The Smart Communications Podcast

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.

Episode 197: How can you find joy?

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.

10-15
17:56

Episode 196: How can you engage in participatory grantmaking?

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.

10-01
29:58

Episode 195: What does effective design feedback look like?

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.

09-17
16:43

Episode 194: How can you communicate with candor and care?

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.

09-03
17:43

Episode 193: How can you keep your communications plan alive?

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.

08-20
23:09

Episode 192: How can you consolidate feedback?

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.

08-06
16:59

Episode 191: Why should funders invest in grantee communications capacity?

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.

07-23
19:07

Episode 190: How can you move from self-care to collective care?

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.

07-09
25:10

Episode 189: How can you get more out of your rebrand?

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.

06-25
13:16

Episode 188: How can you grow midlevel donors?

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.

06-11
20:55

Episode 187: How can you shape your AI brand footprint?

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.

05-29
18:32

Episode 186: How should your nonprofit approach crisis communications?

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.

05-14
22:49

Episode 185: How can you approach AI with an equity lens?

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.

04-30
25:07

Episode 184: Should your organization consider a merger?

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.

04-16
24:00

Episode 183: How can you break free from being busy?

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

04-02
30:05

Episode 182: How can you build resilient nonprofit organizations and teams?

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.

03-19
18:50

Episode 181: How do we foster healthy group participation?

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.

03-05
16:16

Episode 180: Is it time to reboot your communications strategy?

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.

02-19
22:11

Episode 179: How can a language guide help your nonprofit?

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.

02-05
17:30

Episode 178: How can values strengthen your organization?

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.

01-22
19:14

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