Good Nonsense

Good Nonsense

By Evan WildsteinBusinessNon-Profit
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Good Nonsense episodes

  • AI Philanthropy (probably) Isn’t Coming — with Jonah Nigh

    Repeat guest and longtime friend Jonah Nigh is back. We shared an office at a small nonprofit in New York City decades ago, and we’ve been trading fundraising wisdom (and bad-idea responses) ever since. On this episode we tackle “that AI philanthropy article” everyone in fundraising keeps forwarding.

    Along the way we dive into —

    • Why the “AI money is about to rain down” argument may be more breathless than brilliant
    • What the dot-com boom, “Asian philanthropy,” and Craigslist can teach us about big capital and generosity
    • Why the number two, three, and four leaders at a company may be your better prospects
    • Kind, cheeky ways to redirect a board member’s “just ask Oprah” idea

      • It’s practical, honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

      Mentioned on this episode:

      • Jonah’s work
      • Jonah's first Good Nonsense episode
      • “The Third Wave of American Philanthropy” (article)
      • The Everywhere Millionaire (book)
        • 12 min
      • The World's Longest Nonprofit Mail Merge — with Aparna Rae

        Fellow rabble-rouser Aparna Rae joins this conversation for a topic near and dear to a nonprofiteer’s heart: the lack of intellectual rigor (curiosity) in the sector. The kind of rigor that shows up when organizations actually invest in their people, whether or not they have budget funds for it.

        Along the way we dive into:

        • The game of overhead chicken between nonprofits and funders
        • Why “this is how it’s always been done” keeps us stuck on Encyclopedia Britannica in a world of Google, AI, and more
        • Who the villains really are (hint: there’s more than one, and philanthropy is on the list)
        • What to do when your professional development budget is really zero
        • A cautionary tale about the sector’s longest mail merge

          • It’s practical, it’s honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way—including a heartfelt tribute to Clippy. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

          Mentioned on this episode:

          Aparna’s LinkedIn

          Coursera
          The Nonprofit Hive
          We Are For Good: ImpactUp

           

          15 min
        • Building Empathy Muscle — with Michael Le

          Attorney-turned-nonprofiteer Michael Le is a delightful human. The kind you enjoy getting to know. The kind who believes in building “empathy muscle” by planting himself in the mission work… whether or not that work appears on his job description, which we talked about, and more.

          Along the way we dive into —

          • Taking big swings in our nonprofit work
          • Smashing nonprofit complacency by dreaming
          • The power of executives checking in on one another
          • And one wish Michael would make to improve the social sector

            • It’s practical, it’s honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

            Mentioned on this episode:

            Social Impact Staff Retention project

            PDS Health Foundation’s Instagram
            Michael’s LinkedIn
            The ProImpact Project (connecting executive directors)

            27 min
          • Strategy, Change, and Teal Pumpkins — with Veronica LaFemina

            Ever since Tasha and Evan learned about Veronica LaFemina’s concept of a one-page strategic plan, they were hooked. Years later, it’s been exciting following along as she advises nonprofits on addressing vacancies, siloes, and collective success. On this episode we talked about all of it.

            Along the way we dive into —

            • Being a teenage peer mediator
            • Making Halloween accessible for more kids
            • The practical power of “I” instead of “we” statements
            • Vacancy rates and how they can tank your org’s mission
            • And one wish Veronica would make to improve the social sector

              • It’s practical, it’s honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

              Mentioned on this episode:

              The Teal Pumpkin Project

              Tether for really great nonprofit resources
              Veronica’s thoughts on nonprofit vacancy rates

              33 min
            • Going Beyond Elections to Reimagine Democracy — with Sam Reusch

              Nonprofiteers may not think of “democracy work” as nonprofit work, but it absolutely is. On this episode, Apathy is Boring’s executive director Sam Reusch talks about how democracy is an ongoing conversation—one that helps us decide what type of country, province, or community we want.

              Along the way we dive into —

              • Redefining democracy beyond elections
              • Why apathy isn’t indifference, it’s disconnection
              • How nontraditional work can create nonprofit leaders
              • And one wish Sam would make to improve the social sector

                • It’s practical, it’s honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

                Mentioned on this episode:

                Apathy is Boring

                Sam’s LinkedIn

                27 min
              • Being Curious, Empathetic, Affirming, and Helpful — with Tim Parsons

                We were delighted to be Tim Parsons’ first-ever podcast, and what a deep conversation it was. From Dungeons & Dragons to empathy to disorienting dilemmas and beyond, Tim showed us why having different people in the room allows us to do big things.

                Along the way we dived into —

                • Why our work requires idealists, realists, AND practical-ists
                • Moving people along the journey of transformative volunteering
                • Putting people outside their comfort zones to build real connection
                • One wish Tim would make to improve the social sector

                  • It’s practical, it’s honest, and, as always, there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

                  Mentioned on this episode:

                  Idealist.org

                  Realized Worth
                  Social Impact Supper Club (New York)

                  35 min
                • Doing Big Things as an Introverted Leader — with Kimberly Lewis

                  Kimberly Lewis is a wonderfully warm nonprofit leader who pairs grit with grace. From saving an agency from bankruptcy to walking the floor at Goodwill, this conversation with Kimberly shows what true leadership is: presence and heart. 

                  Along the way we dive into — 

                  • Balancing introversion with public leadership
                  • Succession planning and preparing the next generation of leaders
                  • Why seeing your people, and having them see you, is a wildly underrated flex
                  • And one wish Kimberly would make to improve the whole of the nonprofit sector

                    • It’s practical, it’s honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

                    34 min
                  • Building a Future We May Never See Ourselves — with Matthew Ratz

                    “What is is not what will always be.” If Matthew Ratz had a family crest, this might be the phrase it dons. A nonprofiteer for 15+ years, Matthew weaves that spirit into his social sector work, and beyond—and we spoke about it openly in this episode.

                    Along the way we dive into — 

                    • Inspiring care through stories, not persuasion
                    • Creating transformative experiences for those we serve
                    • Getting boards to dream beyond their day-to-day responsibilities
                    • One wish Matthew would make to magically improve the nonprofit sector

                      • It’s practical, it’s honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

                      Mentioned on this episode:

                      Matthew’s reluctant presence on LinkedIn

                      The CIA’s 20th century method to sabotage business productivity
                      Corporatization of nonprofits is the death knell of nonprofits (The Nonprofit Hive)

                      28 min
                    • Getting Nonprofit Loud — with Maia Iva

                      Whether she’s saving Ukrainian animals in need or building scalable nonprofit infrastructure, Maia Iva is an expert in getting loud. And Maia’s work isn’t simply compelling—it’s strategic, resilient, and steeped in values.

                      On this episode we dived into — 

                      • Thinking openly about risk and experimentation
                      • Donor archetyping as a great utility for small(er) organizations
                      • User experience (UX) as a method for getting to know stakeholders
                      • And one wish Maia would make to magically improve the nonprofit sector

                        • It’s practical, it’s honest, and (as always) there’s good nonsense along the way. If you know a nonprofiteer we should invite on the show, let us know at [email protected]!

                        Mentioned on this episode:

                        DonorVoice’s work on personality matching

                        Maya’s work getting aid to Ukrainian animals in need
                        Transforming Animal Welfare in Ukraine (The Nonprofit Hive)

                        28 min

                      About Good Nonsense

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                      Big topics, small talks. Welcome to Good Nonsense, an honest, occasional show about life in the nonprofit sector. Visit