Episodes

70: 7 Strategies to Drive Sustainable Change (Dyisha Reliford) SUMMARY The 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 ...

069: National Philanthropy Day: 3 Lessons for Every Nonprofit Leader (Penny Hawkins) SUMMARY While 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 P...

68: The 3 “C’s” of Nonprofit Leadership (Mike Smith) SUMMARY Nonprofit 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 Spec...

067: Leveraging Technology as a Nonprofit Leader (Kim Lanphear) SUMMARY While 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 underst...

66: Maximizing Partnerships for Nonprofit Success (Sabrina Dawson) SUMMARY How 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 stakehol...

65: Why You Shouldn’t Start a Charity (Matthew Zachary) SUMMARY As 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...

64: How Can We Address Compensation Gaps in the Nonprofit Sector? (Sally Loftis) SUMMARY It’s a cliché to say no one gets into nonprofit work to get rich. However, if leaders in our sector do not take steps to address the compensation gaps that exist, all of the important work being done will be further diminished by turnover and burnout. In episode #64 of the Path Podcast, Sally Loftis brings a researcher’s eye and HR expertise to this strategic challenge for nonprofit leaders, and pro...

63: Confronting Wicked Problems as a Nonprofit Leader (Lynn Fick-Cooper) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, you are likely trying to address “Wicked Problems” every day, social challenges that are systemic in nature and incredibly complex. To help us better address these types of problems, Lynn Fick-Cooper offers a fantastic analysis of these issues, and provides five crucial strategies to address them in episode #63 of the Path Podcast. Lynn’s 30-year journey in nonprofit leadership is als...

62: What Should We Learn from the Giving USA Report? (Melissa Brown) SUMMARY You’ve likely seen the numbers each year that represent philanthropic support in the United States through the Giving USA report. The question is, do you really understand what the numbers mean, and how they apply to you and your nonprofit? There is no one better suited to help us understand those questions than Melissa Brown, who has spent some of her stellar 30-year career literally editing the G...

61: 4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Career (Jay Dowd) SUMMARY What are some practical ways you can advance your nonprofit leadership career? In episode #61 of the Path, South Carolina native Dr. Jay Dowd brings experience from leading four different university fundraising teams to answer that question. He shares the critical advice he learned early in his career from mentors and donors themselves, as well as the value of his network and his involvement in professional associatio...

60: Maximizing The Leadership Trio for Fundraising Success (Theresa Lee) SUMMARY Theresa Lee has enjoyed an exceptional fundraising career, doing some of her best work in the greater Boston area for institutions like MIT, Boston College and Holy Cross. Her advice on the critical “leadership trio” (the CEO/Executive Director, the Chief Development Officer and the Board Chair) is not only applicable to large institutions, but very relevant to any sized organization trying to maximi...

59: 5 Keys to Leading Dynamic Virtual Meetings (Lea Williams) SUMMARY Even before the pandemic, the lack of effective meetings was one of the biggest productivity challenges for many nonprofit organizations. As a leader, you cannot afford to waste the collective time and talent of your staff, board and key volunteers. To offer practical advice for better meetings - especially in a virtual setting - Dr. Lea Williams shares her five keys for creating a more dynamic and p...

58: How to Make Nonprofit Leadership Your Dream Job (Carson Tate) SUMMARY Given the uncertainty we all face right now, it is reassuring to speak with someone like Carson Tate who understands the challenges of maintaining personal and professional balance, as well as the nuances of productivity. Carson offers great advice and resources for nonprofit leaders in Episode #58 of the Path, starting with an understanding of your personal productivity style, and how to adapt if your style...

57: Bringing Authenticity to Nonprofit Leadership (Lisa Baxter) SUMMARY Like many in the nonprofit sector, Lisa Baxter did not seek a role in philanthropy; the sector quite literally sought her out. And while the path to nonprofit leadership has not always been accommodating to her, the lessons learned and wisdom gained has helped Lisa not only succeed but also provides valuable advice for other leaders on a similar career track. In episode #57 of the Path podcast, Lisa dis...

56: 10 Essential Skills & Experiences for Nonprofit Leadership (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY This episode of the Path Podcast, #56, includes a top-10 list of the most important skills and experiences necessary for successful nonprofit leadership: Lifelong Learning PlanPersonal OrganizationLeadershipNonprofit/SectorFinancial AcumenSpoken CommunicationWritten CommunicationListening/Conversation SkillsNetworkingStrategic PlanningABOUT PATTON Patton has spent his entire 30-year career helpi...

55: Recalibrating Your Fundraising Strategy as a Nonprofit Leader (Alison Singer) SUMMARY Like most nonprofit leaders, you are likely driven by passion for a cause that is meaningful to you. Alison Singer is certainly a great example of that drive, but she has also taken her lifelong commitment to serving individuals and families with Autism and turned it into a national nonprofit called the Autism Science Foundation. Her story is a fascinating one, and her podcast episode, #55 on the Path, als...

54: Building a Leadership Gift Culture at Your Nonprofit Organization (Chris McLeod) SUMMARY How do you assure your nonprofit is in a position to receive Leadership Gifts? Many nonprofit organizations dream of that type transformational donor investment, but fail to put themselves in a good position to receive one. Chris McLeod knows all about that challenge, and helped co-found the Institute for Philanthropic Leadership - and its signature program called Leadership Gift School – to help organiz...

53: Building A Legacy Organization Through Nonprofit Leadership (Jeff Michael) SUMMARY Every nonprofit organization has an upcoming anniversary, whether it’s their first, their 150th, or somewhere in between. While simply celebrating an anniversary may not help your organization achieve strategic success, it may well provide a unique opportunity to raise awareness of your organization's history, as well as elevate your vision going forward. That’s exactly what Jeff Michael and I discussed during...

52: Celebrating Black Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (Valaida Fullwood) SUMMARY What can your nonprofit do to better engage Black philanthropists? There is no one better suited to answer the question than Valaida Fullwood, who brings her pioneering experience through Charlotte’s New Generation of African American Philanthropists (NGAAP) and its Bold Project, as well as her experience as a champion for Black Philanthropy Month and the #BPM2020CLT initiative. She also brings to life more th...

51: Is a Merger Right for Your Nonprofit? (Laura Belcher) SUMMARY As uncertain conditions continue to challenge nonprofit leaders and their ability to plan strategically, the need for effective collaboration is greater than ever. While effective partnerships and collaborative opportunities exist without an actual merger taking place, many nonprofit leaders are contemplating what an actual merger might do for their organization. In episode #51 of the Path Podcast, Laura Belcher, the President & C...

50: Elevating A Cause Through Nonprofit Leadership (Curtis Drafton) SUMMARY Not many nonprofit leaders have actually experienced the personal and professional challenges facing the individuals their organization serves. After two Army tours in the Middle East left him injured, Curtis Drafton then had to overcome the tragic loss of his fiancé to cancer. In his words, he was “mentally broken and confused,” but also realized he was not alone in his struggle. Few would have blamed him for taking yea...

049: 4 Tips for Effective & Efficient Fundraising (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY Patton had an opportunity to be a guest on Dolph Goldenburg’s great podcast and discuss four key tips he’s found to help nonprofit organizations organize their fundraising efforts. This was also our first opportunity to participate in a “reverse podcast,” as this episode first appeared on Dolph’s feed on July 16, 2020, and now is included on our feed as well. Description from The Successful Nonprofits Podcast: Small and ...

48: Agile Arts Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector (Devlin McNeil) SUMMARY How do you manage an Arts organization when every aspect of your program is disrupted? Perhaps no nonprofit sector has more challenges right now than Arts & Culture organizations, given the limitations to programming, performances and gatherings. And with the philanthropic community understandably focused on health and human services, the Arts sector faces even greater needs for agile leadership. Fortunately, Devlin McNeil...

47: Millennials & Corporate Partners: What Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know (Derrick Feldmann) SUMMARY How do you get the millennial generation to engage in your nonprofit’s cause? That’s the first question Derrick Feldmann and I explored during our conversation on episode #47 of the Path Podcast. There is no one more qualified to answer that question, given his decade-long research on the millennial generation. While Derrick provided a fascinating look at that demographic, we were also able to f...