Episodes

Caitlin Baron In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter welcomes Caitlin Baron, CEO of the Luminos Fund, to discuss how nonprofit leaders can sustain long-term impact while scaling mission-driven work. Caitlin shares her personal journey from growing up in Brooklyn, where she saw firsthand how education changes opportunity, to leading international education initiatives that help children who have been denied access to school. Caitlin explains how the Luminos Fund creates second-chance education programs...

In this special four-state panel discussion, Rob Harter brings together nonprofit leaders from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado to discuss the biggest trends impacting nonprofit leadership today. Guests Jill Bennett of the Utah Nonprofits Association, Kevin Bailey of the Idaho Community Foundation and Idaho Nonprofit Center, Jodi Shields of the Wyoming Nonprofit Network, and Lloyd Lewis of arc Thrift Stores share practical insights on financial sustainability, fundraising challenges, staff bur...

Pierre Le Manh In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter talks with Pierre Le Manh, President and CEO of Project Management Institute (PMI), about how nonprofit leaders can stay grounded in their mission while navigating rapid change, uncertainty, and transformation. Pierre shares why clarity of purpose, adaptive execution, transparency, and values-based leadership are essential for keeping teams aligned and motivated even when conditions are shifting. Rob and Pierre also ...

Greg Warner In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Greg Warner, founder of MarketSmart, to explore how nonprofit leaders can use fundraising data more effectively. Greg shares the story behind the Fundraising Report Card, a free tool designed to help organizations better understand donor retention, lapsed donors, giving trends, and overall fundraising performance. The conversation also dives into the future of fundraising, including how AI can create ...

Christoph Gorder In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, Rob Harter sits down with Christoph Gorder, leader of Airbnb.org, to explore how Airbnb has built a social impact model that looks very different from a traditional corporate foundation. As an independent 501(c)(3), Airbnb.org operates separately from Airbnb while still leveraging the company’s technology, host network, and infrastructure to provide emergency housing for people displaced by disasters and other crises. Christo...

David Beckmann joins Dr. Rob Harter for a conversation on poverty alleviation, public policy, and the practical steps nonprofit leaders can take to reduce hunger and hardship in the United States and around the world. A pastor, economist, activist, and former president of Bread for the World, David shares insights from decades of advocacy work and discusses the central ideas in his book, Poverty Abolitionists. In this episode, David reflects on the significant progress that has been made in red...

Asiaha Butler In this episode Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Asiaha Butler, co-founder and CEO of the Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.), to explore how one resident’s decision to stay transformed into a powerful, resident-led movement for community healing, ownership, and revitalization. Asiaha shares the defining moment that changed her life: seeing a young girl playing in a vacant lot filled with broken glass and deciding that leaving Englewood was no longer the answer. Thro...

Julia Devine In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Julia Devine of Relatable Nonprofit to explore the rapid rise of nonprofit consulting and why more professionals are moving into this space. Drawing from a new industry report based on responses from 381 nonprofit consultants, Julia shares what is fueling this post-COVID shift and why nonprofits are increasingly turning to consultants and fractional experts to solve urgent capacity gaps. Rob and Julia also unpack some of the biggest my...

Stefan Feuerstein In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Stefan Feuerstein to explore why healthy delegation is essential for nonprofit leaders who want to avoid burnout and build sustainable organizations. Drawing on years of leadership experience in the humanitarian sector, Stefan explains that delegation is not about getting work off your plate, but about empowering team members, clarifying responsibility, and helping others grow into greater leadership. Rob and Stefan unpack the fea...

Michael Thatcher In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Michael Thatcher, CEO of Charity Navigator, to explore how the nation’s largest independent charity evaluator is evolving to better serve donors and nonprofits alike. With over a decade at the helm, Michael shares how his background in technology and impact measurement has shaped Charity Navigator’s shift toward a more comprehensive, 360-degree view of nonprofit effectiveness. From financial transparency and governance best practic...

Suzanne Ehlers In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Suzanne Ehlers, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR (the fundraising partner of the UN Refugee Agency), to explore how women are reshaping philanthropy—and how nonprofits can better design giving models that reflect who is actually driving decisions. Suzanne shares why traditional fundraising approaches often haven’t been built with women at the center, even though women influence the vast majority of giving decisions and are ...

Mitch Stein In this timely and data-packed episode, Rob Harter sits down with Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy at Chariot, to unpack one of the most important—and fastest-growing—trends in nonprofit fundraising: Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs). With economic uncertainty, shifting donor behavior, and fewer individuals giving overall, nonprofit leaders must understand how to meet donors where they are. And increasingly, that’s through DAFs. Mitch shares eye-opening statistics, including that nearly 20% o...

Tim Elmore In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter welcomes Dr. Tim Elmore, founder of Growing Leaders and author of The Future Begins With Z, for a thought-provoking discussion on how nonprofit and social impact organizations can better attract, engage, and retain Generation Z talent. Drawing from decades of experience and recent research with over 2,000 Gen Z individuals, Tim shares surprising insights about Gen Z’s workplace mindset, their desire for purpose-driven work, and how leaders can adapt to ...

Matt Nash Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Matt Nash, Executive Director of The Blackbaud Giving Fund, to unpack the recent changes in federal tax law that significantly impact corporate giving. With corporate philanthropy under increased scrutiny and new tax hurdles on the horizon, Matt offers timely insights and actionable advice for nonprofits looking to maintain or grow their corporate donor base. The discussion dives into how the 1% income floor for corporate charitable deductions, taking eff...

In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Dan Pallotta—renowned author, TED Talk speaker, and social impact provocateur—to discuss what it really takes to solve the world’s biggest problems. Known for challenging the status quo in the nonprofit sector, Dan pushes listeners to think beyond conventional limitations, urging nonprofit leaders and donors alike to reimagine what’s possible when we truly embrace bold, audacious goals. Dan unpacks his groundbreaking fundraising innovations, includ...

Julia Campbell In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, host Rob Harter is joined by Julia Campbell, a renowned nonprofit strategist and host of the Nonprofit Nation podcast. With over 20 years in the field, Julia shares the latest data-backed fundraising trends shaping 2026 and what nonprofits can do to thrive amidst economic shifts and evolving donor expectations. Julia emphasizes the growing importance of recurring giving programs, the need for intentional donor communication, an...

Betsy Schmidt In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, host Rob Harter sits down with Elizabeth “Betsy” Schmidt, senior research fellow at the University of Massachusetts and author of the new book Rules of the Road for Nonprofit Leaders. Betsy brings her decades of experience in public policy and nonprofit law to the table to demystify complex legal frameworks and help leaders leverage the law to support their mission. Together, Rob and Betsy explore the often misunderstood legal a...

Rob speaks with Robert Stack, President and CEO of Community Options, a nonprofit that has been at the forefront of providing safe, dignified, and inclusive care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Stack shares his personal journey that led him into this field, beginning with volunteering as a young seminarian and evolving into decades of nonprofit leadership. Robert offers eye-opening insights into the challenges and injustices still facing the disability care sec...

Laura Parker In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter speaks with Laura Parker, CEO and co-founder of The Exodus Road, a nonprofit combating human trafficking across the globe. Laura shares the deeply personal and powerful story of how she and her husband were first confronted with the realities of trafficking while working in Northern Thailand, which ultimately inspired them to launch their organization. With operations now spanning four countries, The Exodus Road works alongside law enforcement and com...

Jena Lynch In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter welcomes Jena Lynch from Donorbox, a longtime sponsor and leading platform in nonprofit fundraising technology. Jena brings her unique perspective as a nonprofit thought leader and co-host of her own nonprofit podcast, sharing front-line insights from her work with organizations across the country. Together, Rob and Jena dive into the key fundraising challenges facing nonprofit and social impact organizations as they look ahead to 2026. From shifting d...

Sandy Rosenthal In this episode, host Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Sandy Rosenthal, the founder of Levees.org, to uncover the shocking truth behind the catastrophic flooding of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. While most people attributed the devastation to the storm itself, Sandy discovered a deeper, man-made failure at the core of the disaster—the collapse of federally designed levees. Despite having no background in engineering or advocacy, Sandy turned her personal mission for justice ...

Asha Varghese In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, host Rob Harter welcomes Asha Varghese, President of the Caterpillar Foundation. Asha shares insights into the foundation’s expansive philanthropic efforts, having invested over $1 billion into global communities since its inception in 1952. She emphasizes that this achievement is not a finish line, but a launch pad for even greater impact. Asha discusses the foundation’s strategic focus on building resilient communities through...

In this episode, Dr. Rob Harter sits down with Aidan Reilly, co-founder of The Farmlink Project, a nonprofit that began as a college passion project and grew into a national food recovery movement. What started in 2020 as two friends trying to make a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic quickly evolved into a logistics powerhouse that has since delivered over 350 million pounds of food—soon to be half a billion. Aidan shares the compelling origin story of Farmlink and how a group of students...

Jeff Schreifels As year-end fundraising pressures mount, it’s more important than ever for nonprofits to adopt effective, donor-centered strategies. In this episode of the Nonprofit Leadership Podcast, host Rob Harter welcomes Jeff Schreifels, Principal and Owner of Veritus Group—a global consulting agency focused on major and mid-level gift strategies. Jeff shares his proven insights into how organizations can build long-term sustainability by investing in relationships and shifting their fundr...