James Mueller, President of Mueller & Associates, will be a guest on the Nonprofit Utopia Podcast to talk about his latest book, Onboarding Champions, the the essential guidebook for nonprofit board members and executives. It challenges board m

For Change Be Bold

Mar 11th, 2021 1m

Founder of For Change Be Bold and co-founder of Building Networking Mom and Dad (BNMD), Annakay Hutchinson is a Certified Goal Success Coach, Mentor, Keynote Speaker, and Podcast Host known for bringing her charismatic personality to stir joy i

Nonprofit Utopia CARES Act Forum

Mar 10th, 2021 1h 39m

Nonprofit Utopia hosted a CARES Act forum for nonprofits, churches, performance arts organizations and small businesses on March 6, 2021, from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. The live streamed event was facilitated by Congressman Danny K. Davis, and inc

Unpacking the COVID-19 Stimulus Package

Jan 29th, 2021 21m

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021, passed in December, 2020, extends many relief programs from the CARES Act. It also creates several new programs and provides clarity around some of the questions brought

Using Community Networks to Maintain Environmental Sustainability

Oct 11th, 2020 1h 10m

Using examples from rural and urban communities, we will talk about how local networks may be used to develop plans and strategies to address environmental justice and sustainability issues. Featured Guests: Romona Taylor Williams, Executive D

Building Better Boards in the Age of Coronavirus

Mar 30th, 2020 57m

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges, the likes of which we have never seen before. Schools, churches, restaurants, nonprofits, local businesses, and nonessential government and health services are closing temporarily. The need for hea

You Said You Want to Partner. Now What?

Mar 16th, 2020 59m

Partnerships can take on any number of forms, including co-locating, sharing back office or fundraising staff, permanent joint programming, and mission-based mergers. Whatever form your partnership takes, there is always more to it than meets

Why Nonprofits Should Care About the Illinois Supreme Court

Dec 2nd, 2019 1h 16m

If you are a nonprofit practitioner, you should be very interested in the innerworkings of the Illinois Supreme Court—particularly if you work in the areas of family services or social, criminal and/or restorative justice. The rules and practi

Economic Opportunity Challenge

Nov 25th, 2019 1h 11m

Lever for Change is a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Affiliate, whose mission is to unlock philanthropic capital and accelerate positive change around the world’s biggest challenges. Consistent with this mission, the Foundation r

Protecting Arts Spaces from Gentrification

Nov 18th, 2019 1h 26m

With average annual earnings from art projects of around $5,000, the term “starving artist” is closer to reality than cliche. As a result, it is not uncommon for artists to live in marginalized communities.Most arts organizations that create

Equity in Action

Nov 4th, 2019 1h 9m

Since 1993, Woods Fund Chicago has awarded more than $65 million to nearly 500 nonprofit organizations in the Chicago region. Central to its grant-making approach is a belief that systemic change is the only way to eradicate poverty and structu

Good Food, Good Communities

Oct 14th, 2019 1h 24m

When Shelby Parchman, Founder of InUrban Strategies, LLC, started coaching small businesses for a local entrepreneurship program, he noticed that many of the businesses with whom he worked were also in urban food deserts--communities with limit

DEI On Demand

Oct 7th, 2019 1h 15m

What are some innovative methods that educators and activists are using to learn from activists from around the world, and engage in cross-border information exchanges? Join us as Dr. Nassim Abdi, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of Docademia/StoryBolt,

SPEAK! 2019: 24 Hours of Global Action

Sep 16th, 2019 1h 11m

Last year, CIVICUS’ global SPEAK! campaign connected over 200 organizations from nearly 50 countries, allowing them to “speak” to one another across lines of division, reversing the trend of increasing social and political polarization. Some o

Using Corporate Shared Value to Drive Sustainable Business

Aug 19th, 2019 1h 15m

Benefit Chicago is mobilizing $100 million in impact investments to finance the growth of impact enterprises throughout Chicagoland to: 1) build wealth in or for communities; 2) create jobs that are accessible to community residents; and 3) enh

The Intersection of Laws and Markets for Social Enterprise

Aug 12th, 2019 59m

We have often heard people complain that government should stay out of business and let the markets run their course. What if, instead, we focused on how the power of government may be harnessed to facilitate business growth and promote equitab

Rebroadcast: The Healing Power of Improv

Jul 22nd, 2019 1h 8m

Have you ever experienced deep conflict or trauma and wished you could re-write a chapter in your life? For your community? For your organization? Improv for Peace helps organizations, communities and professionals actively resolve miscommuni

100&Change, Lever for Change

Jul 8th, 2019 1h 2m

Having launched its first 100&Change Competition in 2016, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced the launch of a second round, through which a grant of $100 million will be awarded to help address one of the world’s cri

The Pitfalls of Partnership...And How to Avoid Them

Jul 1st, 2019 1h 5m

“No man (or organization) is an island”, as they say. We need partners to help us accomplish our goals with maximum impact. However, establishing partnerships are not without risks, landmines and pitfalls. The best partnerships can have rewar

Look Before You Leap! What You Should Know Before Joining That Nonprofit Board

Jun 24th, 2019 1h

You have just been asked to join the board of directors of an organization, and you are weighing the opportunity to share your skills, time, talents and networks. What should you do before you join?Join us as host Valerie F. Leonard, shares

The Healing Power of Improv

Jun 17th, 2019 1h 8m

Lessons Learned from Lawndale

Jun 3rd, 2019 1h 30m

Before I started Nonprofit Utopia, LLC, I was very engaged in North Lawndale, the Chicago community in which I was born and raised.As Co-Founder of the Lawndale Alliance, I worked with my neighbors to advocate for tax increment financing dist

Data-Driven Fundraising

May 20th, 2019 1h 4m

Every living organism has vital signs, or key indicators of health. For us humans, these include blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature.Likewise, organizations have key indicators of health.Depending on the organization

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Evidence-Based Grant Making Approaches

May 13th, 2019 1h 2m

When Angelique Power was named President of the Field Foundation of Illinois, three questions guided their grant making:Is racial equity in philanthropy even possible? Can the fallacy of philanthropic expertise fall away to create room for th

Changing the World Through Forensic Nursing

May 6th, 2019 1h 1m

Forensic nursing is the intersection of medicine, law enforcement, policy and advocacy. Forensic nurses work with victims of sexual assault, human trafficking and other violent crimes to document their injuries and provide evidence and expert