In this episode of The Volunteer Nation Podcast, Tobi Johnson tackles a topic that’s becoming increasingly urgent in the nonprofit and volunteer engagement world: copyright, intellectual property, and the ethics of sharing content. 

As a content creator, trainer, and consultant, Tobi has seen a growing wave of copyright misuse, most often unintentional, but still harmful. From lifted slide decks to copied models to repurposed blog posts, the misuse of intellectual property not only creates legal risks but erodes trust within our professional community. 

This episode is your practical, plain-language guide to understanding copyright, protecting your organization’s intellectual property, and respecting the creative work of others, staff, volunteers, and sector leaders alike. 

Full show notes: 192. Respect the Work: How to Protect Copyright in the Age of Sharing 

Protect Copyright - Episode Highlights 

• 00:53 Understanding Copyright and Intellectual Property 
• 01:41 Copyright Quiz: Legal, Ethical, or Neither? 
• 04:17 Real-Life Copyright Infringement Examples 
• 09:06 Why Copyright Matters for Nonprofits 
• 09:54 Common Misconceptions About Copyright 
• 11:55 How to Protect Your Copyright 
• 18:05 Avoiding Copyright Infringement 
• 35:22 What to Do If Your Work is Stolen 

Helpful Links 

• Volunteer Management Progress Report 
• VolunteerPro Impact Lab  
• Volunteer Nation Episode #188: Let’s Talk Volunteering with Weave: the Social Fabric Project  
• Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA) Professional Ethics in Volunteer Management  
• Creative Commons Website  

Thanks for listening to this episode of the Volunteer Nation podcast. If you enjoyed it, please be sure to subscribe, rate, and review so we can reach more people like you who want to improve the impact of their good cause.

For more tips and notes from the show, check us out at TobiJohnson.com. For any comments or questions, email us at WeCare@VolPro.net.