Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

328: From Proposals to Partnerships: What Funders Really Want (Whitney Feld)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to Armstrong McGuire for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening leadership throughout nonprofit organizations. Learn more at ArmstrongMcGuire.com. What if the best way to secure funding is to stop writing proposals and start building relationships? In episode #328 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, foundation president Whitney Feld offers a fresh perspective on what funders really want. She unpacks the power of bold, relational philanthropy, where trust, humility, and partnership drive investment. She explores why funders are shifting away from transactional models, how to articulate catalytic impact, and why investing in talent is as important as investing in programs. Whitney also addresses the potential of AI in philanthropy, the importance of vulnerability with funders, and the rising tide of collaborative giving. Nonprofit leaders will leave this episode inspired and better equipped to build lasting, transformational funder relationships.ABOUT WHITNEYWhitney Feld is the inaugural president of the Bissell Ballantyne Legacy Foundation (BBLF), a private family foundation established by Smoky and Margaret Bissell. She leads BBLF’s grant making across health, human services, and education in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, having built the foundation’s strategic and governance framework from the ground up. Previously, Feld served in regulatory relations at Wells Fargo and spent six years at Foundation For The Carolinas, where she led divisions including Planned Giving and Family Office Partners. She advised FFTC’s most complex donors on philanthropy, legacy planning, and multi-generational engagement. A former special education teacher in Brooklyn, Feld is a passionate advocate for nonprofits, serving on several local boards. She holds degrees from Miami University (BA), Pace University (M.Ed), and Charleston School of Law (JD), and is licensed to practice law in North Carolina.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESReady for your next leadership opportunity? Visit our partners at Armstrong McGuireA Choice of Weapons by Gordon ParksBillions of Drops in Millions of Buckets by Steven H. GoldbergWant to chat leadership 24/7?  Go to delphi.ai/pattonmcdowellHave you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on Audible

327: Banking on Impact: How TowneBank Champions Nonprofit Success (Alice Joyce & Carol Holland)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to TowneBank for their commitment to nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking.What makes a community bank an essential ally for nonprofit leaders? In episode 327 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Alice Joyce and Carol Holland explore how genuine relationships, personal service, and community involvement distinguish their approach to nonprofit partnerships. From offering no-cost resources like boardroom space and networking events to specialized banking services designed with nonprofits in mind, they show how banks can be more than just financial institutions but collaborators, connectors, and champions of community impact.ABOUT ALICEAlice brings over 20 years of banking experience, helping individuals and businesses—especially nonprofits, healthcare providers, attorneys, executives, and small business owners—achieve their financial goals. She leads a monthly Lunch and Learn series for local nonprofits, providing valuable education and growth opportunities. Alice serves on the boards of WIN (Women in Networking) Uptown and the Executives Association of Charlotte, reflecting her passion for community leadership. A Pittsburgh native, she earned her B.S. in Marketing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and now lives in Mount Holly with her husband, Kevin.ABOUT CAROLCarol brings over 30 years of banking experience and manages a portfolio of over 350 nonprofits and associations in the Triangle, focusing on relationship-building and collaboration. She leads a bimonthly Nonprofit Lunch & Learn and regularly creates opportunities for nonprofit engagement. Carol has deep ties to Raleigh’s nonprofit community, serving on boards including Junior Achievement of Eastern NC, NC Arts in Action, and SAFEchild. She’s also volunteered with organizations like the Salvation Army, Rise Against Hunger, the Food Bank, and Habitat for Humanity. Carol holds degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and Meredith College and is a graduate of the NC School of Banking.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESLearn more at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking.Armstrong McGuireThe People Code by Taylor Hartman and Good Energy by Casey Means

326: 5 Essential Topics Every Nonprofit Leader Should Know (David Rhode)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to Armstrong McGuire for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening leadership throughout nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at ArmstrongMcGuire.com. Are you leading with passion but still struggling to build a sustainable nonprofit? In episode 326 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, David Rhode dives into five critical areas every nonprofit leader must master to thrive in today’s challenging environment. From forming authentic corporate partnerships to understanding the long game of branding, you’ll get practical strategies that go beyond theory. Learn how to make AI your secret weapon for efficiency, build a focused KPI dashboard that actually guides decision-making, and prepare for inevitable crisis communications with clarity and confidence. Drawing on lessons from coaching and frontline leadership, this episode is a must-listen for leaders of small to mid-sized organizations looking to grow with intention. ABOUT DAVIDIn 2005, David Rhode founded, led and scaled Pitch In For Baseball and Softball, a nonprofit organization that increased access to baseball and softball for children in under-resourced communities through the donation of equipment and uniforms. After leaving Pitch In For Baseball and Softball in 2019, David founded Dot Dot Org, a nonprofit consulting firm focusing on CEO mentoring. David teaches Nonprofit Branding and Nonprofit Consulting at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also the Deputy Director at PennPAC, an organization that mobilizes pro bono teams of University of Pennsylvania alumni as consultants to strengthen the nonprofit sector. He is the author of “Passion Isn’t Enough: A Practical Guide for Nonprofit Leaders,” released in November 2024. He and his family now live in New York City.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESThink Again by Adam GrantWant to chat leadership 24/7?  Go to delphi.ai/pattonmcdowellHave you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on AudibleDon’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership

325: The Strategic Leap: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Scale with Intention (Shilpa Alva)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to Armstrong McGuire for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening leadership throughout nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at ArmstrongMcGuire.com. What does it really take to scale a nonprofit while staying true to your mission and avoiding burnout? In episode 325 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Shilpa Alva shares how her organization, Surge, achieved 70% growth while remaining community-led, women-centered, and globally impactful. Listeners will learn how to build infrastructure before chasing funding, why modular programming enables nimble scaling, and how multiple advisory boards can fuel strategic expansion without overloading core staff. She also discusses how self-care and reflection are essential, not optional, for sustainable leadership. Whether you're in the early stages of growth or navigating a bold, new strategic plan, you’ll gain practical insights on fundraising, board development, and leading with authenticity.ABOUT SHILPA ALVAShilpa’s motivation to start Surge began when she was a child visiting family in India. She saw children her age who didn’t have the luxury of playing; instead, many were fetching water. Even as a seven-year-old child, she saw the inequity. Children should not have to bear this kind of responsibility for their family’s survival. The founding of Surge in 2008 was in response to this essential need, and Shilpa spent increasingly more time in the communities where they work. That is how Surge’s community-led, women-centered model came to be. She listened to and learned from the locals and understood that in order to drive sustainable change, it had to be them driving the agenda on their terms and timeline. Today, a global team of talented staff and volunteers run Surge. And together with local community leaders, they are making a transformational difference.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola EstésReady for a Mastermind?  Go to PMAnonprofit.com/Mastermind  Have you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on AudibleDon’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership

324: Building the Foundation for Nonprofit Success (Patricia Glass)SUMMARYThis episode is brought to you by our friends at Armstrong McGuire & Associates. Whether you’re looking for your next leadership opportunity, or your organization needs an interim or permanent leader, they can help. Learn more at armstrongmcguire.com.Are you building your nonprofit on passion alone, only to find yourself overwhelmed, under-resourced, and unsure how to move forward? In episode #324 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Patricia Glass shares her deeply personal journey from grief to grassroots leadership, revealing the hard-won lessons behind starting and sustaining a nonprofit. Drawing from her own missteps and her work with other founders at Flourish Nonprofits, she outlines the critical elements every startup nonprofit needs: clear community alignment, operational structure, and the right board—not just friends and family. She challenges listeners to replace competition with collaboration and offers practical guidance on evaluating need, communicating expectations, and building a culture of accountability. Whether you're just starting out or seeking to grow with purpose, this episode is a powerful reminder that heart alone isn’t enough—strategy and community are essential.ABOUT PATRICIAPatricia Glass has been a cornerstone in community development in Tyler, Texas. Growing up in a background marked by poverty, she learned early the transformative power of community aid, which ignited her passion for advocacy and led to the creation of Flourish—a hub designed to empower nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. Holding certifications in Nonprofit Management and Advance Nonprofit Management from UT Tyler and being recognized as a Certified Nonprofit Professional, Patricia’s involvement extends beyond leadership. She actively serves on various boards and committees and is a nonprofit founder. She dedicates herself to building a space where individuals and organizations can connect, grow, and find the resources to succeed. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES The Art of Gathering by Priya ParkerWant to chat leadership 24/7?  Go to delphi.ai/pattonmcdowellReady for a Mastermind?  Check it out at PMAnonprofit.com/MastermindDon’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership

323: Unlock the Unrestricted Gifts You Deserve (Sherry Quam Taylor)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to Armstrong McGuire for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening leadership throughout nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at ArmstrongMcGuire.com. If your organization is stuck chasing small, restricted gifts through events, sponsorships, or appeals, it’s time for a mindset shift. In episode #323 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Sherry Quam Taylor reveals why general operating support isn’t as elusive as many believe, and how fundraisers can confidently lead donors to their best, most flexible gifts. She breaks down how to stop defaulting to transactional fundraising, how to engage board members and CEOs in authentic donor relationships, and why knowing your numbers is essential to making a compelling case. You’ll learn how to move donors from “project-only” thinking to true investment in your mission. This episode is a must-listen for nonprofit leaders ready to align their time with transformational fundraising and finally unlock the unrestricted gifts they deserve.ABOUT SHERRYSherry Quam Taylor works with business-minded Nonprofit CEOs whose Strategic Plans require expansive budgets and larger amounts of unrestricted revenue for growth and infrastructure. As a result of learning her methodology, Sherry’s clients become sustainable, diversify revenue, and know how to add significant amounts gen-ops revenue to their budgets. But mostly, their development departments and boards transform into high-ROI revenue generators – aligning their hours with relational dollars and are set free from time-consuming transactional activities like events, appeals, and campaigns. Sherry attributes the success of her business to her passion for modeling radical confidence to the future CEOs in her house - her two college-aged daughters.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESThe 2-Hour Cocktail Party: How to Build Big Relationships with Small Gatherings by Nick GrayWant to chat leadership 24/7?  Go to delphi.ai/pattonmcdowellHave you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on AudibleDon’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership

322: How Can You Make Your Nonprofit’s Message Stick? (Salvatore Manzi)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking.Why do even the most passionate nonprofit leaders struggle to cut through the noise and communicate a message that truly inspires action, and what can they do to make it stick? In episode 322 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, leadership communication coach Salvatore Manzi shares powerful, practical strategies to help leaders develop presence, inspire trust, and communicate with impact. He introduces key frameworks including “project confidence, command attention, inspire trust,” the “You-Then-Me” approach for difficult conversations, and the “humble brag” formula for sharing accomplishments without sounding boastful. Learn how to build a shared story vault to unify your team’s messaging, prepare for crisis communication with clarity, and transform your storytelling into a tool for deeper engagement and fundraising success. Whether you're an introvert or an experienced public speaker, this episode offers essential communication tools every nonprofit leader can use to rise above the noise and make their message truly resonate.ABOUT SALVATORESalvatore Manzi is a leadership communications coach, speaker, and facilitator helping nonprofit leaders amplify their message and impact. With over 20 years of experience coaching executives, scientists, and investment officers, he brings research-driven strategies to organizations like Habitat for Humanity, United Way, and REDF. Studying the psychology and neuroscience of communication, Salvatore has developed proven frameworks to help leaders inspire action, build trust, and engage donors, teams, and boards with greater clarity and confidence.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from the Moth by The Moth, et al. Want to chat leadership 24/7?  Go to delphi.ai/pattonmcdowellHave you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on AudibleDon’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership

321: How to be an Adaptive Leader in Turbulent Times (Theo Ellington & Genevieve Leighton-Armah)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking.What does it take to lead with purpose when resources are stretched, burnout is high, and the future feels uncertain? In episode #321 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Genevieve Leighton-Armah and Theo Ellington share how Black Citizen is redefining leadership development through trust-based philanthropy, flexible funding, and deep community engagement. Grounded in their lived experience and commitment to equity, they describe how their cohort model supports Black change makers with grants, coaching, and media tools to amplify impact and avoid isolation. ABOUT THEOTheo Ellington has extensive public and private sector organizing experience. As co-founder of Black Young Democrats of SF, he successfully fought against Stop-and-Frisk and later led The Salvation Army’s efforts to double its impact on homelessness, modernize its real estate, and respond to COVID-19—generating $10M in new revenue. As a city commissioner, he helped create over 1,200 affordable housing units. At the Golden State Warriors, Theo secured approvals for a $1B arena across 14 agencies. He holds a BA in Political Science from Notre Dame de Namur University and an MA in Urban Affairs from the University of San Francisco.ABOUT GENEVIEVEGenevieve Leighton-Armah is a first-generation Dominican and Ghanaian changemaker working with BIPOC youth and elders in criminal justice reform, violence prevention, and advocacy. For over 12 years, she’s led nonprofit initiatives connecting young people to tech/media careers and advancing equity across Northern California. She designs trauma-informed programs for healthcare settings and launched Bay Area Black Leaders in response to George Floyd’s death, centering restorative rest and equity planning for Black leaders. She earned a BA in Criminal Justice with a minor in Ethnic Studies from San Francisco State University.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves by Dr. Shawn GinwrightWant to chat leadership 24/7?  Go to delphi.ai/pattonmcdowellDon’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadershipLooking for your next leadership opportunity?  Check out our partners Armstrong McGuire

In this engaging conversation, nonprofit strategist Rebecca White, known for her expertise in actionable strategic planning, shares insights on transforming static plans into impactful actions. She discusses her four-step approach: auditing existing plans, defining decision filters, aligning capacities with goals, and ensuring weekly accountability. Rebecca emphasizes the importance of avoiding burnout through realistic planning and introduces tools like the capacity calendar and strategy-to-action funnel, designed to make nonprofit planning both grounded and effective.

319: Become Fireproof: Negotiate Your Salary, Severance & Sanity (Sean Kosofsky)SUMMARYSpecial thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking.Are you protecting yourself as well as your nonprofit’s mission? In episode #319 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, nonprofit leader and consultant Sean Kosofsky breaks down the critical, but too often overlooked, topics of executive compensation, board accountability, and employment protection. Drawing from decades of experience across advocacy, political campaigns, and executive leadership, he offers a no-nonsense approach to overcoming the sector’s toxic “poverty mindset.” Kosofsky lays out practical steps nonprofit leaders can take to negotiate fair compensation, demand severance protections, and rebalance the power dynamics between boards and executives. You’ll learn how to implement board agreements, hold board members accountable, and use contracts to ensure job security, all without compromising your mission. Whether you're a seasoned executive or a first-time ED, this conversation provides the tools you need to lead with confidence, clarity, and sustainability.ABOUT SEANSean Kosofsky is the Nonprofit Fixer! He is a coach, consultant, trainer, speaker, author, and strategic advisor. For the past 33+ years, he has helped causes, campaigns and candidates raise millions of dollars and transformed nonprofit organizations and leaders. He has served in a wide variety of roles in nonprofits, including policy, communications, development, grassroots organizing, direct service, board leadership, and executive director. He has worked on a wide range of issues, including LGBTQ equality, reproductive justice, voting access, bullying prevention, climate change, and more. His work has been covered in media outlets internationally and he has received many awards and recognitions from the sector. His work and advice has been featured by AFP, Candid, Idealware, Bloomerang, TechSoup, and more. He is an author and the owner of Mind the Gap Consulting. Sean is a proud Detroit native but lives with his husband and dog in New York City.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESThe Prosperous Coach by Steve Chandler and Rich LitvinWant to chat leadership 24/7?  Go to delphi.ai/pattonmcdowellHave you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on AudibleDon’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership