Nonprofit Utopia Podcast

ome nonprofit leaders have a tendency to build organizations and programs around  issues  for which they have a passion.  They believe in their hearts that, “…if they build it, people will come…”  In other cases leaders continue to use program models that are no longer relevant to the communities they serve.   These practices can lead to duplication of services, while other needs go unmet. Tune in as Valerie F. Leonard talks about  community needs assessments.

Valerie is an expert in community and organizational development, with  a mission of strengthening the capacity of organizations to make a positive impact on the communities they serve through technical assistance, specialized workshops, resource and organizational development and project management. She also teaches online courses in nonprofit management with the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program. She has designed a number of intensive workshops to help nonprofits build capacity, including Capacity Building Blocks, the 30-Day Disclosure Challenge and the 30-Day Compliance Challenge.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Handouts: https://www.scribd.com/doc/294135609/Episode-27-Handouts

“Chicago area heritage musicians still play today, often in obscure holes-in-the-wall for very little money, competing for limited spots in downtown clubs, or exporting their skills overseas.  At home, blues is an undervalued cultural asset.  Crain's business magazine in January pointed out the city is losing money for failure to promote it. Chicago's West Side has a deeply-rooted history of blues and soul music. What if we could promote it to help develop a local tourism industry?”  --Barrel House Bonni McKeown

Join “Barrel House Bonni” McKeown, bluesman Larry Taylor and me as the discussion continues on Nonprofit “U”.  We will talk about  the history of blues on the West Side, and how it may be leveraged to develop heritage tourism.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

As the resources for social services become more competitive, grant makers are looking to invest in programs that provide the maximum impact at a reasonable cost.  This often means funding programs that have demonstrated success that can be replicated in other communities and scaled to reach more people. 

Join  Valerie F. Leonard on Nonprofit "U" to talk about how to develop promising program models. Topics will include community needs assessment, logic models, evidence-based programs, data collection and program evaluation.   

Valerie is an expert in community and organizational development with a mission of strengthening the capacity of organizations to make a positive impact on the communities they serve through technical assistance, specialized workshops, resource and organizational development and project management.

Noah Temaner Jenkins and me as we discuss grant writing strategies organizations can use as part of their sustainability toolbox.  We will  examine the complete proposal writing cycle; link proposal writing to the program design, implementation and evaluation processes and share strategies you can begin to “try at home” immediately.

Noah Temaner Jenkins is a freelance organizational development and writing consultant for nonprofits. Her project portfolio includes grant writing, fundraising planning, program evaluation, board development, and strategic planning. She is adjunct faculty at UIC’s College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. Ms. Jenkins teaches grant writing and related classes in the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management program. She holds a Master of Urban Planning and Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, both from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

When we speak of capacity, we are generally referring to organization’s potential to marshal their human, financial and other resources to effect positive change in the communities and clients they serve. Organizational capacity is impacted by a  number of factors, including leadership, the organization’s stage of development and changes in the environment, to name a few.  The Monroe Foundation was formed in 1991 to provide technical assistance in starting community and economic development projects within low-income communities, and provide emerging groups with seed grants through the PACT Project (Partnership For Assisting Community Transformation).

Otis Monroe, CEO of the Monroe Foundation, will share lessons learned in his experiences working with African American-led organizations to build capacity, and the call for organizations to engage in the Chicago Community Trust’s On the Table discussions.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

One of the greatest barriers to earning a college degree is the cost. Approximately 70% of college graduates have student loans averaging $37,172 (U.S. News and World Report, Kantrowitz 2017).  The barrier of cost is compounded in low income communities, which typically have lower access to capital. JP Paulus, President of Do-Gooder Consulting, and I will discuss strategies to address financial barriers to college. 

JP has 16 years of experience serving and resourcing families and youth workers. He served through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, Uptown Baptist Church and Oakdale Covenant Church. JP has presented the Illinois College Access Network, Tutor/Mentor Conference and Christian Community Development Association conferences.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

“…Construction of the Obama Presidential Library itself is estimated to cost around $600 million, and could result in the creation of an estimated 1,900 permanent jobs. Surrounding neighborhoods could see $30 million in new food and retail development, which the report says could translate into as many as thirty restaurants, eleven stores, and a hotel.” (Uchicagogate.com)

Given the potential community impact, is a community benefits agreement necessary?  The Obama Foundation argues “no”, as the construction of the OPL, in and of itself, is a community benefit.  Some local community organizations agree, adding that the  Obamas can be trusted, and that it’s an insult to ask them to enter into such an agreement.  However, the Obama Library South Side Community Benefits Agreement Coalition feels differently, given the historic displacement of low-income Black residents through the construction of the Dan Ryan Expressway, the CHA Plan for Transformation and fallout from school closings. Join us for a lively discussion on the Obama Presidential Library and the prospects of negotiating a community benefits agreement to protect community interests.  Guests include Allegra Cira-Fischer, Staff Attorney with The Law Project; Jawanza Malone, Executive Director, KOCO and Dominic Surya, Organizer, Prayer and Action Collective of  the Obama-library CBA Coalition. 

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Join Amalia NietoGomez, the Executive Director of the Alliance of the SouthEast  for a lively discussion about strategies the organization is using to build safe, healthy communities and to ensure that new developments benefit local residents. Over the course of her career, Amalia has been engaged in a number of issues, including predatory lending, affordable housing, equitable and sustainable community development, community benefits agreements, CRA agreements, public safety and youth development. 

ASE is a multicultural, interfaith coalition of churches, schools, businesses, and community organizations, all working together to address the challenges facing the neighborhoods of Southeast Chicago. Formerly the Alianza Leadership Institute, the organization has grown from its beginnings as series of leadership skills workshops to a powerful network with over 40 community partners representing thousands of people.  ASE builds the capacity of leaders, organizers, and associations that carry out community and social change. 

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

The UIC Certificate for Nonprofit Management (CNM) program is the longest running 100% online nonprofit management program in the country, and serves students around the world. Students going through the program have managed to cut years off their nonprofit learning curve and implement lessons learned in class as they go along, making greater impact to clients and communities in the process.

Join Princess Currence, PhD, MSW, Director of UIC’s @Work program and Coordinator of the Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program and me for a lively discussion on the UIC @Work program, and the Certificate in Nonprofit Management program. Princess is an experienced data-driven higher education leader and strategist with expertise in directing highly complex initiatives that increase access, academic success and graduation rates for underrepresented groups, as well as promote diversity & inclusion. She is an entrepreneur, consultant and nonprofit leader.

Have you ever been hired to lead a nonprofit organization and wished that someone had written a book to help you navigate the landmines?  Joan Garry just wrote that book, and she will be a guest on Nonprofit “U”.  Joan will share highlights from  her book, observations from her consulting practice and  lessons learned  from  running a nonprofit organization.

For nearly a decade, Joan Garry served as the Executive Director of GLAAD, one of the largest gay rights organizations in the country. She later acted as the co-chair of Barack Obama’s LGBT Finance Committee during his 2008 presidential campaign. Joan now works with nonprofit leaders, assisting with crisis management, executive coaching and the building of strong management teams to support the work of the CEO. She also teaches nonprofit media strategy as a professor at the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Pennsylvania, and is a blogger for The Huffington Post.

Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.