We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

Meet Seth. 🤝

Bestselling author and movement maker Seth Godin joins us to share what it really takes to create meaningful change. From Purple Cow to The Song of Significance, Seth’s work has inspired generations to lead with heart, strategy, + courage.

In this powerful conversation, he unpacks how to build movements through empathy, creativity, + bold action. You’ll learn why the smallest viable audience matters, how to navigate fear and perfectionism, and why doing work that might not work is exactly where the magic happens.

This episode is a rallying cry for nonprofit leaders and changemakers to stop settling—and start leading with intention.

Get ready to think bigger, dig deeper, and reimagine your impact. 💡

 Learn:

• Building a movement requires a conversation before the conversation. 
• Strategy is not about tactics; it’s about understanding your values. 
• Defaulting to familiar practices can hinder progress. 
• Nonprofits must acknowledge that their problems are not solved yet. 
• Fear and perfectionism can choke momentum; embrace imperfection. 
• Empathy is crucial component of effective leadership. 
• Every movement starts with a few committed individuals. 

Episode Highlights

• The Importance of Strategy in Nonprofits (02:06)
• Understanding Motion and Change (05:07)
• Creating Conditions for Generative Work (08:00)
• Embracing Tension and Imperfection (10:45) 
• The Role of Leadership in Nonprofits (13:59)
• The Power of Small Movements (16:55)
• Empathy and Connection in Action (19:46)
• Seth’s One Good Thing (34:52)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/632

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We’re closing out this series with a powerful conversation that redefines what leadership can look like. Lindsay Fuller of The Teaching Well joins us to explore how leading with courage starts right where you are—not with a title, but with intention.

We unpack big ideas: hope as a daily practice, resilience as a rhythm, and policies that reflect lived experience—not just words on a page.

Lindsay challenges us to rethink what tools truly sustain leadership—like rest, offboarding, and sabbaticals—and why they’re not extras, but essentials. We also name the often-unspoken reality of compassion fatigue and offer a vision of shared leadership grounded in alignment, not replication.

If you're ready to build a culture that centers humanity, care, and courage—this episode is your invitation to begin.

 Learn:

• Learn why human-centered leadership means choosing courage over comfort
• Discover how critical hope is a practice—not a personality trait
• Understand why change leadership begins right where you are—even without the title
• Explore what it means for policies to be living, responsive, and rooted in lived experience
• See how resilience is built through consistent, intentional rhythms
• Unpack why rest, offboarding, and sabbaticals are essential leadership tools—not perks
• Learn how shared leadership depends on calibration, not cloning
• Recognize why compassion fatigue is a real occupational hazard—and what to do about it

Episode Highlights: 

• The Importance of Critical Hope (05:00)
• Policies as Culture in Action (08:55)
• Reframing Policies for Human-Centered Organizations (09:01)
• 5-Part Framework and Where People Get Stuck (15:00)
• Challenges in Implementing Human-Centered Policies (14:53)
• Human-Centered Leadership (25:00)
• The Role of Feedback in Leadership (27:51)
• Becoming the Change Leader in Your Team (30:00)
• The Journey of Rest and Leadership (32:11)
• Reflections from the Well (33:00)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/631

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Meet Jamie & Tajiana. 🤝

What happens when Disney and Make-A-Wish team up? Pure magic. For 45 years, this powerhouse partnership has granted over 150,000 wishes—bringing joy, healing, and unforgettable moments to kids and families when they need it most. Enter Tajiana Ancora-Brown from Disney and Jamie Sandys from Make-A-Wish: two hearts leading with purpose and proof that dreams really can change lives.

In this episode, we're talking about the wish that can’t be prescribed, the impact of 9,000 families visiting Walt Disney World each year, and how collaboration rooted in heart creates ripple effects of hope. From Bigfoot sightings to custom princess gowns, this conversation will make you laugh, tear up, and believe even deeper in the power of doing good—together. 

You don’t want to miss this one. ✨

 Learn:

• Why mission alignment and trust unlock transformational collaboration
• How Make-A-Wish measures impact beyond numbers and into healing
• Why personalized wishes create powerful moments of joy and dignity
• How purpose-driven partnerships thrive on trust, respect, and shared values
• Why a single wish can spark lifelong generosity and collective hope

Episode Highlights

• Personal Journeys into Philanthropy (03:29)
• Memorable Wish Stories (07:48)
• Creating Unique Experiences for Wish Kids (10:57)
• The Evolution of Historic Partnership (15:16)
• Once Upon a Wish Party: A Celebration of Dreams (19:32)
• The Secret Sauce of Collaboration (25:03)
• Jamie and Tajiana’s One Good Thing (32:25)

Resources: 

Connect through: wish.org/disney

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/630

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In this soul-nourishing conversation, Lindsey Fuller is joined by strategist, storyteller, and founder of the Leaving Well framework, Naomi Hattaway. Together, they unpack what it means to lead with intention, especially when it comes to rest, sabbaticals, and workplace transitions that truly center people.

From micro-sabbaticals to full-scale cultural shifts, Naomi shares wisdom for how organizations can operationalize rest as a core value—not just a perk. You'll hear powerful insights on how to care for your team through change, reimagine wellness in the workplace, and create brave space for transitions that honor the past and make room for what’s next.

This episode is a reminder that we don’t have to choose between humanity and productivity—we can hold both. And it starts with rest.

Affirmations: 

• You deserve a workplace that values your humanity as deeply as your contributions.
• Rest isn’t a luxury—it’s leadership.
• Every transition is an invitation to honor what was and imagine what’s possible.

Episode Highlights

• The Importance of Rest as Policy (02:40)
• Somatic #1 (02:56)
• Operationalizing Rest in Organizations (05:52)
• Deceleration and Onboarding (11:42)
• Embedding Wellness in Workplace Culture (14:28)
• Sabbaticals and Employee Retention (17:16)
• The Ripple Effect of Sabbaticals (20:19)
• Navigating Sabbaticals in Nonprofits (25:27)
• Advocating for Rest and Well-being (31:35)
• Somatic #2: Middle Path Meditation (34:42)
• The Impact of Transitions on Organizational Culture (37:17)

Resources Mentioned: 

• Individual Workplace Transition Nssessment (Naomi Hattaway)
• Organizational Workplace Transition Assessment (Naomi Hattaway)

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

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This is a conversation our hearts have been waiting for.

It’s a powerful gathering of voices answering a call that feels more timely—and more necessary—than ever: a call to kinship.

In this episode, we sit down with three extraordinary leaders: Birgit Smith Burton, Mide Akerewusi, and Nneka Allen. They bring deep wisdom, lived experience, and a global lens to a heartfelt conversation about what it means to lead with empathy. Together, we explore how we return to one another by centering relationships, rooting our work in love, and embracing our shared humanity.

This isn’t about checking a box or shifting strategy. It’s about reimagining generosity, reclaiming connection, and healing the soul of our sector through kinship that transforms.

 Learn:

• Why kinship is foundational to healing the sector
• How to prioritize relationships over results
• What it means to practice mutual care and shared responsibility
• How generosity extends beyond money to spiritual and emotional connection
• The power of radical love, curiosity, and truth-telling in philanthropy

Episode Highlights

• Voices of Experience (05:26)
• Radical Kinship in Action (13:40)
• The Necessity of Kinship Today (19:39)
• Activating Kinship in Everyday Life (28:54)
• Radical Kinship and Dialogue (35:56)
• The Power of Storytelling (38:19)
• Mide, Birgit and Nneka’s One Good Thing (38:41)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/629

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Fundraising doesn’t have to feel transactional—and it shouldn’t.

This episode comes straight from the virtual stage of the Responsive Nonprofit Summit (RNS)—and it's packed with the kind of mindset shift we all need right now. Jon and Becky explore how moving from an "addition" mindset to a multiplication mindset can unlock transformational change in your fundraising efforts. It's not about doing more—it’s about thinking differently and leading with purpose.

With meaningful stories, real-world examples like Susan G. Komen, and insights rooted in research from leaders like Dr. Vivek Murthy, you’ll uncover how to spark a movement grounded in genuine human connection.

Whether you're a one-person shop or leading a major org, this episode will leave you inspired to stop working for your community and start building with them.

👉 Learn:

• Why community is your greatest multiplier
• How to move from transactional asks to transformational engagement
• Strategies to turn supporters into passionate ambassadors
• Lessons from employee giving campaigns that sparked movement
• How ethical storytelling and joy fuel lasting connection
• Practical ways to build a platform for engagement and influence

Episode Highlights

• Introducing the Multiplication Mindset and Redefining Fundraising (01:32)
• Community Voices: Sharing Meaningful Connections and Belonging (04:18)
• The Susan G. Komen Foundation Movement Strategy (07:14)
• 4 Strategic Principles for Nonprofit Growth (22:29)
• Joy as a Strategic Multiplier (45:31)
• Responsive Fundraising Manifesto: Building Movements Through Human Connection (48:12)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/628

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Meet Katie 🤝,  the Co-Executive Director of Essential Partners. She’s helping communities navigate tough conversations and build trust across divides. With a background in international negotiation and conflict resolution from Tufts University’s Fletcher School, Katie brings deep expertise in dialogue, identity, and civic action.

In this episode, we’re talking about what it really takes to hold space in polarized times—and why dialogue might just be our most powerful tool for healing and change. Katie shares practical tools for listening, building understanding (even across disagreement), and creating space for connection when it feels hardest.

If you’re craving deeper, more human conversations in your life and work—this one’s for you. 💙

Learn 💡

• Dialogue isn’t about winning—it’s about understanding
• Creating space for real conversation means rethinking how we engage
• Listening well can be even more powerful than speaking
• You don’t have to agree to make progress together
• Small shifts in communication can lead to big breakthroughs

Episode Highlights: 

• Essential Partners: Building Trust Across Divides (06:41)
• Creating Conditions for Authentic Dialogue (09:11)
• Real-World Imapct: Stories of Transformation (12:46)
• Integrating Dialogue into Culture (16:58)
• Overcoming Barriers to Effective Dialogue (19:19)
• Navigating Difficult Conversations in Nonprofits (22:56)
• Moments of Generosity and Community Support (27:47)
• Katie's One Good Thing: The Power of Silence in Conversations (31:04)

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/627

Resources Mentioned:

• (YouTube) Katie’s Stand Talk

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How do we navigate the hardest moments in leadership, without losing sight of our values?

This week on Gather at the Well, Lindsey Fuller returns to explore a topic that doesn’t often get the care it deserves: offboarding. Whether it’s layoffs, transitions, or role closures, Lindsey reminds us that how we say goodbye matters just as much as how we welcome someone in.

She invites us into a more human-centered approach—one that acknowledges the weight of these decisions, the grief that can come with them, and the opportunity for real compassion, even in hard moments.

This episode is a brave, honest invitation to lead with heart—even when it’s hard. Because the way we part ways speaks volumes about the kind of culture we’re building. 💛

Affirmations: 

• "I am enough."
• "I choose self compassion."
• "I am learning from my mistakes and the mistakes of others."
• "This decision does not define me."
• "I can take in the past and make the present more healing."

Episode Highlights

• Human-Centered Off-Ramps: Key Elements (10:50)
• Communication and Transparency in Leadership (20:27)
• Whole Person Supports During Transitions (30:02)
• The impact of Compassionate Off-Boarding (40:10)

Full Episode Shownotes: 

www.weareforgood.com/episode/humancenteredoffboarding

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In this episode, we’re diving into a powerful panel conversation about rewriting the narratives that shape our sector. You’ll hear from visionary leaders— Rebecca Bernard, Timothy Lampkin, Vivian Borja and Stacy Huston —as they unpack how we move towards narratives that center community voice, dignity, and truth. Together, they explore how we can challenge stereotypes, spotlight strengths, and co-create stories with the people at the heart of our missions—not just about them. If you care about shifting power, honoring lived experience, and telling more human, honest stories—this convo is for you. 🎧

💡Learn: 

• How to meaningfully involve communities in storytelling
• Tactical strategies for inclusive storytelling
• How to identify persistent harmful narratives

Today’s Guests

• Rebecca Bernard, Director of Innovation, The Teaching Well
• Dr. Tim Lampkin, Founder + Executive Director, Higher Purpose Co
• Vivan Borja, Executive Vice President + Chief Marketing Officer at Food For The Poor
• Stacy Huston, Executive Director, SixDegrees.Org

Episode Highlights

• Rewriting Sector Narratives (3:00)
• Breaking Storytelling Myths (13:00)
• How to Co-Create Stories with Community (19:00)
• Practical Approaches to Narrative Change (26:00)
• One Good Thing + Takeaways (29:00)

Full Shownotes Page: www.weareforgood.com/episode/626

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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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What does it look like to hold fast and move forward—at the same time?

In this heart-filled wrap-up of our ImpactUp series, Jon + Becky reflect on eight powerful lessons that emerged from this season’s conversations around resilience, clarity, and building momentum in times of uncertainty.

From grounding ourselves in community to embracing the unknown, you’ll walk away with practical takeaways and a renewed sense of purpose. We talk about the power of story, the strength in showing up authentically, and how we can all anchor ourselves in values—especially when the world feels wobbly.

This one’s a love letter to nonprofit leaders, social impact folks, and anyone navigating change with heart. 💛

✨ You’ll learn:

• Why uncertainty isn’t something to fear—but something to move with
• How to build resilience personally + organizationally
• Why trust, community, and connection are the real growth strategies
• The kind of storytelling that fuels generosity and movement

Come get inspired—and reminded you’re not alone. Let’s keep moving forward, together.✨ 

Episode Highlights

• Embracing Resilience and Grounding (03:03)
• Personal Reflections and Insights (06:09)
• Key Takeaways from the Series (09:04)
• Building Trust and Community (12:12)
• The Power of Storytelling (14:52)
• Activating Generosity and Belonging (17:48)
• Looking Ahead: Movement and Activation (24:00)

Join us July 10 for ImpactUp: Movement! https://www.weareforgood.com/impactup-register

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/625

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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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