Nonprofit Lowdown

Join me and my friend (and first boss!) Sam Marks to understand the financial side of nonprofits.  As the new CEO of FJC: A Foundation of Philanthropic Funds, we talk about what exactly a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is, how nonprofits who need a loan to even out cash flow can get one, why it's important to get a handle on your expenses and what he's learned from over twenty years in the social sector.  He's good people and it's an elucidating conversation about financial aspects of running a nonprofit. To learn more about FJC, check out: https://www.fjc.org/

Fakequity= Fake equity.  Like when you're in a meeting and someone repeats something a person of color said and takes credit for it.  Or when "These people need..." or "They need to..." is said.  Or when someone misses a previous meeting and then questions the decision made.  Or when being short on time is used to justify NOT asking the community that is impacted.  Or when someone tries to shift the conversation to class from race because race is just too uncomfortable.  Or when someone "doesn't see color."  When you're working in a social justice space and you feel like you're at the Mad Hatters Tea Party, this episode is for you.  Join me and Fakequity Founder to talk about racial equity and nonprofits. To learn more about Erin and to play Fakequity bingo, check out: www.fakequity.com

If I had a nickel for every time an ED complained that their board was not raising money, not engaged or not working, I'd never have to fundraise.  Join me for this chat with Cindi Phallen to learn about how to re-invigorate your board, avoid a bored board, recruit according to your organizational goals and why staff members should never be on a board meeting agenda.  Cindi brings a wealth of experience in unlocking the power of boards. To learn more about Cindi, check here out here: https://possibility-cp.com/about/

Ever wonder why mergers and acquisitions are not so common in the nonprofit world?  Ever wondered about the nuts and bolts of leading a merger?  Join me and my friend Daniel as we discuss the nitty-gritty of a nonprofit merger.  Daniel has been a long-time nonprofit executive and, most recently, the Executive Director of Mouse.org.  Under his leadership, Mouse successfully merged with another nonprofit and he shares his lessons learned.  He also started his own consulting practice to advise on partnerships, collaboration and mergers between nonprofit orgs.   For more about Daniel, check him out here: https://www.indigopheasant.com/

Join me for this incredibly candid and vulnerable interview with Iris Chen.  Iris was one of the founding members of Teach for America and has built her career in education and social justice over the last twenty years.  We talk about perceptions of Asian-American leadership, what we have learned the hard way and what drives Iris after all these years.  Iris reflects on the ups and downs of leadership over the last twenty years through the early days of education reform in New York to today's more culturally aware nonprofit environment.  

For folks of color who are trying to do big things in the world, fundraising can feel like pushing an endless rock up a hill.  Join me and Liza Mueller, VP of Knowledge at Echoing Green, to hear the data that backs up the lived experience.  Not surprisingly, women and folks of color raise significantly less funding than their white male counterparts.  Interestingly, this disparity starts even before the ask.  Here's hoping this conversation starts a deeper conversation for funders. For more about Echoing Green, click here: https://echoinggreen.org/

Join me and my new friend Karla Monterroso to talk about her important work as CEO of Code2040.  In today's high-flying tech economy, Code 2040 is committed to dismantling racial barriers that keep Latinx and Black tech workers from the highest levels of leadership.  Karla shares the work that she does with the tech community and beyond to help break down the systemic barriers to racial equity in many different industries.  We talk about actionable things that leaders can do to start to build an equitable system, why most DEI initiatives suck and how you can know where you are on the spectrum of racial equity advocate.  Plus, there's a quiz!   For more about Code2040, visit: http://www.code2040.org/ To take the quiz, visit: https://medium.com/racial-equity-in-tech/five-types-of-racial-equity-advocates-in-tech-c72e5c384335

Instagram--it's a lifestyle choice.  Join me and my new bud Brandy Henry to talk about how and why nonprofits should be all over Instagram like white on rice.   In the sea of confusing social media choices and too much to do, Brandy breaks down some easy steps to get started with IG and how to not get overwhelmed.  The best piece of news: Brandy is willing to help you out for FREE so contact her to get your IG game right and tight. To contact Brandy, visit here: https://www.brandywhenry.com/ To download her worksheet HOW TO SAY IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, click here

Founders: they are among the most amazing and maddening people.  Many founders struggle as sustaining Executive Directors because the skills that helped you to start a nonprofit are different than the skills needed to be an enduring leader.  It takes a lot of reflection, maturity and grace to move from founder to mature ED.  Join me as we chat with Jai Nanda who has gone from a founding ED to a tenured ED of over 20 years.  Along the way, he's built an amazing organization, Urban Dove, and changed his leadership and perspective.  This is a must-listen for founding EDs. For more about Jai, check out: http://urbandove.org/about-us/our-mission/

You guys--this convo BLEW MY MIND.  I usually try not to fangirl, but Susan Scott is so unbelievably amazing.  She shares insights from her top-selling book Fierce Conversations and Fierce Leadership to help you have the fierce and necessary conversations with your employees, your family and your friends.  This conversation is truthful, honest and whole-hearted.  I felt changed afterward and I hope you will too. Some tidbits from our chat: "We are always having conversations and sometimes we include other people."  “Remember that what gets talked about and how it gets talked about determines what will happen. Or won't happen. And that we succeed or fail, gradually then suddenly, one conversation at a time.” For more about Susan, check out her company here: https://fierceinc.com/ To watch Susan's TED talk, check it out here: https://youtu.be/oVKaXUB4EFg