DS Affiliates in Action Podcast

Embezzlement in the nonprofit sector is more common than you think. Recently, the Down syndrome association community is abuzz with the news that another organization has been affected and legal action is taking place. The question becomes - how can you as a DSA leader (board or staff) keep it from happening to you? Embezzlement not only hurts an organization, it hurts the people it serves and the community that supports it. We can't expect to prevent it 100%, but a few simple steps can reduce its likelihood substantially. But perhaps the most important step is to set an atmosphere and climate of accountability. In this month's podcast, we'll discuss both internal controls and the role of the board in oversight of the nonprofit. Our guests are Amy Van Bergen, former executive director of Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida, and Jane Page-Steiner, nonprofit consultant and BoardSource certified trainer.

We are talking Founder's Syndrome with guests Mandy Pearce and Marie Palacios of Funding For Good. Defined as "a disease in nonprofits that has it genesis in the inspiration and personality - or personalities that created the organization". It's often a topic of discussion at our leadership conference, in leaders' circles, and around the cocktail table after sessions are over. And this discussion does not disappoint! Check out the blog post that inspired this interview: https://fundingforgood.org/the-path-to-recovery-ten-steps-to-overcome-non-profit-founders-syndrome/

Ever wondered if your DSA should change its name? And if it did, what would that entail? Shanon McCormick sat down with Deanna Tharpe at DSAIA 2018 to discuss the new Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut name.

Mazarine Treyz of Wild Woman Fundraising explains why a well-orchestrated annual report IS important for your organization, its donors, its constituents, and the community. More than just a listing of donors and a few financial numbers, it can be an incredible tool in fundraising if done correctly.

After her moving keynote address at the 2018 DSAIA Leadership Conference, Patti Saylor sits down with DSAIA to discuss what has happened in the 5 years since her son Ethan's death.

Two of the "founding" board members of DSAIA (and steering committee members) talk to Deanna Tharpe of DSAIA about the past and future of the trade association. Mac Macsovits (Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association) and Amy Van Bergen (consultant with Global Down Syndrome Foundation) discuss the history of DSAIA in this interview recorded at the DSAIA 2018 Leadership Conference in Denver.

Sandy Rees, CEO of Get Fully Funded, joins DSAIA Live to talk about how relationships are the key to successful fundraising. Sandy discusses how to build your donor base, donor-focused communications, and the importance of building relationships.

DSAIA visits with Jay Wilkinson, founder and CEO of Firespring, to discuss work culture, the overhead myth, and new and exciting ways to work smarter and not harder.

Katie Coughlin, Special Event Coordinator from LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation, gives us a few pieces of advice when working on your next fundraising event (just in time for walk season) and discusses the new exciting things at LuMind this year.

DSAIA sits down with Dr. Brian Skotko to discuss the findings of a 4-year research project on Down syndrome in the United States. The results are quite extraordinary.

Stephanie Meredith (National Center for Prenatal and Postnatal Diagnosis at the University of Kentucky) and Heather Bradley (Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network) talk about prenatal outreach resources available to our community. Courtney Dunevant talked to the duo after their presentation at the DSAIA conference in Cincinnati in February 2017.

Lisa French of Down Syndrome of Louisville and Lisa Wells of Down Syndrome Indiana sit down with Deanna Tharpe to discuss why they chose to pursue accreditation through DSAIA and the benefits of success.

Dana Wells with ds-connex sits down with Courtney Dunevant at DSAIA in Cincinnati. They talk about how it's never too early to start planning your walk and how online promotion can spur on fundraising as early as 4 months prior to your walk.

What do you get when you combine special education with theater? Just the right mix to create something incredible for the disability community that spreads across Michigan. And now, DSAIA is bringing it to you! It all started with the Down Syndrome Guild of Southeast Michigan...

Join Shon Christy and Paige Purtz of Focal Point Social Media as they talk about the company's background, trends in social media and how they helped DSAIA increase its reach for its annual conference.

DSAIA Director of Membership & Marketing, Courtney Dunevant, sat down with Ryan Niemiec of the VIA Institute on Character during the DSAIA 2017 Conference. You'll find this topic interesting as it relates to DSA leaders. Ryan M. Niemiec, Psy.D. is education director of the global, nonprofit VIA Institute on Character, the leading organization in advancing the science and practice of character strengths. Dr. Niemiec is an award-winning psychologist, international workshop leader, and adjunct professor at Xavier University, University of Pennsylvania, and several other institutions. He is author of several books including Mindfulness and Character Strengths and Positive Psychology at the Movies. He has published widely on character strengths and intellectual/developmental disability, including scientific articles for journals and user-friendly articles for blogs and newsletters. He has presented to scholars, practitioners, parents, and people with disabilities on this topic at the national and local level. In 2015, he brought together the leading researchers in positive psychology and intellectual/developmental disability at an international conference. He has consulted to several local disability organizations and is closely involved in Reel Abilities Film Festival, the largest movie festival on disability in the U.S.