This is my final episode of Nonprofit Spark. Over the three years I’ve hosted the show, I was delighted by my guests who are really good at what they do and so wiling to share it with all of you. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS I created Nonprofit Spark because I know how fun and even therapeutic conversations can be with others who do similar work. But those opportunities are rare. I also believe radio interviews are a wonderful way to soak in learning and stimulate thin...
Dec 30, 2013•46 min
It’s Christmas week and so I’m replaying one of the most downloaded shows of 2013 – in fact, in Nonprofit Spark’s history. The episode? Six ways to make your case great, which aired the week of May 13, 2013. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS My guest is Jennie Winton, a founding partner of Mission Minded , a branding firm that believes that nonprofits, foundations, and other do-gooders can only have an impact if people understand the importance of their work. What it would ...
Dec 23, 2013•43 min
When you think about how you’re communicating with your donors, funders, and community, do you wonder whether you’re spending your time and resources well? Do you feel frustrated that you’re communication is scattershot or ineffective? Then you need a communication strategy! My guest this week is James Howe, president of Communicate and Howe based in Kitchener, Ontario. We hone in on six elements of a content strategy that will give you clarity about who you want to communicate with, why and wit...
Dec 16, 2013•38 min
This week, we look at fraud because it’s been in the news a lot lately. It all started with a series of stories in the Washington Post the fall, and the tales of woe for organizations large to small are heartbreaking. My guest is John P. Langan, a CPA and managing partner with CliftonLarsonAllen , our show sponsor. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS We discuss common ways people steal from organizations and their personality types; accounting procedures that can protect your...
Dec 09, 2013•36 min
It’s coming on Christmas and for this week’s show I’ve tracked down Alison Carlman, the senior unmarketing manager for GlobalGiving , an online marketplace that connects you to the causes and countries you care about. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Alison describes how GlobalGiving provides support for people at charities around the world and solutions for people who want to find projects in other countries to support. Since 2002, more than 350,000 donors have given almo...
Dec 02, 2013•46 min
Do you ever grumble, “There’s got to be a better way,” when it comes to applying for, managing and reporting on grants? Do you wish you could provide feedback to funders about how dreadful their website and procedures are? Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Then you’ll be happy to hear my guests on this week’s show discuss Project Streamline , a national program from the Grants Managers Network that is addressing the waste of time and energy caused by inconsistent and ineffi...
Nov 25, 2013•45 min
Hi, everyone. I’m getting ahead of America’s Thanksgiving travel rush and taking a holiday this week. I found a show that I wanted to replay for you about websites. Did you ever think of yourself as a publisher? Well, you are one if you have a website. This episode will help you understand a few things about content ownership, copyright and how to stay out of legal hot water. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS This week, I talk to two attorneys from Venable LLP , a Washingto...
Nov 18, 2013•47 min
This week, I have two guests who discuss taxes and I promise you, this is an interesting conversation that you will want to share with neighbors and nonprofits in your community. My guests this week describe a workshop and toolkit they’ve created called “Nonprofits Talking Taxes,” which is being rolled out this week. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Kim Klein, is a principal of the fundraising firm Klein & Roth Consulting , and author of Fundraising for Social Change a...
Nov 11, 2013•41 min
This week we explore something called a dual-business model for nonprofits, an idea that is being actively promoted by state nonprofit associations who know their members can think smarter about generating revenue in a highly competitive environment. My guest is Allen J. Proctor , the founder and principal of Linking Mission to Money , the dual-business model to make nonprofits sustainable. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS With Proctor’s model, nonprofit leaders and board ...
Nov 04, 2013•42 min
This week, we focus on five areas where you can give yourself the gift of time by eliminating some bad habits common to many nonprofit leaders and board members. My guest is Phil Van Horn, the CEO of Align , a Cheyenne, Wyoming nonprofit. His organization provides management consulting and leadership training to help clients become more efficient and effective. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Phil has come up with the top five time-wasters he sees over and over, and that ...
Oct 28, 2013•41 min
Have you been hurt by the staff of nonprofits you’ve volunteered for? Did you tell your friends about it, blame yourself for wasting your time, turn down other volunteer opportunities as a result? This week’s show focuses on volunteer rights, an idea that bubbled up about four years ago in England, is now being thoughtfully addressed in Australia, and is making its way into conversations among volunteer managers in North America. My guest is Rob Jackson, an international speaker, author and cons...
Oct 21, 2013
We’ve all heard news stories involving a donor who expected one thing to happen with his multi-million dollar contribution and the university, hospital or other charity who didn’t honor his request. Or perhaps you’ve had a donor approach you about making a contribution in exchange for recognition that you weren’t sure was such a good idea. My guest this week, Attorney Kristalyn Loson of Venable LLP, and I talk about donor intent and how to think about accepting contributions with strings. Subscr...
Oct 14, 2013•43 min
In the fall, many nonprofits are gearing up year-end fundraising campaigns for December, a traditional strategy with proven results. On this show, my guest is Kim Klein who turns that idea on its head. Kim is a principle of Klein and Roth Consulting and an international speaker and author about fundraising. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS She was kind enough to come on the show to offer tips on boosting your 2013 results right now and we have a lots of fun talking about c...
Oct 07, 2013•46 min
This week, I’m happy to have back Sherry Truhlar of Red Apple Auctions to talk about Fund a Need, a fundraising tactic that takes advantage of an event where you have a number of people in attendance. Do you have an item you need to buy, like a bus to transport kids, or a specific program you want to give special attention to? Fund a Need can be a great way to focus people’s attention, raise money, and you don’t have all the fuss of getting items for a live or silent auction. Subscribe with your...
Sep 30, 2013•44 min
I look at a lot of nonprofit websites every month and I have become concerned that too many of you are not encouraging planned gifts. If you have a solid base of individual support, then you need to present these donors with opportunities for greater levels of giving. You don’t have to have a law or finance degree to encourage memorials or bequests. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS My guest this week is Tom Glass, the Director of Planned Giving for the University of St. Th...
Sep 23, 2013•40 min
Ever feel frustrated that local nonprofits are doing similar things but aren’t working together on an issue, like literacy? Have you ever wondered what it’s going to take to solve problems you’ve been hearing about for years, like homelessness or improved graduation rates for low-income teens? It turns out, effective collaborations among all kinds of community programs address these concerns. My guest this week is Mark Langseth, the president and CEO of I Have a Dream Foundation Oregon . The org...
Sep 16, 2013•42 min
Do you ever grapple with whether you should spend more on your finance department or buy new accounting software? Do you know if the work the staff is doing could be done more efficiently? Well, you’re not alone. My guest this week is Tim Warren, a partner with the national accounting firm of CliftonLarsonAllen . The company has been hosting roundtables about Creating the Ideal Accounting Department in locations throughout the country and so on this show, we get an inside look at what nonprofit ...
Sep 09, 2013•38 min
Get out the Kleenex. In this week’s interview, you’ll hear remarkable stories about deep sea fishing expeditions for wounded soldiers, many who’ve lost their limbs. I encourage you to give your undivided attention to my interview with Michael C. Branson, the president of Saltwater Soldiers . You’ll be moved to tears by the sacrifice of soldiers and by Michael’s relentless commitment to them. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Saltwater Soldiers provides offshore fishing trip...
Sep 02, 2013•40 min
I’m on a break this week so I’m replaying a show that really woke me up, even though I managed people for years! In this interview, I speak to two attorneys, Jeff Tenenbaum and Dave Warner of Venable LLP , a law firm based in Washington, D.C. We talk about common pitfalls they see nonprofit managers fall into when hiring and managing staff. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Dave and Jeff offer ideas about preparing to hire, the interview process, and the importance of writi...
Aug 26, 2013•52 min
Can you imagine one-hour board meetings? Is it even possible? Your nonprofit would become a magnet for the best and brightest leaders in your community. On this show my guest, Marilyn L. Donnellan, describes the key components of effective one-hour meetings, like training board members to facilitate them. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Marilyn is the founder and president of Nonprofit Management Services , which builds capacity and management excellence through consultin...
Aug 19, 2013•42 min
This week’s episode is about counting and using what that data reveals to tell stories about people and programs. It took me years to figure out that counting people, sales, test results, donors and dollars, partnerships, visitors and the like is worth every bit of effort. First, you get grounded in what’s actually happening so you can build on what works and eliminate what doesn’t. Second, it makes your communications and fundraising powerful. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android...
Aug 12, 2013•40 min
When you decide which charity to contribute money and time to, do you check out how much it spends on administration or overhead? If it spends 20 cents on the dollar for administration, is that okay? How about 30 or 40 cents? For years, donors have been told by leaders in the nonprofit sector to use the overhead ratio as the guide for determining whether a nonprofit is a safe bet. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Well, that turns out to be a poor way of judging whether you...
Aug 05, 2013•40 min
Videos can be very convincing and are well-suited to non-profit web sites. On this show, David Johnson of Silent Images and I review ideas for planning your video and working effectively with a videographer so you end up with exactly what you need. There’s a lot more to producing a great video than pointing and shooting! Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Silent Images is a non profit in Charlotte, North Carolina with a mission to provide charities and churches with professi...
Jul 29, 2013•42 min
If you want to create a new non profit web site or start all over again with an existing one, this show will be very helpful. My guest is Eileen Webb, a founder of the web development firm, webmeadow , which works with non for profits and is based in Littleton, New Hampshire. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Eileen discusses identifying goals, a budget, a timeline, choosing a web development firm, and the post-launch phase. We’ve done a number of shows about web sites on N...
Jul 22, 2013•45 min
So how are your social media doing? Is your online community growing and are you having fun? Or have you discovered that you can’t make much happen with Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and YouTube? On this week’s show, I speak with Eric Facas, the founder of Media Cause . His non-profit helps other non-profits with marketing and communications including search marketing and social media. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Eric knows that most nonprofits have made the mistake ...
Jul 15, 2013•40 min
A show from a few weeks ago focused on Making your nonprofit a welcome place for young professionals ; thousands of you downloaded it. My guest on that show, Keenan Wellar of LiveWorkPlay, really got me thinking about how we can better manage a multigenerational workforce and so I sought out my favorite expert on human resources and nonprofits. Paula J MacLean is a consultant and author of five books, including 7 New Rules for the Sandbox . It focuses on creating productive cross-generational te...
Jul 08, 2013•41 min
This week, Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4th so I’m taking the week off. And in the spirit of breaking free from tyranny, I’m replaying a show from 2011 called Overcoming Nonprofit Board Dysfunction! Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS Gee, you’ve never had to deal with that have you? There are two interviews. The first is with Susan Mogenson of Brown Dog Consulting . She’s an expert at non-profit governance. The second interview is with Allan Techiman who, at ...
Jul 01, 2013•1 hr 3 min
We focus the show this week on building relationships with donors so they stick around, and become more invested in your organization and eventually your true partners in fulfilling your mission. My guest is Andrew Shoaff, the interactive strategy manager of Blackbaud , the leading provider of software and services to nonprofits. Andrew works with a team to build something called “constituent engagement campaigns” for clients and he recently wrote an article for Blackbaud’s specialty magazine, n...
Jun 24, 2013•44 min
This week, we look at the way one 90-year-old agency is transforming how it impacts the lives of women and families who are homeless and in recovery from addiction and/or mental illness. Emma Norton Services is based in St. Paul, Minnesota and my guest this week is Executive Director Roxanne Condon. She has been with the organization since 2010. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player Android RSS On the show, Roxanne explains the thoughtful and intentional way the staff and board determined ...
Jun 17, 2013•35 min
Last week, the show explored how to keep high performers happy and this week, we look at young professionals. What do you need to do to attract and keep them? Are you willing to try something new? My guest this week is Keenan Wellar, a co-leader and director of communications for LiveWorkPlay , a nonprofit in Ottawa, Canada. It supports people with intellectual disabilities in having a good life. He founded the organization with his wife, Julie Kingstone, in 1995 and since then, LiveWorkPlay has...
Jun 04, 2013•43 min
