
The Smart Communications Podcast
The Smart Communications Podcast helps busy nonprofit leaders build their communications skills and develop their organization’s voice. Every episode shares insights and practical tips to help you leverage strategic communications to advance your nonprofit’s mission.
Latest episodes

May 29, 2025 • 19min
Episode 187: How can you shape your AI brand footprint?
How does AI perceive your nonprofit brand? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by George Weiner, founder and chief whaler at Whole Whale, to explore “AI brand footprints” and how to proactively shape your visibility in tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI search. They explore how traditional SEO is shifting and what you can do to revisit your content strategy.

May 14, 2025 • 23min
Episode 186: How should your nonprofit approach crisis communications?
When a crisis emerges, how should your nonprofit respond? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Joanna Brody, founder and president of Brody PR, to explore how nonprofits can prepare and navigate crises with strategy, empathy, and impact.

Apr 30, 2025 • 25min
Episode 185: How can you approach AI with an equity lens?
Are you curious about using AI without compromising your values? In this episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Meena Das, founder of Namaste Data, to unpack findings from the AI Equity Project and offer practical advice for nonprofits navigating this evolving technology.

Apr 16, 2025 • 24min
Episode 184: Should your organization consider a merger?
What happens when two mission-aligned nonprofits decide to merge? Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Idealist’s founder and executive director, Ami Dar, about their recent merger with VolunteerMatch—and what other orgs can learn from it.

Apr 2, 2025 • 30min
Episode 183: How can you break free from being busy?
Are you constantly busy but never feel accomplished? Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Kishshana Palmer, author, discuss Kishshana’s book, Busy Is a Four-Letter Word: A Guide to Achieving More by Doing Less, what it means to work smarter, not harder, and offer practical insights for how personal development is professional development

Mar 19, 2025 • 19min
Episode 182: How can you build resilient nonprofit organizations and teams?
Resilience isn’t just a buzzword—it’s essential for nonprofit success. Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Peter Heller, founder of Heller Fundraising Group, explore what it means when staff are resilient and supported, and how leaders can support their teams, adapt to change, and fundraise for a strong future.

Mar 5, 2025 • 16min
Episode 181: How do we foster healthy group participation?
Healthy participation is a process not an outcome. How do we create spaces where everyone feels valued and engaged? Sarita Joseph, director of accounts, and Josh Kelley, senior account manager, explore the importance of this topic and share practical tips to enhance collaboration, inclusivity, and effectiveness in nonprofit settings.

Feb 19, 2025 • 22min
Episode 180: Is it time to reboot your communications strategy?
Kivi Leroux Miller, founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide, and Farra Trompeter dive into the pressing need for nonprofits to reassess their communication strategies. They discuss the impact of recent elections on messaging and the challenges faced, such as budget constraints and the undervaluation of communication roles. The duo also explores the integration of AI in nonprofit work, emphasizing the importance of oversight. Additionally, they advocate for experimentation in communication tactics, urging nonprofits to focus on what they can control.

Feb 5, 2025 • 18min
Episode 179: How can a language guide help your nonprofit?
Language shapes how nonprofits connect, engage, and drive impact. Ally Dommu, director of service development, and Ryan Gerhard, copy director, explore why a language guide is helpful, how it differs from a brand guide, and the steps needed to create one.

Jan 22, 2025 • 19min
Episode 178: How can values strengthen your organization?
Is it the right moment to update your organization's values? Brenda Perez, Senior Account Manager, and Claire Taylor Hansen, co-director, explore how values can unify teams and organizations, guiding both internal culture and external communication. They share tips to create meaningful values that reflect your mission and spark alignment, whether you’re in a nonprofit, worker-owned cooperative, or other organization with shared beliefs.