Learning for Good | L&D Solutions and Leadership Development for Nonprofits
As nonprofit learning and development leaders, we want a seat at the table. We want to be viewed as true business partners who can help solve problems. We want to create meaningful learning solutions that fit in the flow of work and yield real results for the organization and for the staff.
That's why in this podcast, we will not only explore instructional design and leadership development best practices, but we will also explore change management, belonging, and influence - helping you build the case for the solutions your organization needs so you can show up confidently in conversations with other senior leaders, subject matter experts, staff, and partners.
If we haven't met yet, I'm Heather, and I’ve been in your shoes. I'm a learning and development consultant and the founder and principal consultant at Skill Masters Market. Before starting Skill Masters Market, I worked for a large national nonprofit where I led learning and development leadership initiatives.
I know what it’s like to need to develop your staff quickly and effectively, and to build the relationships and cut through the organizational layers to be successful. With an eye for the larger strategy and the creative design process, I've created hundreds of learning experiences - in-person, self-paced, and virtual classroom - and have worked with dozens of leaders and their staff to help them achieve their organization’s professional development goals.
So if you're ready to bust through the barriers and start creating behavior change in your nonprofit, this podcast is for you. Let's dive in. It's Learning for Good.
Nonprofit Management | Leadership Training | Leadership Development | Staff Management | Change Management | Instructional Design | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Learn more: www.skillmastersmarket.com
Connect with me: www.linkedin.com/in/heather-burright
Schedule a call: https://bit.ly/3GQT6Yg
Episodes
184 episodes
Why Good Training Takes Time
Good training takes time, and in a world where AI can generate content in seconds, that truth is more important than ever. In this episode, we unpack why effective learning and development strategies in nonprofits can’t be rushed, e...
How One Nonprofit Trains Its Volunteer Workforce with Jim Farmer
Training volunteers is one of the most complex and overlooked areas of nonprofit training and development. In this episode, I had the privilege of talking with the VP of Training at For the Children, Jim Farmer, to unpack how organi...
5 Common Concerns About Training (and How to Address Them)
If you’ve ever struggled to gain buy-in for nonprofit leadership development, you’re not alone. Many nonprofit leaders hesitate to invest in training, not because they don’t care, but because they have real concerns about time, cost, and impact...
Custom AI Agents for Learning? A Look at One Nonprofit's Innovative Approach with Jorge Perez
AI is rapidly reshaping nonprofit leadership development, and organizations that embrace it now will be better positioned to build stronger teams, scale impact, and drive consistent performance. In this episode, I sit down with the ...
5 Practical Post-Training Strategies to Make Learning Stick
Too often, staff training and development ends when the workshop does. But as I share in this episode of Learning for Good, training alone rarely leads to lasting results. Without the right systems in place, even the most engaging learning expe...
Nonprofit L&D Leaders: Your Role is Much Bigger Than Delivering Training
In this episode of Learning for Good, I’m sharing a heartfelt message for nonprofit learning and development professionals who want their work to drive real impact, not just course completions. If you’ve ever felt like a “training f...
Inside Look: How One Nonprofit Is Building Its Leadership Development Pipeline with Jeremy Bouman
While leadership transitions are inevitable, there are too many organizations that aren’t prepared for this eventuality. In this episode, I’ve got Jeremy Bouman with me to explore how nonprofit leadership development and intentional...
The Value of Executive Coaching in Nonprofits with Chris Wong
As learning and development leaders, we have lots of tools in our toolkit, and when others in our organization come to us with a challenge or an opportunity, we don't always have to point to training.Coaching is one alternative option t...
What Happens When L&D Stops Being Reactive and Starts Driving Strategy
As nonprofit L&D leaders, we often sit and wait for our stakeholders to approach us with their demands, and only then react to their needs. Unfortunately, this isn't always conducive to creating change.But what would happen if we shi...
How One Nonprofit Used Habit Stacking to Improve Feedback Skills with Amy Glover
Motivation is fickle. At the end of the day, even with the best learning experience and high motivation, people are going back into their workplace, and when you're back in your day-to-day, it's easy to fall back on a habit. So, how do you act...
Why It's Your Nonprofit's Culture (Not Compliance) That Drives Consistent Performance
In your experience as a nonprofit L&D leader, has telling people what to do and forcing them to comply ever led to the behavior change you were looking for? Unfortunately, this doesn't work for two-year-olds, 52-year-olds, or those who work...
How to Build Your Personal Brand as a Nonprofit L&D Leader with Andy Storch
I'm a big believer in the personal brand and how it can impact you and your career. I've seen it in my own life, both internally at organizations and as a consultant and a community builder. How others perceive us matters. In this episod...
You're Not a Training Factory. You are a Change Agent.
When our stakeholders come to us asking for training, they are usually thinking of traditional training. So, they treat us, nonprofit L&D pros, like training factories that can easily produce a new training in a day. But we are here to cr...
The Real ROI of Reducing Turnover (and How Training Helps) with Rachel Platt
It's estimated that organizations spend somewhere between 50% to 200% of an employee's annual salary to replace them, depending on the level and complexity of their role.Not only that, when someone leaves, it impacts morale, our organiza...
How Most Nonprofits Approach Women's Leadership Development (and What You Should Do Instead) with Marisa Ciesluk
Recent data shows that more than half of all nonprofit leaders in the US are women. Unfortunately, we also know that many nonprofit leaders are on the brink of burnout.This calls into question what we are doing to support these female le...
Is This a Training Problem? A Quick Diagnostic Tool for Nonprofit Learning & Development Leaders
It can be frustrating when nonprofit leaders and other stakeholders approach us demanding training to solve a problem. However, it's important to remember that people outside of learning and development don't always know which tools are availab...
Create Environments Where People Stay, Grow, and Thrive with Julie Winkle Giulioni
Nonprofit leadership development is about far more than offering training. It’s about creating an environment where people want to stay, grow, and contribute meaningfully to your mission. In this episode, I’m joined by bestselling a...
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,...
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 a...
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 epis...
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....
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 th...
From Burnout to Breakthrough: Tools to Restore Yourself in Times of Change and Disruption with Dr. Reggie Thomas
In times of change and disruption, burnout has become a major epidemic. In fact, according to statistics, over half of the workforce is burnt out, with the nonprofit sector being hit the hardest.Because we must address this issue, I have...
Training Isn't a Cost: Here's How Nonprofits Actually Save Money through Learning and Development with Nancy Bacon
Nonprofits often view training as a cost. I've heard it, and I'm sure you've heard it as well. However, it's actually an investment in the very thing that moves your mission forward: your people.That's why, in this episode, I'm sitting ...
Build Teams that Don't Need Babysitting
Do you ever feel like you have to constantly babysit your team instead of focusing on your own job? It's like you can't take your eyes off them, so you always find yourself in their work and in their decisions, double-checking everything.