Successful Nonprofits Podcast

Join the live virtual audience for podcast recordings (and bring your question for the Q&A). Topics, guests, and times are announced in my newsletter, and you can sign up at this link: https://successfulnonprofits.com/newsletter-signup/ Most executive directors put off planned giving because it feels like a time consuming and expensive project that requires a consultant, a gift acceptance policy, board training, a recognition society, and more. And after investing so much into planned giving, you won't receive a gift for years. Tony Martignetti has spent 29 years proving that belief is just not true. In this episode he walks us through his three-step, one-week launch; explains why three or four top prospects is a real planned giving program; and dismantles the objections that keep chief executives from closing the simplest gift there is (and the easiest one to ask for). We also get honest about what stewardship of your planned giving donors actually costs. If you are the CEO who wears many hats, this is the fundraising conversation that pays off long after your current grant cycle closes. This episode answers questions like: How do I start planned giving without a development director? Do we need a gift acceptance policy before we can ask for bequests? How many planned giving prospects can an executive director realistically handle? How do I identify planned giving prospects? When do I tell my board about a planned giving program? Is planned giving worth it for a small nonprofit with a tight budget? What do you say to a board member who is worried about a donor leaving us property we'll never be able to sell (like a toxic waste site)? How do I steward and cultivate planned giving donors over the long term? Links mentioned in this episode: Tony's book, Planned Giving Accelerated, plus a free chapter: https://plannedgivingaccelerated.com/ Planned Giving Accelerator: https://plannedgivingaccelerator.com/ Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio: https://tonymartignetti.com/ The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-millionaire-next-door-the-surprising-secrets-of-americas-wealthy-thomas-j-stanley-ph-d/d2115bc2d7f2d07c?ean=9781589795471 Subscribe to the newsletter and join a live podcast recording: https://successfulnonprofits.com/newsletter-signup/

If you're in the chief executive seat long enough, something will eventually go wrong. A cash-flow crisis, the loss of a key funder, a serious audit finding, critical news coverage, or an on-site disaster can test both your leadership and your relationship with the board. In this episode, I lay out a practical way to deliver bad news to your board without creating a second crisis. I share who to tell first, the six questions your written board update must answer, and how to structure an emergency meeting so the loudest board member does not control the conversation. You will also learn when to stop weekly updates to your board and how to conduct a post-mortem after the issue is fully resolved. The central lesson is simple: bad news does not break trust, but surprise, avoidance, or inaction will.

If you are a CEO responsible for moving your mission forward in a polarized environment, this conversation will sharpen how you lead. Your ability to communicate with people who don't share your or your nonprofit's values and views can determine whether your organization gains traction or stalls out. In this episode, I speak with consultant and former executive director Chandra Brown about how leaders choose words and framing that build alignment with board members, donors, policymakers, and community stakeholders. You'll hear a real-world example of a messaging misstep that backfired and what it reveals about how different audiences interpret the same issue. You'll walk away with practical ways to communicate across political divides without compromising your values. This episode answers the following questions: How do executive directors communicate with stakeholders who disagree with them? How can I get board members or donors to support an issue they're skeptical about? What's the best way to talk about controversial issues without alienating my supporters? How do I build alignment across my nonprofit's politically divided constituencies? How do I prepare for conversations with policymakers who oppose my position? Links mentioned in this episode: Influence Advocacy (Chandra Brown). Influence Advocacy and Chandra can give your issue a helping hand using data driven strategies that support your issue campaigns.

Can one board retreat turn reluctant board members into fundraising superstars? Anyone promising that is selling something they cannot deliver. But a well-designed retreat can still move board fundraising forward. In this episode, I explain how to diagnose the real barriers first, then share six practical retreat activities that can help a board align expectations, understand its fundraising options, practice useful skills, map its networks, and make specific commitments. I also outline the post-retreat work that turns your board members' commitments into results. This episode answers the following questions: Can a board retreat actually get board members to fundraise? Why is my nonprofit board not engaged in fundraising? What fundraising activities can we use at a board retreat? How do we set and enforce fundraising expectations for board members? What should staff and board leadership do after a fundraising retreat? Links mentioned in this episode: Bring Dolph into your next board retreat. I design and facilitate board retreats that are interactive, practical, and built around the board's real barriers. Retreat topics can include fundraising, governance, board evaluation, planning the board's work, crisis or contingency planning, and strategic planning. To discuss your next retreat, reach out to me at successfulnonprofits.com.

What recurring tasks does each person on your team actually own? It's almost impossible to remember everything a team member is responsible for, and a job description usually won't tell you. When that information lives only in someone's head, onboarding gets harder, performance conversations get murkier, and an employee departure can create unnecessary chaos. In this episode, I share my simple, one-tab staff task checklist I use when leading nonprofit teams. It documents each position's recurring work and how often it needs to happen. It also becomes a practical tool for interviewing candidates, onboarding new employees, managing performance, cross-training staff, reviewing job descriptions, and being ready for staff departures. You'll also learn how this simple exercise can expose tasks only one person knows how to do, processes that still lack documentation, and responsibilities that have quietly changed over time. This episode answers the following questions: How do I keep things from falling through the cracks when an employee leaves? What should I document before a key employee quits? How do I onboard a new employee without constantly answering questions? How do I know if important tasks depend too much on one employee? How do I hold staff accountable when responsibilities aren't clear? How do I cross-train employees at a small nonprofit? How do I update job descriptions when staff roles have changed? Links mentioned in this episode: The checklist in an editable Excel format: https://successfulnonprofits.com/checklist Free Online Trainings for Nonprofit CEOs: https://successfulnonprofits.com/trainings/ Looking for more? Check out these amazing episodes: Why Our Team Members Fail with Dr. Tiffany Slater 12 Ways You Can Recruit and Retain Top Talent Stop Doing $25-per-Hour Work