We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

One client reclaimed 15% of their lapsing donors and added $200,000 by year-end. No new campaigns. No bigger team. Just a stewardship system running quietly in the background. Rachel Bearbower built it.As founder of the Nonprofit Automation Agency, Rachel has helped clients climb from 35% to 50% donor retention in a single year, recover nearly $20,000 in lapsed gifts in 90 days, and hand 20+ hours a month back to overstretched teams — all without losing the human touch. 🤖💛In this episode, you'll hear:The exact case study behind the $200K: what a 15% retention lift looks like when you automate stewardship instead of scrambling to remember itThe five stewardship automations that carry a new donor through their first 100 days — from the instant acknowledgement to the second-gift askHow to automate a thank-you draft straight into your inbox so it still sounds like you — exclamation points and emojis includedWhy your CRM should be your single source of truth, and the quiet data-cleanup mistake wrecking your listThe one thing that has to happen before any AI tool works: clean dataYou'll walk away with a first automation you can build this week — start with the highest-leverage thing you're not doing, test it on one or two donors, then scale. 💛Episode Highlights:Meet Rachel and the Nonprofit Automation Agency (0:52)The two connected problems: retention and capacity (1:55)The five donor-stewardship automations (3:32)Thinking beyond week one: the first 100 days (7:17)Case study: a 15% retention lift worth $200K (8:09)Where to start + why your CRM is your source of truth (9:16)Keeping automation human (11:31)Tools: Zapier, native integrations, and using Claude (14:40)Your first automation today (15:38)One good thing: the DIKW pyramid and clean data (18:06)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/727Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/wsl#podcast//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Most of us picture democracy being decided on Election Day. Hannah Fried spends her life on the part nobody watches — the quiet, local decisions made months and years before a single ballot is cast.Hannah is co-founder and CEO of All Voting Is Local, a national nonprofit working year-round in eight states to remove voting barriers for Black, Brown, and Native American communities. She and her co-founder spent years saying "somebody should start an organization" focused on the local officials quietly deciding how elections run — then realized they were the somebody. They built it from her kitchen table with no money, got incubated by The Leadership Conference, and went independent in 2022.In this episode, you'll hear:Why the decisions that make or break your right to vote — where polling places go, what hours they're open, how vote-by-mail works — get made by local officials long before any ballot is castThe playbook for turning one county-level win into a national conversation — and why story is the engine that does itWhy "it's never too late to get involved" is more than a platitude, plus the concrete ways any person can plug in this yearIf you've ever wondered whether slow, local, unglamorous, years-in-the-making work actually adds up — this conversation is your answer. 🩵Episode Highlights:Hannah's journey: from voter protection to founding All Voting Is Local (1:54)The mission: making democracy's invisible infrastructure visible (5:17)The eight states where AVL works (6:41)The Apache County win: adding polling places for the Navajo Nation (7:08)From local to national: the Day of Action in Selma & Montgomery (10:24)How to get mobilized — where anyone can start (12:39)A moment of generosity: her daughter as her greatest teacher (14:49)One good thing: keep going (17:16)Where to connect + becoming a poll worker (18:47)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/726Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Half the world's coral reefs have died since the 1970s. That's the kind of number that makes a person feel too small to matter. Sam Teicher has built his whole approach around refusing to let it. Sam is the co-founder and Chief Reef Officer of Coral Vita, a company that grows coral in land-based farms and plants it back onto dying reefs. He could have built a nonprofit to do it. He built a for-profit instead — after a UN-funded project collapsed when a small, restrictive grant didn't renew — and started with just $1,000. A decade later, Coral Vita runs farms from the Bahamas to Saudi Arabia and has earned Sam the Earthshot Prize and a Forbes 30 Under 30 nod. 🌊His work is a masterclass in three things every mission-driven leader is wrestling with: how to fund it, how to storytell it, and how to scale it — when the problem itself feels unsolvable.In this episode, you'll hear:Why Sam walked away from a grant-dependent model — and what his frustration reveals about the limits of restrictive, short-cycle funding for any small orgWhy Coral Vita builds with communities (local jobs, free land for partners, on-site education centers) instead of parachuting in — and why the jobs piece is non-negotiable, not a nice side effectWhy "feel first, then think" storytelling beats leading with statistics when your cause feels too big to solveWhat "hope as a discipline" actually looks like when the odds are genuinely bad — from a self-described optimistic realistYou'll walk away rethinking sustainable funding, community-led impact, and how to keep a team going when the problem feels bigger than you. 🩵Episode Highlights:From a DC kid to a lava-rock lagoon in Hawaii: Sam's origin story (2:30)White House climate team to founding Coral Vita (4:43)What coral reefs actually are — and the $2.7 trillion case for saving them (8:54)Why local jobs are non-negotiable, not a side effect (13:06)Storytelling a problem this big without paralyzing people (16:54)Adopt-a-coral and the "optimistic realist" (18:04)What you can do right now (21:29)A moment of generosity: pink booty shorts in Samoa (24:46)One good thing: the shots you don't take (26:18)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/725//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

A 52-year-old man who'd spent too long online reading conspiracy theories walked up to Imran Ahmed's colleague — a member of parliament and mother of two — and killed her, screaming internet slogans as he did it. That was the moment Imran realized the online world and the offline world had quietly become the same world.Imran Ahmed is the founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a US–UK nonprofit that produces the hard evidence lawmakers, advertisers, and parents use to hold social media and AI companies accountable. 🧠In this episode, you'll hear:Why the algorithms rewarding hate and lies aren't broken — they're working exactly as designed, and what that means for your mission's messageWhat CCDH found when they opened a TikTok account as a 13-year-old girl (the numbers are worse than you think)Why social media is the one industry in America you essentially can't sue — and how that single gap created what Imran calls "technology tyranny"The STAR framework — Safety, Transparency, Accountability, Responsibility — that's giving lawmakers a simple, values-based way to regulate platformsWhy copying the outrage playbook will never work for the good guys, and what a four-star general taught Imran about winning an information war insteadYou'll walk away understanding the information environment your organization actually operates in — and why Imran still believes, without a shred of naivety, that the good guys win. 🩵Episode Highlights:Growing up in Manchester and the road into politics (2:27)What the Center for Countering Digital Hate does (7:41)Deadly by Design: what TikTok feeds a 13-year-old girl (8:51)The one industry you can't sue — and "technology tyranny" (12:43)The information environment every nonprofit operates in (18:15)Fighting an information war: a lesson from a four-star general (18:15)Moving people with data and story (21:11)A story of generosity: Mr. Haydens and Humpty Dumpty (23:10)One Good Thing (24:53)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/724Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Madge Thomas leads a leadership academy most nonprofit professionals have never heard of — one that's quietly spent nearly two decades and $100M+ training over 165,000 nonprofit leaders worldwide. As president of the American Express Foundation and head of corporate sustainability at American Express, she's built it on a deceptively simple premise: invest in the leader, not just their programs, and the impact ripples outward — to the organization, the community, and long after any single initiative ends.Madge makes the case that the people powering nonprofits are the sector's most under-resourced asset — then shows how the Academy is changing that with funding, peer cohorts, alumni grants, and a curriculum rebuilt for this moment: AI training with Microsoft, storytelling with TED, and resilience for a shifting funding landscape. If you've ever poured everything into your programs with nothing left for yourself or your team, this episode names that tension out loud — and offers a different way through.In this episode, you'll hear:Why investing in individuals instead of just programs creates a "two plus two makes five" ripple effect that most funders never think to measureHow the Academy stacks funding, a peer cohort of ~75 leaders, and alumni grants to attack nonprofit burnout at the root — by removing the impossible choice between developing your people and running your programsWhat today's nonprofit leaders need that they didn't a decade ago, including AI training built with Microsoft and storytelling training built with TEDYou'll walk away with a new lens on where philanthropy should focus — and a reminder that you don't need a $100 million budget to start a ripple. A ripple starts with one tiny fracture in the surface. 🩵Episode Highlights:Little Madge in Perth: the values that started it all (2:28)The ripple effect of investing in leaders (4:00)20 years, $100M, 165,000+ leaders — and the stories behind the numbers (5:12)Why bet on people instead of programs? (10:12)Burnout, and removing the choice between people and programs (12:31)What nonprofit leaders need now: time, network, and dollars (15:49)AI as augmentation: building an AI-confident sector with Microsoft (20:08)Holding AI and humanity together (21:08)A moment of generosity: Mrs. Wilson and the uniforms (25:30)One good thing: start small (30:06)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/723//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

There are 12 million kids in the U.S. with a mental health concern, and four out of five never get treatment — not because the care doesn't exist, but because it takes an average of 15 years for proven research to reach the providers families actually visit.Dr. Lisa Hunter Romanelli has spent her career closing that gap. As CEO of The REACH Institute — and its very first employee 19 years ago — she's helped train nearly 10,000 primary care providers in evidence-based children's mental health care, with a goal of 16,000 by 2027. 🧠 But this conversation is really about storytelling. Lisa has taken a public health crisis and made it feel solvable, and she shares exactly how she does it with donors and partners.In this episode, you'll hear:Why leading with the solution — not the broken thing — is what actually moves donors to actThe "train the trainer" multiplier model: how reaching one pediatrician reaches hundreds of kids a yearHow a single trained provider in Oklahoma City recognized a teenager's hidden anxiety and changed the course of her lifeWhere a leader 19 years into the work still finds hope — and the "whole leader" practice keeping her groundedWhy generosity shows up as far more than cash, and how to recognize every currency your community offersYou'll walk away with a more hopeful, more honest way to tell your own organization's story. 🩵Episode Highlights:Meet "little Lisa": From her mom's depression to child psychology (2:56)One psychologist isn't enough: Meeting Dr. Peter Jensen and building REACH (3:02)The 15-year research-to-practice gap and REACH's mission (5:50)Why pediatricians are the front line for kids' mental health (6:22)The story of "Mia": How one trained doctor changed a life (8:13)Lead with the solution: Telling donors a story that creates hope (10:33)Where a 19-year leader still finds her hope (11:40)Generosity beyond cash: A board member's quiet gift (13:17)One good thing: The "whole leader" and finding moments of presence (15:16)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/722Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

The traditional nonprofit playbook is full of defaults nobody voted for: merge only when you're desperate, expect your team to run on empty, soften your mission to stay safe, and treat funders like they're doing you a favor. At the We Are For Good Summit, four leaders sat down to throw all of that out. 🧠Hosted by Stacy Huston, CEO of SixDegrees.org and a social impact strategist working at the intersection of storytelling, influence, and action, this conversation brings together Tammy Tibbetts (She's the First), Lindsey Fuller (The Teaching Well), and Becky Straw (The Adventure Project) — three leaders who each named a default they've refused to accept and shared exactly what they did instead.In this episode, you'll hear:Why a merger can be a strategic first move instead of a white flag — and the single question Tammy asked herself to know She's the First was making the right callHow The Teaching Well retained 100% of its funders three years running by being radically honest about what its team actually needsThe case for treating identity as an asset, not a liability — even while peer orgs were scrubbing their websites in 2025You'll walk away with permission — and a few tactical first steps — to question the defaults that are quietly draining your organization. 🩵Episode Highlights:Three nonprofit myths busted (1:46)Mergers as a strategic first choice (5:28)One tactical first step toward exploring a merger (8:35)The dignity of work: flipping the aid model (10:23)Doubling down on storytelling after the USAID gap (12:40)Identity as asset: leading with Sankofa (14:20)Retaining 100% of funders through radical honesty (16:26)Comfort as complacency (18:09)The "one good thing": self-care and collective care (24:21)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/721Resources Mentioned:SixDegrees.org — Stacy Huston's organization, described as "a nonprofit for nonprofits," bringing organizations together as a collective forceShe's the First — Tammy Tibbetts's organization putting girls front and center worldwideGirl Rising — She's the First's merger partner; the unified brand going forward, led by CEO Christina LoweryThe Teaching Well — Lindsey Fuller's retention-focused organization solving the school staffing crisisThe Adventure Project — Becky Straw's organization creating good jobs in Sub-Saharan AfricaLa Piana Consulting — the firm that "wrote the textbook" on nonprofit mergers; cited for the finding that 92% of surveyed merged organizations called it a success a year later//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

The Kiki and ballroom scene, built by Black and brown LGBTQ+ youth of color in New York City, has been creating art, designing fashion, performing, and building community for over 20 years.Meet Colby King 👋 He’s the founder of Kiki Arts Collaborative, an economic development platform turning ballroom artistry into sustainable careers in arts, culture, and media through creative mentorship, job training, and internship placement. In 2025, that work earned Colby the David Prize, one of five awarded annually to the most luminary nonprofits in New York City. In this episode, you'll hear:Colby’s personal story and journey to the work he is doing today through KACWhy celebration, not charity, is the storytelling strategy at the heart of KAC's work, and what nonprofit leaders can apply to their own workWhat it looks like to build with a community instead of for it and why that distinction is at the root of everything Kiki Arts Collaborative doesYou'll walk away questioning the scarcity mindset the sector trained into all of us. You'll also be empowered with a sharper sense of how to tell stories that restore dignity instead of trading on need. 🩵Episode Highlights:Meet Colby King and Kiki Arts Collaborative (00:44)From Dallas pews to Columbia: the origin story (02:06)The mission: lowering the barrier to creative careers (05:38)"Seeing my art as art": the Inspiration Point exhibit (08:01)Charity vs. celebration: reframing the impact story (09:59)The mom who gave away her bed: generosity that stuck (11:48)One Good Thing: "take care of your blessings" (14:04)How to connect and what KAC needs now (15:43)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/720Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Dr. Sanjay Bindra is a practicing cardiologist who built a $2.5 million endowment at a zero-staff nonprofit in less than four years, with no campaigns and no urgency emails. Then he studied why it worked. The result: the GIVE Study, a 12-month real-time look at how small nonprofits can achieve sustainable recurring giving through trust, behavioral design, and strong governance. In this episode, you'll hear:Why first-time donor retention has been under 20% for decades, and the single most important thing you can do to change that numberThe difference between dopamine-driven fundraising and oxytocin-driven relationshipsThe GIVE framework: Gratitude, Impact, Voice, and Engagement, and how to apply it to build genuine donor relationships that lastWhat your org can do right now to start building a sustainable baseYou'll walk away with a replicable framework for turning one-time donors into lifelong community members. 🩵Episode Highlights:Dr. Bindra's origin story: bananas, bread, and building from community (2:30)How GOSUMEC Foundation went from zero to $2.5M with no staff (4:59)The GIVE Study: what sparked it and what it found (10:10)First gift vs. second gift: transaction vs. relationship (11:33)The GIVE framework: Gratitude, Impact, Voice, Engagement (17:40)Dopamine vs. oxytocin: the science of donor retention (18:59)What small nonprofits can do right now (21:08)Consistency over intensity: the one good thing (27:00)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/719Resources Mentioned:GIVE Study Playbook in partnership with GivebutterGIVE StudyFundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) — cited for the statistic that first-time donor retention is under 20%//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

An 85% graduation rate against a district average of 60% — at a second-chance school in the South Bronx where the primary healing tool isn't a worksheet or a clipboard. It's a professional recording studio. 🎙️J.C. Hall is a licensed clinical social worker, a hip hop artist, and a 2024 David Prize winner (one of just five awarded across New York City). At Mott Haven Community High School, he's spent 13 years building a program where trauma-exposed students rewrite their own narratives — set to a beat. His own path here ran through addiction, psych wards, and a teenage years he didn't expect to survive. Hip hop kept him alive long enough to find the help that did the rest.In this episode, you'll hear:How letting beneficiaries tell their own story (instead of explaining it for them) made J.C.'s documentary land with audiences who'd never touched hip hop cultureThe case for emotion over statistics — why a felt story moves a donor to give when the logic of your mission alone won'tWhat an 85% graduation rate reveals about purpose, identity, and connection as outcomes you can actually trackIf you've ever struggled to make your mission felt rather than just understood, this conversation will change how you tell it. 🩵Episode Highlights:J.C.'s journey to where he is today (01:57)How hip hop therapy began with one kid and a lunch-table beat (07:32)Meeting people where they are (10:50)Ephraim's story: "I'm not gonna get my Monday" (11:44)The data: an 85% graduation rate (16:44)Why the kids — not the expert — are the story (17:22)A moment of generosity that changed everything (20:29)J.C.'s One Good Thing: Don't quit 15 minutes before the miracle (23:08)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/718Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

"Crisis creates clarity, and philanthropic funding is the best risk capital we have." That's how Hala Hanna reads the moment we're in, and as Executive Director of MIT Solve, she has the data to back it up.MIT Solve has spent a decade brokering the relationship between companies, funders, and the early-stage innovators closing equity gaps in health, learning, climate, and economic opportunity. Their 460 solvers are reaching 430 million lives, have mobilized $87 million in direct funding, and have collectively raised $1.4 billion. And Hala has a front-row seat to the fundamental shift happening in how money moves toward mission.In this episode, you'll hear:Why the most forward-thinking funders are moving from rewarding proximity to power to rewarding proximity to the problem, and what that means for your missionWhat corporate partners actually need from nonprofit partnerships right now, and how to position your org to meet them thereWhy pairing measurable outcomes with storytelling is the real fundraising unlock, and the one question every nonprofit leader needs to answer before walking into a funder conversationYou'll walk away with a sharper read on where philanthropy is heading and a concrete playbook for becoming the partner funders are actually looking for. 🩵Episode Highlights:Meet Hala Hanna (01:44)What MIT Solve actually does — and the numbers behind it (03:13)From proximity to power to proximity to the problem (03:37)Why corporate donors are raising the bar (HP & Amazon) (06:59)The full accordion: rethinking philanthropic capital (10:48)Where nonprofits start: data, storytelling, and trust (13:30)Fighting the "single story" of AI (17:23)Amini: building sovereign AI in the Global South (18:02)A moment of generosity: Carrie Morgridge (20:53)One good thing: do today, not someday (22:42)The Solve Effect podcast (24:31)Where to connect (25:23)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/717//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

As Co-Founder of Caring Across Generations and President of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Ai-jen Poo has spent decades working at the intersection of policy and culture — because she knows you can't change one without the other. A MacArthur Fellow, Time 100 honoree, and author of The Age of Dignity, she's now launching a million-care-conversations campaign and a new production label, Give Not Take Media, to get care stories into film and television at scale. 🩵In this episode, you'll hear:Why culture change has to come before policy change — and what that sequencing means for your organization's communications strategyHow Caring Across Generations scaled their story strategy, and what it can teach any org about how media scales missionHow to plug into the 1 Million Care Conversations campaign right nowYou'll walk away understanding why story isn't just a communications tool, it's the strategy that shifts culture, changes policy, and moves people to act.Episode Highlights:Ai-jen's grandfather and the personal roots of Caring Across Generations (2:09)Changing policy and culture — why you can't do one without the other (6:09)Care as infrastructure: the framing that changes the conversation (8:22)Why emotional truth drives behavior more than facts (10:35)Give Not Take Media and the film Take Me Home at Tribeca (13:21)1 Million Care Conversations campaign — how to get involved (16:01)A story of generosity: the donor who honored her nanny (18:07)One Good Thing: reach out to a caregiver in your life (20:19)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/716Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Most nonprofits treat email like a megaphone. They show up loud when they need donations and go completely quiet in between. Katelyn Baughan has worked with UNHCR, Amnesty International, the Trevor Project, and the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and she has seen this pattern cost nonprofits thousands in unrealized donations.Her fix: stop thinking about campaigns and start building infrastructure.In less than 20 minutes, Katelyn walks you through the automated email system that works in the background to build donor relationships, nurture loyalty, and raise more money, even when you're not hitting send. 📧In this episode, you'll hear:The difference between email campaigns and email infrastructure, and why most nonprofits are missing the piece that actually builds long-term donor loyaltyThe three foundational automations every nonprofit should have running right now: subscriber welcome, new donor onboarding, and monthly donor welcomeWhat deliverability actually means (it's not the same as delivery), and how to find out if your emails are landing in spam without you knowingStart building your system this week. Your donors are waiting to hear from you. 🩵Episode Highlights:Working Session Intro (0:29)The Megaphone Problem: Rethinking How Nonprofits Use Email (2:20)Infrastructure vs. Campaigns: The Plumbing Analogy (4:18)Where to Start: Building Your Welcome Series (6:08)The Three Foundational Automations Every Nonprofit Needs (7:32)New Donor Onboarding: The Window You Can't Miss (8:23)Deliverability vs. Delivery: What the Difference Means for Your Inbox (13:41)Google Postmaster Tools and How to Use Them (14:35)One Good Thing: Stop Worrying About Bothering Donors (15:49)How to Connect with Katelyn (18:32)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/715Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/wsl#podcast//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Scott Cameron is a two-time Emmy Award-winning creative leader who has spent his career executive producing international adaptations of Sesame Street, bringing this iconic brand to audiences in 190 countries and 31 languages. He joins us for this special episode to talk about what 57 years of research-driven storytelling has taught him about how story actually changes people. 🌟In this episode, you'll hear:How the Sesame model — a Venn diagram of creative production, education, and research — creates content that changes behavior, not just awarenessWhat happened when Sesame Workshop partnered with the IRC to bring Elmo and Cookie Monster into mobile health clinics in conflict-affected Jordan, and why the research surprised everyoneWhy knowing your North Star is the only thing that keeps a mission-driven organization from playing whack-a-mole with every new trendWalk away from this conversation with a framework for intentional storytelling, and a new appreciation for the most trusted institution already sitting in your community. 🩵Episode Highlights:Scott's Origin Story: Growing Up With Sesame Street (2:53)The Origin of Sesame Street: A 1966 Dinner Party (5:57)The Sesame Research Model: Where Story Meets Science (9:35)Funding Disruption and What Sesame Did Next (12:27)Bringing Sesame to Conflict Zones: The IRC Partnership (13:37)The ABCs of Emotion: What Research in Jordan Taught Them (16:02)AI, North Stars, and What to Actually Pay Attention To (19:00)The Most Trusted Institution in Your Community (21:36)Netflix, PBS, YouTube and Going Global (24:07)Creating Digital Ecosystems and What Comes Next (27:00)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/714//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Matt Oh was an engineer with a stable career and a 9-to-5 when a mission trip to India stopped him in his tracks. He saw something he couldn’t unsee — women and children spending 10 hours a day walking to collect dirty water.In 2015, he founded FOREFRONT Charity with a few college friends and one water well. Today, more than 100,000 people across India, Kenya, and East Africa have been impacted through clean water, education, medical care, and empowerment. 105 water wells drilled. A school built, in which 20% of the students once worked in child labor, that now serves more than 250 first-generation students. A 90% program efficiency rate. Clearly, an engineer is running this. 💡In this episode, you'll hear:Why “treating symptoms” is a stewardship failure, and how Matt’s five whys framework helps you fund root-cause solutions that create lasting changeWhat 11 years of local partnerships taught FOREFRONT about trust, and why sustainable change is slow to build, easy to lose, and worth protectingHow FOREFRONT came within $1,000 of shutting its doors twice, and what those struggles taught themWalk away from this conversation with a new lens on donor stewardship, a challenge to stop moving fast when the community you serve needs you to stay, and proof that the long game is worth it. 🩵Episode Highlights:From Engineering to Purpose: Matt's Origin Story (3:36)The Five Whys: Applying Engineering Thinking to Nonprofit Impact (9:15)Root Cause vs. Symptoms: What Real Stewardship Looks Like (10:19)A Decade of Local Partnerships and What Trust Actually Requires (14:10)Persevering Through Hard Seasons (18:14)FOREFRONT Forward: Scaling What Works Globally (19:54)The School Story: What Grit Really Looks Like (25:09)One Good Thing: Play the Long Game (31:29)How to Connect and Support FOREFRONT Charity (33:04)Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/713//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

This episode includes themes of combat trauma, mental health, and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.Meet Richard Casper 👋 Richard is a Marine Corps veteran, Purple Heart recipient, CNN Hero, and co-founder of CreatiVets, a nonprofit that helps wounded veterans heal from PTSD and TBI through songwriting, visual art, and performance. His own healing started with one chalk pastel and a tribute to his friend Luke. That moment sparked a mission that led to 700+ songs, 25 million streams, and thousands of lives changed.In this episode, you'll hear:How CreatiVets reaches the veterans who will never ask for help, and the storytelling model that makes showing up irresistibleWhy every song they write becomes a new story to share with the world, and what that means for how nonprofits think about contentThe story of James: a veteran who found hope at a country music festivalHow to build programs that give people tools for life, not just for the length of a programThe vision for a 24-hour creative arts center where any veteran can walk in and start to healEpisode Highlights:Richard's origin story and the call to serve (0:44)Camp David, survivor guilt, and choosing to go to Iraq with his unit (3:42)How a room full of strangers understood Richard’s story before he did (8:46)Meet the mission of CreatiVets (12:51)Designing programs that give veterans tools for life, not just for the program (15:21)James's story: the moment a CreatiVets sign saved a life at a country festival (19:37)Why story is the most underused tool in the nonprofit sector (22:23)CreatiVet’s vision: a 24-hour creative arts center for veterans in Nashville (28:57)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/712//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

What does it actually mean to fund community power? Not a one-time grant, not a single big donor relationship, but real, sustained infrastructure for the leaders closest to the problems. Vincent Jones has spent three decades figuring that out.Meet Vincent Jones 👋 He is the CEO of Beyond Impact, formerly known as Tides Advocacy, a national 501(c)(4) intermediary that serves as fiscal sponsor, funder, and convener for more than 90 projects across 20 states. Beyond Impact sits at the part of philanthropic infrastructure most nonprofit conversations never reach: what happens when giving goes beyond foundations to include how communities build power, influence policy, and drive long-term structural change.In this episode, you'll hear:Why philanthropy's current funding structure is a design failure and what a better model actually looks likeWhat fiscal sponsorship is (explained simply), and why it's the infrastructure that lets community leaders focus entirely on the workA moment of generosity that changed how Vincent sees his own worth, and what he wants every listener who has ever doubted themselves to hearThis one will change how you think about who holds power in your organization and how you fund the work that matters. 🌱Episode Highlights:Meet Vincent Jones (02:09)Why philanthropy's funding structure is a design failure (06:12)Democratizing donors: the Uplifting Change Initiative at Liberty Hill (07:20)The real cost of last-minute, cycle-based funding (10:24)What fiscal sponsorship actually means (12:22)Beyond Impact's 90+ projects (13:16)A moment of philanthropy that changed Vincent's life (20:45)One good thing: "Do good, have fun, and help others do the same." (25:11)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/711//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

There is a growing gap in our world between hope and despair. And storytelling might be the most powerful tool we have to fill it.Welcome to Stories That Fill the Hope Gap, a 10-part limited series created in partnership with Good is the New Cool and We Are For Good. Every Wednesday for the next 10 weeks, we are bringing you a changemaker who is using story to cut through noise, build connection, shift culture, and move people to action.We open with the conversation that started it all: the keynote Afdhel Aziz delivered live at ImpactUp: Story, framing the big idea that runs through every episode that follows.In this episode, you'll hear:What the Hope Gap is, where it came from, and why it matters for every changemaker telling stories right nowWhy pop culture, social media, and news are all feeding despair, and what that means for how we communicateGallup's 2026 finding that hope is the number one thing people want from their leaders, outpacing trust, compassion, and stability combinedAfdhel's 3-step storytelling playbook: start with hope, spark wonder, inspire courageous actionWe need your stories to help fill the hope gap. Share yours at weareforgood.com/hopegap. 🩵Episode Highlights:Welcome to the series: what Stories That Fill the Hope Gap is (0:03)Grief, fear, and this moment we are in (5:19)Storytelling: the single greatest tool to change civilization (8:00)The current crisis of storytelling (9:00)Despair is paralyzing. Hope is galvanizing. (12:00)Gallup 2026: hope outpaces trust, compassion, and stability combined (12:30)Meet The Solutionaries (13:30)The 3-step playbook: start with hope, spark wonder, inspire courageous action (17:30)Share your story at weareforgood.com/hopegap (19:58)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/710Series Hub: https://www.weareforgood.com/hopegap//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Christina Martin Kenny 👋 She is a career fundraiser and the founder of Guava Tree Strategies. She has been a fundraising team of one more times than she can count, and she literally wrote the handbook on surviving it: The Solo Fundraiser Survival Guide.In this Working Session, she is bringing the entire playbook to help you figure out what to prioritize, what to let go of, and how to actually move the needle when you feel like you are juggling everything and dropping all of it.In this Working Session, you'll hear:How to stop doing everything and start doing the right thingsHow to match your time to where your money actually comes fromHow to replace your to-do list with three weekly priorities that actually move the needleWelcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.Let's get to work.Episode Highlights:Outsourcing doesn't have to cost money (5:00)It's okay to do less: the diverse revenue myth (6:05)Revenue matches time: the core framework (8:00)Time tracking exercise: where are your hours actually going? (8:30)The Good Enough Checklist (11:10)Good bones: your donation processing platform (11:30)CRM basics and the three metrics that matter (12:30)Automated acknowledgement letters: plain text beats branded (15:00)From overwhelm to activated: the three weekly priorities (17:00)Revenue driving, relationship building, system strengthening (19:00)Tiny Tasks Before 10 (20:00)One good thing: protecting your time is a strategic decision (21:00)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/709👉 Christina's Good Enough Checklist//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Amanda Green 👋 She is a journalist turned Communications Consultant with more than 20 years of newsroom and public relations experience, including 12 years in TV newsrooms. She is the founder of In Your Voice Media Works, where she helps cause-led organizations build their own internal newsrooms: the systems, the workflows, and the editorial instincts that turn scattered content into a sustained story engine.Her take? Content calendars and campaigns don't build momentum. If you want storytelling to drive real change, you need to think like a media organization.In this Working Session, you'll hear:Why nonprofits need to stop asking "what should we post this week?" and start asking "what is the story, and how do we work it?"Amanda's 5-step story framework: define your beat, work your story pipeline, report and produce, publish and distribute, and measure and adjustHow to run a 10-minute editorial meeting that gets every department contributing stories, from your board to the person who sweeps the floorsWelcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.Let's get to work.Episode Highlights:Meet Amanda Green (1:22)Think like a media company: the mindset shift (2:30)Stop asking what to post. Start asking what the story is. (2:50)The editorial mission statement and guidelines (4:00)Audience analysis and building editorial judgment (5:00)How to run a 10-minute editorial meeting (7:00)Step 1: Define your beat (8:00)Step 2: Work your story pipeline: story leads and channel leads (8:30)Step 3: Report and produce (10:00)Step 4: Publish and distribute (10:30)Step 5: Measure and adjust (10:45)Community as storytelling: the "everybody has a story" approach (11:00)Story is the heartbeat of connection (13:00)The 3-tab spreadsheet story planner (15:00)One good thing: listen to the people in your community (16:47)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/708//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Is philanthropy stuck in hypothesis mode?In science, there are two kinds of research: hypothesis-driven, where you predict the outcome before you run the experiment, and exploratory, where you map the landscape and stay open to what you find. The biggest breakthroughs almost always come from the second.Meet Casey Lardner 👋 She is a neuroscientist and the Executive Director of Genspace, the world's first community biology lab in Brooklyn, New York. Part biology lab, part design studio, part classroom, part community space, Genspace has been opening the doors of science to artists, entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and curious humans since 2009.In this episode, you'll hear:Why philanthropy is stuck in hypothesis mode and what the sector is missing because of itWhy uncertainty isn't a problem to solve. It's the work.How to lead your organization with the curiosity and rigor of a scientistThis one will change how you think about impact, innovation, and what we might be leaving on the table. 🩵Episode Highlights:Meet Casey Lardner (0:37)What Genspace is: lab, classroom, studio, community (8:16)Hypothesis-driven vs. exploratory science: the difference (10:00)What hypothesis-driven philanthropy is costing the sector (11:09)Who carries the risk of uncertainty? (15:00)How Genspace secures exploratory investment from funders (17:52)How to start thinking like a scientist as a nonprofit leader (20:59)Casey’s One Good Thing: Curiosity as a habit of mind (26:32)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/707//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Linsey Fuller and Marisol Pineda Conde 👋 Together, they have spent five years turning around an organization that started with one month of runway, rebuilding it from the inside out with new curriculum, new revenue streams, new systems, and a set of staff blessings that are rewriting what it looks like to actually live your values as a leader.The wellness stipend. The physical health screening. The financial literacy program with a 401k match. The micro sabbatical arc that guarantees every person on the team protected rest at every milestone.In this episode, you'll hear:How Lindsey, Marisol + team rebuilt The Teaching Well from the inside out: new curriculum, new revenue model, new brand, new systems, all while keeping the lights on with one month of runwayThe Five Blessings: the wellness stipend, the physical health screening, the financial literacy program, the 401k match, and the micro sabbatical arc that guarantees every team member protected rest at every milestoneWhy "desperation does not drive donorship," and how earned revenue became the most liberating source of funding The Teaching Well hasThis one will change how you think about what it means to lead. 🩵Episode Highlights:The honest state of The Teaching Well five years ago (7:31)What they rebuilt: curriculum, brand, revenue model, systems (10:00)Financial sustainability vs. financial solvency: understanding the difference (11:19)Building an earned revenue reserve as a staff protection reserve (14:29)Why they call them Blessings, not benefits (16:19)Blessing 1: Physical health, wellness stipend, and the medical screening (20:00)Blessing 2: Financial freedom, 401k match, and collective financial literacy (25:00)Blessing 3: The micro sabbatical arc (29:28)Fear, funders, and the business case for investing in your people (35:00)The Teaching Well's earned revenue model (38:15)"Healing is messy work. Choose each other." (45:00)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/706//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Dave Raley 👋 He is the founder and CEO of the Center for Sustainable Giving, author of The Rise of Sustainable Giving, and one of the most trusted voices in the recurring giving space. He has worked with thousands of nonprofit leaders to grow their monthly giving programs. In this Working Session, he is tackling two of the most overlooked opportunities in monthly giving: reducing churn and upgrading the donors you already have.In this Working Session, you'll hear:Why churn is a more powerful metric than retention, and why the reframe from "I retained 42% of my donors" to "I lost 58% of my donors" changes everythingThe two types of churn and how to fix them: involuntary (credit card failure) and voluntary (donor chooses to leave), plus the systems to address bothHow to keep monthly donors engaged using three words: affirm, engage, and appeal, and why your recurring donors are actually your best additional gift prospectsHow to upgrade your existing monthly donors with a timely, specific ask, and why most organizations are leaving this on the table entirelyEpisode Highlights:Meet Dave Raley (0:43)Churn vs. retention: the reframe that changes everything (2:17)58% of donors don't give again: making it real (4:17)Monthly donor churn vs. single gift churn (4:32)Involuntary churn: credit card failure and what to do (6:40)Two solutions: automate and outreach (7:55)Voluntary churn: acknowledge, affirm, and save the gift (9:16)Three words for monthly donor retention: affirm, engage, appeal (13:15)Recurring donors give 25% more annually on average (16:21)How to upgrade your monthly donors (19:19)Dave's one good thing + free resource (26:54)Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.Let's get to work.Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/705//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Nathan Cook 👋 He is the Chief Information and Technology Officer at Special Olympics International, where he is using technology to do something remarkable: help a movement that serves 5 million athletes across 172 countries finally operate as one. He is building a digital center of excellence, co-creating AI tools with athletes, and asking a question that should reshape how every nonprofit thinks about technology: what if we built this with the people we serve, not just for them?In this episode, you'll hear:How Special Olympics went from fragmented, program-by-program systems to a unified digital platform, and what it meant when 50% of athletes could suddenly self-register and own their own information for the first timeThe story of Med Buddy, an AI-powered healthcare assistant that sits in the room with athletes during medical visits to translate, advocate, and improve care for people with intellectual disabilitiesWhy AI has an ableism problem: the research Special Olympics has conducted on bias in large language models, and what organizations need to know before AI gets embedded in more decision-makingEpisode Highlights:Meet Nathan Cook (2:33)Nathan's path to this work: programming robots as a kid (3:04)Why Special Olympics' fragmented systems were limiting the mission (4:16)Technology at scale: how 50% of athletes can now self-register (5:04)Building with athletes, not just for them: universal design in action (9:04)Meet Med Buddy: AI as a healthcare advocate in the room (13:34)Advice for nonprofits hesitant about AI (18:07)AI bias and ableism in large language models (22:04)A generosity story: a mom who finally talked with her son (25:08)One good thing: eat the water beetle (28:03)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/704//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

We're living in the loneliest moment in modern history. And at the same time, people have never been hungrier for hope, for joy, for meaningful connection. Your volunteers are at the center of that tension. And if you're not treating people power as a strategy, you're leaving your mission's most powerful asset on the table.Recorded live at the We Are For Good Summit, this conversation brings together four extraordinary leaders: Susan McPherson, founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies and author of The Lost Art of Connecting; Nicole Stewart, Executive Director of Boston CASA; Nicole R. Smith, Executive Director of ALIVE, the National Professional Association for Leaders in Volunteer Engagement; and Sara Lomelin, CEO of Philanthropy Together.In this episode, you'll hear:What ALIVE's data shows about organizations that treat volunteers as strategy vs. afterthought: 80% more volunteers, 60% higher engagement, and donors who are twice as likely to giveBoston CASA's three non-negotiables for scaling a volunteer program without burning people out: exceptional training, strong supervision, and a mission-anchored cultureHow to operationalize people power right now: from launching a giving circle to giving volunteers a role, not a receiptWhy skills-based volunteering is surging even as companies go quiet on CSR, and what that means for nonprofitsPeople are looking for hope. They're looking for joy. They're looking for meaningful connections. You are the one they've been waiting for. 🩵Episode Highlights:How volunteer expectations have shifted post-Covid (3:00)People want belonging, not transactions (4:09)Volunteers as your best marketing money can't buy (8:21)Volunteers as ambassadors, donors, and storytellers (10:42)Boston CASA's non-negotiables for scaling without burnout (16:37)CSR in 2026: skills-based volunteering and what companies are doing quietly (22:58)Operationalizing people power: giving circles, storytelling, clarity (24:11)Episode Shownotes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/703//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Pedro J. Rivera 👋 In 30 years at the intersection of law, philanthropy, and fundraising, he has launched three planned giving programs and raised $150 million for nonprofits and universities. In this Working Session, he's here to give you a clear entry point into planned giving, no matter where you're starting from.In this Working Session, you'll hear:How to talk about legacy giving in a way that feels naturalHow to find your best planned giving prospects with data you already haveA 30-day action plan to move planned giving from overwhelming to doableEpisode Highlights:What is planned giving, really? (0:21)Why right now: The Great Wealth Transfer (3:18)How to talk about legacy without making it weird (4:48)Finding your best prospects: the 7-10 rule and more (5:50)Weaving planned giving into what you're already doing (8:21)The 30-day starter plan (12:05)One Good Thing: stop assuming donors don't want to talk about this (14:07)Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.Let's get to work.Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/702//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

At 4am on April 3, 2025, Jennifer Rupp's phone wouldn't stop buzzing. 93% of Michigan Humanities' budget. Gone overnight. What happened next is a story about crisis leadership, radical transparency, and why connection isn't a soft strategy. It's the only strategy. 🙏In this episode, you'll hear:What Jennifer did in the first 24 hours after losing 93% of her budget, and why transparency was her most important toolHow she decided which programs to cut and which were non-negotiable (and the framework you can use to make those calls)Why "when division is the crisis, connection is the strategy" isn't just a philosophy at Michigan Humanities, it's their entire operating modelJennifer’s One Good Thing: flip the funding triangle. 85% of your money comes from individuals. Are you spending 85% of your time there?This one's going to stay with you. 🩵Episode Highlights:Meet Jennifer Rupp (00:48)The 4am email that changed everything (09:44)How federal humanities funding actually works (10:46)The pivot: transparency, triage, and staying mission-aligned (13:55)What programs fell and which were non-negotiable (17:09)Crisis leadership lessons you can only learn by walking through it (22:28)From front porches to back decks: why we've lost the art of gathering (25:15)The Great Michigan Gathering: a three-year plan to rebuild community (26:43)A powerful story of generosity in Jennifer's life (33:10)Jennifer's One Good Thing: flip the funding triangle (35:05)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/701//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

700 episodes felt like the kind of moment that deserved more than a LinkedIn post and a few dancing emojis. So we sat down to talk about what this journey has taught us about generosity, the stories that haven't left us, and what we're still learning.We're so grateful you're here. Come celebrate with us. 🩵-Jon + BeckyEpisode Highlights:Two powerful stories of generosity we are still carrying with us (5:00)The ripple effect and what generosity has taught us (10:00)Low ego, high impact: what the best leaders share (15:00)Jon and Becky’s One Good Things (19:00)//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Jeremy Bouman, Founder of RISE in Omaha 👋. Today, RISE operates in seven Nebraska prisons with a 90% graduate employment rate and a recidivism rate a third of the state average. And Jeremy has spent the last decade building a leadership team, a sabbatical policy, and a succession plan designed to outlast him.In this episode, he breaks down exactly how, including the internal leadership academy, the innovation program open to every employee, and their newly approved sabbatical policy.Plus: the story of a man serving a life sentence who donated $500 so someone else could take the same program that changed his life. 🩵Tune in to hear:What the "Inside Out" model actually looks like, and why starting the relationship inside prison, years before release, is the thing that makes everything else workRISE’s human-centered internal policies, leadership academy, and innovation project + the impact on their team Episode Highlights:Meet Jeremy Bouman (00:38)The Inside Out model: building trust before release (09:05)70% system-impacted staff and why lived experience leads (09:05)Founder-proofing: humility, culture, and getting out of the way (14:10)The sabbatical policy and what happened when Jeremy took five weeks off (16:29)Succession planning: Rise Leadership Academy and Rise Innovation Project (21:14)Two generosity stories that say everything about this mission (27:29)One good thing: visit a prison, practice second chance hiring (29:57)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/699//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Kyle S. King started his nonprofit journey as a college junior, raised $100K, and never stopped. Eight books, a publishing company, a keynote career, and the Growth Alliance later — he's spent over a decade helping mission-driven organizations do the deeper work first: aligning leadership, tightening operations, and sharpening the stories that actually move donors to act. 💪In this episode, you'll hear:Why burnout isn't a wellness problem or a leadership problem — it's an organizational culture issue, and that distinction changes everything about how you solve itThe three pillars of "contagious culture" (kindness, community, capital) and why skipping step one means you'll never reach step threeThe counterintuitive advice Kyle gives every leader who wants to grow: stop adding. Play defense first. Stop the leaks.This conversation will challenge how you think about culture, leadership, and the small moments where real impact actually happens. 🩵Episode Highlights:Meet Kyle King (00:41)Roots: Sankofa and the backstory that built everything (3:15)Contagious Culture: Kindness, Community, Capital (6:44)The root cause mistake nonprofit leaders keep making (10:00)Why burnout is an organizational culture problem (15:05)Leading with heart when you're running on empty (20:00)Play defense: building momentum by stopping the leaks (25:30)The barbershop story and the $800 check (30:26)One good thing: better people build better organizations (35:01)Episode Show Notes: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/698//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

"You don't manage volunteers. You have to inspire them."Jeff Byard figured that out after 14 years in Alabama emergency management, six years as a senior leader at FEMA overseeing 185 presidential disaster declarations, and now as Chief Programs Officer at Team Rubicon — the disaster response organization with 200,000 Greyshirts deployed across the country and around the world.In this episode, you'll hear:Why the shift from volunteer management to community building changes everything — and exactly how Team Rubicon made that shift at scaleHow 3,500 volunteer leaders lead a Greyshirt nation of 200,000 — and what that organizational structure teaches every nonprofit leaderJeff's One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good.Episode Highlights:Jeff's origin story: Marine Corps to FEMA (3:08)Joining Team Rubicon and the "for impact" sector (6:36)You don't manage volunteers — you inspire them (7:48)What Team Rubicon does: 1,000 service projects a year (9:14)Volunteer management vs. community building (12:00)Veterans + "kick ass civilians": the 50/50 dynamic (14:51)Making volunteers your core capacity at scale (16:13)10 simultaneous operations in Hurricane Helene (16:51)The philanthropy moment that made Jeff cry (20:55)One Good Thing: don't let perfection get in the way of good (25:04)Resources Mentioned:Team RubiconTunnels to Towers FoundationJeff Byard on LinkedIn Full Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/697//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Trust is not a soft skill. It's the whole job.Today we're bringing you something special: Aila Malik's live keynote from the We Are For Good Summit, followed by a real-time coaching Q&A with our community.Aila has spent nearly a decade working alongside nonprofit leaders at their most defining moments: leadership transitions, burnout, mergers, and organizational inflection points. Her firm has partnered with hundreds of organizations, and her framework for building trust has changed how leaders think about culture, credibility, and change.In this episode, you'll hear:Why trust isn't a soft skill — and why treating it like one is silently breaking your organizationThe three layers of trust (workability, credibility, vulnerability) and exactly where most leaders get stuckHow to rebuild trust after a leadership transition, a broken promise, or a loss of confidenceWhat Aila told a room full of summit attendees about why people resist change — and why the answer isn't strategy, it's safetyEpisode Highlights:The Sector as a Response to Broken Narratives (1:42)The Three Layers of Trust (8:15)Building Credibility (10:10)The Vulnerability Layer (12:47)Live Q&A: Trusting Funders and Long-Term Partners (17:33)Navigating Trust in Organizational Transitions (20:00)When Stakeholders Have Different Goals (24:27)Trust Repair and Apology Tours (30:03)What Young Organizations Should Know About Trust (33:47)Middle Management as Trust Infrastructure (35:00)Aila's One Good Thing (40:01)Resources Mentioned:Connect with Aila + Venture Leader CollectiveFull Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/696//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Sara LaBarge grew up on the Menominee reservation in Wisconsin, won a Gates Millennium Scholarship as a teenager, and went on to lead strategic partnerships at Native Forward Scholars Fund — the largest direct scholarship provider to Native students in the country. When MacKenzie Scott called (twice), their organization was ready. This conversation is about what that readiness actually looked like.Native nonprofits receive less than 0.5% of all philanthropic funding. Native Forward has been building anyway — for 55+ years. And the frameworks Sara uses for partnerships, accountability, and trust-based giving are some of the most practically useful we've heard for any fundraiser navigating high-stakes funder relationships right now. 🩵In this episode, you'll hear:What the "dreaming phase" looked like inside Native Forward after their first MacKenzie Scott gift — and how they moved from scarcity thinking to strategic deployment fastHow to identify true alignment with a partner before resources change hands, and why accountability to that alignment is what makes partnerships compound over timeHow Native Forward is handling a 35% surge in scholarship applications while protecting 55+ years of mission integritySara's One Good Thing: why passion alone isn't enough, and what discipline and alignment unlockEpisode Highlights:Sara's origin story: growing up on the Menominee reservation (3:00)Winning the Gates Millennium Scholarship (3:31)What scholarships unlock beyond financial support (7:07)The funding gap + MacKenzie Scott gifts (10:39)Building readiness to absorb and deploy a gift at scale (13:03)Strategic partnerships and the 35% surge in applications (15:25)What authentic partnerships look like in practice (17:06)Relationships as currency and values in action (20:15)The philanthropy story that changed Sara (22:03)One Good Thing: discipline and alignment (24:43)Resources Mentioned:Native Forward Scholars FundYield Giving — MacKenzie Scott's giving platform and essaysFull Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/695//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Eliza Blank, the new CEO of The Farmlink Project 👋  We’re exploring what happens when a founder-CEO mindset collides with one of the most urgent food systems problems of our time.Eliza bootstrapped and scaled The Sill from a single idea to 12 stores across seven markets and $25M raised. Now she's applying that same startup lens to Farmlink, which rescues and redistributes over a million pounds of food every week.In this episode, you'll hear:Why Eliza's team talks about their own obsolescence every day, and what that mindset unlocks for mission-driven orgsWhy growth for growth's sake is a red flag, and how Farmlink thinks about scale vs. depth insteadHow to build a community of fanatics around a cause most people don't even know exists yetEpisode Highlights:From The Sill to Farmlink: Eliza's origin story (3:22)What the startup model has to teach the nonprofit sector (6:14)Brand building and community as a growth strategy (9:16)Scale vs. depth: why Farmlink talks about its own obsolescence (13:19)The Field Fellowship: investing in the next generation of food systems leaders (16:41)One Good Thing: pick a lane and compound it over a lifetime (26:01)Resources Mentioned:The Farmlink ProjectAbundanceGod's Love We DeliverFull Episode Landing Page: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/694//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Afdhel Aziz, founder of Good is the New Cool, to unpack why the way most nonprofits tell their story is quietly killing their impact, and what the new playbook looks like.Afdhel has spent 30+ years advising brands like Disney, Coca-Cola, Gap, and Adidas on purpose-driven storytelling. But his most urgent work right now is closing the hope gap - a measurable 27% chasm between hope and despair in society, tracked by Yale. He believes nonprofits sit at the center of the solution. And he's here to show you exactly how to get there. 🩵In this episode, you'll hear:The Yale data behind the 27% hope gap and a reframe for your whole team A three-step storytelling playbook that any org can put to work immediatelyHow to reach the 90% of people who want to help but don't know where to start (hint: it's not another heavy documentary)Episode Highlights:Afdhel's origin story: From Sri Lanka to 30 years of brand storytelling (3:08)Why "Good is the New Cool" - and why that message is more urgent than ever (5:01)The 27% Hope Gap: What Yale's data tells us about where society is right now (6:53)The 90/10 problem in nonprofit storytelling - and the shift that changes everything (12:57)The Solutionaries: What impact storytelling can learn from Hollywood (19:09)Activists vs. advocates + the three-step playbook: Hope → Wonder → Courageous Action (24:33)Afdhel's One Good Thing: The top regret of the dying — and why authenticity is Afdhel's answer (32:41)Resources Mentioned:Explore Afdhel's work and connectChoose LoveThe Solutionaries"Hope at Work" by Barbara Perry + Harry Hudson"The Book of Hope" by Jane Goodall"The Top Five Regrets of the Dying" by Bronnie WareFull Episode Landing Page: www.weareforgood.com/episode/693//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

In this Working Session, Jon and Becky are joined by digital strategist Josh Burns to rethink how nonprofits approach online giving — moving beyond quick wins and into strategies that actually build momentum. Together, they explore why so many organizations feel stuck growing digital revenue and how a shift toward relationship-first thinking can unlock more sustainable, long-term results.From understanding the “digital donor gap” to building a simple growth framework rooted in human behavior, you’ll learn how to align your digital presence with real-world connection — and turn passive audiences into engaged, giving communities.Top 3 Takeaways:Online Giving Starts With Human Connection — Not Conversion: Digital channels may be the medium, but people are the mission. Learn how to ground your strategy in empathy, proximity, and real relationships so your messaging resonates beyond the screen and inspires meaningful action.Use a Simple Growth Framework to Guide Strategy: Break down your digital ecosystem into three key stages — awareness, consideration, and action — and understand how each channel (social, website, email) plays a role in moving supporters toward deeper engagement and giving.Play the Long Game With Story + Community: From email nurture to community-building spaces, discover how consistent storytelling and intentional engagement create the trust that leads to higher conversion over time — not just one-off gifts.This episode is packed with practical, low-lift ways to strengthen your digital presence — whether you’re just getting started with email, refining your storytelling, or rethinking how you engage donors online.Welcome back to Working Sessions: hands-on, clarity-filled conversations designed to help you move real work forward inside your organization.Let’s get to work.Episode Highlights:  Understanding the “Digital Donor Gap” (04:47) Why Data + Humanity Must Work Together (06:52) Digital Should Drive Real-World Action (07:27) Breaking Silos: Learning From Programs + Donors (10:30) The Feel–Know–Do Storytelling Framework (13:19) The Digital Growth Framework: Awareness → Action (14:47) First-Party Data + Building Direct Relationships (18:10) Community-Building as a Growth Strategy (20:14) Playing the Long Game With Email + Story (23:11) Tracking Metrics + Setting Realistic Goals (25:05) One Good Thing: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone (30:02)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/692//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Nicole R. Smith, CVA, Executive Director of AL!VE (Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement), to talk about what it really looks like to treat volunteers as a strategic powerhouse, not an afterthought.Nicole has spent her career championing the people who champion volunteers, and she's here to close the gap between organizations that say volunteers are vital and the ones that actually build systems to prove it. 💪In this episode, you'll hear:Why volunteer engagement is a leadership issue, not just a logistics oneWhat structural elements every org needs to make volunteers a core capacity The metrics most organizations are leaving on the tableHow investing in your volunteer engagement professional changes everythingIf volunteers have ever felt like an untapped superpower in your org, Nicole will help you see exactly what's possible—and where to start today. 🩵Episode Highlights: Faith, Dance & Falling into Volunteer Engagement (02:29)The Volunteer Strategy Gap: Vital but Under-Resourced (07:14)Top-Down Support for Volunteer Managers (11:32)Key Infrastructure: Training, Tech & Culture (15:59)Hidden ROI: Capacity, Community & 3-6x Returns (24:35)Nicole’s One Good Thing: Random Act of Kindness (Even for the "Undeserving") (36:45)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/691//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with jacob adams, founder of Inner Spark Learning Lab, to talk about what it looks like to challenge the nonprofit status quo. Instead of chasing scale and perfect metrics, Jacob is focused on something different: authentic partnerships, radical transparency, and building trust. Together, they explore why nonprofits can’t always control outcomes—but we can own the learning, tell the truth about what’s working (and what isn’t), and how to build stronger relationships with funders and partners along the way.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why going deep instead of wide can lead to more meaningful impactHow jacob builds trust with fundersWhat authentic partnerships really look like in practice at Inner SparkAnd why focusing on learning, not just outcomes, can transform the way we leadIf you’re a nonprofit leader navigating pressure to scale, prove impact, and get everything “right,” this conversation will feel both grounding and energizing. 🩵Episode Highlights: jacob’s Origin Story + Questioning the System (02:49) Why Kids Don’t Want to Be in School (04:35) Why Depth Beats Scale in Nonprofit Impact (06:24) How Inner Spark’s Learning Labs Center Student Voice (07:08) Why Radical Transparency Builds Trust in Fundraising (12:08) How Feedback Loops Replace Rigid Outcomes (17:33) jacob’s One Good Thing: Own the Learnings (26:45)Resources: Tune into Inner Sparks Podcast: innersparklab.org/podcastjacob adams LI Post: We Didn't Hit Our EOY Campaign GoalEpisode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/690//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Carmen Patlan, Executive Director of the Center for Immigrant Progress (CIP), to highlight how her organization is supporting immigrant families through a comprehensive, community-centered model.CIP is advancing immigrant rights by connecting legal protection, health equity, civic engagement, and advocacy to help families live with dignity, safety, and opportunity.In this episode, Carmen shares her own story of immigrating to the United States at seven years old—and how that lived experience now shapes the way CIP serves immigrant communities.You’ll hear how the organization is:Providing pro bono immigration assessments and legal guidanceHelping families create emergency preparedness plansOffering mental health and wellness support for families experiencing traumaEmpowering immigrant leaders through civic engagement and leadership developmentFor nonprofit leaders, this conversation highlights what it truly looks like to build with community—not just for it—and reminds us that meaningful change often starts with something simple: listening, learning, and getting to know our neighbors.Episode Highlights: Carmen’s Immigration Story: Crossing the Border at Age Seven (02:51) Why the U.S. Immigration System Is So Complex (07:23) Building the Center for Immigrant Progress (13:27) Living While Prepared, Not Living in Fear (16:05) Why Immigrants Must Tell Their Own Stories (22:22) What Real Allyship Looks Like in Immigrant Communities (25:03) Carmen’s One Good Thing: Standing Shoulder to Shoulder (31:07)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/689//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Today we're sitting down with Chidi Asoluka — founder and CEO of NewComm — to ask a question every nonprofit leader should be wrestling with: who actually gets to design change?At NewComm, high school students manage real budgets, design real projects, and build networks most people don't access until much later in life. The lessons Chidi has learned building it are for every leader in this space.He got out of his own head and into the heads of the people he was trying to impact. What he found there reshaped everything — his program, his systems, and his understanding of what it means to lead.We dig into:Why proximity beats expertise in designing real changeWhat funders get wrong when success has to look neat and linearWhy real authority — not just a seat at the table — changes everythingPlus the remarkable true story that drives everything Chidi does, and his simple mantra for leading with clarity in a noisy world.Some conversations change how you see the work. This is one of them. 🩵Episode Highlights: Chidi’s origin story: from Newark to Georgetown (2:35) The $10,000 idea that sparked Newcom’s model (7:18) The Net Gala: building social capital differently (12:57) From consumers to builders: shifting student identity (14:45) Killing your darlings: founder humility in action (17:36) Proximity over white papers: rethinking philanthropy (20:15) The hidden entrepreneurship of Gen Z (22:15) Designing frictionless systems for access and growth (24:57) A life-changing act of generosity (31:59) One Good Thing: Do the next best thing (41:45)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/688//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

This one is a grounding exhale.Today, we’re bringing you a powerful conversation from the We Are For Good Summit with our friend Seth Godin — it's for anyone carrying the weight of leadership in uncertain times.Because here’s the truth: uncertainty isn’t a season anymore. It’s the environment. And if you’re feeling the pressure, the risk, the emotional toll of caring deeply about work that matters… you are not alone.Seth challenges us to rethink what risk really is (hint: it’s the feeling of risk that trips us up), why attachment fuels burnout, and how trust is built — and burned — through small, consistent actions. We talk about belonging and leadership, and about the courage it takes to stay in the arena when the outcomes aren’t guaranteed.We also dig into:How to innovate when nothing feels stableRebuilding trust through behavior, not brandingUsing AI as a tool (without losing our humanity)Communicating experimentation and risk to donorsLetting go of entanglements that keep us stuckAnd why agency — not compliance — is the futureSeth reminds us that we didn’t sign up for perfect — we signed up to keep moving toward better. To feel the fear and move forward anyway, tell the truth, bring people together, and stay responsible to the work we care about. If you’re tired but still called, questioning but still committed, this conversation is for you. 🩵Episode Highlights: Tribes & belonging: organizing the table you wish existed (4:42)Burnout, attachment & the cost of caring (7:25)Risk vs. the feeling of risk in nonprofit leadership (14:43)AI, automation & why decisions—not tasks—are the real work (23:42)Telling the truth inside your organization (32:30)Communicating experimentation & risk to donors (33:50)Agency in the age of AI: undoing indoctrination (37:21)The lifeguard story: courage isn’t about credentials (27:59)Seth’s One Good Thing: “Find the others. This is the point.” (39:30)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/687//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Amir Samandi 🌎, founder of Students of Service (SOS) in San Antonio.In this episode, Amir shares how one study abroad experience sparked a bold vision: to equip young people to become global citizens through service and international learning. What started as a leap of faith is now a thriving nonprofit shaping the next generation of empathetic, purpose-driven leaders.This conversation is especially for founders and nonprofit leaders navigating growth, doubt, and sustainability.You’ll hear:Why courage isn’t the absence of fear — it’s acting despite itThe two-question filter that guides every decision at SOSHow service and global learning are shaping Gen Z into purpose-driven changemakersA reminder to trust the process, do the work, and surround yourself with people who believe in the missionEpisode Highlights: Courage and community: moving forward despite fear (0:00)Amir Samandi’s journey: multicultural roots and life-changing study abroad (2:42)From State Department to classroom teaching: the spark for Students of Service (5:49)Launching SOS: creating a nonprofit from scratch with community support (8:35)Alumni impact and volunteer-driven growth (9:55)Guiding principles for SOS: “Is it good for kids? Is it sustainable?” (17:28)Preparing the next generation of leaders: empathy, agency, and hope (13:44)Moments of philanthropy: students taking action to help others (20:19)Amir’s One Good Thing: “Elevate the people around you to be their best selves; it makes the world a better place.” (22:54)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/686Resources: LinkedIn / Website /IG / Facebook //Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Today, Jon and Becky sit down with Analía Weber, Development Director at The Family Center / La Familia, to explore a bold paradigm shift for the nonprofit sector. One that begins with how we speak about ourselves.Analia’s journey into fundraising didn’t follow a traditional path. A lifelong dancer and arts leader, she pivoted careers at 39 and stepped into nonprofit development with heart, courage, and a willingness to begin again. Now, less than four years later, she’s not only the Director of Development for a thriving, holistic family support organization — she’s chairing a regional nonprofit sector partnership and advocating for a 10-year movement to reposition nonprofits as trusted experts and essential community leaders.In this episode, you’ll hear:Why the language we use about “donors,” “nonprofits,” and “doing more with less” shapes power dynamicsHow nonprofits can shift from being seen as supplemental to being recognized as experts at the decision-making tableThe mindset of begin again — and why failure is part of the workHow La Familia funds the whole family through holistic, community-centered designA dance-inspired framework for leadership: show up, pay attention, tell the truth, and don’t get attached to the resultsIf you’re a nonprofit leader navigating uncertainty, funding shifts, or systemic barriers, this episode is your reminder: you don’t have to have it all figured out. You get to begin again. And the sector’s transformation starts with us.Episode Highlights: From dancer to development leader (2:46)​Finding La Familia and community (4:05)​Inside La Familia’s holistic mission (7:49)​Funding the whole family (10:15)​Fundraising with dignity and new language (12:20)​A 10-year paradigm shift for the sector (16:01)​“Begin again” as a leadership mindset (19:25)​Analia’s Story of Philanthropy (26:00)Analia’s One Good Thing: Compositional improvisation for everyday choices (26:34)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/685//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

What does it really take to lead with courage in the nonprofit sector—especially when growth, complexity, and crisis collide?In this powerful conversation, Jon and Becky sit down with Glennda Testone, CEO of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab and co-host of Nonprofits Are Messy, to explore what it means to lead with integrity, accountability, and heart. With more than 14 years as Executive Director of New York City’s LGBT Community Center—where she tripled the budget, led a $9M capital campaign, and guided the organization through transformational change—Glennda brings lived experience and hard-earned wisdom to the mic.Together, they unpack:How trust is built through transparency, vulnerability, and doing what you say you’ll doWhy accountability isn’t about fear management—but about strengthening mission and relationshipsThe mindset shift from “trying not to disappoint anyone” to deciding who you’re willing to disappointPractical tools for prioritizing when everything feels urgentThe power of community—and why going it alone is a leadership trapIf you’re navigating growth, wrestling with hard decisions, or feeling the weight of leadership, this episode is a reminder: you don’t have to do this alone. Trust is the work. Community is everything. And sometimes the most meaningful wins come from getting it right according to the right people.Episode Highlights: Glennda’s origin story and path to nonprofit leadership (2:41)Leading through growth, complexity, and making mistakes (6:27)Building trust and centering justice and connection (10:59)Reframing accountability to build trust (16:58)How to prioritize when everything feels urgent (21:23)Learning to say no and let go of people-pleasing (25:47)A powerful moment of philanthropy in Glennda's career (28:15)Playing the long game in fundraising relationships (32:31)One Good Thing: Don’t go it alone in leadership (34:43)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/684//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Meet Leona 🤝, founder and CEO of Catalyst Exchange. Leona’s vision is bold and timely: to transform how nonprofits and schools build capacity—so leaders aren’t trying to change the world with a shovel and a dream. Through flexible funding, trusted expertise, and community-centered partnerships, Catalyst Exchange is strengthening the systems and people behind lasting impact.In this conversation, Leona shares her journey from India to the U.S., and how her experiences shaped a mission rooted in equity, agency, and trust. She challenges traditional, funder-driven models of capacity building and offers a more responsive, mission-driven approach that centers those closest to the work.Join us for a powerful conversation about sharing power, resourcing resilience, and showing up—especially when it’s hard.Learn:Why traditional capacity building often fails—and how to redesign it around mission and communityThe difference between “painkillers,” “vitamins,” and “vaccines” in strengthening organizationsHow flexible funding models restore agency to nonprofit leadersWhat effective, equitable capacity building looks like in practiceWhy resourcing community-based organizations is critical for long-term ecosystem healthLeona’s personal journey from immigrant professional to sector innovator—and how it shapes her leadership todayEpisode Highlights: The Real Problem with Traditional Capacity Building (06:12)From Program Funding to Systems Strengthening (07:45)Capacity Advisors: Strategy, Therapy + Clarity (10:02)Flexible “Wallet” Funding and Restoring Leader Agency (11:38)Painkillers, Vitamins + Vaccines: A New Capacity Framework (16:05)Place-Based Partnerships + Ecosystem Strength (14:52)Mission-Driven, Responsive + Timely Capacity Building (20:58)The Equity Gap in Capacity Resourcing (23:10)Making the Case: Connecting Capacity to Fundraising Outcomes (26:18)Moments of Generosity + Expanding Who Deserves Funding (29:42)Leona’s One Good Thing: Show Up + Practice Perspective (32:52)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/683//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Today’s episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking the mindset and strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the full series at weareforgood.com/12shifts.Shift 12 / Boards Are Culture CarriersIn this final episode of the 12 Shifts series, Jon and Becky close things out with a powerful conversation about boards, culture, and shared leadership — and they’re joined by the perfect voice to put a bow on it all.They sit down with Nakia James Jenkins, people and culture leader, board chair of STEM From Dance, and partner at On-Ramps, to explore why boards aren’t just governance bodies — they’re culture carriers who shape trust, voice, and leadership, often without even realizing it.Together, they unpack how boards and executive leaders co-create organizational culture, what it looks like to move beyond outdated, transactional board models, and how leaders can intentionally activate boards as authentic partners in mission, storytelling, and growth. Nakia shares hard-earned wisdom from across the nonprofit, public, and education sectors — plus real, practical ways leaders can redesign board engagement for today’s realities.If you’re ready to reimagine your board as a source of trust, courage, and shared leadership — not just oversight — this conversation is your invitation.Takeaways:Why boards can only be true culture carriers when CEOs and executive directors create intentional spaceHow outdated board models limit trust — and what co-creation with boards really looks likeWhat healthy, values-aligned board and executive partnerships require in practiceHow to activate board members beyond fundraising by clarifying expectations and “the ask”Why onboarding, training, and ongoing relationship-building are essential to board effectivenessHow small wins, honest conversations, and shared stories unlock deeper board engagementEpisode Highlights:Board Evolution: From Stable Funding to Strategic Redesign (07:37)​The Gap in Board Role Perception and True Influence (12:18)​Authentic Mission Connections Through Program Exposure (15:11)​Healthy Partnerships = Brené Brown's "Rumbling" (16:44)​Intentional Engagement Beyond Meetings (19:16)​Activating + Training Your Boards (20:30)​Activate with Specific Asks and Training (23:31)​Bring Programs to Boards for Storytelling Power (24:11)​Nakia's One Good Thing: Intentions, Space, Small Wins (27:03)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/682//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Today’s episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking the mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shiftsShift 11 / Story as InfrastructureIn today’s episode, Jon and Becky welcome Carolina Garcia Jayaram, CEO of the Elevate Prize Foundation, for a reflective and forward-looking conversation on why story is no longer a communications tool — it’s essential infrastructure for mission and culture.As attention fragments, trust erodes, and technology reshapes how people connect, Carolina invites nonprofit leaders to rethink storytelling as a relational practice rooted in humanity, proximity, and long-term investment. Together, they explore how centering people over issues, building trust-based relationships, and intentionally distributing stories can expand influence without sacrificing integrity.Carolina shares insights from Elevate’s work at the intersection of philanthropy, media, and culture — from scaling visibility for proximate leaders to embracing AI in ways that deepen creativity rather than replace it. This episode is both a mindset shift and a practical invitation for leaders ready to treat story as something to protect, resource, and evolve from the inside out.Episode Highlights: People Over Issues: What Actually Moves Audiences to Action (03:45)Trust → Relationship-Based Philanthropy (05:10)Distribution as Strategy: Reaching Beyond the Choir (07:20)Owning Platforms & Visibility (YouTube, Creators, Times Square) (08:45)Case Study: Scaling Impact Through Story — Hannah Freed & Democracy Defenders (11:00)Scaffolding Stories: Why Nothing Should Be One-and-Done (14:50)Building Story Systems: Briefs, Libraries, and Iteration (16:30)Low-Fi Tools That Make High-Impact Stories Possible (18:40)Visibility = Fundraising: What the Data Shows (20:30)AI, Creativity & Neurodiversity: Scaling Without Losing Humanity (23:35)Carolina’s One Good Thing (25:50)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/681//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Today’s episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking the mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shiftsShift 9 / Merge to MultiplyIn today’s episode, Jon and Becky explore why collaboration is becoming a defining strategy for nonprofits seeking to protect mission and scale impact — and why the funding side of mergers and partnerships doesn’t get nearly enough airtime.They’re joined by Ananya Poddar, Senior Associate at SeaChange Capital Partners, to unpack what it really takes to resource nonprofit collaboration — from shared infrastructure and strategic alliances to program transfers and full-scale mergers. Ananya shares insights from the SeaChange–Lodestar Fund for Nonprofit Collaboration, including why neutral third-party support is often the missing ingredient, how leaders can build trust with funders and partner organizations, and what becomes possible when collaboration is treated as a fundable priority.Episode Highlights: Introduction to Nonprofit Collaboration (01:52)SeaChange-Lodestar Fund for Nonprofit Collaboration (5:40)Forms of Collaboration (07:00)Building Trust with Partners (10:50)Technical Assistance Funding (15:18)Case Study: She's the First & Girl Rising Merger (16:23)Cost Savings Example: Detroit Human Services Merger (20:10)Case Study: Philly Food Rescue Program Transfer (21:22)Motivations for Partnerships (23:57)One Good Thing / Homework: Make yourself familiar with what opportunities exist. (29:00)Dive Deeper: She’s The First Girl RisingEpisode 653: Nonprofit Mergers Aren’t a Last Resort—They’re a Strategic First Choice, She's The First and Girl Rising: Listen on Apple / SpotifyEpisode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/680//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Today’s episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking the mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shiftsShift 9 / Trust Is the Work NowIn today’s episode, Jon and Becky welcome back Abby Falik, Co-Founder & CEO of The Flight School, for a grounding and expansive conversation on why trust is no longer a byproduct of good leadership — it is the work.As institutions fracture, technology accelerates, and certainty feels harder to come by, Abby invites nonprofit leaders to rethink trust as a core leadership practice rooted in authenticity, courage, and inner alignment. Together, they explore what it looks like to lead without false certainty, release performative control, and build organizations that are worthy of trust — from the inside out.Abby shares wisdom from her lifelong work in leadership formation, her experience building trust-based systems, and the guiding principles behind The Flight School to help leaders move from fear to flourishing. This episode is both a call inward and a call forward for leaders navigating rapid change while trying to stay human.Episode Highlights: The Importance of Trust in Leadership (02:30)Trust as Core Work in a Fractured World (05:18)Warning Signs of Losing Trust in Organizations (12:29)Building Trust in Leadership (15:48)Leading with Hope in Uncertain Times (18:13)The Role of the Next Generation in Trust (21:51)Abby’s One Good Thing (24:31)Dive Deeper: Comfortable with Uncertainty / Purchase HereEpisode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/679//Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Today's episode continues our 12-part series: 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over twelve episodes, we’re unpacking mindset + strategy shifts shaping the future of fundraising, leadership, and doing good in 2026. Explore the series at weareforgood.com/12shifts.Shift 8 / Creators Are Your AmplifiersIn today’s episode, Jon and Becky sit down with Kathryn Baccash, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing at To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), for a powerful conversation about why creators aren’t just marketing channels — they’re relationship-driven partners who can extend trust, credibility, and impact far beyond what organizations can do alone.Together, they unpack how TWLOHA has spent nearly two decades cultivating creators as collaborators rather than megaphones — prioritizing friendship over transactions, community over control, and long-term trust over short-term reach. Kat shares how creators function as core capacity inside TWLOHA’s storytelling ecosystem, how relationship-first partnerships have amplified their suicide prevention work, and why letting go of rigid expectations is often the unlock nonprofits are missing.If you’re ready to rethink influence, move from staff-led to community-led storytelling, and build creator partnerships that actually scale trust in 2026, this episode is for you.Takeaways: Why creators should be treated as a core capacity, not a campaign add-onHow to build relationship-first creator partnerships rooted in trust and shared valuesWhat it really means to give up control without losing your messageHow creators help nonprofits scale impact through borrowed trustWhy community depth and engagement matter more than audience sizeEpisode Highlights:Creators as a Core Capacity, Not a Nice-to-Have (2:15)Relationship-First Creator Partnerships (4:40)Borrowed Trust: Scaling Impact Through Creators (6:50)Giving Up Control to Build Real Influence (12:40)Why Community Depth Matters More Than Audience Size (21:30)One Good Thing: Create Something Yourself to Build Empathy (29:30)Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/678TWLOHA //Join the We Are For Good Community—completely free.Join fellow changemakers, share takeaways from this working session, and keep collaborating in a space built for connection, inspiration, and real impact: www.weareforgoodcommunity.comSay hi 👋LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter