REAL INSIGHTS
REAL IMPACT

Recent grant applications to the Southern Black Girls and Women’s Consortium’s Black Girls Dream Fund reveal how Black-led nonprofits navigate underfunding, burnout, and pressure to “perform” for funders. AI-generated language and vague, “do-everything” missions are common, but the strongest proposals show clear focus, cultural specificity, and deep, community-rooted expertise.

In this final post of our four-part series on nonprofit board member archetypes, we’ll explore three quiet yet powerful types: the Worker Bee, the Silent Seat, and the Champion. Understanding these members and welcoming their unique strengths can unlock significant hidden power for your board.

These “Meeting Hijackers” bring energy and passion, but without boundaries, can slow progress or cause frustration. The good news is that understanding their underlying motivations helps you manage them constructively and harness their strengths for the board’s benefit.

This is the first blog in a four-part series. By the end, you’ll not only laugh in recognition but also walk away with practical strategies for each archetype to make your board experience less exasperating and more creative and hopeful.

AI won’t replace the expertise, strategy, or community wisdom that nonprofit leaders bring to the table, and that’s good news. Explore why human creativity and expertise matter more than ever and how to use AI as a supportive tool (not a substitute).

For many nonprofit leaders, program evaluation is a familiar requirement. Funders want to know how dollars were spent, boards want to see outcomes, and staff want to understand whether their work is making a difference. But when your organization runs wide-ranging programs—spanning multiple issue areas, audiences, or delivery models—assessing effectiveness can be complex.

Explore the unique challenges BIPOC leaders face and how systemic pressures and intersecting identities contribute to burnout. It reframes boundaries as essential leadership strategies and introduces healing justice as a framework for sustainable, resilient leadership.

A mid-year check-in doesn't need to be a heavy lift. With the right questions and a willingness to reflect, you can gain valuable clarity and momentum for the months ahead.

When we reframe capacity building as liberation, we begin to center rest, joy, reflection, and sustainability.

Equity-centered leadership isn't just a strategy for external impact; it's a commitment to reimagining power, beginning with ourselves and our organizations.

In moments of crisis, it's not institutions that save our communities—it's people. Mutual aid networks offer a powerful, community-led response model rooted in solidarity and trust. This article explores why nonprofits must evolve to meet the moment by shifting from charity to solidarity, challenging traditional philanthropy, and redistributing power to grassroots leaders. The way forward is already here—we just have to follow its lead.

Scaling back with intention isn't about shrinking your mission. It's about refining your focus to meet the moment with clarity, courage, and compassion. Discover tips for navigating uncertainty with intention.

Advocacy takes planning, capacity, and alignment with your organization's goals.

With shifting regulations, funding uncertainties, and the weight of social and political issues, your team is facing unique challenges.

Community-led digital campaigns are a powerful way to build trust and engagement.

Executive coaching provides a personalized approach to leadership development for nonprofit founders and leaders.

For many nonprofits, social media is often seen as a secondary tool but not necessarily a core part of their visibility strategy.

As a nonprofit leader, you will lead teams with diverse generational perspectives—each bringing distinct values, experience, and approaches.

The journey is often filled with challenges, risks, and lessons in entrepreneurship, nonprofit leadership, and startups.

Succession planning isn’t just about filling vacancies; it’s about future-proofing your organization.