Best Straza Podcasts (2025)

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Practical Donor Management: Erin Straza 19:00

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15d ago19:00

19:00

Our second episode with Erin Straza turns to the practical mechanics of donor management—highlighting the importance of clean CRM data, consistent tagging, and documenting every donor interaction to track passion, advocacy, and giving habits over time. She rejects binder-thick academic segmentation models in favor of practical, usable systems that …

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Guiding Your Adolescent Nonprofit: Stacy LeBaron 26:51

17d ago26:51

26:51

In this conversation, Community Cats Podcast host Stacy LeBaron unpacks her decades of nonprofit leadership, using the lens of animal welfare to illustrate how organizations evolve from scrappy, all-hands-on-deck startups into strategically focused, governance-driven institutions. Drawing on her experience mentoring 80+ organizations and running a …

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Donor Engagement Strategies: Erin Straza 19:56

22d ago19:56

19:56

Erin Straza explains the difference between basic fundraising tactics and a true donor-engagement strategy, emphasizing that nonprofits often exhaust themselves with endless low-ROI tasks—especially social media—without first defining their “why” or mapping donor journeys. She stresses that strategic messaging, clarity of purpose, and relationship-…

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Financial Confidence for Nonprofit Leaders: Stephen Newland 25:48

24d ago25:48

25:48

In this conversation, fractional CFO Stephen Newland joins to break down what financial leadership actually looks like inside a nonprofit—and why it doesn’t need to be complicated. Stephen explains that his core role is acting as a financial translator: turning dense, intimidating financial reports into meaningful insights that help leaders make in…

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Building Donor Communities with Vitalcy: Gustavo Zylberberg 18:42

29d ago18:42

18:42

Gustavo Zilberberg, CEO of Vitalcy, visits the SnapCast to introduce the company as a web-based platform that helps nonprofits build long-term financial stability by re-engaging and maintaining relationships with their community of supporters, including former members, staff, volunteers, and donors. Key takeaways: Nonprofits Are Leaving Support on …

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Global Health Shift: Daniel Gordani 18:40

1M ago18:40

18:40

Daniel Gordani, founder of Global Health Shift, joins Mickey to discuss his nonprofit’s mission to close healthcare gaps by bringing permanent, free primary-care clinics to communities—especially U.S. “healthcare deserts” where 75 million people lack basic access. Unlike temporary relief models, his organization aims to build lasting clinics near u…

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A Plan Shouldn't Happen To Anybody: Amanda ReCupido 25:57

1M ago25:57

25:57

Mickey gets to visit with Amanda ReCupido to talk strategic plans, board and staff buy-in, and impact. Key topics discussed:- The importance of operationalizing a strategic plan, not just creating a document Strategies for getting board and staff buy-in and engagement with the strategic plan How a strategic planning process can expose issues and id…

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The State of Volunteering Entering 2026: Geng Wang 21:45

1M ago21:45

21:45

Mickey reconnects with Gung Wong, CEO and co-founder of Civic Champs, for a look at the state of volunteerism as nonprofits head into 2026. Gung reflects on how volunteer engagement has shifted since Civic Champs launched in 2019 (through pre-pandemic growth, the collapse of in-person volunteering during COVID, and the slow climb back). Some key ta…

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Four Freedoms Fund, with Rini Chakraborty 38:27

3M ago38:27

38:27

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Combining Four Brands, with Kate Viana 16:57

3M ago16:57

16:57

Mickey talks with Kate Viana about her new venture, Viana Communications, and its four brands supporting nonprofits. Key Takeaways Viana Communications launches with four integrated brands: Non-Toxic Nonprofits, Viana Social, Opscale, and Nonprofit Text The venture addresses timely nonprofit needs: culture, marketing, infrastructure, and AI-powered…

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Jocelyn Chamra Barrera Is A Brand New Executive Director 39:08

3M ago39:08

39:08

Mickey gets to interview Jocelyn Chamra-Barrera, new ED of the Christie Center, discussing her transition to leadership and today's nonprofit challenges. Key Takeaways Jocelyn transitioned from clinical work to the executive role role, bringing valuable perspective as a person of color and Spanish speaker. Christie Center faces funding challenges b…

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Purpose Instead of Pressure, with Morgan Teel 21:18

3M ago21:18

21:18

Morgan Teel of Dance Waterloo visits the Snapcast to discuss social media strategies for small nonprofits, focusing on Dance Waterloo's approach. Key Takeaways Dance Waterloo prioritizes meaningful engagement over frequent social media posting, focusing on word-of-mouth marketing (89% trust from friends/family recommendations). Email list growth an…

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Humanists Believe In People, with Fish Stark 43:43

3M ago43:43

43:43

In this episode of The Nonprofit SnapCast, host Mickey Desai visits with Fish Stark, Executive Director of the American Humanist Association (AHA). Fish shares his journey into humanism, his vision for the movement, and the role nonprofits play in safeguarding democracy, empathy, and human dignity in a rapidly shifting cultural and political landsc…

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Hope Doesn't Show Up On Sunny Days, with Adam Olenn 46:06

4M ago46:06

46:06

Adam Olenn, founder of Rustle and Spark branding agency, meets with Mickey to discuss effective storytelling techniques for nonprofits. Key Takeaways Storytelling is crucial for nonprofits to build trust, create emotional connections, and double donations Never lead with data; start with an emotional story about a single protagonist, then provide s…

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Headhunter Confidential: Kathy Bremer 39:35

5M ago39:35

39:35

Kathy Bremer of Boardwalk Consulting and Dave Paule of Our Fundraising Search visit the SnapCast to discuss career reinventions and job search strategies. We focus on Kathy's new book "Headhunter Confidential"Key Takeaways Job seekers should focus on targeted, strategic networking rather than mass applying online Successful candidates demonstrate c…

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Diversifying Nonprofit Revenue Streams Through Mid-Level and Major Gifts 31:18

5M ago31:18

31:18

Jeff Schreifels of Veritus Group discusses trends and strategies for mid-level and major gift fundraising.Key Takeaways: Mid-level giving (typically $1,000-$9,999) is a growing focus, bridging small donors to major gifts Nonprofits should diversify revenue streams, especially those reliant on government/corporate funding AI can boost efficiency in …

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Living Authentically in Challenging Times: An Interview with Journalist Adrianne Murchison 23:42

5M ago23:42

23:42

This episode of the Snap Cast podcast features an interview with freelance journalist Adrianne Murchison. Murchison discusses her transition to freelance work after being laid off from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the challenges and opportunities of working as a freelance writer covering local and community issues. The conversation explore…

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Transitions Pet Care: Keeping Pets and People Together 27:29

7M ago27:29

27:29

Host Mickey Desai speaks with Beverly Means, founder of Transitions Pet Care, and Jennifer McCormick, a dedicated volunteer with the organization. About Transitions Pet Care: A 100% volunteer-run nonprofit organization that helps pet owners facing health challenges keep their beloved animals Services include free dog walking, litter box maintenance…

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Little Hummingbirds, a Case Study, with Pat Libby and Travis Kemnitz 15:44

8M ago15:44

15:44

Pat Libby returns to the SnapCast, bringing with her Travis Kemnitz, Executive Director of the San Diego Bird Alliance. Together, we talk about the work they did together, presenting a case study of their methods and results. Among the topics we discuss: Strategic Planning- What did the process look like?- What did you learn along the way?- How did…

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Why do NPO's confuse patronage, corporate partnering and sponsorship? with Maria Perez 20:45

8M ago20:45

20:45

Maria Perez is the Cause Marketing Consultant. She specializes in helping organizations grow their sponsor-partner initiatives. Among the questions we tackle: Why cause sponsorship is such an important revenue generation element for NPO's to pursue. Why do NPO's confuse patronage, corporate partnering and sponsorship? What are the nuances and why a…

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Nonprofit Video with Pat Taggart 25:10

8M ago25:10

25:10

Pat Taggart is the Founder and Chief Creative of SkyBlue Creative, helping many nonprofits effectively use video as part of their communications portfolio. He visits the SnapCast to talk about the right way to create and use video. Among the things we cover: The biggest hurdle to promoting a non-profit on video is often the reluctance of leadership…

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Nonprofits and AI with Colleen Cook 33:40

9M ago33:40

33:40

Colleen Cook of High Tide returns to the SnapCast to talk about AI. Our conversation covers a wide breadth of knowledge regarding AI, its use and utility to the Nonprofit Sector. Among the things we discuss: Why nonprofits may be fearful of AI How my team is using AI Considerations to make when selecting and using AI Potential of AI for nonprofit c…

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The Prepared Organization with Michael Randel 32:32

9M ago32:32

32:32

Michael Randel makes his second recording with the SnapCast. This time we talk about how to determine if an organization is really prepared for growth. Among the things we cover: Insights from studying Mackenzie Scott grant recipients that led to the concept of "the prepared organization." Consequences for organizations that are not prepared for gr…

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Five Critical Mistakes with Michael Randel 28:18

9M ago28:18

28:18

Michael Randel is the founder and director of Randel Consulting Associates, a consulting firm that leads organizations through change and growth. He visits the SnapCast to talk about how to make organizational change less challenging. In our conversation, we talk about five common problems organizations experience as they navigate change. Among the…

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Technology Won't Do The Work For You with Paul Morris 36:59

9M ago36:59

36:59

Paul Morris of Foundry Fundraising visits the SnapCast to talk about your technology and making the right technological investments. Among the things we discuss: Technology won't do the work for you and doesn't solve all your problems. No matter how shiny it is Nonprofits are woefully underinvesting in the technology tools needed, especially for de…

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The Endowment Handbook with Laura MacDonald 30:30

9M ago30:30

30:30

Laura Macdonald visits the SnapCast to talk about endowments, their utility, and why your nonprofit might want to think about adding an endowment to your funding priorities, and how to prepare to do so. Among the things we discuss: Making the Case for Endowments• Why are endowments beneficial from an institutional perspective?• What resonates with …

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Supporting Humanitarians Through Burnout and Vicarious Trauma with Dimple Dhabalia 26:54

10M ago26:54

26:54

Dimple Dhabalia visits the SnapCast to talk about burnout and vicarious trauma among nonprofit professionals. Among the issues we cover: Common occupational traumas in the non-profit sector. Causes of vicarious trauma and moral injury, along with healing strategies. The relevance of generational trauma in the workplace. The connection between self-…

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Data & Tech and Organizational Culture, with Emily Hicks Rotella 29:32

10M ago29:32

29:32

Emily visits the SnapCast again to illustrate that nonprofit technology is not a project-based endeavor. We talk about data and technology are integral to defining organizational culture: Human / data interactionModels of tech hiringEmily's Apprenticeship Program Be sure to drop Emily a line and ask her about Friday Conversations. We welcome suppor…

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The HR Episode with Rita Sever 25:26

10M ago25:26

25:26

Full disclosure: Rita Sever and Mickey trash talk some HR practices. We know not all HR people/departments do these things. There are many good HR folks who walk their talk and are user friendly. Among the questions we cover: What is Rita's history with HR? As a consultant, how did Rita support organizations in terms of HR? What are some unique cha…

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You Think You Know The Nonprofit Sector? (with Lisa Dietlin) 34:09

10M ago34:09

34:09

Lisa Dietlin visits the SnapCast and schools Mickey on the Nonprofit Sector. We start with taking in the 30,000 foot view of the sector and break some things down from there. Among the many things we discuss: Do you know how the nonprofit/philanthropic sector evolved in the US? Did you know the nonprofit sector is the largest employer in the US? Di…

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HIdden Rules: Now What? with Rita Sever 25:24

10M ago25:24

25:24

Rita Sever and Mickey do a dive into organizational culture to examine the hidden rules that lead to discrimination and toxicity. Among the questions we address: Remind us what hidden rules are and how they work? Give us an example of a societal hidden rule? Give us a few examples of hidden rules in a nonprofit organization? How do they tend to und…

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Computerwork vs Peoplework Colleen Cook 25:30

11M ago25:30

25:30

Colleen Cook is the Chief Business Officer for High Tide. We talk at length about computerwork vs peoplework, and how High Tide's unification of data makes data management universally useful for the entire nonprofit. Among the things we discuss: Unified, comprehensive data for nonprofits: Nonprofits deal with a lot of data points, but too often tha…

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Nontoxic Nonprofits with Kate Viana 22:52

11M ago22:52

22:52

Kate Viana, MA, CNC is the Founder and Principal of Nontoxic Nonprofits. We talk about a number of things related to organizational culture including: Intergenerational conflict arises in the nonprofit workplace due to a lack of understanding and connection, and from permissive attitudes toward ageism. There are six main types of communications-rel…

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Grants Applications with Shoshana Grossman 36:28

11M ago36:28

36:28

Shoshana Grossman-Crist visits the SnapCast to talk about grant-writing. If you think you know about grant writing, you might be wrong. Among the things we cover: Why do we need to make grantwriting easier? How did you learn to write grants? How can others learn? What´s the first step in grant writing? Can you walk us through the key components of …

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Givesuite with Sean Littman 24:32

11M ago24:32

24:32

Sean Littman Founder/CEO GiveSuite.com: "...Everyone uses the term all in one. But GiveSuite literally is an all in one for small and medium sized organizations. You have your Crm, you have your donor management system, you have marketing tools, you have social media, scheduling tools, you have fundraising, crowdfunding everything all in one. So th…

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Okay, Now What? 45:39

1y ago45:39

45:39

Pat Libby and Travis Kemnitz visit the SnapCast. We were all set to talk about strategic planning, but spent our time talking about the 2024 U.S. Election results and what that might mean for nonprofits as we navigate the next several years. We outline a four-step plan that Pat outlines on her blog: Be there for your team Reaffirm your connections …

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2024 Nonprofit Leadership Conference 26:57

1y ago26:57

26:57

In this episode, Mickey is on-site at the 13th Annual Nonprofit Leadership Conference, hosted at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens on October 9th, 2024. He speaks with: Chris Woods, CEO and President of Artportunity Knocks, increasing opportunities in the Arts, Education, Community Service, and Bridging Cultures. Chris says, “I'm a firm believer of rat…

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Nonprofits Should Be Involved In Advocacy and Lobbying 32:45

1y ago32:45

32:45

Pat Libby visits the Nonprofit SnapCast to talk about her work with the San Diego Bird Alliance and her book, The Empowered Citizens Guide. They discuss the importance of lobbying for non-profits, the legalities involved, and practical steps for organizations to start their lobbying efforts. Key Takeaways: All non-profits should be involved in advo…

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SB-17 Is Changing The Nonprofit Landscape 29:23

1y ago29:23

29:23

Dr. Johanna Moya Fábregas visits the SnapCast. Dr. Fábregas is the Executive Director of Con Mi MADRE, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Latina girls and their loved ones through education and emotional support. We talk about Texas State Bill-Seventeen, which is known informally as “the anti-DEI law,” shutting down diversity, equity and inclusion…

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Capacity, Connection, Culture 21:22

1+ y ago21:22

21:22

Our friend Mary Hiland visits the SnapCast again to talk about Board Engagement and her research related to issues in board engagement. We unfold these issues and provide some suggestions on what it means to build connection, strengthen culture, and increase capacity. Among the things we touch on: Envisioning the future Knowing reality and how to r…

1
Bring The Leadership Team 11:48

1+ y ago11:48

11:48

In this episode, we chat with Lita Ugarte Pardi, who spearheads the strategy and implementation of PEAK Grantmaking’s initiatives aimed at promoting equitable practices and advancing the Principles for Peak Grantmaking. Lita also serves on the planning committee for Atlanta's Nonprofit Leadership Conference. Join us as we delve into the signif…

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More on Google Ad Grants, with Faigy Gilder 22:14

1+ y ago22:14

22:14

Mickey talks with Faigy Gilder about how all nonprofits should be applying for Google Ad Grants, and should have a distinct strategy for working with the program. Among the things we discuss: How the Google Ad Grant works The importance of understanding search intent What you can expect while the account ramps up Good use cases for your ads includi…

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"If Our Mission Is Important To You, You'll..." 27:44

1+ y ago27:44

27:44

Today on the SnapCast, I’m thrilled to be joined by Pat Libby, a prominent expert on nonprofit advocacy and civic engagement. In our conversation, we dive deep into the vital role that nonprofits can play in encouraging voter registration and ensuring that supporters' registrations are up-to-date before the pivotal 2024 Presidential Elections. We d…

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Mastering Philanthropy for Today and Tomorrow 32:03

1+ y ago32:03

32:03

SnapCast listeners will know how much I don't want to hawk books on the show. I make a well-deserved exception here, speaking with Randall Hallet about his book, Vibrant Vulnerability. The book is originally geared towards Healthcare CEOs, but I believe every nonprofit executive should read Vibrant Vulnerability, especially if you're working in any…

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It's For Everyone, with Ann Cramer 8:25

1+ y ago8:25

8:25

Ann Cramer is a member of the planning committee for Atlanta's Nonprofit Leadership Conference. We talk at length about the conference and its value to nonprofit executives and board members. It's for everyone. Come enjoy the community. We welcome support of the Nonprofit SnapCast via Patreon.We welcome your questions and feedback via The Nonp…

1
You Can Lobby, Too 24:16

1+ y ago24:16

24:16

Sal Alaimo, friend of the SnapCast, is a Professor of Nonprofit Management with the School of Community Leadership and Development at Grand Valley State University. He visits with Mickey to talk about the myth that nonprofits are not allowed to lobby, and to make a case that ALL nonprofits should absolutely be lobbying to the limits of the law. Thi…

1
Love the Journey 25:08

1+ y ago25:08

25:08

Ready, Aim, Reinvent: Career Change Strategies for Entering Nonprofit Kathy Bremer, Managing Director of Boardwalk Consulting, and Dave Paule, Principal of Our Fundraising Search, record the last of five episodes to talk about engineering a career change strategy. This episode, we reframe the listener to expecting the next gig to not be permanent, …

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Reinvent and WIN! 35:53

1+ y ago35:53

35:53

Ready, Aim, Reinvent: Career Change Strategies for Entering Nonprofit Kathy Bremer, Managing Director of Boardwalk Consulting, and Dave Paule, Principal of Our Fundraising Search, record the fourth of five episodes to talk about engineering a career change strategy. This episode, we’ll guide the listener how to stand out and win! We discuss bullsey…

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Aim for Change! 33:42

1+ y ago33:42

33:42

Ready, Aim, Reinvent: Career Change Strategies for Entering Nonprofit Kathy Bremer, Managing Director of Boardwalk Consulting, and Dave Paule, Principal of Our Fundraising Search, record the third of five episodes to talk about engineering a career change strategy. This episode, we go over the steps to making the change. We’ll discuss goal setting,…

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Always Something To Learn, with Dave Matthews 10:20

1+ y ago10:20

10:20

Dave Matthews is a Board Member and Partner of Sterling Seacrest Pritchard; AND also a Founder of Atlanta's Nonprofit Leadership Conference. We talk at length about the conference and its value to nonprofit executives and board members. There is always something to learn. We welcome support of the Nonprofit SnapCast via Patreon.We welcome your…