Nonprofit Utopia Podcast

Nonprofits are often concerned with having  just the right social media messages to promote year-end giving campaigns. When the dust settles, they still need to maintain compliance with state and federal regulators.  These disclosure requirements provide an excellent opportunity for nonprofits to tell their stories; demonstrate impact and market their organizations and services.

Join Holly Ivel, Director of Data Services  for GuideStar, for a lively discussion on  the importance of  Form 990  and GuideStar profiles. Holly will highlight the Form 990 sections that may be used for marketing purposes and share excerpts from well- prepared Form 990’s.

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.

How can nonprofits and other social enterprises deliver a better experience for customers and employees to increase value? 

Join John Corrigan,  Founder and CEO of Journimap, L3C, and me for a lively  and me for a lively discussion on customer experience.  John will explain how customer experience practices used by for profit businesses -- such as qualitative research, personal development and customer journeymaps -- can support mission attainment and measurable improvements in social impact. 

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.

Blocks Together (BT) empowers residents to work together for systematic changes that bring concrete improvement to their lives.  They tackle social justice issues relating to education, housing, economic justice and the criminalization of youth.

Join Cecile Carroll-DeMello, Co-Director of Blocks Together, and me to discuss their upcoming community convention and meet and greet with Illinois’ gubernatorial  candidates.  We will hear updates on their work to ensure sustainable schools; promote cooperative economics and strategies for local village keepers.

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.

Nonprofit storytelling is an essential part of fundraising. Join Daniel Ash, Chief Marketing Offcer, Chicago Community Trust, and Princess Currence, Director of the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program (CNM), for a lively discussion on the power of nonprofit storytelling to raise funds.  Use your organization's mission, history and core values to develop a narrative with a sequence of events, villains and heroes that beat the odds to make a difference.

In this engaging hour, you will learn how to:

Listen to prospective funder stories to craft organizational stories that are relevant to them and aligned with their interestsIntegrate your organization’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives into your storiesBlend human interest with organizational data that anticipates donor inquiriesAchieve maximum effect by crafting stories with a backdrop, a protagonist, and an antagonist

Life after the military can be just as challenging for veterans and their families as serving in active combat.  In their effort to transition back into civilian life, many struggle with a number of physical, psychological, social and economic issues.

Join Dumont Moore, Founder of Veterans Strike Force, and me for a lively discussion of life after military service.  We will talk about the most common issues impacting veterans and their families, including housing, education,  employment and behavioral health; coping strategies, the work of the Veterans Strike Force and  available resources.

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.

We are living in an environment in which  immigration laws are being aggressively enforced.  This has several implications in the workplace.   Join Jody Adler, the Director of the Community Law Project, and me for a lively discussion on immigration rights in the workplace.  We will discuss:

•I-9 audits

•ICE Raids

•What to do if ICE wants to detain certain people in your work environment

•How employers can prepare

•employers’ rights and responsibilities  

•what employers can do after an ICE action.

•Additional resources

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.  

This communication is provided by the Community Law Project of the Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights as a public service solely for informational purposes, and does not constitutes legal advice. It does not create an attorney-client relationship between the recipient and any other person, or an offer to create such a relationship. Please consult an attorney if you have questions regarding the contents of this communication or before taking any actions that may have legal consequences.

Even when asked by their funders, organizational leaders are often reluctant to provide candid feedback to foundations, for fear of alienating  them.  As a result, foundations don't always have an accurate picture of what the grantee experience has been with them, while nonprofit organizations sometimes suffer in silence, or decide not to pursue a relationship due to things like, onerous application or reporting requirements.  DonorAdvisor, a new platform that allows nonprofits to provide feedback to foundations anonomously, hopes to eliminate those barriers and improve the grantmaking process for everyone involved. Join Kari Aanestad, Development Manager at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, and Andrea Sanow, GrantAdvisor Coordinator at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, for a GrantAdvisor teach in. 

You will:

Learn what GrantAdvisor is, where to find it and how to use the tool.Better understand the roles and impact of transparency and reciprocity between grant making foundations and grantees in the feedback loopExplore how this information can improve the nonprofit sector.

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.

Nonprofit storytelling is an essential part of fundraising. Join Daniel Ash, Chief Marketing Offcer, Chicago Community Trust, and Princess Currence, Director of the UIC Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program (CNM), for a lively discussion on the power of nonprofit storytelling to raise funds.  Use your organization's mission, history and core values to develop a narrative with a sequence of events, villains and heroes that beat the odds to make a difference.

In this engaging hour, you will learn how to:

Listen to prospective funder stories to craft organizational stories that are relevant to them and aligned with their interestsIntegrate your organization’s mission, vision, goals, and objectives into your storiesBlend human interest with organizational data that anticipates donor inquiriesAchieve maximum effect by crafting stories with a backdrop, a protagonist, and an antagonist

It has been over 49 years since Martin Luther King, Jr. and the SCLC organized the first Poor People’s Campaign, with mixed results. What were the lessons learned that will help us today? 

Join Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Co-Director of the Kairos Center, and Carolina Gaete, Co-Director of Blocks Together, for a lively discussion of their work on the Poor Peoples Campaign on the national and local levels. We will discuss the origins of the Poor People’s Campaign and its relevance today, give an overview of upcoming trainings and activities and let you know how you can get involved in the Movement. 

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.

Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday  kicks off the charitable season. #ILGive is a24-hour digital fundraising event that connects individuals with the causes that matter to them, and empowers donors to give to the local nonprofits that tackle our communities' most critical issues.  Is your organization ready?

Learn everything you need to know about #GivingTuesday and #ILGive from the people that started the Movement.  Asha Curran, Chief Innovation Officer and Director, Belfer Center for Innovation and Impact, 92Y and Kathleen Murphy, Director of Communications, Forefront, will provide a teach-in and share helpful hints to help you maximize opportunities for year-end fundraising success.  Be sure to "try this at home”.

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.