091. “$10M Landed in Our Account”—What Nonprofits Must Know About Transformational Gifts and Sudden Growth with Michael Randel

What happens when your nonprofit receives a transformational gift—seemingly out of the blue? In this episode, change management expert Michael Randel joins Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken to explore what nonprofits can learn from the MacKenzie Scott giving wave. Together, they discuss how to prepare for sudden funding growth, what risks to avoid, and how to communicate wisely during a time of high visibility and high stakes.

Guest Bio

• Founder and Principal of Randel Consulting Associates
• Long-standing consultant in nonprofit change management and scaling
• Researcher on philanthropic giving and leadership dynamics
• Regular advisor to mission-driven organizations facing major transitions

We Discuss:

• Michael’s research into nonprofits that received large-scale gifts from MacKenzie Scott
• Why divisiveness after a big gift was less common than expected
• How to manage sudden scaling and increase organizational readiness
• The value of a “quiet phase” in your communication strategy
• How to plan for the eventual “financial cliff” once funding is spent
• Why this moment calls for both bold leadership and intentional restraint

Quotes:

“One day, 10 million dollar suddenly landed in our bank account.”
“Should we be careful what we wished for?”

Resources:

• Michael Randel's LinkedIn page
• Randel Consulting Associates LinkedIn page
• Randel Consulting Associates
• Get insider tips to overcome the 5 most common problems facing leaders during change - download here
• Mackenzie Scott has donated part of her fortune to over 2,000 organizations doing amazing work. What are they doing with all this newfound money? - download here

Let’s stay connected

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Have a challenge or opportunity in your nonprofit or philanthropic organization that you'd like to explore? Feel free to reach out to Tosca directly at tosca(at)5oaksconsulting(dot)org.

And if you’d like more insights on nonprofit leadership, organizational change, and culture, you can follow Tosca on LinkedIn.