Learn to Love the Roller Coaster

Mickey Desai interviews Sherry Heyl about her book Learn to Love the Roller Coaster: Stories of Change, Resilience, and the Future to Come. They discuss how nonprofits can navigate rapid technological and social change by adopting a "creator mindset" rather than a "poverty mindset" or "survivor mindset." Sherry emphasizes that change is constant and accelerating (driven … Read more

Evaluation as a Leadership Tool with Kayla Meyers

Mickey interviews Kayla Meyers, founder of Bridgepoint Evaluation, about how nonprofits can embrace evaluation as a strategic tool rather than something to fear. Kayla shares practical advice on creating an "evaluation culture" within an organization, using data to drive decision-making, and shifting from reactive to proactive evaluation practices. She emphasizes the importance of qualitative data … Read more

Critical Moral Reasoning: An Applied Empirical Ethics Approach

host Mickey Desai interviews Mark T. Holcombe, author of the book "Critical Moral Reasoning: An Applied Empirical Ethics Approach." They discuss the importance of moral reasoning skills for nonprofit organizations and leaders. Key topics include: The differences between legality and morality, and how morality is innate to humans rather than dependent on religion. How moral … Read more

Normalizing Feedback in Nonprofits

Mickey Desai and guest Rita Sever discuss the importance of feedback in nonprofit organizations. They cover topics such as the science behind why people often react negatively to feedback, a formula (JOIN) for delivering feedback effectively, and strategies for normalizing feedback as a regular part of organizational culture. Rita shares her expertise on helping nonprofits … Read more

Navigating the Ethical Use of AI in Nonprofits

In this episode, Sondra Dellaripa, a nonprofit executive with over 40 years of experience, shares her insights on the responsible use of AI in the nonprofit sector. She discusses the importance of developing clear AI policies, training staff, and maintaining transparency with the community. Sondra also covers strategies for integrating AI into fundraising, communications, and … Read more

Navigating the AI Frontier: Opportunities and Challenges for Nonprofits

Mickey interviews Karen Boyd, an economist and AI expert, about the opportunities and challenges of using AI in the nonprofit sector. They discuss how nonprofits can identify low-risk, high-gain tasks for AI augmentation, the environmental impact of AI, and strategies for maintaining transparency and authenticity when using AI-generated content. Karen shares insights on customizing AI … Read more

The Role of Civil Society and Nonprofits in Democracy

In this episode, host Mickey Desai speaks with Steve Dubb, the senior editor of economic justice for Nonprofit Quarterly. They discuss the concept of civil society, its historical origins, and the unique role that nonprofits play in fostering civic engagement and community-driven problem-solving. Key topics covered include: Alexis de Tocqueville’s observations on the vibrant civil … Read more