In a time marked by policy uncertainty, economic volatility, and social fragmentation, the nonprofit sector faces a critical strategic question: will it lead systemic change, or be passively led by external forces?

This forum invites a candid, future-focused conversation about the role of nonprofits in navigating — and shaping — what comes next. Drawing on insights from leadership theory, recent research, and provocative findings from the Philanthropy Roundtable, we'll examine if nonprofits can increase their resilience and impact by reducing dependency on government funding and reclaiming greater strategic autonomy.

What do nonprofits control? What can they influence? Can the sector mobilize to drive meaningful change rather than react to it? Would less reliance on government grants strengthen nonprofits? Together, we'll explore what it means to lead with courage, build organizational independence, and maintain a steadfast commitment to dignity and equity — even in uncertain times.

Featuring:

Ann Bischoff, CEO, Star House

Elizabeth Brown, President & CEO, YWCA Columbus

Rachel Lustig, President & CEO, Lutheran Social Services

Densil Porteous, Executive Director, Stonewall Columbus.

The host is Brandi AL-Issa, President & CEO, Habitat for Humanity MidOhio.

This forum was presented by Nationwide and sponsored by COTA and the YWCA Columbus.

The presenting sponsor of the CMC livestream was The Center for Human Kindness at The Columbus Foundation. CMC's livestream partner was The Columbus Dispatch.

This forum was also supported by Downtown Columbus, Inc. and The National Veterans Memorial and Museum.

If you'd like to keep exploring this week's forum topic, our partners at the Columbus Metropolitan Library suggest reading Chasing Success: The Challenge for Nonprofits by Judith Van Ginkel (2023).

This forum was recorded before a live audience at The National Veterans Memorial and Museum in downtown Columbus, Ohio on October 29, 2025.