We Are For Good Podcast - The Podcast for Nonprofits

Latest Episodes:

754. The Audacity to Build Unlikely Alliances: Lessons for Every Nonprofit Leader - Hillary Blout, For the People Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Hillary Blout spent years as a prosecutor fighting for victims and safer neighborhoods. Then she sat across from a man serving a life sentence and realized the system had no way to look back. So she wrote a law to change that.

Today, Hillary is the founder of For The People, which pioneered prosecutor-initiated resentencing, the first law of its kind in the country. Guest co-host Carolina García Jayaram, founding CEO of the Elevate Prize Foundation, joins Jon to talk about audacity, proximity, and building alliances no one thought possible. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

How Hillary turned a single "what if" into a first-of-its-kind law, and what that teaches any leader whose idea has been called unworkable
Why proximity is really empathy, and how bringing unlikely allies into the same room moves people who once stood on opposite sides
How Hillary went from rolling her eyes at self-care to making joy an official organizational value
The one question to return to when rejection gets loud: Why me, why this work, why now?

You'll walk away with a renewed sense of your why and a model for building the bridges your mission can't succeed without.

Episode Highlights:

(1:23) Meet Hillary Blout, founder of For The People
(2:44) Big dreams and a meandering path
(5:53) What is prosecutor-initiated resentencing?
(10:57) The audacity to write a new law
(12:50) Proximity, empathy, and unlikely allies
(18:19) Leading from a whole place: burnout, rest, and joy
(22:24) A moment of generosity: Hillary's first funder
(24:09) One good thing: go back to your purpose

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/754

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753. Policies Move at the Speed of Narrative: Meet the Org Changing the Story on Poverty - Aisha Nyandoro Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

In 2017, a mom in Jackson, Mississippi told Aisha Nyandoro she couldn't afford pizza and a movie with her kids. She was working, in job training, and showing up for every program. She was doing everything "right." It still wasn't enough.

That conversation sparked the Magnolia Mother's Trust, one of the country's first and longest-running guaranteed income programs, giving Black mothers $1,000 a month with no strings attached. Then Aisha learned the hardest truth of all: proving it works doesn't move the money. Changing the story does. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why asking "what do you need?" instead of "here's what you deserve" changes everything about how your programs work
Why proof of concept wasn't enough to unlock funding, and why narrative is the most important (and most difficult) part of the work
The out-of-the-blue phone call that turned a stalled campaign into a $1 million gift

You'll walk away rethinking who gets to tell the story of your mission, and why it matters for every dollar you raise.

Episode Highlights:

(3:50) Aisha's story: a granddaughter of the South
(7:38) Springboard to Opportunities and the question that changed everything
(11:10) Magnolia Mother's Trust: $1,000 a month, no strings attached
(15:11) Policies move at the speed of narrative
(21:31) Leading from a whole place: harmony over balance
(26:39) The $1 million phone call
(30:46) Trust is currency: the one good thing

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/753

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752. When Your Model Stops Working: How to Evolve and Multiply Your Impact - Kohl Crecelius Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Ten years into building Krochet Kids intl., Kohl Crecelius hit a wall. Revenue plateaued. Donors said the self-sustaining model didn't need their money. And the thing that made the brand special was the thing holding it back.

So he rebuilt from the ground up. The result: KNOWN SUPPLY, a certified B Corp that helps nonprofits, brands, and companies make ethically produced merch, supporting thousands of makers worldwide.

Guest co-host Jason Locy of Whiteboard joins Jon for this one.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why your org's "unique differentiator" might be the very thing limiting your impact
How to know when it's time to partner instead of doing it all yourself
The surprisingly human metric Kohl trusts most to measure impact
Why ditching scale as your definition of success is the key to long-term sustainability

You'll walk away with permission to loosen your grip, and a clearer path to doing what you do best. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(0:45) Meet guest co-host Jason Locy
(4:33) Kohl's story: crochet hooks, Uganda, and a human story
(8:20) The 80/20 model and the 10-year plateau
(12:52) Rebuilding from the ground up: the birth of KNOWN SUPPLY
(17:35) The "man in the mirror" question: what are we actually good at?
(19:20) Keeping your soul while letting go of control
(24:35) How to measure impact: jobs and thank-you notes
(31:40) A moment of generosity: mentors who believed early
(35:13) One good thing: ditch scale for the sake of scale

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/752

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751. Why 20% Fewer People Are Giving (And What Nonprofit Leaders Can Do About It) - Allison Fine and Joan Garry Oct 21, 2026

Show notes

20% fewer people give to a cause today than they did in 2000. Only 19% of donors give a second time. And just 14% of nonprofits can accept the assets where most wealth actually sits.

Allison Fine, president of Every.org and four-time author on technology and social change, calls it the generosity gap. In this special episode, she joins Jon and guest co-host Joan Garry, founder of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, to talk about how nonprofits close it. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why 97% of wealth sits in non-cash assets like stock, crypto, and DAFs, and what it costs you when donors can't give them easily
The leaky bucket: why only 19% of donors give again, and what happens when you put that number in the middle of the board table
Why the best move for a burned-out nonprofit might be to cut half its programs
How a $200 donor at GLAAD turned into a multimillion-dollar legacy gift

You'll walk away with a clear case for doing less, asking less, and building deeper relationships with the everyday donors who keep you standing. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(2:48) Joan's new handbook for nonprofit board members
(6:18) Allison's story: from Sleepy Hollow town council to Every.org
(9:49) The generosity gap: 97% of wealth vs. 14% of nonprofits
(11:49) Burnout, boards, and the case for doing less
(19:17) Friction is the kryptonite to generosity
(22:15) The leaky bucket: why only 19% of donors give again
(27:26) The $200 donor who left GLAAD millions
(29:54) One good thing

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/751

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750. From 2,000 Donors to Under 100: How to Rebuild a Fundraising Program from Scratch - Becky Carlino Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

When Becky Carlino walked in as the first-ever VP of Development at Volunteers of America of Massachusetts, the donor base had collapsed from roughly 2,000 active donors to fewer than 100. The reason? The organization had stopped talking to them.

Becky has spent 25+ years doing the relational work that makes fundraising actually work, including leading two successful capital campaigns at VOA Ohio & Indiana. Now she's rebuilding from the ground up, and her blueprint starts with one word: love. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

How to rebuild donor trust after years of silence, and why the first move is simpler than you think
How shifting from a donor-hero narrative to a shoulder-to-shoulder model changes not just your messaging but the entire relationship donors have with your mission
Why your instincts as a fundraiser matter more than you think

You'll walk away with a back-to-basics playbook for rebuilding donor relationships, one newsletter, one story, and one $5 gift at a time.

Episode Highlights:

(4:28) Becky's origin story: national parks, history, and a historical society
(6:13) Why Volunteers of America is "in the love business"
(9:04) From 2,000 donors to under 100
(11:47) The first six months of rebuilding
(13:57) What builds a great fundraising program
(15:12) Centering love in donor storytelling
(18:31) Removing the agency from the story
(24:17) Trust your expertise: the one good thing

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/750

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749. Stewarding a 160-Year Legacy: How to Honor History While Driving Change - Archana Jayaram, Brooklyn Community Services Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

Archana Jayaram stepped in as CEO of Brooklyn Community Services just as one of New York City's oldest nonprofits entered its 160th year. Her first move wasn't a bold new vision. It was a question: "What do you need?"

Founded in 1866, BCS now serves more than 14,000 Brooklynites a year across housing, mental health, education, and workforce development. Archana shares how she's honoring that legacy while listening her way toward what comes next. 🩵

In this Possible in Practice episode, you'll hear:

How to lead change inside a long-standing institution by starting with the people who do the work
Why the people closest to the problem are the ones who know what they need, and how BCS stays community-centric at scale
What young people in Brooklyn said they actually need for their mental health, and why it surprised everyone

You'll walk away with a listening-first playbook for leading through legacy, change, and chaos. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(2:16) Archana's story: West Virginia roots and the power of mutual aid
(3:30) Inside the government–nonprofit partnership
(7:03) BCS's founding story: guided by history, not bound by it
(10:09) Staying community-centric while serving 14,000 people
(13:04) What young people said about mental health
(16:38) Leading change inside a legacy institution
(20:41) A donor who doubled his gift without being asked
(24:01) Build a ladder out of chaos: the one good thing

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/749

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748. How One Founder’s Lived Experience Created 116,000 Anchors - Ali Borowsky, Find Your Anchor Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

A note before you listen: This episode discusses suicide and suicide prevention. If you or someone you know is struggling, you’re not alone. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. Outside the U.S., visit findahelpline.com to find support near you.

Ali Borowsky used to design for the NHL Winter Classic. Now she designs something far more personal: a small blue box that tells whoever finds it that strangers care. 🩵

Rooted in her own lived experience, Find Your Anchor brings color, creativity, and humanity to suicide prevention. Guest co-host Aila Malik brought Ali to the mic to share how a grassroots nonprofit with a product reached 116,000 boxes through handwritten notes, community box builds, and partners from middle schools to the San Francisco 49ers.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why letting partners lead is the fastest way to reach communities you could never reach alone
How staying "unapologetically analog" helped a small nonprofit scale without losing its soul
What happens when 3,500 requests arrive in 24 hours and your business model is karma
How to protect your own wellness when your heart work becomes your job

You'll walk away with a fresh take on partnership, scale, and the small things that keep people going.

Episode Highlights:

(4:42) Ali's story: creating what she wished she'd had
(5:41) What's inside the box, and what an "anchor" really is
(10:39) Three ways the boxes get into the world
(13:17) Customizing boxes with nonprofit partners
(16:21) From box one to 116,000: staying unapologetically analog
(21:37) A nonprofit with a product: when your business model is karma
(24:05) What Ali has learned about win-win partnerships
(27:04) Staying well while doing heart work
(35:41) One good thing: learn three people's anchors

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/748

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747. How One $14,410 Fundraiser Became a Global Movement - Jeremy Vallerand, Atlas Free Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

Jeremy Vallerand and a few friends turned a Mount Rainier climb into a fundraiser: $1 for every vertical foot, $14,410 total. It was supposed to be a one-off. It wasn't.

Today, Atlas Free is a global network of 160+ organizations in 67 countries fighting sex trafficking, still fueled by the community hikes and climbs that started it all. 🩵

In this Possible in Practice episode, you'll hear:

How one climb became hundreds of community-led hikes and climbs every year, and the simple idea that made it spread: do what you love to fight what you hate
Why Atlas Free stopped sending Americans overseas and started backing the local leaders already doing the work
Why donors can tell when you only want their money, and why community has to come before the ask
What a $1 million gift and an $18.37 piggy bank taught Jeremy about stewarding every act of generosity

You'll walk away with a blueprint for inviting your community into the mission, not just the fundraising. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(3:09) Refugees in the spare bedroom and the trip to India that changed everything
(6:52) Climb for Captives: turning a Mount Rainier climb into a $14,410 fundraiser
(9:00) "Do what we love to fight what we hate": how one climb became hundreds
(10:48) From one climb to 160+ organizations in 67 countries
(14:00) Ethical storytelling: what you choose not to say
(17:52) Monthly giving: why community comes before the ask
(20:51) A $1 million gift and an $18.37 piggy bank
(23:39) The one good thing: who you're with matters more than what you're doing

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/747

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746. 1 in 2 American Adults Struggle with Social Connection. Nonprofits Are Part of the Solution. - Aaron Hurst Oct 05, 2026

Show notes

1 in 2 American adults is struggling with social connection, and fewer than 20% are thriving. Aaron Hurst, the social entrepreneur behind the Taproot Foundation and the pro bono movement, says that's why volunteering and giving are collapsing, and why nonprofits hold the key to reversing it.

Guest co-host Susan McPherson, author of The Lost Art of Connecting, joins us to dig into the U.S. Chamber of Connection's Six Points of Connection report, the first national index of its kind.

In this episode, you'll hear:

Why the sector doesn't have a philanthropy problem or a volunteer problem. It has a social connection problem.
The six points of connection every person needs, and the one the data says matters most
Why your nonprofit should start measuring connection outcomes now, before the funding arrives

You'll walk away seeing your organization for what it already is: connection infrastructure for your community. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

(4:07) Aaron's origin story and journey to where he is today
(7:34) "What do you most want in the world?"
(12:30) The Six Points of Connection report
(15:48) 1 in 2 Americans is struggling, and philanthropy is feeling it
(18:19) Nonprofits as connection infrastructure
(19:20) Start capturing connection outcomes now
(22:24) Why loneliness shuts down empathy
(25:27) One good thing: hope

Episode Show Notes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/746

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745. 3 Case Studies on Using Data + Storytelling to Grow Your Org's Impact - Urina Harrell Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

A pandemic relief territory that grew 39% while every area around it went red. A fund that deployed capital fast and couldn't prove what it did. A 55-year-old nonprofit still running on paper.

Urina Harrell, founder of Vox Pop Branding, walks through all three — what was broken, what she built, and what happened next. 🩵

In this episode, you'll hear:

Case study 1 — Long Beach: Why workshops and education stopped moving the needle, and how rolling up sleeves alongside founders produced the only green zone on the map
Case study 2 — JLH Fund: How to build impact measurement backward, after the money's already out the door, using grantee interviews that double as marketing
Case study 3 — Pools of Hope: The digital numbers the grant report never asked for — email list, reach, clicks — that turned into renewal after renewal
The two lessons that show up in all three: start from a baseline you already collect, and let a third party ask the questions your grantees won't answer honestly
The lowest-lift first step if you have no data at all — QR code stickers, not a new CRM

Three different orgs, one repeatable playbook for connecting data to story to funding. 🩵

Episode Highlights: