Aug 5, 2025
What does it mean to be a nonprofit today, and how did we reach a point where so many organizations feel underfunded, under attack, and uncertain about their future? The challenges the nonprofit sector is facing didn't come out of nowhere; they're rooted in deeper systemic issues, and they raise fundamental questions about the role of nonprofits in society. In today's episode, we discuss how we got here, what's changing, and where the sector can and should go next.
Want to suggest a topic, guest, or nonprofit organization for an upcoming episode? Send an email with the subject "NPFX suggestion" to contact@ipmadvancement.com.
Additional Resources
[NPFX] Federal Funding Uncertainty:
How to Assess the Risks and Respond Strategically
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/federal-funding-uncertainty-how-to-assess-the-risks-and-respond-strategically
[NPFX] Building Resilience in the
Face of Funding Cuts
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/building-resilience-in-the-face-of-funding-cuts
[NPFX] Advocacy Matters: Defending
Federal Funding for Nonprofits
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/advocacy-matters-defending-federal-funding-for-nonprofits
Melissa Cowley Wolf
has over 20 years of experience in philanthropy, strategic
planning, and programming for art museums and higher education
institutions across the United States. A philanthropy consultant
for nonprofit organizations, an advisor to next generation
philanthropists, and arts advocate working across industries, she
was named to the Artnet 2020 Innovators List as one of 51 global
innovators transforming the art industry. Melissa founded advising
firm MCW Projects LLC in 2017 to expand
the next generation of cultural philanthropists, advocates, and
audiences. She is also the founding director of the Arts Funders Forum (AFF) an
advocacy, media, convening, and research platform designed to
develop new models of impact-driven financial support for the
cultural sector.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-cowley-wolf-6440a79/
https://www.mcw-projects.com/
https://www.artsfundersforum.com/
Patton Hindle
is the Executive Director of Artadia, a nonprofit grantmaker
that centers artists in their vital role in society through
providing funding and professional development in 7 US cities. Most
recently, Patton was the Head of Forward Funds, Kickstarter’s first
social impact. She also served as the Head of Arts at Kickstarter
for 5 years, working closely with artists, collectives, arts
organizations, and cultural institutions around the world to help
them realize creative and ambitious ideas.
Patton is a co-author of How to Start and Run a Commercial Art
Gallery and was a 2019 Catherine Hannah Behrend Fellow at 92Y Women
inPower in New York. Patton served as an advisor to Mellon
Foundation and is currently on the Board of Directors of The
Laundromat Project, serves as the secretary of the Board of
Directors of Socrates Sculpture Park, and she is a mentor for New
Inc.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patton-hindle/
https://www.pattonhindle.com/
https://artadia.org/
George Suttles is a
recognized expert on the intersection of philanthropy, racial
equity, and nonprofit finance. He’s passionate about helping the
sector confront its toughest challenges. Prior to his current
role, George was a Program Officer at the John A. Hartford
Foundation, an independent, national private foundation focused on
improving care for older adults. Before joining the foundation, he
was a Vice President, Senior Philanthropic Relationship Manager at
U.S. Trust/Bank of America. In this role he worked with private and
institutional clients on issues related to best practices in
strategic grantmaking. He is a member of numerous nonprofit boards
including the New York Foundation, where he serves as chair. George
received a B.A. from Wesleyan University, an M.A. in Philanthropic
Studies from Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
(IUPUI), and an M.P.A. from Baruch CUNY School of Public
Affairs.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgesuttles/
Russ Phaneuf, a
co-founder of IPM Advancement, has a background in higher education
development, with positions at the University of Hartford, Northern
Arizona University, and Thunderbird School of Global Management. As
IPM's managing director & chief strategist, Russ serves as lead
fundraising strategist, award-winning content creator, and program
analyst specializing in applied system dynamics.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/russphaneuf/
Rich Frazier has
worked in the nonprofit sector for over 35 years. In his roles as
senior consultant with IPM Advancement and founder of VisionConnect LLC, Rich offers extensive
understanding and knowledge in capital campaigns, fund development,
strategic planning, and board of directors development.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richfrazier/
https://www.visionconnectllc.com/