Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

Eric Ressler
  • 5.0 (15)
  • NON-PROFIT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Designing Tomorrow explores a new playbook for modern social impact leaders and brands to reach their true impact potential.    Why do some social impact brands thrive, while so many others fail to get traction, build support for their cause, and make meaningful progress? Imagine your impact with truly sustainable revenue and resources. With deeper community engagement and relationships. With more influence in your social impact category.   Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, each episode dives into the strategies, mindsets, and behaviors top social impact brands use to play and win in the attention economy. Go beyond high-level concepts to specific tools and tactics you can use today.   Watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes each Tuesday.  Let’s design a better tomorrow, together.Designing Tomorrow is a Cosmic Production. Learn more at https://designbycosmic.com/ Designing Tomorrow is a registered trademark of Design By Cosmic, Inc. 

  1. 3D AGO

    Inside charity:water's Big Brand Bet

    The nonprofit sector has a marketing philosophy problem. We adopted a playbook built almost entirely around conversion: get the click, get the gift, optimize the funnel. But all of that activation depends on something most organizations never intentionally build: a brand people actually know, remember, and feel something about. Brady Josephson, Head of Growth & Innovation at charity:water, spent most of his career in direct response. Then the data told him something different, and charity:water went all in on brand. Episode Highlights: [00:03:00] How charity:water unknowingly burned through its brand equity  [00:05:30] What "investing in brand" actually means beyond logos and colors  [00:11:00] Self-determination theory and why trust is really about competence  [00:22:00] You can tell the same story far more times than you think  [00:25:00] Inside charity:water's 7,000 sq ft immersive experience space  [00:44:00] Pick one growth engine and stop trying to do everything Notable Quotes: [00:44:15]: "What you say no to or what you do less of is the game. That is strategy." Brady Josephson [00:24:00]: "You acknowledge some of the footage is old, some of the facts are out of date, and yet you're putting millions of dollars of ad spend behind that piece." Eric Ressler  Resources & Links: charity:water — charitywater.orgThe Factory at Franklin — factoryatfranklin.comLenny's Newsletter — lennysnewsletter.comHosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    58 min

  2. MAR 17

    Who Are You Becoming?

    A single phrase from a previous episode sent Eric into an existential tailspin, and reshaped how he thinks about organizational identity. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan unpack why "Who are we becoming?" hits harder than any strategic planning question, how it works as a daily filter for every decision you make, and why the social impact sector needs to be asking it right now. Episode Highlights: [00:01:30] The phrase that triggered an existential crisis  [00:02:00] Why "becoming" reframes identity, not just strategy  [00:05:00] Who is Cosmic becoming?  [00:05:30] The follow-up: "What would I do differently if I were already that?"  [00:07:00] Every decision is a vote for who you're becoming  [00:09:00] What happens when you don't choose who you're becoming Notable Quotes:  [00:05:30]: "The next question that I ask myself is, 'Well, what would I do differently if I were already that?' And that's where I think it becomes extremely powerful." Eric Ressler [00:06:55]: "Every action I take, every decision I make as an individual is sort of a vote for who I'm becoming." Jonathan Hicken [00:09:30]: "If you don't have a clear sense of who you want to become, you are inevitably going to become someone else's version of you." Eric Ressler Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    23 min

  3. MAR 10

    Storytelling Needs an Ecosystem

    The social impact sector has gotten very good at describing problems: white papers, statistics, annual reports filled with data on gaps and needs. But it hasn't built a system for telling stories that actually move people. Heather Mason spent 20 years producing the biggest convenings in the sector before building The Impact Lounge, a traveling hub that brings together funders, filmmakers, and creators at Sundance, Cannes, and beyond to build the narrative infrastructure social change has been missing. Episode Highlights: [02:15] Why narrative change is the most powerful lever for social change  [05:00] The social sector treats film as a tactic — Hollywood treats it as a system  [08:00] Marvelization: what world-building looks like for social impact  [12:30] You were hired to solve a problem — what if you were hired to create a vision?  [37:00] Why small teams should build, not buy — and let go of perfect  [45:00] The Skunkworks mindset: annoyingly positive in a hard year Notable Quotes: [03:45]: "Data can inform us, but only stories can move us."  — Heather Mason  [13:00]: "If people get hired to focus on the problem, you're going to get problem-focused experiences, problem-focused communication, problem-focused white papers." — Heather Mason  Resources & Links: The Impact Lounge — theimpactlounge.comCaspian Agency — caspianagency.comOutrider Foundation Nuke Simulator — outrider.orgCosmic — designbycosmic.comHosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday. → Subscribe: designingtomorrow.show → Work with Cosmic: designbycosmic.com Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    51 min

  4. MAR 3

    WTF Even is Strategy?

    Everyone claims to be strategic. But what does that word even mean anymore? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into a question that comes up constantly: what actually separates strategy from tactics, and why do so many strategic plans end up collecting dust? Eric makes a bold claim — that strategy, at its core, comes down to one word: conviction. Not frameworks. Not 200-page documents. Conviction about who you are, and more importantly, who you are not. The conversation gets personal when Eric admits he lost that conviction at Cosmic, drifting toward service expansion before recognizing the pattern he'd seen in dozens of client organizations. If you've ever sat through a six-month strategic planning process that ended in a fizzle, this one's for you. Episode Highlights [00:01:49] What the f**k even is strategy? [00:03:58] Eric's answer: conviction [00:04:30] What you're saying no to [00:06:40] Strategy vs. tactics [00:09:32] Eric lost conviction at Cosmic [00:15:15] Photography as extractive art [00:16:06] Near enemy: stubbornness [00:25:47] Longer plan = more useless [00:28:58] Passion is not a strategy Notable Quotes "There is a very strong conviction about who they are, but even more so who they are not." — Eric "The impulse I find for most people is to go tactical. And to call it strategy." — Jonathan "The longer your strategic plan is, the more useless it is." — Eric "If you don't know what to say yes and no to, you don't have a strategy." — Eric Resources Good to Great by Jim Collins: https://www.jimcollins.com/books.html Minimum Viable Strategy episode: https://designbycosmic.com/podcast/how-to-stop-planning-and-start-doing/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    31 min

  5. FEB 24

    Philanthropy Can Afford to Give More

    There's $1.5 trillion sitting in American foundations right now. Add in donor-advised funds and the total climbs past $1.7 trillion. Most of it isn't moving. Meanwhile, the organizations on the front lines of housing, health, democracy, and climate are being told to do more with less. In this episode, three leaders behind the Level Up campaign make the case that the 5% minimum payout rate — meant to be a floor — has become a ceiling. And they're doing something about it. Aaron Dorfman (NCRP), Jodeen Olguín-Tayler (CHANGE Philanthropy), and Amanda Andere (Neighborhood Funders Group) break down the campaign asking foundations to increase their payout to at least 8% for two years, direct funds more equitably, and prove it with their tax filings. Episode Highlights [00:00] The $1.5 trillion on the sidelines  [02:03] Why 5% isn't enough for this moment  [06:15] How philanthropy responded to 2025 — and where it fell short  [13:50] What "give better" actually looks like  [17:24] Why Minneapolis was ready  [25:39] The billion-dollar imbalance between right and left  [29:24] Why Level Up requires proof, not just promises  [44:03] Foundations already leading the way  [49:28] What you can do right now Notable Quotes  "We can't leave this capital on the sidelines." — Aaron Dorfman [02:30] "I stopped putting funding into my son's college education fund because if we don't have a world that is effectively addressing climate, racialized violence… I'm not sure my eight year old is going to have the need for a college account." — Jodeen Olguín-Tayler [04:34] "Whatever you thought you were doing during the civil rights movement — that is what you should be doing now." — Amanda Andere [51:15] Resources & Links  Level Up Campaign — https://levelupphilanthropy.org/ NCRP — https://ncrp.org/ Neighborhood Funders Group — https://nfg.org/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    55 min

  6. FEB 17

    The Great Content Reset

    AI slop is flooding every channel. Here's what changes, what doesn't, and how to cut through the noise. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into the great content reset — the collision of AI, shifting media formats, and a growing hunger for real human connection. They unpack where AI actually helps (and where it creates "AI slop"), why Derek Thompson argues everything is becoming television, and the timeless communication truths that hold no matter the technology. Episode Highlights [00:00] The Great Content Reset [01:03] The Google Ads Nightmare [03:05] AI as Content Accelerant [05:20] Quantity vs. Personality [08:18] How We Use AI on This Show [10:33] When AI Helps vs. Hurts [14:16] Everything Is Television [18:22] Should Every Org Create Content? [20:06] The Return to In-Person [23:13] Timeless Communication Truths [26:41] The Value of Imperfection Notable Quotes "As the channels get noisier and noisier, you basically have to show up more and more. But is that really going to be your strategy?" — Eric "Are people even planning what to do on a weekend by searching Google anymore? Are they just asking ChatGPT?" — Jonathan "The more AI slop comes in and pollutes these channels, the more anything that feels different than that becomes important." — Eric "I think the idea of 'we do good work behind the scenes' — there is less and less viability in that model." — Eric Resources & Links: 🎙️ Mike Nellis — The Endless Urgency of Digital Organizing: https://designbycosmic.com/podcast/mike-nellis-endless-urgency-interview/ 🎙️ Amanda Litman — Run for Something: https://designbycosmic.com/podcast/amanda-litman-run-for-something/ 📝 Derek Thompson — "Everything Is Television": https://www.derekthompson.org/p/why-everything-became-television 🎙️ Why No One Cares About Your Content: https://designbycosmic.com/podcast/why-no-one-cares-about-your-content-and-how-to-fix-it/ Cosmic helps social impact leaders build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    29 min

  7. FEB 10

    Who Should Fund The People?

    If solving the world's hardest problems requires the world's best people, why do we pay social impact professionals like they should be grateful just to have a job? The sector still treats its workforce as a cost to be minimized rather than the most important element to its success. So what would it look like to invest in people with the same urgency we bring to our missions? Rusty Stahl is the founder of Fund the People and a former Ford Foundation program associate. He's spent over a decade pushing back against the structural barriers that keep nonprofit workers underpaid, overworked, and undervalued. We dig into the toxic legacy of the "overhead" myth, why the current menu of grant types still isn't enough to support the people doing the work, and Rusty's bold new proposal: SOS (Staff Operating Support) grants — a funding model designed specifically to invest in nonprofit workers. Episode Highlights [00:00] Why we pay social impact professionals like they should be grateful [02:45] Structural barriers holding back the nonprofit workforce [03:20] The "overhead" myth: how a toxic formula warps the sector [05:44] Why overhead became the default — and why it shouldn't be [08:43] Introducing SOS grants: funding built around people, not programs [11:59] How SOS grants work — a senior center case study [14:27] The permission problem: why nonprofits need cover to invest in teams [16:09] The MacArthur Foundation president told grantees to take time off [18:29] Getting SOS grants into the nonprofit zeitgeist [21:43] Rusty's podcast, the Long Haul Grantmaking report, and more Notable Quotes "The nonprofit workforce is the greatest asset for any organization and its greatest expense, and it's the bedrock of effectiveness, impact, and sustainability." — Rusty Stahl "We should not have to rely on the president of all the different foundations to get on podcasts and say, 'I hereby declare you can take summer vacation.'" — Rusty Stahl Resources & Links Fund the People: https://fundthepeople.org/SOS Grants (NPQ): https://nonprofitquarterly.org/nonprofits-need-funding-for-staff-operating-support/SOS Concept Paper (PDF): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tli3J_UK0yS4EOmvEV-yKHiwQuM8DLRh/viewLong Haul Grantmaking Report: https://fundthepeople.org/report-long-haul-grantmaking/Fund the People Podcast: https://fundthepeople.org/ftp_podcast/Full show notes and transcript: https://designbycosmic.com/podcast/Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    25 min

  8. JAN 27

    The Cost of "Someday"

    Every organization has a “someday” list. The rebrand that never quite gets prioritized. The content strategy that’s been “in the works” for three years. The bold idea that came up in a board meeting, got tabled for further discussion — and was never discussed again. But what if the right time already came and went? In this episode, Eric and Jonathan go behind the scenes on a project that almost didn’t happen: building Seymour Studios, a turnkey media space designed to make storytelling fast, simple, and accessible for the social impact community in Santa Cruz.  Eric pitched this same concept to another local organization months earlier. They stalled. Jonathan saw the potential, moved on it, and now the opportunities are already flowing in. They cover: ➔ Why rigid strategic plans often kill the opportunities they’re meant to create. ➔ The hidden friction that stops good ideas from ever getting off the ground. ➔ How to screen opportunities without defaulting to “someday.” ➔ What it looks like to pursue the end goal relentlessly — while staying flexible on the journey. ➔ The early returns from building momentum instead of waiting for perfect conditions. If you’ve ever felt stuck between vision and execution — or wondered why some organizations seem to move while others stay frozen — this conversation will challenge how you think about timing, risk, and the real cost of deferral. Stop waiting. Start building. Episode Highlights [00:00] Introduction: The cost of “someday” and why opportunities rarely wait[01:40] The pattern Eric has seen over 16 years of working with nonprofits[03:05] How the studio idea came to be, and why another org passed[04:38] Jonathan’s lightbulb moment: connecting the studio to a longstanding problem[06:18] The hidden friction of media production (and why it kills creativity)[08:00] Other flavors of “someday” — board approval, distractions, unclear ROI[10:04] Leadership, culture, and organizations in motion[14:05] Balancing opportunism with focus: how to avoid shiny object syndrome[14:30] Relentless pursuit of the end goal vs. rigid journey planning[17:30] Screening opportunities: the donor/supporter “look them in the face” test[19:49] Early feedback from the community — and why people see themselves in it[22:02] The future of content: accessible, human, less polished, more interesting[23:27] The quantity play: why more stories > fewer perfect ones[25:00] Challenge to listeners: shed the someday mentality in 2026P.S. — Feeling stuck between where you are and where you know you could be? Cosmic helps social impact orgs build trust through story-rich brands, compelling campaigns, and values-aligned strategy. Let’s talk about how to get moving: https://designbycosmic.com/ Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link. *** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you! We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@designbycosmic.com Thank you for all that you do for your cause and for being part of the movement to move humanity and the planet forward.

    27 min
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Designing Tomorrow explores a new playbook for modern social impact leaders and brands to reach their true impact potential.    Why do some social impact brands thrive, while so many others fail to get traction, build support for their cause, and make meaningful progress? Imagine your impact with truly sustainable revenue and resources. With deeper community engagement and relationships. With more influence in your social impact category.   Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, each episode dives into the strategies, mindsets, and behaviors top social impact brands use to play and win in the attention economy. Go beyond high-level concepts to specific tools and tactics you can use today.   Watch on YouTube or listen to new episodes each Tuesday.  Let’s design a better tomorrow, together.Designing Tomorrow is a Cosmic Production. Learn more at https://designbycosmic.com/ Designing Tomorrow is a registered trademark of Design By Cosmic, Inc. 

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