The Beacon

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy talks with Wayne Olson, author of the book, “The Disney Difference: The Complete Guide to Adding Disney-Like Magic to your Corporation or Organization.”

In their discussion, Wayne shares insights into:

• Why Disney resonated with him as a child and continues to resonate with people of all ages

• What "Disney magic" is and how it translates to nonprofit organizations in regard to leadership and fundraising

• The top takeaways from Disney that nonprofit leaders can use to create those magical experiences for donors

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter heads up a lively conversation with Sandy Howard and Gary Everton about leading productive, engaging board meetings that lead to involvement and philanthropic support.

During their conversation, the trio talks about:

• Maintaining a structured agenda while fostering an engaging environment where board members feel comfortable sharing ideas and taking an active role

• Strategies for motivating board members to not only participate in discussions but also become more personally invested in the organization’s philanthropic initiatives

• Integrating opportunities for fun, team-building or creative thinking into board meetings without compromising the focus on strategic goals and fundraising efforts

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Joan Bahner speaks with celebrated author, entrepreneur and mentor Louis Upkins about mindful living and how it affects leadership.

In their discussion, Louis talks about:

• The definition of mindful or purposeful living

• How this mindset informs leadership and sets leaders up for success

• How this concept plays out with regard to leaders at nonprofit organizations

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel President Jeff Jowdy speaks with longtime fundraising pros Stanley Weinstein and Dr. Pamela Barden. Stanley is the author of the first three editions of "The Complete Guide to Fundraising Management,” which Pamela updated and expanded for the fourth edition.

In their discussion, they talk about:

• The impetus and goal for writing the first edition

• The reasons for updating and expanding the book

• Changes in fundraising from the time the book was written to when it was updated

Important takeaways for today’s fundraisers

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter talks with her Lighthouse Counsel colleague, Senior Advisor Howard Cohen, about how to productively say no to a request while allowing the person to feel heard and keeping the lines of communication open.

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter talks with fellow Senior Consultant Howard Cohen. They role-play a scenario where the board chair has to deliver the unfortunate news that the board member has not been chosen by the nominating committee for another term on the board. Then they offer takeaways to help real chairs navigate this and other tricky conversations.

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Dr. Lilya Wagner speaks with Dr. F. Willis Johnson about how faith-based fundraising is reimaging and impacting community.


In their discussion, Dr. Johnson addresses issues including:

• How churches and church-related organizations can engage in community activities and what impact that has on their fundraising

• The pros and cons of faith-based organizations having closer ties and relationships with a community and advice on how to proceed

• What community organizations might be most suitable for such a relationship

In this episode of The Beacon Podcast, Lighthouse Counsel Senior Consultant Carole Carter talks with her Lighthouse Counsel colleague, Senior Consultant Howard Cohen, about creating and maintaining high-functioning boards.

In their discussion, Howard addresses topics including:

• The definition of a high-functioning board

• Signs of a dysfunctional board

• Tips for board chairs on how to shape an effective board.

In today’s episode of The Beacon Podcast, Margaret Gardner talks with Willeke van Rijn, CEO of The Resource Alliance, about how unity on various levels can increase the impact of the social sector.

In their discussion, Willeke addresses issues including:

• The power of community and what that means in terms of mission, fundraising and resource development.

• The factors that affect all organizations when it comes to uniting for change.

• Conditions within an organization that might interfere with it building a sense of community among its supporters.

The 4 Rs (and a W) of Writing Successful Grant Proposals by Lighthouse Counsel