determine my podcast’s schedule and format? What are the costs associated with producing a quality podcast? What should my nonprofit expect from its first year of podcasting? Links mentioned in this episode: Francis Ouiment Scholarship Fund Legacy on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Thomas Murphy’s LinkedIn The Podcast Consultant Looking for more? Check out these other amazing episodes: Podcasting for Nonprofits with Kristan McMahon on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes Attention-Grabbing Marketing with Dan Schepleng on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Feb 20, 2024 • 35min
Connect Your Team, Amplify Your Impact with Steven Van Cohen
In this episode we delve into the crucial topic of team dynamics, uncovering how loneliness can silently sabotage your team and your mission --- and what you can do about it. Steven Van Cohen is a global leadership consultant, executive coach, and best-selling author. He has spent over a decade working with large companies to improve their worker well-being, reduce employee isolation, and boost team belonging. He joins us to explore the epidemic of loneliness, how it is impacting your nonprofit, and what you can do to build a culture of togetherness that leads to a productive, high performing, and connected team. Links mentioned: LessLonely.com Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Preserving Your Office Culture with Pareen Kohlhaas on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes Maximize Your Employee Engagement and Retention with Rob Woronoff on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Feb 13, 2024 • 24min
Strengthen Your Leadership Muscle Through Executive Coaching with Johnny Martinez
Successful athletes have coaches. So why shouldn’t you? Well, we think you should! Dive into the benefits of executive coaching with Johnny Martinez, Executive Director of Northern Cares. Johnny joins us to discuss the unexpected benefits he received from executive coaching and how it ultimately reshaped his executive director journey. Don't miss this powerful discussion that sheds light on the profound impact coaching can have on your own leadership journey! Links mentioned: Northland Cares Website Looking for More? Check out these amazing episodes: Insider Tips from an Executive Assistant with Jeremy Burrows on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes Landing Your Dream Job with Kris Holmes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Feb 6, 2024 • 29min
Transform Your Next Gala from Ordinary to Extraordinary with Joey Goone
Have you ever attended a gala dinner, art auction, or golf tournament that faded from memory all too quickly? It's a common experience. If you're tired of your own event's fleeting impact, then you won't want to miss this episode. We are joined by Joey Goone, a true maestro in producing unforgettable live, hybrid, and virtual events nationwide. Joey walks us through the three Cs of event success, all of which are backed by science! Listen in for proven secrets to turn your ordinary event into an extraordinary experience that leaves a lasting impression, ensuring your community returns year after year. Links Mentioned: Utopia Experience’s Website Utopia Experience’s Slide Deck Schedule your free discovery call Looking for More? Check out these amazing episodes: Ep 312: Turn Your Next Gala into a Goldmine with AJ Steinburg on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or our website with show notes Ep 241: Content Marketing Gold with Rick Smith on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Jan 30, 2024 • 26min
16 Productivity Apps and Software You Need to Check Out Today
Tech-savvy nonprofit leaders spill the beans on their favorite apps! Discover the game-changing tools they are using to revolutionize their organizations’ operations. Get ready to boost your own efficiency and productivity with these expert insights! Here are just a few of the apps mentioned in this episode: Pocket Windy Gallup Access app Todoist Clara Fahlo Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: The Secret to Low Stress & High Efficiency with Susie Hayman on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes Tools to Fire Up Your Productivity with Peter Chatel on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Jan 23, 2024 • 26min
Bolster Your Brand Through Empathy with Tim Leon
Imagine having a superpower that helps people relate to you and your nonprofit. And that superpower also helps you feel happier and more connected with the world around you! Well, that superpower exists. And guess what, it’s empathy! In this episode, Tim Leon shows us how to strengthen our empathy muscle and infuse empathy into our branding and marketing. Tim runs the strategic marketing agency Geile Leon Marketing Communications, which is powered by empathy. Geileon serves nonprofits, schools, colleges, and businesses and helps them tap into the power of empathy. Links Mentioned in This Episode: Geile/Leon Marketing Communications Website Return on Empathy White Paper Tim’s LinkedIn profile Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Attention-Grabbing Marketing with Dan Schepleng on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes Crafting Your Brand with Amanda Ross on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Jan 16, 2024 • 23min
Create a Suicide Postvention Plan for Your Nonprofit with Beth Eversole
Hopefully your nonprofit will never face a suicide among your staff, clients, or constituents. But just as we develop emergency plans for fires and natural disasters, we also need to be prepared in the event of a suicide within our organizations. In today’s episode with Beth Eversole, we discuss suicide postvention. Postvention is an organized response following a suicide to facilitate emotional recovery while also mitigating the negative effects that exposure to suicide brings. A good postvention strategy can reduce the risk of suicide contagion, support survivors, and address the stigma associated with suicide. Speaking from first-hand experience, Beth shares the immediate, short, and long-term action steps of postvention. She also offers a decision-making flow-chart and specific ways to support the survivors. Links mentioned in this episode: Beth’s LinkedIn Palmer Drug Abuse Program Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Breaking Taboos: Saving Lives through Suicide Prevention with Beth Eversole on Apple, Spotify, or our website with show notes Trauma Informed Leadership with Matt Bennett on Apple, Spotify, or our website with show notes

Jan 11, 2024 • 18min
The Secret to Truly Effective Board Onboarding
In this essential Bonus Break episode, Dolph delves into the secret sauce of exceptional board member onboarding. Discover the transformative Triple-I approach - Inform, Initiate, and Inspire - and learn how to elevate your organization's onboarding process from mediocre to magnificent. Join Dolph as he shares personal experiences, debunks common onboarding myths, and provides actionable strategies to enhance your orientation process and the effectiveness of your new board members. Whether you're grappling with uninspiring onboarding or looking to create a board orientation from scratch, this episode is a must-listen for nonprofit leaders needing a dynamic and impactful board. Contact Dolph or Lexie about board onboarding Listen to the prior Bonus Break about onboarding on – Revolutionize Your Board Onboarding Process – on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Read the blog post that this bonus break is based on.

Jan 9, 2024 • 41min
The Art of Mindful Marketing with Lindsay LaShell
Today’s guest, Lindsay LaShell, has an important message: Stop wasting your time on random acts of marketing! Instead, make sure your marketing is so well thought out and so well planned that your audience members (be they clients, volunteers, staff, or donors) don’t even realize they are being led down a carefully cultivated path. Listen in as we explore the steps Lindsay walks her clients through to develop and implement a marketing strategy that is intentional, efficient, and effective. Links mentioned in this episode Lindsay’s LinkedIn profile Lindsay’s website Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Unlock the Power of Social Media with Nick Black on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes Attention-Grabbing Marketing with Dan Schepleng on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website with show notes
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