Charity Therapy

Lots of people assume that because nonprofits do good work, they must be a GREAT place to work. But here's the thing – the nonprofit sector is far from perfect, and there are unique issues that can tank a nonprofit's culture. Rickesh Lakhani, ED of Future Possibilities for Kids, helps me tackle listener questions about how to cope with a bad culture at your nonprofit workplace. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter!

We're all focused on the goals and dollars when it comes to fundraising, but what about the paperwork? That's why I invited Warren Harmon from URS Compliance to join me on this episode. Warren helps nonprofits get compliant when fundraising, no matter what state they're in. What do you need to know when you add that "Donate Now" button to your website? What do you do when you forget to file your renewals? How many states do you actually need a license to fundraise in? Tune in to learn more! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter! Check out state charitable registration requirements

Let's be real - the IRS basically has its own language. I mean, even attorneys and CPAs find it confusing! Eve Borenstein, my hero and Queen of the 990, joins me on this episode to help us normal folks understand what we really need to know about the IRS. You may be thinking the IRS is boring….TRUST ME! Eve is the only person who can make it fun! Tune in to find out why the 990 is your best PR tool, what do you do when get mistaken penalty letters from IRS, what the public support test means, and more. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Contact the IRS about an erroneous revocation

It's April and we're in the thick of another 990 season – meaning the IRS wants to know how you're spending your funds! We're reviving this episode to answer your burning questions about 990s. What do you do if you find out you've been doing your 990s wrong? Or even worse, not doing them at all? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter

I think most of us can agree (hopefully) that communication solves most problems. Right? Whether you're a new or a seasoned Executive Director, communication with your board is KEY. Kris Kewitsch from Charities Review Council joins me on this episode to drop some nuggets of wisdom about having a great relationship with your board. Tune in to find out what do you do when the board isn't engaged (or is too engaged!),how often you should be meeting with your board, and more! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter

Employee fundraising can be great, but boy oh boy, it can also go VERY wrong. My Twitter buddy Clay Buck from TCB Fundraising joins me on this episode to unpack the beef we have with some employee giving programs. Are you doing this ethically? Do your employees actually want to participate in these programs, or does it feel coerced? Are your programs aligning with your values? This one's a doozy – you don't to miss it! Download Ephraim Gopin's e-book on Employee Giving Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter

Anyone who has been a part of fundraising for Nonprofits knows it's all about building relationships – not just the all-mighty dollar. That's why I invited Ephraim Gopin from 1832 Communications back on the pod to share his thoughts on #GivingTuesday and what kind of nonprofit fundraising is actually right for you! How do you start fundraising before you get your 501c3 status? What happens when money doesn't magically fall from the sky? Plus, he shares some giving statistics surrounding the holidays that you're gonna want to know right now so you can set yourself up well to crush it this year. Tune in to learn more! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter

Anyone who deals with nonprofit fundraising has probably been to WAY too many galas and golf tournaments. That's why I invited Alicia Baraga from Ripple Event Marketing to chat with me all about nonprofit fundraising and events! How do you create fun nonprofit fundraising events that people will want to attend year after year? How do you get sponsors for your nonprofit fundraising event? Plus, she shares her secret to every successful fundraising event. Tune in to learn more! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my Newsletter Check out Alicia's Event Brand Bootcamp course Related: [PODCAST] Nonprofit Marketing the Joyful Way with Ephraim Gopin

We loved our last episode with Amy Arcand from Willow Consulting so much, we asked her to come back! Problems with nonprofits happen. When nonprofits grow and change, it's inevitable that you're going to hit some roadblocks. In this episode, Amy and I answer questions about problems with nonprofits. And some of them are downright messy! How to clean up the mess an old staff member made, what to do when your board is burnt out, and how to plan for inevitable turnover in your organization. Tune in to learn more about how to handle some of these messy problems with nonprofits! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: [PODCAST] "I Have a Nonprofit" Problems

Everyone has that one person in their life who just keeps talking about cryptocurrency, right? But it's not just for the tech and finance people anymore. In this episode, my BFF Paul and I talk all about bitcoin for nonprofits. What it is, how to buy it, and how to leverage Bitcoin for your mission! Don't worry about your eyes glazing over – I promise we don't get too technical. Get Paul's recommended resources on Bitcoin Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: [PODCAST] Magical Consulting Dust

What's the secret to successful nonprofit fundraising? According to my guest Clay Buck of TCB Fundraising, it's ALL about data and systems. You can't know where you're going with your nonprofit fundraising if you don't know where you've been, right? Clay and I talk about everything from the nonprofit scarcity mindset to the real difference between nonprofit fundraising and sales. Tune in to step up your fundraising game! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: Top Tip Successful Nonprofit Fundraising

We're entering 2022 and closing in on two full years of our pandemic reality – meaning that nonprofits are still making big decisions about how to keep afloat and serve their communities while handling nonprofit crisis after nonprofit crisis. That's why we're pulling this episode out of the backlist, where Meghan and I talk all about making the hard changes in times of crisis. What happens when your community disagrees with the way you've handled things? Can you just wait it out til everything returns to "normal?" Tune in to this conversation to hear my thoughts. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: [PODCAST] The Nonprofit Crisis Survival Guide

Nonprofit organizations are not static, stagnant organizations. They grow and change over time (and that's usually a good thing!). What happens when you grow a little past the original vision for the nonprofit organization? How do make sure you stay compliant and do things right, even when you're doing something radically different or new? And when can change become a bad thing? Tune in to hear Meghan and I talk about exempt purposes, mission drift, governance updates, and more! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: [PODCAST] Nonprofit Mission Mission Statement: The Mission Is Your North Star

We're pulling this episode out of our backlist for your holiday weekend listening! Jason Viana, Executive Director of the Open Door, joins us to answer another batch of nonprofit questions! What rules do you need to follow if you're starting a food shelf? How can executive directors manage their mental health while running a nonprofit? What do you get by being a registered agent of an organization? (Hint – a whole lotta junk mail). Listen in to learn more! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: Starting a Nonprofit Organization: Asking the Right Questions

All right, folks, we got a little bit snarky on this one… Today Meghan and I are tackling the toxic mentality in the nonprofit sector that we must take a vow of poverty to do this work. We're talking about executive compensation, pro bono services, and when it makes sense to invest real money in the mission. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Related: Can a Founder of a Nonprofit Make a Salary?

There are lots of differences between nonprofits and for-profits, and today we're talking about a BIG one – accountability. If you own a small business, most people don't care how much money your CEO makes or how many customers you had last year. But in the nonprofit sector, there's a lot more information we need to share publicly. Tune in to this episode to hear me and Meghan tackling your questions about transparency, from what should be on your website to how to respond to donor questions. Don't miss out! Check out the Charities Review Council Accountability Standards Join me on Facebook! Subscribe to my newsletter!

To a lot of nonprofits folks, being accused of having a conflict of interest seems like the worst thing ever. But is it really? Introducing, the Conflicts Investigation Unit!! Meghan and I sit down to answer your nonprofit conflict of interest questions: What is a conflict? How do you manage the conflicts that do come up? And what happens when you don't even try to manage a huge and obvious conflict? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook! Subscribe to my newsletter!

If you call a nonprofit staff member a 1099 contractor, does that make them a contractor? (Spoiler alert – not necessarily!) In this episode, I'm joined by insurance broker Tom Wertish of Options Insurance to talk about employees, contractors, Worker's Comp, and other nonprofit insurance questions. Tune in to learn more! Check out the MN Attorney General guidance on 1099 vs W2 and the IRS test form to determine if your nonprofit staff are contractors or employees. Join me on Facebook! Subscribe to my newsletter! Related: I Just Started a Nonprofit. What About Insurance?

In the nonprofit world, you see "501(c)(3)" all over the place. But what does that really mean (or not mean)? In this episode, Meghan and I talk through some questions all about IRS tax exemption. Can one organization have multiple tax exempt statuses? What happens if you lose your status? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Your nonprofit's mission is only as strong as your ability to share it. So how do you tell your story in a way that inspires people to engage, give, and share your mission? I'm joined by Emmy-winning video creator and creative strategist Erica Hanna to answer that very question! Tune in to the learn the secret to strong storytelling and how make videos that just don't stink. Check out Erica's Smart Phone Video Workshop Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

A board member regularly makes flirty comments to the executive director – does this count as sexual harassment? The board decides to let go an independent contractor due to a program closure, but they're accusing the nonprofit of racial discrimination. The board wants to ask their employees to "volunteer" for other responsibilities – is that legal? Sometimes the answers to these questions are not cut and dried. Lawyer Zaylore Stout joins me for this episode to dig into a bunch of listener questions about the gray areas in employment law for nonprofits. You won't to miss it! Buy Zaylore's book, Our Gay History in 50 States! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

There's a large and thriving part of the nonprofit sector made up of arts organizations – but not every arts org can or should be a nonprofit. So, what's the difference really? And if nonprofit isn't the right fit, how are you supposed to get funding then?? Andy Sturdevant, the Artist Resources Director at Springboard for the Arts, joins me to answer these questions and more! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

As the world slowly (or quickly) re-opens this summer, tons of nonprofits are left wondering what their post-pandemic offices and operations will look like. That's why I asked my friend and business law attorney Inti Martínez-Alemán of Ceiba Fôrte Law Firm to join me and answer some of the big re-opening questions. Can you require your employees to be vaccinated? Who does HIPAA apply to anyway? How can you make sure you won't get sued if someone catches Covid? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Ephraim Gopin of 1832 Communications is a nonprofit marketing whiz, and he joined me in this episode to answer our listeners' burning questions. Should nonprofits have an employee giving program? How can you convince an old organization to modernize? What's really the difference between marketing and fundraising? Get Ephraim's e-book, Employee Giving: Does Charity Begin in the Office? Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Lots of nonprofits had to change up their operations during in the past year – but how do you know what changes to make? My guest Maria Huntley, Executive Director of Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians, says that no matter what you decide, you first need to go back to your mission. In this episode, Maria and I put on our creative hats to answer listener questions about how to make big decisions for their nonprofits. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

We all saw the news not too long ago that Bill and Melinda Gates are getting a divorce – but what does that mean for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation? In this episode, we dive into the world of family foundations and answer the most common questions I've been hearing. Will the nonprofit be divided up in the divorce? What happens to the funding when the Gates aren't a family anymore? Tune in to find out! This episode is inspired by my interview with Nick Rishwain of Experts.com Check out the full article/interview at https://experts-blog.com/2021/05/11/bill-melinda-gates-foundation-divorce-impact-nonprofit/. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

This week we're covering the dreaded nonprofit disease – founders syndrome, aka founderitis. Nonprofit expert Reid Zimmerman joins me to answer listener questions about what it is and how you can fix it if your nonprofit has already infected. Tune in to learn more! Order Reid's book Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

All nonprofits, no matter their size or mission, need to think about fundraising. Where's all the money going to come from to continue to power your mission? In this episode, Ellen Bristol, fundraising expert from Bristol Strategy Group, joins me to answer listener questions about the right way to approach fundraising. Here's a hint for you – it's not just about searching up foundations to ask for money! Take Ellen's free Leaky Bucket Assessment Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Where there are people, there are people problems. And in voting member nonprofits, you've got a lot of people. So in this episode, we tackle listener questions about members and the issues that can come from the voting membership. What do you do when you have one member that causes a ruckus? Or what if you want to get rid of your voting members? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

April showers bring… May tax returns. That doesn't quite have the same ring to it, huh? But it's true – we're coming up on tax season! So while nonprofits rush to prepare their Form 990s, I'm answering listener questions about them. What do you do if a donor accuses you of filling out the 990 wrong? Or, what happens if you (or your CPA) drops the ball and files nothing at all? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

When you're running a nonprofit, you're tasked with making the RIGHT decisions for the organization – even in the face of unexpected challenges (hello, global pandemic!). There's no one-size-fits-all approach to deal with a crisis, so making those decisions is tough. In today's episode, we're answering questions from folks making some big, unplanned changes for their organization. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Lots of nonprofit boards use Robert's Rules to run their board meetings – but should they? Robert's Rules is a parliamentary procedure that's meant to keep things orderly and make it easier to make group decisions. But sometimes, the rules make things harder, not easier. Tune in to this episode to hear some listener questions about what to do when Robert's Rules go off the rails. Go to www.birkenlaw.com/board-survival to get a copy of my Nonprofit Board Meeting Survival Guide. Check out this resource from Guidestar about an alternative to Robert's Rules: https://trust.guidestar.org/going-for-consensus-not-roberts-rules. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Nonprofit dissolution is a difficult decision, no matter your mission. But once you make that decision, do you really know what it means to dissolve your nonprofit? Today, we answer the big questions from listeners in that exact situation: How do you know when it's time to call it a day and close down? And when it is time to close, what steps do you have to take? Tune in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Check out my DIY Nonprofit Dissolution course Related: Treat Your Nonprofit Idea Like Your Wedding

Not everyone who works in nonprofits is an expert in handling nonprofit funds - and that's okay! If you're getting a gut feeling that something just isn't right (or maybe your nonprofit treasurer is...), you should listen. This episode is a throwback to March of 2020 when hosts Jess and Meghan were joined by Jim Hall to talk through some tricky nonprofit questions. What happens to leftover money when a nonprofit organization closes its doors? What happens when you have a funder that's making things difficult? Are nonprofit organizations allowed to give money to for-profits? Listen in to get the answers to these questions and more! • Join me on Facebook • Subscribe to my newsletter

Nonprofits are only as good as the people who run them. So what happens if you can't find talented, dedicated people? Or if the awesome people you find keep leaving? Jason Viana, Executive Director of The Open Door, joins me for this conversation about finding, and keeping, great employees. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

It's the end of a tough year, and nonprofits have been hit hard. Year-end giving is more important than ever. But how do you know who is a good charity to give to? Tune into this episode, revived from 2019, to find out the best (and worst!) ways to decide who deserves your donation. • Join me on Facebook • Subscribe to my newsletter

Charles McDonald, Executive Director of Community Engagement Partners, joins us for another round of listener questions! If you lose your tax exempt status, can you just switch to a for-profit? Or, how open do nonprofits have to be about who is on their board of directors? Can you hire employees...but not pay them? Get the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter Check out Founder's Roadmap online course

Are your nonprofit board meetings productive as they can be? Or do you walk away feeling like you wasted time and didn't get much done? It doesn't have to be that way! Matt Homann from Filament joined me to answer some burning nonprofit questions about how to hold a better meeting. Get Matt's meeting planning tool here. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Nonprofit founders are visionaries - they have a clear picture of how they can make a difference in their community. But breaking down that vision to the nitty-gritty details for your IRS application's narrative statement can be tough. Tommy Hoffman, founder of Sober Farms, was in this exact spot. He knew what he wanted to do, but he wasn't sure how to communicate that to the IRS. Listen to our conversation to learn how any founder can drill down to the details and create a winning narrative statement! • Join me on Facebook • Subscribe to my newsletter

Here's a Halloween trick: we're going back in time ONE YEAR to our very first episode of Charity Therapy! Jordan Couch, lawyer from Tacoma and friend of the pod, joined me to answer nonprofit questions. Are you haunted by unfinished business at your nonprofit? Spooked about witchy board members? Don't worry ghouls & goblins, we have advice to avoid being haunted by nonprofit leadership skeletons! • Join me on Facebook • Subscribe to my newsletter

It's easy to find ways that new nonprofit founders can go wrong. But we don't often hear the stories of founders that do things right. I sat down with Heidi Semann, the founder and executive director of Parotid Patient Project, to talk about her journey to starting and running a nonprofit. Listen in to learn from Heidi's hard work and dedication and how she found the community to make this new organization successful. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Lots of people assume that folks who work in nonprofits have good intentions. While that's true most of the time, there are people who want to scam the system in EVERY industry. Our intern Chloe joins us for another round of nonprofit questions, like: Can you set up a nonprofit to pay for your own art? Or can you use a nonprofit's tax exemption to buy a house? Listen and find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Join us for an episode with Kelly Rietow, HR Consultant at ROO Solutions, as we discuss people problems that nonprofits can face. What do you do if your boss is crossing boundaries during work? How can we prioritize paying nonprofit employees a living wage, and what are the challenges with that? Listen in and find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

How do you keep your donors engaged and invested in your mission? Matt Barnett of Bonjoro sat down with me to talk about the future of donor engagement - personalized video. Listen in to find out how personalized videos can set you apart from other orgs and help create donors that are superfans of your nonprofit. Check out Bonjoro Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Jess and Meghan are joined with Jason Viana, Executive Director of the Open Door, in answering another batch of nonprofit questions found on the internet. What can you do to reanimate a nonprofit that's been lying dormant? How can you raise money for your organization during a pandemic? How can founders manage their mental health while running a nonprofit? Listen in and find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

How often do people's childhood dreams become reality? Considering how few astronauts there are in the world, I'd say it's pretty rare. But Therese Gruba made it happen. Therese is the co-founder of New Hope for Families, a faith-based nonprofit in northern Minnesota that supports foster families, and she sat down with me to talk through her journey of making her dream a reality. Learn more about New Hope for Families Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

If you're a nonprofit leader in 2020, you're probably taking another look at the org's diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. It might be tempting to just add a diversity goal to your next strategic plan and call it a day - but that doesn't address the real problem. My guest Reid Zimmerman sat down with me to discuss one of the secret causes for the lack of diversity in nonprofit organizations. Order Reid's book Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

Jess and Meghan are joined again by Jim Hall to answer another round of nonprofit questions taken from the hallowed halls of Reddit. Is it illegal to break Roberts Rules at a board meeting? Is there a secret way to start a new nonprofit - without all the annual reporting? Can you stop someone from copying your nonprofit idea? Listen in to find out! Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

If one word encapsulates 2020, I'd have to say it's uncertainty. Between a global pandemic, the reignited fight against police brutality and racism, a looming recession, and an upcoming presidential election, no one knows what 2021 will look like. That kind of uncertainty infects every aspect of your decision-making, in your life and in your work. I sat down with economist and statistician Shefali Mehta to talk about what that uncertainty does to your brain and how you (and your nonprofit) can grow through it. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter

It's spring 2020, and everyone is feeling a little vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Whether you're a donor or a nonprofit, how can you trust those around you? Are your donation dollars actually going to charity? Are your organizational partners really in this to pursue your mission? I sat down with my friend and ethics attorney Eric Cooperstein to talk about two lawyer-nonprofit scandals you can learn from. Join me on Facebook Subscribe to my newsletter