Nonprofits Now: Leading Today – Details, episodes & analysis

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Nonprofits Now: Leading Today

The Chronicle of Philanthropy

Business

Frequency: 1 episode/10d. Total Eps: 19

Nonprofit leaders are overworked, struggling to retain top talent, and facing budgetary shortfalls. In Nonprofits Now: Leading Today, host Stacy Palmer interviews innovative leaders who have developed smart solutions to common, tough challenges. The podcast series springs from an exclusive Chronicle of Philanthropy survey that uncovered troubling pain points in leadership and a looming threat of leadership turnover. Nonprofits Now: Leading Today offers actionable strategies to address the most urgent challenges leaders face. Palmer and her guests explore proven ways to prevent burnout, manage intergenerational workplaces, hire strong senior teams, and much more. Starting April 15, tune in and turn the tide at your nonprofit.

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

🇺🇸 USA - nonProfit
18/08/2026
#86
🇨🇦 Canada - nonProfit
17/08/2026
#77
🇺🇸 USA - nonProfit
17/08/2026
#40
🇨🇦 Canada - nonProfit
16/08/2026
#69
🇨🇦 Canada - nonProfit
15/08/2026
#61
🇨🇦 Canada - nonProfit
14/08/2026
#47
🇨🇦 Canada - nonProfit
13/08/2026
#31
🇨🇦 Canada - nonProfit
12/08/2026
#24
🇺🇸 USA - nonProfit
11/08/2026
#87
🇺🇸 USA - nonProfit
07/08/2026
#98

Spotify

No recent rankings available

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/reidhoffman/
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriefoxpr/
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https://youtu.be/StKzFQR4ob4
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW4KcDyDC5E.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58WhjVvKzbA.
1 share

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RSS feed quality

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Score global : 58%

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How to Make Headway in a Polarized World

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 • Duration 31:07

Tim Dixon, co-founder of More in Common, joins Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer to offer research-based strategies leaders can use to bridge divides in the workplace and in their communities. More in Common helps political leaders and social-change movements strengthen their coalitions by including unlikely allies.

Bridging divides is top-of-mind for nonprofit leaders today. Nearly two-thirds of nonprofit executives say the nation’s divisions are making their jobs tougher, according to an exclusive Chronicle of Philanthropy survey.

Dixon shared solutions to overcome entrenched division. Among his key points:

Coalitions of unlikely partners are a key to success.
Leaders must manage divides within their organization — not ignore them.
Focus on shared values to build consensus.

You can connect with Dixon on LinkedIn and follow him @dixontim on X. And dig into More in Common’s research here.

Further Reading:

“Born of Political Violence, This Group Helps Nonprofit Causes Find ‘Surprising’ Allies” by Drew Lindsay

“A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable” by Ben Gose

“To Hell and Back: Polarization and the Nonprofit” by Ben Gose

“A Polarization Expert on What Nonprofits Need to Do — And Stop Doing” by Chronicle Staff

“‘It’s Hard to Hate Up Close’: Philanthropy, Polarization, and the Art of Conversation” by Eden Stiffman

“Leadership at the Crossroads” by George Anders

We welcome your thoughts on how the Chronicle can better help you bridge divides at your nonprofits. Write us at connect@philanthropy.com.

You can find a video version of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW4KcDyDC5E.

Nonprofits Now: Leading Today is hosted by Stacy Palmer. It’s produced by Emily Haynes at the Chronicle of Philanthropy and from Reasonable Volume, Mary Dooe is the producer, Mark Bush is our engineer, and Rachel Swaby and Elise Hu are executive producers. Additional support comes from Margie Fleming Glennon, Andrew Simon, Nick Adams, Krista Niles, Amaya Beltrán, and Kyle Johnson.

Explore more of our reporting and interviews on navigating society’s divides at philanthropy.com/commons. For the latest philanthropy news and analysis, subscribe to the Chronicle at philanthropy.com/subscribe.

Further Reading:

“A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable” by Ben Gose

Lessons in Leadership From Women of Color

Season 1 · Episode 3

Tuesday, May 6, 2025 • Duration 31:08

As nonprofit leaders grapple with increasingly dire threats to their funding and missions, it’s more important than ever to understand what it takes to lead resilient organizations.

For a look at what skills are most important, we hear from Vanessa Priya Daniel, who interviewed 45 social-justice leaders for her new book, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning.

Daniel combines her extensive research for the book with her own experiences as an organizer and founder of Groundswell Fund and Groundswell Action Fund — which together have distributed more than $100 million to over 200 organizations led by women of color and transgender people.

In a conversation with Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer, Daniel says her interviews led her to identify three all successful change agents possessed:

Bold ideas. Incremental solutions don’t add up to enough to solve the tremendous challenges of today and tomorrow.
Generosity. Daniel says an “ethos of rising by lifting others” is what makes the women she interviewed successful.
360-degree vision. There’s never just one cause of a problem that’s complex and worth solving.

Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn.

Further Reading:

"Open Your Tent for Supporters Wide, Says Leader of Progressive Group" by Nicole Wallace
"Opinion: White Philanthropy, Here's How to Guarantee Real Change Happens" by Edgar Villanueva and Vanessa Daniel

Smart Solutions to Hire and Retain Top Talent

Season 1 · Episode 4

Tuesday, May 13, 2025 • Duration 31:20

With the prospect of an economic downturn looming ― and the number of nonprofit layoffs on the rise ― many leaders are coping with a jittery workforce and new pressures to keep staff members motivated.

These new developments come on top of one of the most challenging staff recruitment landscapes in recent memory, after the Covid pandemic changed how and where work gets done.

In search of solutions, Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer talked to two leaders who have found ways to attract and retain outstanding employees.

Jordan Shenker is CEO of the Peninsula Jewish Community Center, in Foster City, California, and Keena Friday is COO of the Association of Infant Mental Health in Tennessee.

Among their suggestions:

Don’t rush to fill open positions.
Salary isn’t the only lure.
Remote work options matter.
As the economy and federal policy shift, communicate what you know as often as possible.

Connect with Friday and Shenker on LinkedIn.

Further Reading:

“6 Ways Nonprofit Leaders Can Boost Morale in Chaotic Time” by Rasheeda Childress
“How to Lead Well in Uncertain Times” by Lisa Schohl
“For Nonprofits, Remote Work Offers a Competitive Edge” by Eden Stiffman
“How to Attract Employees — Simple Strategies Work Better Than New Benefits” by Ben Gose

Leading Amid Economic Uncertainty

Season 1 · Episode 5

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 • Duration 34:42

Nonprofits are facing a series of financial hits — or bracing for them. Federal spending cuts have already forced many organizations to trim programs and lay off workers — and with policymakers considering more far-reaching reductions, additional austerity is likely. Meanwhile, the growing possibility of a recession could spell trouble for nonprofits that depend on foundations, corporations, and individuals for support.

To help organizations navigate this period, Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer turned to two leaders.

Aisha Benson, head of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, offers advice based on nearly three decades working with organizations on a broad range of fiscal matters. Myal Greene leads World Relief, which provides humanitarian aid around the world — and runs refugee resettlement programs in the United States. It relies on support from the federal government as well as private donors, and faced nearly immediate cuts when President Trump took office in January.

Among Benson and Greene’s recommendations:

Do a cash flow analysis and prepare for different scenarios.
Reach out to grant makers and other donors.
Advocacy matters.
Get legal advice and watch for misinformation.
The past is not a perfect guided for today’s challenges.

Connect with Benson and Greene on LinkedIn.

Further resources:

"Facing Federal Defunding, Nonprofits Draft Best and Worst Case Budgets" by Eden Stiffman
"" By Lisa Schohl

Navigating Leadership Challenges

Season 1 · Episode 8

Tuesday, June 17, 2025 • Duration 30:38

As leaders at every nonprofit — no matter the size or cause — grapple with challenges to their missions and finances, it’s especially important to tap into the wisdom of executives who have helped their organizations weather previous threats.

Barron Segar is one of those leaders. He took over as head of World Food Program USA just a few months before Covid ripped across the globe.

Before that, he worked as executive vice president and chief development officer at Unicef USA, and he is a founding executive board member of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, serving more than 30 years on the National Board of Directors.

Segar walked host Stacy Palmer through the ways he is persevering through current leadership challenges. He discussed how he is talking to his staff and leaders about preparing contingency plans in case funding gets tight; how he decided to call staff back to the office a few days a week and explained his rationale; and why he put into the budget money for each staff member to take advantage of professional development.

Among his advice for leaders:

Candor with staff is essential, especially in anxious times.
Always ask about the staff’s capacity to handle a new project.
Changing course is okay.
Ask donors what the organization is doing right and where it needs to improve.

Connect with Segar on LinkedIn.

Watch a video of this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/StKzFQR4ob4

For more advice on leadership, check out these articles from the Chronicle:

“A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable” by Ben Gose

How Valerie Jarrett Builds a Strong Executive Team

Tuesday, June 10, 2025 • Duration 38:05

Valerie Jarrett is no stranger to the tough challenges nonprofit leaders face today. She is now head of the Obama Foundation, which is working to build an extensive library and community center in Chicago. From that perch she collaborates closely with leaders who pursue a wide range of social-change and economic development efforts.

Jarrett built many of her leadership muscles decades ago, when she served as a key senior adviser to President Barack Obama through all eight years of his presidency. In the years since, she also served on many corporate and nonprofit boards.

What she learned in the White House — responding to crises like the Great Recession — and now emphasizes as a nonprofit CEO, is the importance of assembling and building a great executive team. Host and Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer talked with Jarrett about her team-building strategies and advice to fellow leaders. Jarrett says not only does a strong executive team get more done, but it also enables the CEO to spend as much time as possible working on big-picture issues that are essential to the organization's future.

Among her recommendations to nonprofit CEOs:

Start thinking about the whole team from the very first interview with a candidate for an executive role.
Make sure everyone at the leadership table feels welcome.
Encourage the leadership team to change course when needed.
Delegate everything you can to others.
Ask people how you can make their jobs easier.

Follow Jarrett on LinkedIn.

For more advice on recruiting, see these article from the Chronicle:

“A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable” by Ben Gose
“Leaders’ Advice for Other Leaders” by Ben Gose

The Power of 4 Generations Working Together

Season 1 · Episode 6

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 • Duration 30:22

Like all workplaces, nonprofits are now filled with up to four generations of workers as boomers work along with millennials and people in Generations X and Z.

Each generation approaches work and careers differently, which leads to struggles at some organizations. But at the best-run nonprofits, leaders are ensuring that differences in work styles and life experience enhance an organization’s ability to meet its mission.

In this episode of Nonprofits Now: Leading Today, host Stacy Palmer talks with two leaders who excel in working with people in different life stages.

Alexandra Bernadotte is founder and CEO of Beyond 12, an organization that works to ensure students from marginalized backgrounds graduate from college, and Elsa Morales-Roth, executive director of the Emilio Nares Foundation, which helps the families of children with cancer.

Among the suggestions from Bernadotte, who is a Gen Xer, and Morales-Roth, who is a millennial:

Embrace what people of every age bring to the organization. Bernadotte makes a point of reminding people that intergenerational teams are “powerful because they’re not homogeneous.” What’s more, she says, intergenerational teams “don’t just get the work done, they build something that lasts.”
Highlight achievements of staff members from each generation. Morales-Roth starts every team meeting by deliberately making sure that an employee from each generation gets a shout-out for their accomplishments and contributions.
Put the mission and values first. One way Bernadotte puts this into action: Each year, Bernadotte creates case studies based on difficult or divisive issues the nonprofit had to confront. Staff members from across the organization form teams to discuss what they would have done with the same set of facts. Doing so helps people of different ages and backgrounds learn how others think — and figure out how to make decisions that best reflect the organization’s values.
Give fresh thought to performance measures. Morales-Roth is instituting 360-degree reviews.

Connect with and on LinkedIn.

How to Stave Off Burnout

Tuesday, June 24, 2025 • Duration 22:06

As federal spending cuts, government policy shifts, and economic turbulence roil the nonprofit world, nearly 90 percent of leaders are worried they’re burning out, according to a new study by the Center for Effective Philanthropy.

To help leaders figure out how to avoid exhausting themselves and their staffs, we turned to Sean Goode, an executive coach, to tackle this topic for our final episode of the first season of Nonprofits Now: Leading Today.

Goode led Choose 180, a Seattle nonprofit that works to keep marginalized youth out of the criminal-justice system, and then took a senior role at the Seattle Foundation before he decided to focus full-time on helping mission-driven executives lead better. His experiences have led him to challenge many conventional approaches to nonprofit leadership.

Among Goode's insights:

Curiosity is an essential trait for any leader.
Recognize the toll it takes when you only focus on what’s new and what’s next.
Make fundraising about community engagement, not transactions.
Being a good CEO is a lot like being a good parent.

Connect with Sean on LinkedIn. And watch a video recording of this interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw_UQNKAji4

For more advice on preventing burnout, check out these articles from the Chronicle:

(Tool Kit) "How to Prevent Employee Burnout” by Chronicle Staff
“Making Big Changes? Survey Finds Leadership and Staffing Are Keys to Success” by Jim Rendon

Reid Hoffman and Cecilia Conrad on Rebuilding Trust in Institutions

Season 1 · Episode 1

Tuesday, July 1, 2025 • Duration 30:24

We're excited to introduce you to the Chronicle of Philanthropy's latest podcast, The Commons in Conversation — a new show that explores how nonprofits and philanthropy can bring Americans together and strengthen fractured communities.

The Commons in Conversation uncovers solutions in interviews with advocates, leaders, and thinkers, including philanthropist Reid Hoffman, author Barbara Kingsolver, and democracy scholar and nonprofit leader Danielle Allen. Join Chronicle editors and writers as we bridge divides across lines of politics, race, class, gender, and more.

The first season kicks off with an urgent question: How can we reverse the trend of declining trust in institutions? Philanthropist and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is looking for answers with a $10 million open call for organizations working to build faith in government, the media, public health, universities, and more.

In this episode, Hoffman joins Chronicle editor-in-chief Andrew Simon and Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change, to talk about Hoffman's competition and how philanthropy can help restore trust.

Make sure to subscribe to The Commons in Conversation in your podcast app so you don't miss an episode.

Nonprofits Now: Leading Today – Details, episodes & analysis

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Nonprofits Now: Leading Today – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

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LinkedIn22

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Latest published episodes

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Other78

LinkedIn22

Youtube8

Apple Podcasts

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