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Learning for Good | L&D Solutions and Leadership Development for Nonprofits
By Heather Burright, Learning and Development Leader, Leadership Development Consultant, Instructional Designer.BusinessCareersManagementNon-Profit
Learning for Good | L&D Solutions and Leadership Development for Nonprofits episodes
- What Proof of Impact Really Looks Like in Training
What does proof of impact really look like in nonprofit learning and development?
In this episode of Learning for Good, I break down how nonprofit leaders can measure staff training and development in a way that actually connects learning to organizational performance and mission impact.
Many nonprofit organizations focus only on participation numbers or satisfaction surveys when evaluating training. Others jump straight to behavior change and impact without worrying about knowledge transfer. I explain why effective learning and development strategies require a complete measurement chain, one where every “domino” matters.
▶️ What Proof of Impact Really Looks Like in Training
▶️ Key Points:
00:00:00 The Five Dominoes of Measuring Training Impact
00:05:50 Why Each Domino Matters in Nonprofit Staff Training and Development
00:13:30 Connecting Learning to Organizational Impact
Resources from this episode:
More episodes on measuring training:
- How to Measure Behavior Change and Impact from Training
- How to Measure the Impact of Your Training and Development
Join us at our next networking event for the Nonprofit L&D Collective on June 17: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/join-the-nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms16 min - A Look at Career Mapping: Who, What, When, and How with Nonprofit Leader Melanie Gonzalez
What does it take to build high-performing nonprofit teams that stay engaged, grow their skills, and strengthen organizational impact?
In this episode, I sit down with Melanie Gonzalez, Chief People Officer at the Behavioral Science Research Institute (BSRI), to explore how intentional career pathing supports nonprofit leadership development, staff training and development, and employee retention.
From aligning compensation philosophy with career progression to building customized learning and development strategies, this conversation offers practical guidance for nonprofit leaders who want to invest in their people while navigating limited resources and flat organizational structures.
▶️ A Look at Career Mapping: Who, What, When, and How with Nonprofit Leader Melanie Gonzalez
▶️ Key Points:
00:00:00 Career Paths Matter for Nonprofit Growth and Performance
00:03:46 Melanie’s HR Leadership Journey
00:09:34 Career Pathing and Compensation at BSRI
00:17:34 Nonprofit Career Growth Beyond Promotions
00:21:03 Aligning Career Pathing with L&D Strategies
00:24:21 The Impact of Investing in Nonprofit Staff Development
00:27:24 Advice for Nonprofits Creating Career Paths
Resources from this episode:
Join us at our next networking event for the Nonprofit L&D Collective on June 17: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/join-the-nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Melanie
LinkedIn: Melanie Gonzalez
Website: bsrinstitute.org
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms33 min - The Mindset that Separates Strategic L&D Leaders from Order Takers
If you want to elevate your learning and development role from an order taker to a strategic partner, it starts with something many leaders overlook: mindset.
In this episode, I explore how the way you think about your role in learning and development directly impacts your influence, credibility, and results inside your organization.
Too often, nonprofit learning professionals feel stuck reacting to requests instead of shaping strategy. But shifting from an order taker to a strategic partner isn’t about changing your job title. It’s about changing how you show up. I break down how your internal beliefs shape your external behaviors, and ultimately determine whether you're invited to the decision-making table.
▶️ The Mindset that Separates Strategic L&D Leaders from Order Takers
▶️ Key Points:
00:00:00 How Mindset Shapes Your Daily Experiences
00:03:50 Strategic L&D Partner vs Order Taker
00:08:58 Reinforcing Cycles: Beliefs and Outcomes
Resources from this episode:
The Psychology of Winning by Denis Waitley: https://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Winning-Qualities-Nightingale-Publication/dp/1640956441
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Your-Subconscious-Mind/dp/160459201X
Self-Coaching 101 by Brooke Castillo: https://www.amazon.com/Self-Coaching-101-Brooke-Castillo/dp/0977853993
Join us at our next networking event for the Nonprofit L&D Collective on May 20: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/join-the-nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms13 min - Mentorship Programs for Nonprofits: How to Develop the Next Generation of Leaders with Larcy Douglas
Mentorship is a powerful yet underutilized tool in nonprofits, and in this episode, we’re diving into how to operationalize it for real organizational impact.
I sit down with Larcy Douglas, director at Common Power, to explore how mentorship can transform both individuals and organizations. From designing collaborative mentor-mentee relationships to embedding mentorship into broader learning and development strategies, Larcy shares how her team built a program that not only develops leaders but also strengthens retention, engagement, and long-term impact.
If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond informal mentoring into a structured, scalable program, this conversation will give you a practical roadmap.
▶️ Mentorship Programs for Nonprofits: How to Develop the Next Generation of Leaders with Larcy Douglas
▶️ Key Points:
00:00:00 Why Mentorship is a Missed Opportunity in Nonprofits
00:03:04 The Role of Intergenerational Mentorship
00:07:59 Inside Common Power’s Mission and Programs
00:10:48 Building a Scalable Mentorship Model
00:19:39 Evolving Programs Using Data and Participant Feedback
00:24:57 Measuring Mentorship Impact in Nonprofit Organizations
00:29:21 Advice for Launching a Mentorship Program
Resources from this episode:
Data on mentoring:
- https://mentorloop.com/blog/mentoring-statistics/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecomaford/2019/07/03/new-study-76-of-people-think-mentors-are-important-but-only-37-have-one/
Join us at our next networking event for the Nonprofit L&D Collective on May 20: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/join-the-nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Larcy
LinkedIn: Larcy Douglas
Website: commonpower.org
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms36 min - Why Good Training Takes Time
Good training takes time, and in a world where AI can generate content in seconds, that truth is more important than ever.
In this episode, we unpack why effective learning and development strategies in nonprofits can’t be rushed, even when tools promise speed and efficiency. Because training isn’t just about content creation. It’s about behavior change and performance improvement. We break down where your time actually goes, from building trust with stakeholders to understanding your audience and testing what works, so you can design training that leads to real results, not just completion.
If you’ve ever felt pressure to produce training quickly or wondered why your programs aren’t driving real change, this episode will shift your perspective.
▶️ Why Good Training Takes Time
▶️ Key Points:
0:00:00 Why it takes time to create a good training
0:05:57 Where AI can speed up training design
00:07:18 The importance of testing and iteration
Resources from this episode:
Join us at our next networking event for the Nonprofit L&D Collective on May 20: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/join-the-nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms11 min - How One Nonprofit Trains Its Volunteer Workforce with Jim Farmer
Training volunteers is one of the most complex and overlooked areas of nonprofit training and development.
In this episode, I had the privilege of talking with the VP of Training at For the Children, Jim Farmer, to unpack how organizations can design training experiences that actually prepare volunteers to succeed without overwhelming them or driving them away. Jim shares how his organization has reimagined volunteer training through trauma-informed care, relational learning experiences, and intentional design choices that meet volunteers where they are.
▶️ How One Nonprofit Trains Its Volunteer Workforce with Jim Farmer
▶️ Key Points:
0:00:00 From corporate L&D to nonprofit leadership
0:12:38 Training employees vs. volunteers
0:15:30 Common challenges in volunteer training
0:17:32 Trauma-informed care in training
0:21:33 Building volunteer training programs
Resources from this episode:
Join us at our next networking event for the Nonprofit L&D Collective on May 20: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/join-the-nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Jim
LinkedIn: Jim Farmer
Website: forthechildren.org
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms27 min - 5 Common Concerns About Training (and How to Address Them)
If you’ve ever struggled to gain buy-in for nonprofit leadership development, you’re not alone. Many nonprofit leaders hesitate to invest in training, not because they don’t care, but because they have real concerns about time, cost, and impact.
In this episode, we break down the most common objections to staff training and development and show you how to address them in a way that builds trust, credibility, and support. You’ll learn how to shift mindsets and help leaders see training as a solution, not a distraction.
▶️ 5 Common Concerns About Training (and How to Address Them)
▶️ Key Points:
0:00:00 Why training often lacks leadership support
0:03:28 “Skeptic vs. believer” leadership mindset
0:05:34 Common objections to nonprofit training
0:11:35 Shifting from objections to vision
Resources from this episode:
Join our upcoming virtual conference, Leading Learning That Sticks, a week-long virtual experience for nonprofit and association training professionals who are ready to move beyond reactive training delivery and step into strategic learning leadership: https://collective.skillmastersmarket.com/invitation?code=E3DC2B
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms16 min - Custom AI Agents for Learning? A Look at One Nonprofit's Innovative Approach with Jorge Perez
AI is rapidly reshaping nonprofit leadership development, and organizations that embrace it now will be better positioned to build stronger teams, scale impact, and drive consistent performance.
In this episode, I sit down with the president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati, Jorge Perez, to explore how AI is transforming learning and development strategies and what that means for nonprofit leaders today. Jorge shares how his organization is already using AI to enhance staff training and development, streamline workflows, and support leadership growth in real time.
▶️ Custom AI Agents for Learning? A Look at One Nonprofit's Innovative Approach with Jorge Perez
▶️ Key Points:
0:00:00 Jorge’s nonprofit leadership journey insights
0:07:48 AI is changing how nonprofits operate
0:18:52 AI opportunities for learning leaders
0:21:26 AI concerns: ethics, security, and quality
0:25:48 Start experimenting with AI today
Resources from this episode:
Join our upcoming virtual conference, Leading Learning That Sticks, a week-long virtual experience for nonprofit and association training professionals who are ready to move beyond reactive training delivery and step into strategic learning leadership: https://collective.skillmastersmarket.com/invitation?code=E3DC2B
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Jorge
LinkedIn: Jorge Perez
Website: ymca.org/locations/ymca-greater-cincinnati
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms32 min - 5 Practical Post-Training Strategies to Make Learning Stick
Too often, staff training and development ends when the workshop does. But as I share in this episode of Learning for Good, training alone rarely leads to lasting results. Without the right systems in place, even the most engaging learning experience will fade as staff return to their daily demands.
If you’ve ever struggled with creating impactful training programs that last, this episode gives you practical solutions you can implement right away.
▶️ 5 Practical Post-Training Strategies to Make Learning Stick
▶️ Key Points:
0:00:00 Why systems matter
0:03:24 The limits of training
0:07:06 Post-training behavior change strategies
0:13:40 Creating lasting impact
Resources from this episode:
Join our upcoming virtual conference, Leading Learning That Sticks, a week-long virtual experience for nonprofit and association training professionals who are ready to move beyond reactive training delivery and step into strategic learning leadership: https://collective.skillmastersmarket.com/invitation?code=E3DC2B
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collective
Connect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms15 min - Nonprofit L&D Leaders: Your Role is Much Bigger Than Delivering Training
In this episode of Learning for Good, I’m sharing a heartfelt message for nonprofit learning and development professionals who want their work to drive real impact, not just course completions.
If you’ve ever felt like a “training factory” instead of a strategic partner, this episode will remind you why your work matters and how to step into your identity as a change agent.
▶️ Nonprofit L&D Leaders: Your Role is Much Bigger Than Delivering Training
▶️ Key Points:
0:00:00 Owning your identity as a change agent
0:04:58 Communicating with influence to stakeholders
0:07:18 Designing training for impact
Resources from this episode:
Personal branding episodes:
Episode 173: Why Your Personal Brand is the Key to Strategic Learning LeadershipEpisode 164: How Learning & Development Professionals Can Use Personal Branding to Gain Influence
Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveConnect with Heather
LinkedIn: Heather Burright
Website: skillmastersmarket.com
Book an interest call with Heather here.
⭐Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review!
🔗Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends.
Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.
Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization.
Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!
Produced by Ideablossoms11 min
About Learning for Good | L&D Solutions and Leadership Development for Nonprofits
From the publisher's feed
As nonprofit learning and development leaders, we want a seat at the table. We want to be viewed as true business partners who can help solve problems. We want to create meaningful learning…
solutions that fit in the flow of work and yield real results for the organization and for the staff.
That's why in this podcast, we will not only explore instructional design and leadership development best practices, but we will also explore change management, belonging, and influence - helping you build the case for the solutions your organization needs so you can show up confidently in conversations with other senior leaders, subject matter experts, staff, and partners.
If we haven't met yet, I'm Heather, and I’ve been in your shoes. I'm a learning and development consultant and the founder and principal consultant at Skill Masters Market. Before starting Skill Masters Market, I worked for a large national nonprofit where I led learning and development leadership initiatives.
I know what it’s like to need to develop your staff quickly and effectively, and to build the relationships and cut through the organizational layers to be successful. With an eye for the larger strategy and the creative design process, I've created hundreds of learning experiences - in-person, self-paced, and virtual classroom - and have worked with dozens of leaders and their staff to help them achieve their organization’s professional development goals.
So if you're ready to bust through the barriers and start creating behavior change in your nonprofit, this podcast is for you. Let's dive in. It's Learning for Good.
Nonprofit Management | Leadership Training | Leadership Development | Staff Management | Change Management | Instructional Design | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
That's why in this podcast, we will not only explore instructional design and leadership development best practices, but we will also explore change management, belonging, and influence - helping you build the case for the solutions your organization needs so you can show up confidently in conversations with other senior leaders, subject matter experts, staff, and partners.
If we haven't met yet, I'm Heather, and I’ve been in your shoes. I'm a learning and development consultant and the founder and principal consultant at Skill Masters Market. Before starting Skill Masters Market, I worked for a large national nonprofit where I led learning and development leadership initiatives.
I know what it’s like to need to develop your staff quickly and effectively, and to build the relationships and cut through the organizational layers to be successful. With an eye for the larger strategy and the creative design process, I've created hundreds of learning experiences - in-person, self-paced, and virtual classroom - and have worked with dozens of leaders and their staff to help them achieve their organization’s professional development goals.
So if you're ready to bust through the barriers and start creating behavior change in your nonprofit, this podcast is for you. Let's dive in. It's Learning for Good.
Nonprofit Management | Leadership Training | Leadership Development | Staff Management | Change Management | Instructional Design | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Learn more: www.skillmastersmarket.com
Connect with me: www.linkedin.com/in/heather-burright
Schedule a call: https://bit.ly/3GQT6Yg
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