One in ten Americans is employed in the non-profit sector. They work at organizations ranging from universities to hospitals to houses of worship to public broadcasting stations. In this episode, we hear from Stacy Palmer, long-time editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy. She’s one of America’s most knowledgeable journalists specializing in trends of non-profit groups and the constituents who support them: from individual small donors to multi-billion dollar foundations. We also hear from Dan Pallotta, an enormously successful (and controversial) fundraising professional. What is the role of charitable, not-for-profit organizations, which sometimes perform vital tasks in our civil society? How can communication between non-profits and the public be improved? And how can we reduce the annoying mountain of requests for donations while keeping important public service activities afloat?

In this tough economy, many people feel that they don’t have the wherewithal to really give much of anything. But I think, in part, it’s that charities haven’t found effective ways to connect and explain to people what their giving will do. And so it’s as much the nonprofits’ fault, shall we say, as it is the donors themselves. I think most people—if they hear a compelling story about a need—are willing to give.”

—Stacy Palmer, Editor of The Chronicle of Philanthropy