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Nonprofit Counsel PodcastAuthor: May Harris
Are you ready to start a nonprofit, navigate the legal process of securing tax exempt status, or become a more confident nonprofit leader? The Nonprofit Counsel Podcast is your trusted guide for nonprofit leadership, nonprofit law, board governance, and nonprofit management. Designed for nonprofit founders, executive directors, nonprofit leaders, board members, and social impact entrepreneurs, this podcast delivers practical insights and expert strategies to help you build, lead, and grow a mission-driven organization. Host May L. Harris, Esq., MA, brings her expertise as a nationally recognized nonprofit attorney, strategist, and founder of FPLG and the Nonprofit Counsel Leadership Accelerator to every episode. She explores the legal and operational challenges nonprofit leaders face, offering step-by-step support whether you're starting a nonprofit, managing complex board governance, launching a fundraising campaign, or navigating compliance issues. At the heart of the show is a commitment to empowering nonprofit leaders with confidence and clarity. May draws from over twenty five of experience in nonprofit law, nonprofit management, and organizational development to bring you lessons you can immediately apply. You'll hear about real-world nonprofit legal challenges, nonprofit leadership tips for sustainable growth, and best practices to keep your organization compliant, accountable, and impactful. In partnership with the Nonprofit Counsel Leadership Accelerator, the podcast goes even deeper. This innovative program offers live coaching, legal templates, and hands-on guidance for nonprofit founders, executives, and board members looking to skip the guesswork and accelerate their results. The Accelerator is a game changing companion to the podcast, helping you build a strong legal and operational foundation so you can focus on what matters, your mission. Whether you're still dreaming about starting a nonprofit or you're already managing a thriving tax exempt organiz Language: en-us Genres: Business, Entrepreneurship, Non-Profit Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Responsible Bravery: Nonprofits in a Time of Declining Democracy with Vu Le
Episode 37
Tuesday, 3 March, 2026
Nonprofit leadership faces its greatest test as democracy in the United States is under attack, demanding sector-wide transformation. In this episode, May Harris welcomes Vu Le, rabble rousing nonprofit leader and creator of the Nonprofit AF blog, who argues that moderation has paralyzed nonprofits from taking necessary political advocacy stances. Vu dismantles the myth that organizations will lose their tax-exempt status for speaking up, revealing how fear-based assumptions prevent authentic action. He explains why progressive philanthropy falls short compared with conservative foundation funding strategies and calls for 20-year general operating funds rather than restrictive one-year grants. This episode challenges nonprofit-sector norms around Robert's Rules, competitive processes, and risk aversion, while offering hope through community-organizing and movement-building examples from Minnesota to Namibia. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Discover why white moderation poses the greatest threat to nonprofit leadership effectiveness and how Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s warnings about prioritizing civility over justice remain relevant for today. Learn the specific foundation funding strategies that make conservative movements succeed where progressive philanthropy fails. Explore practical steps for nonprofit advocacy without risking tax-exempt status. Subscribe to The Nonprofit Counsel Podcast and stay ahead on the legal and strategic insights that help nonprofits thrive. Join the conversation and empower your mission with expert guidance every episode. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Speaking up during genocide and fascism and exploring white moderation in the nonprofit sector 04:15 Checking assumptions about donor engagement losses, tax-exempt status fears when taking stands and why you don't need 501c3 status to create impact 08:19 How progressive philanthropy fails compared to conservative foundation funding strategies for political advocacy 13:00 Building institutions and controlling media narratives through strategic funding, like the Heritage Foundation model 19:17 Crappy funding practices movement and using public shaming to demand foundation funding accountability 23:31 Hope in the midst of gloom and questioning every assumption and experimenting with generative governance like minimally viable boards KEY TAKEAWAYS: Conservative funders invest strategically with 20-year general operating funds, while progressive philanthropy hobbles its partners with one-year restricted grants. This foundation funding disparity explains why right-wing movements control cultural narratives, elect judicial appointees, and build lasting institutional funders while the left intellectualizes without action. The fear of losing donor engagement or tax-exempt status prevents nonprofit advocacy, but checking these assumptions reveals the opposite: organizations supporting Black Lives Matter gained five new supporters for every donor lost. Working without 501(c)(3) status through mutual aid, religious organizations, or LLCs is a viable alternative. Nonprofit sector transformation requires abandoning Robert's Rules and competitive grant processes in favor of generative governance models, such as minimally viable boards paired with robust community boards. Success demands that nonprofit leaders question every baked-in assumption, from five-day workweeks to single-CEO structures. ABOUT THE GUEST: Vu Le challenges nonprofit norms with joy and humor through his widely read blog NonprofitAF.com. With over two decades of sector experience, including 13 years as an executive director, he co-founded the Community-Centric Fundraising movement and authored "Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy." He won the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy's inaugural Pablo Eisenberg Memorial Prize for Philanthropy Criticism in 2024. Nonprofit AF - Website Vu Le (@nonprofitaf) - Instagram For Profit Law Group - Website Nonprofit Counsel - Website
