20+ Nonprofit Blogs and Thought Leaders You Need to Follow
From blogs, newsletters, podcasts, webinars, and online courses, there are so many ways to gain valuable insights into the nonprofit sector.
Yet, with all that information floating about, it can be a bit overwhelming. Especially knowing where to start or who to trust.
Don’t worry. The team at Keela has compiled a list of the top nonprofit thought blogs your organization should follow. These 20 thought leaders are credible industry experts who consistently provide impactful and applicable content ranging from the nitty gritty specifics on how to optimize your online donation form to which fundraising trends you should be following this year.
1. John Haydon
This is a tribute to John Haydon, a true leader and inspiring human who led the nonprofit sector for many years. While deeply saddened by his passing, we want to publish this article in celebration of his memory as we shine a light on the next generation of leaders who continue to move the sector forward.
2. Vu Le
Self-declared unicorn, Vu Le (“voo lay”) is a writer, speaker, and former executive director of Rainier Valley Corps, a nonprofit in Seattle. In his blog, he uses sharp humor and pictures of cute puppies to talk about the challenges nonprofits face every day. He has established himself as a champion for equality, calling on all nonprofit organizations to rethink how we tackle diversity in the workplace.
Follow Vu
Website: nonprofitaf
Facebook: Nonprofit AF
Twitter: @NonprofitAF
3. Beth Kanter
With over 35 years working in the sector, Beth Kanter is a nonprofit master coach. She has trained hundreds of organizations for capacity building and leadership strategy. She’s leading the conversation about AI for nonprofits, gathering her findings in a monthly roundup. What’s next, she’s a well-being guru. Her third book, “Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategy for Impact without Burnout”, is a comprehensive guide in finding a healthier work-life balance.
Follow Beth
Website: bethkanter.org
Facebook: Beth Kanter Blog
Twitter: @kanter
4. Julia Campbell
If you need hands-on help with getting more visibility on social media, Julia Campbell is your expert. Her blog teaches nonprofits how to successfully plan and launch marketing campaigns across different channels. A true advocate of technology and digital tools, online engagement has no secrets for her! Author of “Storytelling in the Digital Age: A Guide for Nonprofits”, she just launched the Social Media for Social good Academy. And if you’re not ready for a full training program, you can always subscribe to her weekly newsletter.
Follow Julia
Website: jcsocialmarketing
Facebook: J C Social Marketing
Twitter: @JuliaCSocial
5. Joan Garry
A mentor, professor, and engaging storyteller, Joan Garry is a nonprofit superstar. Do you want to be a great executive director? Do you want to engage effectively with your board? Look no further. Her nonprofit blog offers tons of articles to build and cultivate nonprofit leadership. If you prefer listening to inspiring stories and valuable management tips, her podcast “Nonprofits are messy” is the way to go. That’s not all! You can also join her online education community. The Nonprofit Leadership Lab is a great place to receive support and connect with fellow nonprofit professionals.
Follow Joan
Website: blog.joangarry.com
Facebook: Joan Garry Consulting
Twitter: @joangarry
6. Kivi Leroux Miller
A must-follow for the latest on nonprofit communication strategies and tactics, Kivi Leroux Miller is the founder and CEO of Nonprofit Marketing Guide and the award-winning author of three books. Through blogs, workshops and webinars, she teaches nonprofit communication professionals how to be collaborative, agile, logical, and methodical in their communications work.
Follow Kivi
Website: nonprofitmarketingguide
Facebook: Nonprofit Marketing Guide
Twitter: @kivilm
7. Erica Waasdorp
Erica Waasdorp published one of the very few books on monthly giving, called “Monthly Giving. The Sleeping Giant.” President of A Direct Solution, her nonprofit blog is a wealth of knowledge on every aspect of fundraising, from fundamentals and how-to’s to international fundraising requirements, direct mail and monthly giving strategies. Tune in at the start of every week for her #MonthlyDonorMonday tips.
Follow Erica
Website: adirectsolution.com
Facebook: A Direct Solution
Twitter: @ericawaasdorp
8. Lori L. Jacobwith
Does your nonprofit need to bring some heat? We recommend Lori L. Jacobwith’s Fire Starters Blog. It brings boldness, clarity, and wisdom for fundraising professionals by sharing helpful storytelling and fundraising tools and strategies. Named one of America’s Top 25 Fundraising Experts, Lori L. Jacobwith has more than 25 years’ experience as an internationally-recognized master storyteller. Follow her weekly nonprofit blog and you’ll learn how to best tell effective stories that cause donors to give more.
Follow Lori
Website: IgnitedFundraising.com
Facebook: L Jacobwith
Twitter: @LJacobwith
9. Brady Josephson
A self-professed charity nerd, Brady Josephson is on a mission to see more people giving and more causes. His blog is a must-see for nonprofits looking to boost online fundraising. He develops useful resources and provides hands-on training to help organizations raise more money online to fund their life-changing work. He is also a host of “The Generosity Freakshow” — a podcast discussing how we can improve, optimize, and grow giving.
Follow Brady
Website: Brady Josephson
Twitter: @bradyjosephson
LinkedIn: Brady Josephson
10. Amy Eisenstein
Fundraising speaker, author and trainer, Amy Eisenstein has been a development professional and fundraising consultant for more than 20 years. Co-founder of the Capital Campaign Toolkit, she has developed a strong, effective focus on fundraising and her blog is a wealth of fundraising advice for nonprofits looking to increase major gift donations, annual funding campaigns, and capital campaigns.
Follow Amy
Website: amyeisenstein.com
Facebook: Amy Eisenstein Fundraising
Twitter: @AmyEisenstein
11. Amy Sample Ward
We think Amy Sample Ward is more than just another voice in the conversation. The CEO of NTEN, Amy specializes in technology-driven decision making for nonprofit professionals. She an author, speaker, conference presenter, keynote speaker, and nonprofit trainer, Amy is a trusted voice on all things tools, technology, and disruption in the sector.
Follow Amy
Website: NTEN
Twitter: @amyrsward
LinkedIn: Amy Sample Ward
12. Heather Mansfield
Heather Mansfield is the founder, and editor-in-chief of Nonprofit Tech for Good – a leading nonprofit resource that focuses on technology, online communication, as well as mobile and social fundraising advice. With easy-to-understand, downloadable content that will help boost your fundraising strategies, Heather’s blog is not one to be overlooked on our list of nonprofit blogs. Besides curating great, sector-specific content, Heather is also the best-selling author of “Mobile for Good” and “Social Media for Good.”
Follow Heather
Website: Nonprofit Tech for Good
Twitter: @nonprofitorgs
LinkedIn: Heather Mansfield
13. Pamela Grow
A leader in the nonprofit world since 2012, fundraising expert, Pamela Grow has helped nonprofits raise hundreds of millions of donation dollars. Her newsletter, the Grow Report, shares helpful tips and timely advice to over 40,000 nonprofit marketers and fundraisers. We recommend checking out her Motivate Monday Webinar series which offers free, weekly training, motivation, and inspiration for the nonprofit sector.
14. Vanessa Chase Lockshin
A The Storytelling Non-Profit is a wealth of blog posts and videos all geared at teaching you how to best tell your organization’s story. It’s run by author and nonprofit expert, Vanessa Chase Lockshin, who specializes in nonprofit storytelling, fundraising, and communications. Besides creating her own handy ‘How-To’ Guides, Vanessa has curated a collection of other resources your nonprofit can use. Browse her blog for recommendations on books, online courses, technology tools, and webinars that will help you best tell your nonprofit’s story.
Follow Vanessa
Website: The Storytelling Non-Profit
Facebook: The Storytelling Non-Profit
Twitter: @vanessaechase
15. Allison Fine
Community leader, nonprofit founder, and now a congressional candidate, Allison Fine is a wonder woman of social innovation. Having spent her whole life dedicated to the sector, she is the author of three books, “Matterness: Fearless Leadership for a Social World,” “Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age” and “The Networked Nonprofit.” She holds a special place in Keela’s heart as a prominent thought leader on how Artificial Intelligence can be used by nonprofits to increase social good (you know how much we love AI in the nonprofit sector!).
Follow Allison
Website: Allison Fine
LinkedIn: Allison Fine
16. Maureen Wallbeoff
Meet Maureen Wallbeoff. Her blog provides “practical wisdom for nonprofit accidental techies.” A big thinker when it comes to data, tech and the nonprofit space, Maureen provides interesting insights into nonprofit software, online donation strategies, and tech. You can also sign up to receive her webinars, worksheets, and checklists for free. Yup, we’ve crunched the numbers and we think her blog is definitely worth a follow.
Follow Maureen
Website: The Nonprofit Accidental Techie Blog
Facebook: The Accidental Techie
LinkedIn: Maureen Wallbeoff
17. Elisa Kosarin
How many hats have you worn in your organization? If you ask Elisa Kosarin, she’ll say about 20. The founder of the Twenty Hats blog, and with 20 years experience under her… hat, Elisa’s specialty lies in training nonprofit staff on volunteer management. Read her blog to learn best practices when it comes to managing, mobilizing, and maximizing your nonprofit’s volunteer programs.
Follow Elisa
Website: Twenty Hats
Twitter: @thnonprofit
LinkedIn: Elisa Kosarin
18. Cindy Wagman
Cindy Wagman is the president and CEO of the Good Partnership. Specifically catering to grassroots organizations, Cindy began “The Small Nonprofit” podcast, which is co-hosted by Canadian nonprofit resource giant, CharityVillage. Cindy’s podcast is an excellent platform for down-to-earth, practical, and expert guidance on how to get things done in your small organization. The topics cover everything from leadership, to fundraising, to donor management. The podcast is “creating a community of nonprofit leaders who are going to change the world, one small nonprofit at a time.”
Follow Cindy
Website: The Good Partnership
Twitter: @cindywagman
LinkedIn: Cindy Wagman
19. Simone Joyaux
Raise more money. Build a stronger board. Plan for the future. Fix problems and take advantage of opportunities. This is what Simone Joyaux will help you with through her comprehensive (and free!) Learning Centre. There are a whole host of leading industry tips for staff and board members who need a boost with fund developments, boards, planning, and many more.
Follow Simone
Website: Simone Joyaux
Twitter: @spjoyaux
LinkedIn: Simone Joyaux
20. Randy Hawthorne
Meet Nonprofit Hub is an online educational community that provides nonprofits with the tools and resources they need in order to better both their organizations and impact communities. At the helm of this resource ship is Randy Hawthorne, a perennial board member and nonprofit spirit guide. He facilitates the Nonprofit Hub Podcast – called the “Hubcast.” Tune in if you’re interested in breaking down data, listening to sector leaders, and staying on top of the trends driving the industry.
Follow Randy
Website: Nonprofit Hub
Twitter: @nphub
LinkedIn: Randy Hawthorne
21. Mary Cahalane
After 30 years in the nonprofit sector, Mary Cahalane continues to promote a hands-on approach through her blog, Hands On Fundraising. She is an excellent educational resource if you want to grow your nonprofit and raise more money. In an easy-to-digest style, readers can dive deep into every aspect of fundraising – from start to finish.
Follow Mary
Website: Hands On Fundraising
Twitter: @mcahalane
LinkedIn: Mary Cahalane
22. Karen Graham
Karen Graham is a sought-after speaker, trainer, writer, and consultant with expertise in technology leadership and innovation, nonprofit software, and digital strategy. As the Director of Education and Outreach at Tech Impact, she leads the charge in providing your nonprofit with a host of resources, webinars and online courses aimed at training your organization to best implement technology.
Follow Karen
Website: Tech Impact
Twitter: @tech_impact
LinkedIn: Karen T Graham
23. Nejeed Kassam
Nejeed is Keela’s fearless CEO. He’s spent 30 years working in-and-around the nonprofit sector including as a charity lawyer, author and nonprofit leader. He currently empowers nonprofits to embrace their inner data scientist through various webinars, podcasts, and conference presentations. Of course, he’s also doing this through Keela, we try to democratize AI for the nonprofit space. Learn more Intelligence insights from Nejeed at the upcoming NTEN conference, where he’ll be speaking.
Follow Nejeed
Website: Keela
LinkedIn: Nejeed Kassam
Anyone involved in the nonprofit sector will benefit from following these leaders. If you want your organization to grow, it’s best to learn from those who are leading the charge.
Do you have a favorite nonprofit resource or thought leader you follow? Let us know! We’d love to check them out.
