During the pandemic, arts organizations were some of the most deeply impacted nonprofits. They lost revenue from performances and special events, and many were forced to lay off key staff and artists. The pandemic also inspired innovative ways to deliver programming and engage new audiences. Though the arts may still struggle in the short-term, is there a renaissance on the horizon? Pat Mitchell-Worley, Deputy Director of Soulsville Foundation and Executive Director of Stax Music Academy, and El...
Jul 08, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 10
There’s one on every board: the board member with a battle ax. Whether they’re leading a rebellion against the executive director or upending every board meeting, these board members can destroy the reputation of your organization, scare your executive director and staff away, and make the board’s job extremely difficult. In this episode, Susan Schmidt, CEO of Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, will talk about the worst board member archetypes and how to handle their extreme behaviors. We’ll even di...
Jun 21, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In the 1800s, seedy profiteers would travel through the United States selling fake cures to naïve strangers, claiming that their bottles of tonic would cure anything from poor eyesight to tuberculosis. In the nonprofit space today, we sometimes see similar actions taken by individuals, organizations, and consultants who have a “cure all” for the complex, systemic issues that plague our country. How do we know when we are in the midst of a true gamechanger versus the nonprofit version of snake oi...
Jun 07, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Does natural hair or purple braids impact an African American woman’s work performance? Do your program manager’s tattoos impact your her ability to get things done? Does a teenager in your afterschool program have to wear a collared shirt in order to succeed at life? (Spoiler alert: no to all of these!) In this episode, we’ll talk about respectability politics and how policing our staff and clients’ physical appearance and behaviors can be oppressive and harmful to the work environment. Rhonda ...
May 24, 2022•27 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Do you empower and amplify the at-risk communities you serve through participatory action and anti-oppression initiatives by catalyzing community-driven action? If so, that’s great, but most of us still have no clue what you are saying. Plenty of nonprofit jargon exists, but does it actually mean anything? Why do we keep using words and phrases that are confusing, nebulous, or just plain irritating when simple language is actually more effective in delivering your message to multiple audiences? ...
May 10, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 6
We often hear about how Andrew Carnegie and Cornelius Rockefeller changed philanthropy, but there are so many other people in our nation’s history that helped change the way we raise money and give charitable donations. In this episode, host Kevin Dean will present the untold stories of philanthropy through the years in the United States, from mutual aid societies of the 1700s to modern day. How does the first published book on philanthropy in the United States relate to the Salem Witch Trials? ...
Apr 26, 2022•21 min•Season 1Ep. 5
“No.” “No.” “No.” “No.” It’s the word fundraisers hear the most, and it can be exhausting. Not only is rejection a bummer, fundraisers also have to worry about relationship management with fickle funders, meeting fundraising goals to pay the staff, and managing the expectations of executive directors who think fundraising is easier than it is. In this episode, bestselling author and master fundraiser Rachel Ramjattan of Nonprofit Plus LLC will discuss simple and easy ways to fundraise and help m...
Apr 12, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this episode, we’re tackling the frustrating concept of nonprofit sustainability. What’s nonprofit sustainability anyway? Is it simply financial sustainability? Good board governance? A carefully crafted succession plan? Continued impact in the community? All of the above? Or is nonprofit sustainability similar to the concept of perfection, something we should always be striving for but ultimately is never achievable? To answer these questions, we have two guests with some very strong opinion...
Mar 29, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3
The path to nonprofit leadership can feel like it’s paved with landmines, and there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all strategy for addressing the many complicated situations that new executive directors face. From public relations nightmares to staff revolts, nonprofit executives can face all kinds of challenges, but the ones that are most threatening can be the ones that undermine their own inner strength and confidence. In this episode, we will discuss some of the hidden landmines that two first-ti...
Mar 15, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In 2016, a wave of donations symbolizing a rejection of incoming President Trump’s policies flooded organizations serving women, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community. Given the name “rage philanthropy” by fundraisers, this wave of donations supported organizations whose populations may have been threatened by the policies of the new administration. Even with the change in administration, we have seen continued politicization of philanthropy and the rise of spite philanthropy . Donors have given ...
Mar 01, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 1
I Was Told There Would Be Snacks: A Nonprofit Podcast, brought to you by Momentum Nonprofit Partners and powered by KUDZUKIAN . On our podcasts, we’ll be spilling the 501(c)tea on nonprofit issues that impact your nonprofit organization, questioning tired ways nonprofits and funders do business, and shedding light on bold new practices in our field. This is not your average nonprofit podcast! And no, we don’t provide snacks, but feel free to BYO. We were going to get some snacks donated, but the...
Feb 10, 2022•6 min
