Empower Hour

Gala Goals: Designing Events that Inspire Giving

Planning a nonprofit event is more than menus and timelines. It is about designing an experience that moves people to give. In this episode, St. Jude’s ALSAC Senior Advisor and Events Planner, Molly Fitzpatrick Moore, shares practical ways to turn any budget into a mission-driven moment that donors remember. We dig into curated guest lists, experiential luxury without overspend, volunteer playbooks, AI for planners, and themes that connect to your story.

 

Listen in, take notes, then steal Molly’s templates and tactics for your next event.

From Colorado to the World: How Project C.U.R.E. Turned Compassion into Global Impact

What does it take to deliver four semi-truck loads of lifesaving medical supplies every week to clinics and hospitals around the world? Dr. Douglas Jackson shares how Project C.U.R.E. grew from a family garage effort to one of America’s most impactful global health nonprofits. We dig into volunteer-first leadership, Starbucks-style operations for quality control, donor transparency, and a data mindset that makes reporting easier for partners and staff.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Project C.U.R.E. and Dr. Douglas Jackson
02:45 The Family Story and the First Shipment
05:30 Measuring Lives Touched and Needs Assessments
08:48 Structure and Logistics: Why “Company-owned stores”
11:14 Volunteer Recruitment and Retention
16:23 Financial Management and Transparency
23:00 Fundraising Strategies and Local Ownership
32:01 Branding the Cure Programs: Cargo, Clinics, College, Kits
35:45 Donations, Partnerships, and In-kind Supply Chains
37:04 Humanitarian Work Without Burning Out
40:15 Storytelling That Sustains Donors and Teams
43:34 Measuring Outcomes When Records Are on Paper
46:24 Data Dashboards and Report-as-a-Service
50:15 Treating Donors and Volunteers as Customers
53:22 Business Skills in Nonprofit Leadership
56:14 Practical Advice Nonprofit Leaders Can Use Now

You’ll learn

• A warehouse and logistics model that scales without sacrificing quality
• How to center volunteers so retention becomes your advantage
• Why responsibility must come with authority when you delegate
• What real transparency looks like for fundraising and reserves
• How to brand multi-program work so donors understand the offer
• Practical ways to measure outcomes and deliver ready-to-use impact reports

From Profit to Purpose: Marketing Mastery for Social Impact

Entrepreneur and creative leader Eli Rubel joins Carina Martin to share hard-won marketing lessons that nonprofits can use right away. After the 2021 downturn, Eli went from peak profit to a sudden $200K monthly loss, then rebuilt and now runs successful agencies focused on mission-driven work. This conversation is a practical tour of donor segmentation, message testing, smart use of AI, and storytelling that moves people to act.

Lead Like You Mean It: The Strengths Revolution in Nonprofit Leadership

Leadership expert Dr. Cheryl Lovell shares 35+ years of wisdom on transforming nonprofit teams through strengths-based leadership. Learn how to identify and leverage your team's hidden talents, prevent burnout through strategic delegation, and build authentic leadership even as an introvert. Discover why your greatest strength can become your weakness and how to embrace failure as "First Attempt In Learning." Perfect for nonprofit leaders looking to revolutionize their approach to team development and organizational effectiveness.

Host: Carina Martin Guest: Dr. Cheryl Lovell Series: Empower Hour

Discover:

• How to find what's RIGHT with your team using CliftonStrengths
• Why your strengths can become liabilities when overused
• The power of authentic leadership for introverts
• Building trust as a measurable organizational asset
• Creating a "strengths calendar" for strategic effectiveness
• Why failure is just your "First Attempt In Learning"
• Practical delegation strategies to prevent burnout

Making Money Make Sense- How One Leader is Revolutionizing Financial Education (and Having Fun Doing It!)

Join Empower Hour host Carina Martin for an inspiring conversation with Amy Sherman, Vice President of Public Affairs at Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, as she shares how innovative financial education is transforming young lives across Colorado and Wyoming.

Key moments: 

• 0:00 Introduction & Amy's Journey 
• 6:15 Understanding Junior Achievement's Mission 
• 12:30 The Economic Literacy Colorado Merger 
• 18:45 Making Financial Education Engaging 
• 25:30 Dream Accelerator & Finance Park Programs 
• 32:15 Legislative Efforts for Financial Education 
• 38:40 Building Community Partnerships 
• 45:20 Leadership Lessons & Personal Growth 
• 52:30 Work-Life Balance & Avoiding Burnout

Learn about:

• How Junior Achievement is making financial education accessible and fun
• The successful merger of two educational nonprofits
• Innovative approaches to teaching financial literacy
• The importance of making financial education a graduation requirement
• Real success stories of students finding their path
• Practical advice for nonprofit leaders and working parents

Whether you're an educator, parent, nonprofit leader, or someone passionate about financial literacy, this episode offers valuable insights into creating lasting change through education.

Transforming Communities Through Government-Nonprofit Collaboration - A Mayor's Perspective

Join Empower Hour as host Carina Martin sits down with Mayor Guyleen Castriotta of Broomfield, Colorado to explore the powerful intersection of government and nonprofit collaboration. Drawing from her unique experience as both a public servant and former nonprofit worker, Mayor Castriotta shares invaluable insights on building effective partnerships that serve community needs.

Key topics covered:

• 00:00 Introduction to Guyleen Castriotta and Her Journey
• 02:53 The Role of Nonprofits in Community Development
• 05:42 Challenges Faced by Nonprofits
• 08:13 Collaboration Between Government and Nonprofits
• 10:44 Funding and Grant Application Insights
• 13:26 Impactful Nonprofits in Broomfield
• 16:09 Health and Safety Initiatives
• 18:49 Regional Collaboration and Shared Challenges
• 21:30 Common Mistakes in Grant Applications
• 24:08 Resources Beyond Funding for Nonprofits
• 27:48 Community Support and Nonprofit Collaboration
• 31:03 Government's Role in Nonprofit Sustainability
• 33:09 Representation and Diversity in Local Government
• 35:34 Qualities of Effective Nonprofit Leadership
• 37:36 Housing Challenges and Nonprofit Involvement
• 40:28 Future of Nonprofits and Government Partnerships
• 43:25 Personal Passion for Community Development
• 47:22 Balancing Public Service and Personal Life

 

Learn about:

• Strategies for nonprofits to effectively partner with local government
• Innovative approaches to addressing housing and health needs
• Tips for accessing government resources beyond direct funding
• Building inclusive community services
• Real examples of successful government-nonprofit partnerships

 

Mayor Castriotta shares practical advice for nonprofit leaders while offering a transparent look at how local government can support community organizations. Whether you're a nonprofit leader, public servant, or community advocate, this episode provides actionable insights for creating meaningful change through collaboration.

Collective Action, Colossal Impact

In this premiere episode of Empower Hour, host Carina Martin sits down with Lisandra Gonzales, CEO of Cradle to Career Colorado, to explore how collective action can transform communities and create lasting social change.

Key moments: 

• 0:00 Introduction & Welcome 
• 5:15 Understanding Collective Action 
• 12:30 The Seven Critical Milestones 
• 18:45 Youth Voice & Civic Influencers 
• 25:30 Direct Services vs. Systems Change 
• 32:15 Data-Driven Decision Making 
• 38:40 Building Business Partnerships 
• 45:20 Lessons Learned & Success Stories 
• 52:30 Future of Collective Impact

Discover:

• How the Strive Together framework aligns community efforts
• Why data measurement is crucial for systemic change
• Real success stories of community transformation
• Strategies for engaging business partners
• The role of youth voices in creating change
• How to overcome common collaboration challenges

Whether you're a nonprofit leader, educator, or community advocate, this episode provides practical insights into creating meaningful change through collective action. Learn how communities can work together to ensure every young person has the opportunity to thrive from cradle to career.