In episode 135 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton talks with organizational design consultant Julian Chender about how nonprofits can move beyond simple restructuring to intentional organizational design that aligns strategy, structure, and process.

They discuss:

• how organizational design is not the same as restructuring

• how design choices impact effectiveness, collaboration, and long-term sustainability.

• the pitfalls of designing around personalities,

• the importance of strategic clarity when facing downsizing or merger decisions.

The conversation offers nonprofit leaders practical insights into building organizations that are resilient, adaptable, and positioned for impact.

Episode highlights:

The Why Behind the Work - [00:08:08]

Defining Organizational Design - [00:13:53]

Structure, Silos, and Collaboration - [00:14:41]

Common Mistakes in Nonprofit Design - [00:18:23]

Balancing Human-Centered Values and Strategy - [00:20:40]

Downsizing by Design - [00:24:36]

Participation and Ownership - [00:23:32]

Benchmarking vs. Mass Customization - [00:30:01]

Strategic Plans Require Organizational Design - [00:37:40]

Mergers and Strategic Alliances - [00:41:21]

Examples of Successful Mergers - [00:44:16]

The Key Question for Leaders - [00:47:57]

Guest Bio:

Julian Chender is the founder of 11A Collaborative, an organization design firm focused on creating healthy society through healthy organizations. In his early years, Julian was an internal consultant at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) under Tony Fauci during the agency's response to the global Ebola and Zika crises. From there, he moved to external consulting, eventually joining Accenture's Operating Model & Organization Design practice shortly after its acquisition of Kates Kesler. Through 11A Collaborative, Julian has consulted to purpose-driven organizations across sectors. He is a Certified Organization Design Practitioner and an ICF-Certified Coach who holds a master's degree in Organization Development from American University and a B.A. in History from Swarthmore College.

Important Links and Resources:

Julian Chender

11A Collaborative

Organization Design Forum

Downsizing by Design: A Guide for Nonprofits

Candid Social Impact Staff Retention survey

Board Source Purpose Driven Leadership

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In episode 134 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, host Carol Hamilton welcomes guest Kayla Meyers, founder of Bridgepoint Evaluation, for a conversation about reimagining program evaluation in nonprofits.

They discuss:

• Why evaluation is not an audit or judgment as it has sometimes been in the past

• It should be a collaborative, curiosity-driven process that opens communication, supports learning, and improves impact.

• How to create right-sized, useful evaluation practices rooted in strategy and driven by purpose.

• How evaluation can be a force for good—helping organizations tell fuller, more meaningful stories about their work and the communities they serve.

Episode highlights:

Guest Bio:

Kayla (Mueller) Meyers is a seasoned program evaluator with over a decade of experience in assessing and improving programs for nonprofits and public organizations. She specializes in evaluation capacity building and mixed-methods program evaluation, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her clients

Important Links and Resources:

Kayla Meyers

Bridgepoint Evaluation

Bridgepoint Evaluation Newsletter

Humphrey School of Public Affairs

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In episode 133 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, host Carol Hamilton and guest Paula Brantner, workplace fairness consultant and founder of Accountability Ignited, unpack the real challenges nonprofits face in preventing harassment, bullying, and misconduct.

They talk about:

• The often-overlooked gaps in nonprofit systems—particularly around reporting mechanisms—and

• The false sense of security many mission-driven organizations have about their immunity to these issues.

• How to take a proactive, values-based approach rooted in trauma-informed practices,

• Why codes of conduct need to include all constituents, including for example sponsors and vendors to be effective

For nonprofit and association leaders seeking to build safer and braver organizational cultures, this episode is full of actionable insight.

Episode highlights:

Inadequate Legal System - [00:08:23]

Reporting Systems as Ground Zero - [00:9:45]

Small Organizations Are Especially Vulnerable - [00:11:00]

Aligning Codes of Conduct with Values - [00:13:19]

Moving Beyond Punitive Approaches - [00:15:48]

Codes Should Live Beyond the Employee Handbook - [00:17:01]

Who's in the Ecosystem? Everyone. - [00:18:00]

Special Risk Zones: Conferences and Galas - [00:21:00]

Building Visible, Trained Allies Programs - [00:24:35]

Multiple Reporting Channels Are Key - [00:27:00]

Trauma-Informed Listening - [00:38:18]

Power Dynamics and Systemic Barriers - [00:37:00]

Organizational Excellence: 3 Leading Practices - [00:42:00]

Proactive Culture-Building as a Strategic Imperative: It can happen anywhere - [00:46:10]

Guest Bio:

Paula Brantner of Accountability Ignited builds harassment and toxic workplace prevention systems that reflect your values and transform your culture. She works with academic societies, professional organizations, nonprofits, and political organizations on training, reporting systems and policy development to encourage reporting, ensure accountability, and build a harassment-free environment. Prior to founding Accountability Ignited in 2016, Paula spent 18 years (including eight as executive director) with Workplace Fairness, a legal nonprofit that educates workers about their legal rights in the workplace. An employment lawyer for over 30 years, Paula has degrees from UC Law-San Francisco and Michigan State University's James Madison College. She has a credential from the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI-CH), and incorporates training in trauma-informed and anti-racism principles and practices into her work.

Important Links and Resources:

Paula Brantner

Accountability Ignited

Building Inclusive Scientific Communities and Leadership Case Studies from Professional Societies

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In episode 132 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Justine Krank discuss the realities and nuances of pursuing US government grants for nonprofit organizations.

They discuss:

• common misconceptions including that government grants equals federal grants

• The challenges and compliance demands that come with government dollars.

• How to decode complex RFPs -- the hidden requirements that can make or break an application, and

• how to get an organization truly grant-ready — not just on paper, but with the capacity to manage the work.

• why the human side of building relationships even in the often opaque government grant space is important

Episode highlights:

[00:08:17] Clearing Up Misconceptions About Government Grants

[00:09:24] The Challenge of Reading RFPs

[00:11:48] Why It Matters Who Writes the RFP

[00:13:49] The Hidden Details in Grant Links

[00:16:02] Budget Pitfalls in Grant Applications

[00:17:32] Federal vs. State and Local Funding

[00:20:08] Balancing Risk, Reward, and Compliance

[00:23:18] Shifting Grant Strategies Amid Funding Freezes

[00:25:45] Building True Grant Readiness

[00:28:40] How to Research Relevant Funding Streams

[00:30:56] The Often-Overlooked Human Element

[00:32:31] The Bottom Line: Alignment and Capacity

Guest Bio:

Justine founded Gold Dust Grants in January 2023 after almost 10 years in the nonprofit field. She's an Intersectional Professional with a background rooted in reproductive justice, a B.A. from UC Berkeley, and over six years of dedicated institutional grant writing experience, bringing in almost $12 million as Lead Writer. As a consultant, she leverages her experience in nonprofit contracts & compliance, and her legal studies background, to help nonprofits submit clear and cohesive proposals with a strong case for support. While the bulk of her grant experience is writing for Transition-Age Youth programs (ages 14-25), she also has extensive experience in: Housing, Mental Health, Workforce Development, and LGBTQIA+ services. She has worked on successful proposals totaling over $25 million in awards funded

Important Links and Resources:

Justine Krank

Gold Dust Grants Consulting

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In episode 131 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton and Melissa Kessler explore the intersection of communications and organization development, particularly in moments of crisis, transition and change. They talk about

• how internal communications can either reinforce or undermine values, strategy, and humanity within an organization.

• how to navigate layoffs, restructuring, or organizational shifts with humanity

• why how we communicate is just as important as what we decide.

Episode highlights:

💬 "It's a Communications Problem" – Or Is It? [00:09:27] –

🔁 Communications Is Change [00:12:29] –

💔 Communicating Layoffs with Humanity [00:14:30] –

🧠 Leaders Are Always Ahead of the Curve [00:18:24] –

🔄 Defining "Internal" vs. "External" in Complex Systems [00:19:32] –

🧩 Communication Is Not Strategy [00:20:57] –

💬 Who Gets Told What—And When [00:22:55] –

⚠️ Managing With Compassion Through Uncertainty [00:24:54] –

👥 The Impact on Those Who Remain [00:30:15] –

🌅 Ending Well: The Missing Ritual [00:33:15] –

🪦 Organizational Death and Grief [00:35:55] –

🧘‍♀️ Leading in Chaos: Self-Care Is Strategic [00:42:15] –

📝 Your Crisis Plan Should Include Snacks [00:44:04] –

Guest Bio:

Melissa George Kessler is a consultant and executive coach working in the areas of strategy and organization effectiveness through her independent practice, Organizations + Communications, and with partner firms. She began her career as a reporter and editor; later ran the communications shops for two agriculture associations; and has worked extensively in trade policy and education. Over a 20 year career, Melissa has done work with non-profit and private-sector partners throughout the urban and rural United States and in Asia, Africa and Latin America. She also has spoken at various OD conferences and is the author of a book chapter on communications and strategic change. Melissa splits her time between her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the national capital area.

Important Links and Resources:

Melissa Kessler

Organizations + Communications LLC

The Workplace Psychological Contract Is Broken. Here's How to Fix It

Transitions: Making Sense of Life's Changes

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📚Find the books referred to on Nonprofit Mission: Impact

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In episode 130 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol reflects on five years of podcasting and the sobering state of the nonprofit sector in 2025. While celebrating milestones, she also underscores the challenges nonprofits face amidst unprecedented political attacks, funding cuts, and threats to long-standing principles like nonpartisanship. Despite these challenges, Carol highlights the resilience, innovation, and critical role nonprofits play in society—from filling essential gaps to fueling social movements, strengthening democracy, and sparking innovation. She calls on nonprofit leaders to share their stories, advocate for the sector, and remind their communities why nonprofits matter now more than ever.

Episode highlights:

Carol shares her top five reasons the sector is essential:

1. Filling critical gaps in services and support

2. Driving social movements for justice and inclusion

3. Building social capital and connections in communities

4. Strengthening democracy and civic life

5. Spurring social innovation that reshapes society

• Leverage campaigns like Nonprofits Get It Done to tell the sector's story

Important Links and Resources:

https://nonprofitsgetitdone.org/

https://www.urban.org/research/publication/what-financial-risk-nonprofits-losing-government-grants

https://www.vera.org/news/trumps-war-on-nonprofits-will-make-us-all-less-safe

https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Yentel-Written-Testimony.pdf

https://www.aam-us.org/2025/06/26/eo-impact-is-there-an-existential-threat-to-nonprofit-status

https://nonprofithub.org/a-brief-history-of-nonprofit-organizations/

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📚Find the books referred to on Nonprofit Mission: Impact

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In this episode of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Carol Hamilton gives a tribute to nonprofit consulting star and nonprofit governance and fundraising expert Sabrina Walker Hernandez, President & CEO of Building Better Boards, by re-releasing their conversation from 2021. Ms. Hernandez passed away in July 2025 after a long battle with cancer.

Episode highlights:

[00:06:45] Finding Her Why: From Law to Nonprofit Service

[00:13:00] Breaking Down the Fundraising Cycle

[00:18:30] A Mantra for Courage: It's Not About You

[00:21:15] Helping Board Members Identify Donors: The List Generator

[00:25:55] Cultivating With Authenticity

[00:29:75] Fundraising in Underserved Communities

[00:35:55] Where to Begin: Budget and Strategy

[00:40:30] Innovating Fundraising Approaches

Guest Bio:
Sabrina Walker-Hernandez was the President & CEO of Building Better Boards. She has over 30 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising, and leadership. One of Sabrina's greatest successes was that she increased operation revenue from$750,000 to $2.5 million over an 8-year period as well as being responsible for the planning and operations of a $12 million comprehensive capital campaign in the 3rd poorest county in the United States. She facilitated numerous workshops with hundreds of nonprofit professionals and was a master trainer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Sabrina gained a certificate in Nonprofit Management by Harvard Business School. She was an active community leader and volunteer in Edinburg, Texas.

Important Links and Resources:

Tributes to Sabrina:

https://texasborderbusiness.com/in-loving-memory-of-sabrina-walker-hernandez/

https://riograndeguardian.com/tributes-pour-in-for-sabrina-walker-hernandez/

https://www.legacychapelsrgv.com/obituaries/sabrina-walker-hernandez

https://www.youtube.com/@SupportingWorldHope

Be in Touch:

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📚Find the books referred to on Nonprofit Mission: Impact

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In episode 128 of Nonprofit Mission: Impact, Michael Randel joins Carol to explore how psychological safety—often dismissed as a "soft" concept—plays a critical role in nonprofit team performance, learning, and innovation.

They discuss:

• The connection between organizational readiness and the deeper human dynamics that shape effective leadership and collaboration.

• What psychological safety looks like in action,

• Why it's vital in today's polarized climate,

• How nonprofit leaders can foster inclusive, high-trust environments where people feel safe to speak up, take risks, and learn from mistakes.

Episode highlights:

Guest Bio:

Michael Randel helps leaders and their teams move through Change and Growth with Calm and Confidence. He developed the RCA Seasons of GrowthTM framework to help people understand and move through the three common phases of change. This allows leaders to navigate the challenges of change and bring about transformational results. With 30 years of experience, Michael works with philanthropic foundations, nonprofit organizations, corporations, and public sector agencies to help them navigate change with success and poise with his expertise in organizational change. The influence and impact of Michael's work has been recognized with multiple global awards, and his clients include Amnesty International, AstraZeneca, NASA, United Nations, and the World Bank.

Important Links and Resources:

Michael Randel

Randel Consulting Associates

RCA Resources

RCA Resources for Psychological Safety

RCA Solutions

Amy C. Edmonson

The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmonson

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