We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

731. What the World's Most Effective Nonprofits Have in Common (And You Already Have It Too) - Scott Curran

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Scott Curran has helped former presidents, Fortune 500 companies, and street-corner nonprofits turn good intentions into real impact. After a decade as general counsel of the Clinton Foundation and ten years building Beyond Advisors, he kept noticing the same thing: the world's most effective changemakers and the hometown hero nobody's heard of have the exact same nine things in common.

So do you. That pattern became his new book, Better Good — a framework any organization can start using today with a Post-it note. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

What every effective organization has in common — and why the billionaires and major foundations you're comparing yourself to are struggling with the same things you are
The nine-factor social impact framework: your profile, platform, and passions, plus your time, talent, and treasure, plus scale, sustainability, and storytelling
How two people with nothing extra — a suburban mom of five and a med student fighting a rare disease — built global organizations from what was already in front of them

You'll walk away with a clear inventory of what you already have, a free action plan, and your next rung on the ladder. No new money, credentials, or permission required. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(3:06) What's lifting for Scott right now: awareness and intentionality
(4:35) Stubborn optimism and the pattern hiding in plain sight
(9:22) The billionaire who didn't have it figured out either
(10:21) Why we undervalue what we already have
(14:25) The hidden framework: nine factors
(18:21) Nancy and Watts of Love
(21:59) Every Cure, hometown heroes, and why success leaves clues
(26:19) One good thing: someday starts now

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/731

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730. Capacity Is the Strategy: How to Make Your Org More Sustainable - Brooke Richie-Babbage, Chidi Asoluka, and Casey Lardner

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Most nonprofit leaders treat capacity like a fuel tank — something you deplete and refill. Brooke Richie-Babbage makes the case that capacity is something you design, and that the strain you're feeling is information about that design, not about your dedication.

She's joined by two leaders who've rebuilt theirs in public: Casey Lardner, Executive Director of Genspace, the world's first community biology lab, and Chidi Asoluka, Founder and CEO of NewComm, which went from a classroom experiment with 18 kids to a student-led organization delivering projects for the NYC Department of Health and Mount Sinai. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why sustainability starts with clarity — you can't design the right systems until you know what you're running toward
The mindset shift from vision holder to architect of systems, and how Chidi stopped being the bottleneck in his own org
How Casey unlearned "strain equals effort" and started treating burnout as a diagnosable syndrome, not a cost of doing business
The roles-and-responsibilities work that has to land before shared decision-making or partnerships can actually lighten your load
What frees up when operational work leaves the founder's plate: time in the field, time to think, time to dream

You'll walk away with a practical way to read your own strain as data — and a starting point for building an org that keeps running when you step back. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(1:18) Meet Casey and Chidi: what feels real right now
(3:22) The founder bottleneck
(6:19) Unlearning hustle-as-virtue in a growing org
(8:09) "It's too soon to panic"
(9:41) From teacher to architect: building repeatable systems
(11:52) Clarity first: defining who you're not
(14:54) Roles, ownership, and Invitation Power
(17:34) What sustainability actually feels like day to day
(21:20) Where to stop pushing and start redesigning
(22:09) Live the lesson

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/730

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729. The 4-Step Formula to Get Your Mission Seen by Media, Partners, and Donors - Jenn DeBarge Goonan

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Jenn DeBarge Goonan has sent thousands of pitch emails to editors, producers, and partners. She's distilled what works into four steps — and they work whether you're chasing press coverage, a corporate partner, or a major donor meeting.

Jenn launched Lululemon into the U.S. market, built campaigns for Ben & Jerry's, and now runs JAG Communications, where she's spent 20 years making mission-driven work visible. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

Step 1: Why every note has to be a one-of-one, and the 10 minutes of research that makes it land
Step 2: Lead with connection, not credentials — including what to cut (the attachments, the links, the three paragraphs about your org)
Step 3: Make one specific, realistic ask instead of three, and why "a 20-minute conversation" outperforms everything else
Step 4: Silence is not rejection — the "10% more value" follow-up that turned two dead pitches into TV coverage
The one-page message guide that has to exist before any of the four steps work — and how to build it this week

You'll walk away with a repeatable formula for outreach that actually gets answered, plus the foundation that makes it credible. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(2:44) From high school cheerleader to social impact cheerleader
(4:48) Why passionate leaders end up sounding like word soup
(5:30) The one-page message guide north star
(7:22) How to build it: your ED first, then five anonymous interviews
(9:43) Partnerships: find the overlap before you pitch
(12:29) The 4-step formula, steps 1–3
(15:33) Step 4: don't assume silence is rejection
(16:41) The formula in action: two follow-ups, two placements
(18:33) Social math, Substack, and the 57 million
(20:23) Operation Warm: "This is my first coat ever"
(22:58) One good thing: make it easy for people to help you

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/729

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728. How to Tell Stories That Fill the Hope Gap: 3 Lessons from 8 World-Changing Leaders - Jon and Becky

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

The gap between hope and despair has grown from 4% in 2010 to 27% today. That's the "hope gap" — and it's the reason Jon and Becky spent 10 episodes sitting with eight change leaders who are filling it, one story at a time. 🩵

In this series finale, they pull out the throughlines: what actually made these missions land, and what any nonprofit can copy starting Monday.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why clarity is a superpower — and how to say what you do, who you serve, and why the problem is solvable in 30 seconds without losing the emotion underneath
The head-and-the-heart formula: why "factually true" and "emotionally true" aren't the same thing, and why your story needs both
How your personal story becomes your mission story — and how to build a culture where staff, volunteers, and board members feel safe enough to share theirs
The stats that stopped the room cold — from mental health to caregiving to what social platforms serve kids in under three minutes
The "one good thing" you can steal from Sesame Street: research + education + creative production, working together
You'll walk away with three portable lessons and a simple challenge: find the stat, find the human, put them together, and lead with hope. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

How the series came together — meeting Afdhel Aziz (1:44)
Story as infrastructure: why narrative shapes culture (3:10)
Theme 1 — Clarity is a superpower (5:42)
The stats that stop you cold (7:24)
Theme 2 — The head and the heart is the formula (9:32)
The Heath story: when a number changed everything (11:23)
Theme 3 — Your personal story is your mission story (13:04)
Building the container: safety, dignity, co-creation (16:46)
Trust is the work (19:56)
One Good Thing — the Sesame model (21:08)
Your call to action: share your story (22:52)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/728

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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727. Working Session: The Automation Playbook That Added $200K at Year End - Rachel Bearbower

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

One client reclaimed 15% of their lapsing donors and added $200,000 by year-end. No new campaigns. No bigger team. Just a stewardship system running quietly in the background. Rachel Bearbower built it.

As founder of the Nonprofit Automation Agency, Rachel has helped clients climb from 35% to 50% donor retention in a single year, recover nearly $20,000 in lapsed gifts in 90 days, and hand 20+ hours a month back to overstretched teams — all without losing the human touch. 🤖💛

In this episode, you'll hear:

The exact case study behind the $200K: what a 15% retention lift looks like when you automate stewardship instead of scrambling to remember it
The five stewardship automations that carry a new donor through their first 100 days — from the instant acknowledgement to the second-gift ask
How to automate a thank-you draft straight into your inbox so it still sounds like you — exclamation points and emojis included
Why your CRM should be your single source of truth, and the quiet data-cleanup mistake wrecking your list
The one thing that has to happen before any AI tool works: clean data

You'll walk away with a first automation you can build this week — start with the highest-leverage thing you're not doing, test it on one or two donors, then scale. 💛

Episode Highlights:

Meet Rachel and the Nonprofit Automation Agency (0:52)
The two connected problems: retention and capacity (1:55)
The five donor-stewardship automations (3:32)
Thinking beyond week one: the first 100 days (7:17)
Case study: a 15% retention lift worth $200K (8:09)
Where to start + why your CRM is your source of truth (9:16)
Keeping automation human (11:31)
Tools: Zapier, native integrations, and using Claude (14:40)
Your first automation today (15:38)
One good thing: the DIKW pyramid and clean data (18:06)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/727

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/wsl#podcast

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726. Stories to Fill the Hope Gap: Turning County-Level Wins Into National Change - Hannah Fried, All Voting Is Local

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Most of us picture democracy being decided on Election Day. Hannah Fried spends her life on the part nobody watches — the quiet, local decisions made months and years before a single ballot is cast.

Hannah is co-founder and CEO of All Voting Is Local, a national nonprofit working year-round in eight states to remove voting barriers for Black, Brown, and Native American communities. She and her co-founder spent years saying "somebody should start an organization" focused on the local officials quietly deciding how elections run — then realized they were the somebody. They built it from her kitchen table with no money, got incubated by The Leadership Conference, and went independent in 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why the decisions that make or break your right to vote — where polling places go, what hours they're open, how vote-by-mail works — get made by local officials long before any ballot is cast
The playbook for turning one county-level win into a national conversation — and why story is the engine that does it
Why "it's never too late to get involved" is more than a platitude, plus the concrete ways any person can plug in this year

If you've ever wondered whether slow, local, unglamorous, years-in-the-making work actually adds up — this conversation is your answer. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Hannah's journey: from voter protection to founding All Voting Is Local (1:54)
The mission: making democracy's invisible infrastructure visible (5:17)
The eight states where AVL works (6:41)
The Apache County win: adding polling places for the Navajo Nation (7:08)
From local to national: the Day of Action in Selma & Montgomery (10:24)
How to get mobilized — where anyone can start (12:39)
A moment of generosity: her daughter as her greatest teacher (14:49)
One good thing: keep going (17:16)
Where to connect + becoming a poll worker (18:47)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/726

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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725. How to Fund, Storytell, and Scale What Feels Unsolvable - Sam Teicher, Coral Vita

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Half the world's coral reefs have died since the 1970s. That's the kind of number that makes a person feel too small to matter. Sam Teicher has built his whole approach around refusing to let it. Sam is the co-founder and Chief Reef Officer of Coral Vita, a company that grows coral in land-based farms and plants it back onto dying reefs. He could have built a nonprofit to do it. He built a for-profit instead — after a UN-funded project collapsed when a small, restrictive grant didn't renew — and started with just $1,000. A decade later, Coral Vita runs farms from the Bahamas to Saudi Arabia and has earned Sam the Earthshot Prize and a Forbes 30 Under 30 nod. 🌊

His work is a masterclass in three things every mission-driven leader is wrestling with: how to fund it, how to storytell it, and how to scale it — when the problem itself feels unsolvable.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why Sam walked away from a grant-dependent model — and what his frustration reveals about the limits of restrictive, short-cycle funding for any small org
Why Coral Vita builds with communities (local jobs, free land for partners, on-site education centers) instead of parachuting in — and why the jobs piece is non-negotiable, not a nice side effect
Why "feel first, then think" storytelling beats leading with statistics when your cause feels too big to solve
What "hope as a discipline" actually looks like when the odds are genuinely bad — from a self-described optimistic realist

You'll walk away rethinking sustainable funding, community-led impact, and how to keep a team going when the problem feels bigger than you. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

From a DC kid to a lava-rock lagoon in Hawaii: Sam's origin story (2:30)
White House climate team to founding Coral Vita (4:43)
What coral reefs actually are — and the $2.7 trillion case for saving them (8:54)
Why local jobs are non-negotiable, not a side effect (13:06)
Storytelling a problem this big without paralyzing people (16:54)
Adopt-a-coral and the "optimistic realist" (18:04)
What you can do right now (21:29)
A moment of generosity: pink booty shorts in Samoa (24:46)
One good thing: the shots you don't take (26:18)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/725

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724. Stories to Fill the Hope Gap: The Fight to Hold Big Tech Accountable - Imran Ahmed, Center for Countering Digital Hate

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

A 52-year-old man who'd spent too long online reading conspiracy theories walked up to Imran Ahmed's colleague — a member of parliament and mother of two — and killed her, screaming internet slogans as he did it. That was the moment Imran realized the online world and the offline world had quietly become the same world.

Imran Ahmed is the founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a US–UK nonprofit that produces the hard evidence lawmakers, advertisers, and parents use to hold social media and AI companies accountable. 🧠

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why the algorithms rewarding hate and lies aren't broken — they're working exactly as designed, and what that means for your mission's message
What CCDH found when they opened a TikTok account as a 13-year-old girl (the numbers are worse than you think)
Why social media is the one industry in America you essentially can't sue — and how that single gap created what Imran calls "technology tyranny"
The STAR framework — Safety, Transparency, Accountability, Responsibility — that's giving lawmakers a simple, values-based way to regulate platforms
Why copying the outrage playbook will never work for the good guys, and what a four-star general taught Imran about winning an information war instead

You'll walk away understanding the information environment your organization actually operates in — and why Imran still believes, without a shred of naivety, that the good guys win. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Growing up in Manchester and the road into politics (2:27)
What the Center for Countering Digital Hate does (7:41)
Deadly by Design: what TikTok feeds a 13-year-old girl (8:51)
The one industry you can't sue — and "technology tyranny" (12:43)
The information environment every nonprofit operates in (18:15)
Fighting an information war: a lesson from a four-star general (18:15)
Moving people with data and story (21:11)
A story of generosity: Mr. Haydens and Humpty Dumpty (23:10)
One Good Thing (24:53)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/724

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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723. How American Express Is Building the Next Generation of Nonprofit Leaders (and What It Means for Yours!) - Madge Thomas

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Madge Thomas leads a leadership academy most nonprofit professionals have never heard of — one that's quietly spent nearly two decades and $100M+ training over 165,000 nonprofit leaders worldwide. As president of the American Express Foundation and head of corporate sustainability at American Express, she's built it on a deceptively simple premise: invest in the leader, not just their programs, and the impact ripples outward — to the organization, the community, and long after any single initiative ends.

Madge makes the case that the people powering nonprofits are the sector's most under-resourced asset — then shows how the Academy is changing that with funding, peer cohorts, alumni grants, and a curriculum rebuilt for this moment: AI training with Microsoft, storytelling with TED, and resilience for a shifting funding landscape.

If you've ever poured everything into your programs with nothing left for yourself or your team, this episode names that tension out loud — and offers a different way through.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why investing in individuals instead of just programs creates a "two plus two makes five" ripple effect that most funders never think to measure
How the Academy stacks funding, a peer cohort of ~75 leaders, and alumni grants to attack nonprofit burnout at the root — by removing the impossible choice between developing your people and running your programs
What today's nonprofit leaders need that they didn't a decade ago, including AI training built with Microsoft and storytelling training built with TED

You'll walk away with a new lens on where philanthropy should focus — and a reminder that you don't need a $100 million budget to start a ripple. A ripple starts with one tiny fracture in the surface. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Little Madge in Perth: the values that started it all (2:28)
The ripple effect of investing in leaders (4:00)
20 years, $100M, 165,000+ leaders — and the stories behind the numbers (5:12)
Why bet on people instead of programs? (10:12)
Burnout, and removing the choice between people and programs (12:31)
What nonprofit leaders need now: time, network, and dollars (15:49)
AI as augmentation: building an AI-confident sector with Microsoft (20:08)
Holding AI and humanity together (21:08)
A moment of generosity: Mrs. Wilson and the uniforms (25:30)
One good thing: start small (30:06)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/723

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722. Stories to Fill the Hope Gap: Storytelling That Turns Crisis Into Action - Dr. Lisa Hunter Romanelli, The REACH Institute

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

There are 12 million kids in the U.S. with a mental health concern, and four out of five never get treatment — not because the care doesn't exist, but because it takes an average of 15 years for proven research to reach the providers families actually visit.

Dr. Lisa Hunter Romanelli has spent her career closing that gap. As CEO of The REACH Institute — and its very first employee 19 years ago — she's helped train nearly 10,000 primary care providers in evidence-based children's mental health care, with a goal of 16,000 by 2027. 🧠 But this conversation is really about storytelling. Lisa has taken a public health crisis and made it feel solvable, and she shares exactly how she does it with donors and partners.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why leading with the solution — not the broken thing — is what actually moves donors to act
The "train the trainer" multiplier model: how reaching one pediatrician reaches hundreds of kids a year
How a single trained provider in Oklahoma City recognized a teenager's hidden anxiety and changed the course of her life
Where a leader 19 years into the work still finds hope — and the "whole leader" practice keeping her grounded
Why generosity shows up as far more than cash, and how to recognize every currency your community offers

You'll walk away with a more hopeful, more honest way to tell your own organization's story. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Meet "little Lisa": From her mom's depression to child psychology (2:56)
One psychologist isn't enough: Meeting Dr. Peter Jensen and building REACH (3:02)
The 15-year research-to-practice gap and REACH's mission (5:50)
Why pediatricians are the front line for kids' mental health (6:22)
The story of "Mia": How one trained doctor changed a life (8:13)
Lead with the solution: Telling donors a story that creates hope (10:33)
Where a 19-year leader still finds her hope (11:40)
Generosity beyond cash: A board member's quiet gift (13:17)
One good thing: The "whole leader" and finding moments of presence (15:16)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/722

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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721. Four Leaders on Mergers, Burnout, and Radical Honesty with Funders - Stacy Huston, Lindsey Fuller, Tammy Tibbetts, and Becky Straw

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500

The traditional nonprofit playbook is full of defaults nobody voted for: merge only when you're desperate, expect your team to run on empty, soften your mission to stay safe, and treat funders like they're doing you a favor. At the We Are For Good Summit, four leaders sat down to throw all of that out. 🧠

Hosted by Stacy Huston, CEO of SixDegrees.org and a social impact strategist working at the intersection of storytelling, influence, and action, this conversation brings together Tammy Tibbetts (She's the First), Lindsey Fuller (The Teaching Well), and Becky Straw (The Adventure Project) — three leaders who each named a default they've refused to accept and shared exactly what they did instead.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why a merger can be a strategic first move instead of a white flag — and the single question Tammy asked herself to know She's the First was making the right call
How The Teaching Well retained 100% of its funders three years running by being radically honest about what its team actually needs
The case for treating identity as an asset, not a liability — even while peer orgs were scrubbing their websites in 2025

You'll walk away with permission — and a few tactical first steps — to question the defaults that are quietly draining your organization. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Three nonprofit myths busted (1:46)
Mergers as a strategic first choice (5:28)
One tactical first step toward exploring a merger (8:35)
The dignity of work: flipping the aid model (10:23)
Doubling down on storytelling after the USAID gap (12:40)
Identity as asset: leading with Sankofa (14:20)
Retaining 100% of funders through radical honesty (16:26)
Comfort as complacency (18:09)
The "one good thing": self-care and collective care (24:21)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/721

Resources Mentioned:

SixDegrees.org — Stacy Huston's organization, described as "a nonprofit for nonprofits," bringing organizations together as a collective force
She's the First — Tammy Tibbetts's organization putting girls front and center worldwide
Girl Rising — She's the First's merger partner; the unified brand going forward, led by CEO Christina Lowery
The Teaching Well — Lindsey Fuller's retention-focused organization solving the school staffing crisis
The Adventure Project — Becky Straw's organization creating good jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa
La Piana Consulting — the firm that "wrote the textbook" on nonprofit mergers; cited for the finding that 92% of surveyed merged organizations called it a success a year later

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720. Stories to Fill The Hope Gap: Why Celebration Is the Story That Changes Everything - Colby King, Kiki Arts Collaborative

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

The Kiki and ballroom scene, built by Black and brown LGBTQ+ youth of color in New York City, has been creating art, designing fashion, performing, and building community for over 20 years.

Meet Colby King 👋 He’s the founder of Kiki Arts Collaborative, an economic development platform turning ballroom artistry into sustainable careers in arts, culture, and media through creative mentorship, job training, and internship placement. In 2025, that work earned Colby the David Prize, one of five awarded annually to the most luminary nonprofits in New York City.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Colby’s personal story and journey to the work he is doing today through KAC
Why celebration, not charity, is the storytelling strategy at the heart of KAC's work, and what nonprofit leaders can apply to their own work
What it looks like to build with a community instead of for it and why that distinction is at the root of everything Kiki Arts Collaborative does

You'll walk away questioning the scarcity mindset the sector trained into all of us. You'll also be empowered with a sharper sense of how to tell stories that restore dignity instead of trading on need. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Meet Colby King and Kiki Arts Collaborative (00:44)
From Dallas pews to Columbia: the origin story (02:06)
The mission: lowering the barrier to creative careers (05:38)
"Seeing my art as art": the Inspiration Point exhibit (08:01)
Charity vs. celebration: reframing the impact story (09:59)
The mom who gave away her bed: generosity that stuck (11:48)
One Good Thing: "take care of your blessings" (14:04)
How to connect and what KAC needs now (15:43)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/720

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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719. Consistency Over Intensity: The Science of Sustainable Giving - Dr. Sanjay Bindra, GOSUMEC Foundation USA

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Dr. Sanjay Bindra is a practicing cardiologist who built a $2.5 million endowment at a zero-staff nonprofit in less than four years, with no campaigns and no urgency emails. Then he studied why it worked.

The result: the GIVE Study, a 12-month real-time look at how small nonprofits can achieve sustainable recurring giving through trust, behavioral design, and strong governance.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why first-time donor retention has been under 20% for decades, and the single most important thing you can do to change that number
The difference between dopamine-driven fundraising and oxytocin-driven relationships
The GIVE framework: Gratitude, Impact, Voice, and Engagement, and how to apply it to build genuine donor relationships that last
What your org can do right now to start building a sustainable base

You'll walk away with a replicable framework for turning one-time donors into lifelong community members. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Dr. Bindra's origin story: bananas, bread, and building from community (2:30)
How GOSUMEC Foundation went from zero to $2.5M with no staff (4:59)
The GIVE Study: what sparked it and what it found (10:10)
First gift vs. second gift: transaction vs. relationship (11:33)
The GIVE framework: Gratitude, Impact, Voice, Engagement (17:40)
Dopamine vs. oxytocin: the science of donor retention (18:59)
What small nonprofits can do right now (21:08)
Consistency over intensity: the one good thing (27:00)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/719

Resources Mentioned:

GIVE Study Playbook in partnership with Givebutter
GIVE Study
Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) — cited for the statistic that first-time donor retention is under 20%

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718. Stories to Fill The Hope Gap: How Hip Hop Therapy Is Rewriting What Healing and Storytelling Look Like - J.C. Hall

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

An 85% graduation rate against a district average of 60% — at a second-chance school in the South Bronx where the primary healing tool isn't a worksheet or a clipboard. It's a professional recording studio. 🎙️

J.C. Hall is a licensed clinical social worker, a hip hop artist, and a 2024 David Prize winner (one of just five awarded across New York City). At Mott Haven Community High School, he's spent 13 years building a program where trauma-exposed students rewrite their own narratives — set to a beat. His own path here ran through addiction, psych wards, and a teenage years he didn't expect to survive. Hip hop kept him alive long enough to find the help that did the rest.

In this episode, you'll hear:

How letting beneficiaries tell their own story (instead of explaining it for them) made J.C.'s documentary land with audiences who'd never touched hip hop culture
The case for emotion over statistics — why a felt story moves a donor to give when the logic of your mission alone won't
What an 85% graduation rate reveals about purpose, identity, and connection as outcomes you can actually track

If you've ever struggled to make your mission felt rather than just understood, this conversation will change how you tell it. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

J.C.'s journey to where he is today (01:57)
How hip hop therapy began with one kid and a lunch-table beat (07:32)
Meeting people where they are (10:50)
Ephraim's story: "I'm not gonna get my Monday" (11:44)
The data: an 85% graduation rate (16:44)
Why the kids — not the expert — are the story (17:22)
A moment of generosity that changed everything (20:29)
J.C.'s One Good Thing: Don't quit 15 minutes before the miracle (23:08)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/718

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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717. The Funding Landscape Is Shifting. Here's What Nonprofits Need to Know - Hala Hanna, MIT Solve

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

"Crisis creates clarity, and philanthropic funding is the best risk capital we have." That's how Hala Hanna reads the moment we're in, and as Executive Director of MIT Solve, she has the data to back it up.

MIT Solve has spent a decade brokering the relationship between companies, funders, and the early-stage innovators closing equity gaps in health, learning, climate, and economic opportunity. Their 460 solvers are reaching 430 million lives, have mobilized $87 million in direct funding, and have collectively raised $1.4 billion. And Hala has a front-row seat to the fundamental shift happening in how money moves toward mission.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why the most forward-thinking funders are moving from rewarding proximity to power to rewarding proximity to the problem, and what that means for your mission
What corporate partners actually need from nonprofit partnerships right now, and how to position your org to meet them there
Why pairing measurable outcomes with storytelling is the real fundraising unlock, and the one question every nonprofit leader needs to answer before walking into a funder conversation

You'll walk away with a sharper read on where philanthropy is heading and a concrete playbook for becoming the partner funders are actually looking for. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Meet Hala Hanna (01:44)
What MIT Solve actually does — and the numbers behind it (03:13)
From proximity to power to proximity to the problem (03:37)
Why corporate donors are raising the bar (HP & Amazon) (06:59)
The full accordion: rethinking philanthropic capital (10:48)
Where nonprofits start: data, storytelling, and trust (13:30)
Fighting the "single story" of AI (17:23)
Amini: building sovereign AI in the Global South (18:02)
A moment of generosity: Carrie Morgridge (20:53)
One good thing: do today, not someday (22:42)
The Solve Effect podcast (24:31)
Where to connect (25:23)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/717

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716. Stories to Fill the Hope Gap: How Story Becomes the Strategy to Shift Culture - Ai-jen Poo, Caring Across Generations

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

As Co-Founder of Caring Across Generations and President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Ai-jen Poo has spent decades working at the intersection of policy and culture — because she knows you can't change one without the other.

A MacArthur Fellow, Time 100 honoree, and author of The Age of Dignity, she's now launching a million-care-conversations campaign and a new production label, Give Not Take Media, to get care stories into film and television at scale. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why culture change has to come before policy change — and what that sequencing means for your organization's communications strategy
How Caring Across Generations scaled their story strategy, and what it can teach any org about how media scales mission
How to plug into the 1 Million Care Conversations campaign right now

You'll walk away understanding why story isn't just a communications tool, it's the strategy that shifts culture, changes policy, and moves people to act.

Episode Highlights:

Ai-jen's grandfather and the personal roots of Caring Across Generations (2:09)
Changing policy and culture — why you can't do one without the other (6:09)
Care as infrastructure: the framing that changes the conversation (8:22)
Why emotional truth drives behavior more than facts (10:35)
Give Not Take Media and the film Take Me Home at Tribeca (13:21)
1 Million Care Conversations campaign — how to get involved (16:01)
A story of generosity: the donor who honored her nanny (18:07)
One Good Thing: reach out to a caregiver in your life (20:19)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/716

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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715. Working Session: The Email Infrastructure Every Nonprofit Needs - Katelyn Baughan

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Most nonprofits treat email like a megaphone. They show up loud when they need donations and go completely quiet in between. Katelyn Baughan has worked with UNHCR, Amnesty International, the Trevor Project, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and she has seen this pattern cost nonprofits thousands in unrealized donations.

Her fix: stop thinking about campaigns and start building infrastructure.

In less than 20 minutes, Katelyn walks you through the automated email system that works in the background to build donor relationships, nurture loyalty, and raise more money, even when you're not hitting send. 📧

In this episode, you'll hear:

The difference between email campaigns and email infrastructure, and why most nonprofits are missing the piece that actually builds long-term donor loyalty
The three foundational automations every nonprofit should have running right now: subscriber welcome, new donor onboarding, and monthly donor welcome
What deliverability actually means (it's not the same as delivery), and how to find out if your emails are landing in spam without you knowing

Start building your system this week. Your donors are waiting to hear from you. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Working Session Intro (0:29)
The Megaphone Problem: Rethinking How Nonprofits Use Email (2:20)
Infrastructure vs. Campaigns: The Plumbing Analogy (4:18)
Where to Start: Building Your Welcome Series (6:08)
The Three Foundational Automations Every Nonprofit Needs (7:32)
New Donor Onboarding: The Window You Can't Miss (8:23)
Deliverability vs. Delivery: What the Difference Means for Your Inbox (13:41)
Google Postmaster Tools and How to Use Them (14:35)
One Good Thing: Stop Worrying About Bothering Donors (15:49)
How to Connect with Katelyn (18:32)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/715

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/wsl#podcast

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714. Stories to Fill the Hope Gap: The 3 Part Formula Behind Sesame Street’s Storytelling - Scott Cameron

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Scott Cameron is a two-time Emmy Award-winning creative leader who has spent his career executive producing international adaptations of Sesame Street, bringing this iconic brand to audiences in 190 countries and 31 languages. He joins us for this special episode to talk about what 57 years of research-driven storytelling has taught him about how story actually changes people. 🌟

In this episode, you'll hear:

How the Sesame model — a Venn diagram of creative production, education, and research — creates content that changes behavior, not just awareness
What happened when Sesame Workshop partnered with the IRC to bring Elmo and Cookie Monster into mobile health clinics in conflict-affected Jordan, and why the research surprised everyone
Why knowing your North Star is the only thing that keeps a mission-driven organization from playing whack-a-mole with every new trend

Walk away from this conversation with a framework for intentional storytelling, and a new appreciation for the most trusted institution already sitting in your community. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Scott's Origin Story: Growing Up With Sesame Street (2:53)
The Origin of Sesame Street: A 1966 Dinner Party (5:57)
The Sesame Research Model: Where Story Meets Science (9:35)
Funding Disruption and What Sesame Did Next (12:27)
Bringing Sesame to Conflict Zones: The IRC Partnership (13:37)
The ABCs of Emotion: What Research in Jordan Taught Them (16:02)
AI, North Stars, and What to Actually Pay Attention To (19:00)
The Most Trusted Institution in Your Community (21:36)
Netflix, PBS, YouTube and Going Global (24:07)
Creating Digital Ecosystems and What Comes Next (27:00)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/714

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713. The Case for Playing the Long Game in Philanthropy - Matthew Oh, FOREFRONT Charity

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Matt Oh was an engineer with a stable career and a 9-to-5 when a mission trip to India stopped him in his tracks. He saw something he couldn’t unsee — women and children spending 10 hours a day walking to collect dirty water.

In 2015, he founded FOREFRONT Charity with a few college friends and one water well. Today, more than 100,000 people across India, Kenya, and East Africa have been impacted through clean water, education, medical care, and empowerment. 105 water wells drilled. A school built, in which 20% of the students once worked in child labor, that now serves more than 250 first-generation students. A 90% program efficiency rate. Clearly, an engineer is running this. 💡

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why “treating symptoms” is a stewardship failure, and how Matt’s five whys framework helps you fund root-cause solutions that create lasting change
What 11 years of local partnerships taught FOREFRONT about trust, and why sustainable change is slow to build, easy to lose, and worth protecting
How FOREFRONT came within $1,000 of shutting its doors twice, and what those struggles taught them

Walk away from this conversation with a new lens on donor stewardship, a challenge to stop moving fast when the community you serve needs you to stay, and proof that the long game is worth it. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

From Engineering to Purpose: Matt's Origin Story (3:36)
The Five Whys: Applying Engineering Thinking to Nonprofit Impact (9:15)
Root Cause vs. Symptoms: What Real Stewardship Looks Like (10:19)
A Decade of Local Partnerships and What Trust Actually Requires (14:10)
Persevering Through Hard Seasons (18:14)
FOREFRONT Forward: Scaling What Works Globally (19:54)
The School Story: What Grit Really Looks Like (25:09)
One Good Thing: Play the Long Game (31:29)
How to Connect and Support FOREFRONT Charity (33:04)

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/713

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712. Stories to Fill The Hope Gap: How Art is Healing Veterans - Richard Casper, CreatiVets

Wed, 27 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

This episode includes themes of combat trauma, mental health, and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Meet Richard Casper 👋 Richard is a Marine Corps veteran, Purple Heart recipient, CNN Hero, and co-founder of CreatiVets, a nonprofit that helps wounded veterans heal from PTSD and TBI through songwriting, visual art, and performance. His own healing started with one chalk pastel and a tribute to his friend Luke. That moment sparked a mission that led to 700+ songs, 25 million streams, and thousands of lives changed.

In this episode, you'll hear:

How CreatiVets reaches the veterans who will never ask for help, and the storytelling model that makes showing up irresistible
Why every song they write becomes a new story to share with the world, and what that means for how nonprofits think about content
The story of James: a veteran who found hope at a country music festival
How to build programs that give people tools for life, not just for the length of a program
The vision for a 24-hour creative arts center where any veteran can walk in and start to heal

Episode Highlights:

Richard's origin story and the call to serve (0:44)
Camp David, survivor guilt, and choosing to go to Iraq with his unit (3:42)
How a room full of strangers understood Richard’s story before he did (8:46)
Meet the mission of CreatiVets (12:51)
Designing programs that give veterans tools for life, not just for the program (15:21)
James's story: the moment a CreatiVets sign saved a life at a country festival (19:37)
Why story is the most underused tool in the nonprofit sector (22:23)
CreatiVet’s vision: a 24-hour creative arts center for veterans in Nashville (28:57)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/712

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711. How Fiscal Sponsorship Is Rewriting Who Gets to Lead Change - Vincent Jones

Tue, 26 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

What does it actually mean to fund community power? Not a one-time grant, not a single big donor relationship, but real, sustained infrastructure for the leaders closest to the problems. Vincent Jones has spent three decades figuring that out.

Meet Vincent Jones 👋 He is the CEO of Beyond Impact, formerly known as Tides Advocacy, a national 501(c)(4) intermediary that serves as fiscal sponsor, funder, and convener for more than 90 projects across 20 states. Beyond Impact sits at the part of philanthropic infrastructure most nonprofit conversations never reach: what happens when giving goes beyond foundations to include how communities build power, influence policy, and drive long-term structural change.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why philanthropy's current funding structure is a design failure and what a better model actually looks like
What fiscal sponsorship is (explained simply), and why it's the infrastructure that lets community leaders focus entirely on the work
A moment of generosity that changed how Vincent sees his own worth, and what he wants every listener who has ever doubted themselves to hear

This one will change how you think about who holds power in your organization and how you fund the work that matters. 🌱

Episode Highlights:

Meet Vincent Jones (02:09)
Why philanthropy's funding structure is a design failure (06:12)
Democratizing donors: the Uplifting Change Initiative at Liberty Hill (07:20)
The real cost of last-minute, cycle-based funding (10:24)
What fiscal sponsorship actually means (12:22)
Beyond Impact's 90+ projects (13:16)
A moment of philanthropy that changed Vincent's life (20:45)
One good thing: "Do good, have fun, and help others do the same." (25:11)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/711

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710. Stories That Fill the Hope Gap: Closing the Hope Gap with Story - Afdhel Aziz

Wed, 20 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

There is a growing gap in our world between hope and despair.

And storytelling might be the most powerful tool we have to fill it.

Welcome to Stories That Fill the Hope Gap, a 10-part limited series created in partnership with Good is the New Cool and We Are For Good. Every Wednesday for the next 10 weeks, we are bringing you a changemaker who is using story to cut through noise, build connection, shift culture, and move people to action.

We open with the conversation that started it all: the keynote Afdhel Aziz delivered live at ImpactUp: Story, framing the big idea that runs through every episode that follows.

In this episode, you'll hear:

What the Hope Gap is, where it came from, and why it matters for every changemaker telling stories right now
Why pop culture, social media, and news are all feeding despair, and what that means for how we communicate
Gallup's 2026 finding that hope is the number one thing people want from their leaders, outpacing trust, compassion, and stability combined
Afdhel's 3-step storytelling playbook: start with hope, spark wonder, inspire courageous action

We need your stories to help fill the hope gap. Share yours at weareforgood.com/hopegap. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Welcome to the series: what Stories That Fill the Hope Gap is (0:03)
Grief, fear, and this moment we are in (5:19)
Storytelling: the single greatest tool to change civilization (8:00)
The current crisis of storytelling (9:00)
Despair is paralyzing. Hope is galvanizing. (12:00)
Gallup 2026: hope outpaces trust, compassion, and stability combined (12:30)
Meet The Solutionaries (13:30)
The 3-step playbook: start with hope, spark wonder, inspire courageous action (17:30)
Share your story at weareforgood.com/hopegap (19:58)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/710

Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap

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709. Working Session: Fundraising as a Team of One: What to Do When You Don’t Have Time for Everything - Christina Martin Kenny

Mon, 18 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Christina Martin Kenny 👋 She is a career fundraiser and the founder of Guava Tree Strategies. She has been a fundraising team of one more times than she can count, and she literally wrote the handbook on surviving it: The Solo Fundraiser Survival Guide.

In this Working Session, she is bringing the entire playbook to help you figure out what to prioritize, what to let go of, and how to actually move the needle when you feel like you are juggling everything and dropping all of it.

In this Working Session, you'll hear:

How to stop doing everything and start doing the right things
How to match your time to where your money actually comes from
How to replace your to-do list with three weekly priorities that actually move the needle

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let's get to work.

Episode Highlights:

Outsourcing doesn't have to cost money (5:00)
It's okay to do less: the diverse revenue myth (6:05)
Revenue matches time: the core framework (8:00)
Time tracking exercise: where are your hours actually going? (8:30)
The Good Enough Checklist (11:10)
Good bones: your donation processing platform (11:30)
CRM basics and the three metrics that matter (12:30)
Automated acknowledgement letters: plain text beats branded (15:00)
From overwhelm to activated: the three weekly priorities (17:00)
Revenue driving, relationship building, system strengthening (19:00)
Tiny Tasks Before 10 (20:00)
One good thing: protecting your time is a strategic decision (21:00)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/709

👉 Christina's Good Enough Checklist

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708. Working Session: How to Build a Story Engine for Your Nonprofit - Amanda Green

Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amanda Green 👋 She is a journalist turned Communications Consultant with more than 20 years of newsroom and public relations experience, including 12 years in TV newsrooms. She is the founder of In Your Voice Media Works, where she helps cause-led organizations build their own internal newsrooms: the systems, the workflows, and the editorial instincts that turn scattered content into a sustained story engine.

Her take? Content calendars and campaigns don't build momentum. If you want storytelling to drive real change, you need to think like a media organization.

In this Working Session, you'll hear:

Why nonprofits need to stop asking "what should we post this week?" and start asking "what is the story, and how do we work it?"
Amanda's 5-step story framework: define your beat, work your story pipeline, report and produce, publish and distribute, and measure and adjust
How to run a 10-minute editorial meeting that gets every department contributing stories, from your board to the person who sweeps the floors

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let's get to work.

Episode Highlights:

Meet Amanda Green (1:22)
Think like a media company: the mindset shift (2:30)
Stop asking what to post. Start asking what the story is. (2:50)
The editorial mission statement and guidelines (4:00)
Audience analysis and building editorial judgment (5:00)
How to run a 10-minute editorial meeting (7:00)
Step 1: Define your beat (8:00)
Step 2: Work your story pipeline: story leads and channel leads (8:30)
Step 3: Report and produce (10:00)
Step 4: Publish and distribute (10:30)
Step 5: Measure and adjust (10:45)
Community as storytelling: the "everybody has a story" approach (11:00)
Story is the heartbeat of connection (13:00)
The 3-tab spreadsheet story planner (15:00)
One good thing: listen to the people in your community (16:47)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/708

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707. How to Break Philanthropy Out of Hypothesis Mode - Casey Lardner, Ph.D., GenSpace

Mon, 11 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Is philanthropy stuck in hypothesis mode?

In science, there are two kinds of research: hypothesis-driven, where you predict the outcome before you run the experiment, and exploratory, where you map the landscape and stay open to what you find. The biggest breakthroughs almost always come from the second.

Meet Casey Lardner 👋 She is a neuroscientist and the Executive Director of Genspace, the world's first community biology lab in Brooklyn, New York. Part biology lab, part design studio, part classroom, part community space, Genspace has been opening the doors of science to artists, entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and curious humans since 2009.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why philanthropy is stuck in hypothesis mode and what the sector is missing because of it
Why uncertainty isn't a problem to solve. It's the work.
How to lead your organization with the curiosity and rigor of a scientist

This one will change how you think about impact, innovation, and what we might be leaving on the table. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Meet Casey Lardner (0:37)
What Genspace is: lab, classroom, studio, community (8:16)
Hypothesis-driven vs. exploratory science: the difference (10:00)
What hypothesis-driven philanthropy is costing the sector (11:09)
Who carries the risk of uncertainty? (15:00)
How Genspace secures exploratory investment from funders (17:52)
How to start thinking like a scientist as a nonprofit leader (20:59)
Casey’s One Good Thing: Curiosity as a habit of mind (26:32)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/707

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706. How to Turn Around a Nonprofit From the Inside Out - Marisol Pineda Conde + Lindsey Fuller, The Teaching Well

Wed, 06 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Linsey Fuller and Marisol Pineda Conde 👋 Together, they have spent five years turning around an organization that started with one month of runway, rebuilding it from the inside out with new curriculum, new revenue streams, new systems, and a set of staff blessings that are rewriting what it looks like to actually live your values as a leader.

The wellness stipend. The physical health screening. The financial literacy program with a 401k match. The micro sabbatical arc that guarantees every person on the team protected rest at every milestone.

In this episode, you'll hear:

How Lindsey, Marisol + team rebuilt The Teaching Well from the inside out: new curriculum, new revenue model, new brand, new systems, all while keeping the lights on with one month of runway
The Five Blessings: the wellness stipend, the physical health screening, the financial literacy program, the 401k match, and the micro sabbatical arc that guarantees every team member protected rest at every milestone
Why "desperation does not drive donorship," and how earned revenue became the most liberating source of funding The Teaching Well has

This one will change how you think about what it means to lead. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

The honest state of The Teaching Well five years ago (7:31)
What they rebuilt: curriculum, brand, revenue model, systems (10:00)
Financial sustainability vs. financial solvency: understanding the difference (11:19)
Building an earned revenue reserve as a staff protection reserve (14:29)
Why they call them Blessings, not benefits (16:19)
Blessing 1: Physical health, wellness stipend, and the medical screening (20:00)
Blessing 2: Financial freedom, 401k match, and collective financial literacy (25:00)
Blessing 3: The micro sabbatical arc (29:28)
Fear, funders, and the business case for investing in your people (35:00)
The Teaching Well's earned revenue model (38:15)
"Healing is messy work. Choose each other." (45:00)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/706

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705. Working Session: How to Keep More Monthly Donors + Increase Generosity - Dave Raley

Mon, 04 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dave Raley 👋 He is the founder and CEO of the Center for Sustainable Giving, author of The Rise of Sustainable Giving, and one of the most trusted voices in the recurring giving space. He has worked with thousands of nonprofit leaders to grow their monthly giving programs. In this Working Session, he is tackling two of the most overlooked opportunities in monthly giving: reducing churn and upgrading the donors you already have.

In this Working Session, you'll hear:

Why churn is a more powerful metric than retention, and why the reframe from "I retained 42% of my donors" to "I lost 58% of my donors" changes everything
The two types of churn and how to fix them: involuntary (credit card failure) and voluntary (donor chooses to leave), plus the systems to address both
How to keep monthly donors engaged using three words: affirm, engage, and appeal, and why your recurring donors are actually your best additional gift prospects
How to upgrade your existing monthly donors with a timely, specific ask, and why most organizations are leaving this on the table entirely

Episode Highlights:

Meet Dave Raley (0:43)
Churn vs. retention: the reframe that changes everything (2:17)
58% of donors don't give again: making it real (4:17)
Monthly donor churn vs. single gift churn (4:32)
Involuntary churn: credit card failure and what to do (6:40)
Two solutions: automate and outreach (7:55)
Voluntary churn: acknowledge, affirm, and save the gift (9:16)
Three words for monthly donor retention: affirm, engage, appeal (13:15)
Recurring donors give 25% more annually on average (16:21)
How to upgrade your monthly donors (19:19)
Dave's one good thing + free resource (26:54)

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let's get to work.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/705

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704. How Special Olympics is Using AI + Technology to Scale Belonging - Nathan Cook

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nathan Cook 👋 He is the Chief Information and Technology Officer at Special Olympics International, where he is using technology to do something remarkable: help a movement that serves 5 million athletes across 172 countries finally operate as one. He is building a digital center of excellence, co-creating AI tools with athletes, and asking a question that should reshape how every nonprofit thinks about technology: what if we built this with the people we serve, not just for them?

In this episode, you'll hear:

How Special Olympics went from fragmented, program-by-program systems to a unified digital platform, and what it meant when 50% of athletes could suddenly self-register and own their own information for the first time
The story of Med Buddy, an AI-powered healthcare assistant that sits in the room with athletes during medical visits to translate, advocate, and improve care for people with intellectual disabilities
Why AI has an ableism problem: the research Special Olympics has conducted on bias in large language models, and what organizations need to know before AI gets embedded in more decision-making

Episode Highlights:

Meet Nathan Cook (2:33)
Nathan's path to this work: programming robots as a kid (3:04)
Why Special Olympics' fragmented systems were limiting the mission (4:16)
Technology at scale: how 50% of athletes can now self-register (5:04)
Building with athletes, not just for them: universal design in action (9:04)
Meet Med Buddy: AI as a healthcare advocate in the room (13:34)
Advice for nonprofits hesitant about AI (18:07)
AI bias and ableism in large language models (22:04)
A generosity story: a mom who finally talked with her son (25:08)
One good thing: eat the water beetle (28:03)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/704

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703. People Power: How to Turn Volunteers Into Core Capacity - Sara Lomelin, Nicole Stewart, Nicole R. Smith, CVA, and Susan McPherson

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

We're living in the loneliest moment in modern history. And at the same time, people have never been hungrier for hope, for joy, for meaningful connection.

Your volunteers are at the center of that tension. And if you're not treating people power as a strategy, you're leaving your mission's most powerful asset on the table.

Recorded live at the We Are For Good Summit, this conversation brings together four extraordinary leaders: Susan McPherson, founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies and author of The Lost Art of Connecting; Nicole Stewart, Executive Director of Boston CASA; Nicole R. Smith, Executive Director of ALIVE, the National Professional Association for Leaders in Volunteer Engagement; and Sara Lomelin, CEO of Philanthropy Together.

In this episode, you'll hear:

What ALIVE's data shows about organizations that treat volunteers as strategy vs. afterthought: 80% more volunteers, 60% higher engagement, and donors who are twice as likely to give
Boston CASA's three non-negotiables for scaling a volunteer program without burning people out: exceptional training, strong supervision, and a mission-anchored culture
How to operationalize people power right now: from launching a giving circle to giving volunteers a role, not a receipt
Why skills-based volunteering is surging even as companies go quiet on CSR, and what that means for nonprofits

People are looking for hope. They're looking for joy. They're looking for meaningful connections. You are the one they've been waiting for. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

How volunteer expectations have shifted post-Covid (3:00)
People want belonging, not transactions (4:09)
Volunteers as your best marketing money can't buy (8:21)
Volunteers as ambassadors, donors, and storytellers (10:42)
Boston CASA's non-negotiables for scaling without burnout (16:37)
CSR in 2026: skills-based volunteering and what companies are doing quietly (22:58)
Operationalizing people power: giving circles, storytelling, clarity (24:11)

Episode Shownotes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/703

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702. Working Session: Planned Giving Without the Overwhelm - Pedro J. Rivera

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Pedro J. Rivera 👋 In 30 years at the intersection of law, philanthropy, and fundraising, he has launched three planned giving programs and raised $150 million for nonprofits and universities. In this Working Session, he's here to give you a clear entry point into planned giving, no matter where you're starting from.

In this Working Session, you'll hear:

How to talk about legacy giving in a way that feels natural
How to find your best planned giving prospects with data you already have
A 30-day action plan to move planned giving from overwhelming to doable

Episode Highlights:

What is planned giving, really? (0:21)
Why right now: The Great Wealth Transfer (3:18)
How to talk about legacy without making it weird (4:48)
Finding your best prospects: the 7-10 rule and more (5:50)
Weaving planned giving into what you're already doing (8:21)
The 30-day starter plan (12:05)
One Good Thing: stop assuming donors don't want to talk about this (14:07)

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let's get to work.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/702

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701. 93% of Funding Gone Overnight: A Case Study in Crisis Leadership - Jennifer Rupp

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

At 4am on April 3, 2025, Jennifer Rupp's phone wouldn't stop buzzing. 93% of Michigan Humanities' budget. Gone overnight. What happened next is a story about crisis leadership, radical transparency, and why connection isn't a soft strategy. It's the only strategy. 🙏

In this episode, you'll hear:

What Jennifer did in the first 24 hours after losing 93% of her budget, and why transparency was her most important tool
How she decided which programs to cut and which were non-negotiable (and the framework you can use to make those calls)
Why "when division is the crisis, connection is the strategy" isn't just a philosophy at Michigan Humanities, it's their entire operating model
Jennifer’s One Good Thing: flip the funding triangle. 85% of your money comes from individuals. Are you spending 85% of your time there?

This one's going to stay with you. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Meet Jennifer Rupp (00:48)
The 4am email that changed everything (09:44)
How federal humanities funding actually works (10:46)
The pivot: transparency, triage, and staying mission-aligned (13:55)
What programs fell and which were non-negotiable (17:09)
Crisis leadership lessons you can only learn by walking through it (22:28)
From front porches to back decks: why we've lost the art of gathering (25:15)
The Great Michigan Gathering: a three-year plan to rebuild community (26:43)
A powerful story of generosity in Jennifer's life (33:10)
Jennifer's One Good Thing: flip the funding triangle (35:05)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/701

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700. What 700 Episodes Have Taught Us About Generosity - Jon and Becky

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

700 episodes felt like the kind of moment that deserved more than a LinkedIn post and a few dancing emojis. So we sat down to talk about what this journey has taught us about generosity, the stories that haven't left us, and what we're still learning.

We're so grateful you're here. Come celebrate with us. 🩵

-Jon + Becky

Episode Highlights:

Two powerful stories of generosity we are still carrying with us (5:00)
The ripple effect and what generosity has taught us (10:00)
Low ego, high impact: what the best leaders share (15:00)
Jon and Becky’s One Good Things (19:00)

Say hi 👋
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699. How to Build a Mission That Outlasts You - Jeremy Bouman, RISE

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jeremy Bouman, Founder of RISE in Omaha 👋. Today, RISE operates in seven Nebraska prisons with a 90% graduate employment rate and a recidivism rate a third of the state average. And Jeremy has spent the last decade building a leadership team, a sabbatical policy, and a succession plan designed to outlast him.

In this episode, he breaks down exactly how, including the internal leadership academy, the innovation program open to every employee, and their newly approved sabbatical policy.

Plus: the story of a man serving a life sentence who donated $500 so someone else could take the same program that changed his life. 🩵

Tune in to hear:

What the "Inside Out" model actually looks like, and why starting the relationship inside prison, years before release, is the thing that makes everything else work
RISE’s human-centered internal policies, leadership academy, and innovation project + the impact on their team

Episode Highlights:

Meet Jeremy Bouman (00:38)
The Inside Out model: building trust before release (09:05)
70% system-impacted staff and why lived experience leads (09:05)
Founder-proofing: humility, culture, and getting out of the way (14:10)
The sabbatical policy and what happened when Jeremy took five weeks off (16:29)
Succession planning: Rise Leadership Academy and Rise Innovation Project (21:14)
Two generosity stories that say everything about this mission (27:29)
One good thing: visit a prison, practice second chance hiring (29:57)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/699

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698. Contagious Culture: Why Better People Build Better Organizations - Kyle S. King

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Kyle S. King started his nonprofit journey as a college junior, raised $100K, and never stopped. Eight books, a publishing company, a keynote career, and the Growth Alliance later — he's spent over a decade helping mission-driven organizations do the deeper work first: aligning leadership, tightening operations, and sharpening the stories that actually move donors to act. 💪

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why burnout isn't a wellness problem or a leadership problem — it's an organizational culture issue, and that distinction changes everything about how you solve it
The three pillars of "contagious culture" (kindness, community, capital) and why skipping step one means you'll never reach step three
The counterintuitive advice Kyle gives every leader who wants to grow: stop adding. Play defense first. Stop the leaks.

This conversation will challenge how you think about culture, leadership, and the small moments where real impact actually happens. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Meet Kyle King (00:41)
Roots: Sankofa and the backstory that built everything (3:15)
Contagious Culture: Kindness, Community, Capital (6:44)
The root cause mistake nonprofit leaders keep making (10:00)
Why burnout is an organizational culture problem (15:05)
Leading with heart when you're running on empty (20:00)
Play defense: building momentum by stopping the leaks (25:30)
The barbershop story and the $800 check (30:26)
One good thing: better people build better organizations (35:01)

Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/698

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697. How Team Rubicon Built a Movement of 200,000 Volunteers - Jeff Byard

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

"You don't manage volunteers. You have to inspire them."

Jeff Byard figured that out after 14 years in Alabama emergency management, six years as a senior leader at FEMA overseeing 185 presidential disaster declarations, and now as Chief Programs Officer at Team Rubicon — the disaster response organization with 200,000 Greyshirts deployed across the country and around the world.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why the shift from volunteer management to community building changes everything — and exactly how Team Rubicon made that shift at scale
How 3,500 volunteer leaders lead a Greyshirt nation of 200,000 — and what that organizational structure teaches every nonprofit leader
Jeff's One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good.

Episode Highlights:

Jeff's origin story: Marine Corps to FEMA (3:08)
Joining Team Rubicon and the "for impact" sector (6:36)
You don't manage volunteers — you inspire them (7:48)
What Team Rubicon does: 1,000 service projects a year (9:14)
Volunteer management vs. community building (12:00)
Veterans + "kick ass civilians": the 50/50 dynamic (14:51)
Making volunteers your core capacity at scale (16:13)
10 simultaneous operations in Hurricane Helene (16:51)
The philanthropy moment that made Jeff cry (20:55)
One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good (25:04)

Resources Mentioned:

Full Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/697

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696. Building Trust: The 3 Layers Every Nonprofit Leader Needs - Aila Malik

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Trust is not a soft skill. It's the whole job.

Today we're bringing you something special: Aila Malik's live keynote from the We Are For Good Summit, followed by a real-time coaching Q&A with our community.

Aila has spent nearly a decade working alongside nonprofit leaders at their most defining moments: leadership transitions, burnout, mergers, and organizational inflection points. Her firm has partnered with hundreds of organizations, and her framework for building trust has changed how leaders think about culture, credibility, and change.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why trust isn't a soft skill — and why treating it like one is silently breaking your organization
The three layers of trust (workability, credibility, vulnerability) and exactly where most leaders get stuck
How to rebuild trust after a leadership transition, a broken promise, or a loss of confidence
What Aila told a room full of summit attendees about why people resist change — and why the answer isn't strategy, it's safety

Episode Highlights:

The Sector as a Response to Broken Narratives (1:42)
The Three Layers of Trust (8:15)
Building Credibility (10:10)
The Vulnerability Layer (12:47)
Live Q&A: Trusting Funders and Long-Term Partners (17:33)
Navigating Trust in Organizational Transitions (20:00)
When Stakeholders Have Different Goals (24:27)
Trust Repair and Apology Tours (30:03)
What Young Organizations Should Know About Trust (33:47)
Middle Management as Trust Infrastructure (35:00)
Aila's One Good Thing (40:01)

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Aila + Venture Leader Collective

Full Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/696

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695. How to Build an Organization Ready for Its Biggest Moment - Sara LaBarge

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Sara LaBarge grew up on the Menominee reservation in Wisconsin, won a Gates Millennium Scholarship as a teenager, and went on to lead strategic partnerships at Native Forward Scholars Fund — the largest direct scholarship provider to Native students in the country. When MacKenzie Scott called (twice), their organization was ready. This conversation is about what that readiness actually looked like.

Native nonprofits receive less than 0.5% of all philanthropic funding. Native Forward has been building anyway — for 55+ years. And the frameworks Sara uses for partnerships, accountability, and trust-based giving are some of the most practically useful we've heard for any fundraiser navigating high-stakes funder relationships right now. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

What the "dreaming phase" looked like inside Native Forward after their first MacKenzie Scott gift — and how they moved from scarcity thinking to strategic deployment fast
How to identify true alignment with a partner before resources change hands, and why accountability to that alignment is what makes partnerships compound over time
How Native Forward is handling a 35% surge in scholarship applications while protecting 55+ years of mission integrity
Sara's One Good Thing: why passion alone isn't enough, and what discipline and alignment unlock

Episode Highlights:

Sara's origin story: growing up on the Menominee reservation (3:00)
Winning the Gates Millennium Scholarship (3:31)
What scholarships unlock beyond financial support (7:07)
The funding gap + MacKenzie Scott gifts (10:39)
Building readiness to absorb and deploy a gift at scale (13:03)
Strategic partnerships and the 35% surge in applications (15:25)
What authentic partnerships look like in practice (17:06)
Relationships as currency and values in action (20:15)
The philanthropy story that changed Sara (22:03)
One Good Thing: discipline and alignment (24:43)

Resources Mentioned:

Native Forward Scholars Fund
Yield Giving — MacKenzie Scott's giving platform and essays

Full Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/695

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694. Stop Scaling. Start Solving: What the Nonprofit Sector Gets Wrong About Growth - Eliza Blank

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Eliza Blank, the new CEO of The Farmlink Project 👋 We’re exploring what happens when a founder-CEO mindset collides with one of the most urgent food systems problems of our time.

Eliza bootstrapped and scaled The Sill from a single idea to 12 stores across seven markets and $25M raised. Now she's applying that same startup lens to Farmlink, which rescues and redistributes over a million pounds of food every week.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why Eliza's team talks about their own obsolescence every day, and what that mindset unlocks for mission-driven orgs
Why growth for growth's sake is a red flag, and how Farmlink thinks about scale vs. depth instead
How to build a community of fanatics around a cause most people don't even know exists yet

Episode Highlights:

From The Sill to Farmlink: Eliza's origin story (3:22)
What the startup model has to teach the nonprofit sector (6:14)
Brand building and community as a growth strategy (9:16)
Scale vs. depth: why Farmlink talks about its own obsolescence (13:19)
The Field Fellowship: investing in the next generation of food systems leaders (16:41)
One Good Thing: pick a lane and compound it over a lifetime (26:01)

Resources Mentioned:

Full Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/694

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693. Despair Is Paralyzing, Hope Is Galvanizing: Afdhel Aziz's Three-Step Playbook for Stories That Move People to Action

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Afdhel Aziz, founder of Good is the New Cool, to unpack why the way most nonprofits tell their story is quietly killing their impact, and what the new playbook looks like.

Afdhel has spent 30+ years advising brands like Disney, Coca-Cola, Gap, and Adidas on purpose-driven storytelling. But his most urgent work right now is closing the hope gap - a measurable 27% chasm between hope and despair in society, tracked by Yale. He believes nonprofits sit at the center of the solution. And he's here to show you exactly how to get there. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

The Yale data behind the 27% hope gap and a reframe for your whole team
A three-step storytelling playbook that any org can put to work immediately
How to reach the 90% of people who want to help but don't know where to start (hint: it's not another heavy documentary)

Episode Highlights:

Afdhel's origin story: From Sri Lanka to 30 years of brand storytelling (3:08)
Why "Good is the New Cool" - and why that message is more urgent than ever (5:01)
The 27% Hope Gap: What Yale's data tells us about where society is right now (6:53)
The 90/10 problem in nonprofit storytelling - and the shift that changes everything (12:57)
The Solutionaries: What impact storytelling can learn from Hollywood (19:09)
Activists vs. advocates + the three-step playbook: Hope → Wonder → Courageous Action (24:33)
Afdhel's One Good Thing: The top regret of the dying — and why authenticity is Afdhel's answer (32:41)

Resources Mentioned:

Explore Afdhel's work and connect
Choose Love
The Solutionaries
"Hope at Work" by Barbara Perry + Harry Hudson
"The Book of Hope" by Jane Goodall
"The Top Five Regrets of the Dying" by Bronnie Ware

Full Episode Landing Page: www.weareforgood.com/episode/693

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692. Working Session: How to Grow Your Online Giving - Josh Burns

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In this Working Session, Jon and Becky are joined by digital strategist Josh Burns to rethink how nonprofits approach online giving — moving beyond quick wins and into strategies that actually build momentum. Together, they explore why so many organizations feel stuck growing digital revenue and how a shift toward relationship-first thinking can unlock more sustainable, long-term results.

From understanding the “digital donor gap” to building a simple growth framework rooted in human behavior, you’ll learn how to align your digital presence with real-world connection — and turn passive audiences into engaged, giving communities.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Online Giving Starts With Human Connection — Not Conversion: Digital channels may be the medium, but people are the mission. Learn how to ground your strategy in empathy, proximity, and real relationships so your messaging resonates beyond the screen and inspires meaningful action.
Use a Simple Growth Framework to Guide Strategy: Break down your digital ecosystem into three key stages — awareness, consideration, and action — and understand how each channel (social, website, email) plays a role in moving supporters toward deeper engagement and giving.
Play the Long Game With Story + Community: From email nurture to community-building spaces, discover how consistent storytelling and intentional engagement create the trust that leads to higher conversion over time — not just one-off gifts.

This episode is packed with practical, low-lift ways to strengthen your digital presence — whether you’re just getting started with email, refining your storytelling, or rethinking how you engage donors online.

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let’s get to work.

Episode Highlights:

Understanding the “Digital Donor Gap” (04:47)
Why Data + Humanity Must Work Together (06:52)
Digital Should Drive Real-World Action (07:27)
Breaking Silos: Learning From Programs + Donors (10:30)
The Feel–Know–Do Storytelling Framework (13:19)
The Digital Growth Framework: Awareness → Action (14:47)
First-Party Data + Building Direct Relationships (18:10)
Community-Building as a Growth Strategy (20:14)
Playing the Long Game With Email + Story (23:11)
Tracking Metrics + Setting Realistic Goals (25:05)
One Good Thing: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone (30:02)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/692

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691. The Volunteer Strategy Gap (And How to Close It) - Nicole R. Smith, CVA

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Nicole R. Smith, CVA, Executive Director of AL!VE (Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement), to talk about what it really looks like to treat volunteers as a strategic powerhouse, not an afterthought.

Nicole has spent her career championing the people who champion volunteers, and she's here to close the gap between organizations that say volunteers are vital and the ones that actually build systems to prove it. 💪

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why volunteer engagement is a leadership issue, not just a logistics one
What structural elements every org needs to make volunteers a core capacity
The metrics most organizations are leaving on the table
How investing in your volunteer engagement professional changes everything

If volunteers have ever felt like an untapped superpower in your org, Nicole will help you see exactly what's possible—and where to start today. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Faith, Dance & Falling into Volunteer Engagement (02:29)
The Volunteer Strategy Gap: Vital but Under-Resourced (07:14)
Top-Down Support for Volunteer Managers (11:32)
Key Infrastructure: Training, Tech & Culture (15:59)
Hidden ROI: Capacity, Community & 3-6x Returns (24:35)
Nicole’s One Good Thing: Random Act of Kindness (Even for the "Undeserving") (36:45)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/691

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690. A Case Study in Building Trust and Authentic Partnerships - jacob adams, Inner Spark

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with jacob adams, founder of Inner Spark Learning Lab, to talk about what it looks like to challenge the nonprofit status quo. Instead of chasing scale and perfect metrics, Jacob is focused on something different: authentic partnerships, radical transparency, and building trust.

Together, they explore why nonprofits can’t always control outcomes—but we can own the learning, tell the truth about what’s working (and what isn’t), and how to build stronger relationships with funders and partners along the way.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why going deep instead of wide can lead to more meaningful impact
How jacob builds trust with funders
What authentic partnerships really look like in practice at Inner Spark
And why focusing on learning, not just outcomes, can transform the way we lead

If you’re a nonprofit leader navigating pressure to scale, prove impact, and get everything “right,” this conversation will feel both grounding and energizing. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

jacob’s Origin Story + Questioning the System (02:49)
Why Kids Don’t Want to Be in School (04:35)
Why Depth Beats Scale in Nonprofit Impact (06:24)
How Inner Spark’s Learning Labs Center Student Voice (07:08)
Why Radical Transparency Builds Trust in Fundraising (12:08)
How Feedback Loops Replace Rigid Outcomes (17:33)
jacob’s One Good Thing: Own the Learnings (26:45)

Resources:

Tune into Inner Sparks Podcast: innersparklab.org/podcast

jacob adams LI Post: We Didn't Hit Our EOY Campaign Goal

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/690

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689. No Human Is Illegal: Reclaiming the Immigration Narrative - Carmen Patlan, Center for Immigrant Progress

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Carmen Patlan, Executive Director of the Center for Immigrant Progress (CIP), to highlight how her organization is supporting immigrant families through a comprehensive, community-centered model.

CIP is advancing immigrant rights by connecting legal protection, health equity, civic engagement, and advocacy to help families live with dignity, safety, and opportunity.

In this episode, Carmen shares her own story of immigrating to the United States at seven years old—and how that lived experience now shapes the way CIP serves immigrant communities.

You’ll hear how the organization is:

Providing pro bono immigration assessments and legal guidance
Helping families create emergency preparedness plans
Offering mental health and wellness support for families experiencing trauma
Empowering immigrant leaders through civic engagement and leadership development

For nonprofit leaders, this conversation highlights what it truly looks like to build with community—not just for it—and reminds us that meaningful change often starts with something simple: listening, learning, and getting to know our neighbors.

Episode Highlights:

Carmen’s Immigration Story: Crossing the Border at Age Seven (02:51)
Why the U.S. Immigration System Is So Complex (07:23)
Building the Center for Immigrant Progress (13:27)
Living While Prepared, Not Living in Fear (16:05)
Why Immigrants Must Tell Their Own Stories (22:22)
What Real Allyship Looks Like in Immigrant Communities (25:03)
Carmen’s One Good Thing: Standing Shoulder to Shoulder (31:07)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/689

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688. Who Gets to Design Change? Power, Agency & Creating Sustainable Orgs - Chidi Asoluka, NewComm

Wed, 04 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today we're sitting down with Chidi Asoluka — founder and CEO of NewComm — to ask a question every nonprofit leader should be wrestling with: who actually gets to design change?

At NewComm, high school students manage real budgets, design real projects, and build networks most people don't access until much later in life. The lessons Chidi has learned building it are for every leader in this space.

He got out of his own head and into the heads of the people he was trying to impact. What he found there reshaped everything — his program, his systems, and his understanding of what it means to lead.

We dig into:

Why proximity beats expertise in designing real change
What funders get wrong when success has to look neat and linear
Why real authority — not just a seat at the table — changes everything
Plus the remarkable true story that drives everything Chidi does, and his simple mantra for leading with clarity in a noisy world.

Some conversations change how you see the work. This is one of them. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Chidi’s origin story: from Newark to Georgetown (2:35)
The $10,000 idea that sparked Newcom’s model (7:18)
The Net Gala: building social capital differently (12:57)
From consumers to builders: shifting student identity (14:45)
Killing your darlings: founder humility in action (17:36)
Proximity over white papers: rethinking philanthropy (20:15)
The hidden entrepreneurship of Gen Z (22:15)
Designing frictionless systems for access and growth (24:57)
A life-changing act of generosity (31:59)
One Good Thing: Do the next best thing (41:45)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/688

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687. The Path Forward: Leading With Purpose in 2026 - Seth Godin

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0600

This one is a grounding exhale.

Today, we’re bringing you a powerful conversation from the We Are For Good Summit with our friend Seth Godin — it's for anyone carrying the weight of leadership in uncertain times.

Because here’s the truth: uncertainty isn’t a season anymore. It’s the environment. And if you’re feeling the pressure, the risk, the emotional toll of caring deeply about work that matters… you are not alone.

Seth challenges us to rethink what risk really is (hint: it’s the feeling of risk that trips us up), why attachment fuels burnout, and how trust is built — and burned — through small, consistent actions. We talk about belonging and leadership, and about the courage it takes to stay in the arena when the outcomes aren’t guaranteed.

We also dig into:

How to innovate when nothing feels stable
Rebuilding trust through behavior, not branding
Using AI as a tool (without losing our humanity)
Communicating experimentation and risk to donors
Letting go of entanglements that keep us stuck
And why agency — not compliance — is the future

Seth reminds us that we didn’t sign up for perfect — we signed up to keep moving toward better. To feel the fear and move forward anyway, tell the truth, bring people together, and stay responsible to the work we care about. If you’re tired but still called, questioning but still committed, this conversation is for you. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Tribes & belonging: organizing the table you wish existed (4:42)
Burnout, attachment & the cost of caring (7:25)
Risk vs. the feeling of risk in nonprofit leadership (14:43)
AI, automation & why decisions—not tasks—are the real work (23:42)
Telling the truth inside your organization (32:30)
Communicating experimentation & risk to donors (33:50)
Agency in the age of AI: undoing indoctrination (37:21)
The lifeguard story: courage isn’t about credentials (27:59)
Seth’s One Good Thing: “Find the others. This is the point.” (39:30)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/687

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686. Learn, Serve, Explore: How Students of Service Is Shaping the Next Generation of Global Leaders - Amir Samandi

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Amir Samandi 🌎, founder of Students of Service (SOS) in San Antonio.

In this episode, Amir shares how one study abroad experience sparked a bold vision: to equip young people to become global citizens through service and international learning. What started as a leap of faith is now a thriving nonprofit shaping the next generation of empathetic, purpose-driven leaders.

This conversation is especially for founders and nonprofit leaders navigating growth, doubt, and sustainability.

You’ll hear:

Why courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s acting despite it
The two-question filter that guides every decision at SOS
How service and global learning are shaping Gen Z into purpose-driven changemakers
A reminder to trust the process, do the work, and surround yourself with people who believe in the mission

Episode Highlights:

Courage and community: moving forward despite fear (0:00)
Amir Samandi’s journey: multicultural roots and life-changing study abroad (2:42)
From State Department to classroom teaching: the spark for Students of Service (5:49)
Launching SOS: creating a nonprofit from scratch with community support (8:35)
Alumni impact and volunteer-driven growth (9:55)
Guiding principles for SOS: “Is it good for kids? Is it sustainable?” (17:28)
Preparing the next generation of leaders: empathy, agency, and hope (13:44)
Moments of philanthropy: students taking action to help others (20:19)
Amir’s One Good Thing: “Elevate the people around you to be their best selves; it makes the world a better place.” (22:54)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/686

Resources:

LinkedIn / Website /IG / Facebook

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685. Begin Again: Reclaiming the Nonprofit Sector as Essential, Not Supplemental - Analía Weber, La Familia

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today, Jon and Becky sit down with Analía Weber, Development Director at The Family Center / La Familia, to explore a bold paradigm shift for the nonprofit sector. One that begins with how we speak about ourselves.

Analia’s journey into fundraising didn’t follow a traditional path. A lifelong dancer and arts leader, she pivoted careers at 39 and stepped into nonprofit development with heart, courage, and a willingness to begin again. Now, less than four years later, she’s not only the Director of Development for a thriving, holistic family support organization — she’s chairing a regional nonprofit sector partnership and advocating for a 10-year movement to reposition nonprofits as trusted experts and essential community leaders.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why the language we use about “donors,” “nonprofits,” and “doing more with less” shapes power dynamics
How nonprofits can shift from being seen as supplemental to being recognized as experts at the decision-making table
The mindset of begin again — and why failure is part of the work
How La Familia funds the whole family through holistic, community-centered design
A dance-inspired framework for leadership: show up, pay attention, tell the truth, and don’t get attached to the results

If you’re a nonprofit leader navigating uncertainty, funding shifts, or systemic barriers, this episode is your reminder: you don’t have to have it all figured out. You get to begin again. And the sector’s transformation starts with us.

Episode Highlights:

From dancer to development leader (2:46)
Finding La Familia and community (4:05)
Inside La Familia’s holistic mission (7:49)
Funding the whole family (10:15)
Fundraising with dignity and new language (12:20)
A 10-year paradigm shift for the sector (16:01)
“Begin again” as a leadership mindset (19:25)
Analia’s Story of Philanthropy (26:00)
Analia’s One Good Thing: Compositional improvisation for everyday choices (26:34)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/685

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684. The Courage to Disappoint: Trust-Based Leadership for Nonprofits - Glennda Testone

Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

What does it really take to lead with courage in the nonprofit sector—especially when growth, complexity, and crisis collide?

In this powerful conversation, Jon and Becky sit down with Glennda Testone, CEO of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab and co-host of Nonprofits Are Messy, to explore what it means to lead with integrity, accountability, and heart. With more than 14 years as Executive Director of New York City’s LGBT Community Center—where she tripled the budget, led a $9M capital campaign, and guided the organization through transformational change—Glennda brings lived experience and hard-earned wisdom to the mic.

Together, they unpack:

How trust is built through transparency, vulnerability, and doing what you say you’ll do
Why accountability isn’t about fear management—but about strengthening mission and relationships
The mindset shift from “trying not to disappoint anyone” to deciding who you’re willing to disappoint
Practical tools for prioritizing when everything feels urgent
The power of community—and why going it alone is a leadership trap

If you’re navigating growth, wrestling with hard decisions, or feeling the weight of leadership, this episode is a reminder: you don’t have to do this alone. Trust is the work. Community is everything. And sometimes the most meaningful wins come from getting it right according to the right people.

Episode Highlights:

Glennda’s origin story and path to nonprofit leadership (2:41)
Leading through growth, complexity, and making mistakes (6:27)
Building trust and centering justice and connection (10:59)
Reframing accountability to build trust (16:58)
How to prioritize when everything feels urgent (21:23)
Learning to say no and let go of people-pleasing (25:47)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Glennda's career (28:15)
Playing the long game in fundraising relationships (32:31)
One Good Thing: Don’t go it alone in leadership (34:43)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/684

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683. Why Most Capacity Building Fails — and What Works Instead - Leona Christy, Catalyst Exchange

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Leona 🤝, founder and CEO of Catalyst Exchange. Leona’s vision is bold and timely: to transform how nonprofits and schools build capacity—so leaders aren’t trying to change the world with a shovel and a dream. Through flexible funding, trusted expertise, and community-centered partnerships, Catalyst Exchange is strengthening the systems and people behind lasting impact.

In this conversation, Leona shares her journey from India to the U.S., and how her experiences shaped a mission rooted in equity, agency, and trust. She challenges traditional, funder-driven models of capacity building and offers a more responsive, mission-driven approach that centers those closest to the work.

Join us for a powerful conversation about sharing power, resourcing resilience, and showing up—especially when it’s hard.

Learn:

Why traditional capacity building often fails—and how to redesign it around mission and community
The difference between “painkillers,” “vitamins,” and “vaccines” in strengthening organizations
How flexible funding models restore agency to nonprofit leaders
What effective, equitable capacity building looks like in practice
Why resourcing community-based organizations is critical for long-term ecosystem health
Leona’s personal journey from immigrant professional to sector innovator—and how it shapes her leadership today

Episode Highlights:

The Real Problem with Traditional Capacity Building (06:12)
From Program Funding to Systems Strengthening (07:45)
Capacity Advisors: Strategy, Therapy + Clarity (10:02)
Flexible “Wallet” Funding and Restoring Leader Agency (11:38)
Painkillers, Vitamins + Vaccines: A New Capacity Framework (16:05)
Place-Based Partnerships + Ecosystem Strength (14:52)
Mission-Driven, Responsive + Timely Capacity Building (20:58)
The Equity Gap in Capacity Resourcing (23:10)
Making the Case: Connecting Capacity to Fundraising Outcomes (26:18)
Moments of Generosity + Expanding Who Deserves Funding (29:42)
Leona’s One Good Thing: Show Up + Practice Perspective (32:52)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/683

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682. Shift 12 — Boards: You Are The Culture Carriers (How Boards and Staff Shape Leadership Together) - Nakia James-Jenkins

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today’s episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking the mindset and strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the full series at weareforgood.com/12shifts.

Shift 12 / Boards Are Culture Carriers

In this final episode of the 12 Shifts series, Jon and Becky close things out with a powerful conversation about boards, culture, and shared leadership — and they’re joined by the perfect voice to put a bow on it all.

They sit down with Nakia James Jenkins, people and culture leader, board chair of STEM From Dance, and partner at On-Ramps, to explore why boards aren’t just governance bodies — they’re culture carriers who shape trust, voice, and leadership, often without even realizing it.

Together, they unpack how boards and executive leaders co-create organizational culture, what it looks like to move beyond outdated, transactional board models, and how leaders can intentionally activate boards as authentic partners in mission, storytelling, and growth. Nakia shares hard-earned wisdom from across the nonprofit, public, and education sectors — plus real, practical ways leaders can redesign board engagement for today’s realities.

If you’re ready to reimagine your board as a source of trust, courage, and shared leadership — not just oversight — this conversation is your invitation.

Takeaways:

Why boards can only be true culture carriers when CEOs and executive directors create intentional space
How outdated board models limit trust — and what co-creation with boards really looks like
What healthy, values-aligned board and executive partnerships require in practice
How to activate board members beyond fundraising by clarifying expectations and “the ask”
Why onboarding, training, and ongoing relationship-building are essential to board effectiveness
How small wins, honest conversations, and shared stories unlock deeper board engagement

Episode Highlights:

Board Evolution: From Stable Funding to Strategic Redesign (07:37)
The Gap in Board Role Perception and True Influence (12:18)
Authentic Mission Connections Through Program Exposure (15:11)
Healthy Partnerships = Brené Brown's "Rumbling" (16:44)
Intentional Engagement Beyond Meetings (19:16)
Activating + Training Your Boards (20:30)
Activate with Specific Asks and Training (23:31)
Bring Programs to Boards for Storytelling Power (24:11)
Nakia's One Good Thing: Intentions, Space, Small Wins (27:03)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/682

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681. Shift 11 — Story as Infrastructure: How Narrative Shapes Culture + Drives Impact - Carolina García Jayaram

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today’s episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking the mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shifts

Shift 11 / Story as Infrastructure

In today’s episode, Jon and Becky welcome Carolina Garcia Jayaram, CEO of the Elevate Prize Foundation, for a reflective and forward-looking conversation on why story is no longer a communications tool — it’s essential infrastructure for mission and culture.

As attention fragments, trust erodes, and technology reshapes how people connect, Carolina invites nonprofit leaders to rethink storytelling as a relational practice rooted in humanity, proximity, and long-term investment. Together, they explore how centering people over issues, building trust-based relationships, and intentionally distributing stories can expand influence without sacrificing integrity.

Carolina shares insights from Elevate’s work at the intersection of philanthropy, media, and culture — from scaling visibility for proximate leaders to embracing AI in ways that deepen creativity rather than replace it. This episode is both a mindset shift and a practical invitation for leaders ready to treat story as something to protect, resource, and evolve from the inside out.

Episode Highlights:

People Over Issues: What Actually Moves Audiences to Action (03:45)
Trust → Relationship-Based Philanthropy (05:10)
Distribution as Strategy: Reaching Beyond the Choir (07:20)
Owning Platforms & Visibility (YouTube, Creators, Times Square) (08:45)
Case Study: Scaling Impact Through Story — Hannah Freed & Democracy Defenders (11:00)
Scaffolding Stories: Why Nothing Should Be One-and-Done (14:50)
Building Story Systems: Briefs, Libraries, and Iteration (16:30)
Low-Fi Tools That Make High-Impact Stories Possible (18:40)
Visibility = Fundraising: What the Data Shows (20:30)
AI, Creativity & Neurodiversity: Scaling Without Losing Humanity (23:35)
Carolina’s One Good Thing (25:50)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/681

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680. Shift 10 — Merge to Multiply: Scaling Impact Through Collaboration - Ananya Poddar

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shift 9 / Merge to Multiply

In today’s episode, Jon and Becky explore why collaboration is becoming a defining strategy for nonprofits seeking to protect mission and scale impact — and why the funding side of mergers and partnerships doesn’t get nearly enough airtime.

They’re joined by Ananya Poddar, Senior Associate at SeaChange Capital Partners, to unpack what it really takes to resource nonprofit collaboration — from shared infrastructure and strategic alliances to program transfers and full-scale mergers.

Ananya shares insights from the SeaChange–Lodestar Fund for Nonprofit Collaboration, including why neutral third-party support is often the missing ingredient, how leaders can build trust with funders and partner organizations, and what becomes possible when collaboration is treated as a fundable priority.

Episode Highlights:

Introduction to Nonprofit Collaboration (01:52)
SeaChange-Lodestar Fund for Nonprofit Collaboration (5:40)
Forms of Collaboration (07:00)
Building Trust with Partners (10:50)
Technical Assistance Funding (15:18)
Case Study: She's the First & Girl Rising Merger (16:23)
Cost Savings Example: Detroit Human Services Merger (20:10)
Case Study: Philly Food Rescue Program Transfer (21:22)
Motivations for Partnerships (23:57)
One Good Thing / Homework: Make yourself familiar with what opportunities exist. (29:00)

Dive Deeper:

She’s The First

Girl Rising

Episode 653: Nonprofit Mergers Aren’t a Last Resort—They’re a Strategic First Choice, She's The First and Girl Rising: Listen on Apple / Spotify

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/680

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679. Shift 9 — Trust Is The Work Now - Abby Falik

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today’s episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact.
Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking the mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shifts

Shift 9 / Trust Is the Work Now

In today’s episode, Jon and Becky welcome back Abby Falik, Co-Founder & CEO of The Flight School, for a grounding and expansive conversation on why trust is no longer a byproduct of good leadership — it is the work.

As institutions fracture, technology accelerates, and certainty feels harder to come by, Abby invites nonprofit leaders to rethink trust as a core leadership practice rooted in authenticity, courage, and inner alignment. Together, they explore what it looks like to lead without false certainty, release performative control, and build organizations that are worthy of trust — from the inside out.

Abby shares wisdom from her lifelong work in leadership formation, her experience building trust-based systems, and the guiding principles behind The Flight School to help leaders move from fear to flourishing. This episode is both a call inward and a call forward for leaders navigating rapid change while trying to stay human.

Episode Highlights:

The Importance of Trust in Leadership (02:30)
Trust as Core Work in a Fractured World (05:18)
Warning Signs of Losing Trust in Organizations (12:29)
Building Trust in Leadership (15:48)
Leading with Hope in Uncertain Times (18:13)
The Role of the Next Generation in Trust (21:51)
Abby’s One Good Thing (24:31)

Dive Deeper:

Comfortable with Uncertainty / Purchase Here

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/679

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678. Shift 8 — Creators Are Your Amplifiers: Build Trust Beyond Your Brand - Kathryn Baccash, TWLOHA

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today's episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shifts.

Shift 8 / Creators Are Your Amplifiers

In today’s episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Kathryn Baccash, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing at To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), for a powerful conversation about why creators aren’t just marketing channels — they’re relationship-driven partners who can extend trust, credibility, and impact far beyond what organizations can do alone.

Together, they unpack how TWLOHA has spent nearly two decades cultivating creators as collaborators rather than megaphones — prioritizing friendship over transactions, community over control, and long-term trust over short-term reach. Kat shares how creators function as core capacity inside TWLOHA’s storytelling ecosystem, how relationship-first partnerships have amplified their suicide prevention work, and why letting go of rigid expectations is often the unlock nonprofits are missing.

If you’re ready to rethink influence, move from staff-led to community-led storytelling, and build creator partnerships that actually scale trust in 2026, this episode is for you.

Takeaways:

Why creators should be treated as a core capacity, not a campaign add-on
How to build relationship-first creator partnerships rooted in trust and shared values
What it really means to give up control without losing your message
How creators help nonprofits scale impact through borrowed trust
Why community depth and engagement matter more than audience size

Episode Highlights:

Creators as a Core Capacity, Not a Nice-to-Have (2:15)
Relationship-First Creator Partnerships (4:40)
Borrowed Trust: Scaling Impact Through Creators (6:50)
Giving Up Control to Build Real Influence (12:40)
Why Community Depth Matters More Than Audience Size (21:30)
One Good Thing: Create Something Yourself to Build Empathy (29:30)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/678

TWLOHA

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677. Shift 7 — Volunteers as Core Capacity: Design Volunteer Systems for Growth - Jennifer Sirangelo

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shift 7 / Volunteers as Core Capacity

In today’s episode, Jon and Becky welcome back Jennifer Sirangelo, President & CEO of Points of Light — the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, mobilizing nearly 4 million volunteers across 32 countries.

Together, they explore why many nonprofit leaders are leaving capacity on the table — and how shifting from “volunteers as a nice-to-have” to “volunteers as core infrastructure” can accelerate strategy, deepen belonging, and drive sustainable growth. Jennifer shares practical examples (including a “board recruitment sprint”), how to spot the gaps volunteers can fill beyond program delivery, and why the volunteer experience must be digitally enabled to fit real life. You’ll also hear why the simplest lever still matters: people volunteer because they’re asked — and that invitation is fully in your control.

If you’re ready to treat participation like a strategy (not an afterthought) and build a volunteer engine for 2026, this one’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

Volunteers as Strategic Plan Accelerators (3:10)
The “Board Recruitment Sprint” + Activating Volunteer Leaders (9:20)
What’s Driving a Rise in Volunteer Interest + How to Respond (15:40)
Building Volunteer Infrastructure on a Lean Team (22:30)
Designing a Digitally-Enabled Volunteer Experience (30:10)
One Good Thing: Craft the Invitation That Gets People to Say Yes (37:45)

Dive Deeper:

pointsoflight.org - Sign up for Points of Light's monthly newsletter, packed with resources, trainings, and webinars.

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/677

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676. Shift 6 — The Modern Donor Journey: Modernize Individual Giving for Today’s Donor - Mike Duerksen & Dana Snyder

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shift 6 / Modernize Individual Giving for Today’s Donor

In today's episode, Jon and Becky welcome back Dana Snyder (Positive Equation) and Mike Duerksen (BuildGood) — for a practical, honest conversation about what’s changing in donor behavior and what to do about it in 2026.

Together, they unpack why the donor journey is no longer linear, why friction in your systems is more expensive than ever, and how monthly giving becomes a risk-mitigation strategy for stability. You’ll hear how the first 90 days create “memory structure” for donors, what Mike calls the “forgotten copy” that can make or break trust, and why making generosity visible again can help restore it as a social norm — at home and in your community.

If you’re ready to remove friction, build trust faster, and create an individual giving strategy that fits how donors actually live and decide in 2026, this one’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

Today's Shifts in Donor Behavior (3:00)
Designing a Donor Journey (10:30)
Auditing Individual Giving: First 90 Days, Donor Needs & Team Focus (17:30)
Case Studies (23:50)
Mike and Dana's Playbooks + How to Activate Today (28:20)

Dive Deeper:

The Monthly Giving Summit (Feb 25, 1:00PM - Feb 26, 4:00PM EST)

The Store

Homeboy Industries

Build Good Fundraising Podcast

Episode Shownotes: weareforgood.com/episode/676

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675. Shift 5 — Beyond the Prompt: AI Fluency is the New Digital Literacy for Nonprofits - Woodrow Rosenbaum, GivingTuesday + Elizabeth Kelly, Anthropic

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shift 5 / Beyond the Prompt: AI Fluency is the New Digital Literacy for Nonprofits

AI is everywhere right now and for a lot of nonprofit leaders, it feels equal parts exciting and overwhelming. In this episode, Woodrow Rosenbaum Chief Data Officer, GivingTuesday) and Elizabeth Kelly (Head of Beneficial Deployments, Anthropic) bring in a refreshing, human-first conversation about what it actually means to build AI fluency in the nonprofit sector.

This isn’t about becoming a prompt expert or chasing the latest tool. It’s about learning when AI can help, when it can’t, and how to use it responsibly in ways that strengthen trust, decision-making, and mission impact. Together, they unpack why AI fluency is quickly becoming the new digital literacy and how nonprofits can move forward without fear, hype, or burnout.

You’ll walk away with practical insights on how to:

Shift from “should we use AI?” to “how do we use it responsibly and well?”
Build AI fluency as an organizational muscle, not a one-time training
Start small with AI by improving one painful workflow at a time
Put guardrails in place around privacy, bias, and human review
Avoid using AI just to do the same work faster and instead focus on better outcomes
Create shared learning and trust so teams experiment without fear

If you’ve been waiting for permission to go slow, ask better questions, and lead with intention, this one’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

Understanding AI Fluency and Its Importance (02:17)
The Role of Data in Nonprofit AI Adoption (05:10)
Real-World Applications of AI in Nonprofits (07:40)
Launching Claude for Nonprofits (10:38)
Building Trust and Responsible AI Use (13:24)
Governance and Oversight in AI Implementation (16:27)
Elizabeth + Woodrow One Good Thing (22:54)

Dive Deeper:

AI Fluency Course (Anthropic)

Fundraising.ai

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/675

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674. Shift 4 — Capacity Isn’t Extra: Build Your Foundation for Sustainable Growth - Brooke Richie-Babbage

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shift 4 / Capacity is the Strategy.

Stability isn’t something you earn once you’re “big enough” or “finally staffed up.” It’s something you design on purpose—or you pay for it later in burnout, panic fundraising, and house-of-cards vibes.

In this episode, Brooke Richie-Babbage is back to flip the script on what capacity really means. Capacity is about changing the conditions under which your work happens, so the how of the work gets easier, less fragile + way more sustainable.

We’re talking broken mugs, creaky floors, cash cliffs, “build years” vs. “growth years,” and why “stability is a leadership choice” might be the most freeing (and challenging) mindset shift you make in 2026. If you’ve ever thought, “We’ll feel stable when we finally _______,” this episode’s your loving interruption.

You’ll walk away with clarity + next steps to build real capacity, including how to:

Redefine capacity + stability as design problems, not personal failures
Narrow priorities + clean up decision-making so everything stops bottlenecking at the leader
Build stability through simple financial + operational rhythms (not just more hires)

Episode Highlights:

Understanding Capacity and Its Importance (02:59)
Defining Capacity: Reducing Fragility (05:43)
Designing for Stability in Organizations (08:24)
Shifting Mindsets: From Growth to Depth (11:28)
The Role of Community in Capacity Building (14:28)
Practical Steps to Build Capacity (17:02)
Real-Life Examples of Capacity Building (19:40)

Dive Deeper:

Episode 614: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/614

Episode 464: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/463

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673. Shift 3 — People Leave: Make Transition Readiness Part of Your Culture - Naomi Hattaway

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shift 3 / Build for Health (People + Systems)

People Leave™ — and in 2026, the pace and intensity of transition is accelerating. In this episode, Naomi Hattaway, interim leader and organizational health builder, shares what it actually takes to build nonprofit health through uncertainty before someone resigns. We talk about the hidden fragility that uncertainty exposes (founder dependency, undocumented roles, disengaged boards), and the practical foundations that help teams stay aligned when everything feels on fire.

You’ll walk away with concrete tools for transition readiness, including how to:

Treat turnover as normal — not a crisis — so you plan for departures instead of getting blindsided
Build real financial resilience with reserves and budgets that account for searches, interims, and transition support
Create simple documentation so critical knowledge isn’t trapped in one person’s head
Grow “endings literacy” by talking openly about departures, loss, and what it means to leave well
Center humanity in hard moments with grief-aware practices, dignified layoffs, and stay interviews

Because healthy systems don’t stop people from leaving — they make it possible for people to leave well.

Episode Highlights

Understanding Uncertainty in 2026 (02:06)
Proactive vs Reactive Approaches (05:39)
The Importance of Infrastructure (07:54)
Endings Literacy: Navigating Transitions (13:30)
Creating a Culture of Grief and Loss (22:00)
Leaving Well: The Art of Transition (28:26)
Human-Centered Change in High-Stress Environments (31:25)
Naomi’s One Good Thing (35:07)

Dive Deeper:

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/673

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672. Shift 2 — Communication to Connection: The Reconnection Era - Susan McPherson

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Shift 2 / Communication to Connection: The Reconnection Era

Ever felt that ache of reaching out endlessly, yet still standing alone in a crowded room? You're not alone, true connection is the heartbeat nonprofits are missing right now.

In this episode of Shifts in 2026, Susan McPherson, author of The Lost Art of Connecting and Founder + CEO of McPherson Strategies—returns with her signature warmth and wisdom to explore the deeper meaning of connection in today’s world. Together, they dive into the "reconnection era," shifting nonprofits from communication overload to dialog that rebuilds trust, sparks belonging, and tackles the loneliness epidemic head-on.

Susan shares eye-opening stats, candid truths on AI's limits, and a heartfelt playbook—from leading with twice-as-much listening and empathy, to simple local salons, skills-based volunteering, and brave vulnerability. It's honest, hilarious, and that rare human spark that leaves you lighter and ready to show up differently.

If you're craving deeper ties with your team, donors, and community, this one's pure gold.

Episode Highlights:

Understanding Loneliness and Disconnection (04:25)
Evolving Perspectives on Connection (12:11)
Shifting from Communication to Connection (15:41)
Actionable Steps for Nonprofit Leaders (24:06)
Susan’s One Good Thing + Homework (25:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.wearforgood.com/episode/672

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671. Shift 1 — Metrics With Meaning: Make Better Decisions With Less Noise - Ori Carmel

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600

Today's episode launches our 12-part series 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over the next twelve episodes we're unpacking mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shifts.

Shift 1 / Metrics with Meaning: Make Better Decisions with Less Noise

Feeling buried under dashboards and drowning in data? You’re not alone, and there is a better way.

In this episode, Jon and Becky welcome back impact measurement expert Ori Carmel for a refreshingly honest conversation about shifting from “more data” to better decisions. Together, they unpack how nonprofits can move past performative reporting, reconnect with what truly matters, and focus on the metrics that actually drive mission-forward impact.

Along the way, Ori shares candid stories, practical frameworks, and even a little Pearl Jam, reminding us that impact work is as human as it is analytical. From uncovering your organization’s unique strengths to making data feel less overwhelming (and more empowering), this episode is full of clarity, wisdom, and a few good laughs.

If you’re craving less noise and more meaning in how you measure success, this one’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

Data Reckoning in Nonprofits (02:00)
The Challenge of Impact Reporting (04:43)
Asking Better Questions (08:54)
Building Metrics with Meaning (18:36)
What to Stop Doing in Data Management (23:39)
The Importance of Stakeholder Mapping (30:28)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/671

Explore the full series at www.weareforgood.com/12shifts

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670. The Power of the Pause: A New Year Self-Sync + Reflection - Jon, Becky, and Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

This episode is a year-end exhale.

Becky + Jon are joined by the incredible Lindsey Fuller for a cozy, heartfelt conversation as we gently close out 2025 and look toward a more grounded, intentional 2026. Together, we pause to reflect, breathe, and reconnect with what really matters.

Lindsey brings honest wisdom on navigating burnout, the constant noise of the world, and why hope and genuine community aren’t optional—they’re essential. You’ll hear what self-care actually looks like (hint: it goes way beyond bubble baths), plus a refreshing take on the messy-but-beautiful work of healing together.

Expect laughter, real talk, a few surprise shout-outs, and plenty of encouragement to step into the new year with clarity, intention, and peace. If you’re craving a reset—or just a reminder you’re not alone—this one’s for you 👊

Episode Highlights:

Introducing Lindsey Fuller & Community Impact (02:04)
Navigating Noise, Burnout, and Critical Hope (02:30)
Belonging, Transitions, and Recognition (03:46)
Coalition Building & the 2026 Vibe (05:50)
Critical Hope and Being Yourself (07:39)
Harm Reduction, Connection & Job Market Realities (09:52)
The Power of Self Sync & New Year Intentions (11:52)
Consistency in Self-Care and Recovery (17:25)
Designing Recovery with Intention (20:26)
The Ugly Side of Healing (22:17)
Healing Out Loud & Community Ripple Effects (24:33)
Special Message from Amina Mohamed (25:30)
Collective Healing and Peaceful Intentions (27:53)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/670

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669. How to Build Trust With Funders (and Know When to Walk Away) - Gloria Dixon

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Trust isn’t built in boardrooms, it’s built in community.

In this episode, Gloria Dixon (Director of Philanthropy + Executive Director, BECU Foundation) joins us for a real talk on what it takes to share power and reimagine funding through a trust-based lens. From her journey in Milwaukee to leading community-centered giving in the Pacific Northwest, Gloria opens up about what’s shifting in philanthropy and what still needs to.

Together, they dig into why multi-year, unrestricted support matters, how authentic relationships drive impact, and what it means to show up with empathy (not just reports and metrics). It’s hopeful, heart-forward, and packed with practical wisdom for anyone navigating the changing landscape of nonprofit funding.

Episode Highlights:

Sector Challenges and Funding Changes (00:51)
Gloria's Background and Upbringing (03:18)
Disconnects Between Funders and Nonprofits (05:57)
BECU’s Community-Focused Funding Approach (08:09)
Multi-Year Funding Importance (10:32)
Funding Friction and Reporting Challenges (14:17)
Trust-Based Partnership Practices (17:58)
Employee Engagement and Community Impact (20:53)
Advice for Nonprofits: Building Trust (23:11)
Gloria’s Personal Story of Philanthropy (25:38)
Gloria’s One Good Thing (29:07)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/669

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668. Merge to Multiply: How a Purposeful Sunset Expanded Community Impact - Desiree Lyons, Namaste Direct + Kate Flatley, Women's Justice Initiative

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Sunsetting isn’t failure—it’s leadership.

In this episode, Becky sits down with Desiree Lyons, CEO of Namaste Direct, and Kate Flatley, Executive Director of the Women’s Justice Initiative, for an honest conversation about what it really looks like to put community at the center—even when it means changing or ending your own model. Together, they share how Namaste Direct made the difficult decision to sunset with integrity and why transitioning its economic empowerment program to WJI became a powerful unlock for greater, more sustainable impact for women in Guatemala.

This conversation challenges the idea that success in the nonprofit sector is always about scale and growth—and offers a practical look at how merging, evolving, and ending well can be an act of responsibility, courage, and mission-first leadership.

Episode Highlights:

Kate’s Path to Guatemala and Law (02:04)
Women’s Justice Initiative Mission and Impact (03:06)
Namaste Direct’s Mission and Challenges (05:29)
Turning Point: Rethinking Microfinance and Debt (09:36)
Sunsetting and Succession: Strategic Decisions at Namaste (15:21)
Reaching Out: Collaboration and Merger with WJI (20:55)
Advice for Nonprofits: Mergers, Sunsets, and Impact (26:16)
One Good Thing: Final Thoughts and Reflections (31:58)
How to Connect and Closing Remarks (33:19)

www.weareforgood.com/episode/668

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667. Working Session: How to Tell Stories That Drive Action with Jon and Becky

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

In this rapid-fire Working Session, Jon and Becky break down storytelling as a core nonprofit skill — not a marketing tactic — and share simple, practical frameworks you can use immediately.

From clarifying your values and audience to collecting and activating stories more intentionally, you’ll learn how to move supporters from empathy → connection → action and build a storytelling system that drives trust, belonging, and long-term engagement.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Story Drives Action — Not Tactics: People don’t act until they feel something, and they don’t stay until they feel like they belong. Learn how to anchor your storytelling in empathy, identity, and shared humanity so your calls to action actually land.
Build a Simple Storytelling System: From collecting stories at the end of emails and donation forms to syndicating one story across multiple channels, you’ll learn how to turn storytelling into a repeatable workflow — not a one-off creative lift.
Tell Stories With Dignity and Trust: Ethical storytelling isn’t about rules — it’s about relationships. Centering dignity, consent, and agency protects the people behind the stories, strengthens credibility, and builds the kind of trust that fuels long-term community and generosity.

This episode is packed with practical, low-lift storytelling moves you can implement today — whether you’re writing an email, planning content, onboarding new supporters, or stewarding long-term relationships.

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let’s get to work.

Episode Highlights:

Story as Meaning, Not Marketing (01:24)
Preparing for Storytelling: Values, Audiences, and Action (03:07)
Building a Culture of Storytelling (04:26)
Ethical Storytelling Principles (06:10)
Introducing the Impact Arc Framework (08:05)
Practical Working Session Activities (11:42)
Community as the Accelerant for Storytelling (15:04)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/666

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665. Working Session: Activate Your Board + Grow Your Pipeline with Rhea Wong

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

If year-end fundraising feels like an all-gas-no-brakes sprint, this Working Session is your moment to regroup, refocus, and rally your strongest allies. We brought in fundraising expert and author Rhea Wong for a rapid-fire strategy session on two mission-critical moves: activating your board before December 31 and turning year-end gifts, signals, and conversations into a predictable 2026 pipeline — in under 30 minutes.

Rhea walks us through her signature approach to board engagement and donor outreach: one rooted in clarity, specificity, and creating micro-yes moments that move relationships forward.

You’ll learn how to give board members turnkey actions they’ll actually complete, how to structure two-call closes for warm prospects, and how to use January to set up a smarter, stronger pipeline for the entire year.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Your Board Is Your Force Multiplier: Stop sending blanket emails. Start giving individuals clear, specific, low-friction tasks — from making their own gift to nudging warm contacts to posting on LinkedIn. Activated intentionally, your board becomes your most powerful surface-area expander.
December Is for Decisions: Rhea breaks down her two-step outreach process — the R for R.O. (Reason for Reaching Out), the alignment call, the opportunity call, and the art of making a clear ask and then staying quiet.
January Is Your Pipeline Launchpad: Retention workflows, short donor surveys, micro-engagement signals, and a simple “schedule time with me” link in your email signature can dramatically increase donor conversations. Plus her favorite January homework: donor interviews that build your 2026 avatar and deepen relationships with zero solicitation pressure.

This episode is packed with low-lift, high-impact tactics to help you close strong this year — and build a donor pipeline that carries you confidently into the next.

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let’s get to work.

Episode Highlights:

Four Quick Board Actions for Year-End Fundraising (00:58)
Getting Your Nonprofit and Board Members on LinkedIn (03:39)
Making Board Engagement Fun & Effective (04:01)
Removing Friction: Scripts, Emails & Turnkey Tasks (05:08)
How to Move Unengaged Board Members to Action (05:39)
December is for Decisions: Triage Your Donor List (08:08)
The Two-Call Strategy for Major Gift Closes (09:10)
0:12:06 – Handling Objections & Building Consent at Every Step
What to Do in January: Retention & Stewardship (14:25)
Using Surveys & Engagement Data to Build Your Pipeline (15:16)
Hot Prospect Lists & Calendar Link Pro Tips (17:43)
Donor Interviews: Building Avatars & Deepening Relationships (18:15)
Final Reflections, Resources, and Closing (19:27)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/665

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664. Working Session: Build Your Next Two Weeks of Content in 1 Hour - Julia Campbell

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

If creating content feels like a treadmill you can’t quite step off, this Working Session is your reset button. We brought in nonprofit marketing expert and author Julia Campbell to teach you how to build a simple, sustainable content calendar for your next two weeks — in under an hour.

Julia walks us through her signature approach to content planning: one rooted in clarity, consistency, and choosing the platforms that actually support your goals. You’ll learn how to identify your core content buckets, repurpose stories across channels, and build a weekly rhythm that doesn’t burn you out.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Build Around Four Buckets: Impact, Engagement, Authority, and Human-Centered content give you a reliable weekly structure. When your buckets are clear, your content becomes far easier to plan.
Work With Your Capacity, Not Against It: If you can’t build your content calendar in an hour, you're probably on too many platforms. Julia breaks down how to evaluate where your audience truly is, what each channel does best, and how to double down without overwhelm.
Stories Are Your Anchor: One strong story each week — with a hook, emotional resonance, and mission clarity — can power multiple posts across multiple channels. Storytelling is the breadcrumb trail that leads supporters toward deeper understanding (and engagement).

This episode is packed with low-lift, high-clarity tactics to help you show up consistently — without reinventing your content strategy every week.

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let’s get to work.

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663. Working Session: LinkedIn Strategies for Year-End with Tania Bhattacharyya

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

If you want to show up meaningfully during the most generous—and most crowded—season of the year, LinkedIn may be your most overlooked year-end fundraising tool. We brought in LinkedIn strategist Tania Bhattacharya of Lumos Marketing to unpack how nonprofits can use the platform to grow visibility, spark connections, and strengthen warm relationships in the final weeks of the year.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Turn Gratitude Into Visibility — Year-end is the perfect moment to spotlight partners, volunteers, and community moments. Tagging people and companies creates a ripple effect that expands reach, builds trust, and even opens doors to corporate giving.
Use Polls to Listen, Not Just Ask — Simple LinkedIn polls help donors and supporters engage without pressure—especially the “lurkers.” Asking what issues matter most gives you insight, follow-up opportunities, and content direction right when you need it.
Lead With Humans, Not Just Logos — Personal profiles outperform company pages every time. Activate a visible leader, board member, or champion to share authentically, and use DMs, voice notes, and quick check-ins to nurture relationships before December 31.

This episode gives you low-lift, high-impact ways to leverage LinkedIn in the final stretch—without burning out or reinventing your entire strategy.

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let’s get to work.

Episode Highlights:

Harnessing the Ripple Effect with Volunteer Stories (03:01)
Engaging with LinkedIn Polls (06:00)
Building Connections through Direct Messaging (09:00)
Personal vs. Organizational Posting (11:59)
Importance of Personal Branding (12:00)
Leveraging LinkedIn Direct Messages (14:49)
Year-End Strategies on LinkedIn (15:00)
Practical Tips for Ongoing Connection (16:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/662

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Gather At The Well: Is Your Workplace Actually Toxic? Self-Study, Burnout + the Courage to Stay or Go - Elandria Jackson Charles, Lindsey Fuller, and Naomi Hattaway

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Feeling worn down by work or wondering if your burnout is more than just stress? You’re not alone.

In this episode, Lindsey Fuller is joined with Elandria Jackson Charles and Naomi Hattaway for a heartfelt conversation about how our jobs impact our wellbeing—and what to do when things start to feel overwhelming. Together, they explore real stories of burnout and offer gentle, practical tools for tuning into your own needs.

Tap into how to recognize the difference between everyday discomfort and true harm, plus find fresh ways to rest and even reclaim joy amid the daily grind. Whether you’re considering a career shift, dreaming of consulting, or simply hoping to feel more balanced, this conversation will support you and give you thoughtful steps to move forward.

Episode Highlights

Exploring Self-Study and Burnout (02:57)
The Importance of Nature and Grounding (05:31)
Navigating Personal and Professional Seasons (08:22)
Tools for Self-Care and Recovery (10:43)
The Role of Agency in Time Management (13:47)
Creating Protected Time for Wellbeing (16:54)
The Power of Naming and Noticing (19:43)
Zoom Out Somatic Practice (22:50)
Understanding Workplace Dynamics (27:32)
Differentiating Misalignment, Dysfunction, and Toxicity (28:49)
Navigating the Transition to Consulting (35:20)
Naomi and Elandria’s Affirmations (43:12)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/toxicworkplace

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662. Working Session: Make Your Year-End Emails Stand Out with Caroline Griffin

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600

If you want your year-end emails to stand out in the noisiest inbox season of the year, this Working Session is your new playbook. We brought in marketer and dynamic-content expert Caroline Griffin to break down the simple personalization shifts that make every donor feel seen—so your emails land, resonate, and inspire action.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Make Personalization Actually Personal — Go beyond “Hi {{ first_name }}.” Use giving history, donor status, or meaningful milestones to help supporters recognize their own impact—and feel connected to your mission.
Segment Smarter, Not Harder — Data not perfect? No problem. Segmentation by donor behavior (last gift, last year, lapsed, monthly) allows you to tailor messages without relying on risky merge fields.
Honor Donors by Adjusting Your Messaging — Once someone gives, they shouldn’t keep receiving asks during year-end. Excluding recent donors, or swapping in a gratitude version, strengthens trust and donor love.

This episode digs into practical, approachable ways to bring more humanity and relevance to your year-end email strategy—no fancy tech required.

Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let’s get to work.

Episode Highlights

Why Dynamic Content Is the Nonprofit Email Superpower No One’s Using (01:11)
Beyond Merge Tags: Getting Creative With Donor Personalization (02:23)
Using Giving History and Impact Data to Deepen Donor Relationships (03:13)
Re-engaging Lapsed Donors Through Smart Dynamic Content (04:33)
Data Accuracy Tips: What to Do When Merge Tags Go Wrong (05:10)
Segmenting Donors Based on Recent Giving Activity (06:21)
The Donor-Respect Rule: Excluding Recent Givers From Appeal Emails (07:39)
Automating Segmentation and Exclusions in Your Email List (08:52)
Seeing Year-End Emails Through the Donor’s Eyes (09:59)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/662

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661. Working Session: Closing Major Gifts with Courage with Julie Ordoñez

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

If you need to close major gifts in the next five weeks, this Working Session is your new game plan. We brought in major gifts coach and CourageLab founder Julie Ordoñez to break down exactly who to ask, what to say, and how to step into these conversations with more courage, clarity, and conviction—especially during giving season.

Top 3 Takeaways:

Focus Beats Frenzy: Stop trying to reach everyone. Warm prospects—the people who’ve expressed support, encouragement, or interest in the last 3–6 months are the ones most primed to say yes right now.
Courage Isn’t a Feeling, It’s an Action: Planning isn’t the work. Asking is. Discomfort is normal - and moving through it is the path to major gifts.
Ask for More, With Less Guesswork: Vague asks create homework for donors. Clear, specific asks make giving easier and speed up decisions. When in doubt, ask for more than feels comfortable—and let humility guide the conversation.

You'll leave this session with practical mindset shifts and scripts you need to move relationships forward today.

Let’s get to work.

Episode Highlights

How to Identify Your Warm Prospects (01:29)
Engaging Raving Fans and Supporters (05:38)
How to Build Courage to Make the Ask (09:04)
How to Ask for a Specific Amount (12:20)
Julie’s One Good Thing (15:26)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/661

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660. Working Session: How to Grow Monthly Donors with Dana Snyder

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

If you want to raise more monthly gifts at year-end, this Working Session is your new playbook. We’re breaking down the simple changes that make recurring giving more visible, more compelling, and easier for your supporters to say yes to.

Top 3 Takeaways:

1. Make Monthly Giving Impossible to Miss — Clear, separate buttons for one-time and monthly gifts can increase conversions by up to 45%.

2. Lead With Monthly Giving at Year-End — Put recurring giving front and center in your year-end messaging so supporters actually choose it.

3. Test Fast, Learn Fast — Small orgs have the advantage. Simple experiments in copy, ads, or donor journeys can unlock major monthly giving growth.

This episode kicks off our new Working Sessions series — hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.

Let’s get to work.

Episode Highlights:

The Missed Opportunity: Not Asking for Monthly Gifts (00:42)
Making Monthly Giving Visible: Website & Button Optimization (02:43)
Reframing Annual to Monthly Giving (03:17)
Success Story: Turner Syndrome Foundation’s Campaign (06:10)
Working Session: Analyzing and Optimizing Current Plans (07:35)
The Power of Strategic Website & Form Copy (08:14)
Setting Accessible Monthly Gift Amounts (08:51)
Humanizing Donor Communications (09:57)
“Mind Movies”: Relatable, Impactful Storytelling (11:11)
Practical Donor Engagement Tips for Email Outreach (12:10)
Dana's One Good Thing: Team Engagement Exercise (13:38)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/660

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Gather At The Well: Re-Entry Without the Burnout: Return from Rest with Rhythm, Not Rush - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

We know that gut-punch feeling when your time off ends and the peace you just earned starts draining away before Monday even hits. We've all been there.

Here’s the thing: Returning to work shouldn't feel like a rush that undoes your rest.

This week Lindsey is pulling back the curtain on how she makes rest non-negotiable, even after a big pause like an eight-week micro sabbatical. She's not just sharing ideas; she’s giving you the blueprint to design a mindful reentry, a process that is actually a nourishing ritual. Listen as she grounds her approach in the theme of Recovery as a Design Principle, sharing concrete examples from her own eight-week micro sabbatical to show you how to truly honor your rest instead of undoing it.

It’s time to move past rigid "work-life balance" and embrace Work-Life Integration, designing flow that honors your mission and your humanity, choosing rhythm over rush.

Episode Highlights:

Lindsey’s Personal Approach to Returning After a Break (01:40)
Five Key Re-Entry Rituals for Sustainable Return (06:28)
Grounding Yourself: Jill’s 54321 Somatic Practice (10:08)
Using the Parasympathetic System to Rest in Motion (12:22)
Shifting from Work-Life Balance to Work-Life Integration (16:00)
Actionable Homework for Designing Your Re-Entry (21:46)
Reflective Journaling and Affirmations for Integration (22:07)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/restwithrhythmnotrush

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659. How to Design Impactful Programs with Dignity (Melissa Helmbrecht)

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Melissa Helmbrecht 🤝, the CEO of Give Back. Founded by Bob Carr, this organization is rewriting what opportunity looks like for young people who've faced the hardest circumstances—from homelessness to abuse. In this episode, Melissa shows us the deep, lasting impact of true mentorship and the power of a supportive community.

Melissa shares how Give Back helps students not just survive, but truly thrive as leaders through comprehensive scholarships, dedicated coaching, and mentorship. We dive into Bob Carr’s inspiring legacy, whose mission of giving grew from a $250 scholarship he once received, now creating powerful systems of dignity for the next generation.

This episode is a testament to belief, the power of second chances, and in the extraordinary power of what happens when we create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and free to become who they were meant to be.

Episode Highlights:

Melissa's Formative Journey (05:00)
The Story of Give Back (07:00)
The Power of Small Acts of Kindness (07:23)
Empowering the Counted Out (10:06)
Reframing Identity and Potential (12:42)
Programs Centered in Dignity (15:30)
Building Trust and Consistency (18:10)
Stories of Transformation (21:09)
The Power of Lived Experience (22:32)
Bridging Generations in Philanthropy (25:49)
Transforming Adversity into Opportunity (28:22)
Melissa’s One Good Thing (30:21)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/659

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658. How a Student-Led Movement Sparked Global Change at Atlanta International School - Veronica McDaniel + Alice Abreu

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Veronica, the dedicated teacher and guiding force, alongside Alice, the passionate Senior at Atlanta International School (AIS) and Co-President of AIS Against Human Trafficking.

AIS Against Human Trafficking is a dynamic, student-led initiative dedicated to raising awareness and mobilizing action against human trafficking through education, powerful storytelling, and global partnerships. This story represents the heart-wired generation students who are actively using their empathy and digital fluency to drive monumental societal change 🩵

Listen in to learn how this inspiring group has strategically teamed up with major global players like CNN and built a network with other international schools, transforming a local initiative into an undeniable global force. Their campaigns are a masterclass in resilience and creativity, showing the world what happens when Gen Z’s passion for justice is unleashed 🌱

Episode Highlights

Empowering Students Against Human Trafficking (02:14)
The Journey of Veronica McDaniel in Nonprofit (10:24)
The Impact of Youth Voices in Activism (16:27)
Harnessing Youth Energy for Change (21:06)
Building a Content Engine for Advocacy (22:51)
The Power of Consistency in Messaging (25:29)
Inspiring Action Through Awareness (26:47)
Intergenerational Learning and Relationship Building (29:17)
The Impact of Generosity and Empathy (32:48)
Alice’s One Good Thing: Real change starts with empathy and listening (35:49)
Veronica’s One Good Thing: Building and Maintaining Relationships (36:39)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/658

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657. Championship Culture Meets Community Impact: The OKC Thunder Story - Erin Oldfield

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Erin 🤝, Vice President of Community Engagement and Executive Director of the Thunder Community Foundation. In this episode, we explore the story of the OKC Thunder’s meaningful impact far beyond the basketball court. While celebrating their first NBA championship is certainly exciting, Erin shows us how the team’s success has become a grounded catalyst for community philanthropy in Oklahoma City 💙

Erin offers thoughtful insights into her journey and how the Thunder builds a lasting legacy, prioritizing sustainable work over fleeting headlines. We explore fantastic initiatives like the Rolling Thunder Book Bus and local court projects. This story shows us the strength found in authentic partnerships and shared values, which are the essential ingredients for creating real, positive change.

Tune in as Erin shares a look at utilizing a large platform as a megaphone for positive stories and true community betterment. The episode is filled with transformative examples of intentional kindness and collaboration, offering valuable and encouraging insights into how purpose-driven work quietly strengthens our communities 🎧

Episode Highlights:

Erin Oldfield's Journey to Community Engagement (02:21)
The Thunder's Role in Oklahoma's Community (04:58)
Thunder Community Foundation: Programs and Impact (07:57)
Building Lasting Partnerships for Community Good (10:48)
Stories of Generosity and Philanthropy (18:24)
Advice for Sustainable Community Engagement (24:48)
Erin’s One Good Thing: Lifting Up Educators (29:17)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com.com/episode/657

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Gather At The Well: Turn Down the Volume - Boundaries, Stress, and the Architecture of Recovery - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Turn Down the Alarm, Tune Into the Signal.

That feeling of stress isn't a sign you're broken—it's your body's brilliant security system asking for your attention. It's a powerful signal that, when truly heard, guides you directly to deeper self-care and genuine resilience.

That nagging feeling of stress? It's simply your nervous system alarm stuck on full blast. It isn't a failure; it’s a profound signal gently inviting you to tend to your deepest needs.

Step in with us to embrace the art of regulation, not resistance. Lindsey shares her comforting guidance on how to actively turn down that volume and truly tune into your body’s quiet wisdom. You'll learn to craft healthy boundaries—those kind, firm limits that protect your precious energy and bring immediate calm to your system.

Ready to find your ease and greater inner awareness? Tune in for the journey 🧘‍♀️

Episode Highlights:

Reframing Stress: Stress as a sign of unmet needs; introduction to boundaries and the importance of self-care (02:25)
Somatic Scan: Turning the Volume Down (3:20)
The Science of Stress (11:00)
Utilising Boundaries for Peace (13:10)
Rebecca Somatic Movement Practice (17:24)
Self-Study to Interpret and Regulate Stress (22:13)
Revenge Procrastination (25:00)
Self-Care as a Conversation (30:00)
Resetting the Alarm (31:32)
Closing: Practice of turning down stress, micro-dosing wellness, and fostering a rhythm of rest (33:02)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/turndownthevolume

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656. Start Before You’re Ready: Building Good Natured Learning from the Ground Up - Becca Katz

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Becca 🤝, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Good Natured Learning. Her work reminds us that the deepest lessons often begin where the wilderness starts.

In this episode, we follow Becca’s journey from exploring Wisconsin’s backwoods to leading educational programs in Kenya and how it’s all about creating true belonging between students, teachers, and nature. Good Natured Learning isn’t just a program but a movement to reshape education, showing nature as the ultimate classroom for connection and growth. Becca guides us on how to overcome imposter syndrome, building community-led solutions rooted in local wisdom, and what authentic leadership really means.

This heartfelt conversation is a must-listen for anyone passionate about leading, learning, and living with deeper connection, it’s a beautiful reminder of nature’s healing and inspiring power ✨

Learn:

Imposter syndrome is a common challenge for many, including founders
How nature can be a powerful teacher and healer in education
How Good Natured Learning aims to connect underserved youth with nature
Why community involvement is crucial for effective education
Building a global vision requires local insights and collaboration.
Stories about how generosity can come from unexpected places and people.
The importance of lifting up educators rather than adding burdens
Why being enough is an inside job; everyone can make an impact

Episode Highlights

Becca's Journey and Connection to Nature (02:33)
The Birth of Good Natured Learning (05:33)
Connecting Underserved Youth with Nature (08:14)
Building a Program from the Ground Up (14:06)
The Leap of Faith to Kenya (17:27)
Collaborating and Launching in Kenya (20:10)
Building In-House Expertise in Education (22:56)
Diverse Educational Backgrounds and Imposter Syndrome (23:53)
Navigating Imposter Syndrome in Founding (26:03)
The Journey of Founding and Rejection (29:43)
Creating a Lift, Not a Burden for Educators (33:46)
Moments of Generosity and Community Impact (38:45)
Becca’s One Good Thing: Lifting Up Educators (42:38)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/656

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655. We Are For Good + Givebutter: Locking Arms for Impact - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Max Friedman

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0500

Special Episode: PART TWO

If you caught our Monday episode, you knew something big was coming—and today’s the day we finally get to share it. We Are For Good is joining the Givebutter family! 🩵 💛

We're joined by Givebutter’s Co-founder & CEO, Max Friedman, to unpack the heart, the why, and the how behind this partnership. This community has always been about democratizing access—to ideas, tools, and connection—and now, together with Givebutter, we’re taking that mission to new heights. You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes story, the moments that made us believe this was meant to be, and how together, we’re building the world’s most loved and trusted home for changemakers—a place where the best nonprofit software, content, and community are accessible to all 🌍

We’ve always said this movement isn’t about us—it’s about you. So come celebrate, dream with us, and get ready for what’s next. Because friends, this is only the beginning ✨

Episode Highlights:

We Are For Good Announcement (00:52)
Introducing Givebutter Co-Founder & CEO, Max Friedman (01:22)
Givebutter’s Origin Story and Shared Values (03:30)
How Our Teams Connected & the Vision for Accessible Tech (05:00)
The Essential Role of Community and Fun in Nonprofit Work (07:59)
Mental Health, Wellbeing, and the Evolving Theory of Change (10:29)
The Journey and Impetus for This Major Partnership (13:47)
Our Vision for the Community’s Future and Impact (17:43)
Highlighting the Power of Individual Community Members (26:05)
Max’s One Good Thing: Purpose for Future Generations (35:07)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/655

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654. Five Years of We Are For Good: Lessons from the Journey - Jon, Becky and Julie

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Special Episode: PART ONE

Something big is coming. Today's episode is the conversation before the conversation. Join Jon, Becky + Julie - live in studio together - as we're celebrating five years of the We Are For Good journey and stepping behind the scenes of launching the Impact Uprising.

Join us for a deeply heartfelt conversation as we reflect on the journey: how this movement began, what's kept it growing, and why the We Are For Good community has always been the undeniable heartbeat behind every episode, story, and gathering.

This special anniversary episode is a love letter to the people who show up every day to do good. To the nonprofit pros, the storytellers, the fundraisers, the dreamers, and the believers who transformed a podcast into a movement.

If you’ve been with us since Episode 1 or are a brand-new listener: This one is for you. Thank you for being here 🫶

Teaser of What's Coming (1:00)
The Power of Community (03:00)
The Growth of We Are For Good (09:00)
Challenges, Growth, and Creating the Team (13:37)
Resilience and Growth (15:00)
Launching the Podcast (19:39)
From Podcast to Community - Innovation and Impact Up (25:20)
Global Community Building and Impact (29:47)
The Power of Belief & Core Values (32:31)
One Good Thing (40:15)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/654

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Gather At The Well: How to Plan Your Pause - Frameworks + Practices for Stepping Away - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500

The pause only works if you plan for it. Here’s how to get ready to truly rest.

Whether you’re heading into a sabbatical, PTO, or just a long weekend, this episode helps you actually get ready to rest. Lindsey shares three readiness reflections — Finance, People, and Program — to gauge if your org (and you) can sustain time away.
You’ll learn how to design an “only-call-me-if” checklist that protects your peace and keeps operations smooth—so you can step away without second-guessing.

Then, run a Start–Stop–Continue to help your team prioritize what truly matters, pause what can wait, and sustain the rhythms that make your culture healthy. These simple tools turn time off from something stressful into something strategic.

Part of the Power of the Pause series, this conversation reminds nonprofit pros, educators, and helpers everywhere that rest isn’t a reward — it’s a leadership practice.

Episode Highlights

Preparing for a Powerful Pause: The Need for Rest (01:00)
Extended Breaks & Sabbaticals: Overcoming Resistance (03:00)
Readiness Reflections: Finance, People, Program (04:54)
The Role of a Co-Leader & Timing Your Leave (08:46)
Somatic Practice: Breathe and Bloom (feat. Marisol Pineda Conde) (10:51)
Emergency Checklist: Planning for Critical Issues (13:48)
Start, Stop, Continue: Transitioning Responsibility (17:58)
Somatic Exercise with Marisol Pineda Conde (21:30)
Visualization for Restoration & Setting Intentions (23:50)
Affirmations and Reflective Questions for Readiness (27:58)

www.weareforgood.com/episode/planforapause

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653. Nonprofit Mergers Aren’t a Last Resort—They’re a Strategic First Choice - Christina Lowery, Kate Kiama, Nidhi Shukla + Tammy Tibbetts, She's The First and Girl Rising

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Get ready for a warm and inspiring episode, friend, as we welcome the visionary leaders behind a truly groundbreaking moment: the phenomenal merger of Girl Rising and She's The First. We sit down with Christina Lowery, Nidhi Shukla, Kate Kiama, and Tammy Tibbetts, the women fearlessly charting this new course 💖

For years, these two powerhouses have been dedicated to transforming girls' education and leadership. Now, they've united their missions to create one mighty, global force for change 🤝

Tune in to learn how they’re innovating for empowerment, with a sneak peek at powerful new programs that are helping girls build unshakeable confidence and chase their dreams. You’ll walk away with valuable, real-world takeaways on navigating the complexities of partnership, and how these leaders keep everyone focused on a shared, unwavering belief in a future where every single girl can learn, lead, and thrive 🌱

Ready to be inspired by the true power of partnership? Let's dive deep👇

Episode Highlights

Meet the Visionary Leaders (00:53)
Girl Rising’s Origin Story (02:37)
She’s the First’s Journey (06:57)
The Urgency of the Merger (11:27)
Global Education Crisis Statistics (13:41)
Big Dreams for a Unified Future (17:25)
Challenging Nonprofit Merger Norms (19:24)
Scaling Up for Systemic Change (26:16)
Joining Forces as a Community (33:53)
Everyone’s “One Good Thing" for the Future (34:37)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/653

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652. Nonprofit Marketecture: Building Connected Systems to Scale Personalization - Maria Shanley and Charles Lehosit

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Maria (Director of Marketing + Data Management, Second Harvest Food Bank) and Charles (Senior Vice President at RKD)🤝. In this episode, dive into their inspiring journey of digital transformation at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Together, they share how embracing innovation helped build a connected ecosystem that fuels smarter decisions and deepens donor relationships💡

Feel the impact when mission-driven purpose blends seamlessly with thoughtful technology, unlocking personalized connections that bring generosity and kindness to the forefront. Through heartfelt stories and inspiring insights, Maria and Charles show how innovation can truly fuel the soul of philanthropy.

From practical tips to uplifting stories, this episode offers valuable lessons for anyone passionate about making a positive impact — whether you’re in the nonprofit world or simply curious about the role technology plays in social good 🌍

Episode Highlights:

Digital Transformation Journey (03:00)
Aligning Mission and Technology (09:00)
Building Donor Relationships (15:00)
Challenges and Successes (21:00)
Future of Nonprofit Engagement (27:00)
Charles Lehosit One Good Thing (29:45)
Maria One Good Thing (30:21)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/652

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651. The Art of Sustainable Fundraising + Building Resilient Nonprofits - Christina Martin Kenny

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Christina Martin Kenny 🤝, founder of Guava Tree Strategies. In this episode, Christina shines a light on sustainable fundraising and why keeping passionate staff is so important in nonprofits. She shares her inspiring journey into social impact, blending personal stories with her professional experience.

Christina busts common fundraising myths like the pressure to bring in money instantly and instead champions building genuine, lasting relationships with donors. She also opens up about fundraiser burnout and the weight of unrealistic expectations, reminding us to honor the people behind the work ✨

Tune in for a heartfelt reminder that philanthropy is about people and the love we pour into our causes.

Episode Highlights:

Christina's Journey into Social Impact (02:29)
Understanding Sustainable Fundraising (09:14)
Tactical Steps for Fundraising Success (18:46)
The Importance of Retention in Fundraising (18:46)
Supporting Fundraisers for Long-Term Success (28:14)
Avoiding Burnout During Year-End Fundraising (38:16)
Misconceptions About Fundraising Goals (40:20)
Christina’s One Good Thing (42:22)

Episode Shownotes: www.wearforgood.com/episode/651

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Gather At The Well: The Power of the Pause - 3 R’s of Recovery - Lindsey Fuller

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0500

Have you ever wondered how pausing life for a moment can truly transform your well-being? 💫

Welcoming you back to the series, we begin with Lindsey sharing her heartfelt journey through a recent micro-sabbatical and how intentional breaks can be a powerful tool for recovery and wellness. She introduces the transformative “three Rs” of recovery: Rest, Restoration, and Right-Sizing the Mental Load 🌿

Lindsey reminds us that caring for our whole selves—mind and body—is essential. By opening up about her own struggles with burnout and the breakthroughs she’s experienced, she offers practical tips anyone can use to create better balance between work and life. This episode warmly invites you to pause, prioritize self-care, and start your own path toward lasting harmony and joy.

Tune in to learn how you can take those first steps to a healthier, more balanced you 💛

Key Takeaways:

Micro-sabbaticals can be as effective as longer breaks
Intentionality in breaks leads to better recovery outcomes
Burnout may not be solved by a sabbatical alone
Rest, restoration, and right-sizing the mental load are crucial for recovery
Mental health days are not always sufficient for true recovery
Planning and organization can alleviate mental load stress
Support from others can enhance personal recovery efforts
Creating a balanced work-life integration is key to wellness

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/3recovery

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A Mindful Pause + Meditation for Changemakers - Sonya Perez-Lauterbach

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this special episode, join Sonya Perez-Lauterbach as she warmly guides us through a truly transformative meditation designed to nurture your mental, emotional, and physical well-being 🌿

This gentle session invites you to pause, take a deep breath, and reconnect with your inner resilience—creating a peaceful oasis amid daily chaos 🌬️

Embrace this beautiful opportunity to release your burdens and open yourself to clarity, focus, and joy right here, right now. Let’s take this moment together to restore balance and renew your spirit 🙏

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/sonyameditation

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650. Human-Centered Major Gifts: How to Build Your Pipeline - Tammy Zonker

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tammy 🤝, the President + Founder of Fundraising Transformed and the Author of ‘Calling All Heroes’.

With over 30 years of experience in fundraising, Tammy Zonker shares personal insights that have shaped her human-centered approach. She emphasizes empathy and trust as the foundation for genuine donor relationships, creating real, lasting connections. Tammy offers practical strategies to inspire donors to become lifelong advocates and build authentic, impactful partnerships that truly resonate.

This episode is for anyone who believes in the power of thoughtful, compassionate giving to change lives ✨

Episode Highlights:

Tammy Zonker's Journey and Empathy in Fundraising (02:20)
Reclaiming the Concept of Heroes in Fundraising (05:19)
The Five Pillars of Human-Centered Fundraising (08:12)
Building Trust and Authentic Partnerships (11:18)
Navigating Power Dynamics in Fundraising (14:19)
Transparency and True Partnership with Donors (17:18)
The Courage to Release Donors (19:42)
Understanding Mid-Level Donors (22:03)
Listening as a Strategy for Small Shops (27:21)
The Power of Open-Ended Questions (31:34)
A Story of Generosity and Community (35:07)
Tammy’s One Good Thing (40:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/650

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649. Retention Is a Love Language: Using AI to Communicate With More Care (Not Just More Often) - Crystal Clark, Amina Mohamed + Michael Mitchell

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Retention is about relationships. But most donor communications either feel too rushed or too robotic. This session is about doing things differently with the power of AI, done responsibly.

We’re sitting down with three organizations that are using AI to help them show up better for their donors: writing magnetic messaging, personalizing with care + actually deepen connection. We’ll talk about how they’re saving time, scaling touchpoints, and staying true to their voice along the way.

You’ll hear the tools they’re using, the prompts that are working, and where they’ve drawn the line on what not to automate. It’s real talk on using AI to build trust… not just create more output.

Episode Highlights

Retention as a Love Language (05:14)
Building Lasting Relationships with Donors (10:38)
Using AI to Build Trust (15:54)
Ethics in Storytelling and Communication (21:23)
Practical Tools and Workflows for Retention (33:36)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/649

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648. Unlock Your Board’s Potential: Accountability, Succession, and Engagement - Christal Cherry

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Our dear friend Christal Cherry and Founder + CEO of The Board Pro and F3 Fabulous Female Fundraisers is back for a third time—yes, a true 3-peat in podcast appearances—bringing her wealth of experience in transforming nonprofit boards into vibrant, engaged communities. 💙

In this episode, we go beyond the usual board meeting routine to explore how to create meaningful involvement throughout the year. Christal highlights why understanding the unique strengths and passions of each board member matters and shares practical tips for using those qualities to drive effective fundraising and leadership. If you’re working through complex board dynamics or looking for ways to deepen your nonprofit’s impact, this episode is packed with strategies and inspiration to help you succeed.

Tune in for a warm and insightful conversation that will shift how you think about your board and unlock new ways to foster a supportive and innovative board environment.

Episode Highlights:

Engaging Boards for Fundraising (02:22)
How to Overcome Board Disengagement (05:18)
Strategies for Board Engagement (08:13)
The Importance of building and maintaining Board Relationships (11:32)
Recruitment and Succession Planning for Boards (17:18)
How to Activate Boards for Impact (20:06)
The Role of Boards in Challenging Times (23:08)
Finding Community as a Leader (29:15)
Christal Cherry’s One Good Thing (34:20)

Resources:

Little Bit of Good (The Board Shakeup Podcast): Listen Here on Spotify

The Board Pro Website

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/648

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647. Your Year-End Campaign Playbook: Launch Your Most Generous Season Yet - Jon and Becky

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Feeling the year-end crunch? Wondering how to balance fundraising, community care, and your own well-being without feeling overwhelmed? 🫠

In this episode, Jon and Becky bring you the “End of Year Playbook,” a playbook packed with practical tips to help you navigate the busy season with confidence and calm. We know year end can feel overwhelming, from fundraising pressures, keeping your community engaged, and balancing it all while trying to take care of yourself. 🧘

Bringing back form the podcast vault, we’ve featured some amazing guests like Woodrow Rosenbaum, who shares what really moves donors, Caroline Griffin with clever marketing ideas that don’t break the bank, Jeff Rosenblum on how to rise above the noise, and Lindsey Fuller reminding us why taking care of ourselves matters just as much as the work we do.

This episode is full of actionable advice to help you tell stories that stick, create campaigns that truly matter, and spark the ripple effect that keeps your community and your impact, growing strong. We’re here to cheer you on as you step into the most generous and impactful time of the year. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

Data-Driven Insights for Nonprofits (02:48)
Building a Playbook for Year-End Campaigns (04:14)
Storytelling as a Tool for Connection (06:00)
The Importance of Clarity and Goals (07:08)
Wellness and Growth in Nonprofit Work (09:14)
Creating a Supportive Community (09:25)
Visionary Insights with Woodrow Rosenbaum (10:01)
Marketing Strategies with Caroline Griffin (20:00)
The Power of One Storytelling Framework (25:00)
Community and Wellness with Lindsey Fuller (35:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/647

Access WAFG's End of Year Checklist here: https://www.weareforgood.com/eoy

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646. Community-Centered Program Design: Lessons from Arab Women United - Zahraa Alrafish

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Zahraa 🤝, the inspiring founder of Arab Women United. Zahraa’s vision is simple but powerful: to create spaces where Arab, immigrant, and first-generation women feel seen, supported, and empowered. What started as a small college club has grown into a thriving nonprofit offering culturally grounded programs that nurture mental wellness, economic freedom, and leadership from within.

In this conversation, Zahraa shares her journey and the deep care that fuels her work—a mission rooted in community, resilience, and the belief that when women support each other, entire communities rise. Her story reminds us that pausing to listen, heal, and connect is how we build lasting change.

Join us for a heartfelt conversation that challenges stereotypes, celebrates diversity, and uplifts the unstoppable spirit of women rising together.

Episode Highlights

Founding Arab Women United (01:47)
Owning the Narrative & Breaking Misconceptions (06:48)
Empowerment Through Community-Centered Programs (11:48)
Building Partnerships & Community Growth (15:33)
Responsive Program Design & Feedback (18:22)
Scaling Leadership & Volunteer Engagement (20:37)
Personal Inspiration & The Power of Representation (22:13)
Zahraa’s One Good Thing (24:12)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/646

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645. Fundraising That Lasts: 8 Practical Strategies for Retention, Revenue, and Campaigns - Tesha McCord Poe

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tesha McCord Poe 🤝, the CEO + Founder of Joy-Raising. The fundraising trailblazer and the visionary behind Joy Raising. Tesha generously shares her authentic journey into fundraising—full of lessons learned and real-world wisdom. She offers practical, proven strategies to keep your donors connected and engaged, even when the going gets tough.

You’ll discover how to cultivate deep trust with your supporters, launch a capital campaign that truly resonates, and get innovative with grassroots fundraising efforts. Tesha also invites us into the heartfelt side of giving and receiving generosity, reminding us that kindness is at the core of it all.

Tune in if you’re ready to be inspired and walk away with actionable tools to elevate your fundraising, this conversation is made for you 🎧.

Episode Highlights:

Tesha’s fundraising journey and early influences (01:49)
Tesha’s core principles: earning the right to ask + only asking for true needs (04:22)
How fundraisers can boost donor retention during uncertain times (06:32)
Building trust through authenticity and mission alignment (10:59)
Advice for hesitant leaders: board support + relationship focus (11:54)
Laying the groundwork for a successful capital campaign (15:24)
Inspiring belief in intangible or future projects (22:06)
Grassroots fundraising tips for small nonprofits (24:46)
Tesha’s One Good Thing: “That there's always a choice around being kind.” (35:52)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/645

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644. How One Org Raised $267,000 in Donor Advised Funds in Just One Day - Trish Davis and Mitch Stein

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Trish + Mitch 🤝 — Trish Davis, VP of Major Gifts + Planned Giving at Susan G. Komen, and Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy at Chariot. Together, they’re reshaping the future of charitable giving.

Trish shares her inspiring path from military service to leading transformational fundraising initiatives at Susan G. Komen, while Mitch is on a mission to simplify donor-advised fund (DAF) giving and make it more accessible for nonprofits everywhere. And when their expertise comes together? You get powerful results—like the $267,000 Susan G. Komen raised in a single day through the strategic use of DAFs.

In this episode, you’ll hear the story behind that success, plus practical strategies and tools to help nonprofits leverage DAFs to spark deeper donor engagement and long-term retention. Trish + Mitch make it easy to understand the benefits for both donors and organizations, with insights you can put to work right away.

✨ Whether you’re a seasoned fundraiser or brand-new to DAFs, this conversation will leave you inspired, equipped, and excited about the future of philanthropy.

Episode Highlights:

Inside the story of Susan G. Komen’s $267K fundraising day (03:15)
Mitch breaks down the benefits + mechanics of DAFs (07:30)
Trish shares her journey from military service to nonprofit leadership (12:45)
Practical strategies for nonprofits to leverage DAFs + boost engagement (18:20)
How Chariot is simplifying DAF donations + improving donor experience (24:10)
Why cross-team collaboration matters for fundraising success (30:00)
Mitch’s One Good Thing (31:00)
Trish’s One Good Thing (33:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/644

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643. How to Build a Volunteer-Centric Culture + Mobilize Your Volunteers - Jennifer Sirangelo, Points of Light

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jennifer 🤝, the President + CEO of Points of Light. She’s leading the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service—mobilizing nearly 4 million volunteers across 32 countries to create healthier, more equitable communities where everyone can thrive.

In this episode, Jennifer shares her own story—from her early days as a volunteer to leadership roles with National 4-H Council, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and now Points of Light. Along the way, she’s learned the power of people coming together to serve, and she’s on a mission to double volunteer engagement by 2035.

You’ll hear how Points of Light is partnering with nonprofits, companies, and social impact leaders to meet critical community needs. Plus, Jennifer offers practical wisdom for nonprofits navigating the challenges of recruiting and retaining volunteer and her hope-filled vision of what’s possible when we build cultures rooted in service.

✨ It’s a conversation about purpose, resilience, and the belief that when we give of ourselves, we light the way for others too.

Episode Highlights:

Jennifer's Early Experiences with Volunteering and Nonprofit Work (05:30)
The Importance of Volunteer Centers and Their Role in Community Impact (12:45)
Strategies for Doubling Volunteer Engagement by 2035 (20:10)
Challenges in Recruiting and Retaining Volunteers (28:25)
Building a Volunteer-Centric Culture in Organizations (35:40)
Personal Growth and Resilience Through Volunteering (42:55)
Jennifer's ‘One Good Thing’ (40:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/634

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642. How to Break Down Silos + Pilot Innovation in Your Nonprofit - Nelle Miller, All Faiths Food Bank

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nelle 🤝, the President + CEO of All Faiths Food Bank. From her start as a board member to leading the largest hunger relief organization in Sarasota and DeSoto counties, Nelle’s journey is all about stepping up with heart, vision, and a deep commitment to community.

In this episode, she shares the innovative ways her team is reimagining food access—from wellness markets to food-as-medicine initiatives 🌱. You’ll hear how breaking down silos, leaning into collaboration, and lifting up stories of lived experience can spark real change and impact far beyond a meal.

Nelle reminds us that leadership isn’t just about strategy, it’s about compassion, equity, and the belief that everyone deserves dignity at the table. Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, a volunteer, or simply passionate about social good, her wisdom and heart will leave you inspired to keep building a world where community always comes first.

Episode Highlights:

Nelle's Journey from Board Member to CEO (02:15)
Innovative Strategies for Tackling Food Insecurity (05:45)
The Importance of Community Collaboration (10:30)
The Power of Storytelling in Social Change (15:20)
Practical Advice for Nonprofit Leaders (20:10)
Addressing Food Insecurity as a Fundamental Right (25:00)
Nelle's "One Good Thing" (35:50)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/642

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641. 7 Tips to Building a Thriving Volunteer Program - Nicole Stewart, Boston CASA

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nicole 🤝, the Executive Director of Boston CASA, a nonprofit that trains and supports volunteers to serve as Court Appointed Special Advocates for children affected by abuse and neglect. With over 25 years in education and nonprofit leadership, Nicole has dedicated her career to improving the lives of vulnerable children and driving systemic change through equity and lived experience. Her journey, shaped by deep commitment and resilience, fuels Boston CASA’s mission to create lasting impact. 💙

In this episode, Nicole opens up about how her own lived experience shapes her leadership and fuels her dedication to equity and systemic change. She shares what it takes to build volunteer programs that are welcoming and inclusive, and how Boston CASA is working to triple the number of children they support.

Tune in to hear her honest reflections on leadership, the power of volunteers, and how one consistent, caring adult can create a ripple of hope and opportunity that lasts a lifetime. This conversation is a heartfelt look at showing up for kids, community, and the kind of leadership that moves people to make a difference. 🎧

Episode Highlights:

Nicole's Journey from Challenge to Leadership (02:15)
The Power of Lived Experience in Leadership (09:30)
Cultivating Strong Volunteer Programs (17:45)
Boston CASA's Role in Child Advocacy (24:10)
The Impact of One Caring Adult (31:25)
Nicole’s One Good Thing (30:00)
Strategies for Volunteer Recruitment and Retention (38:50)
Authentic Leadership and Its Influence (44:05)

Episode shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/641

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640. Policy, Funding, and Talent: 8 Nonprofit Trends Leaders Can’t Ignore - Stacy Palmer, The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Wed, 27 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Stacy 🤝, the dynamic CEO of The Chronicle of Philanthropy and a true force for good in the nonprofit sector. In this episode, we explore Stacy's journey from a curious student journalist to a leader transforming the landscape of philanthropy.

Stacy shares her insights on the future of fundraising, the impact of new generations of donors, and the game-changing potential of unrestricted giving. Her thoughts on curiosity and humor as leadership essentials will leave you inspired and ready to tackle challenges with a smile.

Whether you're a nonprofit pro or just passionate about making a difference, this episode is packed with practical strategies, heartfelt stories, and inspiration to fuel your mission-driven journey. Tune in and let's change the world together. 🎧

Episode Highlights:

How Stacy's Journey Shaped Philanthropy (02:00)
Why Media Drives Change (10:15)
How to Retain Talent in High-Burnout Environments (18:30)
Where Resilience Leads Amidst Policy Shifts (25:45)
Why Understanding New Donor Generations is Crucial (33:20)
How Unrestricted Giving Transforms Impact (40:50)
The Importance of Curiosity and Humor in Leadership (45:10)
Stacy’s One Good Thing (41:40)
Navigating the Future of Fundraising (50:30)

Episode Shownotes:

www.weareforgood.com/episode/640

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639. 5 Steps to Launch Campaigns That Scale: Lessons from BLM’s Black Play Matters - Cicley Gay

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cicley 🤝 She’s the Board Chairwoman of the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, where she’s shaping the future of racial justice and philanthropy with love, transparency, and community at the center.

In this episode, Cicley takes us inside her journey from grassroots activism to leading a global movement. You’ll get the inside scoop on BLM’s 12th anniversary Black Play Matters campaign and why joy, play, and community are powerful tools for change.

Join us as she breaks down her step-by-step approach to launching campaigns that truly make an impact—being human-centered, telling powerful stories, securing amplifiers, staying agile, and measuring what matters.

No matter your role—leading a nonprofit, organizing in your community, or simply seeking ways to spark change—you’ll walk away with practical strategies, renewed hope, and a reminder that everyone has a part to play in building a more just and joyful world.

Episode Highlights

How Cicley Gay Leads (02:00)
Where Campaigns Thrive (10:15)
Why Change Matters (18:30)
How Play Empowers (25:45)
Where Philanthropy Impacts (33:20)
Why Love Leads (40:50)
The Power of Community (45:10)
Navigating Leadership Transitions (50:30)
Cicley's One Good Thing (55:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/639

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638. Leading Through Organizational Change: Practical Lessons for Nonprofit Leaders - Jesse Sanchez, The Neurodiversity Alliance

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jesse 🤝 – the dynamic president of The Neurodiversity Alliance and a true champion for seeing the brilliance in every mind.

From navigating ADHD and learning differences to finding his voice at UC Berkeley and leading with purpose in the tech world, Jesse’s story is one of resilience, passion, and possibility. He opens up about the mentors who lit the way, the power of belonging, and the movement that’s now reaching over 630 schools to uplift neurodivergent students across the nation.

This conversation is equal parts heart and hope. You’ll walk away inspired by Jesse’s vision of a world where every person’s unique abilities are celebrated, and reminded that community is the place where potential turns into transformation.

Whether you identify as neurodivergent, love someone who does, or simply want to be part of building more inclusive spaces—you’ll find encouragement, joy, and a renewed belief that together, we rise. 💙

Episode Highlights:

Jesse’s Journey: From ADHD to National Advocacy (10:15)
How to Build Inclusive, Empowering Networks (18:30)
Recognizing and Leveraging Your Unique Strengths (25:45)
The Highs and Lows of Leading for Neurodiversity (35:00)
Jesse’s One Good Thing (50:20)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/638

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637. Building Movements, Not Campaigns: Agency, Belief + Community for Nonprofits - Eric Brown, Whiteboard

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Eric 🤝, Co-Founder of Whiteboard and a creative visionary helping purpose-driven brands change the world. From growing up in a log house in Georgia to partnering with changemakers worldwide, Eric’s story is rooted in belief, values, and community. His work spans digital branding, platform development, activation campaigns, and team training for clients like Purposity, Praxis Labs, Q Ideas, and Last Mile Health—earning recognition from The Webby Awards, Entrepreneur, AWWWARDS, Net Magazine, and SiteInspire.

In this episode, Jon + Becky dive into a story-filled conversation about what it takes to build real movements—not just run campaigns. You’ll learn why community should be your co-creator (not just your audience), how to navigate the tension between self, others, and mission, and why choosing belief over cynicism can transform the way you lead.

Eric’s sharing behind-the-scenes moments, fresh perspective, and one simple, actionable step you can take this week to move your mission forward. It’s uplifting, practical, and a powerful reminder that the best change happens when we lead together.

Learn:

The difference between running a campaign and building a movement—and why movements spark deeper, lasting impact.
How to invite your community to be true co-creators of your mission.
Simple ways to balance self, others, mission, and mastery to avoid burnout and lead well.
The power of storytelling and creative assets to inspire donors and rally supporters.
Why choosing belief over cynicism can transform your leadership and your impact.

Episode Highlights:

Eric Brown’s Early Life and Influences (05:30)
Founding Whiteboard and the Visionary (12:00)
Community as a Carrier of Mission (18:45)
The Power of Storytelling in Philanthropy (25:15)
Navigating Tension and Agency in Leadership (32:00)
Building Movements with Visionary Organizations (38:30)
Eric’s One Good Thing (45:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/637

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636. Making a Movement: Empowering Action - Jon and Becky

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500

We’ve reached the final chapter of our Making a Movement series, and we’re leaning all in on what it truly means to empower action.

This episode is a celebration of the heartbeat behind every movement: community. You’ll hear the inspiring story of Hannah Lowe, a fearless mom on a mission who rallied her village to raise $2 million for her son’s life-changing treatment. It’s a powerful reminder that when a call to action is clear and authentic, it has the power to ignite a movement.

We’re also featuring insights from previous episodes with Celeste Flores, who pulls back the curtain on the global generosity of Giving Tuesday and the community-powered magic that drives it. Plus, Amanda Liaw shares why going deep, not just broad, is the key to building engagement that lasts. Together, we’ll explore how to make participation joyful, how to sustain momentum, and why prioritizing your own well-being is essential for staying in the work.

If you’re ready to activate your community and believe in the ripple effect of good, this conversation is for you. Let’s keep building this movement together.

Episode Highlights:

Empowering Action: making movements (02:15)
Hannah Lowe’s Story: Clear Messaging Mobilizes a Community (08:40)
Giving Tuesday: Building Community Beyond Fundraising (15:30)
Secret Sauce: Go Deep, Not Broad (22:05)
Personalization at Scale: Partnerships and Human Stories (28:50)
Gratitude First: Transforming Board Buy-In (34:10)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/536

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635. Making a Movement: Voice + Vision - Jon and Becky

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Every movement starts with a message—but how do you make yours truly stick?

In this reflective episode of Making a Movement: Voice + Vision, Jon and Becky revisit some of the most powerful voices from past conversations to explore the heart of messaging that moves people. It’s not just about what you say—it’s how you say it, who hears it, and whether it invites people to see themselves as part of something bigger.

Featuring powerful moments and lessons from:

✨Rick Shadyac, former President and CEO of ALSAC / St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, on earning trust through clear, consistent messaging
🎙️ Stephen Hackett, podcaster and proud St. Jude dad, whose personal story shows how vulnerability can unite a community
🌍 Dr. Bertrhude Albert, co-founder of P4H Global, on leading with dignity and crafting messages that honor people’s lived experience
🎤 Gloria Umanah, founder of Hope Booth, on using creativity and authenticity to spark hope

This episode is a field guide for anyone trying to bring their mission to life through message. Whether you’re just starting to shape your story or refining a message you’ve been carrying for years, you’ll find inspiration, encouragement, and next steps you can take today.

Tune in and learn how to bring your voice and vision together in a way that inspires action—and builds something that lasts.

Episode Highlights:

The Power of Clear Messaging (02:01)
St. Jude’s Impact and Vision with Rick Shadyac (05:31)
Stephen Hackett’s Story (10:01)
Dr. Bertrude Albert and P4H Global (15:01)
The Role of Community in Movement Building (20:01)
Gloria Umanah and the Hope Booth Initiative (22:30)
Empowering Through Education (24:00)
Conclusion and Call to Action (25:01)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/635

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634. Making a Movement: Organize + Optimize - Jon and Becky

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Movements don’t just happen—they’re built with intention, structure, and a whole lot of heart.

In this episode of Making a Movement, Becky Endicott and Jon McCoy dive deep into what it really takes to turn mission into momentum. From designing systems that fuel impact to creating space for people to show up and thrive, this conversation is all about building movements that matter.

You’ll hear the powerful stories of:

Adam Garone, who helped launch Movember into a $1.5B global force for men’s health
Katelynn Whitaker, the brilliant mind behind the community toolkit that helped scale Movember
Nancy Brinker, whose promise to her sister ignited the Susan G. Komen movement
Kelly Lyndgaard, founder of Unshattered, creating jobs and dignity for women in recovery

We’re breaking down the barriers that hold people back and unpacking how to build systems that invite more people in—without losing the soul of your mission.

Whether you’re launching something new or leveling up your impact, this episode will leave you fired up, filled up, and ready to lead the kind of movement that changes everything. 💥

Episode Highlights

Organizing Principle: “An Uprising is Organized” (01:27)
Movember: From Mustaches to a Global Health Movement (02:56)
Movember's Toolkit: Branding, Community, and Storytelling (06:52)
Susan G. Komen: A Sister’s Promise Turned Global Force (09:56)
Unshattered: Empowering Women Through Recovery and Work (16:20)
Optimization Through Pattern Recognition (20:30)
Leaning Into Friction: Why Tension Drives Growth (23:31)
Tactical Tips: Organizing and Optimizing for Impact (26:14)
Next Up: Voice, Vision, and the Power of Storytelling (27:29)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/634

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633. Making a Movement: Mobilize with Purpose - Jon and Becky

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500

What turns a good idea into a movement? In this episode, Jon and Becky explore how purpose—when it’s clear, actionable, and rooted in emotion—becomes the driving force behind real change.

You’ll hear how Scott Harrison rebuilt trust in giving through Charity: Water, how Sara Cunningham sparked a nationwide movement with Free Mom Hugs, and how Aidan Reilly and Ben Collier launched The Farmlink Project by picking up the phone.

Through these stories, Jon and Becky share how to clarify your “why,” invite others in, and take that first meaningful step. Because movements don’t need perfection—they need purpose that moves people.

Tune in for a practical, heartfelt roadmap to turning belief into bold, inclusive action.

Learn:

How to transform personal passion into collective action
How to remove barriers preventing people from participating
Strategies for decentralizing decision-making
Embracing creativity in addressing social challenges
Using personal experiences to inspire collective action
Understand how to build trust and transparency
Gaining confidence in taking initial steps towards creating change
Recognizing the power of community-driven initiatives.

Episode Highlights

Defining Movement Fundamentals (03:44)
How to Build Community Engagement (05:45)
Learning to Overcome Trust Barriers (12:36)
Personal Storytelling as Motivation (17:19)
Innovative Problem-Solving (20:11)
Practical Movement-Building Strategies (24:11)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/633

Episodes Mentioned:

Scott Harrison: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/369

Sara Cunningham: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/8

Aidan and Ben Collier: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/300

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632. Making a Movement: How Movements Begin - Spark, Belief + Generosity - Seth Godin

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Seth. 🤝

Bestselling author and movement maker Seth Godin joins us to share what it really takes to create meaningful change. From Purple Cow to The Song of Significance, Seth’s work has inspired generations to lead with heart, strategy, + courage.

In this powerful conversation, he unpacks how to build movements through empathy, creativity, + bold action. You’ll learn why the smallest viable audience matters, how to navigate fear and perfectionism, and why doing work that might not work is exactly where the magic happens.

This episode is a rallying cry for nonprofit leaders and changemakers to stop settling—and start leading with intention.

Get ready to think bigger, dig deeper, and reimagine your impact. 💡

Learn:

Building a movement requires a conversation before the conversation.
Strategy is not about tactics; it’s about understanding your values.
Defaulting to familiar practices can hinder progress.
Nonprofits must acknowledge that their problems are not solved yet.
Fear and perfectionism can choke momentum; embrace imperfection.
Empathy is crucial component of effective leadership.
Every movement starts with a few committed individuals.

Episode Highlights

The Importance of Strategy in Nonprofits (02:06)
Understanding Motion and Change (05:07)
Creating Conditions for Generative Work (08:00)
Embracing Tension and Imperfection (10:45)
The Role of Leadership in Nonprofits (13:59)
The Power of Small Movements (16:55)
Empathy and Connection in Action (19:46)
Seth’s One Good Thing (34:52)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/632

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631. Change Leadership, Critical Hope + Building Cultures We Don’t Have to Heal From - Lindsey Fuller, Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500

We’re closing out this series with a powerful conversation that redefines what leadership can look like. Lindsay Fuller of The Teaching Well joins us to explore how leading with courage starts right where you are—not with a title, but with intention.

We unpack big ideas: hope as a daily practice, resilience as a rhythm, and policies that reflect lived experience—not just words on a page.

Lindsay challenges us to rethink what tools truly sustain leadership—like rest, offboarding, and sabbaticals—and why they’re not extras, but essentials. We also name the often-unspoken reality of compassion fatigue and offer a vision of shared leadership grounded in alignment, not replication.

If you're ready to build a culture that centers humanity, care, and courage—this episode is your invitation to begin.

Learn:

Learn why human-centered leadership means choosing courage over comfort
Discover how critical hope is a practice—not a personality trait
Understand why change leadership begins right where you are—even without the title
Explore what it means for policies to be living, responsive, and rooted in lived experience
See how resilience is built through consistent, intentional rhythms
Unpack why rest, offboarding, and sabbaticals are essential leadership tools—not perks
Learn how shared leadership depends on calibration, not cloning
Recognize why compassion fatigue is a real occupational hazard—and what to do about it

Episode Highlights:

The Importance of Critical Hope (05:00)
Policies as Culture in Action (08:55)
Reframing Policies for Human-Centered Organizations (09:01)
5-Part Framework and Where People Get Stuck (15:00)
Challenges in Implementing Human-Centered Policies (14:53)
Human-Centered Leadership (25:00)
The Role of Feedback in Leadership (27:51)
Becoming the Change Leader in Your Team (30:00)
The Journey of Rest and Leadership (32:11)
Reflections from the Well (33:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/631

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630. From One Wish to a Movement: Disney & Make-A-Wish’s 45-Year Journey - Jamie Sandys + Tajiana Ancora-Brown

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jamie & Tajiana. 🤝

What happens when Disney and Make-A-Wish team up? Pure magic. For 45 years, this powerhouse partnership has granted over 150,000 wishes—bringing joy, healing, and unforgettable moments to kids and families when they need it most. Enter Tajiana Ancora-Brown from Disney and Jamie Sandys from Make-A-Wish: two hearts leading with purpose and proof that dreams really can change lives.

In this episode, we're talking about the wish that can’t be prescribed, the impact of 9,000 families visiting Walt Disney World each year, and how collaboration rooted in heart creates ripple effects of hope. From Bigfoot sightings to custom princess gowns, this conversation will make you laugh, tear up, and believe even deeper in the power of doing good—together.

You don’t want to miss this one. ✨

Learn:

Why mission alignment and trust unlock transformational collaboration
How Make-A-Wish measures impact beyond numbers and into healing
Why personalized wishes create powerful moments of joy and dignity
How purpose-driven partnerships thrive on trust, respect, and shared values
Why a single wish can spark lifelong generosity and collective hope

Episode Highlights

Personal Journeys into Philanthropy (03:29)
Memorable Wish Stories (07:48)
Creating Unique Experiences for Wish Kids (10:57)
The Evolution of Historic Partnership (15:16)
Once Upon a Wish Party: A Celebration of Dreams (19:32)
The Secret Sauce of Collaboration (25:03)
Jamie and Tajiana’s One Good Thing (32:25)

Resources:

Connect through: wish.org/disney

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/630

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Gather At The Well: Leaving Well - Rest, Sabbaticals + Human-Centered Transitions - Lindsey Fuller and Naomi Hattaway

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this soul-nourishing conversation, Lindsey Fuller is joined by strategist, storyteller, and founder of the Leaving Well framework, Naomi Hattaway. Together, they unpack what it means to lead with intention, especially when it comes to rest, sabbaticals, and workplace transitions that truly center people.

From micro-sabbaticals to full-scale cultural shifts, Naomi shares wisdom for how organizations can operationalize rest as a core value—not just a perk. You'll hear powerful insights on how to care for your team through change, reimagine wellness in the workplace, and create brave space for transitions that honor the past and make room for what’s next.

This episode is a reminder that we don’t have to choose between humanity and productivity—we can hold both. And it starts with rest.

Affirmations:

You deserve a workplace that values your humanity as deeply as your contributions.
Rest isn’t a luxury—it’s leadership.
Every transition is an invitation to honor what was and imagine what’s possible.

Episode Highlights

The Importance of Rest as Policy (02:40)
Somatic #1 (02:56)
Operationalizing Rest in Organizations (05:52)
Deceleration and Onboarding (11:42)
Embedding Wellness in Workplace Culture (14:28)
Sabbaticals and Employee Retention (17:16)
The Ripple Effect of Sabbaticals (20:19)
Navigating Sabbaticals in Nonprofits (25:27)
Advocating for Rest and Well-being (31:35)
Somatic #2: Middle Path Meditation (34:42)
The Impact of Transitions on Organizational Culture (37:17)

Resources Mentioned:

Individual Workplace Transition Nssessment (Naomi Hattaway)
Organizational Workplace Transition Assessment (Naomi Hattaway)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/leavingwellrestsabbaticalhumancenteredtransition

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629. A Call to Kinship: Reimagining Generosity and Connection (Birgit Smith Burton, Mide Akerewusi and Nneka Allen)

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

This is a conversation our hearts have been waiting for.

It’s a powerful gathering of voices answering a call that feels more timely—and more necessary—than ever: a call to kinship.

In this episode, we sit down with three extraordinary leaders: Birgit Smith Burton, Mide Akerewusi, and Nneka Allen. They bring deep wisdom, lived experience, and a global lens to a heartfelt conversation about what it means to lead with empathy. Together, we explore how we return to one another by centering relationships, rooting our work in love, and embracing our shared humanity.

This isn’t about checking a box or shifting strategy. It’s about reimagining generosity, reclaiming connection, and healing the soul of our sector through kinship that transforms.

Learn:

Why kinship is foundational to healing the sector
How to prioritize relationships over results
What it means to practice mutual care and shared responsibility
How generosity extends beyond money to spiritual and emotional connection
The power of radical love, curiosity, and truth-telling in philanthropy

Episode Highlights

Voices of Experience (05:26)
Radical Kinship in Action (13:40)
The Necessity of Kinship Today (19:39)
Activating Kinship in Everyday Life (28:54)
Radical Kinship and Dialogue (35:56)
The Power of Storytelling (38:19)
Mide, Birgit and Nneka’s One Good Thing (38:41)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/629

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628. Multiplication Mindset: How Responsive Fundraisers Build Movements - Jon and Becky

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Fundraising doesn’t have to feel transactional—and it shouldn’t.

This episode comes straight from the virtual stage of the Responsive Nonprofit Summit (RNS)—and it's packed with the kind of mindset shift we all need right now. Jon and Becky explore how moving from an "addition" mindset to a multiplication mindset can unlock transformational change in your fundraising efforts. It's not about doing more—it’s about thinking differently and leading with purpose.

With meaningful stories, real-world examples like Susan G. Komen, and insights rooted in research from leaders like Dr. Vivek Murthy, you’ll uncover how to spark a movement grounded in genuine human connection.

Whether you're a one-person shop or leading a major org, this episode will leave you inspired to stop working for your community and start building with them.

👉 Learn:

Why community is your greatest multiplier
How to move from transactional asks to transformational engagement
Strategies to turn supporters into passionate ambassadors
Lessons from employee giving campaigns that sparked movement
How ethical storytelling and joy fuel lasting connection
Practical ways to build a platform for engagement and influence

Episode Highlights

Introducing the Multiplication Mindset and Redefining Fundraising (01:32)
Community Voices: Sharing Meaningful Connections and Belonging (04:18)
The Susan G. Komen Foundation Movement Strategy (07:14)
4 Strategic Principles for Nonprofit Growth (22:29)
Joy as a Strategic Multiplier (45:31)
Responsive Fundraising Manifesto: Building Movements Through Human Connection (48:12)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/628

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627. Healing Through Conversation: Building Trust in Polarizing Times - Katie Hyten, Essential Partners

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Katie 🤝, the Co-Executive Director of Essential Partners. She’s helping communities navigate tough conversations and build trust across divides. With a background in international negotiation and conflict resolution from Tufts University’s Fletcher School, Katie brings deep expertise in dialogue, identity, and civic action.

In this episode, we’re talking about what it really takes to hold space in polarized times—and why dialogue might just be our most powerful tool for healing and change. Katie shares practical tools for listening, building understanding (even across disagreement), and creating space for connection when it feels hardest.

If you’re craving deeper, more human conversations in your life and work—this one’s for you. 💙

Learn 💡

Dialogue isn’t about winning—it’s about understanding
Creating space for real conversation means rethinking how we engage
Listening well can be even more powerful than speaking
You don’t have to agree to make progress together
Small shifts in communication can lead to big breakthroughs

Episode Highlights:

Essential Partners: Building Trust Across Divides (06:41)
Creating Conditions for Authentic Dialogue (09:11)
Real-World Imapct: Stories of Transformation (12:46)
Integrating Dialogue into Culture (16:58)
Overcoming Barriers to Effective Dialogue (19:19)
Navigating Difficult Conversations in Nonprofits (22:56)
Moments of Generosity and Community Support (27:47)
Katie's One Good Thing: The Power of Silence in Conversations (31:04)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/627

Resources Mentioned:

(YouTube) Katie’s Stand Talk

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Gather At The Well: Human-Centered Offboarding - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

How do we navigate the hardest moments in leadership, without losing sight of our values?

This week on Gather at the Well, Lindsey Fuller returns to explore a topic that doesn’t often get the care it deserves: offboarding. Whether it’s layoffs, transitions, or role closures, Lindsey reminds us that how we say goodbye matters just as much as how we welcome someone in.

She invites us into a more human-centered approach—one that acknowledges the weight of these decisions, the grief that can come with them, and the opportunity for real compassion, even in hard moments.

This episode is a brave, honest invitation to lead with heart—even when it’s hard. Because the way we part ways speaks volumes about the kind of culture we’re building. 💛

Affirmations:

"I am enough."
"I choose self compassion."
"I am learning from my mistakes and the mistakes of others."
"This decision does not define me."
"I can take in the past and make the present more healing."

Episode Highlights

Human-Centered Off-Ramps: Key Elements (10:50)
Communication and Transparency in Leadership (20:27)
Whole Person Supports During Transitions (30:02)
The impact of Compassionate Off-Boarding (40:10)

Full Episode Shownotes:

www.weareforgood.com/episode/humancenteredoffboarding

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626. Building a Renewed Narrative with Community (and breaking old story myths!) - Rebecca Bernard, Tim Lampkin, Vivian Borja, Stacy Huston

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode, we’re diving into a powerful panel conversation about rewriting the narratives that shape our sector. You’ll hear from visionary leaders— Rebecca Bernard, Timothy Lampkin, Vivian Borja and Stacy Huston —as they unpack how we move towards narratives that center community voice, dignity, and truth. Together, they explore how we can challenge stereotypes, spotlight strengths, and co-create stories with the people at the heart of our missions—not just about them. If you care about shifting power, honoring lived experience, and telling more human, honest stories—this convo is for you. 🎧

💡Learn:

How to meaningfully involve communities in storytelling
Tactical strategies for inclusive storytelling
How to identify persistent harmful narratives

Today’s Guests

Rebecca Bernard, Director of Innovation, The Teaching Well
Dr. Tim Lampkin, Founder + Executive Director, Higher Purpose Co
Vivan Borja, Executive Vice President + Chief Marketing Officer at Food For The Poor
Stacy Huston, Executive Director, SixDegrees.Org

Episode Highlights

Rewriting Sector Narratives (3:00)
Breaking Storytelling Myths (13:00)
How to Co-Create Stories with Community (19:00)
Practical Approaches to Narrative Change (26:00)
One Good Thing + Takeaways (29:00)

Full Shownotes Page: www.weareforgood.com/episode/626

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625. Hold Fast: 8 Takeaways on Finding Resilience + Clarity - Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

What does it look like to hold fast and move forward—at the same time?

In this heart-filled wrap-up of our ImpactUp series, Jon + Becky reflect on eight powerful lessons that emerged from this season’s conversations around resilience, clarity, and building momentum in times of uncertainty.

From grounding ourselves in community to embracing the unknown, you’ll walk away with practical takeaways and a renewed sense of purpose. We talk about the power of story, the strength in showing up authentically, and how we can all anchor ourselves in values—especially when the world feels wobbly.

This one’s a love letter to nonprofit leaders, social impact folks, and anyone navigating change with heart. 💛

✨ You’ll learn:

Why uncertainty isn’t something to fear—but something to move with
How to build resilience personally + organizationally
Why trust, community, and connection are the real growth strategies
The kind of storytelling that fuels generosity and movement

Come get inspired—and reminded you’re not alone. Let’s keep moving forward, together.✨

Episode Highlights

Embracing Resilience and Grounding (03:03)
Personal Reflections and Insights (06:09)
Key Takeaways from the Series (09:04)
Building Trust and Community (12:12)
The Power of Storytelling (14:52)
Activating Generosity and Belonging (17:48)
Looking Ahead: Movement and Activation (24:00)

Join us July 10 for ImpactUp: Movement! https://www.weareforgood.com/impactup-register

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/625

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Gather At The Well: Understanding and Healing Compassion Fatigue - Lindsey Fuller and Dr. Jacquelyn Ollison

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Lindsey sits down with Dr. Jacquelyn Ollison (or Dr. J, as many call her) to explore the often unspoken reality of compassion fatigue in human-centered work.

Physical exhaustion? Increased irritability? Social withdrawal? These might be signs of compassion fatigue—and you're not alone. Dr. J connects her personal experience with practical wisdom for creating policies that actually support the humans doing this important work. As she reminds us: "People want to do their best. As a system it's our responsibility to give them all the tools so they can do their best."

You’ll learn:
• How to recognize compassion fatigue before reaching crisis point
• Why policies created without input from those most impacted rarely succeed
• Practical ways to build authentic check-ins into your team culture

Whether you're a teacher, nonprofit leader, or anyone committed to human-centered change, join us for this important conversation. Because naming compassion fatigue is the first step toward healing it. 👊

Affirmations

My worth is not measured by my output.
I lead with compassion, and I extend that same compassion to myself.
I release the need to carry everything alone.
I am allowed to need what I give so freely to others.
Healing is not a destination—it’s a practice. And I am practicing.

Episode Highlights

Understanding Compassion Fatigue (4:31)
Signs and Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue (11:45)
The Impact of Compassion Fatigue on Educators (18:46)
Addressing Compassion Fatigue in the Workplace (23:25)
Implementing Support Systems for Educators (27:51)
Success Stories in Addressing Compassion Fatigue (37:03)
Finding Hope and Resilience in Education (43:00)

Resources Mentioned:

Professional quality of life scale
5 Love Languages Book
Professional Authenticity Episode
Dr. J’s Blog
Dr. J’s TEDx Talk
Buy Dr. J’s Book: Addressing Compassion Fatigue in Urban Schools

www.weareforgood.com/episode/understandingandhealingcompassionfatigue

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624. Hold Fast: How ImpactUp Hosts Are Fostering Community IRL - Crystal Clark, Lisa Gareau, Bart Lillie and Keicy Cabrera

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500

We’re leaning into the theme Hold Fast—and exploring how community becomes our anchor in the midst of change. 💛

In this heart-filled episode, we’re joined by four of our Impact Up meetup hosts who are building something special in their corners of the world—from Denver to DC, Calgary to Caracas. Together, they’re proving that authentic connection and intentional gatherings can create real, lasting impact.

Through their stories, we explore what it means to lead with love, embrace vulnerability, and foster trust in community spaces. These leaders remind us that gatherings aren’t about numbers—they’re about creating safe, brave spaces where quality conversations can unfold.

You’ll hear from:
Crystal Clark (Washington, DC), on showing up with love, even when the mission is heavy.

Lisa Gareau (Calgary), on designing experiences that invite vulnerability, creativity, and courage.

Bart Lillie (Denver), on how simple acts—like remembering a name—can deepen trust and belonging.

Keicy Cabrera (Caracas), on building global community through WhatsApp and heart-led leadership.

Together, they unpack what it means to hold fast to one another, create intentional gatherings, and fuel a global movement grounded in authenticity and care.

If you’ve ever wondered how real change begins—it starts with community. And this episode is proof. ✨

Episode Highlights

The Power of Authentic Connections (06:28)
Embracing Vulnerability in Community (12:45)
Building Meaningful Relationships (18:09)
Taking Risks and Finding Safety (30:24)
One Good Thing: Reflections and Takeaways (34:10)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/624

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623. The Art & Science of Convening: Designing Events That Spark Change - Heather Mason

Wed, 28 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Heather, Founder and CEO of Caspian Agency and Impact Lounge. 🤝

She’s the creative mind behind some of the world’s most powerful gatherings. Since launching Caspian in 2005, she has brought a scientifically grounded, strategic approach to high-impact events for organizations like the Skoll World Forum, Rockefeller Foundation, and Dalio Foundation. With roots in film, marketing, and large-scale conference production, she also created the Caspian 10 Essentials, an event methodology now taught in university programs and used by leading global institutions.

In this episode, Heather shares how intentional design, storytelling, and purpose can transform any gathering into a catalyst for change. Whether you're planning a summit, workshop, or community meetup, she reminds us it’s not about doing more—it’s about doing it with heart. 💛

This conversation will shift how you think about convening. 🎧 Tune in and walk away ready to gather with more purpose, clarity, and impact.

💡Learn:

The Caspian 10 Essentials framework in creating impactful gatherings
Understanding the ‘why’ behind events is crucial for success
Events should be designed to foster meaningful connections
Events can serve as a catalyst for social movements
Small, intentional touches can make a big impact
Collaboration among all stakeholders is essential
Mindset shifts can empower individuals to challenge the status quo

Episode Highlights

Designing Events fro Impact (11:59)
Creating Meaningful Connections (24:01)
Creating Intentional Gatherings on a Budget (29:55)
The Role of Events in Social Movements (36:12)
Mindset Shifts: If It's Not Gravity, It Can Be Changed (37:58)
Heather’s One Good Thing: If it’s not gravity, it can be changed. (37:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/623

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622. Hold Fast: Building Donor Trust in Uncertain Times - Mike Duerksen

Mon, 26 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mike, CEO of BuildGood 🤝. He’s here to share a thoughtful, grounded approach to fundraising in uncertain times.

In this episode, we dig into why “Today’s growth comes from today’s donors” isn’t just a clever phrase—it’s a mindset shift. From the game-changing nine-word email to the fundraising flywheel and the power of donor celebration, Mike’s sharing practical strategies that can turn transactional giving into transformational relationships.

Mike shares how to identify multi-year supporters and use donor surveys to uncover major gift potential—reminding us that growth often comes from deepening existing relationships. With 55% of our community citing donor connection as their biggest challenge, his insight couldn’t be more timely.

Tune in for thoughtful insights and practical strategies to deepen donor relationships and fundraise with more intention. 🎧

Episode Highlights

Navigating uncertainty in Nonprofit Leadership (02:23)
The Importance of Donor Retention (03:40)
Strategies for Engaging Existing Donors (05:04)
Identifying and Prioritizing Donor Relationships (09:12)
Effective Communication with Donors (12:25)
Building Consistency in Donor Engagement (19:42)
The Role of Reporting in Fundraising (23:28)
Homework for Fundraisers (26:39)
Mike’s One Good Thing: What is the most human thing you can do right now? (30:00)

Resources Mentioned

Ringless Voicemails - https://www.slybroadcast.com/
The Build Good Academy

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/622

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Gather At The Well: The Human-Centered Audit—Where Are You Now? - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 21 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

What if policies could actually feel like care? 💛

In this episode of Gather at the Well, Lindsey Fuller invites us to rethink how we show up for our teams. Through the policies we write and live by. Drawing from her own experience, Lindsey unpacks the evolution of her organization’s “corrective progression” policy, showing how even the trickiest processes can be reimagined as tools for growth, not punishment.

With heart and practicality, she introduces a simple but powerful framework that places every policy into one of three buckets: care, conditions, and corrections. You’ll hear why listening deeply, surveying your team, and designing policies rooted in trust can shift your culture from reactive to restorative.

Come for the insights, stay for the breathwork 🧘—this episode is a reminder that policies don’t have to be dusty documents. They can be living, breathing reflections of the kind of workplace we’re all trying to build.

Episode Highlights

Understanding Corrective Progression (01:21)
The Importance of Structure in Organizations (04:37)
Implementing Corrective Progression Policies (10:01)
Building Resilient Organizations (15:05)
The Cost of Human-Centered Policies (20:57)
Categories of Human-Centered Policies: Care, Conditions, and Corrections (25:05)
Engaging Staff in Policy Development (31:36)

Affirmations:

"One step at a time is enough for me."
"I am worthy of healing centered policies."
"We deserve policies that help not harm."
"I am brilliant."
"I can lead this effort."

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/humancenteredauditwhereareyounow

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621. Hold Fast: Storytelling That Grounds, Heals + Connects - Obiekwe Okolo

Mon, 19 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Obiekwe “Obi” Okolo, storyteller, creative director + culture alchemist. 🤝

In this episode of Hold Fast, we’re slowing down to explore the deep, healing power of story with Obi Okolo—visionary creative and founder of Bittersweet Creative. Born in Lagos, raised in Texas, and rooted in purpose, Obi invites us into a conversation about crafting stories that don’t just meet metrics—but move hearts.

From launching his own coffee brand to championing narratives that center identity, belonging, and truth, Obi reminds us that storytelling isn’t just a strategy. It’s soul work. It’s how we make meaning, deepen connection, and imagine new futures.

Your story isn’t a marketing tool—it’s an invitation to be seen, to feel, and to dream bigger.

🎧 Tune in and join us for one of the most heart-expanding conversations of the season.

You'll hear:

Storytelling helps nonprofits meet goals and expand community.
Storytelling should be approached as a practice of reconnection and belonging.
Nonprofits often struggle with their identity and message during crises.
Creating for everyone often results in creating for no one.
Silence can be a powerful form of protest and connection.
Listening to the wisdom of elders can guide our storytelling journey.

Episode Highlights

The Importance of Relationships in Storytelling (08:58)
The Role of Nonprofits in Storytelling (11:50)
The Process of Ethical Storytelling (15:06)
The Impact of Community in Storytelling (23:55)
Understanding Audience and Authenticity (36:02)
Practical Exercises for Better Storytelling (39:30)
Listening and Learning from Elders (50:10)
Obi’s One Good Thing “"Look back and borrow strength from the elders." (50:27)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/621

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620. 100% For Purpose Model: The Legacy and Future of Newman’s Own Foundation - Alex Amouyel

Wed, 14 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Alex, President and CEO of Newman’s Own Foundation. 🤝 100% of profits from Newman’s Own products go toward helping children facing adversity. With over $600 million donated to date, the Foundation continues Paul Newman’s bold vision of business as a force for good. Alex is also the author of The Answer Is You, a guide to living with impact.

In this episode, Alex shares how the 100% for Purpose model is reshaping philanthropy through community-led giving, tackling child food insecurity, and uplifting young changemakers.

Tune in to hear powerful stories of impact and learn how small actions can create real change. It’s a reminder that generosity starts wherever you are—and that we all have a part to play.

Episode Highlights:

The Legacy of Paul Newman and Newman’s Own (06:09)
The Business Model of Giving 100% Away (09:05)
The Future of Philanthropy and Community Engagement (11:50)
Child Nutrition and Food Justice Initiatives (14:54)
Decentralizing Philanthropy and Inclusive Giving (18:05)
Alex’s One Good Thing: Create your own rainbows (31:00)

Resources:

Episode with FRAC
Alex’s TED Talk
newmansown.org
100forpurpose.org

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/620

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619. Hold Fast: The Heart of Generosity: Trust, Belonging, and Community - Hali Lee

Mon, 12 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

How do you fund what matters when everything feels urgent—and uncertain? In this episode of our Hold Fast series, we sit down with Hali Lee—philanthropy innovator, author of The Big We, and founding partner of Radiant Strategies—for a candid conversation on funding with heart, courage, and community at the center.

Hali shares hard-earned wisdom from building collective giving movements like the Asian Women Giving Circle and Donors of Color Network, reminding us that generosity flows through relationships, not just resources. Together, we explore how nonprofits can build trust-based funding relationships, embrace smart shifts toward diversification, and create spaces of belonging that inspire action. ❤️

If you’ve been craving practical strategies and soulful encouragement for navigating power imbalances, donor shifts, and fundraising burnout—this episode is your invitation to pause, reflect, and root deeper.

You'll hear:

Why now is the moment for individuals—and for belonging
Building trust without losing yourself
Small teams, smart shifts: diversifying without burning out
Collective giving models for grassroots growth

Episode Highlights:

The Importance of Relationships in Philanthropy (02:55)
Navigating Urgency and Trust in Nonprofits (05:59)
The Future of Philanthropy: Inclusivity and Collaboration (09:01)
Collective Generosity vs Big Philanthropy (12:11)
Connecting Through Shared Experiences (22:39)
The Power of Community and Belonging (24:06)
Grassroots Movement for Collective Action (26:03)
Finding Joy in Connection (30:43)
Empowering Individuals to Create Change (32:37)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/619

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Gather At The Well: How to Create Human-Centered Systems + Policies - Lindsey Fuller and Marisol Pineda Conde

Wed, 07 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Policies aren’t just paperwork—they’re culture in action.

In this episode of Gather at the Well, Lindsey Fuller and Marisol Pineda Conde invite us to rethink how policies are created—and more importantly, who they’re really for.

Together, they pull back the curtain on their own journey from outdated handbooks to building intentional, people-first policies rooted in trust, care, and collaboration. With warmth, wisdom, and a whole lot of heart, they break down a five-step process that transforms policy-making from a check-the-box task into a powerful tool for psychological safety and team well-being.

You’ll hear stories, real talk, and tangible steps to design policies that reflect your values, center lived experience, and actually support the humans behind the work. Whether you're growing a startup, leading a nonprofit, or shaping culture in your school, this convo will leave you equipped—and inspired—to build better, together.

You’ll walk away with:

A five-step process for policy creation
How to balance organizational needs with human needs
Actionable strategies for policy implementation

Episode Highlights:

Defining Human-Centered Policies (02:18)
The Importance of Policies in Organizations (03:44)
Identifying Policy Gaps and Needs (06:08)
Feedback Mechanisms for Policy Development (10:06)
Challenges in Implementing Policies (13:45)
Opportunities for Policy Improvement (16:19)
Accountability and Leadership in Policy (19:31)
Roadmap to Human-Centered Policy Creation (25:51)

✨ Affirmations:

I am an attuned listener and a responsive leader.
When we know better, we do better.
Even if I feel overwhelmed to tackle policy creation, I can take the first step by noticing what's needed and asking for help.
I'm not alone. I don't have to do this on my own.
I honor that feeling. I know it will pass.
I honor my overwhelm. This moment can pass.
I honor my self-doubt. This feeling will pass.

👉 Explore the Full Episode Shownotes

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618. Hold Fast: Finding Clarity + Measuring Impact in a Changing World - Ori Carmel

Mon, 05 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500

When strategy feels like a moving target, how do you hold fast to what really matters?

In today’s episode, Ori Carmel shares how to hold fast to your true mission when everything feels uncertain, and how our quick decisions might be holding us back. 👀

Tune in to hear:

🤔 Understanding decision-making systems

📈 How to connect data to meaningful narrative

📍 Defining your unique organizational "why"

This episode is a game-changing eight-step framework for measuring what REALLY matters. We're talking beyond vanity metrics, cutting through the noise, and getting crystal clear on your organization's unique purpose. 🎧

Episode Highlights

Finding Your True North (04:10)
Visioning for Nonprofits (06:34)
Understanding Decision-Making Systems (09:00)
Navigating Complexity in Nonprofit Decisions (12:40)
Navigating Crisis in Philanthropy (20:53)
Metrics that Matter: Impact vs. Activity (24:46)
Framework for Impact Measurement (26:57)
The Importance of Organizational Reflection (30:56)
Resources for Social Impact Success (39:02)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/618

Resources Mentioned:

"Man's Search for Meaning" by Victor Frankl
“Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman"
"Higher Ground" by Allison Taylor (2024)
Sowen’s Social Impact Report

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617. Centering Community and Justice: GreenLight Fund’s Model for Localized Impact - Ali Knight

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ali, the CEO of GreenLight Fund and former leader of Fresh Lifelines for Youth. He joins us to share how his lived experience fuels his commitment to equity-driven leadership and community transformation. 🩵

In this conversation, Ali unpacks GreenLight Fund’s unique model for scaling evidence-based nonprofits into new cities—and what it means to center community voice in every step. He speaks candidly about navigating leadership transitions, anchoring in values like justice and generosity, and why listening to those closest to the challenges is key to building lasting solutions. You'll hear timely insights for leading through change and striving for deeper, more sustainable impact. 🎧

Episode Highlights

Ali Knight’s Journey and Lived Experience (04:39)
Understanding the Greenlight Fund Model (06:21)
Hyper-Local Solutions to Community Needs (08:42)
Navigating Local Contexts for Impact (11:23)
Empowerment Through the Selection Advisory Council (14:00)
Real-World Impact: Success Stories from Greenlight (20:22)
Values that Anchor Leadership in Turbulent Times (25:29)
Moments of Philanthropy and Community Trust (28:58)
Ali’s One Good Thing: Listening to the Community (32:01)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/617

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Hold Fast: Creating Space for Trust and Alignment in Funding - Iara Peng, JustFund

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode of our Hold Fast series, we’re leaning into what it really means to lead with purpose—especially when the weight of funding pressures feels unrelenting. Iara Peng joins us for a heart-opening conversation that invites nonprofit leaders to breathe a little deeper and reimagine funding as a partnership, not just a transaction.

With compassion and clarity, Iara offers a vision for building trust-based relationships rooted in alignment and shared purpose. You’ll walk away with practical ways to pause the hustle, reclaim time for strategic thinking, prioritize fewer but better-aligned funders, and lean into storytelling as a spacious, powerful tool. It’s the reminder we all need: you are already enough. Your work matters. And there’s a more intentional, more human way forward. 💛

Homework:

What originally called me to this work?
Where do I feel most alive and aligned in my work right now?
What does it look like for me to lead with trust and not fear this week?
Bonus: at your next team or board meeting, bring one of those questions and invite reflection.

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/616

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Gather At The Well: The Art of Multi-Leader Calibration - Lindsey Fuller and Marisol Pineda Conde

Wed, 23 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Sustainable leadership is not about being identical—it’s about being aligned.

In this episode of Gather At The Well, co-leaders Lindsey and Marisol pull back the curtain on the real work of co-leadership—what it takes to align, recalibrate, and lead with intention. They share how they’ve built a leadership model rooted in alignment, trust, and professional authenticity at The Teaching Well.

From weekly syncs and systems audits to somatic check-ins and tough conversations, they offer practical tools and honest reflections on what it takes to lead together with intention. You'll hear how they navigate misalignment, build psychological safety, and stay grounded in shared values without sacrificing individuality.

This is a masterclass in shared leadership, psychological safety, and critical hope—rooted in love, truth, and a belief that we are stronger when we lead together.

Tune in to hear:

🤝 How co-leaders (and leadership teams) can align their values, decision-making styles, and leadership approaches
📆 Practical tools and rituals for co-leadership alignment, like weekly syncs and systems audits
❤️ How to navigate misalignment with curiosity, care, and honest conversation

Episode Overview

Tone-Setting (1:00)
Building a co-leadership relationship: creating unified vision, establishing psychological safety, and discussing values alignment (6:00)
Alignment and calibration practices + weekly meeting structures (12:00)
Dots and Squeezes Somatic Practice (16:00)
Lindsey and Marisol’s six core co-leadership values (23:00)
Homework + Critical Hope (32:00)

Explore the Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/theartofmulticalibration

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615. Hold Fast: How To Strengthen Your Operational Core - Scott Curran

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

In this special episode of our Hold Fast series, we’re bringing you a replay from our March members-only meetup featuring nonprofit legal and operational powerhouse, Scott Curran.

As the former Chief General Counsel for the Clinton Foundation, Scott has navigated massive change and complexity — and he joined us to help you do the same. In this timely conversation, Scott walks us through the essential operational steps every nonprofit should be taking to prepare for a period of federal upheaval and uncertainty.

We cover everything from accounting and legal, to HR, leadership development, and board structure — with actionable takeaways you can put into practice right away. It’s grounding, insightful, and exactly the kind of clear-headed guidance we all need right now.

✨ Want to be part of conversations like this in real time? Join our membership for just $30/month and never miss a member meetup again.

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Let’s Say a Little Bit More About: Joy in Changemaking - Tulaine Montgomery

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Today, instead of our regular episode, we wanted to share an episode from a podcast hosted by Tulaine Montgomery, the CEO of the venture philanthropy New Profit. She’s also a dear friend, a We Are For Good podcast alum, and brilliant thought leader we trust and follow to lead with conviction and heart. In Say More with Tulaine Montgomery, she talks to people who are dedicated to making the world a better place, all while taking care of themselves and supporting each other. While she normally interviews changemakers, she also records solo episodes where she looks back at her previous interviews.

How we can undertake challenging work as changemakers while also savoring the beauty of relationships, laughter, and joy? In this episode, Tulaine explores the joy in changemaking: why it's important and how to sustain it. Tune in. 🎧

Helpful Links:

Subscribe to Say More with Tulaine Montgomery on Apple or Spotify
Listen to Episode 378 - Unlocking the Impact of Proximate Leadership - Tulaine Montgomery

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614. Hold Fast: Your Blueprint for Building a Resilient Organization - Brooke Richie-Babbage

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

The world is changing—fast. As a nonprofit leader, how do you hold fast to your mission when everything feels uncertain? In this episode of our new Hold Fast series, we’re joined by Brooke Richie Babbage, founder of Bending Arc Consulting and host of the Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast, to break down what real resilience looks like in practice.

Brooke introduces her powerful framework for building a resilient organization—one that doesn’t just survive uncertainty but thrives through it. She shares the three core elements of resilience (Strategic Clarity, Capacity, and Capital) and walks us through her 4-step process for designing organizations that are strong, adaptable, and built to last.

If you’re leading a small team with limited capacity, feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty, or struggling to scale your impact, this episode is for you. You’ll walk away with practical, actionable steps to stabilize and grow your organization.

Plus, Brooke’s “One Good Thing” will change the way you think about resilience in your daily work.

Tune in to learn:
✅ What resilience really means for nonprofit organizations
✅ How to build clarity, capacity, and capital—even with a small team
✅ A step-by-step approach to designing a resilient, high-impact nonprofit
✅ How to move from feeling stuck to executing with confidence

Let’s build something that lasts. Listen now. 🎧✨

What's your nonprofit's growth stage? Take Brooke's quiz to find out!

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Gather At The Well: Holding Fast + Staying Steady When You Need it the Most - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

How do we stay steady when we need it most?

In this episode of Gather At The Well, Lindsey explores what it means to hold fast — to your values, your purpose, and your inner knowing. Through grounding somatic practices, personal reflections, and the rhythms that keep her team at The Teaching Well aligned, she offers a framework for leading with clarity and care.

This episode is full of tools to help you slow down, tune inward, and lead from a place of steadiness. You’ll walk away with:

🧘‍♀️ Somatic practices you can use in real time
📅 Weekly, quarterly & annual rhythms for aligned leadership
🔁 The “Keep, Stop, Start” framework for intentional reflection
🫶 A reframe for what it really means to be resilient

Because holding fast isn’t about freezing — it’s about showing up, soft and steadfast, again and again. “You’re here in this moment. You’re holding fast.”✨

Episode Highlights:

Tone-setting: Staying steady when you need it most (1:00)
Somatic Practice: Grounding Exercise (4:00)
What does it mean to “Hold Fast”? (7:00)
Strategies for staying grounded (10:11)
Weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual alignment strategies for you and your team (13:00)
Somatic Practice: Anchor yourself in moments of unrest (15:00)
Creating collective resilience (19:59)
Somatic Practice: Gaze stabilization (26:00)
Self-Care and community support (29:46)
Advice for the busy leader + personal resilience strategies (36:00)
Homework: Find 3 ways to tend to self - one somatic, one self care, and one social
Critical Hope: Holding fast doesn’t mean freezing. It means showing up as the change leader that you are.

Full Episode Shownotes

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Hold Fast: A Guided Meditation for Social Impact Leaders with Jennifer Mulholland, Plenty Consulting

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Everything is changing - fast.

How do you hold fast to your mission while so much is uncertain?

We'll be exploring this question at ImpactUp: Hold Fast this Thursday 4/10 from 10:00 - 2:00 CST with expert panels, a powerful workshop, and live coaching with legal, marketing, fundraising, and leadership experts. Bring your pressing problems and leave with a plan.

To kick off our week and help us get grounded, Jennifer Mulholland, Co-Principal of Plenty joins us to share a 10 minute guided meditation. Come back here to recenter when feeling overwhelmed or stressed. As Jennifer teaches, "The more we choose ease, the more life meets us with ease."

The world needs resilient changemakers—now more than ever. We Are For Good’s ImpactUp is here to help you navigate uncertainty, unlock funding, and lead with clarity.

Join us this Thursday from 10:00 - 2:00 CST for ImpactUp: Hold Fast. Register for FREE today.

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613. A Community-Centric Approach to Philanthropy - Rachel D'Souza

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500

What does it mean to truly center community in philanthropy?

Meet Rachel D’Souza, Founder and Chief Purpose Officer of Gladiator Consulting. 🤝 A leading voice in the Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) movement, Rachel shares her perspective on systems change in resource development, balancing donor expectations with equity, and how to drive long-term systems change over short-term solutions.

In this moment of unprecedented challenge for social impact orgs, Rachel offers a roadmap for survival, collaboration, and meaningful change. Nonprofit leaders need a new approach—one that centers community, embraces vulnerability, and dismantles outdated systems. Listen in for bold insights, real talk, and a call to action for the future of fundraising. 🎧

Key Takeaways:
✔ What Community-Centric Fundraising is and why it matters
✔ How nonprofits can own their narrative in donor conversations
✔ Creative approaches to self-funding and collaboration in the sector

Resources Mentioned:

Community Centric Fundraising website
Follow Rachel D'Souza's work through Gladiator Consulting
Connect with Tosha Phonix, Executive Director of A.C.R.E.S.

Learn more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/613

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612. 5 Steps to Better Meetings + Events - Tes Cohen

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tes 🤝— The Founder + Chief Gathering Office at Gather Better.

Join us for this episode where we dive into the art of intentional gathering with Tes. She’s passionate about creating meaningful spaces that spark impact and support well-being—and she’s sharing her roadmap to help us do it better. 🙌

Tes shares her go-to approach for hosting gatherings with heart—from defining your “why” and setting a thoughtful agenda to adding special touches, guiding with care, and closing with intention. She reminds us that the world needs more reflective leadership and offers easy, meaningful ways to make people feel seen and connected. 💛

Tune in and get ready to rethink how you gather people together. 🎧

💡Learn:

Why traditional meetings often lack purpose—and the importance of intentional gathering
The 5-step Gathering Framework and how to continuously improve your approach to bringing people together
How to embrace practices that foster reflective leadership
How to explore practical innovations to create moments of real connection and insight

Episode Highlights

Tes Cohen’s Journey and Philosophy (02:32)
The Five Steps to Impactful Gatherings (06:01)
The Power of Intentional Gathering (12:05)
Transforming Nonprofit Events (19:55)
The Essence of Authentic Team Building (24:37)
Creating Meaningful Gatherings (30:05)
Measuring Success in Gatherings (35:01)
The Power of Storytelling (40:32)
Have a weekly meeting with yourself where you can reflect (31:54) Tes’s One Good Thing

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/612

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Gather At The Well: Cultivating Critical Hope - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500

When the weight of the world feels nonstop, slipping into survival mode can feel like the only option. But what if there’s a different way—one that’s rooted in honesty, resilience, and real, grounded hope?

Welcome back to Gather at the Well, hosted by Lindsey Fuller, Executive Director of The Teaching Well. In this episode, Lindsey dives into the practice of cultivating critical hope—a powerful mindset that helps human-centered leaders stay resilient and rooted amidst change.

Join us for Episode 2, as Lindsey breaks down ways we can hold space for challenges while still believing in possibility. Think: duality declarations, everyday rituals to re-center your mindset, and showing up with truth and compassion. You’ll walk away with tangible strategies to cultivate hope as a daily leadership practice. Live now 🎧

Episode Highlights

Somatic Practices for Change Leaders (05:44)
Inspiration vs. Leadership (13:11)
Cultivating Critical Hope (23:04)
Practical Exercises for Leaders (39:20)

(Critical Hope Statements) Affirmations:

Critical hope asks us to sit with the wholeness of life and the full range of human experience.
It’s complex. It’s uncertain. It’s the willingness to hold duality—to recognize that two things can be true at once.
Critical hope means honoring our histories and traditions, while also embracing freedom and imagining new futures.
It’s about grounding ourselves in reality, while still believing in possibility.
It’s the audacity to keep going.
So be audacious. Keep showing up—not just for the mission, but for your team’s morale, their well-being, their hope.
There is a path forward. And you don’t have to walk it alone.

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/cultivatingcriticalhope

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611. BlinkNow: A Journey of Love + Sustainable Community Development - Maggie Doyne

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Maggie 🤝—CNN Hero of the Year in 2015, humanitarian, activist, CEO and co-founder of the BlinkNow Foundation.

In this heart-opening conversation, Maggie takes us on a journey of purpose and possibility—from the humble beginnings of BlinkNow to a movement that now includes over 175 team members serving thousands of children, women, and community members in Nepal. You’ll hear stories of redefining family, lifting up the most vulnerable, and recognizing the sacred wisdom our children carry. ✨

This episode is equal parts grounding and inspiring—and a beautiful reminder that change begins when we choose to care deeply and act boldly. Tune in today 🎧

💡Learn:

The power of love, empathy, and creating a nurturing environment for children to thrive
Strategies for building a holistic, community-driven approach to addressing complex social issues like poverty and lack of access to education
The importance of listening to and empowering local communities, rather than imposing outside solutions
How to design systems that care for the whole community

Episode Highlights:

The Evolution of BlinkNow Foundation (9:11)
Community-Centered Approach to Empowerment (15:05)
Lessons from Children and the Call to Action (21:03)
Empowering Communities Through Youth Engagement (24:49)
The Journey of Documentary: Love and Loss (30:41)
Key Metrics for Engagement Strategies (22:54)
The Importance of Storytelling in Philanthropy (30:04)
Maggie’s One Good Thing: Look at a child’s face today (39:52)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/611

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610. How to Reframe Your Engagement + Activate Supporters - Beth Saunders

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Beth, Founder of Beth Saunders Associates and creator of MapMoveMeasure—a practical framework that helps nonprofits build stronger, lasting relationships with supporters. 🤝

In this episode, Beth shares her journey from corporate banking to the nonprofit world and explores how a mindset shift can transform our work. She highlights the power of focusing on potential and abundance, rather than scarcity or limitations. 💛 Beth also dives into the human side of giving—how to move beyond data points and see the person behind the donation to build more meaningful connections. 🎧 Listen now!

💡Learn:

How reframing challenges as opportunities helps us see beyond transactions to deeper impact
Ways to engage supporters by clarifying vision, inviting them into the journey, and measuring connection
How storytelling and purpose-driven work can spark powerful transformation
Practical ways to measure engagement beyond dollars—like tracking how recently, how often, and how meaningfully supporters interact.

Episode Highlights:

Activating Supporters for Engagement (01:09)
Beth’s Journey to Nonprofit Consulting (03:01)
Understanding Engagement and Data (06:57)
The Power of Abundant Thinking (11:02)
MapMoveMeasure Framework Explained (15:52)
Key Metrics for Engagement Strategies (22:54)
The Importance of Storytelling in Philanthropy (30:04)
Look up and notice the big picture (32:10) Beth’s One Good Thing

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/610

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609. People, Place, Practice, Policy: RestoreOKC's Community-Led Model - Caylee Dodson

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Caylee, Co-Founder and Executive Director of RestoreOKC. Caylee joins us to share how she and her team have taken a radically different, community-led approach to addressing complex, systemic issues in their city. It's a powerful case study on how data can be a helpful tool (but not the driver), how grassroots programs are transforming access to education, jobs, and housing, and how meaningful partnerships are key to lasting change. 🤝

Their work has sparked sustainable, community-led development that’s been recognized with state and national awards—including Caylee being named USA Today’s Oklahoma Woman of the Year. ⭐ This one is a must-listen for anyone passionate about driving systemic change and building more just, thriving communities. 🎧 Live now!

💡Learn:

RestoreOKC’s “people, place, practice, policy” framework for community-led change
The importance of centering community voice and lived experience in program development
How partnerships and collaboration help address complex, systemic challenges
Practical tips for self-care as a nonprofit leader

Episode Highlights:

Caylee Dodson's Journey and Formative Experiences (2:54)
RestoreOKC's Community-Led Approach (13:00)
How RestoreOKC leverages partnerships and collaborations to address systemic issues (22:00)
Place-Based Approaches to Community Development (30:19)
Self-Care in Nonprofit Leadership (39:37)
A Powerful Moment of Philanthropy in Caylee's Life (35:00)
Caylee's One Good Thing: Be a presence of radical warmth and hospitality. (37:00)

Explore the Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/609

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Gather At The Well: Human-Centered Leadership - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500

It’s easier to disengage with your work culture, release expectations, and vent about your dissatisfaction. What’s harder, but more rewarding, is being part of a morale turnaround effort. ❤️ Collective care is the way forward.

Welcome back to Gather At The Well, hosted by Lindsey Fuller, Executive Director of The Teaching Well. This conversation and series is a call to collective care, inviting us to build work cultures we don’t have to heal from.

Join us for Episode 1, as we explore the power of human-centered leadership to create thriving, sustainable work cultures. Lindsey shares concrete strategies for operationalizing your values, elevating "culture keepers" on your team, and implementing policies that retain top talent. Live now 🎧

Episode Highlights

Somatic Practice (3:00)
The Importance of Human-Centered Policies (4:15)
Human-Centered Leadership and Stress Management (9:00)
Somatic Practice (9:50)
Understanding Stress and Resilience (10:55)
Human-Centered Policies and Team Dynamics (13:45)
Defining Human-Centered Leadership (15:15)
Creating Support Work Environments (22:01)
Empowering Change Agents (29:21)
Homework for Human-Centered Leadership (36:30)

Affirmations

I prioritize my peace and safety.
I may feel unsure but I have agency.
I deserve a healthy workplace.
When I am able, I lean towards solutions.
I am a part of something bigger.

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/human-centered-leadership

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608. A Convo with Bellamy Young: Storytelling Hope + Empowerment with CARE

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Bellamy. 🤝 She’s known for her roles in hit shows like Scandal, Prodigal Son, and Promised Land, but Bellamy's passion extends far beyond the screen - she is also a dedicated ambassador for international humanitarian organization CARE. 🧡

Tune in to hear more about CARE’s holistic, community-driven approach to sustainable development, and a glimpse into Bellamy’s new limited podcast series, She Leads with CARE. 🎧

From Vietnam to Ukraine to Tanzania, community leaders join Bellamy to share their life experiences to show how local empowerment programs are changing lives.Listen to our full conversation with Bellamy at the links in the comments. And be sure to listen + subscribe to She Leads with CARE, launching tomorrow. ✨

💡Learn:

How Bellamy's own experiences shaped her heart for service and advocacy.
The inspiring origins of CARE and their unique approach to empowering communities.
The ripple effect of empowering women and girls, uplifting entire communities.
Practical ways you can get involved and make a difference.

Episode Highlights:

The Impact of CARE: Transforming Lives Globally (02:59)
Empowering Women: The Heart of CARE’s Mission (06:01)
Connecting Through Stories: The Power of Shared Humanity
The Importance of Engagement and Connection (22:22)
Finding Inspiration in Kindness (27:05)
The Impact of Philanthropy and Generosity (28:33)
Curiosity as a Path to Connection (32:19)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/608

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/p0bihgwNOQV4BrflHkpceHdkY2o?utm_source=copy_url

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Take a Moment to Pause: Guided Meditation + Teaser for Gather At The Well Season 2 - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0600

We are so thrilled to share that Gather At The Well - a limited series in partnership with our friends at The Teaching Well produced by We Are For Good Studio is back!

Every other week - right here in the We Are For Good podcast feed, you can gather with us at this well, as we learn from Lindsey Fuller, the Executive Director of The Teaching Well.

This new 11 part series is all about creating human centered policies and building resilient organizations in the face of uncertainty and change.

This isn’t just a podcast series—it’s a movement to reimagine how we relate to our work. And I think you’ll love it as much as we do.

It’s time to build work cultures we don’t have to heal from.

Now here’s a glimpse of what’s to come in this series - Episode 1 Launches Next Wednesday 🥳 Learn more here!

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607. The Big We: The Future of Giving is Collective - Hali Lee

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Hali, the Founding Partner of Radical Strategies, founder of Asian Women Giving Circle and co-founder of Donors of Color Network. 🤝 Named to Forbes’ 50 Over 50: Impact in 2021, Hali Lee is reshaping philanthropy for the twenty-first century. In this episode, she shares her journey—from growing up as the child of Korean immigrants to the lasting influence of her freedom fighter grandfather—while championing the power of collective giving.

Tune in to start rethinking traditional philanthropy and embrace community-driven change. 🎧

P.S Hali Lee’s newest book, The Big We, drops tomorrow! ✨ Packed with powerful stories of everyday Americans taking action together, it shows how small efforts can spark big civic change.

💡Learn:

Transforming cultural traditions into meaningful philanthropic action.
Harnessing personal stories and relationships to build a more inclusive community.
Practical strategies for nonprofit professionals to deepen connections with donors.
Reimagining philanthropy and civic engagement to empower everyday people, not just the wealthy elite.

Episode Highlights

The Importance of Collective Giving (6:10)
Critique of Billionaire Philanthropy (8:55)
The Call to Action for Collective Change (17:54)
Practical Steps for Fundraisers (22:50)
One Good Thing: Inviting Connection and Join Something (32:20)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/607

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/DsRPhwUCP7p2Z3cfkrMXesT9gQw?utm_source=copy_url

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606. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter (Recap): Navigating Uncertainty, Embracing Change + Unlocking Your Impact - Jon and Becky

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Our Dear Friends,

Today, we’re wrapping up our social impact trends that matter series on the podcast. But our hope is that what starts here—ripples.

Through convos with incredible change-makers on this series, we've uncovered insights that have truly shaken us. From the power of community to be the multiplier, to owning your authentic narrative, to the rise of the change-leader. These ideas have the potential to breathe new life into you and your mission.

We know the world feels heavy, but as our friend Sixto Cancel reminded us, "If you're struggling, you already know the answer." The solutions lie within you and your community. You have the light the world needs.

So we're inviting you to lean in, get inspired, and take action. Don't just listen—try these trends on, test them out, and see what unlocks for you this year. And reach out and let us know what you’re seeing + how you are putting these ideas into practice.

Can't wait to see the change we create - together.

With hope,
Jon & Becky

PS - huge thank you to our friends and partners at iDonate for helping bring this series to life.

Episode Shownotes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/606

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605. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: Advocacy is Non-Negotiable. (Sixto Cancel)

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Sixto, the Founder of Think of Us and a nationally recognized leader. 🤝 He’s driving systems change in child welfare using tech, research, and policy to transform outcomes for youth and families. 🫂

In this episode, Sixto breaks down why advocacy is essential for creating lasting change. He explains that vulnerable communities need advocates who bring lived experiences to the table, using data and stories to drive decisions. Advocacy isn’t just about making noise—it’s about harnessing these experiences to influence policymakers and push for real, systemic transformation. 🗣️

Sixto talks about how Think of Us connects young people with foster care experience directly to lawmakers to help influence their decisions.💙

Join us for this episode today. 🎧

💡Learn:

How Think of Us' work intersects with advocacy, including co-designing with those directly impacted.
Misconceptions around advocacy that typically keep organizations from getting started.
How Think of Us collected data from 27,000 young people to advocate for policy changes during the pandemic.
How advocacy is not just an option but a necessity for impact organizations today.

Episode Highlights:

Understanding the Necessity of Advocacy (5:29)
Misconceptions About Advocacy (12:28)
Empowering Youth Through Advocacy (26:36)
Confronting Social Issues in Education (20:39)
Research and Lived Experience (33:34)
The Power of Storytelling in Advocacy (36:46)
“Keep your advocacy simple. It’s not about the number of people; it’s about being strategic. A smaller, capable team can be more agile and responsive, while a larger team may be slower to act.”- Sixto Cancel’s One Good Thing(30:17)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/605

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/d5RpcOu6iDaC73ruubu3sPdgK9c?utm_source=copy_url

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604. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: Fuel Young Generosity. (with Manuela Testolini)

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Manuela, the Founder and President of In A Perfect World. 🤝 She’s dedicated her life to empowering and activating the next generation of youth leaders and philanthropists. 🌎

In this episode, Manuela shares how to fuel young generosity by tapping into kids’ natural empathy and kindness, and how to partner with them to create their own "north star" for creating change within your mission. 🙌 After 20 years of work in this space, she shares her playbook for how to co-create programs and tailor your messaging to speak to their unique passions.

Manuela also shares practical tools, like their Everyday Kindness series and Youth Ambassador program, to help young people take action and create change today. 💫

Tune in for the playbook today. 🎧

💡Learn:

How to authentically engage youth by listening to their voices and helping them find their own "north star" for creating change.
Strategies for effective messaging and storytelling to connect young people to social issues.
How to better integrate youth voice and agency into your work, such as finding internal champions and allowing kids to drive the solutions.

Episode Highlights

Empathy and Generosity: Lessons from Children (2:51)
The Power of Listening to Children (9:00)
Storytelling as a Tool for Engagement (15:02)
Confronting Social Issues in Education (20:39)
Empowering the Next Generation (23:24)
Programs for Change: Everyday Kindness and Dream Catchers (25:41)
Hope for the Future: The Role of Young People (31:44)
“Trust young people-we often dismiss them, but we should meet them where they are. Encourage them to be their authentic selves instead of shaping them into something else.”- Manuela Testolini’s One Good Thing (32:55)

Episode Shownotes:

www.weareforgood.com/episode/604

Episode Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/eRZ0s4f9ViMSa7RNMHFls5LJDlY?utm_source=copy_url

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603. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: We Need Your Light. (Jeff Shuck)

Wed, 12 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to the 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter Series! 🥳

Meet Jeff, the Principal of Plenty Consulting. 🤝 He’s an inspiring leader dedicated to helping others shine, even in the toughest times.

In this episode, Jeff shares his heartfelt wisdom on finding your light and leading with purpose, no matter what challenges come your way. As an expert in conscious leadership and social impact strategy, he’s spent his career helping people and organizations discover their inner strength.

Join us for a warm and inspiring conversation as Jeff talks about navigating the “crisis of consciousness” we’re all feeling in the world today. Let’s explore how we can shine together.

💡 Learn:

How to embrace the tough feelings and not try to talk yourself out of them, while also practicing optimism and constructive action.
Practical steps to reconnect with your authentic self and the unique gifts you have to offer the world.
The importance of community, kindness, and finding common ground to bring people together in divisive times.

Episode Highlights

Crisis of Consciousness in Leadership (3:06)
Navigating Change and Uncertainty (10:01)
Finding Your Light (15:09)
The Importance of Community and Connection (19:45)
Embracing Your Unique Light (29:56)
“Decide to be intentional about how you show up." - Jeff Shucker’s One Good Thing (31:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/603

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/tDu-wjdrpU4vqoB12v_Mh8xqC6g?utm_source=copy_url

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602. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: The Rise of the Change-Leader. (Lindsey Fuller)

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to the 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter Series! 🥳

Meet Lindsey, the Executive Director of The Teaching Well. 🤝 She’s all about turning ideas into action and creating real, lasting change.

The world needs more change leaders. 💡 Join us as Lindsey walks us through some hallmarks of change leaders, the barriers that can hold organizations back from creating real systems-level change, and actionable advice for how to start transitioning to a change leadership approach.

If you're ready to move beyond just generating ideas and start driving tangible change, this is a must-listen episode. 👏

💡 Learn:

How to take your big ideas and turn them into real action.
How to overcome barriers to enacting lasting change.
The strategies you need to lead with confidence and sustainability + empower your team as a change leader.

Episode Highlights:

The Characteristics of Change Leaders. (3:06)
The Importance of “scaffolding” and Empowering Eeams as a Change Leader. (10:05)
Steps to Becoming a Change Leader. (13:31)
Empowering Others Through Change Leadership. (19:53)
“If you struggle with communication—whether due to anxiety, overthinking, or uncertainty—consider coaching and development. Clear, timely, and honest communication builds trust and alignment.”(24:24)

Learn More:

Episode Shownotes: http://weareforgood.com/episode/602

Episode Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/mVwJqlHm47YumaZ01VWKx9dg2So?utm_source=copy_url&tab=chat&view=transcript

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601. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: Redefine Impact Measurement. (Ori Carmel)

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to the 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter Series! 🥳

Meet Ori, the Founder and CEO of Sowen 🤝. He's on a mission to help organizations rethink how they measure their social impact, moving beyond just tracking activities and inputs to truly understanding the outcomes they're driving.

In this episode, we dive into why we need to rethink impact measurement and how to do it effectively. 📊 Ori shares a framework for aligning measurement to your organization's purpose, combining data and storytelling, and focusing on what matters most - the change you’re creating in the world.

Tune in to hear Ori share his wealth of insights and practical strategies to help you redefine impact measurement in your own organization. 🎧 It’s a must-listen episode. 🙌

💡 Learn

How to align your measurement to your organization's true purpose and vision for change.
How to integrate the “art” and the “science’ in your approach to impact measurement.
Real-world examples of organizations that are innovating in impact measurement and seeing great results.

Learn more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/601

Episode Shownotes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/601

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/mgpU6iDPqhKIuLmgqtPONrhQvOw?utm_source=copy_url&tab=chat&view=summary

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600. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: Own Your Narrative. (Dr. Tim Lampkin)

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Dr. Tim Lampkin, founder of the economic justice org Higher Purpose Co. We’re in our 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter Series, and Dr. Tim is here to share how we can own our narratives this year. 📝

In this episode, Dr. Tim shares his personal journey of shifting the stories his team was telling themselves - and the communities they serve in Mississippi. He walks us through practical tips for analyzing existing narratives, crafting a bold vision for the future, and using storytelling as a strategic tool (not just a marketing tactic).

Most importantly, Tim emphasizes the importance of moving from surface-level "storytelling" to deeper "truth-telling" that taps into our shared humanity. ❤️

Your organization is a beacon of hope and a hub of knowledge and resources for your community. This episode is your toolkit to take control of the narrative around your mission this year. We got this friends. 🤝

Learn

How to analyze the existing stories and preconceived notions about your organization and the communities you serve, in order to identify gaps and opportunities.
Strategies for crafting a bold, collective vision for the future narrative you want to create for your organization and mission.
Techniques for moving beyond just "storytelling" to deeper "truth-telling" that taps into the humanity and liberates your community.

Episode Highlights

The Inner Work of Narrative Change (2:34)
Challenging Preconceived Notions (6:46)
Storytelling is Liberation (10:29)
Impact on Relationships with Donors (19:37)
Practical Tips for Owning Your Narrative This Year (23:00)
Dr. Tim's One Good Thing: “Remember the story you first told yourself and allow that to be the thing that guides you on this journey.” (27:32)

Learn more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/600

Episode Shownotes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/600

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/mgpU6iDPqhKIuLmgqtPONrhQvOw?utm_source=copy_url

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599. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: Simple Shifts on Repeat. (Adam O'Brien)

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to the 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter series!

Meet Adam. He's the VP of Marketing at iDonate, a Podcast Host, and a passionate Mental Health Advocate. In this episode, we explore the power of "simple shifts on repeat" to drive sustainable growth this year.

The reality of who's giving is changing, how they're giving is changing, and why they're giving is changing. Adam walks us through specific tactics and pilots you can test on your marketing, copywriting, fundraising and technology this year to meet this moment. He even shares a powerful case study of an organization that raised $750,000 on GivingTuesday by optimizing their donor experience and leveraging A/B testing. You don't want to miss it.

Check out the link to Adam O'Briens GPT he created for testing

Learn:

Practical strategies for running effective tests and pilots to optimize your operations, from donation pages to supporter engagement
The importance of adopting an iterative, "try stuff" mindset to drive continuous improvement, even with limited resources
How leveraging accessible technology and a donor-centric approach can unlock significant growth and impact

Episode Highlights:

Leveraging Technology for Nonprofit Success (6:07)
Practical Pilots and Testing Strategies (12:00)
The Role of Technology in Nonprofits (20:20)
Personal Stories of Philanthropy and Impact (26:08)
Adam O'Brien's One Good Thing: Don't be afraid to take that 1% step, that will change your mission. Focus on yourself and focus on your mission (31:49)

Episode Shownotes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/599

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/to4TlP1-2X2BIBjKBLX4FdPhOGU?utm_source=copy_url

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598. 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter: Community is the Multiplier. (Floyd Jones)

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Floyd🤝. He’s a New York City-based speaker, coach and Community Builder. He’s helping us kick off our newest series from We Are For Good Studio: 2025 Social Impact Trends That Matter 🥳

Our first trend: Community is the multiplier. ✖️

But building a thriving community isn't easy - it takes strategy, consistency, and a whole lot of heart. In this episode, Floyd joins us to share the proven tactics and mindset shifts that will help you turn followers into loyal supporters and donors this year.

Episode Highlights:

The Power of Community in Nonprofits (2:53)
Success Stories: Community Engagement in Action (6:02)
Mindsets Shifts for Effective Community Building (8:59)
The Role of Consistency in Engagement (13:08)
Sustainable Growth and Avoiding Burnout (17:50)
Floyd Jones’s One Good Thing: No one starts as a butterfly, you have to start as a caterpillar. (26:09)

Episode Shownotes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/598

Transcript: https://otter.ai/u/Q-WDZlAjm3r0Tw1AlC11CTsWzpY?utm_source=copy_url

Learn more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/598

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597. Building Trust + Credibility on LinkedIn to Attract New Corporate Partners + Donors - Brynne Krispin

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Brynne. She’s the Founder and CEO of Cause Fokus and social media strategist 🤝. She shares her journey in social media, the misconceptions surrounding LinkedIn, and offers practical advice on how to engage authentically with potential partners and donors. This episode discusses the challenges nonprofits face in the digital age, the importance of empathy in social media, and how LinkedIn has emerged as a powerful platform for social impact leaders. It offers insights into the need for genuine connections and the value of sharing personal stories to build trust and credibility in the nonprofit sector. You don’t want to miss it 🎧

The Power of Empathy in Social Media (3:30)
Misconceptions About LinkedIn (11:32)
The Three P’s of LinkedIn Engagement (14:09)
Navigating Early Career Challenges (19:12)
Building Authentic Connections Through Storytelling (20:35)
Brynne Krispin’s One Good Thing: The importance of Sleep for Productivity. (36:18)

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Collective One Good Thing / In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Today, we’re doing something a little different. Instead of a typical interview, we’re taking a pause. And inviting you into a collective One Good Thing.

Good is the foundation of progress, and the fuel for movements. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’re reminded that good isn’t passive; it’s a choice. It’s choosing love over hate, justice over complacency, and action over indifference.

So today, instead of a regular podcast episode, we want to leave you with a simple challenge: Do one good thing for someone.

It doesn’t have to be grand or complicated. It could be checking in on a friend, volunteering your time, buying the coffee for the person behind you in line, or simply smiling and saying hello to someone you cross paths with today. Small acts of kindness have the power to ripple outward and create waves of change.

We're so glad you're here. ❤️

Give: The King Center + LA Fire Relief

Volunteer: Idealist.org - is a great place to start to find a way to take action or volunteer your time.

Read: Discover how forward-thinking nonprofits and foundations are transforming communication strategies for building trust, fostering inclusion, and creating impactful connections in a new article series from SSIR and The Communications Network.

Watch: The Story of MLK as told by Kid President (it’s 3.5 minutes of joy AND education 🙌)

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596. Transforming Education Through Cross-Sector Collaborations + The Mission of Digital Promise - Jean-Claude Brizard

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Jean-Claude. He’s the President and CEO of Digital Promise, a nonprofit focused on shaping the future of learning through cross-sector collaboration🤝. He outlines his playbook for driving systemic change - emphasizing the importance of building trust, finding community "protagonists", and aligning diverse stakeholders around a shared vision. This episode offers valuable insights for education leaders, nonprofit professionals, and anyone interested in leveraging cross-sector partnerships to create equitable, systemic change. You don’t want to miss it 🎧

Episode Highlights

Digital Promise's Mission and Unique Approach (5:00)
Leveraging Technology to Transform Teaching and Learning (7:00)
The Importance of Cross-Sector Collaboration for Systemic Change (10:00)
Strategies for Building Effective Community Coalitions (16:00)
A Powerful Moment of Philanthropy in Jean-Claude’s Life (19:00)
Jean-Claude’s One Good Thing: Never negotiate your core values. (23:00)

Learn more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/596

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595. Navigating Life's Transitions + The Mission of The Flight School - Abby Falik

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Abby. She’s a social entrepreneur, speaker, and advocate for purposeful learning at any age ❤️. In this powerful episode, Abby shares her journey of letting go, stepping into the unknown, and redefining her path—offering invaluable lessons for anyone facing change or seeking purpose.

In 2024, Abby launched The Flight School to transform the post-high school transition into a bold rite of passage for emerging leaders. Through her insights on mindfulness, generosity, and personal growth, Abby is reshaping how the next generation learns, leads, and launches into the world. This conversation will leave you inspired to approach your own transitions with clarity, resilience, and a sense of adventure. We hope you enjoy 🎧

💡 Learn

The power of mindfulness and daily practices to navigate life's transitions.
Strategies for overcoming the challenges of starting something new
Abby's vision for Flight School and how it aims to transform education and empower the next generation 💙

Learn more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/595

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594. Leveraging Community and Innovation as an Impact Multiplier - Rebecca Bernard

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Rebecca. She's a fearless educator, strategist, and community builder shaking things up from SoCal to Costa Rica 🌎 As the Director of Innovation at The Teaching Well, she’s crafting bold new ways to support educators nationwide, all while inspiring others to lean into creativity and ditch the fear of failure. If you’re craving fresh strategies to innovate, connect, and build something extraordinary, this one’s for you 💡 Hit play, and let’s get to work!

💡 Learn

How to navigate the tension between innovation + security
Ways to shift mindsets around failure
Tips for building + sustaining communities

Today’s Guest
Rebecca Bernard, Director of Innovation, The Teaching Well

Episode Highlights

Rebecca’s story and journey to today (3:30)
Navigating creativity and security in nonprofit work (8:55)
Shifting mindsets about failure and innovating boldly (11:50)
Advice for breaking out of the "security lane" to drive change (15:35)
Building strong, resilient, and lasting communities (18:50)
First steps for meaningful and enduring community building (23:35)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rebecca’s life (27:50)
Rebecca’s One Good Thing: Trust in your ability to believe in something bigger than yourself, and allow for that to guide your capacity to see beyond what's inside the box. This is an infinite universe. We have so much potential, and you have all the answers. (32:00)
How to connect with Rebecca (34:50)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/594.

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593. Cultivating Empathy in a Divided World - Dr. Payal Beri, RK Empathy

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Payal. She’s an organizational psychologist, empathy advocate, and founder of RK Empathy. For nearly two decades, Dr. Beri has empowered leaders, communities, and individuals to connect on a deeper level, helping us see that we have more in common than we often realize. She’s on a mission to break down the divisions that separate us and build stronger, more connected communities💪 Tune in to hear how emotional intelligence and empathy can transform your leadership and your organization 🧠💙

💡 Learn

How empathy bridges divides in today’s polarized world
What an empathy-based approach looks like in action
Practical ways to cultivate emotional intelligence in your organization

Today’s Guest
Payal Beri, PhD, Psychologist + Founder, RK Empathy

Episode Highlights

Payal’s story and journey to where she is today (3:55)
Payal’s transition to organizational psychology and empathy work (9:15)
Emotional intelligence as a tool for accountability and empathy (16:30)
Empathy and the Reframing Perspectives Framework (29:05)
Intimate Changemakers Dinners (37:55)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Payal’s life (46:10)
Payal’s One Good Thing: Just be curious and patient with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Be patient with others. (50:00)
How to connect with Payal (51:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/593.

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592. Microdosing Wellness + A Year-End Reflection - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Lindsey Fuller

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Lindsey Fuller joins Jon + Becky in this episode to wrap up the transformative Gather at the Well podcast and look back on the past year. Together, we reflect on the power of microdosing wellness to spark meaningful change — both personally and within our organizations. Tune in for a conversation where we navigate the messy middle of balancing personal growth with organizational transformation and fostering vibrant, sustainable teams. Let’s step into 2025 with renewed energy and purpose. 🌱

💡 Learn

The power of microdosing wellness
The role of community and accountability
Actionable wellness strategies

Special Guest
Lindsey Fuller, Executive Director, The Teaching Well

Episode Highlights

Wrapping up 2024 (00:40)
Introducing Lindsey Fuller and Gather at the Well (2:30)
Personal Reflections and Takeaways from Gather at the Well (8:05)
The Power of Micro-Dosing Wellness (18:20)
Incorporating somatics (25:25)
Three practices for well-being in 2025 (29:40)
The role of professional development and team growth (36:15)
Lindsey’s One Good Thing: We can do hard things when we choose each other. Likely there is a middle path, something we haven't identified yet, that when we put all of our brilliance together, we can figure out a way to stay in the work make the impact we want, and love our life while doing it. (42:40)
Jon’s One Good Thing: Proactivity is the way. (43:15)
Becky’s One Good Thing: The more you listen to other people, the more you start to listen to yourself, you will feel the shift. You will feel growth, not aging, but growth. (44:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/592

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Gather At The Well: When Hate Calls - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

"I could have kept it a secret. I could have let my fear and anxiety dictate my behaviors. But instead, I want to leave some of the baggage at the door and complete this experience through my nervous system." –Lindsey

Are you prepared for the moment hate calls?

In this powerful bonus episode of Gather at the Well, Lindsey opens up about a deeply personal and unsettling experience — receiving a violent, harassing phone call. Lindsey walks us through her process of emotional regulation, and the practical steps she took to protect herself and her team.

Having a plan — and a strong support system — is essential. This episode introduces the "Continuous Replenishment Cycle," a practical framework for navigating crises with self-care, emotional grounding, and community support at its core. Lindsey also shares the three components of a crisis and safety plan - prevention, intervention, and postvention - and shares specific policies and practices her organization has implemented.

Begin designing your safety plan. Keep yourself and your people safe. Fortify your organization, so you’re ready to take action and respond instead of react. We’re your partners and we have your back. ❤️

Episode Highlights

Tone-setting and Lindsey’s personal experience (1:00)
Somatic practice (5:00)
The Continuous Replenishment Cycle (CRC) (6:00)
Knowing your support system (9:00)
Designing a crisis and safety plan (14:00)
Affirmations (18:15)
Homework (18:55)
Critical Hope: It's so easy to go on this pendulum swing of either being reactive or inactive. Slow the swing. Do the work. Get in your body, your brain, and stay in your values. Then get ready to take action that way you're responding and not reacting. (22:20)

For more information + episode details visit weareforgood.com/episode/when-hate-calls.

Connect with The Teaching Well

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591. The Social State of Giving: How Digital Platforms are Shaping the Future of Philanthropy - Amit Meredith, GoFundMe

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Amit. She’s a brilliant marketer and is Head of Marketing at GoFundMe. She’s joining us for an insightful discussion on how social media is revolutionizing the way people discover, share, and support causes📲 Plus, we're diving into GoFundMe’s Social State of Giving Report exploring how different generations — from Gen Z to Boomers — engage with charitable causes online. Grab your notepad because we're talking trends, where the opportunities for activation are, and exploring who's doing it well ✍️

💡 Learn

How Gen Z is leading the charge in social giving
Why impact creators are becoming powerful voices for change
Ways orgs can harness the power of digital sharing

Today’s Guest
Amit Meredith, Head of Marketing, GoFundMe

Episode Highlights

Setting the tone + why this data matters (3:35)
Key findings from The Social State of Giving Report (5:20)
Generational giving differences (7:35)
Next steps for nonprofits after reading this report (15:15)
Tips for engaging influencers (17:25)
Co-creating content with your community (23:00)
Influencer + nonprofit collaboration examples (25:20)
Amit’s One Good Thing: Bring that IRL and digital community together. Make it easy for people to share. (28:30)
How to connect with GoFundMe (31:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/591.

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590. The Story of Culinary Care + How to Build an Engaged Community Around Your Mission - Courtney Johnson

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Courtney. A fierce advocate and changemaker bringing comfort, connection, and care to families fighting cancer. At just 23, she turned her pain into purpose, founding Culinary Care after experiencing firsthand the impact of a meal during her dad’s battle with lung cancer. Fast forward 11 years, and her Chicago-based nonprofit has delivered over 40,000 free meals spreading hope, easing loneliness, and creating a sense of belonging 🍲We’re talking about lessons learned while founding an org, leaning into advocacy, and the power of community — all with actionable tips along the way. Tune in!

💡 Learn

Overview of Culinary Care
Lessons learned from founding a nonprofit
Leaning into advocacy within our organizations

Today’s Guest
Courtney Johnson, Founder, Culinary Care

Episode Highlights

Courtney’s story + journey to where she is today (3:15)
Culinary Care's mission + growth (7:55)
Challenges + lessons learned founding a nonprofit (13:45)
Finding people who are for the mission (25:15)
Lessons learned advocating for a mission (30:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Courtney’s life (35:50)
Courtney’s One Good Thing: Put one foot in front of the other. (39:00)
How to support and connect with Culinary Care (41:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/590.

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589. Unlocking Sustainable Impact: How HelloFresh is Tackling Hunger + Building Cross-Sector Collaborations - Jeff Yorzyk

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Jeff. Early on, he knew he wanted to protect the planet—and he’s stayed true to that mission as Director of Sustainability at HelloFresh 🌱 From scaling hunger relief programs that provide 40,000+ meals weekly to teaming up with No Kid Hungry for the 13 for 13 Million campaign, the HelloFresh team is tackling food insecurity head-on while also driving sustainability efforts. Ready to see how nonprofits and corporations can make a bigger impact together? 🤝 Tune in for expert insights!

💡 Learn

HelloFresh’s impact on the hunger crisis
Tips for successful cross-sector partnerships
The role of partnerships in solving systemic issues

Today’s Guest
Jeff Yorzyk, Director of Sustainability, HelloFresh US

Episode Highlights

Jeff’s story and journey to where he is today (3:10)
How Hello Fresh is addressing the hunger crisis (8:20)
The 13 for 13 Million Campaign (16:30)
Importance of nonprofit community partnerships (21:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jeff’s life (30:00)
Jeff’s One Good Thing: Keep a journal. (34:30)
How to connect with Hello Fresh and Jeff (35:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/589.

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Gather At The Well: Microdosing on the Margins - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

What is it like to work in professional contexts across difference?

In this final episode of our series, Lindsey explores how microdosing wellness can be an antidote to hostile work environments, particularly for marginalized groups. She shares personal experiences navigating racial and ethnic identities as an educator and outlines The Teaching Well's journey to becoming a pro-black and queer-safe organization.

It’s time for organizations to meet this moment, and this episode highlights the need for empathy, action, and aligning organizational practices with values to foster truly inclusive workplaces. It’s a data-driven investment to actualize your desire for workplace well-being. Tune in now ❤️

Episode Highlights

Microdosing Wellness + DEIJ work (2:00)
Stats + the importance of retaining diverse talent (2:30)
Somatic: Grounding and Breathing Practice (6:00)
Racial Battle Fatigue and Seeking a Different Way Forward (11:00)
Lindsey’s personal experiences as an educator facing racial microaggressions and hostile work environments (14:00)
Case Study: The Teaching Well's concrete actions to become a pro-black organization (22:00)
Affirmations (26:00)
The importance of empathy and action in DEIJ work, rather than sympathy and shame (32:00)
Critical Hope: Wellness is anti-racist, and when we resource ourselves, we can do wonders. (38:35)

For more information + episode details visit weareforgood.com/episode/microdosing-on-the-margins.

Connect with The Teaching Well

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588. Unlocking Courageous Leadership + Using Courage as a Competitive Advantage - Ryan Berman

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Ryan. He’s redefining courage as the ultimate competitive advantage for any organization, leader, or brand ready to embrace it. As the founder of Courageous, Ryan helps teams turn bravery into action—liberating those who feel stuck, scared, or playing it too safe. Plus, he's the founder of Sock Problems, an altruistic sock company on a mission to “sock” the world’s problems 🧦 Tune in to hear how courage can become your organization’s secret weapon and how to make it stick.

💡 Learn

The three levers of courage: knowledge, faith, and action
Why confronting fear is essential for growth
How to start small and build courage that lasts

Today’s Guest
Ryan Berman, Founder, Courageous + Sock Problems

Episode Highlights

Ryan’s story and journey to where he is today (3:45)
Exploring the concept of courage (7:45)
Courage as a competitive advantage in the nonprofit sector (12:35)
Overcoming Fear (18:40)
How leaders can build courage within their teams (23:40)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Ryan’s life (32:25)
Ryan’s One Good Thing: Go back to school on yourself. (35:40)
How to connect with Ryan (37:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/588.

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587. How to Find The Right Grants to Go After + Leveraging AI to Work Smarter, Not Harder - Meredith Noble

Wed, 27 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Meredith. She’s the co-founder and CEO of Learn Grant Writing, and she’s helped secure over $45 million in grants 💸 She's breaking down how to find the right grants, leverage AI to work smarter (not harder), and unlock funding opportunities like a pro. Plus, she's sharing tips for how small nonprofits can optimize their grant-writing processes. Tune in and get ready to unlock your next big funding win💰

💡 Learn

How to find grants to go after
AI tips for grant writers
Limitations + strengths of AI for grant writing

Today’s Guest
Meredith Noble, Co-Founder + CEO, Learn Grant Writing

Episode Highlights

Meredith’s story and journey to where she is today (3:15)
Finding grants to go after (5:25)
Leveraging AI in Grant Writing (9:20)
Tactical strategies for using AI (18:10)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Meredith’s life (21:40)
Meredith’s One Good Thing: Build the muscle for a planning cadence in your organization. (21:10)
How to connect with Meredith + Learn Grant Writing (25:40)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/587.

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586. The Story of Higher Purpose Co.: Igniting Economic Justice in Mississippi - Dr. Tim Lampkin

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Dr. Tim. He’s the founder and CEO of Higher Purpose Co., a nonprofit driving economic justice for Black communities in Mississippi. He’s sharing all about their transformative work in community education, business support, and innovative capital access. They’re building intergenerational wealth, shifting harmful narratives, and empowering community voices through strategic collaborations with major funders. This convo is a must-listen for anyone fired up about creating equitable, lasting change in their community 🎧

💡 Learn

The story + impact of Higher Purpose Co.
Higher Purpose Co.'s programs and partnerships
How to change the narrative + build intergenerational community

Today’s Guest
Dr. Tim Lampkin, Founder + CEO, Higher Purpose Co.

Episode Highlights

Tim’s story and journey to where he is today (2:30)
Story of founding of Higher Purpose Co. (5:55)
Programs and partnerships of Higher Purpose (9:45)
Changing internal and external narratives (17:00)
Tips for organizations working in economic justice (22:05)
How to build bridges across generations (27:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Tim’s life (31:55)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/586.

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Gather At The Well: Navigating Uncertainty - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

How do you respond to uncertainty? How do we microdose wellness in the face of a macro event?

In this episode, Lindsey offers a framework for navigating uncertainty with grounding, resilience, and a focus on collective care. You’ll hear the pitfalls of reacting versus responding, the power of trauma-informed practices, and the importance of prioritizing self-care before engaging with the world. It’s a roadmap for leaders and teams to weather any storm while staying true to their values and mission. Because in the end, the way to freedom is choosing each other, communicating and collaborating across differences, and staying resourced enough to access our innovation.

Episode Highlights

Navigating Uncertainty (1:05)
Reframing Perfectionism and Self-Compassion (06:55)
Profile of the public instead of me, we, the world (4:00)
Somatic: Compost perfectionism (08:55)
Understanding Trauma Responses (13:30)
Projection vs. Reflection in Leadership Communication (17:50)
Somatic: Ocular Reset (22:05)
Creating trauma-sensitive containers: consistency, predictability, and caring relationships (28:25)
Pro-social pauses (33:00)
Embracing curiosity (37:00)
Affirmations (38:25)
Homework (38:50)
Critical hope: Be a rabid fan of yourself, of your self-care, of your stability. Heal out loud, but do so in mindful ways. Lean on community and trust into the fact that you joined this work because you wanted to make a difference. (39:00)

For more information + episode details visit weareforgood.com/episode/navigating-uncertainty.

Connect with The Teaching Well

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585. Sunbeam Family Services's Trauma-Informed, Strengths-Based, Hope-Centered Fundraising - Sarah Rahhal and Angie Doss

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Sarah and Angie. These visionary leaders from Sunbeam Family Services in Oklahoma City are sharing how they’ve woven trauma-informed, strength-based principles into every part of their org. From rethinking fundraising and storytelling to centering community relationships with intentional language and deep listening, they’re showing how nonprofits can truly build a culture of care (that’s filled with hope!). Tune in to discover how to embed these transformative principles into your own work.

💡Learn

Sunbeam Family Services history + impact
The Importance of trauma-informed, strength-based approaches
Ways to prioritize organizational wellness

Today’s Guests
Sarah Rahhal, CEO, Sunbeam Family Services
Angie Doss, Chief Development & Marketing Officer, Sunbeam Family Services

Episode Highlights

Sarah’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Angie’s story and journey to where she is today (5:35)
The history + impact of Sunbeam Family Services (10:00)
The principles of trauma-informed care (16:05)
Applying a trauma-informed lens to fundraising + marketing (21:20)
How Sunbeam prioritizes organizational wellness (29:40)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Angie’s life (36:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sarah’s life (38:10)
Angie’s One Good Thing: Get curious about your own relationship with money. 42:10)
Sarah’s One Good Thing: How do I listen and set aside my experience and beliefs to really hear what they're telling me in order for me to move the needle for them? (43:25)
How to get connected with Sunbeam Family Services (45:05)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/585.

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584. Collective Generosity + Gamifying Philanthropy Where Everyone Wins - Laura Beck, LottoLove

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Laura. She's the visionary behind LottoLove—the lottery where everyone wins. It’s a first-of-its-kind way to make giving more joyful and accessible through scratch-off tickets🍀 Join us as Laura dives into the power of collective giving and why she’s on a mission to make giving part of our everyday lives. Plus, she’s sharing how LottoLove has earned major media attention through authenticity and humanity. Tune in for an episode full of inspiration, innovation, and maybe a little luck.

💡 Learn

LottoLove's story and mission
The ripple effect of collective generosity
How authenticity and relationships fuel media outreach

Today’s Guest
Laura Beck, Founder, LottoLove

Episode Highlights

Laura’s story and journey to where she is today (3:05)
The history behind LottoLove + How it works (6:30)
The Impact of Gamifying Philanthropy (19:40)
Media scales impact (25:05)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Laura’s life (30:00)
Laura’s One Good Thing: Put yourself in uncomfortable positions and situations. (33:15)
How to connect with Laura and LottoLove (35:10)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/584.

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583. Building Coalitions Across Sectors (Domestically and Internationally) - Sarita Gupta and Martín Abregú, Ford Foundation

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Sarita and Martín. Sarita is the VP of U.S. Programs, and Martín is the VP of International Programs at the Ford Foundation. They're pulling back the curtain on the Ford Foundation's work that disrupts inequality in all its forms. Get ready as they dive deep into their journeys, the values shaping their work, and the innovative strategies they’re using to build impactful coalitions across the U.S. and around the globe. 🌍 If you're fired up about building a fairer world, this episode will challenge and inspire you to reimagine what’s possible! 💭

💡 Learn

Overview of Ford Foundation's domestic and global programs
The power of building cross-sector coalitions and connections
Responsibility and impact of philanthropic work

Today’s Guests

Sarita Gupta, Vice President, U.S. Programs, Ford Foundation
Martín Abregú, Vice President, International Programs, Ford Foundation

Episode Highlights

Sarita’s story and journey to where she is today (3:40)
Martin’s story and journey to where he is today (5:10)
Overview of Ford Foundation's U.S. Programs (9:10)
Overview of Ford Foundation's International Programs(11:10)
Building Coalitions Across Sectors 914:55)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Martin’s life (23:35)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sarita’s life (27:55)
Martin’s One Good Thing: Understand how change and continuity are always linked. (32:25)
Sarita’s One Good Thing: Lead with curiosity, build authentic relationships, and listen to your gut. (35:45)
How to connect with the Ford Foundation (38:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/583.

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Gather At The Well: Operationalizing Your Values - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

This episode of Gather At The Well focuses on operationalizing your values - making sure your stated beliefs are actually reflected in your policies and practices. 👀

Lindsey shares examples of how to do this, like designing hiring processes and bereavement policies aligned with your values. She’ll also walk you through an exercise to help you identify your top personal and professional values, and figure out where they may be missing from your current systems. Because living your values, not just stating them, is crucial for building a healthy, sustainable workplace culture.

Episode Highlights

Tone-Setting + The Case for Operationalizing Your Values (2:00)
"Dots and Squeezes" somatic exercise (6:00)
The importance of aligning values when designing co-leadership models (12:00)
Examples of how values can be infused into organizational systems, policies, and practices (19:00)
Exercise to identify your 3-5 personal and professional values (23:00)
Reflection on where your values may be missing and how to bring them into alignment (27:00)
Critical Hope: Fight for your values. They’re worth it. (33:30)

Connect with The Teaching Well

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For more information + episode details visit weareforgood.com/episode/operationalizing-your-values.

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582. Empowering Immigrant Communities: The Story + Impact of the South Asian Council for Social Services - Sudha Acharya

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Sudha. She’s the Executive Director of the South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS), an org that’s been a lifeline for immigrant and underserved communities in New York for nearly 25 years. SACSS offers free, wrap-around services (in 20 languages!) covering housing, food security, healthcare, job skills, and more, all evolving to meet the changing needs of the community. Tune in for a story of resilience, hope, and community strength 💪

💙 After you listen, please consider a gift to support this mission. $100 can feed a family of four for two weeks. Join us in supporting SACSS at sacssny.org.

💡 Learn

Mission + history of the South Asian Council for Social Services
Advice for nonprofit leaders looking to create lasting change
How you can support the work of SACSS

Today’s Guest
Sudha Acharya, Executive Director, South Asian Council for Social Services

Episode Highlights

Sudha’s story and journey to where she is today (4:50)
The early days of the South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS) (9:45)
Programs of SACSS (12:40)
Advice for other nonprofits determining programs (20:50)
A story of SACSS’s mission in action (23:00)
Sudha’s One Good Thing: People need support and compassion. People need to be treated with respect and dignity. (28:30)
How to support SACSS (29:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/582.

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581. Empowering Change Through Financial Literacy + Entrepreneurship - Shelley Miles

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Shelley. She brings 30 years of experience leading entertainment and tech businesses to the Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship, where she serves as CEO. Shelley shares how the foundation is redefining financial and entrepreneurial education with storytelling, engaging games, and innovative tools. From creating business plans to building productive habits, these resources make learning about money fun and accessible for all ages. 💸🎮 Tune in to hear how this org scales impact through media, helping people reach their full potential and create a brighter future!

💡 Learn

Mission + history of the Singleton Foundation
Mindsets + advice for leaders and entrepreneurs
The power of financial and entrepreneurial education

Today’s Guest
Shelley Miles, CEO, Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship

Episode Highlights

Shelley’s journey and story to where she is today (2:45)
The Singleton Foundation's History and Mission (4:30)
The Singleton Foundation’s program (6:50)
The importance of financial literacy and entrepreneurship for future generations (14:55)
Mindsets shifts from CPA to nonprofit leader (18:10)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Shelley’s life (22:45)
Shelley’s One Good Thing: I live by wanting to bring my full self to whatever I'm doing every day. + I like to surround myself with people that care about similar things, that are way better at what they do than I could ever be. (26:45)
How to connect with the Singleton Foundation (27:55)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/581.

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580. Unleashing the Power of Idealism: A Conversation with Ami Dar, Idealist

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ami. He’s an idealist committed to building a more connected, idealistic, and compassionate world🌍 He’s the founder and executive director of Idealist.org, which supports over 150,000 organizations and more than 1 million registered users, with 1.4 million monthly visitors💻 Tune in for a moving conversation about the power of grassroots movements, empowering young people, and seeing the shared humanity in all people.

💡 Learn

The story + mission of Idealist
Tips for keeping our idealism alive and thriving
Why a global movement of idealists is more important than ever

Today’s Guest
Ami Dar, Founder and Executive Director, Idealist

Episode Highlights

Ami’s story and journey to where he is today (4:20)
The vision for and story of Idealist.org (10:50)
Staying connected to idealism (15:10)
Vision for a global coalition of idealists (20:05)
Engaging young people in idealism (27:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Ami’s life (33:30)
Ami’s One Good Thing: If your dream or idea is a bad one, find out as soon as possible and don't do it. (39:00)
How to connect with Ami (44:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/580.

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Gather At The Well: Self Care vs. Collective Care - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Gather at the Well, where we’re all about microdosing wellness, creating human-centered systems, and retaining our greatest asset: our people. This isn’t just a podcast—it’s a movement to reimagine how we relate to our work. Whether you're burned out, stressed, or thriving, Lindsey Fuller from The Teaching Well will guide you to reflect on your leadership, equip you with tangible tools for your team, and honor your humanity. It’s time to build work cultures we don’t have to heal from. Let’s dive in.

In this episode of Gather At The Well, Lindsay dives into what it means to embrace change leadership—moving from just talking about change to actually leading it. She opens up about her own experiences balancing self-care with taking care of her team, and how community agreements can create healthier, more authentic team dynamics. From setting healthy boundaries to managing work-life balance, this chat is full of real talk and practical tips for leaders who want to build more supportive, equitable, and resilient workplaces. We hope you enjoy ❤️

Episode Highlights

Thought leadership vs change leadership and how we can move from talking about change to actually leading it (1:00)
Somatic Pause: 10 Second Pause (3:00)
Balancing self and collective care (4:00)
Navigating the tension between individual and collective needs + how to use community agreements as a framework (6:00)
A three-part process for creating and revisiting community agreements + challenges with implementing them (8:00)
Professional authenticity and boundaries (15:00)
Somatic Pause: Tension Release Exercise (20:00)
Navigating work-life balance (25:00)
Critical Hope: We have agency to shift into a place of balance (38:00)

For more information + episode details visit weareforgood.com/episode/self-care-vs-collective-care.

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579. From Burnout to Balance: A Roadmap for Nonprofit Leaders in "Busy is a Four-Letter Word" - Kishshana Palmer

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kishshana. With over 25 years in the social sector as an international speaker, trainer, and coach, she’s dedicated her career to helping individuals and organizations reach their highest potential. Her new book "Busy Is a Four Letter Word", dropping Dec. 12th, calls out the toxic culture of busyness and lays out a five-star wellness plan covering everything from emotional health to community care💖 In this convo, we dive into how we can ditch the grind, prioritize our well-being, and build workplaces where vulnerability and support thrive 🤝 Tune in for real talk on leading with compassion and living a healthier, more fulfilling life.

💡 Learn

Why you need to rethink your approach to busyness
How to implement a holistic five-star wellness plan
The importance of fostering a culture of openness, empathy, and support

Today’s Guest
Kishshana Palmer, CEO, ManageMint

Episode Highlights

Kishana’s journey to writing her book “Busy is a Four Letter Word” (2:55)
Exploring the Concept of Busyness (7:40)
Rethink Method (13:40)
The Five Star Wellness Plan (26:20)
Creating a Supportive Work Environment (32:40)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kish’s life (39:10)
Kish’s One Good Thing: Work-life integration (41:55)
How to connect with Kish and get her new book (43:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/579.

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578. Cultivating Wellness + Building Balanced Cultures Within Our Orgs - Marisol Pineda Conde, Kirk Brown, and Maya Enista Smith

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

🎧 Replay Alert! Today, we’re bringing you an unforgettable conversation straight from our Impact Up gathering focusing on Pause ⏸️ If you’re looking to gain actionable ideas to enhance your organization’s culture and promote wellness at all levels, this panel is for you 🥳 We gathered leaders and missions we admire who have built cultures of wellness within their nonprofits, and this convo did not disappoint. They shared incredible insights on creating sustainable, supportive workplaces that prioritize the health and resilience of staff. Tune in!

Panelists

Marisol Pineda Conde, Deputy Director, The Teaching Well
Kirk Brown, CEO, Handy Inc.
Maya Smith, President, Thoughtful Human

Impact Uprising Members get full access to all ImpactUp Replays, so this is your invitation to join us! You’ll get instant access to our member content hub - backed by hundreds of premium We Are For Good content resources + you’ll be invited to member-only gatherings, our private podcast and more. Join today at weareforgood.com.

Episode Highlights

Personal reflections on pausing (5:45)
Building balanced cultures at The Teaching Well (10:10)
Prioritizing staff well-being at Handy, Inc. (14:30)
Investing in staff wellness (17:35)
Creating wellness practices that are inclusive + responsive (22:50)
Balancing immediate needs with playing the long game (25:50)
How to create buy-in around wellness-oriented cultures (30:30)
One Good Thing (34:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/578.

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577. A Framework to Change the Way We Change The World - Heather Hiscox

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Heather. She's the powerhouse behind Pause for Change and co-creator of The Possibility Project. She’s here to share her PAUSE Framework, a proven method for creating real, lasting change. This framework helps nonprofits co-create innovative solutions that truly serve their communities 🙌 Heather is guiding us through how this approach is shaking up the status quo. Tune in as we dismantle the notion of "the way it's always been done" 🛠️

💡 Learn

The power of pausing
The PAUSE Framework
How to challenge the status quo

Today's Guest
Heather Hiscox, Founder + CEO, Pause for Change

Episode Highlights

Heather’s story and journey to where she is today( 2:50)
How our habits reinforce the status quo (8:40)
The PAUSE Framework (11:15)
Using the PAUSE Framework (15:15)
- P - Package the challenge
- A - Assess uncertainty
- U - Understand stakeholders
- S - Solution testing only
- E - Evidence-informed decisions
Long-term benefits of using the PAUSE Framework (19:35)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Heather’s life (24:20)
Heather’s One Good Thing: Pause. (29:30)
How to connect with Heather and get her book (32:21)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/577.

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Gather At The Well: Microdosing Wellness - Lindsey Fuller

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 09:00:00 -0500

In this episode, Lindsey gets real about transforming our relationship to work and stress. Lindsey’s approach to microdosing wellness reminds us that “Wellness is your birthright.” It’s time to rethink productivity and create systems that support our well-being. The best part? The shifts we need are small and completely within our reach. Let’s embrace these changes and start healing out loud together.

Episode Highlights

Introduction to Gather at the Well (0:00)
Changing our relationship with stress (3:15)
Micro-dosing wellness (9:30)
Somatic practice (15:50)
Create a Coming Home Ritual (18:20)
Somatic practice: Hydration Station (22:30)
How The Teaching Well puts wellness into practice at work (23:00)
Affirmations (32:25)
Homework: Make a commitment to trying on the concept of micro-dosing wellness. (33:00)

For more information + episode details visit weareforgood.com/episode/microdosing-wellness.

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576. Mental Health Week: Transforming Paid Leave in Nonprofits + Creating Sustainable Work Models for Wellness - Lacey Kempinski

Wed, 09 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lacey. As the founder of Balanced Good, she turned her challenges with postpartum depression and anxiety into a powerful mission to reshape parental leave in the nonprofit sector. As a mom of three, she gets how challenging it can be to build a career as a leader in the nonprofit sector while balancing the demands of parenthood💼👶 A sustainable work model isn't just good for people; it's good for business. Tune in to explore how organizations can prioritize wellness, create realistic workloads, and normalize taking breaks to combat burnout.

💡 Learn

The state of paid leave in the nonprofit sector
The importance of sustainable work models
How to advocate for paid leave

Today's Guest
Lacey Kempinski, Founder + CEO, Balanced Good

Episode Highlights

Lacey’s story and journey to where she is today (3:55)
State of paid leave in the nonprofit and impact sectors (6:50)
Impact of paid leave (9:25)
Advocating for paid leave (17:00)
Building a parental leave plan in a day (19:45)
Activation (22:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy (24:05)
Lacey’s One Good Thing: Give yourself grace and give others grace. (26:05)
How to connect with Lacey + Balanced Good (27:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/576.

This episode is part of our Mental Health Week series. Explore all the episodes, find resources + more at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth.

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575. Mental Health Week: Practice the Pause. A Guided Meditation with Sonya Perez-Lauterbach

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Tune in for a special Mental Health Week episode: Practice the Pause with Sonya Perez-Lauterbach. 🧘‍♀️

In this guided meditation, Sonya invites you to take a moment to breathe, slow down, and return to your body. Whether you’re a seasoned meditator or just starting out, remember—you can’t get it wrong! Your nervous system deserves the time to pause, and your body and mind will thank you for it. Join us as we explore simple mindfulness practices that help reduce stress and bring calm in a fast-paced world. Take the pause today—you’re worth it. 🫶

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/575.

This episode is part of our Mental Health Week series. Explore all the episodes, find resources + more at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth.

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574. Mental Health Week: Transforming a Telephone Booth into a Beacon of Hope + Empowering Mental Health Through Community - Gloria Umanah, Hope Booth

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Gloria. She is alive today because of one four-lettered word: hope. And she’s on a mission to leverage her life for the good of others so that they too would choose hope and choose to live💙 Alongside her team at Hope Booth, they’re transforming old telephone booths into immersive, evidence-based experiences that spread hope, offer mental health care, and connect people to vital resources. Tune in to hear this incredible story of resilience and the life-changing power of hope✨

💡 Learn

The power of hope + making it accessible
The mission + history of Hope Booth
The role of community + collaboration in driving innovative solutions

This episode includes discussions about mental health challenges, including suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek support from a mental health professional or contact one of the helplines below:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (US): 1-800-273-8255 or dial 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
Samaritans (UK): Call 116 123
Lifeline (Australia): 13 11 14
International Helplines: Find resources here

Today's Guest
Gloria Umanah, Founder + CEO, Hope Booth

Episode Highlights

Overview of Hope Booth (3:15)
Gloria’s story and journey to where she is today (4:45)
Gloria’s “Marking Moment” (8:45)
The science of hope (17:00)
Hope Booth’s launch + the public reception (21:45)
The dreams for Hope Booth (33:15)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Gloria’s life (37:45)
How to help the Hope Booth today (43:05)
Gloria’s One Good Thing: Fight to choose joy. (47:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/574.

This episode is part of our Mental Health Week series presented by our friends at Givebutter. Explore all the episodes, find resources + more at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth.

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573. Unlocking the Power of Alignment Fundraising + Combatting Burnout - Mallory Erickson

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mallory. She's an executive coach, fundraising consultant, and author of What the Fundraising. She’s breaking down how the nonprofit sector’s reliance on transactional, scarcity-driven fundraising has led to burnout and declining giving. Plus, how chronic stress even blocks fundraisers from building meaningful relationships. Enter alignment fundraising—where self-awareness, self-care, and genuine connection take priority. Tune in to learn how shifting mindsets and integrating wellness can help you feel better, do better and raise more.

💡 Learn

The problem with transactional fundraising
The effects of chronic stress on fundraisers
How to prioritize self-awareness + connection through alignment fundraising

Today's Guest
Mallory Erickson, CEO + Founder, Power Partners Formula

Episode Highlights

Mallory’s journey to where she is today (4:00)
The problem with transactional fundraising (9:15)
What stress and burnout prevent (17:10)
The solution: aligned fundraising (26:10)
A powerful moment in Mallory’s experience with aligned fundraising (33:40)
Mallory’s One Good Thing: Take a moment and feel a feeling. Then acknowledge and validate that feeling. (38:55)
Where to get the book, What the Fundraising (40:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/573.

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572. Let’s talk about our mental health. ImpactUp: PAUSE - Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Ready to hit pause ⏸️ on the grind? This #ImpactUp, we’re gathering on World Mental Health Day to dive into powerful conversations by day and take them to local meetups worldwide by evening🌍 Listen in as Jon + Becky share what’s coming up on October 10th and why you don’t want to miss it. It’s time to build cultures of well-being from the inside out. Grab your (free!) spot now at weareforgood.com/impactup.

💡 Learn

The importance of pause and mental health in our sector
Findings from We Are For Good’s Mental Health Survey
Overview of the Impact Up gathering on October 10t

Episode Highlights

An invitation to pause on October 10th (0:45)
Mental Health Survey findings (5:00)
Call to action + Personal reflections (7:20)
What to expect at ImpactUp (12:35)
Jon’s One Good Thing: We want you to embrace the pause. You are worthy of intentional reflection. You're worthy of community connection. (15:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/572.

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571. How to Build Organizational Cultures Where Your Teams Can Thrive - Laura Buckley

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Laura. She's a leadership coach and consultant who helps leaders create thriving cultures. From integrating work and well-being to making meetings meaningful, she’s sharing practical strategies to build inclusive and supportive environments. Tune in to learn how small, intentional changes can transform your org into a place where everyone thrives🌱

💡 Learn

The importance of bridging the gap between work and well-being
How to build thriving cultures
Practical tips for improving meetings

Today's Guest
Laura Buckley, Coach and Consultant

Episode Highlights

Laura’s story and journey to where she is today (3:15)
Workplace dynamics (5:50)
How can we build the bridge between work and well-being (9:20)
What to do individually to build organizational cultures we can all thrive in (13:30)
Reframing team building so we can build thriving cultures (18:50)
Talk to us about the art and science of meetings that actually move us toward collective action. (25:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Laura’s life (29:35)
Laura’s One Good Thing: Schedule your meetings for 25 minutes or 50 minutes and always have space at the end to get up from your desk. (31:50)
How to connect with Laura (33:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/571.

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570. JDRF’s Momentous Rebrand to Breakthrough T1D + Implementing a Rebrand - Pam Morrisroe

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Pam. She's the Chief Marketing Officer at Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF). She’s here to share the inside scoop on their nearly two-year rebranding journey, driven by deep research 📊 and community feedback🗣️ The new name, Breakthrough T1D, perfectly reflects their mission to deliver life-changing breakthroughs for the type 1 diabetes community. Tune in to hear all about the rebranding process and what it means for their mission moving forward.

💡 Learn

How to know it's time for a rebrand
What goes into a rebranding process
The importance of research + community involvement in a rebrand

Today's Guest
Pam Morrisroe, Chief Marketing Officer, Breakthrough T1D

Episode Highlights

Pam’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
How Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) knew it needed a rebrand (7:15)
How Breakthrough T1D got buy-in on the rebrand (11:30)
Tentpole moments of the rebrand (15:50)
How key information was gathered and with stakeholders (19:20)
Challenges and lessons learned along the way (21:35)
How this rebrand addresses misconceptions around type 1 diabetes (24:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Pam’s life (29:40)
Pam’s One Good Thing: You’re only new once. (34:30)
How to connect with Pam + Breakthrough T1D (35:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/570.

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569. The Subscription Economy + Building Subscriptions for Good - Dana Snyder

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Met Dana. She's a speaker, creator of The Monthly Giving Mastermind, and now the author of a book by the same name. We're diving into the world of recurring giving, where philanthropy and the subscription economy meet💸 Dana's sharing her tips for building a rock-solid monthly giving program. This is the playbook you’ve been waiting for. Tune in and start building your movement of change-makers! 🔥

💡 Learn

About the subscription economy
A framework to build, grow & sustain subscriptions for good
Challenges + lessons learned building monthly giving programs

Today's Guest

Dana Snyder, Founder + CEO, Positive Equation

Episode Highlights

Dana’s story + the work she is doing today (3:50)
Tone setting: The Subscription Economy (8:30)
How nonprofits can leverage the subscription economy (13:25)
How to get started today: Dana’s Monthly Giving Framework (20:05)
Challenges and lessons learned (25:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy with this work (31:30)
Dana’s One Good Thing: Tell your story to invite everyone to be a philanthropist. (35:10)
How to get The Monthly Giving Mastermind book (37:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/569.

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568. Tackling Equity + Unleashing the Power of Volunteers + 30 Years of Impact at AmeriCorps - Michael D. Smith

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Michael. He has dedicated his career to social justice by reducing barriers and expanding opportunity for children and families in underserved communities, like those where he grew up. He’s the CEO of AmeriCorps, the federal agency that connects people and organizations through service and volunteering to tackle the nation's most pressing challenges, with over 200,000 AmeriCorps members serving in 40,000 locations across the United States. Michael is sharing his incredible personal journey and the story of AmeriCorps’ 30-year legacy of transforming lives and communities💪Tune in to celebrate the power of volunteerism with us🎉

💡 Learn

AmeriCorps 30 years of impact
How AmeriCorps meets urgent needs
The Importance of national service + volunteerism

Today's Guest

Michael D. Smith, CEO, AmeriCorps

Episode Highlights

Michael’s story and journey to where he is today (:00)
Overview + history of AmeriCorps (9:00)
How Americorps is meeting urgent needs (12:00)
Equity and inclusion in AmeriCorps (17:25)
The transformative power of service (21:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Michael’s life (27:30)
Michael’s One Good Thing: People closest to the pain have to be closest to the power. (31:50)
How to connect with Michael and AmeriCorps (36:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/568.

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567. Building Communities of Resilience: Inside the Mission of Tuesday's Children - Becky Rossman

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Becky. On the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, she’s sharing a raw account of Tuesday's Children's mission and their ever-evolving efforts to support communities still affected by 9/11 and military losses. This heartfelt conversation sheds light on the unending journey of grief and healing, and the crucial role of standing by families as their needs change over time. Discover how they transform pain into purpose—not as a platitude, but as an essential path toward resilience and hope.

💡 Learn

About Tuesday's Children Mission + Impact
The Importance of Meeting Evolving Community Needs
Ways to Support Families Affected by 9/11 + Military Losses

Today's Guest

Becky Rossmanm, CEO, Tuesday’s Children

Episode Highlights

Becky’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
Overview of Tuesday’s Children (4:30)
Tuesday’s Children focus on innovation (12:00)
Tuesday’s Children’s Programs and how they’ve evolved (17:00)
Mindsets Becky is bringing to her role as CEO (22:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Becky’s life (23:00)
Becky’s One Good Thing: Be a lifelong learner. (27:00)
How to connect with Becky and Tuesday’s Children (28:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/567.

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566. Transformative Storytelling: Creating Cultures of Change in Nonprofits - Christina Blacken, The New Quo

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Christina. She’s the founder of The New Quo💭 She’s trained 14,000 leaders across 9 industries using her unique The New Quo Change Model, which uses neuroscience, equity principles, and narrative intelligence (a.k.a the science of story), to help people overcome bias, deepen trust in their relationships, and achieve equitable, status-quo breaking goals. Tune in as we explore how you can build your storytelling muscles + create cultures of storytelling. Spoiler: this episode is for everyone on the team - not just marketing folks ✍️

💡 Learn

The Power of Storytelling
How to use the New Quo Change Model
The importance of questioning assumptions

Today's Guest
Christina Blacken, Founder + Chief Narrative Strategist, The New Quo

Episode Highlights

Christina’s story and journey to where she is today (3:15)
The New Quo change model (8:00)
Applying The New Quo Change Model at nonprofits (12:00)
The power of personal storytelling (15:55)
Building a culture of storytelling in organizations (16:55)
The role of leadership storytelling (25:00)
Christina’s One Good Thing: Question your assumptions. (34:30)
How to connect with Christina (36:10)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/566.

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565. 5 Takeaways + The Best of Season 9 - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott and Julie Confer

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Grab your headphones - it's time for a season wrap-up episode! 🎉 Jon, Becky, and Julie are breaking down the biggest takeaways, game-changing insights, and unforgettable stories that made season 9 one for the books. We’re talking favorite quotes, pinch-me moments, and all the feels as we wrap up this chapter and gear up for what’s next. Tune in and take notes✍️

Episode Highlights

A look back at Season 8 (0:35)
Through lines from Season 8
- The power is in the collective (5:30)
- Embrace tension (11:45)
- We need your missions' stories (16:00)
- What is your culture strategy? (22:30)
- Taking care of ourselves starts internally (27:00)
One Good Thing (40:15)
- Jon: Build scaffolding around your growth mindset.
- Becky: "Taking space will help you find space.” -Jeff Shuck
- Julie: "Caring doesn't mean you have to carry it all." + “You have your own back."

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/565.

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564. Disrupt. Grow. Adapt. Repeat: Future-Proofing Strategies for Modern Orgs - Brooke Richie-Babbage, Erin Davison, Nelvin Johnson, and Amy Freitag

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amy, Nelvin, Erin + Brooke. Are you looking for insights on future-proofing your organization against the ever-evolving landscape of challenges and opportunities in the sector? They’ve got you covered in this Responsive Nonprofit Summit Replay. From embracing failure to building resilient teams and fostering innovation, discover actionable approaches to ensure your nonprofit remains agile, sustainable, and impactful in the face of uncertainty.

💡Learn

Ways to Create a Culture that Embraces Failure + Innovation
How to Focus on Sustainability - Organizationally + as Individuals
The Importance of Leveraging the Power of Community

Today’s Guests

Amy Freitag, President, The New York Community Trust
Nelvin Johnson, Director of Advancement, Feed the Children
Erin Davison, President & CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana
Brooke Richie Babbage, Founder + CEO, Bending Arc Consulting

Episode Highlights

Hallmarks of a future-proof organization (2:30)
Personal and organizational sustainability (7:40)
Limiting factors in the nonprofit sector (12:10)
Fostering urgency to adapt and evolve (16:30)
Embracing failure (20:40)
How community foundations work together to tackle major issues (25:05)
Building resilience and adaptability (29:00)
Cultivating growth and impact through community engagement (36:15)
One Good Things from Amy, Brooke, Erin + Nelvin (38:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/564.

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563. How to Manage Change in a Rapidly Evolving World - Mia Henry, Taneshia Nash Laird, Tammy Tibbetts, and Shaun Lee

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mia, Taneshia, Tammy + Shaun. In this Responsive Nonprofit Summit replay, our expert panel explores how to manage change within the nonprofit sector, especially as the need to adapt and innovate grows. They share practical strategies, case studies, and lessons learned. While 'managing change' can present challenges, we view it as an opportunity. Join us to discover how embracing transformation can unlock potential within your teams and missions.

💡Learn

The importance of creating a culture of empowerment
The role of safety when it comes to taking risks
Tips for open and transparent communications

Today’s Guests

Mia Henry, Founder + CEO, Freedom Lifted
Taneshia Nash Laird, Inaugural President & CEO, Greater Roxbury Arts & Cultural Center
Tammy Tibbetts, Co-Founder + CEO, She's the First
Shaun Lee, Co-Founder + CEO, 6 Levers

Episode Highlights

Mindsets around change (2:25)
Hallmarks of healthy cultures (9:00)
Justice-centered leadership (11:50)
How to communicate about change (17:35)
Creating a culture of stability + innovation (24:15)
Power dynamics that prevent change (29:30)
One Good Thing (35:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/563.

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562: How It's Built: HeadCount's Integrated Approach to Traditional and Digital Voter Engagement - Tappan Vickery

Wed, 14 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tappan. A veteran organizer with two decades of experience, she’s the Senior Director of Programming and Strategy at HeadCount, where they’re revolutionizing voter engagement through the power of music 🎶At HeadCount, Tappan has spearheaded innovative campaigns that connect musicians with their fans to inspire democratic participation 🗳️She’s all about understanding different fandoms to build trust and engagement, meeting audiences where they are through various platforms and messengers. Tune in to this “How It’s Built” episode to discover how HeadCount is making every vote count.

💡 Learn

HeadCount’s Mission + Impact
How It’s Built: New Voter Engagement Campaigns
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Tappan Vickery, Senior Director of Programming and Strategy, Headcount

Episode Highlights

Tappan’s story and journey to where she is today (4:30)
Overview of Headcount (6:30)
HeadCount’s impact (10:00)
Strategies for engaging and activating younger generations (18:00)
How It’s Built: New Voter Engagement Campaigns (22:40)
How HeadCount engages and activates volunteers (26:40)
Pro tips + lessons learned (32:15)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Tappan’s life (39:00)
Tappan’s One Good Thing: Your vote always matters. (43:35)
How to connect with Tappan and Headcount (44:40)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/562.

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561. Building a Durable + Retention Focused Team Culture - Channon Lucas, Lindsey Fuller, Michelle Flores Vryn, and Jennifer Mulholland

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Channon, Lindsey, Michelle, and Jennifer. They’re here to help us name the elephant in the room: retention🐘 But, we aren’t just talking about retaining our donors - the greatest retention issue that isn’t talked about enough is the retention of our nonprofit staff. For a sector built on relationships, we have to build a culture that creates retention from the inside out. Tune in to this replay from the Responsive Nonprofit Summit that doesn’t hold back on what we need to do to create working environments teams won’t need to heal from.

💡Learn

About the reality of nonprofit staff retention and burnout crisis
The importance of aligning employee passions, strengths, and growth opportunities
Tips for leaders to model self-care, work-life balance, and transparent decision-making

Today’s Guests

Channon Lucas, Chief Administrative Officer, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
Lindsey Fuller, Executive Director, The Teaching Well
Jennifer Mulholland, Principal and Co-Founder, Plenty
Michelle Flores Vryn, Head of Development, iNaturalist

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/561.

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560. How It's Built: Leadership Transition Planning - Amber Melanie Smith

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amber. Her journey through nonprofit work is winding (literally!)🛣️ In college, she took off on a 3-month cross-country road trip with her best friend to volunteer in over 20 states. When she returned home, she launched Activate Good, a nonprofit that has mobilized over 50,000 volunteers to help hundreds of causes in her hometown, Raleigh, NC. She recently transitioned out of her Executive Director role and is sharing how she did it in this “How It’s Built” episode. Tune in to hear how organizations can priotize succession and transition planning that takes care of all the people involved.

💡 Learn

Warning Signs of Burnout
How It's Built: Leadership Transition Planning
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest

Amber Melanie Smith, speaker, nonprofit founder, social entrepreneur + YouTuber

Episode Highlights

Amber’s story and journey to where she is today (3:55)
Barriers to people getting started volunteering (10:30)
Amber’s observations around turnover in the nonprofit sector (14:55)
How It’s Built: Creating a plan for nonprofit leadership transition and succession (20:50)
Pro tips and critical lessons (35:55)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amber’s life (40:20)
Amber’s One Good Thing: If you're in a leadership position, make sure that you're listening and paying attention to those in your circle. (42:30)
How to connect with Amber (44:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/559.

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559. How to Leverage Modern Media to Scale Your Impact - Neda Azarfar, Dr. Bertrhude Albert, Jeff Rosenblum, and Kelly Lyndgaard

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Neda, Dr. Bertrhude, Jeff, and Kelly. This panel of experts is here to show us how to leverage modern media to scale your impact. It’s time to invest + fuel + activate around cause areas through the power of media. Influence is currency. Connection is currency. Activation is currency. Embrace the tension and release control of your message. Tune in to remember the transformative power of your story and get ready to activate around it.

💡Learn

How to leverage storytelling and authenticity to connect with audiences
The importance of providing value and meeting the needs of your community
Tips for leaning into a holistic, multi-channel approach to marketing and media

Today’s Guests

Jeff Rosenblum, Co-founder, Questus
Neda Azarfar, Founder, Nazar Works
Dr. Bertrhude Albert, CEO, P4H Global
Kelly Lyndgaard, Founder and CEO, Unshattered

Episode Highlights

Resettings your mindset around media (2:50)
Opportunities in media for impact brands (6:00)
Busting myths about media use for nonprofits (9:20)
Media success stories for Unshattered (15:55)
The importance of storytelling (18:25)
Starting points for small nonprofits with limited resources (22:30)
Empower not interrupt (28:00)
How Unshattered plans to use media in the future (32:45)
One Good Thing from Jeff, Neda, Kelly + Dr. B (35:40)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/559.

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558. How It's Built: Impactful + Modern Websites for Our Organizations - David Hartstein

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet David. He’s the co-founder of Wired Impact, which helps nonprofits build websites their visitors will love 💻❤️ He’s a firm believer that good marketing doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and he works to uncover opportunities within websites to help missions do more good in their community. In this episode of "How It's Built”, he’s sharing the essential steps for creating an impactful nonprofit website. Get ready to transform your nonprofit’s website with these tried and tested insights🛠️💪

💡 Learn

What your website should be doing for your org and your visitors
How It's Built: Effective and Impactful Websites
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
David Hartstein, Co-Founder, Wired Impact

Episode Highlights

David’s story and journey to where he is today (3:35)
The opportunity + impact for nonprofit websites today (8:20)
Questions to ask yourself to see if you need a new website (12:10)
Playbook: How to build an impactful website (15:25)
Website conversion rate killers (27:00)
Lessons learned + pro tips (36:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in David’s life (43:30)
David’s One Good Thing: The big things become small and the small things become big. (47:20)
How to connect with David and Wired Impact (51:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/558.

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557. How to Build a Breakthrough Recurring Giving Program - Miry Whitehill, Vik Harrison, Nhu Te, and Kyle Roosen

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Miry, Vik, Nhu + Kyle. They’re here to help you unlock sustainable impact through recurring giving! Recurring giving isn't just a fundraising strategy; it's a catalyst for sustainable impact. In this Responsive Nonprofit Summit Reply, they’re sharing actionable insights, best practices, and innovative approaches to cultivate and maintain a successful recurring giving program. Tune in for a rich conversation with tools and tips to amplify your mission and engage your supporters.

💡 Learn

How to treat recurring giving as a product and campaign
Ways to lean into impactful storytelling
Tips to balance acquisition and retention strategies

Today’s Guests
Miry Whitehill, Founder + Executive Director, Miry’s List
Vik Harrison, Co-creator, charity: water + Founder, Mission Critical
Nhu Te, Founder & Content Strategist, NTB Content
Kyle Roosen, Sr. Marketing & Communications Director, Tim Tebow Foundation

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/557.

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556. Unleashing Collective Power: Reflections from the Impact Uprising Gathering - Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Join Becky and Jon as they relive the incredible energy of Impact Uprising and explore the key themes that emerged from the community. Discover the courage to drive change, the importance of tapping into inner power, and the transformative potential of collective action. Plus, they'll share details about the new Impact Uprising membership. Tune in to be inspired, challenged, and equipped to be part of the movement!

💡 Learn

About the power of collective action and community
The importance of tapping into your inner power and authenticity
How to be part of the Impact Uprising membership

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/556.

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555. How to Create a Modern Donor Journey - Dulari Gandhi, Tiffany Allen, and Brady Josephson

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dulari, Tiffany, and Brady. Are you looking for the playbook to fundraise more by creating journeys that guide donors from their first interaction to becoming lifelong advocates? The answer isn't a complicated one. It's threaded through an intentional donor journey. Tune into this episode as our experts walk us through how to create a modern donor journey within our organizations today.

💡 Learn

How to create personalized, human connections with donors rather than overly complex automated segmentation and journeys.
How to leverage storytelling and diverse perspectives to engage donors and build a sense of community and belonging.
How to regularly review performance and plan for the future to continuously improve your donor engagement strategies.

Today’s Guests

Dulari Gandhi, Founder, D. Gandhi Communications
Tiffany Allen, CEO + Founder, Boss on a Budget
Brady Josephson, VP of Marketing & Growth, charity: water

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/555.

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554. How It's Built: The 4 Core Pillars of a Movement that Sustains Itself - Bryan Funk

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Bryan. He’s a community builder, marketer and movement builder🛠️ He’s sharing his experiences from Invisible Children, the team behind KONY 2012, the fastest-growing viral social justice and online fundraising campaign in the history of the internet (at the time). This digital campaign gained 100 million views in 5 days 🤯 and raised millions of dollars to support the efforts to bring warlord Joseph Kony to justice. Tune in for this How It’s Built episode that gives you the playbook for creating a powerful movement that sustains itself.

💡 Learn

The Impact of the KONY 2012 Campaign + the Movement Surrounding It
How It’s Built: 4 Core Pillars of a Movement that Sustains Itself
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Bryan Funk, Managing Director, Modern Profit

Episode Highlights

Bryan’s journey to where he is today (3:20)
Bryan’s experience with Invisible Children (9:45)
How It’s Built: 4 core pillars of a movement that sustains itself
(14:40)
Challenges nonprofits face when implementing grassroots strategies (23:05)
How can we leverage this moment for our movements right now (30:00)
Bryan’s One Good Thing: Come for the mission, but stay for the donor. (40:25)
How to connect with Bryan (42:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/554.

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553. Our Sector Needs Whole Leaders. Here's How. - Diaris Alexander, Carolina García Jayaram, Virginia Almendarez, and Jonah Nigh

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Diaris, Carolina, Virginia + Jonah. These four industry experts shared their unique insights into how nonprofit leaders can stay whole during the Responsive Nonprofit Summit. All too often we neglect our personal needs for “the greater good” not realizing that our lack of well-being makes us and our team less effective. Tune in for advice on combating burnout, cultivating a culture of well-being, and showing up as our whole selves to advance our missions.

💡 Learn

How to Cultivate Whole Leaders
Practical Wellness Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders
Recognizing and Addressing Burnout in the Nonprofit Sector

Today’s Guests

Diaris Alexander, Founder, Inwellth
Carolina García Jayaram, Founding CEO, The Elevate Prize Foundation
Virginia Almendarez, Founder, Fund Strategy
Jonah Nigh, Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement, The New School

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/553.

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552. How It's Built: A 400+ Person Mindfulness Community for 200 Feeding America Network Food Banks - Megan Whitney

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Megan. She’s a nonprofit pro, certified coach, and meditation teacher. In this How It’s Built episode, she’s sharing how she started a thriving mindfulness community of over 400 people at Feeding America, the largest nonprofit in the U.S. Discover the power of mindfulness in addressing workplace stress, improving organizational culture, and enhancing personal well-being. Tune in for a practical playbook for bringing mindfulness to your org🧘‍♀️

💡 Learn

The Impact of Mindfulness at Feeding America
How It’s Built: Creating a Mindfulness Community
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Megan Whitney, Sr. Manager of Network Fundraising, Feeding America

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/552.

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551. How to Evolve Your Mission to Meet the Moment - Shereese Floyd, Iara Peng, and Scott Curran

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Shereese, Iara and Scott. At the Responsive Nonprofit Summit, these three rockstars discussed evolving your mission to meet the moment🙌 Tune in for a convo that challenges traditional models and advocates for inclusive, innovative fundraising practices. Overcoming fear and scarcity mindsets, they reveal how nonprofit leaders can drive change with bold, incremental innovations. Discover how nonprofits can ask boldly and create impactful change💪

💡 Learn

How to embrace change + innovation
Tips for leveraging AI while maintaining humanity
The importance self-care

Today’s Guests
Shereese Floyd, Founder, AI Consultants for Nonprofits
Iara Peng, Founder + CEO, JustFund
Scott Curran, CEO + Founder, Beyond Advisers

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/551.

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550. How It's Built: How Perkins School for the Blind Transformed their Fundraising, Customer Experience + Brand - Stephanie Jones Wagle

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Stephanie. In this "How It's Built" episode, she’s sharing the journey of how the Perkins School for the Blind transformed their fundraising, customer experience and brand. From rebuilding their websites to reimagining direct mail, Stephanie unveils the strategies that have breathed new life into a 200-year-old institution 🏫 This conversation is packed with actionable insights for nonprofits looking to modernize their approach, expand their reach, and create a true sense of belonging for all. 🌍 Tune in for fresh ideas and stay for the incredible mission of this org.

💡 Learn

The Impact of the Perkins School for the Blind
How It’s Built: How they Transformed their Fundraising, Customer Experience + Brand (and how you can too!)
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Stephanie Jones Wagle, Senior Director, Marketing & Annual Giving, Perkins School for the Blind

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/550.

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549. Tapping into Top Talent: How Fractional Executives Can Help Nonprofits Thrive - Sahar Vermezyarito and Cindy Wagman

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cindy and Sahar. Cindy, founder of the Fractional Fundraising Movement, and Sahar, Director of the East Scarborough Storefront, are here to share the game-changing benefits of hiring fractional executives. They’ll show how these professionals can act as mission-aligned extensions of your team. Sahar’s experience with a fractional fundraiser has taken their organization to new heights 🚀 Tune in to hear how fractional fundraisers not only raise money but can also help shift mindsets and team cultures 🙌

💡Learn:

The case for fractional executives (even with a small budget!)
The playbook for working with fractional fundraisers
Pro tips and insights

Today’s Guests

Cindy Wagman, Founder, Fractional Fundraising Movement and Sahar Vermezyarito, Director, East Scarborough Storefront

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/549.

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548. How It's Built: 7 Shifts for 7 Figure Fundraising Growth - Jon Delange

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jon. He's revolutionized Summit Ministries' fundraising, driving a 25% increase in active donors and securing their first seven-figure cash gift💰 As part of the How It’s Built series, he’s sharing practical advice on data-driven decisions and fostering donor relationships through innovative marketing. Join us as he reveals how small shifts in strategy can cause significant growth Tune in to discover how these 7️⃣ shifts can transform your fundraising efforts.

💡Learn

Mindsets Shifts Necessary for Fundraising Success
7 Shifts for 7 Figure Fundraising Growth
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Jon DeLange, Summit Ministries

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/548.

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547. Overcoming Toxicity from the Inside Out: Building Resilience + Driving Change - Dr. Kevin Sansberry II

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dr. Kevin. He’s a seasoned behavioral scientist, executive coach, and host of the Toxic Leadership Podcast🎧 He’s bringing his expertise in eradicating toxic behaviors and promoting employee well-being through evidence-based, inclusive, and equitable approaches. Plus, he’s sharing strategies to transform cultures, build resilience, and activate change. Tune in to learn about the role of humanity, kindness, listening, and reflection in building healthy workplace cultures 🤝🌱

💡 Learn

How Toxic Workplace Cultures Manifest
The Retention Crisis in the Nonprofit Sector
How individuals and teams can activate to build resilience

Today’s Guest
Dr. Kevin Sansberry II, Behavioral Scientist, Executive Coach + Host, Toxic Leadership Podcast

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/547.

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546. How It’s Built: Operational Magic That Puts Your Values to Work - Dorothy Chang

Wed, 19 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dorothy. Her mission is to activate everyone’s capacity to become a more powerful version of themselves—in the workplace and beyond. She helps teams and leaders design the organizational tools, systems, and processes they need to put their values into practice. In this episode of "How It's Built," Dorothy shares how those of us in the social impact sector can create conditions intentionally designed for people to do their best work. Tune in for pro tips on operationalizing values in your work🛠️

💡Learn

The Impact + Case for Putting Your Values to Work in Your Operations
The Importance of Participatory, Community-Driven Processes
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Dorothy Chang, Business Operations Consultant

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/546.

How It’s Built Is Brought To You By Allegiance Group + Pursuant

They’re fueling nonprofit missions with innovative digital solutions. If you need a partner in amplifying your brand, expanding your reach and fostering that unwavering donor loyalty, visit teamallegiance.com.

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545. Human-Centered Leadership + The Power of Adaptability: Thriving Through Organizational Transitions - Kamilah Martin

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kamilah. She’s successfully led and stabilized internal teams during several CEO and Executive Director transitions, known for her ability to heal fractured teams and lead with humanity. She’s sharing insights from her experience leading those teams with adaptability and curiosity. Tune in for expert advice on fostering thriving, equitable cultures through human-centered leadership. This episode is for anyone looking to create healthier, more resilient nonprofit workplaces🫶

💡 Learn

All about Human-Centered Leadership
How to Understand + Meet the Needs of Your Team
Ways to Thrive Through Organizational Transitions

Today’s Guest
Kamilah Martin, Founder + CEO, Katalyst

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/545.

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544. How It's Built: From Grassroots Campaigning to Nurturing a Thriving Monthly Donor Base (with Katherine Lacefield)

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Katherine. She’s sharing the case study of how she moved from street fundraising to sustaining a group of 2,000 monthly donors🥳 She’s sharing her grassroots fundraising strategies, how to build a recurring donor program + use storytelling and engagement to build a digital community and movement. Tune in to hear how you can adapt this modern framework for your org✨

💡Learn

The Impact + Case for establishing a monthly donor base to increase internal capacity and stability
How to Build + Nurture a Thriving Monthly Donor Base
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Katherine Lacefield (Macdonald), Just BeCause Philanthropy Consulting

Episode Highlights

Katherine’s story and journey to where she is today (3:50)
The Impact: what 2,000 monthly donors unlocked for this organization (10:00)
The Playbook (14:00)
Katherine’s Pro Tips + Lessons Learned (24:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Katherine’s life (28:00)
Katherine’s One Good Thing: Open your eyes to collaboration. How can you build each other up? (32:00)

Learn more: weareforgood.com/episode/544

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543. Fundraising Best Practices in an Election Year - Shanna Birky

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Shanna. She’s the Vice President of Customer Experience at Classy, a GoFundMe affiliate. She’s helping nonprofits stay strong amid election-year noise 🗳️ Even during election years, charitable giving has increased in 8 of the last 9 cycles 📈 Nonprofits need to know how to maximize fundraising dollars, even if not directly linked to election causes. Tune in to discover key strategies to keep your fundraising strong even when emotions are running high and mailboxes are overflowing 📬

💡 Learn

Tone-setting and myth-busting
Fundraising Best Practices During an Election Year
Using storytelling to stand out in a crowded, noisy space

Today’s Guest
Shanna Birky, VP of Customer Experience, Classy

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/543.

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542. How It's Built: How to Create a Modern Donor Journey - Nicholas Kristock, Fleece and Thank You

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nicholas. He’s a former international soccer player turned serial entrepreneur and servant leader⚽ He’s found his passion in social impact work and is all about building businesses that tackle real-world problems. He founded and serves as the Executive Director of Fleece & Thank You, a nonprofit that provides psychosocial support and programs to children in the hospital. In this episode of "How It's Built," Nicholas shares how mapping donor journeys with intention has transformed their nonprofit🗺️ From listing all touchpoints to prioritizing a core welcome series, he walks us through practical steps to personalize the donor experience. Tune in to hear how you can adapt this modern framework for your org✨

💡Learn

The Impact + Case for Building Modern Donor Journey
The Playbook: 5-minute Fundraising Asks
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest

Nicholas Kristock, Founder + Executive Director, Fleece and Thank You and Founder + CEO, KindKatch

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/542.

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541. Real Talk: How to Build Authentic Relationships with your Donors and Team + The Story of Thoughtful Human - Maya Enista Smith

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Maya. She’s a kindness champion, mental health advocate, and thoughtful human, and she’s obsessed with thank you cards💌She’s the president of Thoughtful Human, an eco-friendly greeting card company. These unique cards, founded by Ali O'Grady in 2017, plant seeds of empathy, offering genuine support during life's toughest moments. Tune in as we discuss the power of small acts of human connection and the ripple effect they create🫶

💡 Learn

The overwhelm humans are experiencing + what we can do about it
Thoughtful Human’s story
Building Authentic Relationships

Today’s Guest
Maya Smith, President, Thoughtful Human

Episode Highlights

Maya’s story and journey to where she is today (4:55)
The overwhelm humans are experiencing and the role of hope as an antidote (8:30)
Thoughtful Human’s origin story (14:50)
The impact and ripple of Thoughtful Human cards (19:15)
Becky’s story of the impact of sending handwritten cards to donors year after year (23:15)
Maya’s experience creating cards (28:00)
Authentic relationships, empathy and stewardship in nonprofit work (32:45)
The duality of human emotions and experiences (37:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Maya’s life (41:30)
Maya’s One Good Thing: If you're thinking of someone, tell them immediately. + Take more naps. (51:20)
How to connect with Thoughtful Human and Maya (55:37)

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Meet ImpactUp - coming to a city near you!

Fri, 31 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet ImpactUp 🎉- the gathering for social impact leaders ready to shift the sector - for good. It’s a reimagined virtual experience for changemakers to unleash our collective power + impact on July 11. By day, we gather virtually to listen, learn, share + begin to shift. By night, we’re tapping the We Are For Good Community to organize local meet-ups in 15+ cities across the country activating the day’s conversations. Tune in to the pod to hear the heart behind this event directly from Jon + Becky. Then join us at impactuprising.com. We can’t wait to see you there! 🙌

Episode Highlights

Meet Impact Uprising (0:50)
Impact Uprising Theme (4:30)
The vision behind an Impact Uprising (7:30)
Getting activated (10:20)
Meeting up locally (12:00)
Reimagining the professional development experience (14:05)
Catch the replay in We Are For Good PRO (18:00)
It’s time for a shift (22:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/impactup.

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540. How It's Built: How to Grow Your Mid-Level Donor Relationships Through 5-Minute Conversations - Kel Haney

Wed, 29 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kel. She empowers nonprofits to grow their mid-level donor relationships through 5-Minute Fundraising Asks (over the phone!) 📞 She’s personally made over 20,000 fundraising asks and trained nonprofit organizations to raise almost $20M (primarily in donations under $2.5K)❗ Ring, ring, it’s Kel calling and she has a refreshing alternative to scripted calls, shifting fundraising conversations away from transactional encounters and toward relationship-building opportunities. Tune in to learn how to craft a compelling story within a short call, develop trust from the get-go, and personalize each interaction to resonate with donors.

💡Learn

The Impact + Case for Building Your Mid-Level Strategy
The Playbook: 5-minute Fundraising Asks
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Kel Haney, Fundraising Consultant + Trainer

Episode Highlights

Kel’s story and journey to where we are today (3:00)
Kel’s favorite recent Broadway plays (7:00)
The importance of connecting with mid-level donors (8:55)
Mindsets + methodology of the 5-minute Fundraising Ask (18:10)
How it’s Built: 5-minute Fundraising Ask (21:10)
Kel’s Pro Tips (30:15)
Lessons learned about growing mid-level strategy (33:40)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Kel’s life (37:40)
Kel’s One Good Thing: The five-minute fundraising ask takes practice and we need to be kind to ourselves. (40:35)
How to connect with Kel (43:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/540.

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539. From Ideas to Impact: How to Actually Influence + Implement Change - Michael Sheldrick, Global Citizen

Mon, 27 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Michael. He’s the Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact, and Government Affairs Officer for Global Citizen. For over 10 years, he’s been leading efforts to make a difference in our divided world. Their campaigns have raised over $35 billion for anti-poverty and climate change policies globally👏Michael’s new book, "From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World," shares strategies for anyone wanting to make a real difference. Join us to learn how to turn big ideas into real-world actions that change lives. 🌎

💡Learn

The importance of policy change for lasting impact
Moving beyond empty talk to effect real change
How partnerships can bridge divides and boost impact

Today’s Guest
Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder, Global Citizen

Episode Highlights

Michael’s story and journey to where he is today (4:30)
The importance of policy change (12:45)
Michael’s book: From Ideas to Impact (17:45)
Leaning into activation (26:15)
Collaboration and partnerships for social impact (30:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Michael’s life (38:35)
Michael’s One Good Thing: Are we going to run away? Or are we going to give it a go? (47:00)
How to connect with Michael (50:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/539.

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538. How It's Built: How Usher's New Look Built an Impactful Marketing Playbook - Kimberly Williams

Wed, 22 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kim. She’s a marketing visionary whose experience has taken her from the newsroom to Usher’s New Look🎤, where she connects Usher's celebrity brand and the nonprofit organization to create opportunities for young people. She’s breaking down their robust marketing playbook that prioritizes authenticity, relationships and marketing fundamentals. Tune in for lessons on disrupting traditional nonprofit marketing and scaling impact through strategic yet creative planning🌟

💡Learn

How Usher’s New Look has impacted the lives of 50,000+ youth
How to develop an impactful brand strategy
Pro-Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Kim Williams, Chief Marketing Officer, Usher's New Look

Episode Highlights

Kim’s story and journey to where she is today (3:15)
Usher’s New Look + Their Marketing Strategy (8:40)
How It’s Built: Your Marketing Playbook! (13:35)
Usher’s New Look’s Programming (21:25)
Pro-Tips + Lessons Learned (27:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Kim’s life (35:30)
Kim’s One Good Thing: Being your true self is the key to success. (39:30)
How to connect with Usher’s New Look + Kim (41:15)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/538.

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537. Catalyzing Change + Crafting Award-Winning Campaigns That Capture Hearts and Minds - Stacy Huston, SixDegrees.Org

Mon, 20 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Stacy. She’s the Executive Director of SixDegrees.Org, started by Kevin Bacon to connect people to resources, share stories, and amplify causes to make the greatest possible impact in communities😍 Stacy is sharing her award-winning strategies for crafting effective campaigns that leverage partnerships and media to drive social impact. Tune in to learn tactics for creating memorable campaigns that capture hearts and minds ❤️🧠 Plus, after this episode, you’ll basically be one degree away from Kevin Bacon, right?

💡 Learn

Critical elements to catalyze change
Overview of SixDegrees.Org
Case Study: #BacontoPayson

Today’s Guest
Stacy Huston, Executive Director, SixDegrees.Org + CEO, Entertain Change

Episode Highlights

Stacy’s story and journey to where she is today (3:30)
Crucial elements for catalyzing change in our missions today (7:30)
Stacy’s mindset (9:55)
Core elements to crafting campaigns (13:25)
Overview of Six Degrees (18:50)
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game and its origins (24:00)
Case study: #BacontoPayson Campaign (28:45)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Stacy’s life (38:35)
Stacy’s One Good Thing: Dignity is in the details. (42:25)
How to connect with Stacy and Six Degrees (44:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/537.

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536. How It's Built: Tim Tebow Foundation's 19,000+ Monthly Giving Community - Kyle Roosen

Wed, 15 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kyle. He’s helped steward the creation and growth of a recurring donor community made up of more than 19,300 monthly givers at the Tim Tebow Foundation🤯 With no formal marketing training, he was hungry for knowledge and figured out how to harness the power of data and storytelling to invite believers into their mission one person at a time. The best part? You can copy his exact strategy. In this How It’s Built episode, Kyle is sharing the importance of a donor experience that infuses joy and meaning into every contribution. Tune in to hear the lessons learned along the way including the delicate balance of growing a donor base while cultivating current supporters🎁

💡Learn

How the Tim Tebow Foundation grew to 19,300 monthly givers
How to Build a Scalable Monthly Giving Program
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest

Kyle Roosen, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, Tim Tebow Foundation

Episode Highlights

Kyle’s story and journey to where he is today (3:20)
Overview of the Tim Tebow Foundation's monthly giving campaign (4:50)
How It’s Built: A Recurring Giving Community (14:55)
- Develop + Implement your data layer (16:50)
- Create your branded product/community (18:45)
- Build your audience (24:40)
- Become elite storytellers (26:50)
Creating content that is authentic (34:40)
Pro Tips (37:00)
- Don’t overlook data & tracking
- Don’t forget immediate touchpoints
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kyle’s life (41:05)
Kyle’s One Good Thing: It’s a grind, but it's also a really high calling. (46:55)
How to connect with Kyle (49:55)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/536.

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535. Liberatory Leadership: Centering Equity and Justice in Nonprofit Work - April Walker

Mon, 13 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet April. She’s the Founder and CEO of Philanthropy for the People, an equity-centered consulting firm that equips donors, foundations, and nonprofits to embrace fundraising and grantmaking that centers racial equity and social justice. April challenges us to reimagine who holds power and how we can radically redistribute it to serve the communities that need it most. The way April approaches this work is a gift to the sector and we’re thrilled to share this conversation with you🎁 This episode is as much about philanthropy as it is about the art of self-compassion💖 - don’t miss it!

💡 Learn

What Liberatory Leadership is
How to center the sector on racial equity + social justice
Case Study: Healthy Liquid Foundation

Today’s Guest
April Walker, Founder + CEO, Philanthropy for the People

Episode Highlights

April’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
April’s mindset and approach to her work (6:00)
Liberatory leadership + how listeners can embrace it (8:00)
What is scarcity costing us? (12:00)
Power of inclusive decision-making, centering marginalized voices, and driving transformative action and advocacy (19:00)
Behaviors or structures that are causing frustration so we can address and overcome them (26:00)
Case Study example (34:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in April’s life (39:00)
April’s One Good Thing: Be gentle with yourself. (44:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/535.

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534. How It's Built: How to Create a Winning Digital Strategy for Exponential Audience Growth - Alicia Cepeda Maule, Innocence Project

Wed, 08 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Alicia. Since 2015 she’s been at the Innocence Project, now as the first Digital Engagement Director. The Innocence Project works to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and create fair, compassionate, and equitable systems of justice for everyone. Her team has won over 10 awards🏆 for the Innocence Project including Webbys, Tellys, Shortys, and Comnet’s Clarence B. Jones Impact Award.

She’s joining us to kick off the How It’s Built Series. We’re exploring the intricate and often overlooked elements that go into crafting impactful change. Alicia is walking us through how to build a winning digital strategy for exponential audience growth. Here’s your playbook for modernizing your nonprofit, step-by-step. Let’s go🏃‍♂️

💡Learn

Innocence Project’s Digital Strategy
How to Build a Winning Digital Strategy for Exponential Audience Growth
Pro Tips + Lessons Learned

Today’s Guest
Alicia Maule, Digital Engagement Director, Innocence Project

Episode Highlights

Alicia’s story and journey to where she is today (3:05)
Overview of the Innocence Project (5:50)
How It’s Built: Innocence Project’s Winning Digital Strategy (7:10)
Lessons learned throughout building their digital strategy (20:20)
How to bring people around a shared vision through strategy (23:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Alicia’s life (28:05)
Alicia’s One Good Thing: Compassion for people over everything. (30:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/534.

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533. Growing Red Nose Day's Impact: How to Leverage Media and Turn Moments into Momentum - Alison Moore, Comic Relief US

Mon, 06 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Alison. She’s the CEO of Comic Relief US, which you might know from Red Nose Day (happening May 23!)🤡 Their work is serious - breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, but they do it with so much joy and levity. Alison is back to share her insights into the power of transforming entertainment into a vehicle for social impact. Learn how Comic Relief US engages audiences across different media channels to maximize engagement and support for their mission - reaching people where they are📱 Don’t miss this heartening conversation that proves serious work can be seriously fun🎉

Learn

Turning missions into movements
Investing in media to fuel conversations + action around causes
How to get activated around Red Nose Day

Today’s Guest

Alison Moore, CEO, Comic Relief US

Episode Highlights

Mission + history of Comic Relief US (3:45)
Red Nose Day (11:25)
Turning moments into movements (15:00)
Media Scales Impact (21:10)
How Comic Relief US reaches audiences where they are. (28:10)
Red Nose Day This Year + How to Get Activated (36:30)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Alison’s life (42:35)
Alison’s One Good Thing: Centering family and elevating those voices of people with lived experience (45:10)
How to connect with Comic Relief US + participate in Red Nose Day (48:10)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/533.

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532. Strategies for a Successful GivingTuesday Campaign (NMS Replay) - Celeste Flores, Amanda Liaw, and Megan Huffman

Wed, 01 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Celeste, Amanda, and Megan. They shared their insights and strategies for GivingTuesday during the Nonprofit Marketing Summit, discussing how to create a movement from within, leverage marketing to support your mission's growth, and engage your community in this year's campaign🙌🏻 We believe that the most powerful movements start from within, and this holds true for GivingTuesday. Tune in to learn from their conversation and case studies on maximizing your impact during GivingTuesday🎁

💡Learn

How to activate a Giving Tuesday campaign that’s fueled by believers
Ways to cut through the noise on GivingTuesday or any giving day
Tips for creating movement that resonates year-round, not just one day

Today’s Guests

Celeste Flores, Director, US + Canada Hub, GivingTuesday
Amanda Liaw, Communications & Marketing Manager, Spur Local
Megan Huffman, Director of Community Outreach & SHARE Greater Lynchburg, Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation

Episode Highlights

Origins of GivingTuesday and opportunities that exist today (2:15)
How nonprofits can leverage GivingTuesday (5:40)
Strategies to cut through the noise and increase engagement (11:10)
GivingTuesday strategies (17:00)
Capacity building, personalized messaging and leveraging relationships (26:50)
Leveraging resources and storytelling (31:00)
Celeste’s One Good Thing: Take a breath, and just pick one or two things that you're going to do this year. (38:35)
Megan’s One Good Thing: Lead with gratitude. (40:05)
Amanda’s One Good Thing: Tend yourself like a garden. (40:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/532.

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531. The Art + Science of Donor Cultivation - Ronen Tal, The Nature Conservancy of Canada

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ronen. He’s a deeply passionate marketer and fundraiser, focused on the donor experience. With over a decade under his belt in fundraising, working on the org and agency sides, he’s at Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) as Director, Integrated Marketing & Fundraising🌲 Ronen and his team are dedicated to enhancing the donor experience and optimizing the lifetime value of donors to NCC. They work collaboratively with channel experts and external partners to achieve these goals, navigating challenges such as rising acquisition costs and evolving privacy laws. He’s sharing his wisdom on acquiring quality donors and nurturing long-term relationships, regardless of the initial donation size. Join us as we uncover the art of turning supporters into true believers🌱

💡Learn

Challenges nonprofits face in donor acquisition and retention
Turning One-Time Donors into Sustained Supporters
The ins and outs of Multi-Channel Marketing Campaigns

Today’s Guest
Ronen Tal, Director, Integrated Marketing and Fundraising, The Nature Conservancy of Canada

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/531.

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530. Why + How to Engage Gen Z in Your Mission - Duyen Spigelman, Kathryn Baccash, and Alyssa Boger (NMS Replay)

Wed, 24 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Duyen, Kathryn and Alyssa. These three brilliant experts are flexing what Gen Z is bringing to their organizations in the best way. Gen Z is rising to become the most heartwired, active generation the world's ever seen. And they know how to get loud, mobilize, and get active in their communities around causes that align with their values. Nonprofits stand to gain immensely from the value Gen Z brings to the table: digital-first mindset, passion for social impact and purpose-driven initiatives, interactive engagement style, expertise in creating and consuming short-form content, and their unwavering commitment to authenticity 📱Tune in to this Nonprofit Marketing Summit replay about this rising group of do-gooders. They could be the key to unlocking the movement your mission is waiting to launch🚀

💡Learn

Gen Z's motivations + where they hang out
How to build a Gen Z donor base
How TWLOHA + The Trevor Project respectively use Gen Z influencers and unique offerings to expand their message + impact

Today’s Guests

Duyen Spigelman, Senior Philanthropy Manager, Digital Giving & Campaigns, The Trevor Project
Kathryn Baccash, Head of Communications + Digital Marketing, TWLOHA
Alyssa Boger, Executive Vice President, Client Experience, Allegiance Group and Pursuant

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/530.

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529. Reimagining Nonprofit Missions for Today's World - Dorri McWhorter, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dorri. When it comes to reimagining the nonprofit sector, she not only talks the talk but also walks the walk. She’s the President and CEO of the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, previously serving as CEO of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. Under her leadership, the YWCA operating budget grew from $10.5 million to $38 million🤯👏She also led the effort in developing NYSE: WOMN, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that supports women's empowerment, teaming up with Impact Shares - the first nonprofit investment advisor to create an ETF product. You might also recognize her from the UnCharitable film 🤩 Don’t miss this conversation. We're sure you'll leave this episode as inspired and motivated as we did!

💡Learn

Using business principles to drive social impact
Case Study: Transforming a 140-year-old social service agency to a 21st-century social enterprise
Activation around increasing impact and organizational sustainability

Today’s Guest
President and CEO, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

For more information + episode details visit: w eareforgood.com/episode/529.

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528. How to Foster Trust + Connection with Your Brand (NMS Replay) - Shelley Diamond, UNICEF USA

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Shelley. She’s a passionate builder of global brands and businesses, with expertise across communications disciplines. As the Chief Marketing Officer at UNICEF USA, she's all about building connections and trust at scale. During the Nonprofit Marketing Summit, Jon and Becky sat down with her to discuss UNICEF’s journey to redefine its brand identity by leaning into trust, authenticity, a deep understanding of its audience and a renewed commitment to the mission🌍 She also shared lessons learned along the journey, key steps her team took to elevate brand relevance and strategies to respond to evolving needs. While you’re here, watch the “I Am” video Shelley mentions to see these concepts in action 🎥 You don’t want to miss this convo.

💡Learn

Overview of UNICEF USA
How to Foster Trust and Connection with Your Brand
Responding to Your Audience

Today’s Guest
Shelley Diamond, Chief Marketing Officer, UNICEF USA

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/528.

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527. The Influencer Effect + Harnessing the Power of Pop Culture for Good - Paul Katz

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Paul 🎵He’s a GRAMMY-nominated music executive, social entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Entertain Impact, an award-winning social impact agency. With 30+ years bridging pop culture and philanthropy, he's worked with organizations and celebrities from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Usher, crafting 100+ impactful campaigns. He’s sharing a peek into the lessons, case studies and practical tips he lays out in his book, Good Influence, which he wrote so orgs of all sizes can leverage working with influencers for social good. He’s also walking us through the five-step D.R.E.A.M. sequence for creating and executing influencer-led campaigns. Whether you're aiming to boost awareness, garner support, or secure funding, you'll gain invaluable tools to leverage influencer power 💪

💡Learn

A Look into The Influencer Effect
Paul’s five-step D.R.E.A.M. Framework
Insights into Building Local Networks of Impact

Today's Guest
Paul Katz, Founder + CEO, Entertain Impact

Episode Highlights

Paul’s story and journey to where he is today (4:30)
Utilizing Pop Culture for Social Change (9:00)
The Influencer Effect (19:00)
Paul’s D.R.E.A.M Framework to Executing Influencer-Led Campaigns (23:00)
Building Local Networks of Impact (44:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Paul’s life (48:000
Paul’s One Good Thing: Take the first step. Start the journey. (51:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/527.

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526. Building a Modern Movement + Activating the Next Generation of Changemakers (NMS Replay) - Ben Collier, The Farmlink Project

Wed, 10 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ben. As CEO, he’s led the transformation of The Farmlink Project from a college dorm initiative into a national hunger relief movement 🌱 Theirs is a nonprofit fairy tale story: three college students who saw a problem in the world and built a scrappy, grassroots solution that's changing the world 🌍 The Farmlink Project connects surplus food from farms to food banks all around the U.S. and has rescued more than 200 million pounds of produce since its inception 🚜 Tune in for this replay of the insightful conversation we had with Ben during the Nonprofit Market Summit

💡Learn

Overview + History of The Farmlink Project
Insights into Building a Modern Movement
Activating the Next Generation of Changemakers

Today’s Guest
Ben Collier, CEO, The Farmlink Project

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/526.

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525. Building Resilient Communities + CORE's Holistic Approach to Humanitarian Work - Ann Lee

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ann. She’s a trailblazing leader who has activated vital emergency responses within the U.S. and internationally🌍 She co-founded CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort) alongside Sean Penn, and as CEO has overseen CORE’s transition into an international response and resilience-building NGO, responding to global crises. Navigating the landscape of disaster relief and community empowerment takes more than good intentions; it demands innovation, trust, and a genuine commitment to systemic change. Join us as Ann shares the heartbeat of CORE's mission and how they’re paving the path toward a future where communities are well-prepared to respond and recover swiftly and effectively during times of crisis.

💡Learn

History + Overview of CORE
The Intersection of disaster and social justice
How to get activated today

Today’s Guest

Ann Lee, Co-Founder + CEO, CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/525.

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524. Innovating for Impact: Seth Godin's Revolutionary Strategies for Nonprofit Growth + Fundraising Success

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Seth. For more than thirty years, he has made it his mission to inspire, innovate, and challenge audiences to level up, and we’re so honored he is back in our house today to do just that. He’s a prolific author, an entrepreneur and perhaps most of all, a teacher. This conversation is full over surprises from canoeing🛶 to reimagining the charity auction👨‍⚖ to powerful moments of philanthropy he witnessed from his parents. He had us laughing, crying and dreaming of a better future💭 Join us for a conversation that left us with one of our favorite invitations, an opportunity to “upgrade our guts”!

💡Learn

How innovation is the key to solving critical fundraising problems
Why we need to rethink the nonprofit auction
What GOODBIDS is + Why we think it’ll be a gamechanger for nonprofits

Today’s Guest

Seth Godin, Bestselling Author + Speaker

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/524.

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523. How to Use Storytelling, Data, Partnerships, and Advocacy to Drive Systems Change - Sixto Cancel, Think of Us

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sixto. He’s a nationally recognized leader in driving systems change in child welfare to improve outcomes for youth and families. As the founder and CEO of Think of Us, he spearheads fundamental change in child welfare systems nationwide. He’s sharing how Think of Us secured a groundbreaking $47.5 million investment from the Audacious Project, which convenes funders and social entrepreneurs to support bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges. This investment is set to transform support for families and children in need🫶 Everything about Think of Us is innovative and Sixto shares the ins and outs so we can all grow with these same mindsets🌱

💡Learn

How to lean into new mindsets + innovation
The impact of research, tech, storytelling, and advocacy on child welfare
Strategies for creating impact at a systemic level

Sixto joined us on the podcast 2 years ago and if you haven’t heard his first episode with his background and founding of Think of Us - queue up episode 262!

Today’s Guest
Sixto Cancel, Founder + CEO, Think of Us

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/523.

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Designing Tomorrow: The Modern Playbook for Social Impact Brands - Eric Ressler

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Why do some social impact brands thrive, while so many others fail to get traction, build support for their cause, and make meaningful progress towards their mission?

Meet Designing Tomorrow, the show for modern social impact leaders and brands, hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic.

Think of it as a modern playbook for navigating our rapidly-changing, digitally-driven world that you can use to reach your true impact potential. New episodes drop every Tuesday, and we hope you enjoy this preview of episode 1.

Follow + subscribe to Designing Tomorrow on your favorite podcast platform or catch the Video Versions on Youtube. We've included the links below! We’ll be listening right along with you.

Designing Tomorrow Website
Watch on YouTube
Listen + Subscribe on Apple
Listen + Subscribe on Spotify
Follow Designing Tomorrow on LinkedIn

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522. Building Digital Communities: A Roadmap for Community-First Nonprofit Marketing - Cameron Ripley

Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cameron. He’s the CEO of Community Boost, serving over 1,000 nonprofit clients and has helped raise more than $100 million💸 The Community Boost team has also built the Nonprofit Marketing Summit, the world's largest nonprofit conference, driving more than 50,000 nonprofit professional registrations annually. Together, we’re peeling back the layers of digital marketing strategies that resonate with authenticity, creating communities that propel our missions forward. Tune in to chart your path toward mission-driven communities🗺️

💡Learn

About Community-First Marketing
How to Leverage Marketing to Scale Impact
Nonprofit Marketing Summit: The Unthinkable Takeaways

Today’s Guest
Cameron Ripley, CEO, Community Boost

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/522.

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521. The Role of Metrics + Evaluation at the Intersection of Social Justice - Liza Mueller

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Liza. She believes that transformational social change can happen only when deep trust, respect and community voice are centered across the board. She’s the Vice President of Knowledge and Thought Leadership at Echoing Green, an org that discovers emerging social entrepreneurs and invests deeply in the growth of their ideas and leadership. She’s walking us through groundbreaking research on measuring success in the social sector, especially for organizations led by people of color, exploring power dynamics in philanthropy for greater equity and progress. Tune in to rethink the role of data in driving social change 📊

Episode Highlights

Liza’s story and journey to where she is today (4:30)
Data's transformative power for organizations (8:00)
Echoing Green and MPHI’s Center for Culturally Responsive Engagement’s Report: The Weight of Power: The Role of Metrics & Evaluation at the Intersection of Social Justice (13:00)
Create greater equity and progress in social impact (21:00)
Response from the funding community (25:00)
The Trust-Based Philanthropy Project (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Liza’s life (30:30)
Liza’s One Good Thing: “Data is protest, data is accountability, data is action.” -Yeshi Milner (33:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/521.

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520. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Media scales impact. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, Carolina Garcia Jayaram and Eva Bloomfield

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to the final episode in our 9️⃣Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series. We’re exploring how the world of philanthropy can be revolutionized through the power of media, Discover the secrets to making your nonprofit stand out by thinking like a media company💡 This week, we're joined by Carolina Garcia Jayaram, CEO, and Eva Bloomfield, CMO, from The Elevate Prize Foundation, a global nonprofit amplifying social impact and empowering passionate problem solvers, leaders and innovators. They’re on a mission to “Make Good Famous” and they are leveraging the power of media to do just that📢 Join us for a masterclass on maximizing your nonprofit's reach and sparking grassroots movements through storytelling and innovative strategies. Tune in for pro tips and disruptive ideas for organizations of all sizes!

Episode Highlights

Media scale impact (1:00)
Media Scales Impact Playlist (5:15)
Pro tips for scaling impact with media (6:15)
Opportunities for nonprofits to seize this moment (9:15)
Importance of authentic storytelling, human-centered leadership + leveraging media (13:00)
How investing in media has transformed Elevate Prize Network winner’s impact and reach (21:50)
How nonprofits can invest in content + storytelling (28:40)
Strategies to engage audiences across various media channels (35:15)
Key elements for a successful media campaign (41:00)
Connect with The Elevate Prize Network (52:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/516.

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519. Building Community Through Authentic Engagement: Lessons from the Michael J. Fox Foundation - Becca Lockhart and Tyler Hyacinth

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Becca and Ty. These annual giving pros have mastered the art of 'stoking' to spark movements and create campaigns that resonate deeply with their audience🔥 They're bringing the playbook directly from the Michel J. Fox Foundation that meets this moment for how to show up + raise money on social media💰 On the podcast, they’re sharing how their strategies of authentic engagement, personalization and community listening can lead to powerful, impactful action. This episode is a must-listen for nonprofits looking to amplify their message and build lasting donor relationships in new ways📣

💡Learn

Overview of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Engaging + Activating Community on Social Media
Practical strategies for integrating social media fundraising

Today’s Guests

Becca Lockhart, Annual Giving Director + Ty Hyacinth, Annual Giving Officer, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/519.

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518. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Make Generosity Frictionless. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Vance Roush

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to our 9️⃣ Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series! As we near the end of our series, we're exploring how we can make generosity frictionless. We're used to frictionless payments in other aspects of our lives after all📱 With just a few taps on our phones, transactions are completed, and orders arrive at our doorsteps in a matter of hours. Joining us today is Vance Roush, the founder and CEO of Overflow, a platform allowing orgs to accept non-cash donations seamlessly. Together, we'll explore the digital evolution of donor behavior, the upcoming wealth transfer, and how these factors intersect with the shift toward identity-driven philanthropy. This episode is packed with tips, real-world case studies, and actionable insights to streamline your nonprofit's giving journey in today's digital landscape. Tune in now to embrace frictionless philanthropy💸

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (1:50)
The why behind making giving frictionless (3:15)
We Are For Good Community’s take on this (5:15)
Playlist to dive deeper into making giving frictionless (7:10)
PRO tips to put this in action (8:25)
How the wealth transfer to millennials and Gen Z will alter generosity (11:00)
Common obstacles donors face when trying to be generous + ways to overcome them (18:50)
How organizations can streamline their donation process (12:35)
Case studies of organization making generation frictionless (26:10)
Vance’s One Good Thing: Make it so your organization can accept Apple Play. (32:25)
How to connect with Vance and Overflow (33:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/518.

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517. How to Future-Proof Your Fundraising with Social Media + Make Giving Seamless - Nick Black

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nick. He’s a combat veteran, an incredible innovator and founder of the nonprofit Stop Soldier Suicide and the company GoodUnited. GoodUnited’s innovative approach to philanthropy is a game-changing force in social media fundraising that's rallied over a billion dollars in donations💰 Nick is revealing the strategic use of social media to turn passive observers into active contributors, showcasing how tailored interactions can ignite online movements and scale personal connections. Stop Soldier Suicide is a shining example of how this approach can raise significant funds. Tune in to discover how social media can serve as a powerful addition to your fundraising toolkit🛠️, rather than just another to-do list item📋

💡Learn

How to establish connections starting with one person to scale movements
Tips for future-proofing fundraising with social media
Examples of organizations doing this well

Today’s Guest
Nick Black, Founder + CEO, GoodUnited and Founder + Vice Chairman, Stop Soldier Suicide

Episode Highlights

Nick’s story and journey to where he is today (7:00)
Paying attention to where people are already engaging with you nonprofit (9:30)
Establishing connections with each supporter at scale to grow movements (12:40)
How nonprofits can leverage social media to future-proof fundraising (15:40)
Examples of orgs doing this well (23:20)
An impactful moment of philanthropy in Nick’s life (26:10)
Nick’s One Good Thing: Embracing failure is one of the keys to success. (30:40)
How to connect with Nick (32:10)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/517.

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516. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Engage dimensionally. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Justin McCord

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our 9️⃣ Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series! Ever wondered what it takes to really connect with your supporters on a level that goes beyond a single data point? Enter: the opportunity to engage dimensionally — it's about creating deep, meaningful connections with your supporters informed by data 📊 Justin McCord, SVP of Marketing and Communications at RKD Group, joins us to discuss how engaging dimensionally is about understanding donors through multiple data points and dimensions beyond just transactions. If you're ready to take your supporter experience to the next level, this is the episode you won't want to miss!

💡Learn in this series

Trends that’ll grow and elevate your mission
Pro tips for success
Case studies of who's already doing it well in the sector (because let's replicate what's working!💪)
Ways to infuse joy into your work 😊

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (1:40)
Who’s Doing it Well? + Engage Dimensionaly Playlist (6:00)
Justin’s story + journey to where he is today (12:35)
A high-level look at engaging dimensionally (20:20)
Moving from 1:0 engagement to 2:0 engagement (25:00)
How nonprofits can start engaging dimensionally (29:35)
Case study of an org rocking this trend (34:30)
Justin’s One Good Thing: Be intentional about those around you. (38:35)
How to connect with Justin and RKD Group (40:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/516.

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515. The Cost of Code-Switching for Fundraisers of Color + The Health Effects of Racism in the Sector - Jonah Nigh, The New School

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Jonah. This Renaissance man has a resume that is just as unique as it is impressive. He’s a classically trained singer🎶, a baker who was a semi-finalist on Season 1 of NBC’s Baking It 🍰 and an accomplished fundraising leader who is the senior vice president of Development and Alumni Engagement at The New School. On top of all that, he co-founded The Forum for BIPOC Fundraising Professionals. On today's podcast, Jonah shares insights on the toll of code-switching for fundraisers of color and the health impacts of racism in our sector, emphasizing how equity is a choice, inclusion is an action, and belonging is the result. This episode is essential listening for leaders at any career stage.

💡Learn

Health effects of racism in the sector
The cost of code-switching for fundraisers of color
How to create cultures of whole leaders

Today’s Guest
Jonah Nigh, Senior Vice President for Development and Alumni Engagement, The New School

Episode Highlights

Jonah’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
Overview of The New School (9:30)
What code-switching means in the context of the nonprofit sector, particularly for fundraisers of color (15:30)
How this affects the mental health and wellbeing of fundraisers in the sector (20:00)
Mentorship vs. sponsorship (24:00)
How to build cultures within our organizations that allow leaders to show up as their whole selves (29:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jonah’s life (33:00)
Jonah’s One Five Good Things (36:00)
How to connect with Jonah and The New School (40:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/515.

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514. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Tap creators. Grow influence. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Nick Lynch

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

We’re back with another trend during our 9️⃣ Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series: Tap creators. Grow influence. Discover how you can supercharge your nonprofit's impact with the power of the creator economy—this episode zeroes in on this transformative force! Our special guest today, Nick Lynch, Co-Founder and CEO of Collidescope.io, is an expert of influencers and he’s here to guide us through this pivotal moment. Get ready to explore the art of partnering with like-minded creators to grow your influence and why saying 'yes' to asking for help can unlock doors you didn't even know existed🔑

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (0:35)
Voices from the We Are For Good Community (10:35)
Who’s Doing it Well? (12:05)
Current landscape of the creator economy (15:05)
Tap Creators. Grow Influence. (17:50)
Why influencer marketing for nonprofits matters this year (19:35)
Case study of seeing this in practice (21:50)
How can missions get activated around this trend today (24:35)
Nick’s One Good Thing: 2024 should be the season of ask. (28:30)
How to connect with Nick (29:50)
Nick’s book (30:20)
Nick’s podcast (32:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/514.

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513. Cultivating Wellness in Leadership: How The Teaching Well's Approach Revolutionizes Nonprofit Work Environments - Lindsey Fuller

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Lindsey. She’s the Executive Director of The Teaching Well, a nonprofit wellness collective of educators, education leaders and healers. She’s unraveling the intricacies of creating a culture that priotizes wellness in the nonprofit sector. You won’t want to miss her perspective on whole leadership, which emphasizes the need for environments that employees don't have to recover from, and how individual health can initiate systemic healing. Tune in to get your game plan to foster a nurturing workplace🌱

Today’s Guest
Lindsey Fuller, Executive Director, The Teaching Well

Episode Highlights

Nonprofit stabilization program (6:30)
Human-centered approach to leadership (13:00)
Human-centered policies to put in practice today (18:00)
The differences between supervising and coaching (26:00)
Retention is an inside job (30:00)
Hiring profiles (32:00)
Professional authenticity (36:00)
Pre-HR interventions (38:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Lindsey’s life (42:00)
Lindsey’s One Good Thing: The organization that you want, you have to be a part of building it. (48:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/513.

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512. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Activate the One = Grow the movement. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Brady Josephson, charity: water

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to 9️⃣ Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series! How does a movement begin? Simple - with one person. Gone are the days of 'build it and they will come.' True community is about co-creation, about building alongside people. Finding solutions together not only propels your mission forward but also cultivates believers who won't let you fail. Today, we're thrilled to have Brady Josephson, VP of Marketing & Growth at charity: water, as our special guest. Brady leads a team of storytellers, creatives, and marketers responsible for growing, supporting and celebrating the charity: water community and their impact. Join us as we dive into why we need a new approach to generosity 💡

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (1:10)
Who’s doing community building well? (1:45)
PRO tips for growing movements (6:50)
Reflections from the We Are For Good Community ()
Brady’s story and journey to where he is today (11:45)
Why we need a new approach to generosity (15:50)
What Brady has learned about growing a movement. (18:40)
Hallmarks of a modern movement (19:35)
Creating an engaged community at charity: water (26:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Brady’s life (30:20)
Brady’s One Good Thing: (36:05)
- Think about creating a personal board of advisors.
- play to win and not to lose
- “It's only rock and roll”

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/512.

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511. Engaging with Creators + A Winning Formula for Developing Campaigns That Meet the Moment - Neda Azarfar

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Neda. From contributing to Myspace's relaunch as a music platform to leading marketing at the Recording Academy (the organization behind the GRAMMY Awards🎶) and its charities, Neda's career bridges entertainment, marketing and philanthropy. With a passion for mission-driven storytelling, she’s sharing her wisdom on how to unlock authentic connections in today's digital landscape, especially with the help of content creators and influencers📱The time is now for the social impact sector to embrace influencer marketing. This conversation is the perfect primer for anyone getting started.

💡Learn

Lessons the social impact sector can learn from the entertainment industry
Tips for developing a campaign that meets the moment
How to begin partnering with creators + influencers

Today’s Guest
Neda Azarfar, Founder + Principal, Nazar Works

Episode Highlights

Neda’s story and journey to where she is today (3:40)
The current media landscape and the opportunity that exists for social impact organizations (6:10)
Hallmarks of modern social impact campaigns that meet the moment (15:45)
Developing campaigns That Meet the Moment (19:10)
How to begin partnering with creators + influencers (22:20)
Case study of someone who is doing this well: ALIMA + Breath for All Campaign (27:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Neda’s life (36:30)
Neda’s One Good Thing: Try a SWOT Analysis. (44:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/511.

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510. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Our sector needs whole leaders. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Sonya Perez-Lauterbach

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

We’re at the halfway point of the 9️⃣ Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series - welcome back! This week, we’re talking all about how our sector needs whole leaders. It's all too common to sacrifice our well-being in the name of "the greater good," often without realizing the toll it takes on ourselves and our teams. Special guest, Sonya Perez-Lauterbach, founder of Atlas Leadership, is sharing how to create new ways of being and serving with resilience, clarity, and joy. This conversation is for everyone because everyone can be a leader. Let's arm ourselves with strategies to sidestep unproductive behaviors that fuel stress and fear💪

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (1:00)
Who’s Doing it Well? (7:05)
Reflections from the We Are For Good Community (8:55)
What being a whole leader looks like to Sonya (16:15)
Core strategies to build sustainability in our work and lives (5:50)
Questions to ask yourself to move toward being a whole leader (23:05)
How to navigate change with more resilience, clarity and joy (25:15)
How to support team members (30:40)
Hallmarks of a workplace where employees can embody whole leadership (34:05)
Sonya’s One Good Thing: Change is possible. (39:10)
How to connect with Sonya (40:05)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/510.

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509. Reimagining Philanthropy: How American Cancer Society's BrightEdge is Pioneering a New Model of Philanthropy - Alice Lin Pomponio

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Alice. For her, finding life-saving cancer treatments is personal, not just professional. With a career in biotech that's witnessed industry milestones, she now leads BrightEdge at the American Cancer Society. BrightEdge is a venture capital fund directing philanthropic donations to startups pioneering cancer-fighting solutions. Established in 2019, it's already invested $28.9 million in 18 companies, with the potential to benefit 1.5 million patients and families. Don't miss this inspiring discussion on driving impact and innovation in the fight against cancer. 🎗️

💡Learn

Overview of BrightEdge
The innovation behind venture capital models
Importance of inclusive and sustainable philanthropy

Today’s Guest
Alice Lin Pomponio, Managing Director, BrightEdge

Episode Highlights

Alice’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
BrightEdge's origins and its impact on the American Cancer Societ (6:50)
BrightEdge's impact since inception (12:00)
Venture capital model as a new era in philanthropy (15:00)
Blended Giving - granting and impact investing (17:35)
Approaching these conversations with donors (20:00)
Opportunities for organizations with this model (23:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Alice’s life (30:00)
Alice’s One Good Thing: How can we keep the patient in the room? (34:00)
How to connect with BrightEdge (35:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/509.

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508. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Upskill in the Age of AI + New Tech - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Shereese Floyd

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to another week of the 9️⃣ Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series! This week, we're delving into upskilling in the age of AI and new tech With technology advancing rapidly, it's essential to work smarter, not harder. Join us as we explore the power of AI, its ethical use, and how to balance it with your human empathy and lived experience. Special guest Shereese Floyd, Founder of AI Consultants for Nonprofits, is sharing her expertise on how we can upskill our teams in this modern era. We’re talking about doubling fundraising with laser-targeted campaigns, streamlining operations with automated tasks and unlocking deeper donor connections. No matter where you are in the AI adoption curve, there's a path forward tailored to your organization's unique needs - you’ve got this📣

Episode Highlights

Tone setting (1:10)
Approaching AI with ethical frameworks (3:45)
Reflections from the We Are For Good Community (4:35 )
Who’s Doing it Well? (6:10)
How Shereese got involved in this work (10:40)
How to work smarter, not harder with AI (12:30)
AI tools to try (17:45)
Advances nonprofits have seen using tech (22:30)
Shereese’s One Good Thing: Take a breath and take the tools off the pedestal. (28:35)
How to connect with Shereese (30:55)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/508.

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507. Leading With Light: Choosing Conscious Leadership When You're Ready For More - Jennifer Mulholland and Jeff Shuck

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Jeff and Jennifer. They’re the co-leaders of Plenty, where their vision is a world of plenty for everyone — plenty of health, hope, happiness and fulfillment. Their forthcoming book, “Leading with Light” offers a blueprint to help you become more aware of what works for you, more attuned to your soul’s deepest calling, and more confident in the choices you make📘 They're offering up their experiences and actionable advice, encouraging us to listen to our bodies, trust our instincts, and discern environmental cues—all in the service of crafting lives that flow with intention and purpose. Join us as we uncover a path forward that promises to reshape not just how we lead, but how we live✨

💡Learn

What conscious leadership is all about
How to determine what fills and what drains us
The importance of embodiment

Today’s Guests
Jeff Shuck and Jennifer Mulholland, Principals, Plenty

Episode Highlights:

What leaders need now more than ever (3:35)
What it means to be a whole leader (7:45)
Being more, not doing more (11:20)
How to determine what fills and what drains us (22:15)
Connecting the body and the mind with embodiment (32:00)
How Jeff gave us worrying (36:15)
Whatever you are focusing on form (39:10)
Jen’s One Good Thing: Your presence is your gift. (41:50)
Jeff’s One Good Thing: The power of journaling. (43:15)
How to connect with Jen + Jeff and get the book (47:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/507.

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506. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: Retention is an inside job. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, Evan Wildstein, and Michelle Flores Vryn

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to week three of our 9️⃣ Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series! It’s time to name the elephant in the room: Retention. But we aren’t just talking about retaining our donors - the greatest retention issue that isn’t talked about enough is the retention of our nonprofit staff. For a sector built on relationships, we have to build a culture that creates retention from the inside out. After all, if our staff isn’t compelled to stay, why should our donors? 🤔Joining us to delve into this critical trend are two seasoned in-house nonprofit leaders, Evan Wilstein and Michelle Flores Vryn, CFRE. Together they conducted a comprehensive survey on staff retention—exploring the reasons people leave and, conversely, what motivates them to stay. The survey results, though disheartening, shed light on the reality we face. Join us to find out more about the reality of retention and where we go from here🧭

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/506.

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505. How Mother Cabrini Health Foundation Launched + Scaled with a Startup Mentality - Channon Lucas

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Channon. Five years ago, she started as the second official employee of Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, New York’s largest grantmaking foundation. Since then, the Foundation has granted over $635 million to nonprofits improving the health and well-being of New Yorkers 🏥From the jump, Channon set out to disrupt traditional philanthropy practices and organizational structures. She’s pulling back the curtain on how she operationalized and designed the Foundation with a ‘startup mentality’, building an internal system that allows the organization to flourish but remain flexible🔄 If you’re wondering if you can truly foster a workplace culture that balances continuous learning with the courage to embrace change, this episode is for you💪

💡Learn

Overview of Mother Cabrini Health Foundation
Case Study: Scaling with a “Startup Mentality”
How to build a team that flourishes, yet remains flexible

Today’s Guest
Channon Lucas, Chief Administrative Officer, Mother Cabrini Health Foundation

Episode Highlights

Channon’s story and journey to where she is today (3:55)
History and mission of the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (8:50)
Scaling the Foundation with a “Startup Mentality” (13:05)
How they’ve built a team that flourishes, yet remains flexible (16:00)
How they take care of + focus on their team (22:05)
Employee retention and compensation in the nonprofit sector (27:10)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Channon’s life (32:30)
Channon’s One Good Thing: Invest in relationships. (36:05)
How to connect with Channon + Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (37:36)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/505.

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504. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024: It's No Longer Business As Usual. Period. - Jon McCoy, Becky Endicott, and Brett Hagler, New Story

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Discover the secrets to not just surviving but thriving in the nonprofit sector. Our 9️⃣Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2024 Series continues🥳 This week, we’re diving into the 1st trend: It’s no longer business as usual. Period. Let’s face it things are never going back to “the way it’s always been.” We’re sharing who’s doing it well, our PRO tips and what we’re hearing in the community about this trend. Plus, we’re bringing on an expert guest to talk us through it. Brett Hagler, CEO and Founder of New Story, Fast Company’s Most Innovative Company in the World, is joining us to share how New Story lives out this trend. It’s time to embrace creative solutions, new business models, collaborative partnerships, and technology-driven strategies to enhance our impact. Don’t miss this episode that’ll help adapt to the evolving landscape of social change💪

Episode Highlights

Show up with a growth mindset (2:00)
It's No Longer Business As Usual. Period. Playlist + Who’s doing it well? (4:05)
Reflections from the We Are For Good Community (5:45)
PRO tips (8:20)
The latest chapter of New Story (11:45)
Re-risking what has been working for a bigger opportunity (19:30)
Opportunities to lean into innovation (22:55)
Playing the long game (26:35)
Powerful moments of philanthropy in Brett’s life (35:00)
Brett’s One Good Thing: Put a full day on your calendar to zoom out and ask yourself some of these questions. (37:30)
How to connect with New Story and Brett (39:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/504.

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503. Simplifying + Scaling Social Impact: Practical Tools for Maximizing Your Impact - Scott Curran

Mon, 22 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Scott. He’s a visionary social impact and legal adviser to global brands and nonprofits🌍 He’s the CEO and Founder of Beyond Advisers, with current and former clients including the Clinton Foundation, UN Foundation’s Clean Cooking Alliance, The Starbucks Foundation, Sean Penn’s CORE and many more. Navigating uncertainty and fostering organizational growth is a challenge, but Scott's insights remind us to learn from other’s success remembering that all nonprofits have the same four core tenants. Tune in to get excited about maximizing your organization’s impact in 2024🌟

💡Learn

How nonprofits are simple and all have the same core
Ways to simplify and scale for nonprofits of all sizes and profiles
The importance of doubling down on core functions

Today’s Guest
Scott Curran, CEO + Founder, Beyond Advisers

Episode Highlights

Scott’s story and journey to where he is today (2:45)
What makes a team and organization truly dynamic (7:55)
- Board
- Operations
- Programs
- Partnerships
Scott’s take on how philanthropy, government and the private sector all fit and work together (14:00)
Case studies (18:10)
Double down on core functions during times of uncertainty (25:55)
What makes up a great annual calendar for an org (33:45)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Scott’s life (40:30)
Scott’s One Good Thing: Stay curious. (50:00)
How to connect with Scott and Beyond Advisers (51:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/503.

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502. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024 - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Join Jon and Becky as we kick off our 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024 Series! This is where we introduce the trends we believe nonprofits should get behind in the new year and beyond. Over the next several weeks, we’re rolling out each of these trends, curating resources for each one and bringing epic guests to share their insights all to help you elevate your mission in 2024. Join us to embrace this year with bravery and boldness! 🌟

💡Learn in this series

Trends that’ll grow and elevate your mission
Pro tips for success
Case studies of who's already doing it well in the sector (because let's replicate what's working!💪)
Ways to infuse joy into your work 😊

Episode Highlights

Embracing bravery in 2024 (1:55)
Jon and Becky’s reflections and personal intentions for 2024 (3:00)
9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024 (8:25)
- It’s no longer business as usual. Period.
- Activate the One = Grow the movement
- Retention is an inside job.
- Media scales impact.
- Upskill in the age of AI + new tech
- Make generosity frictionless.
- Tap creators. Grow influence.
- Engage dimensionally.
- Our sector needs whole leaders.
Bonus: Lean into joy. (27:45)
FREE Workshop: 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2024 (29:45)
Join the We Are For Good Community (31:05)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/502.

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501. Building Thriving Teams + Crafting Strategic Plans for Success and Retention - Kishshana Palmer

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Kishshana. She’s an evangelist in her belief that having amazing talent is the #1 competitive advantage in your business💪 Her perspective is a valuable lens to evaluate and elevate organizational cultures. She’s bringing her insights on building thriving teams, crafting strategic plans for success, and creating a retention culture. This is a must-listen for all leaders who want to level up their impact and keep their team engaged for the year ahead. Don’t miss it! 🎤

💡Learn

Ways to focus intentionally on staff retention
Collaborative leadership + high-performing teams trends
How to craft a strategic plan that sets your team up for success

Today’s Guest
Kishshana Palmer, Founder, ManageMint

Episode Highlights

Kishshana’s story and journey to where she is today (3:05)
The current landscape of leadership and staff retention (10:15)
Succession planning and mentorship to ensure smooth leadership transitions (16:45)
Collaborative leadership and talent development (18:10
Where to focus when building a retention culture (25:30)
How to achieve simplicity in strategic planning for (31:05)
Kishshana’s One Good Thing: Create your five-star wellness. (36:25)
How to connect with Kishshana (38:10)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/501.

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500. The Power of Collective Generosity: A Conversation with Rick Shadyac of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Rick. He’s the President and CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The hospital's success is rooted in a journey marked by innovation and philanthropy. The fabric of humanity is woven with stories of resilience and one place that's abundantly clear within the walls of St. Jude. Rick guides us through the poignant stories of families who, in the face of adversity, have found strength and hope. Today’s episode is all about community and collective generosity. We couldn’t ask for a better topic for the 500th episode of the We Are For Good podcast. Tune in for a conversation that’ll leave you asking, “If not us, then who?"

💡Learn

About St. Jude's founding + vision
ALSAC + St. Jude’s unique operating model
How to focus on innovation, generosity + humanity

Today’s Guest
Rick Shadyac, President + CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Episode Highlights

Rick’s story and journey to where he is today (3:50)
Danny Thomas’s ingenuity in creating St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (6:10)
Two separate organizations: ALSAC and St. Jude (8:55)
The importance of community and grassroots support (12:15)
The innovative culture at ALSAC/St. Jude (19:00)
Rick’s lessons learned about the power of generosity and humanity (22:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Rick’s life (25:00)
Rick’s One Good Thing: Live charitably. (26:00)
How to connect with St. Jude + Rick (30:00)

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499. 6 Takeaways + One Good Thing from Season 8 - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Julie Confer

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 07:00:00 -0600

Season 8 Finale 🎉 As another incredible chapter closes, join Jon, Becky, and Julie to take a look back at Season 8. We're reflecting on our favorite episodes, unforgettable mic drop moments and the key themes that shaped this season. From heartwarming highlights to action-packed insights, we've curated the best of the best for you. So, pull up a chair, plug in your headphones and let's get this conversation started!

Episode Highlights

Reflecting on guests Seth Godin and Dan Pallotta(1:30)
Six takeaways from Season 8
- You just need to decide. (4:40)
- It’s no longer business as usual. (12:00)
- There's power in the collective.(15:35)
- Proximity is power. (17:10)
- There are no perfect outcomes (23:30)
- Look over the horizon and create a future-ready organization (28:40)
Jon’s One Good Thing: Trust your gut. (33:00)
Julie’s One Good Thing: Make good mainstream. (34:30)
Becky’s One Good Thing: This is not all on your shoulders. (38:20)
Join us in We Are For Good PRO (41:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/499.

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498. Walking With, Not Walking By: Helping Unhoused Neighbors Rebuild Social Support Systems - Kevin F. Adler, Miracle Messages

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Kevin. He’s an award-winning social entrepreneur and the author of the new book, "When We Walk By", a must-read guide for ending homelessness in America. 1 in 3 people experiencing homelessness lose their social support systems, creating unimaginable levels of isolation. He’s also the Founder and CEO of Miracle Messages, a game-changing nonprofit tackling "relational poverty." Since 2014, Miracle Messages has been working to ensure that no one goes through homelessness alone by providing family reunification services, a phone buddy program, and the first basic income pilot for people experiencing homelessness in the U.S., supported by Google.org. During this eye-opening conversation, nine-year-old Julia Endicott joins as a guest host to find out how everyone can make a difference in the lives of the unhoused, especially kids 🤝

Today’s Guest
Kevin F. Adler, Founder and CEO, Miracle Messages

Episode Highlights

Kevin’s story and journey to where (4:45)
The Go Pro experiment (17:55)
Overview of Miracle Messages (23:45)
- No one goes through homelessness alone.
- No one should feel helpless on this issue.
Basic income pilot program (28:30)
What kids can do to help (33:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kevin’s life (35:45)
Kevin’s One Good Thing: Inspiration from $7. (36:55)
How to connect with Kevin (40:40)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/498.

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497. Innovation for Social Change: How Wildly Successful Nonprofits Deliver Results - Leah Kral

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Leah. She’s an expert in helping nonprofit teams break free from daily routines to foster creative thinking🎨 As senior director of strategy and innovation at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, she helps nonprofits approach their work in new ways to better achieve their missions and solve social problems. She urges nonprofits to embrace risks and adapt based on learning, sharing examples from innovative organizations like World Reader, and Alcoholics Anonymous. Drawing from her book, 'Innovation for Social Change,' she offers practical tools to inspire innovation at your org Tune in to add some game-changing innovation tools to your arsenal🚀

💡Learn

Sparking innovative ideas with design thinking tools
Ways we can move our ideas into action
How to create a theory of change

Today’s Guest

Leah Kral, Senior Director, Strategy and Innovation, Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Episode Highlights

Leah’s story and journey to where she is today (2:35)
The opportunity that exists for nonprofits today (5:55)
Design thinking + sparking innovative ideas within our team (10:15)
Traits that we can cultivate to embrace innovation (16:00)
How we can move our ideas into action (22:45)
Creating theories of change (26:45)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Leah’s life (35:15)
Leah’s One Good Thing: Empower people on the frontlines. (38:30)
How to connect with Leah (41:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/497.

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496. Thriving in Turbulent Times + Building a Future-Ready Organization - Erin Davison

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Erin. She’s the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana, the region’s largest donor and volunteer-supported mentoring network. Despite facing four federally named natural disasters in less than a year, Erin and her team remained resilient and unwavering in their commitment to the community. In a surprising turn of events, a mysterious email led to a $1.1 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott🎁 Erin used this gift to launch the Big Defender Fund, securing the future of youth mentoring programs in her community, no matter the challenges Mother Nature throws their way🌩️ Erin shares valuable lessons for nonprofit leaders on thriving in turbulent times, seeking help amidst chaos, and rebuilding organizations to be stronger and more resilient than ever💪 Prepare for some touching stories – you won't want to miss this one!

💡Learn

Case Study: BBBS Southwest Louisiana
How nonprofits can thrive during turbulent times During Turbulent Times
Ways to build a future-ready organization

Today’s Guest
Erin Davison, CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana

Episode Highlights

Erin’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
Leading an organization during four catastrophic events (7:00)
An unexpected $1.1 million donation (11:40)
The impact of a transformative gift (16:40)
Erin’s lessons learned about creating a future-ready organization (25:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Erin’s life (29:55)
Erin’s One Good Thing: Grace. (35:20)
How to connect with Erin and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana (38:15)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/496.

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495. The 4 V’s to Create Meaningful Goals for 2024 - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Jon and Becky are here with an episode all about getting geared up for the year ahead. As we're on the brink of 2024, it's the perfect time to take a breather, reflect on where you're at and map out some meaningful goals. You've likely been knee-deep in year-end fundraising, plotting out your business goals, and scheming up your strategy for the new year. But, we hope you’ll take some time today to explore the 4 V’s of Meaningful Goals. We’re bringing you an actionable framework, crafted by Abby Fox, We Are For Good's Chief of Staff, that you can put into action right away whether you’re a team of one or a large shop. Get ready for some impactful goal planning🎯

Episode Highlights

Tonsetting (0:35)
The 4 V’s:
- Step 1: Vantage Point (1:55)
- Step 2: Vision (5:30)
- Step 3: Values (9:05)
- Step 4: Versatility (12:45)
Join us in We Are For Good PRO (17:35)
Becky’s One Good Thing: Build a virtue of Rest. (19:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/495.

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494. Marketing is Mission: How Greenpeace Creates Bold Campaigns to Fight Climate Change - Ebony Twilley Martin

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Ebony. After discovering her son’s asthma was caused by the environment, her fight for her son’s health turned into a fight for the planet. She’s now the Executive Director at the largest national legacy environmental organization, Greenpeace🌿 We’re taking a deep dive into the ways this iconic organization battles the climate crisis with bold, creative campaigns, like projecting powerful messages onto iconic landmarks, and how they encourage all of us to play our part. In a world facing an escalating climate crisis, every step towards safeguarding our planet for future generations matters🌎 Tune in to see how we all can create a greener, more peaceful, more just world for all.

💡 Learn

Overview of Greenpeace
The role we all play in taking care of our planet
Activation around Greenpeace’s mission

Today’s Guest
Ebony Twilley Martin, Executive Director, Greenpeace USA

Episode Highlights

Ebony’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Overview of Greenpeace (6:30)
Why now is a crucial time to discuss this and take action (11:20)
There is no climate justice without racial justice (13:00)
Our individual roles in the environmental movement (22:00)
Future of Greenpeace (27:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Ebony’s life (29:00)
Ebony’s One Good Thing: Lead. (33:00)
How to connect with Ebony and Greenpeace (37:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/494.

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493. Strategic Planning + Innovation in Uncertain Times - Joan Garry

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Joan. She’s a powerhouse in the nonprofit sector, Principal of Joan Garry Consulting and founder of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab. With a blog reaching 150,000 leaders monthly and a podcast, Nonprofits Are Messy, with over 2 million listens from 207 countries 🌎, Joan is a sought-after executive coach and strategic advisor for major organizations. Her remarkable journey includes turning around GLAAD during a deep financial crisis (with just $360 in the bank 😬), leading it to prominence and impact. In this episode, we explore the necessity of injecting innovation into nonprofits and the hallmarks of an innovative, modern nonprofit professional. Join us as we uncover the secret sauce to nonprofit success, featuring Joan’s stories that had us literally laughing out loud 🤣

💡 Learn

Innovation in Nonprofit Leadership
Case Study: Leading GLAAD
How to move from Strategic Planning to Strategic Visioning

Today’s Guest
Joan Garry, Principal, Joan Garry Consulting and Founder, Nonprofit Leadership Lab

Episode Highlights

Joan’s journey to where she is today (4:35)
How nonprofits can inject more innovation into their work (10:00)
Hallmarks of an innovative, modern-day nonprofit professional (14:00)
GLAAD Case Study (21:00)
Strategic Planning for the New Year (32:00)
Practical tips to integrate innovation into the new year (32:00)
- Strategic Visioning instead of Strategic Planning
- Marketing Innovation to the Board
- Budgeting
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Joan’s life (45:00)
Joan’s One Good Thing: Start to think like a partner. (53:00)
How to connect with Joan (54:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/493.

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492. Shortchanged: Why and How Those Driving Important Change are Coming Up Short - Monique Parker and Taylor Johnson

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Taylor and Monique. They are the dynamic duo behind the Shortchanged podcast, which is now part of the We Are For Good network🙌 Hearing their stories, from their unique personal journeys to their passion for community building, it’s clear why they found each other in the We Are For Good community. Their heart for the nonprofit sector is their reason for asking more of it. They’re sharing how they uncover and untangle the structures built to accelerate good, but too often slow it down. These two heartwired leaders are changing the world and we’re here for it👏Tune in to get a sneak peek at what’s in store for Season 2 of the Shortchanged Podcast🎙️

💡 Learn

The heart and story behind the Shortchanged Podcast
Inequities in funding in the nonprofit sector
Exploring the Overhead Myth

Today’s Guests
Monique Parker and Taylor Johnson, Co-Hosts, Shortchanged Podcast

Episode Highlights

Monique and Taylor’s stories and journeys to where they are today (3:50)
Where leaders fall short in driving change (8:30)
What needs to shift within nonprofits (13:30)
Takeaways from Season 1 of the Shortchanged Podcast (16:40)
How Monique and Taylor were changed by Season 1 (20:50)
The "overhead myth" in philanthropy (24:35)
Dreams for the Shortchanged Podcast (29:00)
Taylor’s One Good Thing: Setting rhythms. (36:40)
Monique’s One Good Thing: Recognize your strengths and pick good partners. (38:45)
How to connect with the Shortchanged Podcast (41:10)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/492.

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491. Making Philanthropy Frictionless + Unlocking More Ways to Give - Vance Roush

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Vance. He’s bringing the heart❤️ of nonprofits and the innovation💡 of Silicon Valley together so we can all succeed. Did you know 90% of wealth is in non-cash assets and orgs are still not accepting them at scale? 🤯 Vance is on a mission to inspire the world to give and is the founder and CEO of Overflow, a tool that makes generosity frictionless by unlocking more ways to give, especially those non-cash assets. We’re diving into the importance of embracing risk, innovation and technology to ignite a giving revolution 🔥 including how to engage the next generation of donors. If you’ve ever felt like the nonprofit world is stuck in the Stone Age while the rest of the world races forward with technology, this jam-packed episode is for you - don’t miss it!

💡 Learn

The importance of flipping the donor pyramid
Unlocking more ways to give
How to reach the next generation

Today’s Guest
Vance Roush, Founder + CEO, Overflow

Episode Highlights

Vance’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
Building a financial base with early believers (8:00)
Investor’s mindset (8:40)
High Growth Fundraising: The Silicon Valley Way (17:00)
New strategies to multiply fundraising efforts and expand donations (23:00)
Reaching the next generations of donors (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Vance’s life (31:00)
Vance’s One Good Thing: What is one thing you are grateful for today? True generosity flows from gratitude. (32:00)
How to connect with Vance and Overflow (40:15)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/491.

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490. Stop Soldier Suicide's Work to Support Veterans' Mental Health - Crystal Clark

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Trigger Warning: This episode of the We Are For Good Podcast discusses suicide.

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 across the United States. Call or text 988 for help. For information about helplines worldwide, please find resources here.

If you're a veteran or service member in the United States in crisis, please call 844.235.2764 or visit Stop Soldier Suicide’s website at stopsoldiersuicide.org.

You are not alone.

Meet Crystal. We first met her on LinkedIn where she slid into our DM and just filled our cups to the brim with her kindness☕️ She then quickly became an unofficial member of the We Are For Good hype squad📣 Beyond being a devoted listener, she takes her passion for learning and growing to the next level by sharing insights with her team. We’re exploring Crystal's journey, from her roots as a teacher to her work at Stop Soldier Suicide, which has been fueled by a lifelong commitment to building community. Stop Soldier Suicide is on a relentless pursuit of innovation to reduce veteran suicide. Their team is constantly evolving by trying new things, learning from data and creating groundbreaking initiatives to save lives. Tune in to meet this driving force behind positive change💪

Today’s Guest
Crystal Clark, Senior Director of Donor Engagement, Stop Soldier Suicide

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/490.

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489. Associate Boards + Engaging the Next Generation in Your Mission - Nelvin Johnson

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Nelvin. He’s a self-defined hopeless optimist with an unshakeable belief that things will get better💪 He’s part of the We Are For Good community and finds ways to be a trailblazer listening to the podcast. With over a decade of experience in financial services, he went all in and jumped to a career where he can build more compassionate communities of care, generosity, trust, and innovation. He fits right in as the Development Officer at The Bowery Mission, a New York organization that has been a beacon of hope for those in need for over a century. In addition to his incredible story, Nelvin is sharing his valuable insights for nonprofits considering building an Associate Board, illustrating how it can amplify their impact 🤝 Tune in to get excited about inviting the next generation into your work.

Today’s Guest
Nelvin Johnson, Development Officer, The Bowery Mission

Episode Highlights

Nelvin’s story and journey to where he is today (3:40)
Overview of The Bowery Mission (14:00)
Engaging Young Professionals in Your Mission: The Bowery Mission’s Associate Board (19:00)
Why should nonprofits build an associate board? (22:00)
Mindsets Nelvin is bringing to his work (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Nelvin’s life (35:00)
Nelvin’s One Good Thing: Don’t be afraid anymore. (41:00)
How to connect with Nelvin and The Bowery Mission (42:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/489.

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488. Harnessing AI for Good: AI in the Nonprofit Sector - Justin Spelhaug and Erik Arnold, Microsoft

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Erik and Justin. These tech visionaries from Microsoft's Tech for Social Impact team are peeling back the layers of AI's transformative potential in the nonprofit sector. From its potential in donor engagement and fundraising to enhancing program effectiveness, AI can amplify the impact of nonprofit organizations. Erik and Justin are sharing their advice on getting started with AI tools and highlighting the importance of responsible and ethical adoption of these emerging technologies🤖While technology is central to the discussion, the human element remains paramount. AI can be a co-pilot helping nonprofit leaders make an even bigger impact. Tune in so you can meet this AI moment without fear and maybe even with excitement 🤗

💡Learn

A look at AI’s impact on nonprofits overall
Case studies of nonprofit orgs using AI
Tips and tools for getting started with AI

Today’s Guests

Justin Spelhaug, Vice President & Global Head and Erik Arnold, Chief Technology Officer, Microsoft's Tech for Social Impact

Episode Highlights

Justin and Erik’s story and journey to where they are today (3:00)
Microsoft Tech for Social Impact Overview (6:00)
What opportunity exists for nonprofits today (10:00)
AI’s impact on Fundraising, Donor Engagement and Programs (13:00)
Following Responsible AI Principles (20:00)
Common challenges nonprofits might face when adopting AI (31:00)
Where can nonprofits get these resources (40:00)
Building community around AI for nonprofits (41:00)
Powerful stories of philanthropy in Justin and Erik’s lives (43:00)
Justin’s One Good Thing: Have a growth mindset. (48:00)
Erik’s One Good Thing: Think about how you need to train yourself, train your team, and how it’s going to impact your donors. (48:45)
How to connect + learn more (50:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/488.

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487. Breaking Unconscious Bias and Fostering Inclusion: A Conversation with Dena Williams

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Dena. She’s a staunch advocate for more diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of our lives. Her advocacy work began at just 16 years old when she was a volunteer for a Black and Brown LGBTQ youth HIV outreach program in the inner cities of Connecticut. Her career has included leading employee resource groups for corporations and nonprofits, becoming the first Black CEO and board chair of the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles, and now, she continues to shape the DEI landscape through her consultancy. Tune in, and uncover ways to create inclusive communities where everyone can express their truth.

💡 Learn

How to build cultures of belonging
Tips for counteracting unconscious bias
Cornerstones of workplace engagement that create vibrant workplaces

Today’s Guest
Dena Williams, Founder, Dena Williams Consulting

Episode Highlights

Dena’s story and journey to where she is today (3:30)
Creating communities of belonging (8:20)
The difference between equity and equality (15:00)
Unconscious bias (19:00)
3 Drivers of Employee Engagement (24:00)
1. Psychological Safety
2. Psychological Availability
3. Psychological Meaningfulness
A powerful story of philanthropy in Dena’s life (28:00)
Dena’s One Good Thing: Self-care. Do it. (32:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/487.

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486. Unlocking Your Working Genius for Innovation + Impact - Dave Raley

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Dave. He’s an expert in sustainable innovation🚀 helping nonprofits and businesses create profitable growth. He’s the founder of Imago Consulting, the author of a weekly trendspotting report called 🌊The Wave Report, and the co-founder of the Purpose & Profit Podcast with co-host Carly Berna. On the podcast today, he’s guiding us through the Working Genius framework sharing how it can enable effective collaboration and foster innovation. We’re also diving into how the subscription economy has opened doors for nonprofits to tap into recurring revenue models. Get ready to work in a new way filled with joy and growth. Tune in for insights into how you can elevate collaboration🤝 and innovation⚡ in your workplace.

💡 Learn

Working Genius Overview + Implementation
How to build sustainable innovation within orgs
Insights into creating recurring revenue models

Today’s Guest
Dave Raley, Consultant, Speaker, Writer and Founder, Imago Consulting

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/486.

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485. Saving Time + Engaging Your Rabid Fans: Automation Tips from SODA - Nicole Nidea

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Nicole. Her passion for educating others about organ donation started in 2015💚 That passion has continued to grow as she helped lead the original Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA) chapter at Washington University in St. Louis 🎓 Nicole then joined the SODA National Team in 2020 as the volunteer Director of Development and the next year their first full-time employee. This small but mighty team leans into automation to support more than 50 chapters and 20 community partnerships across the country 🤖 She’s sharing lessons learned along the way about how automation can transform an organization with everything from donor engagement to internal processes.

💡 Learn

Overview of Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA)
Case Study: automation to scale impact
Tips for young professionals entering the nonprofit sector

Today’s Guest
Nicole Nidea, Program Director, Student Organ Donation Advocates (SODA)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/485.

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484. Empowering Equity: Navigating Leadership, Justice, and Power in Nonprofits - Mia Henry

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mia. She’s the Founder and CEO of Freedom Lifted, a company that supports justice-centered leadership development through online learning, training, and coaching. Mia has more than 20 years of experience in organizational leadership, group facilitation, intergenerational community organizing, and history education. Drawing from her personal experiences and deep-rooted family legacy in civil rights activism in the U.S. Deep South, Mia is sharing her wisdom on justice-centered leadership. We delve into the core components of power and its potential to create more just and equitable communities. Don't miss this empowering conversation rooted in abundance.

💡Learn

An overview of equity and justice work
The impact of power dynamics within an organization
Ways to make your organizations more just and equitable

Today’s Guest
Mia Henry, Founder + CEO, Freedom Lifted

Episode Highlights

Mia’s story and journey to where she is today (3:35)
Equity and justice in organizations (8:30)
Advancing justice and equity (16:30)
How power factors into creating a just workplace (25:00)
Four layers needed to improve power dynamic (37:10)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Mia’s life (44:35)
Mia’s One Good Thing: Don't be afraid to talk about power, to address it, and be reminded that there is enough for all of us. (48:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/484.

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483. When One Nudge Changes Everything: Meet Pink Ribbon Good - Heather Salazar

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Heather. As a breast cancer survivor herself, she knows firsthand what many women (and men) really need during their cancer battle: help with the everyday tasks. That’s where Pink Ribbon Good comes in. Through doorstep delivery of healthy meals, peer support, rides to and from treatment and a community ready to care for clients every step of the way. Every 90 seconds someone is diagnosed with breast cancer🎗️💕Pink Ribbon Good makes sure that no one travels this road alone. Tune in to hear Heather’s moving personal experiences and how they have shaped the life-changing work she does today.

💡Learn

History + overview of Pink Ribbon Good
Lessons learned from founding an org
How to lean into partnerships

Today's Guest
Heather Salazar, CEO + President, Pink Ribbon Good

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/483.

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482. A Deep Dive into Nonprofit Mergers and Acquisitions - Danielle Steer

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Danielle. She has supported 77 Minnesota-based companies that have created 405 jobs and raised $20M+ in funding since 2018💰 She recently led Lunar Startups, Minneapolis-St. Paul’s first early-stage accelerator for Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ, women and non-binary founders, to be successfully acquired by ConnectUP! Institute which was formerly a “competitor” of Lunar’s. She’s taking us on a deep dive into the world of nonprofit mergers and acquisitions🤝 This isn’t just a last-ditch effort when an organization has exhausted all other options. She’s sharing the strategy behind her acquisition decision, its immediate benefits to Lunar's communities and offering insights for nonprofit leaders navigating economic volatility. With a strategic approach, a nonprofit merger is an innovative approach to delivering more streamlined services AND funding vehicles to the community📈

💡Learn

An overview of nonprofit mergers + acquisitions
The value of strategic planning
Solutions to streamline resources

Today’s Guest

Danielle Steer, Founding Executive Director, Lunar Startups + Managing Partner, Tundra Ventures

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/482.

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481. Collective Giving: Harnessing the Power of Shared Resources - Emily Rasmussen

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Emily. From dancing on the stage as a ballerina🩰 to developing microfinance and fair trade programs in India, her story is winding and inspiring. Now, she’s the founder and CEO of Grapevine 🍇, which gathers like-minded people to donate to a common cause. She’s on a mission to democratize giving, championing collective philanthropy and harnessing the power of shared resources. In an era marked by the rise of crowdfunding campaigns, mutual aid societies, and changes in traditional nonprofit models, generosity undergoing a transformation. Giving circles offer yet another avenue for people to support the causes close to their hearts. Join us for a deep dive into the power of shared values and collective action, as we explore how individuals can come together to create a profound impact🌍

💡Learn

How community-based giving is different from crowdfunding
Why the current fundraising climate calls for the democratization of giving
The importance of partnerships that jumpstart progress

Today’s Guest
Emily Rasmussen, Founder + CEO, Grapevine

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/481.

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480. How Smart Tech is Changing Fundraising + How to Harness Its Power for Your Mission (Replay) - Nejeed Kassam

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nejeed. He empowers nonprofits with AI-powered technology while also highlighting the positive impact that adopting smart technology WILL have on the sector. Friends, technology can be simple AND revolutionary. Believe us, this is the convo you've been waiting for to get jazzed about your data! 🤩

💡Learn:

How smart technology is transforming the fundraising landscape
Making the business case for leveraging AI in nonprofit
Storylines you can extract from data
Outdated technology "best practices"

Today’s Guest
Nejeed Kassam, Founder of FundraisingKIT and CEO of Keela

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/480.

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479. Fundraising AI: The Opportunity, The Ethics + Why It Matters Right Now - Mallory Erickson, Meena Das, and Nathan Chappell

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mallory, Nathan and Meena. They’re the guiding hands in the Fundraising.AI movement + upcoming summit. The Fundraising.AI Global Summit will be the largest gathering of nonprofit and for-profit professionals and organizations to explore the role of Responsible AI in fundraising. On the podcast, they’re unpacking the data and ethical considerations that come with AI, and discussing how inclusivity and transparency can help foster trust and drive innovation in the nonprofit sector. This episode paints a picture of an AI-powered future for nonprofits, highlighting both the exciting opportunities and the pivotal challenges that lie ahead🤖 Don’t miss it!

💡 Learn

The role AI plays in fundraising today
Overview of the Fundraising.AI Framework
What to expect during the Fundraising.AI Global Summit

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/479.

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478. Exploring Data and Generosity: Enhancing Fundraising and Fostering a Generous World with Woodrow Rosenbaum

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Woodrow. He’s the Chief Data Officer at GivingTuesday, where he has been instrumental in shaping the global generosity movement and has led ground-breaking research and analysis of individual giving behaviors📊🔍 He spearheads the GivingTuesday Data Commons, an international collaboration involving over 100 partners in 50 countries🤝 On the podcast, he’s sharing his insights into the power of data-driven decision-making, dispelling myths about competition and highlighting the nuances of using AI in our current giving landscape. Don’t miss this timely conversation!

💡Learn

About the current state of generosity
The intersection of personalization and AI in fundraising
How nonprofit leaders can make data-driven decisions

Today’s Guest
Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer, GivingTuesday

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/478.

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477. A Mental Health Mission + Creating Systems Change - Haylin Dennison

Fri, 13 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Haylin. She’s a licensed clinical social worker, mental health activist and systems expert with expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and inner self-work. After completing her graduate program in LA, Haylin moved back to Hawaii with a mission to improve mental health access and treatment in her hometown 🌺 There she founded Spill The Tea Cafe, an inclusive mental health clinic focused on adolescents that helps them build the skills and resilience they need to thrive and reach their full potential 🌱 We’re diving into the reality of mental health in our sector and the necessary systemic changes needed. Tune in to see how you can break down barriers and make mental health a priority, together.

💡Learn

Overview of Spill the Tea Cafe
Common misconceptions or stigmas surrounding mental health
How to promote resilience and self-care

Today’s Guest
Haylin Dennison, LCSW, Founder, Spill the Tea Cafe

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/477.

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476. Chasing the Balance of Work, Family, and Mental Health - Brieanna Lightfoot

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Brie. She’s a nonprofit founder, business owner, productivity coach and systems strategist, who loves helping women, especially fellow moms gain clarity and confidence. After leaving the workforce in 2018 to become a stay-at-home mom, she now helps women build businesses while raising their children. She's especially passionate about helping people create a life they love without burning out in the process. We’re exploring what it means to be a mom working in our sector, the importance of self-care and community care and how to step into zones of focus. Join us as we shed light on the danger of self-sacrifice and gain tools that will get us closer to balance🧘🏼‍♀️

💡Learn

Why you should break up with busyness
The art of setting boundaries, prioritizing responsibilities and saying ‘no’
How organizations can challenge the status quo + support working moms

Today’s Guest
Brieanna Lightfoot, Owner, Brands by Brie

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/476.

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475. The Perfection Trap: The Power Of Good Enough In A World That Always Wants More - Dr. Thomas Curran

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Thomas. He’s the world’s leading expert on perfectionism 😮‍ and the author of “The Perfection Trap” which was published this year 📖 His TED talk, “Our Dangerous Obsession with Perfectionism is Getting Worse” has 3+ million views and his research has been featured in a wide range of media, including the Harvard Business Review, CNN, New Scientist and The Guardian. He’s also an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics. He’s sharing his research and leaving us with strategies and hope too. This episode is a beacon of light🕯️for anyone battling the relentless pressure of perfectionism. Don’t miss it!

💡Learn

Insights from a groundbreaking study of perfectionism
How to overcome “the perfection trap”
How to embrace imperfection

Today’s Guest
Thomas Curran, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/475.

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474. Navigating Through Burnout: Insights and Effective Strategies to Break the Burnout Cycle - Diaris Alexander

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Diaris. As the Founder of Inwellth, she supports mission-driven high achievers in achieving more nourishing habits so that they can sustainably lead their lives with more passion, purpose and impact. Burnout is a pervasive issue affecting individuals across various sectors, especially those in high-stress, mission-driven roles. Diaris is sharing strategies for breaking the burnout cycle advocating instead for transparency and the creation of fairer, healthier work environments.

She’s helping us discern between stress, exhaustion and burnout. She’s also sharing the 12 stages of burnout, so we can understand how burnout progresses and the warning signs to look out for 🔍 But it's not just about self-care; we're also exploring the transformative power of community care in combating burnout. Don't miss out on this eye-opening discussion👀

💡Learn

The 12 stages of burnout
How to recognize burnout in yourself and others
About the role of community care in combating burnout

Today’s Guest
Diaris Alexander, Founder, Inwellth

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/474.

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A Guided Meditation for Social Impact Leaders with Jennifer Mulholland

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Come rest here 🫶

Tune in for a special Mental Health Week Episode: A Guided Meditation for Social Impact Leaders with Jennifer Mulholland, co-leader of Plenty. She's a strategist, alchemist and executive coach dedicated to raising the consciousness of people on the planet. She is a certified Reiki and Theta healer trained in shamanic and energy medicine. She has a B.S. degree from the University of Utah in Exercise and Sports Science, Psychology and Coaching. In this meditation, she guides listeners through a series of grounding exercises, helping them release unwanted energy and ground themselves. Don't miss out on this chance to recharge and elevate your impact.

Learn more about Mental Health Week at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth.

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473. Journey to Self-Care: Embracing Ease and Abundance - Jennifer Mulholland and Jeff Shuck

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jennifer and Jeff. They’re the co-leaders of Plenty, where they help leaders leave behind the mindset of scarcity and develop a mindset of abundance to create fulfillment, impact and profit. This conversation is a challenge for all of us to embrace abundance. Jennifer and Jeff invite us to recognize that we are enough right now, with enough to go around. Plus, they’re sharing their insights on leadership exploring the importance of self-awareness, alignment and intentionality. If you feel stuck in a mindset of scarcity, this episode is for you💙

💡Learn

An overview of Plenty + conscious leadership
The importance of embracing abundance
How self-care isn’t a shortcut

Today’s Guest
Jennifer Mulholland and Jeff Shuck, Co-Founders, Plenty

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/473.

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472. Good Marketing Unplugged: How Marketing Can Mobilize Movements for Your Cause

Fri, 06 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

"That employee giving campaign created an internal movement. And that movement then started to ripple."

In this episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Noah Barnett, VP of Marketing at Feathr, on his podcast Good Marketing Unplugged.

They share their unique journeys from graphic design and marketing into the world of nonprofit fundraising and philanthropy. They discuss how their experiences led them to view themselves as "marketers disguised as fundraisers." They explore how breaking down silos between marketing, fundraising and other roles can amplify organizational impact, and how marketing can mobilize movements for your cause. This episode is an ode to the power of marketing in connecting people, building movements, and making believers of us all.

We're honored to produce Season 3 of the Good Marketing Unplugged podcast. Tune in for stripped down, acoustic style conversations with purposeful marketing pros (that's you!) and practitioners at cause-based and membership-based nonprofits to breakdown how they think about and do marketing. Subscribe and listen today wherever you love to listen to podcasts!

Learn more at feathr.co/unplugged

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471. Launching a Nonprofit + Foundational Strategies for Lasting Change - Tiffany Allen

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tiffany. She’s the CEO and Founder of Boss on a Budget, where she’s built an online community of over 15,000 people who use her products and teaching to launch their nonprofit dreams. Her mission is to bring more visibility to black-owned, small, and new nonprofits by helping them own their power, and harness their personal and professional expertise to create organizations that will change their communities and eventually, the world🌎 Tiffany's passion for this sector is infectious as she urges founders to recognize their unique value, believe in their power, and leverage their lived experiences. Don’t miss this episode if you’re looking to start a nonprofit that
meets the needs of your community💙

💡Learn

How to start a nonprofit org with $0 in the bank
Insights into power + community support
Keys to adopting a founder’s mindset

Today’s Guest
Tiffany Allen, CEO + Founder of Boss on a Budget

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/471.

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470. UnCharitable: Unthink Everything You Know About Change - Dan Pallotta

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dan. He’s a humanitarian activist, entrepreneur, author and now filmmaker🎥 He’s sharing insights from UnCharitable, the new feature-length documentary directed by Stephen Gyllenhaalthat exposes the dark side of philanthropy and introduces a radical new way of giving. We’re digging into how outdated ideas and overhead metrics have skewed the nonprofit sector leading to resource shortages and distrust. But it's not all doom and gloom, as new media can be a potent tool to bridge these voids, fostering understanding and facilitating change. Don’t miss this heart-to-heart with one of our favorite change-makers🫶

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/470.

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469. Case Study: How a Podcastathon Has Raised $2.2M for St. Jude Through Community Fundraising - Stephen Hackett

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Stephen. He’s the co-founder of Relay FM, an independent podcast network for people who are creative, curious and maybe even a little obsessive🎙️Stephen combined his love for podcasting with her personal connection to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which led to the creation of the Relay FM Podcastathon. Since 2019, this initiative has raised more than $2.2 million for St. Jude❤️ He’s sharing his invaluable insights into partnership strategies and the art of forging genuine connections with your audience. This is a story about community, collective giving and a great source of inspiration as we are gearing up for GivingTuesday and end-of-year campaigns🎁

Learn more at weareforgood.com/episode/469.

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468. Strategies for a Successful Giving Tuesday Campaign - Celeste Flores

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Celeste. As the director of GivingTuesday's U.S. and Canada Hub, she manages and collaborates with local leaders on growth strategies, partnerships and mobilization of GivingTuesday in communities across the two countries🌎 If you’re looking to amp up your Giving Tuesday campaign, she has you covered. We believe the most powerful movements build from within and that’s true for Giving Tuesday. There’s no playbook because your campaign has to be built specifically for your org. Tune in to get inspired to take your Giving Tuesday campaign to new heights 🚀

💡Learn

Origin + history of GivingTuesday
What the movement looks like today
How to get activated with a Giving Tuesday campaign that’s fueled by believers

Today’s Guest
Celeste Flores, Director, GivingTuesday's United States + Canada Hub

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/468.

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467. The Founder‘s Journey: Transforming Comedy with Innovation + Community - Steve Hofstetter

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Steve. He’s a stand-up comedian, podcast host and founder. You’ve probably seen him on YouTube, where his videos have a whopping 215 million view🎤 He’s also the chairman and founder of Steel City Arts Foundation which provides mentorship, equipment, housing and workspace to comedians in Pittsburg. From starting with a $2,000 scholarship fund to pioneering an online comedy club that generated over $1.5 million for comedians during the early days of COVID-19, he's throwing out the old playbook about what philanthropy can look like. He was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for his philanthropic work within the comedy community. Get ready for this comedy-infused episode that's equal parts laughter and inspiration😆

💡Learn

Overview of the Steel City Arts Foundation
The power of community and collaboration
How to leverage microdonations to make a difference

Today’s Guest
Steve Hofstetter, President and Founder, Steel City Arts Foundation

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/467.

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466. Let‘s talk about MONEY: The Mindsets, the Beliefs + the Possibilities - Lin Shi

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lin. This relentless, practical idealist is focused on building a more compassionate world through her work as an actuary, consultant and nonprofit leader. She believes that community-based financial resilience can be a safeguard against the uncertainty our society is facing around the world💰 She’s the founder of Money Health Collective, a financial well-being community that is now serving people in 20+ countries🌎 Money can be hard to talk about, but when discussed in community we can reconsider our mindsets and beliefs and find new possibilities. Tune in to explore the interconnectedness of money, health and philanthropy.

💡Learn

Why talking about money is difficult
How to navigate conversations around money
Ways the stories we tell ourselves about money affect philanthropy

Today’s Guest
Lin Shi, Founder, Money Health Collective

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/466.

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465. The Founder's Journey: Transforming a 100 Year Old Organization with an Entrepreneurial Mindset - Maya Ajmera

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Maya. At 22 years old, she experienced a life-altering “moment of obligation” in India as she witnessed a teacher surrounded by students learning to read and write on a bustling train platform. That experience led her to found the Global Fund for Children which has invested over $60 million in over 1000 community-based organizations impacting more than 11 million children and youth🌎

Maya's remarkable journey also led her to bring her entrepreneurial mindset to The Society of Science & the Public, an organization with a history spanning over a century. There, she's reshaping the dynamics of donor relationships, introducing innovative programs, and ensuring that every child who aspires to be a scientist can realize that dream. But that's not all—Maya is also an award-winning children's book author with more than 20 titles to her name, including "Children from Australia to Zimbabwe," which has reached over 5 million readers worldwide 📚Join us for an inspiring conversation with this exceptional founder and leader.

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/464.

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464. Amplifying Transformative Change with Impact Measurement - Sasha Dichter

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sasha. We’ve been big fans of Sasha’s since reading his Manifesto for Nonprofit CEOs about how we have to stop apologizing about the value of the work that we do in the nonprofit sector. And, we loved his TedTalk about The Generosity Experiment where he said "yes" to all requests that came his way for a month😍He’s the Co-Founder and CEO of 60 Decibels, a company helping anyone, anywhere, listen to their customers to create more social impact. He’s sharing how you can truly listen to gather data that can change the game when it comes to how our sector delivers impact. This Ungettable Get totally lived up to the hype and we we can’t wait for you to tune in! 💃

💡Learn

Why nonprofits need to stop apologizing for raising money
How impact measurement can drive transformative change
Tips for changemakers about generosity, personal growth + resilience

Today’s Guest

Sasha Dichter, Co-Founder + CEO of 60 Decibels

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/464.

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463. The Founder‘s Journey: Growing + Leading An Organization You Love - Brooke Richie-Babbage

Fri, 08 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

We’re so excited to be kicking off a brand new series today: The Founder’s Journey. Were talking to founders about the challenges they’ve overcome, their wins and the lessons learned along the way. Here to help us kick off this series is Brooke Richie-Babbage, one of our “phone a friend” experts to move from overwhelm to clarity. Brooke helps nonprofit founders and leaders launch, scale and lead their organizations with more clarity and confidence and without overwhelm. She’s also the host of the Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast.

Over the past 20+ years she has had many journeys, she’s been an organizer, lawyer, nonprofit founder and leader, professor and a member and board officer many times over. Through it all, what ties Brooke’s many journeys together, is her deep passion for creating social change. Brooke is sharing her wisdom on the founder's journey, discussing the ins and outs of organizational design, managing founder fatigue, and creating a venture you can't help but adore. Don’t miss this episode that will provide leaders at all levels with practical tools for their organizational journeys!

💡 Learn

How to use nonprofit life cycles to reflect on the state of our organizations
How to build + lead an organization you love
The ins and outs of founder fatigue + compassion fatigue

Today’s Guest

Brooke Richie-Babbage, Founder, Bending Arc Consulting

Learn more: weareforgood.com/episode/463.

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462. It's Time to Decide. How to Reimagine Nonprofit Impact - Seth Godin

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Seth. He’s a legendary author, thinker and all around good human. You can find his expert marketing tips just by typing “Seth” into Google where his blog will pop up😍 His podcast Akimbo is in the top 1% of all podcasts worldwide. He’s the real deal and we can’t think of a better opener for Season 8 of the podcast. Tune in for disruptive ideas, better ways to work and so much hope for the nonprofit sector. You don’t want to miss this epic convo!

💡 Learn

How to rebuild + reframe the way that we work
How to find your mission's authentic believers
How to know when it's time to fire your donors

Today’s Guest

Seth Godin, Bestselling Author + Speaker

Episode Highlights

Seth’s experiences growing up (3:20)
The reason for nonprofits (5:10)
Reimagining what work looks like today (7:25)
Opportunities for the taking for nonprofit marketers and leaders (10:50)
Foundational marketing principles that hold true, regardless of tools and platforms (15:20)
Leveraging the power of community in our missions (20:00)
Small but Mighty organizations (25:10)
Knowing when to quit and when to persist (31:50)
A few impactful stories of philanthropy in Seth’s life (34:45)
Seth’s One Good Thing: “You don’t need more time..you just need to decide.” (38:00)

Learn more: weareforgood.com/episode/462.

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After 3 Years of Podcasting… An Ode to the Power of Community - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 25 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Cue the Party Poppers + Confetti Cannons 🎉 It’s We Are For Good’s 3rd Birthday! Which means we are here to celebrate you and this community today.

And three years in - you deserve to be celebrated. You - the person who first embarked upon this work because you felt a nudge to pour into something bigger than yourself. The idealist who wanted to change the world. The person with a unique skillset and lived experience. The professional + human who’s open to doing this work differently and curiously embracing innovation. You who’s looking for support, mental wellness, fair pay, balance, a reminder to chase joy, and encircled by a squad of people who’re your personal hype team 📣

Join us as we share:

Tone setting (3:00)
Community is Core Playlist
How our views of community have changed over time (9:00)
Simon’s story (13:00)
Combating Burnout and Compassion Fatigue in community
Jon and Becky’s reflections after 3 years of podcasting (20:00)
- Play the long game
- Cultivate + activate rabid fans
Become a Friend of We Are For Good

Learn more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/birthday

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461. How Nonprofits Should Step Into an Activist Role (Replay) - Robert Egger

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Robert. This nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, author, speaker and activist is a passionate proponent of social good. In fact, he's the founder of D.C. Central Kitchen, the Campus Kitchen Project and the L.A. Kitchen, which have collectively produced over 40 million meals and helped over 2,000 individuals attain jobs. He's talking about the economics of nonprofit (Spoiler: we're REALLY good for business) and sharing why activism matters to the sector. Bottom line: you don’t have to choose between making good and making a living.

Today’s Guest

Robert Egger, Founder, DC Central Kitchen and L.A. Kitchen, Author, and Activist

Episode Highlights

Robert’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
The founding story of the DC Central Kitchen (6:17)
Robert’s advice for nonprofits to embrace change, challenge the status quo, and be open to new ideas (7:47)
The founding story of the LA Kitchen (13:00)
“There is no profit without nonprofits.” - Robert’s philosophy on the economics of nonprofits (23:30)
What Robert is paying attention to for the future of the nonprofit sector (30:00)
How nonprofits should step into an activist role (32:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Robert’s life (42:30)
Robert’s One Good Thing: If you chase money, you'll run forever. If you chase results money will come to you. (44:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/461.

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460. How to Be a Change Agent - Tania Bhattacharyya, Tara Abrahams, Alex Aide, and Alia Whitney-Johnson

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Ready to awaken the change agent within you? Prepare to ignite your potential to impact the world as we sit down with Tanya Badacharya, Tara Abrambs, Alex A, and Alia Whitney Johnson, extraordinary individuals who are dismantling the status quo and paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable world. We explore what it takes to be a change agent, even when you feel minuscule in a grander scheme. By sharing their insights on overcoming systematically limited beliefs and the importance of courageous conversations, our guests inspire us to challenge the norms and reshape our societies.

Do you understand the power of collective action? Join us as we unravel the profound influence of collaboration in creating significant change. Our guests Tanya and Tara share their transformative experiences in the foster care system in San Francisco, demonstrating the potential of collective action. Alia Whitney-Johnson stirs us with her insights on how artists, activists, and journalists can catalyze change. We also connect climate justice with the rights of women and girls, emphasizing how those on the societal fringes bear the brunt of climate emergencies.

Lastly, we delve into the potent tool of ethical storytelling in our quests as change agents. With our words and images, we hold the power to shape the realities we yearn to manifest. Emphasizing the importance of lived experience in our movements, our guests invite us to see ourselves and others beyond our experiences. Kindness, they remind us, is free, yet it impacts our collective mental health profoundly. Tune in, let's explore the interconnectedness of our efforts, and together, we'll create an enduring ripple of change.

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459. How to Recruit and Empwer a Diverse Team (Replay) - Kishshana Palmer

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kishshana. Educator, speaker, head honcho, coach, you name it. She is the real deal. Kishshana delivers meaningful messages with such wisdom and knowledge. There is power in her words and actions of creating a more inclusive world, not just in the nonprofit sector. Kishshana gives us an insight into creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace as well as real-life experiences that shaped her into the powerhouse she is today. Hunker down with your notepad and a good pen, you’ll want to write this down.

Today’s Guest
Kishshana Palmer, Speaker, Educator, Trainer, Coach and Recovering Fundraiser, and Founder of The Rooted Collaborative

Episode Highlights

Kishshana’s journey and background (2:50)
Using narrative to get people to believe (9:00)
Transformational Leadership: Be present in the game. (9:58)
The lack of diversity in the nonprofit profession (16:30)
Inequities persist in our practices and policies and bubble up and show up in our hiring (20:00)
Kishshana’s advice on the “job search” (23:10)
The Rooted Collaborative: a female-focused and led community for BIPOC female leaders, entrepreneurs, advocates, and artists who are redefining the look of philanthropy and fundraising, through their eyes. (29:00)
Kishshana’s 4 tips to recruit more diverse fundraising professionals to your teams (36:00)
Kishshana’s One Good Thing: Get you some good counsel. (46:27)
Maintain a diverse mix of mentors, friends, and colleagues on your personal and professional advisory boards (47:00)
Kishshana’s Book: Hey I’m New Here

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/459.

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458. A Conversation about Going Further with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts - Kevin Clayton, Travis Ning, Prisca Bae and Ashley Clinkscale

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Join this panel of modern impact thinkers as we explore going further with our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. We’ll be challenging current practices, discussing the harm that’s still projected in our missions, how to value all people (not just your big donors!), building cultures of belonging, and understanding how to go beyond basic education and check-the-box diversity trainings. Everyone has a role to play in this conversation.

Today’s Guests

Kevin Clayton, Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion & Engagement for the Cleveland Cavaliers
Travis Ning, Program Director, The Ward Foundation
Prisca Bae, Chief Partnerships Officer, The Asian American Foundation
Ashley Clinkscale, Senior Advisor, Raise for Good

Episode Highlights

The business case for DEI (3:00)
Abundance mindset and collaboration (4:45)
Layers of diversity in companies (8:00)
Diversity, equity and inclusion is not optional 10:15)
Structures or systems organizations can put into place (14:35)
An overview of the Asian American Foundation (17:25)
Engaging with communities (22:15)
Leadership needs to champion DEI practices (25:15)
Dispelling DEI myths (33:00)
One Good Thing from the panelists (36:05)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/458.

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457. 4 Fundraising Tips to Transform Your Fundraising - Mallory Erickson

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mallory. This former nonprofit executive director hit rock bottom as she burned out on the nonprofit grind. Her saving grace: discovering an uncanny connection between coaching and fundraising. Since then, her unique programs combine her technical fundraising expertise with rockstar coaching skills to address the fears and discomforts around asking for money. And she's got the secret sauce to transform your annual fundraising plan. Tune in!

Today’s Guest
Mallory Erickson, Founder + CEO, Power Partners Formula

Episode Highlights

4 fundraising tips to transform your fundraising this year: awareness, goal setting, power partner focus, and shifting the culture of your organization
How to shift your mindset as a fundraiser: it starts with awareness
The true superpowers of fundraising: vulnerability and authenticity
You can’t be authentic and perfect. You can choose to be an authentic fundraiser, or a perfectionist
Set a conservative budget goal, and an audacious fundraising goal
Mallory’s Power Partner Focus, and how to implement it to transform your fundraising and donor cultivation
How to better engage your board members and volunteers
Mallory’s One Good Thing: Pull the data. It is easy to attach to something and believe it is true. We believe this because of a belief about ourselves, not because of data.

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/457.

Learn how to raise more from the right funders without hounding people for money during Mallory's FREE Webinar on Thursday, August 17 at 12:00 p.m. CT. Sign up here.

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456. Combating Burnout and Compassion Fatigue (Replay) - Eleanor Wells and Ashley Cauley

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Eleanor and Ashley. One's a nurse and personal coach and the other is an organizational psychologist and educator. Put them together - WOW - they may just be the most powerful mental health team in our sector (and they've got loads of resources to help too.)🤝❤️👊 They're talking to us about how to assess, treat, and prevent burnout, and breakdown what it means to have psychological safety. If you're looking for some guidance to help your team or yourself - tune in.

Today’s Guest
Eleanor Wells, RN, BSN, ACC, CCFP + Ashley Cauley, MSIOP, Co-Founders, Cohort4Care

Episode Highlights

Eleanor and Ashley’s stories and journeys to where they are today (1:45)
Current stats around burnout and compassion fatigue (4:00)
The difference between compassion fatigue and burnout (6:30)
Combating compassion fatigue and burnout: where to start (11:00)
Cohort4Care’s GRIPP Model: How to assess, treat, prevent compassion, fatigue and burnout (13:00)
Creating cultures where people can have good well-being (22:00)
Fostering psychological safety in our organizations (26:00)
Powerful moments of philanthropy in Eleanor and Ashley’s lives (37:00)
Eleanor and Ashley’s One Good Thing: Self-care is not selfish. (41:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/456.

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455. A Conversation About Mental Health in the Nonprofit Sector - Sonya Perez-Lauterbach, Kirk Brown, Lindsay Kolsch, and Paige Chenault Lohoefer

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

If left unaddressed, we believe mental health is one of the most silent, debilitating, and dangerous threats to the nonprofit sector today. And let’s face it - it’s simply not discussed enough. This discussion is about lifting the stigma and approaching the conversation square on with a diverse panel of nonprofit professionals and clinical experts who bring a depth of lived experiences, personal and professional research, and clarity of purpose. You’re not alone. Join us in community and feel seen, inspired and ready to take steps toward healing.

Today’s Guests

Sonya Perez-Lauterbach, Leadership Coach + Principal, splCoaching
Lindsay Kolsch, Co-Executive Director, To Write Love on Her Arms
Kirk Brown, CEO, HANDY Inc.
Paige Chenault Lohoefer, Founder, The Birthday Party Project

Episode Highlights

The state of mental health in the nonprofit sector (3:10)
Unique factors of mental health in the nonprofit sector (6:15)
Building communities of care (10:00)
How to create a flexible workplace culture and environment (20:15)
Modeling the importance of mental health (27:20)
Tips for prioritizing health (30:45)
What supporting your team looks like in real-time (35:50)
How using your voice can build community (39:00)
One Good Thing (41:20)
- “This is our moment to lean in and change the story of how we work.” -Sonya
- “Being normal has never changed anything.” -Kirk
- “Show up for yourself, and then keep showing up for yourself.” -Lindsay
- “What is mine to do?” -Paige

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/455.

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454. Barbie’s Impact: Closing the Gap between Girls and Their Full Potential - Jessica Beatus and Nancy Molenda

Fri, 04 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

The Barbie hype is real - let’s learn how it’s powering good 💗💅🛍🫶

You think you know Barbie? Think again. In this thought-provoking conversation, we uncover the world of Barbie beyond the plastic doll - her role as a cultural phenomenon, a beacon of social impact, and a tool for empowerment. Meet Jessica and Nancy. Jess is Group Vice President of Social Impact Solutions at Warner Bros. Discovery, and Nancy is Executive Director of the Mattel Children’s Foundation and Corporate Philanthropy at Mattel Inc.

We’re chatting about the power of media, social responsibility, and diving deeply into the partnership between Mattel, Warner Bros. Discovery and Save the Children Global for the Barbie movie. Learn about the Dream Gap Project—an initiative that breaks down barriers for girls and empowers them to dream big - and how evolved partnerships can align with a brand’s mission, bringing about positive change. The convo is filled with kindness, passion, humor + how giving back can spark a movement. Tune in 💕

Episode Highlights

The Barbie phenomenon (0:40)
Nancy and Jessica’s stories and journeys to where they are today (3:30)
Barbie’s philanthropic projects (8:15)
The origin of the Save the Children partnership (13:35)
How to build lasting partnerships (25:30)
Being open for partnership and open for business (30:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Nancy’s life (32:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jessica’s life (35:10)
Nancy’s and Jessica’s One Good Thing (41:50)
Support The Barbie Dream Gap Project by texting BARBIE to 707070 (45:45)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/454.

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453. How to Harness Innovation to Scale Meaningful Impact (Replay) - Evan Feinberg

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Evan. This starry-eyed dreamer sought to change the world first through politics before pivoting into the nonprofit sector after finding his passion awakened in social service. In five years, his organization built one of the largest and most effective anti-poverty nonprofit communities in the country. Tune in and hear how the Stand Together Foundation viewed poverty as an innovation problem and began to look for solutions in new spaces to unleash human potential. It's a brilliant discussion into innovation, storytelling & they're even giving funding away to high-impact orgs who are breaking cycles and changing lives. You might be one of them!

Episode Highlights

Evan’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
An overview of the Stand Together Foundation (5:50)
Meet The Phoenix (10:00)
The Catalyst Program at the Stand Together Foundation (21:00)
Watch: Catalysts Mini Documentaries (25:00)
Treating counting metrics as value metrics (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Evan’s life (35:00)
Evan’s One Good Thing: Focus on hope. (40:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/453.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue

As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good.

Say hi 👋
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452. Sustainability + Scaling Panel: How to Sustain and Scale Your Mission - Veronica LaFemina, Brian Joseph, Eric Newman and Kimberly O'Neill

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Join this panel of modern impact thinkers as we explore how to build a sustainable mission that grows and thrives over time, diversifies revenue, takes care of its people, builds strategies to forecast and evolve, and innovates how to deliver impact.

Today’s Guests

Veronica LaFemina, LaFemina and Co
Brian Joseph, CEO, RevJen
Eric Newman, Founder + and Chief Play Officer, Roc Solid Foundation
Kimberly O'Neill, Founder + CEO, The Giving Blueprint

Episode Highlights

Nonprofit revenue infrastructures (3:00)
How nonprofits can think of themselves as a scaling business (5:30)
Reframing strategic planning (7:20)
Using data to understand the problem (10:45)
Be relentless, not reckless (13:20)
Putting scaling strategies and tactics into action (17:30)
Common pitfalls nonprofits are making in sustainability (21:50)
How to know when to move out of the way as a founder (27:55)
How to get your board involved in scaling and building sustainability (29:20)
Advice for a brand new nonprofit to become sustainable (35:40)
One Good Thing: (40:15)
- Brian: Be intentional about investing in your people and yourself.
- Veronica: Give yourself permission to focus.
- Kimberly: It’s not yours to resolve only.
- Eric: Extreme focus over time creates momentum.

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/452.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue

As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good.

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451. Real Talk: Why Nonprofits Must Dream Bigger (Replay) - Dan Pallotta

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dan. His TED Talk "The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong," went viral less than a decade ago and has been viewed millions of times by starry-eyed dreamers everywhere who are intent on using their creativity and innovation to do good. [insert image of us frantically waving as some of these believers] We're talking nonprofit disruption, marketing, involving your kids in philanthropy and generally working hard not to fangirl over him too much. Join us for the convo we waited to have since the first time we hit play and we’re excited to share again today.

Today’s Guest
Dan Pallotta, TED Speaker, Entrepreneur, Author + Humanitarian Activist

Episode Highlights

Dan’s story and journey to where he is today (2:45)
The difference between the non-profit and for-profit sector (6:45)
Combating the overhead crisis - (13:10)
What is holding people back? - (17:25)
If you aren’t being laughed at, you aren’t dreaming big enough (17:30)
Leaning into disruption (23:45)
Dan’s advice for young professionals (24:00)
Explore the full potential of your humanity and inspire your donors to join you (27:00)
Background of the Charity Defense Council (32:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dan’s life (35:35)
Infusing philanthropy into raising kids - (38:35)
Dan’s One Good Thing: Life is happening right now. (40:30)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/451.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue

As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good

Say hi 👋
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450. Innovation Panel: How to Harness Innovation and Embrace Risk - Alison Moore, Iara Peng and Sarah Lee

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Responsive nonprofits know changing the world starts by changing ourselves—our organizations—our processes—and our approach. We’re exploring how to accelerate innovation through partnerships, by striving for a culture of innovation and embracing risk-taking in the nonprofit sector. Plus, you’ll hear how small wins can shift the culture and create momentum and provide a long runway for experimentation. Join this panel of modern impact thinkers as we explore innovation and the opportunity that exists for you and your mission today.

Today’s Guests

Alison Moore, CEO, Comic Relief US
Iara Peng, Founder + CEO, JustFund
Sarah Lee, Chief Operating Officer, New Story

Episode Highlights

Barriers to innovation in the nonprofit sector (3:35)
Creating an environment where it’s safe to fail (6:35)
Building a culture of innovation (9:55)
How to operationalize innovation (15:00)
The value of experimentation. (18:05)
Challenges in implementing innovation(25:00)
Innovating through partnerships. (27:05)
One Good Thing (35:40)
- Allison: Human capitol
- Sarah: Simplicity
- Iara: Trust yourself

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/450.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue

As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good.

Say hi 👋
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449. Disruption for Good + The Business of Changing the World (Replay) - Raj Kumar

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Raj. He's not just the Founding President & Editor-in-Chief of Devex, he's noticed the little guy ever since he was a boy playing soccer in the streets of India. This former political strategist built Devex, a global news platform, in grad school alongside his friends to inform development professionals and aid workers all over the world. Today we're re-exploring the new era of global development and how to set zero goals for yourself (we had to have him define that too, but we were LOVING the answer). Tune in🎧

Today’s Guest
Raj Kumar, Founding President and Editor-in-Chief at Devex

Episode Highlights

Raj’s story and journey to where he is today (2:30)
An overview of Devex (5:00)
Leading a global social enterprise in the middle of a time such as this (9:00)
The new era of global development (9:40)
The lens you should use as a funder to identify what organizations to support (10:45)
Raj’s Book: The Business of Changing the World: How Billionaires, Tech Disrupters, and Social Entrepreneurs Are Transforming the Global Aid Industry (17:00)
Embracing this season of innovation and change in the nonprofit sector: shift the focus to zero goals. (21:00)
Evaluate your programs to ensure they are truly doing the most good (24:00)
Fostering a global mindset in your corner of the world (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Raj’s life (35:00)
Raj’s One Good Thing: Listen more. Don’t assume that you understand the context of how it all works. Go and talk to the source. (41:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/449.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue
As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good

Say hi 👋
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448. Evolved Nonprofit Sector Panel: Enhancing Impact, Rethinking Revenue, and Fostering Personal Development - Mallory Erickson, Aila Malik, Anne Marie Dougherty, and Woodrow Rosenbaum

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

While the world constantly moves forward, being responsive means we choose to evolve. To use our collective strength, vulnerability, grit, and passion to meet the moment and change the world—for good. Join this panel of modern impact thinkers as we explore the evolving nonprofit sector, and how we can meet the moment today.

Today’s Guests

Mallory Erickson, Founder, Power Partners Formula + Host, What the Fundraising
Aila Malik, Founder + Principal, Venture Leadership Consulting
Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO, Bob Woodruff Foundation
Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer, GivingTuesday + President and CEO, With Intent

Episode Highlights

Challenges the nonprofit sector is facing (2:15)
Funding changes within the sector (6:00)
The power of partnerships + locking arms for impact (8:45)
Creating win-win partnerships (12:50)
Mindsets that prevent evolved partnerships (16:25)
Evolved partnerships at Bob Woodruff Foundation (25:20)
One Good Thing (30:15)
- Woodrow: Fundraisers have the agency to change, what's not working for us.
- Aila: We're all fundraisers + Find your people.
- Mallory: Fundraising is not a necessary evil. Your fundraising is the work.
- Anne Marie: Let's stay steady. No panic. No snooze.

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/448.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue

As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good

Say hi 👋
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447. How to Create a Compelling Donor Journey to Grow Engagement (Replay) - Cameron Bartlett

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cameron. This digital marketer and fundraiser helps hundreds of nonprofits fundraise more by creating journeys that guide donors from their first interaction to becoming lifelong advocates. And the answer isn't a complicated one. It's threaded through an intentional donor journey. Cameron believes too many people neglect the power of capturing an email and using it the right way to build this journey. So he's helping us map one out to get started. His personal story of philanthropy is reason enough to tune in 🎧

Today’s Guest
Cameron Bartlett, Digital Marketer for Nonprofits

Episode Highlights

Cameron’s story and journey to where he is today (2:00)
Creating a compelling donor journey (7:00)
The mile markers throughout a donor journey (8:20)
Examples of content your organization can create today (15:00)
Cameron’s experience with IJM and their viral video campaign (20:00)
Cameron’s advice for organizations with limited digital marketing budgets (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Cameron’s life (35:00)
Cameron’s One Good Thing: Find a celebration post. (41:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/447.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue
As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good

Say hi 👋
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446. Evolved Digital Strategy Panel: How to Foster Connections and Drive Impact Using Digital Strategies - Carolina Garcia Jayaram, Eric Ressler, Nick Lynch and Sarah Adolphson

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Join this panel of modern impact thinkers as we explore how to build evolved methods to grow the digital influence of your organization. We’re diving into marketing and branding, working with influencers, flexing content in various mediums and platforms, leveraging the power of media to build digital community, and helping nonprofits look to the horizon for evolved methods to grow their digital influence. This is the panel you’ve been waiting for to get your mission’s story out in the wild.

Today’s Guests

Sarah Adolphson, Co-CEO, Artemis Agency
Carolina Garcia Jayaram, Executive Director, The Elevate Prize Foundation
Eric Ressler, Founder, Design by Cosmic
Nick Lynch, Co-Founder and CEO, Collidescope.io

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

What is the attention economy? (2:50)
How social media is democratizing impact. (5:00)
Marketing is mission and mission manifested. (7:45)
The power of turning marketing into action (9:00)
Ways marketing can drive impact 12:35
Shifts the sector needs to embrace these digital strategies (17:05)
How to identify win-win partnerships (27:00)
Influencer Marketing (29:30)
One Good Thing (34:10)
- Eric: We need to fund this work and this work needs to be part of our core strategy for the organization.
- Carolina: Don't focus so much on the media part of this focus more on developing your story.
- Sarah: Trust the artists.
- Nick: You have to start with the story.

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/446.

About our Sponsor: Foster Avenue

As a philanthropic communications consulting and creative agency, Foster Avenue sees how campaign communications are facing a revolution these days. And luckily, they’re sharing their insights. They are sharing a 10-point checklist for creating campaign communications that meet the moment. And we want to get this checklist into your hands so you can start refining your messaging right away.

Learn more today at www.fosteravenue.com/good

Say hi 👋
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445. How to Navigate Seasons of Change at Your Organization (Replay) - Aila Malik

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Aila. She loves molding strong leaders and getting organizations pointed toward success - which means she joins them in the trenches. She's come to know that if leaders enter from a place of humility and ready to learn from everything/everyone, then great partnerships are built from the ground level. We know many leaders are asking now, "How can I lead well during this crazy season of change?" Well, Aila's taking our hand and walking us through the steps to be an in-tune, inspiring leader. BONUS: she's providing tips for rolling out a new vision too.

Today’s Guest
Aila Malik, Founder + Principal, Venture Leadership Consulting

Episode Highlights

Aila’s story and journey to where she is today (2:40)
Navigating seasons of change in organizations (7:00)
Key steps for a leader that is stepping into a new role (14:00)
Translating vision into plans (21:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Aila’s life (28:00)
Aila’s One Good Thing: Opportunity without intentionality equals distraction. (34:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/445.

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444. Evolved Leadership Panel: How Leaders Can Center Authenticity, Collaboration + Community - Ben Collier, Boi Carpenter, Brooke Richie-Babbage, and Rena Greifinger

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Calling all leaders (spoiler alert: that’s YOU!) 📣Join this panel of modern leaders as we explore the mindsets that might be holding you and your mission back. Immerse yourself in an evolved way to look at leadership: one that centers empathy, inclusivity, and equity at its core. Trust-based leadership grounds this discussion as we explore mindsets, culture and innovation.

Special Guests

Boi Carpenter, Founder of Inquisitive Leader + SAVP Johns Hopkins University
Rena Greifinger, Director of Experiential Philanthropy
Brooke Richie-Babbage, CEO, Bending Arc
Ben Collier, CEO, The Farmlink Project

Episode Highlights

What is Evolved Leadership (2:00)
Mindsets for Evolved Leadership (6:20)
Practical skills for leaders (14:30)
Building trust within nonprofits (21:25)
Future thinking and visionary leadership (23:20)
Balancing impact and mental health (25:00)
Collaboration and abundance mindset (29:00)
Embracing Vulnerability and Authenticity (34:00)
One Good Thing (35:10)
- Brooke: Check in on your superpower.
- Ben: Couple a learner’s mindset with a beginner's mindset.
- Boi: Be intentional about how you give your power away.
- Rena: You only shine as brightly as your team does.

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/444.

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443. Best of Season 7: 5 Takeaways We Don't Want You to Miss - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Julie Confer

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

It’s the Season 7️⃣ Finale 🎉 Tune in to hear the biggest takeaways we've gleaned from the 74 episodes we’ve aired during the season. We’re sharing our favorite episodes, mic drop and some big updates for this summer on the pod. Join Jon, Becky and Julie for a sneak peek behind the We Are For Good studio curtain👀

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting
Key Takeaways from Season 7
- 1: Our mindset has to evolve.
- 2: Get yo’ house in order.
- 3: Evolve your mission to build for the next generation.
- 4: Our funding has to evolve.
- 5: Evolve your storytelling to build believers.
Jon’s One Good Thing: Surround yourself in community that sees, supports and amplifies your unique abilities, gifts and talents. (David Thomas of Morehouse College, shared by Darren Isom in Ep. 438)
Becky’s One Good Thing: Stop looking at your donors as donors. Start looking at ALL your people as believers powering your movement.
Julie’s One Good Thing: Everyone is experiencing life for the first time.
Summer of Evolution

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/443.

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442. Empowering Nepal: A Journey to Disrupt Poverty and Inspire Donor Engagement - Jehán Seirafi

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jehán. Her journey took her from editing travel guidebooks in San Francisco to founding a nonprofit that creates holistic programs for women and children in Nepal, empowering them to build their own pathways out of poverty. Tune in to hear a case study of what happened when Sunsar Maya committed to a year-long stewardship plan through personalized attention, Chai with Me events and leveraging technology to automate donor engagement. You won't want to miss Jehán’s inspiring story which we know will give you some pep in your step to make a difference in the world🌎

💡Learn

Overview of Sunsar Maya
Case Study: A Year of Stewardship
Lessons learned to use for your org’s donor stewardship

Today’s Guest
Jehán Seirafi, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Sunsar Maya

Episode Highlights

Jehán’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
4 Pillars of Sunsar Maya's work (9:00)
After School Program (9:00)
Women’s Literacy Program (13:00)
Teacher Training (14:00)
Case Study: A Year of Stewardship (17:50)
Outcomes from the year of stewardship (23:00)
What can nonprofits learn from this case study (27:00)
A powerful moment of question (30:00)
Jehán’s One Good Thing: Stay laser focused. (36:00)
How to connect (38:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/442.

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441. Giving USA 2023 Report: Breaking Down the Philanthropy Trends - Elizabeth Abel

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Elizabeth. The queen of interpreting philanthropic data reports is back in our house for year three, and today we're breaking down Giving USA's 2023 Report 📈CCS Fundraising's brilliant Senior Vice President is explaining what’s causing the decline in individual giving, and how we can turn the tide. We’re also exploring how to encourage meaningful giving from people of all generations and income levels, and the role of storytelling, advocacy, and volunteerism in engaging millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Tune in to get up to speed on all the data from this report and how we can take actionable steps to build a culture of philanthropy in our communities🤝

💡Learn

Insights into the current philanthropic landscape
Key data points from the Giving USA Report
Actionable steps to leverage knowing this latest data

Today’s Guest
Elizabeth Abel, Senior Vice President, CCS Fundraising

Episode Highlights

Insights into the Current Philanthropic Landscape (5:30)
Other factors playing into the decrease in giving (6:35)
Two key themes (8:00)
The roles that individuals play (8:15)
The role that foundations play (9:40)
Building and strengthening relationships with foundations (11:00)
Mega gifts (15:00)
Actionable Insights (23:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Elizabeth’s life (30:00)
Elizabeth’s One Good Thing: Prioritize family. (32:00)
How to connect + get the report (34:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/441.

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440. Storytelling for Good (Part 2) - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

It’s no secret that we believe in the power of storytelling to do more good in the world. We’re wrapping up our Storytelling for Good Friday series with more of the most frequently asked questions we get about marketing from folks in our community. We’re diving into the importance of storytelling for your mission, tools to unlock your inner storyteller and create a culture that values storytelling. Join us to get on a path toward a better - more inspiring - way to work🔍

💡Learn

Mindsets needed for storytelling
How to incorporate storytelling into your orgs everyday operations
The importance of building your storybank

Episode Highlights

Evolution of storytelling in the sector (1:40)
#AMA Question 1: “How do you prep for interviews? How do you get people to go deeper?” (4:30)
#AMA Question 2: “How do I balance what my ED/Board expects with what the storyteller expects?” (15:00)
Case Study (20:00)
Storytelling for Good: We Are For Good Premium Course (24:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/440.

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439. The Power of the Collective for Systems Change - Anne Marie Burgoyne

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Anne Marie. She’s the Managing Director of Philanthropy at the Emerson Collective, where her passion for amplifying voices has shaped her career and the impact of Emerson Collective's programs in education and environmental justice. She’s sharing her wisdom about how strong leaders and strong models have the capacity to scale and create systems change. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation that answers the question - can the collective power of individuals truly create lasting change?

💡Learn

History of Emerson Collective
The power of the collective
Mindsets need for systems change

Today's Guest
Anne Marie Burgoyne, Managing Director of Philanthropy, Emerson Collective

Episode Highlights

Anne Marie’s story and journey to where she is today (5:00)
The Power of the Collective + History of Emerson Collective (9:00)
Emerson Collective’s impact areas and their impact to date (15:00)
Mindsets + Systems Change (20:35)
Frictionless Philanthropy + Emerson Collective’s Evolved Partnership Model (30:00)
How funders can evolve today (35:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Anne Marie’s life (42:00)
Anne Marie’s One Good Thing: Have you asked enough questions? (45:00)
How to connect (48:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/439.

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438. Assets-Based Approach: Creating New Narratives in Leadership and Philanthropy - Darren Isom

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Darren. He’s an advocate for amplifying diverse voices and narratives within our sector. As a partner at The Bridgespan Group, he advises mission-driven organizations and philanthropic foundations. He’s also the host of the podcast Dreaming in Color: Creating New Narratives in Leadership, which offers leaders of color space to share how they have leveraged their unique assets and abilities to embrace excellence, drive impact, and more fully define what success looks like. He’s sharing how diversity is a critical asset to organizations and the potential impact endowments can have on long-term sustainability and growth for nonprofits. Don’t miss this conversation as we dive into the role we all play in creating more meaningful narratives in philanthropy.

💡Learn

Creating new narratives in leadership
New narratives in equitable impact
Establishing sustainable Investments by endowing Black-led nonprofits

Today’s Guest
Darren Isom, Partner, The Bridgespan Group’s San Francisco Office

Episode Highlights

Darren’s story and journey to where he is today (4:45)
Creating new narratives in leadership (12:00)
How identity and leadership are intertwined (17:00)
New narratives in equitable impact (28:00)
Changing the narrative around funding (34:00)
Sustainable investments: endowing Black-led nonprofits (42:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Darren’s life (49:00)
Darren’s One Good Thing (55:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/438.

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437. Storytelling for Good (Part 1) - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

It’s no secret that we believe in the power of storytelling to do more good in the world. In our new Storytelling for Good Friday series, we’re diving into the importance of storytelling for your mission, tools to unlock your inner storyteller and create a culture that values storytelling. Join us to get on a path toward a better - more inspiring - way to work🔍

💡Learn

Mindsets needed for storytelling
How to incorporate storytelling into your orgs everyday operations
The importance of building your storybank

Episode Highlights

#AMA Question 1: “Who is the hero? (the donor or the beneficiary - or the collective)” (3:30)
The collective is the hero (4:15)
#AMA Question 2: “How do I find the right people’s story to tell - I have no board members to ask?”(9:50)
Engagement signals to look for to help develop your stories (12:00)
Tech tools and resources we love to help you elevate your storytelling (17:00)
Storytelling for Good: We Are For Good Premium Course (21:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/437.

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436. Building Sustainable Movements for Systems Change - Deepa Iyer

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Deepa. She's played many roles in supporting social movements, weaver, frontline responder, storyteller + guide. Her political and community homes include Asian American, South Asian, Muslim, and Arab ecosystems where she spent fifteen years in policy advocacy and coalition building in the wake of the September 11 attacks and the ensuing backlash. She now leads projects on solidarity and social movements at the Building Movement Project, a national nonprofit organization catalyzing social change through research, relationships, and resources. Don’t miss this conversation that’ll provide the building blocks for building sustainable movements💪

Today's Guest
Deepa Iyer, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, Building Movement Project

Episode Highlights

Deepa’s story and journey to where she is today (3:30)
Lessons learned from building movements (5:15)
The role of nonprofits in building movements (8:40)
The importance of reflection (11:20)
Overview of the framework within Deepa’s book “Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection” (14:15)
Deepa’s reflections on her own journey using this framework (17:40)
Defining solidarity (22:05)
Deepa’s advice for young professionals that want to be change-makers (26:30)
Resources and tools from Building Movement Project (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Deepa’s life (32:05)
Deepa’s One Good Thing: How are we tending to the urgency of now? (34:30)
How to connect with Deepa (36:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/436.

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435. Reimagining Community Foundations Through Transparency, Accessibility, and the Joy of Giving -Amy Freitag

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amy. Last summer, she became only the fourth leader in the nearly 100-year history of The New York Community Trust, one of America's oldest and most respected community foundations. Drawing from her diverse background in environmental advocacy, the arts, LGBTQ issues, and historic preservation, Amy's passion and energy are shaking up this longstanding institution. Tune in to celebrate the joy of giving and the incredible impact of community foundations🎉

💡Learn

Demystifying Community Foundations
How Community Foundations are meeting the moment
Using milestones to build relationships and set the stage for the future

Today's Guest
Amy Freitag, President, The New York Community Trust

Episode Highlights

Amy’s story and journey to where she is today (3:50)
Demystifying Community Foundations (6:15)
How to partner with community foundations (9:45)
How Community Foundations are meeting the moment (15:20)
Showcasing the joy of giving at The New York Community Trust (21:35)
Learning from the Cleveland Foundation (24:10)
The New York Community Trust’s Centennial (28:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amy’s life (33:05)
Amy’s One Good Thing: Build trust, and build it one person at a time. It’s all about honestly seeing and connecting with people. (37:10)
How to connect with The New York Community Trust (38:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/435.

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434. Small But Mighty: From Founder's Passion to Global Impact - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Martice Sutton

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

We’re wrapping up Small But Mighty: How Small Nonprofits are Raising Big Dollars in our Givebutter Friday series with an inspirational case study. As a small organization, hosting fundraising campaigns can feel daunting. It’s typical to wonder... How do we get enough supporters? Who will fundraise on our behalf? What happens if we don’t reach our goal? Where do we even begin? Jon, Becky and Floyd Jones have been breaking down how small organizations raise BIG funds through grassroots fundraising. In Part 3, we’re chatting with Martice Sutton, the founder and executive director of Girls Going Global, a pipeline program to greater opportunities for girls. Tune in to hear from a small org making a BIG global impact🌎

💡Learn

History + Overview of Girls Going Global
Building a fundraising strategy + telling your story
Mobilizing volunteers + supporters

Today's Guest
Martice Sutton, Founder + Executive Director, Girls Going Global

Episode Highlights

Martice’s story and journey to where she is today (2:50)
Girls Going Global (7:20)
What these experiences unlock for girls (11:30)
Girls Going Global’s Fundraising strategy (14:15)
How to share your story (22:05)
Challenges Girls Going Global faces (29:10)
Martice’s One Good Thing: Be attached to the vision and not the path. (35:45)
How to connect with Girls Going Global (37:15)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/434.

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433. Your Fundraising Field Guide: 10 Core Behaviors of Servant-Leaders - Evan Wildstein

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Evan. He’s a nonprofiteer, musician, seasoned fundraising professional, new dad, We Are For Good rabid fan, and oh yeah, he just published a new book called “The Nonprofiteer’s Fundraising Field Guide”🎉 If you’re curious about evolved servant leadership and how it plays into building vibrant cultures, communities and (bonus!) yourself - this is your episode. He’s passionate about the intersection of philanthropy, creativity, and learning, and has dedicated his career to supporting initiatives that build stronger communities. He’s giving us a sneak peek into the book by breaking down the 10 core behaviors of servant-leaders. Don’t miss the chance to learn from this incredible human

💡Learn

Key traits and qualities that distinguish exceptional leaders
10 Core Behaviors of Servant-Leaders
How effective leadership contributes to organizational culture

Today's Guest
Evan Wildstein, Director of Community Philanthropy, Every Texan and Author of The Nonprofiteer’s Fundraising Field Guide

Episode Highlights

Evan’s story and journey to where he is today (5:00)
Today’s modern leader (7:30)
Fundraiser’s Field Guide (17:00)
10 Core Behaviors (22:00)
- Listening
- Empathy
- Healing
- Awareness
- Foresight
- Persuasion,
- Conceptualization
- Stewardship
- Growing Other People
- Building Community
Evan’s One Good Thing: (46:00)
How to connect with Evan (47:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/433.

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432. The Future of Philanthropy: Gen Z's Unique Giving Habits and How to Reach Them - Elizabeth (McDonough) Ruikka + Alyssa Boger

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Elizabeth and Alyssa. They’re sharing insights from The Nonprofit’s Guide to Engaging Gen Z created by Classy and Pursuant (bravo on evolved partnerships 👏). Gen Z just doesn’t operate like any other generation, and we love how they break the status quo. We’re chatting about how nonprofits can create long-lasting partnerships with this deeply generous generation. Tune in for your guide on engaging with this generation that’s already making its mark on philanthropy.

💡Learn

How to understand Gen Z’s motivations
An overview of The Nonprofit’s Guide to Engaging Gen Z
Ways nonprofits can partner with Gen Z for greater impact

Today's Guests
Elizabeth (McDonough) Ruikka, Senior Director, Demand Generation & Digital Marketing, Classy + Alyssa Boger, Senior Vice President, Client Strategy, Pursuant

Episode Highlights

Alyssa’s story and journey to where she is today (4:30)
Elizabeth’s story and journey to where she is today (6:10)
Understanding Gen Z’s motivations (10:30)
How to Engage Gen Z (17:00)
How + Where Gen Z is gathering (20:00)
How we begin building our Gen Z donor bases (25:00)
The top 3 values of Gen Z donors (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Elizabeth’s life (39:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Alyssa’s life (41:00)
Alyssa’s One Good Thing: No is a complete sentence. (45:00)
Elizabeth’s One Good Thing: You want to hire people that are smarter than you. (47:00)
How to connect (50:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/432.

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431. Small But Mighty: How to Mobilize Your Movement - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Floyd Jones

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0500

We’re so excited to continue our Friday series with Givebutter called Small But Mighty: How Small Nonprofits are Raising Big Dollars. As a “small” organization, hosting fundraising campaigns can be a daunting task. It’s typical to wonder... How do we get enough supporters? Who will fundraise on our behalf? What happens if we don’t reach our goal? Where do we even begin? Join Jon, Becky, Floyd Jones and some special guests as we break down how small organizations are raising BIG funds through grassroots fundraising. In Part 2, we’re exploring how to mobilize your movement. Tune in to get insights into building an authentic community that is unified around your mission and purpose.

💡Learn

How to build an authentic culture of belonging
How to gather volunteers around your movement
The power of showing up with an attitude of gratitude

Today's Guest
Floyd Jones, Director of Community & Partnerships, Givebutter

Episode Highlights

Building an authentic community of belonging (2:00)
Habits for building community (4:45)
How to mobilize people around movements (7:25)
Gathering volunteers to support the movement (10:45)
How the We Are For Good Community shows up as believers in a mission (14:05)
An example of Floyd becoming a believer in a mission (17:55)
An example of Becky becoming a believer in a mission (19:00)
Do This/Not That when mobilizing a movement (21:30)
Floyd’s One Good Thing: Let community be at your core. (23:10)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/431.

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430. Legal Education Access Pipeline: Removing Barriers to Diversify the Legal Field - Cindy Lopez

Wed, 31 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cindy. She’s a member of the We Are For Good Community, former Deputy Attorney General for the California Attorney General and nonprofit founder. Her passion for equal access to legal education led her to found LEAP, an organization dedicated to providing opportunities for underrepresented groups in the law field. Partnerships and community play a pivotal role in sustaining LEAP's mission, and she’s sharing her insights into the dynamic relationships the organization cultivated with law schools, law firms + funders. Tune in for this founder’s story as we dive into breaking barriers and creating pathways🙌

💡Learn

Overview + Founding Story of LEAP
The role of dynamic partnerships and community building
Insights for nonprofit leaders on fostering diversity and inclusion

Today's Guest
Cindy Lopez, Founder + Director, Legal Education Access Pipeline (LEAP)

Episode Highlights

Cindy’s story and journey to where she is today (5:50)
Overview + Founding Story of LEAP (9:23)
Transition from lawyer to nonprofit founder (14:00)
Partnership + Community (18:00)
Stories of LEAP fellows (25:00)
Cindy’s One Good Thing: Keep doing whatever it is you are doing. (42:00)
How to connect with Cindy and LEAP (45:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/430.

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429. How to Set Yourself Up for Success in Your New Management Role - Zulean Cruz- Diaz

Mon, 29 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Zulean. As a management coach and consultant, she's on a mission to empower teams with the skills and tools needed for fostering strong and trusting group dynamics🤝 Even the most dedicated teams can lose their sense of direction, that’s why they need the tools needed to build a united team with a clear plan for success🧭 Tune in for actionable strategies that will help you grow in your management journey and build strong, cohesive teams that succeed together.

💡Learn

A guide to your new management role
How to balance management with other job responsibilities
Communication + conflict management tips

Today's Guest
Zulean Cruz-Diaz, Founder + CEO - Z Conecta

Episode Highlights

Zulean’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
From an employee to a manager (10:00)
Trust-based leadership (13:00)
Balancing your new responsibilities with being a manager (15:40)
Listening and other communication skills (19:05)
Managing conflict resolution (22:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Zulean’s life (27:05)
Zulean’s One Good Thing: Make sure you make time to reflect. (29:25)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/429.

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428. Small but Mighty: How to Build Your Fundraising Strategy + Tell Your Story - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Floyd Jones

Fri, 26 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

We’re so excited to kick off a new Friday series with Givebutter called Small But Mighty: How Small Nonprofits are Raising Big Dollars. As a “small” organization, hosting fundraising campaigns can be a daunting task. It’s typical to wonder... How do we get enough supporters? Who will fundraise on our behalf? What happens if we don’t reach our goal? Where do we even begin? Join Jon, Becky, Floyd Jones and some special guests as we break down how small organizations are raising BIG funds through grassroots fundraising. In Part 1, we’re exploring how to tell your story and build your fundraising strategy. Tune in to get our playbook to find the right strategy for your org.

💡Learn

Mindsets needed for success
How to tell your organization’s story
How to create the best fundraising strategy for your organization

Today's Special Guest
Floyd Jones, Director of Community & Partnerships, Givebutter

Episode Highlights

Small but Mighty Series Tonesetting (1:15)
Start by asking the bigger questions (3:35)
Finding the right fundraising strategy for your org (6:30)
The assets you need to organize (11:20)
Partnering with other nonprofits (18:55)
The importance of having your own email list (20:40)
Do this/not that fundraising strategies (22:35)
The power of storytelling (24:10)
Where to connect with Floyd and GiveButter (26:20)
Floyd’s One Good Thing: Start with one. (29:40)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/428.

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427. Meet the Mission: Undies for Everyone - Amy Weiss

Wed, 24 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amy. She’s the Founder and Executive Director of Undies for Everyone, the only nationwide nonprofit dedicated to providing underwear to students in need. She was even named a CNN Hero for her work🤩 With an estimated 11.6 million kids in the U.S. living without access to clean underwear, Undies for Everyone addresses an ongoing crisis plaguing American schools that very few people know about. Tune in for a conversation about the transformative power of a very simple gift and how communities and orgs can come together to help🤝

💡Learn

History + Overview of Undies for Everyone
The role of providing underwear in holistic community care
Why hygiene products are critical to building kids’ self-confidence + esteem
How you can get activated in their corner of the world

Today's Guest
Rabbi Amy Weiss, Founder + Executive Director, Undies for Everyone

Episode Highlights

Amy’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
One in six kids in the U.S. are living without access to underwear (9:40)
History + Overview of Undies for Everyone (11:00)
Holistic Community Care (19:30)
Undies for Everyone’s philosophy around partnerships (23:20)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amy’s Life (34:45)
Amy’s One Good Thing: It’s all marketing. (36:30)
How to connect with Undies for Everyone (40:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/427.

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426. How to Harness the Evolution of Storytelling to Grow Your Mission - Jon Budington

Mon, 22 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jon. He believes change is a constant in life, and we’re all designed to adapt to those changes. Every gift results in a story, and this expert in casual language is giving counsel on how organizations can find and build powerful narratives to uplift philanthropy’s story. Tune in for an eye-opening conversation about language, storytelling and the ways we continue to change as humans🔄

💡Learn

An overview of how humans continue to change through the lens of language
What storytelling looks like today
How to find and build stories through listening

Today's Guest
Jon Budington, President + CEO, More Vang + Mythos

Episode Highlights

Jon’s story and journey to where he is today (4:30)
What storytelling looks like today (6:50)
Human evolution through the lens of language (10:20)
How storytelling can build trust with the most distrustful Generation (15:00)
Listening and asking for stories organically (17:00)
Case study of an organization that leveraged the power of storytelling to deepen their impact (23:00)
How to find and build these narratives (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jon’s life (32:00)
Jon’s One Good Thing: Focus on optimism. (35:00)
How to connect with Jon and Mythos (38:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/426.

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425. LIVE from New Orleans: 6 Takeaways From AFP ICON (Part 2) - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 19 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

While at AFP ICON, Jon and Becky were thrilled to sit down with some of our favorite people (live and in-person!). During these conversations, 6️⃣ key trends emerged. This week we’re exploring the final three trends: the power of building community to advance our work, the importance of authentic storytelling and a reminder to be human. We believe deeply in the democratization of free ideas so hope you’ll tune in. Grab a notebook and prioritize your self-growth today📝

💡Learn

Jon and Becky’s personal takeaways from the conference
6️⃣ key trends from AFP ICON
How to further explore and put these trends into action

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (1:20)
Networking + The Power of Building Community to Advance Our Work (2:45)
Marketing + Storytelling is King (12:15)
Be Human (16:30)
Join the We Are For Good Community (28:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/425.

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424. Growing Young Ideas into World-Changing Ideas - Coeylen Barry + Kai Barry

Wed, 17 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Coeylen and Kai. This dynamic duo is part of the team at Mira Fellowship, where they’re building a blueprint for the future by reframing our most intractable issues and discovering solutions that empower individuals to action. As Director of Story, Kai helps turn the fellow's ideas into clear communicable stories. And, as Director of Curriculum, Coeylen is passionate about the creative process and has spent years refining curriculum to support people with a vision who want to bring it into reality to affect change. They’re sharing how every societal change first started as an idea. With structure, support and coaching, an idea can turn into an actionable idea for change. Tune in to hear how we can’t solve problems with the same thinking used to create them 💭👏

💡Learn

History + Overview of Mira Fellowship
Growing Young Ideas into World-Changing Ideas
The Power of Community

Today's Guests
Coeylen Barry, Director of Curriculum and Kai Barry, Director of Story, Mira Fellowship

Episode Highlights

Monumental change has come from simple shifts in perspective (10:00)
Scarcity in the nonprofit sector (17:00)
Creating environments that are conducive to incubating world-changing ideas (17:00)
Mindsets (22:00)
The power of community to move forward world-changing ideas (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kai’s life (34:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Coeylen’s life (36:00)
Kai’s One Good Thing: Go back to play. (37:00)
Coeylen’s One Good Thing: Give yourself time and be playful. (38:00)
How to connect with Mira Fellowship (40:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/424.

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423. Making Ethical Impact the Norm - Jenny Nuccio

Mon, 15 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jenny. She lives her values out loud as an entrepreneur who’s passionate about making a positive impact in the world🌍 Jenny is the Founder and CEO of Imani Collective, a global social enterprise and woman-empowerment program focused on defeating generational poverty through education and employment opportunities in Kenya. Her new book “Let It Be Wild” (which comes out later this month!), explores the journey of stepping into the unknown and finding a home. Tune in to hear how each of us can find our own Let It Be Wild Story no matter what season of life we’re in📍

💡Learn

Overview + Impact of Imani Collective
Insights from the past decade as a social impact entrepreneur
How to make an impact right where you are

Today's Guest
Dr. Jenny Nuccio, Founder + CEO, Imani Collective

Episode Highlights

Jenny’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
Jenny’s entrepreneurial journey (12:00)
Looking below the surface of ethical impact (16:05)
Where nonprofits can start (22:05)
The inspiration behind Jenny’s new book “Let It Be Wild” (27:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jenny’s life (33:10)
Jenny’s One Good Thing: Find your people. (37:20)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/423.

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422. LIVE from New Orleans: 6 Takeaways From AFP ICON (Part 1) - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 12 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

While at AFP ICON, Jon and Becky were thrilled to sit down with some of our favorite people (live and in-person!). During these conversations, 6️⃣ key trends emerged. This week we’re exploring Fundraising Effectiveness Project data, how generosity looks different, and what’s building within the data revolution. We believe deeply in the democratization of free ideas so hope you’ll tune in. Grab a notebook and prioritize your self-growth today📝

💡Learn

Jon and Becky’s personal takeaways from the conference
6️⃣ key trends from AFP ICON
How to further explore and put these trends into action

*This special 3-part knowledge sharing Friday series is bringing you the top insights gleaned from the sector’s largest international conference, AFP Icon. Why? Because we believe professional development should be accessible to everyone - not just those with the means to travel✈️

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (1:35)
Fundraising Effectiveness Project - Where are we now? (5:50)
Generosity looks different (15:45)
Technology + Data Revolution (25:00)
Join the We Are For Good Community (34:55)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/422.

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421. How to Build Organizational Capacity in a Season of Evolution - Karen Cochran

Wed, 10 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Karen. She’s often heard saying fundraising isn’t about the dollars, but rather what the dollars can do. After leading and mentoring teams that raised more than $1 billion during her three-decade career, she launched Philanthropy Innovators to help organizations reimagine what’s possible in fundraising and advancement. We’re exploring everything from building organizational capacity to taking care of our teams. Karen is full of wisdom and we can’t wait to share her perspectives with the community 🤗

💡Learn

Evolving the sector’s mindsets, strategies and practices
The power of building organizational capacity
Overview of the MOST Philanthropy Model

Today's Guest
Karen Cochran, Founder + Chief Philanthropic Innovator, Philanthropy Innovators

Episode Highlights

Karen’s story and journey to where she is today (4:30)
Evolving the sector’s mindsets, strategies and practices (7:15)
The power of building organizational capacity (13:20)
Lessons learned from nonprofits incorporating innovation (16:25)
MOST Model (21:00)
The power of homegrown talent and sustainability (25:30)
Case Study: How University of Central Florida flexed a gift from MacKenzie Scott for an even greater and more sustainable community impact (29:25)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Karen's life (32:30)
Karen's One Good Thing: The only thing you control is how you react to the situation. (36:05)
How to connect with Karen and Philanthropy Innovators (36:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/421.

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420. Developing the Right Mindset to Unlock Innovation and Creativity - Virginia Almendarez

Mon, 08 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Virgina. We feel like we are getting a treat today as we spend time with one of our favorite leadership coaches of all time. She’s in her 20th year in the nonprofit sector and has worked with incredible organizations like The Apollo Theater, the Puerto Rican Conservation Trust, New York University, and the City University of New York. Her love of coaching and empowering others is expansive and she’s the founder of Founder of Fund Strategy, a fundraising strategy and coaching consultancy. She’s bringing her expertise on how to stop shrinking ourselves and our capacity. Tune in to get into the right mindset to unlock innovation and creativity 🧠

💡Learn

How to develop mindsets that unlock innovation + creativity
The hidden beliefs in fundraising that are holding us back
Survival tactics vs thriving tactics

Today's Special Guest
Virginia Almendarez, Founder, Fund Strategy

Episode Highlights

Virginia’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Developing the Right Mindset to Unlock Innovation and Creativity (12:00)
Aligning personal values and personal mission with your work (18:00)
Hidden Beliefs in Fundraising (23:00)
Survival tactics vs thriving tactics (24:00)
What is often the cause of (in)ability to bring innovation and creativity to our work (28:00)
Keeping balance with day-to-day work and keeping up with innovation (34:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Virginia’s life (41:00)
Virginia’s One Good Thing: You are perfect, whole, and complete. (44:00)
How people can connect with Virginia (45:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/420.

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419. LIVE from New Orleans: Put the Good Back Into Marketing - Noah Barnett

Fri, 05 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

While at AFP ICON, Jon and Becky were thrilled to sit down with some of our favorite people (live and in person!) including Noah Barnett, VP of Marketing at Feathr. Tune in for key findings from Feathr’s recently released State of Nonprofit Marketing Report. This report is 24 pages full of statistics and insights built directly off responses from over 400 marketers, fundraisers, leaders, and experts in the nonprofit and association sectors. One big discovery? Nonprofits who began by investing in understanding their community are having the greatest returns as they understand the power of discovery. Remember: Discovery first, strategy second. Tune in for more incredible insights👏

💡Learn

An overview of The State of Nonprofit Marketing Report
How to fight against scarcity mindsets
The importance of identifying what’s working at your org

*This special 3-part knowledge sharing Friday series is bringing you the top insights gleaned the sector’s largest international conference, AFP Icon. Why? Because we believe professional development should be accessible to everyone - not just those with the means to travel✈️

Today's Special Guest
Noah Barnett, VP of Marketing, Feathr

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/419.

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418. Building Effective Email Marketing (spoiler: small nonprofits are killing it!) - Tim Sarrantonio

Wed, 03 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tim. Not only is he Director of Corporate Brand at Neon One, but he’s also the Vice Chair of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, which helps nonprofit organizations increase giving at a faster pace by providing them with tools for tracking and evaluating their annual growth in giving. He’s bringing his expertise and insights from recent fundraising reports and sharing the role email marketing plays in successful fundraising strategies right now. If you tuned in for episode 317, you might be asking yourself, “Two email convos in one week?” Yup! It’s really that important. Don’t miss it!

💡Learn

Overview of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project
Key findings from recent industry reports and other benchmarks
5️⃣Tips for creating effective emails
Case studies that serve as blueprints for building an effective email program

Today's Guest
Tim Sarrantonio, Director of Corporate Brand, Neon One + Vice Chair, Fundraising Effectiveness Project

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/418.

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417. Your Email Marketing Masterclass - Katelyn Baughan

Mon, 01 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Katelyn. After working with leading nonprofits and managing multi-million dollar digital fundraising campaigns, she fell in love with email marketing and its power to raise funds and increase ROI. She’s walking us through a mini email marketing masterclass and how to stand out in overflowing email accounts. Tune in as we dive into the marketing channel that has the highest return on investment 📧

💡Learn

The importance of email marketing + key KPIs
How to start your email list + create value to grow it
Case studies of orgs doing email well

Today's Guest
Katelyn Baughan, Founder, KB Digital

Episode Highlights

Katelyn’s story and journey to where she is today (2:20)
Tips for starting, analyzing and growing your email list (9:30)
Cutting through the noise in crowded inboxes (20:00)
Case studies (23:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Katelyn’s life (25:00)
Katelyn’s One Good Thing: Take a break and rest. (27:00)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/417.

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416. The Funder’s Mindset: Building Authentic Relationships + Investing in Wellness - Liz Aybar Conti

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

It’s time to reimagine the funder/nonprofit relationship. We’re putting a flag in the ground to talk about how to evolve relationships and processes and make the grantee/funder relationship as symbiotic, empowering (and simple!) for all. This third conversation is examining authentic relationships and the role funders play in supporting wellness. Today’s guest Liz Aybar Conti is the CEO of Margulf Foundation and gets the most joy and energy from engaging with grantees and learning more about the communities they serve.

The Margulf Foundation is committed to expanding and improving learning opportunities for all youth in Colorado and beyond by partnering with leaders who are reimagining education with youth, families, and communities to move toward a more just and equitable future. Tune in to hear from a funder's perspective on creating collaborative spaces of belonging, where all people feel cared for and accepted🙌

💡Learn

The importance of wellness and collaboration
How to build authentic partnerships
New mindsets funders can utilize

Today’s Guest
Liz Aybar Conti, CEO, Margulf Foundation

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/416.

About our Sponsor Bloomerang
Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits, like First Tee of Greater Akron, a nonprofit empowering kids and teens through the game of golf. Learn more today at bloomerang.com/weareforgood.

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415. From $275k to $51M: How to Become a High Growth Nonprofit - Matt Scott

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Matt. This fundraiser, author and CEO, once helped take an org from $275,000 raised to $51 million in seven years🤯 He’s now the CEO and Co-Founder of CauseMic, a consultancy that helps nonprofits grow their organizations using the best for-profit methods. In his new 🆓book, The High-Growth Nonprofit, he shares the lessons learned from more than a decade spent helping nonprofit leaders fully fund their missions, including numerous stints inside the walls of high-growth nonprofits. He’s diving into the insights he covers in the book with the We Are For Good Community. Tune in and grab your notepad because this is an episode to apply to your org today📝

💡Learn

The importance of shifting your mindset
Strategic planning + building the right systems for high-growth
How to activate + grow your revenue using these concepts

Today's Guest
Matt Scott, CEO and Co-founder, CauseMic

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/415.

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414. Meet the Mission: Cameras For Girls: Lifting Women's Voices Through Photography - Amina Mohamed

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amina. This founder is on a mission to fuel women’s empowerment and gender equity in Africa using photography as the catalyst. Amina came to Canada in 1972 as a refugee from Uganda and grew up connected to two vastly different countries and cultures. Her love of photography led her to spend 15 years in the film in TV industry until she founded Cameras for Girls. Through this nonprofit, participants receive a camera to keep and take part in a 4-phase photography and business-skills program to support their career goals. Tune in to hear about this incredible org that has successfully trained 47 girls in Uganda and created pathways for 65% of them to have full-time paid work in photography-related careers📸

💡Learn

Amina’s story and journey as a founder
Overview + Impact of Cameras for Girls
Ethical storytelling through the lens of photography

Today’s Guest
Amina Mohamed, Founder + Lead Photographer, Cameras For Girls

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/414.

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413. The Funder’s Mindset: Funding Beyond Checks: Enriching Partnerships to Fuel an Uprising - Sean Couch

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

It’s time to reimagine the funder/nonprofit relationship. We’re putting a flag in the ground to talk about how to evolve relationships and processes to make the grantee/funder relationship symbiotic, empowering (and simple!) for all. This second conversation is exploring creative funding and threading story in your ask with Sean Couch. As the President and Co-Trustee of the J.W. Couch Foundation, he believes funders can/should be doing more than simply writing a check.

Over the last five years, Sean has led his family's private foundation to donate nearly $10 million in grants to various nonprofit organizations across the country. They’ve participated in direct charitable activities to help nonprofit organizations raise greater awareness with high-production video assets and provided technical assistance to numerous boards. Don’t miss this behind-the-scenes look at what really happens within foundations and how they want to partner with you on a deeper level👀

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/413.

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412. How Cornell Reimagined Donor Engagement at Massive Scale - Ashley Budd

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ashley. Ya’ll. We gotta talk about the jaw-dropping + disruptive + groundbreaking way Cornell reimagined its team structure to unleash radical engagement. Reorganizing teams can be anxiety-inducing, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Cornell’s restructure led to a paradigm-shifting ripple in engagement - like moving from raising $600M to nearly $1B in less than three years🤯 This is a brilliant case study in how to radically unlock the potential of the bottom of your donor pyramid to yield big gains not just financially, but in engagement, story, awareness, event attendance, and loyalty🤝

Learn

How to reimagine the ways teams can interface + amplify each other
Strategies for aligning departments for greater engagement
Tips and tools for reinventing team structures at your org

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/412.

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411. The Do's and Dont's of Crafting Purposeful Fundraising Events - Cody Hays

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cody. Who wants to make events easier ane more streamlined? 🙋We brought this incredible nonprofit events + marketing expert onto the pod, because Cody understands how marketing strategies lessen the overwhelm and overwork nonprofiters experience when building events. Tune in to learn how to integrate your mission’s values into your event theme, how to develop a virtual event strategy, and how to flex smart marketing to develop an event that lives and breathes before, during and long after the event confetti falls. Don’t miss his playbook for elevating your event theme and raising more money💰

💡Learn

Figuring out what type of event is best for your organization
5️⃣ strategies to develop virtual event marketing strategies
Case studies + events that are rocking it right now 🎉

Today’s Guest
Cody Hays, Founder, Marketing Mission

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/411.

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410. The Funder's Mindset: Recognizing the Humanity of Both Sides - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, and Hillary Fulton

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

It’s time to reimagine the funder/nonprofit relationship. We’re putting a flag in the ground to talk about how to evolve relationships and processes and make the grantee/funder relationship as symbiotic, empowering (and simple!) for all. Joining us is Hillary Fulton, Founder and principal of Hopeful Consulting. She’s bringing her expertise from the nearly two decades she spent with one of the country’s largest health funders, the Colorado Health Foundation. We’re talking about how we can work together more seamlessly, how to have more open conversations, and what grantees and funders can both do to reimagine the way we chase impact - together. This is a don’t-miss episode for any nonprofit org looking to strengthen their relationships with funders🤝

💡Learn

How to find value alignment with funders
What’s happening on the inside of foundations
A funder’s perspective on working with nonprofits

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/410.

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409. The Path to Healing Both Systems + People - Lindsey Fuller

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lindsey. She’s a fierce advocacate for folks on the margins, she builds human-centered, anti-racist systems to inform strong adult school climates. She’s the executive director at The Teaching Well, a nonprofit wellness organization founded on Ohlone land in Oakland, CA. They’re a majority BIPOC, identity-forward team, we believe we can no longer bypass the educator to get to the student. Lindsey fights with the strength of her ancestors behind her for the liberation of her own children and young people everywhere. Don’t miss the story of this incredible organization and human.

Today’s Guest
Lindsey Fuller, Executive Director, The Teaching Well

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/409.

About our Sponsor Bloomerang
Support for this show is brought to you by our friends at Bloomerang. Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits, like First Tee of Greater Akron, a nonprofit empowering kids and teens through the game of golf. To listen to the full interview with First Tee of Greater Akron visit bloomerang.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

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408. How to Find + Track KPIs for Your Org That Really Matter - Brett Kopf

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Brett. As a founder, he’s passionate about improving education and goes deep to understand problems and create solutions. With his brother David, he founded Remind.com which is now used by 30 million active users who send billions of messages to families with the goal of giving students an opportunity to succeed Together, they also founded Omella in 2019 after seeing the difficulty educators have collecting money. He’s, in his own words, obsessed with helping customers. Tune in for Brett’s formula for building a company (or organization!)

Learn

Brett’s formula for building a company
Proven tips for acquiring + retaining customers
How to set KPIs and actually track them

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/408.

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407. Nonprofit Digital Marketing 101 - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, Dana Snyder and Noah Barnett

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Join Jon and Becky alongside two brilliant nonprofit digital marketers - Noah Barnett and Dana Snyder for a robust discussion about the basics of digital marketing📣 At a time when 97% of Americans own a mobile device and 85% own a smartphone, it’s clear we’re in a time of 24/7 connectivity. As a result, digital marketing strategies are no longer “nice to have” - they are absolutely essential for impact-driven organizations to meet this digital moment of connectivity. And it’s not too late to jump in the game! So let’s take a breath and get back to basics with the experts.

💡 Learn

What Digital Marketing is + why it's important
Channels, Tools, Case studies (who's flexing it well + how they're doing it)
Where to start

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406. Proximity, Community, Compassion: How to Harness Humanity around Criminal Justice - Marc Howard

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Marc. He is one of the country’s leading voices and advocates for restoring humanity to the American criminal punishment system. He’s the Founder and President of the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, a nonprofit that launched in 2020 and allows members of free society to connect with people in prisons to discover firsthand our common humanity and advocate for systemic change. As a professor at Georgetown University, his “Prisons and Punishment” course has become one of the most sought-after courses — co-taught with his childhood friend, Marty Tankleff, who was wrongfully imprisoned for almost 18 years. Students re-investigate likely wrongful conviction cases and create documentaries that suggest innocence and advocate for exonerations. Join us for this conversation that we hope will open your hearts to recognize the humanity in all of us.

💡 Learn

Overview of the Frederick Douglass Project for Justice
What most people get wrong about the criminal justice system
How members of free society can advocate for systemic change
Exploration of what happens when everyday people visit prisons

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/406.

About our Sponsor Bloomerang
Support for this show is brought to you by our friends at Bloomerang. Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits, like First Tee of Greater Akron, a nonprofit empowering kids and teens through the game of golf. To listen to the full interview with First Tee of Greater Akron visit bloomerang.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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405. Making Tech Human + Accessible for the Small Nonprofit - Cherian Koshy

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cherian. This dynamic and innovative fundraiser believes that tech can be accessible to everyone especially the small to medium nonprofit. Following two decades of frontline fundraising, he founded Nonprofit Operating System, a comprehensive platform designed to help organizations streamline their operations and maximize their impact. If you tuned in for 2023 Trend #6: Humanize the Digital Experience this conversation is an excellent part two with practical applications and encouragement. Tune in to learn how technology can help make room for the human elements of our jobs - authenticity, creativity, and empathy 🙌

💡 Learn

How tech tools can lead to more sustainability
Case studies for using technology nonprofits
Tools your nonprofit can try out today

Today’s Guest
Cherian Koshy, Founder, Nonprofit Operating System

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/405.

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404. Good Jobs Friday Series (Pt. 2 For the Hiring Org): How to Find + Hire Remarkable Talent at Your Nonprofit This Year - Brooke Hodnefield and Tim Foot

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Join us for a special two-part series of How to Find + Land a Good Job in the Nonprofit Sector This Year. This week is for individual job seekers. Jon and Becky are joined by Brooke Hodnefield and Tim Foot from Slingshot Group. Alongside our nonprofit hiring expert friends, we’re exploring cultures of hiring, where to start your journey, how to flex your network for good, and practical advice to keep moving forward. Tune in to get re-energized around your job search💼

Today’s Guests
Tim Foot, President + CEO with Brooke Hodnefield, Vice President of Nonprofit Staffing and Coaching at Slingshot Group

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/404.

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403. The Superpower of Listening + Centering Community - Alia Whitney-Johnson

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Alia. While studying engineering at MIT, she traveled to Sri Lanka for tsunami relief work. It was there that her world unexpectedly changed when she met an 11-year-old girl who would change the trajectory of her life forever. This encounter led her to found Emerge Global, an award-winning nonprofit that supports survivors of child sexual abuse in Sri Lanka in healing and developing their self-sufficiency. In her work with children who’ve endured trauma, sexual abuse, and exploitation, she’s centered her work on community, listening and ethical storytelling. Tune-in for an episode that’s heart-wrench and heart-warming

💡 Learn

About Alia’s work in global youth leadership development
The importance of centering community + ethical storytelling
How to listen and the role of listening in developing community

Today’s Guest
Alia Whitney-Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Latina American Leadership Academy

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/403.

About our Sponsor Bloomerang
Support for this show is brought to you by our friends at Bloomerang. Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits, like First Tee of Greater Akron, a nonprofit empowering kids and teens through the game of golf.

Say hi 👋
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402. How to Build Donor Trust with Authentic Marketing - Javan Van Gronigen

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Javan. He’s on a mission to help nonprofits achieve the same level of impact and recognition as major brands. While working as an art director, he found himself pulled toward mission-focused work where his skills could make an even bigger difference. This led him to work with Invisible Children, an org gained worldwide attention through their creation of the Kony 2012 campaign. Javan then founded Donately and Fifty & Fifty to support the many causes and organizations that need that same level of storytelling and digital support. Javan is speaking out language in this episode and has so much wisdom to share with the We Are For Good community 👏Tune in for the playbook on how to take your nonprofit's brand to the next level🚀

💡Learn

Why nonprofits need to think like Fortune 500 brands
The importance of building trust with donors
How to create an effective digital marketing strategy

Today's Guest
Javan Van Gronigen, Creative Director + Founder, Fifty & Fifty + Donately

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/402.

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401. Good Jobs Friday Series (Pt. 1 For the Job Seeker): How to Find + Land a Good Job in the Nonprofit Sector This Year - Brooke Hodnefield and Tim Foot

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

💡 Learn

How to find alignment in your life and work
Interview tips and tricks to share your story
Do This/Not that from hiring experts

Today’s Guests
Tim Foot, President + CEO with Brooke Hodnefield, Vice President of Nonprofit Staffing and Coaching at Slingshot Group

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/401.

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400. Celebrating 400 Episodes of the We Are For Good Podcast 🥳 - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Dana Snyder

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

We’re flipping the script on the 400th episode🥳 Our dear friend Dana Snyder is interviewing Jon and Becky about all things We Are For Good Podcast. We’re diving into the starting point of the pod, PRO, the community and so much more. Join us for a peak behind the curtain at what we’ve learned and what we're forecasting for the next 400 episodes.

💡Learn

The reason behind starting a podcast (BTS stories during launch🙈)
Lessons learned from 400 episodes
What’s ahead for We Are For Good

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/400.

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399. Using TikTok to Grow Your Impact -for Good - Brett Peters

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Brett. He’s the Global Lead for TikTok for Good, TikTok’s social impact content program that inspires and encourages users to have a positive impact on the planet and those around them😍 The TikTok for Good account highlights organizations that have used TikTok to grow their audience, activate supporters and raise awareness around specific causes. You don’t have to learn any dances or lip-sync to share your voice on TikTok. 📷 Join us for the conversation that makes leaning into the power of TikTok accessible and even fun!

💡 Learn

The Future of Digital Media + Nonprofit Marketing
Overview of TikTok for Good
The role of digital media in Gen Z + Gen Alpha’s philanthropy
How nonprofits can get activated around TikTok today

Today’s Guest
Brett Peters, Global Lead, TikTok for Good

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/399.

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398. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Normalize Rest - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Kimberly O'Neil

Fri, 17 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to our Friday Series, 9️⃣Trends that Matter in 2023. Today we’re lifting our final trend, Trend #9: Normalize Rest. We’re all about asking the bigger question here, “What if you cared as much about yourself as you did your mission?” Here to explore this topic with us is Kimberly O'Neil, an award-winning professor, executive leader, and social good expert who was the youngest African-American female city manager in the United States🤩 This powerhouse leader is currently the Founder and CEO of The Giving Blueprint, a Texas-based company that increases community engagement through social business development, strategic partnerships, advocacy, and civic education. Don’t miss this conversation - we need more voices and action pouring into rest across our sector💙

💡Learn

How not prioritizing rest holds our sector back
How we can normalize rest within our organizations
Why rest begins with leadership modeling + advocacy
Examples of organizations and leaders who are leaning into this trend

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/398.

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397. Solving Hunger in America by Locking Arms for Impact - Luis Guardia

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Luis. He’s the President of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), a national nonprofit improving the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against U.S. poverty-related hunger through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. 👏He’s sharing how FRAC locks arms for impact and the ripple effect of those partnerships. We all have a role to play in eradicating poverty-related hunger - tune in!

💡Learn

About Food Research & Action Center Mission and Programs
The impact of FRAC's Healthy School Meals for All Campaign
The importance of partnerships and collaborations in creating lasting impact
How local organizations can get involved in FRAC's work

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/397.

After just one year with Bloomerang they doubled their unique donors, improved donor stewardship, and raised more funds. Executive Director Josh Smith said, “We love Bloomerang. It saves time. It’s helped us raise more funds.” To listen to the full interview with First Tee of Greater Akron visit bloomerang.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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396. A Holistic Approach to Leadership Development - Sonya Perez-Lauterbach

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sonya. When this incredible human entered our midst in the We Are For Good community, we just knew we’d met a kindred spirit. As a certified Leadership and Change Management Coach, she shares her critical insight and support with clients, empowering them to navigate change with more resilience, clarity, and joy. She’s sharing her perspectives on the unique challenges that leaders in the social sector face. Plus, her one good thing, just might be one of our favorites ever 😍Tune in for a mini-coaching session that’s sure to inspire.

💡Learn

The importance of a holistic approach to growth
Why self-care is difficult, especially for those of us in the social sector
Tools for leaders to develop and grow

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/396.

About our Sponsor Bloomerang
Support for this show is brought to you by our friends at Bloomerang. Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits, like First Tee of Greater Akron, a nonprofit empowering kids and teens through the game of golf.

Say hi 👋
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395. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Lock Arms for Impact - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Anne Marie Dougherty

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series, 9️⃣Trends that Matter in 2023. Today we’re diving into Trend #8: Lock Arms for Impact. We can’t go at this alone to accomplish the Impact Uprising. This is going to look a lot like breaking down walls, leaving our silos, and solving for the bigger picture - together. Joining the conversation is Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. She’s sharing her experience around partnerships and moving in lockstep together with other organizations. Tune in to get inspired to do more together🤝

How to rethink partnerships
Attributes of a culture of innovation and collaboration
Case studies demonstrating Lock Arms for Impact

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/395.

About our Sponsor Bloomerang
Support for this show is brought to you by our friends at Bloomerang. Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits, like First Tee of Greater Akron, a nonprofit empowering kids and teens through the game of golf.

Say hi 👋
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394. Building a Strong Nonprofit Brand: Strategies for Lasting Impact - Valerie Brown

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Valerie. This proud New Yorker is an accomplished marketing and technology leader with over 20 years of experience across sectors. While working in media and entertainment (Project Runway marketing royalty here🤩), Valerie discovered her true passion while driving NBC Universal to implement corporate social responsibility efforts. Now, she’s the Nonprofit Industry Advisor at Salesforce where she continues to help orgs successfully implement and adopt technology to scale their marketing efforts. Don’t miss her expert tips to move your organization’s brand forward with marketing

💡Learn

Valerie’s experience and takeaways from working in a variety of sectors
The importance of brand identity and name recognition
Case studies of organizations who are rocking their mission brand!
Examples of normalizing rest in the nonprofit sector

Today’s Guest
Valerie Brown, Nonprofit Industry Advisor, Salesforce

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/394.

About our Sponsor Bloomerang
Support for this show is brought to you by our friends at Bloomerang. Bloomerang offers donor management and online fundraising software that helps small to medium nonprofits. To learn more visit bloomerang.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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393. Principles of Building + Scaling Organizations - Brian Joseph

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Brian. He’s the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of RevJen Group, a social enterprise dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders and their organizations. Through revenue capacity-building workshops, facilitated peer groups, and community membership, RevJen amplifies the impact of leaders in the social sector. Brian is bringing his more than 20 years of experience and unique insights on building and scaling successful organizations to the podcast. Tune in for this conversation about what’s possible for nonprofits as they scale while still sustaining the people and the finances to do more good in the world.

💡 Learn

Principles of Building + Scaling Organizations
Capacity Building Resources
Creating Nonprofit Human + Financial Sustainability

Today’s Guest
Brian Joseph, CEO + Co-Founder, RevGen

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/393.

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392. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Be a Change Agent - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Tania Bhattacharyya

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series, 9️⃣Trends that Matter in 2023. Today we’re breaking down Trend #7: Be a Change Agent. This is the year to find your voice and stand proudly in support of a mission or movement. You have the power to make a difference in the world with your voice. Here to add a spark to this conversation is Tania Bhattacharyya, founder of Lumos Marketing and rockstar fundraiser (she’s raised nearly $8M during her career!) Her superpower is lighting up women and leaders of color voices, opening doorways of opportunity and influence. Don’t miss this conversation - we hope you’ll walk away empowered to share your voice, story, experience and ideas 🗣️

💡Learn

How being a change agent can affect change
8️⃣ Steps to get started on your journey as a change agent
An overview of thought leadership + how you can be a thought leader

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/392.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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391. The Pathway from Chief Development Officer to CEO - Michelle Flores Vryn, CFRE and Adrienne Longnecker, CFRE

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Michelle and Adrienne. We have two dynamic leaders in the house🤩 Michelle is Chief Development Officer at OneStar and Adrienne Executive Director at Colorado River Alliance. They’re talking through their own career pathways and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. We’re exploring the potential pathway from CDO to CEO and the barriers that may exist. Tune in for their expert tips to find alignment in your own journey📍

💡Learn

How to find alignment in your career
The pathway from Chief Development Officer to Chief Executive Officer
How to foster an organizational culture valuing growth

Today’s Guests
Michelle Flores Vryn, CFRE, Chief Development Officer at OneStar + Adrienne Longnecker, CFRE, Executive Director at Colorado River Alliance

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/391.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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390. The Mission of No One Left Behind - Jeff Phaneuf

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Jeff. From high school teacher to Congressional campaign manager to U.S. Marine, Jeff has dedicated his life to serving others. Today, he’s the Director of Advocacy at No One Left Behind, the longest-standing nonprofit dedicated to our local allies from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Tune in to hear how No One Left Behind is advocating to keep our allies safe and provide them with the support they need.

💡 Learn

History + Mission of No One Left Behind
The landscape for U.S. allies following the withdrawal from Afghanistan
How you can support No One Left Behind and their work

Today’s Guest
Jeff Phaneuf, Director of Advocacy, No One Left Behind

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/390.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

389. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Humanize the Digital Experience - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott CFRE and Nejeed Kassam

Fri, 24 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series, Trends that Matter in 2023. We’re going to explore Trend #6: Humanize the Digital Experience today on the podcast. With the emergence of new AI, humanizing the digital experience is more important than ever. Here with us is Nejeed Kassam, Co-Founder and CEO of Keela and Co-Founder of Fundraising Kit, to explore how nonprofits can bring humanity to the forefront of digital experiences. Tune in for a conversation about creativity, building systems of belonging, and how we can work with technology to make our work more human. 👨‍💻

💡Learn

How to build tech systems that create belonging
Goals your nonprofit could implement today
How to not lose our humanity amid automation

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/389.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

388. Want to be a Nonprofit Leader? Here's Your Pathway. - Dr. Patton McDowell, MBA, CFRE

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Patton. This nonprofit consultant and coach has worked with nearly 275 organizations on their leadership development, fundraising and strategic planning. On his podcast Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Patton chats with nonprofit leaders around the world and in 2022 he published a book by the same title. We’re talking about how you can identify your leadership goal and create a detailed plan to get you there. If you’re at an organization looking to invest in the next leader or an employee looking to step into that leadership role, he has the advice to support you on either path. Don’t miss it!

Learn

Barriers that exist around leadership development and how to overcome them
How to identify your leadership goals
The importance of wellness in the sector

Today's Guest
Patton McDowell, Founder, PMA Nonprofit Leadership

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/388.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

387. How to Build the Infrastructure to Succeed in Fundraising - Mary Hackett

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Mary. As a frontline fundraiser, she built her own software to crunch the numbers saving herself time and energy and her fundraising results skyrocketed 🚀 Ten years ago, she founded Databasey, which has helped more than 500 organizations make sense of their data. She’s sharing her insights for making data and operations more streamlined and user-friendly. Tune in to get excited about using your database and achieving your fundraising goals this year🎉

💡 Learn

The importance of operations in fundraising
How to collaborate across operations and development teams
How to work smarter, not harder through automation

Today’s Guest
Mary Hackett, Founder, Databasey

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/387.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

386. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Community is Core - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Floyd Jones

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series, 9️⃣Trends that Matter in 2023. Today we’re exploring Trend #5: Community is Core. It’s no secret that we believe community everything, and we want to empower you to co-build a community around your missions. The philosophy of community building is no longer “build it and they will come.” True community is building WITH people. Plus, this conversation means we get to hang out with one of the best community builders we know, Floyd Jones, Director of Community and Partnerships at Givebutter. Join us as we chat about building, engaging and activating those nearest and dearest to build movements that have the power to change the world🌎

💡Learn

What community looks like in today’s world
How you can utilize data to find your core supporters
The role of listening in building community

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/386.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

385. Centering People-Driven Analytics + Data Equity - Meena Das

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Meena. She’s a community data strategist who helps nonprofits and social impact agencies advance human-centered data insights - focusing on equitable research tools and analyzing engagement. She helps nonprofits and social impact agencies with mindful research practices for a social justice-centered community. Plus, she’s just an incredible human who volunteers as advisor to 10+ amazing small-shops across North America, mentors immigrant women in technology and data science-related careers and is creating an online school called Data Is For Everyone! Don’t miss this conversation that will help us humanize data and put these principles into action 📊

Learn

The importance of People-Driven Analytics
What Data Equity + Community Centric Data Principles are
How you can apply these concepts to your work

Today’s Guest
Meena Das, Founder + Principal, NamasteData

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/385.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

384. 9 Tools for Creating Social Impact - Jacob Harold

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:00:00 -0600

Meet Jacob. This former Greenpeace activist, social change strategist and former President and CEO of Guidestar (now Candid) has seen social movements rise to make lasting impact in our world. His recent book “The Toolbox: Methods and Mindsets for Maximizing Social Impact” is the book for changemakers and he’s exploring the concepts in the book with us on the podcast 🙌Tune in for this deep dive into social impact case studies, tools, strategies and so much more.

💡 Learn

Methods and Mindsets for Maximizing Social Impact
Do’s and Don’ts of Creating a Social Movement
Tools to create a true and lasting impact

Today’s Guest
Jacob Harold, Social Change Strategist + Author

Episode Highlights

Jacob’s story and journey to where he is today (2:30)
9 Tools (10:00)
Game Theory (12:30)
Design Thinking (17:00)
Do’s and Don’ts of social movements (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jacob’s life (38:00)
Jacob’s One Good Thing: Ground yourself in purpose and ethics. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/384.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

383. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Marketing is Mission - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Eric Ressler

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series, 9️⃣ Trends that Matter in 2023 Today we’re breaking down Trend #4: Marketing is Mission. Marketing is no longer a facet of your mission, it IS your mission manifested. Eric Ressler, Founder and Creative Director at Cosmic, is joining us for the conversation to break down why communication, design and marketing are keys to organizational success. Join us as we explore how the way you attract, market and find your believers is mission work.

💡Learn

The importance of getting clear on values, mission and vision
How nonprofits can leverage the curator economy
The role culture plays in your brand and marketing

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting: Marketing is Mission (1:20)
Community voices around this trend (7:50)
Case Studies (10:00)
Pro Tips (11:35)
Why Eric believes Marketing is Mission (14:35)
Action centers + action hubs (16:55)
Creator economy (20:00)
Become a new media company (23:05)
Mindsets about marketing to release and hold onto (27:15)
Case study of this idea in action: Constructive Dialogue Institute (30:10)
Eric’s One Good Thing: Curiosity. (33:50)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/383.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

382. The New Playbook: Investing in Young People to Tackle Climate Change - Lissie Garvin

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Lissie. She’s the Foundation and Fellowship Program Director for the 776 Foundation, an org we truly believe will change the world. It was founded to fund problem-solvers combatting inequity worldwide through brilliant and creative methods. Focused specifically on climate change as a “technological, social, and political issue,” the fellowship’s first round of funding was awarded to 20 individuals under the age of 23. Tune in to hear how young people are empowered with tools, resources and network to combat climate change 💪🌎

💡 Learn

Overview of the 776 Foundation
The inspiration behind starting the 776’s Climate Fellows Cohort
How a two-year cash gift of $100K + network + Cerbro is powering these innovators
The power of social enterprise solutions

Today’s Guest

Lissie Garvin, Foundation and Fellowship Program Director, 776 Foundation

Episode Highlights

Lissie’s story and journey to where she is today (5:40)
Overview of 776 (11:15)
Where the idea of the cohort came from (16:35)
What Lissie has learned about Gen Z (26:40)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Lissie’s life (36:30)
Lissie’s One Good Thing: Connecting people (39:30)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/382.

Say hi 👋
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381. The Love of Books + The Power of Community: Meet the Little Free Library - Greig Metzger

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Greig. He’s the Executive Director of Little Free Library, an org that builds community, increases access to books and inspires readers 😍📖 This movement continues to grow with more than 150,000 registered book-sharing boxes worldwide in all 50 states, 115 countries and seven continents - all run by volunteers. But, that’s not all - this nonprofit grants Little Free Libraries full of books to areas that most need it through its Impact Library Program and champions diverse books through its Read in Color initiative. This conversation is heart-warming and inspiring - don’t miss it! 📚

💡 Learn

Overview of the Little Free Library movement
How orgs can stay true to their missions while meeting community needs
How you can get involved with Little Free Library

Today’s Guest
Greig Metzger, Executive Director, Little Free Library

Episode Highlights

Greig’s story and journey to where he is today (3:20)
History of Little Free Libraries (11:00)
The gap Little Free Library is filling and the impact they’re seeing (12:00)
Read in Color Initiative (17:00)
Greig’s One Good Thing: Be willing to swing and miss. (35:00)
How to connect with Little Free Library (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/381.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

380. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Giving is Identity - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and T. Clay Buck, CFRE

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series, 9️⃣ Trends that Matter in 2023🥳 This week, we’re exploring Trend #3: Giving is Identity. We believe everyone can be a philanthropist. Giving is part of what makes us who we are and when nonprofits can find value-aligned supporters and activate them something magical happens. Here to dive into this further with us is Clay Buck. Tune in for a conversation about the opportunities that exist when we invite people at all giving levels in a way that is open and inclusive.

💡Learn

How to move beyond basic affinity to find alignment of identity + values
PRO tips to make it easy for supporters to represent your org
Data about how giving can become a part of your identity

Episode Highlights

The Generosity Crisis (2:10)
Everyone can be a philanthropist (4:25)
Case Study for Giving is Identity: charity: water’s The Spring (5:15)
Correlation between giving + Identity (11:20)
The Generosity Ecosystem (12:40)
Data around giving and identity (16:00)
Philanthropic Psychology (22:20)
Clay’s One Good Thing: Take care of you and honor your identity. (27:15)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/380.

Say hi 👋
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379. Learning to be an Ethical Storyteller - Christy Kern

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Christy. She believes words matter. As a communications consultant and ethical storytelling purist, she guides nonprofits through the process of creating storytelling that is both ethical and effective. She’s talking through how to bring humanity front and center as we collect and share stories. Her love of ethical storytelling is contagious - tune in for inspiration and practical tips.

💡 Learn

Four Keys of Communication
Ethical Storytelling: What is it and why it matters
The role of relationships in ethical storytelling

Today’s Guest
Christy Kern, StoryBrand Facilitator, Ethical Storytelling Researcher

Episode Highlights

Christy’s story and journey to where she is today (1:50)
Tone setting - the keys of communication and how it relates to nonprofits (5:30)
Christy’s 4 Guiding Principles to Communication:
1. To be clear is to be kind.
2. Upholding dignity is paramount.
3. Always anchor in value.
4. Know what you are for.
Ethical storytelling and how you work with clients to tell their stories in a dignified way (18:00)
Story stewardship (21:00)
Relationship over commodity (23:00)
Christy’s research around ethical storytelling (27:00)
Do this / not that with ethical storytelling (31:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Christy’s life (34:00)
Christy’s One Good Thing: Find or create a space where you can be vulnerable and make mistakes. (38:00)
How to connect with Christy (42:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/379.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

378. Unlocking the Impact of Proximate Leadership - Tulaine Montgomery

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Tulaine. She’s a social entrepreneur, educator and community organizer. She serves as Co-CEO at New Profit, a venture philanthropy org that backs social entrepreneurs who are advancing equity and opportunity. She’s sharing how leaning into proximity, though listening and valuing people's lived experience, can lead to true transformation. Don’t miss Tulaine’s heartwired counsel that had us nodding along the whole conversation.

Learn

The power of proximity in the social impact space
Examples of proximate leadership + insight
How busyness can be a cover for mediocrity

Today’s Guest
Tulaine Montgomery, Co-CEO, New Profit

Episode Highlights

Tulaine’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Proximity as a value (11:45)
Listening (15:00)
How the social sector can rise up to meet this moment (19:00)
Example of proximate insight + leadership: GirlTrek (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Tulaine’s life (41:00)
Tulaine’s One Good Thing: The Stockdale Paradox - have unshakeable faith and an unblinking eye. (52:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/378.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

377. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023: Trust Based Philanthropy - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Carolina García Jayaram

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series, 9️⃣ Trends that Matter in 2023 🥳 In week three, we’re taking a look at the 2nd trend: Trust Based Philanthropy + Leadership. We couldn’t have this conversation without inviting Carolina García Jayaram to talk about what this looks like in action. She’s the Founding CEO at The Elevate Prize Foundation, where their goal is to Make Good Famous. Tune in for a conversation about how the power of trust at nonprofit orgs is accelerating our impact and success 🙌

💡Learn

What happens when organizations operate without trust
The role transparency plans in trust
Examples of what trust-based philanthropy and leadership looks like

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

376. A Crash Course on Major Gift Qualification - Meg George

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Meg. She’s Co-Founder and President of George Philanthropy Group, where their team has raised over $1B as major gift advisors, Meg’s career changed when she learned which questions to ask and how to pose them. She’s sharing those lessons learned including 1) how to qualify your major gift asks and 2) ensuring your asks will be strategically aligned. This episode is a must-listen for fundraisers with big dreams for 2023 - tune in!

💡 Learn

Why qualification is the key to successfully securing major gifts
How to develop authentic relations as a fundraiser
Major gift best practices for today’s philanthropic landscape

Today’s Guest
Meg George, Co-Founder and President, George Philanthropy Group

Episode Highlights

Meg’s story and journey to where she is today (2:50)
Major Gift best practices considering this current landscape (6:20)
Cultivate a major gifts program that doesn’t exist today (10:00)
Qualification (15:00)
What does modern qualification look like in the digital age (25:50)
Being a change agent (32:50)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Meg’s life (41:15)
Meg’s One Good Thing: Work smarter not harder. (44:50)
Connect with Meg and George Philanthropy Group (46:10)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/376.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

375. How to Tap Your Courage Consistently + Reach Your Highest Potential - Antoinetta Mosley

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Antoinetta. She’s a courage curator, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategist, author and CEO at I Follow the Leader LLC. She’s a big believer in the power of consistently cultivating courage. We’re so excited for her to join us on the podcast today and share her playbook for how we can step out of complacency and into courage - don’t miss it.

💡 Learn

About the 7 Attributes of Courage
How courageous conversations build cultures people celebrate
Why your nonprofit shouldn’t DIY Your DEI

Today’s Guest
Antoinetta Mosley, CEO, I Follow the Leader LLC

Episode Highlights

Antoinetta’s story and journey to where she is today (3:30)
Tone Setting (6:00)
Antoinetta’s New Book: 6 Months of Courage Candy: Consistently Cultivate Courage to Reach Your Highest Potential (13:00)
Seven attributes of Courage (17:00)
How to create an action plan to implement today’s topics (20:00)
Cultivating equitable spaces (22:00)
Why your nonprofit shouldn’t DIY Your DEI (27:00)
Example organization that has done this work + done it well (31:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Antoinetta’s life (33:00)
Antoinetta’s One Good Thing: Courage Over Complacency. (36:00)
How to connect with Antoinetta (38:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/375.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

374. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter: Prioritizing Self Growth - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Mallory Erickson

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Last week, we kicked off our Friday Series on 9️⃣ Trends that Matter in 2023 with a tonesetting conversation.🥳 This week, we’re diving into the 1st trend: Prioritizing Self-Growth. Plus, we brought in our dear friend Mallory Erickson who is one of the wisest people we know to speak into how you can and need to invest in yourself. She provides a roadmap for personal self-growth and gives the pep-talk you didn’t know you needed to focus on your professional and personal development this year💪

💡Learn

How to cultivate a growth mindset
The importance of finding your community of belonging + accountability
Practical tips to live out your values and take care of yourself

Episode Highlights

Roadmap for personal self-growth this year (2:40)
- Let’s celebrate where you are right now.
- Set intentions to align your habits + actions around what you want to accomplish personally + professionally
- Advocate for yourself.
- Create space.
- Don’t give yourself a deadline. Self-Growth is an ongoing process, not a to-do list.
- Share what you are learning in community.
Case study: Episode 133. The 3 Step Formula to Creating Lasting Social Change - Taneshia Nash Laird (5:50)
PRO tips for Prioritizing Self-Growth (7:00)
- Release the burden of guilt that you’re spending too much time on yourself.
- Make a 1% shift somewhere in your life.
What self-growth means to Mallory + how it has shifted throughout her career (12:45)
Setting goals around self-growth (15:20)
How to move forward in alignment with your values (20:05)
Mallory’s One Good Thing: Don’t silo the pieces of your humaneness. (36:55)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/374.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

373. Born This Way Foundation: Building a Kinder, Braver World - Alex Aide

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Alex. He’s the Director of Programs + Impact at Born this Way Foundation. That’s right - Born This Way Foundation - as in the nonprofit co-founded and led by Lady Gaga and Cynthia Germanotta 🤩 The team at Born This Way have spent the past 🔟 years working with and for young people to build a kinder, braver world - particularly. Alex talks us through their high-impact programming, youth-led conversations and their swoon-worthy mission to make kindness cool. They’re breaking down the stigma around mental health too. Tune in to find out how.

💡Learn

The mission of Born This Way Foundation
How Born This Way Foundation leans into community + collaboration to deepen impact
What happens when you empower the voice of your community

Today’s Guest
Alex Aide, Director of Programs + Impact, Born This Way Foundation

Episode Highlights

Alex’s story and journey to where he is today (4:15)
Overview and history of the Born This Way Foundation (11:15)
Overview of Born This Way Foundation’s Programs (16:05)
Be There Certificate (22:00)
2022 Impact Report (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Alex’s life (39:50)
Alex’s One Good Thing: You matter. (45:00)
How to connect with Born This Way Foundation (46:25)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/373.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

372. Starting + Sustaining a Planned Giving Program - Tony Martignetti

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Tony. If you term “planned giving” strikes either fear or confusion in your heart, get excited, because we brought the OG of planned giving knowledge and dispelling tired myths about this part of our business. For more than two decades, he’s been starting and growing planned giving programs at nonprofits across the United States. He’s sharing how to know when your nonprofit is ready to take this step and what it takes to set up a planned giving program. Tune in to have all your planned giving anxieties eased🙌

💡Learn

Must haves to start your planned giving program
How to sustain planned giving programs
Myths of planned giving

Today’s Guest
Tony Martignetti, Evangelist, Planned Giving Accelerator

Episode Highlights

Tony’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
Myths of planned giving (11:40)
Overview of bequests (12:10)
The must haves of planned giving programs (21:30)
Bringing new energy to planned giving programs (24:00)
Do This / Not That with Planned Giving (27:00)
Sustaining a planned giving program (32:10)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Tony’s life (35:00)
Tony’s One Good Thing: Every day is a new opportunity. (37:20)
How to connect with Tony (38:30)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/372.

Planned Giving Accelerator is an online membership community, where folks in small- and mid-size nonprofits learn to launch Planned Giving fundraising in their orgs. This adds value to your fundraising toolkit, with a method of starting or growing your endowment. You’ll learn how to raise long-term, sustainability-type gifts in donors’ wills. Tony Martignetti teaches the 3-month course, yet members learn as much from their peers as they do from him in the Accelerator weekly 1-hour meetings together. The next class starts in early March and you’ll be done by Memorial Day. Information is at PlannedGivingAccelerator.com.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
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371. 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Join Jon and Becky as we kick off our 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023 Series! This is the primer for the trends we believe nonprofits should prioritize in the new year and beyond. We'll dive deeply into each topic over the course of the coming weeks to ensure you're informed and activated. We’re sharing how you can shift your mindsets to meet the moment, tips for success and examples of who’s already doing it well in the sector.

Episode Highlights

Embracing evolution in 2023 (1:00)
How do we center our work in joy? (2:00)
Tone setting + mindset work this year (5:00)
9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023 (10:00)
- 1. Prioritizing Self Growth
- 2. Trust-Based Philanthropy + Leadership
- 3. Giving is Identity
- 4. Marketing is Mission
- 5. Community is Core
- 6. Humanize the Digital Experience
- 7. Be a Change Agent
- 8. Lock Arms for Impact
- 9. Normalize Rest
FREE Workshop: 9 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2023
Join the We Are For Good Community
Start Learning Today in We Are For Good PRO

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/371.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
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370. Leveraging a Venture Mindset in Philanthropy: Investing in Bold, Unproven Ideas - Rena Greifinger

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Rena. She’s an award-winning social entrepreneur, philanthropy leader, and advocate for women and girls. She’s the Director of Individual Philanthropy at Population Services International (PSI) and the Managing Director of Maverick Collective by PSI, a community of bold philanthropists advancing health and gender equity. We’re chatting through taking a business approach to saving lives and providing real solutions to complex health problems. Tune in to hear her incredible wisdom on how we can reimagine philanthropic models to create sustainable and scalable solutions.

💡Learn

Maverick Collective’s Unique Philanthropic Model
An overview of the Triple Impact Framework
How your nonprofit can move towards sustainability and scalability

Today’s Guest

Rena Greifinger, Director of Individual Philanthropy, Population Services International (PSI) and Managing Director, Maverick Collective by PSI

Episode Highlights

Rena’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Building authentic and equitable partnerships (17:00)
Leverage a Venture Mindset: Investing in Bold, Unproven Ideas (23:00)
A story of the Triple Impact Framework playing out (30:00)
Advice for nonprofits to move towards sustainability and scalability (39:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rena’s life (44:00)
Rena’s One Good Thing: Surround yourself with the best people who can make your vision a reality with you. (48:00)
How to connect with Rena and PSI and Maverick Collective (50:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/370.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

369. Below the Surface of charity: water's $700M+ Impact - Scott Harrison

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Scott. This nightclub promoter turned nonprofit founder won’t stop until all people have access to clean water. In 16 years, charity: water has funded over 111,000 water projects in 29 countries bringing water to more than 15 million people. With a focus on innovation, Scott leads charity: water with optimism and a can-do-attitude. You won’t want to miss this conversation that’s a pep-talk for anyone making a difference - wherever you are in the world 🌏💙 We’re so glad you’re here for the premier of season 7 on the We Are For Good Podcast.

💡Learn

What Scott thinks about instead of the nonprofit sector
How Charity: water’s monthly giving community The Spring started
The importance of optimism + building believers

Today’s Guest
Scott Harrison, Founder and CEO, charity: water

Episode Highlights

Scott’s story and journey to where he is today (1:50)
Mindsets Scott leans into (7:20)
charity: water’s unique funding model (15:35)
Building believers (21:30)
The Spring, charity: water’s monthly giving program (36:35)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Scott’s life (34:45)
Scott’s One Good Thing: Share your stories. (41:10)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/369.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
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368. Best of Season 6 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Julie Confer

Wed, 28 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Jon, Becky and Julie are in the house for the Season 6 Finale 🎉Tune in to hear the biggest takeaways we've gleaned six months of action-packed, impact-forward conversations. Tune in for the best-of-the-best convos and the themes that thread through the season. Plus, we’re giving you one more gift before we ring in 2023 - a playlist of the top 15 most downloaded episodes during season 6. Tune in and take notes✍️

Episode Highlights

Season 6 highlights (2:10)
2022 Highlights (4:40)
Tone setting: Find Hope + Look Over the Horizon (7:40)
Trends lifted throughout season 6 (10:00)
- Purpose driven events + experiences + partnerships
- Embrace technology + digital transformation
- Trust-based leadership
- Keep your compassion in check
- Don’t just “move the needle,” change the culture
- Collective giving
Themes to remember looking ahead to 2023 (25:20)
- Everyone is a philanthropist.
- Lean into vulnerability and balance within your teams.
- Share your story…constantly and authentically.
- Community is everything.
One Good Thing (27:15)
- Becky: Self-care is a human right.
- Jon: “Know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing.” -Will Rogers
- Julie: Look up.
Calls to Action (41:00)
- Listen: Top 15 Episodes of Season 6 Playlist
- How can we help you? Email where you’re stuck to hello@weareforgood.com.
- Join the We Are For Good Community.

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/368.

About our sponsor, Philanthropy Together
We believe that everyone can be a philanthropist. Together, let’s create a world filled with passionate, empowered people giving collectively and intentionally.
The first training of the new year is Wednesday, January 18th - and you can sign up or learn more at philanthropytogether.org.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

367. Good Humans of 2022: Meghana Gunturi

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Meghana. This high-schooler is the founder of Neurodiversity Horizons, a nonprofit that aims to increase public accommodation for people with disabilities. Neurodiversity Horizons has 22 international chapters (Switzerland, Australia, France, India, UK, South Africa, Canada, and all over the United States). She runs social media campaigns to generate awareness and launched a podcast that has been heard in more than 11 countries. She has spoken about this initiative at the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit to 5,000+ attendees. It’s an honor to celebrate the diversity of the human brain with this Gen-Z founder. We love her moxie and how she’s boldly making the change she wants to see in the world. We’re rooting for you Meghana!

Today’s Guest
Meghana Gunturi, High Schooler in Southern California and Founder of Neurodiversity Horizons

Episode Highlights

Meghana’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
What is neurodiversity and some of the stigmas surrounding it (8:21)
About Neurodiversity Horizons (12:00)
Meghana’s love for entrepreneurship (20:00)
Neurodiversity Horizons’s board (24:00)
Gen Z and the future of the sector (27:00)
Meghana’s ultimate dream for philanthropy and advocacy (33:00)
Favorite charity other than Neurodiversity Horizons: Best Buddies (36:00)
Favorite human quality: Kindness and teamwork (36:00)
What the nonprofit community could learn from Meghana’s experience? (41:00)
Meghana’s One Good Thing: Perseverance. (44:00)
How to connect with Neurodiversity Horizons (46:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/367.

About our Good Humans Week Presenting Sponsor, Goodworld
Good Humans Week presenting sponsor Goodworld is helping nonprofits and companies level up their culture and impact by democratizing giving. Goodworld's leading all-in-one solution for workplace giving, donation matching, volunteering, and charitable rewards is perfect for purpose driven organizations of every shape and size.

We're partnering with Goodworld to give the gift of giving back. Goodworld's gift cards are the most impactful gift for every occasion. A gift card lets you send donors, employees, customers and friends dollars to donate to their favorite charitable cause. So come on, let's change the world together with gifts that make a difference at goodworldnow.com/givecards.

About our sponsor, Philanthropy Together
We believe that everyone can be a philanthropist. Together, let’s create a world filled with passionate, empowered people giving collectively and intentionally.
The first training of the new year is Wednesday, January 18th - and you can sign up or learn more at philanthropytogether.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

366. Good Humans of 2022: Kevin Clayton

Wed, 21 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Kevin. Senior Vice President, Head of Social Impact and Equity at the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He believes everyone is part of the diversity and inclusion landscape. Through this approach, he has created results affecting representation and culture in the workplace, revenue from the marketplace, authentic community and fan engagement. It's no wonder he was named as one of the 2022 Good Humans Award winners by GoodWorld, which honors people who create a ripple of positive change in their community, at work, and beyond. He’s breaking down how he gets people on board with this critical work and how recognizing people’s humanity is more important than titles. Grateful for your leadership and passion, Kevin!

Today’s Guest
Kevin Clayton, Senior Vice President, Head of Social Impact and Equity, Cleveland Cavaliers

Episode Highlights

Kevin’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
Cavs programming and the Cleveland community (14:00)
The house on fire analogy (28:00)
Business strategy + diversity and inclusion (32:25)
Building inclusive communities (41:30)
Allyship (52:05)
Kevin’s One Good Thing: Diversity, inclusion, equity is how we come together from a humanity standpoint. (54:40)
How to connect with Kevin (53:15)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/366.

About our Good Humans Week Presenting Sponsor, Goodworld
Good Humans Week presenting sponsor Goodworld is helping nonprofits and companies level up their culture and impact by democratizing giving. Goodworld's leading all-in-one solution for workplace giving, donation matching, volunteering, and charitable rewards is perfect for purpose driven organizations of every shape and size.

We're partnering with Goodworld to give the gift of giving back. Goodworld's gift cards are the most impactful gift for every occasion. A gift card lets you send donors, employees, customers and friends dollars to donate to their favorite charitable cause. So come on, let's change the world together with gifts that make a difference at goodworldnow.com/givecards.

About our sponsor, Philanthropy Together
We believe that everyone can be a philanthropist. Together, let’s create a world filled with passionate, empowered people giving collectively and intentionally.
The first training of the new year is Wednesday, January 18th - and you can sign up or learn more at philanthropytogether.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

365. Good Humans of 2022: Jon - Adrian "JJ" Velasquez

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet JJ. He’s worked tirelessly to redefine the humanity of incarcerated people . Even while spending 24 years incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, he seized every opportunity to learn, lead, support and give to others. This fierce advocate for justice holds many titles including son, dad and grandpa. He’s co-founder of Voices From Within, an educational program addressing gun violence in New York City as well as Program Director at The Frederick Douglass Project for Justice. From Sing Sing prison to the West Wing. From a prison classroom to Columbia University. JJ will quiet your shock and bitterness and replace it with hope and belief in second chances. This is a conversation about humanity. About redemption. About chasing justice rather than vengeance. And about how each of us have a role to play in equalizing and humanizing each other. Thank you for modeling it first, JJ.

Episode Highlights

JJ’s childhood growing up (3:30)
Re-defining the humanity of men inside the system (26:00)
Redemption + Where he’s found hope (45:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in JJ’s life (56:20)
JJ’s One Good Thing: What defines me is not the time I lost, but the time I donated. (1:02:20)
JJ’s favorite human quality: humility. (1:03:40)
How to connect with JJ (1:04:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/365.

About our Good Humans Week Presenting Sponsor, Goodworld
Good Humans Week presenting sponsor Goodworld is helping nonprofits and companies level up their culture and impact by democratizing giving. Goodworld's leading all-in-one solution for workplace giving, donation matching, volunteering, and charitable rewards is perfect for purpose driven organizations of every shape and size.

We're partnering with Goodworld to give the gift of giving back. Goodworld's gift cards are the most impactful gift for every occasion. A gift card lets you send donors, employees, customers and friends dollars to donate to their favorite charitable cause. So come on, let's change the world together with gifts that make a difference at goodworldnow.com/givecards.

About our sponsor, Philanthropy Together
We believe that everyone can be a philanthropist. Together, let’s create a world filled with passionate, empowered people giving collectively and intentionally.

The first training of the new year is Wednesday, January 18th - and you can sign up or learn more at philanthropytogether.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

364. Habits of an Impactful + Innovative Nonprofit - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Meghan Cressman

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Welcome back to our Habits of an Impactful Nonprofit Friday series. We’re ending this series by looking at the entire nonprofit shop with Meghan Cressman, Senior Director of Development at New Story. We're bringing tips, case studies and the Do's/Dont's for a modern, innovative nonprofit. Tune in as we round out this Friday series with the belief that powerful impact-driven philanthropy transforms organizations, lifts up communities and changes lives🙌

Special Guest
Meghan Cressman, Senior Director of Development, New Story

Episode Highlights

Megan’s story and journey to where she is today (3:45)
Asking the bigger question (6:35)
Habits of an innovative nonprofit (11:20)
Fostering innovation on your team (15:25)
Types of donor relationships New Story prioritizes (19:45)
Do This / Not That (24:35)
KPIs that Matter (27:10)
Mental Health Minute (31:25)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/364.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

363. What's Working in Nonprofit Marketing + a Crash Course in Using Digital Ads to Grow Your Impact - Aidan Augustin

Wed, 14 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Aidan. This founder is the king of our favorite phrase “try stuff.” We love our buds at Feathr who are leading the way with digital marketing support for nonprofits. He recognizes marketing often gets a bad wrap, and he’s brought the case for why now is the time nonprofits need to lean in. Tune in for his expert tips and advice for the new digital marketing adapter 👨‍💻✌️

💡Learn

Website retargeting, email mapping, digital ad campaigns + more!
Digital marketing 101 for the new adopter
Best practices in digital marketing today + the need for testing

Today’s Guest
Aidan Augustin, Co-founder and President, Feathr

Episode Highlights

Aidan’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
Organizational mindset around marketing (12:35)
Digital Marketing 101 (16:50)
Case studies of nonprofits using digital advertising (24:10)
The need for testing (27:20)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Aidan’s life (30:05)
Aidan’s One Good Thing: Lead with Vulnerability (32:55)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/363.

Say hi 👋
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362. How to End Poverty: Evidence-based Impact + Centering Community - Heather Reynolds

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Heather. She’s the Managing Director at Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) where research is identifying the programs and policies that help people move permanently out of poverty. LEO’s nonprofit partners test their ideas and programs and then share their strategies to ultimately have an even greater impact in the pursuit of eradicating poverty. Tune in for this conversation that’s grounded equally in data and hope🥰👏

💡Learn

The current state of poverty in the United States
The mission of Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities
Impact evaluations and how nonprofits can use them

Today’s Guest

Heather Reynolds, Managing Director, Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities at University of Notre Dame

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/362.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

361. Habits of an Impactful Donor Relations Officer - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, Lynne Wester and T. Clay Buck

Fri, 09 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Welcome back to our Friday Series: The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. We simply couldn’t miss the opportunity to talk all things donor relations with two of the most dynamic people we know - Lynne Wester (The DRG Group) and T. Clay Buck (TCB Fundraising). They’re sharing their collective wisdom including the one KPI you need to measure, building an attitude of gratitude and mental health tips. Don’t miss this action-packed episode created with the modern donor relations officer in-mind🤝

Special Guests

Lynne Wester, Principal and Founder of The DRG Group
T. Clay Buck, Principal and Founder of TCB Fundraising

Episode Highlights

Asking the bigger question as a donor relations officer (2:50)
3 Daily Habits for the donor relations officer (6:25)
- Living life with an attitude of gratitude
- Look for the unsung heroes - work on advocating for those folks
- Be a proactive problem solver
Relationships to prioritize in donor relations (11:45)
Do This / Not That (15:15)
KPIs that Matter / Don’t Matter (22:55)
Mental Health Minute (27:50)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/361.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

360. Passive Revenue for Nonprofit Orgs? Omni-channel Corporate Giving Opportunities - Melissa Moody

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Meet Melissa. This marketer spent 13 years at Google before co-founding Gated, a startup challengings unknown senders to donate to charity in order to reach you - so everything in your inbox is worth your attention. Join us for a conversation all about modern corporate social responsibility programs and how nonprofits can maximize their digital footprint even when strapped for money and time⌛

💡Learn

Evolution of corporate social responsibility
How nonprofits can maximize the impact of “roll-up” programs
New partnership opportunities using organic social media

Today’s Guest
Melissa Moody, Co-Founder and Head of Marketing, Gated

Episode Highlights

Melissa’s story + journey to where she is today (3:50)
Corporate Social Responsibility 2.0 Model (7:25)
Overview of Gated (10:15)
Value of Role Up Programs (AmazonCircle, Target Circle, etc.) and how to optimize them (15:00)
Showing up and listening on social media (16:05)
Modern marketing opportunities for nonprofits (21:40)
Melissa’s One Good Thing: Try Gated. (26:45)
How to connect with Melissa (27:45)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/360.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

359. New Year Prep Talk: How to Create a Fundraising Roadmap - Barbara O'Reilly

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Meet Barbara. With her 30 years of experience in fundraising, she understands fundraising is more than just raising money. She’s bringing her roadmap📍🗺️ at just the right time, as many of us are looking toward the new year. Join us to talk about how to outline this strategy, conditions for growth, and how to prioritize capacity building. Don’t miss this hopeful conversation that will help you exhale during the busyness of December😌💨

💡Learn

How to create a Fundraising Roadmap + Strategy for the New Year
Conditions that lead to growth
Baking capacity building into your strategy

Today’s Guest
Barbara O’Reilly, CFRE, Founder and Principal, Windmill Consulting

Episode Highlights

Barbara’s story and journey to where she is today (1:40)
Mindset and goals moving into the new year (6:30)
Data and research around fundraising plans (9:00)
Developing conditions for growth (17:45)
Creating ownership throughout the whole organization (23:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Barbara’s life (36:00)
Barbara’s One Good Thing: Pause and build in time each and every day to do something that connects with our donors. (39:40)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/359.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

358. Habits of an Impactful Storyteller - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Julia Campbell

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Welcome back to our Friday Series: The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we’re chatting about impactful storytelling with Julia Campbell, nonprofit storytelling expert and our very first podcast guest. She’s sharing her insight on defining your goal, balancing qualitative and quantitative information, and developing trust. Tune in for tips, case studies and the Do’s/Dont’s for the modern nonprofit storyteller. 📝

Special Guest
Julia Campbell, Founder, J Campbell Social Marketing and Author, Storytelling in the Digital Age

Episode Highlights

Asking the bigger question (4:00)
Habits to become a more impactful storyteller (9:05)
Relationships to prioritize (13:45)
Do This/Not That that make an impactful storyteller (18:50)
KPI’s that matter (25:40)
A powerful story that impacted Julia (30:20)
Sustainability and mental health tips (35:15)
How to connect with Julia (37:30)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/358.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

357. Adopting the Startup Mentality to Build Resilient Organizations - Dominic Kalms

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Meet Dominic. He’s an entrepreneur, founder, philanthropist and a big believer in our collective ability to achieve more together through technology. Today, Dominic is CEO of B Generous, which is changing how people donate to nonprofits through the first-ever philanthropic credit product. We chat about practices and mindsets that will set your nonprofit up for resiliency and success even amid challenging times.

💡Learn

How nonprofits can learn from start-ups + lean into innovation
The pillars of resilient nonprofit organizations
Fundraising during economic downturns
Opportunities to lean into creative + digital marketing

Today’s Guest
Dominic Kalms, CEO + Founder, B Generous

Episode Highlights

Dominic’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
How nonprofits can think more like businesses (12:35)
Building resilient organizations (16:55)
Adjusting your mindset (21:55)
How the success of e-commerce can be applied to philanthropy (25:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dominic’s life (28:20)
Dominic’s One Good Thing: Failure is a prerequisite to success. (43:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/357.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

356. One Bold Move a Day: How to Feel More Clear, Confident + Intentional in Reaching Your Goals - Shanna Hocking

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Meet Shanna. Prior to founding Hocking Leadership, she spent 2 decades at major nonprofit orgs including the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Alabama, and Duke University and has personally raised upwards of $153 million. Her brand-new book One Bold Move a Day is a roadmap to achieving your career, leadership, and personal goals with intention and joy. Tune in for an uplifting, encouraging and actionable conversation

💡Learn

The meaning of One Bold Move a Day
4 key mindsets that enable us to make bold moves
Tools to address burnout, fatigue, and overwhelm in the nonprofit field

Today’s Guest
Shanna Hocking, Principal of Hocking Leadership, Podcast Host and Author of “One Bold Move a Day”

Episode Highlights

Shanna’s story and journey to where she is today (2:45)
One Bold Move a Day (7:15)
4 Key Mindsets of One Bold Move A Day (11:25)
- Gratitude Mindset
- And Mindset
- Happiness Mindset
- Progress Mindset
The And Mindset in action (16:50)
Applying these mindsets to mental health and self care (22:15)
A profound moment of philanthropy in Shanna’s life (26:25)
How to connect with Shanna and buy “One Bold Move A Day” (30:35)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/356.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

355. Building Community Around the World: Meet A Child’s Hope Foundation - Cameron Outlaw

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Cameron. He’s the Director of Global Partnerships at A Child's Hope Foundation, an org existing to break the cycle of poverty and trauma for orphaned and vulnerable children 🙌He recognizes there’s no magic cure to solving complex global problems, and he’s passionate about asset-based community development, collaboration, empowerment, and education. We’re fortunate enough to see this playout first-hand in the We Are For Good Community where he spearheads our Community channel for International Development 🌎Don’t miss this convo that’s centered around worldwide belonging and relationship-building🥰

Today’s Guest
Cameron Outlaw, Director of Global Partnerships, A Child's Hope Foundation

Episode Highlights

Cameron’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
Overview of A Child’s Hope Foundation (10:30)
What makes a dynamic partnership (16:45)
We Are For Good International Community Subgroup (24:00)
Trends Cameron’s seeing in international development (27:00)
What community means to Cameron (31:50)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Cameron’s life (36:25)
Cameron’s One Good Thing: Invest in the culture you're creating with consistent and effective inputs (40:20)
How to connect with Cameron and A Child’s Hope Foundation (42:45)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/355.

We Are For Good Shop
We are officially launching our merch store! At www.weareforgood.com/shop you’ll find posters, coffee mugs, super soft T-shirts with your favorite sayings and more!

We want to see We Are For Good shirts and merch all across the globe in your corner of the world. Snag a selfie with your merch and use the hashtag #WeAreForGood so we can see it 🎉 You can find everything over at www.weareforgood.com/shop

We Are For Good Community
You know we believe community is everything and that’s why we’re taking this week to introduce you to some of the incredible people doing amazing things in the We Are For Good global community. Meet other likeminded friends today at weareforgoodcommunity.com

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

354. The Power of Team + Rabid Fans: Meet Good Game Foundation - Adam DeVon Miller

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
This episode is part of Community Week, a celebration of the radical connections and community of belonging exploding here at We Are For Good.

Meet Adam. We’re so honored that our paths crossed with this founder through the We Are For Good Community where he’s quick to offer encouragement and pursue meaningful connections that help his nonprofit scale. Drawing inspiration from the powerful platform of “sports to do good,” he founded Good Game Foundation. They’re working to address modern community needs working collaboratively with professional athletes, sports fans, and nonprofit organizations. Tune in to hear his powerful story of conviction and growth (understanding of sports metaphors not required, Jon)⛹️

Today’s Guest
Adam DeVon Miller, Founder, Good Game Foundation

Episode Highlights

Adam’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
Adam’s cross-country bike ride + first crowdfunding experience (8:40)
The inspiration behind Good Game Foundation (14:20)
What’s on the horizon for Good Game Foundation (23:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Adam’s life (32:55)
Adam’s One Good Thing: Win where you are. (35:00)
How to connect with Good Game Foundation (39:40)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/354.

We Are For Good Shop
We are officially launching our merch store! At www.weareforgood.com/shop you’ll find posters, coffee mugs, super soft T-shirts with your favorite sayings and more!

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

353. Building Community First Partnerships: Meet Little Bit of Good - Monique Parker

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

This episode is part of Community Week, a celebration of the radical connections and community of belonging exploding here at We Are For Good.

Meet Monique. This We Are For Good rabid fan is all over the Community and studying in PRO. Her career started in recruiting where her interest in DEI and representation grew. Without any nonprofit experience but armed with a dream for change, she launched Little Bit of Good, a four month capacity building accelerator program for Black-led nonprofits. She believes change is possible, and that funding and resource inequities in the nonprofit sector can be changed. Oh yeah, and she’s a candlemaker at Blow Candle Co. where each purchase supports local nonprofits. 🕯😍 Tune in to meet this incredible do-gooder.

Today’s Guest
Monique Parker, Founder + Executive Director, Little Bit of Good

Monique’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Community Partnerships + Little Bit of Good (16:00)
Accelerator Program (20:00)
Monique’s dreams for Little Bit of Good (25:00)
Monique and Taylor’s podcast (27:00)
Community is everything (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Monique’s life (37:00)
Monique’s One Good Thing: We Are For Good Community + PRO and “Just do it” (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/353.

We Are For Good Shop
We are officially launching our merch store! At www.weareforgood.com/shop you’ll find posters, coffee mugs, super soft T-shirts with your favorite sayings and more!

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

352. Habits of an Impactful Operations Team - Germeen Guillaume

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we're taking the conversation to the operations team with accounting visionary Germeen Guillaume as she explores the Habits of an Impactful Operations Team. We're bringing tips, KPIs to focus on, and the Do's/Dont's for the modern ops team. Tune in✌️

Special Guest
Germeen Guillaume, Founder and CEO, Visionary Accounting Group

Episode Highlights

Tone setting (3:30)
Habits of an Impactful Operations Team (6:00)
Relationships that need to be prioritized in this role (8:35)
Do This / Not That (16:00)
KPIs that matter (20:00)
Mental Health Minute (24:15)

How to connect with Germeen and Visionary Accounting Group (26:10)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/352.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

351. The Case for Growing Radical Connection: The Generosity Crisis Book Launch! - Nathan Chappell and Brian Crimmins

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Nathan and Brian. They're co-authors of the next must-read book for nonprofit leaders that’s hitting our industry with some serious truths. “The Generosity Crisis” includes some truly shocking realities like how philanthropic giving will cease to exist in 49 years if nothing changes. Tune in for a behind the scenes look at why they wrote the book, some key takeaways and what we can do to turn things around📖

Episode Highlights

Nathan’s story and journey to where he is today (3:15)
Brian’s story and journey to where he is today (6:30)
Current state of philanthropy (9:10)
Defining radical connection (13:00)
Connecting in times of crisis (28:30)
How to socialize these ideas with your teams and leaders (33:50)
Building strong connections with data (39:15)
Powerful stories of generosity in Nathan and Brian’s lives (47:00)
Nathan’s One Good Thing: Show up everyday and do one good thing. (52:30)
Brian’s One Good Thing: Be students of the industry. 53:15
How to connect and buy the book (55:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/351.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About our Sponsor Evolve Giving Group
Evolve is a women-owned and women-led full-service nonprofit consulting firm where nonprofits come to thrive. From working with startups to 100-year-old legacy organizations, they've truly done it all. Evolve guides your nonprofit from idea to implementation, so you can spend your valuable time serving your organization and community. Learn more at evolvegivinggroup.com. Be sure to tell them We Are For Good sent you!

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

350. Growing an Active Sober Community Across the US with 159K Lives Impacted - Rob Baumgartner

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Overview
Meet Rob. He’s a rock-climber and the Colorado Program Manager of The Phoenix, a national sober active community, where he first joined as a participant in 2008. The Phoenix has experienced explosive growth with programming across the U.S. reaching 159,000 participants (Rob was the 159th member🤩) Join us for a conversation about what goes into creating a safe, inclusive, welcoming space where others “believe in them until they believe in themselves.” 🙌⛰️

Today’s Guest
Rob Baumgartner, Colorado Program Manager, The Phoenix

Episode Highlights

Rob’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
Overview of The Phoenix and its mission (7:35)
The process of building a safe community (11:00)
Create a safe space for those in recovery to tell their story (19:15)
Impact and expansion of The Phoenix (22:55)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rob’s life (26:30)
Rob’s One Good Thing: Don’t be afraid to try new things (29:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/350.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About our Sponsor Evolve Giving Group
Evolve is a women-owned and women-led full-service nonprofit consulting firm where nonprofits come to thrive. From working with startups to 100-year-old legacy organizations, they've truly done it all. Evolve guides your nonprofit from idea to implementation, so you can spend your valuable time serving your organization and community. Learn more at evolvegivinggroup.com. Be sure to tell them We Are For Good sent you!

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

349. The Habits of an Impactful Events Fundraiser - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Matthew Helmer

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Welcome back to our Friday Series: The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we’re talking about all things events and experiences with founding member of The DRG Group Matthew Helmer who has decades of experience creating meaningful donor events. He’s bringing his expertise about creating donor events and experiences that serve a true purpose while being data-informed. Tune in for Matthew’s counsel on how you can find your Why and move past the rinse-and-repeat cycle of donor events. 🚫🚿🔁

Special Guest
Matthew Helmer, Consultant and Strategist, The DRG Group

Episode Highlights

The bigger question (4:00)
Follow up plan for your event (9:20)
3 Daily Habits for the Events Fundraiser (10:00)
Do This / Not That for the Events Fundraiser (20:35)
KPIs that Matter (29:00)
Prioritizing Mental Health (36:00)
- Ease up.
- Take time away for restorative activity.
- Find your why.
Fish Philosophy (40:00)
How to connect with Matthew (41:05)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/349.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About our Sponsor Evolve Giving Group
Evolve is a women-owned and women-led full-service nonprofit consulting firm where nonprofits come to thrive. From working with startups to 100-year-old legacy organizations, they've truly done it all. Evolve guides your nonprofit from idea to implementation, so you can spend your valuable time serving your organization and community. Learn more at evolvegivinggroup.com. Be sure to tell them We Are For Good sent you!

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

348. Grassroots Marketing for Nonprofits: Tapping Your Power from Within - Racheli Edelkopf

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Racheli. This nonprofit marketer has the grassroots playbook to transform your nonprofit marketing. She left her dream job to work with Friendship Circle, a nonprofit creating friendship and inclusion for individuals with special needs. There, she noticed how too often marketers are looking backward or side-to-side to other orgs instead of looking within. Now she supports nonprofits as they create marketing that attracts believers to their missions. Join us to learn how living and breathing a mission can make marketing effortless.

Episode Highlights

Racheli’s story and journey to where she is today (3:40)
Core strategies around marketing from within (7:40)
Grassroots Marketing (10:55)
Best marketing practices from the for-profit sector that nonprofits can implement today (13:00)
Cut the jargon and use your voice (18:35)
Risk taking with marketing (22:05)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Racheli’s life (24:05)
Racheli’s One Good Thing (27:30)
How to connect with Racheli (30:30)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/348

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About our Sponsor Evolve Giving Group
Evolve is a women-owned and women-led full-service nonprofit consulting firm where nonprofits come to thrive. From working with startups to 100-year-old legacy organizations, they've truly done it all. Evolve guides your nonprofit from idea to implementation, so you can spend your valuable time serving your organization and community. Learn more at evolvegivinggroup.com. Be sure to tell them We Are For Good sent you!

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

347. Starting + Growing a Global Nonprofit: One Relationship at a Time - Afam Onyema

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Afam. This nonprofit founder turned down multiple law firm offers to serve Nigerians. He’s built GEANCO Foundation from the ground up by cultivating authentic relationships - one person at a time. In addition to surgical missions and other medical care, GEANCO provides tuition and support to young female victims of terrorism and gender inequality. With no previous fundraising experience, Afam garnered support from many celebrities including Oprah Winfrey, Benedict Cumberbatch, Charlize Theron and many more. Tune in for this heart-wired conversation about the power of relationships to save and change lives.

Today’s Guest
Afam Onyema, Co-Founder and CEO, The GEANCO Foundation

Episode Highlights

Afam’s story and journey to where he is today (4:10)
Early stages of building the organization (9:40)
Challenges in the early days (15:00)
Lessons about the power of philanthropy (21:00)
How GEANCO successfully partners with celebrities (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Afam’s life (40:40)
Afam’s One Good Thing: Be kind and serve. (46:00)
Connect with Afam and Geanco (48:10)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/347

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About our Sponsor Evolve Giving Group
Evolve is a women-owned and women-led full-service nonprofit consulting firm where nonprofits come to thrive. From working with startups to 100-year-old legacy organizations, they've truly done it all. Evolve guides your nonprofit from idea to implementation, so you can spend your valuable time serving your organization and community. Learn more at evolvegivinggroup.com. Be sure to tell them We Are For Good sent you!

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

346. The Habits of an Impactful Digital Fundraiser - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Caroline Griffin

Fri, 04 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to our Friday Series: The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we’re chatting about the ins and outs of digital marketing and user experience with Marketer on a Mission Caroline Griffin who’s breaking down the Habits of an Impactful Digital Strategist. We're bringing tips, case studies and the Do's/Dont's for a modern fundraiser. Caroline’s tips are 🔥+ they’re combined with ample encouragement to be creative, continuously learn, and try new things. Don’t miss it!

Special Guest
Caroline Griffin, Founder, Marketer on a Mission

Episode Highlights

Introducing Caroline (1:05)
The importance of having someone focusing on digital (3:00)
Habits of an impactful Digital Strategist: Tracking, strategizing and learning (4:20)
What digital strategists should automate (9:20)
How to prioritize relationships in this role (13:30)
Finding look alike audiences and casting a bigger net (15:40)
Do this/not that for the digital strategist + filling gaps (19:35)
KPI’s and success indicators that matter (21:55)
Mental Health Minute (24:40)
Becky’s One Good Thing for Digital Strategists: Create a content calendar (26:00)
How to connect with Caroline (28:05)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/346

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

345. The Era of Inclusive Philanthropy + How to Democratize Social Impact - Richie Kendall

Wed, 02 Nov 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Richie. He's the co-founder & chief experience officer at Goodworld — a next-gen social impact platform. And Whoa Nelly! - does he believe in democratizing smart philanthropy to benefit all 🙌 His team is building an ecosystem powered by generosity, collaboration & compassion where CSR, influencer impact & web3 philanthropy collide. We're chatting through inclusive philanthropy and democratizing social impact. CSR and partnerships friends - you don't want to miss this episode with a seriously good human.

💡Learn

The growing movement of Inclusive Philanthropy
How businesses can scale philanthropy by giving its stakeholders, employees & customers charitable dollars
Democratizing Social Impact

Episode Highlights

Richie’s story and journey to where he is today (3:15)
Trends in philanthropy that are exciting Richie right now (7:00)
Inclusive philanthropy and engagement (13:00)
Moving from a mindset of transactional giving, to transformational giving (21:00)
Everyone can be a philanthropist (28:25)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Richie’s life (36:00)
Richie’s One Good Thing: Be easier on yourself. (39:00)
How to connect with Richie (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/345

About Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

344. Your Storytelling Power Unleashed! How to Connect Authentically + Inspire Action - Ty Spells

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ty. This expert storyteller is a connector of people and transformation. She believes storytelling done right can change incorrect narratives, stereotypes, and has the power to shape the future👏 We’re talking about how social impact storytelling should not only move your audience’s hearts, but also move them to take action. Tune in for a convo highlighting what happens when you stop using your messaging to sell your mission and instead focus on inviting people to join your community through authentic storytelling.

💡Learn

Painting a picture of the vision you’re trying to create instead of highlighting the barrier 🎨
The importance of telling a story of transformation completely
Elements of building an authentic story

Today’s Guest
Ty Spells, Senior Strategist of Partnership Activation, Stand Together Foundation

Episode Highlights

Ty’s story and journey to where she is today (6:00)
Storytelling in today’s digital age (10:00)
Missteps and barriers to sharing your story (13:00)
Breaking through the noise (17:00)
Core elements of building an authentic story (20:00)
How and when to tell the difficult parts of your story (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Ty’s life (33:45)
Ty’s One Good Thing: Believe and understand that your personal story matters. You were created to bring about change. Lead with that. (41:00)
How to connect with Ty (42:20)
One thing Becky and Jon are standing on and standing for today (44:20)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/344

About Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

343. Giving Tuesday + Beyond: Go from Hoping to Hedging for Success - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 28 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Sometimes it's just helpful to have a framework, right? Tune in this Friday and listen as Jon and Becky breakdown how to build a Giving Tuesday plan that sticks, stands out and builds long after the campaign is over. We'll tackle 1) the bigger question (why do we do even do this anyway?), 2) How to build a campaign (using the Impact Arc framework), 3) branding + storytelling, 4) using momentum after the campaign, & 5) round out with some PRO Tips. This is your year, friends, and it's not too late. Let's build a scroll-stopping campaign that sings this year! ✌️

Episode Highlights

The bigger question around Giving Tuesday (2:00)
What are you really trying to accomplish? (4:30)
Crafting your Giving Tuesday goals (6:45)
35 million people participated in Giving Tuesday last year (11:00)
Applying the Impact Arc Framework (Staging, Storytelling + Syndication) to Giving Tuesday (14:45)
Giving Tuesday pro tips (28:20)
We want you to ask us your questions: Join us for How to Rock Giving Tuesday + Live Q&A on Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. CST (33:05)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/343

About Our Sponsor Givebutter 💛
Welcome to Giving Tuesday prep week, presented by Givebutter. Givebutter is giving back again this Giving Tuesday by donating $50K to verified nonprofits. If you’re looking for a free, easy-to-use fundraising platform, and want a slice of $50K this Giving Tuesday, head over to givebutter.com/giving-tuesday to learn more and apply.

About Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

342. Unlocking the Power of Community in Peer-to-Peer Fundraising - Hannah Lowe

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Hannah. She’s a warrior mama to Austin, a two-year-old, who has a fatal, muscle-wasting disease called LMNA-related congenital muscular dystrophy (L-CMD). She founded the L-CMD Research Foundation to save Austin and other children whose lives depend on the development of rare disease treatments like gene therapy. They’re 76% of the way to a $2M goal funding this project through GiveButter, and her peer fundraising tips are GOLD. Don't miss this incredible example of “community is everything” in action.

💡Learn

Overview of L-CMD
The story of L-CMD Research Foundation
The potential global impact of research and new treatment developments

Today’s Guest
Hannah Lowe, Founder, L-CMD Research Foundation

Episode Highlights

Austin’s story (3:45)
Starting L-CMD Foundation (9:45)
The power of community in fundraising (14:00)
Gaining momentum to raise $2 million (17:50)
Believes who support the mission beyond the fundraising (25:05)
Hannah’s One Good Thing: Tell yourself that you can do it and you just do it. (29:50)
Becky’s One Good Thing: Join us in supporting Austin (30:50)

Connect with Hannah and L-CMD Research Foundation (32:20)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/342

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

341. Your Giving Tuesday Pep Talk + Playbook - Floyd Jones

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Floyd. This brand-new New Yorker believes deeply in the power of community. His excitement for Giving Tuesday started with a campaign of childhood sports photos that spread across social media. He’s teaching how to coalesce your community, how to plan your campaign, and making it more than just a day. He's sharing his years of learning and adding in some awesome resources from our GiveButter friends. Tune in to get a blueprint for a campaign that inspires denotations and creates rabid fans of your mission.

💡Learn

How to gather your community around a day of giving
The 4 S’s of Success for your Giving Tuesday campaign
The power of playing the long game when developing partnerships

Today’s Guest
Floyd Jones, Community and Partnerships Lead, Givebutter

Episode Highlights

Floyd’s story (4:00)
Setting the scene for what opportunity there is for nonprofits this year with Giving Tuesday (8:00)
Givebutter Gives Back (11:50)
Reimagining your Giving Tuesday Campaign (16:00)
Where to start (22:00)
Partnerships 2.0 (25:00)
Cutting through the clutter (29:00)
Floyd’s One Good Thing: Lead with Love (43:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/341

About Our Sponsor Givebutter 💛
Welcome to Giving Tuesday prep week, presented by Givebutter. Givebutter is giving back again this Giving Tuesday by donating $50K to verified nonprofits. If you’re looking for a free, easy-to-use fundraising platform, and want a slice of $50K this Giving Tuesday, head over to givebutter.com/giving-tuesday to learn more and apply.

About Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

340. Habits of an Impactful Annual Giving Officer - Mike Duerksen

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to our Friday Series The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we're taking on the discussion about the base with Do-Gooder M ike Duerksen, founder of BuildGood who's breaking down Habits of an Impactful Annual Giving Officer. We're bringing tips, case studies and the Do's/Dont's for a modern fundraiser. Tune in✌️

Special Guest
Mike Duerksen, CEO + Founder, BuildGood

Episode Highlights

Introducing Mike Duerksen (1:15)
What are the big picture questions we need to be asking (4:00)
Habits of an impactful Annual Giving Officer (8:55)
How to prioritize relationships in this role (20:50)
KPI’s and success indicators that matter and some that don’t matter (34:40)
Mental Health Minute (40:40)
How to connect with Mike (44:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/340

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About our Sponsor Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

339. Meet Unshattered: The Mission Upskilling a Community of Women in Recovery - Kelly Lyndgaard

Wed, 19 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Kelly. She's the Founder and CEO of Unshattered, a nonprofit social enterprise whose mission is to end the addiction relapse cycle through ethical, sustainable fashion. The org provides job skills training and employment for women in recovery to help them build a path toward economic stability and sustained sobriety. Kelly's education is in Engineering Physics, her title is CEO, but her calling is Ambassador of Possibility. Come hear about this nonprofit that's only experienced a single relapse in six years💗

Today’s Guest
Kelly Lyndgaard, Founder and CEO, Unshattered

Episode Highlights

Kelly’s story and journey to where she is today (3:45)
Overview of Unshattered (7:00)
What is means to be an ambassador of possibility (11:00)
Three secrets of every Unshattered bag (18:25)
Unshattered’s investment collection of bags (26:45)
What Kelly brings to the social good sector from the corporate world (29:30)
What’s on the horizon for Unshattered (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kelly’s life (39:50)
Kelly’s One Good Thing: It becomes possible by being open handed (42:40)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/339

About Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

About Gravyty
Gravyty is your force for good. Their ecosystem of products equips you to engage with your community authentically, increase fundraiser capacity and personalize digital fundraising efforts. Learn more at gravyty.com.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

338. The Art of Perception in Fundraising - Amy Herman

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amy. She's a lawyer and art historian who uses works of art to sharpen observation, analysis, and communication skills. By showing people how to look closely at art, she helps them hone their visual intelligence to recognize the most pertinent and useful information as well as recognize biases that impede decision-making. She's not here to change your biases; she's here to make you aware of them 👀

💡Learn:

The art of perception in fundraising
The Four A's of Critical Inquiry
The dangers of assumptions and biases

Today’s Guest
Amy Herman, Founder + President, The Art of Perception

Episode Highlights

Amy’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
The Art of Perception (12:00)
The Art of Perception in Fundraising (15:00)
Assumptions and Biases (23:40)
Visual Intelligence (31:30)
Four A’s of critical inquiry: Assess, Analyze, Articulate, and Adapt (33:10)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amy’s life (36:45)
Amy’s One Good Thing: As human beings, we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. We need to use them proportionately. (41:45)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/338

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to recruit and hire great leaders, build remarkable teams, and unleash your mission’s potential.
You know we talk often about how much your organization’s culture matters especially today - in being not just being a place that attracts talent - but also becomes a magnet to connect donors to your mission. Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving. Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

337. Time Off Well Spent: The Case for Sabbaticals - DJ DiDonna

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet DJ. He’s sharing the gift of rest and rejuvenation. In 2019, he founded The Sabbatical Project to define, explore, and research sabbaticals following a 900-mile pilgrimage in Shi-Ko-Ku, Japan. He knows nonprofits doubt their ability to implement a sabbatical-focused work experience, but keep an open mind! He’s bringing the playbook (and data!) to show how it’s good for business. We’re working toward a world where extended leave is the norm, not the exception. Tune in and hear the science and benefits behind rest.

Today’s Guest
DJ DiDonna, Founder, The Sabbatical Project

Episode Highlights

DJ’s story and journey to where he is today (1:15)
External catalysts that result in sabbaticals (6:00)
Types off sabbaticals people take (11:50)
DJ’s sabbatical + walking 900 miles (16:00)
Barriers that prevent people from taking a sabbatical (21:45)
Archetypes of sabbaticals (24:20)
Business case for sabbaticals (30:10)
Case studies of nonprofit leaders taking sabbaticals (35:00)
DJ’s advice for people exploring sabbaticals in the nonprofit sector (42:00)
A story of powerful philanthropy + impact that DJ witnessed in his career (45:15)
DJ’s One Good Thing: Life is too short to not take a sabbatical. (50:25)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/337

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

336. Bekah's Story: From Burnout to Radical Healing - Bekah Giacomantonio

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Bekah. She’s a self-proclaimed nonprofit dropout and founder of the Interdependence Incubator, a community for white women who crave healing and a space to practice freedom. She’s made us a believer in the power of leaning into healing and making a collective change. She courageously shares her mental health journey in nonprofit and the change it awakened in personal, interpersonal and systemic levels.

💡Learn

Bekah’s mental health journey story
Slowing down as self- & community-care
Advice for leaders looking to foster a culture of balance & well-being
Adopting a curiosity mindset to be “medicine in these fractured and fracturing times”

Today’s Guest
Bekah Giacomantonio, Liberatory Healing Doula & Facilitator

Episode Highlights

Bekah’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Bekah’s personal mental health story and what she experienced in the nonprofit sector (10:20)
Signals of burnout Bekah experienced (18:00)
What Bekah learned in community in Guatemala (22:45)
What slowing down looks like (28:05)
Activation (34:45)
Fostering a culture of wellbeing (41:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Bekah’s life (43:25)
Bekah’s One Good Thing: Go outside. (46:35)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/336

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

335. How to Center Mental Health in Culture + Mission - Kirk Brown

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kirk. He believes managing mental health should be done in community - and he’s got plenty of lived experience & stories to prove it. This executive director and mental health leader has spent 20 years working with economically disadvantaged families and actively recruited rabid fans to become activists in educating, empowering & embracing communities in need. And his org, HANDY Inc, is doing it, one child at a time. Tune in for the story of how a hamster funeral embodied the core of how to care for your mission and people equally. Bring tissues🤧

💡Learn

Protecting the well-being of the nonprofit superheroes who save lives
Defining micro and macro harm
Counsel for NP leaders on prioritizing the well-being of their staff, volunteers, and those surrounding their missions.
Overview of Handy’s mission

Today’s Guest
Kirk Brown, CEO, HANDY Inc.

Episode Highlights

Kirk’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
Overview of HANDY (4:05)
Over the past 2 years reflection (10:00)
Macro harm that turns into micro hate in communities and homes (12:35)
How to support your staff through this time in our world (17:00)
Making the unique case for our needs (24:00)
Mental Health Today: Kindness is not difficult. (30:00)
Be a human being and ask your staff: (31:00)
- How are we doing?
- How are you on your 5 year plan?
- If you were me, what would you do different so your job could be easier?
Kirk’s One Good Thing: You don’t know everything. (37:00)
How to connect with HANDY Inc. (45:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/335

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

334. The Practice of Vulnerability + How to Build Your Resilience - Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dr. Taryn Marie. This resiliency expert believes there’s a lot of info on building resilient mindset, but that the world knows very little about resilient doing. This convo is about how vulnerability enhances and creates resiliency. Tune in and discover tools/resources that promote resilience when we inevitably face challenges, change and complexity.

💡Learn

The practice of vulnerability
5️⃣ Practices of Highly Resilient People
Defining vulnerability biases
Activation, tools & resources to help

Today’s Guest

Dr. Taryn Marie Stejskal, International Keynote Speaker and Author

Episode Highlights

Dr. Taryn’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Defining resilience and misconceptions around it (6:45)
The practice of vulnerability (10:45)
Vulnerability comes alive in community (18:45)
Further exploring the 5 Practices of Highly Resilient People (27:55)
How to lean into vulnerability and build resiliency (37:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dr. Taryn’s life (47:00)
Dr. Taryn’s One Good Thing: The power of simple pleasures and presence. (50:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/334.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

333. You Are Not a Burden: The Story + Mission of TWLOHA - Lindsay Kolsch and Chad Moses

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lindsay and Chad. They want you to know that you are not a burden. These two heart-wired humans are leading conversation and community at To Write Love on Her Arms - a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. We’re talking self-love, self-care in community and the importance of being connected. TWLOHA is preaching that we’re “all part of this bigger story. And without that, we don't know where this story's going. So stay.”

💡Learn

Overview of TWLOHA’s mission
Building Digital Community + The Power of Storytelling
Architecting a digital “nonprofit movement” grounded in caring & listening
Counsel for nonprofit professionals who are feeling burnt out, anxious & struggling with compassion fatigue

Today’s Guests
Lindsay Kolsch, Co-Executive Director, To Write Love on Her Arms
Chad Moses, Director of Outreach and Experience, To Write Love on Her Arms

Episode Highlights

Lindsay’s story (4:30)
Chad’s Story (6:25)
Founding story of TWLOHA (10:00)
Nontraditional approach to measuring impact (17:05)
Grassroots movement built in authenticity (30:55)
Mental health for nonprofit professionals today (38:35)
Chad’s One Good Thing: Lead with honesty. (46:20)
Lindsay’s One Good Thing: Be willing to listen and hear how hard things are right now (48:30)
How to connect with To Write Love on Her Arms (51:40)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/333

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

332. It's Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Nonprofit Sector - Nneka Allen, Eleanor Wells, Aila Malik, and Jean Pierre-Louis

Fri, 07 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

We're warming up for Mental Health Week next week, and we wanted to set the tone with a powerful mental health conversation we powered at the Virtuous Summit. Join Nneka Allen, Eleanor Wells, Aila Malik and Jean Pierre-Louis for a robust discussion about Why it’s time to Prioritize Mental Health & Well-Being in the Nonprofit Sector.You’re not alone. Join us in community and feel seen, inspired and ready to take steps toward healing on Friday's podcast episode moderated by Jon and Becky. Tune in ✌️

Today’s Guest Panelists

Nneka Allen, Principal + Founder, The Empathy Agency
Aila Malik, Founder and CEO, Venture Leadership Consulting
Eleanor Wells, Co-Founder, Cohort4Care
Jean Pierre-Louis, Founder, President + CEO, capracare

Episode Highlights

Introducing the panelists (1:00)
Compassion fatigue and burnout in the nonprofit sector (3:35)
Importance of leaders celebrating wins (8:40)
Racism is a mental health issue (12:25)
Need for space to grieve (25:15)
Prioritizing mental health as a nonprofit leader
Letting team members take care of themselves, but also respond to crises (40:45)
Power of community and healing (45:25)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/332

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

331. Measuring Impact, Leveraging Data + A Crash Course on NFTs for Nonprofits - Nick Lynch

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet N ick. This childhood cancer survivor and nonprofit advocate is passionate about measuring impact - for good. He's combined his savvy tech background with social media analytics and measurement software allowing global causes, influencers, and organizations to collaborate and measure their cumulative influence and impact. Plus, he's giving us a crash course in NFTs 🤔

💡Learn:

Measuring impact + key metrics to keep our eyes on
Creator Economy + flexing influencer marketing
Intersection of creating content + building community
NFTs for nonprofits (what the heck are they??)

Today’s Guest
Nick Lynch, Co-Founder and CEO, Collidescope.io

Episode Highlights

What Nick has learned since we last talked (3:00)
Changing landscape of the nonprofit sector (7:00)
Measuring Impact and Leveraging Data (11:00)
Key Metrics Organizations should be measuring (14:00)
Creator Economy + Influencer Marketing (17:00)
Powerful moment of philanthropy for Nick (36:00)
Nick’s One Good Thing: Pull up and show up. (40:00)
Connect with Collidescope (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/331

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

330. Tap Into the Power of Thinking Like a Futurist + Exploring Trends that Matter - Boi Carpenter

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet B oi. This senior development VP at Johns Hopkins University is on a mission to get nonprofits focused more squarely on the horizon - not just on what's in front of them. She believes signals exist and that our top talent is noticing what is happening on the fringes of our work. And all of it can inform future thinking. Join us for this chat that puts Jon and Becky in the hot seat on their future visions too!

Today's Guest
Boi Carpenter, Senior Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, Johns Hopkins University

Episode Highlights

Boi’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Overview of Futurism (6:50)
Adopting a disruption mindset (14:00)
Hurdles leaders run into that prevent them from thinking like a futurist (15:00)
Activating futurism (16:40)
Areas nonprofits should pay attention to (23:15)
Shifts in engagement, ease of giving and stewardship (30:35)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Boi’s life (37:00)
Boi’s One Good Thing: Mindset Matters and Be Open to Possibility. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/330

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

329. Habits of an Impactful Executive Director - Brooke Richie-Babbage

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to our Friday Series The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we're taking on that top role with Do-Gooder (and attorney!) Brooke Richie-Babbage, founder of Bending Arc and former ED is breaking down Habits of an Impactful Executive Director. We're bringing tips, case studies and the Do's/Dont's for a modern fundraiser. Tune in ✌️

Special Guest
Brooke Richie-Babbage, Nonprofit strategist and coach + Host, Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast

Episode Highlights

Brooke’s story (3:00)
What is the big picture question we need to be asking (7:00)
Habits of an impactful Executive Director (10:00)
KPI’s and success indicators that matter and some that don’t matter (21:00)
Mental Health Minute (28:10)
How to connect with Brooke (33:55)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/329

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

328. The Trillion-Dollar Generosity Gap + Re-Envisioning the Donor Advised Fund - Adam Nash

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Adam. He believes everyone can be a philanthropist, and he’s on a mission to reenvision donor-advised families to be a tool for everyone. After launching some seriously impressive tech innovations in top leadership positions at Dropbox, LinkedIn and eBay, he turned his sights toward the nonprofit sector. This isn’t your grandma’s donor-advised fund. Daffy is changing the landscape of giving by helping people be more generous, more often.

💡Learn

Overview of Daffy
Opportunities for nonprofits with DAFs
The Trillion-Dollar Generosity Gap
Daffy for Families (⬅️ involving kids in the gifting process - swoon!🥰)

Today’s Guest
Adam Nash, Founder + CEO, Daffy

Episode Highlights

Adam’s story and journey to where he is today (4:50)
Overview of Daffy (5:00)
Overview of Donor Advised Funds + Adam’s experience (7:30)
Impact Uprising (11:00)
Opportunity for nonprofits today (12:00)
The Trillion Dollar Generosity Gap + How Daffy is addressing it (17:00)
The Giving Goal at Daffy (22:00)
Features of Daffy (24:00)
New family feature (36:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Adam’s life (37:00)
Adam’s One Good Thing: If things are important to you, name them and know them. (45:00)
How to connect with Adam and Daffy (49:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/328.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

327. Making Technology More Human + Building a System of Belonging: Meet the Human Stack - Tim Lockie

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tim. He believes digital transformation is affordable and scalable for nonprofits of all sizes. That’s why he’s leaving the tech stack behind in favor of The Human Stack - a way to make your technology more human and usable. Not only is this solution brilliant, it helps you understand how to actually operate your tech simply and efficiently (Eureka!💡😜). Tune in for this convo we believe may just hold the answer in changing the way technology companies + partners + consultants relate to nonprofits and the impact economy.

💡Learn

Defining the Human Stack
Improving nonprofit digital literacy, training + skills
How to know when technology is a problem ( ⬅️ FREE diagnostic tool)
Low hanging fruit for nonprofits

Today’s Guest
Tim Lockie, CEO and Founder of The Human Stack

Episode Highlights

Tim’s story and journey to where he is today (5:00)
The Human Stack (12:00)
Tech + Digital Literacy that nonprofits need (16:00)
Determining your tech stack and human stack vitals (28:55)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Tim’s life (35:35)
Tim’s One Good Thing: You need one person who is tactical. Identify that person and give them all the support you can. Then have a person they report to that looks at their work and says good job. (37:00)
How people can get connected to The Human Stack (39:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/327.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

326. The Habits of an Impactful Major Gifts Officer - Julie Ordoñez

Fri, 23 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to our Friday Series The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. This week we're taking on major gifts, and you better hold onto your britches for this conversation with one of our experts, J ulie Ordo ñ ez, founder of Courage Lab and Nonprofit Courage Lab podcast as we breakdown Habits of an Impactful Major Gift Officer. Prepare for everything you've learned about raising investment-level gifts to be upended - for good. We're bringing tips, case studies and the Do's/Dont's for a modern fundraiser. Tune in ✌️

Special Guest
Julie Ordoñez, founder of Courage Lab and Nonprofit Courage Lab Podcast

Episode Highlights

Tonesetting (1:00)
Mindset challenges that are barriers for raising major gifts (4:20)
How major gift officers can feel more confident (12:40)
Committing yourself to taking action and meeting your goals (18:50)
Actions for success that major gift officers should take (24:35)
Understand how to prioritize your relationships (29:40)
KPIs for major gift officers to track (36:20)
How to connect with Julie (43:10)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/326

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

325. A Path to Unlocking Organizational Growth: How to Implement the 6 Levers Framework - Shaun Lee

Wed, 21 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet S haun. He believes to build healthy cultures, you have to build healthy systems. We're defining the way work works and not leaving those things to chance. This is the ops conversation you didn't know that your shop absolutely needs to have on how to build systems of integration, focus, cohesion and intention. This could be the ultimate #WorkingSmarterNotHarder convo💪

💡Learn

Building healthy operating systems
6 Levers Framework: A Path to Organizational Health
Advice for leaders to maintain principles while navigating seasons of change
Symptoms of unhealthy cultures

Today’s Guest
Shaun Lee, VP of Organizational Solutions Mission Matters Group

Episode Highlights

Shaun’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
Symptoms + signs of an unhealthy culture (8:45)
To build a healthy culture, you have to build healthy systems (18:00)
What makes up a healthy operating system (23:00)
Definition of an operating system (24:00)
6 Levers Framework: A Path to Organizational Health (26:00)
- Identity, Focus, Cohesion, Rhythm, Leadership + Momentum
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Shaun’s life (48:00)
Shaun’s One Good Thing: Your vitals always matter. (52:00)
How to connect with Shaun (55:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/325.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

324. How to Leverage A/B Testing to Grow Online Giving + The Psychology of Giving - Sam Baker

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview
Meet Sam. She's a digital strategist who helps her clients increase revenue with A/B Testing, and she knows her stuff. In the last 10 years, she's helped companies like Abercrombie & Fitch, Under Armour, and Intercontinental Hotel Group use their website data to make more money - without increasing digital ad spend or building a new website. Don't miss this episode that will prep you well for Giving Tuesday and year-end🗓

💡Learn

Defining A/B testing & how it works
How to kick-off a successful A/B testing campaign
The link between the psychology of giving and social proof
A guide to everything that should be in your A/B toolbox

Today’s Guest
Sam Baker, Digital Strategist, Founder of Sam Baker Consulting

Episode Highlights

Sam’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
A/B Testing - Theory and Philosophy and why Nonprofits should be leveraging it (11:00)
Storytelling + A/B Testing (15:00)
The Psychology of Giving (17:00)
An example of this in real life (20:00)
How to implement + activate A/B testing (23:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sam’s life (29:00)
Sam’s One Good Thing: Always be curious. (32:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/324.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

323. Habits of an Impactful Board Member - Sabrina Walker Hernandez

Fri, 16 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview
Welcome back to our new Friday Series called The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. We're kicking off the discussion by bringing in one of our experts, Sabrina Walker Hernandez with Supporting World Hope who's talking about Habits of an Impactful Board Member. We're bringing tips and examples of who's doing it well.👊

Special Guest
Sabrina Walker Hernandez, President and CEO, Supporting World Hope

Episode Highlights

Tone setting (2:30)
What is the bigger, better question that we should be asking with our boards (5:20)
3 habits of a CEO to support an impactful board (7:45)
3 habits of an impactful board chair (9:20)
How CEOs can communicate with the board chair and with the board as a whole (11:45)
Habits of a good board member (17:45)
KPI’s that matter and don’t matter to a board member (20:25)
A piece of advice for how to be a good board member and also take care of yourself (25:45)
A board member in Sabrina’s life who embodied these habits and principles (26:50)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/323.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you both SEE and activate donors at every level, and Virtuous is the platform to help you do just that. It’s so much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous helps charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising, volunteer management, and online giving, and we love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

322. How to Create an Inclusive Brand for Your Organization + The Why / When to Rebrand - Farra Trompeter

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Farra. This Co-Director and Member-Owner at Big Duck (oh you know we're going to talk about what those titles mean!), is a tireless advocate of inclusive branding and bringing your board into the branding discussion. In today’s digital world, we're chatting about the importance of branding for mission-driven organizations (and where to start!), how to ensure DEI is baked into the brand, and why branding is a team sport.

💡Learn

Weaving inclusivity & DEI into your brand
How often should orgs rebrand?
How should I brand during a big anniversary for my org?
Collaboration between Development + Communication teams
Your board's role in branding (yes, they have a purpose!)

Today’s Guest
Farra Trompeter, Co-Director and Member-Owner, Big Duck

Episode Highlights

Farra’s story and journey to where she is today (3:25)
Branding for nonprofits (9:40)
Key steps to developing and applying your brand personality (12:55)
Creating inclusive branding (17:00)
Big Duck’s shared leadership model (19:40)
Nonprofit board’s role in Marketing and Communications (22:25)
How often should nonprofits be rebranding? (27:20)
Should we change the name of our organization? (29:30)
We have an anniversary coming up - now what? (33:20)
Collaboration between Development + Communications Teams (35:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Farra’s life (38:20)
Farra’s One Good Thing: “Don't dream it, be it." - The Rocky Horror Picture Show (40:50)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/322

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

321. Evolved Leadership: How a Tri-Sector Mindset Grows Your Impact Possibilities - Jens Molbak

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet J ens. This serial entrepreneur (and founder of Coinstar!) believes deeply in pulling together all sectors for impact. In fact, by adopting a tri-sector mindset, we're able to identify opportunities to innovate and solve problems by aligning resources and interests from private enterprise (businesses), the public sector (government), and social sectors (nonprofits). It's not a theory. He's already proving it at New Impact, and he's brought the playbook for nonprofits to lean into. Lucky you!🎉

💡Learn

Defining the Tri-Sector and Whole of Society Approach
How innovators & business model creators united profit & purpose
Exploring tri-sector case studies
How nonprofits can apply these ideas today

Today’s Guest
Jens Molbak, Founder, New Impact + Founder and Former CEO, Coinstar

Episode Highlights

Jen’s story (3:05)
The story of Coinstar (5:55)
Tri-sector model (11:10)
Mindsets that need to shift today (16:00)
An example of partnering across sectors (21:15)
Mindset shifts needed (22:00)
The reason New Impact exists and resources available (33:10)
Creating a database of impact organizations across all sectors (35:45)
Meaningful moments of philanthropy in Jens’ life (39:25)
Jen’s One Good Thing: How can you repurpose existing resources (45:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/321

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to recruit and hire great leaders, build remarkable teams, and unleash your mission’s potential.

You know we talk often about how much your organization’s culture matters especially today - in being not just being a place that attracts talent - but also becomes a magnet to connect donors to your mission. Slingshot Group is the organization we trust to help you do just that.

It’s so much more than a staffing and executive search firm. Slingshot Group goes deep and gets to know your culture so they can help you find the leaders and staff who will help take your mission to the next level.

Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

320. The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser - Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 09 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

This Friday we're launching a new Friday Series called The Habits of an Impactful Fundraiser. We're starting by tearing down the old models of professional development and rewiring our brains to embrace learning differently and openly. We're bringing tips and examples of who's doing it well. 🎉

Episode Highlights

Series Tone Setting (2:00)
Where to start: think about playing in a different sandbox. (4:00)
Your development will be defined by you alone (5:00)
The importance of developing your soft skills (11:00)
How to ask your boss for professional development budget (15:00)
Topics we will be unpacking throughout this series (20:00)
Dive in deeper with We Are For Good PRO
Join the We Are For Good Community

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/320

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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319. How to Channel Your Passion + Build a Platform for Good - Monica Yunus

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview
Meet Monica. This internationally renowned soprano believes in the power of the arts to gather, unify & awaken positive change. She's the co-founder of Sing for Hope, a leading nonprofit that brings arts outreach programs to communities in need and presents initiatives that make the arts accessible to all. We're talking about scaling up a nonprofit and using your platform for good. This operatic superstar-for-good absolutely exceeded our Ungettable Get expectations!

💡Learn

Scaling a nonprofit from the ground up
How to approach partnerships with corporations & municipalities
Flexing your platform for good
The mission story of Sing for Hope

Today’s Guest
Monica Yunus Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director, Sing for Hope

Episode Highlights

Monica’s story (5:00)
Overview of Sing for Hope (8:30)
Sing for Hope’s programs (16:00)
Scaling a nonprofit (27:15)
Monica’s advice for those looking to start a nonprofit (29:45)
Creating magical partnerships (33:10)
Using your gifts and showing up authentically (37:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Monica’s life (41:00)
Monica’s One Good Thing: Be good to yourself. (49:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/319

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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318. The New Playbook for Democratizing Philanthropy - Alison Moore, Comic Relief US

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Alison. This fascinating media exec turned nonprofit disruptor is channeling her moxie for creative storytelling, business ops and multi-channel strategy into a joyful movement that’s democratizing philanthropy (insert heel kick!) As CEO of Comic Relief US - the 💥 behind Red Nose Day - she’s unpacking the playbook for convening meaningful partnerships, building + scaling grassroots campaigns and taking it outside the walls through multi-channel engagement. Tune in for the bold insights and stay for the full display of red-nose-wearing evolved leadership.

Today’s Guest
Alison Moore, CEO, Comic Relief US

Episode Highlights

Alison’s story and journey to where she is today (5:15)
Overview of Comic Relief USA (14:10)
Founding of Red Nose Day in the UK (15:00)
Bringing Red Nose Day to the US (16:30)
Their approach to fundraising (23:25)
Millennials and philanthropy today (25:15)
How to spark engagement (27:25)
Innovation + Collaboration to Deepen Impact (34:55)
A powerful moment of philanthropy (39:30)
Alison’s One Good Thing: Focus on Curiosity. (42:15)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/318

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
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317. Top 9 Revelations from 2 Years of Podcasting - Jon McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 05:00:00 -0500

We're sharing a two-year birthday retrospect covering the Top 9️⃣ Revelations we've learned these past two years on the podcast. And we're bringing your voices onto the podcast about what this community has meant to you and how it's helped you better serve your mission. Check out Becky's blog post about her observations, and add your voice to the conversation in the Community. These revelations are only the beginning of what we're co-creating in this Impact Uprising✌️

Episode Highlights

9 Revelations from 2 Years of Podcasting (10:00)
- 1. Digital Community is the Future (11:00)
- 2. Storytelling is the most powerful tool in the nonprofit arsenal. (12:30)
- 3. Partnerships are evolving in new, exciting ways. (14:00)
- 4. Your nonprofit friends are not ok right now. (18:00)
- 5. People need a break from the world’s heaviness to hear a story that’s good. (22:00)
- 6. Nonprofits investing in professional development and marketing are winning right now. (25:00)
- 7. Nonprofit leaders must evolve quickly and humanly. (27:00)
- 8. We must commit to thinking differently. (28:30)
- 9. Just be nice. (29:00)
Community really is everything (31:00)
Join the We Are For Good Community
Dive in with We Are For Good PRO
Leave us a voicemail! (We would love to hear from you!)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/317

Sound like Virtuous might be a fit for your organization? Learn more today at virtuous.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

316. Tapping Hollywood's Advisor: How to Partner with Celebrities to Grow Mission Impact - Sarah Adolphson

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sarah. This Peace Corp alumna is an expert in entertainment strategy and engagement with extensive philanthropic experience working with many of the world’s leading global celebrities. And yet, there is nothing Hollywood about her love for doing good and the unique ways she unites celebrity and philanthropy. Tune in and understand the opportunity that exists for your mission🎧

💡Learn

The role of celebrity in philanthropy
Core pillars of a successful campaign or event when working with a celebrity, influencer or corporation
Opportunities that exist for nonprofits to partner with celebrities
The mission story of The Artemis Agency

Today’s Guest

Sarah Adolphson, Co-CEO, The Artemis Agency

Episode Highlights

Sarah’s story and journey to where she is today (4:50)
Overview of Artemis Agency (7:45)
The role of celebrity in philanthropy + Opportunity for nonprofits today (12:00)
How Sarah has witnessed philanthropy change throughout her career (17:00)
Examples of successful campaigns (21:25)
What creates a magical partnership (26:30)
Moving into the new year + how nonprofits can challenge themselves next year (31:15)
A powerful moment of philanthropy (33:40)
Sarah’s One Good Thing: Be kind. (36:55)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/316

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
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315. Creating Purpose-Driven Donor Events + Unlocking Your Own Unicorn Sparkle - Matthew Helmer

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview
Meet M atthew. As The *DRG's resident Unicorn, he believes in embracing organizational change through novel ideas. This internationally recognized storyteller has led teams in the production of award-winning events, communications, and donor engagement efforts (tune in for a fascinating case study!) . We're chatting about how to evolve our teams, embracing streamlined processes and pitching creative engagement opportunities.

💡Learn

How organizations can reimagine internal collaboration and innovation
Case Study: Colorado State University Foundation's event & engagement realignment Incorporating data and metrics into the event planning process
Unlocking your unique gifts - straight from the sector's other Unicorn

*Donor Relations Guru is now renamed The DRG Group. So proud of you for this brave move, friends. Check out the announcement here.

Today’s Guest

Matthew Helmer, Consultant and Strategist, DRG Group

Episode Highlights

Matthew’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
Experiencing organizational change at Colorado State University (9:00)
Centralized event management in higher education (12:00)
Creating meaningful events and experiences (19:00)
An example of bringing these philosophies to life (25:00)
Releasing the inner unicorn in all of us (39:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Matthew’s life (44:00)
Matthew’s One Good Thing: Gratitude. (49:00)
How to connect with Matthew (51:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/315

Say hi 👋
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314. #AMA Fridays: Should I stay or should I go? Navigating a work transition. - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 26 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

We're completing part deux of our Friday #AMA series focusing on helping small shops with a focus this week on determining when it's time to stay or go at your current nonprofit. Posed by our small shop queen, Rachel Bearbower, addressed the elephant in the room that many COVID survivors are feeling right now. Do I stick it out or move on? We'll talk through some questions to ask yourself, address compassion fatigue/burnout, and how to socialize an upcoming transition. Come hang with us!

Episode Overview

Leave us a voicemail! (2:00)
Rachel Bearbower’s questions: “When the founder is ending their tenure with their organization and they don't quite realize that it's time for them to move on. What do they do?” and “If you are an ED and it's time to go and you're ready to go. What are some of the steps that you should be taking?” (2:40)
Many of us are in an existential place asking questions (3:35)
Questions to ask yourself as a leader (7:20)
Differences between burnout versus compassion fatigue (13:05)
Aila Malik’s four practical questions for leaders to ask themselves today (17:05)
- What is my core belief?
- How strongly do I believe in this mission?
- What needs to be true in my workplace to become an evangelist about this?
- How are you lifting others that you can pass the torch to?
Dr. Ryan Bisel’s Hallmarks of Great Leadership (18:55)
- Focus on meaning
- Take building trust seriously
- Be approachable, vulnerable + relatable
- Build community amongst your team
- Develop two-sided messages
Ensuring a smooth transition for the organization and for yourself (21:05)
Consider sharing values and culture with your predecessor (25:25)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/314

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313. Partnerships in Action: How Mobile Tech is Driving Social Impact - June Sugiyama & Meena Palaniappan

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview
Meet J une & Meena. This dynamic tech-for-good team is on a global mission to empower girls with technology, and the results are quite extraordinary. Their combined expertise and grit is powering community-based technology projects in the developing world for the past two decades - and the effect is staggering. Tune in🎧

💡Learn

The massive opportunity to put technological innovation to work for good.
Importance of social media networks to enact positive change rather than spread misinformation
Case Study: campaign to tackle vaccine hesitancy in Puerto Rico
Overview of Atma Connect & Vodafone Americas Foundation

Episode Highlights

Meena’s story and journey to where she is today (4:20)
June’s story and journey to where she is today + an overview of Vodafone (6:00)
How Meena met June + an overview of Atma Connect (10:15)
Using Technology for Good (15:00)
How women disproportionately experience the affects of disasters (19:00)
Creating human-centered tech (32:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in June’s life (37:45)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Meena’s life (40:10)
June’s One Good Thing: You have to be really good listeners to create solutions; Meena’s One Good Thing: Being an entrepreneur is not the journey for the the meek of heart (42:15)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/313

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312. Building Equitable + Sustainable Systems to Deepen Impact - Otisa Eads

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Otisa. This Human Resources & Systems Strategist combines her great love for nonprofit HR with DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Justice) to ensure equitable hiring happens from the beginning. We’re chatting through how to acquire the best talent to take our missions further and why systems and mindsets are essential to making it happen. This is not your grandma’s operations nor DEI discussion. Join us and let’s level up together!

💡Learn

Equitable hiring practices 🙌
Common missteps leaders make in hiring
Systems creation for processes & evaluations
Common unconscious biases baked into our hiring systems & practices

Episode Highlights

Otisa’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
How to bake equity into hiring practices (9:15)
Missteps leaders are making in hiring decisions (19:35)
De-biasing the workplace (25:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Otisa’s life (35:00)
Otisa’s One Good Thing: Figure out how to incorporate play and joy. (39:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/312

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311. AMA: How Can Small Shop Nonprofits Build an Amazing Culture?- Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

You asked, we responded! This Friday we're launching a quick two-part #AMA Friday series focused on helping small shops beginning with How Cultures Can be Changed & How Leaders Can Help. Our small shop queen Rachel Bearbower left a message on our voicemail asking some tough questions that we know are on your mind too - you want to see your organization modernize and evolve, but leadership may not agree. We'll break down the myths, the fallout of not listening to staff, and the incredible opportunity sitting before brave small (and big!) shop leaders. Even if you're not a small shop, there's plenty to be learned from these topics. Come hang with us!

Episode Highlights

Leave us a voicemail! (10:10)
Rachel Bearbower’s question: “What you are seeing working inside small shops, small organizations that are really shifting the culture and making a huge difference for their staff, their volunteers, even their board members? (2:10)
Tonesetting (3:20)
Alignment of values and culture (9:00)
Pro tips for leaders to intentionally shape culture (10:30)
Slushie runs (15:00)
Focus on telling the story of impact (22:45)
Nonprofit organization’s culture examples (25:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/311

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

310. De-Biasing the Workplace + Building Equitable Workplaces - Olanike Ayomide-Mensah

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Olanike. This equity strategist and executor is obsessed with building equity in the world - starting with the workplace. Diversity & Inclusion is trendy, but the transformation is slow and fatigue has set in. We're talking through biases, psychological safety and building spaces where everyone can thrive. "Being in all of these different pockets of life, it has taught me that so many issues of inequity and injustice are rooted in our human nature." Let's work through it together, friends.

💡Learn

Global perspective on DEI in the workplace
What it means to live at the Intersection of Difference
De-Biasing the workplace + building equitable workplaces
How to create safe working environments

Today’s Guest

Olanike Ayomide-Mensah, Founder and CEO, Mosaic Consulting

Episode Highlights

Olanike’s story and journey to where she is today (5:00)
Global perspective of DEI in the workplace today (11:00)
DEI work in the nonprofit sector right now (20:00)
Living at the intersection of difference (24:00)
De-biasing the workplace (35:00)
Creating a safe work environment (43:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Olanike’s life (47:00)
Olanike’s One Good Thing: Seek and embrace joy in all of the challenges. (54:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/310

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

309. Driving Innovation in the Nonprofit Sector + What's Next for Capital Campaigns - Sterrin Bird

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Sterrin. This fundraising expert spent three decades in campaigns and major gifts conducting more than three-dozen capital campaigns with combined goals in excess of $5.5 billion. Bottom line - she knows her stuff 🤩 This tech-for-good guru is walking us through innovation in the modern-day campaign and how to update outdated practices. And her personal story of how philanthropy intersected with her life will have you reaching for the Kleenex.

💡Learn

How the modern campaign is evolving in a post-pandemic world
How to integrate innovation & tech into your campaign
Advice for fundraisers preparing for their first capital campaign
Misconceptions fundraisers have about soliciting major gifts

Today’s Guest

Sterrin Bird, Senior Director, Nonprofit Industry Advisor, Salesforce

Episode Highlights

Sterrin’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Innovation in the nonprofit sector + where we are going (7:30)
Capital campaigns (21:00)
Misconceptions around Major Gifts (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sterrin’s life (41:10)
Sterrin’s One Good Thing: Courage, curiosity and letting go of the ear of fear of failure (48:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/309

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

308. Enneagram for Nonprofits: Part 4. External Dynamics - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Kishshana Palmer, CFRE

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

It’s the final epsiode of our Enneagram Friday series, and we're betting you just might have been waiting for this one. Kishshana Palmer, CFRE is back to talk about how to utilize the Enneagram with your donors. She's bringing stories and examples, and they're ones we can relate to. Still haven’t taken the free test? No sweat - find it here and report back!

Jon #9 - The Peacemaker
Becky #2 - The Helper
Julie #2 - The Helper

Today’s Guest

Kishshana Palmer, Speaker, Educator, Trainer, Coach and Recovering Fundraiser, and Founder of The Rooted Collaborative

Episode Overview

Tone setting for the final Enneagram conversation (2:00)
Importance of knowing yourself (3:40)
Breaking down limiting beliefs with the Enneagram (12:30)
Examples of different Enneagram types in fundraising scenarios (15:30)
Kishshana’s One Good Thing: “Be awake, be present.” (13:30)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/308

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

307. Inside the Rise of Collective Giving + How to Create a Giving Circle - Sara Lomelin

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet S ara. As the founding CEO of Philanthropy Together, she's working to diversify and democratize philanthropy through the power of giving circles. She believes nonprofit leaders can best connect with giving circles by working in local communities and remembering that giving circle donors are not your regular donors. They want to go beyond giving to elevate your message. “Giving by, for, and with the communities we represent is the future of philanthropy — and each and every one of us belongs in this movement.”

💡Learn

The history, present & future of collective giving
5️⃣ Steps to the giving circle model
How to democratize and diversify philanthropy
Starting point for orgs looking to launch or wrap a giving circle around a program

Today’s Guest
Sara Lomelin, CEO, Philanthropy Together

Episode Highlights

Sara’s story and journey to where she is today (3:50)
Overview of collective giving (6:55)
The story of Philanthropy Together (11:00)
The potential for nonprofits today with collective giving (17:00)
What happens after the gift is made (31:00)
👇 5 STEPS TO THE GIVING CIRCLE MODEL (34:00)
- Gather your people
- Discuss values
- Decide where to give your money
- Give - pool funding, talents, and resources
- Engage
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sara’s life (36:00)
Sara’s One Good Thing: Never assume who can give and who cannot give. (39:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/307

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

306. Fundraising Boards 2.0: The Mission of Women Moving Millions + How to Use Your Board Seat Well - Mona Sinha

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet M ona. She's a globally recognized advocate for gender equality in business and society, and she's never met a challenge she didn't tackle head on with visibility and humility. Mona is the Board Chair of Women Moving Millions, a community of women who fund big and bold ($1 million+) to create a gender equal world, as well as Board Chair of the ERA Coalition Fund for Women’s Equality. With only 1.6% of philanthropy making its way to women and girls, we're tackling this issue, discussing how to break cycles and why investing in women has a massive return. Jaw-dropping convo with a seriously impressive good human 💪

💡 Learn

How to build a community of empowered women + drive social change
How to best utilize your board chair (spoiler: empowerment!)
3️⃣ Tips for shifting power dynamics with your board
The story of Women Moving Millions

Today’s Guest

Mona Sinha, Board Chair, Women Moving Millions

Episode Highlights

Mona’s story and journey to where she is today (4:20)
Women Moving Millions (12:00)
Giving in Community (18:00)
Shared Leadership as a Board Chair (24:00)
- Respect.
- Give each other the space to disagree.
- Always have each other’s back.
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Mona’s life (47:00)
Mona’s One Good Thing: You can lean into visibility and humility at the same time. (50:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/306

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

305. Enneagram for Nonprofits: Pt 3. Internal Dynamics - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Kishshana Palmer, CFRE

Fri, 05 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

It’s Enneagram Friday! Our Peacemaker and Helper hearts are geeked out around the enthusiasm and noise for our Friday Enneagram series. And now we’re moving from theory to application with the nonprofit leadership expert of our hearts: Kishshana Palmer, CFRE! Kish breaks down how to use the Enneagram internally with your fundraising shop: how it helps give grace to each other, how to flex it amidst team dynamics, and the good/bad/ugly she’s seen with different types over the years. Still haven’t taken the free test? No sweat - find it here and report back!

Jon #9 - The Peacemaker
Becky #2 - The Helper
Julie #2 - The Helper

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/305

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

304. Ask Before you Aid: The Danger of Compassion + Creating Sustainable Development - Dr. Bertrhude Albert

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dr. Behrtrude Albert. Following a humbling trip to her native Haiti, she learned a valuable lesson: ask before you aid. Alongside her partner, they founded P4H Global and are revolutionizing the way education is delivered in Haiti by training teachers. “We don’t have what Haiti needs…but they do. Invest in their capacity then get out of the way to watch them transform their nation.” Boom! 🎤💥

💡Learn

The dangers of compassion (& how it can undermine dignity)
How she garnered 1.1M likes & 70K+ TikTok followers!
The power of local partnerships: ask questions, understand strengths, listen to lived experiences
P4H Global mission overview

Today’s Guest
Dr. Bertrhude Albert, Co-Founder + CEO, P4H Global

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/304

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

303. Disrupting Fundraising + Building Community for Veterans + Families - Anne Marie Dougherty

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Anne Marie. She's also a marketer disguised as a fundraiser leveraging unmatched moxie and grit as CEO of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, supporting the nation’s veterans and their families. She’s disrupting traditional fundraising models via a unique use of metrics, relationships, and results to maximize the foundation’s $80 million investment impact. It’s an entrepreneurial approach that’s permeating the entire organization - and growing. She’s got your 6!

💡Learn

What BWF is doing to support veterans with fertility support
Unique partnership approach to the NFL & USA Wheelchair Football League
The story of its $15M MacKenzie Scott gift
Bob Woodruff Foundation mission overview

Today’s Guest

Anne Marie Dougherty, CEO, Bob Woodruff Foundation

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/303

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

302. Enneagram for Nonprofits: Pt. 2 How to Use It - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Ashley Engle

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Our Enneagram for Nonprofits Friday series started off with a bang last week! Last week we broke down the types - now we're putting them into action. Today we're talking about the correlation between relationships and the Enneagram and how to activate it in our personal and professional lives. Ashley Engle is back to breathe more insight and love into this conversation as we talk about how to flex the Enneagram - for good!

Today’s Guest
Ashley Engle, Pastor of Spiritual Formation, The Well Church

Episode Overview

Correlation between building relationships and the enneagram (2:45)
Working through fears and re-wiring our mindsets (6:00)
Celebration and culture at an organization (19:05)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Ashley’s life (20:30)
Ashley’s One Good Thing: Create a vision board (23:15)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/302

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

301. How Your Online Presence Can Create Business Value for Your Nonprofit through SEO - Rafi Norberg

Wed, 27 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Rafi. He's a true expert in the field of search engine optimization (SEO), and how it can be used to power social-driven solutions. Join us as we break down what SEO is, why you need to be paying attention and how it can help value-aligned rabid fans better find your mission. This is a beginner's guide to SEO, and one you and your nonprofit won't want to miss!

💡Learn

How SEO is different from the other ways people show up in marketing
The 3 pillars you need to have right to flex SEO for your mission
How to convert traffic into leads
How to flex SEO to ensure your content shows up in many places

Today’s Guest
Rafi Norberg, President, Nexus Marketing Agency

Episode Highlights

Rafi’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
Overview of SEO + the opportunity if you leverage it well (8:30)
Myths around SEO (10:00)
How SEO is different from the other ways people show up in marketing (12:00)
3 SEO pillars people need to think about (15:00)
Keywords (23:00)
Leveraging SEO to help with syndication (26:00)
Where SEO is going (30:00)
Converting traffic into leads (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rafi’s life (37:00)
Rafi’s One Good Thing: Indecision is the only wrong decision. (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/301

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

300. Meet The Farmlink Project: The Next Generation of Nonprofit + Evolved Leadership is Here - Aidan Reilly and Ben Collier

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet A iden and Ben. There's is a nonprofit fairy tale story: three college students who saw a problem in the world and built a scrappy, grassroots solution that's changing the world. The Farmlink Project connects surplus food from farms to food banks all around the country and has rescued nearly 70M# of produce since its inception. Tune in and help us fight for a world where everyone has access to the food they need.

💡Learn

The founding story of Farmlink
The new generation of nonprofits and nonprofit leadership - how rising GenZers are innovating the nonprofit experience
Their unique approach to corporate partnerships (that are working!)
What food insecurity & food waste looks like in the U.S. today.

Today’s Guests

Ben Collier, Co-CEO and Aidan Reilly, Head of Partnerships, The Farmlink Project

Episode Overview

Ben and Aidan’s stories and journey to where they are today (4:00)
The founding of Farmlink (12:00)
Media attention (20:00)
Partnerships and Farmlink’s mentality around partnering with companies (25:00)
Mindset shift to create systemic change (29:00)
- Create technical improvements to the space
- Create a shift in policy and adjust the rules of the environment
- Create a shift in social perspective about the problem that is being addressed
Philanthropy through the eyes of Gen Z (35:00)
Story of impact: Martha Barajas, United Hands of Compton (42:00)
Internal team story of impact (46:00)
Aidan’s One Good Thing: Find your purpose, but commit to what you’re doing in that moment. Go easy on yourself.
Ben’s One Good Thing: Find like minded individuals, then there is not an idea that is not worth sharing.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/300.

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

299. Enneagram for Nonprofits: Pt.1 The Nine Types - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Ashley Engle

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

We've been teasing it for five seasons now, and the week is finally here - Enneagram series launch time🚀🤩🙌 We've brought in a wise student of Enneagram to break down this powerful personality and relationship tool. Ashley Engle explains each type's strengths and weaknesses, and it's an open, loving convo celebrating the diversity we all bring to our personal and professional relationships. The four-part Enneagram series launches today learning about the nine types. Don't miss it! Self-awareness and grace are so needed in our fractured cultural moment. The Enneagram is here to help. Shout out your types to us this week!

Jon (Enneagram 9 - The Peacemaker✌️)
Becky (Enneagram 2 - The Helper🤗)
Julie (Enneagram 2 - The Helper🤗)

Today’s Guest
Ashley Engle, Pastor of Spiritual Formation, The Well Church

Episode Overview

Background and history of the Enneagram (3:45)
Overview of resources to determine your Enneagram type (7:00)
Heart Triad (10:00)
- Type 2: The helper or the befriender
- Type 3: The achiever, the performer or the motivator
- Type 4: The romantic or the individualist
Head Triad (19:55)
- Type 5 The investigator or the observer
- Type 6: The loyalist
- Type 7: The enthusiast
Gut Triad (32:00)
- Type 8: The challenger or the leader
- Type 9: The peacemaker
- Type 1: The perfectionist or the reformer
Looking ahead to part 2: How to activate the Enneagram (44:45)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/299.

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Neon One
Technology alone can’t solve the challenges nonprofits face. That’s why Neon One provides software that empowers you to manage constituents all while giving you the resources and support you need to connect to what matters most - your people and their passions. Learn more about how Neon One is helping nonprofits create stronger connections by visiting neonone.com/weareforgood.

About our Sponsor Feathr
Nonprofits of all shapes and sizes turn to Feathr to grow their campaigns with targeted digital ad tools that reach people, whenever and wherever they are online. And they just happen to be some really incredible people too. Use Feathr to grow your end of year fundraisers. Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

298. Giving USA 2022: Breaking Down Philanthropy Trends - Elizabeth Abel

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Elizabeth. She's baaaccckkk! The queen of interpreting philanthropic data reports is back in our house, and today we're breaking down Giving USA's 2002 Report. CCS's brilliant thought leader is explaining why dollars are up and donors are down, and how we can maximize that potential (and turn the tide of donor retention!). CCS is even giving away it's FREE breakdown of the report here (👈 waiting list, report dropping soon!) 🧐

💡Learn

High-level overview of greatest Giving USA trends, surprises & data points we don't want to overlook
Planned giving and corporate giving trends are fascinating...!
Why COVID-19 changes are likely to last
Actionable steps to leverage knowing this latest data

Today’s Guest
Elizabeth Abel, Senior Vice President, CCS Fundraising

For more information and episode details, visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/298.

About Our Sponsor Feathr
Are you ready to take your digital engagement to the next level but feel stuck about where to start? Feathr is focused on making nonprofit outreach more impactful by connecting you to your audience - wherever they are online. Feathr offers great training, support, and campaign recipes based on goals specific to nonprofits. From fundraising to program awareness, they’ve got you covered.

Learn more about their solutions for nonprofits at feathr.co

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

297. How Smart Tech is Changing Fundraising + How to Harness Its Power for Your Mission - Nejeed Kassam

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nejeed. He empowers nonprofits with A.I.-powered technology while also highlighting the positive impact that adopting smart technology WILL have on the sector. Friends, technology can be simple AND revolutionary. Believe us, this is the convo you've been waiting for to get jazzed about your data! 🤩

💡Learn:

How smart technology is transforming the fundraising landscape
Making the business case for leveraging A.I. in nonprofit
Storylines you can extract from data
Outdated technology "best practices"

Episode Highlights:

Nejeed’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
Overview of Keela (10:00)
Storylines you can see through data (19:00)
Modern day best practices (23:10)
Outdated “best practices” we could do away with (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Nejeed’s life (37:40)
Nejeed’s One Good Thing: Human beings have phenomenal capacity. (48:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/297.

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to recruit and hire great leaders, build remarkable teams, and unleash your mission’s potential.

Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

296. #AMA Fridays: Sharing Impact to Funders - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

It's #AMA (Ask Me Anything) Fridays: Storytelling + Sharing Impact to Funders, and we're breaking down an excellent question posed about impact reporting to multiple funders. Did you ever consider that an impact report could be more than simply fulfilling your granting duties? We believe it's an important cultivation strategy - not just a stewardship tactic. Tune in and hear how elevating your thinking is game-changing for the funder/grantee relationship. Special thanks to nonprofit impact communications genius, Dulari Gandhi, for sharing her insights and tips on how to communicate funding outcomes.

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295. Redefining Board Leadership + Investing in Girls to Save the World - Tara Abrahams

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview
Meet Tara. This multi nonprofit-board chair and Head of Impact at The Meteor, is passionate about tackling challenges women and girls are facing worldwide. Tune in and discover why we think she is exactly the kind of modern board chair nonprofits should be looking to recruit, and how she's channeling her passion into her nonprofit volunteerism. It's the thing of board legends🤩💪

💡Learn

Exploring what a modern fundraising board looks like today
Finding the right board fit for volunteers who have specific interests and skillsets
Why empowering young girls could be the key to global prosperity
Lessons learned as a board chair

Episode Highlights

Tara’s story and journey to where she is today (4:20)
Tara’s board experience (8:45)
Girl Rising and when Tara’s passion clicked (13:00)
Modern boards that meet the moment of today (32:00)
Collaboration in the impact sector (40:00)
The Meteor (44:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Tara’s life (53:00)
Tara’s One Good Thing: We don’t have to wait for anything at all. What we have to do is start. (57:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/295

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294. Combatting Hate + Building A Global Movement of Hope - Jonathan Greenblatt

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jonathan. He believes in American exceptionalism, and is intently focused on uplifting unification and tamping down hate. He's leading the world's largest anti-hate organization, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), with a distinguished record of fighting antisemitism and advocating for just and fair treatment to all. We're talking about the heaviness of the world, and how we can right the trajectory through inclusion, kindness & community. You in?
Learn:

Understanding how ADL is fighting hate through investigative research, education programs, & legislative victories
Pyramid of Hate: how hate can quickly escalate from mere words to acts of violence
ADL’s formula for dismantling hate
New book: "It Could Happen Here: Why America Is Tipping From Hate To The Unthinkable And How We Can Stop It."

Episode Overview

Jonathan’s story and journey to where he is today (5:00)
Overview of ADL (14:00)
Jonathan’s book: "It Could Happen Here: Why America Is Tipping From Hate To The Unthinkable And How We Can Stop It" (23:00)
The Pyramid of Hate (31:00)
Action (41:00)
Whole of society strategy (43:00)
Jonathan’s One Good Thing: Fight hate, but find hope. (47:00)

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293. 10 Takeaways + One Good Thing from Season 5 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

It's been a mind-blowing six months of the most progressive, heart-wired, action-oriented discussions to get your nonprofit moving toward innovation. Best of Season 5 unites Jon, Becky and Julie as they walk through 10 Takeaways + 1 Good Thing they've seen trending these past six months. For all our lurkers out there, this is a great time to get a high-level overview of the best moments that knocked our socks off this year. Plus, we each curated favorite playlists from this season, so there's a starting place if you're new to our community. Tune in and take notes ✍️

Season 5 highlights (0:50)
10 Takeaways from Season 5:
1. Mission moments - Focus on Listening. (3:20)
2. Community building - Embrace nuance and micro-moments. (5:25)
3. Storytelling - Be intentional, be authentic, and be future-focused. (8:40)
4. Philanthropy - Foster trust-based philanthropy. (10:40)
5. Leadership - Culture will attract or repel the next believer of your mission. (12:45)
6. Social Impact - Embrace your power + be open-handed. (15:15)
7. Donor Engagement - Focus on Holistic Generosity. (16:45)
8. Fundraising - Ask the Bigger Questions. (19:20)
9. Marketing - Make Good Famous. (25:30)
10. Young Professionals - Everyone is a Philanthropist and If the path is clear, you’re on someone else’s. (27:20)
Favorite missions we met this season: (29:30)
- Julie: The Adventure Project
- Jon: Global Citizen Year
- Becky: Think Of Us
Season 5 One Good Thing: Do something kind for yourself, or something kind for your teammate. (32:50)
Season 6 Preview (33:40)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/293

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292. As Seen on Why IT Matters: A Double Order of Nontoxic Optimism with a Side of Good Please - Tim Lockie + Tracy Kronzak

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tim & Tracy. We've been called a lot of things in our day, but never nontoxic optimists - and we kinda like it! Tune in to the Why IT Matters podcast (click and subscribe too - you won't regret it!), which is a truth tech talk with two dynamite humans. If you’re a giver, a business leader, or an application developer, this is a conversation not to miss, because, if you’re not leading with value and humanity first, you’re missing out. 🎧

Episode Highlights

Nontoxic optimism (1:45)
An open love letter to philanthropy (9:05)
The power of good (16:10)
Money as a force for positive influence (21:40)
Outlining core values (26:20)
Outcomes materialize by achieving values (38:30)
Finding your voice (41:25)
The importance of technology for good (44:30)
The emotional barrier to tech adoption (52:00)
We Are For Good PRO (58:45)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/292

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

About Our Sponsor The Productive Executive Director
If you are an ED feeling like you are being pulled in a million different directions and drowning in your to-do list, here’s an epic professional development opportunity for you called the Productive Executive Director.

It’s a 12-month learning journey – part curriculum, coaching and community designed for small shop Executive Directors – like YOU. And it’s led by our friend and small shop coach, Rachel Bearbower. Enrollment to this community is open right now but only for a few more days. And because you’re a loyal listener, Rachel is offering $25 off your first month if you use use the code: [WEAREFORGOOD25]

Rachel has coached me individually, and she is a brilliant systems manager that builds efficiency, trust and productivity. Highly recommend! Enrollment closes July 1, so check it out now. Learn more: at smallshopstrategies.com/beproductive

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291. As Seen on Good to Growth Podcast: Nonprofit Themes in 2022 - Katie Appold

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Katie. We adore our Nonprofit Hub Executive Director and friend who's been in the trenches of nonprofits - just like us. We were honored to join her on her podcast, G ood to Growth, which is an awesome space breaking down how nonprofits can grow. Be sure to subscribe and add it to your podcast queue! 🎧

💡Learn

We chat with Katie about themes emerging from the nonprofit sector this year, including:
- Next-gen donors
- Batch working for efficiency
- The overhead myth

Episode Highlights

Jon and Becky’s professional journeys (1:55)
Philanthropy themes in 2022 (5:40)
- Culture is everything
- Donor behavior matters more than gift amount
- How corporate engagement and cultivation has changed
Diversifying nonprofit board leadership (11:55)
Prioritizing the work that matters to grow capacity (16:20)
Mental health tips and encouragement (27:55)
Jon and Becky’s Good News (35:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/291

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

About Our Sponsor The Productive Executive Director
If you are an ED feeling like you are being pulled in a million different directions and drowning in your to-do list, here’s an epic professional development opportunity for you called the Productive Executive Director.

It’s a 12-month learning journey – part curriculum, coaching and community designed for small shop Executive Directors – like YOU. And it’s led by our friend and small shop coach, Rachel Bearbower. Enrollment to this community is open right now but only for a few more days. And because you’re a loyal listener, Rachel is offering $25 off your first month if you use use the code: [WEAREFORGOOD25]

Rachel has coached me individually, and she is a brilliant systems manager that builds efficiency, trust and productivity. Highly recommend! Enrollment closes July 1, so check it out now. Learn more: at smallshopstrategies.com/beproductive

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290. As Seen on Nonprofit Nation Podcast: A Revolution in Nonprofit Professional Development - Julia Campbell

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Julia. She's not only our literal first guest on the podcast as episode #1, but she's also an incredible storyteller and communicator too. We were honored to join her on her podcast, Nonprofit Nation. Be sure to subscribe and add it to your podcast queue! 🎧🙌

💡Learn:

The biggest changes in the nonprofit sector these last two years
How to get leaders to care and embrace new ideas
What nonprofits frequently get wrong when it comes to professional development

Episode Overview

Julia’s intro of Jon and Becky (1:10)
The inspiration behind creating We Are For Good (3:40)
The guests Jon and Becky invite on the podcast (7:00)
How to get people to care (12:45)
Rethinking the donor pyramid (17:25)
The importance of a growth mindset (27:40)
What’s next for We Are For Good (36:05)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/290

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

About Our Sponsor The Productive Executive Director
If you are an ED feeling like you are being pulled in a million different directions and drowning in your to-do list, here’s an epic professional development opportunity for you called the Productive Executive Director.

It’s a 12-month learning journey – part curriculum, coaching and community designed for small shop Executive Directors – like YOU. And it’s led by our friend and small shop coach, Rachel Bearbower. Enrollment to this community is open right now but only for a few more days.

And because you’re a loyal listener, Rachel is offering $25 off your first month if you use use the code: [WEAREFORGOOD25]

Rachel has coached me individually, and she is a brilliant systems manager that builds efficiency, trust and productivity. Highly recommend! Enrollment closes July 1, so check it out now. Learn more: at smallshopstrategies.com/beproductive

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289. The Impact Arc Framework: Syndicate + Scale Your Impact - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 24 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Jon and Becky are finishing our Friday series, The Impact Arc, which is uncovering their secret formula...to, well, everything. Thanks to all who joined us to explore how we fundraise, build events, campaigns, movements, community, and even our company too. Tune into this 3-part series breaking down the Impact Arc with this week's #3 pillar: Syndication. Spoiler: if you do syndication well, sustainability and scaling will naturally occur too!

Episode Highlights

Definition of syndication (3:45)
Key benefits to having a syndication mindset (5:25)
Build a 2.0 communications model that prioritizes engagement (8:10)
Defining your voice (10:10)
The magic of tagging (16:20)
Who is in charge of syndication? (18:00)
Case study: Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association (19:45)
Scaling and sustainability (22:55)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/289

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288. How to build a Thriving and Scalable Marketing Ecosystem - Diana Chaplin

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Diana. She's a content strategist, marketing director, and brand leader who is a systems thinker and most inspired by nature's approach to ecosystems. She's taking that deep love of nature into this convo and showing just how revolutionary digital ecosystems can be when marketing strategy/people/vision are all aligned. Tune in and learn how to tell stories via diverse media + =

Learn

Core elements & check marks to ensure your marketing infrastructure can scale
Why little things matter when building/strengthening a brand
positions that will accelerate your digital growth (& online giving!)
Compelling case study from One Tree Planted

Episode Highlights

Diana’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Being a marketer as an introvert and nature as marketing inspiration (9:00)
Core elements and check marks to ensure you are building a marketing infrastructure that can scale (13:00)
Where to start small (26:00)
Cultivating focus outside of work to inform marketing strategies (30:05)
Teambuilding (34:30)
Case study: One Tree Planted (42:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Diana’s life (50:00)
Diana’s one (technically two 😉) good thing(s): “Everything changes. Everything is connected. Pay attention.” -Jane Hirshfield and “One of nature's basic principles is to work only under conditions that are favorable to life.” (55:30)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/288

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287. Individual Giving: How (and Why!) to Build a Mid-Level Donor Program - Clay Buck

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Clay. This 30-year fundraising veteran is deeply passionate about building individual giving plans at all levels AND data. So many of our untapped strategies and behaviors reside in our data, but we just need to know how to flex it. "I saw too many beautiful stories not reach the audience that needed to hear them because of bad data or faulty systems." We've got the playbook - tune in.

Episode highlights

Clay’s unexpected path into a nonprofit career (2:30)
Value of understanding of the many types of fundraising (6:20)
How to build an individual giving program (14:40)
Hallmarks of a great impact statement (20:40)
Audit your data (26:25)
How charity:water turns donors into advocates (33:15)
“Sometimes fundraising is paper towels” (40:45)
Ensure your systems are operational to sustain a donor program (44:40)
How to make every donor feel like a major gift donor (50:00)
Clay’s one good thing: “God help me be the person my dog thinks I am” (42:45)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/287

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to recruit and hire great leaders, build remarkable teams, and unleash your mission’s potential.

Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.

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286. The Impact Arc Framework: Unleash the Power of Storytelling - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 17 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Jon and Becky are continuing to unpack our new Friday series, The Impact Arc, which is uncovering their secret formula...to, well, everything. Thanks to all who joined us last week as we kicked off discussions sharing how we fundraise, build events, campaigns, movements, community, and even our company too. Tune into this 3-part series breaking down the Impact Arc with this week's #2 pillar: Storytelling. Tune in to get all our best storytelling strategies and hacks. 🎧

Episode Overview

Tone setting: The power of telling authentic stories (2:20)
Ethical storytelling (5:00)
How to create a culture of storytelling at your organization (8:45)
Tips to create entry points for sharing stories across all channels of communication (12:15)
- Share and get stories from multiple mediums and channels
- Write the way you speak
- Employ authenticity and vulnerability by focusing on small details
- Tell the unexpected
Documentary Filmmaker Cheryl Miller Houser’s three steps to craft a story arc (21:30)
John Trybus’s five essential building blocks of compelling storytelling (24:00)
Looking ahead to part three of the Impact Arc: Syndication (29:30)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/286

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org

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285. How Allyship & Partnership Fueled a Community Project - Jonathan Dodson

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet J on. This former banker turned developer-for-good is passionate about I’m creating value through new partnerships and projects in areas with tremendous potential. His interest in urban re-developments led to the creation of the internationally recognized Pivot project launching an economic revolution powering underserved citizens to stay, build, and thrive in their communities for generations. It’s one of the great underdog success stories we’ve heard on the podcast yet - and it happened in our own backyard of OKC! We're crazy proud to bring our community's story to you.

💡Learn

Equitable allyship: breaking down local/regional systems to build vibrant communities
How to manage & stay resilient after hearing a lot of NOs until the right YES comes along
Forging dynamic partnerships with government, for-profit & nonprofits
The mission story of Eastpoint

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/285

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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284. The Future of Philanthropy is Here: How to Adapt + Create a Thriving Culture of Innovation - Paul D’Alessandro

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Overview

Meet Paul. After spending decades as a fundraiser, attorney, entrepreneur, and passionate trailblazer, Paul understood that today's nonprofit environment required innovation and new thinking. So, High Impact Nonprofit Advisors was born and continues to push the bounds on building cultures of innovation that not only deliver but anticipate the 21st-century donor's needs😎

💡Learn:

Key Innovations to Lean Into: A.I., Blockchain, Social Impact Investing - oh my!
Creating Cultures of Innovation
Paul's: The Dirty Little Secret of Nonprofit Compensation
New book, The Future of Fundraising, diving into how donors are dictating the terms of fundraising today

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Paul’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
The mindset that's happening with today's donors (5:00)
Paul’s book: The Future of Fundraising: How Philanthropy’s Future is Here with Donors Dictating the Terms (8:00)
Why nonprofits must innovate today (12:00)
The power of consolidations and mergers to deepen impact (15:00)
Leveraging artificial intelligence and other trending technologies to further our missions (16:00)
Compensation and pay within the nonprofit sector (25:00)
How nonprofits can tactically start to try some of these innovative strategies mentioned in the episode (31:00)
Today’s donors have a different mindset than ever before (35:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Paul’s life (40:00)
Paul’s One Good Thing: Stick with it. (42:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/284

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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283. The Impact Arc Framework: Behold the Power of Staging - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

🚨 New Friday Series Alert! Jon and Becky are launching their new Friday series covering their secret formula...to, well, everything.

It's high time we let you in on our very secret sauce to how we fundraise, build events, campaigns, movements, community, and even our company too. Tune into this 3-part series breaking down the Impact Arc. We kick off this week with our first of 3️⃣ convos: Behold the Power of Staging.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

The workplace giving campaign that Becky and Jon created using the Impact Arc Framework (3:00)
Success comes from the 90% of the iceberg you can’t see (13:00)
How to shift from development 1.0 to development 2.0 (16:00)
Overview of the first element in the Impact Arc Framework: Staging (21:00)
An example of Staging in action (31:30)
How Nancy Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, used Staging (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/283

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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282. Demystifying Peer Fundraising: Unleashing Community to Help Your Org Grow - Madeleine St. John

Wed, 08 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Madeleine. She helps nonprofits grow giving through strategic and creative community-building services at the nexus of donor engagement. Today, she's demystifying common myths surrounding peer fundraising and patiently outlining the opportunities existing for nonprofits today in a post-pandemic world. Tune in and bring your notepad for this convo that's gold🤩

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Madeleine’s story and journey to where she is today (3:50)
Common myths around peer fundraising (6:00)
The opportunity for nonprofits today and the low hanging fruit with peer fundraising (15:00)
Tactical steps for launching your peer fundraising program (24:00)
Case study of an amazing peer fundraising campaign (29:00)
Madeleine’s tips for stewarding well and building believers out of these donors that come through the peer fundraising (32:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Madeleine’s life (41:00)
Madeleine’s One Good Thing: Doing good should feel good. (44:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/282

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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281. How to Mobilize Volunteers + Grow Holistic Generosity - Rob Peabody

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet R ob. After witnessing how complicated it could be to do good, he had a vision of making volunteering easier through the use of technology. VOMO takes away all the extra time that goes into managing volunteer events making it simple for you and your teammates to get involved in your own community. After this convo, you know we got nothing but FOMO for VOMO😜

💡Learn:

How to leverage technology to power our volunteers
What volunteers are looking for today & how can we better engage them
How VOMO power volunteer management and organization online
Case study examples of how VOMO powered philanthropy through volunteerism

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Rob’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
The story and inspiration behind the founding of VOMO (9:00)
Case Study: The story of VOMO + Stand Together + 1Day LA partnership to bring a new, innovative volunteer platform to Los Angeles (14:00)
VOMO’s scope of work and how someone would utilize the platform (17:00)
What a volunteers want today: what they are looking for and how can we as organizations better engage them and give them meaningful experiences (23:00)
Case study of an organization that found success engaging and equipping their volunteers through VOMO (27:00)
Redefining generosity to include a more holistic approach for today's giver (32:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Rob’s life (37:00)
Rob’s One Good Thing: Advancement and change only happens when we take risks. (42:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/281

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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280. LIVE! from Phoenix: The Power of Collectives: Fundraising Circles and Giving Circles - Kyson Bunthuwong, Beverly Brooks Thompson, Chrissy Dupuy, Faith Boettger

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Join Jon + Becky for this Friday's episode alongside a panel of legit experts on The Power of Collectives: Fundraising Circles and Giving Circles. We talk how giving circles enable regular folks to pool their contributions and have proven to be one of the most effective ways to turn smaller gift dollars into a powerful force for community change. Special thanks to Virtuous for convening this discussion with our panel experts: Kyson Bunthuwong (Philanthropy Together), Beverly Brooks Thompson (Carter Global), Chrissy Dupuy (Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center), Faith Boettger (National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys).

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Tone setting (2:00)
Overview of Giving Circles (6:00)
Giving Circle Case Study: The Echo Alliance (8:00)
Attracting people to your giving circles (19:00)
Practical tips and counsel about implementing and managing a giving circle (28:00)
Beverly’s One Good Thing: Inviting somebody into the giving circle is a great way to invite them to learn the power of collective impact. (40:00)
Kyson’s One Good Thing: Giving circles really get at the heart of values. (40:00)
Faith’s One Good Thing: Everyone can be a philanthropist. (41:00)
Chrissy’s One Good Thing: Giving circles give you the opportunity to make those personal connections. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/280

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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279. Ethical Storytelling in Action: Developing Culturally Informed Narratives - Kristen Marston

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kristen. This Hollywood narrative strategist and impact advisor develops culturally-informed narratives for companies like Netflix, HBO Max, MTV, Disney, and more for more than 100 major film and TV projects. As Chief Impact Officer of The League, she works at the intersection of culture and politics advocating for a future where everyone who makes up the New American Majority can act, engage, and thrive. We're talking about crafting narratives and creating media that is reflective of the communities our missions engage.

Learn

How to inspire civic engagement, create systemic change, and craft culturally-informed narratives
The importance of crafting narratives uplifting the lives and issues of women and communities of color
How nonprofits can apply this writing and mindset shift to their missions
An Overview of The League

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Kristen’s story and journey to where she is today (2:41)
Overview of the work of The League (7:30)
Guideposts Kristen sees as she advises Hollywood scripts and organizations to move towards inclusive narratives (11:00)
Key elements of crafting these culturally informed narratives and how we can they apply them in our missions (16:00)
Creating media that's reflective of the communities that our organizations are working with (23:00)
Kristen’s advice for how to meet the moment by channeling these ideas and these themes (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kristen’s life (33:00)
Kristen’s One Good Thing: Take care of each other. (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/279

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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278. Social Fundraising: How to Find New Audiences + Grow Recurring Donors - Maria Clark

Mon, 30 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Maria. She's on a mission to deploy data science + human judgment to democratize the nonprofit supporter experience. Her org, GoodUnited, has helped missions raise more than $500M via peer-to-peer platforms online. Today they're powering the third wave of giving as the sector moves from online giving and email to 1:1 conversational messaging and engagement on social media. If you're trying to make social engagement more human + steward creatively, this is the episode for you🤔🎧

💡Learn:

How to engage with supporters in the digital spaces they already frequent
Cultivating recurring relationships + capturing new digital audiences
How nonprofits can make concentrated efforts to understand, inspire, and raise their relationships with social supporters starting with automated conversational messaging
Leveraging social media to better steward followers and supporters

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Maria’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Overview of social fundraising (6:00)
How this can de-risk your mission and add stability to your organization (11:00)
Tips for how to know your followers, and then engage + empower them (17:00)
Fundraising, coaching, and engaging through Facebook Messenger (24:00)
Case studies of who is doing social fundraising well (27:00)
Stewardship and donor cultivation following the social fundraising events and challenges (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Maria’s life (33:00)
Maria’s One Good Thing: Take a step back and think big. (39:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/278

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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277. LIVE! from Phoenix: Build Better Storytelling - Dulari Gandhi, Kimberly O'Neil, Becky Straw, and Cheryl Miller Houser

Fri, 27 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Join Jon + Becky for this Friday's episode alongside a panel of legit experts on Building Better Storytelling. We talk about shifting the lens on the storylines we share, the words we use, and leaning into authentic and ethical storytelling. Special thanks to Virtuous for convening this discussion with our panel experts: Kimberly O'Neil (The Giving Blueprint), Chery Miller-Houser (Creative Breed), Dulari Gandhi (D. Gandhi Communications), Becky Straw (Adventure Project) 👊

Episode Overview

Tone setting (2:00)
Storytelling basics: Cheryl’s framework (6:43)
- 1. Be Human.
- 2. Show Struggle.
- 3. Inspire Through Uplift.
Developing inclusive narratives (11:30)
Defining ethical storytelling (16:00)
How The Adventure Project tells stories of their global community ethically (19:00)
Shifting donor thinking around narratives (25:00)
Activation: where and how you should be telling these stories (32:00)
Encapsulating joy in your storytelling (38:00)
Kimberly’s One Good Thing: Remember self care. (41:00)
Cheryl’s One Good Thing: Focus on joy. (41:00)
Becky’s One Good Thing: Have the bravery of listening. (42:00)
Dulari’s One Good Thing: When we center ourselves on what we're actually trying to do, it tends to work out very successfully in every realm. (42:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/277

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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276. Donor Data Matters: How to Rock Your Next CRM Implementation at Your Organization - Chris Campbell

Wed, 25 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet C hris. This former major gift officer turned leader of data integrity at the OSU Foundation is talking through the org's CRM Implementation and what a project of this scale entails. This Project Director for the successful implementation of a comprehensive advancement CRM went live in January, and we're chatting preparations, team involvement, and why communication is the bedrock of a successful launch.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Chris’s story and journey to where he is today (4:30)
Overview of CRMs (9:45)
Beginning to find the right platform + technology for your organization (12:00)
Get to know the market, and get to know yourself as an organization (16:00)
The process of migrating donor data (21:00)
4 tracks of data migration and implementation of a new CRM (23:00)
Maximizing the data that is already in your CRM (25:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Chris’s life (28:00)
Chris’s One Good Thing: Every business is a people business. (31:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/276

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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275. Increasing Latinx Representation in Philanthropy + Making Good Famous - Carolina García Jayaram

Mon, 23 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet C arolina. She's the founding CEO of The Elevate Prize Foundation, a global purpose-driven nonprofit that serves to amplify social impact and empower passionate problem solvers, leaders, and innovators. Latinos hold just 1% of foundation and not-for-profit CEO positions and less than 10% of program officer positions, yet Hispanics represent 20% of the U.S. population. Join us to make good famous🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Carolina’s story and journey to where she is today (3:50)
Overview of The Elevate Prize Foundation (5:00)
How the Elevate Prize Foundation is leveraging Giving Circles to create a deeper impact (7:30)
Making Good Famous: using fame to power impact (11:00)
Why Latinx representation must increase in philanthropy (16:00)
Championing young Latinx nonprofit leaders (21:00)
Latinx thought leaders to follow (26:00)
Investing in nonprofit leaders and the power of professional development (29:00)
How people can get involved with The Elevate Prize Foundation (35:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Carolina’s life (39:00)
Carolina’s One Good Thing: Have an abundance mindset. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/275

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to recruit and hire great leaders, build remarkable teams, and unleash your mission’s potential.

Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.

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274. Pay, Leave, and Power: The Power Convo Pt. 2 - Iara Peng

Fri, 20 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Iara. This powerhouse founder and world-changer is taking on power dynamics found in grantmaking with a novel solution allowing funders to move money more quickly to grantees. [insert heel kick] She’s addressing why we should be shifting power to the frontlines, why trust-based philanthropy IS the future, and how the sector is shifting toward centering equity in our practice. Orgs serving marginalized or populations of color - you don’t want to miss this episode (potential funding available!💰).

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Iara’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Founding story of Young People For, a national progressive leadership development program that has identified and trained thousands of leaders across the country (6:00)
Founding story of JustFund (10:00)
The future of philanthropy from Iara’s perspective and JustFund’s Common Application (13:00)
How philanthropy is shifting + how funders and nonprofits are starting to center equity in their practice and in their work (19:00)
Building trust with funders (22:00)
Advice for nonprofits to begin conversations and education to funders (25:00)
Getting philanthropy shifted to the frontlines where they can really activate (31:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Iara’s life (42:00)
Iara’s One Good Thing: It's not the challenges that define us, but how we respond to the challenges. (45:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/274

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273. Pay, Leave, and Power: The Power Convo Pt. 1 - Maria Choi

Thu, 19 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Maria. This CEO and Founder is passionate about uniting technology, philanthropy and social good to solve critical issues. She’s unapologetically talking to us about the negative impact that power dynamics have on major gifts, paid leave, cultures and benefits while sharing a reimagined strategy to shift philanthropic power dynamics. You know we’re here for this 🙌

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Maria’s story and journey to where she is today (2:00)
Shift in power dynamics Maria is seeing because leaders of color are often in the driver's seat of social and economic change, yet they're entirely underestimated and underfunded. (3:00)
Trust based philanthropy and trust based partnerships (4:30)
Holistic inequitable lending practices in the sector (6:50)
Changing our mindset around major gift funding and foundation funding (8:00)
How Maria doesn’t see the walls in the philanthropy space (13:00)
Raise For Good’s founding story and their core scope of work (16:00)
Moving towards sustainability within our organizations (19:00)
The narrative surrounding overhead within our sector and how it is holding us back (20:00)
How Maria advises people to not just weather but thrive in the midst of challenging times and seasons within their growing organizations (26:00)
Maria’s advice to leaders looking to build more equity within their organizations - where do we start? (29:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Maria’s life (33:00)
Maria’s One Good Thing: Change can be joyful. (35:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/273

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272. Pay, Leave, and Power: TheSkimm's #ShowUsYourLeave Campaign - Jodi Patkin

Wed, 18 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jodi. Not only is she the Senior VP of Brand Marketing and Communication at theSkimm [insert swoon], she’s also a passionate advocate of building the movement powering paid leave reform in the U.S. She’s diving into the viral phenomenon of theSkimm’s #ShowUsYourLeave Campaign, and what nonprofits can do to pour into the moment. She’s also sharing how to build a massive global-movement-for-good with rabid fans and corporations alike. “Paid leave is not a benefit - it’s a human right.” [Hard Stop]

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Jodi’s story and journey to where she is today (3:30)
The story of the #ShowUsYourLeave campaign (8:00)
Galvanizing and activating support to grow a movement (18:00)
theSkimm’s #ShowUsYourLeave database (21:00)
How nonprofits can get activated and join this movement (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jodi’s life (32:00)
Jodi’s One Good Thing: You can make a difference. and Rely on community and others. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/272

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271. Pay, Leave and Power: The Paid Leave Conversation - Orli Cotel

Tue, 17 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Orli. She’s a founding leader of Paid Leave for the U.S. (PLUS), a nonprofit focused on winning paid family and medical leave. PLUS has helped win paid leave for more than 8M people, and Oril is bringing her knowledge, tools, case studies and adapting it all to the nonprofit sector. She’s also sharing how to create a work environment that promotes work-life balance for employees as we build a movement where personal life comes first.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Orli’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Overview of the paid leave landscape in the United States (7:00)
Where to start with this topic and get the right conversations started (13:00)
Getting involved with legislation (21:00)
Examples of best in class paid leave policies (27:00)
- Cost Benefit Analysis Resources from PL + US
- Toolkit and Template Proposal from PL + US
You're never going to be the kind of visionary organization to the world if you can't be that kind of visionary organization to your own team: moving away from scarcity mindset in the sector (37:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Orli’s life (39:00)
Orli’s One Good Thing: Low ego high impact. (42:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/271

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270. Pay, Leave and Power: The Nonprofit Pay Conversation - Evan Feinberg

Mon, 16 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Evan. As the Stand Together Foundation Executive Director, he leads the charge on building replicable frameworks that disrupt, empower and accelerate doing good in the world. And he’s brought an entirely new playbook to the convo of compensating nonprofits - and compensating them big-time - and we want you to have it. We’ve all heard the phrase “I won’t make a lot in nonprofit, but I love having a career with meaning.” NO MORE. Tune in to get the frameworks, negotiation tips and script to help you build a strong case for better pay. Those who pour into others should be incentivized for their work - not handed scraps. Let’s elevate and equalize!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Evan’s story and journey to where he is today (2:45)
The equity problem in the sector and what Evan is seeing (6:00)
Historical and current narratives about the nonprofit sector (9:00)
How we pay people as individuals and incentivize around top performance (17:00)
Advice for fundraisers: negotiating salaries and benefits (29:00)
Evan’s advice for small organizations (39:00)
Evan’s One Good Thing: Think of the empowerment movement. (42:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/270

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269. LIVE! from Phoenix: Build Better Boards - Sabrina Walker Hernandez, Jazmin Chavez, Tammy Tibbetts, and Skyler Badenoch

Fri, 13 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Join Jon + Becky for this Friday's episode alongside a panel of legit experts on Building Better Boards. We talk about creating active boards comprised of diverse voices, lived experiences, and representing the population of people served by the mission. Special thanks to Virtuous for convening this discussion with our panel experts: Skyler Badenoch (Hope for Haiti), Sabrina Walker Hernandez (Saving World Hope), Jazmin Chavez (Hispanics in Philanthropy) and Tammy Tibbetts (She's the First) 👊

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268. A Place at The Table: Fighting Food Insecurity with Dignity, Choice + Radical Hospitality - Maggie Kane

Wed, 11 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Maggie. After spending her childhood serving in soup kitchens, she felt an awakening to bring more than a meal to those who were hungry - she wanted to bring dignity, civility and friendship too. Thus, A Place at the Table was born - Raleigh's first pay-what-you-can nonprofit cafe. She's reimagining a way to feed those in need and baking equity and community into the equation. Swoon🥰👏

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Maggie’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Meet the mission: A Place at the Table (11:00)
A Place at the Table’s unique “pay what you can” model and why it is working (19:00)
What Maggie has learned along the way of starting a nonprofit and about dignity (20:00)
A powerful story of when she witnessed community at this organization (23:00)
Funding this dream and partnering with the community (27:00)
Dreams for A Place at the Table (29:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Maggie’s life (31:00)
Maggie’s One Good Thing: Ask for help and celebrate everything. (33:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/268

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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267. The Rise of Corporate Social Impact + How Nonprofit Missions Can Meet the Moment - Olivia Khalili

Mon, 09 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Olivia. She's been on a lifelong quest to create community-based workplace cultures that fuel good while helping the bottom line. And now that company PagerDuty, a real-time impact response platform, is driving the effort of societal benefits through business and its employees. As social impact and philanthropy are becoming more important in attracting top talent, Olivia explains how connecting social impact to success is game-changing.

💡Learn:

Shifting & redistributing power: centering partnership models and programs around equity and trust-based/participatory philanthropy practices
PagerDuty's approach to social impact
Current landscape of social impact right now + how can people formulate that business case

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Olivia’s story and journey to where she is today (3:30)
Overview of PagerDuty and their social impact initiatives (13:00)
Shifting our mindset around social impact (15:00)
Key indicators of when a company is ready to implement a social impact program (21:00)
The current landscape of social impact + how can people formulate that business case (26:00)
Focusing on deeper partnerships and unrestricted capital vs. transactional gifts and event sponsorships (31:00)
What an ideal partnership looks like (39:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Olivia’s life (43:00)
Olivia’s One Good Thing: Lead with your full selves, your voice, your values, and lift up others. (46:00)

For more information and episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/267

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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266. LIVE! from Phoenix: Build Better Culture - Aila Malik, Lawanna Kimbro, Ted Vaughn, and Sara Cunningham

Fri, 06 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Join Jon + Becky for this Friday's episode where they talk with a Varsity Team of experts on Building Better Culture. We talk through what modern nonprofit culture should encompass, how leaders can better shape vibrant cultures, why the term "culture fit" is damaging, and a host of other topics. Special thanks to Virtuous for convening us all and for our panel experts: Sara Cunningham (Free Mom Hugs), Lawanna Kimbro (Stardust Fund), Ted Vaughn (Historic Agency) & Aila Malik (Venture Leadership Consulting)👊

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting and why culture is an incredibly important topic right now (3:45)
The phrase “cultural fit” and what the problem is with it (5:00)
How leaders can intentionally help shape culture today (9:00)
- 1. Check yourself as a leader and do the work.
- 2. Create transparency and clarity within your organizations.
- 3. Make time to build connection with each other.
- 4. Look at your rituals as an organization.
Navigating unhealthy cultures within our organizations (21:00)
Rethinking our definition of what conflict is (25:00)
Prioritizing mental health within our cultures (31:00)
The more senior you are in the organization you lead, the more culture shaping you do more than your specific skill competency ability (40:00)
Lawanna’s One Good Thing: Something being unprecedented doesn't mean it's impossible. (41:00)
Aila’s One Good Thing: Get very clear with yourself. Have your own personal vision on this world so that your work is simply in alignment to that. (42:00)
Ted’s One Good Thing: Culture is a tension to manage. It's not a problem to solve. (43:00)
Sara’s One Good Thing: Focus on the joy. (44:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/265

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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265. Stop Interrupting. Start Empowering. How to Grow Fans + Donors Exponentially - Jeff Rosenblum

Wed, 04 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet J eff. You know we love a dynamic convo with disruptors-for-good, and Jeff is taking his corporate branding knowledge and applying it to our nonprofit missions. This Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Questus, one of the country's leading digital advertising agencies, makes a passionate case that nonprofits can learn from the consumer journeys of powerhouse brands, and he's bringing the playbook to apply to donor journeys. Holla! 🙌

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Jeff’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
What nonprofits can learn from some of the biggest brands in our world (11:30)
What can we learn from some of these powerhouse brands and their consumer journeys (14:00)
Emotional intelligence and self awareness (19:00)
Ethical storytelling (25:00)
Moving from just interrupting to this idea of empowerment through your marketing and advertising (32:00)
Jeff’s new book: EXPONENTIAL: Transform Your Brand by Empowering Instead of Interrupting (34:00)
Steps and tactics that people can employ to embrace this ethos of empowering instead of interrupting (35:00)
Storytelling Pro Tip: The Three Act Structure (44:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jeff’s Life (46:00)
Jeff’s One Good Thing: Win the morning, win the day. (49:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/265

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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264. Anti-Hate, Influence + Raising the First Billion: Meet The Asian American Foundation - Prisca Bae

Mon, 02 May 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet P risca. This corporate diversity expert and advocate for global women’s issues is passionate about chasing equality. Her lifelong quest to bring equity to the world led her to the newly formed The Asian American Foundation. Join us as we talk about the longstanding lack of investment and resources provided to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders communities and why TAAF is creating an irrevocable sense of belonging for its 23 million U.S. citizens.

💡Learn:

The mission of The Asian American Foundation
TAAF’s Investments in Anti-Hate, Education, and Data (& Culture Narrative)
Committing $1 billion to the AAPI Giving Challenge
How we can become allies during this time of hate crime targeting our Asian American friends

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Prisca’s story and journey to where she is today (3:21)
Overview of The Asian American Foundation (16:00)
Overview of TAAF’s flagship programs (21:00)
How to be mobilized to move this conversation forward (25:00)
Community is everything - Prisca’s philosophy behind partnerships (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Prisca’s life (31:00)
Prisca’s One Good Thing: You are much more powerful than you realize. (33:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/264

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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263. #AMA (Ask Me Anything) Fridays: Staffing Up During the Great Resignation - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Jon + Becky are hosting a special #AMA (Ask Me Anything) style convo on Friday's episode, and this week's topicis Staffing Up During the Great Resignation. Where to hire? Which roles to hire? And how do allow staff to be in their zone of genius - not wearing all the hats? We love adding your voice to the podcast! So drop us an email, DM or (best option🤩👉) leave us a voice memo and we'll play your question on-air🎙

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Leave us a voicemail! (1:00)
Tone setting and scarcity mindset (3:30)
The Great Resignation (5:00)
- Listen: 192. The Great Resignation is Here. How to Leverage it as The Great Opportunity - Sally Bryant
Are you asking the right questions? (9:00)
- What are your short-term and long-term goals?
- What role is most critical?
Key steps to making the right nonprofit hire (9:50)
Pro Tips (23:00)
- “‘Cultural Fit’ is just a container for the prejudices that we hold around who we think belongs.” - Kishshana Palmer

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/263

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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262. How Centering Lived Experience is Transforming the Child Welfare System - Sixto Cancel

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sixto. He's been advocating for change at the intersection of child welfare and advanced technology since the age of 16. His lived experience in foster care fuels his passion for shifting system policy and practice through the use of technology, data & unyielding compassion. This Founder and CEO of Think of Us is directing this progressive nonprofit to end institutional placements and reform our foster care system by listening, gathering & activating.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Sixto’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
Prioritizing kinship care in the system (10:00)
Overview of Think of Us (14:00)
Leveraging research and amassing a huge database to make the change happen (18:00)
Shifting the power dynamics in the child welfare system (24:00)
Check for Us Initiative (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sixto’s life (36:00)
Sixto’s One Good Thing: Stay in joy. (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/262

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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261. Solving the Leadership Crisis + The Mission of Global Citizen Year - Abby Falik

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Abby. She’s a social entrepreneur and founder of Global Citizen Year, an organization reimagining the transition into adulthood by facilitating a yearlong immersion experience abroad for high school graduates. By equipping young leaders with empathy, agency & a global perspective, they’re changing the inputs into higher education in order to dramatically improve the outcomes of the world. Our minds were officially blown (in a great way!)🤯🌏👏

💡Learn:

The current leadership crisis
Why good leaders need unrestricted capital to try stuff
Partnership & approach ideas to co-leadership
The mission of Global Citizen Year

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Abby’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
The current leadership crisis (5:30)
Abby’s first international experience (11:00)
Overview of Global Citizen Year (13:00)
Story of a Program Alumni (20:00)
Co-leadership Approach (23:00)
The story of Global Citizen Year’s $12M grant from MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett, the largest gift in the organization’s history (32:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy (35:00)
Abby’s One Good Thing: If the path is clear, you’re on someone else’s. (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/261

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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260. #AMA (Ask Me Anything) Fridays: The Overhead Myth - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Mallory Erickson

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Join Jon and Becky and special guest, Mallory Erickson, for this special #AMA (Ask Me Anything) style convo on Friday's episode covering the much debated topic: The Nonprofit Overhead Myth. We're covering historical narratives, power dynamics, how to work with leaders who stymie innovation, how to begin socializing this convo with funders, and how to move from inspiration to action. Join our #AMA convos! Drop us an email, DM or (best option🤩👉) leave us a voice memo, and we'll play your question on-air🎙

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Leave us a voicemail! (4:00)
The myth of overhead (8:00)
How our mindsets as fundraisers have been affected by this narrative (9:00)
Overhead ratios (12:00)
Organizational leadership (19:00)
The science of influence (29:00)
Starting this conversation with funders (31:00)
- What The Fundraising Episode 26: You Have More Influence Than You Think (For Fundraisers and Funders)
How to respond to funders when they refer to nonprofit rankings, organizations and associations that track nonprofits (37:00)
Pro Tips and how to move from inspiration to activation (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/260

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259. Create a Marketing Plan and Your Brand Voice for the “Off-Season” - Jordana Merkin

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet J o rdana. This nonprofit marketer is helping you create a marketing plan for the "off-season" between campaigns or events AND sweetening the deal by outlining steps to craft your organization's story. Tune in for messaging guidelines and building a brand voice from one of our favorite mission-based marketers🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Jordana’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Where to start when you're trying to create messaging for organizations (6:00)
Brand voice and the importance of the way you choose your words (22:00)
Key steps to building a marketing plan for the off season (28:00)
Jordana’s lessons learned throughout her nonprofit marketing career (34:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jordana’s life (36:00)
Jordana’s One Good Thing: Keep learning. (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/259

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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258. Ukrainian Refugee Crisis + How UNICEF is Activating the Next Generation of Philanthropists - Casey Rotter

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet C asey. You asked how to help our Ukrainian friends, so we went straight to the mothership of humanitarian relief for an epic chat with UNICEF. Casey's breaking down the org's scope, programs and how they're helping Ukrainian kids right now - and they need our help, Do Gooders🤝 She's also sharing details about the next generation of UNICEF global activists, donors and rabid fans with UNICEF NextGen, who are community volunteers raising money and moving mountains to help kids feel safe and live vibrantly.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Casey’s story and journey to where she is today (4:22)
Overview of UNICEF and their scope of work (5:00)
How is UNICEF providing aid to children and their families, specifically right now in Ukraine (11:00)
UNICEF USA Next Gen (18:00)
Millennial engagement in philanthropy is focused on poly capital (25:00)
Leadership team across across 9 countries (27:00)
Getting activated with UNICEF’s programs (30:00)
How UNICEF Next Gen has responded to the crisis in Ukraine and the many crises around the world (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Casey’s life (43:00)
Casey’s One Good Thing (45:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/258

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to recruit and hire great leaders, build remarkable teams, and unleash your mission’s potential.

Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.

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257. #AMA (Ask Me Anything) Fridays: Nonprofit Marketing - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Jon + Becky are hosting a special #AMA (Ask Me Anything) style convo on Friday's episode, and this week's topic is Marketing. So drop us an email, DM or (best option🤩👉) leave us a voice memo and we'll play your question on-air🎙 We want to know that burning questions or roadblocks are plaguing you about your website, or maybe how to flex a hybrid event, how to build a new donor engagement plans or innovative ways to leverage crowdfunding. We're ready. Put us in, coach!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting (1:00)
We want your voice to be part of these conversations: (2:00)
- We Are For Good Podcast Voicemail - leave us a question!
- We Are For Good Community
Marketers disguised as fundraisers (3:00)
Back to Basics: Nonprofit Marketing (4:00)
A starting place for building your nonprofit marketing (7:30)
Brand identity + launching a new visual identity (10:00)
Telling your story externally and with confidence (16:00)
Building your social media strategy (24:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/256

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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256. Meet the Fashion E-Commerce Startup Fueling a Charitable Impact - Jeannie Barsam

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet J eannie. She left the corporate world after leading Fortune 500 retailers including Gap Inc, Michaels, Talbot's, and Signet Jewelers to create a business that was more than just fast fashion. Gifting Brands was born out of a passion for helping women, children, and families in need with an innovative solution to an ongoing problem in the fashion world — what to do with excess inventory.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Jeannie’s story and journey to where she is today (3:30)
Overview of Gifting Brands (7:00)
The charities Gifting Brands are supporting (11:00)
Inventory philanthropy model: a 3 sided marketplace (15:00)
- We partner with brands
- We partner with consumers
- We give back to charities
Jeannie’s dreams for Gifting Brands (18:00)
Scaling Gifting Brands and what is next (19:00)
Nonprofit startups: lessons learned so far starting her organization (22:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jeannie’s life (27:00)
Jeannie’s One Good Thing: Be bold, take risks, and make a difference. and Everyone is a philanthropist. (31:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/256

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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255. The No-Nonsense Marketing Plan That Builds Financial Stability - Lindsay LaShell

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lindsay. She's on a mission to help mission-driven orgs achieve financial sustainability and growth through marketing AND she's teaching how to do it with empathy and efficiency. We're unpacking a mini masterclass walking through the essentials needed for your marketing plan, and where to start today.

💡Learn:

Building a marketing plan that's smart, strategic & sustainable
Breakdown of essential marketing assets all orgs need
How to measure and evaluate your marketing
Creating actionable brand pillars

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Lindsay’s story and journey to where she is today (2:00)
Achieving financial sustainability and growth through marketing (6:00)
What Lindsay has learned from this framework and what has been surprising for clients (12:00)
Where you can start today (17:00)
What Lindsay has learned and how she has re-framed her mindset around marketing (20:00)
Essential marketing assets organizations need and how we use them and use them well (23:00)
Measuring and evaluating your marketing (29:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Lindsay’s life (34:00)
Lindsay’s One Good Thing: Think about what you can give and not what you need. (35:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/255

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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254. Podcasting for Good: How to Nail a Podcast (or Any!) Interview - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 08 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

It's the final week of our Friday series Podcasting for Good, and we have loved every dorky second of teaching you what we've learned. This week we're talking about How You Can Nail a Podcast (or Any!) Interview. Your personal hype team is here to prep you for the interview and tips for showing up solidly. We’re sharing our playbook, frameworks, marketing plans and tools too. Join us!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Prepping for your interview (2:00)
Getting the right mindset before an interview (6:50)
Messaging and developing the narrative for the interview (11:00)
Nailing the interview (13:00)
People remember details that are really nuanced (18:00)
Addressing imposter syndrome (22:00)
Our personal fears around podcasting and interviews (23:00)
Stewardship + advice for what to do after the interview (29:00)
One Good Thing: Speak to the head and the heart in an interview. (33:00)
Pitch Challenge: submit your pitch for a chance to be highlighted during our annual “Community Week” in November!
We Podcast for Good: Sign up for our bootcamp to receive a pitch script, crafting the pitch worksheet, and more tools to help you implement!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/254

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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253. Direct Mail Isn't Dead Yet... Here's the New Playbook - Mike Duerksen

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mike. He's brought the truth - direct mail is not dead! We're talking through some super progressive strategies to breathe new life into your direct mail campaigns, tie them to your digital engagement strategy and explore how all of it will tee up your monthly and legacy donors too. We're reimagining direct mail with innovation and equity - tune in🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Mike’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
The opportunity today with direct mail and direct marketing (6:00)
Integrating direct mail into your development ecosystem (11:00)
Thinking innovatively about how to leverage direct mail (14:00)
Practical steps + what you can implement today (26:00)
Case study of someone who has implemented this (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Mike’s life (39:00)
Mike’s One Good Thing: It's better to be consistent, then to have persistence. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/253

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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252. How Rihanna's Clara Lionel Foundation Is Fighting for Climate Justice + Resiliency - Justine Lucas and Fiona Korwin Pawlowski

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Justine & Fiona. They're leading the charge not only at Rihanna's Foundation, Clara Lionel Foundation (named after her grandparents😭💚), but also educating the world that climate disasters do not impact all communities equally. Tune in and hear how the foundation is using local people to solve problems in the Caribbean leading to climate resiliency - all supporting Rihanna's dream that her "philanthropy will be as big as my music and my fashion."

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Justine’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Fiona’s story and journey to where she is today (5:30)
The history and mission of Clara Lionel Foundation (8:00)
CLF’s scope of work and their global footprint (11:00)
Leveraging community based partnerships (12:30)
CLF’s Climate Resilience Initiative (15:00)
CLF’s climate justice work (18:00)
What resilience looks like in tangible terms (18:40)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Fiona’s life (31:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Justine’s life (34:00)
Fiona’s One Good Thing: Close the loop. (38:00)
Justine’s One Good Thing: Nonprofits should be working to put themselves out of business. (38:53)
Connect with CLF (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/252

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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251. Podcasting for Good: How to Pitch Yourself to a Podcast - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 01 Apr 2022 05:00:00 -0500

We've broken down why we think you should take the plunge, how to build a show, how to launch a podcast, and this week we're talking about How to Pitch to a Podcast for yourself or your organization. We’re sharing our entire playbook, frameworks, marketing plans and tools too. Join us!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Growing your reach by being a guest on podcasts (3:00)
How to pitch to a podcast: set your goal & do your homework (4:00)
How to find podcasts to pitch to (7:00)
The pitch (9:00)
Examples of pitches we received and loved (15:00)
What to do if you hear “no” (20:00)
Pitch Challenge: submit your pitch for a chance to be highlighted during our annual “Community Week” in November! (21:00)
We Podcast for Good: Sign up for our bootcamp to receive a pitch script, crafting the pitch worksheet, and more tools to help you implement! (
One Good Thing: Share with the podcast about the gap in content you could speak on.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/251

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

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250. Preventing a Lost Generation + Building a Small Business Incubator for Refugees: The Mission of Hello Future - Charlie Grosso

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Charlie. She's on a mission to prevent a lost generation. This founder, techie, photographer, and creative dreamer followed her heart and passion until it landed in Syria, and she's never looked back. Her organization, Hello Future, is transforming the refugee youth experience from alone, stuck and forgotten to connected and empowered💪 If you have a heart for refugees or innocence caught amidst war - then this conversation will touch your heart.

💡LEARN:

Founding story of Hello Future
Why greater digital literacy is needed globally
Org's innovative education model that's transforming the refugee youth experience
The current state & challenges of refugees around the world

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Charlie’s story and journey to where she is today (2:47)
Transitioning from the for profit sector to social impact (7:00)
The founding story of Hello Future (12:00)
An overview of the programs at Hello Future (14:00)
Current statistics regarding refugees around the world, education gaps, and challenges they are facing (16:00)
Transforming the refugee youth experience from alone, stuck and forgotten to connected and empowered (22:00)
Charlie’s dreams for Hello Future (27:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Charlie’s life (29:00)
Charlie’s One Good Thing: Give them a time and listen and also let them feel heard. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/250

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
We’re partnering up with our friends at Virtuous to co-host this year’s FREE Responsive Nonprofit Summit on April 20-21… and we want to see you there! Join thousands of like-minded, forward thinking nonprofit leaders for two days of fresh insights, helpful workshops, and genuine conversations as we gather virtually from wherever you find yourself in the world. We’re curating some amazing panels to help you build better systems and strategies to help you grow your impact. You may recognize some of our past podcast guests and favorite thought leaders too.

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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249. How a Sister’s Enduring Promise Launched a Global Movement + The Next Promise Kept - Nancy Brinker

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Nancy💗⚔️. She made a promise to her sister, and that promise set off one of philanthropy's most powerful movements you know and love today. She's the founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and dedicated her life to ridding the world of breast cancer in honor of her sister Suzy. “I promised my sister I’d do everything I could to stop the heartless progression and social stigma of this disease, even if it took the rest of my life. And it has.” She's talking about the love of family, founding Komen, and that promise to her new organization - The Promise Fund of Florida - filling healthcare gaps for Palm Beach County citizens and reducing the number of deaths due to late-stage breast and cervical cancer. 🎧Join us for a powerful conversation with one of the biggest dreamers we've interviewed yet.

💡Learn:

Founding story of Susan G. Komen for the Cure 👚🏃‍♀️
How a movement was built pre-social media 🤯
State of women's health in the U.S. today 👩‍🔬🧕👵🌡
Overview of the Promise Fund 🙏

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Nancy’s story and journey to where she is today (5:00)
The founding story of Susan G. Komen for the Cure (9:45)
The mission of The Promise Fund of Florida (24:00)
The framework Nancy is building at The Promise Fund of Florida (34:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Nancy’s life (43:00)
Nancy’s One Good Thing: No means maybe. (44:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/249

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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248. Podcasting for Good: How to Launch a Podcast - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Hope you're taking notes on this new Friday series Podcasting for Good. We've broken down why we think you should take the plunge, how to build a show, and this week we're diving into How To Launch a Podcast. We’re sharing our entire playbook, frameworks, marketing plans and tools too. Join us!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Have a question? Leave us a voicemail!
Staging and syndication (1:30)
10 steps to launching a podcast (4:45)
Maintaining momentum after your launch (21:00)
One Good Thing: Focus on quality. (25:00)
One Good Thing: Plan ahead and get your RSS feed setup early. (25:50)
We Podcast for Good - get access to free resources, our recommended equipment, and more!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/248

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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247. The Inside Scoop on Grant Writing - DeaRonda Harrison

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet DeaRonda. This grant writer has been in the biz a long time, and she's bringing the secret sauce and some of her best grant writing tips to this chat. We're talking through research, starting points, Grantwriting 101, and why grants should always be a team sport. 🚨And great news: If you're a minority-led organization, now is a great time to take advantage of existing grant funds!💰

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

DeaRonda’s story and journey to where she is today (2:00)
The state of grant writing today (3:45)
Where to start: the research phase of grant writing (5:45)
DeaRonda’s advice around federal grants (7:28)
DeaRonda’s secret sauce and advice to winning grants (11:00)
Low hanging fruit for organizations and advice for how to lean in (15:00)
The connection of storytelling and grant writing (17:00)
External factors and their role in the grant process (19:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in DeaRonda’s life (24:00)
DeaRonda’s One Good Thing: Do your one good thing and do it well. (26:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/247

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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246. The Kiva.org Story + Leveraging the Power of Crowdfunding - Chris Tsakalakis

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Chris. This CEO and son of a journeyman is taking what he learned in for-profit finance to nonprofit's most progressive microfinancing loan organization - Kiva - and the story is truly fascinating. Hear Kiva's mission story and understand this brilliant business model of this nonprofit that's powering its movement through crowdfunds loans benefitting underserved people in more than 70 countries.

💡Learn:
👆Going beyond charity to rethink giving through crowdfunded microloans
👆The future of philanthropy in tech (👈 don't miss this!🎧)
👆Mission Story of Kiva
👆How Kiva remains future-focused & is reaching the next generation of givers

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Chris’s story and journey to where he is today (2:30)
An overview of Kiva (4:30)
What these loans unlock for people around the world (7:00)
Chris’s past experiences in the tech space and his approach to philanthropy and leadership (9:00)
The future of philanthropy and embracing technology for deeper impact (13:00)
Engaging + activating Gen Z (18:00)
- 1. Putting your money where your mouth is.
- 2. Younger generations are interested in specific causes.
- 3. Make it easy.
Kiva’s subscription model (19:20)
Leveraging storytelling at Kiva (23:00)
Chris’s lessons learned in the first year of leading Kiva after leaving the for profit sector (25:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Chris’s life (28:00)
Chris’s One Good Thing: Secure your mask before helping others. (30:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/246

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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245. Podcasting for Good: How to Build a Podcast - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 18 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Have a question? Leave us a voicemail!
What is the goal of your podcast? (2:45)
Setting a budget: find what works for you (5:00)
Our equipment recommendations! (5:00)
What type of show do you want to have? (8:00)
The power in an interview style show (11:00)
Our hacks and pro tips to make podcasting easy (12:00)
Take our FREE Syndication Workshop to learn how to better leverage and market your content (23:00)
Questions from the We Are For Good Community about podcasting (24:00)
One Good Thing: Remember how intimidating and vulnerable interviews can be. Take that fear away from anyone who's involved with your podcast. (29:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/245

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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244. New Report on Donors: The Future of Individual Giving - Tim Sarrantonio

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tim. How did donor giving change in the last two years? Tim and Neon One have the answers - in hard data form! We're chatting through the report - DONORS: Understanding the Future of Individual Giving - the industry’s most comprehensive report on donor behavior and an in-depth look at the future of individual giving in a post-pandemic world. We're diving into 6️⃣ questions: 1) Who are our donors? 2) What do our donors support? 3) When do our donors give? 4) Where are our donors? 5) Why do our donors give? 6) How do our donors give? Understand the trends and how to lean into today's opportunities.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tim’s story and journey to where is is today (2:40)
Download the Report: Donors: Understanding The Future of Individual Giving (9:00)
Fast facts and key findings from the report (21:00)
Recurring giving programs (22:00)
Giving Tuesday insights + Tim’s advice for Giving Tuesday campaigns (24:00)
How to activate + leverage the report (29:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Tim’s life (33:00)
Tim’s One Good Thing: The future is not set in stone. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/244

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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243. Telling Your Story More Authentically + Cultivating Rabid Fans - Jess Ekstrom

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jess☀️ She's an entrepreneur, author, speaker and founder who's helping women tell, sell and uncover the value in their story so they can make a living and a difference at the same time. After starting Headbands of Hope in college (featured on GMA & Today show!), this female empowerer learned how to help women find their voices and tell their story authentically. Tune in, only if you want to be massively inspired. It's an UNGETTABLE GET interview day! 💃

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

The Ungettable Get List (3:00)
Jess’s story and journey to where she is today (6:30)
The founding story of Headbands of Hope (11:00)
Leaders as thought leaders: Jess’s journey into thought leadership (14:00)
The current landscape of women in thought leadership and the opportunity right now for nonprofit leaders (20:00)
- Jess's Mic Drop Workshop
- Moment to meaning (22:00)
- Premise + promise (27:00)
The power of journaling and Jess’s new platform: prompted.io (28:00)
- Use code GOOD for one month free 🎉
Stop wishing for a better world create one. Jess’s book: Chasing the Bright Side (36:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jess’s life (42:00)
Jess’s One Good Thing: You are right on time. (45:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/243

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

About Our Sponsor Slingshot Group
Our friends over at Slingshot Group partner with nonprofits to hire great leaders and build remarkable teams – and they happen to be one of our favorite companies.

It’s so much more than a staffing and executive search firm. Slingshot Group goes deep and gets to know your culture so they can help you find the leaders and staff who are just the right fit for your nonprofit.

Learn more at slingshotgroup.org 🎉

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242. Podcasting for Good: Why Your Org (or You!) Should be Podcasting - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Jon + Becky are launching a new Friday series, and we don't think you'll be surprised about the topic. We're diving into a five-week series on Podcasting for Good: Why You Should Consider Starting A Podcast (or at least be on one!). We don’t want this to be the best-kept secret anymore. We want everyone to know the power that exists in podcasting! It’s the one medium you hadn’t considered to be your most important communication channel in the digital age. We’re sharing our entire playbook, frameworks, marketing plans and tools.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting: the opportunity for you today with podcasting (2:00)
The current podcast landscape (6:43)
The case: 11 reasons why you should be podcasting (13:00)
Innovative ways you can use podcasts that works well for you (20:00)
Examples of nonprofits leveraging podcasts in unique ways
- The Exodus Road: Until All Are Free Podcast
- New Story: Founder’s Lab Branded Podcast
- St. Jude Inspire Podcast Network
- Friends of the Earth: How to Save the Planet Podcast
One Good Thing: Every part of podcasting is figureoutable. (26:00)
We Podcast for Good: Ready to Podcast for Good? Access our favorite resources + join our insider’s list for a podcasting BootCamp - launching soon!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/242

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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241. Meet the Mission: KidLinks - Noelle Tuominen

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Noelle. This passionate mom realized she needed to create a community of like-minded parents after her 1-year-old endured a long ICU visit followed by a Type 1 diagnosis. She created "Type 1 Kid, Type A Mom" with other high-risk families working to keep their kids safe during the pandemic. The experience led her to KidLinks, a nonprofit bringing healing music to children through an online platform and musical performances. Learn how she moved from passionate consumer to marketing director of this mighty mission that does so much to lift joy for chronically sick kids.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Noelle’s story and journey to where she is today (2:40)
Overview of KidLinks (5:40)
Noelle’s personal connection to KidLinks and the importance of therapeutic play in hospitals (7:20)
The impact of KidLinks (10:00)
Shining a light on what families might have been facing throughout the pandemic with high risk kids (15:00)
Building digital community (17:00)
A moment throughout the pandemic where Noelle has felt the most hope (20:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Noelle’s life (22:00)
Noelle’s One Good Thing: Empathy by Morgan Harper Nichols (23:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/241

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

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240. 5 Steps to Build and Apply Empathy at Work - Rob Volpe

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Rob’s story and journey to where he is today (3:40)
Tone setting and where to begin (13:00)
The two types of empathy: cognitive and emotional (14:30)
The two types of empathy and their role in the workplace (15:00)
Rob’s new book: Tell Me More About That: Solving the Empathy Crisis One Conversation at a Time (21:00)
5 Steps to build and apply empathy at work (24:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rob’s life (29:00)
Rob’s One Good Thing: Be courageous in whatever way works for you. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/240

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
We’re partnering up with our friends at Virtuous to co-host this year’s FREE Responsive Nonprofit Summit on April 20-21… and we want to see you there! Join thousands of like-minded, forward thinking nonprofit leaders for two days of fresh insights, helpful workshops, and genuine conversations as we gather virtually from wherever you find yourself in the world. We’re curating some amazing panels to help you build better systems and strategies to help you grow your impact. You may recognize some of our past podcast guests and favorite thought leaders too.

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

Say hi 👋
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239. What Matters Right Now: Donor Behavior Matters More Than Giving Amount - Lynne Wester, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

It's our final Friday discussion in our 8️⃣ Trends That Matter in 2022 as we dive into Donor Behavior Matters More than Giving Amount with our donor relations muse, Lynne Wester. The way we think about donor recognition is dead wrong. Our current retention rates are 23% for first-time donors and around 50% overall. So what if we could change that by changing our behavior? We need to bless and release the way we value donors. The future of donor relations is based on behavior rather than giving amount. Tune in and learn why.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting: donor behavior is king. (1:30)
Shifting our mindset (2:50)
Lynne’s ethos behind this philosophy (4:00)
Where to start to begin shifting this mindset and behaviors we can employ to start getting these behaviors in our mind (6:00)
How this can help answer our retention problem (9:45)
The concepts of velocity and doublers (14:00)
A case study of where Lynne has seen this work (19:00)
Playing the long game and fundraiser turnover (22:00)
Lynne’s One Good Thing: Go and find the story of a donor who no one has ever paid attention to, and go find their story. (25:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/239

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
We’re partnering up with our friends at Virtuous to co-host this year’s FREE Responsive Nonprofit Summit on April 20-21… and we want to see you there! Join thousands of like-minded, forward thinking nonprofit leaders for two days of fresh insights, helpful workshops, and genuine conversations as we gather virtually from wherever you find yourself in the world. We’re curating some amazing panels to help you build better systems and strategies to help you grow your impact. You may recognize some of our past podcast guests and favorite thought leaders too.

To join us at the Responsive Nonprofit Summit - visit virtuous.org/good and register for free!

Say hi 👋
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238. Embracing Innovation + Becoming a Digital First Nonprofit: The Mission of Starlight Foundation - Adam Garone

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Adam. You already know his work. Because when you co-found the movement Movember and create the world's first digital organization, you know creativity and innovation are his jam. But today he's leading up the Starlight Foundation delivering happiness to seriously ill kids in the hospital. He's one of the most successful social entrepreneurs of our time who raised awareness about men's health and built a global community of fundraisers to support it in the most whimsical way👨🏻 Believe us - you don't want to miss this convo.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Adam’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
The founding story of Movember and what Adam learned along the way (6:00)
Overview of Starlight Foundation and Adam’s journey to leading it (14:00)
Starlight’s innovative programs and how they are leveraging being a digital first organization (18:00)
Embracing an innovative and digital first culture (24:00)
Creating an innovation first culture at your organization (28:00)
Telling the stories of your organizations (34:00)
Starlight’s Ambassador Program and how they are giving the mic to their patients and families (36:00)
The difference in success and significance (39:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Adam’s life (41:00)
Adam’s One Good Thing: Who Dares Wins. (43:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/238

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
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237. You're a Manager... Now What? - Kristin Bloomquist

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Kristin. This certified coach left a 30+ career as an international advertising veteran when she jumped full tilt into creating a business empowering great leaders. These are people (like you!) who are looking to optimize leadership talents, improve communication habits and strengthen their empathy. Kristin's breaking down where to focus, what new leaders should know, and why soft skills might be the keys to success.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Kristin’s story and journey to where she is today (3:20)
You’re a manager.. now what? (6:30)
Common myths about management (11:00)
Effective communication: up, down and sideways (13:00)
The 3 P’s: Performance, Passion, and Persona (18:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kristin’s life (31:00)
Kristin’s One Good Thing: Be intentional. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/237

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
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236. What Matters Right Now: Ethical Storytelling - Vik Harrison, Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Happy dance for the week so many have asked about💃 Join this week's 8️⃣ Trends That Matter in 2022 as we dive into Ethical Storytellingwith V ik Harrison, writer, self-professed branding nerd and co-founder of charity: water. Many organizations use stories to further their mission, but ethical storytelling prioritizes the storyteller's need before their own. We're breaking down the how-to and chatting about who does it well.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting - ethical storytelling (1:00)
Past podcast conversations (5:00)
- Breaking the Hero-Victim Narrative in Philanthropy - Travis Ning
- A Filmmaker's Guide to Storytelling + Empathy to Advance Social Good - Cheryl Miller Houser
Leaning into authentic and ethical storytelling (7:45)
Embracing an abundance mindset and investing in storytelling (10:00)
Leaning into joy with the way we tell our organizations’ stories (12:00)
Leaning into your values to authentically tell the story of your organization (17:00)
A powerful story in Vik’s career that brought to life what happens when you are honest and authentic with your audience and supporters (19:00)
Telling the story of now at your organization (25:00)
Vik’s One Good Thing: Let’s bring the level of excellence and commitment to storytelling that our missions absolutely deserve. (27:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/236

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

235. Storytelling Your Mission through the Power of Video - Derek Watson

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Derek. This filmmaker and storyteller has captured story in nearly 50 countries and believes everyone has a story - but the way it's told possesses the ability to connect hearts, community and passion like never before. We believe firmly that a compelling video can better launch your mission's story to a global community. Join us and this Emmy-winning filmmaker to talk through the storytelling arc and why you should be investing in video right now.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Derek’s story and journey to where he is today (2:50)
The founding story of Lampstand (5:30)
The growing trend for investing in digital storytelling (8:30)
Derek and his team’s storytelling process and the elements they focus on to build an authentic narrative (11:00)
Derek’s advice around making someone feel comfortable and safe to share their story during the interview process (14:00)
Finding hope within each story (21:00)
Ethical storytelling (23:00)
The case for investing in video (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Derek’s life (33:00)
Derek’s One Good Thing: Everyone has a story. How will yours be told? (36:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/235

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

234. Growing a Board that Cares About Inclusion - Christal Cherry, and Dr. Renee Rubin Ross

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Christal and Dr. Renee. These two equity teachers are bringing the race discussion to your board to grow one that cares about inclusion and values all people equally. We're talking about meaningful DEI training at the board level, and the feedback/results are truly encouraging🙌 Join us as we chat through the steps of building a journey toward a race-equity culture for our boards.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Christal’s story and journey to where she is today (2:50)
Dr. Renee’s story and journey to where she is today (6:00)
Growing a board that cares about inclusion (7:00)
Navigating difficult conversations within your board (12:30)
Disrupting biases (15:00)
Making a case to your board for this work (26:00)
The response from these trainings (28:00)
Building long-term sustainability within your boards (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dr. Renee’s life (36:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Christal’s life (37:00)
Dr. Renee’s One Good Thing: Listen to the wisdom in whatever room you’re in. (39:00)
Christal’s One Good Thing: Open up your spaces to include other voices. (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/234

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

233. What Matters Right Now: Corporate Partnerships 2.0 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Susan McPherson

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Is it our birthday or something?!🥳🤩 Join this week's 8️⃣ Trends That Matter in 2022 as we dive into Corporate Partnerships 2.0 with Susan McPherson, our queen of connection, corporate social responsibility expert and our self-appointed godmother. Time to level-up and enrich our partnerships while sunsetting the one-dimensional sponsorship mentality.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting - Partnerships 2.0 (2:00)
Reimagined partnerships are based on values and alignment (4:00)
- 176. The Trevor Project: LGBTQ Advocacy and Suicide Prevention - Muneer Panjwani
- 60. 4 Fundraising Tips to Transform Your Fundraising this Year - Mallory Erickson
The ethos behind partnerships 2.0 (7:00)
The current state of the sector and the present opportunities (8:15)
Where nonprofits can start today to begin building these partnerships (11:00)
Case study: UNHCR (17:00)
Leadership and navigating difficult social issues with integrity and humility (18:00)
- The McPherson Memo (18:00)
Building hybrid partnerships (23:00)
Advice when reaching out to new organizations (26:00)
Susan’s One Good Thing: There are going to be so many new and better opportunities going forward. (27:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/233

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

232. Revolutionizing Youth Empowerment: Equipping "Youth-in-Care" with Legal Advocacy Training - Michelle Bain

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet M ichelle. If you're looking for foster kids' superwoman, she's right here🦸🏾‍♀️ This badass attorney had a simple idea: teach youth from "care" the law ➡️ ensure they're equipped with the skills necessary for self-advocacy➡️ have them train their peers ➡️ watch justice unfold. Oh and pay the kids $20+/hr to learn! Michelle is taking Canada's child welfare system by storm, and our jaws are on the floor at the power in this mighty nonprofit. Tune in, bring Kleenex, wear waterproof mascara💪⚖️🤧

Episode Highlights

Michelle’s story and journey to where she is today (3:20)
The founding story of Youth Empowering Youth (14:00)
Youth Justice Warriors program (19:00)
Amplifying your voice for good (21:00)
Being an advocate in youth for your own community (27:00)
Michelle’s Dream for YEY (34:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Michelle’s life (37:00)
Michelle’s One Good Thing: Be vulnerable. Put your story and yourself out there. (39:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/232

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

231. Defining Your Nonprofit's Brand Purpose + How to Bring It to Life - Rob Feakins

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Rob. After surviving cancer, this writer and former chief creative officer pivoted to something that felt more meaningful and purposeful. He's an award-winning filmmaker and storyteller skilled at creating viral films and mini-docs that drive engagement and emotionally connect followers to charities. Tune in as we chat about ethical storytelling and bringing your brand purpose to life through content.

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Rob’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
Creating your brand purpose (8:00)
Where a nonprofit could start building and perpetuating this brand promise through all of their offerings (20:00)
Viral content + leveraging social media to expand your mission outside of your four walls (25:00)
The business and artistic reason to invest in film (28:00)
Ethical storytelling (33:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rob’s life (41:00)
Rob’s One Good Thing: Be in service to someone so you can find perspective, gratitude and generosity. (46:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/231

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Sound like Slingshot Group might be a fit for your organization? Learn more at slingshotgroup.org.

Say hi 👋
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230. What Matters Now: Leaders as Thought Leaders - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Tania Bhattacharyya

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Tune in to this week's 8️⃣ Trends That Matter in 2022 as we dive intoThought Leadership is Now with Tania Bhattacharyya, our queen of thought leadership branding. She's talking about why you should be abundantly sharing your lived experience, passion, and expertise to build trust with the right audience on the right topic.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting - Leaders as Thought Leaders (1:25)
Leaders are found at every level (3:00)
Self awareness and thought leadership (7:00)
The power of thought leadership today (10:00)
An example of where Tania has seen this play out (18:00)
How to use thought leadership to build community for your mission (21:00)
Thought leadership vs. subject matter expertise (23:00)
Combatting imposter syndrome (26:00)
Tania’s One Good Thing: Thought leadership is an emergent practice. (33:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/230

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

229. Finding Hope in the Midst of Pain: The Mission of Paul's Place - Amy Torrez

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Amy. She knows what it's like to be displaced during a loved one's medical emergency. And she's removing those barriers for future families. Amy founded Paul’s Place following her father's 6-month experience with temporary medical housing while fighting lymphoma. "My last months with my father may have been just days if it had not been for the generosity shown to us at that time." 🎧Tune in to hear a heart-warming story about a legacy that's paying generosity forward.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Amy’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
The founding story and mission of Paul’s Place (11:00)
Amy’s advice for nonprofit professionals who are in “survival mode” (16:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amy’s life (19:00)
Amy’s One Good Thing: Embrace adversity. (24:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/229

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

228. The Superpower of Stickiness to Grow Believers for Your Organization - Dr. Pamela Divinsky

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Pam. This heart-wired Canadian paired her economics Ph.D. with the impact sector, and that research is powering "stickiness" attracting people and getting them to act. We're diving into narrative research (totally fascinating - promise✌️), co-building and the results of the two when paired. Tune in as we talk about moving away from power-control to power-sharing, and the end result is an audience that feels heard, seen, and respected - leading to more donations + increased engagement.

💡Learn:

How narrative research & co-building create stickiness leading to action
3 layers of respect
Steps for implementation
Why the human-to-human approach scales faster with better results

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Pamela’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
3 layers of respect (8:00)
Creating stickiness that captures attention, investment + action (13:00)
Theories of social change (13:30)
Leveraging narrative research (28:00)
Implementing these ideas (25:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Pamela’s life (32:00)
Pamela’s One Good Thing: Find the one thing that brings you joy. (36:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/228

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

227. What Matters Right Now: Investing in Digital - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Dana Snyder

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

We're halfway through our Friday series on 8️⃣ Trends That Matter in 2022! This week we're talking through our 4th trend: Investing in Digital with the person who knows more about nonprofit social engagement than anyone else - Dana Snyder with Positive Equation. We're chatting the mobile experience, where to start a donor journey & why you should be investing in digital quickly.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Tone setting (2:00)
Case studies (5:50)
The moment of time we are in and why nonprofits should be investing in digital (10:00)
Where to start with your donor experience (15:00)
Investing in digital advertising for your mission (20:00)
Tips for taking your SEO to the next level (23:00)
Quick tips to optimize FB, IG, LinkedIn & TikTok for donors (30:00)
Dana’s One Good Thing: Hire someone in some capacity, and review your online donation experience. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/227

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

226. Embracing New, Creative + Better Ways of Thinking, Planning + Working - Veronica LaFemina

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Veronica. Welp, it's happened. We're flummoxed. Veronica has made us believers in the one-sheet strategic plan. Seriously! She's advising nonprofits to move from "we've always done it this way" and "this is best practices" to embrace new, creative and better ways of thinking, planning, and working through a strategic plan. We all need new strategic plans in light of the pandemic, and Veronica's bringing in an entirely new way to think, build, activate, and continually review those plans🧐

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Veronica’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Things to consider when building strategy (7:00)
Involving the voice of your community in the strategic process (13:00)
Activating your strategic plan (16:00)
Overview of the strategic planning process: from ideation to execution (23:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Veronica’s life (33:00)
Veronica’s One Good Thing: Listening is life changing. Spend time this week listening. (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/226

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

225. How to Navigate Imposter Syndrome + The Hallmarks of Great Leadership - Marc Pitman

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Mar c. This sought-after leadership executive coach is passionate about teaching leaders how to conquer imposter syndrome to develop a rare level of leadership mastery. In fact, that inner doubt you’re wrestling with is a signal that you are on the verge of greatness. Join us as we talk about doubt, imposter syndrome, and the best parts about being a fundraiser in today's time.

Episode Highlights

Marc’s story and journey to where he is today (2:00)
Hallmarks of a successful nonprofit leader today (7:00)
Marc’s Book: The Surprising Gift of Doubt (17:00)
Embracing the feeling of imposter syndrome (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Marc’s life (32:00)
Marc’s One Good Thing: Know your core values and organizational values. (35:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/225

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

224. What Matters Right Now: Mindsets for Fundraising - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Mallory Erickson

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

This Friday series on 8️⃣ Trends That Matter in 2022 is 🔥! This week we're talking through our 3rd trend: Mindsets for Fundraising. And there was truly no other expert guest option to bring into the convo other than the incomparable, Mallory Erickson, who is the queen of understanding where your head is at before you cultivate relationships.

💡LEARN (in this chat)

Why exploring the limits of your mindsets is absolutely essential for every fundraiser in the business. (Emotional intelligence alert!💡)
The correlation between energy + empathy
Tips to get out of the chaos of the job + get out of your own head
Framing your mindsets & understanding fundraising inherently involves rejection

Episode Overview

Tone setting (1:00)
The convergence of energy and empathy (5:00)
Catabolic vs. anabolic energy (6:00)
Where to start with this internal work (18:00)
Working through these mindsets with your team and community (26:00)
Mallory’s One Good Thing: Listen to yourself + acknowledge and validate those feelings. (30:00)
POWER PARTNERS FORMULA™

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/224

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

223. The Importance of Data Security to Protect our Missions - Ari Schapiro and Peter Wheeler

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Ari + Peter. We work so hard to document our donor data - so why aren't we better securing this most precious resource?! Our friends over at Auth0 ⭐️ are joining us to chat about building safer social impact organizations, and why they chose to rise as a leader of corporate social impact (they're funding their philanthropy through a DAF too!🤩).

💡LEARN
👆Authentication & Authorization: why you need to be doing both
👆The future of corporate social impact organizations
👆Quick tips to keep your basic data/phone safe
👆Why a percentage of Auth0 equity is dedicated to social good causes

Episode Highlights

Ari and Peter’s stories and journeys to where they are today (2:30)
Why data security is so important for our missions (7:20)
Auth0’s social impact initiatives: Auth0.org (14:00)
A client success story: Every.org (19:00)
Cyber security pro-tips (20:00)
Ari’s One Good Thing: Seek conflict. (24:00)
Peter’s One Good Thing: Never refuse an invitation. (26:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/223

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

222. Level-Up Your Impact Through Purposeful Marketing + 2022 Nonprofit Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore - Maria Bryan

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Maria. This nonprofit digital marketing whiz centers her work solely in driving "purposeful marketing." We're talking about how to level-Up your impact for purposeful marketing + 2022 nonprofit marketing trends you can’t ignore. She's a firm believer that storytellers make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place - and you know we're chatting about that too 📖🌍❤️

💡 Learn:
-2022 major marketing trends for nonprofits
-3 things to focus on and invest in this year
-Why content planning is strategic & time-saving
-Focusing "Calls to action" in email and social channels

Episode Highlights

Maria’s story and journey to where she is today (2:37)
Marketing trends you can’t miss in 2022 (8:50)
- Focus on Hybrid Experiences
- Focus on Video
- The Rise of AI Tools
- Optimize Mobile
- Appeal to Gen Z
- Have an Email Marketing Strategy
Overview of purpose-driven marketing (19:00)
3 things to invest in and focus on to market on purpose (24:00)
1. Have a deep understanding of your audience
2. Develop strategic goals and objectives
3. Content Planning
A Powerful Moment of Philanthropy in Maria’s Life (30:00)
Maria’s One Good Thing: You belong here and you're making the space better for being here. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/222

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

221. What Matters Right Now: Think Like a Business - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Evan Feinberg

Fri, 21 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

This Friday series on 8️⃣ Trends That Matter in 2022 is 🔥! This week we're diving deep into our 2nd trend: Think Like a Business. And it feels like Christmas all over again, because we're bringing back nonprofit business genius and Stand Together Foundation Exec. Dir., Evan Feinberg, to talk about why we need to think of innovative ways to create long-term value for donors in order to thrive like a profitable business.

💡LEARN (in this chat)
👆Tactical steps, mindsets, and advice for nonprofits to work more like a business
👆Why principle-based cultures are scaling fastest
👆Why it's a healthy destruction to rebuild and start something from scratch
👆Case studies of two nonprofits slaying it right now🙌

Episode Overview

Thinking like a business this year tone setting (1:15)
Evan’s advice for nonprofit leaders to begin embracing this mindset (6:00)
What is holding nonprofits back today (9:00)
What sets leaders of innovative organizations apart from others (18:00)
Case study of an organization who is doing this well (21:00)
Apply for Stand Together Foundation’s Catalyst Program (30:00)
Evan’s One Good Thing: Lorenzo’s story (32:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/221

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

220. Ending Global Poverty with Dignity + Entrepreneurship: The Mission of The Adventure Project - Becky Straw

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Becky. This tenacious social entrepreneur is the Co-founder and Chief Enthusiast of The Adventure Project, a nonprofit movement “adding venture” capital to empower entrepreneurs in developing countries. The Diane von Furstenberg People’s Voice Award for female founders and recent recipient of a $1M bitcoin donation is chatting with us about creating movements that marry good intentions with measurable impact🌍❤️

💡LEARN
-Overview & impact of The Adventure Project
-Why global funding of women & girls is in crisis
-How job creation is ending global poverty
-Story of a Haitian woman's resilience that became a symbol of this nonprofit's rise🇭🇹

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Becky’s story and journey to where she is today (4:00)
Overview of The Adventure Project (9:45)
Ethical storytelling (14:00)
The Adventure Project’s model and mission (17:00)
The Impact of COVID on women and girls around the world (23:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Becky’s life (33:00)
Becky’s One Good Thing: Make sure you are taking care of the people around you. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/220

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

219. Leveraging Business Principles for Deeper Impact: The Mission of Orangewood Foundation - Chris Simonsen

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Episode Highlights

Chris’s story and journey to where he is today (2:45)
Business principles from the for profit sector Chris is applying today as CEO (8:40)
State of affairs right now for foster youth (13:00)
Overview of Orangewood Foundation and the continuum of care they provide (20:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Chris’s life at the Orangewood Foundation (24:00)
Chris’s One Good Thing: Look through a trauma informed lens. (27:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/219

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

218. Nonprofit Trends that Matter: #1 Culture Matters - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Aila Malik

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Oh mercy! Our data analytics are pinging on last week's 8️⃣ trends that matter in 2022, and this week we're going deep into our 1st trend: Culture Counts. And buckle up, because we are bringing back a leadership and culture powerhouse, Aila Malik, to talk about why vibrant cultures can power the moment.

💡LEARN (in this series)
-How to build strategy and implementable ideas
-How to shift our mindsets to meet the moment
-Hacks for success
-Examine who's already doing it well in the sector (because let's replicate what's working!💪)

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Culture Matters (2:25)
The Playbook for Building a Marquee Culture Within Your Organization - Mark Miller and Ted Vaughn (3:30)
Case Study: ThankView (4:50)
How culture is the epicenter of where everything flows in our sector and organizations (8:20)
Finding alignment in your organizations (12:00)
Practical tips for leaders to start infusing this kind of culture into their organizations (12:50)
Bridging the gap between humility and not losing the tenacity for your mission as a leader (16:00)
How leaders can reveal their authenticity and vulnerability to create safe cultures (17:00)
Aila’s One Good Thing: Create Rituals. (22:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/218

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

217. Robots Make Bad Fundraisers: Maintaining the Heart in the Digital Age - Steven Shattuck

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Steven. He's one of our favorite content creators and nonprofit thought leaders, and we're chatting about how to make tech work for nonprofits - without being overwhelming. He's walking us through how to humanize through tech and why personal outreach will always win. Join us and Bloomerang's Chief Engagement Officer to chat Robots Make Bad Fundraisers: Maintaining the Heart in the Digital Age Robots🤖

💡Learn:
-How to start humanizing our tech processes
-Biggest strategies for retaining donors this year
-2022 nonprofit tech trends
-How to #worksmarter: algorithms and automations

Episode Highlights

Steven’s story and journey to where he is today (2:30)
Trends Steven is paying attention to (5:50)
Data hygiene (8:30)
Robots Make Bad Fundraisers: Maintaining the Heart in the Digital Age (11:00)
Where to start today (16:00)
- Look at your current supporters. What experience are they getting?
- Humanize your automated systems
- Mix in a multi-channel approach
- Show curiosity about your donors
- Focus on retention
Current stats around retention in our sector (25:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Steven’s life (34:00)
Steven’s One Good Thing: Don’t allow yourself to be discouraged by all the things you’re not doing. (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/217

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

216. New Year. New Mindsets for Fundraising. - Rhea Wong

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

MEET RHEA. This Brooklyn thought leader, seasoned fundraiser, and amazing podcast host is sharing how to get in the right mindset as you move into this new year of fundraising. Join us to Get Your Mindset Right for a New Year of Fundraising✌️🎧

💡LEARN
👆Fostering the right mindsets headed into 2022
👆Tactics to combat a scarcity mindset
👆How to build a donor avatar
👆The story of how a child's Hurricane Katrina gift impacted Rhea's life❤️

Episode Highlights

Rhea’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Understanding your beliefs and mindset around money to help you with your fundraising (7:30)
Mindset shifts needed in our sector today (12:15)
Tactics to Combat a Scarcity Mindset (17:00)
- Ask yourself what your own story is about money
- What did you hear in your family growing up?
- What did you see in your family?
- What did you feel? A lot of our memories we have are based in emotion
- How would you like to feel about money?
- Do meditations around gratitude
Rhea’s new book coming March 2022 (22:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Rhea’s life (25:00)
Rhea’s One Good Thing: Making a mistake will not kill you. (29:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/216

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

215. 8 Nonprofit Trends that Matter in 2022 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Join Jon and Becky as we break down our 8 Nonprofit Trends That Matter in 2022 that we believe every nonprofit should prioritize moving into the new year. We'll dive deeply into each topic over the course of the coming weeks to ensure you're informed and activated.

💡Learn in this series:

How to build strategy and implementable ideas
How to shift our mindsets to meet the moment
Hacks for success
Examine who's already doing it well in the sector (because let's replicate what's working!💪)

Episode Overview

Tone setting (2:30)
8 Nonprofit Trends that Matter Right Now (3:30)
- Culture Matters
- Partnerships 2.0
- Think Like a Business.
- Mindsets for Fundraising
- Storytelling
- Investing in Digital
- Leaders as Thought Leaders
- Donor Behavior is King
FREEBIE

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/215

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

214. Creating a Robust Network for Social Impact - Dr. Michelle Shumate

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Michelle. This Northwestern University professor is an expert on building networks for social impact. We highly recommend this episode to any person looking to boost its organization's social media engagement in 2022📱📈

💡Learn:

How leaders can make social impact networks more effective
Avoiding social impact dead ends
Designing networks to address different types of social issues

Episode Highlights

Dr. Shumate’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
An overview of Dr. Shumate’s research (4:50)
Networks for Social Impact (6:00)
What traits leaders need to show up with to really make these networks the most vibrant (9:00)
Dr. Shumate’s advice for how can leaders make social impact networks more effective (12:00)
How nonprofits, businesses, and governments can successfully collaborate on serious social problems to create deeper impact (18:00)
Common dilemmas and dead ends and how to avoid them (21:00)
Dr. Shumate’s advice you have for an organization that wants to subscribe to some higher ideals of what they're fighting for (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dr. Shumate’s life (28:00)
Dr. Shumate’s One Good Thing: Focus on the “5 Why’s” (32:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/214

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

213. Making Tech + Crypto Accessible for Every Nonprofit: The Every.org Story - Tina Roh and Mark Ulrich

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Tina and Mark. These two Stanford classmates helped build Snap and Pinterest, then left the for-profit tech world behind to launch a groundbreaking social giving platform, Every.org - it's a nonprofit making giving accessible for all nonprofits 🎉

💡 Learn:

How to create accessible giving infrastructures
How you can easily start accepting crypto for your mission
Hacks all nonprofits could leverage to capture deeper impact
The story of Tina giving back to the nonprofit that supported her in childhood

Episode Highlights

Tina and Mark’s stories and journeys to where they are today (2:50)
What the journey of starting every.org has looked like for their team and what they have learned along the way (7:00)
An overview of every.org (9:00)
Barriers nonprofits are facing today (12:00)
Leveraging the technology on their platform (17:00)
The power of social giving (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Tina’s life (32:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Mark’s life (34:00)
Mark’s One Good Thing: Support each other and honor our commitments. (37:00)
Tina’s One Good Thing: Advance communal wisdom and learn from experts. (38:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/213

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

212. Six Takeaways + One Good Thing From Season 4 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 24 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Season 4 Finale 🎉 Tune in to hear the biggest takeaways we've gleaned from the 153 episodes recorded in 2021. Best of Season 4 + Year-in-Review joins Jon, Becky and Julie as they walk through 6 Takeaways + 1 Good Thing, and that one good thing is our final gift to you in 2021👐

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Community is everything (2:30)
Take care of yourself and your teams (4:50)
Alignment (6:30)
Your voice is your currency (10:00)
Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and the future of philanthropy (15:00)
Everyone can do good (18:00)
One Good Thing: Take some time for yourself to just get quiet, think, and be still. (21:00)
Questions to ask yourself or your team:
- 1. Where do you want to see yourself this time next year?
- 2. What are you really proud of from the last year? (Celebrate it! 🎉)
- 3. What was the most challenging part of the last year? What can you do next year to alleviate it?
Some favorite episodes from this season (23:00)
- Jon: How New Story Uses Innovation to End Global Homelessness - Sarah Lee (Episode 163)
- Becky: How to Navigate Seasons of Change at your Organization - Aila Malik (Episode 166)
- Julie: How to Harness Innovation to Scale Meaningful Impact - Evan Feinberg (Episode 167)
We Are For Good Community
We Are For Good PRO

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/212

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

They created Year End Giving Connections, a community that brings fundraisers together and empowers them to learn from each other’s experiences. Neon One experts will also provide helpful advice on meeting your fundraising goals this season. With weekly checklists and an active Slack community, there’s no better way to prepare for your year-end success.

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211. Good Humans of 2021 - Sue Ann Arnall

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Sue Ann. She's a mother, writer, philanthropist, humanitarian, justice warrior, and member of the Giving Pledge. Spending just a few minutes in Sue Ann's wake makes one acutely aware that she's always looking out for the little guy. The Arnall Family Foundation focuses on child welfare, animal welfare, and criminal justice reform, while Sue Ann focuses her personal passion on solutions that lower the incarceration rate and racial disparity among African American men in U.S. jails and prisons. Her class, warmth, grace, and compassion blew us away. Pretty proud to say this is a friend who represents the best of home. Thank you Sue Ann🙏

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Sue Ann’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
Sue Ann’s dreams when she was growing up (4:00)
An overview of the Arnall Family Foundation (6:00)
The Giving Pledge (18:00)
Sue Ann’s favorite initiative she has funded: Diversion Hub (26:00)
The biggest misstep nonprofit professionals make when working with major gifts donors (30:00)
Who inspires Sue Ann (31:00)
What Sue Ann would say to her younger self: Don't be afraid to explore new things. Don't let fear guide where you go. (32:00)
Rapid fire questions (33:00)
Sue Ann’s One Good Thing: The best path is not always downhill. Sometimes you have to do the hard thing. (35:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/211

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

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210. Good Humans of 2021 - Trinity Heavenz

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Trinity. Friends, we are truly honored to share this story of an incredibly resilient, compassionate Ugandan entrepreneur who's upskilling the next generation of African businesses by empowering its rising digitally-savvy youth. This 29-year-old social entrepreneur is sharing his harrowing story from the Kampala slums to build era92, a youth creative social enterprise working to end youth unemployment through design, arts and technology. Please dignify the courage, optimism and hope found in this episode. Trinity, thank you for trusting us to share this story. You are truly our hero🙏 We join you in supporting efforts to build Africa's youth-powered movements!🇺🇬

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Trinity’s story and journey to where he is today (2:19)
How a computer changed Trinity’s life (6:15)
The founding story and mission of era92 (12:00)
Who inspires Trinity (17:00)
Trinity’s work family and the next generation of leaders he is training (18:30)
Trinity’s vision for his community and the future of Africa (22:00)
Trinity’s best friend Levixone’s story and their friendship (26:00)
era92’s Elevate Program: Unlocking Africa’s Youthful Potential (28:00)
Trinity’s dreams for era92 (31:00)
Rapid fire questions (35:00)
Trinity’s One Good Thing: If every person helped just one person, then those 2 people would be helped. Go out and help somebody. (38:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/210

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

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209. Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership: Embracing Self Reflection - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Kishshana Palmer

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

📢SPECIAL GUEST on Friday Convo! (Who is not only the foremost global expert on progressive nonprofit leadership but she also happens to be one of our favorite people - ever. Kishshana Palmer!)

We're concluding our Friday series discussing the next generation of nonprofit leaders, and what skills are needed to lead and thrive in this new pandemic world. This week we're talking about Embracing Self-Reflection. Self-reflection in leadership means carving out time to review yourself as a leader. Are you taking the time to think and review yourself as part of increasing your self-awareness? It's absolutely critical for building culture and an empathy-based leadership style (and brand!).

Episode Overview

The next generation of nonprofit leadership (2:20)
The Great Resignation and the opportunity for leaders today (4:00)
Self Reflection: knowing thyself and your skills (6:00)
How to be able to receive feedback (17:00)
Self care, self respect, and taking care of yourself (19:00)
Focusing on self reflection (25:00)
Creating pause and rest and reflect (30:00)
Connect with Kishshana’s podcast: Let’s Take This Offline (32:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/209

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

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208. A Pep Talk for 2022: Trends + Advice for Every Nonprofit in the New Year - Katie Appold

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Katie. As a former nonprofit ED, she's been in the trenches from fundraising to ops to marketing before becoming an industry leader. Today, she leads Do More Good, the parent organization of Nonprofit Hub and Cause Camp which collectively serve more than 50,000 nonprofits throughout North America. We're talking through the trends she's tracking as well as advice she has for nonprofits beyond the New Year. She's dropping some marketing wisdom and shares why you have to stop saying your nonprofit is, "the best kept secret." Tune in to hear why🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Katie’s story and journey to where she is today (2:18)
The current state of the nonprofit sector (5:30)
Katie’s advice as we move into a new year (9:00)
Scaling our organizations for deeper impact (11:45)
Clarifying our messages (17:00)
Growing our messages digitally, and standing out within all the noise in our world today (19:00)
Leveraging technology to work smarter not harder (19:30)
- Google Ad Grants
- HubSpot Persona Creator
- Find a CRM to better serve your donors
The power of community (21:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Katie’s life (24:00)
Katie’s One Good Thing: Pursue the educational things you’ve wanted to pursue. (27:37)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/208

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

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207. Creative Ways to Grow Revenue for Your Nonprofit + Building Inclusive Narratives - Kimberly O'Neil

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Kimberly. She's an award-winning professor, executive leader, and social good expert who served as the youngest African-American female city manager in U.S. history [insert standing ovation]. As a proponent of bringing socially good businesses, community and local governments, together she's fighting to increase impact awareness. We're talking through creative ways to bring in revenue via entrepreneurial tools and discussing inclusivity awareness. It's a convo good for the head and heart.

Episode Highlights

Kimberly’s story and journey to where she is today (3:43)
A history and overview of The Giving Blueprint (6:48)
Community based fundraising (11:00)
Our words matter: Our hearts may have the best intentions when we're looking at the social sector and community. But our welcoming intentions may be very offensive. (15:00)
Qualities leaders can embody to receive feedback (22:00)
Ethical storytelling (25:50)
Cause Studio and how Kimberly supports startup nonprofits (38:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Kimberly’s life (51:00)
Kimberly’s One Good Thing: Sleep is underrated. (56:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/207

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

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206. Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership: Embracing Empathy - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Loving the feedback on our latest Friday series discussing the next generation of nonprofit leaders, and what skills are needed to lead and thrive in this new pandemic world. This week we're talking about Embracing Empathy. Empathetic leaders create a culture where imperfection is something to learn from, not hide. As a leader, admitting when you make a mistake or asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s practicing vulnerability. We're still teasing a special guest appearance for this series later in Dec., so tune in early! 🎧

Episode Overview

Tone setting (1:40)
Embracing empathy in our leadership (3:41)
What does an empathetic leader look like? (3:40)
7 Tips to help cultivate and empathy mindset (6:30)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/206

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Cosmic, a Social Impact Creative Agency

You hear us talk often that the greatest scarcity in today’s digital age is people’s attention. So, how is your organization creating and sharing content that stops people in their scroll and drives engagement with your mission?

Enter Cosmic. The design agency we trust to nail your impact story, build brand awareness, and inspire action. Cosmic is the team to help you do just that. They're so much more than just a Creative Agency. Cosmic’s deep expertise in the social impact space, helps nonprofits and social enterprises grow their digital fundraising, launch and mobilize advocacy platforms and mobilize your supporters to join you. Learn more today at designbycosmic.com.

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205. Systems to the Rescue + Time-Saving Hacks for Every Nonprofit Professional - Rachel Bearbower

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Rachel. We throw new strategies, innovations and trends your way - and we know how overwhelming it can feel (especially for small teams), so we're bringing in a small shop expert. Rachel's a former fundraiser, ED and founder who's worked in the trenches of underfunded, systemless organizations. She's here to help us walk through some key strategies for the new year and set our organizations up with solid foundations that will lead to greater impact, more dollars raised, and working smarter, not harder.

Episode Highlights

Rachel’s story and journey to where she is today (2:50)
What small nonprofits faced throughout the pandemic and what they need today (4:30)
3 basics to get right to set your organization up for success (7:00)
- 1. Get clear on what you do really well and shed the rest.
- 2. Get clear on what you can accomplish. What is actually realistic?
- 3. Get clear on your language and messaging.
How to build a solid foundation for your nonprofit (16:00)
Keeping up with new strategies and technology and staying innovative in a fast paced world (21:00)
How leaders can decipher their next best step (24:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rachel’s life (27:00)
Rachel’s One Good Thing: What you think about gets bigger. (29:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/205

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Cosmic, a Social Impact Creative Agency

Meet Cosmic. The design agency we trust to nail your impact story, build brand awareness, and inspire action. Cosmic is the team to help you do just that. They're so much more than just a Creative Agency. Cosmic’s deep expertise in the social impact space, helps nonprofits and social enterprises grow their digital fundraising, launch and mobilize advocacy platforms and mobilize your supporters to join you. Learn more today at designbycosmic.com.

Say hi 👋
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204. Strategic Planning 101 + How to Help Your Board Become Better Fundraisers - Sabrina Walker Hernandez

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Sabrina. You asked for a strategic planning conversation, and oh wow, did this incredible expert deliver! She's answering how to keep your strategic plan alive and why we should constantly review, activate and refine it. If you're wondering what to do with your strategic plan now that the world is entirely different, then is your episode. Icing on the cake? We're talking engaging and activating your board + goal setting using your strategic plan as a roadmap too.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Sabrina’s story and journey to where she is today (2:47)
Mini strategic planning session (5:00)
Diving into deep conversation that will lead to meaningful change (9:00)
How to handle strategic plans that were disrupted by the pandemic (12:00)
RASI - Roles, Accountability, Support, and the Influence (18:00)
Mobilizing board members to become fundraising powerhouses (20:00)
Goal setting (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sabrina’s life (31:00)
Sabrina’s One Good Thing: Hang in there. (33:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/204

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Cosmic, a Social Impact Creative Agency

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203. Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership: Embracing Risk - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

We've heard you. You liked our focus on young professionals and kindergarten habits, but it's time for us to dig deeper with nonprofit leaders. And here's the spoiler - everyone can be a leader in their role. You simply need the grit and tools to feel comfortable to rise. We got you! Our new Friday series: Next Gen Nonprofit Leadership launches today as we dive into Embracing Risk. Glad you're here.

Episode Overview

Tone setting for embracing risk (1:30)
- Get clear on vision + values
- Get clear on what happened (during pandemic)
- Get clear on how we are moving forward
7 places to start today (5:30)
Pro Tips + Case Studies (15:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/203

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Cosmic, a Social Impact Creative Agency

Say hi 👋
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202. Hope is Alive: How Shoes That Fit Continues to Innovate to Reach More Kids - Amy Fass

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Amy. She's the rockstar executive director of Shoes That Fit providing new athletic shoes to underprivileged children nationwide. You may think why shoes? But when a family has to choose between rent, utilities, food AND shoes, shoes often come last especially recently as families struggle during COVID-19. Their mission is to tackle this variable, as one of the most visible signs of poverty in America, by giving children-in-need new sneakers to attend school with dignity and joy, prepared to learn, play, and thrive.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Amy’s story and journey to where she is today (2:40)
An overview of Shoes That Fit (3:45)
Community based fundraising and lessons learned throughout Amy’s career (6:00)
Building dynamic partnerships (13:00)
Pivoting their model and leaning into innovation to advance impact (18:30)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amy’s life (21:00)
Amy’s One Good Thing: People are everything. (27:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/202

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Get to Know Our Sponsor, Cosmic, a Social Impact Creative Agency

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201. From Sales to Fundraising: Lessons Learned After Knocking on Nearly 100,000 Doors - Jake Savage

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Jake. Every wondered what possesses someone to run 50 miles? For Jake - it's about passion. After learning about the plight of women and children who are trafficked around the world, he redirected his career in persuasive sales firmly toward helping the nonprofit sector. Join this convo with someone who's knocked on nearly 100,000 doors and is leveraging those corporate sales methods for good.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Jake’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
Knocking on nearly 100,000 doors in his sales background (6:13)
A powerful story that connected Jake to the philanthropy world (8:00)
The story of running 50 miles to spread awareness and raise funds to fight human trafficking (12:00)
The intersection of sales and fundraising to help you raise more money (16:45)
Barriers to fundraising that Jake has seen (22:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Jake’s life (26:00)
Jake’s One Good Thing: You don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the levels of your systems. (29:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/201

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

About the Podcast

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200. Growing a Global Kindness Community - Mark Longbottom, Purposely Podcast

Fri, 26 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

We're pretty sure Mark was one of our first WAFG friends. He found us early on from darn-near-halfway around the world, and our mutual admiration for each other's work endures. Jon and Becky were honored to join Mark's Purposely Podcast where we talk through business growth, how we check our mental health, and why we love growing global community. Do us a favor; hit subscribe on his podcast or listen to an episode or two. It's a good listen for the head and heart.

Episode Highlights

The purpose and mission of We Are For Good (2:00)
Jon and Becky’s background (4:00)
Fostering the confidence to take a leap of faith (7:00)
How the business model has changed since the launch of We Are For Good (12:00)
The power of community and building movements (16:00)
What the best day in the office is for Jon and Becky (19:00)
Avoiding burnout and fatigue (21:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/200

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

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199. Community Week: Personalization, Segmentation, and the Transformational Power of Gratitude - Aimee Furrie

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Ya'll. University of Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association has a STORY! 🎧Tune in and hear what happened when its students sent more than 32,000 personalized videos to alums during the pandemic. [insert jaw drop] 🤯🥰👏!!! Hear this incredible story from Aimee who describes herself as a "philanthropy enthusiast committed to radically personalizing the donor experience." Come meet this rising star in the donor relations world🤩

Episode Highlights

Aimee’s story and journey to where she is today (2:55)
Amy’s role as a donor relations professional (10:00)
Examples of projects that Amy’s team has done to make every donor feel like a major gift donor (12:50)
How they sent 35,000 personalized messages to donors during the pandemic through ThankView (17:30)
The impact of this campaign and the power of gratitude (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Aimee’s life (36:00)
Aimee’s One Good Thing: In every opportunity, find a way to empower people. (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/199

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

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198. Community Week: The Promise of Generation Alpha + the Mission of In a Perfect World - Manuela Testolini

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Manuela. We met this L.A. founder in our Community and in PRO, and we positively fell in love with the simple beauty in her nonprofit's mission. After rolling up her sleeves to work on the frontlines of orgs she believed in, she moved from a homeless foundation to running Prince's foundation (yes, you read that right. "That" Prince💜☔️) before starting her own foundation, "In A Perfect World" empowering young people around the world to take action and be kind. She's talking about how to co-create natural empathy in Generation Alpha and how she's seen education be the great equailizer of human vibrancy. Her life 's story is fascinating, heroic, empathetic and reveals one of those amazing founders stories where top brass is first in line and deepest in the trenches - for good. Inspiring! 💡

Episode Highlights

Manuela’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
The founding story of In a Perfect World Foundation (11:30)
Inspiring and empowering the next generation: an overview of In a Perfect World’s flagship programs (22:45)
- Dreamcatchers (ages 5-12)
- Youth Ambassador Program (for teens)
- REACH (Rural Education and Community Harmony)
- Everyday Kindness
Manuela’s vision for In a Perfect World Foundation (30:10)
How you can get involved with In a Perfect World (38:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Manuela’s life (42:00)
Manuela’s One Good Thing: A little by little, a little becomes a lot. (44:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/198

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

About the Podcast

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197. Donor Engagement Kindergarten Style: Small Things Matter - Jonathan McCoy and CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 19 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

We're concluding our final episode in our Friday series, Donor Engagement: Kindergarten Style with this week's discussion about why Small Things Matter. Relationships that are triggered by process may be reliable, but they can also feel mechanical. We're talking about exerting effort and delighting in the small things that creates true connection and deeper engagement 🎉 Tune in, we're bringing principles, case study examples and Pro Tips too.

Episode Overview

Small things matter.. applied (2:00)
Case studies where we have seen this work (9:50)
Pro Tips: where you can get started today! (14:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/197

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

About the Podcast

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196. Your Playbook for Creating an Engaging Digital Annual Report - Josh Kligman

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Josh. He believes it's time for your annual report to undergo a makeover. In fact, he believes your annual report has tremendous potential to get your donor engaged and actually reading that report by leveraging digital reports, polls, videos, and the kind of attention-grabbing features you couldn’t include with your basic print version. Tune in and hear about the future of digital publications. We're also chatting about important annual report elements and the importance of digital storytelling🎧

Episode Highlights

Josh’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
An overview of Yearly and how nonprofits can leverage it (4:00)
The key elements to a great annual report (8:40)
How to create innovative and surprising annual reports (11:00)
Syndicating this content: use your annual report all year! (16:00)
- Learn more: FREE Syndication Workshop
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Josh’s life (24:00)
Josh’s One Good Thing: Don’t give up. (27:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/196

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

About the Podcast

Want to get your message out to other members of the mission-driven sector? Check out Nexus Marketing’s HAPO (Help a Partner Out page). This collaboration was made possible by HAPO.

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195. Democratizing Donor Advised Funds to Grow Philanthropy for All - John Bromley

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet John. He's tired of seeing donor advised funds sitting around unspent. He's democratized the DAF world, and he wants you and your kids to be an active part of the giving community. You see, once he recognized a need to make giving more accessible and more effective, he launched Charitable Impact which nurtures generosity within each person and bring resources for creating change in the world to everyone. In short, it's a super cool giving platform that makes even a $5 feel like a serious investment in philanthropy. Together, we're talking basics (what the heck is a donor advised fund?) but also talking about how to make our personal philanthropy intentional rather than reactive.

Episode Highlights

John’s story and journey to where he is today (2:00)
Donor fatigue and the current state of giving today (8:30)
Giving proactively vs. reactively (15:00)
An overview of Donor Advised Funds (18:00)
Features and benefits of DAFs (24:00)
Addressing hoarding within DAFs and Foundations (31:00)
An overview of Charitable Impact (34:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in John’s life (41:00)
John’s One Good Thing: Ask yourself: Are you charitable? (46:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/196

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

About the Podcast

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

*Note: This collaboration was arranged through a listing on Nexus Marketing’s HAPO (Help a Partner Out) page. Want to get your message out to other members of the mission-driven sector? Check out Nexus Marketing’s HAPO (Help a Partner Out page). This collaboration was made possible by HAPO.

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194. Donor Engagement Kindergarten Style: Share Equally - Jonathan McCoy and CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 12 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

We're diving back into another Friday series discussions, Donor Engagement: Kindergarten Style. This week we're discussing how to Share Equally. What happens when we democratize our good work, share frameworks, pass the microphone and share our seat at the table? Only the best things! 🎉 Tune in, we're bringing principles, case study examples and Pro Tips too.

Episode Overview

Sharing equally (1:30)
Principles of sharing equally (6:00)
Case studies - where this has worked! (12:00)
Pro tips - where to take action today! (19:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/194

Get to Know Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Say hi 👋
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193. Lead with We: The Revolutionary Power of Collaborative Leadership - Simon Mainwaring

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0600

Meet Simon. He's a global brand expert who's on a mission to see social good brands embrace a radical, reimaged and reengineered way to do business based on the idea of collectivized purpose. By showing how we live, work, and grow together in new ways that restore and protect the social and living systems on which all of our futures depend, he believes the future of nonprofit is bright if we can be brave enough to seize it. This is the future of collaborative leadership. We have to build together. Tune in and prepare for your jaw to hit the floor - like ours did. Preach Brother Mainwaring🙌

Episode Highlights

Simon’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
Living a purposeful life (7:00)
Selfishness vs. being “Self-Ish” (12:00)
How nonprofits can seize this moment in time (18:00)
Revolutionizing partnerships in today’s world - how to position your organization (20:00)
Simon’s new book: Lead with We: The Business Revolution That Will Save Our Future (31:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Simon’s life (37:00)
Simon’s One Good Thing: Look inward, as much as you look outward. (42:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/193

About Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

192. The Great Resignation is Here. How to Leverage it as the Great Opportunity - Sally Bryant

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0600

Meet Sally. She began her career on the advancement team at her alma mater, Washington State University, before running one of the country's largest and most respected development recruitment firms today. Her true passion is great leadership, which drives her to get the right leader in the right seat to inspire successful teams. She's talking us through how to recruit top talent and what the Great Resignation means for those entering and leaving the nonprofit sector.🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Sally’s story and journey to where she is today (3:17)
Sally’s journey to the nonprofit world (6:45)
The Great Resignation: what is it and what opportunities is it creating? (14:00)
How to attract amazing talent to your organization (22:00)
How to retain the talent you have (26:00)
Sally’s interview advice (28:00)
- How To Ace Your Interview - The Bryant Group
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sally’s life (32:00)
Sally’s One Good Thing: Always make decisions out of love and trust, and never make decisions out of fear or anxiety. (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/192

About Our Amazing Sponsor, Neon One

Neon One provides software solutions to growing nonprofits, but they do so much more than that. They’re also incredibly passionate about creating community in the social good sector.

We believe in the power of community. We’ve seen the greatest philanthropic movements happen when people work together to achieve common goals. Neon One can help you do just that.

Want to be a more connected fundraiser? Join their community today at http://neonone.com/weareforgood

Say hi 👋
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191. Donor Engagement Kindergarten Style: Use Your Listening Ears- Jonathan McCoy and CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 05 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We continue to arm ourselves with graham crackers and apple juice to fuel these Friday series discussions, Donor Engagement: Kindergarten Style. This week we dive into Using our Listening Ears (said in the least condescending way possible). How are you consciously finding a way to listen not only to your top donors - but ALL donors, employees, & volunteers? Don't fret - we're breaking it down🎉 We're bringing principles, case study examples, and Pro Tips too.

Episode Overview

Are you listening well? (1:00)
This principle… applied (2:00)
Case studies - where we have seen this in action! (9:00)
Pro tips to help you take action today! (14:00)
We Are For Good Community
We Are For Good PRO

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/191

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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190. Virtual? Hybrid? What's Working Now In Fundraising Events - Rebecca Alfred

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Rebecca. She's bringing her expertise in building donor experience events to the table for a conversation around virtual and hybrid fundraisers. Her advice: it's all about empowering modern fundraisers. She's breaking down the 4️⃣ different types of events, when to diversify the event and when to allow it to stand firmly on its own. Virtual? Hybrid? In-person events of the future? We're breaking it down here💃🕺(you saw what we did there, right?!)

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Rebecca’s story and journey to where she is today (2:20)
The current landscape of events today (5:00)
4 different types of events (7:00)
- 1. In person events
- 2. In person with a live stream audience
- 3. In person VIP experience with your virtual attendees
- 4. Virtual events
Finding the right length for your event (21:00)
Working through fear and intimidation around virtual events (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Rebecca’s life (28:00)
Rebecca’s One Good Thing: Try new things, but also watch how you're doing. (30:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/189

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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189. The Playbook for Building a Marquee Culture Within Your Organization - Mark Miller and Ted Vaughn

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mark and Ted. They know two how to build two things incredibly well: brand and culture. There’s an invisible threat most companies don’t realize is crushing their growth and success: culture. All too often, leaders think they have a “brand problem,” but oftentimes, it's really their culture. Mark and Ted are talking us through the six components of a "Marquee Culture” and navigating us on what to do with broken cultures. Tune in and learn some cool ideas their company is implementing to build culture.

Episode Highlights

Mark and Ted’s stories and journeys to where they are today (2:30)
Creating a “Marquee Culture” at your organization (8:00)
The 6 layers of marquee cultures (10:00)
Navigating and repairing broken cultures (18:00)
Powerful moments of philanthropy in Mark and Ted’s lives (21:00)
Mark and Ted’s One Good Thing: The more power you have in any organization, the more important it is for you to build a bridge over that power. (28:00)

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188. Donor Engagement Kindergarten Style: Play Nice in the Sandbox - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We've been hearing great feedback from our new Friday series, Donor Engagement: Kindergarten Style. This week we dive into what we can learn from Playing Nicely in the Sandbox. Development is a team sport. Internal relationships are vital to your success, and external relationships can be creatively advantageous too (seriously, we're sharing some awesome examples!)🎉 We're bringing principles, case study examples, and Pro Tips of how to infuse this into your culture.

Episode Overview

Playing nicely in the sandbox (1:30)
Principle: Playing nicely in the sandbox… applied (2:30)
Benefits of this principle (8:00)
Case studies: where we’ve seen this applied (10:30)
Pro tips (18:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/188

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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187. Humility-Based Leadership Unlocking a Global Impact - Lola Adedokun

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lola. She's the director of the African Health Institute and the Program Director for Child Well-Being at the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. She is a powerhouse of ideas, experiences, and knowledge with a passion for closing the inequitable gaps we are all too aware of in our communities and across Africa. Today's chat centers on data, humility, and listening. We're also talking through leadership in this new era and making data-driven decisions for good.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Lola’s story and journey to where she is today (2:00)
An overview of programs Lola works with at Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and their impact (3:50)
New pathways to leadership (particularly for leaders of color, young people, and community organizers!) (13:00)
Making data-driven decisions (15:00)
An example of leveraging data for deeper impact (20:00)
How nonprofit leaders can use their voice to partner with policymakers to advocate for systems that are adaptive, learning and are built to respond quickly to the needs of the people it is meant to serve (26:00)
Meeting the moment today (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Lola’s life (34:00)
Lola’s One Good Thing: Have a great glass of water and take a walk outside. (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/187

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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186. Storytelling for Social Impact + Building Narrative Intelligence - John Trybus

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet John. He's got a couple of titles: social impact professor, executive director of Georgetown University's Center for Social Impact Communications, 🐵Jane Goodall's personal advisor, and a social strategist, just to name a few. He's breaking down the key elements of nonprofit storytelling and teaching us how to embrace a story's blur. No shock he's bringing incredible stories to this convo. Tune in🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

John’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
John’s research around storytelling (10:00)
The 5 essential building blocks of compelling stories (14:00)
Formal vs. informal storytelling (19:00)
Thinking of storytelling as an ecosystem (22:00)
An applied example from John’s work (24:00)
“Embracing the Blur” for deeper social impact (35:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in John’s life (39:00)
John’s One Good Thing: Experiment. Try different things. (47:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/186

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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185. Donor Engagement Kindergarten Style: The Golden Rule - Jonathan McCoy and CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Are you aware that everything you ever wanted to know about NEXT LEVEL donor engagement is found in those time-honored lessons learned in kindergarten? We're launching a new Friday series, Kindergarten Principles Build Thriving Nonprofit Cultures. This week we dive into what we can learn from The Golden Rule. We're bringing principles, case study examples, and Pro Tips of how to infuse this in your culture to each discussion, so you know who's implementing this well and who's harnessing innovation to connect with their donors and communities.

Episode Overview

The principle of The Golden Rule: treat others how you want to be treated (3:00)
Applying this principle (5:45)
Case studies of who is doing this well in the sector: She’s the First and Cornell University (12:00)
Pro tips for implementing this today (16:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/185

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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184. How a Food Pantry Pivoted Mission Delivery to Deepen Impact - LaVal Brewer

Wed, 20 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet LaVal. As CEO of South County Outreach based near L.A., it's his goal to transform the organization’s Food Pantry into a place where people who are in short-term crisis situations can feel like they are shopping for nutritious, healthy food in a normal grocery store environment without having to pay. He's sharing the unique way his org pivoted during COVID as well as insights for nonprofit leaders. It's an uplifting conversation about the power of local community and infusing dignity into our mission delivery.

Episode Highlights

LaVal’s story and an overview of South County Outreach (2:00)
How the pandemic led them to innovate (5:00)
The current state of homelessness around the country (12:00)
Leading community based and community centered programs (14:00)
Fundraising for the future (17:00)
Leadership advice from LaVal after 20+ years in the nonprofit sector (21:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in LaVal’s life (29:00)
LaVal’s One Good Thing: Make it easy for your team members to do their job. (32:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/184

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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183. The Key Ingredients to Rock Your Year-End Giving Campaign - Caroline Fothergill

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Caroline. She's a Marketer on a Mission, and today she's walking us through how to build a year end campaign. The time is now! She's giving an overview of the year end campaign, then double-clicking on how to design and power one. She's giving tons of creative examples of how to engage, and she's sharing her secret sauce for connecting on social platforms: show up like a friend. Boom! If you haven't framed out your year end campaign yet, there's still time. Tune in🎧

Episode Highlights

Caroline’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Snapshot of year-end campaign planning (4:00)
Goal setting and calls to action for your end of year campaigns (7:00)
Cut through the noise: how you can surprise and delight in your end of year campaign (8:30)
Diversifying your communications channels: how you can leverage DMs, stories, and more (14:00)
Technology you can leverage to power your campaign (15:00)
Leveraging digital ads (20:00)
Stewardship following your campaign (22:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Caroline’s life (25:00)
Caroline’s One Good Thing: Marketing is an ongoing experiment. (31:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/183

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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182. Friday Convos with Young Pros: How to Attract + Retain Young Pro Talent at Your Organization - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 15 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Join Jon and Becky for their final installment of the Young Professionals Series discussing how and why you should be attracting young professionals to your nonprofit. We're diving into the impact-affecting qualities of this GenZ audience, what connects them to purpose, how to build thriving cultures that attract them, and how to stand out with heartfelt benefits that see beyond dollar signs. Our sector is in a season of extreme change, and we see the path toward making it a GREAT change. This is one of the secrets of that sauce.

Episode Overview

Tone setting (1:00)
The current landscape of the workforce (3:00)
Millennials vs. Gen Z (6:00)
Gen Z workplace statistics (15:00)
Building a culture that attracts young professionals (16:00)
Retaining talent on your team (22:00)
We Are For Good Community
We Are For Good PRO

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/182

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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181. Fundraising on Zoom?! + How Tech is Powering Missions to Grow Impact - James Citron

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet James. He's the CEO of Pledge, the leading charitable donation platform powering virtual, Livestream, and e-commerce fundraising. Pledge recently created the first Donate button built for Zoom, the first round-up application for Shopify, and today, over 25,000 nonprofits operating in 100 countries have received donations via Pledge. This hard-wired champion of kindness is walking us through the current state of virtual, fundraising and hybrid events and, what it all means for nonprofits in the future. And besides being just about the nicest guy in the room, his story of what Pledge did to save more than 1,300 Afghan refugees is the thing of philanthropic heroics.

Episode Highlights

James’s story and journey to where he is today (4:00)
History and mission of Pledge (10:00)
The current state of virtual events, online fundraising, e-commerce fundraising, and text messaging (14:00)
A powerful story of how Pledge was leveraged to create deep impact (22:00)
Pledge’s flagship features and how you can leverage them today (25:00)
James’s advice for leveraging an entrepreneurial mindset in nonprofits today (28:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in James’s life (31:00)
James’s One Good Thing: Just try it. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/181

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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180. Developing a Magnetic Brand + Using Instagram to Build Community - Carolyn Stine

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Carolyn. She worked in the fashion industry for a decade doing digital strategy, marketing and ops before leaving corporate America to start her own business. Today, this Messaging + Storytelling Coach teaches others how to leverage the platform while illuminating the incredible relationship-building that happens on IG. She's teaching us how to discover the magnetic elements of our stories, and how Instagram can help us take our nonprofit missions to the next level.

Episode Highlights

Developing a magnetic brand (4:20)
Developing your personal voice vs. your organization’s voice (6:00)
Carolyn’s story and journey to where she is today (9:00)
Leveraging Instagram to create magnetic brands (15:00)
Types of content you can create for Instagram (20:00)
Where to start today (26:00)
- Hone in on the crux of your messaging.
- Study your audience demographics.
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Carolyn’s life (27:00)
Carolyn’s One Good Thing: You can actually have everything you want. (29:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/180

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
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179. Real Talk: Lynne's Mental Health Journey - Lynne Wester

Fri, 08 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Day 5 of Mental Health Week on the We Are For Good Podcast. Don't miss our roundup of resources to dig deeper at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth

Meet Lynne. Welp, actually, you likely already know her. And not just from the many industry keynotes she undertakes. But also, because Lynne's our first repeat guest in our show's history, and we brought her back to share a little-known story. And it's deeply personal, because it's her mental health story. And some of us may have been on the sidelines as it was unfolding. She wants you to know the signs and know what to say if you or a staff member experience something similar. It's raw and real. Pull up a chair. We think there's much to be learned from this shared experience.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Lynne’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
Lynne’s mental health journey (9:00)
Give yourself permission to make decisions that help you become the healthiest version of yourself (21:00)
What Lynne has learned about establishing and implementing boundaries (28:00)
The state of mental health in the nonprofit sector right now (36:00)
Lynne’s Blog: The One Where We Talk About Mental Health (38:00)
Something you can implement today: Do something disruptive every week to take care of yourself. (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/179

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter

Givebutter powers more than 35,000 good causes with their end-to-end fundraising solution - and we love it because it's completely free. Givebutter empowers missions across the country and those on the frontlines of de-stigmatizing mental health, like NAMI Nevada.

Throughout the pandemic, quarantine and social distancing requirements were contributing to a massive increase in anxiety and depressive disorders across their state. So NAMI Nevada put together an innovative fundraiser powered by Givebutter to introduce the greater Nevada community to ways they can move forward—no matter the circumstance they were dealing with.

They eclipsed the goal of their crowdfunding campaign and shared how much they loved Givebutter’s ease of use and the power of its human-to-human connectivity to grow their impact.

You can watch their full success story at the link in our shownotes, and or learn more at givebutter.com.

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178. The Experience of Being a Black Fundraiser + Well-Being Through the Prism of Mental Health - Nneka Allen

Thu, 07 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Day 4 of Mental Health Week on the We Are For Good Podcast. Don't miss our roundup of resources to dig deeper at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth

Meet Nneka. She is the author and joint editor of a book featuring first-person narratives of 15 Black fundraisers in the U.S. and Canada. It's a painfully raw glimpse into the harsh realities that still exist for our black fundraiser friends (many of whom you've heard on this podcast). Unwinding systems of power start with sharing story. We hope you'll join us around Mom's Kitchen Table to talk about how to be a Pioneer and Champion of this movement. We need you.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Nneka’s story and journey to where she is today (5:30)
Our Right to Heal (13:00)
Individualized and systemic racism Nneka has experience during her career (16:00)
Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love (21:00)
The current state of mental health in the nonprofit sector (32:00)
Pioneers and Champions: It is only in community where we thrive (35:00)
What you can do today to become a champion: focus on proximity. (39:00)
Where do you need to lay your gifts to work in the direction of justice? (41:00)
Nneka’s One Good Thing: Focus on these 4 ingredients: Humility, Courage, Community and Well-Being.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/178

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter

Givebutter powers more than 35,000 good causes with their end-to-end fundraising solution - and we love it because it's completely free. Givebutter empowers missions across the country and those on the frontlines of de-stigmatizing mental health, like NAMI Nevada.

They eclipsed the goal of their crowdfunding campaign and shared how much they loved Givebutter’s ease of use and the power of its human-to-human connectivity to grow their impact.

You can watch their full success story at the link in our shownotes, and or learn more at givebutter.com.

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177. Combating Burnout and Compassion Fatigue - Eleanor Wells and Ashley Cauley

Wed, 06 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Day 3 of Mental Health Week on the We Are For Good Podcast. Don't miss our roundup of resources to dig deeper at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth

Meet Eleanor and Ashley. One's a nurse and personal coach and the other is an organizational psychologist and educator. Put them together - WOW - they may just be the most powerful mental health team in our sector (and they've got loads of resources to help too.)🤝❤️👊 They're talking us about how to assess, treat, and prevent burnout, and breakdown what it means to have psychological safety. If you're looking for some guidance to help your team or yourself - tune in.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/177

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter

Givebutter powers more than 35,000 good causes with their end-to-end fundraising solution - and we love it because it's completely free. Givebutter empowers missions across the country and those on the frontlines of de-stigmatizing mental health, like NAMI Nevada.

They eclipsed the goal of their crowdfunding campaign and shared how much they loved Givebutter’s ease of use and the power of its human-to-human connectivity to grow their impact.

You can watch their full success story at the link in our shownotes, and or learn more at givebutter.com.

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176. The Trevor Project: LGBTQ Advocacy and Suicide Prevention - Muneer Panjwani

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Day 2 of Mental Health Week on the We Are For Good Podcast. Don't miss our roundup of resources to dig deeper at weareforgood.com/mentalhealth

Meet Muneer. As the VP of Foundation, Government, and Corporate Partnerships at The Trevor Project, Muneer’s team focuses on building impact-centered long-term partnerships with some of the world’s largest companies and foundations to help end LGBTQ youth suicide. Companies are not experts in impact. So when we walk into a room with our corporate ask, Muneer says we need to do that through education steeped in our expertise. He’s taking corporate partnerships and ethical movement-building to the next level with his wise counsel and vulnerable storytelling.

Episode Highlights

Muneer’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
The story, mission, and programs of The Trevor Project (15:00)
Values based fundraising and partnerships (24:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Muneer’s life (33:00)
Current stats around LGBTQ youth and how you can help (42:00)
Muneer’s One Good Thing: Do not be afraid to exercise the power your seat at the table gives you. (45:00)
Find Support
- Call 1-866-488-7386
- Text ‘START’ to 678-678
- Send a chat

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/175

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter

Givebutter powers more than 35,000 good causes with their end-to-end fundraising solution - and we love it because it's completely free. Givebutter empowers missions across the country and those on the frontlines of de-stigmatizing mental health, like NAMI Nevada.

They eclipsed the goal of their crowdfunding campaign and shared how much they loved Givebutter’s ease of use and the power of its human-to-human connectivity to grow their impact.

You can watch their full success story at the link in our shownotes, and or learn more at givebutter.com.

Say hi 👋
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175. "Do I Have Permission to Take Over?" - Becky's Mental Health Story - Becky Endicott, CFRE

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Welcome to Mental Health Week on the We Are For Good Podcast. It's Day 1, and today's episode cuts close to home. Becky is sharing her personal mental health journey. We're glad you're here.

You know Becky. For the most part, she's bubbly, outgoing, happiest when she's juggling a million tasks and never misses an opportunity to effusively love on someone. But there was a season where she was just wasn't any of those things. She was not ok. And the great irony was she was working on a multimillion dollar mental health campaign when she experienced her own mental health collapse. It was scary. It was isolating. It was all too much. And she doesn't want anyone experiencing those feelings alone. She's busting through stigma to share her mental health crisis story, and she's hoping doing it in community will help you recognize symptoms for yourself and others. It's not a sad story. It's an empowering one. Join us🎧

Episode highlights

Becky’s personal mental health journey (4:10)
The stigma around mental health (28:00)
Mental health in the nonprofit sector (30:00)
Things that Becky has learned (39:00)
- Talk to someone.
- If you don’t want to talk, just find someone to hold you.
- Alone and quiet time is essential.
- Set boundaries.
- Ask for help.
What Becky would say to her younger self (48:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/175

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 35,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Re-think the way you run fundraising events. Sell tickets to your event while also collecting additional donations from attendees and supporters, with all of Givebutter's unique fundraising features built right on top. It’s buttery goodness at its finest, and it’s helping you do more for your mission online. Learn more at givebutter.com

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174. Friday Convos with Young Pros: Money, Promotions + Difficult Conversations - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 01 Oct 2021 05:00:00 -0500

This week's Friday Convos with Young Professionals dives into building a personal career path while navigating those stressful conversations around money, promotions and difficult conversations. Jon's already sweating this chat around tough conversations like asking for more $$$ (when, how and why you should) and why professional development is crucial to your increased worth. We'll be examining how to find your strengths and passions while intentionally chasing opportunities in the sector.

Episode Overview

Money, promotions + navigating difficult conversations (1:00)
Building a professional development plan for yourself (4:00)
Every season, a puzzle piece is being built in your story (13:00)
Determining your career path: leverage personality tests and discovering your purpose (14:50)
Asking for more $$$ (when, how and why you should) (17:00)
Negotiating your first job offer (23:00)
Powerful statistics around job negotiations (Forbes) (25:00)
Navigating difficult conversations and conflict (29:00)
Difficult conversations at work: 9 tips + templates (Blog post by Tom Anderson, Haven Life) (30:00)
Closing rapid fire questions (32:00)
We Are For Good Community
We Are For Good PRO

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/174

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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173. How to Make Sense of Social Media + Find Your Unique Voice - Christina Edwards

Wed, 29 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Christina. This digital expert works with all types of nonprofit clients from multi-million dollar organizations to small-but-mighty volunteer-led teams. She’s passionate about empowering nonprofits to step into their expertise, be bold and find their unique voice and audience online. Today, she’s our social media handler and talking through setting goals, tracking metrics, finding your unique digital voice and measuring your success. If you’ve ever had a leader say, “how do we track our social media metrics?” then this is your episode.

Episode Highlights

Christina’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
Where to start: setting your mindset around your social media (6:00)
Building a digital soul (10:30)
Email lists and voice style guides (14:00)
Common mistakes made by organizations with their social media (16:30)
Loaded captions and scroll-stopping content (18:00)
Maximizing Canv a (24:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Christina’s life (29:00)
Christina’s One Good Thing: Talk to yourself more than you listen to yourself. (35:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/173

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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172. Channeling Pain to Purpose + The Mission of Roc Solid Foundation - Eric Newman

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Eric. As a pediatric cancer survivor, he's all too familiar with the battle a family faces when their child is diagnosed. And that’s what drove him to start the Roc Solid Foundation building hope for kids fighting cancer by offering opportunities for them to do what they do best – PLAY. Tune in to hear their story, and hear about Eric's goal to inspire people to start businesses based on significance and success. It's an inspiring story of resilience and self-discovery.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Eric’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
Meet the Roc Solid Foundation (8:00)
Roc Solid Foundation’s flagship programs (13:00)
Eric’s Book: What Hope Looks Like: Use Your Pain to Fuel Your Purpose (19:00)
Leveraging entrepreneurial mindsets to fuel your purpose (22:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy that has stuck with Eric (32:00)
Eric’s One Good Thing: Teach adherence to the values above anything else. (36:50)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/172

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

171. Friday Convos with Young Pros: What To Do In The First 30 Days of Your New Job - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We heard plenty of feedback that you liked our new series Friday Convos with Young Professionals, so we're excited to dive into what happens after you've landed the job. It's week two, and we're chatting about What to Do in the First 30 Days on the Job. We're walking through how to connect with volunteers, integrate with the team and instilling habits into your work. So fun having this "do as I say, not as I did" conversation we wished we would've known 20 years ago. 🎧

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/171

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

170. Bring Out Your Best! How to Align Your Passion with Purpose - Amy McLaren

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Amy. She turned a holiday trip into a fundraising challenge, and $17,000 later, everything changed. Today, the Village Impact is unleashing the power of education to transform communities in Kenya, and Amy's dreams are still growing. Her wanderlust for travel and embracing new cultures found its way into her business, and today she's empowering others to find their purpose. She's outlining seven steps to shed self-doubt and chase the thing that pairs your passion with purpose. If you're struggling through your Why right now, this episode is sure to put some fuel in your tank to do good.

Episode Highlights

Amy’s story and journey to where she is today (1:50)
Village Impact: Empowering Girls Through Education (8:30)
Step into your purpose (11:00)
Amy’s book - Passion to Purpose: a seven-step journey to shed self doubt, find inspiration, and change your life (and the world) for the better. (13:00)
Creating a movement (20:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Amy’s life (25:30)
Amy’s One Good Thing: Honor what you love. (28:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/170

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

169. The Reluctant Fundraiser’s Guide to Raising Money (+ Tips for Small Nonprofits!) - Cindy Wagman

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cindy. She's had a heartfelt goal to unlock the potential of small nonprofits through fundraising. Having spent her entire career in fundraising, Cindy knows how to make it accessible to small nonprofits in a way that is mission-enhancing and empowering. Join us as we break down how to set up small shops for success. There are incredible lessons here for orgs of all sizes, and Cindy's even giving tips on using volunteers to make your life easier. We found a growth mindset friend in Canada, and we are here for all she's teaching🙌

Episode Highlights

Cindy’s story and journey to where she is today (2:30)
Setting your small shop up for great success (4:00)
How fundraisers, board members, and volunteers are holding their own selves back (8:30)
Best practices for small shops (15:00)
Cindy’s book: Raise It! The Reluctant Fundraiser’s Guide to Raising Money Without Selling Your Soul (19:00) - Use Discount code GOOD
The intersection of neuroscience and fundraising (23:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Cindy’s life (34:00)
Cindy’s One Good Thing: Be curious. (37:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/169

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

168. Friday Convos with Young Pros: Finding + Landing Your First Nonprofit Job - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Julie Confer

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We've been wanting to have a heart-to-heart chat with one particular audience in the nonprofit sector, so we decided to turn that convo into a series: Friday Convos with Young Professionals. This week we're kicking off the 4-part series by chatting about Finding and Landing Your First Nonprofit Job. We're walking through internship tips, interview Do's and Dont's, cover letters and resumes, digital networking (LinkedIn here at centerstage!), and how to start building your professional network. It's all the stuff we wish we knew, what we would do differently and how to have your passion stand out from the crowd.

Episode Overview

Our company’s heart for pouring into young professionals (1:30)
Warming your network (6:30)
Cover letters and resumes: focus on authenticity! (10:00)
4 things to include on your resume (15:00)
- 1. Show how you have led
- 2. Share an example of how you have galvanized support around something
- 3. Share how you activated that support
- 4. Show how you hustled
Activate your network (16:00)
Leveraging LinkedIn as young professionals (18:00)
Interview do’s and don’ts (23:00)
Building your network (32:00)
NEW: Young Professional Workshop Series inside PRO - sign up today!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/168

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

167. How to Harness Innovation to Scale Meaningful Impact - Evan Feinberg

Wed, 15 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Evan’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
An overview of the Stand Together Foundation (5:50)
Mee The Phoenix (10:00)
The Catalyst Program at the Stand Together Foundation (21:00)
Watch: Catalysts Mini Documentaries (25:00)
Treating counting metrics as value metrics (26:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Evan’s life (35:00)
Evan’s One Good Thing: Focus on hope. (40:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/167

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

166. Leading Through Seasons of Change at Your Organization - Aila Malik

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Episode Highlights

Aila’s story and journey to where she is today (2:40)
Navigating seasons of change in organizations (7:00)
Key steps for a leader that is stepping into a new role (14:00)
Translating vision into plans (21:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Aila’s life (28:00)
Aila’s One Good Thing: Opportunity without intentionality equals distraction. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/166

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

165. How Movember Grew a Worldwide Digital Community (+5 Million Moustaches Too!) - Katelynn Whitaker

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Katelynn. When you've helped to build one of the most iconic, viral campaigns-turned-nonprofit like Movember, you know a thing or two about building digital community. We're talking mobilizing volunteers and crowdfunding campaigns as well as creating innovative marketing strategies to meet millennials / GenZers. Tune in to learn how to be an agent of remarkable experiences from the world's first digital-only nonprofit.

Episode Highlights

Katelynn’s story and journey to where she is today (2:20)
The history and mission of Movember (4:30)
How innovation has really driven Movember’s connection with millennials and Gen Z (12:00)
Lessons learned on managing successful crowdfunding campaigns (20:00)
Provide your community with toolkits (24:00)
Leveraging storytelling with crowdfunding (25:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Katelynn’s life (27:00)
Katelynn’s One Good Thing: Be an agent of remarkable experiences. (30:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/165

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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164. Be the PRO. Launch Party + What's In It For You! - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Wed, 08 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

In this episode we're ready to show you a peek behind the biggest curtain our company is finally opening. We Are For Good PRO launches TODAY, and we are so thrilled to share why this matters... specifically for you right here, right now. We built it for you in mind. So join us as we talk through bells & whistles, benefits, stories, people, and toolkits fueling this digital classroom. We'll be introducing you to your first two Good Guides, giving you a preview or two of live classes, revealing roadmaps, and even unveiling a way that everyone can be involved - despite financial challenges. We are ready for this product to be in the world. Let's do this, Do Gooders 🥳

Episode Overview

Meet We Are For Good PRO
Tone setting: why does this matter? (3:00)
What is inside PRO (5:45)
Meet the inaugural group of Good Profs (12:00)
Pricing (15:00)
Join PRO today 🎉
Share what you want to learn!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/164

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

163. How New Story Uses Innovation to End Global Homelessness - Sarah Lee

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sarah. The best days are when we get to talk with some of our nonprofit hero organizations🤩🙌🏘 Sarah's the COO of New Story - one of the most progressive nonprofits tackling homelessness worldwide. Building differently is in their DNA. And you won't believe how they're doing it. Sarah lives at the intersection of fundraising and brand, so she works to push ideas, values, and engagement beyond the typical donor experience to impact more families in need. The story is fascinating. You know we're salivating about this one. Tune in to hear how little monster house slippers became the symbol of hope for children experiencing homelessness🤧

Episode Highlights

Sarah’s story and journey to where she is today (3:00)
New Story’s experience being a part of Y Combinator (7:00)
The history, mission and work of New Story: pioneering solutions to end global homelessness. (9:00)
Driving forces that are leading more people to experience homelessness (11:00)
3D printed homes and the live changing impact stories at New Story (12:00)
Local partnerships and community design (17:00)
The primary driver: dignity for the families they work with (18:50)
Leveraging an innovative mindset to dream bigger for your organization (21:00)
New Story’s monthly giving program: The Neighborhood (23:40)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sarah’s life (29:00)
Sarah’s One Good Thing: Surround yourself with people who push you further. (33:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/163

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
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162. 10 Must Do's Before Year End - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 03 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We're coming up on the final quarter of 2021, so let's ensure your year-end finale has a dang plan that builds incredible community (as well as dollars!) around your mission. Jon and Becky are breaking it all down in this Friday's episode: 10 Must Do's Before Year-End. And when you consider nearly 1/3 of annual giving happens in December plus 12% of all annual giving occurs in the last three days of December, we just want to ensure you have all the right tools in the toolbox.

Episode Overview

Conversation tone setting (2:00)
Key elements to year end giving (3:00)
10 Steps to Revolutionize Your Year End Giving (3:15)
Free Website Workshop!
We Are For Good PRO

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/162

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

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161. A Haitian Founder's Guide to Recruiting + Activating Volunteers - Jean Pierre-Louis

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jean. Or JPL, as we now call him. This Haitian-born New Yorker has THE most inspiring story of taking his education back to Haiti in the form of a nonprofit healthcare and education organization benefiting his childhood community. He's also a savvy founder at capracare, and he breaks down how to recruit the right volunteers and board members to your organization. Get those tips, and find out how you can help JPL and our suffering Haitian friends with your support.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

JPL’s story and journey to where he is today (2:20)
The landscape of Haiti today (4:40)
The mission of capracare (6:00)
Life in Haiti today (9:00)
Community based programming and innovation (11:30)
Recruiting and activating volunteers (14:00)
Finding the right spot for your volunteers in your organization (17:00)
Recruiting, engaging, and leveraging board members (20:00)
Fostering community within a global team (22:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in JPL’s life (25:00)
JPL’s One Good Thing: Expect the unexpected. (29:00)
Support capracare

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/161

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

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160. Disruption for Good + The Business of Changing the World - Raj Kumar

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Raj. He's not just the Founding President & Editor-in-Chief of Devex, he's noticed the little guy ever since he was a boy playing soccer in the streets of India. This former political strategist built Devex, a global news platform, in grad school alongside his friends to inform development professionals and aid workers all over the world. Today we launch Season 4 exploring the new era of global development and how to set zero goals for yourself (we had to have him define that too, but we were LOVING the answer). Tune in🎧

Today’s Guest: Raj Kumar, Founding President and Editor-in-Chief at Devex

Episode Highlights

Raj’s story and journey to where he is today (2:30)
An overview of Devex (5:00)
Leading a global social enterprise in the middle of a time such as this (9:00)
The new era of global development (9:40)
The lens you should use as a funder to identify what organizations to support (10:45)
Raj’s Book: The Business of Changing the World: How Billionaires, Tech Disrupters, and Social Entrepreneurs Are Transforming the Global Aid Industry (17:00)
Embracing this season of innovation and change in the nonprofit sector: shift the focus to zero goals. (21:00)
Evaluate your programs to ensure they are truly doing the most good (24:00)
Fostering a global mindset in your corner of the world (30:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Raj’s life (35:00)
Raj’s One Good Thing: Listen more. Don’t assume that you understand the context of how it all works. Go and talk to the source. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/160

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

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159. Do This. (Not That!) 6 Lessons Learned in Year One of the Podcast - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE and Julie Confer

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 04:00:00 -0500

We're reflecting on the lessons learned from our expert guests, what we see as industry trends and what we would go back and tell ourselves if we were leading organizations today. Get ready for an honest conversation that has takeaways for how to deepen relationships, scale your impact and lean into more meaningful work. [insert heel kick]

Episode Overview

Do's and Don'ts that we have learned throughout the last year that we would go back and tell ourselves (4:00)
Don’t preserve tactics, do fight for your vision (4:10)
The digital playground is real, and it’s here to stay. (6:00)
Be brave, not perfect. (10:50)
DEI hiring practices (13:30)
It’s time to be human, express who your organization is authentically, and place actual people in the center. (17:30)
Invest in yourself and your team (19:53)
We Are For Good Pro
Julie’s One Good Thing: We have something to learn from everyone. Lock arms with people around you (or halfway around the world!) (23:00)
Jon’s One Good Thing: It’s all about the ripple. It’s the power of believing everyone matters and the power of an abundance mindset coming together. (24:00)
Becky’s One Good Thing: It’s time to awaken your base. (26:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/159

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

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158. The Best of Season 3 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We're wrapping up Season 3 with a wrap-up style convo that hits all the high notes. If you missed any of our best episodes - no worries. This Wednesday Jon, Becky and Julie are taking you behind the studio curtain. Learn our favorite episodes, biggest pinch-me moments, favorite freebies and the greatest takeaways offered these last four months. If you're a CliffsNotes-kind of learner, this is the quickest way to learn about the best-of-the-best of our convos since May.

Episode Overview

Season 3 recap (1:00)
Key Theme 1: Dream Bigger (2:00)
Key Theme 2: Clarity of Vision (7:09)
Key Theme 3: Get a Dang Plan (8:00)
Key Theme 4: Start with basics. Get those right, build from there. (10:00)
Season 3 marketing powerhouses (14:20)
Powerful mission stories in Season 3 (17:30)
Greatest freebies throughout Season 3 (22:00)
Our team’s favorites throughout this season (27:00)
Reimagine how you invest in your education and development with We Are For Good Pro (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/158

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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157. Back to Basics: Professional Development - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We're closing out our summer Friday Back-to-Basics series with one final conversation about the conversation that grounded every one of these past 11 conversations: professional development. It may not be popular, but we're going for it. And we're talking about why you need to be fighting for your own growth in our sector. Will be pointing you to teachers who can help (some are even free!) then we're going to be dropping the mic on what we've been working on for nearly a year to revolutionize the nonprofit professional development sector - for good. Tune in to hear it here first🎧❤️👊

Episode Overview

Embracing a growth mindset (1:40)
Barriers to Professional Development (4:00)
Your greatest asset is your people (6:00)
We Are For Good tips for professional development (8:30)
Taneshia’s experience investing in her staff and the results she saw (13:21)
Launching soon: We Are For Good Pro (14:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/157

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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156. Minisode: How Nonprofits Can Navigate the Fiscal Tightrope - Chyla Graham

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Chyla. She might be the only CPA you'll ever meet who swings on a trapeze in her spare time. Chyla is a nonprofit operations whisperer - breaking down even the most complex topics into easy relatable nuggets. In this quick minisode, we dive into how to build a strong financial infrastructure for your nonprofit: finding the key steps and jumping off points (just make sure there's a safety net just like any good trapeze artist knows!) and let's get going.

Episode Highlights

Trapeze and Chyla’s philosophy of business success (2:51)
A starting place for breaking down the intimidation of talking about financials (4:15)
Understand and preventing fraud in our organizations (6:17)
Key steps to building a sound infrastructure at your organization (10:00)
Common financial mistakes nonprofits make and how to avoid them (13:50)
Chyla’s One Good Thing: Utilize an App Blocker. (16:15)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/156

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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155. How to Activate Your Personal Network to Grow Your Mission - Prabhat Gautam

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Prabhat. He's one of L.A.'s leading voices in the worlds of entertainment and activism, but he's also pretty passionate about doing good too. Prabhat created Positive Television which has produced 800 charity events in L.A. in 21 years and connected him with plenty of movers and shakers in the philanthropic world. Today we're talking events - from taking it from the idea phase to launch phase with this event guru.

Episode Highlights

Prabhat’s story and journey to where he is today (6:00)
Inspiring stories of philanthropy throughout Prabhat’s life while working in events (11:50)
Taking projects and events from idea phase to launch (16:00)
We Are For Good Ungettable Get List (18:50)
Dream big, share your vision, and go for it (22:40)
A personal story of philanthropy in Prabhat’s life (23:00)
- Become a Bone Marrow Donor
- Become an Organ Donor
Prabhat’s One Good Thing: Do 5 introductions a week, and reach out to people who inspire you. (28:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/155

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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154. Podcast Replay: As Seen on School of Ethical Impact Podcast - Jenny Nuccio and Hayley Adamski

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jenny & Hayley. They're the voices and brainpower behind the School of Ethical Impact, an institute + community equipping changemakers with the confidence to create real impact through business. Plus, they are two of the brilliant minds behind Imani Collective, a purpose-driven company employing more than 80 Kenyan women and men to make ethically-sourced artisan products. This is a special episode. We are re-releasing a conversation from their podcast - turning the tables on Jon & Becky. Listen Now and hear the story of how our two companies met - it is one for the books. We also dive deep into our mission + vision, the community that inspires us + what's to come from We Are For Good.

Episode Highlights

Jon and Becky’s story behind the launch of We Are For Good and the Podcast (1:06)
What has surprised Jon and Becky over the last year (10:10)
The community We Are For Good is serving (13:40)
Playing the long game (16:43)
We Are For Good Pro - Coming soon! (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy (31:00)
What ethical impact means to Jon and Becky (36:50)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/154

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

153. Back to Basics: Social Media - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Having a social voice and online presence matter more today than ever before. And without a solid goal and plan in place, those looking to digitally plug in with their pet charities will see their loyal fans moving elsewhere in a noisy online space. Tune in Friday because we're breaking down why social strategy needs to be a key priority of this year's development plan. We're discussing its benefits, how to define goals/audiences/messages and more. Then we finish off with our best Pro Tips and simply where to start. And if that's not enough, we built a ton of resources into a toolkit to help you make that first leap. We got you, friends👊

Episode Overview

More than 50% of nonprofits reported they are investing more budget into their social media (2:50)
Digital giving has grown by 21% in 2021. (3:30)
The benefits of leveraging social media (4:00)
Back to basics: social media (8:30)
27 examples of content ideas (22:00)
Policies and procedures tips (25:00)
Utilize a content calendar! Leverage a syndication mindset (26:00)
Social media pro tips to take your social media to the next level (28:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/153

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

152. How Nonprofits Should Step Into an Activist Role - Robert Egger

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Robert’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
The founding story of the DC Central Kitchen (6:17)
Robert’s advice for nonprofits to embrace change, challenge the status quo, and be open to new ideas (7:47)
The founding story of the LA Kitchen (13:00)
“There is no profit without nonprofits.” - Robert’s philosophy on the economics of nonprofits (23:30)
What Robert is paying attention to for the future of the nonprofit sector (30:00)
How nonprofits should step into an activist role (32:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Robert’s life (42:30)
Robert’s One Good Thing: If you chase money, you'll run forever. If you chase result money will come to you. (44:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/152

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

151. Meet Akashinga: The Women Saving Africa's Wildlife - Damien Mander

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Damien. He's an Australian special operations sniper who was traveling through Africa in 2009 and was inspired by the work of rangers and the plight of wildlife. Liquidating his life savings, the International Anti-Poaching Foundation was established to be the last line of defense for nature. Over the past decade the IAPF has scaled to train and support rangers which now help protect more than 1.1 million acres of habitats in Zimbabwe. And these rangers are ALL WOMEN. They're trained like special operations soldiers and are warriors protecting wildlife and wild spaces. Ya'll. This story😭🥰 Do yourself a favor, and don't miss it 🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Damien’s story and journey to where he is today (4:40)
An overview of the issue of poaching in our world today (13:00)
Developing community-centered programs (19:40)
Akashinga: The Brave Ones (24:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Damien’s life (40:00)
Damien’s One Good Thing: Be kind in the process. (42:20)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/151

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

150. Back to Basics: Foundations & Grants - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Let's be real for a hot moment. Working with foundations is intimidating. Writing a grant is intimidating. And when you're not entirely sure of the process, it all seems like an incredible mountain to climb. Don't worry! We're walking through all the questions our junior-selves wanted to know about foundation relations when we were younger: the step-by-step process of a grant cycle, testing your grant readiness, and that ever-present We Are For Good arc to the conversation challenging you to be human, wholly engaging and building partnerships rather than just relationships. Join us as we chat Back to Basics: Foundations & Grants and change everything you thought you knew about this process.

Episode Overview

Giving USA Report: Foundation giving grew faster than any other source in 2020, at a rate of 17% (3:30)
Key definitions (4:50)
Back to basics: foundations and grants (9:00)
The lifecycle of a grant (13:10)
Where to get started today (18:45)
Questions to ask yourself before pursuing a grant (20:50)
Take the risk your challenge deserves (27:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/150

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

149. Cryptocurrency + Fundraising: The Next Frontier? - Pat Duffy

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Raise your hand if you're still trying to figure out how the heck cryptocurrency and philanthropy intersect? 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️ We've got you! Meet Pat. He merged his nonprofit experience and passion for Bitcoin trading to create The Giving Block, a company helping nonprofits transact cryptocurrency donations. He's giving the simplest explanation into the ins and outs of cryptocurrency, blockchain and the underlying technology needed to accept this new form of currency. Tune in to hear which orgs are doing it well.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Pat’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
40,000 foot view of cryptocurrency: What is it? How does it work? What do we need to know? (5:30)
The founding story of The Giving Block and how they’re serving the nonprofit sector (9:50)
The sustainability of blockchain (13:30)
Where to start today if you are interested in accepting cryptocurrency at your organization (16:30)
A case study of an organization leveraging crypto to benefit their mission (20:00)
The tax benefits of cryptocurrency (24:52)
Who to target and advice about where to start if you are ready to start leveraging the crypto space (27:30)
Approaches to crypto fundraising (28:00)
A powerful story of philanthropy in Pat’s life (32:00)
Pat’s One Good Thing: Prioritize. (38:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/149

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
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148. How to Land a Strategic Corporate Partner to Advance Your Mission - Carol Cone

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Carol. She's one of the world's pioneers of social impact connecting businesses to purpose. You might have heard a couple of her campaigns like Go Red for Women and Grow Up Great among others who have yielded more than $2.5B for various social causes. She's talking through the future of social purpose and how to build movements of believers. And if you're a sucker for a feel good story, her partnership to create the My Aflac Duck for pediatric cancer patients is a joyous one.

Episode Highlights

Carol’s journey and story to where she is today (2:50)
Creating cohesive partnerships between nonprofit and for-profit organizations (5:00)
How nonprofits can leverage purpose-driven impact today (7:42)
- The growth triple play: creativity, analytics, and purpose (McKinsey & Company)
Be thoughtful and analytical (8:20)
Questions to ask yourself before and during a partnership meeting (11:30)
- What are our goals?
- Ask the partner what their goals are
- Where the magic happens - your shared goals.
- Set objectives, milestones, measurement, reporting, and use the same language
The future of the social impact space (16:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Carol’s life (21:00)
- “Moments of Joy” - Aflac video
Carol’s One Good Thing: The magic is in our goals, your goals, shared goals.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/148

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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147. Back to Basics: Volunteers - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Volunteers - they're our organization's heart-powered engine AND muscle. Our rabid fans. Our mission-based PTAs. And we gotta talk about how to make the best use of their time, passion, expertise and story to power our missions. We simply cannot exist without them. We chat through how to find them, how to tap into their passion, how to retain them year-after-year, review engagement Pro Tips and provide that age-old We Are For Good arc to this Back to Basics: Volunteers discussion. Join us 🎧 And don't hesitate to dog-pile on the engagement Pro Tips by adding your own in the community. Let's lift each other up!

Episode Overview

Now is your time to make a call for volunteers (2:50)
Your volunteers are your mission sized PTA - they will help you take your mission to the next heights (3:10)
Who are your rabid fans? (4:20)
Core beliefs around volunteers (5:30)
Where to get started (9:30)
Pro tips for greater volunteer engagement (16:50)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/147

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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146. How to Leverage Google Grants to Find New Donors - Chris Barlow

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Chris. This marketer, entrepreneur and digital impact leader strongly believes honest business holds the power to create change for good. And he's channeling that notion into helping nonprofits leverage the incredible tool of Google Grants. We've all heard about it, but few of us know how to fully execute one well. Chris is breaking down the steps and throwing in some awesome tips on how to maximize search engines.

Episode Highlights

Chris’s journey and what got him here today (2:20)
How to acquire donors in the digital age: leveraging search engines, Google Ads, and Google Grants (4:00)
Google Grants: you got one, what do you do now? (12:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Chris’s life (21:00)
Chris’s One Good Thing: Our greatest fear as individuals or as a nonprofit organization, should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter. (Matt Perman) (23:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/146

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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145. Finding the Right Technology to Take Your Organization to the Next Level - Mitch Stein

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mitch. He left his Wall Street job to pour into something deeply meaningful in the nonprofit world, and thus became the launching pad of Pond, an incredible space pairing nonprofits with the right digital products. Everyone who’s ever hated researching tech solutions 😵‍💫- this episode is for you! Mitch is also a beacon of light addressing gay bias in the nonprofit industry, and sharing his story as a gay man and passionate do gooder in the sector. 🎧Listen in now for tech + heart in this convo celebrating inclusive communities.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Mitch’s story and journey to where he is today (2:00)
An overview of Pond (6:00)
The importance of community and leadership growth (16:00)
Finding the right technology for your organization: key questions to ask during technology demos (20:00)
Make values-based decisions (21:00)
How the nonprofit sector can be more inclusive of the LGBTQIA+ community (24:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Mitch’s life (35:000
Mitch’s One Good Thing: Don’t wait for permission.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/145

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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144. Back to Basics: Nonprofit Marketing and Branding - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

[cue the confetti cannons and heel kicks🎉💃] It's nonprofit marketing and branding day!! aka: the only topic we love chatting about more than our respective kids and dogs. You're probably thinking to yourself, "I'm not a marketer; this doesn't apply to me." Friends. IT MATTERS! But don't feel intimidated, because we're taking your hand, and walking you through the ins and outs of building your organization's brand ethos, top marketing hacks to bring your mission's story to life, and providing that subversive We Are For Good bent to the conversation on how to stand out while still maintaining our humanity. Join Jon + Becky as they dive into Back to Basics: Nonprofit Branding & Marketing this Friday. We know you'll be happy you did.

Episode Overview

Tone setting: the attention economy (2:00)
The importance of your ethos (3:00)
Key nonprofit marketing truths (7:00)
Book suggestion: This is Marketing by Seth Godin (9:00)
We Are For Good ethos to marketing (14:00)
Rapid fire hacks (21:40)
Final challenge: 3 questions you can answer to help launch your strategy (25:00)
- Have you shared your story?
- Have you brought people to your love of your mission?
- Have you listened to someone else’s story?

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/144

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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143. Discovering Your Own Personal Giving Strategy - Sybil Ackerman-Munson

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sybil. She's a nonprofit purist on a mission: to help you do the most good when it comes to your personal philanthropy. It starts with building a personal giving strategy, aligning values and narrowing your giving goals. We're chatting about how to channel passion, creating focus and giving away money with humility. We believe everyone - especially nonprofit professionals - is an important philanthropist. Start here, and let's allow our collective giving to improve our world.

Episode Highlights

Sybil’s story and journey to where she is today (2:00)
Discovering your own personal giving strategy (10:00)
- 1. What do you do day to day?
- 2. What are your hobbies?
- 3. What is the place that gives you rejuvenation?
- 4. What issue keeps you up at night?
Sybil’s advice for how to decide on how much and how often to give (17:00)
The 3 different types of donors / funders (19:20)
- 1. Sustainer
- 2. Campaigner
- 3. Launcher
How you can validate your giving (24:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sybil’s life (26:00)
Sybil’s One Good Thing: Think positive first about people. Go into a situation, assuming the best in what somebody wants to have happen in the world and nurture that support it. (28:00)
Want to dive in further? Check out Sybil’s courses!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/143

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

142. Breaking the Hero-Victim Narrative in Philanthropy - Travis Ning

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Travis. This nonprofit ED spent years in the women’s microcredit movement in Asia and Latin America, which taught him a couple of critical lessons: how a mother has an unyielding commitment to improve her family’s situation, and how education plays a pivotal role in breaking free of cyclical poverty and making informed choices. We're talking about creating a launchpad for donors and fundraisers to talk about the power dynamics in their relationships that help break the victim-hero narrative. It's one of our most moving convos yet. Tune in!

Episode Highlights

Travis’s story and journey to where he is today (3:30)
The mission of MAIA: Unlocking and maximizing the potential of young women to lead transformational change (4:00)
The current state of Guatemala (10:00)
MAIA’s unique curriculum (13:20)
The Awareness Accord: how to be better at doing good (19:20)
Changing the power dynamics in philanthropy (20:00)
How to have difficult conversations around power dynamics with your donors and breaking the hero-victim narrative in nonprofits (29:00)
- 1. Align Expectations
- 2. Dignified Engagement
- 3. Can We Share the Story?
A moment of philanthropy in Travis’s life that deeply moved him (37:00)
Travis’s One Good Thing: Remember Karma. You never know what side of the coin you will find yourself on. Be generous. We're gonna need help, we always need help (42:00)
QUIZ: What type of philanthropist are you?

“Today, over 129 million girls are currently missing out on an education, 96 million of whom should be enrolled in secondary school. In Guatemala, fewer than 20 percent of Indigenous girls graduate from high school, and only 2 percent go on to university. At MAIA, we believe in connecting talent to opportunity, ensuring that this population is no longer overlooked and that they have the tools they need to achieve their dreams.”

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/142

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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141. Back to Basics: Boards - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 09 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We all love our boards. But are we really leveraging them to their full potential? They just might be the volunteers closest to your mission, and knowing how to engage them (rather than simply talk at them) possesses the key to unpacking next level connections but also cultivating them toward their gift in the process. Join Jon + Becky as dive into Back to Basics: Boards. We're talking through basic board responsibilities, board mapping and common governance mistakes.

Episode Overview

Advisory boards vs. working boards (2:20)
DEI lens on boards (5:45)
The current state of boards in our industry (7:40)
Back to the Basics: responsibilities of your boards (10:30)
Key tips to help you take your board engagement to the next level (18:00)
Assessing the diversity of your current board (22:00)
The top 15 non-profit board governance mistakes (by CharityLawyer, Ellis Carter) (23:50)
FREEBIE: Complete Guide to Board Meeting Agendas (26:30)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/141

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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140. Love Has No Limits: Behind the Scenes of Mobilizing a Volunteer Army - Dominic Russo

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dominic. He's a humanitarian and innovator, and he knows how to mobilize massive audiences toward good. At the age of 20, he founded Missions.Me and began organizing strategic outreach campaigns in cities across Latin America. Today, his Love Has No Limits grassroots org has an audacious goal: calling all to be part of the greatest display of love Southern California has ever experienced through volunteer efforts addressing homelessness, poverty and other crippling community issues. Learn how to inspire and mobilize rabid fans, or join the Love Has No Limits event this month!

Visit this episode's shownotes page for a full transcript, sharable graphics, relevant links and more: www.weareforgood.com/episode/140

Episode Highlights

Dominic’s story and journey to where he is today (2:00)
Dreaming big: how Dominic followed his calling to dream big and impact nations (6:00)
Overview of Love Has No Limits (10:00)
How the pandemic expanded their mission (15:00)
Overview of the 7 initiatives of Love Has No Limits (18:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dominic’s life (35:00)
Dominic’s One Good Thing: Pursue your unique purpose with everything you have.

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

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139. How Collaborative Giving is Solving the World's Greatest Challenges - Sianne Haldane

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Sianne. Her passion is simple: bring the philanthropic community together working toward achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Why? Because we know unified efforts lead to greater global equity for all. As a Chief Impact Officer and dual qualified lawyer in the UK and in her native South Africa, Sianne builds more impact equity for the London-based Maanch organization through an impact-platform uniting philanthropy, impact investors and corporations. We're talking impact investing and how to check off the world's Honey Do list. Tune in!

Episode Overview

Sianne’s journey and story of what got her to where she is today (2:50)
An overview of The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (8:50)
Areas of growth for organizations in today’s changing world (15:50)
Dream bigger: reflect on the global ecosystem (19:00)
Community giving and impact tracking (20:00)
Funders want to know what they are achieving (20:50)
Leveraging data and technology for impact tracking (21:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Sianne’s life (26:19)
Sianne’s One Good Thing: Keep things simple, and always keep learning. (32:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/139

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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138. Back to Basics: Corporate Giving - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 02 Jul 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Just when we thought we had Corporate American figured out, the world went and threw a global pandemic at us, and everything flowing from that experience has reshaped what we all know about corporate giving. Join us as Jon + Becky walk us through Back to Basics: Corporate Giving. We're talking through types of corporate philanthropy, CSR, reimagining corporate engagement and trends we see looming post-pandemic for employee-driven, socially-minded businesses. Spoiler: How you meaningfully partner with companies matters now more than ever

Episode Overview

Where to start? Focus on values (2:00)
What is corporate giving? (3:00)
Overview of corporate social responsibility (3:30)
Key tips to level up your corporate giving (7:30)
Current trends in corporate giving (14:30)
It’s not what the for-profit can do for you, it’s what you can do for them (18:40)
The opportunities for these partnerships is immeasurable. Be strategic! (21:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/138

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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137. Using Tech for Good: Celebrating + Growing Everyday Philanthropists - Brian Ford

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Brian. He's the host of the Self Improvement Daily podcast (you know, a podcast with a casual 8M+ downloads where each episode lasts less than 2 mins 😲😱🤗) as well as the founder of For Purpose - a social impact platform modernizing what it means to make a difference. This self-professed Social Impactivist is breaking down how to capture impact and amplify it for good. Tune in and learn how to activate everyday philanthropists for your mission.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Brian’s story and what led him to where he is today (2:00)
For Purpose: the founding story and mission (4:20)
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the connection to social good (6:00)
How For Purpose functionally works - and how you can get involved today! (9:00)
Leveraging storytelling to share impact (14:00)
The Four Pillars of Impact (16:50)
Brian’s podcast and other speaking experiences (20:00)
Personal development hacks (22:00)
A moment of philanthropy in Brian’s life that deeply moved him (25:00)
Brian’s One Good Thing: Do it now. 100% of the things you do right now get done (28:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/137

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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136. A Filmmaker's Guide to Storytelling + Empathy to Advance Social Good - Cheryl Miller Houser

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cheryl. This founder and CEO of Creative Breed, is an award-winning filmmaker who now applies her human-centered storytelling to marketing to help brands and organizations drive connection, engagement and action. In fact, she feels so passionately about how story can transform a person that she's leveraging her best tips to help nonprofits elevate their video storytelling game. Tune in and hear her tips for casting and building a narrative story arc.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Cheryl’s story and the journey to where she is today (2:00)
Creative Breed: an empathy agency (6:00)
Narrative transportation: how to craft a compelling story (6:20)
An example of a successful story that activated people in a positive way (14:30)
How to create video content on a low budget: it’s not about the production value, it’s about the storytelling value. (19:30)
Storytelling ethics (22:42)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Cheryl’s life (30:00)
Cheryl’s One Good Thing: everything boils down to our relationships. (36:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/136

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
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135. Back to Basics: Fundraising Events - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Well, we had to bribe Becky with chips and queso to have this conversation, but even she agrees that regardless of how you feel, events are about as basic to fundraising as it gets. Join us as Jon + Becky walk us through Back to Basics: Fundraising Events. We're talking all things event fundraising, staging, volunteers, messaging, production, follow-up, and we're even advocating for diversifying your event offerings (Welcome to the party, hybrid-events! Please grab a chair and stick around awhile. A chiavari chair, of course🧐)

Episode Overview

Goals of Fundraising Events (2:50)
Back to the Basics: Events (7:00)
Hybrid and virtual events (20:00)
Think bigger: focus on your overall strategic plan, leverage digital channels, and dream bigger (26:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/135

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

134. Philanthropy Trends: Breaking Down the Giving USA 2021 Report - Elizabeth Abel

Wed, 23 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Elizabeth. She's answering the questions we've all been wondering the past year: what happened to philanthropy in 2020? This seasoned fundraising pro is breaking down the 2021 Giving USA Report on Philanthropy, which dropped last week. Beyond the headlines and major takeaways, she's giving us some actionable steps to provide focus - no matter the size of your fundraising shop. Tune in and to hear where the sector is moving and how you can level up your preparedness.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Elizabeth’s story and journey to where she is today (2:45)
Today’s philanthropic landscape and the 2021 Giving USA Report (6:00)
Individual donors and their role in driving philanthropy (10:00)
The donor journey and building authentic relationships (15:00)
CCS 2021 Philanthropic Landscape Report (16:15)
3 actionable insights: after hearing the data, learn what to do today! (17:20)
- The importance of refining your case for support and your messaging to reflect the current environment
- The importance of engaging and activating your volunteer leaders and board members as fundraising ambassadors
- Cultivating an organizational culture that's focused on community, empathy, and inclusion
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Elizabeth’s life (27:20)
Elizabeth’s One Good Thing: Be hyper-organized, and discover your strike method. (34:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/134

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About our Sponsor Givebutter
Givebutter is Loved by over 30,000 nonprofits, student groups, sports teams, schools, companies, and individuals just like you, and PS: it’s also loved by the three of us who are superfans of their incredible giving platform. 💛

Givebutter helps you collect donations like a boss. It's never been easier to add a donate button to your website, collect dues from group members, or link a payment form to just about anything.

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

133. The 3 Step Formula to Creating Social Change - Taneshia Nash Laird

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Taneshia. She's a social change agent and community developer who centers cultural equity in her work. As the President and CEO of Newark Symphony Hall, a historic performing arts center, she's using arts and culture as an economic development tool for the resurgence of Newark, N.J. She's also talking about how employing an entrepreneurial mindset for social change has created jobs, community engagement, and - of course - fueled donations for her nonprofit. We are cheering her ingenuity and creativity as a disruptive leader in our sector!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Taneshia’s background and journey to where she is today (4:09)
Taneshia’s work with Newark Symphony Hall (7:50)
$50 million renovation campaign and using arts and culture as an economic development tool for the resurgence of Newark (15:00)
Investing in your staff members (16:00)
Casting visionary leadership (22:00)
Taneshia’s advice for dreaming bigger (27:18)
Taneshia’s 3 step formula to social change (30:00)
- 1. How can you really embody your mission?
- 2. What are your values? How can you really kind of live those values?
- 3. Model humanity
Building a legacy and living life on purpose (35:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Taneshia’s life (41:00)
Taneshia’s One Good Thing: Your current situation is not your final destination. (43:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/133

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

132. Back to the Basics: Donor Relations - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 18 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Back-to-Basics this week is diving into one of the brightest spots in our sector: donor relations. We're talking all things stewardship, acknowledgment, recognition and engagement, but naturally we're putting that WAFG spin on them to ensure you're not diluting the experience for those who are not in your top 1%. In short, we're talking about how to love on your people while also showing impact. It's one of those awesome feel-good conversations - where you can also learn!

Episode Overview

Back to the Basics: Donor Relations (2:00)
Strategies that help donors feel seen, known, and appreciated (4:30)
Donor Relations vs. Stewardship (5:00)
Mindset shifts in donor relations (9:20)
Steps of creating a donor relations program in your organization (12:40)
Leverage technology to take your donor relations to the next level (17:30)
Key goals of donor relations (21:00)
Personal examples of ways we were stewarded that have stayed with us (26:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/132

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

131. How to Use Financials to Show Impact - Stephanie Skryzowski

Wed, 16 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Stephanie. She's a nonprofit purist with a passion for numbers and making them work for you in a most non-intimidating way. We're learning how nonprofit leaders can use their numbers to tell a more robust story, and how transparency around your numbers can lead to greater contributions. Numbers can do that?! You bet they can. Tune in and learn how.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Stephanie’s Background - 2:54
Threading together numbers and non-profit - 6:15
Example full of numbers - 9:50
Practical first steps - 11:57
Why is transparency important? - 17:03
Number Hacks - 19:31
Stephanie’s One Philanthropic Moment - 23:33
Why hire a CFO? - 27:08
Stephanie’s One Good Thing - 29:28

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/131

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

130. How to Launch a Digital Fundraising Program in 21 Days - Jeremy Haselwood

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jeremy. This author and digital marketing expert believes now more than ever, digital fundraising is both essential and critical for advancing missions. He's walking us through some key steps for launching a digital fundraising program in 21 days. Then he's throwing some icing on that cake by sharing how to refresh a Giving Tuesday or other digital fundraising campaign this year. If you're looking for a quick online solicitation campaign blueprint - this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights

Jeremy’s background - 2:59
Diving into Jeremy’s book, The Digital Fundraising Blueprint - 6:46
Breaking down the blueprint - 10:15
Making the process “frictionless” - 14:33
Knowing your audience - 15:55
Keeping up with your website - 17:49
Football & Fundraising - 23:05
The next step - 25:56
Don’t forget direct mail - 29:25
Successful Campaigns - 30:31
Jeremy’s One Philanthropic Moment - 35:56
Jeremy’s One Good Thing - 39:23
To learn more about Jeremy’s course that walks you through each of the 21 days we discuss in the episode, click HERE!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/130

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

129. Back to Basics: Planned Giving - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Back-to-Basics continues this week with the topic with diving into the ultimate realization of playing the long game: Planned Giving. Planned giving is the convergence of some of our favorite topics - value alignment, having meaningful conversations and telling incredible stories of quite possibly our most rabid fans. We discuss a starting point, Pro Tips and even provide a glossary of terms for those words you've never been brave enough to ask about in a staff meeting. If we can do it, so can you.

Episode Overview

Back to the basics: Planned Giving (2:00)
Definitions of planned giving (4:00)
The giving vehicles in planned giving (6:45)
Do you have a gift acceptance policy? It is ok to say no. (10:30)
Do your data mining (11:30)
Planned giving pro tips (15:00)
Explore creative hybrid giving options (18:50)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/129

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

128. How To Raise Money Without Feeling Creepy - Jenna Goodman and Nancy Jackson

Wed, 09 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Jenna and Nancy. When you meet two brilliant disruptors who are incredible teachers, good humans and have a heck of a fun time doing it all, it makes you want to come over and join their table - stat! They're chatting through how to remove that icky feeling from asking for money, and these native Kansans are doing it with authenticity and joy. If you're looking to shore up your training and confidence for more solicitations this year, then this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights

Jenna and Nancy’s stories and the journey to what led them to where they are today at Generous Change - 3:38
Fundraising Fundamentals - 10:17
How to Fundraise Without Feeling Creepy - 19:59
Aha! Moments in Jenna and Nancy’s Careers - 27:01
Overview of Generous Change - 30:40
Nancy's One Philanthropic Moment - 37:44
Jenna’s One Philanthropic Moment - 40:48
Jenna’s One Good Thing - 44:13
Nancy’s One Good Thing - 45:21

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/128

Check out Jenna & Nancy's new course Raise Money: the Unapologetic Guide to Raising Money for your Nonprofit dropping soon!

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

127. The New Rules of Thought Leadership + The Power of LinkedIn - Tania Bhattacharyya

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Tania. This former nonprofit ED is passionate about building thought leadership branding. Never heard of it? We hadn't either, but we are huge believers after this conversation. It's about abundantly sharing your lived experience, passion and expertise to build trust with the right audience on the right topic. She's walking us through it PLUS giving a mini masterclass on how to leverage LinkedIn. Prepare yourself for an epic conversation with a seriously good human.

Episode Highlights

Tania’s story and journey to where she is today - 2:48
Leveraging your LinkedIn - 8:35
9 guiding principles to build your thought leadership - 10:51
Building your personal brand while supporting your mission - 16:37
A living resume - 20:12
Finding the right words to share online - 30:30
Tania’s One Moment in Philanthropy - 34:42
Tania’s One Good Thing: When we stand for something greater than ourselves, which is our nonprofits mission and vision, it's not fair to stay hidden and be small. - 36:44

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/127

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

126. Back to the Basics: Major Gifts - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

We kicked off our new Friday series Back to Basics last week focusing on Annual Giving...but naturally we added a We Are For Good arc on how build upon the basics. This week we're diving in the science AND art of major giving ❤️ We'll talk strategy, structures, examples and infuse that We Are For Good arc into this conversation too. Tune in Friday for Basic to Basics: Major Gifts.

Episode Overview

Back to the basics: Major Gifts - where do you start? (1:50)
Get to know your mission: dive in deep (2:30)
Becky’s experience as a major gifts officer (5:30)
Get to know people at a deeper level - what are the connective parts of their stories? (9:10)
Defining major gifts (11:00)
The art of fundraising goals (12:30)
Drivers of major gifts: influence, affluence, and traction (20:00)
5 key steps of major gifts development (21:00)
What are the indicators for major gifts potential? (24:00)
Major gifts pro tips (26:00)
FREEBIE: 23 Questions to Ask on Donor Qualification Visits (Bloomerang)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/126

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

125. The Mission of the Exodus Road: Strategically Fighting Human Trafficking - Laura Parker

Wed, 02 Jun 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Laura. She's a mom of three who - alongside her husband - found herself launching a global nonprofit working to eradicate human trafficking because she simply couldn't look away. She and her husband began the organization while he was doing undercover work with SE Asian police. Now their nonprofit, Exodus Road, is on a mission to find and free them. Her story is shocking. Heartbreaking. Hopeful. Inspiring. And it's looking for a compassionate army to give it some serious wings. You game?

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Laura’s story and journey to where she is today (2:40)
The founding story of The Exodus Road (11:00)
Leveraging storytelling and marketing to bring this mission to life (14:50)
How we can be activated to join the fight in eradicating human trafficking: look first in your own community (18:40)
The most vulnerable populations in human trafficking: Homeless women, LGBTQ community, especially youth, and kids that are in the foster care system or just aging out of the foster care system. (19:30)
Noi’s story (22:30)
Laura’s One Good Thing: Ask yourself 3 questions: How am I feeling? What were the gifts of the day? What is my intention next? (35:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/125

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

124. How to Grow Your Social Impact in the Attention Economy - Eric Ressler

Mon, 31 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Eric. This musician chased his passion for doing good, telling a compelling story and weaving it all together through brilliant creative into building Cosmic, a Social Impact Creative Agency. He's talking us through how to build a Digital Media Platform to promote your cause and stepping us through the Engagement Pyramid. He's also talking through vision statements, and we're trying not to maintain our composure and refrain from drooling all over Cosmic's heart-stirring manifesto. If you're looking for an incredible digital storytelling episode, this one is your jam.

Episode Highlights

Eric’s story and journey to where he is today (2:30)
The digital revolution (7:20)
How organizations can move to become a brand that people love (10:00)
Focus on your unique niche (11:00)
Eric’s advice for where to begin (13:30)
Elevating the conversation and building a platform (19:00)
Planting seeds and working for a better future (24:00)
Eric’s opinion on mission and vision statements (26:00)
The engagement pyramid (28:29)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Eric’s life (31:00)
Eric’s One Good Thing: Be curious.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/124

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

123. Back to the Basics: Annual Giving - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 28 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Here's the thing. We all have something to learn in this space, but sometimes we're too shy/embarrassed/bored to ask for a basic tutorial. We've been there🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️ So Jon + Becky are launching a new Friday series called Back to Basics. We're going to be diving into the fundamentals of donor relations, operations, planned giving, events, campaigns, branding and several other general development topics. Why? Because we see a lot of young professionals joining our sector, as well as those who have left for-profit to chase the social good dream and just other Do Gooders looking to help their passion organizations. We want you trained quickly so you can do your thing on the front lines❤️ We'll talk strategy, structures, examples and our own success and failures. So tune in as we kick off our convo with Basic to Basics: Annual Giving.

Episode Overview

Annual giving is much more than trying to get people to give every year (3:30)
Look through the lens of transformation (4:00)
The goals of annual giving: the science and the art (7:50)
Flip the script with annual giving: buy into long term engagement (10:30)
Annual giving pro tips (11:45)
Do this, not that. (20:00)
FREEBIE: 24 Actionable Annual Fund Strategies from DonorSearch (27:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/123

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

122. How to Create a Compelling Donor Journey to Grow Engagement - Cameron Bartlett

Wed, 26 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Cameron. This digital marketer and fundraiser helps hundreds of charities fundraise more by creating journeys that guide donors from their first interaction to becoming lifelong advocates. And the answer isn't a complicated one. It's threaded through an intentional donor journey. Cameron believes too many people neglect the power of capturing an email and using it the right way to build this journey. So he's helping us map one out to get started. His personal story of philanthropy is reason enough to tune in 🎧

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

Cameron’s story and journey to where he is today (2:00)
Creating a compelling donor journey (7:00)
The mile markers throughout a donor journey (8:20)
Examples of content your organization can create today (15:00)
Cameron’s experience with IJM and their viral video campaign (20:00)
Cameron’s advice for organizations with limited digital marketing budgets (27:00)
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Cameron’s life (35:00)
Cameron’s One Good Thing: Find a celebration post. (41:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/122

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

121. How to Build a Pipeline of Talent and Inclusivity - Birgit Burton

Mon, 24 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Birgit. She's our modern-day Renaissance woman in philanthropy. As founder of the African American Development Officers Network, Chair-Elect of Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global and executive director of foundation relations for Georgia Institute of Technology, she's a triple threat in the development sector - in the best way! We're talking about the power of diversifying the talent pipeline in philanthropy and why "inclusion" should be a word we're all fighting to embrace and infuse as evergreen values in our organizations.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/121

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

120. Get to Know Us. Part 2. Jon Interviews Becky - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 21 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Ever wanted to have a cup of coffee with Jon and Becky so you could lift the veil on those same questions we volley to our guests? Welcome to week two of our Get to Know Us Series. This week Jon interviews Becky. We're talking all things philanthropy, business, family, failure, hilarious moments and irreverent facts. We don't know each other's questions, so all the reactions you hear are live and sincere. Oh, and be prepared to laugh. A lot.

Episode Overview

How Becky grew her heart for other people (5:30)
Becoming a collector of people (10:00)
Becky’s college experience and how she got to where she is today (12:00)
Meet Kyle, Becky’s husband (16:30)
Becky’s family and how philanthropy is threaded into their story (19:00)
The transition from marketing to becoming a major gift officer (25:00)
Take a leap of faith into something that is new and different (29:00)
Becky’s passion for mental health (32:00)
What Becky would say to 10 year old Becky: Be you and be patient. (36:00)
Becky’s journey to We Are For Good (37:00)
Rapid Fire Questions with Becky (39:00)
Becky’s big dream for We Are For Good (43:00)
Becky’s One Good Thing: Look around you and learn someone’s name. Do what you can in the space of the world you are in right now. (46:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/120

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

119. The Urgent Case for Latinx Philanthropy + Unlocking the Power of Unrestricted Giving - Ana Marie Argilagos

Wed, 19 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Ana Marie. The CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy is mobilizing her community to combat that 1% of U.S. philanthropic dollars currently go to Latinx organizations, a margin so far from the need reflected in our communities. She's also talking through the moment she learned of their organization's selection as a beneficiary of MacKenzie Scott's donation and how the unrestricted gift was groundbreaking to organizational growth.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/119

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

118. Monthly Giving: A Playbook for Growing Believers - Vik Harrison

Mon, 17 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Vik. The charity: water co-creator may be the queen of branding, but her other superpower may just be found in galvanizing community for good. And she's going to change everything about the way you think about monthly donors. And when you’ve built a movement of rabid fans who collectively infuse more than $20 million a year via this methodology, you’ve got the chops to preach. We're talking about the starving mindset so many are employing in the nonprofit sector and how to break out of it with this awesome mama, creative genius and simply a really good human.

Episode Highlights

Vik’s story and journey to where she is today - 3:22
All things monthly giving- 7:53
Key principles and core beliefs of monthly giving- 12:41
Naming charities - 15:16
charity: water’s monthly giving program: The Spring - 17:58
Storytelling - 24:47
Monthly Giving Guide - 27:37
The intersection of her work and family - 32:10
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Vik’s life - 34:22
Vik’s One Good Thing: Jump and you will grow wings on the way down. - 41:02

For the full episode transcript, sharable graphics and links mentioned in this episode visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/118

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

117. Get to Know Us. Part One. Becky Interviews Jon - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 14 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Ever wanted to have a cup of coffee with Jon and Becky so you could lift the veil on those same questions we volley to our guests? Then you're going to love our next series: Get To Know Us. Coffee Talk with We Are For Good. For the next two weeks, we're going to be interviewing each other on all things philanthropy, business, family, failure, hilarious moments and irreverent facts. We don't know each other's questions, so all the reactions you hear are live and sincere. Oh, and be prepared to laugh. A lot.

Episode Overview

Jon’s story and journey to where he is today (3:00)
Jon’s deep love for entrepreneurship (9:00)
Jon’s family and IVF journey (11:00)
The story of Love Well (14:00)
Meet Jon’s wife Candice (19:00)
The Manford Story (22:00)
Rapid Fire Questions with Jon (29:00)
Things you should know about Jon (32:20)
Jon’s ultimate dream for this company (35:50)
Jon’s One Good Thing: Play the long game and be consistent. (39:20)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/117

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

116. The Mission of Hope for Haiti: Defining and Living Out Your Core Values - Skyler Badenoch and Christina Baptiste

Wed, 12 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Skyler & Christina. He's the donor-turned-CEO of this incredible nonprofit serving thousands in southern Haiti through education, healthcare, water/sanitation and economic development. She's the Haitian-American sociologist who's collaborating with numerous entrepreneurs to obtain grants/loans and technical support to help them grow their business. Together, alongside a powerful team of Do Gooders, they're infusing their time-honored values into a culture that's thriving and valuing all people equitably. Only tune in if you want to be ridiculously inspired.

Episode Highlights

Skyler’s Story - 3:25
Christina’s Story - 7:34
The mission of Hope for Haiti - 9:52
The values of Hope for Haiti and an example of discovering your organizational values and living them out - 16:12
The next 10 years: strategic planning and casting vision - 24:57
What is the state of Haiti right now? - 32:03
Fundraising from miles away - 36:51
Fundraising in the digital age, and innovative approaches Hope for Haiti has implemented this year - 43:53
Skyler’s One Good Thing: “Intelligence and ability are equally distributed throughout the world, but opportunity is not.” - 51:01
Christina’s One Good Thing: Always learn about people’s stories. - 52:59

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/116

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

115. Real Talk: Why Nonprofits Must Dream Bigger - Dan Pallotta

Mon, 10 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Dan. His TED Talk "The Way We Think About Charity is Dead Wrong," went viral less than a decade ago and was viewed by millions of starry-eyed dreamers who were intent on using their creativity and innovation to do good. [insert image of us frantically waving as some of these believers👋] We're talking nonprofit disruption, marketing, involving your kids in philanthropy and also working hard not to fangirl over him too much (or fanboy, if you're Jon). Join us for the convo we've been waiting to have since the first time we hit play.

Episode Highlights

Dan’s story and journey to where he is today - 2:47
The difference between the non-profit and for-profit sector - 6:47
Combating the overhead crisis - 13:11
What is holding people back? - 17:24
If you aren’t being laughed at, you aren’t dreaming big enough - 17:30
Leaning into disruption - 23:46
Dan’s advice for young professionals - 24:00
Explore the full potential of your humanity and inspire your donors to join you - 27:00
Background of the Charity Defense Council - 32:32
A powerful moment of philanthropy in Dan’s life - 35:36
Infusing philanthropy into raising kids - 38:37
Dan’s One Good Thing: Life is happening right now. - 40:29

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/115

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

114. The Best of Season 2 - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE, Becky Endicott, CFRE, and Julie Confer

Fri, 07 May 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Jon, Becky and Julie are taking you behind the studio curtain. It's our Season 2 Recap! Get ready for our Season-2-in-Review discussion where you'll learn our favorite episodes, favorite mic drop moments and the greatest takeaways offered these last four months. If you're a Cliff Notes-kind of note taker, this is the quickest way to learn about the best-of-the-best of our convos since January.

Episode Overview

An overview of Season 2 (1:00)
The joy of meeting others: the power of podcasting, listening, connecting, and learning (1:30)
Trends we saw throughout Season 2 (3:50)
Women of Impact Week (4:00)
Innovation (6:00)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (11:30)
Focus on your mindset (16:00)
The episodes that made us cry (22:40)
Favorite stories of philanthropy (28:00)
Sneak peek at conversations coming in Season 3 (32:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/114

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

113. Rethink Employee Giving (Part 4) - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

It's our final week to talk through employee giving strategies that drive your organization to new levels of engagement. In this episode we're closing out the convo with a playbook for launching with huge momentum and staging your campaign for success. We'll also share a formula for building a presentation that connects and wins the hearts of even the toughest critics. And...icing on top? You bet - we'll share a round of feedback from the best tips and tricks from our community who is hosting employee giving campaigns across the country in the midst of a pandemic. Mask up and see you there!

Episode Overview

Impact-led staging for your campaign (3:00)
Begin with the end in mind (5:00)
6 phases to launching your employee giving campaign (5:10)
What to do with your volunteers: 6 Steps! (16:00)
Giving incentives (20:00)
Join the waitlist for our upcoming Employee Giving Campaign Masterclass
Join us for Season 3: Launching May 10th
Join our Good Community!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/113

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

112. Minisode: The Mission of the Crayon Initiative: Providing Joy to Millions of Children - Bryan Ware

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Bryan. After years of helping Fortune 100 companies streamline their manufacturing and products for ultimate efficiency, Bryan combined his manufacturing skills and his love for the arts to help children in need. And thus The Crayon Initiative was born. If you've ever wondered what happens to restaurant crayons after their one use - then tune in. We're talking about an incredible mission story that's benefiting hospitalized children. You'll never look at crayons the same again - guaranteed.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/112

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

111. Training Leaders on Building Safe, Inclusive Spaces - Rashaunda Williams

Wed, 28 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Rashuanda. She's passionate about equipping this generation's nonprofit leaders with the soft skills needed to build high-performing team. And it starts with creating a space where people feel they can thrive, share their experiences and be their authentic selves. Her team at Collective Impact is breaking through diversity and inequity gaps to train leaders to build healthy cultures which inevitably lead to healthier teams.

Episode Highlights

The beginning of Collective Impact and Rashaunda's story - 2:25
Philanthropic P.O.V. - 5:57
Amplifying voices - 11:02
Where do we start? - 13:37
The future of Collective Impact - 17:38
Rashaunda’s One Philanthropic Moment - 22:18
Rashaunda’s One Good Thing: Meet people where they are. - 23:28

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/111

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

110. How to Put the Spark into Your Nonprofit Brand - Lauren Atherton

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lauren. She's a nonprofit unicorn: impeccable designer and wholly passionate nonprofit ambassador. She left the for-profit world following a life-altering health scare, and she's never looked back. Today, her design agency is building beautiful design with heart. And boy does she get marketing! Join us as she leads us through auditing your brand, trends to be looking for this year and where to start multiplying your brand. If your organizational look/logo/voice may need a refresh - this is the episode for you.

Episode Highlights

The launch of HeartSpark and Lauren's story - 2:46
Key steps to building your non-profit brand - 6:17
Where do you start? - 8:57
Pulling donors into the brand - 11:57
Trends in branding for non-profits - 14:46
Investing in design - 18:20
Take a look at your organization today: a mini audit with Lauren - 21:36
Rebranding the brand - 28:00
Lauren’s One Philanthropic Moment - 30:29
Lauren’s One Good Thing: Engage with the creative community. - 33:07

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/110

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

109. Rethink Employee Giving (Part 3) - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

ReThink Employee Giving: A 4-Week Series. It's not Christmas, but it darn near feels like it, because it's employee giving branding day!! Aka: Jon and Becky's favorite topic ever🎉 We're diving into storytelling, unpacking your branding recipe and building communications plans that keep everyone speaking with one voice while still being radically in-tune to seeing each employee donor as a gifted part of your philanthropic family.

Episode Overview

Using the power of branding to connect with your donor base (1:50)
Seth Godin - This is Marketing: A brand is what others say about you (2:00)
Where to start: seek to disrupt (5:00)
How you control the controllables (7:00)
Becky’s tips for drawing meaningful stories out of people (17:50)
Discovering your campaign voice (19:00)
Challenges for today (27:00)
Join our Good Community!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/109

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

108. How to Foster Grief-Informed Teams at Work - Michael Turner

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mike. Have you ever met a nonprofit leader whose passion for their mission just wants you to understand their story? Well, that guy is here. And he's brought a seriously incredible story to our conversation. And he's having the tough conversations with his team who are receiving mental health support unlike anything we've seen in nonprofit. It's wonderful to see. We're talking grief informed teams and we have a special surprise for our listeners at the end of the episode. Warning: Bring tissues.

Episode Highlights

How Mike “fell” into his career - 3:23
CF & the fight for the cure - 7:26
Compassion fatigue & fostering grief informed workplaces - 11:38
Through the philanthropic lens - 18:48
Changing the culture - 23:04
Mike’s One Philanthropic Moment - 25:53
Mike’s One Good Thing - 34:41

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/108

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

107. Collective Giving and the Power of Giving Circles - Kyson Bunthuwong

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Kyson. This gritty optimist got his start in social good when he co-founded a startup aimed at tackling Malawi's illegal charcoal trade. Today, he and the Philanthropy Together team are working to empower us all with the knowledge of giving circles to build powerful communities for good. There are many in our sector who aren’t familiar with Giving Circles 🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️ Tune in as we dive into this powerful community-building strategy. Kyson also throws down some wise counsel on democratizing and diversifying philanthropy through giving circles and collective giving. If you have passionate ambassadors, volunteers or rabid fans - this episode is for you.

Episode Highlights

Kyson’s career journey - 3:39
Giving Circles - 5:14
The Mission of Philanthropy Together - 8:55
Kyson’s favorite giving circles - 10:34
Where to start looking for support? - 14:34
Kyson’s experience in Malawi - 17:21
How listeners can be allies - 20:28
Kyson’s One Philanthropic Moment - 25:53
Kyson’s One Good Thing - 27:59

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/107

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

106. Rethink Employee Giving (Part 2) - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

ReThink Employee Giving: A 4-Week Series. This week we're diving into building a campaign framework whose heartbeat is its people, projects and process. Don't worry. It's way more interesting than it sounds. Because when impact is the core of your plan, it's easy for everything to flow from it. We've got tips, heartfelt stories and plenty of structure to get you started on your own campaign. Thanks for joining us again for our favorite discussion topic: employee giving!🤝

Episode Overview

Part one discussed mindsets and beliefs to build a movement. Today, we are diving into the infrastructure (2:00)
How to structure your campaign (2:30)
People, Projects and Process: The 3 P’s of the Campaign (3:00)
FREE Worksheet: a checklist to help you implement this! (7:00)
Coming soon: a full blown Employee Giving Campaign Masterclass (32:00)
Join our Good Community!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/106

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

105. Uniting Athletes Around Purpose - Marcus Daniell

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Marcus. He may be a professional tennis pro who regularly rubs elbows with the likes of Federer and Nadal, but that's not how he wants to be remembered. As the founder of High Impact Athletes, he's challenging his fellow athletes to connect with their favorite missions and join him pledging 10% of their annual earnings to those causes. His life goal: to create a movement in the sporting world where athletes can maximize their position of power to influence good. Three cheers for this👏👏👏🎾

Episode Highlights

Marcus’ background - 3:29
Powerful pledging - 7:05
Why Marcus is giving back - 11:33
Where Marcus is giving back - 14:36
How can we better talk about our impact? - 18:24
High Impact Athletes - 22:12
Dreams moving forward - 26:06
Marcus’ One Moment in Philanthropy - 29:12
Marcus’ One Good Thing - 34:18

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/105

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

104. The Secret to Soliciting Major Gifts... Virtually - Lereca Monik

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Lereca. She's an accomplished Houston-based major gift officer who personally knows all about the power of philanthropy. As a recipient of human and youth services, she's always had an innate desire to give back. And she's channeling that passion into activating gift officers to "thank to bank" in an approach that equally uses the head and the heart to engage. She's walking us through virtual major gift asks and setting smart metrics.

Episode Highlights

Lereca’s story and journey to where she is today (3:20)
The history and mission of BakerRipley (7:00)
Asking for major gifts in a virtual world (10:30)
Lereca’s triangular method for cultivating major gifts (11:40)
Focus on stewardship and your retention efforts (14:00)
How to prepare for and ask for a major gift virtually (24:00)
Utilize the power of a thank you note (31:00)
A moment of philanthropy that deeply moved Lereca (35:30)
Lereca’s One Good Thing: develop a word for the year. It helps you move through your year with clarity, focus, and intentionality (38:00)

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/104

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

103. Rethink Employee Giving (Part 1) - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Rethink Employee Giving: A 4 Week Series. Buckle up, campers. Because we're going on a bit of a journey as Jon and Becky unpack what we believe holds one of the keys to revolutionizing your development strategies: employee giving. That's right, there's some serious untapped power by championing the philanthropy of those closest to your mission. If you're open to exploring a 180 degree strategy shift on how to build an employee giving campaign that is built upon a community-makes-it-better-ethos, one that grows and swells over time and ALSO infuses a healthier, more vibrant culture within the organization... then tune in. This four-week discussion will dive into new concepts leading to some quick-to-implement ideas to make some immediate tweaks now.

Episode Highlights

Jon and Becky’s background with employee giving (1:30)
8 values of employee giving: how to ignite a movement (6:30)
Stay tuned for our 4 part series!
Join our Good Community!

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/103

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

102. 3 Financial Safety Nets Every Nonprofit Must Have - Germeen Guillaume

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Germeen. She's the caped crusader in the back of house that we all need. We talk a lot about raising money and stewarding it, but rarely discuss how to care for it. Germeen helps nonprofits shore up their financial operations and has led organizations to recoup millions in receivables with her smart accounting management. And she's making it FUN! Tune in and hear the 3 tips to strengthen your financial records and learn about moving financials virtually. Believe us - management will thank you for listening to this episode.

Episode Highlights

A little bit about Germeen - 3:15
How can we take better care of our money? - 6:59
Partnerships and collaborative experiences - 15:48
Small Shops, listen up! - 22:00
Moving financial operations online - 24:25
$2.8 Million saved… how? - 28:31
Germeen’s One Philanthropic Moment - 33:39
Germeen’s One Good Thing - 37:03

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/102

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

101. Donor Relations and Fundraising Collide... For Good - Mark Lanum

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Mark. This senior director of donor relations at Brown University believes the road to the next gift goes through stewardship. And the best way to accelerate that process is to strengthen the relationship between donor relations and frontline fundraisers. Join us as we talk about breaking down the silos in our fundraising shops and leaning into the future of donor relations. Mark is hysterical and made this conversation a complete joy. Come learn and laugh with us.

Episode Highlights

Mark’s story and journey to where he is today (2:50)
The new normal for donor relations (6:13)
Current trends in donor relations (11:30)
Fostering partnerships between donor relations and fundraising teams (16:33)
Donor relations advisory groups (19:40)
“Best practice” implies there's one way to do something. What's best is what accomplishes your goals. (23:00)
Where to start with uniting your departments (30:00)
Mark’s hack: ask people about the very first job they had (30:40)
Mark’s One Good Thing: care about those you work with. (34:22)
Mark’s request: connect with someone today who’s going to be able to be with you.

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/101

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

100. Community (Really Is) Everything - Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE

Fri, 02 Apr 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Join us as we celebrate 100 podcast episodes! 😍🎉🤩✨😁 Jon and Becky share their biggest lessons learned over the last 100 episodes, and the transformational power of community. With each connection we make, the world has gotten smaller and our dreams have gotten bigger. Tune in for a sneak peek at an exciting project we've been working on! We're so grateful you're here, friends.

Episode Overview

An ode to 100 podcast episodes (2:00)
The power of community (5:00)
Story binds us together (6:30)
The story of the Imani Collective (7:30)
Always take the meeting: everyone matters. (11:00)
Inaction is an action. Lift your voice and notice who is not at your table (12:50)
Know your pitch. Are you coming from a place of admiration, curiosity, and kindness? (15:00)
The 5 minute favor (16:20)
If you are feeling alone personally or professionally, seek out community (17:00)
Sneak Peek: We Are For Good Humans (20:00)
The Ungettable Get List (21:00)
Join our Good Community!

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

99. Disrupting the Crowdfunding Sector for Good - Max Friedman

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 05:00:00 -0500

Meet Max. You may know him best as the CEO of Givebutter, an online fundraising platform that powers more than $100M in donations annually for thousands of nonprofit organizations. But this seriously humble visionary is giving us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the company's founding story that began in a college dorm room and has grown to become the #1 rated nonprofit fundraising platform in the world. If you've ever wondered how to leverage the power of crowd funding and mobilize your rabid fans, then this episode is for you. Beware: brace yourself for some seriously awesome butter puns.

Episode Overview

How the (Give) Butter gets churned: the story and founding of Givebutter 3:25
Leveraging impact for good - 7:26
What makes Givebutter different? - 10:08
Donor relations is key - 15:17
Givebutter client success stories - 20:24
The power of crowdfunding - 25:24
Max’s One Moment in Philanthropy - 30:11
Big dreams for Givebutter - 33:04
Max’s One Good Thing: implement inbox zero. - 36:27

For more information and episode details visit: www.weareforgood.com/episode/99

The We Are For Good Podcast is co-hosted by Jonathan McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE and welcomes the most dynamic nonprofit leaders, advocates and philanthropists to share innovative ideas and lessons learned 3x a week!

Want to hear insider details and to get our best roundup of tips, freebies, resources and show notes from each episode? Join the Good Community - it's free! Visit www.weareforgood.com/hello

About Our Sponsor Virtuous
You know we believe Everyone Matters - and we’ve witnessed the greatest philanthropic movements happen when you SEE and activate donors at every level. Here’s the thing, Virtuous created a fundraising platform to help you do just that. It’s much more than a nonprofit CRM. Virtuous is committed to helping charities reimagine generosity through responsive fundraising. We love it because this approach builds trust and loyalty through personalized engagement.

Learn more about Virtuous at www.virtuous.org/

Say hi 👋
LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter