While people in the community have been doing their part to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still important to seek health care when necessary. As President & CEO of the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), Dr. Bev Holmes is focused on the funding, production, and uptake of health research and healthcare-related evidence in British Columbia. On today's show, Dr. Holmes is with host Douglas Nelson to discuss the impact of COVID-19, the pandemic response among indigenous people who use drugs, and widespread impacts on BC's health research capacity and workforce. She shares how concerned she is about the effects of the pandemic on the research community and how the pandemic has really heightened uncertainty for researchers at a critical point in career development. 

In the social profit sector, trust is the biggest thing that mediates relationships between boards and leadership teams, but it’s not always easy to measure. At the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation, Scott Elliott believes that the starting point for trust building is authenticity and integrity. Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Scott and his team of silent warriors are waging a softer fight against an older pandemic and the larger social issues that have always gone along with it. Joining Douglas Nelson on the show, he shares some of the challenges of leadership and maintaining board relationships at a time when everyone in the sector is forced to do a lot of things differently.

Even though many people struggle to make ends meet during these trying times, especially on the financial side, today's chaotic situation revealed one unique character of humans: the desire to connect through giving. Jenny Marsh of the Vancouver Public Library Foundation proved this to be true when they launched a fundraising campaign to improve their building and support their transition to the digital realm. She shares with Douglas Nelson how they successfully raised money just by getting in touch with their cardholders and how the foundation's board leveraged philanthropy to acquire financial support from the government. Jenny also explains the one thing she did not expect to find when fundraising: a meaningful connection with people that even money cannot satisfy.

The year we have all endured is now over, and 2021 greets us with its own set of opportunities and uncertainties. If 2020 has taught us anything, it would be that sometimes things change so much that what we planned for the beginning of the year may not turn out exactly as we wanted it to. It shouldn’t discourage us from making plans, however. If anything, it tells us that we should take a different approach in annual planning that will give us more time and resilience whatever comes our way. In this episode, Douglas Nelson shares a story of one of the clients he has worked with at The Discovery Group over the last couple of years. This story resonates with leaders across the social profit sector who are now confronting the challenge of setting goals and deliverables for the new year. Make sure to listen in as this episode sets the tone for the rest of the year!

As an organization grows in scope and scale, it would need to fill an increasing number of roles, especially in senior leadership positions. Executive search experts like Christoph Clodius help these organizations find talent that perfectly fits their vision, mission, goals and specific needs. Christoph has been leading the executive talent management for Ketchum Canada Inc. for nine years. He is also currently the Vice President at The Discovery Group. He joins Douglas Nelson on the show to explain the whole executive search process, from what organizations look for in candidates to how these people are brought on board. 

Making a great impact is one of the main goals of a social profit organization. But as with its nature, you have to pull a number of strings in order to make things work—from coordinating with donors to organizing fundraisers and more. Needless to say, the job entails a lot. Yet, with a heart that is ever-willing to serve, nothing is quite impossible. In this episode, Douglas Nelson sits down with Laura Syron, the CEO of Diabetes Canada, to talk about her interesting story that provides a great education for how to build a leadership career in the social profit sector. Laura takes us way back to her role at Heart and Stroke, and then forward to this day where she is putting all the elements of social profit leadership together in one package. This conversation is surely not to miss, most especially if you want to learn the ways to become a great leader who inspires and makes the impact they want. 

Founded at a time when social media was limited to Friendster and MySpace, Stupid Cancer soon grew to become the largest cancer support community for young adults in the world. Diagnosed with cancer when he was 21, Matthew Zachary did not set out to start an organization, but to spearhead a movement, an edgy, disruptive brand that has never existed before in the world of cancer. As you will soon find out, Stupid Cancer is the best name there could ever be for this platform without having to cuss. But boy was he, in his own account, the most unqualified person for the job! Joining Douglas Nelson on the podcast, he shares how he eventually learned the ropes of running a nonprofit, the things that he learned along the way, and the future directions the organization is going.

Formed with a humanitarian intent around a mission, a big issue, or a great opportunity, nonprofits and philanthropic organizations are noble causes. However, many fall along the wayside and fail due to them being unable to overcome many of their challenges. Limited funding and the pressure to show results and scale their impact are just two of the most common problems nonprofits face, both of which can be remedied with the right infrastructure. On today’s podcast, Douglas Nelson brings on A. Nicole Campbell, the Founder and CEO of Build Up Advisory Group, a firm that helps brave philanthropies and nonprofits scale their impact by strengthening their grant-making and organizational structuring. Nicole explains the role of infrastructure in holding an organization's vision and mission up and in allowing that organization to advance and support its charitable mission, goals, and priorities.

A registered non-profit based in Victoria, Power To Be creates nature-based activities for vulnerable populations, focusing on children, youth, and families living with cognitive, physical, financial, and social barriers. Joining Douglas Nelson on the show today is Tim Cormode, the CEO of Power To Be. Tim has been involved in youth work and the non-profit sector for nearly 30 years. He shares the story of how their charity began and grew into a community. He also talks about their programs and how they’re created to use nature as a vehicle to see what's possible and to inspire others to think beyond their barriers and be great citizens in the community.

This year has been a pivotal time for charity organizations and even the more established names are not spared the challenges. Despite the hardships, however, Variety, the Children’s Charity remains committed in fulfilling its mission, especially in this time of utmost need. Coming into a leadership position with a strong background in fundraising, CEO Cally Wesson gives the organization the kind of leadership that is sorely needed during these challenging times. Listen to her interview with Douglas Nelson, where she shares the work she has been doing to engage donors to continue contributing to their cause. She also shares how she engages her team to do their specific tasks that contribute meaningfully to the bigger picture of where the organization is heading.