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🎙️ The Nonprofit Reframe – Special Episode: Because We Can’t Stay Quiet 🧨 Why This Episode Now?It’s been two years since their last episode, but Brittny and Nia return for a one-time special because the nonprofit sector is in crisis — and staying quiet is not an option. From funding freezes to increased political hostility and burnout, nonprofits are struggling under immense pressure. Brittny and Nia unpack the chaos and call for solidarity, advocacy, and action. 💥 Topics Covered:Collapsing federal funding and its ripple effectsThe real cost of inaction from foundationsHow the narrative about nonprofits is shifting — and not for the betterBurnout and hiring freezes across the sectorScenario planning and staying afloatThe critical role of boards and fundersUrgent calls to government, funders, and the publicCommunity care and mutual aid as survival tools🧰 Resources Mentioned:Nonprofit Sector Media Kit: Customizable communications materials to educate donors, boards, and the public on the value of nonprofitsHiring Process Audits by Brittny Wilson ConsultingScenario Planning Support from Prismatic ConsultingMontana Nonprofit Association’s Campaign for Nonprofits💡 Take Action:Funders: Release money. Now. Simplify your grants. Show up.Board Members: Get informed. Get active. Get real.Nonprofit Staff: You're not alone. Seek solidarity. Speak up.Consultants: Stand in the gap. Help hold the chaos.Everyone: Build community. Share resources. Support each other.🤝 Stay Connected:Brittny Wilson ConsultingPrismatic Consulting (Nia + Team) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is it, folks, our very last episode. At least for now. Never say never, and all of that. But we wanted to leave you with some reflections from the 150 episodes we’ve done of this show. We’ve made some great memories and laughed and raged and we hope you’ve enjoyed what we’ve created here about the nonprofit sector and all of its ups and downs.  In today’s episode, we’re reflecting on the past and projecting out the future. We talk about our favorite memories from the show, some never-before-discussed stories we couldn’t share until now, our wishes for the nonprofit sector going forward, and what’s next for both of us. Tune in one last time and reminisce with us. It’s been an honor and a privilege to be in your earbuds each week. Farewell, friends! What’s in this episode: [04:04] Some of our favorite episodes [09:42] The wild places we’ve recorded this show [15:31] We reflect back on some big memories we have from the podcast and some stories we couldn’t tell on the podcast until now [32:02] Questions we’re curious about for each other, and our wishes for the nonprofit sector [37:50] What’s next for us now that the show is over For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Volunteers are such an important part of nonprofit organizations, but we don’t always treat them the way we should and it leads to big time burnout. Volunteers give their time because they believe in a cause and want to support it, but so often they get taken advantage of and it needs to stop.  In today’s episode, we’re talking about how volunteers need to set boundaries with their time and skills, how we can honor those boundaries by involving them in future planning, and why volunteer appreciation is so vital. Also, we have a bittersweet announcement: The Nonprofit Reframe podcast is coming to an end. Tune in for all the details.  What’s in this episode: [00:24] We catch up on the hot weather we’re having, and Nia shares some big news!! [05:39] A bittersweet announcement about this show [10:05] Brittny’s confession about working with volunteers [13:24] Volunteers have to set boundaries so they don’t get taken advantage of in terms of time, skills, and compensation [21:21] Volunteer appreciation shouldn’t be “one and done” and should involve succession planning at some point [23:16] Many volunteers donate their time because they can’t donate funds, but still want to be impactful to their cause, and we should recognize their contributions For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s that time again - Nia’s favorite episode of the year on data from Giving USA! It’s interesting to review this 2022 report and see the correlations that are happening in our immediate nonprofit worlds, but also the disparities. So much has changed and the future of giving looks kind of bleak, especially when you consider the impact of inflation.  In today’s episode, we’re taking a look back at what was happening in 2022, and reviewing the philanthropy data from Giving USA’s annual report. Plus, we share the implications and takeaways from the data, including a big middle finger to corporations. Yep, we said it.  What’s in this episode: [00:47] A review of what was happening in 2022, plus philanthropy data from Giving USA that indicated overall giving was down significantly in 2022 [07:36] Inflation is an important factor to consider when reviewing this data [10:10] A historical look at giving data over time from 40 years ago [18:14] Some takeaways from this giving report, especially that corporations can f*ck right off For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s planning time for fall event season and we’ve seen some big “don'ts” when it comes to event programs. Chaos often ensues when the appropriate planning hasn’t been done beforehand and all the stakeholders are not on the same page. Trust us.  In today’s episode, we’re sharing our tips on how to structure your event program to have a successful event for your nonprofit organization and keep everyone and everything in line - the schedule, the speakers, the messaging, the goals. You want everyone to be talking about your event afterwards, but only in a good way. What’s in this episode: [03:18] It’s planning time for fall events season and we need to talk about the program part of events, especially how organizations try to add too many speakers [09:04] Why it’s so vital for event speakers to write out their remarks and time them  [12:34] Ask for remarks well in advance of the event and make sure the messaging and schedule stays on track [17:47] How to incorporate videos the right way into your events [21:46] Make sure your program is tied to the goals of your event, and make sure that the right people are giving the right messages For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lately, we’ve worked with a lot of people who have retired or left their careers in the for-profit sector and entered the nonprofit sector, and we’re kind of pissed about it. The implication is that nonprofit jobs are somehow lesser or easier to handle. Spoiler alert: nonprofits aren’t a cake walk! In today’s episode, we’re diving into making the jump from for-profit to nonprofit. We talk about why it makes us mad, the problems that arise from it, and don’t worry, we grudgingly remain positive with some examples of how for-profit work experience can be helpful.   What’s in this episode: [02:05] Brittny has worked with people recently who have made the jump from for-profit to nonprofit careers and it kind of pisses her off that nonprofit is considered “lesser” [10:55] The problems that arise when people with no experience in nonprofit come in at executive level positions [20:35] It’s not all bad, though, because we have some examples of for-profit experience that was helpful in their nonprofit role [28:25] The Google search results of how to transition from for-profit to nonprofit are hilarious For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You hear about endowments a lot in our field, usually associated with universities. But what about endowments from a fundraiser’s perspective? What are they? How do they work? What’s the point of them?  In today’s episode, that’s exactly what we’re talking about. Shout out to the listener who suggested this topic! We’re discussing how an endowment can be seen as a status symbol, what fundraising for endowments can look like, what the indicators are for when an organization should start an endowment (or if they should start one at all!), how the yearly draw works and where the funds go.  What’s in this episode: [02:01] The fundraising side of endowments: what they are, how they work, and what’s the point of them? [11:33] A success story about a recent endowment campaign we were involved with [14:39] How the yearly draw works in an endowment [17:14] When an organization should consider beginning an endowment campaign [23:11] What a quasi-endowment is and how it differs from a regular endowment For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve just finished our first ever Patreon book club pick, The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex and we have so many thoughts. Not all of them are good. In fact, they are downright infuriating in terms of the power imbalance in nonprofit funding.  In today’s episode, we’re giving you our high-level summary and review of the significant points of the book. We touch on the chapters that really stood out to us, especially those about ethical funding, systems of power, and our political climate. It’s opened our eyes to the fact that not much has changed in the funding landscape for the past 20 years. For a much deeper dive into this book, be sure to join our Patreon and listen to the bonus episodes.   What’s in this episode: [03:04] A summary and quick review of our recent Patreon book club pick, The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Non-Profit Industrial Complex [05:21] Seeking funding, challenging systems of power, and the limitations of the 501c3 nonprofit structure [11:42] Why payout requirements should (still) be increased [14:13] The funding inequities between white-led and black-led organizations [21:45] Why nonprofits need to strive for financial independence from foundations in an increasingly dangerous political climate and must focus on being accountable to the right people For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are charitable giving tools with a lot of complexity and ambiguity. So how can nonprofit staff engage donors in discussions about using them more effectively (or dismantling them all together)? We talk about a guide Nia and her colleague Maegan wrote for nonprofits to start conversations, make more informed decisions, and ultimately, disrupt the lack of DAF giving. In today’s episode, we’re discussing why DAFs are not accountable or trackable once created, why foundations benefit and make money off DAFs without any incentive to actually distribute them, and how that money deprives the government from revenue and the public from services that could actually benefit society.  What’s in this episode: [05:31] Introducing DAFs and why we should know about them [07:22] Why a donor would use a DAF and why nonprofits should care [14:12] Elon Musk puts billions into a DAF, and what that means for government resources and spending  [19:57] How to shift conversations to help and educate For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We live in the nonprofit world, day in and day out, so naturally, we know quite a bit about how it operates. But how much does the average American know? Not so much, it turns out. In today’s episode, we’re talking about the results of a survey put out by Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, “What Americans Think about Philanthropy and Nonprofit.” We learned some very interesting things, such as how much people trust the giving transparency of religious charitable organizations (oof) and where Americans think the philanthropic sector is headed. What’s in this episode: [01:33] Information on Eli Lilly and the Lilly family (for anyone else like Brittny who isn’t familiar) [05:34] The results of a survey the Lilly School put out to get Americans’ perceptions of nonprofits and where they put their trust [11:22] How Americans feel about the transparency of giving among charitable organizations (whew, this one is really something) and what activities charities should be able to support [17:24] Whether or not Americans think the philanthropic sector is headed in the right direction [21:26] Our thoughts on how to educate the public on nonprofits (because, based on this survey, they do not know much) For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The nonprofit world is not exempt from the every day realities of racism, tax schemes, and even sexual assault. However, considering the mission and values of these organizations… you’d hope that behavior would at least be called out and appropriately dealt with when it appears within a nonprofit.  In today’s episode, we’re discussing why that is unfortunately not always the case, the culture of complicity that pops up in many nonprofit organizations, and how even other nonprofit consultants can contribute to this issue of complicity.  We also acknowledge that this is complex, because while bravery does play a part in standing up to bad actors, many nonprofit workers are also dealing with oppressive power dynamics and biases that make speaking out even riskier. It’s time to take a hard look at ourselves and ask how we can be an ally to those in more vulnerable positions and break this cycle of complicity. What’s in this episode: [03:52] How complicity allows toxic board members and staff to continue patterns of abuse, from financial crimes to innuendos to more extreme examples like sexual assault [10:38] Why staff and board performance reviews need to be more robust and more frequent [13:05] The power dynamics that perpetuate complicity in toxic behaviors within nonprofits [16:17] How racism and sexism shut out women and BIPOC individuals from leadership, which also contributes to a culture of complicity  [23:13] How other nonprofit consultants can also contribute in a culture of complicity (looking at you, Joan Garry) For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Religious organizations that provide human services programming can be incredibly problematic and Nia is fired up about it. Without oversight, these organizations can require religious participation in order for people to receive their services, among other issues. Talk about messed up. In today’s episode, we’re chatting about the different types of religious organizations, why the ones providing direct resources are problematic, the damage of discriminatory religious doctrine, and funding implications. What’s in this episode: [04:07] Why religious organizations that provide direct human resources programming can be problematic [12:14] How an organization like this in Nia’s hometown is likely receiving federal funding [17:27] How damaging it is for organizations that provide humans services to be discriminatory (whether religious or otherwise) and why we need regulation for these organizations [24:18] How taxpayer money and dark money contribute to religiously-specific human services For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s truly amazing to think how far technology has come. We now live in an era where an AI tool exists that will write a pretty dang good podcast introduction, essay, or fundraising plan. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? Well, it is … and it isn’t. In today’s episode, we’re talking about ChatGPT and how you can use AI tools in nonprofit fundraising specifically, but also in university messaging, HR departments, classroom settings, and more. We’re sharing both how it can be helpful (e.g. creating an outline for a fundraising plan that you can then refine and fill in the blanks specific to your organization) as well as how it can be harmful. What’s in this episode: [03:19] What ChatGPT is, and how Brittny is using it in the nonprofit class she’s teaching [06:37] Using ChatGPT to ask questions or write an outline (that you then edit and refine), and how ChatGPT can help nonprofits specifically [10:02] How ChatGPT can generates new responses, and how this could potentially benefit (or harm, depending on your outlook) hiring and accomplishing tasks within jobs [11:56] How AI tools can be harmful, why you can’t rely on an AI tool to have empathy or complete accuracy, and why you have to edit and refine it (we’re looking at you, Vanderbilt) [17:28] Ethical considerations for nonprofits using AI, what happened when Nia asked ChatGPT to write a donor-centric and a community-centric fundraising appeal, and ChatGPT’s hilarious appeal for an Easter bunny rescue For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore. The proverbial house has fallen on AmazonSmile, and it is dead as a doornail. Uproar and opinions of all kinds are circulating in regard to this news. We, on the other hand, could not be more relieved. In today’s episode, we’re explaining how AmazonSmile worked, how it didn’t actually serve or benefit nonprofits in any significant way, misconceptions around the program, and why you should be focusing on fundraising that actually cultivates donors. What’s in this episode: [02:55] How AmazonSmile worked, how little money actually went to individual nonprofits, and how wishlists are different (and not impacted by the downfall of Smile) [10:16] How Amazon has decided their impact level “isn’t working” 10 years into the program, and the range of comments we’ve seen in response to this news [18:10] The reason this program worked completely in Amazon’s favor, and how some people have the misconception that purchasing through Smile is the same as donating (it’s not) [20:05] The actual impact on nonprofits (which ain’t great, let’s be honest), and other ways to actually build relationships with your donors (which you can’t do through AmazonSmile) For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Working in a nonprofit is meaningful and rewarding work for most of us. But let’s be real – it’s also a fast-track to burnout and overwork as we try to create a world that is better for everyone. Enter the sabbatical: a solution backed by research that can help staff and directors recover, refuel, and revitalize their creativity and enthusiasm. In today’s episode, we’re chatting with Hayden Dansky, co-founder and co-director of Boulder Food Rescue, who recently took a three-month sabbatical. They’re sharing how their organization was able to plan and secure funding for the sabbatical, how they spent their time off, and the benefits they found during their time off and upon returning to work with more confidence and creativity. What’s in this episode: [03:12] How sabbaticals can help with employee burnout [06:56] Hayden’s experience with taking a sabbatical from the nonprofit where they work, and how the organization received funding [11:45] Ideas for starting a sabbatical fund within your organization (for CEO and other staff), and paying staff for staff’s extra labor during a leadership sabbatical [17:59] How Hayden spent their three-month sabbatical on a mix of travel, “life administration,” and alone time [21:50] How a sabbatical gives you an opportunity to slow down in a capitalist, white supremacist society that values overworking and overscheduling [28:59] How long it took Hayden to fully disconnect, what it was like going back into work afterward, and the tangible benefits of the sabbatical For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit our website: https://thenonprofitreframe.com/ Do you love our show and want to hear even more from us? You can get behind-the-scenes episodes and more by supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nonprofitreframe Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.