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

Save your free seat at the We Are For Good Summit 🩵

It’s a free, one-day virtual gathering for changemakers to build capacity, clarity and momentum in the new year. Expect 20 speakers across 3 tracks - plus live workshops, working sessions, and round-table conversations. Lean more + register today!

Thank you to our partners 🩵

Big gratitude to Givebutter, RKD Group, Whiteboard, and Sowen for their partnership in growing the Impact Uprising. If you’re searching for a new CRM, tech tool, brand partner, direct mail partner, or impact strategist— we’d love for you to start with our trusted recs. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to. Head to weareforgood.com/recs to learn more.

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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

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AI is everywhere right now and for a lot of nonprofit leaders, it feels equal parts exciting and overwhelming. In this episode, Woodrow Rosenbaum Chief Data Officer, GivingTuesday) and Elizabeth Kelly (Head of Beneficial Deployments, Anthropic) bring in a refreshing, human-first conversation about what it actually means to build AI fluency in the nonprofit sector.

This isn’t about becoming a prompt expert or chasing the latest tool. It’s about learning when AI can help, when it can’t, and how to use it responsibly in ways that strengthen trust, decision-making, and mission impact. Together, they unpack why AI fluency is quickly becoming the new digital literacy and how nonprofits can move forward without fear, hype, or burnout.

You’ll walk away with practical insights on how to:

• Shift from “should we use AI?” to “how do we use it responsibly and well?”
• Build AI fluency as an organizational muscle, not a one-time training
• Start small with AI by improving one painful workflow at a time
• Put guardrails in place around privacy, bias, and human review
• Avoid using AI just to do the same work faster and instead focus on better outcomes
• Create shared learning and trust so teams experiment without fear

If you’ve been waiting for permission to go slow, ask better questions, and lead with intention, this one’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding AI Fluency and Its Importance (02:17)
• The Role of Data in Nonprofit AI Adoption (05:10)
• Real-World Applications of AI in Nonprofits (07:40)
• Launching Claude for Nonprofits (10:38)
• Building Trust and Responsible AI Use (13:24)
• Governance and Oversight in AI Implementation (16:27)
• Elizabeth + Woodrow One Good Thing (22:54)

Dive Deeper:

AI Fluency Course (Anthropic)

Fundraising.ai

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/675

Save your free seat at the We Are For Good Summit 🩵

It’s a free, one-day virtual gathering for changemakers to build capacity, clarity and momentum in the new year. Expect 20 speakers across 3 tracks - plus live workshops, working sessions, and round-table conversations. Lean more + register today!

Thank you to our partners 🩵

Big gratitude to Givebutter, RKD Group, Whiteboard, and Sowen for their partnership in growing the Impact Uprising. If you’re searching for a new CRM, tech tool, brand partner, direct mail partner, or impact strategist— we’d love for you to start with our trusted recs. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to. Head to weareforgood.com/recs to learn more.

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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

Stability isn’t something you earn once you’re “big enough” or “finally staffed up.” It’s something you design on purpose—or you pay for it later in burnout, panic fundraising, and house-of-cards vibes.

In this episode, Brooke Richie-Babbage is back to flip the script on what capacity really means. Capacity is about changing the conditions under which your work happens, so the how of the work gets easier, less fragile + way more sustainable.

We’re talking broken mugs, creaky floors, cash cliffs, “build years” vs. “growth years,” and why “stability is a leadership choice” might be the most freeing (and challenging) mindset shift you make in 2026. If you’ve ever thought, “We’ll feel stable when we finally _______,” this episode’s your loving interruption.

You’ll walk away with clarity + next steps to build real capacity, including how to:

• Redefine capacity + stability as design problems, not personal failures
  → Shift from “I just need the right people / next grant / better tool” to “Where is our organization fragile, and how do we strengthen the container—systems, rhythms, decision-making—so the work doesn’t require heroics?”
• Narrow priorities + clean up decision-making so everything stops bottlenecking at the leader
  → Get practical about choosing fewer, deeper priorities; naming what you’re not doing this year; and mapping who actually owns which decisions—so your ED (or you) isn’t secretly holding six out of ten critical calls.
• Build stability through simple financial + operational rhythms (not just more hires)
  → Learn how to read your own “financial weather patterns,” plan for cash cliffs before they hit, decouple capacity from FTEs, and tap tools, fractional support, your board + community as legitimate capacity—not just “nice to haves.”

Episode Highlights:

Dive Deeper:

Episode 614: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/614

Episode 464: https://www.weareforgood.com/episode/463

Thank you to our partners 🩵

Big gratitude to Givebutter, RKD Group, Whiteboard, and Sowen for their partnership in growing the Impact Uprising. If you’re searching for a new CRM, tech tool, brand partner, direct mail partner, or impact strategist— we’d love for you to start with our trusted recs. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to. Head to weareforgood.com/recs to learn more.

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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 👋
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People Leave™ — and in 2026, the pace and intensity of transition is accelerating. In this episode, Naomi Hattaway, interim leader and organizational health builder, shares what it actually takes to build nonprofit health through uncertainty before someone resigns. We talk about the hidden fragility that uncertainty exposes (founder dependency, undocumented roles, disengaged boards), and the practical foundations that help teams stay aligned when everything feels on fire.

You’ll walk away with concrete tools for transition readiness, including how to:

• Treat turnover as normal — not a crisis — so you plan for departures instead of getting blindsided
• Build real financial resilience with reserves and budgets that account for searches, interims, and transition support
• Create simple documentation so critical knowledge isn’t trapped in one person’s head
• Grow “endings literacy” by talking openly about departures, loss, and what it means to leave well
• Center humanity in hard moments with grief-aware practices, dignified layoffs, and stay interviews

Because healthy systems don’t stop people from leaving — they make it possible for people to leave well.

Episode Highlights

• Understanding Uncertainty in 2026 (02:06)
• Proactive vs Reactive Approaches (05:39)
• The Importance of Infrastructure (07:54)
• Endings Literacy: Navigating Transitions (13:30)
• Creating a Culture of Grief and Loss (22:00)
• Leaving Well: The Art of Transition (28:26)
• Human-Centered Change in High-Stress Environments (31:25)
• Naomi’s One Good Thing (35:07)

Dive Deeper:

• Naomi's Website
• Transition Archetype Quiz

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/673

Thank you to our partners 🩵

Big gratitude to Givebutter, RKD Group, Whiteboard, and Sowen for their partnership in growing the Impact Uprising. If you’re searching for a new CRM, tech tool, brand partner, direct mail partner, or impact strategist— we’d love for you to start with our trusted recs. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to. Head to weareforgood.com/recs to learn more.

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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 👋
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Ever felt that ache of reaching out endlessly, yet still standing alone in a crowded room? You're not alone, true connection is the heartbeat nonprofits are missing right now.

In this episode of Shifts in 2026, Susan McPherson, author of The Lost Art of Connecting and Founder + CEO of McPherson Strategies—returns with her signature warmth and wisdom to explore the deeper meaning of connection in today’s world. Together, they dive into the "reconnection era," shifting nonprofits from communication overload to dialog that rebuilds trust, sparks belonging, and tackles the loneliness epidemic head-on.

Susan shares eye-opening stats, candid truths on AI's limits, and a heartfelt playbook—from leading with twice-as-much listening and empathy, to simple local salons, skills-based volunteering, and brave vulnerability. It's honest, hilarious, and that rare human spark that leaves you lighter and ready to show up differently.

If you're craving deeper ties with your team, donors, and community, this one's pure gold.

Episode Highlights:

• Understanding Loneliness and Disconnection (04:25)
• Evolving Perspectives on Connection (12:11)
• Shifting from Communication to Connection (15:41)
• Actionable Steps for Nonprofit Leaders (24:06)
• Susan’s One Good Thing + Homework (25:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.wearforgood.com/episode/672

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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

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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 in data? You’re not alone, and there is a better way.

In this episode, Jon and Becky welcome back impact measurement expert Ori Carmel for a refreshingly honest conversation about shifting from “more data” to better decisions. Together, they unpack how nonprofits can move past performative reporting, reconnect with what truly matters, and focus on the metrics that actually drive mission-forward impact.

Along the way, Ori shares candid stories, practical frameworks, and even a little Pearl Jam, reminding us that impact work is as human as it is analytical. From uncovering your organization’s unique strengths to making data feel less overwhelming (and more empowering), this episode is full of clarity, wisdom, and a few good laughs.

If you’re craving less noise and more meaning in how you measure success, this one’s for you.

Episode Highlights:

• Data Reckoning in Nonprofits (02:00)
• The Challenge of Impact Reporting (04:43)
• Asking Better Questions (08:54)
• Building Metrics with Meaning (18:36)
• What to Stop Doing in Data Management (23:39)
• The Importance of Stakeholder Mapping (30:28)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/671

Explore the full series at www.weareforgood.com/12shifts

Thank you to our partners 🩵

Big gratitude to Givebutter, RKD Group, Whiteboard, and Sowen for their partnership in growing the Impact Uprising. If you’re searching for a new CRM, tech tool, brand partner, direct mail partner, or impact strategist— we’d love for you to start with our trusted recs. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to. Head to weareforgood.com/recs to learn more.

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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

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 community aren’t optional—they’re essential. You’ll hear what self-care actually looks like (hint: it goes way beyond bubble baths), plus a refreshing take on the messy-but-beautiful work of healing together.

Expect laughter, real talk, a few surprise shout-outs, and plenty of encouragement to step into the new year with clarity, intention, and peace. If you’re craving a reset—or just a reminder you’re not alone—this one’s for you 👊

Episode Highlights:

• Introducing Lindsey Fuller & Community Impact (02:04)
• Navigating Noise, Burnout, and Critical Hope (02:30)
• Belonging, Transitions, and Recognition (03:46)
• Coalition Building & the 2026 Vibe (05:50)
• Critical Hope and Being Yourself (07:39)
• Harm Reduction, Connection & Job Market Realities (09:52)
• The Power of Self Sync & New Year Intentions (11:52)
• Consistency in Self-Care and Recovery (17:25)
• Designing Recovery with Intention (20:26)
• The Ugly Side of Healing (22:17)
• Healing Out Loud & Community Ripple Effects (24:33)
• Special Message from Amina Mohamed (25:30)
• Collective Healing and Peaceful Intentions (27:53)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/670

Thank you to our partners 🩵

Big gratitude to Givebutter, RKD Group, Whiteboard, and Sowen for their partnership in growing the Impact Uprising. If you’re searching for a new CRM, tech tool, brand partner, direct mail partner, or impact strategist— we’d love for you to start with our trusted recs. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to. Head to weareforgood.com/recs to learn more.

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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

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 philanthropy and what still needs to.

Together, they dig into why multi-year, unrestricted support matters, how authentic relationships drive impact, and what it means to show up with empathy (not just reports and metrics). It’s hopeful, heart-forward, and packed with practical wisdom for anyone navigating the changing landscape of nonprofit funding.

Episode Highlights:

• Sector Challenges and Funding Changes (00:51)
• Gloria's Background and Upbringing (03:18)
• Disconnects Between Funders and Nonprofits (05:57)
• BECU’s Community-Focused Funding Approach (08:09)
• Multi-Year Funding Importance (10:32)
• Funding Friction and Reporting Challenges (14:17)
• Trust-Based Partnership Practices (17:58)
• Employee Engagement and Community Impact (20:53)
• Advice for Nonprofits: Building Trust (23:11)
• Gloria’s Personal Story of Philanthropy (25:38)
• Gloria’s One Good Thing (29:07)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/669

Thank you to our partners 🩵

Big gratitude to Givebutter, RKD Group, Whiteboard, and Sowen for their partnership in growing the Impact Uprising. If you’re searching for a new CRM, tech tool, brand partner, direct mail partner, or impact strategist— we’d love for you to start with our trusted recs. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to. Head to weareforgood.com/recs to learn more.

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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