Find Lasting New Donors

In her last podcast episode as host and Executive Director of Nonprofit Hub, Delaney Mullennix interviews James Thorne. They explore innovative approaches to fostering connections between donors and nonprofits. Their shared mission revolves around revolutionizing fundraising by introducing nontraditional methods, with a primary focus on diversifying funding streams and fostering online donor engagement. The conversation delves into the shift from traditional annual events to exciting online campaigns and sweepstakes as creative avenues for nonprofits to raise funds. The hosts emphasize the universal challenge nonprofits face in fundraising, irrespective of their size, and stress the importance of exploring novel strategies to make the process more efficient. Ultimately, the podcast advocates for streamlining fundraising efforts, enabling organizations to allocate more time and resources toward their core mission.

James Thorne is a passionate creator dedicated to empowering individuals, families, and communities through entrepreneurial opportunities. In a career that has spanned a range of industries—from hospitality to ministry, from filmmaking to marketing and business coaching—James has managed teams, led departments, and built several businesses from the ground up. His greatest ambition is to love others like Jesus Christ and to leave behind a legacy of lives changed through financial and spiritual freedom. James is currently the Owner and Chief People Officer for Quirk, the Founder and CEO of Vehicle for Good, and the Owner of Bow Tie Media. He lives in the heart of Fort Worth with his wife and kids.

Get Organized to Get Funded

Don’t lose funding because you can’t report on your impact. In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, former NPH ED and host Delaney Mullennix interviews Cyrus Z. Kazi. Cyrus has been working for over 20 years with tech companies to drive social impact and is here to share more about all the functions of a nonprofit that provides valuable data for moving your supporters to action.  Check out Quanitbly for more information and tools for impact reporting!

Since the late 90s, Cyrus has been working with tech companies to drive social impact. He has extensive experience in EdTech, GovTech, HealthTech, and other areas. He received his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics from the Purchase College, SUNY, and holds a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) in Public Policy & Evaluation from Marxe School of Public & International Affairs, as well as an Executive MBA) from Zicklin Business School, CUNY.

Quantibly is a B2B platform that supports impact data collection specifically for the ~7M global service nonprofits/NGOs. It enables organizations to save time and costs, while increasing efficiency, setting required standards, and measuring their impact effectively. Quantibly is available for various organizations in 47 countries.

How Nonprofits Can Help to Heal Internalized Racism

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews Rev. Bethany Johnson-Javois, President and CEO of the Deaconess Foundation. Bethany returned to Deaconess Foundation after having formerly served on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees. Devoted to the Deaconess mission and guided by faith, Bethany leads the Foundation in its continued pursuit of the improved health of the Metropolitan St. Louis and Southern Illinois communities and its people through philanthropy, advocacy, and organizing for racial equity and policy change.

Bethany speaks with Delaney about the importance of healing for leaders and activists and how philanthropic and nonprofit organizations can invest in this process. They also discuss some of Bethany’s particularly transformative experiences, how peace and healing exist on the other side of acceptance, and how the field of racial trauma healing will evolve into the future. Bethany mentioned the white-dominant leadership that exists in the nonprofit sector as a major structure that needs to be dismantled, similar to what we learned from Kia Croom in this previous episode of the Nonprofit Hub Radio Podcast. 

In 2023, the Deaconess Foundation launched the Institute for Black Liberation, a novel approach to developing liberatory consciousness through healing the pains of internalized racism. The leadership development program provides Black Diaspora people in the Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois region with a space to name, reckon with, and heal from racial trauma and grow as leaders who will pursue a just future.

Rev. Bethany Johnson-Javois, MSW (she/her) is a health and racial justice advocate dedicated to the improved health and well-being of the people of the Greater St. Louis region and Southern Illinois. She is President & CEO of Deaconess Foundation, Pastor of Monument of Faith Church, Inc., a Commissioner with the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, former CEO of the St. Louis Integrated Health Network (IHN), and former Managing Director for the Ferguson Commission.

Deaconess Foundation envisions a community that values the health and well-being of all and gives priority attention to the most invisibilized. Deaconess seeks to create conditions where liberation is the lived reality within seven generations. A ministry of the United Church of Christ, Deaconess has invested more than $85 million to improve the health of the St. Louis community since 1998. Our grants and cultivated relationships support the accelerated change in conditions through policy, advocacy, and/or organizing efforts building and wielding power to transform systems to respond to the will of the people. The Foundation’s advocacy and grantmaking footprint includes St. Louis City, St. Louis, Jefferson, St. Charles and Franklin Counties in Missouri and Madison, St. Clair and Monroe Counties in Illinois. For more information, visit deaconess.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter and Instagram @deaconessfound and on Facebook at facebook.com/deaconessfoundation.

The #1 Handbook for Impactful Storytelling

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews Kristin Surkaw,  a Nebraska native with a knack for finding and telling nonprofits’ best stories. Kristin uses her interpersonal skills and experience as a professional counselor to master the art of interviewing and has shared her top tips in the #1 Handbook for Impactful Storytelling.

You can find her book, “StoryFind: The Handbook for Finding and Telling Your Nonprofit’s Most Impactful Stories”, online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Whether you’re a founder or employee at a nonprofit, StoryFind will give you the skills to craft your organization’s most compelling narratives to engage donors and drive support.

Delaney and Kristin discuss the art of nonprofit storytelling and that the work is two-fold, an equal amount of work goes into finding the best story before you tell the best story. They also discuss the five steps to impactful storytelling in the handbook, including several chapters dedicated to interviewing. 

Kristin Sukraw is a professional storyteller, executive producer at StoryFind Films, licensed mental health practitioner, and national speaker. She has worked with large international nonprofits, small shops, and everything in between to bring their stories to life and help them accomplish their fundraising goals.

Kristin began her career as a mental health counselor but soon found herself immersed in the world of film production for nonprofits. Through her work at StoryFind Films, she has worked with hundreds of individuals to give voice to their stories, all while helping nonprofit organizations raise millions of dollars through storytelling. Kristin’s greatest passion is helping people find their voice and sharing their stories with the world.

When not on the road interviewing or speaking, Kristin lives in the great state of Nebraska with her husband and business partner, Mike, daughter, Izzy, and black fluffy cat, Lily.

Start a Nonprofit that Actually Survives

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews Rebecca Rodriguez, Principal Consultant and Author of For the Philanthropist and The Nonprofit Workbook. A disproportionate number of nonprofit start-ups don’t survive and Rebecca’s mission is to make sure they do.

So, you want to start a nonprofit?

Delaney and Rebecca discuss the questions that should be asked before you embark on the adventure. Does your mission serve the common good, do you have a business plan, are there other nonprofits doing the same thing, understanding these questions in advance will help you avoid the common issues that keep nonprofits from getting out of start-up phase. Sustainability is about a lot more than just raising money.

You can find Rebecca’s workbook, Tips & Best Practices For Start-Ups Serving the Greater Common Good on her website and on Amazon.

With a fundraising background, Rebecca became interested in how to get an organization to a place of sustainability beyond raising more money. Whether it is at the programmatic or organizational level, she will come alongside to support and strengthen the business model, governance, systems & processes, and programs.

From Vision to Action: Transforming Nonprofits with Sustainable Social Impact Solutions

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews Diz Petit, Founder and CEO of LiquiDonate, about her impressive track record of turning her vision into action. LiquiDonate combines Diz’s years of experience working with tech companies to implement social impact programs that leverage their existing business model and evolving technologies with her love for the work and people of nonprofits. With an ambitious mission, Diz set out to reduce landfill waste and enable circularity by connecting retailers’ excess, unsold, and returned inventory to nonprofits via seamless technology. This is one of countless new technologies that have sprung up for nonprofits to save time and raise more to do more. 

Diz shares a few stories about her favorite tattoos, although, they are all her favorite. Delaney and Diz talk about how Diz first get started in the sustainable social impact space, her first experiences in nonprofits, and how nonprofits can get started with LiquiDonate for free to start receiving donations today!

Prior to LiquiDonate, Diz founded Civic Labs, the social impact team at Postmates. Civic Labs’ mission was to positively impact our neighborhoods through community engagement and innovative technology solutions to combat complex, pervasive issues. Postmates was acquired by Uber Technologies.

Diz’s passion and action won her the Time Magazine Invention of the year award for the food security product, Bento, that allows hungry people without access to a smartphone obtain free food via SMS. She is a feminist, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and an animal rights activist through the lens of environmental justice and human rights, and works to be a better practicing ally for marginalized communities.

Born To Be Nonprofit: Creating Real Environmental Change

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews Manda Kalimian, founder of the CANA Foundation, about her journey as a female founder advocating for environmental change and the power of rewilding horses. The CANA Foundation’s mission is to conserve and restore the North American landscape through rewilding initiatives, with a focus on wild horses as a keystone species. The organization thrives on the belief that using wild horses for rewilding initiatives can improve the overall health and vitality of North American grasslands. 

Manda shared her 15-year journey as a nonprofit founder in her book, “Born to Rewild” including her strong calling to rescue horses from inevitable slaughter. At the time of her interview, the organization had just won approval to rescue new horses and release them on the land where they assist in the natural preservation of the ecosystem. 

Courage to Lead in the Nonprofit Sector

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews leadership coach Julie Boll regarding courageous leadership in the nonprofit sector. Julie explains why bravery and courage are vital for nonprofit sector leaders, as they must take risks, have difficult conversations, and disrupt the status quo to drive change.

Julie discusses how courageous leadership relates to the level of trust within an organization. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability, accountability, and integrity are able to build trust, which in turn enables organizational success. On the other hand, Julie outlines tangible behaviors that can erode trust, like avoiding hard topics, finger-pointing, and hiding mistakes.

Julie discusses how courageous leadership relates to the level of trust within an organization. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability, accountability, and integrity are able to slowly build trust over time. This built trust in turn enables organizational success. On the other hand, Julie outlines tangible behaviors that can quickly erode trust. These include avoiding hard topics, finger-pointing, and hiding mistakes.

Drawing on the research of Dr. Brené Brown, Julie shares four teachable and measurable skills of daring leadership. These are rumbling with vulnerability, living into your values, braving trust, and learning to rise. Mastering these skills empowers nonprofit leaders to have those courageous conversations and make bold decisions.

Julie provides examples of courageous nonprofit leadership from her own experience. She describes a CEO disrupting longstanding but ineffective programs. She also describes a board chair giving candid feedback to the executive director despite personal discomfort. Both of these moments of courage resulted in increased trust and overall organizational health.

Why Your Nonprofit Should Do Public Opinion Research

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews Adam Probolsky, founder of Probolsky Research, about using public opinion research to benefit nonprofits. Adam explains this involves surveying and analyzing data from a target population to gain insights. He advocates that nonprofits should leverage research for several key reasons.

First, public opinion research helps nonprofits better understand their audiences for more effective messaging and outreach. By gathering data directly from stakeholders, nonprofits can craft communications tailored to what resonates most. Second, the research informs nonprofit fundraising approaches and donor targeting. Survey data provides insights into donors’ values and motivations.

Additionally, this research aids nonprofits in developing programs, services, and policies aligned with their community’s needs and priorities. Rather than guessing, nonprofits can make data-driven decisions. Adam provides examples of public opinion research improving museum programming and helping a nonprofit expand into new services.

While research requires an investment, Adam argues the data and insights gained are invaluable for nonprofit strategy across messaging, fundraising, and programming. He encourages nonprofits to approach this research as an essential tool, not an optional extra.

In summary, this episode makes a case for nonprofits to leverage public opinion research surveys to gain stakeholder insights that strengthen organizational strategy and community impact.

Tips on Fundraising: Direct Mail & Personalization

In this episode of Nonprofit Hub Radio, host Delaney Mullennix interviews David Wachs, founder of Handwrytten, a service enabling nonprofits to send personalized, handwritten notes to donors. David explains how Handwrytten helps nonprofits scale meaningful outreach amid the digital shift.

When asked about doubts over “mass-produced” handwritten notes seeming impersonal, David emphasizes why personalization is so critical for nonprofit tips on fundraising. He argues digital communication makes small personal touches stand out more, deepening donor relationships. David provides tips on fundraising like sending handwritten stewardship notes, which make donors feel valued.

David also shares tips on fundraising through handwritten notes for purposes beyond donor stewardship. Handwrytten enables nonprofits to efficiently send handwritten invitations to events, onboarding notes to new volunteers, and more. These small personal touches boost engagement.

Regarding whether direct mail is ineffective, David debunks this myth. While costly, with creative strategy and personalization, direct mail can provide excellent tips on fundraising. Handwrytten allows nonprofits to incorporate personal handwritten touches into mailings at scale.

David encourages nonprofits to explore tips on fundraising through scalable personalized outreach with Handwrytten. As communication goes digital, small human touches make a nonprofit stand out.

In summary, David provides tips on fundraising using Handwrytten to incorporate personal, handwritten communication that deepens donor relationships. He argues physical mail and notes still resonate when thoughtfully executed.