On The Ground

Daniel Drewski on Character, Collaboration, and Fundraising That Lasts

James Misner talks with Daniel Drewski, president and CEO of International Leadership Institute, about developing leaders across more than 100 nations and 70 languages. They explore why character is foundational to effective leadership, how to collaborate across cultures, and what sustainable fundraising looks like for nonprofits and ministries.Daniel shares lessons from his career in politics, hospitality, education, and global ministry including how to build systems that can outlast any one leader.

Key topics

• Daniel’s journey to leading International Leadership Institute as its first successor
• The importance of local leaders and character development
• The “tyranny of the urgent” and the apartment-fire analogy
• Four keys to collaboration: shared goals, success measures, support, and communication
• Navigating cultural differences with grace
• How scarcity thinking affects partnerships
• Building sustainable fundraising systems and prioritizing relationships
• Lessons from an event with competing goals
• Daniel’s vision for developing leaders and closing leadership gaps

Timestamps

00:00 – Introducing Daniel Drewski and global leadership

00:31 – Daniel’s journey at International Leadership Institute

01:49 – Local leadership and community transformation

03:24 – Character development in leadership

04:14 – The apartment-fire analogy and leadership urgency

06:36 – The tyranny of the urgent and succession

08:28 – Cultural differences and good character

11:52 – Shared goals, success measures, and communication

13:20 – Scarcity thinking and its impact on partnerships

14:14 – Turning concerns into action

18:28 – Fundraising lessons and sustainable systems

20:36 – Major gifts, grassroots support, and relationships

24:45 – Fundraising failures and lessons learned

28:06 – The importance of clear fundraising goals

29:48 – Stewardship and scarcity

31:17 – Daniel’s five-year vision for leadership

33:45 – Preparing leaders for growth

34:56 – Connecting with Daniel and International Leadership Institute

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Daniel:

• International Leadership Institute Official Website
• Connect with Daniel on Linkedin

Fundraising for the Long Game: Trust, Strategy, and River Conservation

James Misner talks with Karyn Bryant, Director of Philanthropy at American Rivers, about building donor relationships that last. They explore how fundraisers can pair strategy with genuine care, shape conservation stories around what matters to donors, and make the ask at the right time.

In this episode

• How Karyn’s career in fundraising began in river conservation
• Why effective fundraising needs both relationship-building and strategy
• How American Rivers connects healthy rivers to people, wildlife, and communities
• How to tailor a conservation story to a donor’s interests
• What makes an appeal letter compelling—and why the postscript matters
• How to recognize when a donor may be ready for a larger ask
• Lessons from asks that were too high or came too soon
• Why Karyn’s advice to struggling fundraisers is simple: pick up the phone

Timestamps

00:00 — Meet Karyn Bryant, Director of Philanthropy at American Rivers 01:24 — How Karyn became a fundraiser

02:51 — Why fundraising needs both relationships and strategy

04:39 — What can go wrong when strategy is missing

05:31 — Why strategy alone isn’t enough

06:30 — What American Rivers does and why rivers matter

07:52 — Connecting environmental work to people and belonging

08:57 — How to tell a dam-removal story in a way that resonates

11:30 — Why it helps to introduce a story before making an appeal

13:24 — Elements of an effective appeal letter

15:15 — The importance of the postscript

16:17 — What it means to play the long game with donors

18:49 — Building donor relationships through intentional touchpoints

20:29 — Signs a donor may be ready for a larger ask

22:04 — What Karyn learned from a too-high ask

24:05 — When a major ask comes before the relationship is ready

25:56 — New tools and opportunities in river restoration

28:16 — Advice for fundraisers: pick up the phone

29:44 — Where to find Karyn and American Rivers

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Karyn:

• American Rivers Official Website
• Connect with Karyn on Linkedin

Emily Nichols on building institutional fundraising that actually scales

Emily Nichols, Chief Development Officer at Accion Opportunity Fund, joins James Misner to talk about how she grew an institutional fundraising function from roughly $1 million to $10 million, why relationship-based fundraising still wins, and what it takes to fund a mission-driven organization in a more donor-directed environment. They also unpack what a CDFI is, how Accion Opportunity Fund lends to underserved small businesses, and the lessons learned from a grant that looked promising on paper but ultimately failed.

Key topics

• How Emily built and led World Relief's institutional fundraising team.
• Why foundation and corporate fundraising still works, if you go beyond cold RFPs and build relationships.
• Emily's path to mission-driven work, from family and faith to International Justice Mission.
• What Accion Opportunity Fund does as a digital-first nonprofit lender and CDFI.
• How CDFIs differ from banks and serve borrowers often considered unbankable.
• Accion's coaching and accelerator programs, including Brewing the American Dream with Sam Adams.
• Accion's impact: $1B+ lent, ~100,000 jobs, and 90%+ repayment rates.
• Today's fundraising challenges, including the rise of donor-directed funding.
• How to build partnerships by making the internal champion look good.
• A failed $250,000 grant at World Relief and the lesson it taught.
• Tactical advice for smaller organizations starting institutional fundraising.

Timestamps

00:00 - Welcome and recap of Emily's World Relief success
00:50 - Building the institutional fundraising team
02:23 - Is institutional fundraising worth it?
03:18 - Relationships plus strong proposals
04:31 - Why Emily chose mission-driven work
05:42 - What Accion Opportunity Fund does
06:50 - What a CDFI is
08:31 - Why many clients are unbankable elsewhere
10:13 - Coaching and accelerator programs
11:05 - Brewing the American Dream
12:42 - Accion's impact: $1B+ lent, 100,000 jobs
14:19 - Fundraising in a new era
16:09 - Mega gifts and donor-directed funding
20:35 - Building relationships from the first conversation
22:09 - Why the internal champion matters
23:46 - A failed $250,000 grant
27:00 - Turning failure into strategy
28:24 - Advice for smaller organizations
30:32 - How to connect with Emily and Accion

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Emily:

• Accion Opportunity Fund Official Website
• Connect with Emily on Linkedin

Mary Pat King on Leading Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Through COVID, Hurricanes, and Growth

James Misner talks with Mary Pat King, CEO of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida, about her journey from PR and youth programs to leading a major nonprofit through a pandemic. They discuss the organization's structure, the challenges girls face today, and the tough financial and staffing calls needed to keep the mission going.

Mary Pat shares how she stepped into the CEO role in March 2020, the influence of her father's legacy on her career path, and why she believes Girl Scouts builds purpose, skills, and lasting friendships over a 10-year journey. They also cover membership trends, hurricane recovery, funding, and shared leadership.

Key topics

• Her path from PR to youth program leadership (Safe Kids Worldwide, American Diabetes Association, National PTA)
• Earning her CAE credential before applying for the CEO role
• Becoming CEO just as the pandemic hit
• How the organization is structured (troop leaders, service units, volunteers, staff, Girl Advisory Board)
• Why Girl Scouts is more than "cookies, crafts, and camps"
• Today's girls: screen use, social comparison, mental health, risky behavior
• Membership growth, then setbacks from hurricanes
• Funding sources: cookies, grants, corporate support, donations
• Staffing cuts (85 to 77) for financial sustainability
• Using Lencioni's The Advantage and the Working Genius framework to build a stronger team
• Improved staff satisfaction through shared leadership
• Long-term goals: membership growth, camp redevelopment

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction
00:31 – Career path: PR to nonprofit leadership, father's influence, earning CAE, landing the CEO role
02:49 – Becoming CEO in March 2020, leading through the pandemic shutdown
03:09 – Girl Scouts beyond "cookies, crafts, and camps"; org structure (troop leaders, service units, staff, camp)
10:58 – State of girls today: screens, mental health, social comparison, gender differences online, AI
17:23 – Membership trends, hurricane disruption, and recovery
20:23 – Funding model and the role of cookies
21:38 – Staffing cuts and sustainability challenges
23:14 – Leadership decisions: executive team, Working Genius framework, shared leadership, and avoiding the trap of doing it all yourself
30:30 – Long-term goals and how to connect with Mary Pat

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Mary:

• Girl Scouts Official Website
• Connect with Mary on Linkedin

How Trees Helps Smallholder Farmers Build Prosperity and Restore Land

James Misner speaks with Cate from Trees about how a nature-based organization uses regenerative agriculture, trees, and local leadership to help smallholder farmers in East Africa improve soil health, diversify crops, and strengthen livelihoods. They also discuss why climate work is inseparable from people, how carbon markets fit into nonprofit revenue, and what happens when partnerships are not the right scaling strategy.

Key Topics

• Cate shares her career path from advertising to public health, consulting, and Trees, where her work combines curiosity, persuasion, community, and mission.
• Trees uses trees as a starting point to support regenerative agriculture with smallholder farmers in Africa.
• Its mission is twofold: restore land and unlock prosperity for farmers.
• Cate explains farmer-led, locally rooted delivery, including informed consent and community-based support.
• Farmers move from monocropping and degraded soils to diversified farms with 4–5 crops in year one and 12–15 by year three.
• The model improves food security, dietary diversity, composting, pest management, savings, and market access.
• Village savings and loans help farmers save, lend, and reinvest in their farms and communities.
• Cate and James discuss why framing climate work through people makes funding more compelling.
• Trees adapts its approach to local soil, education, markets, and gender norms across Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
• Cate explains why Trees moved away from broad partnerships when they began affecting quality and capacity.
• The conversation closes with how carbon credits can generate additional revenue for farmers and Trees while requiring verification and long-term permanence.

Timestamps

00:00 — Opening the conversation and Cate’s career path

03:10 — What Trees is and why trees are only the starting point

06:07 — How smallholder farmers experience the program

08:22 — Farm redesign, composting, and integrated pest management

09:45 — From diversified farms to savings groups and small businesses

12:47 — Why climate work must be framed through people

15:09 — Scaling across countries without losing local fit

19:23 — The partnership model that did not work

22:28 — Translating the story for donors and outside audiences

26:12 — Revenue diversification and why carbon markets matter

32:52 — How to connect with Trees and Cate

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Cate:

• Trees for the Future Official Website
• Connect with Cate on Linkedin

How NeighborWorks Capital Uses Nonprofit Lending to Expand Affordable Housing

James Misner talks with Jim Peffley of NeighborWorks Capital about the affordable housing crisis, how community development financial institutions work, and the power of collaboration across the nonprofit housing sector. Jim shares his path from growing up in affordable housing to leading an institution that helps nonprofit developers access capital. They discuss the scale of the housing shortfall, how NeighborWorks Capital is structured, and why the network's collective strength gives smaller developers more leverage with investors.

Key topics

• Jim shares how Brookview Apartments shaped his views on housing.
• His path went from banking to housing finance to affordable housing investing.
• They discuss the affordable housing continuum, from public housing to homeownership.
• Jim describes the scale of the housing shortage and its pressure on families.
• More housing alone isn't enough if it's unaffordable or blocked by zoning.
• NeighborWorks Capital is a nonprofit CDFI lending to housing developers.
• It finances land acquisition, infrastructure, and construction.
• The organization borrows close to $100 million a year, with $400 million in tax credits.
• The NeighborWorks network collectively rivals major for-profit developers.
• Jim explains organizing developers to negotiate better terms with investors.
• A failed Fannie Mae effort taught him to listen closely to customers first.
• Intelligent risk-taking is essential in mission-driven leadership.
• He closes by encouraging orgs to connect with local NeighborWorks members.

Timestamps

00:39 - Jim's path into affordable housing
01:33 - From banking into housing finance
03:41 - Today's affordable housing landscape
04:55 - Scale of the housing shortfall
06:30 - Housing insecurity's effect on opportunity
07:58 - Why more homes isn't the whole solution
09:13 - Who NeighborWorks Capital serves
10:56 - Types of financing it provides
11:51 - Why banks invest in it
12:56 - How the nonprofit model sustains itself
14:48 - Annual borrowing and lending scale
15:23 - Tax credit investments and capital stack
16:40 - Affordable units the network produces
17:10 - Why collective bargaining power matters
18:18 - NeighborWorks nonprofits as innovators
19:26 - How scale advantages leave smaller groups behind
22:19 - Listening as a superpower with funders
23:44 - Why new partnerships require flexibility
25:44 - Advice for frontline organizations
27:01 - Why NeighborWorks members are the right partners
28:43 - The collaborative culture of the CDFI space
29:28 - What NeighborWorks Capital hopes to change next
31:02 - Headwinds facing affordable housing
33:40 - Where to find Jim and NeighborWorks Capital

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Jim:

• Neighborworks Capital Official Website
• Connect with Jim on Linkedin

Therese Tetzel on Building Empower Girls Camp to Change Girls’ Trajectories

James Misner talks with Therese Tetzel, founder of Empower Girls Camp, about leaving a 30-year corporate career to build a research-informed program that helps shy or at-risk girls develop confidence and resilience. They also discuss why short, consistent donor updates beat broad, generic appeals.

Key topics

• Empower Girls Camp aims to deeply impact a small group of girls rather than many superficially.
• Therese left a 30-year corporate career after questioning its purpose, sparked by tutoring Sifa, a young refugee who couldn't read — Sifa's first camp became the turning point.
• Serves girls 9–11 who are shy, withdrawn, or facing hardship at home — a "precision intervention disguised as a STEM camp."
• Selection uses a 12-point counselor questionnaire and a scoring system built with a child psychologist.
• Therese designed the program using her corporate product-development background, planning it out on butcher paper.
• Lessons learned: not every parent says yes, so a response plan was needed; in fundraising, local relationships and short, frequent donor updates beat long newsletters.
• Donors want to see impact, not a sales pitch — regular updates build trust.
• Vision: keep adding schools and girls yearly, aiming for 20 schools.

Timestamps

00:00 - Why nonprofit missions differ from corporate ones
00:28 - Meet Therese Tetzel and Empower Girls Camp
00:59 - Leaving corporate America after asking "What am I doing here?"
02:28 - Meeting Sifa and discovering the power of tutoring
03:10 - Teaching a six-year-old refugee to read in a month
04:07 - The first camp experience that changed everything
05:47 - From one camper to a broader model
06:17 - Launching a nonprofit with no prior experience
07:59 - Building the model from the American Camp Association study
09:26 - "Precision intervention masquerading as a STEM camp"
10:13 - Identifying the girls most likely to benefit
11:12 - The 12-point questionnaire and selection process
12:21 - Building the process on butcher paper
13:17 - Using school data to predict enrollment
14:14 - Parent permission, photo releases, vaccination records
15:27 - What didn't work: assuming every parent would say yes
17:10 - Fundraising lessons: local giving matters most
18:26 - Why sales skills don't translate to fundraising
19:27 - Donor communication needs to happen often
20:24 - Short, frequent updates over long newsletters
21:34 - Keeping the cause front and center for donors
23:14 - Donors want impact, not merchandise
24:46 - Showing outcomes multiplies donor joy
25:10 - Milestones can also lead to grants
26:16 - Growth plans: more schools, girls, funding
27:37 - How to connect with Therese
28:17 - Why the organization is uniquely focused

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Therese:

• MPower Girls Camp Official Website
• Connect with Therese on Linkedin

Helping Up Mission, Baltimore, and a life shaped by serving people in crisis

James Misner talks with Daniel Stoltzfus, CEO of Helping Up Mission in Baltimore, about the personal calling that led him into addiction recovery and homelessness work, the mission’s 140-year history, and how it navigates changing policies while staying focused on trust, relationships, and transformation. Daniel also shares how a life-changing experience at age 19 shaped his path, along with insights on Baltimore’s recovery, nonprofit leadership, succession, and sustainable funding.

Key Topics

• Daniel’s calling began at 19 on the Relief Bus in NYC.
• Isaiah 58 shaped his view of service and vocation.
• Helping Up Mission was founded in Baltimore in 1885.
• Its original mission included women and children.
• The mission expanded to women and children in 2020.
• Daniel sees this growth as returning to its roots.
• Baltimore shows both deep need and real renewal.
• Overdoses, crime, prayer, and partnerships shape the city.
• Daniel supports housing, harm reduction, and recovery together.
• Recovery depends on trust, relationships, and readiness.

Timestamps

00:00 - Daniel’s introduction and why this matters
00:52 - Mission service and street addiction in NYC
03:12 - The moment in Maria Hernandez Park that changed his life
04:20 - Isaiah 58 and his call to service
05:42 - 30 years in addiction, homelessness, and poverty work
07:16 - Helping Up Mission’s founding in 1885
08:42 - Historic board minutes and early mission language
10:05 - Expanding from men’s shelter to recovery and women’s services
11:33 - Discovering the founder lived near today’s campus
13:15 - Why rescue missions emerged during economic crises
15:12 - What early records reveal about resilience
16:36 - Emergency funds, near closures, and faith
18:20 - Why Baltimore is often misunderstood
19:19 - Street outreach and active addiction
20:15 - Overdose deaths and the people behind the numbers
22:14 - A vision for Baltimore’s recovery
24:09 - Prayer, churches, leaders, and the city
26:32 - Succeeding a long-tenured CEO
32:41 - Housing first, harm reduction, and recovery
34:36 - 12-step and Christ-centered recovery
37:21 - Narcan and going beyond harm reduction
39:39 - Why strong nonprofits embrace paradox
40:27 - What failed: oversimplifying with a hotline
41:26 - Telling client stories with dignity and consent
42:55 - Building diversified nonprofit revenue
45:03 - Helping Up Mission’s next 5–10 years
47:39 - Connecting with Daniel and Helping Up Mission

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Daniel:

• Helping Up Mission Official Website
• Connect with Daniel on Linkedin

Building Bridges and Moving Hearts with Josh Yerkes: Stories, Funding, and Mission Impact

In this conversation, Josh Yerkes Vice President of Development at Global Outreach International—shares how storytelling, unscalable donor engagement, and documentary filmmaking fuel the organization's mission to send missionaries worldwide. Discover the power of personal touches in fundraising, the challenges of donor retention, and innovative ways to inspire support for global missions.

Key Topics:

• The role of faith-based organizations in international missions
• The importance of storytelling in donor engagement and fundraising
• Unscalable yet impactful donor stewardship tactics
• How documentary films can energize mission-focused giving
• Lessons learned from fundraising failures and setbacks
• Strategies for building long-term donor loyalty
• The significance of personal, experiential touches in supporter relationships
• Effective use of social media and video content to tell compelling stories

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction to Josh Yerkes and Global Outreach International

00:39 - What Global Outreach does annually—mission, support, training

01:10 - Josh’s background as a missionary kid and career transition into nonprofit leadership

03:15 - The path from YMCA leadership to global missions and fundraising

06:44 - The storytelling approach and its impact on fundraising success

07:14 - The influence of personal stories and experiences in donor relationships

09:12 - Using sensory memories like chlorine smell to craft compelling stories

10:20 - How Global Outreach funds its mission: impact, partnership, and broad-spectrum investing

13:24 - Strategies for increasing revenue and donor retention

14:23 - The importance of personalized thank-yous and stewardship

16:33 - The power of experiential gifts and unscalable acts of generosity

18:53 - The value of personal gestures in donor loyalty and supporter engagement

20:45 - Overcoming scarcity mindset in fundraising and supporting loyal supporters

22:36 - The importance of focusing on supporter loyalty over immediate metrics

23:14 - Lessons from fundraising failures and experimenting in the space

26:46 - A personal story of a failed year-end campaign and lessons learned

27:24 - Announcing the upcoming documentary project "Beyond River's Edge"

29:18 - How storytelling through film can galvanize support for missions

31:09 - Practical ways to connect with Josh and collaborate in global missions

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Josh:

• Global Outrech International Official Website
• Connect with Josh Yerkes on Linkedin

Empowering Future Leaders: Junior Achievement, AI, and the Future of Nonprofit Storytelling

Join us as James Misner sits down with Kim Morgan, President of Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County, to talk about preparing young people for the future through financial literacy, experiential learning, and career readiness. Kim also shares how her nonprofit team is using AI to work smarter, strengthen grant writing, and create more effective storytelling that puts donors and audiences first.

In this episode:

• How Junior Achievement uses experiential learning to teach financial literacy, entrepreneurship, communication, and critical thinking
• Why students need hands-on experiences to build confidence and prepare for real-world success
• Kim’s path to Junior Achievement after 18 years at United Way and a two-year career break
• What it means to return to leadership refreshed, focused, and not burnt out
• How Kim’s team adopted AI for grant writing, communications, and strategic planning
• Why AI should be treated as a coworker that supports, not replaces, people
• The role of storytelling in fundraising and why the donor should be the hero
• How Finance Park, BizTown, and Dream Accelerator are shaping the next phase of growth

Timestamps:

00:00 - James introduces Kim Morgan and Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County

00:27 - What Junior Achievement is and how it connects learning with experiences

01:38 - Kim’s view of today’s students and the confidence gap in financial literacy

03:31 - Why real-world experiences create lasting learning

04:20 - How Kim became leader of Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County

05:19 - Her years at United Way and what she learned from the role

07:12 - What it’s like to work in a large fundraising organization

09:43 - Why Kim took a two-year career break

13:24 - How the break made her a better leader

14:08 - Why nonprofits need to embrace AI

15:03 - Practical ways Kim’s team uses AI every day

16:38 - How staff members are responding to AI adoption

17:38 - Thinking of AI as a coworker

19:46 - Fundraising growth through stronger products and donor alignment

23:17 - Storytelling that centers the audience, not the organization

26:08 - Why nonprofit leaders struggle with simple, clear messaging

29:05 - What success looks like in five years

30:02 - How to connect with Kim and learn more about Junior Achievement

Resources & Links:

• The Kipos Group Website
• Schedule a Discovery Call with James
• Connect with James Misner on Linkedin

Connect with Kim:

• Junior Achievement of Greater Fairfield County Official Website
• Connect with Kim Morgan on Linkedin
• StoryBrand by Donald Miller