Nonprofit Nation with Julia Campbell

Stories are among the most powerful tools nonprofits have. They can build understanding, inspire generosity, and connect people across communities. But how can nonprofits tell compelling stories without compromising the dignity of the people behind them?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, I sit down with Yuriy Boyechko, founder and CEO of Hope For Ukraine, to explore the responsibility that comes with telling stories of hardship, resilience, and hope.

Through nearly a decade of humanitarian work in Ukraine, Yuriy has seen firsthand how storytelling can mobilize support for families, refugees, and communities affected by war...

Nonprofit leaders are carrying a lot right now. Between funding uncertainty, team burnout, political instability, and growing community needs, it can feel like there’s always another challenge to tackle. And through it all, leaders are expected to inspire their teams, communicate hope, and keep their missions moving forward. But what happens when the people doing the work are running out of energy themselves?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with Lisa Bennett, author, facilitator, advisor, and award-winning journalist, to explore how purpose-driven people can continue making a difference without becoming depleted by th...

What happens when unimaginable loss becomes a catalyst for service, advocacy, and community?

In this deeply moving episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with Joseph Samaha, Director of Victim Advocacy and Outreach for VTVCare, an organization rooted in the community of families and survivors brought together following the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting.

Joe’s daughter, Reema, was killed in the tragedy. In the aftermath, Joe and other families found themselves navigating profound grief while also discovering the power of community, people coming together, sharing what they were learning, supporting one another, and creating a pa...

If your nonprofit is preparing for year-end fundraising, there’s a Facebook development I want you to know about.

Facebook expert Mari Smith is reporting that some Facebook Pages and professional-mode profiles are encountering a limit of two organic external-link posts per month. Under the restrictions she describes, putting a link in the comments can count, too.

Two links per month.

If you’re promoting a fundraising campaign, a volunteer opportunity, and an event, you can see how quickly that becomes a problem.

Availability varies, so check your own Page for noti...

What if sustainable nonprofit growth isn't about getting bigger, but about making your organization stronger?

Nonprofits are constantly being told to grow, scale, serve more people, raise more money, and demonstrate greater impact. But what happens when the need for growth moves faster than an organization’s ability to actually sustain it?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell talks with Suzanne Smith, founder and CEO of Social Impact Architects and author of The Nonprofit Flywheel: A Playbook for Sustainable Growth, Smarter Strategy and Lasting Impact, about what it really takes to build a st...

What does it really mean to be community-led?

In the nonprofit sector, “community-led” has become a popular phrase, but what does it actually look like when an organization is willing to transfer real decision-making power to the people closest to the work?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell talks with Carolyn Daly, Executive Director of Nuya’, a nonprofit partnering with Indigenous Maya women in Guatemala to improve health, education, and economic opportunity through community-led solutions. Carolyn has spent the past 13 years working alongside local women leaders as programs have increasingly been designed, led, and su...

What if your nonprofit doesn't need to post more, it just needs to post better?

Nonprofits are constantly told they need to be more active on social media. Post consistently. Create more Reels. Follow the trends. Keep feeding the algorithm.

But what if doing more isn't actually the answer?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia sits down with Reuben Harney, founder of Motus Reach, to challenge the idea that nonprofits need to constantly create content to succeed on social media.

Reuben shares his philosophy of “posting less, but better” and expl...

What if your nonprofit doesn’t actually have a communications problem?

When a nonprofit’s messaging isn’t landing, the instinct is often to rewrite the website, create a new communications plan, post more content, or bring in a communications expert. But sometimes, the real issue goes much deeper.

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell talks with Christine Koh, a strategic communications advisor who works with mission-driven leadership teams to repair narrative breakdowns, strengthen leadership communication, and build the infrastructure organizations need to communicate effectively.

Christine shares why communications problems are often...

What if planned giving isn’t just for large nonprofits with massive development teams, sophisticated systems, and years of experience?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell talks with Tony Martignetti, the evangelist for Planned Giving and author of the forthcoming book Planned Giving Accelerated, about why small and mid-size nonprofits should be thinking about legacy giving, and why it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Tony shares a practical, approachable perspective on how nonprofits can recognize potential planned giving donors, start meaningful conversations about legacy giving, and build a program without expensive infrastructure or u...

What if the next generation of donors wants to give, but they want giving to feel tangible, convenient, and digital at the same time?

As donor expectations continue to evolve, nonprofits have an opportunity to rethink how they engage younger supporters. While online fundraising has made monetary giving easier than ever, physical-item donations and in-kind giving can still be surprisingly difficult to organize, manage, and scale.

On this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with Logan Vaughan, co-founder and CEO of GiftDrive.org, to talk about the changing landscape of donor engagement and...

What should we expect from philanthropy in a time of growing conversations about wealth inequality, tax justice, and economic fairness?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with Hala Hanna, Executive Director of MIT Solve, to explore how the expectations surrounding philanthropy are changing, and what this means for donors, foundations, corporations, nonprofits, and social innovators.

Today, philanthropy is increasingly being evaluated on more than how much money is given. Donors and institutions are facing greater expectations around impact, accountability, trust, and meaningful community outcomes. Julia and Hala unpack the growing public...

What does it really take to grow a nonprofit without exhausting your team, overwhelming your board, or burning yourself out along the way?

On this week’s episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with nonprofit consultant, fundraising strategist, and leadership expert Sarah Andrews for a conversation about sustainable growth, strong leadership, and building the capacity nonprofits need to thrive.

With more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and fundraising, Sarah has helped organizations navigate strategic growth, fundraising campaigns, organizational capacity building, major gifts, grants, sponsorships, and donor engagement. Together, Julia and Sarah ex...

Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways nonprofits can connect with supporters, but too often, organizations struggle to tell stories that truly resonate.

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with Nicholas Bruneau, communications consultant and author of Engage With Impact: Five Steps to Transform Your Digital Communications for Social Impact. Drawing from his experience working with organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Union, and nonprofits around the world, Nicholas shares practical strategies for creating authentic, ethical, and impactful stories that move people to care—and take action. 

What if the future of fundraising isn't about finding the perfect answer—but about creating space to ask better questions?

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with longtime nonprofit leader and innovator Tim Sarrantonio, founder of the Generosity Spectrum, to explore a new approach to professional development, generosity, and community learning. Together, they discuss why nonprofits need more opportunities to practice difficult decisions, build trust, and learn collaboratively rather than simply consuming more information. 

Tim shares the inspiration behind the Generosity Spectrum and its flagship experience, the Generosity Roundtable an interactive, sce...

Nonprofits are doing incredible work, but if your messaging isn't clear, your impact can easily get lost.

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia sits down with Ian Stewart, Founder and CEO of Whole Brand Agency and a StoryBrand Certified Guide, to discuss why clear messaging is one of the most powerful fundraising tools nonprofits can have.

Ian explains how confusing language can unintentionally create barriers for donors and supporters, making it harder for them to understand your mission and take action. Drawing from the StoryBrand framework, he shares practical strategies to simplify your messaging...

Fundraising doesn't have to feel like a constant race.

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with Chad Barger, fundraising strategist, speaker, and founder of Productive Fundraising, to explore why slowing down may actually be the key to raising more money and building stronger donor relationships.

Inspired by the principles of Slow Productivity, Chad introduces the concept of Slow Fundraising, a more intentional, sustainable approach that helps nonprofit organizations focus on what truly moves the needle instead of getting caught in an endless cycle of more campaigns, more events, and more asks.<...

People challenges are inevitable in every nonprofit, but too often, leaders find themselves navigating employee conflict, performance issues, and difficult conversations without the tools or training to do so effectively.

In this episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia Campbell sits down with Bernadette Jones, CEO and Co-Founder of Visionova HR Consulting, to explore how nonprofit leaders can proactively address workplace issues before they become organizational crises.

With more than 20 years of experience helping nonprofits and mission-driven organizations strengthen their workplace culture, Bernadette shares practical strategies for building healthy teams, fostering accountability, and creating a people-first culture...

What if your nonprofit's next biggest advocates aren't celebrities, but the creators your audience already trusts every day?

In this week's episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia sits down with Ashwath Narayanan, Founder and CEO of Social Currant, to explore how nonprofits can harness the power of creators and influencer partnerships to expand their reach, build authentic communities, and inspire meaningful action.

As audiences increasingly turn to social media creators for news, education, and recommendations, nonprofits have an incredible opportunity to rethink how they communicate their mission. Ashwath shares why creator partnerships are about much more...

What makes someone truly believe in your nonprofit’s mission enough to give, advocate, and stay connected for the long haul?

In this week’s episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia sits down with Loree Lipstein, Founder and CEO of Thread Strategies, to unpack one of the most important — and often overlooked — fundraising tools nonprofits need: a compelling case for support.

With more than two decades of experience in nonprofit fundraising and strategy, Loree shares practical insights on how organizations can move beyond generic messaging and clearly communicate their impact in ways that resonate with donors and supp...

What if the reason most nonprofit strategic plans fail isn’t the strategy itself, but the process behind it?

In this week’s episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia sits down with nonprofit consultant, educator, and author Renee Rubin Ross to explore what it truly means to create an inclusive strategic planning process. Drawing from her new book, Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits, Renee shares why traditional top-down planning often falls short and how organizations can create plans that people actually believe in, support, and implement.

Together, they discuss:
 ✨ Why inclusive planning leads to stronger alignme...

What happens when nonprofits stop centering funders and start centering relationships?

In this week’s episode of Nonprofit Nation, Julia sits down with Jacob Adams, founder of Inner Spark Learning Lab, to unpack what he calls the “Disconnection Crisis” — a pattern showing up across education, philanthropy, and social impact work. Drawing from years of experience working with more than 40,000 Black and Brown young people in South Central and East Los Angeles, Jacob shares why so many traditional reform models fail to create lasting change and what becomes possible when organizations build systems rooted in trust, listening, and authenti...

Healthcare access remains one of the greatest challenges facing communities around the world. But what does it take to build an organization capable of delivering life-saving medical supplies to hospitals and clinics in more than 135 countries while earning the trust of donors, volunteers, and partners along the way?

In this episode, I sit down with Douglas Jackson, President and CEO of Project C.U.R.E., one of the world's largest distributors of donated medical supplies and equipment. Since 1987, Project C.U.R.E. has delivered critical healthcare resources across the globe, mobilizing thousands of volunteers and...

Live from GiveCon 2026, this special roundtable episode brings together some of the nonprofit sector's most candid voices for a conversation about the advice, lessons, and realities that rarely make it into conference presentations.

Some of the most valuable advice in this industry never makes it onto a conference slide. In this live discussion, we get into the conversations leaders usually save for hallways, coffee breaks, and happy hours, the mistakes nonprofits repeat, the tradeoffs leaders know exist but rarely say out loud, and the places where even experienced professionals genuinely disagree.

🎙️ In this episode, we di...