Future Nonprofit

Historic Agency

Explore all things innovation to amplify the future of nonprofit impact. Discover best practices from top nonprofits and social-impact businesses. Learn new strategies and explore daring ways to think about and solve your organization's big problems. Ted Vaughn, award-winning author and social entrepreneur, invites guests to share their personal narratives, experiences, and hot takes on what is needed to create an innovative organization. Ted illustrates how they can be put into practice on a journey to discover the future of nonprofits. Watch full raw interviews on the Future Nonprofit Youtube channel.

  1. Building a Relational Nonprofit Model: How Alan Graham is Mobilizing Austin, TX to Support Their Houseless Neighbors

    7 分鐘前

    Building a Relational Nonprofit Model: How Alan Graham is Mobilizing Austin, TX to Support Their Houseless Neighbors

    “What we're trying to do is build a forged family for people that have been despised, outcast, lost and forgotten, and pushed to the furthest fringes of society.”—Alan Graham Before you truly see an issue, you only know part of the story. But once you develop empathy for the people it affects, you can’t unsee its importance. That’s what happened for Alan Graham, who has now dedicated nearly three decades of his life to supporting his houseless neighbors in Austin, TX. Alan is the Founder & CEO of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, a Christian nonprofit that has been empowering their community into a lifestyle of service since 1998. In that time, they’ve served over 6.5 million meals and helped more than 470 neighbors move from the streets into permanent homes. In this episode, Alan shares: His personal journey of faith that led him to start Mobile Loaves and FishesWhy we should have compassion for those who find themselves without supportThe value in heart-to-heart solutionsAnd why nonprofits should stick with new initiatives longer than we often do For Alan, the purpose of his life and the work he’s dedicated to is quite simple: To love God and love his neighbor. This conversation will bring you right back to the roots of your own work, reminding you of the simple truths that truly fuel your vision. Listen in! Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: www.futurenonprofit.com/alan-graham

    33 分鐘
  2. Building Local Trust at Scale: How Bob Dalton Is Reimagining Community Impact

    9月18日

    Building Local Trust at Scale: How Bob Dalton Is Reimagining Community Impact

    “If we're gonna see real change, it has to be done on a local level. My personal mission for the rest of my life is reintegrating localism back into modern society.”—Bob Dalton Do you ever feel like it’s harder than ever to engage people in your mission? Nonprofits today compete with influencer culture, political fatigue, and content overload. Bob Dalton has cracked the code on how localism rebuilds trust and why that matters more than ever. Bob is an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and social designer working to reclaim human connection in the digital age. He is the founder of two mission-minded companies: Sackcloth & Ashes, where every blanket purchased sends one to your local shelter; and LOCL, a local-focused social network to truly help neighbors connect. I (Ted) really respect Bob. His path in life hasn’t been straight. It’s been marked by resilience, bold choices, and a refusal to let fear set the terms. But he sees a world better than the one we live in, and dares to pursue it. In this conversation, you’ll hear: How to build mission-aligned teamsThe impact AI is making on community-buildingHow to lead through adversityWhy localism scales trust and impact Bob is a confident leader who has so much to teach any nonprofit leader. He understands his strengths, how to align teams, and where user behavior is headed. As nonprofits face competition from influencers, startups, and viral fundraisers, Bob offers a new framework for relevance rooted in trust and local connection. If you care about real connection, team alignment, and reclaiming impact in a noisy world, this conversation is for you. Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: www.futurenonprofit.com/bob-dalton

    30 分鐘
  3. ATHENA: Holly Smithson - Embracing the Unknown, Welcoming Vulnerability, & Voicing Your Power

    6月10日

    ATHENA: Holly Smithson - Embracing the Unknown, Welcoming Vulnerability, & Voicing Your Power

    “So many people are not voicing their power.” - Holly Smithson What if your biggest strength is the thing you’ve been told is your greatest weakness? In this episode, Ted sits down with Holly Smithson, CEO of Athena, a global leadership platform dedicated to fast-tracking women in STEM (short for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). This is an incredible organization that is partnering with some of the nation’s top corporations by strengthening their executive pipeline, fostering cultures of innovation and impact, and accelerating workforce readiness for the future economy. Holly shares how a childhood spent watching news with her dad and idolizing Carol Burnett sparked a lifelong passion for storytelling and advocacy. She walks us through her journey—from Capitol Hill to a cancer diagnosis—and how embracing vulnerability, authenticity, and innovation became central to her leadership. You’ll hear how Holly’s nonprofit, Athena, grew from a regional incubator into a global confidence lab, why innovation is a critical skill for nonprofits, and how “embracing your power” can fuel stronger impact and more confident leadership. Whether you're navigating growth, burnout, or a call to lead more authentically, Holly’s story is a powerful invitation to something better. Want our key takeaways from this conversation? Take a look at the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/holly-smithson/

    38 分鐘
  4. MEASURE: Meme Styles - How to Champion Equity Through Community-Led Research

    4月24日

    MEASURE: Meme Styles - How to Champion Equity Through Community-Led Research

    “There was no real mechanism for measuring what we meant when we said build trust… Who was creating the surveys? What was the methodology? What were the metrics assessing relationships?” - Meme Styles You use data every day. In the stories you tell donors. In the statistics you share on social media. In the decisions you make about the future of the organization. But data-informed decision-making goes deeper than just collecting numbers and drawing conclusions from them. Meme Styles, our guest today, reminds us that we need to be asking some important questions:  Where did these numbers come from?How do we know they are trustworthy and accurate?How biased or unbiased are the sources of that data or the methodology we’re utilizing? From running a lunchroom advocacy campaign as a third grader to sitting on panels with city officials in Austin, TX, Meme has always been a force for change. And in 2015, she founded MEASURE, a nonprofit data advocacy organization working to eliminate social disparities in health, education, economics, and criminal justice—one dataset at a time. In this episode, Meme shares how data can either reinforce inequities or drive systemic change, how data bias can show up in nonprofits, why community is the best form of technology, and the most impactful decision Meme says she’s made in her leadership. If you’re a nonprofit leader committed to equity, dignity, and visionary leadership, this conversation is for you. Want our key takeaways from this conversation? Take a look at the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/meme-styles/

    29 分鐘
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簡介

Explore all things innovation to amplify the future of nonprofit impact. Discover best practices from top nonprofits and social-impact businesses. Learn new strategies and explore daring ways to think about and solve your organization's big problems. Ted Vaughn, award-winning author and social entrepreneur, invites guests to share their personal narratives, experiences, and hot takes on what is needed to create an innovative organization. Ted illustrates how they can be put into practice on a journey to discover the future of nonprofits. Watch full raw interviews on the Future Nonprofit Youtube channel.

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