Tag: Nonprofits

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Episode 44 – Nonprofits in Higher-Ed: Current Outlook, Opportunities, and Challenges with Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich

Episode 44 – Nonprofits in Higher-Ed: Current Outlook, Opportunities, and Challenges with Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich

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This can be a challenging environment for nonprofit organizations, especially those in higher education, contending with investments, revenue, operations, and more.

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis speak with Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, president at Concordia University-St. Paul. They discuss the current outlook for higher-ed organizations, including major opportunities and challenges facing them today.

You will learn:

  • Latest trends in enrollment, operations, and advancement in the higher education space
  • Reasons to focus on sustainability and long-term results while overseeing endowments
  • The impact of rising interest rates on an organization’s finances
  • Tips to help achieve greater alignment among committee and board members
  • And more!

Tune in to learn about the current opportunities and challenges for nonprofits, especially in higher education!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Brian Friedrich on LinkedIn | Email Brian Friedrich | Concordia University, St. Paul | Endowments & Foundations Consulting at Fiducient Advisors

About Our Guest:

The Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich is the 10th president of Concordia University, St. Paul. Prior to returning to his alma mater, Friedrich served as President of Concordia University, Nebraska from 2004-2019, holding several positions in development and administration. He was appointed as vice president for institutional advancement in 1997 and was named the president of Concordia Foundation, Inc. in 2003 before being named president in 2004. Friedrich is a vice president of the Concordia University System, member of the Colloquy Committee of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, trustee of Mill Neck Foundation and Lutheran Friends of the Deaf boards, a director of the Council of Independent Colleges of Nebraska, a director of the National Association of the Council of Independent Colleges and Universities, a member of the Seward Rotary Club and St. John Lutheran Church.

 

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Episode 42 – Investment Considerations, DEI, Nonprofit Leadership, and More with Mellody Hobson

Episode 42 – Investment Considerations, DEI, Nonprofit Leadership, and More with Mellody Hobson

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How concerned should we be with market and economic trends? How can we improve our DEI efforts? What are opportunities and challenges should nonprofit leaders be focusing on? These are some of the pressing questions we hear from clients.

Join Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis as they speak with one of the most in-demand guests Mellody Hobson, co-CEO & president at Ariel Investments, a firm managing nearly $18 billion in assets. Mellody shares valuable insight into current investment trends, along with strategies to make your organization more diverse and inclusive.

You will learn:

  • Effectively diversifying your portfolio, given the recent performance of various asset classes
  • Ways to overcome the “unconscious bias” that sabotages your DEI efforts
  • How to evaluate investment managers and firms through a DEI lens
  • Valuable advice for nonprofit leaders to help them drive positive, systematic change
  • And more!

Tune in to hear Mellody Hobson’s expert insights on how investors, including nonprofit organizations, can thrive in the current environment!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Mellody Hobson on LinkedIn | Ariel Investments | “The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies” by Scott Page

About Our Guest:

As Co-CEO, Mellody Hobson is responsible for management, strategic planning, and growth for all areas of Ariel Investments outside of research and portfolio management. Outside of Ariel, Mellody is a nationally recognized voice on financial literacy. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Starbucks Corporation and as a director of JPMorgan Chase. Previously, Mellody served as Chairman of the Board of DreamWorks Animation until the company’s sale and was also a long-standing board member of the Estée Lauder Companies. Mellody’s community outreach includes her role as Chairman of After School Matters, a Chicago non-profit that provides area teens with high-quality after school and summer programs. Additionally, she is vice chair of World Business Chicago; co-chair of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art; and a board member of the George Lucas Education Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

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Episode 40 – How Museums and Attendance-Dependent Nonprofits Can Thrive Post-COVID with Laura Lott

Episode 40 – How Museums and Attendance-Dependent Nonprofits Can Thrive Post-COVID with Laura Lott

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Does your nonprofit’s success rely heavily on memberships and attendance?

If yes, then it’s likely that your organization faced a major downturn due to COVID-19.

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis speak with Laura Lott, president and CEO at American Alliance of Museums. They discuss strategies to help attendance-dependent nonprofits, such as museums and zoos, thrive post-COVID.

You will learn:

  • New ways to engage your community and monetize your services
  • Why many organizations lack financial sustainability in the first place
  • Tips for more effective investment and spending policies
  • How investment committees can approach ethical investing
  • And more!

Tune in to learn how you can help attendance-dependent nonprofits prosper! 

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Laura Lott on LinkedIn | American Alliance of Museums (AAM) | AAM 2022-2025 Strategic Framework | How Museums Can Ethically Invest Their Money | Endowment and Foundations at Fiducient Advisors

About Our Guest:

Laura L. Lott began her tenure as president and CEO of the American Alliance of Museums in June 2015. A results-oriented, entrepreneurial, strategic leader with a track record of setting and achieving aggressive programmatic and financial goals, Laura served as the Alliance’s chief operating officer since 2010. Laura also led the 2012 re-launch of the Alliance, including rebranding the organization and rebuilding its technical infrastructure and web/mobile presence, and redesigning its membership and excellence programs — leading to a nearly 70 percent increase in museum membership and the organization’s first three profitable years in a decade. Prior to her work at the Alliance, Laura guided the evolution and growth of several nonprofit education organizations. Most recently, Laura served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer of The JASON Project, an international nonprofit education program at the National Geographic Society with a mission to inspire and motivate students to learn science through great explorers and events.

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Episode 36 – Amplify Your Impact Through Strategic Philanthropy with Caren Yanis

Episode 36 – Amplify Your Impact Through Strategic Philanthropy with Caren Yanis

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When you’re strategic with your philanthropy and strive for efficiency within your organization, you can do more good with less money.

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis speak with Caren Yanis, principal at Croland Consulting, LLC, and a philanthropic advisor to families and businesses. Caren shares actionable insights and best practices for today’s nonprofits, family foundations, and endowments.

You will learn:

  • Current opportunities and challenges for philanthropists and charitable organizations
  • How to ensure strong governance, even when there are few rules to hold boards accountable
  • How to align your organization’s philanthropic practices with your values
  • Key points that every investment committee should keep in mind
  • And more!

Tune in to learn how you can amplify your impact through strategic philanthropy!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | 2022 Return Expectations Webinar | Caren Croland Yanis on LinkedIn | Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation | Poetry Foundation | Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) | Foundation Financial Officers Group (FFOG) | Episode 22 – Achieving Your Charitable Mission Through Private Foundat ions — With Adam Newell | Fiducient Capital Market Assumptions 

About Our Guest:

Caren Croland Yanis is the principal of Croland Consulting, a philanthropic consulting firm focused on helping high-net-worth families give well. As executive director of the Oprah Winfrey Foundations in the 2000s, Ms. Yanis helped Ms. Winfrey build her public and private philanthropy and went on to become president of Crown Family Philanthropies in Chicago. She is a board member of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, a member of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, a member of the Illinois Attorney General’s Charitable Advisory Council, and a board member of Friends of the Children.

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Episode 35 – The Current Investment Environment: Where Do We Stand? Where Are We Headed? with Matt Rice

Episode 35 – The Current Investment Environment: Where Do We Stand? Where Are We Headed? with Matt Rice

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Are stocks overpriced and about to tank? How will rising inflation impact your portfolio? How might the pandemic continue to impact the economy?

Find the answers to these questions in this episode, as Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis interview Matt Rice, Chief Investment Officer at Fiducient Advisors. They discuss key market trends from 2021 (stocks, bonds, and alternative investments) and what you can expect in 2022 and beyond.

You will learn:

  • The major asset classes that outperformed and what might to expect now
  • The outlook for all asset classes, considering rising inflation and the pandemic
  • Striving for better risk-adjusted investment return during uncertain times
  • The importance of diversification and long-term planning
  • And more!

Tune in to hear Matt Rice’s expert insights on the current investment environment!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Matthew Rice

About Our Guest:

Matt joined Fiducient Advisors in 2001. As Fiducient Advisors’ Chief Investment Officer, Matt leads the firm’s investment strategy and research efforts. He also advises a number of the firm’s nonprofit and corporate clients. Matt is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee, Research Forum, Investment Committee, Discretionary Committee and Capital Markets Committee. Matt has co-authored two books, including Nonprofit Asset Management (John Wiley & Sons), which was published in 2012 and The Practical Guide to Managing Nonprofit Assets (John Wiley & Sons), published in 2005. Matt is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society Chicago and a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA®). Matt received a BA in Economics from Northwestern University, where he also played on the 1995 and 1996 Big Ten championship football teams. Matt now leads an easier lifestyle chasing after his two young children.

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Episode 34 – Investment Insights From a Global Religious Congregation with Jim Thomas

Episode 34 – Investment Insights From a Global Religious Congregation with Jim Thomas

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Today, we have Jim Thomas, the CFO of the Clerics of Saint Viator, share timely investment insights for nonprofit investment leaders!

The Clerics of Saint Viator is an international Roman Catholic religious congregation.

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis interview Jim about his experience in managing finances for a religious order. They also dive into several best practices for effective investment portfolio management that are relevant in today’s complex financial landscape.

You will learn:

  • The concept of perpetuity and how to prepare your portfolio for long-term success
  • How to rebalance your portfolio and ensure consistent asset allocation
  • Ways to ensure a more accurate screening of your portfolio for mission-aligned investing
  • Reasons to maintain a continuous dialogue with your organization’s stakeholders
  • And more!

Tune in to discover investment best practices that can help you emulate the success of the Clerics of Saint Viator!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | The Clerics of Saint Viator

About Our Guest:

Jim Thomas is CFO of the Clerics of St. Viator, an international Roman Catholic religious congregation headquartered just outside of Chicago. The Order has a vast footprint with numerous churches and schools throughout Illinois, other parts of the U.S., South America and beyond. Jim holds an MBA from Northwestern and  degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. Prior to joining the order, Jim served in numerous roles in the for-profit world including being COO of an aerospace/defense company, president of a consumer products company and a change agent at other organizations.

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Episode 33 – Future Outlook on Equity Markets (2021 Year-end Updates) with David Bianco

Episode 33 – Future Outlook on Equity Markets (2021 Year-end Updates) with David Bianco

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As the calendar flips to a new year, are you curious about what to expect from equity markets — both in the USA and globally?

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis are joined by David Bianco, CFA, chief investment officer for the Americas at the DWS Group. As one of Wall Street’s best known strategists, David shares timely insights on the current state of equity markets, along with portfolio management tips for 2022 and beyond.

You will learn:

  • The primary reason behind high current valuations
  • How to guard your nonprofit’s investment portfolio against future inflation risk
  • Why ESG investing is here to stay
  • Key market trends and returns since the beginning of COVID-19
  • And more!

Tune in to discover what you can expect from the equity markets moving forward!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | The DWS Group | David Bianco, Americas CIO

About Our Guest:

David Bianco, CFA, is the chief investment officer for the Americas at the DWS Group. David is a sought-after Wall Street strategist who publishes his own research, which appears in many publications and media outlets, including CNBC. With more than 20 years of investment research experience and a decade of experience as an equity strategist, David has held the position of Head US Equity Strategist for Bank of America Merrill Lynch Investment Research and Global Wealth Management. Before BofA, he spent seven years at UBS and five years at Financial Account Standards Board’s Financial Accounting Standards Advisory Council.

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Episode 32 – Become a Confident Leader with Dr. Karyn Gordon

Episode 32 – Become a Confident Leader with Dr. Karyn Gordon

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Dr. Karyn Gordon has rightly said, “Great leaders drive communication, performance, and engagement.”

But how can you become a great leader at your nonprofit organization?

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis are joined by Dr. Karyn Gordon to answer this question. Dr. Karyn is the CEO of DK Leadership, a leadership and relationship expert, and a sought-after media personality. They reveal the skills required to become a confident leader and lead your nonprofit to success.

You will learn:

  • The importance of finding your purpose –– both for organizations and individuals
  • The three types of leaders: insecure, arrogant, and confident
  • Effective conflict resolution tips for investment committees 
  • How to improve your organization’s team dynamics by mastering five EQ skills
  • And more!

Tune in to learn how to become a confident nonprofit leader!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Dr. Karyn Gordon on LinkedIn | DK Leadership | “The Three Chairs: How Great Leaders Drive Communication, Performance, and Engagement” by Dr. Karyn Gordon | “Start With Why” by Simon Sinek | “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable” by Patrick Lencioni | “The Ideal Team Player: How to Recognize and Cultivate The Three Essential Virtues” by Patrick Lencioni | The Next Chapter in the Active versus Passive Debate

About Our Guest:

Dr. Karyn Gordon is the CEO of DK Leadership, a leadership & relationship expert, entrepreneur, dynamic speaker, executive and family coach, TV personality (Good Morning America | USA and Cityline | Canada) and author of “The Three Chairs: How Great Leaders Drive Communication, Performance & Engagement.” In 2021, Dr. Karyn was nominated for the 29th annual RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Award.

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Episode 31 – Behind the Scenes of a Successful Foundation with Jay Ruderman

Episode 31 – Behind the Scenes of a Successful Foundation with Jay Ruderman

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Are you looking for proven strategies to help your foundation thrive?

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis speak with Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation. Jay reveals principles that have guided the Ruderman Family Foundation in making prudent management, investment, and strategic decisions, and explains how other foundations can emulate their success.

You will learn:

  • Why nonprofits should focus on both advocacy and funding to amplify their impact
  • An unconventional way to look at ESG investing that leads to “double impact”
  • How to identify unique charitable opportunities and avoid replication
  • And more!

Tune in to learn how you can lead your foundation to success!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Jay Ruderman on LinkedIn | Ruderman Family Foundation | All Inclusive With Jay Ruderman (Podcast) | How To Make Your Investment Committee More Effective

About Our Guest:

Jay Ruderman is the President of the Ruderman Family Foundation, which focuses on the inclusion of people with disabilities worldwide and educating Israeli leaders on the American Jewish community. He also has served on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Funders Network and is a member of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Executive Committee. In the fall of 2001, Jay became Deputy Director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in New England. In 2005, Mr. Ruderman enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and became the liaison between the IDF and Diaspora Jewry. After his service in the IDF, he returned to AIPAC as the Leadership Director for AIPAC in Israel.

 

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Episode 30 – One Year Anniversary Special

Episode 30 – One Year Anniversary Special

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It’s been a year since Nonprofit Investment Stewards was launched!

A big thank you to all our wonderful listeners and guests who have been a part of this journey.

In this special episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis take a trip down the memory lane, highlighting some of their most memorable episodes. Then, they move on to share five invaluable – and timely – tips for nonprofit investment committees and other stakeholders who oversee endowments and foundations.

You will learn:

  • Key takeaways from some of our most-downloaded episodes
  • Many investment, governance and cost saving strategies to advance your nonprofit’s mission
  • How investment committees can think about lower expected returns
  • Bob’s and Devon’s favorite moments from the podcasting journey
  • And more!

Tune in to revisit some of our best episodes, as well as gain fresh insights on how to make your nonprofit thrive!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Endowment Investment Considerations for Today’s Market — With Brad Long | Your Guide to Endowment Spending Policy – With Devon Francis | How Nonprofit Leaders Can Overcome Today’s Challenges – with Dennis Morrone | Effective Investment Strategies for Healthcare Systems — With Russ Gronewold | 10 Habits of Effective Investment Committees | How the 2020 Elections Could Impact Nonprofit Investors — With Frank Kelly

 

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