Secrets of Social Impact Communicators: A Silver Maple Strategies Podcast with Nate Birt

Coloring outside the lines to uplift, coach, and grow the impact of discerning social purpose professionals and the people who depend on them. I'm Nate Birt, founder of Silver Maple Strategies, a consultancy focused on nonprofit communication strategy social impact storytelling, and leadership development. As a strategist, copy writer, coach (read: encourager), and public speaker, I help mission-driven leaders tell their stories, strengthen their teams, and grow their visibility where it matters most. As a husband, father of four, and growth junkie, what I love best is helping people achieve their dreams, both at work and at home with the ones they love. Join me for conversations with incredible human beings who share real-world insights and practical lessons--designed to help you lead with clarity, communicate with purpose, and make our world a whole lot brighter.

S1: E15 - Invisible No More: How to Build a Nonprofit Brand That Funders and Partners Remember 05/05/2025

S1: E14 Five Fundraising Diversification Strategies Nonprofit Executives Need to Know in 2025 04/07/2025

S1: E14 Five Fundraising Diversification Strategies Nonprofit Executives Need to Know in 2025 In this episode, I walk nonprofit leaders through timely strategies for building fundraising resilience in a complex and fast-evolving 2025 landscape. You'll walk away with actionable ideas, renewed confidence, and a powerful framework to tackle today’s toughest fundraising challenges. I introduce our team's proprietary Resilience Leadership Model, crafted to help nonprofit organizations navigate change with purpose and strategy. You’ll learn why so many nonprofits struggle with silos, underutilize AI, and fall into reactive patterns—and how to break free. Plus, I share behind-the-scenes insights from my 8+ years working alongside nonprofit leaders on: Why resilience is the new success metric for nonprofits How to foster morale, flexibility, and clarity across your team What AI can (and can’t) do for your fundraising efforts Why reporting isn’t just about metrics—it’s about strategic storytelling A practical 3-step path: Communicate, Experiment, Accelerate Whether you’re a nonprofit executive, development professional, or simply passionate about impact-driven work, this episode will leave you energized and equipped to lead with greater confidence and creativity. Free Resources from This Episode If you'd like access to any of the following, simply email me at [email protected]: 🎁 Journaling Prompts for Fundraising Strategy – Designed to help you clarify next steps for your organization 📥 Session Recording & Slides – Available to all attendees and registrants 📅 Book a 1:1 Strategy Session with Nate – No pressure, just a conversation about your nonprofit and specific areas where you're looking to grow. Get in Touch 💡 Want personalized support for your nonprofit? Visit our website at 📬 Sign up for Nate’s free newsletter: 🎙️ Check out the podcast on your favorite player—and on ! /episode/index/show/e3dbdfb6-0a82-4873-b070-c0b919e17048/id/36038560

S1: E13 - How To Partner With Family Philanthropy And Strengthen Messaging To Advance Climate Action with Eva Goulbourne 10/24/2024

S1: E13 - How To Partner With Family Philanthropy And Strengthen Messaging To Advance Climate Action with Eva Goulbourne In this episode, I sit down with , Founder and CEO of , for a fascinating discussion of why this is a historic moment for addressing climate change via food and agriculture. Eva's food systems and sustainability strategy firm focuses on using food systems transformation as the climate solution. She brings extensive expertise serving both for-profit and nonprofit executives including food business technology companies, venture capital, nonprofits, and family philanthropy. Eva's passion for food and its ability to connect people and transform lives began before the age of 10, when she became a loyal subscriber to Martha Stewart Living. She went on to develop a passion for international development and spent time working with farmers in Kenya and Malawi before serving as Senior Associate in Agriculture Technology Innovations at the World Economic Forum and later as Employee No. 1 and Director of Business & Multistakeholder Programs at ReFED, where she helped scale food waste solutions across the U.S. In this episode, Eva shares insights on timely topics for social impact leaders, including: Diversifying Your Funding Strategy In Partnership With Family Philanthropy: Eva shares how nonprofits can partner with family philanthropy by developing relationships grounded in trust, understanding individual trustees' priorities, and adding immediate value rather than simply asking for an investment upfront. Connecting Your Nonprofit's Outcomes To The Broader Climate-Action Narrative: Eva explains how many nonprofits undersell their climate impact. She offers practical communications strategies nonprofits can use to frame their programs as climate solutions. Appreciating The Unique Nature Of This Food-Climate Moment: Eva shares her perspective on what makes this moment - 2024 and beyond - so special for leaders and organizations advancing climate solutions via the food system. Resources and Links: Connect with Eva Goulbourne on . Learn more about Little Foot Ventures at . Get my free report, "10 Climate-Smart Ag Risks Facing Nonprofits in 2025," by emailing me at . Purchase my new book, 7 Secrets of Highly Effective Social Impact Communicators: . Credits: Thank you to our producer, Lee Williams, for editing and producing this episode. Please rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform. Every review helps spread the word! /episode/index/show/e3dbdfb6-0a82-4873-b070-c0b919e17048/id/33597767

S1: E12 - Elevate The Humanity Of Your Social Impact Organization With Jan Barlow of Better Job Fit 10/23/2024

S1: E12 - Elevate The Humanity Of Your Social Impact Organization With Jan Barlow of Better Job Fit In this episode of Secrets of Social Impact Communicators, I welcome Jan Barlow, founder of , for an insightful conversation on career transitions, leadership, and purpose-driven work. Jan shares her incredible journey from a successful corporate career in pharmaceuticals to creating an organization that helps vulnerable populations such as veterans and foster care communities transition into civilian work. Jan opens up about her own career challenges, including the burnout that came from working outside of her strengths and how it led her to rethink her path. She now uses her extensive experience in job matching to help others find meaningful, aligned careers that make a difference. Jan also delves into the critical role of emotional intelligence, behavioral diversity, and creating shame-free environments where individuals and teams can thrive. Key Takeaways: Career Alignment & Well-Being: Jan emphasizes the importance of working in alignment with your strengths and gifts to avoid burnout and stress. Her personal story highlights how job misalignment can lead to physical and mental health issues for social impact leaders and their teams. Conscious Awareness in Leadership: Social impact leaders must prioritize raising their own self-awareness and make the mindset shift from "me" to "we" to use their strengths for the greater good. Helping Vulnerable Populations: Better Job Fit’s work with veterans and foster care communities provides structured job-matching, helping individuals transition from highly regulated environments (military, foster care) to the unstructured private sector with confidence and clarity. Jan shares several poignant stories of career transformation that will challenge you to take your purpose-driven work to the next level of excellence. Behavioral Diversity: Jan discusses the importance of recognizing behavioral differences in teams and explains how understanding these differences can mitigate conflict and improve collaboration. Creating Solutions, Not Blame: Building a "solution-oriented" culture helps teams focus on progress, rather than dwelling on problems. This fosters a healthier, more collaborative workplace. Memorable Quotes: "What's really not spoken of or discussed much is the psychological impact when you are in job transition. ... When you are in that food, water, shelter mode you can have a house, you can have everything fine, but mentally, if you're in that fear mode ... you start to get into that psychological spiral. That's really what I wanted to help alleviate." - Jan Barlow "It's about deference over difference, respect over talking about how different we are ... . That's really what behavior diversity is about." - Jan Barlow Resources: Learn more about Jan and her work at her website, Interested in personalized career consulting? Reach out to Jan at . Call to Action: Be sure to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast platform, and check out my latest book, . For guest ideas or topics you'd like to hear about in future episodes, reach out to Nate at . Production Credits: Special thanks to Lee Williams for producing this episode. Remember: Social impact work is soul work. Lead like you live. /episode/index/show/e3dbdfb6-0a82-4873-b070-c0b919e17048/id/33585192

S1: E11 - Building Climate Resilience And Advancing Equity with Cytandra Hoover 05/02/2024

S1: E10 - Crowdfunding For Social Impact with Devin Thorpe, CEO and Champion of Social Good, Super Crowd Inc. 04/02/2024

S1: E10 - Crowdfunding For Social Impact with Devin Thorpe, CEO and Champion of Social Good, Super Crowd Inc. In this fascinating episode, we dive deep into the world of social impact crowdfunding with Devin Thorpe, the CEO and Champion of Social Good at Super Crowd Inc. Devin, an acclaimed author, speaker, and a beacon of hope for entrepreneurs and investors alike, shares valuable insights into leveraging crowdfunding for meaningful social change. Highlights from our conversation include: Devin's Journey: Learn about Devin's transition from finance to focusing on making a meaningful difference through social impact. His story is a testament to the power of leveraging financial expertise for the greater good. Understanding Crowdfunding: Devin demystifies regulated crowdfunding, explaining how it differs from traditional crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo. This segment is crucial for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of investment in social ventures. Inclusivity in Finance: Discover how crowdfunding is creating new opportunities for women, diverse founders, and other entrepreneurs who have historically faced barriers in accessing capital. Impact Investing Made Accessible: Devin discusses how platforms like SMBx make it possible for virtually anyone to start investing in small businesses with as little as $10, emphasizing the democratization of impact investing. Strategic Advice for Social Entrepreneurs: From navigating legal landscapes to employing AI tools such as ChatGPT for business planning, Devin offers actionable advice for entrepreneurs looking to harness the power of crowdfunding. The Future of Crowdfunding: Hear Devin's vision for the future, where social impact crowdfunding becomes a normalized and integral part of our financial ecosystem, driving widespread social change. Devin's Recommendations: Book: - A guide to navigating the world of investment crowdfunding with a focus on maximizing both financial returns and social impact. Connect with Devin: Visit to learn more about Devin's work. Follow Devin on for insights and updates in the field of social impact crowdfunding. Special Thanks: A huge thank you to Lee Williams for his editing and production work on this episode. Stay Connected: Interested in more insights on social impact communication? Order my book, "," available now on Amazon. For more about me and my work in climate change consulting, visit . Connect with me on for updates and discussions on social impact strategies. /episode/index/show/e3dbdfb6-0a82-4873-b070-c0b919e17048/id/30639863

S1: E9 - Leverage Video For Authentic Social Impact Storytelling with Tamika Bickham 01/29/2024

S1: E8 - Unleashing Creativity, Taking Risks, And Preserving Integrity with Deborah Marshall 10/26/2023

S1: E8 - Unleashing Creativity, Taking Risks, And Preserving Integrity with Deborah Marshall In this episode, I'm thrilled to introduce you to Deborah Marshall, director of sales and marketing at , an iconic B2C media brand in my adoptive state of Missouri. Deborah is a true leader in the world of sales, marketing, and purpose-driven communication. During our conversation, Deborah talks about where her best ideas come from - and how other social impact communicators can spark their own creativity. She also talks about the promise of risk-taking and the value of collaboration to create amazing, powerful storytelling. You'll also capture powerful ideas for strengthening your leadership capacity as a social impact communicator. Deborah shares how openness and cross-pollination of ideas can foster a culture of mutual respect, innovation, and preserved integrity. Deborah also delves into the practical side of creativity, discussing how she and her team evaluate the potential value and impact of new ideas and initiatives. She shares her strategy of categorizing projects based on their potential business value and brand impact, providing listeners with a tangible framework for assessing their own creative endeavors. I absolutely love Deborah's fearless approach to her work and life. She encourages listeners to embrace risk and not to fear failure. Your willingness to try new things in social impact can lead to unparalleled growth and success. Whether you're a young professional just starting out in your communication career or a seasoned veteran, Deborah's insights will inspire and challenge you to think creatively, take well-calculated chances, and keep learning. More from our conversation: Connect with on LinkedIn Visit the website to learn more about Deborah's work and find great examples of social impact storytelling Deborah recommends the movie, "" Thanks as always to Lee Williams for editing and producing this episode! You can find me online here: Preorder my new book, "" for more about me and my social impact work for your next event /episode/index/show/e3dbdfb6-0a82-4873-b070-c0b919e17048/id/28429478

S1: E7 - The Right Way To Hire And Partner With A Communications Consultant with Jacque Matsen 08/11/2023

S1: E6 - How AI Tools Can Transform Your Grant Proposals with Philip Deng 07/31/2023

S1: E5 - What Are Grant Matching Funds? 07/20/2023

S1: E4 - Social Impact Insight: Unplug To Redeem The Time 03/17/2023

S1: E3 - 3 Energy Keys For Your Social Impact Career 03/09/2023

S1: E2 - What Is Social Impact Communication? 02/28/2023

S1: E1 - Welcome To The Nate Birt Show 12/09/2022

Secrets of Social Impact Communicators: A Silver Maple Strategies Podcast with Nate Birt

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