Successful Nonprofits Podcast

If you are a CEO responsible for moving your mission forward in a polarized environment, this conversation will sharpen how you lead. Your ability to communicate with people who don't share your or your nonprofit's values and views can determine whether your organization gains traction or stalls out. In this episode, I speak with consultant and former executive director Chandra Brown about how leaders choose words and framing that build alignment with board members, donors, policymakers, and community stakeholders. You'll hear a real-world example of a messaging misstep that backfired and what it reveals about how different audiences interpret the same issue. You'll walk away with practical ways to communicate across political divides without compromising your values. This episode answers the following questions: How do executive directors communicate with stakeholders who disagree with them? How can I get board members or donors to support an issue they're skeptical about? What's the best way to talk about controversial issues without alienating my supporters? How do I build alignment across my nonprofit's politically divided constituencies? How do I prepare for conversations with policymakers who oppose my position? Links mentioned in this episode: Influence Advocacy (Chandra Brown) . Influence Advocacy and Chandra can give your issue a helping hand using data driven strategies that support your issue campaigns.

Can one board retreat turn reluctant board members into fundraising superstars? Anyone promising that is selling something they cannot deliver. But a well-designed retreat can still move board fundraising forward. In this episode, I explain how to diagnose the real barriers first, then share six practical retreat activities that can help a board align expectations, understand its fundraising options, practice useful skills, map its networks, and make specific commitments. I also outline the post-retreat work that turns your board members' commitments into results. This episode answers the following questions: Can a board retreat actually get board members to fundraise? Why is my nonprofit board not engaged in fundraising? What fundraising activities can we use at a board retreat? How do we set and enforce fundraising expectations for board members? What should staff and board leadership do after a fundraising retreat? Links mentioned in this episode: Bring Dolph into your next board retreat. I design and facilitate board retreats that are interactive, practical, and built around the board's real barriers. Retreat topics can include fundraising, governance, board evaluation, planning the board's work, crisis or contingency planning, and strategic planning. To discuss your next retreat, reach out to me at successfulnonprofits.com .

What recurring tasks does each person on your team actually own? It's almost impossible to remember everything a team member is responsible for, and a job description usually won't tell you. When that information lives only in someone's head, onboarding gets harder, performance conversations get murkier, and an employee departure can create unnecessary chaos. In this episode, I share my simple, one-tab staff task checklist I use when leading nonprofit teams. It documents each position's recurring work and how often it needs to happen. It also becomes a practical tool for interviewing candidates, onboarding new employees, managing performance, cross-training staff, reviewing job descriptions, and being ready for staff departures. You'll also learn how this simple exercise can expose tasks only one person knows how to do, processes that still lack documentation, and responsibilities that have quietly changed over time. This episode answers the following questions: How do I keep things from falling through the cracks when an employee leaves? What should I document before a key employee quits? How do I onboard a new employee without constantly answering questions? How do I know if important tasks depend too much on one employee? How do I hold staff accountable when responsibilities aren't clear? How do I cross-train employees at a small nonprofit? How do I update job descriptions when staff roles have changed? Links mentioned in this episode: The checklist in an editable Excel format: https://successfulnonprofits.com/checklist Free Online Trainings for Nonprofit CEOs: https://successfulnonprofits.com/trainings/ Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Why Our Team Members Fail with Dr. Tiffany Slater 12 Ways You Can Recruit and Retain Top Talent Stop Doing $25-per-Hour Work

Whether to spend staff time and resources on a special event is an important decision that rests with you as the chief executive. Fundraising events can consume hundreds of staff hours, sap your board's enthusiasm, and produce far less revenue than everyone expected. That is why many nonprofit leaders conclude events are simply not worth the effort. Mary Thompson offers a different answer. Mary is the long-time executive director of Apple Seeds Teaching Farm in Arkansas, and her organization produces a large annual fundraiser that costs approximately 23% of gross revenue. It also hosts monthly Kitchen Table Dinners for 40 to 50 guests, with each dinner requiring only about 10 to 11 hours of staff time. In this episode, Mary explains how Apple Seeds created events that generate revenue, introduce the organization to new supporters, deepen donor relationships, and remain manageable for her team. You will hear why repeatable systems matter, how smaller gatherings can outperform a large gala as relationship-building tools, and what every executive director should examine before approving another event. This episode answers the following questions: How much should it cost a nonprofit to produce a fundraising event? How much staff time should an event require? When should an event be measured by relationships rather than net revenue alone? Why can small, recurring events build stronger donor relationships than a large gala? How can nonprofits turn an event into a repeatable system? How can an event connect directly to the organization's mission? What should an executive director consider before committing the organization to another event? Links mentioned in this episode: Apple Seeds Teaching Farm: appleseedsar.org Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Flipping Small Fundraising Events on Their Heads for Better Revenue with Sherry Truhlar, Part One Flipping Small Fundraising Events on Their Heads for Better Revenue with Sherry Truhlar, Part Two Help Donors Fall In Love…With Your Organization with Abra Annes

Never miss an episode: Sign up for our newsletter Your calendar is full, your inbox is under control, and the copier is finally working. You were productive today, right? Maybe not. Every week, nonprofit chief executives routinely spend hours scheduling meetings, answering routine emails, preparing documents, and handling administrative work that someone else—or the right technology—could manage. Every hour spent on those tasks is an hour you cannot spend cultivating major donors, developing your staff, engaging your board, or preparing your organization for what comes next. In this episode, I will help you identify the $25-per-hour work consuming your week and decide what to stop, do less frequently, delegate, or automate. I also explore why an executive assistant may be the most important next hire for a small nonprofit—and how to protect the time you recover for the leadership work only you can do. This episode answers the following questions: How can I get everything done? Do I need an executive assistant? Can AI help me with office tasks? How should I be spending my time as a nonprofit executive director? Links mentioned in this episode: Calculate the Value of an Hour of Your Time https://successfulnonprofits.com/value_your_time/ Subscribe to the Successful Nonprofits® Newsletter https://successfulnonprofits.com/newsletter-signup/ Free Online Trainings for Nonprofit CEOs Learn more about Design an AI Strategy That Builds More Capacity and other upcoming trainings: https://successfulnonprofits.com/trainings/ Looking for more? Check out these other amazing episodes: Ep 366: The 3 Roles of an Executive Director Ep 326: 16 Productivity Apps and Software You Need to Check Out Today Ep 321: Your 4-Day Workweek Blueprint with Jessica Weitzel

One person's loud and persistent certainty can become the board's decision. Not because everyone agrees, but because everyone else has grown tired of resisting and just want the meeting to move forward. Over time, that dynamic does more than produce a few bad decisions. It weakens the board's collective governance muscle and gives one member far more power than any individual board member should have. In this episode, I share a structured deliberation process designed to keep the "hijacking hyena" from taking over a consequential board discussion. The process uses position champions, strict time limits, neutral facilitation, anonymous force-ranking, and a clear final vote. You'll get a viable way to address a contentious decision without recreating the same power dynamic. You'll also learn how you as the executive director can help board leadership create a process in which every board member's voice is heard. This episode answers questions like: How do I deal with one board member dominating every discussion? How can my board better consider several competing options? What should I do when my board chair is dominating board meetings as the hijacking hyena? Links mentioned in this episode: Learn about Successful Nonprofits® board-development services Learn more about Successful Nonprofits® executive coaching

Nonprofit chief executives are expected to protect the mission, lead the team, and keep the organization financially healthy, often without a CFO sitting beside them. In this episode, Dolph talks with Marvin Webb about five finance mistakes executive directors make, including confusing cash with revenue, ignoring reserves, over-relying on one revenue stream, disconnecting budgets from strategy, and underinvesting in staff compensation. Marvin's core warning is simple: healthy-looking revenue does not mean your organization has the cash, liquidity, or financial strategy it needs to survive. This conversation helps nonprofit CEOs lead with clearer financial judgment, stronger board conversations, and better decisions about the resources required to sustain the mission. This episode answers questions like: Why does my nonprofit show revenue but still have no cash? How much cash should my nonprofit have in reserve? What financial reports should an executive director read and understand? How do I explain cash flow problems to my board? What should a nonprofit CEO do if government funding is delayed? Links mentioned in this episode: MIT Living Wage Calculator

We may say that our organization values equity, inclusion, and our mission. But many of us still pay wages that leave employees struggling to cover basic necessities. That contradiction is not just an HR issue, it's a problem with our strategy. In this episode, I examine why nonprofits are losing the competition for talent, why the nonprofit down the street is not your primary competitor for talent, and how employers in retail and hospitality are changing employee expectations. I also share how we as executive directors can begin building a thriving wage strategy. This episode answers the following questions: Why is my staff turnover so high? When I need to do a compensation or wage analysis, which employers should I compare wages to? How can my nonprofit raise wages without going broke? How do I develop a thriving wage strategy? How can greater efficiency help fund better compensation?

Your employment agreement is not just paperwork. It shapes how you and your board handle compensation, performance reviews, incentives, leave, renewal, and the end of the relationship. I share six newer clauses that I've started seeing in ED contracts now, and how to negotiate your agreement in a way that protects both you as the executive and your organization. You will hear why cost of living adjustments, performance review deadlines, incentive pay, retention bonuses, sabbaticals, and nonrenewal payments are not just perks. They are tools for clarity, accountability, and a healthier board and executive relationship. I also explain at what point to bring in legal counsel to negotiate on your behalf, how to tell your board you are doing so, and why negotiating well for yourself can also help you advocate more effectively for your staff. This is not legal advice. It is practical leadership advice to help nonprofit chief executives themselves, their organization, and their ability to lead. This episode answers the following questions: What should I ask for in an employment agreement? Which clauses are common for nonprofit executive director contracts? How can my performance bonus and incentive pay be structured more clearly? When should I bring in legal counsel to negotiate my agreement? How can I negotiate my contract without damaging my relationship with the board? How do I get a retention bonus, sabbatical, or nonrenewal payments? Links mentioned in this episode: Successful Nonprofits Individual Coaching

Many nonprofit chief executives dream about taking a sabbatical, but few believe their organization is too small to offer sabbaticals . In this episode, SOJOURN Executive Director Rebecca Stapel-Wax shares how she prepared her board, staff, systems, and interim leader for a successful three-month sabbatical that ultimately strengthened the organization. Dolph and Rebecca discuss succession planning, executive burnout, communication boundaries, re-entry planning, and the operational systems every nonprofit CEO should have in place before stepping away on a sabbatical . This episode answers questions like : How do I ask my board for a sabbatical? Can a nonprofit executive director take a paid sabbatical? What should a I put in place before taking a sabbatical? How do I handle leadership coverage during a n executive director's sabbatical? How do I prepare my staff and board before taking extended leave? What should be included in a nonprofit succession planning playbook? Links mentioned in this episode: SOJOURN: sojourngsd.org Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: I took a sabbatical and so can you with David Huitstuman: [ on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes ] Make your dream sabbatical a reality with Emil Raskin [ Episode Title on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes ]

When everything feels urgent, it becomes almost impossible for a nonprofit chief executive to focus on the work that actually moves the organization forward. I share a simple fire triage framework that I first developed during an interim executive director engagement with an organization facing serious financial, staffing, and compliance challenges. The framework helps leaders sort problems into fire types. We'll dive into each category, clarify who should respond, what level of leadership is needed, and when the executive director should step in personally. This episode is especially useful for nonprofit CEOs and executive directors who feel pulled into every problem, conflict, complaint, and operational hiccup. This episode answers the following questions: How do I decide what problems I should handle as a nonprofit executive director? How do I stop getting pulled into every staff problem as the CEO? How do I build a leadership team that can handle problems without me? What should a nonprofit CEO do when everything feels urgent? How do I help my staff solve problems without coming to me every time? When should a nonprofit board get involved in an organizational crisis?

Many executive directors spend their days in meetings, emails, staff questions, funder requests, budget tweaks, and personnel issues. At the end of the day, they have been busy. They may even feel productive. But they still have the nagging sense that the most important CEO level was untouched. I share the three roles on you as the CEO can fulfill: futurist, steward, and optimizer. These three roles help executive directors step out of operational gravity, protect time for long term thinking, steward the organization's people and trust, and make the high stakes decisions that move the organization forward. This episode answers the following questions: What should I focus on as the CEO of a small nonprofit? How do I make time for strategy as a nonprofit an executive director? Why do I feel stuck? How do nonprofit CEOs balance strategy and operations? How can nonprofit leaders avoid getting trapped in busywork? Links Categorize and Triage Your Fires ( blog post ) 5 Steps to Tackling Disruptive Behavior at Work (Podcast episode on Spotify and Apple Podcasts )

While the nonprofit sector rarely talks about it openly, 35% - 70% of executive directors are forced out — usually without even realizing the warning signs. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on why board confidence erodes, which issues risk accelerating your departure, and steps you can take to ensure you leave on your own terms after a long and successful tenure. This episode answers the following questions: How can I improve my relationship with the board? How do I build and maintain the trust of my board? Am I at risk of being fired or forced out? How do I ensure a long and successful tenure as CEO? Do I need a nonprofit CEO coach?

Claudius Hildebrand, co-author of the best selling book Life Cycle of a CEO, explores the five stages of a nonprofit executive director's tenure, revealing how these insights apply to your nonprofit leadership journey. Discover practical strategies for launching into new roles, reinvention during your tenure, and intentional succession planning. This episode answers the following questions: What can I do to have a strong and impactful start as a new executive director? How do I know if it's time to reinvent myself as a nonprofit leader? Do I need to change my leadership strategy? How do I strengthen my Board relationships? How can I foster innovation at my organization? Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes or blog posts: The Unintentional Interim Executive Director The CEO Next Door with Kim Powell

New episodes will be released on June 16 th with a sharper focus on providing actionable advice and support for nonprofit executive directors. If there's a CEO-level topic you'd like covered, email me at dolph@successfulnonprofits.com.

Could your nonprofit offer staff benefits they couldn't even get working for a Fortune 500 employer? Curt Ellis, co-founder and CEO of FoodCorps, joins Dolph Goldenburg to share the secret sauce behind FoodCorps' jaw-dropping benefits package. From a $3,000 401(k) match to 16 weeks of paid parental leave to sabbaticals, FoodCorps is setting new standards in the nonprofit sector. Ellis explains why offering these benefits isn't just about employee satisfaction—it's a business strategy that strengthens FoodCorps' mission to connect children to nourishing food. Discover how FoodCorps' approach to sabbaticals, half-day Fridays, and family planning support boosts morale and retains talent in the high-turnover nonprofit workforce. Whether you're tackling employee burnout or seeking donor buy-in for better benefits, this episode is your blueprint for success. This episode answers the following questions: How can I implement competitive benefits at my nonprofit? Why are sabbaticals a game-changer for retention? How can I approach funders about improving staff benefits? Links mentioned in this episode: FoodCorps Looking for More? Check out these amazing episodes: Our Unlimited PTO Experiment with Dolph & Lexie on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes . Beyond Money: Incentives That Work with Uri Gneezy on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes .

As the rest of the world counts down the last weeks of the year, this is the perfect time for leaders like you to harness your donors' holiday-giving spirit to generate more dollars, retain more donors, and cultivate even larger gifts for next year. This episode answers the following questions: How can I engage my nonprofit's Board in fundraising at the end of the year? What strategies can I use in the last week or month of the year to boost donations? What are LYBUNT donors and how do I approach them? What are some easy ways to raise $10,000 or more in a month? Links mentioned in this episode: Blog Post: 5 Digital Fundraising Challenges and Their Solutions Blog Post: 31 Ideas for Board Member Fundraising Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: 11 Donor-Tested Ways to Say "Thank You" on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes Podcast: Volunteer Fundraisers Unleashed with Maura McDaniel on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes

What if understanding your team could be as simple as recognizing four birds? In this episode, Manish Shah introduces the "four birds" personality model—a game-changing tool for nonprofits striving to enhance collaboration and solve conflict. From the eagle's boldness to the owl's precision, you'll discover how understanding these personality types can revolutionize your leadership and transform team dynamics. Join host Dolph Goldenburg as he and Manish explore: Why even high-performing teams experience dysfunction. How to decode personality types to foster stronger collaboration. Simple adjustments you can make to turn misunderstandings into breakthroughs. This episode answers the following questions: How is the four-bird personality type different from the other personality assessments? How do personality assessments transform team communication? How can I adapt my leadership style to better connect with diverse personalities? Links mentioned in this episode: Visit EPYX Team Building Manish's Team-Building Workshops Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Ep 268: The Secret to Building a Rockstar Leadership Team with Allison Mayfield [ Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes ] Ep 307: Empower Your Team: Unleashing Leadership Potential with Luis Velasquez & Kristin Gleitsman [ Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes ]

If you listen to just one episode this year, make it this one. As Donald Trump prepares to take office, the nonprofit sector faces a potential shift that could disrupt services, funding, and the communities you support. In this urgent solo episode, Dolph Goldenburg provides a strategic roadmap to help progressive nonprofits prepare for these seismic changes within the next two months. Goldenburg shares a practical, five-step REACT framework and offers real-world strategies to keep your organization resilient, even under pressure. This episode digs into essential questions, like: What scenarios should I prepare for under a new Trump administration? Who should be involved in creating our organization's contingency plan? How do I ensure that our responses are aligned with our mission and values? You'll also get a downloadable template to guide your own contingency planning sessions. Don't wait—get your organization ready for day one, day 100, and beyond. Links mentioned in this episode: Download the Contingency Planning Session Agenda and two sample scenarios for contingency planning

Are you ready to take charge of your personal and professional growth with the support of a "personal board of directors"? This episode dives into the unique concept of a personal board with award-winning executive coach, author, and podcast host Donna Peters. Peters shares her experience using personal boards to guide life and career decisions, offering invaluable advice for nonprofit leaders. You'll discover how to build a personal board that challenges, supports, and holds you accountable. Whether you're considering a major career pivot, aiming to develop a skill like executive presence, or simply want to refine your strategic vision, this episode offers practical, insightful steps to achieving your goals. This episode answers the following questions: What is a personal board of directors? How can I choose the right people for my personal board? What role does a personal board play in my leadership journey Should I pay my personal board members? Links mentioned in this episode: Donna's Website Donna's LinkedIn Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: The Secret to Low Stress & High Efficiency with Susie Hayman [ Episode Title on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes ] Making Work Easier with Huggy Rao [ Episode Title on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or our website with show notes ]