The Smart Communications Podcast

What does it take to really lead an inclusive strategic planning process, and why does it matter? Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Dr. Renee Rubin Ross, author of Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits, about designing plans that center participation, clarify purpose, and build real alignment. Get practical tips for assessing readiness, integrating communications throughout, and turning big ideas into actionable plans.

What does it really mean to center community voices in your messaging? Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Logan Herring, CEO of The WRK Group, about how organizations can develop communications grounded in authentic community experiences and how sharing genuine stories can revolutionize your nonprofit’s messaging.

What if fundraising strategy started with the brain? Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Cherian Koshy, CFRE, CAP, author of Neurogiving: The Science of Donor Decision-Making, about how neuroscience and behavioral psychology can strengthen donor engagement. They share insights nonprofits can use to build trust, write clearer appeals, and design campaigns that motivate supporters.

How you talk to your funders shapes how they understand your work, your community, and your impact. Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with grant writer and fundraising strategist, Dani Fauklner, about why nonprofits must rethink traditional, jargon-heavy fundraising language. Together, they explore practical ways teams can audit and improve proposals, reports, and messaging. Learn how cross-team communication can help nonprofits secure funding without compromising integrity.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Kivi Leroux Miller, founder and chief strategy officer of the Nonprofit Marketing Guide, discuss insights from the 16th annual Nonprofit Communications Trends Report. Together, they explore why communicators are ready for strategy, what AI means for visibility and influence, and where the approach to nonprofit communications is showing real maturity.

Narratives don’t just tell stories; they shape meaning. Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Sadé Dozan, vice president of advancement at Borealis Philanthropy, discuss how nonprofits can use plain language and narrative strategies to build belonging, expand your “we”, and create more inclusive communications. Get practical guidance for anyone working at the intersection of storytelling and social change.

AI is reshaping nonprofit work, but adopting it responsibly takes intention. Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Cheryl Contee, chief innovation officer at BrightWorksAI.com, and Darian Rodriguez Heyman, founder of Helping People Help, to discuss insights from their new book, AI for Nonprofits, including practical, ethical ways nonprofits can use AI from fundraising and communications to operations and culture.

Insights from a major nonprofit rebrand! Join Ally Dommu, director of service development, and Brad Drazen, vice president of communications and marketing at Greater Hartford Gives Foundation, as they unpack the motivations behind changing a 100-year-old foundation’s name, the research and collaboration that guided the process, and what other organizations and foundations can learn when considering a rebrand.

In our 200th episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with writer, speaker, and beloved nonprofit truth-teller Vu Le, to explore how we can reimagine nonprofits and philanthropy. Learn about “sacred cows,” structural barriers, the urgency of this political moment, and what real transformation requires from all of us. Vu also shares insights from his new book, challenges long-held norms, and offers reflections on joy, community, and resilience. Listen or read along to this milestone conversation that’s honest, energizing, and deeply needed.

What are the best parts of your brand, and are you putting them to work for your mission? Farra Trompeter, co-director, interviews Lyn Weinman, founder, president, and chief strategist at KidGlov and the author of Untangling Spaghetti: A Branding Fable, to discuss addressing brand confusion, aligning on strategy, and knowing what type of change is right.

Cybersecurity is everyone's job. Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Joshua Peskay, co-founder of Meet the Moment, about practical ways nonprofits can reduce risk, protect sensitive data, and create a culture of awareness and care. From reasonable security standards to tabletop exercises, learn how to keep the mission and the people you serve safe.

How do we find joy in our work and our lives, especially when burnout looms? In this episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Elandria Jackson Charles, chief joy officer at Ayoka Partners, explore how sabbatical care, intentional rest, and daily micro-moments of joy can help you reconnect with yourself and your purpose.

What happens when funders shift decision-making powers to communities? Farra Trompeter is joined by Cynthia Gibson, PhD, principal of Cynthesis Consulting, and Kelley Buhles, independent consultant and owner of Buhles Consulting, to discuss participatory grantmaking and explore how sharing decision-making power with communities fosters stronger, more democratic philanthropy. They also outline the steps nonprofits and funders can take to initiate this approach.

Smart design feedback is possible; it just requires clarity, collaboration, and strategy. Join J Kelley, senior account manager and host of this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, as they chat with Randi Gibson, graphic designer, and Sandy Zimmerman, design director, about effective design feedback. Follow along for strategies to make the feedback process smoother and your creative outcomes stronger.

Communicating with candor can be kind and helpful. Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Keyante Love, founder and president of Good Love Group, to discuss navigating power dynamics, embracing discomfort, and staying grounded in your values when collaborating with your team and your community.

Is your communications plan sitting untouched? We have swapped roles for this episode of the Smart Communications Podcast, with our director of service development, Ally Dommu as host and Farra Trompeter, co-director, as her guest, who explore how to keep your communications plan useful, relevant, and responsive, even in chaotic times.

Managing feedback doesn’t have to be messy or overwhelming. In this episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by J Kelley, senior account manager, to walk through thoughtful steps to synthesize and clarify feedback—helping teams collaborate more efficiently, reduce confusion, and move forward with confidence.

What does it look like when a foundation goes beyond grants to strengthen nonprofits? Ally Dommu, director of service development, and Brittany DeNovellis, capacity building program manager, at the T. Rowe Price Foundation, share how communications capacity building can deepen impact at your organization.

What if self-care wasn’t just personal but team-wide? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Lan To, senior consultant and executive coach at Community Resource Exchange (CRE), to examine CAREpacity, a powerful approach to organizational wellness and care-driven leadership.

Learn how to make your nonprofit’s rebrand last. Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Sandy Zimmerman, design director, explore how nonprofits can go beyond the brand launch and learn how to bring your rebrand to life —and keep it thriving.

What is a midlevel donor, and how do organizations define that? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Alia McKee, principal at Sea Change Strategies, to explore how nonprofits can engage midlevel donors and offer strategies on how to segment effectively, steward with intention, and recognize the long-term value of these supporters.

How does AI perceive your nonprofit brand? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by George Weiner, founder and chief whaler at Whole Whale, to explore “AI brand footprints” and how to proactively shape your visibility in tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI search. They explore how traditional SEO is shifting and what you can do to revisit your content strategy.

When a crisis emerges, how should your nonprofit respond? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Joanna Brody, founder and president of Brody PR, to explore how nonprofits can prepare and navigate crises with strategy, empathy, and impact.

Are you curious about using AI without compromising your values? In this episode, Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Meena Das, founder of Namaste Data, to unpack findings from the AI Equity Project and offer practical advice for nonprofits navigating this evolving technology.

What happens when two mission-aligned nonprofits decide to merge? Farra Trompeter, co-director, chats with Idealist’s founder and executive director, Ami Dar, about their recent merger with VolunteerMatch—and what other orgs can learn from it.

Are you constantly busy but never feel accomplished? Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Kishshana Palmer, author, discuss Kishshana’s book, Busy Is a Four-Letter Word: A Guide to Achieving More by Doing Less, what it means to work smarter, not harder, and offer practical insights for how personal development is professional development

Resilience isn’t just a buzzword—it’s essential for nonprofit success. Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Peter Heller, founder of Heller Fundraising Group, explore what it means when staff are resilient and supported, and how leaders can support their teams, adapt to change, and fundraise for a strong future.

Healthy participation is a process not an outcome. How do we create spaces where everyone feels valued and engaged? Sarita Joseph, director of accounts, and Josh Kelley, senior account manager, explore the importance of this topic and share practical tips to enhance collaboration, inclusivity, and effectiveness in nonprofit settings.

Is it time to reboot your nonprofit’s communications strategy? In this episode, Kivi Leroux Miller, founder and CEO of the Nonprofit Marketing Guide, and Farra Trompeter, co-director, discuss the latest nonprofit communications trends, the need to focus, evolve, and reflect on approaches, challenges staff face, and why nonprofits may need to reboot their communication strategy.

Language shapes how nonprofits connect, engage, and drive impact. Ally Dommu, director of service development, and Ryan Gerhard, copy director, explore why a language guide is helpful, how it differs from a brand guide, and the steps needed to create one.

Is it the right moment to update your organization's values? Brenda Perez, Senior Account Manager, and Claire Taylor Hansen, co-director, explore how values can unify teams and organizations, guiding both internal culture and external communication. They share tips to create meaningful values that reflect your mission and spark alignment, whether you’re in a nonprofit, worker-owned cooperative, or other organization with shared beliefs.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, talks with Nicholas Bruneau, communications consultant and author of Engage with Impact. Together, they explore how nonprofits can use the AGILE framework to create effective campaigns, deepen community engagement, and drive real-world change. They share actionable tips for nonprofits to foster collaboration, and turn social media followers into active partners.

Is succession and continuity planning a standard practice in your organization? Farra Trompeter, co-director, joins Sarah Durham, founder of Big Duck, to explore why it’s smart for executive directors and senior leaders to plan their eventual departures. They discuss the key factors that influence decisions to leave, strategies for communicating exit plans effectively, and how to approach thoughtful, phased succession planning that ensures organizational stability.

Media coverage can expand a nonprofit’s reach, but with limited resources, it can be hard to know where to invest. In this conversation, Ally Dommu, director of service development, and Michelle Behar, senior strategist, explore practical tips for nonprofits to evaluate if media outreach is worth the investment and share strategies on building relationships with journalists, measuring impact, and more.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by David Rhode to discuss his book, Passion Isn't Enough: A Practical Guide for Nonprofit Leaders. They explore strategies and actionable steps that executive directors, CEOs, senior staff, and board members can take to strengthen and grow their organizations.

How is artificial intelligence reshaping the nonprofit landscape? Alexandra M. Merceron, executive vice president at RUBENSTEIN, joins Farra Trompeter, co-director, to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on nonprofits. They discuss emerging themes, risks, ethical concerns, how to navigate AI’s challenges, available safeguards, and three key implications AI has on nonprofit communications.

What lessons do fundraisers need to learn and unlearn? Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Mari Eva Mendes, chief development officer at LEAP and founder and principal of MEM Consulting, to discuss the role of fundraisers and the need to challenge problematic practices. They also explore how to partner with donors to honor their investments and ensure that their resources are contributing to systemic change.

Fundraising can involve communicating to people with wealth or power with uneven dynamics. Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Emily Bishop Runeari, founder of EBR Consulting, about how to shift conversations with donors to a more partnership-oriented approach, and ways you can educate groups of prospects and donors.

Doing fundraising and communications work more mindfully requires us to move at a slower pace, ask multiple people for feedback, and truly listen to what's being shared. Farra Trompeter, Co-Director, is joined by Karen Lundgard, Interim Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Greater New York, Lindsey Cosgrove, Chief of Staff at Greenwich House, and Sasha Prado, CFRE, Senior Manager of Major Gifts at Robin Hood, to chat about their work with Girl Scouts of Greater New York's Troop 6000. They share tools and processes to address problematic language and images in marketing and fundraising contexts.

Integrating inclusive practices into your projects leads to better outcomes. Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by account managers Josh Kelley, and Brenda Perez to discuss how to create stronger and welcoming projects from the outset. They share insights on ways to keep engagement and offer strategies for measuring success through an inclusive perspective.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Dr. Nat Kendall-Taylor, CEO, and Carinne Wheedan, director of communications, at the FrameWorks Institute, to discuss how framing can inform a nonprofit’s communications strategy. They share practical ways that organizations can effectively apply framing to their messaging or campaigns and provide general tips for those in the mission-driven sector.

Join Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Stacy Van Gorp, PhD, partner-owner at See What I Mean Consulting, as they discuss how change comes about in a network, how good communications is essential to creating change, and activation moments, tools, and activities related to communications that you can integrate into your everyday work.

DEI work is about building bridges across differences. Join Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Minal Bopaiah, founder of Brevity + Wit, as they discuss the state of DEI four years after the murder of George Floyd and share tips for how organizations can build a strong internal culture that advances DEI efforts on an ongoing basis.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Marcus dePaula, audio engineer, podcast producer, and consultant, as they explore what an organization needs to launch a podcast as a part of its nonprofit communications strategy. They discuss factors organizations should consider before starting a podcast series and tips for how to manage podcasts once you get started.

Join Ally Dommu, Director of Service Development, and Dr. Myriam Hadnes, facilitator, and founder of Workshops Work, as they discuss the power and importance of facilitation. Discover steps facilitators can take to harness benefits and create respectful and inclusive spaces.

Farra Trompeter, co-director, is joined by Sarita Joseph, director of accounts, to discuss sharing nonprofit branding concepts and what questions to ask before inviting others to view and provide feedback on branding work in progress. Get tips on what to avoid and what to emphasize.

Join Farra Trompeter, co-director, and Michelle Flores Vryn, CFRE, head of development at iNaturalist, as they discuss how to prioritize audiences and share examples of how being more limited in your approach to audiences ties to branding and communications.