Episodes

190: 22 Resources from 2022: Fundraising, Finance & Future Focus Fundraising Rhea Wong’s Developing the Right Mindset to be an Effective FundraiserDeepa Naik’s 3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Inspire Greater InvestmentAutumn Keck’s Elevating Your Grants Program as a Nonprofit LeaderHolly Rustick’s Why Diversification is Vital to Your Fundraising PlanJay Frost’s Horror Stories of Fundraising: What Would You Do?Finance & Technology Bill Connors’ 3 Technology Traps All Nonprofit Leaders Must A...

189: Maximizing Community Relationships as a Nonprofit Leader (Kathy Rogers) SUMMARY Community partnerships can be an effective way to accomplish shared goals. What are the factors that make some partnerships more effective than others? In episode #189 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Mental Health America of Central Carolinas Executive Director Kathy Rogers outlines the importance of building intentional and strategic community relationships that maximizes collaboration, funding, and...

188: How Can You Be More Effective as a Nonprofit Leader? (Grace Nicolette) SUMMARY Being effective in the philanthropic sector is uniquely challenging. To make every dollar count, you must continually assess performance, learn from data, and adapt in ways that are consistent with effectiveness. Grace Nicolette, co-host of the widely acclaimed Giving Done Right Podcast and Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) executive, joins us in episode #188 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership to sha...

187: Managing A Nonprofit Merger: Would You Be Ready? (Dr. Monique Perry-Graves) SUMMARY As nonprofits consider strategies for the future, its leadership may explore the possibility of re-aligning resources, collaborating to increase efficiencies, or even entering a formal strategic alliance or merger with another nonprofit. In episode #187 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Dr. Monique Perry-Graves shares key considerations nonprofit leaders can follow to guide their organization through ...

186: Why Don’t Board Members Do What They’re Supposed to Do? (Hardy Smith) SUMMARY Are your nonprofit board members as engaged as they should be? Do they micromanage or are they completely disengaged? In episode #186 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, author of Stop the Nonprofit Board Blame Game, Hardy Smith, discusses what an effective board really means. He details actions to avoid board member relationship mistakes, keys to recruiting and retaining productive board members, and why boa...

What are you doing to actually move closer to your ideal leadership role in the nonprofit sector? In this solo episode #185 of The Path Podcast, I offer seven specific ideas that can help you build your personal strategic plan for the year ahead. 1. Declutter 2. Calendar Review 3. Aspirational Job Postings 4. Read A Book 5. Create a Guide List 6. Two Topic Curriculum 7. Coach and be Coached ABOUT PATTON Patton McDowell has enjoyed a successful 30-year career in nonprofit leadership, strategic ...

184: Excelling at Team Development as a Nonprofit Leader (Liz Brigham) SUMMARY Is the synergy of your team firing on all cylinders? Do you make time for an intentional pause, to first look back at what got you to where you are and what it will take to get you to that next level? Liz Brigham of the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Davidson College answers these questions and more in episode #184 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Liz shares vast experience from her prof...

183: National Philanthropy Day: How Will You Celebrate? (Robert Touchstone) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, how can you leverage National Philanthropy Day throughout the year? Learn why it’s celebrated across the nation and about some of the local winners worthy of recognition as we talk with AFP Charlotte President Robert Touchstone in episode #183 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Robert advocates for the benefits nonprofit leaders realize through an organization like AFP. He also disc...

182: Breaking Down Barriers as a Nonprofit Leader (Nyeisha Dewitt) SUMMARY How do you blend your life experiences with a passion for change and actually do something about it? Dr. Nyeisha Dewitt is eminently qualified to answer this question. In episode #182 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Nyeisha shares her journey to nonprofit leadership, the lessons she’s learned, and the challenges she’s faced along the way. As a committed entrepreneur herself, she knows leaders can be mission-drive...

181: What Are Your Donors Thinking? (Derric Bakker) SUMMARY After record-level giving during Covid, what are your donors thinking with uncertain economic conditions ahead? In episode #181 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Derric Bakker, a 30+ year expert fundraiser and founder of the annual Donor Insight Study, about what donors are likely to do in the year ahead. After multiple years studying the economic indicators that affect philanthropic behavior, Derric shares h...

180: How Can You Use Technology to Amplify Good? (Ray Gary) SUMMARY Today’s donors have become empowered consumers conditioned by predictive technology experiences. As a nonprofit leader, do you truly embrace the donor experience? Is your technology more convenient for the organization than it is for your donors? In episode #180 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership technology expert, Ray Gary explains how nonprofit leaders who embrace current advances in digital platforms successfully engag...

179: Transition Across Sectors: Are You Ready to Lead a Nonprofit? (Beth Reaves) SUMMARY Are you considering a career move to a mission based nonprofit and wonder how your corporate skills will transfer to the philanthropic sector? In episode #179 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, one time fortune 50 company executive, Beth Reaves shares what to expect for a successful transition. Having developed an “Entry Plan” for new nonprofit leaders, she explains why it’s important to have one tha...

178: Building a Diverse and Talented Team at Your Nonprofit (Julie Kratz) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you creating a more inclusive and diverse culture at your organization, especially at the leadership level? In episode #178 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with an inclusivity expert, Julie Kratz, about developing the framework for building a diverse and talented leadership team. DEI can be a complex topic in the workplace, and Julie introduces the basic terms leaders sho...

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...