COMMUNITY: The Unique Value of the U.S. Nonprofit Workforce (1 of 3)

“Nonprofit workers are an unspoken part of our social contract.”

Why do we need to explicitly talk about the value of the nonprofit workforce—especially to people already working within it?

In this opening episode of a three-part series, Rusty Stahl argues that the nonprofit workforce has long been overlooked in public policy, media narratives, and even within the sector itself. Drawing on insights following Foundations on the Hill 2026, he highlights how nonprofit workers are frequently excluded from major policy debates—even when those policies directly impact their jobs and communities.

Rusty challenges the dominant “deficit-based” framing of the nonprofit workforce, which focuses on what workers lack, and instead calls for a shift toward an “asset-based” narrative that recognizes the sector’s immense contributions.

The episode then explores the first dimension of value: community. From meeting basic needs to enabling generosity and envisioning better futures, nonprofit workers are essential to the functioning, resilience, and cohesion of communities across the country.

In the next episodes of this miniseries:

• Part 2: The value of the nonprofit workforce to the U.S. economy
• Part 3: The value of the nonprofit workforce to democracy and liberty

If this episode resonated with you:

• Share it with a colleague, funder, or policymaker
• Leave a review of our show on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify
• Start conversations in your network about the value of the nonprofit workforce

Resources & Links

• Download an edited .pdf transcript of this episode 
• Fund the People: https://fundthepeople.org
• Email Rusty: rusty@fundthepeople.org 

Related Episodes

• S9:E11 - The Federal Policy & Propaganda Landscape Facing the Nonprofit Workforce in 2026
• ⁠S8:E1 - The Trump War on Charity
• ⁠S7:E4 - Making the Nonprofit Workforce Visible - with Dr. Alan Abrahmson and Chelsea Newhouse, George Mason University⁠