The Influential Nonprofit

Hosted by Maryanne Dersch

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252

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Jun 2026

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About the show

You want your nonprofit to make the biggest impact possible on those you serve and to do that you need a community of support. Each week, join Maryanne Dersch, nonprofit revolutionary, as she interviews nonprofit leaders who are growing their influence to raise more money and do more good. If you want to fundraise with ease, build better relationships with board and staff, or just need a shot of fresh ideas and inspiration, this show is for you.

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June 11, 202623 min

Why Every Fundraiser Should Sing Karaoke

Discover how karaoke becomes a surprising laboratory for courage, authenticity, and leadership. In this episode, you’ll learn eight powerful lessons from the karaoke stage that can radically shift how you show up as a fundraiser, leader, and human being. Key Takeaways: Courage comes before confidence; action is what generates the confidence you’re waiting for. Releasing attachment to specific outcomes creates space for authenticity, deeper relationships, and “magical” results. Most people are not judging you nearly as harshly as you judge yourself; they are usually rooting for you to succeed. Discomfort is often evidence of growth, and expanding your capacity to be uncomfortable is essential for meaningful leadership and fundraising. Authenticity, passion, and alignment are far more compelling than perfection; connection will always beat flawless performance. “The more tied to a result you are, the less likely you will have that result.” “Connection beats perfection every time.” “The magic isn't in hitting every note. The magic is just being willing to sing." - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

May 28, 202639 min

Amy Fass: Building and Scaling Your Nonprofit

Learn what it really takes to scale a focused nonprofit, build long-term corporate partnerships, and play the long game in fundraising without losing sight of the people you serve. Key Takeaways: A narrow, concrete focus, like providing brand-name shoes, can dramatically amplify a nonprofit’s clarity, impact, and support. Strong corporate partnerships grow slowly from shared values, deep listening, and customized collaboration, not one-size-fits-all pitches. How support is delivered matters as much as what’s delivered; respect and flexibility turn shoes into symbols of dignity and belonging. Individual donors and family foundations are the stability engine, while corporate and sports partners mainly boost visibility and reach. Shifting from “these kids” to “our kids” reinforces shared responsibility and reminds us that every child is worthy of investment. "How we give them shoes is as important as the shoes we give." “Our program is about the kids. I say, you know, we're really not about shoes, we're about the kids.” “It's not a matter of making donors into heroes. I don't like that language. It's thinking, it's just being grateful for what they've done, and letting them know this is what you've allowed to happen.” - Amy Fass Amy Fass is the leader behind Shoes That Fit, a national nonprofit that provides new athletic shoes to children experiencing homelessness and low-income circumstances across all 50 states. Under her leadership, the organization has grown from a small operation into a nationwide nonprofit that has delivered more than one million pairs of sneakers to kids in need. An Amazon best-selling author and advocate for children affected by poverty, Amy speaks on scaling nonprofits, building strong corporate partnerships, and creating sustainable impact. She’s known for bringing a Fortune 500 leadership mindset to the nonprofit world, helping organizations grow, adapt in times of crisis, and give children the confidence and opportunity that can start with something as simple as a new pair of shoes. Reach out to Amy Fass at: Website: https://www.shoesthatfit.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shoes-that-fit/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShoesThatFitNonProfit Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

May 21, 202622 min

CLASSIC REWIND: Quantum Physics for Fundraising

Key Takeaways: Energy shapes everything. Energy is the foundation of all outcomes—your energy affects your thoughts, words, and ultimately, your results. You broadcast what you carry. As a leader, your thoughts and emotions are felt by others. Your energy influences how people respond to you. Attention creates direction. Where you focus your attention determines what grows. Choose to notice what works and who shows up. Choose alignment over effort. When your internal state aligns with your purpose, you move with clarity and don't need to force outcomes. “Your thoughts, your emotions, your presence, it's all broadcasting something... people are responding to your frequency.” “Multiple realities are possible. What becomes real is just what we choose to make real.” “When you consciously align your internal state, thoughts, emotions, intentions with your vision and values, you don't have to push or hustle.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

May 14, 202629 min

Cherry Yang: Automation for Bigger Impact

When your nonprofit outgrows spreadsheets and sticky notes, your impact can stall. In this episode, discover how smart, accessible data systems can free your team from copy‑and‑paste drudgery and unlock real capacity for relationship-building and growth. Key Takeaways: Resilience in the face of uncertainty can become the catalyst for building an entirely new, impact-driven business. As organizations grow, decentralized spreadsheets eventually break; a centralized database becomes essential to scale programs and funding. The most effective systems are co-created with the people doing the work, so they’re intuitive, low-friction, and actually get used. Thoughtful automation should target repetitive, manual, time-consuming tasks so staff can focus on high-value relationship and strategy work. The people who step up to improve operations and systems often position themselves for future leadership opportunities inside their organizations. "You can think of Airtable like spreadsheets on steroids, or smarter spreadsheets." “Airtable really comes in at a point where people are really struggling with all of their spreadsheets and their data is in too many places, and that's when you start implementing a database to store and centralize all of that information.” “The key thing in automation that hasn't changed in the last while is just what sorts of things we want to automate: It's the repetitive work, the manual work, and the time-consuming work.” - Cherry Yang Cherry Yang is the founder of Claribase, an award-winning Airtable consultancy and Airtable’s Non-Profit Vertical Partner of the Year. She helps mission-driven organizations streamline operations with custom Airtable databases and automations so teams can save time, reduce chaos, and make better data-driven decisions. Reach out to Cherry Yang at: Website: https://claribase.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherry-yang-12368141/ Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

May 7, 202639 min

Elise Woodworth: Getting The Best From Your Board

Struggling with a passive or confused board? In this episode, you’ll learn how to transform tension into clarity, turn board members into passionate advocates, and use thoughtful questions to unlock real leadership and fundraising support. Key Takeaways: Many board-staff problems trace back to a lack of clarity between governance and operations, and defining that line can immediately relieve tension. Framing conversations and changes around what the organization needs, rather than what any one person needs, helps boards step into true leadership. When board members are equipped to speak passionately about the mission, their personal connection, and the impact, fundraising becomes a natural next step instead of a scary task. Simple tools like annual board self-assessments and clear expectations can dramatically improve accountability and long-term engagement. The fastest way to shift board culture is to ask more thoughtful, open-ended questions that invite ownership instead. “Being able to define and articulate and clarify what the board's role is, and teach that to them, and then have them hold themselves to the expectation, can really lighten up a lot of load on the executive director and staff.” “When you start with a mission-focused approach, you lead with the mission every time. It’s my golden rule: lead with the mission." “If you want engaged board members who are going to roll their sleeves up and get to work... then you have to mirror that energy from the beginning." - Elise Woodworth Elise Woodworth is a national speaker and board relations coach known for her clarity‑driven approach to strengthening nonprofit boards. A VMI graduate, Air Force Veteran, and MBA, she is the author of Business, Not Battle and creator of The Four Champions model. If you’re looking to grow or develop your board, Elise is the person to call. Elevator Pitch Exercise https://www.betterwithwe.com/championselevatorpitch Reach out to Elise Woodworth at: Website: https://www.betterwithwe.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisewoodworth/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Elise-Woodworth-Speaker-Author-Consultant/61561521157037/ YouTube: @betterwithwe Instagram: @businessnotbattle Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

April 30, 202625 min

The Extinction Burst: What’s Really Happening When Donors or Teams Test You

When you finally set a boundary, and everything seems to explode, it doesn’t mean you did it wrong; it may mean it’s finally working. In this episode, you’ll learn how to recognize and ride out the “extinction burst” so your new agreements, standards, and leadership can actually stick. Key Takeaways: Boundaries define what you will no longer tolerate, while agreements define what you are actively choosing and saying yes to; both are essential for healthy leadership. When you change a pattern that has benefited others, the first response is usually not compliance, but escalation; more intensity, more emotion, and more testing. The “extinction burst” is not proof that your new boundary is failing; it is often the clearest sign that the old pattern is losing power. If you give in during the extinction burst, you don’t solve the problem; you teach people exactly how hard they need to push next time to get what they want. Real change requires expecting pushback, calmly reinforcing your agreements, and being willing to release relationships or dynamics that no longer serve your mission. “If you give in during the extinction burst, you don't stop the behavior. You actually train it to keep continuing.” “Whenever you raise standards, you invite testing.” “We can't change behavior unless we change the boundaries and agreements that support the behavior.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

April 23, 202628 min

Why Trust, Not Pressure, Grows Relationships

In this episode, discover why impatiently “watching” your donors actually blocks generosity—and how to shift into “watering” relationships with trust, patience, and consistent care. Learn the WATER method to move from transactional fundraising to transformational connection. Key Takeaways: Lasting donor relationships are built by tending to them consistently, not by pushing for quick outcomes or instant results. Anxiety-driven behaviors—like over-checking email or over-following up—often come from fear and self-doubt, not from what donors actually need. Adding value without expecting an immediate gift shifts relationships from transactional to transformational and builds deeper trust. Trusting the timing means allowing people to move at their own pace while still using clear systems and follow-ups to keep the relationship moving forward. Learning to truly receive and celebrate “blooms”—gifts, compliments, progress—reinforces your sense of worth and keeps you open to unexpected forms of support. “Consistency builds trust more than intensity.” “You can't rush readiness. Timing is part of the relationship. It's not a problem to solve.” “Your job isn't to make it happen faster. Your job is to just keep watering, keep cultivating, instead of checking for results, asking yourself, ‘how am I tending to what matters?’” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

April 16, 202637 min

Dave LeVan: Surviving a Merger

Dave LeVan is President and CEO of Water for Good. They transform lives by providing access to reliable water, sanitation, and hygiene in needy communities. He recently led a merger with Lifewater International. Key Takeaways: Successful mergers start as honest conversations about where each organization wants to go and what assets they bring, not as a rushed decision to combine. Fear of change is universal, even among leaders who specialize in transformation, so acknowledging loss, grief, and uncertainty is essential. Over-communicating the “why” behind big changes, long after leaders are tired of saying it, is what finally helps staff, donors, and partners internalize the vision. Honoring history and founders while clearly articulating a new shared identity allows people to see the merger as an evolution, not an erasure. When nonprofits collaborate and share proven models instead of staying in silos, they can dramatically increase impact, sometimes doubling the number of people served without doubling revenue. “People just want to be seen and heard, even more so than they want to be right.” “We don't have to double our revenue to double our impact.” “You need to communicate and communicate and communicate and keep sharing that vision.”- Dave LeVan Reach out to Dave LeVan at: Website: https://waterforgood.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/water4good/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/water_for_good LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidlevan/ Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

April 9, 202616 min

The Donor Flow Problem No One Talks About

Key Takeaways: The Donor Flow Framework moves donors through four stages: Aware, Interest, Connect, and Act. Awareness and interest are often handled well, but true giving comes when people feel personally connected. The real gap is in the Connect stage. Without structured opportunities for meaningful interaction, donors may like your work but won’t feel invested enough to take action. Small, consistent, and low-risk events like lunches, behind-the-scenes tours, or after-hours experiences turn interest into real relationships. Regular, predictable opportunities make engagement repeatable and sustainable. Fundraising is about influence. Meeting people where they are, providing value first, and creating consistent follow-up builds trust and long-term support. “Systematize to stabilize.” “Connection… is where people feel important, where people feel loved, and where people see that they just don’t say, ‘I’m interested in you.’ They say, ‘I feel personally connected to what’s happening to your cause.’” “The biggest shift of all is that fundraising isn’t about tactics. It’s about influence.” - Maryanne Dersch Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker

March 26, 202642 min

Sally Mildren: The Art and Science of Connection

Sally is the founder and CEO of Commonwell Marketing, a heart-centered marketing and leadership firm that helps nonprofits and rural health organizations stand out. A former brain injury rehabilitation therapist turned marketer, Sally brings a rare blend of art and science to her work—applying the neuroscience of belonging, trust, and human connection to marketing, communications, and leadership strategy. Key Takeaways: Sally’s work sits at the intersection of neuroscience and marketing, showing that effective nonprofit communication isn’t about doing more, but about doing less with intention—simple visuals, few words, and a clear emotional hook consistently outperform dense, information-heavy messaging. Emotion is the gateway to attention and memory. According to Sally, nonprofits have 2–8 seconds to spark an emotional response; if they start with data dumps, history lessons, or program lists, the brain simply checks out to conserve energy. Instead of trying to make people care, great nonprofit marketing finds and attracts people whose lived experience and “philanthropic heart” are already aligned with the cause—shifting from convincing and chasing to resonating and inviting. The “energy” behind communication matters just as much as the words: desperate, scarcity-based, or pushy outreach is neurologically and emotionally repelling, while servant leadership, curiosity, and genuine human connection build trust, oxytocin-driven bonding, and long-term engagement. Rural health organizations face unique pressures—funding volatility, hospital closures, staffing shortages—but Sally stresses that no amount of new programs or technology will transform outcomes without strategic, trust-building communication that makes patients feel seen, safe, and confident choosing local care. “More stuff for the sake of stuff is not what the world needs from marketers.” “There has to be something in it that triggers a neural response in our brain of emotion… at roughly two to eight seconds, you've got to capture an emotion enough to get attention, then people's brains start to wander.” “There is no transformation without engagement and connection, because they don't know that you have a cool new telemedicine, or who it's for, or… why would I want to trust it?” – Sally Mildren Reach out to Sally Mildren at: Website: commonwellmarketing.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/71360437/admin/dashboard/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/commonwellmarketing/ Let’s Work Together to Amplify Your Leadership + Influence1. Group Coaching for Nonprofit LeadersWant to lead with more clarity, confidence, and influence? My group coaching program is designed for nonprofit leaders who are ready to communicate more powerfully, navigate challenges with ease, and move their organizations forward. 2. Team Coaching + TrainingI work hands-on with nonprofit teams to strengthen leadership, improve communication, and align around a shared vision. Whether you’re growing fast or feeling stuck, we’ll create more clarity, collaboration, and momentum—together. 3. Board Retreats + TrainingsYour board has big potential. I’ll help you unlock it. My engaging, no-fluff retreats and trainings are built to energize your board, refocus on what matters, and generate real results.Get your free starter kit today at www.theinfluentialnonprofit.comConnect with Maryanne about her coaching programs:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/connect Book Maryanne to speak at your conference:https://www.courageouscommunication.com/nonprofit-keynote-speaker