Future Nonprofit

“We have agency in this. AI is a mirror to humanity. And I think that becomes a moral imperative to push our way to the front of that mirror.” – Nathan Chappell

Have you been avoiding addressing AI in your nonprofit out of fear, uncertainty, or lack of expertise?

Nathan Chappell would say you’re not alone. But he does have good news:

Nathan is the Chief AI Officer at Virtuous, and he studies how we can use AI to advance mission-driven organizations. Recently, he determined that nonprofits hold a unique advantage in shaping the future of AI, and can uniquely benefit from it.

(No AI experience required.)

After this episode, you’ll walk away with a new perspective on the opportunities available to your organization in this moment.

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/nathan-chappell

“You should ask yourself first, what truly, like in your bones, do you actually value and what do you really wanna get done in the world?” –Jessica Jackley

Jessica Jackley’s answer to this question has always been the same: To help people. But she never guessed she’d do it as an entrepreneur.

Jessica once believed that business was nothing but greed and manipulation. But then something funny happened: Entrepreneurs kept proving that capital could be used for good. So she listened—to talks from Dr. Muhammad Yunus, to the early pioneers at the Center for Social Innovation at Stanford, and to her friends in East Africa with brilliant plans to better their communities with just a hundred dollars.

That listening led Jessica to start Kiva, now one of the world’s largest crowdfunding platforms for social good. Today, she’s leading the world in social entrepreneurism: proving that when we listen, connect, and design solutions around real human stories, the paths to helping people are infinite.

In our conversation, Jessica shares her unexpected path to social entrepreneurism, how Kiva scaled, and her approach to designing an impact-driven career without sacrificing time with family.

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/jessica-jackley

“When you make the transition from operator to leader, you have to be intentional about how you’re defining success.”—Melissa Russell

What does it actually take to scale a nonprofit without losing culture or clarity along the way?

There’s no one better to show us the way than Melissa Russell.

Melissa carries a wealth of nonprofit leadership experience as the current President of charity: water and former President of International Justice Mission (IJM), where she’s strengthened clarity and culture through seasons of growth and created environments where both results and people matter.

Charity: water is an incredible organization. Not only have they funded over 186,000 water projects in 29 countries, but their innovation to engage donors in seeing exactly where their donation goes is second to none.

In this conversation, you’ll hear how Melissa found her way into nonprofit leadership (or rather, how it found her), along with what she’s learned in such high-level roles about leadership, vision-casting, culture, and innovation.

Listen in!

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/melissa-russell

“Much of what I've encountered throughout my career is people building a campaign to keep the organization happy versus meeting a clear, objective goal.” –Ben Webb

(Did you miss Part 1? You can find it here.)

Which department is accountable for a nonprofit’s revenue?

If you said fundraising, you’d be with the majority. But according to Ben Webb, CMO of International Justice Mission (IJM), you’d only be partly right.

Ben believes that when we view marketing as a revenue partner, marketing becomes a powerful culture builder—capable of amassing valuable insights, building trust between teams, upholding organizational excellence, and transforming the hearts of donors.

And in this conversation, he shares the exact process they use to accomplish that at IJM.

After this special marketing-focused episode, you’ll walk away with a reframe on storytelling in nonprofit marketing, an understanding of how to combat the “nothing’s working” challenge of nonprofit marketing today, and why accountability to results is such an opportunity on nonprofit teams today.

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/ben-webb-part-2/

As a leader, facing distractions is part of the job.

Ben Webb, CMO of International Justice Mission (IJM), is committed to finding what he calls “sandcastles” in leadership—the areas we put our energy that just wash away without moving us closer to the ultimate outcome. Through his approach to marketing, he’s helping build an entire culture at IJM of stronger cross-department collaboration, communication, and innovation.

If you’re not familiar, IJM works globally to build a future where children and families are safe from violence and slavery, including human trafficking.

In this episode, Ben shares why compassion (not just for others, but also for yourself!) makes all the difference as a people leader, how inheriting a computer business started his unlikely journey towards nonprofit work, and how organizations let their focus drift from the ultimate mission as they grow.

Ben is a mission-minded leader with a ton of heart, and I can’t wait to hear what you take away from his story.

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/ben-webb-part-1/

“If you have one person in burnout, you can't address it by dealing directly with the symptoms of that person. It's the system that's making people burnout, not individuals.”

Rachel Currie Triska learned the hard way that driving at full speed eventually burns out the engine.

As a CEO, founder, and social change leader, Rachel’s default is high performance. But when burnout brought collapse, she was forced to build a new system: one where restoration is a prerequisite to performance.

At VolunteerNow, she’s uncovering how to make restoration a foundational part of their culture, so community members, volunteers, and nonprofit operators thrive and transform all at once.

In this episode, Rachel shares:

• What severe burnout actually looked like at the height of her leadership role
• How she maintains a life-affirming culture at VolunteerNow™
• Why leaders need to be honest about nationwide economic constraints for nonprofits

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/rachel-currie-triska/

“I don't think there’s a generosity crisis. What I think we're seeing is less about the heart of people and more about the struggles people are going through right now.” –Jaclyn Jones

Ongoing retention decline has nonprofits chasing quick wins and short-term ROI. But when you believe without question that humans are generous like Jaclyn Jones, you play the long game.

As the Chief Philanthropic Economist at Masterworks, Jaclyn is exposed daily to the economic trends behind giving. But in the face of downward trends, she doesn’t panic. She pivots.

Jaclyn believes that sustainable giving is hidden behind short-term ROI numbers. And as nonprofits, it's our job to create the conditions, and build the relationships, that reveal it.

In this episode, Jaclyn shares:

• How to look beyond immediate ROI numbers when analyzing retention and other success metrics
• Why she thinks today’s economic trends actually disprove a “generosity crisis” in nonprofit giving
• How to innovate your channel strategy to connect with donors in ways that are actually meaningful to them

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/jaclyn-jones/

“We're tackling the crisis of food insecurity, but we're also tackling this epidemic of disconnection. And we're building bridges and building connections that people are just craving right now.” –Dan Zauderer

What if joy fed more than just the soul? What if it could fill a parking lot with a hundred volunteers, rescue pallets of unpurchased food, and drive it city-wide to families in need?

It’s no fantasy. In the Bronx and Greater New York City, it’s happening.

For Grassroots Grocery founder Dan Zauderer, what started as a single community refrigerator has exploded into a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors, full of genuine fun, memories shared, and countless families fed.

What he’s found? The joy just keeps on growing.

In this episode, Dan shares:

• The serendipitous makings of Grassroots Grocery and its growth from a single community refrigerator to a thriving nonprofit
• Why he thinks joy and connection are the reason for his volunteer waitlist
• How he uses technology to create a more human experience
• What he’s learning about boundaries and growth in mutual aid leadership

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/dan-zauderer/

*This episode includes a clip from an interview originally aired on the TODAY Show. That content is the property of NBCUniversal Media, LLC and is used here for informational purposes only. For the full segment, click here.

“I do not believe that nonprofits live in a separate world. I believe that they live in the same world [as every other brand].” –Jim Moriarty

Nonprofits aren’t operating in a separate marketplace than for-profits. They’re competing for the same attention, trust, and loyalty as every other brand.

Jim Moriarty, brand strategist and former CEO of the Surfrider Foundation, believes this is the case—positing that both sectors are after the same consumer attention, and that both are doing real good in the world.

With vast experience in both sectors, Jim thinks nonprofits can learn a thing or two from for-profit brands about evaluating performance, building trust, and clarifying your mission.

In this episode, Jim shares:

• Why the lines are blurry between for-profits and nonprofits for consumers
• Why Nike’s mission to make sports accessible to all is actually a core part of their model
• What nonprofits can learn from brands about building consumer trust and competency in delivering on their promise
• How a clear narrative, real-world activation, and constant feedback can accelerate momentum

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/jim-moriarty/

Many leaders build for today. Strategic leaders build for tomorrow.

Steve Woodworth is one of those rare leaders who’s spent his life focused on legacy—measuring success not just by what happens during his time, but by what’s made possible for those who come after.

“Did I set the organization up for the next generation to do even more than what we've done in my generation of leadership?”—Steve Woodworth

Steve is a longtime leader in faith-based nonprofit marketing and organizational development. From early innovation at World Vision to building Masterworks, he has spent his career helping nonprofits create deep, meaningful, and sustainable impact.

Most recently, he is also the author of Lost in Transition: Lessons from the Most Disastrous and Successful Ministry Successions.

Today, Steve is navigating a pivotal succession at Masterworks, gradually moving from his position as CEO to an advisory role.

In this conversation, he shares:

• Timeless principles for nonprofit marketing (many of which he learned while running cable TV programs for World Vision in the ‘80s!)
• How he’s navigated a years-long succession process in Masterworks
• Why a “toe in the water” testing method is strategic for nonprofits
• How he schedules time for mentorship of his team

Steve is a leader with decades of wisdom to share around leadership and innovation. I (Ted) was honored to hear a portion of that wisdom in this episode.

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/steve-woodworth

How do you fight global sex trafficking? With a global solution.

Jeremy Vallerand (Atlas Free) shows how networked partnerships, not duplication, drive faster, measurable impact against exploitation.

Jeremy founded Atlas Free to strengthen what already works: resourcing effective local partners instead of reinventing programs. Today, Atlas Free supports a global network focused on ending sexual exploitation and meeting urgent needs.

In this episode, Jeremy shares:

• His unexpected road to founding Atlas Free
• How to utilize a network approach to leadership
• And his challenging take on doing justice with mercy

Jeremy offers a new nonprofit model built on collaboration, showing us how building strong partnerships and treating others with dignity can lead to sustainable, collective change. Jeremy’s contagious conviction will challenge your thinking about mercy, fuel your own passion for justice, and give you a new perspective on how we bring change to the world.

Find links to resources mentioned and key takeaways in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/jeremy-vallerand

“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 Fishes
• Why we should have compassion for those who find themselves without support
• The value in heart-to-heart solutions
• And 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: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/alan-graham

“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 teams
• The impact AI is making on community-building
• How to lead through adversity
• Why 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: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/bob-dalton

“And the way things are looking in Ukraine, even if the war stops today, it's going to take decades to rebuild and rebuild lives.”—Yuriy Boyechko

In 2016, Yuriy Boyechko founded Hope for Ukraine to serve the underserved—children impacted by HIV/AIDS, families in extreme poverty, and people with disabilities who had little access to care. But when Russia invaded in 2022, Yuriy and his team had to adapt quickly.

This conversation explores how Hope for Ukraine continues to deliver real-time impact in one of the world’s most complex crises, and what the rest of us in the nonprofit world can learn from their speed, transparency, and relentless clarity of purpose.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• Why funding often follows impact, not vision
• How Hope for Ukraine adapts in real time to meet urgent needs
• The power of radical transparency in donor engagement
• How witnessing his father’s arrest (for being a pastor in the Soviet Union) shaped Yuriy’s sense of mission

In many ways, Hope for Ukraine is an example for all of us in the nonprofit sector as they are creating a true community around a mission for volunteers, donors, and staff. Yuriy’s grit, determination, and confidence in the face of so much need is a true inspiration. Listen in!

See our key takeaways and links mentioned in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/yuriy-boyechko/

How do you honor a 200-year legacy without losing relevance for today?

That’s the question Dr. Jennifer Holloran has been asking since becoming the first female president of American Bible Society in 2024.

In this episode, Jennifer shares how her leadership was shaped by hardship, faith, and an openness to follow where God was leading, even when the path wasn’t clear. From rebuilding an organization in transition to empowering the people around her, Jennifer’s story truly is a masterclass for nonprofit leaders navigating change.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• How a challenging family life solidified her passion for the steady foundation of Scripture
• Why she believes leaning into tension is a crucial part of leadership
• The vision ABS has for the future of Bible engagement around the world

If you’re leading through transition or wrestling with the balance of honoring legacy and casting vision, Jennifer’s story will give you valuable perspective. Listen in!

See our key takeaways and links mentioned in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/jennifer-holloran/

“When you understand the humans and the interests, needs, desires, and context within which they function, you can design systems that reflect those needs.” - Amy Anderson

How do you innovate within a system that has been stagnant for years?

This is the question that guides Amy Anderson’s work as Executive Director of RESCHOOL Colorado—a nonprofit committed to creating an equitable education system where students can learn everywhere, ensuring all young people have access to diverse and meaningful learning opportunities.

For any nonprofit leader, innovation can feel incredibly challenging. It's hard enough to devise a solution to a need and then build it to scale. But once that system is established, it can become even more difficult to lead change within it.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• Honest reflections on the challenges of scaling a nonprofit
• Insights about balancing organized systems with bold change
• And direction on how to build systems that are responsive to current needs

If you’re wrestling with the big questions around scaling your nonprofit, leading change within established systems, and achieving the adaptability you need to reach the next level, this episode is for you.

See our key takeaways and links mentioned in the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/amy-anderson/

“If you're a positive adult who can offer support, there's a huge impact. 86% of our kids quadruple their literacy learning rate.” - Michelle Curren

Sometimes the most meaningful journeys in life are unexpected, aren’t they?

When Michelle Curren set out to change the world, she didn’t see herself helping kids learn to read in her hometown of Chico, CA. She thought she’d be actively combatting sex trafficking in other countries.

But through an interesting and unexpected journey, she came to understand that one of the most effective ways to help a child succeed in life is simply to help them read. Today, Michelle is the CEO and Executive Director of Reading Pals, a growing nonprofit devoted to rewriting kids’ stories by helping them tap into the power of reading.

In this conversation, you’ll hear:

• How you can combat donor and volunteer apathy through community
• The impact of making it easier to volunteer
• Honest reflections on whether to scale your nonprofit
• And why it’s important to protect your priorities in leadership

If you’re looking to reframe the way you define a direction and cast vision for the future of your organization, this episode is one you don’t want to miss.

Find our key takeaways and any resources mentioned during the episode in the show notes: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/michelle-curren

“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 ofAthena, 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/

“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 foundedMEASURE, 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/

Today, your audience is more aware than ever before of injustices impacting our world. They’re eager to help, but unsure of the best way to make a difference. As a nonprofit leader, it’s your job to channel their passion into action. How? By sharing your story—and making it easy for others to amplify it.

On Future Nonprofit, we often explore how to improve the way your organization operates. But without a strong growth strategy that amplifies your story, even the most noble nonprofit is like a sports car without gas in the tank—it’s got amazing potential, but it can’t go far.

The good news: Tools like social media and crowdfunding platforms present your nonprofit with an unprecedented opportunity to expand your reach and broadcast your message.

The challenge: All the freedom these tools offer can feel overwhelming. And with countless others vying for attention online, how can you make your message and your cause cut through all the noise?

In this special episode, I’m sitting down with not one, but four guests to answer this key question. First, Krista Lamp—Senior Director of Nonprofit Communications at GoFundMe—gives us the inside scoop on what, why, and how modern audiences are supporting causes they care about.

After that, three leading voices in the nonprofit space—Jared Walker of Dollar For, Mike McDonald of BibleProject, and Nate Rittenhouse of OneHope—offer hard-earned insights shaped by their distinct experiences in inspiring their audiences to action.

In this conversation, you’ll learn what “impact creators” are and why they often have more actual influence than “influencers,” how you can empower trusted online voices to mobilize their communities for your cause, one large mistake that’s causing nonprofits to miss out on a ton of potential support, and much more.

If you’ve been looking for ways to accelerate your growth without sacrificing authenticity, this one is for you.

Want our key takeaways from this conversation? Take a look at the show notes for this episode: https://www.futurenonprofit.com/make-nonprofit-story-shareable

Mentioned in this episode:

Presented by Classy

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