Send us Fan Mail Q4 always seems to arrive faster than you expect, and by the time October ends, the pressure to make Giving Tuesday work is already on. In this episode of Nonprofit CEO SPARK, I share the ten years I spent playing catch-up every single Q4, and the one team shift that finally changed everything. Then I walk through a simple three-month framework nonprofit leaders can use to run a strong Giving Tuesday and year-end campaign without draining their team by December 15...
Sep 24
16 min
Send us Fan Mail This episode features a paid partnership with Content One / Cause Circle. Claim your complimentary digital health check for your organization exclusive for our listeners. You probably didn't wake up this morning thinking about your website. You may have woken up wondering why donations feel flat, why your team seems stretched thin, and why more people aren't finding your mission. Here's the uncomfortable truth: your website might be quietly answering all three of those...
Sep 22
39 min
Send us Fan Mail What if your nonprofit’s biggest branding problem isn’t your logo, messaging, or website, but the way you treat your people? In this episode of Nonprofit CEO SPARK, Marcia Beckner talks with Bradley Hein about the powerful connection between leadership, empathy, communication, culture, and brand reputation. They explore why genuine human connection matters, especially during difficult conversations and times of change, and why your internal culture is ultimately p...
Sep 15
46 min
50: The Sabbatical Solution: Normalizing Rest for Executive Directors (with CEO Karen McNeil-Miller)
Send us Fan Mail What if the best thing you can do for your nonprofit isn’t to keep pushing…but to step away and truly rest? In this episode of Nonprofit CEO SPARK, Marcia Beckner talks with Karen McNeil-Miller about the power of executive sabbaticals, sustainable leadership, and why nonprofit CEOs shouldn’t have to burn out to prove their commitment. Karen shares how a four-month sabbatical program can strengthen organizations, build leadership benches, support succession plannin...
Sep 8
31 min
Send us Fan Mail What happens when you step into the CEO role after someone else has built the organization from the ground up? In this episode, Marcia talks with Elana Silber, CEO of Sharsheret, about succeeding a founder, honoring a powerful legacy, and finding your own way to lead. In this episode, you’ll learn: • How Elana moved from being the founder’s “number two” to leading the organization. • How to honor a founder’s legacy while allowing the organization to evolve. • How everyday pra...
Sep 1
41 min
Send us Fan Mail The best board meetings don't feel like a reporting session…they feel like a strategic conversation. In this finale episode of the Board-CEO Partnership Series, Marcia sits down with entrepreneur and Zeck co-founder Robert Wolfe to explore why so many board meetings leave everyone frustrated and what leaders can do to change that. After building multiple companies and serving through hundreds of board meetings, Robert recognized a common problem: executives spend enormous amo...
Aug 27
21 min
Send us Fan Mail What separates a board that simply functions from one that truly strengthens the mission? It isn't bigger budgets, better resumes, or more experience. It's the culture the board intentionally creates together. In this final episode of the Board-CEO Partnership Series, I bring together the five elements of the CARES Framework and share why healthy board culture is one of the greatest gifts a board can give its CEO, staff, and community. Small changes in how a board works toget...
Aug 25
10 min
Send us Fan Mail Have you ever left a board meeting wondering why no one spoke up, even though you knew people had something to say? Silence is rarely a sign that everything is fine. More often, it's a sign that people don't feel safe sharing unfinished ideas, asking hard questions, or respectfully disagreeing. In this episode of Nonprofit CEO SPARK, I explore why psychological safety is the foundation of healthy board culture and how small moments around the board table shape tru...
Aug 20
7 min
Send us Fan Mail What if the reason your board isn't fully engaged has very little to do with attendance? In this episode of Nonprofit CEO Spark, Marcia explores why board engagement is built through relationships, not just responsibilities. Drawing from my own experience serving on a nonprofit board, she shares how a board can do everything "right" on paper and still miss the connection that turns individual volunteers into a true team. If you want a board that contributes more, ...
Aug 18
14 min
Send us Fan Mail It doesn't take conflict to weaken a board and CEO relationship. Sometimes it starts with people who genuinely want to help. In this episode of Nonprofit CEO Spark, I share a story from my coaching work that highlights how easy it is for well intentioned board members to step into management without realizing the impact. It's an honest conversation about trust, clear roles, and why respect is about more than treating each other well. When everyone understands where their resp...
Aug 13
9 min
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