Liz Moore is the Executive Director of the Montana Nonprofit Association, an organization whose mission is to “provide leadership for Montana’s nonprofit sector and partner with charitable nonprofits to promote a sustainable, networked, and influential sector.” Founded in 2001, the MNA provides capacity, resources, and networking opportunities that allow Montana’s diverse and numerous nonprofit organizations to increase their effectiveness and better serve the communities and citizens of Montana. As you’ll hear in this conversation, Liz loves Montana and has devoted her career to the service of others, and her passion for making her home state an even better place is both inspiring and infectious.

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As some of you may know, my full-time job is in the nonprofit sector– I’m the Conservation Director at a regional land trust in southeastern Colorado. Prior to moving into the nonprofit sector, I spent all of my career in the business world. But despite serving on several nonprofit boards and advisory committees, I still did not fully understand the critical role of nonprofits, especially in the West. It wasn’t until I was a year or so into my nonprofit conservation work that I realized just how critical nonprofits are to the functioning of society in the West. Nor did I understand how they complement the work of businesses and governmental entities. So I was thrilled to have Liz join me to discuss all of these issues, and I hope that you, the listener, will gain a deeper appreciation for why nonprofits are so important here in the West.

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Liz and I connected virtually and had a wide-ranging conversation about the invaluable role of nonprofits in Montana and beyond. We started out discussing why Montana has such a large number of nonprofits per capita, and why Montana’s unique geography makes nonprofits such an essential part of the culture. We also discussed why Montanans are more involved in the community than what you see in many other regions of the United States. We talked a lot about COVID’s impact on the rural communities of Montana and how nonprofits were uniquely positioned to provide immediate and long-term relief to the unprecedented challenges created by the pandemic. We discussed Liz’s work on Montana’s Coronavirus Relief Task Force, and why she was asked to serve under two different governors, one Democrat and one Republican. We talk about how political polarization is affecting the nonprofit sector, and the importance of identifying and focusing on common ground rather than differences. We also discuss Liz’s upbringing in eastern Montana, her thoughts on what makes a successful nonprofit, her passion for photography, and much more.

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I can’t thank Liz enough for taking the time to share all of her wisdom and insights about this important yet often not fully understood topic. You’ll learn a lot from this episode, so I hope you enjoy!

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• Montana Nonprofit Association
• Episode Notes and Links: https://mountainandprairie.com/liz-moore/

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• 4:00 - Liz describes the Montana Nonprofit Association
• 6:00 - Liz talks about the nonprofit sector in Montana
• 8:30 - Liz explains what the high concentration of nonprofits in Montana means for the sector
• 10:45 - Liz talks about how COVID-19 impacted her work and the work of Montana nonprofits
• 13:30 - Liz explains why some nonprofits saw success during the pandemic and why others did not
• 17:30 - Liz discusses nonprofit lessons learned during the pandemic
• 20:00 - Liz explains some of the challenges facing the nonprofit workforce and why employee retention is so difficult in that sector
• 22:45 - Liz discusses some potential, if difficult avenues for addressing the challenges facing the nonprofit sector
• 26:00 - Liz gives some examples of nonprofit organizations and staff giving their best during the pandemic
• 30:00 - Liz explores the concept of generosity with respect to the nonprofit sector and explains where she saw Montana nonprofits exhibit generosity during the pandemic
• 33:00 - Liz describes how the current political/cultural climate impacts the nonprofit sector
• 40:30 - Liz talks about where she sees the nonprofit sector going in the coming years
• 43:45 - Liz identifies characteristics of successful nonprofits
• 46:00 - Liz discusses her background
• 50:00 - Liz gives advice for people facing forks in the road regarding their careers
• 53:00 - Liz explains how she became interested in photography
• 54:30 - Liz’s book recommendations
• 57:00 - Liz’s parting words of wisdom

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This episode is brought to you by The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and its Montana-based AMB West Philanthropies, both of which embody the values-based approach to philanthropy and business of their Chairman Arthur M. Blank.

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