7 Essential Books for Nonprofit Leaders: Our Thanksgiving 2025 Reading List

As the year winds down and the Thanksgiving season approaches, it’s the perfect time for reflection, gratitude, and—most importantly—strategic planning for the year ahead. This year, we were incredibly thankful to host a slate of inspiring thought leaders on the Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership podcast, each sharing crucial insights for navigating the complexities of the philanthropic sector.

Here are seven reasons to be thankful for the wisdom shared by our standout guests this year:

The Path to Resilience, Strategy, and Mission

Effective nonprofit leadership requires a mix of crisis preparedness, internal transformation, and clear communication. Our 2025 guests delivered powerful prescriptions for success across these key areas:

• Crisis-Proofing Your Organization: We gained invaluable perspective from Mary Kelly (Ep. 317), who provided a roadmap for building resilient organizations. Her book, Why Leaders Fail and the 10 Prescriptions for Success, is the definitive guide to hardening your leadership against unexpected challenges.

• Leading with Love and Transformation: Ora Grodsky (Ep. 329) explored the critical intersection of personal values and organizational health. Through her work, Justice and Love: Organizational Healing through Transformational Leadership, she showed us how to foster true healing and deep transformation within our teams.

• Nonprofit Essentials for Success: If you feel like passion alone isn't enough, you’re right. David Rhode (Ep. 326) shared the 5 Essential Topics Every Nonprofit Leader Should Know. His practical guidance in Passion Isn't Enough: A Practical Guide to Nonprofit Success offers the clear-cut strategies needed to move from good intentions to tangible impact.

Mastering Communication and Governance

Beyond organizational strategy, our guests focused on the specialized skills required to engage stakeholders and manage effective governance structures:

• Translating Paper to Progress: For consultants or leaders needing to structure their work for maximum efficiency, Rebecca White (Ep. 320) provided the blueprint. Her book, No Stress Nonprofit Consultant: The Guide to Success for Freelance Nonprofit Consultants, helps turn planning documents into actionable, measurable progress.

• Making Your Message Stick: In the crowded world of philanthropy, communication is everything. Salvatore Manzi (Ep. 322) gave us strategies for creating clear and memorable narratives. Dive into his advice on Clear and Compelling Communication: Strategies for Sharing Your Ideas and Impact to ensure your mission resonates with every audience.

• Lessons from the Sector: Nick Grono (Ep. 315) flipped the script, sharing Lessons Nonprofit Leaders Can Teach the Business World. His book, How To Lead: Nonprofits with Purpose and Impact, reaffirms the unique strength, values, and strategic advantage that mission-driven organizations hold.

• A Roadmap to Board Service: Finally, effective governance is the bedrock of organizational success. Dr. Keith Dorsey (Ep. 335) provided clarity on navigating the executive-board relationship. His book, Boardroom Journey, is an essential read for anyone looking to optimize their board’s performance.

Bonus: Patton’s Picks (3 More Books to Accelerate Your Career)

We’re always looking for resources that go beyond the mission statement to enhance personal productivity and long-term vision. These three bonus titles are "Patton’s Picks" to keep your leadership journey moving forward:

1. Uptime: Optimize Your Performance and Feel Great by Laura Mae Martin

2. The Future Is Faster Than You Think by Peter Diamandis & Steven Kotler

3. The Smart Nonprofit by Beth Kanter & Allison Fine

Ready to Accelerate Your Path?

These seven guests and ten books provide a robust foundation for next-level leadership. If you’re ready to stop feeling isolated and start implementing the strategies shared on the podcast, consider joining our Mastermind Leadership Program at PMAnonprofit.com/mastermind.

We also extend our sincere gratitude to our trusted partners who help us bring this valuable content to you:

• TowneBank for their commitment to the sector: https://TowneBank.com/NonprofitBanking

• Armstrong McGuire for their strategic guidance: https://armstrongmcguire.com