Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

164: Building an Organizational Culture of Advocacy (Eric Mitchell)SUMMARYYou likely bring a passion for change to your leadership role, but are you channeling that passion in the most effective way possible? Are you the advocate for the societal change you aspire to see? In episode #164 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, one time Capitol Hill congressional staffer turned executive director Eric Mitchell explains the missing component to senior nonprofit leadership: advocacy. You may know policies and regulations that can impact your organization, but Eric explains the importance of advocating for policy change that would better affect the community you’re there to serve. Don’t go it alone. Learn how to build a coalition of many to lobby lawmakers. Eric discusses how to advocate for legislation, regulations and policies that get to the root causes which impact people’s daily lives and not just continuously treat the symptoms. You’ll also hear many lessons learned from someone who has crossed various sectors along his career journey.ABOUT ERICEric Mitchell is the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Hunger. In his role, he leads the Alliance’s strategic direction, including expanding and mobilizing its network of companies, nonprofit organizations, universities, foundations, and individuals. Prior to the Alliance, Eric served as Director of Global Government Relations for Adtalem Global Education, where he partnered with local government officials, businesses, and civic organizations in the United States and the Caribbean. He also served for six years as the Director of Government Relations at Bread for the World. Eric began his political career on Capitol Hill, serving as Policy Advisor to civil rights icon, U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), and Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA).In 2014, Eric was included in The Root 100 most influential African Americans under the age of 40. He was also recognized as a “Top Lobbyist” from 2014 to 2019 by The Hill newspaper.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESThe End of Fundraising: Raise More Money by Selling Your Impact by Jason SaulLearn more about Eric and the work he’s doing at the Alliance to End Hunger hereCheck out Patton’s new book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector

163: The First Step to Nonprofit Leadership: Taking Care of Yourself (Georgia Krueger)SUMMARYHow can you best be there for your organization, your employees, the individuals you serve and your own family if you aren’t taking care of yourself? In episode #163 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Georgia Krueger, as she explains why self-care is so important to be your best, feel your best, and, yes, give your best. She shares the importance of incorporating safeguards to care for your heart, mind, body and spirit, so you have the clarity to guide your thinking, ideas and actions. Throughout our conversation, Georgia shares candid insights about specific decisions and pivotal moments and why she credits intentional self-care to see her through. ABOUT GEORGIAGeorgia Harris Krueger has worked in the world of not-for-profits for over 30 years in a variety of settings. A 20-year career with the YMCA spans roles from Aquatics Director to Director of Camp Thunderbird to the Executive Director position at the Lake Norman YMCA in Davidson, NC. Most recently, Georgia served as the CEO of Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson, NC where she was instrumental in building collaborative partnerships, creating an endowment program, raising funds for and completing major renovations for the Center, almost doubling the annual budget due to increased client-partner and community demands, while positioning the Center as a leader in strengthening the community.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESJesus, CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership by Laurie Beth JonesEat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian TracyManaging At the Speed of Change by Daryl ConnorJump Start Your Business Brain: The Scientific Way to Make More Money by Doug Hall Check out Patton’s new book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector

162: Are You Ready to be A Nonprofit CEO? (Karen Eber Davis)SUMMARYAre you ready to be the kind of leader a nonprofit organization needs as well as inspire the best in others? In episode #162 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Karen Eber Davis discusses what she calls readiness characteristics necessary to be this type of dynamic leader. Through Karen’s extensive research of new CEOs, she identifies skills both emerging and current nonprofit leaders should embrace. Are you prepared to be the decision maker? Learn how to make your leadership more impactful, authentic and rewarding as you manage board challenges, fundraising and talent acquisition, retention and costs. Karen shares her top three takeaways that affect the readiness for a new nonprofit CEO. You’ll hear “what worked and what didn’t” advice she discovered during her many interviews with new CEOs and some interesting approaches to the first 90 days as CEO. And finally, we discuss self-care, something every nonprofit leader should be cognizant of practicing.ABOUT KARENToo many nonprofit CEOs and executive directors struggle to lead their organizations without a trusted advisor. As one, Karen Eber Davis Consulting guides nonprofit leaders to generate the resources and support they need to make remarkable mission progress. Working together, they get answers, generate revenue, and grow missions. As the founding principal of Karen Eber Davis Consulting, Davis is known for her innovation and practicality based on her work with or visits to over 1,000 nonprofit organizations and her vast experience with personnel, boards, and fundraising. She is the author of 7 Nonprofit Income StreamsandLet’s Raise Nonprofit Millions Together.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESLearn more about Karen’s CEO research hereLet’s Raise Nonprofit Millions Together: How to Create Revenue Heroes at Your Organization by Karen Eber DavisNever Split the Difference: Negotiating as If Your Life Depended on It by Chris VossKaren’s CEO LibraryNonprofit Staff Recruitment: Building Your Employee PipelineCheck out Patton’s new book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

161: Measuring Success: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Look Beyond the Numbers (Megha Desai)SUMMARYHow do you measure nonprofit success?  Unlike the for-profit sector, where metrics are clear, the charitable sector isn’t always as straightforward. In episode #161 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Megha Desai takes a hard look at how, as nonprofit leaders, we measure success and how we communicate that success to our donors and key constituents.  Megha explains how she makes decisions based on the people she serves then uses the data to validate rather than the other way around, something large institutional donors have been shifting towards.  Having converted her family foundation to a public 501(c)(3) programmatic nonprofit, she shares some unique opportunities and significant challenges the organization faced. Do you allow mission creep to acquire funding?  Learn how to resist designated giving and remain mission focused.ABOUT MEGHAMegha is President of the Desai Foundation, a public foundation that aims to elevate the health and livelihood of women and children through community programs in the U.S. and India. She helped transform the organization’s mission, work, and message leading to its transformation from a small family foundation to a robust public foundation. Her leadership has helped put the Desai Foundation on the map through heralded events, like Diwali on the Hudson and the Lotus Festival, along with highly impactful programming leveraging strong partners on the ground in the US and India. The Desai Foundation focuses on sustainable development through vocational classes, health camps, community volunteer outreach, and sanitary napkin programs. The organization, to date, has impacted over a million lives in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh, India; Metro-Boston; and Harlem, New York. Megha currently sits on the advisory boards of several start-ups and non-profits, including Take Two Academy, TYE Boston – TiE Young Entrepreneurs, and NPR’s Generation Listen. Megha was nominated for India New England’s Woman of the Year Award in 2017. Megha holds a B.A. in Economics from Barnard College of Columbia University and completed the Executive Program for Social Entrepreneurship at Stanford Business School.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESGood to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Other’s Don’t by Jim CollinsLearn more about the Desai Foundation herePatton’s new book: Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector?

160: Your Nonprofit Alliance May Not Be a Good Idea (Michelle Shumate)SUMMARYAre you building successful alliances that truly benefit the mission of your organization?  We operate under the assumption that collaborations in and of themselves are a good idea; however, Michelle Shumate’s extensive research of networks for social impact reveals why alliances are not always a good thing for nonprofit leaders to consider.  In episode #160 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Michelle articulates that network design and management is not universal, but instead illustrates that the type of social issue, mechanism for social impact and resources available all determine appropriate collaborative choices. She outlines critical issues that nonprofit leaders address in creating and managing networks, including social issue analysis, network governance, securing and managing funding, dealing with power and conflict, using data effectively and managing change. Do you know the top three choices to make before seeking an alliance?  After this episode you will.ABOUT MICHELLEMichelle is the founding director of Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact (NNSI), the Delaney Family University Research Professor, and Associate Faculty at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. NNSI is dedicated to answering the question: How can nonprofit networks be rewired for maximum social impact? Her research focuses on how to design interorganizational networks to make the most social impact.  She is the author of Networks for Social Impact (2022, Oxford University Press). The National Science Foundation recognized her research with a CAREER award. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Army Research Office.  Nonprofit Quarterly, Stanford Social Innovation, and the Conference board have featured her work. She offers workshops, consulting, and coaching through the Social Impact Network Consulting. She is also spouse to Michael, mom to Oliver and Alex, an avid backyard birdwatcher, and a mediocre tennis player.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload by Cal NewportMeasuring Social Change: Performance and Accountability in a Complex World by Alnoor EbrahimNetworks for Social Impact by Michelle Shumate and Katherine R. Cooper

159:  4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Leadership This Year (Patton McDowell)SUMMARYWhat are you doing to actually move closer to your leadership goals in the nonprofit sector?  Are you thankful for your current nonprofit leadership role? In this solo episode #159 of the Path Podcast, I offer four specific ways you can move closer to your nonprofit leadership goals.1. Sharpen your Vision Framework2. Practice Self-Assessment3. Utilize Strategic Networking4. Curate Knowledge ABOUT PATTONPatton McDowell has enjoyed a successful 30-year career in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development. Prior to founding PMA Consulting in 2009, he served as Vice President for University Advancement at Queens University of Charlotte where he was responsible for all fundraising, communications, and alumni programs for the university.  Before Queens, Patton served as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at UNC Wilmington, where he was the youngest vice chancellor in the 16-campus UNC system. He previously served as Program Director for Special Olympics North Carolina in Raleigh, following his tenure with Special Olympics International in Washington, D.C.  Patton is a native of Elizabeth City, NC, and received a bachelor's degree in English Education from UNC Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar. He received his MBA from the McColl School of Business at Queens, and his Doctorate in Education (Organizational Change and Leadership) from the Rossier School at the University of Southern California. He is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a Master Trainer for AFP International, and a member of the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations. Patton is a former board President of AFP Charlotte, served as the Chapter Representative on the AFP International Board, and is the host of the weekly podcast Your Path to Nonprofit Leadershipand author of the best-selling book also titled Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. OTHER SOLO EPISODES BY PATTONEpisode #56 10 Essential Skills & Experiences for Nonprofit LeadershipEpisode #78 5 Ways to Build Your Professional Development PlanEpisode #13 Build A Personal Strategic Plan that WorksAre you ready for a Mastermind?

158: A Radical Approach to Nonprofit Leadership (Tom Vozzo)SUMMARYHow do you balance capitalistic skills and passion for a cause? Tom Vozzo, who left a highly successful corporate career to become an unpaid nonprofit CEO of the internationally acclaimed Homeboy Industries, is eminently qualified to answer such a question. In episode #158 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, you’ll hear Tom share many of the lessons he’s learned by leading this Los Angeles-based organization, and how he advocates for more social impact awareness in the for-profit community. He know it’s the nonprofit sector that can employ many individuals once thought unemployable, and has clear, pragmatic advice for how nonprofit leaders can best support people on the margins of society who are trying to move into the workforce. As a committed capitalist himself, he knows leaders can be mission-driven yet combine that with business knowledge informed by past experiences.  Tom shares what he sees are the biggest differences between nonprofit and corporate cultures and the lessons we can all learn to bridge these sectors.ABOUT TOMThomas Vozzo left a lucrative career in corporate America convinced there had to be a better way to define success. In 2012, Vozzo became the first-ever CEO of Homeboy Industries, the largest and most successful gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. Vozzo’s journey goes from billion-dollar revenues—his last corporate role was as CEO of the $1.8 billion ARAMARK Uniform and Career Apparel Group—to a volunteer unpaid CEO of a nonprofit built on compassion, kinship, empathy and social justice. In Vozzo’s first book, The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life, he gives readers practical ways to address some of our most vexing social issues and provides a new path for personal and business leadership. Vozzo shares lessons learned both in secular business as well as faith-based pursuits to help readers from all walks of life thrive.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESTattoos On the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion by Father Gregory BoyleThe Long Loneliness by Dorothy DayLearn more about Homeboy IndustriesPatton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector 

157: Assuring Cross-Sector Collaboration as A Nonprofit Leader (Kate Markin Coleman)SUMMARYAre you creating unnecessary barriers for employment at your nonprofit?  Kate Markin Coleman suggests you’re narrowing your talent pool by relying too heavily on a college degree as a proxy for qualification.  In episode #157 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, she discusses how to construct a more equitable and effective workforce development system. Learn what it means to conduct a deep skills analysis to better identify needs and think more broadly about who is best qualified to fill them. Kate reveals how developing cross-sector collaborations improves the efficiency and effectiveness for addressing the issues facing our communities. She identifies the attributes of effective programs and makes the case for skill-based hiring and cross sector-collaboration. By working across organizational boundaries, you can change the trajectory of individuals struggling to make a living wage while expanding the quality and quantity of talent available to employers.ABOUT KATEKate Markin Coleman directs ias advising, LLC, and is former Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy, and Advancement Officer of YMCA in the U.S.  She spent the first half of her career in the private sector, transferring to the social sector after she and her colleagues sold the fintech firm they ran. Coleman was a top official in one of the country’s largest nonprofits, the national YMCA, where she advanced innovation and effectiveness. She studied cross sector collaboration as a Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow and is the co-author of two books that offer practical insights on how to design effective solutions to challenging urban problems.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES Growing Fairly: How to Bring Opportunity and Equity to Workforce Development by Stephen Goldsmith and Kate Markin ColemanCollaborative Cities: Mapping Solutions to Wicked Problems by Stephen Goldsmith and Kate Markin ColemanBiased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think and Do by Jennifer EberhardtCheck out Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector 

156: Everything You Believe About Small Nonprofit Fundraising is Wrong (Zoot Velasco)SUMMARYIs your small nonprofit still trying to raise money through special events?  Modeling your fundraising plan on what large nonprofits are doing is among several critical mistakes Zoot Velasco will help you avoid. In episode #156 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, he tells us why those special events, big galas, grant writing and even courting major donors are not the most important things on which nonprofit leaders of smaller organizations should be focused. Zoot identifies three sources of earned income streams available to all nonprofit organizations and how strengthening and growing these streams will not only increase your financial stability but will also allow you to be less reliant on the traditional philanthropic dollar.  ABOUT ZOOTZoot Velasco is currently the Executive Director of the Friends of Fullerton College Foundation, Director of the Gianneschi Center for Nonprofit Research at California State University Fullerton’s College of Business & Economics, Professor of Business & Marketing at California State University Fullerton, Professor of Nonprofit Management & Leadership at California Polytechnic Institute Pomona, Host of the nationally-ranked 501(c)3(b)(s) podcast and author of three books. For 23 years, Zoot led cultural programs in prisons and cultural centers. He built four art centers for the City of LA, a Boys & Girls Club, and a Theatre for the City of Long Beach. He has raised more than $32 million for various organizations. During the recession, he led the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton to unprecedented growth, more than tripling programs, budget, patrons, and the endowment while winning awards as Orange County’s first STEAM programs, institutional arts programs, and strategic partnerships. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES Small to LARGE: Growing Social Impact Organizations Against All OddsThe First 100 Days: Leading Small Nonprofits Out of the WildernessGet a copy of Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

155: Relationship Building: The Key to Nonprofit Leadership (Siobhan Davenport)SUMMARYAre you advancing your skills to be the kind of strong leader the nonprofit sector needs? In episode #155 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Siobhan Davenport, a phenomenal industry leader with more than fifteen years of experience serving underserved youth and someone who understands the advantages of these skills. Discover the benefits of developing a personal board of directors and how this foundational network of advisors can support you through the various crossroads faced while navigating your career path. Learn how to authentically communicate your mission to others as Siobhan discusses the vital skills needed to build strong relationships that will guide you throughout your career.  As a busy nonprofit executive herself, Siobhan articulates her best self-care practices and organizational routines others can easily implement into their active daily regimen.ABOUT SIOBHANSiobhan Davenport was named President & CEO by the Crittenton Board of Directors in February 2019, bringing more than fifteen years of experience serving underserved youth. In her previous role as Crittenton’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, she built collaborations between schools, nonprofits, and corporations to better meet Crittenton girls’ challenges and launched the Declare Equity for Girls: It’s Time campaign. As the Executive Director of the Rocksprings Foundation from 2002 to 2018, Ms. Davenport oversaw the foundation’s impact by investing in economic and educational opportunities for low-income families and youth. Prior to that, she served as the Senior Producer and Host for On the Potomac Productions, including the acclaimed series “The New Washington.” She serves as a commissioner for the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism and sits on the Advisory Council for Ascend at the Aspen Institute. Ms. Davenport holds a master’s degree in journalism from American University.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESDare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brene BrownDecolonizing Wealth by Edgar Villanueva Learn more about Crittenton Services of Greater WashingtonGet your copy of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector