Stacy Palmer on Nonprofits and the Role Optimism Plays in Moving Them Forward
Release Date: 11/05/2025
Phil Green on the Impactful and Inspiring Work He Does for Young Musicians and His Hometown of Oakland
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Phil Green has had a successful career in music and sports. For what he describes as his “third act,” Phil is now overseeing , a nonprofit in his hometown of Oakland, California. Follow the Music provides artist development, booking and management services to young artists — to shine a light on their talents and bring visibility to the programs that helped develop them. Chapters: 00:00 Introducing Phil Green and Follow the Music Bill Burke introduces Phil Green, co-founder of Follow the Music, an organization dedicated to fostering young...
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Stacy Palmer on Nonprofits and the Role Optimism Plays in Moving Them Forward
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Stacy Palmer leads , the leading journal in the world of nonprofits. In this Blue Sky conversation, she talks about the evolution of nonprofits into sophisticated organizations that do remarkable work around the world. She describes the role of donors large and small, and how they’re helping address challenges created by cuts in government funding. Stacy also shares her belief that nothing gets done in this space without a healthy dose of optimism. Chapters: 02:04 Origins of the Chronicle of Philanthropy Stacy Palmer discusses the founding of The...
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Author Bree Groff on Finding Joy at Work
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Erin Cain on Personal Resilience and the Power of Horses to Heal
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Erin Cain didn’t grow up around horses but eventually was exposed to them and the remarkable abilities they have to facilitate healing for a wide range of individuals. A series of life events caused her to move from her native northeast to the Colorado Rockies and today, she’s the co-founder, owner, and operator of . In this episode she describes the personal hardships she’s overcome and the work she now does rescuing and “gentling” wild mustangs, then working with these animals to provide therapy to the diverse group of individuals who come to Grace Reins for healing. ...
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Psychotherapist Meghan Riordan Jarvis on the Importance of Understanding Grief as a Path Toward Living Healthier Lives
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Meghan Riordan Jarvis was a practicing psychotherapist when she found herself devastated by the loss of her two parents. She suddenly saw she was no different from those she helped, but she still needed outside support to recover. In this Blue Sky episode, she describes how this realization led her to become an expert about grief and an advocate for all of us to learn about this important and challenging part of life. Chapters: 02:20 Journey to Psychotherapy Meghan shares her personal journey into psychotherapy, beginning with a...
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Tricia Rose Burt Describes How She Transformed Her Life and Why She Encourages Others to Believe That There Is “No Time to Be Timid”
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Stacey Garcia on Resilience and Optimism in the Face of Personal Roadblocks and Why She Thinks “Mondays are Magic”
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As a personal trainer and wellness coach, Stacey Garcia was doing everything right. She ate well, exercised, and took great care of herself. That’s why her cancer diagnosis came as an extra shock, and in this episode, she explains how she dealt with this news and found strength and resilience as she battled her disease. Now in recovery, Stacey helps guide others through similar challenges both in her daily work as well as her podcast . Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Stacey Garcia Bill Burke introduces Stacey Garcia, host of ‘Never Miss a...
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Back to School Edition
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Host Bill Burke thinks back to his own back to school days and offers thoughts on what he might study were he an incoming student this fall. He also discusses what he might teach if he were a faculty member and encourages us all to keep learning in our lives, whether we are enrolled students or not.
info_outlineStacy Palmer leads The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the leading journal in the world of nonprofits. In this Blue Sky conversation, she talks about the evolution of nonprofits into sophisticated organizations that do remarkable work around the world. She describes the role of donors large and small, and how they’re helping address challenges created by cuts in government funding. Stacy also shares her belief that nothing gets done in this space without a healthy dose of optimism.
Chapters:
02:04 Origins of the Chronicle of Philanthropy
Stacy Palmer discusses the founding of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, explaining how the professionalization and growth of the nonprofit sector created a need for a dedicated publication.
05:09 Motivation and Evolution of Philanthropy
Stacy shares what inspires her in philanthropy, emphasizing the drive to make a difference and adapt to new global challenges like climate change.
07:14 Mega-Philanthropists and Giving Trends
Stacy discusses the significant growth of wealth and the rise of mega-philanthropists like Bill and Melinda Gates, who are making record-setting donations during their lifetimes. She also notes the concerning trend of a precipitous drop in the percentage of Americans who give to charity, now less than 50%.
09:50 Ted Turner’s Impact on Giving
Bill Burke recalls Ted Turner’s billion-dollar donation to the UN and his challenge to other billionaires, including Bill Gates, to give more. Stacy confirms Turner’s inspiration for the mega-philanthropy boom and the Chronicle’s tradition of ranking top givers, an idea Ted championed.
12:15 American Philanthropy vs. Government Aid
Stacy explains the strong American tradition of charitable giving and volunteering, partly due to fewer government social services compared to European countries. She addresses whether individual giving can fill gaps left by government cuts, noting that while people respond generously, philanthropic funds are tiny compared to government provisions.
14:05 Nonprofits in Media and Entrepreneurship
Stacy highlights the innovation possible in nonprofits and emphasizes that optimism is crucial for founders, who are a form of entrepreneur believing change is possible even when facing long-term, complicated problems.
18:02 Optimism in Nonprofit Work
She notes that almost all people in this field are optimists, tempered by reality, who believe individuals and collective efforts can make a difference.
20:09 Nonprofits Now Podcast & Burnout
Stacy discusses her podcast, Nonprofits Now, which focuses on advice from nonprofit leaders to combat burnout, a common issue in the field.
25:01 Challenges and Volunteerism
Stacy addresses the inherent grind of nonprofit work due to long-term, complex problems and the perception that it’s not a ‘serious’ career.
31:37 MacKenzie Scott’s Philanthropic Model
Stacy details MacKenzie Scott’s unique philanthropic approach, characterized by surprise, no-strings-attached gifts to often overlooked organizations. She highlights Scott’s rigorous vetting process and the transformative impact of unrestricted funds, which combat nonprofit burnout caused by restrictive grants and overhead limitations.
39:39 Future Trends in Philanthropy
Stacy forecasts a surge in charitable giving as communities experience the impact of service cuts, driving both individuals and foundations to step up.
45:39 Conclusion and Outreach
Stacy Palmer encourages listeners to find the “Nonprofits Now” podcast and visit philanthropy.com to learn more about the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Bill Burke thanks her for her inspiring insights and commitment to optimism in the nonprofit world, urging listeners to rate and subscribe to the Blue Sky Podcast.