We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

Jenn DeBarge Goonan has sent thousands of pitch emails to editors, producers, and partners. She's distilled what works into four steps — and they work whether you're chasing press coverage, a corporate partner, or a major donor meeting.Jenn launched Lululemon into the U.S. market, built campaigns for Ben & Jerry's, and now runs JAG Communications, where she's spent 20 years making mission-driven work visible.

The gap between hope and despair has grown from 4% in 2010 to 27% today. That's the "hope gap" — and it's the reason Jon and Becky spent 10 episodes sitting with eight change leaders who are filling it, one story at a time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

"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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Meet Christina Martin Kenny

Meet Amanda Green

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

Meet Dave Raley

Meet Nathan Cook

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.

Meet Pedro J. Rivera

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.

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.

Meet Jeremy Bouman, Founder of RISE in Omaha

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.

"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

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

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.

Meet Eliza Blank, the new CEO of The Farmlink Project

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 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

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 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.

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.com Say hi

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.

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.

Meet Amir Samandi

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.com Say hi

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 Glenda 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—Glenda 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 for the people with the least power.Episode Highlights: Glenda'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.com Say hi

Meet Leona

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/682Save your free seat at the We Are For Good Summit

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/681Save your free seat at the We Are For Good Summit

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/680Save your free seat at the We Are For Good Summit

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/679Save your free seat at the We Are For Good Summit