Nonprofit Utopia Podcast

Measuring Success: Nonprofit Program Evaluation

Most people would agree that program evaluation is important, but, in practice, many emerging organizations don’t do it.  In some cases, managers are so busy running programs and trying to find the resources to keep them going, that they find it difficult to find the time to reflect.  In other cases, there is no funding to pay an outside evaluator.  Still, others find the whole process to be a mystery.  In the meantime, it’s hit or miss in providing programs that are relevant to the community and attractive to funders.
Join Valerie F. Leonard for a discussion on program evaluation. She will talk about the most common types of evaluation; why they are important; what to do when there’s no funding for evaluation and how the information may be used to strengthen programs.
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

The Potential of Music Festivals to Build Community

When Gallup and the Knight Foundation set out to answer the question “What attaches people to their communities?” they found that the key reasons cited by residents for loving their cities were entertainment and social offerings, how welcoming the city is and its aesthetics — in other words, the arts and culture.  That finding was not news to Alderman Michael Scott, Jr., or his wife Natashee.  The couple have been patrons of the arts for years.  In an effort to build community and make North Lawndale a destination for arts and entertainment, the Scotts started the annual Westside Musical Festival, which will run again on August 20 2016.
Join Natashee and Michael Scott, Jr. as they share lessons learned in developing the festival. We will discuss ways the Westside Music Festival is being used to build community; develop a sense of place for North Lawndale and to spur economic development and tourism.
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Hitting the "Reset" Button for North Lawndale

It has been over 50 years since North Lawndale has had a comprehensive plan that could be used to attract resources and guide public policy as it relates to transportation, utilities, land use, recreation, and housing.  As a result, much of the limited development that has occurred in recent years has not been coordinated or yielded maximum impact for the community as a whole. There are some pockets of North Lawndale that have seen significant development, while other parts have remained untouched since the 1950’s. In an effort to rectify this situation, the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council (NLCCC) recently held its first annual community planning conference, in partnership with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), at the DRW College Prep High School on Chicago’s West Side. Join us as we recap the conference and share next steps for the community planning process. Guests will be Alderman Michael Scott, Jr., Rodney Brown and Dennis Deer.  Alderman Michael Scott, Jr. represents the 24th Ward on Chicago's West Side.  Rodney Brown and Dennis Deer, along with Host Valerie F. Leonard, are members of the Executive Sub-Committee of NLCCC.
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.

Giving to Get: Investing in Nonprofit Success

Today's guest is Shelby Parchman, Director of Programs for Sunshine Enterprises. We will follow up on what has happened over the past several months since he was last on the show. Not only will we look at some of Sunshine Enterprises' success stories, but Shelby will share more lessons learned from his work in the entrepreneurial trenches. He will also discuss ways nonprofits can think outside of the box and how nonprofits can invest their time and resources to reap maximum rewards. Finally, he will discuss ways nonprofits can add value to existing models. 
Call in live at (347) 884-8121. You don't need an account to listen, but, if you want to participate in an online chat, open a listener-only account at https://secure.blogtalkradio.com/register.aspx?type=listener to participate in a live chat. Visit Valeriefleonard.com. Archived episodes may be found at http://Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes, Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.