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In this special Nonprofit Power Week episode, Rita Soronen, the President and CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, shared insights into the organization's origin story, founder syndrome, and the vital work they do in the field of adoption. Rita begins by emphasizing the significance of National Adoption Awareness Month and highlights the importance of focusing on foster care adoption, understanding its complexities, and encouraging communities to support children and families involved in the foster care system. One of the key takeaways from Rita's insights is the deep connection between the foundation's namesake, Dave Thomas, and the cause of adoption. Dave Thomas, known for founding Wendy's, was himself adopted as an infant and experienced the challenges of growing up without a stable family environment. His commitment to giving back to the community and his personal connection to adoption led to the creation of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. In Rita's words, "Dave Thomas . . . . it's our namesake Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, but underneath that is the legacy of this incredible person who started the incredible Wendy's brand." Rita also discusses the evolution of the foundation's mission and its shift from raising awareness to implementing evidence-based programs. She highlights the ongoing complexities in the field of child welfare, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the need for adaptable strategies and continuous growth. Rita continues, touching upon the topic of succession planning, stressing the importance of preparing for leadership transitions both internally and externally. She describes how the foundation is actively developing its leadership team to ensure a seamless transition when the time comes. In Rita's words, "It is my job to assure sustainability of the organization because typically all of us are working in causes that aren't going to be solved in our lifetimes." Rita Soronen's thoughtful insights and dedication to the cause of adoption, foster care and child welfare are inspiring and provide valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities faced by nonprofits in these fields.

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Melinda Haggerty, Esq., serves as the Senior VP and General Counsel at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. She shares her personal journey and how her background as an adopted individual who grew up in the foster care system informs her perspective and commitment to the foundation’s cause. This Nonprofit Power Week episode highlights the significance of recognizing one's own boundaries, the value of self-care, and the importance of diverse perspectives from individuals with lived experiences in the nonprofit sector. Melinda's openness and authenticity in sharing her story serve as a powerful example of how personal experiences can inform and inspire meaningful work in the nonprofit world. During the conversation, Melinda discusses her upbringing, being the oldest of five children with parents struggling with mental health and addiction issues. She highlights the disparities in how the system responds to her and her 12-year-old sister, who ends up in the juvenile justice system. This early experience leads her to a deep understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable children. She emphasizes the importance of permanency for youth in the child welfare system and how her own adoption at the age of 18 provides her with stability and support. The co-hosts ask about her role as General Counsel at the Dave Thomas Foundation, where she manages legal and policy aspects. She also discusses the challenges of disclosing her personal experience, setting boundaries, and balancing her lived experience with her professional role. She explained, "I never want to make a decision because of my lived experience because I would be missing the lived experience of everyone else in the child welfare system." She emphasized the need to always consider various viewpoints and not let her personal experience overshadow the broader experiences of others. Melinda points out the importance of maintaining self-care, including ongoing therapy, and her role as a mother, which provides her with healing and a sense of normalcy in her life. She acknowledges that her lived experience doesn't define her qualifications but adds another lens to her perspective.

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Julianne Nichols, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, discusses how nonprofits use research effectively to drive positive change in attitudes and behaviors, and shares an inside look on how their foundation’s approach can serve as a compelling example. Throughout this Nonprofit Power Week episode, the emphasis is on the importance of continuous, strategic, and multi-channel efforts to change attitudes and drive action. Julianne emphasizes the long-term commitment needed to shift public perceptions about foster care adoption and the critical role of storytelling in this process. Julianne begins by emphasizing the importance of research in shaping public perceptions and attitudes towards foster care adoption. She cites several examples, such as their Adoption and Foster Care Attitude Survey, which reveals that 30% of the public believe that teenagers in foster care can fend for themselves without the support of a permanent family. This finding drives the organization to leverage storytelling through public service announcements and other channels to humanize the issue and challenge misconceptions. An important quote from Julianne highlights the power of storytelling: "What we have really found is that a storytelling approach is among the most powerful tools in your toolbox." She explains how sharing personal stories of adopted children and adoptive parents changes minds and inspires action. Additionally, she discusses how research informs the development of programs like Wendy's Wonderful Kids, which demonstrates through rigorous evaluation that children referred to the program are up to three times more likely to be adopted, leading to the scaling of this initiative. This lively fast-paced conversation also touches on the cost and time associated with research, highlighting that it varies widely based on the complexity and scope of the study, and why external research partners are considered crucial when research results will inform policy decisions or public claims.

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Co-host Julia Patrick and guest co-host LaShonda Williams respond to questions from viewers. The first question comes from a board committee in Detroit, regarding the short tenure of CEOs in their resumes. LaShonda advises not to worry about this trend and suggests that shorter CEO tenures are often due to the nature of the job, which involves making substantial changes in a short time. Instead, she emphasizes the value of diverse experiences CEOs can bring and recommends checking references during the vetting process, adding that employee fit and happiness are crucial, and how it's essential to adapt to the changing times for the benefit of the NPO. The second question asks about the ideal number of donors in a donor portfolio. LaShonda advises considering factors like the organization's size, available time, and resources. She recommends creating a priority list based on gift history, interest, and capacity. In an ideal scenario, a smaller portfolio of around 60 donors is ideal, but in reality, 80 to 100 donors might be more practical. Julia asks about major gift officers and their portfolio sizes. LaShonda adds-in that the size of the portfolio depends on the organization's size and resources. She emphasizes the importance of manageability and quality over quantity in donor relationships. The conversation then turns to the CEO's role in securing major donations. LaShonda suggests involving other team members in donor visits and introducing them into the circle of potential donors. She highlights the importance of support staff in handling administrative tasks. The final question discusses the dilemma of investing in professional development for fundraising versus programming. LaShonda advises a balanced approach, investing in both areas. She suggests maybe sending one team member to training who can then share the new knowledge with the rest of the team. Lastly, a question came in asking about expanding donor relationships beyond the local community. LaShonda encourages organizations to look beyond geographical boundaries and adapt to changing donor preferences, emphasizing the importance of growth and expansion.

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In this Master Class on nonprofit fundraising, Jarrett Ransom, the CEO of the Rayvan Group, discusses the importance of understanding fundraising data and using it strategically to achieve nonprofit goals. Jarrett emphasizes the significance of passion and commitment in the nonprofit sector and highlights the need for diverse thought and actions, as she discusses the challenges nonprofits face, especially at year-end when they're uncertain about meeting their goals. Jarrett works with organizations and individuals to help them navigate their fundraising challenges. She begins with the idea of understanding where an organization stands at any given point in time and how data can help guide their efforts. Jarrett mentions the importance of analyzing data points related to revenue goals, donor databases, year-over-year data, and the impact of historical events like the pandemic and presidential campaigns on fundraising efforts and then touches on the concept of major gifts, emphasizing the need for organizations to define their major gift levels and adapt them as needed. The discussion then turns to the relevance of direct mail in the digital age, with Jarrett highlighting the value of direct mail campaigns, particularly for donor retention and acquisition. The discussion wraps up with words about the use of a dashboard and data analysis in nonprofit fundraising, emphasizing the need for organizations to set clear goals and strategies based on data. Jarrett shares a physical document that can be used as a dashboard for tracking key fundraising metrics.

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Our co-hosts welcome Christal Cherry, the President of TheBoardPro.com, and explore strategies for motivating nonprofit board members. Christal highlights practical strategies for energizing nonprofit boards, fostering a positive board culture, and improving board engagement in fundraising efforts. Christol starts by explaining her motivation for founding TheBoardPro.com, emphasizing her desire to help nonprofit boards thrive. She stresses the importance of recruiting the right board members by conducting a thorough vetting process, like a job search, to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities and align with the organization's mission. The conversation then jumps into building a positive board culture, as Christol advocates for creating an environment of open communication, respect, and camaraderie among board members. She recommends setting a clear culture statement that outlines the expected behaviors and values. The lively chat also touches on the topic of staff members attending board meetings. Christol emphasizes that traditional hierarchies are being questioned, and some organizations are now open to staff participation in board meetings, especially when staff members have valuable insights or achievements to share. Regarding fundraising, Christol shares her approach, emphasizing that board members should make a personal donation to demonstrate commitment and then providing them with a toolkit to equip them for fundraising efforts. She encourages board members to tell compelling stories about the organization rather than feeling like they are begging for money. Lastly, Christol discusses the importance of recognizing board members who bring in funds or donations through their efforts, even if they don't make a personal financial contribution. Learn more at TheBoardPro.com

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 An important conversation with Katie Warnock, CEO of Staffing Boutique, shedding light on the intricate process of recruiting nonprofit CEOs and executive directors. Her insights emphasize the importance of careful planning, setting realistic expectations, and how the role of professional interims can ensure a smooth leadership transition. Katie shares all these insights on recruiting tips, beginning with, as she aptly put it, "Allow for time, but be proactive." She begins by highlighting the significance of thoroughly assessing the nonprofit's needs before starting the search. This involves evaluating the organization's current state, its successes and shortcomings, and where it envisions itself in the future. Katie stresses the importance of forming a search committee, particularly for organizations lacking HR departments. She suggests appointing a search chair who can handle the administrative work involved in the hiring process effectively. Additionally, she discusses the necessity of creating a realistic and accurate job description that outlines the CEO's responsibilities and expectations. The conversation also touches on the value of professional interim CEOs in the transition period. Katie points out that having an interim CEO can help manage the organization during the search process and provide a fresh perspective. She mentions that interims can play a significant role in handling the emotional aspects of staff and board members during transitions. When it came to the overall current job market, Katie updates us and notes that there's an unusual quietness in the sector, even after a strong year for philanthropy. Watch as she describes it’s sense of uncertainty, with many organizations and professionals waiting to see what changes might come.

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In this Thought Leader episode, Anne McAuley Lopez elaborates on the benefits of creating a book related to your nonprofit's mission and achievements, stating, "Everybody has a story. Every business has a story. Yours just needs to be told." She highlights the various storylines that nonprofits can explore, including their origin stories, impact milestones, and personal stories of founders and beneficiaries. Anne also discusses the process of working with a ghostwriter and the importance of maintaining the organization's authentic voice. She assures, "It's not that it's simple; it's still a book and it's still a project. But you could take pieces of chapters from your book and put them on your blog," encouraging nonprofits to repurpose existing content like blogs and interviews for various marketing purposes. Throughout the episode, Anne's expertise in content creation shines through, offering several innovative insights for nonprofit leaders considering the idea of writing a book to boost their organization's impact and elevate their funding success.   More about AgencyContentWriter.com

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In this lively Q&A session on the "Nonprofit Show," host Jarrett Ransom welcomed questions from viewers and was later joined by Muhi Khwaja, a trainer at Fundraising Academy. The first question, sent in anonymously from Nashville, TN, concerned the pressure faced by a nonprofit's Development Director due to board expectations. Jarrett advised setting boundaries between the board and the Development Director and ensuring that the board understands the director's role and responsibilities. She also suggested aligning the board's suggestions with the organization's strategic plan. Moving on to the second question, the topic shifted to branding. . . . . .how to find an advertising agency or marketing firm willing to work pro bono. Jarrett cautioned that while pro bono work might be available, it's essential to budget for branding. She recommended looking for community events or co-working spaces that offer pro bono services and emphasized the importance of a well-thought-out branding strategy. The third question came from a viewer in Dayton, OH, who wanted to know the best person to serve as a board liaison for a nonprofit. Muhi Khwaja joined the discussion at this point and shared that the executive assistant to the CEO or executive director often serves as a board liaison. They help manage board schedules and communication. Alternatively, a third-party person can be hired for this role. Muhi emphasized the importance of board liaisons in improving board coordination. The conversation then delved into the concept of LYBUNT and SLYBUNT reports. Muhi explained that these reports help identify donors who haven't given in the current year, making them valuable targets for retention efforts. Jarrett and Muhi discussed the importance of monitoring these reports and leveraging board members to connect with lapsed donors. 

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Eric Ressler's insights underscore the critical role of brand building in a nonprofit's success. He encourages NPO’s to maintain a clear brand identity, engage with their communities, and strategically use their expertise to drive real-world change and revenue growth. As he aptly put it, "The brand is not something you just do and then it's done. It requires constant building, curation, and attention." Host Jarrett Ransom had the pleasure of speaking with Eric Ressler, the founder and Creative Director of Design by Cosmic, a social impact creative agency. Eric shared valuable insights on the importance of brand building for nonprofits and its impact on achieving real-world action and revenue generation. Eric highlights the essence of understanding a nonprofit's unique niche within the social impact landscape, emphasizing the need to focus on specific strengths and avoid mission creep. He points out that organizations should consider their brand as a dynamic relationship between the community and the organization, not just a logo or visual identity. Eric affirms that building and nurturing this relationship is an ongoing process that requires attention and consistent efforts. He also addressed the fear some nonprofits have about taking a stance on divisive issues, acknowledging the challenges of navigating politically charged topics, and emphasizing that organizations should engage in issues within their expertise and advocate for what aligns with their mission and values. 

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