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On The Ground: Daily Summaries Delivered
by James Misner
As CEO of The Kipos Group, James Misner has spent years in the trenches with nonprofit leaders. "On the Ground" brings those conversations to you—unfiltered insights by nonprofit leaders, for nonprofit leaders. Real Leaders. Real Challenges. Real Solutions.
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- Apr 28, 202639 min
Lead With Optimism or Get Out of the Way: Kendra Davenport on Running a National Nonprofit
Adaptive Show Notes for "Leading with Innovation and Humanity at Easterseals" Podcast EpisodeJoin us as Kendra Ennis Davenport, President and CEO of Easterseals, shares how the organization serves over 1 million people annually by blending tradition with innovation, storytelling with impact, and optimism with realism. Discover how Easterseals navigates funding gaps, scales care, and advocates for disability awareness with heart and ingenuity.Main Topics:The evolution and ongoing innovation at Easterseals over 107 yearsCreative models for adult disability services, including the open-air PIAT centerFundraising strategies that humanize and elevate adult programsThe power of storytelling and participant agency in advocacyLeaders' resilience in challenging nonprofit environmentsBuilding a national brand movement similar to breast cancer awarenessStrategies for smaller nonprofits to scale impact and grow supportIn this episode:Kendra shares how Easterseals combines its rich heritage with innovative service deliveryAn inside look at the open-air adult day program in Southern CaliforniaThe importance of storytelling and participant consent in advocacy campaignsLessons learned from a failed gaming program and pivoting with transparencyHow to foster positivity and resilience in nonprofit leadershipStrategies to grow awareness and support for disability issues through example organizations like Susan G. KomenPractical advice for small nonprofits to step out of comfort zones and expand their impactTimestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Easterseals and its impact on over a million individuals annually 00:31 - Kendra's background and vision for sustaining innovation over 107 years 01:56 - The juxtaposition of tradition and innovation at Easterseals 03:19 - Innovative adult day services — open-air centers and personalized care models 05:00 - The story of the PIAT open-air adult day center in Southern California 07:05 - Fundraising challenges and human storytelling for adult programs 09:15 - Engaging veteran stories to highlight resilience and purpose 11:56 - Maintaining positivity despite national funding challenges 14:49 - How Easterseals continues to evolve and celebrate long-term impact 16:58 - The importance of storytelling, authenticity, and participant agency 22:51 - Lessons learned from a failed gaming program and pivoting with transparency 22:58 - Crafting stories that balance honesty with emotional connection 28:40 - The role of personal stories in advocacy and fundraising success 33:31 - Building a national awareness movement for disability akin to breast cancer campaigns 34:00 - Advice for small nonprofits aspiring to grow impact 38:02 - Connecting with Easterseals and future leadership initiativesResources & Links:Kipos GroupSchedule a callConnect with Kendra:Kendra Ennis Davenport - LinkedInEasterseals
- Apr 23, 202631 min
From $7,000 to $800,000: How North Bay Transformed Its Fundraising Strategy
From $7,000 to $800,000: How North Bay Transformed Its Fundraising StrategyDiscover how North Bay, a 17-year-old outdoor education organization, shifted from negligible fundraising to confidently raising nearly $800,000 annually. Jen Foy shares her journey, strategies, and lessons learned to inspire nonprofit leaders to rethink their funding models and systems.In this episode:The storytelling power of cohesive messaging in fundraisingHow North Bay identified and invested in foundational partnershipsThe importance of starting small with systems and processesStrategies for building a community presence and recognitionLessons learned from failed outreach effortsThe role of team culture and leadership in risk-taking and learningPractical steps to grow a donor list from scratchThe concept of 'learning labs' for continuous improvementThe significance of 'day in the life' visits for engagementFuture fundraising plans and expanding donor pipelinesTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction: The mission to change nonprofit funding perceptions01:51 - Jen Foy’s background and North Bay's vision02:58 - Challenges faced: organizational burnout and funding crises04:09 - The fundraising vacuum: initial small donations and reliance on grants05:32 - Entering a new era: from $7,000 to $800,000 in annual revenue10:00 - Building foundation and corporation partnerships: starting points11:11 - The decision to invest in fundraisers: making a strategic leap12:46 - Overcoming fear: why investment was a necessity13:46 - Navigating community perception and awareness gaps15:11 - Why North Bay focused on corporate and foundation funding16:51 - Setting up effective systems: KPIs, tracking, and iteration18:13 - Embracing imperfect systems: starting small and scaling19:10 - The 'day in the life' visits approach and its impact on engagement21:37 - Lessons from failures: email campaigns and event turnout23:13 - Reflecting and learning: debriefs and team culture26:17 - Leadership principles fostering a collaborative, risk-tolerant team27:14 - Next steps: expanding the donor base and future growth28:24 - Final advice: start small, take risks, and learn fastResources & Links:The Kipos Group WebsiteBook a discovery Call with James M.Connect with Jen Foy:LinkedInConnect with James Misner:LinkedIn
- Apr 7, 202643 min
$10 Million in 90 Days: How World Relief Housed 3,998 Refugee Families When the Government Cut Funds
In this episode of On the Ground with James Misner, James sits down with Calla Parker and Matt Soerens to unpack how World Relief mobilized a rapid, faith-driven response—raising $10 million in just 90 days and housing 3,998 refugee families.This conversation goes beyond the numbers. Calla and Matt share what it looked like to navigate sudden policy shifts, respond to urgent human need, and lead through uncertainty while staying grounded in mission. They also reveal the behind-the-scenes strategy—how advocacy, storytelling, and donor engagement came together to fuel one of the most critical fundraising efforts in recent history.
- Mar 31, 202636 min
Prevention That Works: How Love Justice International Scales Justice Through Data & Donor Trust
The podcast features a conversation with John Molineux, CEO of Love Justice International, focusing on the organization's impactful mission and efficient fundraising strategies. John shares his journey to founding Love Justice and the birth of its preventative solution. The discussion also delves into the scaling of transit monitoring, tenacity and resilience in fundraising, maximizing impact and efficiency, translating program skills to fundraising, donor engagement and impact, and the future of Love Justice International.
- Mar 24, 202627 min
Stay Focused, Choose Wisely: How ANCA Supports 400+ Nature Centers on a Lean Budget
In this episode of On the Ground, host James Meisner sits down with Jen, Executive Director of ANCA — the national association representing over 400 nature centers across North America. Jen shares her journey from wildlife biologist to nonprofit leader, the lessons she's learned navigating membership organizations, and why nature centers are more vital than ever in today's screen-dominated world. From setting realistic fundraising goals to staying focused amid constant change, Jen offers honest, practical wisdom for any nonprofit leader trying to grow sustainably. Plus, she breaks down ANCA's biggest fundraising challenge — telling their impact story — and why storytelling may be their greatest opportunity yet.
- Mar 17, 202617 min
Acceleration: From Big Wins to Mastery
The celebration is real. The impact is massive. But the mindset has changed.In this episode of On the Ground, James Misner explores Stage 5: Acceleration—the moment when success stops being the finish line and becomes the new baseline. This conversation is about what it takes to build a team that pursues excellence relentlessly and isn’t satisfied with “good enough.”Because the best teams don’t just win—they evolve.
- Mar 10, 202615 min
Action: Building Systems That Fund The Mission
The conversation explores the concept of stage four in fundraising psychology, focusing on action, learning orientation, building systems and teams, and the role of metrics and feedback. It emphasizes the importance of intelligent action, learning from mistakes, involving teams, and using metrics as feedback for improvement.
- Feb 27, 202621 min
Acceptance: "Owning Fundraising as Leadership.”
James Misner, CEO of The Kipos, explores Stage 3 of Fundraising Psychology: Acceptance — the turning point where fundraising stops feeling like an obligation and becomes an expression of leadership.This is the moment when fear and resentment fade, and ownership takes its place. Fundraising is no longer something that happens to you — it becomes something you intentionally lead.Stage 3 isn’t about loving every donor meeting or becoming someone you’re not. It’s about alignment. It’s about recognizing that resourcing the mission is central — not secondary — to your role as a nonprofit CEO.
About On The Ground
As CEO of The Kipos Group, James Misner has spent years in the trenches with nonprofit leaders. "On the Ground" brings those conversations to you—unfiltered insights by nonprofit leaders, for nonprofit leaders. Real Leaders. Real Challenges. Real Solutions.
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