Explore every episode of the podcast Bright Nonprofit

Keep track of your nonprofits funds can be tricky. Tracking grants, donations, program expenses and other revenue means organizing your dollars into trackable categories. Have you ever wondered if there was a system that made this all easier? What is the “right” way to track grants? Should I track each fundraiser separately? If so, how? In this podcast, I talk […]

Are you scared of video? No, really… if I told you to make a video for your Facebook page, would you panic? In this podcast, I talk with Katie Prentiss Onsager from SmallForces.org. They offer professional video services and impact tracking for people and organizations making a difference in their communities at no cost to them. She walks us through […]

Getting found in Google doesn’t happen by accident. Your website doesn’t magically appear in the search engines for the right search terms. Well… that isn’t totally accurate. It sorta does. But it may not rank well and the search results may not be accurate or consistent. But there is a way to get your website ranked for the correct terms and […]

In this episode I speak with Cecily Stern from Word Craft Consulting. Cecily is an expert in nonprofit board development, strategic planning as well as grant writing. We discuss how to build a strong board of directors and plan for the future. Topics include: Board Development Board Recruitment Board Member Responsibilities Strategic Planning Also in this episode I talk about […]

In this episode of the Nonprofit Ally podcast I talk with Shannon Donahue who is the Executive Director of the Great Bear Foundation. Their organization is expanding into a new state and we discuss how to implement such a transition as well as how to reach out to a new community. Topics include: Community Outreach Board and Member Communication Becoming […]

In this episode of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast, I talk with Autumn Berstein, from Climate Plan, about how she built a statewide nonprofit coalition, with nearly 60 members, in California. Learn about: Forming a coalition Building relationships with other nonprofits Consensus building Organizing state-wide partnerships Project development I also go over some Facebook tips that will help you get more “likes” […]

In this podcast, I talk with Jenna Benn Shersher. She shares with us her story on overcoming a rare form of cancer and how it inspired her to start a nonprofit. Jenna is the Founder and Executive Director of Twist Out Cancer, a non-profit organization she founded after surviving Grey Zone Lymphoma in 2011. Jenna saw firsthand how young adults with cancer have a unique […]

Have you wondered what is the best way to get information in front of your followers and supporters? Most people think social media is the end-all/be-all of communication. But I want to assure you – it is not. In this podcast, I talk with Kathryn Calhoun from kathryncalhouncoaching.com. Kathryn discusses some of the myths about social media, what it should be […]

  Risk Doesn’t Have To Be a Four-Letter Word Risks can be unsettling. It is easier to focus on what’s urgent while ignoring what’s necessary and important. But if you can create ways to make it easier to see and address threats and opportunities, you can: Increase clarity Reduce costs Simplify tasks Streamline processes Develop new initiatives, and; Increase sustainability […]

In this episode I talk witth Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew about building socail capital and developing asset based based community relationships. Let’s start with some definitions. Social Capital is a network of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively. Asset Based Community Development is a methodology for the sustainable development of communities […]

Podcast show notes written by Alexandra Black-Paulick. Thank you Alex! Can nonprofits make money? You’d be surprised at how many people adamantly believe that under no circumstances can nonprofits earn revenue. The reality is that the term “nonprofit” has nothing to do with whether an organization can make a profit and everything to do with what they do with that […]

In this podcast I talk with Kathleen Kelly-Janus, author of Social Startup Success. In this interview we talk about the different factors involved in building a nonprofit into a sustainable, profitable (yes, you can make money) and affective organization. Kathleen is an award-winning social entrepreneur, author and lecturer at Stanford University. Her work has been featured in the Wall Street […]

The term "emerging nonprofit" is thrown around a lot. But what does it mean? Does mean anything? Well, that is actually not the topic we discuss in this podcast. But, if you want to "emerge", then pay close attention. It's time to build your capacity.

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of all time. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the most listened to podcast of all time. It features Ann Myren. The podcast title is, “Grant Writing from Preparation to Submission”. Hear the whole episode at, https://nonprofitally.com/podcast-nonprofit-grant-writing/

Everything is “video, video, video”. Really – 80% of all internet consumption is video. So, if you are not using video you are behind the game. The problem is video can be a technical and creative hurdle. And hiring an expert can be a financial hurdle. That is where my guest, Harry McAlister, from AmpleEarth.com comes in. Harry helps nonprofits […]

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of all time. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the second most listened to podcast. It features Chris Ferdinandi. The podcast title is, “Secrets to Getting more Website Visits”. Hear the whole episode at, https://nonprofitally.com/secrets-to-getting-more-visitors-to-you-website/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of all time. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the third most listened to podcast. It features Laurie Wolf. The podcast title is, “Sustainability is Not the Destination”. Hear the whole episode at, https://nonprofitally.com/sustainability-is-not-destination/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of all time. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the fourth most listened to podcast. It features Autumn Bernstein. The podcast title is, “Creating a Nonprofit Coalition – Building Relationships with other Nonprofits”. Hear the whole episode at, https://nonprofitally.com/nonprofit-coalition-building-podcast/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of all time. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the fifth most listened to podcast. It features Nick Loper. The podcast title is, “Starting a Nonprofit as a Side Job”. Hear the whole episode at, https://nonprofitally.com/start-a-nonprofit-as-a-side-job-nick-loper-side-hustle-nation/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of 2017. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the most popular podcast or 2017. It features Carolyn Appleton. The podcast is title is “Insider Tips from a Professional Grant Writer”. Hear the whole episode at, https://nonprofitally.com/insider-tips-from-a-professional-grant-writer/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of 2017. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the second most popular podcast. It features John Haydon. The podcast is title is “How to Build Relationships with Everyone”. Hear the full episode at, https://nonprofitally.com/how-to-build-relationships-with-an-email-list/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of 2017. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the third most popular podcast. It features a panel discussion with Mauricio Belgrano, Megan Innes and me. The podcast is title is “Crowdfunding Special Edition”. You can hear the full podcast at, https://nonprofitally.com/special-crowdfunding-edition/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of 2017. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the fourth most popular podcast. It features Robert McGuire from McGuire Editorial. The podcast is title is “Practical Content marketing for Nonprofits”. You can hear the entire podcast at, https://nonprofitally.com/practical-content-marketing-for-nonprofits/

In this special edition of the Nonprofit Ally Podcast we count down the top 5 episodes of 2017. In this episode, we hear an exerpt from the fifth most popular podcast. It features Amanda Babine from Evaluate for Change. The podcast title is “Building Capacity with the Logic Model”. You can hear the whole episode at: https://nonprofitally.com/building-capacity-with-the-logic-model/

If you ever second guessed the validity of advice you’ve been given, then you are not alone. In this podcast we talk with Zoot Velasco from zootvelasco.com. He shares his insights on how to bust the myths we are all told about how to run our nonprofits. In this podcast he breaks the myths of: Holding gala events. Is the money […]

In this episode I talk with Adam Capes from GetAway2Give about how he helps nonprofit raise $10,000’s with auctions. Adam Capes is the Co-Founder and President of Getaway2Give, a company changing the way non-profits raise money and people think about vacations. Their mission is to be the best in the country at helping charities and schools raise money, and they’ve helped […]

Social fundraising (sometimes called crowdfunding… but it is more) is becoming more sophicated and more useful. It is more than just a way to raise money. It is a way to connect with supporters, garner new donations, build relationships with your community and increase awareness of your organization. In this podcast, we talk with Gary Wohlfeill from CrowdRise.com. Gary describes […]

It takes a special kind of person to be a fundraiser. Or at least that is what we tell ourselves. For most people, fundraising is intimidating. After all, who wants to go around asking other people for money. For most of us, fundraising doesn’t come naturally. And yet, fundraising is an essential part to running a successful nonprofit. So, here is […]

If you run a nonprofit then you likely write grants. But it is easy to take grants for granted (pun intended). With competition for grants increasing and available funding decreasing it is now more important than ever to research your grants and target your funding needs. In this podcast I talk with Holly Rustic from Grant Writing and Funding. Holly […]

How do you use your website? Is it a simple page with basic information about your mission, your services and a contact page? Do you have a blog? Do people comment on your blog? Do you have “landing pages” that encourage visitors to “opt-in” for resource? How do you use your website? Most websites are what I call “Brochure” sites. They […]

Advocating for the rights of others is not an easy job. It is difficult to bring awareness of your cause to the general public. There are 100’s of ways to get your message out and your audience could be scattered across the country. This is the challenge. In this episode, I talk about with Jay and Shira Ruderman from the […]

Nathan Runkle started an animal rights advocacy group when he was just 15 years old. Move ahead 18 some years and Mercy for Animals is now a nonprofit with 130 employees and $12M in revenue. How did Nathan do this? Well, it’s a long story. And it is a story Nathan shares in this interview. Nathan talks about the four […]

Most start up nonprofits share one thing in common… they have little, to no, resources. In this podcast, I talk with Coby Schoffman. He is the founder and executive director of Nation Foundation (nation-foundation.org). He talks about how his visit to a Ugandan school inspired him to start a nonprofit to help the students finish their studies. He organized volunteers, […]

If there is one thing nonprofits do a lot, it is look for funding. This funding comes in the form of grants, membership dues, corporate sponsorship, individual donors and, of course, crowndfunding. In this episode, I talk with Devin Thorpe who is a motivational speaker, writer and holds an MBA from Cornell University. Devin believes that society is becoming more […]

Being able to affectively use email to market your nonprofit is becoming increasely important. And increasingly easy. Todays guest, Carlos Scarpero, talks with us about the basics of setting an email marketing campaign and strategy. Obviously this starts with a plan and a goal. It could be as simple as getting people to an upcoming event. Or more involved, like […]

In this episode, we talk about how to obtain emergency funding for your existing programs. I talk with Caroline Bressan from Open Road Alliance. They are a private philanthropic initiative that serves the social sector by keeping impact on track in an unpredictable world. Open Road Alliance provides short- and long-term solutions to unexpected challenges that arise during project implementation, so […]

For some, it is easy to enter into the nonprofit world. But for many it is an “ideal”, a dream, or a passing fantasy that is tough to realize. There seems to be a common thread among nonprofit seekers. They want to do more. They want to feel like they are doing something for their community. They want to make […]

Being the Executive Director (ED) of a nonprofit means different things for different organizations. But it means one thing for the ED. You will wear many hats, use different skills and fulfill a variety of roles. Let’s get a bit more specific. As an ED you may be required to be the bookkeeper, fundraiser, grant writer, program developer, volunteer organizer, […]

Fundraising for your nonprofit can be time consuming and energy draining. Let’s face it, most of us don’t like fundraising. But what if you could create a “passive” fundraising system. Does that sound intriguing? Well, that is just what Jason Granger from Infinity Marketing Group is going to share with you in this podcast. Jason has decades of marketing experience […]

Starting a nonprofit is not easy. But starting a nonprofit in a foreign country… that shares a war-affected border… well, that is just down-right difficult. But that is what Jason Szolomayer is doing in Jordan. How can regular people like you and me help tangibly with the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East? In this episode I talk with Jason […]

In this podcast I talk with Boris Kievsky. He is the founder of dotorgstrategy.com. He is an online marketing strategist that helps nonprofits find new audiences, increase their engagement and raise more awareness. And, of course, this can all help with fundraising. Boris talks about the basic concepts of a conversion funnel, or what he calls an “impact funnel”. The […]

Story telling is becoming one of the main ways nonprofits spread awareness and fundraise for their cause. In this episode I talk with Meg Campbell and Marybeth Redmond from the Vermont Story Lab. Meg and Marybeth talk about how to find the stories that are right in front of your eyes. Yup, it is that simple. Yet, seeing what is […]

Do you have donors, volunteers, members, board members or staff? Of course you do. Do you know the best way to keep them up to date on events, programs and latest news? Did you say FaceBook? Wonk, wonk, wonk… no. How about blogging ? Wonk, wonk… no, but actually not a bad idea. Did you say with emails? Ding, ding. […]

My guest on this podcast is Jesse Lane with Pure Charity. Jesse talks with us about nonprofit “innovation” and how it can be used to spark new ideas and build sustainable programs that grow through changing times. Pure Charity works with thousands of nonprofit organizations who are working on challenging global and local problems. They exist to help these world-changers […]