Claim OwnershipYour Path to Nonprofit Leadership
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© 2026 Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership
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Looking for your next nonprofit job? Want to lead a nonprofit organization? Dr. Patton McDowell (www.pmanonprofit.com) brings the best in nonprofit career development to each episode, helping you find the perfect nonprofit opportunity and guiding you along the path to senior leadership in the philanthropic sector. Patton brings 30 years of nonprofit leadership, coaching and consulting experience, and shares best practices for individual and organizational success based on his work with over 250 nonprofit organizations and their staff and board leaders. Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership features more than 120 interviews with nonprofit leaders and philanthropy experts, as well as deep-dive solo episodes and other special editions. Hit subscribe, and accelerate your journey on a nonprofit career path that can change your life. Learn more at: https://www.podpage.com/your-path-to-nonprofit-leadership/
355 Episodes
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355: Thinking Differently to Solve Nonprofit Problems (Sarah Tucker) EPISODE SUMMARY: Nonprofit leaders are often expected to solve complex problems with limited resources, increasing pressure, and entrenched ways of working. In this episode, Sarah Tucker introduces the work of Edward de Bono and explains why better outcomes require not just harder work, but different thinking. Sarah unpacks the concept of lateral thinking and how it differs from traditional linear or vertical problem solvi...
354: A Lifelong Learning Framework for Nonprofit Leaders (Kelsey Picken) SUMMARY Nonprofit leaders are surrounded by professional development options - degrees, certifications, conferences, and credentials - but many still struggle to build a learning plan that feels intentional rather than reactive. In this episode, Kelsey Picken offers a practical framework to help leaders step back, clarify their why, and make smarter decisions about how they invest in their own growth. Kelsey breaks lif...
Episode 353: Resilience Isn’t Optional: Tools Every Nonprofit Leader Needs Now (Russell Harvey) SUMMARY Nonprofit leaders are operating in a world where change is constant - and the pressure to react quickly can undermine clarity, trust, and team stability. In this episode, Russell Harvey explains why resilience is a leadership capability (not a personality trait) and how leaders can strengthen it without adding more overwhelm. Russell introduces the VUCA framework (Volatility, Uncertainty,...
352: Fundraising That Works: Measure What Matters (Greg Warner) SUMMARY Fundraisers often focus on the bottom line—how much money came in—but Greg Warner argues that many nonprofit teams are still flying blind because they don’t track the few metrics that actually explain performance. In this episode, Greg (founder of MarketSmart) explains what leaders and boards miss when they focus only on transactions, and how a small set of operational metrics can dramatically improve fundraising strate...
351: Five Finance Skills Every Nonprofit Leader Needs (Stephen Newland) SUMMARY Many nonprofit leaders step into their roles with deep passion for mission, but far less confidence when it comes to finance. In this episode, Stephen Newland, founder of MoneyPath FP&A, breaks down five essential finance skills every nonprofit leader must develop to lead with confidence, reduce risk, and sustain impact. Stephen explains why financial uncertainty is so common in the sector, how organizationa...
350: What Every Nonprofit Leader Needs to Know About Mergers (André Anthony) SUMMARY This milestone episode is brought to you by the newly merged Armstrong McGuire + PMA Nonprofit Leadership, joining forces to strengthen nonprofit leadership across the sector. Together, we are expanding our support for organizations through consulting, executive search, leadership development, and thought leadership. Learn more at ArmstrongMcGuire.com. As we announce our own merger, it felt like the perfect...
349: What Funders Want Nonprofit Leaders to Know (Sarah Mann Willcox) SUMMARY This episode is brought to you by TowneBank, whose ongoing support can be a powerful partner for your organization. Learn more at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. As you ponder your New Year’s resolutions as a nonprofit leader, funding for your organization is almost certainly on the list. That’s why Sarah Mann Willcox’s insight is such a timely way to begin the year. As Executive Director of the NC Network o...
348: Holiday Rewind: 4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Leadership What are you doing - intentionally - to move closer to your nonprofit leadership goals? In this Holiday Rewind of solo episode #159, Patton revisits four practical, evergreen ways nonprofit leaders can reflect, refocus, and move forward in their leadership journey. Whether you’re early in your career, preparing for your next step, or refining your impact as a senior leader, these four elements provide a simple framework for ye...
347: Protecting Your Nonprofit from Fraud (Amy Seintourens) SUMMARY This episode is brought to you by TowneBank, whose ongoing support can be a powerful partner for your organization, offering financial expertise, expanded community relationships, and practical advice no matter your budget size. Learn more at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. Fraud is one of the most underestimated risks in the nonprofit sector - and one of the most disruptive when it strikes. In Episode #347 of Y...
346: Understanding the Science of Generosity (Cherian Koshy) SUMMARY This episode is brought to you by TowneBank, whose ongoing support can be a powerful partner for your organization, offering financial expertise, expanded community relationships, and practical advice no matter your budget size. Learn more at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. Why do some fundraising efforts inspire generosity while others fall flat, and what can nonprofit leaders do to fix it? In Episode #346 of Your Path to...
345: The Trust Factor: How to Strengthen Your Strategic Leadership SUMMARY This episode is brought to you by TowneBank, whose ongoing support helps bring meaningful leadership conversations to nonprofit professionals across the sector. Learn more at townebank.com/nonprofitbanking. Nonprofit leaders often feel pulled in a dozen directions - responding to urgent needs, carrying the emotional weight of their missions, and struggling to find time for strategic thinking. In Episode #345 of Your ...
Thanksgiving 2025: 7 Reasons to Be Thankful Special Edition Show Notes #344 This Thanksgiving episode highlights seven standout guests from 2025 - along with their books - plus three bonus titles from Patton’s Picks. Thanks to our partners: TowneBank: https://TowneBank.com/NonprofitBankingArmstrong McGuire: https://armstrongmcguire.comMastermind Leadership Program: https://PMAnonprofit.com/mastermind Featured Guests & Books Mary Kelly — Ep. 317: Crisis-Proof Your Leadership Episode: h...
343: Reclaim Your Capacity and Escape the Burnout Trap (Trasetta Washington) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their ongoing commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. Why do so many passionate nonprofit leaders find themselves constantly running on empty and teetering on the edge of burnout? In episode #343 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, leadership w...
342: Lessons That Shape Great Nonprofit Leaders (Garrett Cathcart) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their ongoing support of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. What does it take to build something from the ground up - and lead it with purpose, humility, and vision? In episode 342 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Garrett Cathcart shares the lessons he’s lea...
341: 4 Resources Every Nonprofit Leader Needs (Ivan Canada) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their ongoing support of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership and their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. In episode #341 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Ivan Canada, President and CEO of the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, shares the four essentia...
340: You Should Be Moving at the Speed of Relationships (Will Acuff) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their ongoing support of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership and their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. How can you build stronger community impact without burning out or losing sight of your mission? In episode #340 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leader...
339: Retention on a Budget – 5 Smart Ways to Keep Your Best People (Rachel Platt) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their ongoing support of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership and their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. How can you retain your best people when your nonprofit doesn’t have the budget for big raises or flashy perks? In episode 339 of Yo...
338: Rebuilding When Your Fundraising Flatlines (Andy Price) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life and for their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. When your fundraising model stops producing results, how do you rebuild your organization’s financial health while keeping your team and board engaged? In episode #338 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Andy Price...
337: Leading for the Long Run: Building a Sustainable Nonprofit (Janelle Miller Moravek) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitmentto strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. Nonprofit leadership can feel like a marathon of competing priorities, unexpected fires, and constant pressure to do more with less - yet it doesn’t have to mean sacrificing balance ...
336: Escaping Scarcity to Reclaim Strategic Leadership (Pierre Berastaín) SUMMARY Special thanks to TowneBank for bringing these conversations to life, and for their commitment to strengthening nonprofit organizations. Learn more about how they can help you at TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking. What happens when scarcity becomes the default mindset in your organization? In episode #336 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, global nonprofit leader Pierre Berastain reveals how operating with too...
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This podcast is a must for all development professionals. Dr. McDowell brings knowledge and credibility -- extremely valuable to non-profit leaders!