Learning for Good | L&D Solutions and Leadership Development for Nonprofit Organizations

3 Skills Your Nonprofit Needs in 2026

As nonprofit leaders look ahead to the new year, it’s essential to understand which capabilities will matter most. In this episode, I’m breaking down the top skills nonprofits will need in 2026 so teams can stay resilient, adaptive, and mission-focused. Plus, I’m sharing a simple three-step process to help you identify the specific skills your organization should prioritize this year.If you’re planning your Learning and Development strategies for 2026, you’ll walk away with clarity on where to focus your efforts and how to better support your people.▶️ 3 Skills Your Nonprofit Needs in 2026 ▶️ Key Points:00:00:00 Welcoming A New Nonprofit Year00:04:29 Exploring Key Capabilities00:10:13 Mapping Needed SkillsResources from this episode:Start by catching up with Episode 113: How to Set Values-Based Goals for 2025.Read the article I’m referring to in the episode: 10 Critical Skills Every Leader Must Master In 2026Take a look at my episode with Dr. Reggie Thomas: Episode 162: Why Wellbeing is Mission Critical for Your NonprofitJoin us January 12th-16th for Career Week at the Collective, an event designed to help you grow your nonprofit L&D careers together. Learn all the details and grab your ticket at https://collective.skillmastersmarket.com/invitation?code=3CG346Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveWe want to hear from you. Tell me what you want to hear more of or less of on the podcast. Ask a question or make a request through our Speakpipe link.Was this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗Connect with HeatherLinkedIn: Heather BurrightWebsite: skillmastersmarket.comBook an interest call with Heather here.Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization. Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!Produced by Ideablossoms

2025 Was a Wild Ride. Here's What We Have Planned for 2026

We are already at the end of 2025. This is a time of reflection, goal setting, and a renewed commitment to being our best selves. I love this time of year, and each year I like to spend some time reflecting on my goals, what I've been able to accomplish, and where I missed a little bit.So, in this episode, I'm going to share some details about what's going on inside Skill Masters Market, my consulting business, Learning for Good, this podcast, and the Nonprofit L&D Collective, our private community for nonprofit training pros.You'll hear about the transformations of 2025 and what's coming in 2026.▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 My personal mission0:03:52 Skill Masters Market0:05:29 Learning for Good0:07:42 Nonprofit L&D CollectiveResources from this episode:Top 5 Learning For Good Podcast episodes:#1 Are Your Nonprofit Leaders The Best They Can Be? Your Leadership Skills Might Be Lagging And THIS Is Why#2 Using a Blended, Cohort Training Model to Create Behavior Change with Nonprofit Leader Rebecca Kelley#3 Want to Work in Nonprofit L&D? Here’s What You Should Know#4 Using AI to Create Persuasive, Visual Stories for Your Training with Nicholas Leonard#5 How to Conduct a Training Needs Analysis for Nonprofit Staff Development If you're looking for a way to make connection and one-on-one networking easier for your organization, check out Community Hives.Join us January 12th-16th for Career Week at the Collective, an event designed to help you grow your nonprofit L&D careers together. Learn all the details and grab your ticket at https://collective.skillmastersmarket.com/invitation?code=3CG346We want to hear from you. Tell me what you want to hear more of or less of on the podcast. Ask a question or make a request through our Speakpipe link.Connect with HeatherLinkedIn: Heather BurrightWebsite: skillmastersmarket.comBook an interest call with Heather here.Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization. Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!Produced by Ideablossoms

How to Position Training as an Investment (from the Perspective of a CFO) with Rick Dahlseid

As learning and development leaders, it feels like we're always trying to get a seat at the table, but are we truly prepared to have effective conversations with our nonprofit's executives when we get there?To get you ready, in this episode, I invited Rick Dahlseid to help us position training as a worthwhile investment. He is a nonprofit CFO with over 20 years in the sector, with expertise in financial management, operations, and governance.You'll learn about his unique point of view on the role of training and development in a nonprofit, where your conversations about people development should start, the kind of language that will be most effective, and what you should actually focus on to get your point across.▶️ How to Position Training as an Investment (from the Perspective of a CFO) with Rick Dahlseid ▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 Rick's mission and  nonprofit financial leadership0:09:49 How a seasoned nonprofit CFO views training0:16:23 Define ROI for learning and development first0:22:16 How to get the nonprofit to invest in your training0:31:30 Focus on the outcomes and keep the end in mindResources from this episode:Catch up with my recent episode about this topic, The Real Cost of Bad Training.Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveWas this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗Connect with RickLinkedIn: Rick DahlseidWebsite: janussc.orgConnect with HeatherLinkedIn: Heather BurrightWebsite: skillmastersmarket.comBook an interest call with Heather here.Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization. Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!Produced by Ideablossoms

Your Brand Is Your Influence: Building Credibility Inside Your Nonprofit with Lauren Davis

Are you an HR leader or L&D pro who finds themselves having to prove themselves to everyone over and over again, or being brought to the table too late?If you want that to change, you have to build your influence in the organization. You can do it by strengthening your personal brand, which will help you build credibility inside your nonprofit and be seen as a valuable strategic partner. In this episode, I'm joined by branding expert Lauren Davis. She is the founder of Lauren Davis Creative, where she helps  speakers and entrepreneurs establish their memorable personal brands , but today, she's focused on helping you establish your influence in your nonprofit.We talk about why being in control of your personal brand is important, even if you work at a nonprofit, how to start getting yours where you want it to be, and even a fun tip on how to walk into any meeting with confidence.▶️ Your Brand Is Your Influence: Building Credibility Inside Your Nonprofit with Lauren Davis▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 How Lauren learned and shared along the way0:11:27 What a personal brand is and why it matters0:14:23 How to be seen as a strategic partner0:21:05 Get clear on your personal brand0:25:43 Personal branding principles to start with0:32:34 How to not get discouraged along the wayResources from this episode:Join us January 12th-16th for Career Week at the Collective, an event designed to help you grow your nonprofit L&D careers together. Learn all the details and grab your ticket at https://collective.skillmastersmarket.com/invitation?code=3CG346 Join the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveConnect with GuestLinkedIn: Lauren DavisWebsite: laurendaviscreative.comPodcast: The Real Personal Branding PodcastConnect with HeatherLinkedIn: Heather BurrightWebsite: skillmastersmarket.comBook an interest call with Heather here.Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization. Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!Produced by Ideablossoms

How to Spot a Mindset or Motivation Problem (Not a Skill One)

It's very common for leaders to throw training at every performance problem we see. Yet not all performance problems result from a skill gap. In fact, many are due to other factors, such as mindset or motivation. The problem with this is that performance won't change if you offer training in these cases.So, in this episode, I'm breaking down how to  determine if something is a mindset, motivation, or skill gap problem, and why this matters for successful behavior change.▶️ How to Spot a Mindset or Motivation Problem (Not a Skill One) ▶️ Key Points:0:00:00 Why training isn't always the right solution0:02:44 A quick lesson on behavior change0:05:18 Four questions to spot the root cause of a problemResources from this episode:Check out The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg.Learn more about James Clear and his book Atomic Habits.Catch up with these previous episodes if there's a lack of trust or psychological safety in your organization:Episode 151: How to Build a High-Performance Team Starting with TrustEpisode 149: Key Ingredients in a High-Performance CultureJoin the Nonprofit Learning and Development Collective: https://www.skillmastersmarket.com/nonprofit-learning-and-development-collectiveWas this episode helpful? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, follow and leave a review! 👇👇👇Know anyone who would benefit from this episode? SHARE this with your friends. 🔗Connect with HeatherLinkedIn: Heather BurrightWebsite: skillmastersmarket.comBook an interest call with Heather here.Learning for Good is the podcast for nonprofit leaders seeking practical L&D solutions. Hosted by Heather, an experienced consultant, we dive into leadership development, instructional design, change management, and staff management strategies tailored to nonprofit organizations.Discover how to implement impactful learning solutions, foster belonging, and influence senior leaders. Each episode provides the tools you need to confidently navigate high-level conversations and drive meaningful change within your organization. Let’s create lasting impact through innovative L&D solutions!Produced by Ideablossoms