Episodes

Kevin Briscoe 177: Mastering Your Financial Acumen as a Nonprofit Leader (Kevin Briscoe) SUMMARY Is your organization positioned to navigate the unique strategic and financial challenges inherent in nonprofit settings? As a nonprofit leader, do you need more financial expertise but don’t know if you can afford it? In episode #177 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, financial expert Kevin Briscoe helps today’s nonprofit leaders address their overall accounting needs and financial literacy....

176: Does Your Nonprofit Board Have the Skills to Thrive? (Lisa Cook) SUMMARY If leadership begins at the top, does your board ensure everyone is performing at their best at the work they pledged to do? In episode #176 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, board governance expert Lisa Cook shares how to identify, cultivate, train and engage your board for long-term success. She discusses why such skills as governance, strategic planning and financial acumen are necessary for success, and th...

175: How Can Nonprofit Leaders Succeed in the Attention Economy? (Eric Ressler) SUMMARY With the distractions of instant access to information, are you effectively capturing the attention of the right people in a sustained, authentic, and meaningful way to move your mission forward? Eric Ressler explains what the attention economy means and how it has affected nonprofit organizations in episode #176 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Eric shares why organizations struggle to find, grow a...

174: Planting the Seeds of Change with your Nonprofit Board (Christal Cherry & Renee Rubin Ross) SUMMARY Does your nonprofit’s leadership truly represent the diverse voice you serve? Why is it more important than ever to have equal representation at the board level? In episode # 174 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, two talented nonprofit professionals have come together to collaborate on this important topic. Renee Rubin Ross and Christal Cherry share aspects from their DEIB training...

173: Can You Manage the Finances as a Nonprofit Leader? (Alex Romero) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you well versed in the management of budgets and financials for your organization? Can you forecast cash flow and establish internal controls to keep donors and board members happy? In episode #173 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we explore the fundamental financial skills you must master to excel at nonprofit leadership. Virtual CFO Alex Romero identifies some of the biggest financi...

172: 3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Inspire Greater Investment (Deepa Naik) SUMMARY How do you make a successful case for funding given the increasing number of urgent needs in your community? Your donors certainly have many great causes to consider. In episode #172 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Deepa Naik, a former fundraiser and consultant who now works with The Merancas Foundation, about what she sees as she reviews dozens of proposals. Have you ever wished you could ask ...

171: How to Build Trust as a Nonprofit Leader (Teresa Mitrovic) SUMMARY Are psychological safety and trust key elements of your leadership? How does trust change workplace culture? What is a leader’s role in trust and how do you build psychological safety while maintaining accountability? In episode #171 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, author and coach Teresa Mitrovic advocates for trust as the crucial factor in organizational health. Learn what it means to create and adapt to this type...

170: How Can Your Nonprofit Be More Effective Seeking Grants? (Gauri Manglik) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you focused on the most important elements that help you generate more funding? In episode #170 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, learn how to better train your staff, measure the impact of your team, and choose the best tools for your nonprofit from Gauri Manglik, creator of a barrier-breaking grant discovery, research, and tracking tool. Aside from your mission, the talent ...

169: How to Assess the Philanthropic Culture of a Nonprofit Organization (Armando Chardiet) SUMMARY Does your organization have a philanthropic culture? How do you know? Armando Chardiet discusses exactly that in episode #169 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, and provides recommendations to best stand out as you seek philanthropic support. He also shares what he looks for in recruiting talent, and why mentorship has been the most significant asset during his nonprofit career. Armand...

168: Will Your Nonprofit Sustain Excellence for the Next Generation? (Regina Moody) SUMMARY How prepared is your organization as the philanthropic sector experiences post-pandemic changes? With increased competition for funding, are you communicating your mission and values effectively and managing your digital technology? In episode #168 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Regina Moody, who has had a remarkable 40-year career at a single organization, shares lessons she’s learned on her jo...

167: Horror Stories of Fundraising: What Would You Do? (Jay Frost) SUMMARY Think you're the only one to experience a fundraising horror story? Well, Jay Frost is here to assure you’re not alone and there are ways you can avoid these scary situations. In episode #167 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, he shares the critical importance of having policies and procedures in place to avoid your own horror stories and sustain your strategic plan. Learn how often to review and with whom the...

166: Transitions in Nonprofit Leadership: Are You Ready to Make a Move? (Mazarine Treyz) SUMMARY Are you pondering your place in the philanthropic sector? The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world and its effects are being felt across all industries. In episode #166 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, multifaceted career coach Mazarine Treyz discusses some factors that nonprofit leaders should keep in mind as they prepare for the next normal. She advocates for such things as self-care, eq...

165: 3 Technology Traps All Nonprofit Leaders Must Avoid (Bill Connors) SUMMARY Are you overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data at your nonprofit? Are you making the most of your CRM to streamline your data in productive ways? In episode #165 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Bill Connors explains why understanding technology is a vital skill many nonprofit leaders aren’t taking seriously enough. He shares his three S’s that senior management should avoid for the long-term well-being of...

164: Building an Organizational Culture of Advocacy (Eric Mitchell) SUMMARY You 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 kno...

163: The First Step to Nonprofit Leadership: Taking Care of Yourself (Georgia Krueger) SUMMARY How 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 f...

162: Are You Ready to be A Nonprofit CEO? (Karen Eber Davis) SUMMARY Are 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...

161: Measuring Success: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Look Beyond the Numbers (Megha Desai) SUMMARY How 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 decisio...

160: Your Nonprofit Alliance May Not Be a Good Idea (Michelle Shumate) SUMMARY Are 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 ...

159: 4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Leadership This Year (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY What 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 Framework 2. Practice Self-Assessment 3. Utilize Strategic Networking 4. Curate Knowledge...

158: A Radical Approach to Nonprofit Leadership (Tom Vozzo) SUMMARY How 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 adv...

157: Assuring Cross-Sector Collaboration as A Nonprofit Leader (Kate Markin Coleman) SUMMARY Are 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 ...

156: Everything You Believe About Small Nonprofit Fundraising is Wrong (Zoot Velasco) SUMMARY Is 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 w...

155: Relationship Building: The Key to Nonprofit Leadership (Siobhan Davenport) SUMMARY Are 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 t...

154: Nonprofit & For-Profit: Creating a Successful Partnership (Shiloh Karshima) SUMMARY Do you communicate a clear message that properly represents the voice of those you serve? In episode #154 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Shiloh Karshima highlights some of the challenges nonprofit leaders face in trying to make their case more clearly and in an authentic way. Shiloh is a gifted leader with more than two decades experience building philanthropic partnerships in over 14 cou...