The Nonprofit Show

American Nonprofit Academy
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The Nonprofit Show is the nation’s daily broadcast for the business side of nonprofits — bringing you practical insights, expert interviews, and real-world strategies to help your organization run smarter, lead stronger, and fund better. Each weekday, our co-hosts and guests break down the most current topics in fundraising, board governance, leadership, staffing, technology, communications, and financial strategy — giving nonprofit professionals the tools they need to build sustainable, high-performing organizations. With more than 1,400 episodes and growing, our on-demand library is a trusted resource for executive directors, team members, fundraisers, board members, and sector leaders who are ready to move beyond inspiration and into implementation. 🎥 Watch the daily show on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3A0Dqlw

  1. Beyond Wealth Screening: Who Will Really Fund Your Nonprofit?

    17 hrs ago

    Beyond Wealth Screening: Who Will Really Fund Your Nonprofit?

    Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit prospect research beyond wealth screening requires more than locating wealthy people. It means finding funders with the capacity, mission alignment, and relationship connections that can lead to a credible fundraising conversation. Shahar Brukner, Co-Founder, President, and CRO of Impala Digital, explains why traditional nonprofit wealth screening often leaves development teams with plenty of data—but no clear path to a donor. Shahar organizes effective prospect research around three business priorities: capacity, alignment, and relationships. A prospective donor may possess enormous wealth, but that does not mean the person supports your cause, makes gifts at the level you need, or can be reached through someone they trust. As Shahar explains, “If someone has a relationship to my organization through the board or through a donor…they automatically become a prospect.” Impala has assembled public nonprofit and philanthropic data reaching back to 2014. Shahar says its platform includes information on approximately 16 million people and more than 213 million connections, serving over 10,000 nonprofits and nearly 2,000 foundations, grantmakers, and advisors. The conversation also examines how AI may make genuine relationships even more important.  Shahar offers: “If it gets very easy to communicate with someone…then the level of connection needs to go up.” This episode offers a sharper way to evaluate prospects, activate board networks, approach funders respectfully, and turn data into a disciplined relationship-building strategy. Key Takeaways: Evaluate prospects through capacity, mission alignment, and relationships—not estimated wealth alone. Replace “Who do you know?” with specific, researched introduction requests for board members. Prioritize connected prospects before chasing the largest foundations or wealthiest individuals. Treat an initial gift as the beginning of a longer cultivation and stewardship process. Record donor intelligence and relationship history accurately in the organization’s CRM. Expect AI-generated application volume to push some funders toward invitation-based or relationship-led grantmaking. 00:00:00 Who Can Really Fund Your Nonprofit? 00:01:43 Building a Data Platform for Philanthropy 00:03:02 When a Three-Month Fundraising Plan Takes 18 Months 00:05:14 Where Traditional Wealth Screening Falls Short 00:06:43 Capacity, Alignment, and Relationships 00:10:34 Why Board Connections Remain Underused 00:11:17 Stop Asking Board Members “Who Do You Know?” 00:12:40 Mapping the Nonprofit Sector’s Relationship Network 00:16:10 Start With Connected Prospects, Not the Biggest Funders 00:19:59 Donor Research, Privacy, and Transparency 00:24:01 How AI Is Changing Grant Applications 00:26:49 Turning Fundraising Data Into Smarter Decisions #NonprofitFundraising #ProspectResearch #DonorResearch Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    31 min
  2. The State of the Nonprofit Sector 2026: America’s Safety Net

    1d ago

    The State of the Nonprofit Sector 2026: America’s Safety Net

    Send us Fan Mail What is the state of the nonprofit sector in 2026—and can organizations sustain rising demand while protecting their workforce, leadership pipeline, and financial strength? Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO of Independent Sector, joins us for a far-reaching conversation about the business conditions shaping America’s 1.9 million charitable nonprofits. Nonprofits continue to hold one of the strongest positions of public trust among American institutions. Dr. Watkins reports that 57% of Americans express very high or favorable trust toward nonprofits. Yet that confidence exists alongside increasing pressure: weakened public safety nets, a more difficult government relationship, rising service demand, workforce exhaustion, and a major leadership transition. The workforce numbers require serious attention. Nearly 13.9 million Americans work for charitable nonprofits, and approximately two-thirds are women. Nationally, about 22% of full-time nonprofit employees do not earn enough to cover their bills.  As Dr. Watkins explains, nonprofit organizations compete for human capital just like every other sector. Compensation, retirement security, leadership development, and workplace culture are not side issues. They determine whether organizations can retain institutional knowledge, attract future executives, and continue meeting community needs. “If we want leaders for the future, we have to invest in leadership today,” she says. The conversation also examines the nonprofit sector’s role in nonpartisan voter engagement. Research cited during the episode indicates that voter participation increases by approximately 10% when nonprofits are involved. With fewer than 40% of Americans actively volunteering, civic engagement is becoming an operational concern as well as a community concern. “The work that we do has been deeply invisible, but extremely felt personally by Americans,” Dr. Watkins explains. This is a sector-level business conversation for nonprofit executives, board members, fundraisers, advocates, and managers responsible for building organizations that can endure. Key Takeaways: Public trust is a major nonprofit asset, but organizations must connect that trust to stronger advocacy and clearer public storytelling. Workforce sustainability requires competitive compensation, retirement access, professional development, and realistic workload expectations. Approximately 22% of full-time nonprofit employees nationally cannot earn enough to cover their basic bills. Leadership succession must begin before senior executives retire and institutional knowledge leaves the organization. Managing as many as five workplace generations requires updated leadership and communication practices. Nonpartisan voter engagement can increase community participation while strengthening nonprofits’ civic role. 00:00:00 Meet Dr. Akilah Watkins of Independent Sector 00:02:09 Representing America’s 1.9 Million Charitable Nonprofits 00:06:04 The State of the Nonprofit Sector in 2026 00:06:29 Why 57% of Americans Still Trust Nonprofits 00:07:37 A Changing Relationship Between Nonprofits and Government 00:09:24 The Exhausted 13.9 Million-Person Nonprofit Workforce 00:11:49 Does the Sector Have Its Next Generation of Leaders? 00:12:30 The Nonprofit Compensation Numbers Leaders Cannot Ignore 00:14:02 Retirement Security and Six Workforce Policy Priorities 00:15:01 Leadership Succession and the Five-Generation Workplace 00:20:23 Voting, Volunteering and the Nonprofit Civic Role 00:25:13 Independent Sector’s 2026 National Summit in Phoenix #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitLeadership #NonprofitSector Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    30 min
  3. Can AI Find Your Nonprofit—or Are Donors Missing You?

    2d ago

    Can AI Find Your Nonprofit—or Are Donors Missing You?

    Send us Fan Mail How nonprofits can improve AI visibility is quickly becoming a fundraising and revenue question—not merely a marketing concern. As donors increasingly use AI search tools and workplace-giving platforms to decide which organizations to support, nonprofits must ensure their mission, impact, financial credibility, and organizational information can be found and understood. Catherine LaCour, CEO and Executive Director of the Blackbaud Giving Fund, joins The Nonprofit Show to explain how donor discovery is changing and what nonprofit leaders should do now. The Blackbaud Giving Fund has distributed nearly $3 billion since 2020 to approximately 300,000 nonprofit organizations worldwide. That experience gives Catherine a broad view of how donors, companies, technology platforms, and nonprofits are connecting. “If AI cannot find clear and accurate information about the nonprofit organization, then the donor’s not going to find it either,” Catherine explains. Nonprofit AI search optimization begins with the fundamentals: clear language, current organizational information, credible impact reporting, and consistency across websites, social channels, workplace-giving profiles, and other digital platforms. Catherine recommends writing so that a middle-school student can quickly understand who the organization serves, what it does, and what results it produces. The conversation also explores AI strategies for nonprofit fundraising. AI can analyze donor behavior, assist with segmentation, strengthen personalization, draft stewardship communications, and reduce administrative work. But Catherine cautions organizations to treat AI like an intern: it can produce a useful first draft, but human review remains essential. Workplace giving represents another major opportunity. Approximately 27 million donors participate in workplace programs, contributing about $5 billion in 2023. Nonprofits that fail to claim, complete, and update their profiles may be missing donors who are already motivated to give. Catherine’s advice is direct: start simple, but start now. Test what AI says about your organization, correct information gaps, clean your donor data, and choose one internal task where AI can create immediate capacity. Key Takeaways: AI visibility should become an ongoing organizational process, similar to donor stewardship. Mission, impact, leadership, and program information must remain consistent across every digital channel. Success stories and impact reports help AI systems understand and prioritize an organization. Clean donor data is essential for accurate segmentation, personalization, and fundraising analysis. Completed workplace-giving profiles can unlock employee donations, matching gifts, and recurring payroll contributions. Use AI to reduce administrative work while preserving human oversight and donor relationships. 00:00:00 Why AI Visibility Matters to Nonprofits 00:02:08 Nearly $3 Billion Distributed Through the Blackbaud Giving Fund 00:04:39 How AI Is Changing Donor Discovery 00:07:23 The First Steps to Better AI Search Visibility 00:10:12 Making AI Visibility an Ongoing Business Process 00:11:26 Using AI to Strengthen Fundraising Relationships 00:12:45 Why Clean Data Must Come First 00:13:39 AI as a Force Multiplier for Smaller Nonprofits 00:15:05 Treat AI Like an Intern 00:16:13 Unlocking Workplace and Corporate Giving 00:17:49 27 Million Workplace Donors and a $5 Billion Opportunity 00:18:37 Finding Better-Aligned Corporate Partners 00:19:16 Claiming and Strengthening Workplace-Giving Profiles 00:22:15 Where Nonprofits Should Begin 00:25:01 Ask AI the Hard Questions About Your Organization 00:26:30 The Content That Helps AI Prioritize Your Nonprofit 00:28:52 A Six-Step AI Guide for Reaching More Donors  #NonprofitAI #NonprofitFundraising #TheNonprofitShow Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    30 min
  4. The CEO Who Won't Fundraise: A Risky Gap in Leadership

    Jun 12

    The CEO Who Won't Fundraise: A Risky Gap in Leadership

    Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit CEO fundraising responsibility is not optional when fiscal health, donor relationships, and organizational sustainability are on the line. In this Fundraisers Friday episode, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall take on a tough leadership question: what happens when a nonprofit CEO won’t fundraise? This conversation goes straight to the business of nonprofits. Tony makes the case that even if a CEO is not making daily asks, every CEO carries responsibility for the organization’s financial health. As he puts it, “I can’t imagine there is a job description for a CEO where there isn’t some level of fiscal responsibility for the organization.” Julia and Tony explore how fundraising expectations should appear in CEO job descriptions, how boards should manage give-or-get commitments, and why fundraising cannot remain isolated inside the development department. A strong culture of philanthropy requires more than slogans. It requires transparent communication, shared ownership, and consistent reporting. Tony defines a healthy culture of philanthropy as one where “everyone in the organization understands their role in advancing the mission.” That shift changes the internal story from “development goes to lunches” to “relationship building is part of revenue strategy.” The episode also addresses board accountability, CEO coaching, donor management systems, dashboards, KPIs, and the need for monthly or quarterly fundraising reporting. If fundraising results are only reviewed at year-end, leaders lose the chance to pivot, repair gaps, or support staff and board members before the damage is done. Key Takeaways: Every nonprofit CEO should carry clear responsibility for fiscal health, even if they are not the primary solicitor. CEO job descriptions should include oversight, leadership, and support of the development function. Board give-or-get expectations need active tracking by the CEO and board chair—not vague annual reminders. A culture of philanthropy depends on mission communication, gratitude, relationship-building, and shared ownership. Fundraising dashboards should be reviewed monthly when possible, and at least quarterly. Donor management systems help clarify touchpoints, ownership, KPIs, and revenue attribution.  00:00:00 Welcome  00:02:37 Should CEO Job Descriptions Require Fundraising?  00:04:35 Linking CEO Oversight to Development Team Goals  00:06:39 Where Board Fundraising Responsibility Fits  00:08:10 Managing Board Give-or-Get Commitments  00:10:17 Defining a Real Culture of Philanthropy  00:13:59 Sharing Fundraising Plans Without Creating Fear  00:17:37 Can Reluctant CEOs Learn to Fundraise?  00:20:44 Reframing Fundraising Around Relationships  00:22:19 Tracking CEO Fundraising Through KPIs and Data  00:25:49 Why Monthly or Quarterly Reporting Matters  00:27:00 The Architecture of Fundraising and Shared Ownership  #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitFundraising Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    30 min
  5. Mindset Is Not 'Soft'. It's Your Organizational Infrastructure!

    Jun 11

    Mindset Is Not 'Soft'. It's Your Organizational Infrastructure!

    Send us Fan Mail Mindset as an operational skill for nonprofit leaders is becoming one of the most important conversations in nonprofit management. As burnout, decision fatigue, and constant change impact organizations across the sector, leaders are discovering that resilience, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness are not optional—they are essential business competencies. The Nonprofit Show sits down with Karli-Rose McIntyre, Training Content Manager at Your Part-Time Controller (YPTC), to explore why mindset should be viewed as organizational infrastructure rather than personal development. Karli-Rose shares what leaders are really asking for. While technical topics like accounting, compliance, grants, and technology remain important, many nonprofit executives are searching for guidance around decision-making, connection, resilience, and navigating uncertainty. The discussion examines how artificial intelligence is accelerating the shift from transactional work to relationship-driven leadership. As automation handles more routine tasks, nonprofit leaders must strengthen the uniquely human skills that technology cannot replace. As Karli-Rose shares. .   "I think when we start treating mindset as not just a nice-to-have item, but instead as infrastructure, then that's when those human skills, like creativity, like resilience, like connection, start to come out and play." The conversation also addresses nonprofit CEO burnout, organizational communication challenges between finance and development teams, emotional intelligence, and how leaders can create space for better decision-making amid constant demands. Karli-Rose closes with a powerful leadership reminder: "Replace the fear of the unknown with curiosity." For nonprofit executives, finance leaders, fundraisers, board members, and emerging professionals, this episode offers a fresh perspective on building stronger organizations from the inside out.   Key Takeaways:  • Approximately half of nonprofit CEOs report concern about burnout levels, making leadership sustainability a strategic issue.  • Leaders increasingly seek support with decision-making, connection, and resilience—not just technical training.  • AI is increasing the value of human-centered skills such as communication, emotional intelligence, and relationship-building.  • Mindset influences every leadership action, from budgeting and policy creation to team management and organizational culture.  • Strong collaboration between finance, fundraising, and operations requires empathy, storytelling, and shared understanding.  • Creativity and resilience can be developed intentionally and may help counter burnout and decision fatigue. 00:00:00 Welcome & Why Mindset Matters 00:02:09 Karli-Rose's Unique Path from CPA to Leadership Development 00:03:35 What 1,500 Monthly Webinar Registrants Are Asking For 00:05:30 The Hidden Challenges Nonprofit Leaders Face 00:08:10 AI, Leadership, and the Shift to Human Skills 00:11:20 Why Mindset Is an Operational Issue 00:14:11 Mindset as the Foundation of Decision-Making 00:15:35 Bridging the Gap Between Finance and Fundraising 00:20:01 Treating Mindset as Organizational Infrastructure 00:22:14 Burnout, Creativity, and Leadership Resilience 00:24:45 Practical Habits for Better Leadership Decisions 00:29:17 Replacing Fear with Curiosity  #TheNonprofitShow #NonprofitMindset #NonprofitManagement Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    31 min
  6. Generosity Isn't Declining—What 1,000 Donors Revealed About Giving in 2026

    Jun 11

    Generosity Isn't Declining—What 1,000 Donors Revealed About Giving in 2026

    Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit donor behavior trends in 2026 are revealing something unexpected: generosity is alive and well! The challenge isn't donor willingness to give—it's whether nonprofits are making it easy, clear, and compelling for supporters to take action. We welcome Mary Crogan, Vice President of Brand Marketing at Bloomerang, to discuss findings from the newly released Giving Signals Report. Based on research conducted with more than 1,000 donors and 405 fundraisers, the report challenges many assumptions about today's fundraising environment. The data shows that donors remain highly motivated to support causes they care about. In fact, 97% give because they care about their communities, 96% want to make a difference, and 92% say giving is part of who they are. As Mary explains, "The fact is, donors are actually ready. They want to give. The question is whether the organizations are positioned to engage and receive that generosity." The conversation explores how nonprofits can bridge the gap between caring and giving through greater clarity, stronger impact communication, and a smoother donor experience. One of the most striking findings? Seventy percent of donors say a tipping prompt could cause them to reconsider giving altogether, while 79% say unexpected fees create hesitation. These are preventable barriers that may be costing organizations revenue every day. The discussion also highlights the growing influence of millennial donors. Seventy-five percent plan to increase their giving this year, while 80% intend to support at least one new nonprofit. Mary offers a simple but powerful challenge for nonprofit leaders: “Can someone who comes to your site answer these questions in less than 30 seconds: What does this organization do? Who do they serve? Where does the money go? And is it working?" If your organization wants to strengthen donor trust, improve fundraising results, and better understand how donor expectations are evolving, this conversation delivers important research and valuable perspective. Key Takeaways • 97% of donors care deeply about their communities and remain motivated to give. • 94% are more likely to donate when organizations clearly explain where funds go. • 70% of donors may reconsider giving when presented with tipping prompts. • 79% say unexpected fees negatively impact their willingness to complete a gift. • 75% of millennials plan to increase their giving this year and 80% will support a new nonprofit. • Transparent reporting, visible impact, and frictionless giving experiences are becoming major competitive advantages.  00:00:00 Introduction to the Giving Signals Report  00:02:00 What 1,000 Donors Revealed About Giving  00:04:00 Generosity Is Shifting, Not Declining  00:06:00 The Clarity Gap Between Caring and Giving  00:08:00 The 30-Second Website Audit Every Nonprofit Needs  00:11:40 How Fees and Tipping Prompts Hurt Donations  00:15:00 Creating a Frictionless Donor Experience  00:16:25 Why Millennial Donors Matter Right Now  00:20:30 Closing the Donor Trust and Clarity Gap  00:24:20 What's Next for Giving Signals Research  #TheNonprofitShow #FundraisingStrategy #DonorEngagement Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    29 min
  7. 75% of Nonprofit Leaders Are Leaving—Who's Taking Their Place?

    Jun 9

    75% of Nonprofit Leaders Are Leaving—Who's Taking Their Place?

    Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit CEO succession planning is no longer a future issue—it’s a current business challenge. As leadership turnover accelerates across the sector, boards and executives must rethink how they identify, recruit, and support the next generation of nonprofit CEOs. Dana Scurlock, Managing Director at Staffing Boutique, joins Julia Patrick and Sherry Quam Taylor to discuss what organizations should be looking for when hiring a CEO and how leadership expectations are changing. With research indicating that approximately 75% of nonprofit leaders are expected to retire by 2036, organizations face a major transition that will impact fundraising, operations, culture, and long-term sustainability. Dana explores why successful CEOs must be more than administrators—they must be communicators, relationship builders, and visionary leaders who can represent the mission externally while helping position the organization for future growth. As Dana explains, "A CEO is a visionary, an orator, somebody that's out representing the organization elsewhere and helping the organization grow." The conversation also examines the growing need to separate operational leadership from external leadership responsibilities. Many organizations are exploring structures that pair a forward-facing CEO with strong operational leadership to improve effectiveness, fundraising capacity, and organizational resilience. Dana also offers guidance on one of the biggest board-level decisions nonprofits face: whether to promote from within or recruit externally. The answer depends on the organization's goals, culture, and future vision—but boards must first define where they want the organization to go. "If you haven't defined it yet, where do we want to be? And if you don't have the answer to that, therein lies where the first leg of the work needs to come." Whether you're a board member, executive director, CEO, or nonprofit leadership candidate, this discussion offers valuable insight into preparing your organization for the next decade of change. Key Takeaways: Approximately 75% of nonprofit leaders are expected to retire by 2036, creating significant succession planning challenges. Effective nonprofit CEOs increasingly serve as visionaries, communicators, and public ambassadors for the mission. Boards should consider separating operational leadership and external leadership responsibilities as organizations grow. Professional fundraising expertise allows CEOs to focus on growth, partnerships, and strategic positioning. Internal and external CEO candidates both offer advantages; organizational goals should drive the decision. Leadership transitions should be accompanied by a clear narrative that explains the organization's future direction.  00:00:00 Introduction: The Future of Nonprofit Leadership  00:04:02 75% of Nonprofit Leaders Expected to Retire  00:05:18 What Makes a Great Nonprofit CEO Today?  00:08:57 Visionary Leadership vs Operational Leadership  00:11:25 Should Nonprofits Redefine the CEO Role?  00:13:45 Why More CEOs Need Strong Operations Partners  00:19:39 The CEO's Role in Fundraising and Growth  00:22:19 Why Professional Fundraisers Matter  00:24:24 Hiring a CEO: Internal Promotion or External Search?  00:26:53 Controlling the Narrative During Leadership Transitions  00:29:01 Defining the Organization's Future Before Hiring  Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    32 min
  8. Before You Hire the Next CEO, Watch This!

    Jun 8

    Before You Hire the Next CEO, Watch This!

    Send us Fan Mail Nonprofit interim leadership strategy is becoming essential as organizations face CEO retirements, founder exits, leadership fatigue, and urgent succession decisions. Joan Brown, COO of Third Sector Company, explains how interim leadership can help nonprofit boards move beyond crisis hiring and use transition as a business-strengthening opportunity. Joan frames the conversation around four powerful words: purposeful, methodical, profound, and transformational. Each word helps nonprofit leaders rethink what should happen between one leader leaving and the next leader stepping in. Rather than treating interim leadership as someone “keeping the lights on,” Joan describes it as a structured process that prepares the organization for long-term leadership success. As she says, “The purpose is to right set the organization for its next leader.” This episode is especially valuable for nonprofit boards, executive teams, funders, and managers who are navigating CEO succession planning, founder transitions, leadership burnout, or executive search readiness. Joan explains why many organizations need an intentional pause—especially after a long-term or legacy leader leaves. Without that space, the next leader may inherit unresolved culture issues, unclear priorities, board confusion, or outdated operating systems. A key business insight from the conversation: Third Sector Company’s average interim placement is about nine months, because meaningful transition work requires assessment, alignment, stakeholder participation, and organizational readiness. Joan also challenges nonprofits to think in 90-day planning increments, rather than relying only on three- to five-year strategic plans. This shorter planning rhythm can help organizations focus on immediate priorities while still preparing for the future. As Joan puts it, “Let me as an interim deal with the things that aren’t working so that when you invest in hiring a permanent person, it’s going to work for them.” For nonprofit professionals, this conversation is not just about interim executives. It is about governance, culture, operations, staff structure, board courage, and the discipline required to make leadership transitions count. Key Takeaways: Interim leadership should move the organization forward, not simply protect the status quo. A transparent assessment creates a shared reality for boards, staff, funders, and stakeholders. Average interim placements may take around nine months because succession readiness is deeper than hiring. Founder and legacy leader transitions often require space before a permanent successor can thrive. 90-day planning cycles can help nonprofits respond faster while staying mission-aligned. Transformation may show up through governance, pay equity, culture, mission clarity, or stronger hiring readiness.  00:00:00 Welcome to The Nonprofit Show 00:02:06 What Is the Third Sector? 00:03:55 Interim Leadership Beyond the CEO Role 00:06:05 Word One: Purposeful Leadership Transition 00:09:02 Why Interim Placements Take Time 00:10:37 Word Two: A Methodical Transition Roadmap 00:13:53 Why Every Interim Engagement Needs Assessment 00:16:45 Founder and Legacy Leader Transitions 00:19:03 Word Three: Profound Processes That Change Organizations 00:20:00 The Power of 90-Day Planning 00:22:29 Why These Ideas Matter for All Leaders 00:23:23 Word Four: Transformation Through Interim Leadership 00:26:03 Preparing the Organization for the Next Permanent Leader 00:28:01 Why Board Members Study Interim Leadership #TheNonprofitShow #InterimLeadership #NonprofitSuccession Find us Live daily on YouTube! Find us  Live daily on LinkedIn! Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_Show Our national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits!  12:30pm ET   11:30am CT  10:30am MT  9:30am PT Send us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.com Visit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

    31 min
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About

The Nonprofit Show is the nation’s daily broadcast for the business side of nonprofits — bringing you practical insights, expert interviews, and real-world strategies to help your organization run smarter, lead stronger, and fund better. Each weekday, our co-hosts and guests break down the most current topics in fundraising, board governance, leadership, staffing, technology, communications, and financial strategy — giving nonprofit professionals the tools they need to build sustainable, high-performing organizations. With more than 1,400 episodes and growing, our on-demand library is a trusted resource for executive directors, team members, fundraisers, board members, and sector leaders who are ready to move beyond inspiration and into implementation. 🎥 Watch the daily show on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3A0Dqlw

Information

  • Creator
    American Nonprofit Academy
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 American Nonprofit Academy
  • Show Website
    The Nonprofit Show

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