“All women are working women and unfortunately not as privileged as I have been. Great female leaders, such as Linda M. Herold, have been standing beside me and behind me — pushing me forward. They have prodded me when I didn’t think I could do it and they tempered me when I was far too boastful. While I may be honored with the In Business Woman of Acheivement, it is all the women in my life who have truly achieved this recognition.”
How it all began …
“I marvel at the spirit of philanthropy and the can-do attitude of nonprofits,” comments Julia C. Patrick. As the founder and CEO of the American Nonprofit Academy, Patrick sees the passion and dedication of service organizations daily. A multi-generational philanthropist, board member and volunteer, Patrick has been involved with community service since she can remember. “From my parents’ and grandparents’ active community service to my own child’s volunteerism, the process of philanthropy has been a constant in our lives.” Patrick has served on cultural, social service and educational boards in addition to the more than 500 nonprofits she has worked with directly.
During her board work, for all the good will and commitment to supporting nonprofits, she realized there was something missing. “I quickly observed that when an organization lacks structure and the knowledge of best practices, their missions go unfulfilled.” This conclusion led Patrick to form the American Nonprofit Academy in 2014. “I continually met and worked with organizations who filled a definite need in their community,” Patrick explains. “Yet often, at the core of their structure, they were missing essential procedures and policies critical to effective governance.”
From localized beginnings in 2014, by 2016 the American Nonprofit Academy worked with more than 2,000 nonprofit leaders and staff. In 2017, the organization moved its live content to an online portal opening with 24/7 access to students. In 2018, the website added a robust nonprofit sector newsfeed and certificate programs targeting boards. By 2019, more than 100 courses were fully available through the American Nonprofit Academy’s innovative website portal.
In 2020, driven by a desire to keep nonprofit leaders connected during the COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick created a national web series, “The Corona Chronicles.” By mid-2020, Patrick realized that her daily show was gaining global traction and she re-branded it to “The Nonprofit Show,” taking the audience past the crisis and into the future. Today, “The Nonprofit Show” can be seen live Monday through Friday as well as streaming. The innovative program also has its own The Nonprofit Show channel on both Roku and Amazon Fire TV. More than 375 episodes are available for viewing and shows are uploaded daily. Combined, these channels reach into 69 million homes in the United States.
Patrick continues to lead lectures, board retreats and keynote speeches. Her lively speaking style engages nonprofits and those who serve them. “I get to see the genius of nonprofit organizations daily,” she notes. With her Chalk Talk series, Julia delivers specific approaches, tools and best practices along with innovations that strengthen nonprofit communities and all they do. She travels around the globe virtually, spreading her messages of nonprofit success and advocacy with the mantra “When Nonprofits Succeed, We All Succeed.”
When asked about her place on the philanthropic landscape, Patrick reflects, “I guess I am a nonprofit architect of sorts. I love seeing NPOs build, grow and find solutions.”
Organization Name: American Nonprofit Academy
Main Office Address: 3104 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, Arizona
Phone: (602) 603-9886
Website: americannonprofitacademy.com
