We keep hearing from organizations that they can't find board members. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah discuss some key components for ensuring your mission attracts great board members. They discuss different recruitment strategies, from the "open call" to "by invitation only." By the end of the episode, you'll have ideas on new ways to recruit m…

The word "risk" can sound so.... well, risky! Risk often carries a negative connotation, evoking thoughts of danger and uncertainty. However, understanding and managing risk is crucial for the long-term success of any organization. In this episode, we invite you to think about risk and what that means for your nonprofit. We are joined by Ted Bilich…

Nonprofits are supported by people at all stages of life. When we invite more conversations about legacy, we help the people who care about their mission consider how they can support the causes they care about when they aren't here anymore. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah reflect on some lessons Nancy learned with her mother's passing. They discu…

Every spring and fall we receive invitations to attend a conference. It may be a nonprofit conference or a conference related to the mission of our organization. It can feel hard to take the time, and yet there is so much benefit. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about conferences and how it is important to make time to learn, connect, and be …

Many nonprofit board members feel that being a good steward of money means that they shouldn't invest in themselves as a board or organization. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah challenge board members to let go that that scarcity mindset and recognize the value of investing in their organization. They talk about how people are our most important as…

We've been hearing from nonprofit colleagues that they feel like their donors have gone into hibernation. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah share six steps on how to bring spring into your fundraising program and reconnect with past donors. They talk about how reconnecting with your donors can be a great way to learn about the motivations of your do…

Time for our regular break to discuss how to make nonprofit work joyful and fun! We are hearing a lot about nonprofit leaders needing a break after a long winter. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah share a few ideas for how to find moments of fun and joy in the very serious work of our nonprofits. Imagine that office bell ringing when something good …

It can be easy to forget among all of the good work that nonprofits do that we also need to follow the law! In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about the rules related to the people delivering our missions. There are work standards, safety and health laws, and workers' compensation rules that nonprofits need to follow. The good news is that there…

Nonprofit finance can feel overwhelming to many nonprofit board and staff members. One way to break it down is by considering the five roles needed to ensure your organization’s money is well managed. When everyone knows what they need to be doing, you’ll get more people involved in conversations, decision-making, and oversight, and that is a great…

The change of a year invites reflection on lessons learned and what we might do differently going forward. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah share a few change of year thoughts that they are reflecting on. Join us as we talk about the role of boards, conflict, recognition of hard work, curiosity, stories, and gratitude. What are you reflecting as yo…

It's easy to feel that our small nonprofits don't have a lot in the way of power. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah challenge that idea and share some of the comparative advantages that we have as small nonprofit organizations. They go one step further and describe ways to use those advantages to help further your mission. By the end of the episode,…

There is so much a board needs to know-- where you do you begin in building a plan for learning? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah share the three categories of information every board member needs to explore. They give practical examples of what your board members might focus on to strengthen their knowledge and practice. You'll leave listening to …

We know that a personal email or letter is more likely to be read and acted upon. But how do we personalize communication when there is so much to do! In this episode, Nancy and Sarah explore the power of personalization for your fundraising and outreach efforts. They give you three practical tips on how to personalize your communication. Sarah sha…

A board's job is to govern, but what does that really mean? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah explain what governance means in normal, everyday terms. They name concrete tasks to move board members more deeply into their governing role. When boards are focused on governing, a lot of common board-related challenges go away-- micromanaging, lack of fo…

It is that time of year-- the time when so many nonprofit Executive Directors are sitting down to write their end-of-year annual appeal letter. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah define the role of the annual appeal and talk about how to write a letter that someone would read and then act on with a donation. By the end of the episode, you'll be able …

Leaders wear many hats. One of those hats is that of coach. A coach guides someone to solve their own challenges by sharing questions, perspectives, or feedback. You can imagine how a nonprofit executive director, board chair, or volunteer manager might step into a coaching role in conversations with team members, board colleagues, or volunteers. I…

The annual performance review is something that can cause stress for both managers and staff members. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah offer some tips and suggestions for rethinking the way you provide feedback and support to your staff or volunteers. They talk about how to reframe the review as something designed to leave each member of the team f…

We've talked about collaboration in past, and yet there is one aspect of collaboration that deserves a deeper dive. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about collaborations and how organizations can pro-actively address culture and cultural differences within them. They share a few steps for success. You will finish listening with ideas on how yo…

All of this churn in nonprofit staffing means that there are a whole lot of new supervisors who need training and support. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about what new supervisors need to know and do to be set up for success. They share the highlights from a webinar Nancy and HR expert Skye Mercer led in June 2023, which can be accessed her…

With a pomodoro ticking in the background (just kidding), Nancy and Sarah squeeze out a few minutes to talk about time management. In this episode, you will learn a few strategies on how to manage your time when you just have too much going on. Nancy and Sarah share six strategies to try as you get on top of your to-do list. By the end of the episo…

Reduce, reuse, recycle... and now upcycle. How can nonprofits apply these environment lessons to be more efficient and effective? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah share tips on how to use the principles of reuse, recycle, and upcycle in nonprofit communications and financial management. They challenge themselves to imagine how to use the same conte…

How can you take away information to get more done? How might less help you better move others to action? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah take recent research on "less is more" and apply it to nonprofit communications and finance. That's all you need to know to take a listen. Let us know what you think! Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend…

It is grantwriting time. So many of our nonprofit colleagues are spending a lot of time filling out forms, checking boxes, and trying to figure out how to explain their work within strict character counts. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah make a list of a few questions they wish family foundations-- really any foundation-- would ask us. They share …

Thanking someone is a powerful two-way street that invites further connection and collaboration. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about why thanking people matters both in terms of our own personal well-being and our organization's mission. They walk through three kinds of thank yous and why they matter. By the end of the episode, you will hav…

We’ve been noticing how hard “big picture thinking” can be for nonprofit people who so commonly are too busy getting things done to pause and consider the larger landscape. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah explain what “big picture thinking” is, why it matters, and how your organization can expand how you think about your work. You’ll finish listen…

Donor meetings can be mysterious and stressful to some. Making an ask for money isn't something we all intuitively know how to do. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah demystify the donor meeting to explain what happens at a typical donor meeting and how you can best prepare. They provide tips on how to think about donor meetings as opportunities to bu…

Nonprofits host a lot of gatherings: board meetings, fundraising events, volunteer trainings, etc. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah explore how to create transformational gatherings, from board meetings to fundraising events. They draw on the wisdom of gathering expert Priya Parker to expand how we think about events and simple steps we can do to m…

Nancy and Sarah regularly get asked nonprofit questions. Often they are in the form of “This is happening in our nonprofit. Is that normal?” In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about common questions and how they would approach them. You will learn strategies to get to the bottom of what your nonprofit’s challenge really might be. Grab your magni…

A new year has begun, and for many that means resolutions. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about what mission-supporting habits they are going to focus on as we start a new year. You’ll get some ideas on how you might approach the year to set yourself up for success. Enjoyed this episode? Share it with a friend. Want to request a topic? Email…

Many of us know community giving projects. They are community-wide invitations for people to give to their favorite nonprofits, usually on one day or in one period of time. Our colleagues in Washington State may know GiveBig. In this episode, Sarah tells Nancy about the story of her local community giving project, Give Methow, and how it has create…

It is mid-November, and you have six weeks to meet your organization's annual fundraising goal. What are your options? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk through four end-of-year fundraising strategies for folks who may be falling short on their fundraising goal. As the year's clock counts down, there's still time to be strategic and find ways t…

We are hearing it all the time. We ask someone "How are you?," and their response is "Busy!" We get asked, and our natural response is the same: "I'm so busy." In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about why "busy" can work against what we are really trying to achieve. They explore the emotions behind it and alternatives to describe how we are actu…

"My board members won't...." fill in the blank: attend meetings, raise money, get more deeply involved in the issues we are facing, etc. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about why board members won't and what Executive Directors, board chairs, and others can do about it. They unpack what might be behind the "won't" and how we can change how we…

Nonprofits are facing all of the same inflationary pressures as others across our communities. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about how a nonprofit can respond to inflation, particularly related to finance and fundraising. They share some ideas for thinking about salary adjustments, communicating with donors and supporters, and engaging boar…

A few episodes ago, Sarah shared a vision of nonprofit leaders helping each other by facilitating each other's retreats. That invites the question of how to facilitate well. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah invite facilitation expert Mike Beebe to share his wisdom on how to facilitate a meeting or event effectively. Mike talks about what facilitati…

It is easy to get caught up in what is not going well these days. In this episode, Sarah tells the story of the board member who went home from a meeting and made a "good things list" to remind each other what is going well. Nancy and Sarah share a few things on their good things list this summer. What is on yours? Enjoyed this episode? Share it wi…

There is a world of help available to nonprofits. The question is how to access the kind of help you need when you need it! In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk through a list of who is available to help nonprofits. They highlight how these types of help might be most useful. Who do you find most helpful? Let us know. Enjoyed this episode? Share i…

How do we make sure our boards are fully functioning in a joyful, productive way? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk to nonprofit staff members about what they can do to support their board as they build a movement for their mission. They talk about three ways staff members can help boards today: time, job roles, and communication. This is the s…

How do we make sure our boards are fully functioning in a joyful, productive way? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about why nonprofits have a board and what boards need to focus on to build a movement for their mission. They talk about what governance means in every day language, and how a board is accountable to their community, their purpos…

Nonprofit Radio Show co-host Sarah Brooks has a new job as Executive Director of the Methow Conservancy in Eastern Washington. In this episode, Nancy asks Sarah about leadership transition and building a movement during the turbulence of 2022. Have you recently changed jobs? How would you answer these questions? (Read about the Methow Conservancy's…

People who used to work on behalf of your mission are important people in your movement. Former staff members, board members, volunteers and others have played in important role in forming your work. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about "formers," why they matter, and how you can keep them connected to your mission and programs. Enjoyed this…

There have been a few reports out over the past year that warn us that trust in institutions has decreased, including in nonprofits. One body of research that we will link in the show notes says that only 19% of people highly trust nonprofits. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about what causes people to trust a nonprofit, how you know if peopl…

Your donors give for a reason. Do you know what it is? In this episode, Sarah and Nancy explore four common reasons why donors give. They give advice on which of these groups of donors you should spend more of your time with and why. If you don't know why your donors give, listen for some ways that will help you find out. Your mission matters, and …

The Nonprofit Radio Show continues its three-part 2022 leadership series with a focus on staffing. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about what is important to remember about building your team in 2022. On the table is an honest conversation about whether you need to pay your staff more in our current marketplace of work. If you are in a positi…

The Nonprofit Radio Show continues its three-part 2022 leadership series with a focus on the ED search. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah reflect on the "great resignation" and offer thoughts on how a nonprofit might approach recruiting and hiring an Executive Director or senior staff member during these tight staffing times. They reframe the job de…

The Nonprofit Radio Show is kicking off 2022 episodes with a series on three inter-related topics on the minds of nonprofit leaders: strategic planning, succession planning, and staffing. This is the first episode in the series. So many organizations want to launch a new strategic planning effort after two years of "being on hold" through the pande…

The board matrix is a tool that many boards use to be intentional about the diversity of members needed to best achieve their mission. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah reflect on the purpose of a board matrix and how we can update this tool to better capture a fuller diversity of the humans tasked with moving forward our mission and movement. The c…

There are a lot of rules that guide nonprofit practice. We name three in this episode: Robert's Rules of Order, overhead rules, and best practice rules that we hear at trainings or in conversations with others. Where did these rules come from, and why do they matter? In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about what kinds of rules we face as nonprof…

Have you gotten caught up in Marie Kondo and the KonMari method of organizing your closet? Our sheets are rolled and shirts stacked, and so now it is time to KonMari our nonprofits. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about why it is a good time to pull everything out of your metaphorical nonprofit closet to be intentional about what you load bac…

When we communicate about our programs, we often get tangled in what we are doing and how we are doing it. The difference between what and how matters across many elements of running a successful nonprofit. In this episode, Nancy and Sarah talk about what and how, what the difference is, and how you can apply the difference to how you communicate, …