We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

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 2 / Communication to Connection: The Reconnection Era  Ever felt that ache of reaching out endlessly, yet still standing...

Today's episode launches our 12-part series 12 Shifts in 2026 for Social Impact. Over the next 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 1 / Metrics with Meaning: Make Better Decisions with Less Noise Feeling buried under dashboards and drowning i...

This episode is a year-end exhale . Becky + Jon are joined by the incredible Lindsey Fuller for a cozy, heartfelt conversation as we gently close out 2025 and look toward a more grounded, intentional 2026. Together, we pause to reflect, breathe, and reconnect with what really matters. Lindsey brings honest wisdom on navigating burnout, the constant noise of the world, and why hope and genuine comm...

Trust isn’t built in boardrooms, it’s built in community.   In this episode, Gloria Dixon (Director of Philanthropy + Executive Director, BECU Foundation) joins us for a real talk on what it takes to share power and reimagine funding through a trust-based lens. From her journey in Milwaukee to leading community-centered giving in the Pacific Northwest, Gloria opens up about what’s shifting in phil...

Sunsetting isn’t failure—it’s leadership. In this episode, Becky sits down with Desiree Lyons, CEO of Namaste Direct, and Kate Flatley, Executive Director of the Women’s Justice Initiative, for an honest conversation about what it really looks like to put community at the center—even when it means changing or ending your own model. Together, they share how Namaste Direct made the difficult decisio...

In this rapid-fire Working Session, Jon and Becky break down storytelling as a core nonprofit skill — not a marketing tactic — and share simple, practical frameworks you can use immediately.  From clarifying your values and audience to collecting and activating stories more intentionally, you’ll learn how to move supporters from empathy → connection → action and build a storytelling system that dr...

If year-end fundraising feels like an all-gas-no-brakes sprint, this Working Session is your moment to regroup, refocus, and rally your strongest allies. We brought in fundraising expert and author Rhea Wong for a rapid-fire strategy session on two mission-critical moves: activating your board before December 31 and turning year-end gifts, signals, and conversations into a predictable 2026 pipelin...

If creating content feels like a treadmill you can’t quite step off, this Working Session is your reset button. We brought in nonprofit marketing expert and author Julia Campbell to teach you how to build a simple, sustainable content calendar for your next two weeks — in under an hour. Julia walks us through her signature approach to content planning: one rooted in clarity, consistency, and choos...

If you want to show up meaningfully during the most generous—and most crowded—season of the year, LinkedIn may be your most overlooked year-end fundraising tool. We brought in LinkedIn strategist Tania Bhattacharya of Lumos Marketing to unpack how nonprofits can use the platform to grow visibility, spark connections, and strengthen warm relationships in the final weeks of the year. Top 3 Takeaways...

Feeling worn down by work or wondering if your burnout is more than just stress? You’re not alone.  In this episode, Lindsey Fuller is joined with Elandria Jackson Charles and Naomi Hattaway for a heartfelt conversation about how our jobs impact our wellbeing—and what to do when things start to feel overwhelming. Together, they explore real stories of burnout and offer gentle, practical tools for...

If you want your year-end emails to stand out in the noisiest inbox season of the year, this Working Session is your new playbook. We brought in marketer and dynamic-content expert Caroline Griffin to break down the simple personalization shifts that make every donor feel seen—so your emails land, resonate, and inspire action. Top 3 Takeaways: Make Personalization Actually Personal — Go beyond “Hi...

If you need to close major gifts in the next five weeks, this Working Session is your new game plan. We brought in major gifts coach and CourageLab founder Julie Ordoñez to break down exactly who to ask, what to say, and how to step into these conversations with more courage, clarity, and conviction—especially during giving season. Top 3 Takeaways: Focus Beats Frenzy: Stop trying to reach everyone...

If you want to raise more monthly gifts at year-end, this Working Session is your new playbook. We’re breaking down the simple changes that make recurring giving more visible, more compelling, and easier for your supporters to say yes to.  Top 3 Takeaways:   1. Make Monthly Giving Impossible to Miss — Clear, separate buttons for one-time and monthly gifts can increase conversions by up to 45%.  2....

We know that gut-punch feeling when your time off ends and the peace you just earned starts draining away before Monday even hits. We've all been there.  Here’s the thing: Returning to work shouldn't feel like a rush that undoes your rest. This week Lindsey is pulling back the curtain on how she makes rest non-negotiable, even after a big pause like an eight-week micro sabbatical. She&ap...

Meet Melissa Helmbrecht 🤝, the CEO of Give Back . Founded by Bob Carr, this organization is rewriting what opportunity looks like for young people who've faced the hardest circumstances—from homelessness to abuse. In this episode, Melissa shows us the deep, lasting impact of true mentorship and the power of a supportive community. Melissa shares how Give Back helps students not just survive,...

Meet Veronica , the dedicated teacher and guiding force, alongside Alice , the passionate Senior at Atlanta International School (AIS) and Co-President of AIS Against Human Trafficking.  AIS Against Human Trafficking is a dynamic, student-led initiative dedicated to raising awareness and mobilizing action against human trafficking through education, powerful storytelling, and global partnerships....

Meet Erin 🤝, Vice President of Community Engagement and Executive Director of the Thunder Community Foundation. In this episode, we explore the story of the OKC Thunder’s meaningful impact far beyond the basketball court. While celebrating their first NBA championship is certainly exciting, Erin shows us how the team’s success has become a grounded catalyst for community philanthropy in Oklahoma...

Turn Down the Alarm, Tune Into the Signal.  That feeling of stress isn't a sign you're broken—it's your body's brilliant security system asking for your attention. It's a powerful signal that, when truly heard, guides you directly to deeper self-care and genuine resilience. That nagging feeling of stress? It's simply your nervous system alarm stuck on full blast. It i...

Meet Becca 🤝, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Good Natured Learning. Her work reminds us that the deepest lessons often begin where the wilderness starts. In this episode, we follow Becca’s journey from exploring Wisconsin’s backwoods to leading educational programs in Kenya and how it’s all about creating true belonging between students, teachers, and nature. Good Natured Learning isn’t jus...

Special Episode: PART TWO If you caught our Monday episode, you knew something big was coming—and today’s the day we finally get to share it. We Are For Good is joining the Givebutter family! 🩵 💛 We're joined by Givebutter’s Co-founder & CEO, Max Friedman, to unpack the heart , the why , and the how behind this partnership. This community has always been about democratizing access—to id...

Special Episode: PART ONE Something big is coming. Today's episode is the conversation before the conversation. Join Jon, Becky + Julie - live in studio together - as we're celebrating five years of the We Are For Good journey and stepping behind the scenes of launching the Impact Uprising. Join us for a deeply heartfelt conversation as we reflect on the journey: how this movement began,...

The pause only works if you plan for it. Here’s how to get ready to truly rest. Whether you’re heading into a sabbatical, PTO, or just a long weekend, this episode helps you actually get ready to rest. Lindsey shares three readiness reflections — Finance, People, and Program — to gauge if your org (and you) can sustain time away. You’ll learn how to design an “only-call-me-if” checklist that prote...

Get ready for a warm and inspiring episode, friend, as we welcome the visionary leaders behind a truly groundbreaking moment: the phenomenal merger of Girl Rising and She's The First. We sit down with Christina Lowery, Nidhi Shukla, Kate Kiama, and Tammy Tibbetts, the women fearlessly charting this new course 💖 For years, these two powerhouses have been dedicated to transforming girls'...

Meet Maria (Director of Marketing + Data Management, Second Harvest Food Bank ) and Charles (Senior Vice President at RKD )🤝. In this episode, dive into their inspiring journey of digital transformation at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida. Together, they share how embracing innovation helped build a connected ecosystem that fuels smarter decisions and deepens donor relationships💡...

Meet Christina Martin Kenny 🤝, founder of Guava Tree Strategies. In this episode, Christina shines a light on sustainable fundraising and why keeping passionate staff is so important in nonprofits. She shares her inspiring journey into social impact, blending personal stories with her professional experience. Christina busts common fundraising myths like the pressure to bring in money instantly a...