The Nonprofit MBA Podcast with Stephen Halasnik

Is your nonprofit mission actually achievable? In today's uncertain funding environment, nonprofit leaders are being pushed to prove not only that their work matters, but that their mission is realistic, measurable, and aligned with real community needs. In this episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, Stephen Halasnik speaks with Dr. Zuri Tau, founder and CEO of Social Insights, about how nonprofits can evaluate whether their mission is achievable, why theory of change matters, and how organizations can build stronger evaluation systems without needing massive budgets. They also discuss how funding instability, shifting public sentiment, and growing accountability pressures are forcing nonprofits to rethink strategy, clarify impact, and define success in ways that truly reflect community needs. In this episode, you'll learn: Why nonprofit missions should be aspirational but still measurable How nonprofits can assess whether their mission is achievable Why community-defined success matters How theory of change helps uncover blind spots Practical ways small nonprofits can begin evaluating impact This is an important conversation for nonprofit leaders, board members, funders, and anyone thinking seriously about strategy, outcomes, and long-term impact. Guest: Dr. Zuri Tau, Founder and CEO of Social Insights Host: Stephen Halasnik, Co-Founder of Financing Solutions

Change management in nonprofit strategy has become increasingly important as nonprofit leaders balance mission, funding uncertainty, and leadership transitions. In today's environment, that challenge is becoming far more complex. Funding can shift quickly, leadership transitions can happen unexpectedly, and external events can reshape priorities almost overnight. In this episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, Stephen Halasnik, Co-Founder of Financing Solutions, speaks with Matt Glazer of Blue Sky Partners about one of the most important issues facing nonprofit organizations today: change management in nonprofit strategy. Glazer has led strategic planning efforts for more than 50 organizations and works with mission-driven groups on strategy, operations, leadership, and organizational development. Blue Sky Partners helps nonprofits and social impact organizations clarify vision, set priorities, and build practical roadmaps for growth and impact. The conversation highlights an increasingly clear reality in the nonprofit sector. A strategic plan is no longer enough if it sits on a shelf. In a world of funding interruptions, workforce strain, board turnover, and policy volatility, strategy must become a living process. That is where change management plays a critical role. This topic is especially timely because the nonprofit sector is facing real pressure. Data from the National Council of Nonprofits shows that nonprofits generate more than 80% of revenue from fees for services and government grants and contracts. At the same time, the 2025 Nonprofit Finance Fund survey found rising demand for services, increasing costs, and growing concern about future government funding.

Nonprofit leaders often overlook website maintenance, security, and speed. Yet, a nonprofit website is critical infrastructure for fundraising, donor trust, and search visibility. In the early days of the internet, a nonprofit's website was little more than a digital brochure: a static page listing a mission statement, a mailing address, and perhaps a grainy logo. Today, that same website is the organization's front door, donation engine, volunteer recruiter, grant validator, and public trust ledger all at once. For nonprofit leaders, the shift has been profound. A slow or insecure website is no longer an inconvenience. It is an operational risk. On a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, Stephen Halasnik from Financing Solutions sat down with Garrett Goldman, co-founder and CEO of StateWP, to explore what nonprofit executives need to understand about website security, performance, and governance in 2026. The conversation revealed a critical truth: nonprofits must stop treating their websites as one-time design projects and start treating them as mission-critical infrastructure.

In an era of political shifts, economic whiplash, and tightening donor priorities, America's nonprofits find themselves navigating a new and unsettled terrain. For decades, the sector has been a quiet giant—employing roughly one in five American workers before 2025, powering food banks, religious institutions, arts organizations, veterans' groups, and thousands of other mission-driven enterprises. But what happens when funding priorities change? When donors redirect their giving? When government support ebbs in one region and expands in another? On a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, Stephen Halasnik, co-founder of Financing Solutions (a leading provider of nonprofit lines of credit), sat down with Nick Jain, co-founder of Eagle Rock CFO Services, to explore a question weighing heavily on nonprofit leaders: How can nonprofits manage their finances better—especially in uncertain times? Their conversation revealed something both sobering and hopeful. The nonprofit sector, Jane argues, is neither fragile nor immune to change. It is enduring—but only if leaders run it with discipline.

In this episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, host Stephen Halasnik speaks with Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, about how a small garage-based Christmas project grew into a nearly $30 million nonprofit operating across the U.S. and beyond. Mickelson shares the key inflection points behind that growth, including realizing the scale of child bedlessness, transitioning to a formal nonprofit, leveraging a major media moment from Returning the Favor with Mike Rowe, and—most importantly—building the right governance structure, systems, and processes to sustain rapid expansion. The conversation explores why treating a nonprofit like a real business matters, how a "franchise-like" chapter model with a single EIN enabled scalable growth while preventing mission creep, and how COVID ultimately helped the organization slow down and professionalize operations. Mickelson also discusses the critical distinction between visionary founders and operational leaders, the necessity of investing in talent, and why long-term nonprofit success depends on strong leadership, clear roles, and disciplined execution of best practices.

In this episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, Stephen Halasnik sits down with nonprofit HR expert Allison Wyatt, from Edgility Talent Partners, to explore why an organization's staff should be viewed not as an expense, but as a strategic asset. Wyatt explains how intentional hiring, clear role design, and ongoing staff development directly impact mission effectiveness, financial sustainability, and organizational culture. The conversation covers common nonprofit staffing mistakes, the hidden costs of turnover, and how leaders can better align people strategy with long-term goals—even with limited budgets. Together, they emphasize that nonprofits that invest thoughtfully in their people build stronger, more resilient organizations capable of greater impact.

In this episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, Stephen Halasnik talks with Michael Toguchi, Chief Strategy Officer at eResources, about how nonprofits can streamline grantmaking and donor programs to save time and reduce staff burnout in a tighter funding environment. They explore how recent economic and political shifts have made grants harder to secure, pushing organizations to apply for more funding with limited resources. Michael explains how combining strong internal processes with nonprofit-specific software can create efficient, repeatable workflows for grants and donor management, improve results, and protect organizations from staff turnover, ultimately freeing teams to focus more on their mission and impact.

In today's rapidly changing nonprofit landscape, nonprofit arts organizations are facing significant challenges. Traditional models of fundraising, ticket sales, and audience engagement no longer meet funder expectations. The conversation between Stephen Halasnik and Alan Harrison highlights a core shift taking place: arts organizations and community impact must now be directly connected. Organizations that can measure and demonstrate their impact are the ones best positioned to survive and thrive. Harrison's career spans more than 300 theater productions on and off Broadway. He is the author of the Scene Change series, which argues that arts nonprofits must rethink their missions, focus on outcomes, and demonstrate tangible benefits to their communities in order to survive.

Nonprofits have traditionally operated with a mindset of caution, focusing primarily on mission-driven work while avoiding financial risk. While this approach promotes stability, it often limits growth and long-term impact. On a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, host Stephen Halasnik, co-founder of Financing Solutions, discussed this topic with Barb Clapp, CEO of Dwyer Workforce Development. Together, they explored how nonprofits can grow faster by taking strategic risks similar to for-profit businesses.

For many nonprofit leaders, communication feels like an afterthought, something to address once the real work is done. Yet, in today's media-saturated world, a clear, emotional, and strategic message is not just a "nice to have." It is the heartbeat of organizational growth. As Jason Clark, President and CEO of VIA Studio, told Stephen Halasnik in their conversation for The Nonprofit MBA Podcast, "It is really hard to read the label from inside the jar." That metaphor captures a common problem: many nonprofits are too close to their own mission to communicate it effectively to others. This shift highlights why a strong nonprofit marketing strategy is essential today. Clark's Louisville-based digital agency, VIA Studio, has spent over two decades helping nonprofits and mission-driven organizations modernize their branding, websites, and messaging strategies. His insights shed light on a challenge faced by countless small and mid-sized nonprofits: how to evolve from outdated, fact-heavy messaging to emotionally resonant storytelling that inspires real engagement and real donations.

The New Era of Nonprofit Fundraising: Fewer Donors, Bigger Gifts In today's nonprofit landscape, one thing is clear: major gifts are driving the deepest impact. According to research from the Giving USA 2024 Report, individual giving dropped 3.4% last year, but donations from high-net-worth individuals and foundations increased significantly. This shift has created a paradox: fewer donors overall, but larger contributions from the top tier of philanthropists. This shift is reshaping major gifts fundraising across the nonprofit sector. Fundraising expert Gail Perry, founder of the Gail Perry Group, says this moment represents both a challenge and an opportunity. "Every single organization has major donors in its database," she explains. "The problem is, they're often treated like small donors—receiving generic messages instead of genuine engagement." This moment represents a major shift in major gifts fundraising.

The New Reality for Nonprofit Funding For decades, nonprofits have relied heavily on a mix of grants, donations, and government funding to sustain their missions. But as global philanthropy evolves, those traditional sources are becoming less predictable. According to The Nonprofit Finance Fund's 2024 State of the Nonprofit Sector Report, nearly 56% of nonprofit leaders said funding uncertainty is their biggest operational challenge. On a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, host Stephen Halasnik and guest Joe Reed, founder of the Exponent Group and SolveLine, discussed an urgent question: What happens when your biggest grant disappears? Their answer—nonprofits must begin to think like startups, diversifying income streams and even launching mission-aligned for-profit ventures to ensure long-term impact. "We don't have the luxury to not have this conversation anymore," Reed emphasized. "Healthy nonprofits must start thinking creatively about how they generate revenue."

The Quiet Revolution Reshaping Charitable Giving In recent years, one of the most powerful forces shaping philanthropy hasn't come from a new fundraising platform or viral campaign—it's come from an investment account. Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs), once the domain of the ultra-wealthy, are now a mainstream tool for charitable giving. For nonprofits, understanding and integrating a DAF strategy is no longer optional—it's essential. According to the National Philanthropic Trust's 2024 DAF Report, assets in donor-advised funds have surpassed $230 billion in the United States, with annual grantmaking exceeding $50 billion. These numbers represent a 30% increase in just five years, signaling a major shift in how Americans prefer to give. For nonprofits that fail to adapt, this change could mean missing out on the next generation of major donors.

The year 2025 has brought unprecedented turbulence to the nonprofit sector. Political shifts, funding cuts, and widespread economic uncertainty have placed extraordinary pressure on executive directors, boards, and fundraising teams. In a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, host Stephen Halasnik sat down with Marc A. Pitman, founder of the Concord Leadership Group, to unpack the leadership skills and strategies that nonprofit executives need to thrive during these challenging times.

In today’s unpredictable landscape, nonprofit organizations face both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges. Economic shifts, global crises, and cultural changes have altered the way people give. Yet at the heart of this transformation lies a timeless truth: donors want to feel connected to a cause. That means nonprofit leaders must adapt—by weaving data, storytelling, and human connection into every aspect of fundraising. Stephen Halasnik, co-founder of Financing Solutions, sat down with Tim Sarrantonio of Neon One, a leading nonprofit software company, to explore the future of fundraising. Their conversation revealed that while technology can help organizations thrive, it is ultimately the human element—the story, the relationship, the personal connection—that drives long-term donor support.

Nonprofit leaders often focus on mission statements, fundraising goals, and strategic plans. Yet one of the most influential drivers of success is often underestimated: organizational culture. Culture shapes how employees show up, how teams collaborate, and how communities perceive the nonprofit itself. For nonprofits, where purpose is paramount and turnover can be costly, culture isn’t just a “nice-to-have” — it’s the backbone of long-term impact. In this episode of The NonProfit MBA Podcast, host Stephen Halasnik sits down with Greg Miller of Penmar Human Services to discuss why a strong organizational culture is vital for nonprofits and how leaders can build one.

Financial uncertainty has become the defining challenge for many churches and nonprofit organizations across the United States. With declining attendance, shrinking donations, and rising costs, thousands of religious institutions are questioning their long-term viability. On a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, host Stephen Halasnik, co-founder of Financing Solutions, sat down with Loren Richmond Jr., a pastor, chaplain, and consultant with more than 15 years of experience advising ministries and nonprofits through crisis. Their conversation sheds light on why so many faith-based organizations are struggling—and what practical steps can keep them afloat.

For nonprofits, capital campaigns represent some of the most ambitious and transformative fundraising efforts. They can reshape organizations, expand programs, and create legacies. Yet in today’s climate of economic uncertainty, political polarization, and shifting donor expectations, preparing for a capital campaign can feel daunting. This was the focus of a conversation between Stephen Halasnik, managing partner at Financing Solutions, and Amy Eisenstein, a leading nonprofit fundraising consultant and author.

In today’s nonprofit world, the difference between financial stability and constant budget anxiety often comes down to one deceptively simple practice: donor stewardship. While many organizations focus their energy on acquiring new supporters, the real growth engine lies in keeping the ones they already have. That’s the message fundraising consultant Katherine Lacefield, founder of Just Because Consulting, shared on a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast. With a background advising nonprofits across the globe, she’s seen the same pattern again and again: groups that cultivate deep, consistent relationships with their donors—not just during campaigns, but year-round—are the ones that thrive. And surprisingly, she says, building those relationships doesn’t require full-time effort. With the right approach, even one hour a week can make a measurable difference.

When nonprofit organizations draft strategic plans, the expectation is stability. A three-to-five-year vision is meant to guide priorities, operations, and growth. But what happens when the world changes faster than the paper it’s written on? In a recent episode of the Nonprofit MBA Podcast, Stephen Halasnik of Financing Solutions sat down with Marie Palacios, Lead Consultant at Funding for Good, to discuss a subject that’s rapidly gaining urgency: how nonprofits can adapt their strategic plans in a changing reality. “In today’s environment, you have to hold strategy loosely,” said Palacios. “Because the reality you planned for may not be the one you’re living in next quarter.”