Claim OwnershipThe Smart Communications Podcast
Subscribed: 496Played: 3,984
Subscribe
© 2025 Big Duck
Description
The Smart Communications Podcast helps busy nonprofit leaders build their communications skills and develop their organization’s voice. Every episode shares insights and practical tips to help you leverage strategic communications to advance your nonprofit’s mission.
196 Episodes
Reverse
How do we find joy in our work and our lives, especially when burnout looms? In this episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Elandria Jackson Charles, chief joy officer at Ayoka Partners, explore how sabbatical care, intentional rest, and daily micro-moments of joy can help you reconnect with yourself and your purpose.
What happens when funders shift decision-making powers to communities? Farra Trompeter is joined by Cynthia Gibson, PhD, principal of Cynthesis Consulting, and Kelley Buhles, independent consultant and owner of Buhles Consulting, to discuss participatory grantmaking and explore how sharing decision-making power with communities fosters stronger, more democratic philanthropy. They also outline the steps nonprofits and funders can take to initiate this approach.
Smart design feedback is possible; it just requires clarity, collaboration, and strategy. Join J Kelley, senior account manager and host of this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, as they chat with Randi Gibson, graphic designer, and Sandy Zimmerman, design director, about effective design feedback. Follow along for strategies to make the feedback process smoother and your creative outcomes stronger.
Communicating with candor can be kind and helpful. Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Keyante Love, founder and president of Good Love Group, to discuss navigating power dynamics, embracing discomfort, and staying grounded in your values when collaborating with your team and your community.
Is your communications plan sitting untouched? We have swapped roles for this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, with our director of service development, Ally Dommu as host and Farra Trompeter, co-director, as her guest, who explore how to keep your communications plan useful, relevant, and responsive, even in chaotic times.
Managing feedback doesn’t have to be messy or overwhelming. In this episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by J Kelley, senior account manager, to walk through thoughtful steps to synthesize and clarify feedback—helping teams collaborate more efficiently, reduce confusion, and move forward with confidence.
What does it look like when a foundation goes beyond grants to strengthen nonprofits? Ally Dommu, director of service development, and Brittany DeNovellis, capacity building program manager, at the T. Rowe Price Foundation, share how communications capacity building can deepen impact at your organization.
What if self-care wasn’t just personal but team-wide? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Lan To, senior consultant and executive coach at Community Resource Exchange (CRE), to examine CAREpacity, a powerful approach to organizational wellness and care-driven leadership.
Learn how to make your nonprofit’s rebrand last. Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Sandy Zimmerman, design director, explore how nonprofits can go beyond the brand launch and learn how to bring your rebrand to life —and keep it thriving.
What is a midlevel donor, and how do organizations define that? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Alia McKee, principal at Sea Change Strategies, to explore how nonprofits can engage midlevel donors and offer strategies on how to segment effectively, steward with intention, and recognize the long-term value of these supporters.
How does AI perceive your nonprofit brand? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by George Weiner, founder and chief whaler at Whole Whale, to explore “AI brand footprints” and how to proactively shape your visibility in tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI search. They explore how traditional SEO is shifting and what you can do to revisit your content strategy.
When a crisis emerges, how should your nonprofit respond? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Joanna Brody, founder and president of Brody PR, to explore how nonprofits can prepare and navigate crises with strategy, empathy, and impact.
Are you curious about using AI without compromising your values? In this episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Meena Das, founder of Namaste Data, to unpack findings from the AI Equity Project and offer practical advice for nonprofits navigating this evolving technology.
What happens when two mission-aligned nonprofits decide to merge? Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Idealist’s founder and executive director, Ami Dar, about their recent merger with VolunteerMatch—and what other orgs can learn from it.
Are you constantly busy but never feel accomplished? Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Kishshana Palmer, author, discuss Kishshana’s book, Busy Is a Four-Letter Word: A Guide to Achieving More by Doing Less, what it means to work smarter, not harder, and offer practical insights for how personal development is professional development
Resilience isn’t just a buzzword—it’s essential for nonprofit success. Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Peter Heller, founder of Heller Fundraising Group, explore what it means when staff are resilient and supported, and how leaders can support their teams, adapt to change, and fundraise for a strong future.
Healthy participation is a process not an outcome. How do we create spaces where everyone feels valued and engaged? Sarita Joseph, director of accounts, and Josh Kelley, senior account manager, explore the importance of this topic and share practical tips to enhance collaboration, inclusivity, and effectiveness in nonprofit settings.
Is it time to reboot your nonprofit’s communications strategy? In this episode, Kivi Leroux Miller, founder and CEO of the Nonprofit Marketing Guide, and Farra Trompeter, co-director, discuss the latest nonprofit communications trends, the need to focus, evolve, and reflect on approaches, challenges staff face, and why nonprofits may need to reboot their communication strategy.
Language shapes how nonprofits connect, engage, and drive impact. Ally Dommu, director of service development, and Ryan Gerhard, copy director, explore why a language guide is helpful, how it differs from a brand guide, and the steps needed to create one.
Is it the right moment to update your organization's values? Brenda Perez, Senior Account Manager, and Claire Taylor Hansen, co-director, explore how values can unify teams and organizations, guiding both internal culture and external communication. They share tips to create meaningful values that reflect your mission and spark alignment, whether you’re in a nonprofit, worker-owned cooperative, or other organization with shared beliefs.
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States