On The Ground

James Misner
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Non-Profit

As CEO of The Kipos Group, James Misner has spent years in the trenches with nonprofit leaders. "On the Ground" brings those conversations to you—unfiltered insights by nonprofit leaders, for nonprofit leaders. Real Leaders. Real Challenges. Real Solutions.

  1. 23h ago

    The Money Is There: What MissionWell Sees Across 60+ Nonprofits

    Why fractional support can help nonprofits do more with less Nicole Kirkorian Elmes, CEO of MissionWell, joins James Misner to talk about her path from Disney and DoorDash into nonprofit support work, and why fractional services can be a smart fit for organizations that need senior-level help without adding full-time headcount. They also dig into what nonprofits actually need to run well, from finance and HR to board support, and why the sector is often more resilient and resourceful than people assume. In this episode: How her career at Disney and DoorDash shaped a people-first leadership style focused on making life easier for othersWhy she moved into nonprofit and faith-based work after finding herself drawn to boards, church service, and community leadershipWhat “fractional” means in practice: flexible support that can scale up or down based on organizational needHow MissionWell can function as a finance department, HR partner, or board support resourceWhy a fractional model can cost less than hiring a full in-house team, while also reducing management burdenThe kinds of work MissionWell handles, from bookkeeping and controller-level finance to CHRO work and organizational designHow board services help clarify oversight, recruiting, and the division between staff and board responsibilitiesWhat Nicole is seeing across the nonprofit sector, including growth in niche organizations and strong appetite from donors and supportersWhy strong systems, clear roles, and good HR practices matter if a nonprofit wants to “run like a business” in the right waysHow volunteer leadership is different from employee management, and why finding the “low lift” is key to avoiding burnoutTimestamps 00:00 – Meet Nicole Elmes and her journey to MissionWell 01:16 – From Disney and DoorDash to nonprofit leadership 03:06 – How church and board service led her to MissionWell 04:50 – Disney’s Tangled and a successful movie launch 06:45 – Understanding fractional support for nonprofits 09:39 – MissionWell’s finance, HR, and board services 11:27 – The growth of specialized nonprofit organizations 14:45 – Cost benefits of fractional vs. in-house support 16:36 – Technology, digitization, and strategic efficiency 18:05 – The challenges of wearing multiple hats 20:25 – Why nonprofit leaders hesitate to outsource 21:59 – Nicole’s biggest surprises in the nonprofit sector 25:11 – Running nonprofits with a business mindset 27:49 – Rethinking volunteer leadership and preventing burnout 30:46 – Challenges and lessons from scaling MissionWell 32:15 – Connecting with Nicole and MissionWell Resources & Links: The Kipos Group WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on LinkedinConnect with Nicole: Missionwell Official WebsiteConnect with Nicole on Linkedin

  2. Oct 13

    Beyond the Founder: How ILI Keeps a $3.5M Fundraising Program Running

    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 successorThe importance of local leaders and character developmentThe “tyranny of the urgent” and the apartment-fire analogyFour keys to collaboration: shared goals, success measures, support, and communicationNavigating cultural differences with graceHow scarcity thinking affects partnershipsBuilding sustainable fundraising systems and prioritizing relationshipsLessons from an event with competing goalsDaniel’s vision for developing leaders and closing leadership gapsTimestamps 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 WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on LinkedinConnect with Daniel: International Leadership Institute Official WebsiteConnect with Daniel on Linkedin

  3. Oct 6

    The $500K Ask That Came Too Soon: How American Rivers Plays the Long Game

    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 conservationWhy effective fundraising needs both relationship-building and strategyHow American Rivers connects healthy rivers to people, wildlife, and communitiesHow to tailor a conservation story to a donor’s interestsWhat makes an appeal letter compelling—and why the postscript mattersHow to recognize when a donor may be ready for a larger askLessons from asks that were too high or came too soonWhy Karyn’s advice to struggling fundraisers is simple: pick up the phoneTimestamps 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 WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on LinkedinConnect with Karyn: American Rivers Official WebsiteConnect with Karyn on Linkedin

  4. Sep 29

    Skip the Cold RFP: How to Win Foundation Funding Through Relationships

    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 WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on LinkedinConnect with Emily: Accion Opportunity Fund Official WebsiteConnect with Emily on Linkedin

  5. Sep 22

    70% From Cookies: How Girl Scouts of West Central Florida Is Rebuilding Revenue

    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 roleBecoming CEO just as the pandemic hitHow 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 behaviorMembership growth, then setbacks from hurricanesFunding sources: cookies, grants, corporate support, donationsStaffing cuts (85 to 77) for financial sustainabilityUsing Lencioni's The Advantage and the Working Genius framework to build a stronger teamImproved staff satisfaction through shared leadershipLong-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 WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on Linkedin Connect with Mary: Girl Scouts Official WebsiteConnect with Mary on Linkedin

  6. Sep 15

    $54 Million Over 40 Years: How Trees for the Future Made Carbon a Crop

    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 WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on Linkedin Connect with Cate: Trees for the Future Official WebsiteConnect with Cate on Linkedin

  7. Sep 8

    $400 Million in Tax Credits: How NeighborWorks Capital Funds 250 Nonprofits

    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 WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on Linkedin Connect with Jim: Neighborworks Capital Official WebsiteConnect with Jim on Linkedin

  8. Sep 1

    Asking for Money for a Need They Don't Have: Empower Girls Camp's Fundraising Fix

    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 WebsiteSchedule a Discovery Call with JamesConnect with James Misner on Linkedin Connect with Therese: MPower Girls Camp Official WebsiteConnect with Therese on Linkedin

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

As CEO of The Kipos Group, James Misner has spent years in the trenches with nonprofit leaders. "On the Ground" brings those conversations to you—unfiltered insights by nonprofit leaders, for nonprofit leaders. Real Leaders. Real Challenges. Real Solutions.

Information

  • Creator
    James Misner
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 James Misner
  • Show Website
    On The Ground