For many nonprofits, cybersecurity feels like a luxury they simply can’t afford. But according to Michael Nouguier, Partner of Cybersecurity Services at Richey May, ignoring cybersecurity can end up being far more expensive than proactively investing in it.

Michael dismantles the myth that strong digital security comes with an unaffordable price tag. In fact, many nonprofits already have powerful security tools built into systems they’re already using—yet few take advantage of them. “What’s almost as good as free,” Michael explains, “is something that you’ve already been paying for and didn’t know that you could leverage.”

From free services offered by federal agencies like CISA to deeply discounted nonprofit rates from companies like Microsoft and Google, this conversation uncovers a path to digital protection that doesn’t require massive budget increases. Michael urges nonprofits to start by auditing what they already use. Whether it’s Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, most platforms include underutilized features like multi-factor authentication, access control, and data encryption.

These protections aren't just theoretical—they’re essential. As Michael points out, “You don’t know what to protect if you haven’t actually done an assessment to understand where those risks are.” He encourages leaders to seek out risk assessment tools—many of which are available at no cost—and build a strategy around known vulnerabilities, not guesswork.

The conversation also takes a practical look at automation, which reduces labor costs by removing repetitive security tasks. Many nonprofits mistakenly believe they’re starting from scratch when in reality, they already have a baseline of protections in place—they just need to activate them. Michael shares examples of simple, low-cost ways to improve security posture, including free policy templates and vulnerability scans.

Additionally, he challenges nonprofits to shift their mindset around vendor relationships. Too many organizations fail to ask whether vendors offer nonprofit pricing or security guarantees—questions that could drastically reduce both risk and cost. And when vendors are breached, it’s often the nonprofit that must explain the damage to stakeholders, regardless of fault.

Throughout the session, with host Julia Patrick, the underlying message is clear: cybersecurity isn't about fear—it's about preparedness and resourcefulness. The greatest danger lies not in doing too little, but in assuming you’re too small or stretched to do anything at all.

00:00:00 Welcome and introduction of Michael Nouguier
00:01:30 Why cybersecurity is more expensive to ignore
00:03:10 How accounting firms became cybersecurity leaders
00:05:45 Budgeting vs risk: where to start
00:06:40 Leveraging existing tools like Microsoft and Google
00:08:20 Understanding identity and access integration
00:09:45 Why multi-factor authentication matters
00:11:30 Free services from CISA and others
00:14:10 Asking for nonprofit discounts on software
00:16:25 Why every nonprofit needs

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Dr. Pierre Berastaín, Regional Director at the Centre for Public Impact, invites us into a powerful conversation about leadership, cultural humility, and living with integrity across lines of difference. With warmth and depth, Dr. Berastaín shares how personal identity can be a source of strength in leadership—not something to minimize or check at the door.

"We all lead from a cultural lens, whether we name it or not," Dr. Berastaín explains. "The danger isn’t bringing your culture into leadership—the danger is bringing it in unconsciously and expecting it to be the norm for everyone."

Dr. Berastaín’s personal journey fuels his systems change work. His role at CPI—a nonprofit incubated by Boston Consulting Group—blends macro strategy with community-rooted implementation. The goal: reimagine how governments and public institutions serve people, especially those pushed to the margins.

At the heart of this discussion is an honest reckoning with cultural difference and a plea to bring one's full self into leadership. “Cultural humility isn’t about shrinking yourself,” he shares. “It’s about knowing yourself well enough to make room for others.”

The conversation explores what it means to acknowledge culture without stereotyping, the impact of asking, “What are you?” and how silence—intended to be safe—can sometimes feel like erasure. Dr. Berastaín advocates for “relational warmth before analytical interest,” encouraging listeners to shift from tokenizing curiosity to reciprocal connection.

He also offers practical tools for introspection: therapy, spiritual grounding, and forming a “personal board of directors” who challenge and support growth. These elements, he says, are vital in cultivating not only emotional intelligence but the capacity to lead with vision.

By the end of the chat, with host Julia Patrick, it’s clear that Dr. Berastaín’s leadership is not performative—it is personal, deliberate, and anchored in truth. And he challenges all of us to ask: What are we carrying into the room?

This episode is a must-watch for nonprofit professionals, board leaders, and changemakers looking to lead with depth and humanity in today’s increasingly complex world.

00:00:00 Guest intro: Dr. Pierre Berastaín
00:01:30 What is the Center for Public Impact?
00:03:45 Pierre’s story: identity, ancestry, and lived experience
00:05:15 From direct service to systems change
00:07:00 Cultural humility and leadership lens
00:09:20 The beauty and burden of collectivist values
00:11:00 Personal growth through therapy and accountability
00:13:30 Aligning personal and organizational values
00:16:00 When to acknowledge cultural differences
00:18:00 The problem with silent observation
00:20:00 “What are you?”—Responding to coded curiosity
00:25:00 Stories, lineage, and reclaiming culture
00:27:45 Wrapping up: Leadership with integrity

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Bubble blowers, legacy gifts, and neighborly introductions—this session of Fundraisers Friday bubbles over with wit and wisdom from cohosts Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall. Tackling real-world fundraising dilemmas, the duo dives into sticky questions nonprofits often tiptoe around.

We kick off with a sparkling debate: when a donor grows from a small supporter to a major one, who "owns" the relationship? Tony reminds us, “Relationships come first. Structure comes second.” His point: when a fundraiser elevates a donor’s giving, the organization should also elevate the fundraiser’s role. Julia reflects, “I didn’t think of it that way… they should be elevated—and they haven’t been.”

Next up: corporate crossover. What happens when an individual donor brings their business into the giving picture? Should the relationship transfer to the corporate team? Tony weighs in: “The development professional may not have the skill sets for corporate partnerships. So, invest in training—or consider a strategic handoff.”

Then comes the glitzy question—exclusive events for high-net-worth donors. Are these smart strategies or community-killers? Tony, a champion of inclusivity, says, “Exclusivity has its place… if it leads to planned giving and legacy conversations.” Julia adds in, saying how savvy orgs are shifting these events toward behind-the-scenes access and thought leadership rather than fancy galas.

They wrap with the boardroom. Should fundraisers speak at board meetings? Tony suggests quarterly appearances. “Your board should know the development team—if you see them in the grocery store, you should say hello!” Julia adds, “It’s not about asking for money. It’s about connection, introductions, and understanding.”

Packed with humor, heart, and practical advice, this fast-paced convo gives nonprofit professionals tools they can use—and some new ways to look at old problems.

00:00:00 Welcome
00:02:06 Who Owns a Donor: Structure vs. Relationship
00:03:18 Fundraiser Elevation Through Donor Growth
00:05:49 Corporate Sponsorship Conflicts
00:06:55 Managing New Corporate Gifts from Existing Donors
00:10:22 Exclusive Events for Top Donors
00:12:00 Are VIP Events Worth It?
00:18:12 Should Fundraisers Speak at Board Meetings?
00:24:24 Board Member Roles in Fundraising
00:27:30 Wrapping Up: Ask Questions, Share Freely

#FundraisersFriday #NonprofitLeadership #DonorRelationships

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In a moment of transformational clarity, life and leadership coach George “Iceberg” Miller addresses what so many in the sector struggle with but rarely name: fear. Hosted by Julia Patrick, this conversation dares nonprofit leaders to face their internal barriers and lead from a place of emotional intelligence.

“We train ourselves out of even feeling anxiety and fear,” George says. But instead of rejecting fear, he challenges us to embrace it as a guide—not a threat. With heartfelt stories and grounded strategies, he redefines fear as a powerful source of data and growth. “What if we change that to—no, this is part of life?”

Together, the duo unpack the burnout crisis plaguing the nonprofit sector, especially among development professionals who rarely stay longer than 19 months. But rather than despair, George offers a hopeful alternative: presence. “All I did was say, ‘I’m angry.’ And it led to the most productive meeting of my career.”

From volunteer teachers who avoid burnout by staying connected to meaningful work, to financial leaders unlocking emotional resilience through micro-interactions, George shows that radical change begins within. His vision is clear: leadership isn't just about competence—it's about relational courage.

For anyone navigating budget cuts, burnout, or policy shifts, this episode is a masterclass in transforming fear into fuel. “If I can allow myself to feel that fear, stop criticizing myself for it… then I can create something new.”

Let this dynamic session be your invitation to pause, breathe, and reimagine your leadership—not as something to fix, but as something to feel.

00:00:00 Welcome introduction
00:03:46 Recognizing fear in nonprofit leadership
00:05:06 Reframing fear as useful, not wrong
00:07:01 Burnout and emotional suppression in development roles
00:09:04 Avoid burnout through meaningful service
00:11:42 Can emotional growth happen quickly?
00:13:22 Emotions as foundational leadership data
00:17:06 A single sentence that changed a team
00:21:03 Leaders modeling emotional presence
00:22:44 Fear, change, and historical perspective
00:25:52 Using anxiety to fuel creativity and hope

#EmotionalIntelligence #NonprofitLeadership #FearToFriend

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Jared Walker, founder of Dollar For, shares how one TikTok video launched a national movement to eliminate medical debt through little-known hospital financial assistance policies. Joined by cohosts Julia Patrick and Sherry Quam Taylor, Jared recounts how a personal family tragedy sparked his commitment to helping others avoid the crushing financial fallout of medical emergencies.

Dollar For educates the public about financial assistance programs that nonprofit hospitals are legally required to offer under the Affordable Care Act. Despite these policies existing for over a decade, most patients—and even medical professionals—remain unaware. “Most people leave the hospital without any knowledge of these programs,” Jared explains. “It’s the best-kept secret in healthcare.”

Jared’s journey from grassroots crowdfunding in Portland coffee shops to leading a national nonprofit began with a single TikTok that received over 30 million views. That exposure helped grow Dollar For from a one-person operation to an 18-person team that’s relieved $88 million in medical debt so far. “We created a Slack channel where every debt relief success story gets posted,” Jared says. “It’s a little mini-party that keeps us grounded in our mission.”

The discussion explains how Dollar For’s first major initiative was building a national database of 8,000 hospital financial policies. This tool lets users instantly check eligibility based on their income and hospital—a game-changing resource in a fragmented system. It also positioned Dollar For as a watchdog, helping policy groups compare hospitals’ generosity and push for improvements.

Despite the impact, Jared remains humble and forward-looking: “I hope Dollar For doesn’t exist in 10 years,” he says. “We’re trying to push for a policy that requires hospitals to screen for eligibility before sending bills.”

The socially impactful discussion also explores the challenges of funding innovation in the nonprofit sector. Jared candidly shares how finding donors who support both direct service and systemic policy change has been a balancing act—but the return on impact is clear. “We’ve turned every donated dollar into over $20 of medical debt relief,” he notes.

Sherry adds, “This is one of those niches where you have the ability to attract investment-level donors who want root, sustainable change.”

This conversation is more than a dive into leadership—it’s a blueprint for innovation, equity, and the power of digital media to mobilize change in a deeply broken system.

#MedicalDebtRelief #CharityCare #HospitalPolicyChange

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What if your next fundraising event wasn’t just another rubber chicken gala—but a magnetic, mission-driven experience people couldn’t stop talking about? That’s exactly what Brittany Bedford, Customer Success Manager at Bloomerang, urges nonprofit leaders to imagine.

In this high-energy episode, Brittany dives deep into the art of turning events from forgettable to phenomenal. She shares fresh research, real-world examples, and wildly creative strategies that help nonprofits connect with long-term donors in meaningful, memorable ways.

“We’ve got to shift from the fundraiser’s point of view to the attendee’s,” Brittany emphasizes. “They’re coming to feel connected. This is their chance to be a part of something meaningful.”

Julia Patrick, host, agrees—and doesn’t hold back: “We don’t even sit down and ask, what do our guests need? That’s dreadful. We just copy and paste the last event!”

From gamified donor experiences and staff-led greetings to runway walk-offs and dogs painting art live onstage, Brittany proves that creativity isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a donor retention superpower. In one standout example, she describes an event where guests interacted with service dogs creating art, then bid on those pieces at auction. “People were laughing, posting, and telling the story for weeks,” she recalls.

She also unpacks Bloomerang’s new research showing that:

· 70% of donors say a fun experience makes them more likely to stay engaged

· 53% say gamification was their most memorable event moment

· Yet only 6% of fundraisers are implementing this!

The takeaway? Nonprofits must ditch the rinse-and-repeat and embrace innovation—starting with the very first hello. Whether you're planning your first gala or your fiftieth, this episode is a game-changer for how you think about donor events.

00:00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction
00:02:00 Brittany’s Role at Bloomerang
00:03:40 Transitioning from Transactional to Inspirational Events
00:06:00 Copy-Paste Event Planning Pitfalls
00:08:30 New Research: What Donors Really Want
00:10:20 Gamification at Events: Why It Works
00:13:00 Making Staff and Board Comfortable with Engagement
00:15:00 Rethinking Guest Check-In and First Impressions
00:17:00 Dogs Painting Art: An Unforgettable Event Idea
00:20:00 Peer-to-Peer Meets Fashion Show Fundraiser
00:23:30 Using Event Data for Future Engagement
00:27:00 Can Small Teams Pull This Off?

#DonorEngagement #NonprofitEvents #FundraisingInnovation

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Nonprofit mergers and acquisitions aren’t a sign of weakness—they're a powerful strategy for long-term viability and community impact. In this leading edge conversation, we bring together two sector leaders: Tim Davis, President and Managing Partner of Glick Davis and Associates, and Jeffrey R. Wilcox, CEO and Founder of Interim Executives Academy. Together with host Julia Patrick, they chart a bold roadmap for organizational transformation through strategic partnerships, timely interim leadership, and cultural integration.

As Jeffrey begins, “A sustainable nonprofit must first be viable. And to be viable, you must be survivable.” He challenges nonprofits to move beyond survival thinking and embrace strategic collaboration before financial or leadership crises strike. Tim Davis builds on that, offering a real-world example of three regional nonprofits merging their missions to secure larger grants and extend their reach: “Instead of three groups asking for $10,000 each, they made a unified ask for $100,000—and won.”

The conversation digs into the uncomfortable truths of nonprofit M&A—ego, fear, and lack of information—but offers actionable strategies. Tim emphasizes that success is cultural, not just financial: “Unless you build the culture between organizations, one side is always unhappy.” Meanwhile, Jeffrey explains the unique power of interim leaders to guide organizations through this kind of transformation: “Interims help people reach the conclusion themselves—it becomes their idea, their ownership.”

This episode doesn’t just present M&A as a lifeline for nonprofits in distress—it reframes it as a proactive, bold strategy for those who want to own their future. With funding shifts, demographic changes, and leadership transitions accelerating across the sector, Tim and Jeffrey argue that now is the time to build viable, mission-driven collaborations that will withstand what’s ahead.

Whether you’re a board member, CEO, or funder, this conversation will challenge your assumptions and equip you with the mindset and tools to explore mergers—not out of desperation, but from a place of strength.

00:00:00 Welcome and introduction of guests
00:01:50 What is transitional leadership and why it matters
00:03:14 How Glick Davis supports nonprofit mergers and turnarounds
00:04:23 Rethinking sustainability: viability vs survivability
00:06:02 Why nonprofits must start M&A talks sooner
00:08:10 Real example: nonprofits merging for financial literacy impact
00:10:13 Navigating ego and mission in M&A conversations
00:11:35 The interim leader’s role in M&A facilitation
00:13:04 Educating stakeholders before merger decisions
00:15:55 Secret sauce of nonprofit M&A: culture building
00:18:27 Knowing when your org is no longer viable
00:22:54 What great interim leaders really do

#NonprofitLeadership #StrategicMergers #InterimExecutives

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It’s Fundraiser’s Friday—and we engage in a candid, layered conversation about one of the sector’s least addressed yet most persistent realities: stress. Specifically, the stress experienced by nonprofit fundraisers who juggle mounting expectations, emotional labor, event overload, and relentless revenue goals.

Cohost Julia Patrick opens with a sobering observation: “We can’t, as a sector, keep fundraisers going. They burn out and leave—an average tenure of only 18 months.” This sets the tone for a deep dive into the sources of that burnout and practical frameworks to address them. Cohost Tony Beall offers a powerful, centering reminder: “Give yourself the grace and accept that you need these things for yourself. There’s no guilt in taking care of the caretaker.”

Together, they examine six categories of stress fundraisers commonly endure: revenue pressure, donor expectations, event management demands, campaign overload, internal organizational scrutiny, and peer isolation. Instead of simply bemoaning these conditions, the cohosts provide tactical insight. From outsourcing logistics and investing in professional benefit auctioneers, to building strong volunteer committees and peer support networks, they propose both mindset shifts and structural solutions.

Tony emphasizes the importance of open and honest communication—up, down, and across the organization—as one of the most effective antidotes to mounting stress. Equally essential, Julia insists, is understanding the often-forgotten emotional toll of donor relationships and campaign deadlines, which can be exacerbated by unrealistic leadership expectations or outdated traditions like “we’ve always done this event.”

What emerges is a roadmap for healing a profession at risk. This isn’t just an episode—it’s a resource, a reset, and a reaffirmation for nonprofit professionals who need permission and tools to stay in the work they love.

00:00:00 Welcome to Fundraisers Friday

00:01:00 Fundraiser burnout and short tenure

00:02:00 Revenue pressure and mental strain

00:05:00 Open communication as stress management

00:07:35 Donor relationships and expectation stress

00:10:00 Fundraisers as accidental event managers

00:13:15 Return on effort for fundraising events

00:16:00 Volunteer committees and shared ownership

00:18:10 Benefit auctioneers and event ROI

00:21:00 Campaign overload and tech tools

00:24:00 Internal scrutiny and team pressure

00:27:00 Peer support and professional associations

00:30:00 Final takeaways and call for self-care

#NonprofitLeadership #FundraisingStress #DonorEngagement

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