In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter speaks with Arun Gupta, CEO of NobleReach Foundation, venture capitalist, Stanford lecturer, Georgetown entrepreneurship professor, and bestselling author of The Mission Generation. Arun shares how his work across entrepreneurship, technology, public policy, venture finance, and social impact has shaped his belief that today’s workforce is increasingly seeking purpose, mission, and public impact in their careers.

Rob and Arun discuss how the pandemic, geopolitical instability, artificial intelligence, and rapid social change have caused many people across generations to rethink what they want from work. Arun explains why “stability is the new risk,” why mission-driven careers are no longer limited to one generation or one sector, and how nonprofit leaders can foster innovation, experimentation, and cross-sector collaboration without losing sight of their mission.

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In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter talks with Dianne Bailey, Managing Director and National Philanthropic Strategy Executive at Bank of America Private Bank, about the changing landscape of nonprofit fundraising, affluent donors, and the future of charitable giving. Dianne brings decades of experience in philanthropy, nonprofit law, donor strategy, and foundation work, offering a unique view from the intersection of donors and nonprofit leaders.

Rob and Dianne discuss key findings from the Bank of America Study of Philanthropy, including why total giving is increasing while fewer households are giving, how nonprofits can build deeper donor relationships, and why volunteer engagement often leads to greater generosity. They also explore donor advised funds, planned giving, women in philanthropy, rising-generation donors, and the massive intergenerational wealth transfer that could reshape nonprofit fundraising for decades to come.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter talks with Walter Kim, president of the NAE, about the urgent need to rebuild trust, strengthen local communities, and rediscover what it means to be a good neighbor. Walter shares how declining trust, loneliness, polarization, and compassion fatigue are affecting generosity, volunteerism, and civic life across the country.

Walter also introduces the Good Neighbor Day America movement, a nationwide call to service designed to help churches, nonprofits, and community groups take simple, practical steps toward neighborliness. From cleaning up parks to supporting local schools, feeding people, and partnering across differences, Walter explains how small acts of kindness can grow into meaningful community transformation.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Dr. Rob Harter speaks with Steve Cadigan, talent strategist, author of Workquake, and LinkedIn’s first Chief HR Officer. Steve shares how the employer-employee relationship has changed dramatically in recent years, especially as AI, remote work, frequent career changes, and shifting expectations around purpose and flexibility continue to reshape the workplace.

Steve explains why nonprofit leaders can no longer rely on traditional ideas of long-term retention or job security. Instead, he encourages leaders to offer “career security” by helping employees grow, learn, and become better prepared for an uncertain future. For nonprofits, this shift creates a powerful opportunity to attract mission-driven talent, build stronger alumni relationships, redesign roles for shorter talent cycles, and create cultures where people want to contribute deeply—even if they do not stay forever.

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In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter welcomes Caitlin Baron, CEO of the Luminos Fund, to discuss how nonprofit leaders can sustain long-term impact while scaling mission-driven work. Caitlin shares her personal journey from growing up in Brooklyn, where she saw firsthand how education changes opportunity, to leading international education initiatives that help children who have been denied access to school.

Caitlin explains how the Luminos Fund creates second-chance education programs for out-of-school children across Africa, helping students cover three years of learning in just one year. She also shares practical leadership insights on scaling impact, building strong partnerships, staying focused on mission, cultivating joyful learning environments, and growing as a leader while an organization expands.

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In this special four-state panel discussion, Rob Harter brings together nonprofit leaders from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado to discuss the biggest trends impacting nonprofit leadership today. Guests Jill Bennett of the Utah Nonprofits Association, Kevin Bailey of the Idaho Community Foundation and Idaho Nonprofit Center, Jodi Shields of the Wyoming Nonprofit Network, and Lloyd Lewis of arc Thrift Stores share practical insights on financial sustainability, fundraising challenges, staff burnout, AI, board governance, collaboration, and social enterprise.

Together, the panel explores how nonprofit organizations can continue to serve rising community needs while facing funding uncertainty, workforce pressure, and rapid technological change. This conversation offers honest encouragement and practical strategies for executive directors, board members, fundraisers, and nonprofit staff who are navigating today’s complex nonprofit landscape.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter talks with Pierre Le Manh, President and CEO of Project Management Institute (PMI), about how nonprofit leaders can stay grounded in their mission while navigating rapid change, uncertainty, and transformation. Pierre shares why clarity of purpose, adaptive execution, transparency, and values-based leadership are essential for keeping teams aligned and motivated even when conditions are shifting.

Rob and Pierre also explore why project management skills are no longer reserved for people with the project manager title. From prioritization and stakeholder alignment to AI adoption, enterprise agility, and long-term thinking, this conversation offers practical leadership insights for nonprofit executives who want to improve execution, avoid mission drift, and lead change with empathy. Pierre also points listeners to PMI’s resources and his LinkedIn profile for continued learning.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Greg Warner, founder of MarketSmart, to explore how nonprofit leaders can use fundraising data more effectively. Greg shares the story behind the Fundraising Report Card, a free tool designed to help organizations better understand donor retention, lapsed donors, giving trends, and overall fundraising performance.

The conversation also dives into the future of fundraising, including how AI can create efficiencies, improve donor engagement, and free up development teams to focus more on meaningful relationships. Greg offers a powerful reminder that donors should never be treated like ATMs, but rather as people looking for purpose, trust, and connection through their giving.

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In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter sits down with Christoph Gorder, leader of Airbnb.org, to explore how Airbnb has built a social impact model that looks very different from a traditional corporate foundation. As an independent 501(c)(3), Airbnb.org operates separately from Airbnb while still leveraging the company’s technology, host network, and infrastructure to provide emergency housing for people displaced by disasters and other crises.

Christoph shares how Airbnb.org is rethinking disaster response by using millions of available homes around the world to provide fast, flexible, dignified shelter for families in need. He also talks about leadership, scaling nonprofit impact, the role of AI and technology in modern nonprofit operations, and why strategic partnerships are essential for responding effectively in moments of crisis. This conversation is packed with insights for nonprofit leaders who want to innovate, collaborate, and maximize their mission impact.

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David Beckmann joins Dr. Rob Harter for a conversation on poverty alleviation, public policy, and the practical steps nonprofit leaders can take to reduce hunger and hardship in the United States and around the world. A pastor, economist, activist, and former president of Bread for the World, David shares insights from decades of advocacy work and discusses the central ideas in his book, Poverty Abolitionists.

In this episode, David reflects on the significant progress that has been made in reducing poverty over recent decades, while also warning that recent policy shifts are reversing some of those gains. Rob and David explore the role of nonprofit advocacy, the intersection of faith and public policy, and why leaders in the social impact sector need a vision that extends beyond their own organizations.

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