Nonprofit Lowdown

Daniel is speaking some truth!  Join me and my friend Daniel Horgan to learn more about how you effectively develop corporate partnerships for your organization.  Spoiler alert: it's all about relationships.  Daniel shares some tips and best practices about how to use corporate volunteerism as an on-ramp, how to align your values and goals with your corporate partners and how to break down silos across your organization.  This is a must-listen for anyone looking to increase their corporate revenue. For more about Daniel, check out: https://www.colabl.com/

So often, when grant-seekers apply for funding, it can be a black box.  Who makes the decisions, how and why?  The process can be particularly opaque for BIPOC-led nonprofits who don't have a network to access privileged information.  Join me and Kerri Forrest, Director at the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, to share some of the changes they have made to make their funding more equitable.  From being an open space for grantees to drop by to simplifying grant applications, hear some of Kerri's advice to fellow foundation staff. For more about Kerri, visit: https://gddf.org/people/

This was seriously a masterclass on rebuilding a board.  Lucretia headed up fundraising for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and helped to revamp the board to reach their $100M fundraising goal.  Whether you're raising $100K or $100M, your board is key to your success.  Lucretia provides key insights from her experience, which includes how to recruit and orient new members, how to make your board members feel the TLC, and how to plan for the long-term.  This is a must-listen and make sure to have a notebook handy. To find out more about Lucretia, check her out here: https://www.philanthropyadvantage.com/

Join me and my friend Mino Lora as she talks about what it means to truly lead with a community.  Mino is the dynamic co-founder of People's Theater Project, proud New Yorker and candidate for City Council.  Mino's irrepressible spirit, commitment to service and relentless optimism will give you hope for the future of New York.  She is a true leader for the people and exactly what we need right now.  NY, don't forget to vote June 22! For more about Mino: https://www.minoforthebronx.com/

Ok, ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts because we're taking a ride on the #realtalk train.  Join me and master communicator and coach, Marti Fischer, as we tackle the #1 problem most Executive Directors face.  Listen in to these gems like how to identify WHY your board isn't fundraising and tactics for dealing with it.  Some other juicy topics we explore: how to make your board meetings less boring, how to deal with the age-old question of give/get limits and how to measure what matters.  If you need some inspo about motivating your board to be your top fundraisers and cheerleaders, listen to this episode and prepare to take notes. To find Marti, visit her website: https://www.martifischergroup.com/

I'm the first to admit it--I HATE seeing my face on video.  As the face of an organization or company, our jobs might include being the public face, but many of us don't like it.  Join me and Jeany Park, actress turned video producer, to talk about how to come across your best in video.  We discuss why it's important to have a video strategy, how to improve your video presence and other tips to look your best (and give yourself some grace).  Also, we coined a new phrase: RDF.  Listen in to find out what that is! For more about Jeany and her company, visit: https://treeswingvideo.com/

For a career 501c3 ED such as myself, I thought of 501c4s as a mystifying entity.  I thought, they're like us...but different.  In this conversation with veteran nonprofiteer, Steven Choi, he pulls back the curtain on the differences between the two from a fundraising and policy perspective.  If you've ever considered a 501c4 arm of your current nonprofit, this is a valuable episode.  We talk about how to fundraising differs, how 501c4s can be effective in politics and with elected officials and how to set it up alongside a 501c3. For more about Steve, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-choi-66072b5/

Join me and the iconic Rich Buery to talk about all the lessons he's learned so far.  Rich has founded organizations, headed up some of the most influential in New York and been the deputy mayor of New York City.  He has maintained his commitment to serving children and leading with humility and grace through it all.  I was humbled by this wide-ranging conversation.  This is a must-listen, especially for those working in youth development. To connect with Rich, check him out on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardbuery/

Join me and my pals, Shruti Sehra and Hassan Brown, to learn about how venture philanthropy firm, New Profit, has re-designed giving for equity.  We talk about how community proximity IS expertise, how they redesigned proposal processes to be more accessible and equitable and what questions they are asking of themselves and the field.  I really enjoyed this wide-ranging conversation with two insightful, thoughtful and equity-minded philanthropy leaders. For more about New Profit, visit: https://www.newprofit.org/ For more about the framework for changing behaviors, visit: https://www.newprofit.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Impact-Report_Grantmaking_v2.pdf

My friend and colleague April Walker has worn many hats: funder, consultant and development director.  In this honest and engaging interview, we discuss the problematic dynamics of traditional philanthropy, how she, as a Black woman, navigates predominantly white funder spaces and what we can all do to de-center white supremacy in philanthropy.  April is insightful and drops all the truth bombs.   For more about April and to read her weekly column Ask April, follow her here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aprilcwalker/