Nonprofit Vision With Gregory Nielsen

In India, patients must pay upfront for medical treatment but not everyone can afford to do so.  The Soondra Foundation believes that everyone deserves to see a doctor and therefore provides direct cash grants to people in India during medical emergencies, ensuring they remain healthy and do not sink deeper into poverty.  Soondra Foundation CEO Dr. Gayatri Mathur shares a deeper insight into the vital role grassroots nonprofits can play in delivering impact while providing a thoughtful perspective on healthcare inequity in India.  

How many live auction items should you feature at your next gala?  How can you develop an often under-utilized moneymaker for your event?  What are best practices for building your guest list?  Dean Crownover -- My Benefit Auctioneer -- has a track record of raising millions of fundraising dollars for his nonprofit clients with his popular Auctiontainment approach.  Dean joins the podcast to answer the above questions and so much more.  Don't miss this opportunity to learn how to energize your next fundraising event!   Listeners can get a complimentary copy of Dean's book, Paddles Up! My Benefit Auctioneer Reveals Post-2020 Gala Fundraiser Secrets, at https://mybenefitauctioneer.com/vision.

A strategic plan provides a critical roadmap for your organization to set goals and strategies to advance your mission.  Equally important is the ability to take these high-level goals and strategies and operationalize them, developing concrete action plans for Board and staff members.  Claire Crum of Calm Ops joins the podcast to discuss strategic mapping -- a process to help nonprofits operationalize their strategic plans with intentionality.  

Addressing complex issues begins with a recognition that these issues do not occur in isolation, but rather are often linked to other factors.  One innovative nonprofit -- BOMA -- recognized the linkage between gender, extreme poverty, and climate change and sought to reverse the tragic cycle.  BOMA’s mission is to provide the people & governments of Africa’s drylands with economic inclusion programs that increase resilience to multiple crises.  BOMA CEO John Stephens joins the podcast to discuss their goal and approach to end extreme poverty in Africa's drylands.    

Have you ever felt as though the balance between your work life and home life is out of balance?  We all have!  Developing a healthy blend between work and home is both an individual challenge as well as an opportunity for leaders to establish an organizational culture that values an appropriate balance.  Gilda VanderHeyden joins Greg to share some approaches for leaders to consider as they reflect on their own work-life blend and strive to create healthier organizational cultures across the sector.  

Nonprofits often address the most challenging and entrenched issues facing communities.  Driving change requires promoting civic engagement and mobilizing supporters in a common vision.  Aaron Hamlin of the Center for Election Science joins Greg to discuss approval voting and other tips for increasing civic engagement in communities.  

Communication is the foundation of a healthy, thriving culture in nonprofit organizations.  Periods of change can test our communication skills.  Lizabeth Wesely-Casella joins Greg to discuss the value of clear communication in driving change, tips for reflecting on your own communication style, and strategies for promoting clear, concise, and thoughtful communication throughout the organization.  

Nonprofit organizations continuously evolve and adapt to changing times. One of the most visible evolutions in recent years has included a move to virtual or hybrid fundraising events.  Anca Trifan, Founder of Tree-Fan Events, joins the podcast to discuss planning tips and strategies to execute successful virtual and hybrid fundraising events.  

Fiscal sponsorship is growing in recognition and usage, with potential benefits for existing nonprofits as well as those with innovative projects.  Andrew Schulman joins Greg to discuss all things fiscal sponsorship, including how to find a fiscal sponsor, the most common models used, and considerations when separating from a fiscal sponsor.  

Continuous learning and curiosity are hallmarks of effective nonprofit leaders.  Ensuring that nonprofit leaders have the tools and resources to thrive is essential to the success of the sector and our organizations.  Mindy Muller joins Greg to discuss asynchronous learning and other professional development options and trends to benefit nonprofit leaders.  

Board engagement tends to ebb and flow over the course of a year.  However, the resource and governance needs of nonprofits don't lessen.  Sabrina Walker Hernandez joins Greg to discuss approaches to keep Board members appropriately engaged in governance and resource development throughout the year.  

We would all love to think that our data and our information is private and protected.  For nonprofits, however, this is increasingly not the case.  Charity fraud is on the rise and nonprofits are challenged to be proactive in their security measures.  Rob Shavell, CEO and co-founder of DeleteMe, joins the podcast to discuss charity fraud -- who's targeted, why it's so effective, and how nonprofits can better protect their critical data.  

Inclusion is a core value for many nonprofit organizations.  However, we all continually challenge ourselves to examine how we can ensure our places and events are truly inclusive for all.  Dr. Daniela Ferdico of Sensory Access joins the podcast to discuss approaches to bring inclusivity and accessibility to the forefront, both for disabilities and challenges we see and those that may be hidden.  

While nonprofits across the country are confronting staffing challenges, opportunities exist to alter the way we approach these challenges and use this moment as an opportunity to fundamentally reimagine the relationship between our organization and our team.  Dr. Cristina DiPietropolo and Dr. Vera Alves of Leader Essentials Group join the podcast to discuss these opportunities and share both current data and proven strategies.  

At one time or another, we have all wondered... why won't our Board members do what we want them to do?  Hardy Smith joins the podcast to discuss the common causes of Board member disengagement and how nonprofit and Board leaders can transform the Board experience into a dynamic and healthy partnership.