Four Ways to Future-Proof Your Nonprofit in 2025 (Bert Armstrong & Shannon Williams)

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Armstrong McGuire & Associates. Check them out for your next career opportunity OR for help finding an interim executive or your next leader.

Are you ready to navigate the opportunities and challenges of 2025, or are you feeling the pressure of stretched resources, leadership turnover and a disengaged board of directors? In episode #297 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Patton does a deep dive with Bert Armstrong and Shannon Williams, as they reflect on their firm’s 20 years of service and share findings from statewide community conversations that illuminate all of these issues. Discover four critical strategies to tackle the challenges of 2025: embracing innovation with better technology, strengthening leadership through careful succession planning, recommitting to equity and inclusion amidst societal shifts, and enhancing board engagement to maximize organizational impact. 

"What got us here won’t get us there – 2025 demands bold innovation, strong leadership, and fearless change to keep nonprofits thriving."

ABOUT BERT & SHANNON

Bert Armstrong found his career mojo as a nonprofit leader and fundraiser, and has served the nonprofit and philanthropic community as a fundraising professional, senior administrator, consultant, volunteer, and board member for over three decades. As co-founder and principal of Armstrong McGuire, he has spent the past 18 years leading searches for nonprofit and philanthropic executives and professionals, facilitating dynamic planning efforts, and helping clients raise tens of millions of dollars. Prior to co-founding Armstrong McGuire, Bert served as the Vice President for Advancement for the Methodist Home for Children in Raleigh, NC. 

After graduating from the UNC Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism, Shannon Williams stumbled into a fundraising position cloaked in a communications job and found her passion. For over 25 years, Shannon has focused on bringing fundraising systems, stories of impact, staff and volunteers together to help organizations change the trajectories of their clients and communities. Shannon leads the Armstrong McGuire team of advisors in helping boards find strategic direction, transforming vision into a clear, articulate case, maximizing fundraising potential, and matching talented leaders to exceptional organizations.

EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES

• Ready for your next leadership opportunity? Visit our partners at Armstrong McGuire
• Learn more about the Interim Management Institute
• Bert's book recommendation Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
• Shannon's book recommendations: Discernment by Henri Nouwen and Thank You, I'm Sorry, Tell Me More by Rod Wilson
• Check out Bert's previous episode #191 on Managing Turnover
• Check out Shannon's previous episode #275 on Fundraising Without Fear
• Check out Kathy Ridge's previous episode #97 on When is Time to Leave?
• Have you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on Audible
• Don’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership

Leave us a comment below! We would love to hear from you!