Explore every episode of the podcast Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
Stop Waiting for Stability. You Have To Design It.
06 Jan 2026
00:13:32
In this episode, I want to say something clearly—and maybe a little provocatively:
Stability isn’t something you earn later. It’s something you design early—or you pay for it. Dearly.
If you’re leading a nonprofit right now and feeling overwhelmed by how hard it all feels, I want you to lean in. Because what I’m talking about in this episode might just be the shift you’ve been looking for.
So many of the leaders I work with assume the chaos and pressure are temporary—that things will ease up after the next grant lands, or once a new hire settles in. But I want to challenge that belief. Because the truth is: chaos doesn’t resolve itself. It compounds.
In this episode, I unpack one of the most important frameworks I teach: the idea of the Design Deficit™—what happens when your organization grows on top of systems that were never built to hold that growth.
You’ll hear why your org might be feeling fragile or unsustainable even as you grow, and why no amount of hustle will fix that. I’ll also walk you through the Stability Flywheel™—my model for designing predictable revenue, distributed leadership, and actual strategic clarity that doesn’t live in a dusty doc somewhere.
This is an episode about reclaiming your sanity, designing for sustainability, and getting real about the cost of “just making it work.”
Let’s stop waiting for stability to arrive, and start building it—on purpose.
What You’ll Learn:
Why instability isn’t a temporary phase—it’s a structural issue
How to spot a “design deficit” in your org (and what it’s costing you)
The 3 pillars of The Stability Flywheel™: Capital, Capacity, and Clarity
A simple “pressure test” to assess your org’s ability to scale
Why later is a lie—and what to do now to reclaim your time and sanity
Key Takeaways:
Chaos doesn’t resolve itself—it compounds
You’re not the problem: your org wasn’t designed to carry this weight
Real resilience comes from structure, not hustle
You can’t scale on heroic effort—you need a flywheel that spins without you
Stability is built. And it starts with a single intentional shift.
Reflection Questions:
What would break if your organization doubled in size tomorrow?
Where are you still the glue?
What is one workflow, system, or role that you could redesign this month to absorb pressure?
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
The One Thing That Makes Your Team, Board & Donors Go All In
04 Nov 2025
00:11:05
What if the most powerful leadership actions… involved building something you’ll never see finished?
In this episode, I’m exploring the concept of Cathedral Thinking—a long-term, purpose-driven approach to leadership that can radically shift how you inspire your team, engage your board, and motivate your funders. Especially now, during the giving season, this kind of vision isn’t just helpful—it’s essential.
I’ll walk you through why this mindset matters so much in the nonprofit world, and how adopting it can unlock energy, commitment, and a sense of meaning that will sustain your organization far beyond year-end goals.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What Cathedral Thinking is—and why it matters for nonprofit leaders
How to articulate a clear and compelling long-term vision for your organization
Why deep, systemic change requires a different kind of leadership energy
Key takeaways:
Vision isn’t a luxury—it’s a leadership tool that drives action and commitment.
People don’t invest in programs; they invest in purpose.
When people believe they’re part of something bigger, they give more, stay longer, and lead better.
Step-by-step insight:
1. Understand Cathedral Thinking
Recognize that the work you’re doing may not reach its full impact in your lifetime—but that’s the point, not the problem. You're part of building something enduring.
2. Frame Your Work as Part of a Bigger Vision
Day-to-day work—budgets, emails, programs—is important. But your job is to make sure people always know what it’s all building toward.
3. Communicate That Vision to Stakeholders
With your team, to foster motivation and meaning
With your board, to drive strategic clarity
With your funders, to inspire transformational giving
4. Shift from Tasks to Purpose
Move your messaging from “cutting stone” to “building a cathedral.” This language shift creates emotional connection and renewed energy.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Use code STRONG26 to get 26% off during this series.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
How to Add More Organizational Capacity Without Spending Money
28 Mar 2024
00:16:09
In this episode, I’m doing a deep dive into the concept of leveraged networks - the secret sauce to expanding your organization's capacity, influence, and impact without breaking the bank. As a founder and leader myself, I've navigated the complexities of growing an organization, and I've discovered that the strength of your network can truly make or break your impact. Today, I'm sharing personal insights and strategies on how to build and leverage a micro-group within your broader network to achieve your strategic objectives. This episode is a goldmine for anyone looking to amplify their reach and accomplish more with less.
What You'll Learn:
The essence of leveraged networks and why they're a game-changer for your business.
A breakdown of the four types of structured relationships within a leveraged network and how each can propel your organization forward.
Practical steps to identify and cultivate these relationships to maximize their benefits.
Key Takeaways:
Leveraged networks are a structured relationship framework that amplifies your organization's reach and impact.
Identifying and engaging with volunteers, advisors, junior board members, and ambassadors can significantly enhance your strategic capacity and brand awareness.
Tailoring your approach to each type of relationship within your leveraged network can yield unparalleled results.
Establishing clear strategic objectives is crucial in effectively utilizing your leveraged network.
Cultivating these relationships with intention and respect can unlock doors you never knew existed.
Step-by-Step Process:
Identify Your Strategic Objectives: Clearly define what you aim to achieve with your leveraged network.
Map Your Network: Identify potential individuals in your broader network who fit into the categories of volunteers, advisors, junior board members, and ambassadors.
Engage and Cultivate: Reach out to these individuals with a clear value proposition and engage them in your mission.
Tailor Your Approach: Customize your interactions and requests based on the type of relationship and the individual's capacity to contribute.
Nurture and Appreciate: Continuously appreciate their contributions and nurture these relationships for long-term engagement.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
The 4 Parts of a Good Nonprofit Financial Dashboard
27 Mar 2024
00:13:18
In this episode, I walk through how Key Financial Indicators can serve as a high leverage navigational compass through the murky world of your financial health. Whether it's understanding your liquidity to seize new opportunities or measuring your mission's efficiency to ensure alignment with your values, KFIs are indispensable tools.
What You’ll Learn:
The role of financial KPIs in navigating your business towards its financial health goals.
How to leverage KPIs for strategic decision-making and budgeting.
The importance of assessing liquidity, stability, fundraising efficiency, and mission alignment through KPIs.
Key Takeaways:
Financial KPIs are crucial for a holistic view of your organization’s financial health.
Understanding liquidity through metrics like Monthly Cash on Hand can significantly impact strategic spending and planning.
Stability KPIs, such as Reliance Ratios, highlight the risks associated with income concentration from a single source.
Fundraising Efficiency ratios are vital for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of fundraising efforts.
Mission Efficiency, including Program and Personnel/Benefits Efficiency, ensures that spending aligns with organizational values and objectives.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
How to conduct a “Leverage Self-Audit” for your nonprofit?
26 Mar 2024
00:07:17
Over the past 25 years, I've learned that understanding the concept of leverage can mean the difference between sustainable growth and burning out.
In this episode, I explore three areas in which leverage is critical: evaluating your impact, leveraging your network and partnerships, and optimizing your use of resources. I share concrete questions every organization should ask itself in each of these 3 areas, as part of an organizational leverage self-audit process.
What Listeners Will Learn:
How to conduct a self-audit to assess and enhance your nonprofit's impact effectively.
Strategies for building and nurturing powerful partnerships and networks to amplify your mission.
Tips for optimizing resource allocation to ensure maximum efficiency and impact.
Key Takeaways:
The importance of setting clear, measurable goals aligned with your mission and regularly reviewing progress.
The value of collaborative relationships and how to engage your network in supporting your goals.
Effective resource management strategies to align your nonprofit's efforts with its most impactful programs.
The role of technology and process optimization in increasing operational efficiency.
Creating a culture of continuous improvement and strategic thinking within your organization.
Step-by-Step Process:
Conducting the Leveraged Leadership Self-Audit:
Assess your nonprofit's mission alignment and goal specificity.
Evaluate your network and partnership engagement strategies.
Audit your resource allocation for efficiency and impact.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
How To Plan A Day for Visioning & Planning: A CEO Day
25 Mar 2024
00:08:09
A CEO Day isn’t just about stepping away from the day-to-day tasks. It’s about stepping fully into a role that demands vision, strategy, and long-term planning.
In this episode, I share why dedicating time to think like a CEO can be a game-changer for your organization. From fostering a mindset shift from managing to leading, to ensuring every effort aligns with your overarching objectives, a CEO Day is your catalyst for growth, innovation, and renewed focus.
What You’ll Learn:
The importance of a CEO Day for nonprofit leaders and solopreneurs.
Practical steps to plan and execute an impactful CEO Day.
How to align short-term actions with long-term organizational goals during your CEO Day.
Key Takeaways:
A CEO Day facilitates a crucial mindset shift from managing to leading.
Regular CEO Days contribute to personal and organizational resilience.
Effective leadership involves regular reflection, adaptation, and forward-thinking.
Step-by-Step Process for Planning Your CEO Day:
Frequency and Scheduling:
Decide on quarterly CEO Days or at least twice a year.
Schedule these days well in advance and ensure they're immovable to signal their importance.
Location:
Choose a location outside of your regular workspace to signal a mental and environmental shift, fostering fresh perspectives and strategic thinking.
Planning the Day:
Craft an agenda focused on vision casting, strategic planning, and tackling significant projects.
Identify concrete outcomes you aim to achieve during the day.
Prepare all necessary documents for review, ensuring a productive and focused CEO Day.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Do you ever wonder about the approaches someone actually takes to grow their organization’s budget, team, board and impact?
Like what strategies do they actually use to go from a $450K budget, a tiny team, and awesome but scrappy programs to a $2M budget a strong team, board, and impact that go along with that growth?
The answer is by using approaches to growth that are intentionally about increasing leverage. In this episode, I’m breaking down five of the most powerful organizational and leadership principles that leaders who take their organizations to the next level use to help them lead in a more leveraged way.
This is my second episode in this leveraged leadership series, and like the last one, it’s super concrete.
What You'll Learn:
Discover the power of the Balanced Scorecard in evaluating and optimizing your nonprofit's performance across key areas.
Unleash the potential of OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to align your team's efforts with your organization's mission and vision.
Learn how the RACI Matrix can streamline decision-making and enhance project efficiency within your nonprofit.
Key Takeaways:
Implementing the Balanced Scorecard provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and improving organizational performance in finance, stakeholder satisfaction, operations, and growth.
OKRs foster a culture of clarity and alignment, enabling nonprofits to set ambitious goals and track progress with measurable outcomes.
The RACI Matrix clarifies roles and responsibilities, optimizing teamwork and resource allocation for enhanced project execution and decision-making.
Embracing the Flywheel concept enables nonprofits to build momentum and efficiency by aligning and reinforcing their activities for sustained growth.
Applying the Pareto Principle allows nonprofits to focus efforts on the most impactful activities, maximizing results with minimal resources.
Step-by-Step Process:
Balanced Scorecard:
Evaluate your nonprofit's performance across finances, stakeholder satisfaction, operations, and growth.
Use the insights gained to prioritize strategic initiatives and allocate resources effectively.
OKRs (Objectives and Key Results):
Define clear objectives aligned with your organization's mission and vision.
Establish measurable key results to track progress and ensure accountability across your team.
RACI Matrix:
Identify roles and responsibilities for each project or decision within your nonprofit.
Ensure clear communication and streamline workflow by defining who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed.
Flywheel Concept:
Align your nonprofit's activities to create a self-reinforcing cycle of growth and efficiency.
Fine-tune initiatives to minimize effort while maximizing impact, fostering sustainable growth over time.
Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule):
Identify the most impactful activities or resources that contribute to the majority of results within your nonprofit.
Focus efforts on these high-yield areas to optimize resource allocation and drive mission success.
Resources Mentioned:
Leverage Playlist: Access the full series on leverage and other valuable insights.
Leveraged Leadership Strategy Bundle: Explore a toolkit packed with resources to enhance your nonprofit leadership skills and organizational effectiveness.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Encore: Build Your Development Team Without Breaking Your Budget, with Cindy Wagman
12 Mar 2024
00:32:39
I'm resharing one of my most popular podcast episodes: A fantastic conversation with Cindy Wagman, Founder and President of The Good Partnership, best-selling author of Raise It! The Reluctant Fundraiser’s Guide to Raising Money Without Selling Your Soul, and host of the top-rated podcast, The Small Nonprofit.
Cindy offers a mini-masterclass on how to build your fundraising team as your organization grows, before you have the budget for a full-time development director. She shares:
Why it’s dangerous to hire a junior development person first,
How to figure out the type and level of fundraising support you need on your team
What it means to hire a "fractional fundraiser," and
The difference between a fractional fundraiser and a consultant.
Plus, Cindy breaks down how to know when you’re ready to build your team, what to look for in a fractional fundraiser, and how to integrate external development support into your team for maximum impact.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
How To Build Systems That Scale, with Rachel Bearbower
07 Mar 2024
00:54:04
Welcome to this week’s episode of the Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast! I'm your host, Brooke, and today, I’m thrilled to share an insightful conversation with one of my dearest friends and a true game-changer in the nonprofit world, Rachel Bearbower. As the founder of Small Shop Strategies, Rachel is a wizard in teaching nonprofit leaders the art of untangling complex systems to focus on what truly matters – nurturing relationships and boosting fundraising efforts. In our chat, we delve into the nuts and bolts of building effective systems in small nonprofits. We’ll explore Rachel's unique approach to time management, and her strategies for creating a harmony between digital and analog systems. Whether you're a seasoned executive director or a budding nonprofit enthusiast, this episode is packed with practical advice, relatable experiences, and a touch of farm life charm from Rachel's life in Iowa.
What the Listener Will Learn:
Strategies for reclaiming time and managing overwhelm in small nonprofits.
The importance of integrating digital and analog systems for optimal productivity.
Practical steps to simplify and organize tools and routines for better results.
Five Key Takeaways:
Time is a nonprofit's most valuable asset - effective time management can transform your organization.
Creating synergy between digital and analog systems can significantly enhance productivity.
The ‘Sunup and Sundown’ routines are essential for managing daily tasks and reducing decision fatigue.
Understanding your goals is critical before selecting and implementing any system or tool.
Simplifying processes and having clear systems in place can significantly reduce the stress of decision-making and task management.
Step-by-Step Process:
Identify Your Goals: Understand what you're trying to achieve before diving into system organization.
Baseline Your Current Systems: Assess your current tools, habits, and routines to understand your starting point.
Simplify and Organize: Determine what tools and systems are essential and eliminate or integrate the rest for efficiency.
Implement Sunup and Sundown Routines: Begin and end your day by syncing your digital and analog systems to reduce mental load.
Regularly Review and Adjust: Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your systems and make adjustments as necessary.
Resources Mentioned:
Small Shop Strategies: Nonprofit consultancy focused on system optimization. Visit Website
Calendly: Scheduling tool for efficient meeting planning. Explore Calendly
Asana and Notion: Project management tools to streamline tasks and goals. Asana, Notion
Google Drive: Cloud storage solution for organizing and sharing documents. Google Drive
AirTable: A flexible organization and data management tool. Discover AirTable
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
In this episode, I unravel the art of getting out of the daily hustle to carve out space for strategic visioning and impactful leadership. Join me as we explore how to harness 3 specific strategies for spending time on high leverage activities throughout your leadership journey, whether you're implementing them today or aspiring towards them as your future benchmark.
What You'll Learn:
Elevating Productivity with Energy-Aware Scheduling: Understand how to align your tasks with your natural energy cycles to enhance efficiency and avoid burnout.
Prioritizing with the Big Rocks Philosophy: Learn to identify and focus on your most crucial high-leverage objectives, ensuring that your key goals never get sidelined by the minutiae of daily tasks.
Batching for Focus and Efficiency: Discover the technique of grouping similar tasks to minimize cognitive load and maximize deep work, propelling your leadership to new heights.
Key Takeaways:
Energy Mapping for Optimal Performance: Recognize the different types of energy (physical, emotional, spiritual, psychological) and how to schedule tasks to match your energy peaks and troughs.
The Big Rocks First Approach: Emphasize scheduling your mission-critical objectives before anything else to ensure they receive the attention they deserve.
Batch Work to Reduce Cognitive Overhead: Group similar tasks to lessen the mental strain of switching contexts, thereby increasing focus and output.
Intentional Scheduling to Guard Your Time: Be deliberate about your calendar to protect your high-leverage work times from interruptions and lesser priorities.
Mindful Replenishment of Energy: Incorporate practices into your routine that renew your four types of energy, supporting sustained high performance.
Step-by-Step Process:
Map Your Natural Energy Flow: Identify when you're most productive for different types of work (creative, deep thinking, social interactions) and align your tasks accordingly.
Implement the Big Rocks Strategy: Determine your high-leverage objectives and schedule them into your calendar first, ensuring they are immovable priorities.
Batch Your Tasks: Organize similar tasks into dedicated time blocks to focus deeply and minimize the mental cost of task-switching.
Protect Your Scheduled Time: Adopt a mindset that prioritizes intentional scheduling and learn to say no or redirect inquiries to protect your focus time.
Replenish Your Energy Intentionally: Integrate activities that renew your physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological energy, enabling sustained high leverage work.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: By Stephen Covey, this book introduces the Big Rocks philosophy among other effectiveness strategies.
How to Get Into Flow State: An article providing tips on achieving a state of flow, where you're fully immersed and performing at your peak.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Quick Strategy Episode: 6-Questions To Make Your Growth More Strategic
27 Feb 2024
00:13:50
This week is another quick strategy episode. I’m sharing a powerful strategic framework that organizations use to anchor and align their growth: Intentional Design.
What You'll Learn:
The difference between Referential & Iterative and Intentional Design approaches in strategic planning.
How to define and analyze your organization's focal problem for clearer vision and impact.
Steps to develop a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) and align your activities with your Theory of Change.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding the two basic strategic approaches: Referential & Iterative and Intentional Design.
Importance of clearly defining the focal problem your organization aims to solve.
Insight into leveraging your unique understanding of the problem for strategic advantage.
Crafting a BHAG to guide your organization's strategic direction.
Developing a Theory of Change to choose the right strategies for impactful change.
Step-by-Step Process:
Identify the Focal Problem: Define the specific problem your organization aims to solve, in simple terms that a 10-year-old could understand.
Problem Analysis: Gain clarity on your unique insight into the problem and identify leverage points in the system.
Set a BHAG: Define what 'moving the needle' looks like for your slice of the problem.
Develop a Theory of Change: Determine the best strategies to achieve your BHAG, focusing on general approaches rather than specific activities.
Outline Activities: Once you have your approaches, decide on the specific activities within each approach.
Infrastructure Assessment: Evaluate what internal and external capacities, budget, staffing, networks, and systems are needed to scale your activities effectively.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
X is for X-Ray Weak Spots: Stress Reveals Already Existing Cracks
01 Sep 2025
00:03:17
Stress doesn’t create cracks—it reveals them. Your job is to see them before they break.
🧭 Today’s belief shift: Simple stress tests can X-ray your org and show the first points of failure now.
Early fixes are cheap; late ones are costly—especially in Q4.
Today’s leadership prompt is simple: For your next pressure point (appeal launch, gala, audit), answer: Where will it fail first? What single safeguard prevents that? Who owns it, by when?
Use code STRONG26 to get 26% off during this series.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
How To Build A Branding Strategy That Helps Drive Your Organization’s Growth, Even With A Small Budget, with Farra Trompeter
22 Feb 2024
00:41:16
In this episode, I’m thrilled to share my conversation with Farra Trompeter, Co-Director and Worker - Owner at Big Duck. Not only is Farra just delightful to talk to, every time I talk to her it’s like a masterclass in strategic brand building. She - and her colleagues at Big Duck - have been the go-to for nonprofit brand building for as long as I can remember. I used to devour their resources when I was an ED, because they helped me come to see my organization’s brand as more than just its logo and website. And that’s what we’re talking about today. We discuss how an effective brand - one that actually serves as a driver of growth and funding and impact - is so much more than your visual aesthetics. It’s about how you define and articulate your organization's identity, your impact strategy, and your daily practices. Farra dissects the elements of an effective brand and offers both practical advice for organizations of all budget sizes to enhance their branding efforts and excellent examples of what an effective brand strategy looks like in practice.
Enjoy.
What Listeners Will Learn:
The difference between brand, brand strategy, and branding, and their impact on nonprofits.
The nuts and bolts of developing a strong brand identity and strategy that resonates with your target audience.
Practical steps small nonprofits can take to improve their branding with limited resources.
Key Takeaways:
Branding is more than visuals; it's about crafting your organization's identity and perception.
A strong brand strategy aligns with the organization's goals and communicates its core values effectively.
Consistency in branding helps build recognition and trust among your audience.
Small nonprofits can benefit significantly from focusing on clear, strategic branding.
Regular brand evaluations can ensure alignment with organizational objectives and audience expectations.
Step-by-Step Process:
Elevator Pitch Exercise: Engage your team in describing the organization to gauge consistency and clarity in branding.
Materials Review: Assess current branding materials (print, digital) for consistency in color, imagery, and messaging.
Strategic Review: Revisit the organization's strategy and see how branding can support its goals.
Resources Mentioned:
Big Duck: A strategic communications firm specializing in nonprofits. They offer services in branding, communications, and fundraising/outreach campaigns. Visit Big Duck
Brandraising by Sarah Durham, Big Duck's founder: A book offering insights into nonprofit branding. Find the Book
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Quick Strategy Episode: Using “Who Not How” To Get Out Of The Weeds
20 Feb 2024
00:09:20
In this week’s quick strategy episode, I dive into a pivotal mindset shift that revolutionized my approach to leading and coaching: the concept of 'WHO not HOW.' This idea isn't just a strategy; it's a growth catalyst, steering you away from mundane tasks and towards high-impact activities like visioning, strategy, and relationship-building.
What You'll Learn:
The importance of focusing on 'WHO' instead of 'HOW' in organizational leadership.
Strategies for delegating tasks effectively to facilitate growth and reduce overwhelm.
How identifying the right people for tasks can lead to more efficient and impactful work.
Key Takeaways:
'WHO not HOW' is a powerful strategy for leaders feeling overwhelmed by tasks.
Delegating work to the right people is crucial for effective leadership and organizational growth.
Identifying the right people for tasks can lead to significant improvements in efficiency and impact.
Embracing this mindset shift can lead to more strategic and high-leverage work, such as visioning and planning.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Mastering the Flywheel: How To Create Systems That Propel Themselves
13 Feb 2024
00:18:58
In this episode, I explore the concept of the flywheel concept, a game-changer for any organization aiming for sustainable growth and impact. Developed by Jim Collins in his book “Good to Great,” this concept is about building systems that gain momentum over time, propelling your organization forward with each turn. I share my journey of understanding and implementing this powerful tool, offering concrete examples and actionable insights. Whether you’re struggling with donor retention, seeking more impactful results, or simply looking for a sustainable growth model, this episode is your guide to harnessing the true potential of the flywheel in your organization.
What Listeners Will Learn:
The foundational principles of the flywheel concept and its significance in driving sustainable growth.
Steps to construct and implement a flywheel in your organization, turning effort into enduring impact.
Strategies for reducing friction and amplifying efficiency in your processes to maintain momentum and achieve your goals.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding the Flywheel: Learn what a flywheel is and how it can stabilize and enhance your organization’s output, ensuring sustainability even amidst fluctuating inputs.
Building Momentum: Discover the importance of consistency and the compound effect of efforts in driving your flywheel, making your system increasingly efficient.
Action to Result Cycle: Recognize the cyclical nature of actions and results in a flywheel and how each segment feeds into the next, creating a self-propelling cycle of impact.
Analyzing and Refining Processes: Understand the criticality of identifying and smoothing out friction points in your processes to ensure your flywheel spins without resistance.
Testing and Implementing the Flywheel: Learn the process of testing, refining, and implementing your flywheel to maximize impact and ensure sustainable growth.
Step-by-Step Process:
Identify Your Goal: Determine the central objective around which your flywheel revolves, such as donations, program participation, or communication.
Assess Current Systems: Analyze your existing processes to ensure they align with your central goal and identify any steps that may cause friction.
Streamline Processes: Refine your processes by eliminating non-critical steps and addressing areas of friction, ensuring a smooth, circular motion for your flywheel.
Close the Loop: Ensure that the outcomes of your processes contribute to the start of a new cycle, creating a self-sustaining loop.
Test and Refine: Implement your flywheel, monitor its performance, and make adjustments as necessary to optimize efficiency and impact
Resources Mentioned:
Jim Collins’ Book “Good to Great”: This seminal work introduces the flywheel concept, showcasing its role in achieving sustainable growth and impact. Find It Here
Fund Your Strategic Vision: Get step-by-step help turning your strategic vision into actual funding. Sign Up Here
Newsletter Graphics: Visual aids to complement the podcast content, illustrating the difference between traditional processes and the flywheel approach. Subscribe Here
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Content Repurposing To Amplify Nonprofit Impact, with Becky Endicott and Jon McCoy
08 Feb 2024
00:53:19
In today's episode, I’m talking with two of my favorite people: Becky Endicott and Jon McCoy, co-founders of We Are For Good. They pull back the curtain on one of their collective superpowers: A strategy they’ve used to grow their community to tens of thousands of nonprofit leaders and practitioners, and one of the simplest and most powerful ways to amplify your organization’s impact. Content syndication.
Content syndication is the process of turning a single piece of content into a ripple effect of engagement, growth, and community building. If you're leading a small or growing nonprofit and wondering how to make your voice louder and your footprint bigger, this conversation is a gold mine of strategies, inspiration, and real-life examples. We walk through how syndication works, and how, when paired with strategic storytelling and genuine engagement, you can use it to turn your mission into a movement!
What you’ll learn:
The nuts and bolts of content syndication, and how it applies to the nonprofit sector
Innovative ways to repurpose content across different platforms without overwhelming your audience or team.
The pivotal role of authenticity and human connection in content creation and community engagement.
Key Takeaways:
Understanding Syndication: Discover how syndication is not just about spreading content but strategically placing and tailoring it to spark engagement and growth.
Impact Arc Framework: Learn how the Impact Arc Framework can guide your content strategy, ensuring every piece aligns with your mission and resonates with your audience.
The Power of Stoking: Uncover the magic of 'stoking'—engaging with your content actively to fuel discussions, deepen relationships, and build a community of advocates.
Strategic Storytelling: Embrace storytelling as your superpower, crafting narratives that connect emotionally, highlight real transformations, and stop your audience mid-scroll.
Voice Authenticity: Realize the importance of maintaining a consistent, authentic voice that reflects your mission's soul and resonates deeply with your community.
Step-by-Step Process:
Identify Core Content: Pinpoint your organization's most impactful stories, messages, or educational materials.
Adapt for Platforms: Tailor this content for various platforms, considering the format, audience preferences, and engagement styles unique to each.
Engage and Respond: Don't just post and forget. Engage with your audience, respond to comments, and stoke conversations to build a loyal community.
Monitor and Iterate: Keep an eye on how different pieces perform across platforms. Use these insights to refine your approach and content.
Resources Mentioned:
Impact Arc Framework: A strategic guide for content creation and distribution, ensuring every piece aligns with your nonprofit's goals and values.
Otter.ai: An AI-powered transcription tool mentioned by Jon McCoy, useful for extracting key points from speeches or meetings and turning them into engaging content.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
What do I do with new donors so I don't lose them?
The answer is: Learn as much about your new donors as possible so that you can communicate with them better and more intimately.
In today’s episode, I’m going to give you an easy, low-hanging fruit strategy for gathering information about your donors so that you can begin to segment and personalize your emails, donor appeals, and even events.
What Listeners Will Learn:
How to personalize communications for more impactful donor engagement.
Effective techniques for segmenting your email list based on donor interests.
Practical strategies for optimizing your email content and strategy.
Key Takeaways:
Personalization is key: Tailoring your communication to resonate with donors' specific interests increases engagement.
Importance of segmentation: Categorizing donors based on their interactions and interests helps in sending targeted messages.
Utilizing email analytics: Analyzing email open rates, click-through rates, and content engagement can guide your email strategy.
Resource Optimization: Efficient use of email analytics maximizes impact without significant costs.
Types of emails to send: Welcome series, newsletters, educational content, event invitations, and fundraising appeals tailored to donor interests.
Step-by-Step Process:
Choose an Email Service Provider: Ensure it supports link tracking, tagging, and segmentation (e.g., ConvertKit, Mailchimp).
Incorporate Various Links in Emails: Include links to educational resources, multimedia content, event registrations, donation pages, and volunteer opportunities.
Send Diverse Email Types: Use welcome series, newsletters, educational emails, event invitations, and fundraising appeals to engage donors.
Analyze Engagement Data: Track open rates, click-through rates, and which links are most engaged with to understand donor preferences.
Conduct A/B Testing: Send two versions of the same email with one element changed to test what works best.
Resources Mentioned:
FYSV Online Course by Rhea Wong: An online course offering insights on donor surveys and communication. Details Here
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Build Teams That Are Greater Than The Sum Of Their Parts, A Replay Tribute To Darcy Richie
30 Jan 2024
00:42:32
Today I’m doing a special rerun of one of my most downloaded and shared episodes, as a tribute to my sister, Darcy Richie.
This tribute show is airing on January 30th and Darcy would have been 42 years old today.
I think honoring her work - of which she was so proud - is just one way that I can celebrate her today.
This episode is a celebration of three things that Darcy was so very good at:
>> Managing people in ways that helped them step into the best version of themselves, in whatever role they were in; >> Listening and hearing both what people were saying and what they meant to convey; and >> Building organizational teams that allowed people not just to work across difference, but to transcend it, so that their work together was greater than the sum of their individual parts.
If you’ve heard this episode already, I recommend listening again. If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. It’s a fantastic conversation between me and my thoughtful and talented sister.
Enjoy.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Launch An Organization That Will Last, with Jack Graham
25 Jan 2024
01:08:06
Whether you're an aspiring changemaker or an established leader in the social sector, the essential rules of strategic and sustainable growth don’t change - that’s what we’ll be exploring today.
In this episode, I have the pleasure of chatting with Jack Graham, a UK-born, Brooklyn-based queer social change strategist and writer. Jack's journey from founding Year Here, a fellowship for aspiring social entrepreneurs, to consulting for nonprofit clients in the U.S., is both inspiring and educational.
In this episode, Jack shares his experiences, offering valuable insights into the world of social entrepreneurship. We break down the essential rules of growth and delve into the practicalities and philosophies of both starting and sustaining social impact ventures.
What You Will Learn:
In-depth Understanding: The power of deeply understanding social issues cannot be overstated. This knowledge is crucial in developing effective solutions.
Balancing Impact and Sustainability: Successful social enterprises strike a balance between creating social impact and ensuring financial sustainability.
Learning Through Experience: Real-world experiences offer richer learning opportunities compared to theoretical knowledge.
Simplifying Business Models: A complex business model isn't always better. Simplification can lead to more focused and effective outcomes.
Collective Action: The future of social change lies in collective efforts and movements rather than isolated ventures.
Your Start-Up Roadmap: A Step-by-Step Process
Frontline Placement: Start by gaining real-world experience with the problem or issue that you’re working on. Gain both a frontline and a systemic understanding of the problem.
Consulting & Service: Integrate your personal insights and expertise into what you’re learning about the problem.
Lab Test: Develop and test solutions fueled by insights from your frontline experience.
Incubate: Secure network and funding support for the development of long-term solutions based on what you’ve learned
Your Start-Up Toolkit: Resources Mentioned
Year Here: A fellowship program for social entrepreneurs. Learn more here.
Giving Tuesday: A global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities. More info here.
Quotes from Jack Graham:
"Social change happens with people not to them, for them, or at them. It's about being a friend and a partner to people living through tough realities."
"There's no growth or learning without the prospect of real failure. Learning in the real world is so much richer than in a lecture hall."
"The solution part will flow much easier the more you invest in really deeply understanding your problem."
"Social enterprise and social entrepreneurship are explicitly modeled on commercial entrepreneurship, but we don't even copy and paste that well."
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
A Simple Strategy For Keeping Your Board Focused & Engaged
23 Jan 2024
00:21:00
Now that you’ve had your board retreat, and set your goals to grow your board or expand your gala, it’s time to think about implementation. So now the challenge is this: How exactly do you keep your board motivated in the new year?
In this episode, I’m going to talk about the purpose, power, and anatomy of a good board agreement, and about how it will help you be intentional about shaping your work with your board.
What You’ll Learn:
The importance of clarity and personalized commitments in enhancing board engagement.
How to craft effective board agreements that align with your nonprofit's goals and values.
Strategies for maintaining and updating board agreements to reflect organizational growth.
Key Takeaways:
Board Engagement is Key: Consistent engagement is often hindered by a lack of clarity.
The Power of Board Agreements: A personalized document that sets clear expectations for each board member.
Personalization Fosters Accountability: Board agreements allow members to commit based on their capacity, enhancing accountability.
Organizational Structure: These agreements form the backbone of governance and set the tone for the organization.
Clarity Equals Empowerment: Clear roles and expectations empower board members to contribute effectively.
Step-by-Step Process:
Annual Signing: Have board members fill out and sign the agreement every year.
Personalized Check-ins: Conduct annual or midyear meetings to discuss individual roles and commitments.
Regular Review: Ensure the agreement stays current with the organization's evolving needs.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Nonprofit Sector Leaders Share Their Predictions for 2024
16 Jan 2024
00:13:01
While some people may think that predictions about the state of the world are somewhere between hubris and a distraction, I don’t agree at all. I think that when offered thoughtfully and rooted in real insight, the information can give us more arrows in our impact quill.
There are people who know a lot about what they do — they have concrete, meaningful insight into what is happening in their corner of the world, and we are only made stronger and more powerful in our own purpose when they graciously leverage that expertise and insight with information about what to look out for, what to prepare for, where to expend energy, and what we can afford to ignore.
These 8 sector leaders leverage their expertise and insights to share their predictions for the shape of social impact work in 2024...
So grab a notebook and a pen - these predictions are juicy!
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Use Thought Leadership For Nonprofit Growth, with Tania Bhattacharyya
11 Jan 2024
00:49:24
Do you want to learn how to share your insights, stories, and impact in a way that connects with the right people and brings new supporters into your world consistently and effortlessly?
In this inspiring and brass-tacks episode, I talk with Tania Bhattacharyya, founder of Lumos Marketing, about the power of thought leadership as a driver of organizational growth and impact.
Lumos Marketing is a thought leadership consultancy for social impact leaders ready to stand out as they stand up for their mission. Tania offers personal brand messaging strategy for LinkedIn along with coaching to dismantle imposter thoughts. She also hosts the podcast The Campfire Circle, which explores replacing the ‘boardroom table’ as the ultimate leadership space with a campfire circle: a place to share our stories, build inclusive community, and spark visionary ideas.
Tania is a deeply knowledgeable leader in the world of personal brand messaging and has been reshaping how we understand both the WHY and the HOW of thought leadership. In our conversation, we break down the essentials of effective thought leadership and map out exactly how leaders can leverage their passion, experience, and credibility to cultivate a vibrant community and drive impactful change.
What You’ll Learn:
How to use personal stories and experiences to inspire change and build an influential platform.
Why starting thought leadership efforts early in an organization’s journey can fuel sustainable growth.
Strategies for leveraging LinkedIn for nonprofit growth and networking.
Practical tips for initiating and sustaining impactful thought leadership in your ecosystem.
Why consistency in messaging and engagement is more important than frequency in building a strong online presence.
Your Thought Leadership Roadmap: A Step-By-Step Approach
Identify your vision and why for thought leadership.
Research and understand your audience – where they gather and what resonates with them.
Focus on one main idea or story to gain recognition and slowly expand your narrative.
Utilize LinkedIn to connect with potential supporters, volunteers, and board members.
Engage consistently with your audience through storytelling and meaningful content.
Your Thought Leadership Toolkit: Resources Mentioned
Lumos Marketing: Tania’s consultancy specializing in personal brand messaging and coaching for social impact leaders. Visit Website
The Campfire Circle Podcast: Hosted by Tania, this podcast explores leadership and community building. Listen Here
LinkedIn: A platform for professional networking and thought leadership. Visit LinkedIn
Atomic Habits: A book by James Clear about making small changes for significant impacts. Find the Book
Benevon Model: A fundraising approach integrating storytelling techniques. Learn More
Quotes from Tania:
"We define thought leadership as a consistent practice of using our passion, lived experience, and credibility as fuel to build trust and community as we imagine and shape the future together for the better."
"Storytelling is the only evidence-based approach to breaking down stigma. You can't argue with someone's lived experience."
"Your nonprofit's work, as amazing as it is, does not speak for itself. You have to speak up for your work and it's a disservice to your work if you're not showing up and sharing about it."
"The real goal of thought leadership is our ability to take a relationship on LinkedIn offline and nurture them into who
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
W is for Waiting Too Long: Today's Urgency Started As Yesterday's Unaddressed Problem
01 Sep 2025
00:02:46
If a problem feels urgent today, it started months ago.
🧭 Today’s belief shift: Waiting has a cost curve—and the interest compounds. Courage early is cheaper than heroics later.
Delay narrows options, burns trust, and raises the final price you’ll pay—in time, money, or morale.
Today’s leadership prompt is simple: What’s the one decision you’ll move using 24–7–1? (Define in 24 hours, decide within 7 days, take the first step within 1 day.)
Use code STRONG26 to get 26% off during this series.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
How You’ll Grow By Tuning Into the Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast
09 Jan 2024
00:14:04
Just as every organization I work with has a mission and theory of change - a belief about how best to bring about the change in the world that they want to see - so does this show!
I organize this show around a set of core pillars that I believe are critical to your organization having the kind of impact that will change our world. And so I wanted to pull back the curtain on what those are, and share what you can expect from this show as we head into 2024 and where your organization will improve by tuning in.
In this episode, I’ll share our 3 Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast pillars, reveal a little bit about our upcoming episodes, point you in the direction of some past episodes to help you dive into our three key areas of focus, and share some of the things I’m excited about and working on behind the scenes to help you grow your organization and impact this year.
You’ll Learn
Strategies for Organizational Growth: Understand the importance of strategic planning in expanding your nonprofit's impact.
The Art & Science of Leverage: Learn how to maximize your efforts for greater impact with minimal resources.
Sustainability in Nonprofit Leadership: Discover ways to sustain both your organization and personal well-being for long-term success.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Turn Your Goals Into A Powerful Nonprofit Growth Plan
02 Jan 2024
00:17:15
Hello and welcome to 2024! I'm still wrapping my head around how fast time flies. As we step into this new year, fresh from our reflective period, I'm excited to dive into leveraging this new year energy. In today's episode, I'll walk you through a 3-part framework to help you and your team focus on what truly matters, avoiding the chaos that often comes by March. This isn’t about adding more to your plate; it's about organizing and moving forward with intention. We'll explore how to use a simple paper-based tool to align our actions with our goals. From understanding our starting point to pinpointing our desired end state and identifying high-leverage actions, this framework is designed to keep us grounded and focused amidst the whirlwind of new challenges and opportunities. Let's embark on this journey to ensure our 2024 is not just busy, but impactful and fulfilling.
3 Bullet Points:
Learn how to effectively leverage your current resources and identify gaps for growth in 2024.
Discover the importance of setting clear, impactful goals and how to maintain focus on them throughout the year.
Understand the significance of high-leverage actions to maximize your efforts and achieve outsized returns.
Five Key Takeaways:
Baseline Assessment: Start by understanding where you are, including your strengths (SWOT analysis) and resources.
Goal Clarity: Clearly define where you want to end up, focusing on impact and organizational goals.
High-Leverage Actions: Prioritize actions that offer the greatest returns, aligning them with your goals.
Focus and Intentionality: Maintain clarity and avoid overwhelm by continuously aligning actions with goals.
Leveraging Tools and Networks: Utilize platforms like LinkedIn and community engagement for expansive growth.
Step-by-Step Process:
Baseline Assessment:
Conduct or reflect on your SWOT analysis.
List your current resources (money, people, skills).
Identify and record key gaps and challenges.
Setting Goals:
Define your end state for success.
Record impact and organizational goals, like fundraising targets.
Identifying High-Leverage Actions:
Choose strategies that yield the best returns.
Prioritize actions like partnerships and community engagement.
Resources Mentioned:
SWOT Analysis Tools: Tools for conducting SWOT analyses, helping you understand your current position.
LinkedIn: A networking platform to expand your professional network and reach.
Podcast Episodes (September 27, 2022 & January 10, 2023): In-depth discussions on leveraging actions for growth.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
This week's quick strategy episode is a special one for me! I'm doing something a little different: I'm sharing the insights and experiences of 4 of the incredible leaders inside my Next Level Nonprofit program!
Each of these leaders was invited to share their insights into a practice or tactic that had a positive impact on their organization over the past year. They shared insights into everything from storytelling to mindset shifts, and in sharing, remind us to pause and take a moment to note what works in our own lives and organizations.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
In this episode, I delve into a concept that's especially relevant for nonprofit leaders, and especially these days: the relationship between hope and gratitude.
What You'll Learn:
Understanding the deep connection between hope and gratitude.
Techniques for developing a consistent gratitude practice.
The impact of gratitude on our perception and experience of life.
Key Takeaways:
Hope is an anticipation of goodness, essential for overcoming life's challenges.
Gratitude is not just seasonal; it's a fundamental practice with profound impacts.
A gratitude practice trains our attention and influences our desires, feelings, and beliefs.
Consistency in gratitude practice is more crucial than the method (journaling, gratitude jar).
Incorporating gratitude into daily routines can significantly enhance our life perspective.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
In this episode we delve into a transformative strategy for recognizing and leveraging moments of joy and success in your professional life.
I share a heartening story from a leader in my Mastermind community, highlighting the profound impact of acknowledging and celebrating these moments.
Discover how simple practices, like maintaining a collection of positive feedback, can significantly bolster your resilience and motivation, especially during challenging times.
Key Learning Points
The importance of recognizing and recording moments of success and joy in your professional journey.
Practical tips for maintaining a positive mindset, even in the face of challenges.
Strategies to use positive feedback as a tool for motivation and growth.
Key Takeaways
Acknowledging moments of flow and success is crucial in leadership and personal growth.
Recording positive feedback can provide motivation and resilience during tough times.
These positive reminders serve as a counterbalance to our brain's natural tendency to focus on negatives.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Fighting Overwhlem & Growing Impact: Behind the scenes of My Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind
31 Oct 2023
00:21:30
In this relatable and insightful episode of "Nonprofit Mastermind," Brooke shares two personal stories about her leadership journey, focusing on the theme of 'failing forward.' She opens up about her experiences, discussing the vital lessons learned from moments of failure and how these moments can be powerful catalysts for growth and change. This episode is not just about sharing strategies that work, but it's about the raw, honest path of leadership - the mistakes, the missteps, and how they forge stronger, more effective leaders and organizations.
What Listeners Will Learn:
The Power of Failing Forward: Understand how mistakes can lead to significant growth and improved strategies.
Effective Leadership Development: Insights into evolving as a leader by recognizing and learning from failures.
Building Stronger Organizations: How embracing failure can lead to organizational growth and more impactful results.
Key Takeaways:
Embracing Vulnerability: The importance of acknowledging and learning from failures as a leader.
Strategic Adaptation: Adapting strategies based on experiences, including failures, to foster organizational growth.
Board Engagement: Lessons on effective board development and engagement strategies.
Mindset Shifts: The balance between optimism, pragmatism, and the willingness to fail.
Continuous Learning: The ongoing process of learning, both personally and organizationally, from challenges and failures.
Step-by-Step Process:
Recognize Failure: Acknowledge when things don't go as planned and assess the situation.
Learn from the Experience: Analyze what went wrong and identify the key lessons.
Adapt Strategies: Use insights from failures to modify and improve strategies.
Implement Changes: Apply the lessons learned to future plans and activities.
Review and Reflect: Continuously evaluate and learn from both successes and failures.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Plan Your Year of Board Engagement in Less Than A Day
24 Oct 2023
00:24:06
Feeling overwhelmed about keeping your nonprofit board engaged throughout the year? In this episode of Nonprofit Mastermind, Brooke shares the secret of how to plan your board's engagement activities for the whole year— in less than a day! You'll discover how this simple yet robust framework enables you to map out key engagement points like meetings, check-ins, and inspiration moments, saving you tons of decision fatigue.
What You'll Learn:
The importance of intentionality in nonprofit board engagement.
How to map out your entire year of board activities with ease.
Ways to maintain consistent and meaningful engagement with your board.
Key Takeaways:
Be intentional in your planning to align your activities with the end goal.
Four types of engagement—meetings, updates, check-ins, and inspiration—are crucial to a balanced board relationship.
Mapping out a standard cadence for engagement touchpoints sets the structure.
Pre-think content for each quarter based on key themes to maintain continuity.
Decision fatigue can be avoided by scheduling and planning in advance.
Brooke walks through a step-by-step process:
1. Set Cadence: Choose a standard cadence for four types of engagement: board meetings, updates, check-ins, and inspiration. 2. Calendar It: Place each type of engagement on the calendar, starting with the most fixed ones like meetings. 3. Set Themes: Decide on a key theme for each quarter (e.g., board health, forward movement). 4. Pre-Plan Content: Fill in the content for various touchpoints based on your key themes and goals. 5. Implementation: Add specific dates and mark them on your calendar.
Quote: "When we're intentional about our actions, we move forward with less confusion and fewer distractions."
Resources Mentioned:
Board Engagement Strategy Bundle: A comprehensive toolkit that includes worksheets, model calendars, and board agendas to plan your engagement strategy. https://www.brookerichiebabbage.com/boardengagementbundle
Podcast Playlist: Curated list of episodes focusing on board engagement, including topics like engaging meetings and board dashboards. https://www.brookerichiebabbage.com/boardengagementplaylist
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Nonprofit Start Ups Demystified: A Preview of A New Private Podcast
18 Oct 2023
00:13:44
This week, I'm previewing a snippet from the private Q&A style coaching podcast inside my new program for nonprofit founders: Nonprofit StartUps Demystified.
My goal is to help demystify the seemingly chaotic process of starting a new nonprofit by responding every week directly to questions and challenges on the private podcast inside the membership. Members also get a weekly start-up toolkit focused on strategy, fundraising, board and staff, and program and impact.
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Confessions from the Car: Reflections on our Mastermind
03 Oct 2023
00:32:22
This week, I'm doing something special and a little different.
I'm sharing an episode from the Confessions podcast, hosted by my dear friends Cindy Wagman and Jess Campbell. I'm bringing it here, to my listeners, because it was a special episode -- me and the incredible women in my mastermind open up and share a behind-the-scenes look at the power and impact of our mastermind in our lives and on our businesses. I've been open on this podcast and in my writing about how powerful I believe masterminds to be, so I thought it could be awesome to share a real-life example!
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Audit Your Strategic Plan To Prepare For Annual Planning
26 Sep 2023
00:31:52
Use this time of the year to do an audit of your long-term plan so that it can be a powerful tool in your annual planning.
For all the passionate nonprofit leaders out there, I cannot stress enough the importance of strategic clarity. In my experience, it's not the lack of effort or passion that derails organizations but the lack of a clear vision and set priorities. As we move into planning for 2024, take the time to revisit, refine, and refocus. Your organization, your team, and the community you serve will all benefit from this clarity.
That’s why, in this episode, as we approach the end of the year, I do a deep dive into the heart of effective annual planning: Your long-term strategic plan. Whether you’re an organization with a 5-year plan or a 3-year plan, your long term plan is your compass for developing a powerful annual plan.
You’ll learn:
How your strategic plan is not just a document; it’s your guiding star, helping you determine where to channel your energy, time, and resources.
The key attributes of an effective strategic vision statement.
Why focusing on 3-5 strategic areas can drive better results than spreading your efforts thin.
How to make sure your goals can guide your planning, using three parts of the SMART framework.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
V is for Vision Lock: North Star Sets Direction + Vision Locks It In
01 Sep 2025
00:04:11
If shiny opportunities keep diluting your plan, your vision needs a lock.
🧭 Today’s belief shift: Vision isn’t just direction; it’s a boundary. It protects the North Star you set in Episode N.
Every “yes” spends from a finite account: focus, energy, trust. Choose on purpose.
Today’s leadership prompt is simple: For the next request you receive, which answer do these filters produce?
Does it advance our 90-day North Star?
Is it truly ours to own?
Do we have capacity without stealing from higher-leverage commitments?
Use code STRONG26 to get 26% off during this series.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
The Art & Science Of Delegation On Your Growing Nonprofit Team
19 Sep 2023
00:22:20
We’ve all heard that delegation is key to effective leadership. But how many of us really nail it? In this episode, Brooke dissects the intricacies of delegation, not just as a task, but as an art. She goes beyond just talking about handing over responsibilities, diving deep into the layers, the thought processes, the challenges, and ultimately, the growth both for leaders and their teams that comes from mastering the art and science of delegation.
If you've ever felt overwhelmed with tasks or if you've struggled to empower your team fully, this is the episode for you.
Key Takeaways:
Delegation is More Than Just Handing Over Tasks: It's about trust, alignment, and growth.
Five Levels of Delegation: Understand them from 'Direct & Do' to 'Act with Autonomy.'
The Mismatch Challenge: How incongruence in delegation can bottleneck efficiency.
Customizing the Delegation Ladder: Tailoring it according to roles for maximum effectiveness.
Standardization is Key: Create a common language around delegation for smoother operations.
Harnessing Tools: Resources like the HR Bundle can revolutionize your delegation game.
Knowing When to Climb: Recognizing when it's time to move to the next delegation level.
The Power of Trust: Autonomy doesn't just empower teams, it also frees up leaders.
The Importance of Reflection: Regularly revisiting delegation strategies ensures growth and alignment.
Some Key Quotes
"Delegation is not just about handing over; it's about leveling up."
"Mismatch in delegation levels can create bottlenecks."
"Being deliberate about naming the nature and scope of delegation upfront means less friction and more ease."
"Every time someone moves up the ladder inside your organization, you shouldn't have to revisit questions of power, authority, and autonomy."
"Delegation is as much about trust as it is about efficiency."
Brooke’s Advice:
In my years of leading teams, one truth stands out - delegation is a dance. It's about balance. It's never merely about offloading tasks; it's a deliberate act of empowering another. Understand each team member, know where they stand on the delegation ladder, and guide them as they climb. Remember, your team's growth is your growth.
FAQ:
What's the primary purpose of the delegation ladder?
It helps in understanding, expectations, and alignment when delegating tasks.
Is it necessary to move through all the levels of the delegation ladder?
No, but understanding each level ensures effective delegation tailored to individual team members.
What's the challenge with mismatched delegation levels?
It can hinder efficiency, morale, and lead to bottlenecks.
Why is standardization important in delegation?
It ensures smoother operations, reduces friction, and provides a clear understanding amongst team members.
How can I improve my delegation skills?
Reflect on your delegation strategy, use tools like the HR Bundle, and ensure regular communication with your team.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
The 3 Core Organizational Plans That Will Help You Fight Your Overwhelm
12 Sep 2023
00:28:06
In this episode, I tackle the all-too-common feeling of overwhelm that comes with leading a small nonprofit. I share a concrete 3-part framework to bring clarity to your decision-making and foster long-term sustainability.
You’ll learn:
How alignment between three core organizational plans can lay the foundation for sustainable growth.
How a well-crafted - and condensed - strategic plan serves as the roadmap for everything in your organization, and
The role of your budget as a storytelling, fundraising, and hiring tool
How an aligned fundraising strategy, built on your strategic and financial plans, can streamline your efforts and increase your nonprofit's capacity for impact
Other Resources Mentioned
Aligned Anchors Strategy Bundle: A curated package of trainings and templates that will walk you through each step of the alignment process.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
In today's episode, I explore one of the most difficult yet critical skills that every leader needs to master: the ability to say "no." While it might seem simple on the surface, saying no is an intricate art that can significantly impact your organization's strategy, efficiency, and relationships. Whether it's juggling multiple programs or being swamped with endless meetings, learn why not being able to say no is costing you more than you think.
Key Themes:
The Consequences of Saying 'Yes' Too Often: What happens when your strategic plan looks like a laundry list? Or when your calendar leaves no room for high-leverage work?
Real-world Examples: Learn from a case study where saying no was a critical pivot point for an organization's alignment with its strategic objectives.
The Importance of Priorities: Discover how setting clear priorities can help you say no to less important tasks without feeling remorse or losing out on opportunities.
The Five Crucial Questions: Unveil a simple yet effective framework to help you get clear about what truly matters in any decision-making process.
What You'll Learn:
Why your inability to say no could be derailing your organization's strategic goals.
How saying no doesn’t mean you're shutting doors but could be opening new ones.
The secret technique to choosing between several good options without spreading yourself too thin.
How to approach any decision-making scenario with a clear framework of questions designed to help you focus on what truly matters.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: The Myth of Organizational Sustainability, with Vu Le
31 Aug 2023
00:17:26
I can't think of a better way to wrap up our August Sharpening Your Ax Series than with this powerful and thought-provoking conversation with Vu Le.
I originally sat down to talk with Vu, writer, speaker, former ED of RVC on the West Coast, and author of fantastic Nonprofit AF, to talk about what sustainability in our sector actually means and looks like.
The conversation, and his insights, are as relevant now as then.
Enjoy!
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: Focus on Growth: Be Intentional About Your Structure, Systems & Culture
30 Aug 2023
00:38:01
Every organization is made up of the same core building blocks. Focused, sustainable growth means making intentional choices about these building blocks.
This audio training will walk through how to design your organization's building blocks - its structure, culture & processes - to position your org for growth.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: Focus On Growth: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
29 Aug 2023
00:47:21
In order to grow without overwhelm, you need to focus on the right things at the right time: You need to know your stage of growth.
This audio training will walk through how to know what growth stage your organization is in, and how to use that information to zero in on the right goals and strategies.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: The Art & Science of Building & Leading Teams Fueled By Trust, with Darcy Richie
24 Aug 2023
00:42:54
This episode is very very special to me. It is a tribute to my sister, Darcy Richie, who passed away at the age of 40 in 2021.
Darcy Richie was the Chief Program and Impact Officer at Generation Citizen. Last Spring, I invited her to join me to talk about two of her many superpowers: the how and why of communication and team-building.
I called Darcy the communication whisperer. She was one of those people who can be in any situation, with any group of people, and find her way to the heart of what they are trying to communicate. She had a unique way of making people feel truly seen and heard - which is really what communication is all about. Most critically for her work, she was able to help others do that for one another.
Darcy spent her career building and sustaining high-impact teams, starting when she was the founding principal of a charter school at the age of 25. She built and managed national teams, and remote teams; Small intimate teams and sprawling layered teams… At the root of it, she was simply excellent at communicating, and at helping build the capacity of those around her to do so effectively as well.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: 6-Minute Strategy: SOPs
23 Aug 2023
00:06:33
This 6-minute strategy episode walks through one of the most powerful secrets for keeping your team aligned and moving in the same direction: standard operating procedures.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: 6-Minute Strategy: Hiring Tactics
22 Aug 2023
00:06:13
This 6-minute strategy episode will walk through how to approach hiring to make sure that you’re recruiting and building the right team for your organization’s needs
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Fundraising Ax: How To Get Your Finance House In Order, with Germeen Guillaume
17 Aug 2023
00:42:31
Let’s face it - numbers can be scary. As nonprofit leaders, how often do you hear how important it is to “know your numbers”? But most of you didn’t get into the nonprofit leadership game with a background in accounting. So instead, you make sure you have a bookkeeper, make sure your books get closed and you track your spending, and MAYBE you get monthly financial reports to review. But you’re secretly faking it until you make it -- you don’t really know what it means to build a strong financial infrastructure - who to hire, what to talk to them about, and how to use your finances as a strategic decision-making tool.
Enter Germeen. She’s taken her expertise and passion for accounting and merged it with her passion for social impact organizations and the result is both an incredible company - Virtual Accounting Group (which you’ll hear about) - and a great conversation today.
Germeen talks with us about how to know when to move beyond the bookkeeper, how (and who) to think about hiring, the often unrecognized relationship between fundraising and financial infrastructure - she breaks it all down!
So grab a notebook and pen and settle in with your beverage of choice and enjoy!
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
U is for Urgency: Urgency is not the same as Importance
01 Sep 2025
00:03:08
If your most important work keeps getting bumped to “tomorrow,” you’re in an urgency loop.
🧭 Today’s belief shift: Urgency is addictive; importance is strategic. Important work only ships by design.
Pre-committing time and guardrails beats inbox roulette—every time.
Today’s leadership prompt is simple: What 90-minute morning block will you protect daily this week—and what reactivity rules will you set to keep it sacred?
Use code STRONG26 to get 26% off during this series.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: Focus on Growth: True Cost Growth Budgeting
16 Aug 2023
00:26:02
Whatever your vision for growth and increased impact, there are costs associated with it. This training will walk through how to think about your budget not just as a financial document, but as a storytelling tool to actually help you grow.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: 6-Minute Strategy Finance Metrics
15 Aug 2023
00:06:01
In this audio version of my 6-minute strategy training gets super concrete. You’ll learn the key metrics you should be tracking and measuring to help you keep your finger on the pulse of your organization’s financial health.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!
Sharpening Your Ax Summer Series: Understanding & Practicing Liberatory Governance, with Natalie Bamdad and Ananda Valenzuela
10 Aug 2023
00:53:34
In this episode, I’m talking about an important - and top-of-mind - question for so many people: The what, why, and how of Liberatory Governance. I got to have a thoroughly enjoyable and meaty conversation with Natalie Bamdad and Ananda Valenzuela, of Change Elemental, an organization that partners across sectors to disrupt and transform systems of inequity and create powerful vehicles for justice.
We talk about how to think about and understand the true meaning of governance, how to apply liberatory governance practices to YOUR organization, and the actual process that Change Elemental used to experiment with and craft to build their governance team.
Want to work together?
Apply for the Next Level Nonprofit Mastermind, a high-touch coaching and training accelerator for established organizations with $1M+ budgets that are ready to design for impact sustained at scale.
Budget under $1M? Join Elevate and get proven step-by-step playbooks + coaching support to build each of the core elements of your nonprofit's operating system - strategic clarity, a fundraising engine, a high-performance team, and an active and engaged board!