Nonprofits Now: Leading Today

• Smart Solutions to Hire and Retain Top Talent

  With the prospect of an economic downturn looming ― and the number of nonprofit layoffs on the rise ― many leaders are coping with a jittery workforce and new pressures to keep staff members motivated.These new developments come on top of one of the most challenging staff recruitment landscapes in recent memory, after the Covid pandemic changed how and where work gets done.In search of solutions, Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer talked to two leaders who have found ways to attract and retain outstanding employees.Jordan Shenker is CEO of the Peninsula Jewish Community Center, in Foster City, California, and Keena Friday is COO of the Association of Infant Mental Health in Tennessee. Among their suggestions:Don’t rush to fill open positions.Salary isn’t the only lure.Remote work options matter.As the economy and federal policy shift, communicate what you know as often as possible. Connect with Friday and Shenker on LinkedIn. Further Reading:“6 Ways Nonprofit Leaders Can Boost Morale in Chaotic Time” by Rasheeda Childress“How to Lead Well in Uncertain Times” by Lisa Schohl“For Nonprofits, Remote Work Offers a Competitive Edge” by Eden Stiffman“How to Attract Employees — Simple Strategies Work Better Than New Benefits” by Ben Gose“Leaders’ Advice for Other Leaders” by Ben Gose“Smart Ways to Show You’re Ready for a Promotion — and a Few Things to Avoid” by Lisa Schohl“How to Manage Up — and Reach Your Career Goals” by Lisa Schohl“Q&A: Bad Bosses, Big Dreams, and Broken Philanthropy” by Nandita Raghuram“A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable” by Ben Gose“Leadership at the Crossroads” by George AndersWe welcome your thoughts on how the Chronicle can help you build your leadership superpowers. Write us at [email protected] can find a video version of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDndlWcRXEMNonprofits Now: Leading Today is hosted by Stacy Palmer. It’s produced by Emily Haynes at the Chronicle of Philanthropy and from Reasonable Volume, Mary Dooe is the producer, Mark Bush is our engineer, and Rachel Swaby and Elise Hu are executive producers. Additional support comes from Margie Fleming Glennon, Andrew Simon, Nick Adams, Krista Niles, Amaya Beltran, and Kyle Johnson.For the latest philanthropy news and analysis, subscribe to the Chronicle at philanthropy.com/subscribe

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• Lessons in Leadership From Women of Color

  As nonprofit leaders grapple with increasingly dire threats to their funding and missions, it’s more important than ever to understand what it takes to lead resilient organizations.For a look at what skills are most important, we hear from Vanessa Priya Daniel, who interviewed 45 social-justice leaders for her new book, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning.Daniel combines her extensive research for the book with her own experiences as an organizer and founder of Groundswell Fund and Groundswell Action Fund — which together have distributed more than $100 million to over 200 organizations led by women of color and transgender people.In a conversation with Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer, Daniel says her interviews led her to identify three all successful change agents possessed:Bold ideas. Incremental solutions don’t add up to enough to solve the tremendous challenges of today and tomorrow. Generosity. Daniel says an “ethos of rising by lifting others” is what makes the women she interviewed successful.360-degree vision. There’s never just one cause of a problem that’s complex and worth solving.Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn.Further Reading:"Open Your Tent for Supporters Wide, Says Leader of Progressive Group" by Nicole Wallace"Opinion: White Philanthropy, Here's How to Guarantee Real Change Happens" by Edgar Villanueva and Vanessa Daniel"Opinion: A Post-Affirmative Action World Demands More — Not Less — Funding for Black Leaders" by Cora Daniels"Opinion: Women Leaders of Color Are Exhausted. Philanthropy Needs to Step Up." by Sayu Bhojwani"The Challenges of Being a Woman Leader of Color at a Nonprofit" by Jim Rendon"Funders Should Support Nonprofit Leadership Transitions — Now" by Nick Grono"Leadership at the Crossroads" by George Anders"A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable" by Ben GoseWe welcome your thoughts on how the Chronicle can help you build your leadership superpowers. Write us at [email protected] can find a video version of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugOjpCJ3ChE&t=81sNonprofits Now: Leading Today is hosted by Stacy Palmer. It’s produced by Emily Haynes at the Chronicle of Philanthropy and from Reasonable Volume, Mary Dooe is the producer, Mark Bush is our engineer, and Rachel Swaby and Elise Hu are executive producers. Additional support comes from Margie Fleming Glennon, Andrew Simon, Nick Adams, Krista Niles, Amaya Beltran, and Kyle Johnson.

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• Two CEOs on How to Get Boards to Help With Fundraising and More

  Two leaders, Kathleen St. Louis Caliento and Nick Grono, join Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer to explain how they have engaged their board in financial efforts.St. Louis Caliento runs Cara Collective, a Chicago nonprofit that helps low-income people find jobs. Grono heads the Freedom Fund, an organization that pools funds from donors who want to fight modern-day slavery. He’s the author of How to Lead Nonprofits: Turning Purpose into Impact to Change the World, published in 2024.As nonprofits face economy headwinds — including losses in federal funding, rising costs, and the possibility of a global recession — nonprofit boards play an increasingly essential role. Trustees help with strategy and can also be powerful donors and fundraisers. Yet fewer than a quarter of respondents to a Chronicle survey described their board members as enthusiastic fundraisers.Grono and St. Louis Caliento share their advice on how to inspire boards to champion your mission and share insights from their shared experience of working with trustees to manage unrestricted, multimillion-dollar grants from MacKenzie Scott. Among their key points:Ask board members for access to their networks.Help the board understand the nonprofit’s work and impact.Do an annual check-in.You can connect with Grono and St. Louis Caliento on LinkedIn.Further Reading:“A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable” by Ben Gose“How to Create a Culture of Fundraising on Your Board” by Lisa Schohl“How to Retain Skittish Donors Amid Economic Turbulence” by Rasheeda Childress “Show How Your Nonprofit Is Making a Difference: 10 Do’s and Don’ts” by Lisa Schohl“Funders Should Support Nonprofit Leadership Transitions — Now” by Nick Grono“Leadership at the Crossroads” by George AndersWe welcome your thoughts on how the Chronicle can better help you engage your board. Write us at [email protected]. Watch a video version of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58WhjVvKzbA. And catch up past episodes at https://www.philanthropy.com/podcast/nonprofits-now. Nonprofits Now: Leading Today is hosted by Stacy Palmer. It’s produced by Emily Haynes at the Chronicle of Philanthropy and from Reasonable Volume, Mary Dooe is the producer, Mark Bush is our engineer, and Rachel Swaby and Elise Hu are executive producers. Additional support comes from Margie Fleming Glennon, Andrew Simon, Nick Adams, Krista Niles, Amaya Beltran, and Kyle Johnson.For the latest philanthropy news and analysis, subscribe to the Chronicle at philanthropy.com/subscribe.

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  35:10
• How to Make Headway in a Polarized World

  Tim Dixon, co-founder of More in Common, joins Chronicle CEO Stacy Palmer to offer research-based strategies leaders can use to bridge divides in the workplace and in their communities. More in Common helps political leaders and social-change movements strengthen their coalitions by including unlikely allies.Bridging divides is top-of-mind for nonprofit leaders today. Nearly two-thirds of nonprofit executives say the nation’s divisions are making their jobs tougher, according to an exclusive Chronicle of Philanthropy survey.Dixon shared solutions to overcome entrenched division. Among his key points:Coalitions of unlikely partners are a key to success. Leaders must manage divides within their organization — not ignore them.Focus on shared values to build consensus. You can connect with Dixon on LinkedIn and follow him @dixontim on X. And dig into More in Common’s research here.Further Reading:“Born of Political Violence, This Group Helps Nonprofit Causes Find ‘Surprising’ Allies” by Drew Lindsay “A Really Tough Job: Nonprofit CEOs Work to Make Their Roles More Manageable” by Ben Gose“To Hell and Back: Polarization and the Nonprofit” by Ben Gose“A Polarization Expert on What Nonprofits Need to Do — And Stop Doing” by Chronicle Staff“‘It’s Hard to Hate Up Close’: Philanthropy, Polarization, and the Art of Conversation” by Eden Stiffman“Leadership at the Crossroads” by George AndersWe welcome your thoughts on how the Chronicle can better help you bridge divides at your nonprofits. Write us at [email protected]. You can find a video version of this episode at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW4KcDyDC5E.Nonprofits Now: Leading Today is hosted by Stacy Palmer. It’s produced by Emily Haynes at the Chronicle of Philanthropy and from Reasonable Volume, Mary Dooe is the producer, Mark Bush is our engineer, and Rachel Swaby and Elise Hu are executive producers. Additional support comes from Margie Fleming Glennon, Andrew Simon, Nick Adams, Krista Niles, Amaya Beltrán, and Kyle Johnson.Explore more of our reporting and interviews on navigating society’s divides at philanthropy.com/commons. For the latest philanthropy news and analysis, subscribe to the Chronicle at philanthropy.com/subscribe.

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  31:07
• Introducing "Nonprofits Now: Leading Today"

  Nonprofit leaders are overworked, struggling to retain top talent, and facing budgetary shortfalls. In Nonprofits Now: Leading Today, host Stacy Palmer interviews innovative leaders who have developed smart solutions to common, tough challenges. The podcast series springs from an exclusive Chronicle of Philanthropy survey that uncovered troubling pain points in nonprofit leadership and a looming threat of leadership turnover. Nonprofits Now: Leading Today offers actionable strategies to address the most urgent challenges leaders face. Palmer and her guests explore proven ways to prevent burnout, manage intergenerational workplaces, hire strong senior teams, and much more. Starting April 15, tune in and turn the tide at your nonprofit.

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