144: Creating a Dynamic Culture at Your Nonprofit Organization (Curt Langford) SUMMARY Nonprofit leaders are always looking for better engagement with their key constituents and long-term donors. In episode #144 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership , we look to Texas Tech Alumni Association ’s President and CEO Curt Langford for valuable advice on building a dynamic culture, the power behind communicating your story effectively, and developing a strong connective network of long-term donors. A p...
Feb 10, 2022•57 min
143: Elevating Your Grants Program as a Nonprofit Leader (Autumn Keck) SUMMARY Is your overall fundraising plan built on a solid foundation of a comprehensive grant writing program? If not, can you identify the vital readiness steps necessary to best prepare your organization for success? In episode #143 of the Path Podcast, Autumn Keck , a fundraising expert with over two decades of experience in grant writing and major gifts solicitation, addresses these questions and more. She explains how be...
Feb 03, 2022•49 min
142: Understanding the Impact of Identity for Nonprofit Leaders (Nneka Allen) SUMMARY We are all responsible for the environments we create. And they should all be equitable. Nonprofit leaders clearly understand the impact of identity on an organizational culture and equity outcomes. In episode #142 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership , Nneka Allen , a descendant of the Underground Railroad, shares her remarkable story which began years ago with her freedom-seeking ancestors and ultimately set ...
Jan 27, 2022•50 min
141: Nonprofit Success in an Age of Disruption (Dave Lenox) SUMMARY Many nonprofits experience periods of volitivity as a result of leadership turnover. Covid has accelerated some nonprofit leaders to leave an organization after many years of service. In episode #141 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership , Dave Lenox , a former nonprofit executive director and current managing partner at The Valtas Group , explains the numerous resources available to organizations during these transitions. He and...
Jan 20, 2022•1 hr 5 min
140: A Nonprofit Leader’s Guide to Boosting Board Engagement (Lea Williams) SUMMARY The best nonprofit leaders create and maintain strategic partnerships between themselves, their staff, and their board. If you are looking to take your board to the next level, check out episode #140 of the Path Podcast where Dr. Lea Williams and I discuss five tactics for creating and sustaining a dynamic board of directors. Building off our work together with multiple boards, our conversations with our Mastermi...
Jan 13, 2022•1 hr 1 min
139: What Are the Best Practices of a Nonprofit Leader? (Katie O’Malley) SUMMARY Have you found true passion along your career journey? Many in the nonprofit sector struggle to maintain their connection to the mission as they accomplish their daily work. With more than 15 years in the sector, Katie O’Malley experienced this dilemma first-hand before translating this struggle into action and sharing her wisdom through Encourage Coaching . In episode #139 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership , Kat...
Jan 06, 2022•52 min
138: Global Expansion for Nonprofit Leaders (George Smith) SUMMARY Regardless of where you are on Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership , insight gained from today’s episode with George Smith will no doubt up your game. Within the first few minutes, George will inspire you as he and Patton reminisce on shared experiences with Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the single most important leadership skill the entire Kennedy clan learned early on. George expands on his early leadership experiences as he transit...
Dec 30, 2021•44 min
137: Building A Strong Nonprofit Through Intentional Leadership (Teddy McDaniel) SUMMARY Many for-profit leaders have followed their passion and transitioned to the nonprofit sector. Luckily for the Urban League of the Carolinas , Teddy McDaniel is one such leader who likes to say he doesn’t have a job, he’s on a mission . In episode #137 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership , Teddy discusses how being an intentional leader strengthens an organization. He and Patton discuss embracing the nonprof...
Dec 23, 2021•52 min
136: Maximizing Volunteer Engagement as a Nonprofit Leader (Lauren Kaufman) SUMMARY Are you utilizing the full abilities of your best volunteers? As the leader of an all-volunteer organization that has seen a 40% growth in the past six months , Lauren Kaufman discusses strategic actions to attract, activate, grow, and retain diverse young professional volunteer talent. Connecting the individual volunteer’s skills and experiences with specific organizational roles and committee opportunities stre...
Dec 16, 2021•52 min
135: Sharpening Your Vision as a Nonprofit Leader (Pat Millen) SUMMARY Most well-intentioned ideas never become a viable nonprofit organization. But after Pat Millen’s daughter Franny raised the issue of the digital divide after school one day, the family decided to do something about it. Less than 10 years later, one family’s inspiration has evolved into E2D (Eliminate the Digital Divide), and Pat has elevated the organization to state and national prominence. Not only is his story fascinating,...
Dec 09, 2021•57 min
134: Why Corporations Should Look at Philanthropy in a New Way (Holly Welch Stubbing) SUMMARY Nonprofit organizations worldwide study ways to capitalize on corporate relationships in their fundraising efforts. Having been on both sides of this equation, Holly Welch Stubbing , the President & CEO of E4E Relief , identifies specific challenges she sees as nonprofits try to connect with corporate leaders. She shares her thoughts on how corporations can look at philanthropy differently given the...
Dec 02, 2021•49 min
133: How to Improve Your Nonprofit Leadership Experience (Patton McDowell ) SUMMARY Are you thankful for your current nonprofit leadership role? The sector should be thankful for talented individuals like you who are dedicated to a vital cause in your community, but I know you may not feel that gratitude as you do even more for an organization that needs your every contribution. In this special Thanksgiving Day episode, I offer some ideas that may help you be an even better leader, but more impo...
Nov 25, 2021•29 min
132: The Power of Donor Stewardship as a Nonprofit Leader (Caitlin Donley) SUMMARY Fundraising is more than simply communicating your mission effectively to your donors and asking for support. The real magic happens after the gift is received, and doing more than just saying “thank you” means a nonprofit leader has an intentional strategic plan around donor stewardship. In episode #132 of The Path to Nonprofit Leadership , Caitlin Donley introduces us to three distinct categories nonprofit leade...
Nov 18, 2021•48 min
131: Paying it Forward as a Nonprofit Leader (Michael DeVaul) SUMMARY Passion is often found in young leaders, while wisdom and experience are words associated with successful senior nonprofit leaders. Where are you on your journey of nonprofit leadership? Do you realize the value of self-assessment? Michael DeVaul has been on both sides of that bridge for more than three decades in the nonprofit sector and reflects on leading by example through action. In episode #131 of The Path Podcast , Mich...
Nov 11, 2021•58 min
130: How Do You Prepare for Nonprofit Leadership? (Manuel Campbell) SUMMARY When funders approach you and ask, “why do we need this organization?” are you able to answer with more than just passion? Seasoned nonprofit leader, Manuel Campbell , shares what it takes to go from a passion project to a strategic case for support to benefit your community and maintain a sustainable, upwardly mobile, and fully-funded nonprofit organization. In episode #130 of the Path Podcast , we discuss key steps to ...
Nov 04, 2021•54 min
129: How to Retain Talent Through a Dynamic Nonprofit Organization (Keith Fishburne) SUMMARY Are you struggling as a nonprofit leader to retain your best talent? Keith Fishburne , whose career spans over 30 years at Special Olympics North Carolina , shares his best practices to recognize, develop, and ultimately retain quality employees. Many of Keith’s senior staff have been with him for over a decade, unheard of in the nonprofit sector. The experiences we discuss in episode #129 of the Path Po...
Oct 28, 2021•1 hr 1 min
128: Leading Your Organization Through Strategic Execution (Logan Herring) SUMMARY Should you stop calling your organization a nonprofit ? That was one of many intriguing topics Logan Herring and I discussed during our conversation in episode #128 of the Path Podcast . Logan is the dynamic leader of The WRK Group in Wilmington, Delaware, and is not only transforming his community, but also offers a unique organizational model for communities around the world to consider. We discuss the key tenet...
Oct 21, 2021•55 min
127: 5 Priorities of the Best Nonprofit Leaders (Patton McDowell ) SUMMARY Ever wonder on what the best nonprofit leaders are focused? After working with nearly 250 nonprofit organizations, and having interviewed over 120 talented nonprofit leaders from around the world on the podcast, Patton has narrowed his list to these five priorities which distinguish the best leaders from the rest in episode #127 of the Path Podcast . Are you able to articulate a clear vision for your organization? What sp...
Oct 14, 2021•33 min
126: Finding the Resources You Need as a Nonprofit Leader (Stephanie Minor) SUMMARY The best nonprofit leaders embrace the concept of life-long learning because they know they must stay on top of the issues that face their organization and the sector in which it operates. Managing issues of fundraising and philanthropy, human resources, mental health, diversity, equity & inclusion, strategic planning, finance, human resources and countless other topics can easily become overwhelming for a no...
Oct 07, 2021•50 min
125: The Surprising Gift of Doubt for Nonprofit Leaders (Marc Pitman) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, you constantly face new challenges for which none of your training and previous experience can prepare you. Under such circumstances, it’s easy to lose confidence and succumb to those feelings of doubt, and wonder where leadership solutions might come from. As a long-time leadership coach and fundraiser in the nonprofit sector, Marc Pitman understands these feelings of insecurity, and has written...
Sep 30, 2021•52 min
124: How to Make Yourself an Outstanding Candidate for Nonprofit Leadership (Shana Plott) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, you’ve likely encountered both sides of the talent development equation: seeking a new opportunity for yourself, or finding the perfect person to fill your nonprofit’s most important vacancy. Regardless of whether you’re looking yourself or trying to hire a rock star, Shana Plott is the perfect guest to help you on your quest. Shana has spent most of her career helping organiz...
Sep 23, 2021•48 min
123: 4 Steps to Breakthrough Marketing for Nonprofit Leaders (Cheryl Williams) SUMMARY In an environment when the term “hybrid” represents a new layer of complexity for nonprofit programming, fundraising and communications, it’s easy to get lost in a flurry of activity without effectively marketing your nonprofit organization. As a nonprofit leader, how do you best determine what effective marketing and communication even looks like for your organization? Fortunately, Cheryl Hudgins Williams bri...
Sep 16, 2021•1 hr 1 min
122: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Jumpstart the Funder Partnership (Kelly Chopus) SUMMARY The partnership between nonprofit leaders and their counterparts at grant-making organizations is a critical one, and Kelly Chopus understands both sides of this collaborative dynamic. In episode #122 of the Path Podcast , Kelly and I discuss what makes a nonprofit more attractive to funders, and what nonprofit leaders can do to better demonstrate their ability to maximize investments in their communities. Kel...
Sep 09, 2021•57 min
121: New Nonprofit CEO? 5 Keys to Success (Ken Fuquay) SUMMARY Have you wondered what it would be like to lead a nonprofit organization? Many talented professionals, both within and outside of our sector, are considering a move into senior leadership at a charitable organization, but are not exactly sure what to expect. Ken Fuquay is a great example of a talented professional who made a move later in his career to embrace nonprofit leadership. Thankfully, he’s not only embraced the challenges an...
Sep 02, 2021•1 hr 3 min
120: Is Your Nonprofit Board Leading with Intent? (Jim Taylor) SUMMARY As Jim Taylor shared on episode #35 of the Path Podcast , conversations around race and inclusion are more prevalent than ever in nonprofit meeting rooms around the world. But are these discussions leading to significant change in the recruitment, make-up and leadership style for these same board leaders? That’s exactly what BoardSource’s latest Leading With Intent report set out to explore, and the results are fascinating. J...
Aug 26, 2021•58 min
119: Building A Career in Nonprofit Leadership (Elizabeth Abel) SUMMARY As more talented professionals enter the nonprofit sector, they are looking for ways to develop their skills, find the best professional development opportunities, and better navigate the personal and professional challenges that can inhibit success. Elizabeth Abel not only works with nonprofit leaders across the country as they manage all of these issues, she’s also teaching the next generation of talent through her work at...
Aug 19, 2021•47 min
118: Embracing the Power of Philanthropy as a Nonprofit Leader SUMMARY Philanthropy is the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations, but the acquisition of charitable dollars can be a motivational barrier for many nonprofit leaders. We all have hang-ups about money, and that can hurt our enthusiasm to actually ask for funds for the causes we care deeply about. Charles Thomas has been on both sides of philanthropy, as an executive director of two organizations, and now the Program Director for a nati...
Aug 12, 2021•50 min
117: 3 Keys to Effective Nonprofit Leadership (John Bennett) SUMMARY The study of nonprofit leadership requires the review of a wide array of topics, skills and experiences, especially as you try to identify the keys to success in the philanthropic sector. Where can you turn for advice on ways to improve your leadership skills? Well, to assure a deeper dive into these sometimes intangible leadership factors, John Bennett proved to be the perfect guest on episode #117 of the Path Podcast to offer...
Aug 05, 2021•53 min
116: Is It Time for a Capital Campaign? (Cindy Clark) SUMMARY As we move through the pandemic, numerous factors are influencing nonprofit leaders to consider whether now is the time to launch a capital campaign. Pent up demand, relatively good economic conditions, competition from other nonprofits - and just a restlessness from staff and board - may all be pushing you to what feels like an inevitable fundraising effort. But are you and your nonprofit really ready? My colleague Cindy Clark is the...
Jul 29, 2021•47 min
115: Need to Recharge Your Nonprofit Career Plan? ( Patton McDowell ) SUMMARY While the new year gets most of the attention as the time for personal resolutions and career planning, the summer may be an even better time for personal and professional reflection, and a great time to re-evaluate your path to nonprofit leadership. In episode #115 of the Path Podcast , Patton offers a solo summary of two key planning instruments that can help with your nonprofit career planning. You’ll be able to ass...
Jul 22, 2021•30 min
