We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

421. How to Build Organizational Capacity in a Season of Evolution - Karen Cochran


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Meet Karen. She’s often heard saying fundraising isn’t about the dollars, but rather what the dollars can do. After leading and mentoring teams that raised more than $1 billion during her three-decade career, she launched Philanthropy Innovators to help organizations reimagine what’s possible in fundraising and advancement. We’re exploring everything from building organizational capacity to taking care of our teams. Karen is full of wisdom and we can’t wait to share her perspectives with the community 🤗

💡Learn

  • Evolving the sector’s mindsets, strategies and practices 
  • The power of building organizational capacity
  • Overview of the MOST Philanthropy Model

Today's Guest
Karen Cochran, Founder + Chief Philanthropic Innovator, Philanthropy Innovators

Episode Highlights

  • Karen’s story and journey to where she is today (4:30)
  • Evolving the sector’s mindsets, strategies and practices (7:15)
  • The power of building organizational capacity (13:20)
  • Lessons learned from nonprofits incorporating innovation  (16:25)
  • MOST Model (21:00)
  • The power of homegrown talent and sustainability (25:30)
  • Case Study: How University of Central Florida flexed a gift from MacKenzie Scott for an even greater and more sustainable community impact (29:25) 
  • A powerful moment of philanthropy in Karen's life (32:30)
  • Karen's One Good Thing: The only thing you control is how you react to the situation. (36:05)
  • How to connect with Karen and Philanthropy Innovators (36:35)

For more information + episode details visit: weareforgood.com/episode/421.

Thank You to our Partners 🩵

Big gratitude to our ecosystem partners at DonorDock, Feathr, RKD Group, and Whiteboard. They’re not just partners—they’re walking alongside us to build something better + more inclusive.

Head to weareforgood.com/recs to explore our go-to tools and humans doing good work. We’ve curated a direct line for your VIP access to these groups just by saying you’re with We Are For Good. 

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