How We Run: Non-profit success stories

“Be brave. You know, just ask. The worst they can do is say no.”

In this episode of How We Run, we sit down with Frank Velásquez Jr., Founder of 4 Da Hood, to explore how he transforms leadership development for communities of Color. Frank shares his journey of navigating nonprofit leadership as a Latino and how his experiences led him to create the Ascending Leaders in Color Fellowship, a protected space for upcoming l...

You’re probably familiar with many proven strategies for nonprofit fundraising, but what about the role of creativity? In today’s episode, we’re diving into creative fundraising and innovative thinking with Brittney Miller, principal consultant at Bridge Impact Strategies. With her South Central Los Angeles roots and a mission to elevate underserved communities, Brittney’s insights will challenge you to rethink traditional approach...

In this episode, we speak with Kamilah Martin, founder and CEO of Katalyst Consulting. Kamilah discusses her journey from a VP of a humanitarian organization to creating a consulting firm that supports black and brown women transitioning from corporate roles to independent consulting. 

In this episode:

• Discover the mission of Katalyst Consulting and how Kamilah organically fell into interim leadership roles through networkin...

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Amir Whitaker, educator, author, human rights lawyer, and artist. He is the founder and director of Project KnuckleHead, a nonprofit organization empowering youth through music, art, and educational programs since 2012.

In this episode:

Discover the mission of Project Knucklehead and how the organization serves youth through creative expression

Learn how Amir leveraged his professional and social...

Prospect researchers are the secret weapons in fundraising. Celeste Davies, an experienced and dynamic fundraiser, shares her talent for prospect research with us. As the Director of Prospect Management and Advancement Services at MLK Community Health Foundation, Celeste knows what it takes to understand donors, build connections, and create relationships that raise funds. 

Celeste shares the importance of creating partners...

In this episode, Richard Reyes, founder and executive director of PLUS ME Project, shares his inspiring journey from being a first-generation college student to establishing a nonprofit organization focused on building confidence in youth through personal storytelling.

Richard Reyes shares his organization's growth strategy

• Richard discusses the origins of the PLUS ME Project, the challenges he faced in grow...

"There are a lot of organizations that are out there hoping for this Hail Mary from Mackenzie Scott, but they don't have any idea how to prepare for the Hail Mary and they don't know how to get the Hail Mary and they don't even necessarily have a plan with what to do with the Hail Mary.”

Trent Stamp joins to talk about the future of the nonprofit sector. Trent shares his views on good board meetings, big funders, and what’s next...

Our guest is Tera Hilliard from Forgotten Children, Inc., a nonprofit organization on a mission to combat human trafficking through rescue, restoration, education, and hope. Founded in 2006, Forgotten Children, Inc. offers a range of programs, including case management, educational curricula, and a safe house for survivors.

In this episode, Tera shares:

• How the organization measures the impact of its initiat...

Welcoming Season Six with Co-Host Lisa J. Baxter: A Dive into Authentic Fundraising and Community Building

In the debut episode of Season Six, we meet co-host Lisa J. Baxter. Lisa shares her extensive experience in nonprofit fundraising, emphasizing community building and authentic relationships. We discuss the importance of shifting from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset in the nonprofit sector. Lisa reflects on her tr...

After only eight months in their new facilities, the Cayton Children's Museum faced the pandemic and subsequent reopening. According to their CEO, Jessica Aronoff, "I really did think the challenging part was when we were shut down. And that's not true. Sure, that was an existential challenge for us, for humanity. But from a business standpoint, the time since reopening has been the most challenging." In this episode, Jessica, who ...

Season 5, Episode 3 of the How We Run podcast has an amazing leader that has built an amazing organization.

Our guest is Nichol Whiteman, the CEO of the Dodgers Foundation who shares with us how she led a turnaround to build an organization with a deep understanding of its mission and goals.

Nichol shares:

"It was very important for us to focus first on youth and families who we know needed us most, who could truly help us drive progr...

We are joined by Liz Forer, CEO Venice Family Clinic, who tells us about the recent successful merger of two nonprofits: Venice Family Clinic and South Bay Family Health Care. Liz talks through how the board started planning and coordinating this merger for almost two years and what she feels makes it successful.

For a transcript and more please visit: https://goodwaysinc.com/growing-by-merging-with-elizabeth-forer/

Jenna Hauss started as an intern at ONEgeneration and today she is the President and CEO of this $9 million organization in Southern California. Jenna shares what she's learned about the importance of succession planning and how she views it as a tool for the whole organization, not just executive roles.

"Succession planning is also about replacing key staff, not just executive leadership, but our program directors who are truly car...

Since we're giving thanks this week, we thought we'd look back on all the fantastic guests we've had on Season 4 of the How We Run podcast and share what we've learned from them. Leslie Ito of Armory Center for the Arts, Tony Brown from HOLA, Johng Ho Song from KYCC, Roger Castle from the LA Regional Food Bank, and Mollie Marsh-Heine from Earthjustice.

For a transcript and more please visit: https://goodwaysinc.com/highlights-fr...

Before Leslie Ito was the Executive Director of Armory Center for the Arts, she assumed the leadership at an organization that was struggling. Leslie shares with us how she approached that turnaround and what she learned about leading during a crisis (something that may have come in handy in 2020). Leslie shares with us what she prioritized, how she led the organization to be sustainable, and how she sees her big vision as a series...

Mollie Marsh-Heine joins us to talk about how and why the fundraising department at Earthjustice has embraced the principles of Community-Centric Fundraising. From conversations on race, inequality, and historic injustice with donors, to examining the ways they work together as a team, Mollie’s team has taken a thorough and methodical approach. Although they acknowledge this work will take time, they have seen very positive results...

David Diaz is the Executive Director of Active San Gabriel Valley who has recently transitioned his organization from fiscal sponsorship to being an independent 501c3. He details how and why his organization made the leap. For him, it's a matter of building the collaborative culture that best serves his community and his staff. "We really try to mirror the approach that we want to see in our communities, that we want to see by gove...

Never in a million years did Sarah Walzer believe that virtual visits with parents and families would ever yield the same high-quality results at ParentChild+. But in March 2020, the organization was forced to go virtual anyway. Sarah was pleasantly surprised and she shares the organization’s secret to success in this interview.  

For a transcript and more please visit: https://goodwaysinc.com/an-unexpected-leap-to-vir...

"We need to ask ourselves on a monthly basis on a weekly basis, are we making a positive impact?"

Johng Ho Song has held nearly every job at KYCC since joining the organization in 1985. Today he is the Executive Director. In this episode, Johng Ho Song talks with Trent Stamp about his decades of leadership and how he’s managed to keep his organization responsive to community needs, even if it means changing the name.