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Governance can propel a mission forward or quietly stall it, and the difference often comes down to clarity, courage, and the right people in the right roles. We sit down with strategist and former executive director Eddrick Martin to unpack how boards become true force multipliers instead of rubber-stamp committees. From aligning with your board chair to recruiting beyond your first-degree network, this conversation delivers a practical blueprint for nonprofit leaders ready to modernize their governance and build momentum.

If you’re ready to turn governance into a strategic advantage, this episode offers clear steps you can apply at your next board meeting. Subscribe, share with your board, and leave a review with your top governance challenge—we’ll feature solutions in a future show.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Hub Radio Podcast, Nina Guise-Gerrity, founder and CEO of Get Gifted and longtime Loyola University professor, shares the story behind building an innovative platform designed to make giving more personal, efficient, and meaningful. What began as a simple challenge—wanting to send her niece blueberries from across the country—became a powerful solution for individuals and nonprofits alike. Nina walks through her transition from academia to entrepreneurship, the persistence required to build technology in an unfamiliar space, and how Get Gifted enables nonprofits to clearly communicate their real, day-to-day needs through customizable wish lists. The conversation highlights donor motivation, the importance of matching intention with execution, and how tangible, personalized giving creates deeper connection and impact for communities, donors, and nonprofit leaders alike.

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In this episode, Pieta Blakely, Managing Principal at Rojas Blakely Associates, unpacks her concept of “joyful accountability”—a refreshing, motivating approach to program evaluation in the nonprofit sector. Drawing from her experience in workforce development and economic mobility, Pieta shares how she moved from the classroom into evaluation after seeing the need for clarity, data, and mission alignment. She explains how nonprofits can identify what truly matters to measure, avoid becoming overwhelmed by the scale of the issues they tackle, and stay energized by recognizing small wins along the way. The conversation explores building a practical theory of change, selecting meaningful metrics, navigating funder expectations, partnering effectively across organizations, and weaving together narrative and data to tell a fuller story of impact. It’s a thoughtful look at how evaluation—when done well—can inspire collaboration, focus, and celebration within mission-driven work.

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As Giving Tuesday and the year-end fundraising season arrive, now is the time for nonprofits to double down on the metrics that truly drive growth. In this refreshed episode of the Nonprofit Hub Podcast, Meghan sits down with Carly Berna of Virtuous to unpack the most essential data points every fundraiser needs to understand before year-end appeals hit full speed. From donor retention and average gift size to recurring giving, acquisition costs, portfolio balance, and the brand-new “days to second gift” metric, Carly breaks down how these insights can shape smarter asks, stronger donor journeys, and more predictable revenue during the most generous season of the year. If you’re preparing for Giving Tuesday or mapping out your year-end strategy, this conversation will help you focus on the numbers that matter most.

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This episode explores a scientific and psychologically informed approach to major gift fundraising with Bill Crouch, CEO of BrightDot. Bill shares his journey from higher education leadership to developing a consultancy built around understanding emotional intelligence and the balance of left-brain and right-brain thinking in fundraising. He explains how successful major gift work requires both analytical structure and creative relational engagement, and how teams can better leverage these strengths—whether through tailored roles, environmental triggers, or deeper insight into donor motivations. The conversation highlights practical strategies, including how to think like a high-wealth donor, how to build teams that blend data and human connection, and why understanding a donor’s “heart” is essential to securing transformational gifts.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Hub Radio Podcast, host Meghan Speer sits down with Matthew Courtney, principal consultant at Courtney Consulting, to explore how nonprofits can use program evaluation to strengthen funding applications, prove impact, and improve programs. Drawing from his own experience as a former nonprofit founder, Matthew shares hard-earned lessons about the importance of collecting and analyzing data—beyond just counting participants—to tell a compelling story of real change. He offers practical tips for starting from scratch, making data collection automatic, and creating a culture of continuous improvement that funders trust. Whether you’re a small or startup nonprofit or a seasoned leader rethinking your evaluation strategy, this conversation will help you see data not as a burden, but as a powerful tool for sustainability and growth.

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Urgent programs and tight grants can push culture work to the margins, but that’s exactly where nonprofit teams lose speed and trust. We sit down with strategist Page Hinerman of Page Capacity Builders to unpack how hybrid and remote teams thrive when leaders treat culture as core infrastructure. From rethinking “all‑staff” meetings to redesigning one‑on‑ones, we get tactical about turning updates into strategy, building psychological safety, and aligning back‑office work with frontline impact.

Page shares battle‑tested ideas from years of capacity building across nonprofits, philanthropy, and government. We talk about the small moves that change everything: 10‑minute norms at the start of staff meetings, values activation that gets specific (transparency becomes shared budgets and decision logs), and monthly cross‑functional touchpoints that keep marketing and fundraising anchored in program reality. If your hybrid team feels siloed or transactional, you’ll learn how to reset communications, protect relational time, and make space for trust without sacrificing delivery.

We also dig into hiring and sustainability. Using values to screen candidates prevents costly misalignment and lowers turnover; planning sooner—long before a grant deadline—keeps compliance tight and teams steady. Page outlines how consultants can fill true capacity gaps while leaving behind tools, skills, and networks so organizations sustain progress after the engagement ends. Expect clear steps you can try this week and a mindset shift that reframes culture from “nice to have” into the fastest route to outcomes.

If this conversation helps you see a better path for your team, follow the show, share it with a fellow leader, and leave a quick review. Your feedback helps more nonprofits find practical strategies that actually work.

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The ground shifted under nonprofit fundraising, and we felt the jolt. Federal grants vanished, competition for private dollars surged, and small teams were suddenly racing against institutions with entire development departments. So we got practical: rebuild the grant pipeline, rethink risk, and double down on alignment over volume. Luke Keller—founder and CEO of Match Grant and board leader at Tekton—joins the podcast to share a candid playbook born from necessity: how to diversify revenue, target right-fit funders, and use data to spot warm signals that boost your odds.

If you’re just starting with grants—or rebuilding after a tough year—you’ll leave with concrete steps: get laser-specific on funding needs (capital, program, or general operating), map true peers and their funders, cultivate relationships before you ask, and measure outcomes so your story holds up. The theme that carries through it all is simple and hard: don’t chase every dollar, chase alignment. Subscribe for more practical strategies, share this with a nonprofit leader who needs a lift, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

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Capital campaigns don’t have to be mysterious, exhausting marathons. With Jason Lewis of Seed Fundraisers, we pull back the curtain on a simpler, smarter path: a four‑wave model that mirrors how donors actually give and how organizations can build capacity while they raise transformational dollars. Instead of forcing everything into “quiet” and “public,” we map the journey from experienced, asset‑based leadership gifts through staff‑driven cultivation, to broader, income‑based pledges—so momentum doesn’t stall and volunteers aren’t asked to do the wrong jobs at the wrong time.

We also tackle the hidden “undercurrent” that sinks campaigns when gift volume spikes: pledge management, receipting, data hygiene, leadership stability, and board continuity. Jason shares where to invest staff time, when to shift from one‑to‑one to one‑to‑many outreach, and how to structure a case for support that reaches three distinct major‑donor motivations: bricks and mortar, entrepreneurial program growth, and rapid‑response needs. If you’ve ever watched a lead donor step up only to be let down by the follow‑through, this framework shows how to bring the next wave with you—on purpose.

Along the way, we offer straight‑talk for newer fundraisers who feel out of their depth: get in front of donors more often, listen longer, and translate annual‑fund instincts to capital scale. Treat your campaign as a teaching instrument, not a one‑off production, and you’ll build internal muscle that lasts well beyond the ribbon‑cutting. Ready to rethink your next campaign—and keep what you learn? Follow the show, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a quick review to tell us what wave you’re planning for next.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Hub Radio Podcast, Trevan Strean, co-founder and creative director at Share, unpacks why branding and design are critical for nonprofits.

Trevan explains how outdated visuals, inconsistent messaging, and neglected storytelling can erode trust before a donor even considers giving. He shares practical steps to keep your brand fresh without losing its identity, create a simple style guide, and communicate consistently across every channel—from your website to volunteer t-shirts.

If your nonprofit is struggling to stand out in a crowded cause space, this conversation will equip you with the tools to build a brand that inspires confidence, trust, and long-term support.

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Get free nonprofit professional development resources, connections to cause work peers, and more at https://nonprofithub.org