Nonprofit Thought's Podcast

For Season 1, Episode 8 of the Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast we are joined by Jill McDonald, the Executive Director of the Domestic Violence Crisis Center and Dawn Pulumbo, Vice President of Insurance at Zarr Financial Services and board member extraordinaire.

I am convinced we have a leadership problem in our sector, and part of that problem is caused by the fact that we have nonprofit employees, specifically female employees, who do not envision themselves becoming executive level leaders. To this point, over 73% of nonprofit employees are women, but over 65% of nonprofit leaders are men.

For the season 1 finale of the podcast, we dive into how we can begin to reimagine nonprofit leadership. Jill and Dawn share their leadership stories and discuss how gender expectations and gender roles have shaped their careers.

We also explore how we can address this problem as employees, as parents, and as community leaders. We talk about how developing leaders can learn to take care of themselves, to develop their support network, and learn to gain the skills to become leaders.

My hope is this podcast will help empower some of the smart, intelligent, passionate and talented female employuees in the nonprofit sector to begin to envision a world in which they become Executive Directors. This is my hope, because when the right people don't step up, executive level jobs are filled by people of either gender who are not qualified, and that is hurting the nonprofit sector!

Mentioned in This Episode

• Domestic Violence Crisis Center
• Zarr Financial Services
• Independence, Inc.
• Do Good Better Consulting

For Season 1, Episode 2 of the Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast we are joined by Dayna Del Val the President/CEO of the Fargo Arts Partnership. Del Val is a proven leader in arts advocacy and arts administration. She has transformed her current organization into a dynamic, responsive arts advocacy powerhouse. A compelling communicator, her diverse writing platforms, radio and television interviews and in-person presentations consistently highlight the myriad and reciprocal benefits of investing in the arts for economic, community-based placemaking, cultural and quality of life aspects.

Del Val is a true collaborator, bringing various voices from across many sectors to the table to ask big questions and solve real problems. Additionally, she is a consistent and vocal champion for issues and people who often go unnoticed and under-appreciated.

In 2018, Del Val received the Emerging Leader award from the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations (NDANO).

Additionally, she is a professional stage and commercial actor. She launched the original Legendary tourism ads for the state of North Dakota, but for some reason, everyone seems to focus on the Josh Duhamel ones instead.

In this episode, Del Val and I talk some of the great strengths of the nonprofit sector, some of the biggest misconceptions (hint, good feelings don't pay mortgages). We dive into how we can reinvent the role of nonprofit boards and begin to reimagine what nonprofit leadership looks like.

I also make a big announcement about the future of Nonprofit Thoughts.

Mentioned in This Episode

• The Arts Partnership
• Do Good Better Consulting
• Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast: Drew Hanson
• Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast: Dana Schaar Jahner
• North Dakota Legendary (without Josh Dumhal)
• Be sure to check out Del Val's other contribution to NonprofitThoughts.com, Finding Joy in the Small Wins

This week we are joined by Dana Schaar Jahner,  the Executive Director of the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations (NDANO).  The mission of NDANO is to Educate, advocate and connect to strengthen nonprofits.  NDANO is the statewide membership association for the North Dakota nonprofit sector. Its members work in all mission areas, from human services and the environment to education and the arts, and represent all sizes, from small volunteer-run nonprofits to multi-million-dollar organizations, all across the state.

Dana and I discuss the importance of sector wide engagement in North Dakota. We explore the importance of cross sector advocacy and how telling your authentic story is important is just as important in creating systemic change as it is in raising funds.

Mentioned in This Episode

Should Nonprofits Influence Government?

NDANO

NDANO Sector Report

Patrick Kirby

Telling Your Authentic Story

On this week's Podcast we are joined by Heather Cymbaluk, the Executive Director of Companions for Children - Youth Mentoring and the current President of the Alliance of Nonprofits of Minot. Heather and I explore how her MBA turned into a career in the nonprofit sector, we discuss the importance of mentoring for Executive Directors, we discuss how to hold better fundraisers, the importance of training and collaboration to making nonprofits stronger, and how an epic meeting at Starbucks led to a new direction for the Alliance of Nonprofits of Minot.

Mentioned in This Episode

Companions For Children - Youth Mentoring

Alliance of Nonprofits of Minot

Independence, Inc.

On this weeks podcast we are joined by Andrea Nelson of the Sheyenne Valley Community Foundation. Andrea's nonprofit adventure took her from being a young psychology graduate without a career goal, to a disability rights advocate, to eventually being the first (and only) employee of a start up community foundation. We explore some of the biggest things holding nonprofits back and some of the most important keys to maximizing organizational performance.

We also discuss why she is the Godmother of the Patrick Kirby Experience.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Freedom Resource Center
• Alliance of Nonprofits of Minot
• Independence, Inc
• Do Good Better Consulting 
• Dave Ramsey Podcast

This week we are joined by Cassie Wick of Butte, MT. Cassie is an Independent Living Specialist at the Montana Independent Living Project and a small business owner. She is also a board member of the YMCA in Butte, The Silver Bow Developmental Disabilities Council, and Mainstreet Uptown Butte, Inc.  She has an amazing story of the power of the nonprofit sector to create better communities. Cassie shares how area nonprofits helped to revitalize Uptown Butte and create new economic engines for that community.

We also talk about the importance of taking care of nonprofit employees, so they can better serve the nonprofit. We explore how nonprofit employees can make great board members and the importance of mentorship among board members.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Butte Family YMCA 
• Mainstreet Uptown Butte, Inc.
• Montana Independent Living Project
• Association of Programs in Rural Independent Living
• Independence, Inc.

For Season 1, Episode 2 of the Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast we are joined by Mr. Patrick Kirby. Patrick has spent almost 15 years working in nearly every capacity in the nonprofit industry.  Patrick's passion lies in creating creative solutions to make fundraising less boring.

 He cut his donor relations/fundraising teeth as the Alumni Coordinator at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, MN, before trying his hand as a manufacturing sales rep to companies such as Target and Best Buy. Tired of being yelled at for uncontrollable international shipping issues in both English and Chinese, Patrick re-joined the world of nonprofit work as the Sr. Development Director at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation MN/Dakotas Chapter before taking the Chief Development Officer (CDO) position at the Anne Carlsen Center.

 A little over two years ago, he launched Do Good Better Consulting, and has since then has provided support to over 50 nonprofits and hundreds of nonprofit employees.  He is the author of the book  Fundraise Awesomer! A Practical Guide to Staying Sane While Doing Good!

In this episode, Patrick and I talk about some of the common mistakes made by nonprofits in fundraising and how organizations can do better.

We also talk about ninja star thank you notes.

You want to check it out.

For Season 1, Episode 1 of the Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast we are joined by Mr. Drew Hanson. Drew is a founding board member of Prairie Grit Adaptive Sports and is currently employed there as their Fundraising Director. He is also one of my bosses, currently serving as the Vice President of the Board at Independence, Inc. In recognition of is advocacy work towards People with Disabilities, Drew was appointed by Governor Burgum to the North Dakota Statewide Independent Living Council.

In this episode, we explore the important lessons Drew has learned in his time in the nonprofit sector, whom his mentors have been, and the importance of various nonprofits working together to make our communities better.

Welcome to the Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast, where we make nonprofits better.  I'm your host Scott Burlingame, and I am a proud nonprofit nerd with over 20 years of experience. It has long been a dream of mine to create an opportunity for some of the smartest and most passionate leaders in our movement to share their wisdom.  Without further ado, let's meet today's guest...  

Welcome to the Nonprofit Thoughts Podcast, where we make nonprofits better.  I'm your host Scott Burlingame, and I am a proud nonprofit nerd with over 20 years of experience. It has long been a dream of mine to create an opportunity for some of the smartest and most passionate leaders in our movement to share their wisdom.  Without further ado, let's meet today's guest...