We Are For Good

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Channel • 3 Shows

Non-Profit

Non-Profit

Updated Semiweekly
Non-Profit

Non-Profit

Updated 08/11/2023
Non-Profit

Non-Profit

Updated Weekly

1D AGO

696. Building Trust: The 3 Layers Every Nonprofit Leader Needs - Aila Malik

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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

1d ago

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42 min
3D AGO

695. How to Build an Organization Ready for Its Biggest Moment - Sara LaBarge

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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

3d ago

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27 min
MAR 25

694. Stop Scaling. Start Solving: What the Nonprofit Sector Gets Wrong About Growth - Eliza Blank

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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Mar 25

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30 min
MAR 23

693. Despair Is Paralyzing, Hope Is Galvanizing: Afdhel Aziz's Three-Step Playbook for Stories That Move People to Action

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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Mar 23

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36 min
MAR 18

692. Working Session: How to Grow Your Online Giving - Josh Burns

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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Mar 18

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34 min
MAR 16

691. The Volunteer Strategy Gap (And How to Close It) - Nicole R. Smith, CVA

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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Mar 16

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40 min
MAR 11

690. A Case Study in Building Trust and Authentic Partnerships - jacob adams, Inner Spark

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/podcast jacob adams LI Post: We Didn't Hit Our EOY Campaign Goal Episode 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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Mar 11

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30 min
MAR 2

687. The Path Forward: Leading With Purpose in 2026 - Seth Godin

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.com Say hi 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Mar 2

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41 min
JAN 21

676. Shift 6 — The Modern Donor Journey: Modernize Individual Giving for Today’s Donor - Mike Duerksen & Dana Snyder

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 6 / Modernize Individual Giving for Today’s Donor In today's episode, Jon and Becky welcome back Dana Snyder (Positive Equation) and Mike Duerksen (BuildGood) — for a practical, honest conversation about what’s changing in donor behavior and what to do about it in 2026. Together, they unpack why the donor journey is no longer linear, why friction in your systems is more expensive than ever, and how monthly giving becomes a risk-mitigation strategy for stability. You’ll hear how the first 90 days create “memory structure” for donors, what Mike calls the “forgotten copy” that can make or break trust, and why making generosity visible again can help restore it as a social norm — at home and in your community. If you’re ready to remove friction, build trust faster, and create an individual giving strategy that fits how donors actually live and decide in 2026, this one’s for you. Episode Highlights: Today's Shifts in Donor Behavior (3:00)Designing a Donor Journey (10:30)Auditing Individual Giving: First 90 Days, Donor Needs & Team Focus (17:30)Case Studies (23:50)Mike and Dana's Playbooks + How to Activate Today (28:20)Dive Deeper: The Monthly Giving Summit (Feb 25, 1:00PM - Feb 26, 4:00PM EST) The Store Homeboy Industries Build Good Fundraising Podcast Episode Shownotes: weareforgood.com/episode/676 // 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 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Jan 21

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35 min
JAN 28

678. Shift 8 — Creators Are Your Amplifiers: Build Trust Beyond Your Brand - Kathryn Baccash, TWLOHA

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 Amplifiers In 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/678 TWLOHA // 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 👋 LinkedIn / Instagram / Facebook / YouTube / Twitter

Jan 28

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36 min

We Are for Good is a media company with an aim to revolutionize the social impact sector through profound compassion, best-in-class education + training, authentic storytelling and crazy good marketing. Our vision is to cultivate an Impact Uprising - inspiring and activating more people to get involved with philanthropy and collective good.

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