Nonprofit Lowdown

Organizing and documenting my business processes was about as high up on my list as scheduling a root canal.  Or writing the Great American Novel.  Yeah, yeah, totally one of my goals, but there are a million other things that get in the way.   Then, one day, you realize that it's mayhem and you're running ragged because "Nobody can do it like me!" or one of your key staff members has just given notice.   Don't be that person. Join me and Adi Klevit as we talk about the importance of and process to start documenting your systems, processes and procedures.  Want to get some time back in your life?  Want to scale?  You need to start doing this now.  It's like being on a diet--you start slow and steady and eventually you see the gains.  As the ancient Chinese proverb goes, "The best time to document your processes was 20 years ago.  The second best time is today."   We go through simple and actionable steps you can take today to set your nonprofit up for success so YOU are not at the center of your processes and you can bring on other people to get the work done. For more about Adi: https://www.bizsuccesscg.com/author/adi-klevit/  --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

What does the future of NYC look like if we re-imagined it through the lens of equity and diversity?  Who's at the table and, more importantly, who isn't and why?  Join me and Dr. Rahsaan Harris, CEO of Citizens Committee for New York as we talk about our love of New York, Black philanthropy and how to build a more equitable New York after the twin pandemics have passed.  Listen in to two unapologetic New Yorkers and folx of color who have both had the experience of being the "onlies" in many rooms.  Rahsaan is thoughtful, insightful and doesn't pull punches. For more about Rahsaan, check out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahsaanharris/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

It's not often that my socks get knocked off, but believe me when I tell you Mike Kim knocked. My. Socks. Off.  In fact, I haven't even WORN socks since I recorded this episode. Realtalk: Mike drops value bombs aplenty about how to move prospective donors from zero awareness of your cause to becoming a donor (hint: it's a learnable framework), how to tell a memorable story (hint: it's a framework) and the three stories that all organizations must have.  Seriously, do not miss this one if you raise money, raise awareness or want to invite partners to your cause.  So, basically, everybody. You're welcome. I've been a long-time fan of Mike's: mikekim.com Follow his podcast: Brand You Podcast and the Fully Funded Podcast --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

What a week it's been.  For those of you looking to take a break and find a moment of calm, I invite you to listen to this interview with Phil Weinberg.  Phil, a lifelong teacher, principal and, most recently, the Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning at the NY Department of Education, shares his thoughts and philosophies about leadership.  By taking an educator's approach to leadership, he talks about how we can create safe spaces of learning for students and adults, the paradoxes of leadership, and where he gets his best ideas.  Talking with Phil is like taking a deep breath. For more about Phil: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phil-weinberg-aa6aa48/   --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Join me and the Charity CFO, Tosha Anderson, to talk about all of the finances.  Though this may not be the most thrilling topic, being responsible for fiscal oversight is one of the most important jobs for a board member.  Tosha and I talk about the differences between for-profit and nonprofit accounting, how to get the board focused on the right things and at the right level and how to have those sticky conversations about fundraising.  We answer questions about what first-time board members should be asking and how to set up good financial systems from the start.  This is a must-listen for those of you who are not finance experts and need to make sure you are dotting your i's and crossing your t's. For more about Tosha: https://thecharitycfo.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Ah, strategic planning...a generative process an exercise in frustration or a little bit of both?  Join me on today's pod as we talk with expert strategic planning consultant Carol Hamilton about her perspectives on strategic planning.  What are some of the most common mistakes she's seen?  How do you know when an organization is ready for it?  How do you pick the right consultant?  And, most importantly, how much is it going to cost and how long will it take?  If you're planning to tackle strategic planning anytime soon, this is a good one to listen to. For more about Carol: http://www.gracesocialsector.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Full confession: my personal pet peeve = clunky, TMI nonprofit websites.  Everyone trying to tell their whole life story complete with annoying pop-ups asking for my email, bad photography and hard-to-read fonts are just NO BUENOS.  Websites are like dating profiles--providing just enough to invite engagement.  Join me and website expert Chijo Takeda as we talk about ways to improve nonprofit websites.  We also do some website critiques (with lots of love and respect!).  Chijo drops some major value bombs that will help you to improve your website right away!  Pro tip: try winnowing your site down to one page.  Mind blown! For more about Chijo: https://dogpawstudio.com/ If you want to follow along on the website critiques:  https://wearebcs.org/ https://www.birchcommunityservices.org/ https://lesslegmoreheart.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

This episode comes with a warning label: Could trigger flashbacks of bad funder memories!  Join me and Kris Putnam-Walkerly, philanthropy advisor, to talk about her new book Delusional Altruism.  In this episode, we get into the minds and behind the scenes of funders.  Surprise!   Philanthropists: they're just like us!  We discuss how fear and scarcity hold philanthropists back from achieving their vision of the world and what happens when funders and nonprofits scrimp money on the wrong things.  I really enjoyed this refreshing episode with Kris, which shed a light on some of the more baffling philanthropic practices. For more about Kris, check out: https://putnam-consulting.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Founder's syndrome is a thing, y'all.  As many of us have seen, founders can struggle once their organizations grow and scale because the skills set and mindset of starting an organization is different than managing it.  Join me and Elizabeth Green, CEO of Chalkbeat, to share how she grew her passion project into a multi-city, multi-million dollar national nonprofit.  She's one of the rare people who knew exactly what she wanted to do when she grew up and doesn't struggle with control issues (like so many of us founder-types!). She is real and authentic about the challenges of growth, her own learning about building inclusive work environments and how insecurity can wreck a leader.   Here are the resources Elizabeth mentions: How Teaching Works: Building a Better Teacher Heavy Range --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

I've been a long-time fan of Guadalupe Nickell since Day One.  Lupe is a master fundraiser, fellow Californian and high school classmate (Go Toads!) who has found her calling in fundraising.  In this episode, we talk about how she found her purpose in fundraising, how to masterfully manage a relationship between EDs and Directors of Development and advice she would give to her younger self.  I have long admired Lupe for her insight, integrity and intellect.  Also, she's just a ton of fun.  So, pour yourself a glass of your favorite beverage and take a listen.  I dare you not to scream, "YASSS girl!" during this interview.   My big takeaway: do not let your worth be determined by anyone other than yourself. Here's the report that Lupe mentioned: https://www.haasjr.org/resources/underdeveloped --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

You know you want to...it's whispering to you...start your own business...be your own boss...On this week's pod, I'm talking with Nakeia Drummond, founder of NLD Strategic and the WELL, a group of Black womxn entrepreneurs.  In this fascinating and fun chat, we talk about getting paid, how to overcome your fears of being an imposter and being homeless by the side of the river, and the joys of being the boss.  We also talk about the inequities and access to capital for Black womxn and how we need to ask for more.  I recommend this podcast for anyone thinking about starting their own venture.  Nakeia is fun, fearless and FIERCE.   For more about Nakeia: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nakeiadrummond For more about the WELL: https://www.thewellnetwork.us/nakeia-l-drummond --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

The best part about having a podcast is all the learning I get to do with new friends and colleagues.  Join me and my new friend Khafre Jay, ED of Hip Hop for Change, about how he grew his organization from scratch to a $700K organization with grassroots canvassing as the backbone.  He has about 18,000 small-gift donors who he met on the streets of San Francisco and Oakland.  Learn how this strategy may help diversify your revenue base, how Khafre deals with rejection, and what he's learned canvassing on the streets.   For more about Hip Hop for Change: https://www.hiphopforchange.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

I loved, loved, loved this conversation with Marvin who is an Annual Giving Officer at MIT Sloan School of Management.  We talk about the mental shifts he has made to be an effective fundraiser, how his job is more "philanthropic advisor" than "salesman" and what it's been like for him to be the  "only" in many rooms.  Marvin's wise, generous and insightful take on fundraising and his fundraising career will inspire you.   To learn more about Marvin, check out: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mvilma/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Holy moly!  It's my 100th episode!  Thank you so much to everyone who has listened.  When I started this, I never thought we would be at 100 episodes or that I would be talking to the One and Only Beth Kanter.  Beth, nonprofit goddess, talks about her long career in nonprofit and nonprofit tech and her recent book The Healthy, Happy Nonprofit.  We talk about how to take care of yourself and your team in these unprecedented times.  Beth offers some great tips on how to create boundaries between home and work (spoiler alert: stop sleeping with your phone), how to make sure that you and your colleagues are on the same page and what the next big crisis is going to be. For more about Beth: http://www.bethkanter.org/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support

Join me and Northstar Fund's Executive Director Jennifer Ching to discuss decolonizing philanthropy.  In this hugely important conversation, Jen shares how the work of the Northstar Fund is actively working towards dismantling white supremacy and power and centering the work and decision-making of BIPOC activists.  By recasting our own relationship and assumptions about money, we can engage in becoming resource mobilizers, not "fundraisers."  We also touch on the nonprofit and philanthropic industrial complex that is predicated on power, control and lack of transparency.  What does it mean to be a community-led, community-centered philanthropist?  How can we meet this moment at the intersection of race, power, money and action in our own lives and as leaders of organizations?  This is a thought-provoking and high-octane conversation with one of my faves! For more about NorthStar Fund: https://northstarfund.org/ For more about Decolonizing Wealth: https://www.decolonizingwealth.com/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/nonprofitlowdown/support