Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

74: 4 Ways to Make Your Virtual Fundraiser More Successful (Jenni Hargrove)SUMMARYEvery nonprofit is planning - or pondering - some sort of virtual fundraising event. Either adapting a previous live model, or trying something online for the first time. How confident are you in your design and potential for success?  If a virtual fundraising event is in your future, Episode #74 of the Path Podcast is the perfect resource to guide your thinking.  Jenni Hargrove brings her marketing, communication and special event expertise to a great discussion around four keys to drive better virtual engagement and short and long-term fundraising success.  We discuss how you can stand out amongst the competition, how you can simplify and streamline your event, how you can design a highly effective agenda, and how you can market your event successfully.  Check it out!ABOUT JENNI     Jenni Hargrove is a Charitable Marketing Coach and the Founder/CEO of Nonprofit Jenni. She provides coaching support and educational materials for social sector organizations acros the country, including nonprofits, social enterprises, and government agencies.  She offers individual support to clients through consulting or coaching. With a background in market research and corporate philanthropy, Jenni specializes in training nonprofit leaders in best practices for building a robust Marketing and Fundraising Strategy.  Jenni is also the host the Nonprofit Jenni Show podcast, available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Each podcast episode features nonprofit professionals discussing challenges faced in the sector.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESConnect with Jenni through her Nonprofit Jenni websiteCheck out the Nonprofit Jenni PodcastListen to Patton's appearance on Nonprofit JenniAdam Grant’s book OriginalsClick Here to Take the Podcast Survey

73: What Nonprofit Leaders Must Do to Support Their Teams (Valerie Williams)    SUMMARY The year 2020 has reminded nonprofit leaders of two significant issues they must manage to succeed: diversity, equity & inclusion and the mental health of their teams and themselves. This can be a tall order when combined with everything else leaders in the charitable sector must face.  Fortunately, our guest on Episode #73 of the Path, Valerie Williams, is exactly the person who can help us understand these issues and provide practical tools to integrate them into our nonprofit organizations.  Valerie helps us understand the distinct element of equity within our nonprofit in addition to diversity and inclusion, as well as provides practical advice to support the mental health and psychological safety of our teams.  Finally, we discuss effective communications both within and outside our organization. ABOUT VALERIE Valerie Miller Williams, LCMHCA, is an award-winning communications strategist and licensed psychotherapist who engages head and heart to support organizations in successfully managing change, building engagement, improving culture and delivering results. For over 20 years, she has led complex people-focused communications strategies for leading brands like Lowe’s and Wells Fargo. From large scale change and employee experience initiatives, to diversity and inclusion efforts, Valerie serves as a thought-leader and trusted advisor for her strategizing skills and solutions focused style. Valerie’s signature product is person-centric strategies built on data and insights. Her focus is always on understanding and addressing the unique needs and nuances of stakeholders necessary to move them to adoption or action. Valerie creates targeted, authentic and savvy audience experiences by integrating psychology (how key audiences think, feel, and therefore behave) and communications (how they are then engaged). Valerie has been recognized by Who’s Who in Black Charlotte and received multiple awards from organizations like PR Week and PR News. She is a board member of Thornhill Rites of Passage Foundation which focuses on empowering young men of color. Valerie resides in Charlotte, NC with her husband and two sons and enjoys traveling, concerts and entertaining family and friends. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESValerie’s website SELFSoulElaine Brown’s book The Little Black Book of Success Podcast recommendation: How I Built This with Guy RazPodcast recommendation: Hidden BrainPodcast recommendation: Adam Grant’s WorkLife

72:  What Can a Mastermind Do for Your Nonprofit Leadership? (Patton McDowell)SUMMARYWhat is a mastermind, and how could it help you on your nonprofit leadership journey?  In episode #72 of the Path Podcast, Patton provides some history on the mastermind concept, and explains how PMA has adapted the model to best serve nonprofit leaders. He explains the characteristics that best describe successful participants, and the philosophies and structure that went into the design and implementation of the program.  Patton also shares four key elements of the Mastermind that provide direct value to the individual members of each cohort: program design, methods of engagement, professional tools and strategic network.  ABOUT PATTONPatton has spent his entire 30-year career helping talented individuals raise more funds and effectively lead their nonprofit organizations.  Before starting PMA Consulting, he spent a decade in higher education as Vice President for Advancement at Queens University after serving in the same role at UNC Wilmington, where he was the youngest vice chancellor in the UNC system. Prior to his tenure in higher education, he worked with volunteers from 85 different counties as the state Program Director for Special Olympics North Carolina and as an Assistant for Education & Training for Special Olympics International in Washington DC, where he helped design coach and volunteer training curriculum used worldwide. Patton grew up in Elizabeth City, NC, and went to UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar where he received a BA in English Education. He received his MBA from the McColl School of Business while working at Queens, and his Doctorate in Education (Organizational Change & Leadership) from the Rossier School at the University of Southern California. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), and a Master Trainer for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International. He also serves as the Lead Faculty Member for the Institute for Philanthropic Leadership in Charlotte, where he works with aspiring nonprofit leaders through the New Development Directors program and coaches an annual cohort of Executive Directors and Chief Development Officers through Leadership Gift School. EPISODE RESOURCESPMA Masterminds FAQ’s and ApplicationNapoleon Hill’s book Think and Grow RichPatton’s episode #56 10 Essential Skills & Experiences for Nonprofit Leadership

71: Bringing A Global Perspective to Nonprofit Leadership (Jennifer Garner)   SUMMARYHow do you incorporate all of your previous nonprofit leadership experiences in a way that strengthens your current work?  Jennifer Garner has built an impressive resume on the way to her current position at the University of Denver, including international advancement work at two institutions in the United Kingdom. While the experiences are impressive in and of themselves, she also does a fantastic job of lifting up key bits of advice and resources she’s utilized throughout her career, and shares how she continues to incorporate these experiences into the work she’s doing right now. Check out our conversation in episode #71 of the Path Podcast for take-aways that you can apply to any stage of your career, as well as to those you’re leading at your nonprofit organization.ABOUT JENNIFER     Jennifer has worked at the University of Denver since June 2016 as the Executive Director of Development for the School of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences where she is responsible for the fundraising from 29,000 alumni and in the last year four years has been part of a team that generated $20M in philanthropic support from alumni, parents, foundations and individuals. She has 25 years’ experience in international external relations including fundraising, marketing, alumni relations, communications, annual giving and operations. Prior to DU, she worked at Trinity College Cambridge where she launched the first major gifts program and integrated alumni relations and annual giving program. She was the Deputy Director of Development at King’s College London, where she helped to design, brand and launch the university’s £500m fundraising campaign. Jennifer has also worked in Advancement at Queens University of Charlotte and Chatham University and in Admissions at the University of Evansville and Queens College. She has a Master’s Degree in nonfiction writing and a BA in English.  EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESJerry Panas’ book AskingJim Langley’s book The Future of FundraisingRussell James’ book Visual Planned Giving Tara Mohr’s book 

70: 7 Strategies to Drive Sustainable Change (Dyisha Reliford)  SUMMARYThe ability to manage change must be part of your toolkit as a nonprofit leader.  After starting her career with Teach for America in Chicago, Dyisha Reliford continued to learn from her successful corporate, community and nonprofit experiences to formulate the essential steps to managing change. Her study led to a wonderfully practical new book called The Transformation Playbook: 7 Winning Strategies to Drive Sustainable Change.  On episode #70 of the Path Podcast, Dyisha and I discussed several of her winning strategies, including how to effectively write a vision statement for change, how to communicate change to different constituencies, and how to deal with detractors in your efforts to initiate a change.  Lots of real-world application from this conversation that will help your efforts to organize and activate change.ABOUT DYISHA     Dyisha is a results-driven and visionary leader in the world of business transformation. Currently, she serves as a corporate healthcare executive and strategic thought partner in the role as Senior Director, Transformation, at AmerisourceBergen - a Fortune 10 company with more than $185 billion in annual revenue. In this role, she is responsible for partnering with executive leaders to capture transformation results by analyzing business operations, assessing processes, evaluating financial impacts, and supporting the enterprise transformation strategy. Prior to her current role at AmerisourceBergen, Dyisha held director-level roles in Investor Relations and Marketing. Prior to AmerisourceBergen, she worked for several leading companies, including General Electric (GE), Pfizer, and McKinsey & Company, where she led and supported change programs of all shapes and sizes. At GE, she was awarded the prestigious GE Healthcare Management Gold Above and Beyond Award and back-to-back GE Healthcare Marketer of the Year awards for her work in global marketing transformation and customer engagement automation. Dyisha graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and received her Master of Business Administration with Honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.  A native Ohioan, Dyisha currently resides in the Charlotte, NC area.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESDyisha’s book The Transformation PlaybookGallup and Tom Rath’s book StrengthsFinder 2.0 

069: National Philanthropy Day: 3 Lessons for Every Nonprofit Leader (Penny Hawkins)SUMMARYWhile National Philanthropy day provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate charitable giving, volunteer engagement and community spirit, but it also offers an opportunity for nonprofit leaders to strategically evaluate what each category means and how they might implement it within their organization. That’s exactly what my colleague Penny Hawkins and I discussed during Episode #69 of the Path Podcast.  She lifts up ideas that can help you diversify your donor base, find new ways to partner with individuals and organizations, and better understand the mindset of your major donors and significant prospects.  Lots to consider within this episode and some great resources from Penny as well.ABOUT PENNYPenny has enjoyed 15 years of professional experience in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. She began her career in Private Equity with BlackHawk Capital Management where she focused on communications, investor relations, marketing and operations. After completing the Foundation for the Carolinas Impact Fund for Emerging Philanthropists in 2008, she combined her skill for investor relations with a desire to support growth in Charlotte’s vital philanthropic community and entered the path to nonprofit leadership. Prior to joining PMA Consulting as a Senior Consultant, Penny held leadership development positions at Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Foundation, KinderMourn, and the Council for Children’s Rights. In her most recent role with Novant Health, she served as the Development Program Manager of the Children’s and Women’s Service Lines. Penny has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication with a focus on Public Relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She’s obtained her CFRE (Certified FundRaising Executive) designation, obtained certification from the Wake Forest University’s Essentials of Business for Nonprofit Organizations, and is the current Board President for the Charlotte Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESPenny previously on the Path: Maximizing the Talent of Women in the Nonprofit SectorAFP Global’s resources on National Philanthropy DayNY Times article: In Philanthropy, Race Is Still a Factor in Who Gets What Stanford Social Innovation Review: Overcoming Racial Bias in Philanthropic Fundraising

68: The 3 “C’s” of Nonprofit Leadership (Mike Smith) SUMMARYNonprofit organizations add value to communities around the world, and Mike Smith has had the opportunity to see outstanding leadership in the charitable sector in dozens of different countries as well as across the United States. His insight into the key attributes of successful nonprofit leaders led to a fascinating conversation on Episode #68 of the Path Podcast.  From his vantage point as the Managing Director of Special Olympics International in Europe and Eurasia, Mike saw the very best in management, strategy and volunteer development in over 50 countries, and brings his observations into a framework he calls the “3 C’s”: Culture, Communication and Creativity.  While he shares a “world tour” in illustrating these concepts, he breaks each one into highly practical take-aways that you can apply to your leadership, no matter where you are around the globe! ABOUT MIKE     Mike is an entrepreneurial team leader with significant international experience who has passions for sport, youth development, and global networks. In 2017, he founded BIG iDEA SPORTS, which is a start-up focused on developing technology and content to improve the positive impact of youth sports, thus accelerating a new youth sports model that results in young players enjoying more, playing better and staying in sports longer. One of their current projects is the development of a global platform/app to support coaches in giving better one-on-one feedback to young players. In addition to serving as the founder for BIG iDEA SPORTS, Mike is also the COO/Development Consultant for Coerver Coaching EMEA. In this role, he helps guide the expansion and development of a leading sport education company in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Prior to his current roles, Mike worked for Special Olympics international for 20 years where he served as the Director of Sports Management for Special Olympics in the Washington, D.C. area, Vice President of Operations for the 1997 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Toronto Canada, and finally the Managing Director for Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia, based in Brussels, Belgium. Mike has his BA in Psychology from Harvard University, where he was also Captain of the Harvard Soccer team, and also his MBA from the Babson School of Management. He currently resides in Barcelona, Spain with his wife and three children and can be reached at mike.smith@bigideasports.comEPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESLink to Mike’s Summary of the 3 C’sGeert Hostede and Gert Jan Hofstede’s book Cultures and OrganizationsJack Valenti’s book Speak Up With ConfidenceResonate WorkshopsAtlas of the Future

067: Leveraging Technology as a Nonprofit Leader (Kim Lanphear) SUMMARYWhile technology may or may not be your area of expertise as a nonprofit leader, current conditions certainly force you to be more proficient. Whether you’re navigating virtual board and staff meetings, trying to deliver your programs in a socially-distant manner, or contemplating your biggest fundraising event now being virtual, you’re having to maximize the technologies available to you. Someone who really understands the challenges and opportunities inherent in your nonprofit’s technology is Kim Lanphear, the CEO of Apparo, who is helping nonprofits navigate their technology and business processes so they can do the important work their mission requires.  On episode #67 of the Path, Kim provides a wealth of information and ideas to help you navigate your organization’s technology, put the right processes in place, and how you can do your virtual fundraising event more effectively.  (Hint: Apparo’s virtual event did better than the previous year’s live one!).  ABOUT KIM    Kim is the CEO of Apparo, a nonprofit connecting local nonprofits to technology expertise & resources that amplify their impact. Under her leadership, Apparo has partnered with 500+ area nonprofits and 100+ companies to drive skilled volunteering that delivers $1.60 of value for every dollar donated. Lanphear has a diverse career with more than 20 years of expertise in strategy development, international business, marketing, fundraising, and P&L management as well as Board governance and leadership. Prior to Apparo, she was at the helm of business lines within Citibank domestically and internationally, and the MD of Chicago's third largest professional theater company. She has consulted in the areas of strategy and marketing, and is recognized for her ability to build consensus and collaborative partnerships. Kim received the Charlotte Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO award in 2018 and Best Places to Work Award in 2019, the Mecklenburg Times Most Influential Women Award in 2016 and Icon Award in 2019, and has received recognition in Scoop Charlotte, and South Park Magazines. She received a BA in Public Policy from Duke University, and her MBA and Masters of Arts Administration from Southern Methodist University.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESHarvard Business Review article: If You Feel Like You’re Regressing, You’re Not AloneApparo’s Resources for Nonprofits link and webinar series Kathryn Heath and Jill Flynn’s book 

66: Maximizing Partnerships for Nonprofit Success (Sabrina Dawson)  SUMMARYHow can you create lasting partnerships that not only establish your nonprofit but help it accelerate its growth? That’s exactly what Sabrina Dawson and I discussed in episode #66 of the Path Podcast.  An educator throughout her professional career, Sabrina is the Co-Founder and Vice President of Programs for The Collective, a Memphis-based organization working with schools, employers and community stakeholders to establish career pathways and ensure equitable access to support, resources, and opportunities for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30.  Sabrina and her Co-Founder, Sarah Lockridge-Steckel, have built unique alliances with employers, sponsors, funders, as well as general volunteers, which offer great insight for nonprofit leaders everywhere. ABOUT SABRINA   Sabrina joined The Collective to develop and implement their careers program, which connects opportunity youth to high demand careers, while providing intensive support services.  Sabrina began her career serving 6-12th grade students through the esteemed Teach for America program. During that time, she served in many roles within the educational environment, including Teacher, Vice Principal of Instruction, Associate Director of College Counseling, and a member of an Academic Leadership Team. She has served as an educator and instructional leader in inner-city public and charter schools and her work in college counseling led to 100% college matriculation. Sabrina has also designed and executed the Career Pathways model to support older youth in the DC foster care system with college and career supports which significantly increased the percentage of youth exiting foster care with sustainable employment. She has presented her model for educational and career success at many conferences including the National Pathways to Adulthood conference and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s Post-Secondary and Career Education Conference. Sabrina has a BA in Philosophy from The Florida State University and her Master of Arts in Teaching from The Johns Hopkins University.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESKerry Patterson & Joseph Grenny’s book Crucial ConversationsBrene’ Brown’s book Dare to Lead

65: Why You Shouldn’t Start a Charity (Matthew Zachary) SUMMARYAs a cancer survivor and marketing expert, Matthew Zachary approaches most things in life with a very different perspective, including nonprofit leadership.  This approach is provocative and thought-provoking, and is sure to make you think differently about many of the “standards” of nonprofit leadership.  On episode #65 of the Path Podcast, Matthew shares his rationale for NOT starting a nonprofit, why charitable organizations often get the short end of the stick in corporate partnerships, and what every nonprofit leader needs to be reading.  He also shares – from personal experience – when it’s time to step down as a nonprofit leader, particularly when you're the Founder.  All this and much more in this entertaining and free-wheeling episode of the Path!ABOUT MATTHEW  Ten years after surviving brain cancer at age 21, Matthew founded Stupid Cancer, the world's largest young adult cancer community, and launched The Stupid Cancer Show, the first health podcast, which amassed a global listenership in the millions. He stepped down as Stupid Cancer's CEO in 2019 and launched his latest venture, OffScrip Media, the first audio broadcast network focused on consumer health and patient advocacy. Matthew is now back behind the mic with his new show, "Out of Patients," hailed as "the people's voice in healthcare."  As he continues to be outspoken about the perils of the healthcare system, the through-line of Matthew's entire career is patient advocacy. Matthew is also an acclaimed keynote speaker, accomplished film composer, and award-winning concert pianist.EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCESDan Pallotta’s books Uncharitable and Charity CaseDan Pallotta’s 2013 Ted Talk "The way we think of charity is dead wrong"Vu Le’s Blog Nonprofit AFMatthew’s website MatthewZachary.com