What if philanthropy wasn’t just about writing checks - but about building systems that actually work?In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, host Tosha Anderson sits down with Ed Mitzen, Co-Founder of the Business for Good Foundation, to talk about rethinking traditional philanthropy through a business lens.After selling his for-profit company, Ed and his wife chose a hands-on approach to giving - investing time, talent, and capital into workforce development, housing, entrepreneurship, and underserved communities. Together, they explore how nonprofits, government, and the private sector can collaborate more effectively to create long-term economic mobility instead of short-term fixes.

You’ll hear real examples of:

• Using entrepreneurship to reduce reliance on nonprofit services
• Partnering with government to get funding out faster
• Why nonprofit boards need business expertise
• How to engage donors and business leaders beyond writing checks
• What nonprofits should focus on as funding gets tighter

If you’re a nonprofit leader, funder, or board member navigating uncertainty and looking for smarter, more sustainable ways to drive impact - this episode is for you.

Connect with Ed Mitzen

🌐 Website: ⁠⁠https://www.bfg.org/💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-mitzen/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/businessforgoodfoundation/

Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

Traditional strategic plans are failing nonprofits.

In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Tosha Anderson and Theresa Guest, CFO at The Charity CFO, explain why so many nonprofit strategic plans collect dust instead of driving decisions. Using insights from The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint, they unpack the missing links between strategy, accountability, financial planning, and execution.

You will learn why quarterly planning creates more momentum than multi year roadmaps, how financial alignment exposes unrealistic goals early, and what nonprofit leaders can do this quarter to turn strategic planning into a living system that supports sustainable growth.

This episode is a must listen for nonprofit leaders who want clarity, alignment, and financial sustainability.

Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

Fundraising and finance are supposed to work together but in most nonprofits they operate in silos. In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Tosha Anderson sits down with David Cristello, Founder and CEO of Jetpack Workflow, to talk about why this disconnect is costing nonprofits time, money, and people.They dive into grant utilization, financial visibility, burnout, and why spreadsheets are failing nonprofit leaders. David shares what he has learned building technology for accountants and how those lessons apply to nonprofits struggling to track grants, programs, and funding gaps. If you are a nonprofit CEO, finance leader, or fundraiser trying to reduce chaos and make smarter decisions, this conversation will resonate.This episode is especially relevant if you are struggling with grant tracking, forecasting, financial transparency, or aligning fundraising strategy with financial reality.Connect with David Cristello🌐 Website: https://www.actuallyFI.com 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidcristello/Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

Trust is the currency of leadership - especially during disruption.In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, host Tosha Anderson sits down with Kim Bohr, President & COO of SparkEffect, to unpack how nonprofit leaders can navigate uncertainty without losing the trust, morale, and engagement of their people.Kim draws from SparkEffect’s new research study, Trust in Turbulence: The 2025 State of Organizational Trust, revealing what employees say builds trust (and destroys it) during disruption. They discuss:✔️ Why disruption hits trust before anything else✔️ The “Trust Dividend” - and how trust can grow during change✔️ Why middle managers are the most powerful (and fragile) culture carriers✔️ How nonprofits can protect belonging and psychological safety✔️ How to measure trust like a strategic asset - not a soft skillWhether you’re navigating shifting funding, leadership turnover, or organizational restructuring, this episode gives nonprofit CEOs and leaders the playbook for leading with clarity, consistency, and purpose.

Check out the full episode here: https://thecharitycfo.com/trust-during-disruption-nonprofit-leaders/

👉 Download the SparkEffect Trust Report for 2025: https://www.sparkeffect.com/mnp👉 Explore more nonprofit leadership tools at: https://www.thecharitycfo.com#nonprofitleadership #organizationaltrust #changemanagement #nonprofitmanagement #thecharitycfo Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfo

Connect with Kim BohrLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimbohr/SparkEffect LinkedIn Company Page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sparkeffect/

Courage to Advance Podcast available on All PlatformsPodcast Webpage: https://sparkeffect.com/sparkeffect-podcast-courage-to-advance/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sparkeffect-usCompany Website Homepage: https://sparkeffect.com/Join our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

Most nonprofit leaders want more unrestricted revenue - but few have a strategy for building it.

In this episode, The Charity CFO’s Tosha Anderson and Aaron Landis explain why unrestricted funds are the true fuel behind nonprofit growth, stability, and innovation. Drawing on conversations with hundreds of CEOs and EDs, they highlight why organizations with the highest unrestricted percentages are often the most resilient and mission-aligned.

You’ll learn:

• Why unrestricted revenue is essential to scaling programs

• The risks of relying on restricted grants or government funding • How unrestricted dollars improve staffing, operations, and long-term planning

• How boards and CEOs can shift the fundraising mindset

• Practical ways to increase unrestricted support in your next budget cycle

A must-listen for CEOs, CFOs, development leaders, and board members serious about financial health.

Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoReach out and connect with Aaron Landis: https://www.thecharitycfo.com/contactJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint#nonprofitfundraising #unrestrictedrevenue #nonprofitleadership #financialsustainability #thecharitycfo

Why do people really give? It is not logic. It is not spreadsheets. It is not persuasion.

In this thought-provoking conversation, Tosha talks with fundraising strategist and neuroscience expert Cherian Koshy about the biology and behavior behind generosity.

Together they explore how the brain rewards giving, why relationships matter more than transactions, and how nonprofit leaders can create emotionally resonant donor experiences.

Cherian shares insights on donor identity, digital fatigue, donor retention, and how to ethically communicate urgency during uncertain times. This episode offers a practical and science-informed look at what motivates people to be generous.

Episode Timestamps:

00:00 – 02:00Introduction and context for why neuroscience matters in fundraising.

02:00 – 09:30How generosity shows up in the brain and why giving is a biological event.

09:30 – 17:30Behavioral finance principles and why money decisions rarely follow logic.

17:30 – 23:00A new understanding of donor fatigue and why emotional connection matters most.

23:00 – 29:30Identity theory and how reinforcing donor values builds long-term relationships.

29:30 – 33:00Digital fatigue and how to create messages that activate attention and memory.

33:00 – 41:30Creating ethical urgency during uncertain times while maintaining trust.

41:30 – EndWhere listeners can find Cherian and final thoughts from Tosha.

Follow Cherian Koshy Online

🌐 Website: https://www.cheriankoshy.com

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cheriankoshy/

📘Book: https://neurogivingbook.com/

Follow Us Online🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfo

Join our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

Check out these blogs next:

Nonprofit Communications: Navigating Donor Conversations

The Psychology of Fundraising

Resources Mentioned:

Book: Your Money Has Feelings by Shannon Ryan

Are you walking into a financial mess without realizing it? In this episode of A Modern Nonprofit Podcast, Tosha Anderson shares the five critical financial questions every new nonprofit CEO should ask in their first 90 days.

You’ll learn how to:

• Spot hidden red flags in budgets and audits

• Understand what funders, auditors, and reports are really saying

• Build early trust with your board and financial team

• Protect your organization from preventable financial risk
  

Whether you’re a first-time CEO or stepping into a new nonprofit, this episode will help you lead with clarity and confidence from day one.

🎧 Listen now or catch the full webinar at https://www.thecharitycfo.com/resources

Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

#nonprofitfinance #nonprofitleadership #thenonprofitceo #thecharitycfo #nonprofitmanagement #financialoversight

Your finance committee can be your nonprofit’s greatest asset—or its biggest headache.

In this episode, host Tosha Anderson and CFO Trina Owens-Rogers dive into the do’s and don’ts of creating an effective finance committee. From micromanaging boards to committees that never meet, they’ve seen it all, and they share what actually works.

You’ll discover:

• The true role of a finance committee

• How to spot when your committee is too hands-off or too controlling

• Real-world examples from nonprofits that got it right (and wrong)

• Practical steps to build a finance committee that strengthens your organization’s financial oversight

  
  

🎯 Perfect for Executive Directors, Board Treasurers, and Finance Leaders who want to lead with confidence.

Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

Repost: Grant Writing 101 for Nonprofits: How to Find and Win the Right Grants

Finding and managing grants is one of the toughest parts of nonprofit growth. In this conversation, Tosha and grant writer Kate Hephner break down how to:

• Identify the right grant opportunities

• Write stronger, more organized proposals

• Collaborate effectively with your team

• Build a reputation as a trustworthy funding partner
  

This episode is perfect for new nonprofit leaders, founders, and development staff ready to elevate their grant strategy.

📍 Subscribe for more conversations with experts helping nonprofits work smarter, not harder.

If you need a freelance grant writer to help you win more funding, you can reach out to Kate through her LinkedIn page: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-hephner-019a522/⁠

Links to the grant directories mentioned by Kate:

• ⁠https://www.instrumentl.com/⁠
• ⁠https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/⁠
• ⁠https://grantstation.com/⁠
• ⁠https://www.grantwatch.com/⁠

Want to learn more about finding grants for your organization? Check out our episode with the founder of Grantwatch here: ⁠https://thecharitycfo.com/libby-hikind-how-to-find-grants/

Follow Us Online

🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠⁠

📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo

📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠

💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠

🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfo

Join our newsletter: ⁠https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1

⁠Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: ⁠https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

Most nonprofits struggle to understand why their fundraising isn’t working. In this episode, Tosha Anderson, Founder of The Charity CFO, talks with Jeff Schreifels, Principal and Owner of Veritus Group, about what it takes to build a fundraising strategy that truly connects with donors.

You’ll learn:

• Why fundraising is not just about the money
• How to move from transactional asks to relationships
• The secret to permission-based asking
• What it takes to build donor trust and loyalty
• How to create a culture of philanthropy that sustains your mission

If your fundraising team is feeling stuck, burned out, or disconnected from donors, this conversation will change how you lead, ask, and grow.

🎧 Listen to more episodes at https://www.thecharitycfo.com

Check out the full blog recap here.

Connect with Jeff Schreifels

Principal and Owner of Veritus Group

🌐 Website: ⁠⁠https://veritusgroup.com/

💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffschreifels/

Follow Us Online 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠www.thecharitycfo.com⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram: @thecharitycfo 📘 Facebook:⁠⁠ /thecharitycfo⁠⁠ 💼 LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠ / the-charity-cfo⁠⁠ ⁠ 🎵 TikTok: @thecharitycfoJoin our newsletter: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/l/995872/2025-02-24/6ldn1Download The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint: https://go.thecharitycfo.com/financial-blueprint

#nonprofitfundraising #nonprofitleadership #thecharitycfo #major gifts #fundraisingstrategy #donorrelationships #veritusgroup