Designing Tomorrow: Creative Strategies for Social Impact

There's a post going around LinkedIn right now where a fundraiser is calling out a foundation for not structuring a grant as multi-year support. The tone is essentially: our work matters, so funders should give us what we need.

That sparked the thorniest disagreement Eric and Jonathan have had on the show. Jonathan's take is blunt: nonprofits need to stop treating funders as fuel for their missions and start treating them like customers. Not in a transactional way, but in the way a great customer success team operates, deeply understanding what success looks like for the individual...

The nonprofit sector has a marketing philosophy problem. We adopted a playbook built almost entirely around conversion: get the click, get the gift, optimize the funnel. But all of that activation depends on something most organizations never intentionally build: a brand people actually know, remember, and feel something about. Brady Josephson, Head of Growth & Innovation at charity:water, spent most of his career in direct response. Then the data told him something different, and charity:water went all in on brand.

Episode Highlights:

[00:03:00] How charity:water unknowingly burned through its brand equity 
[00:05:30] W...

A single phrase from a previous episode sent Eric into an existential tailspin, and reshaped how he thinks about organizational identity. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan unpack why "Who are we becoming?" hits harder than any strategic planning question, how it works as a daily filter for every decision you make, and why the social impact sector needs to be asking it right now.

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:30] The phrase that triggered an existential crisis 
[00:02:00] Why "becoming" reframes identity, not just strategy 
[00:05:00] Who is Cosmic becoming? 
[00:05:30] The follow-up: "What would I do...

The social impact sector has gotten very good at describing problems: white papers, statistics, annual reports filled with data on gaps and needs. But it hasn't built a system for telling stories that actually move people. Heather Mason spent 20 years producing the biggest convenings in the sector before building The Impact Lounge, a traveling hub that brings together funders, filmmakers, and creators at Sundance, Cannes, and beyond to build the narrative infrastructure social change has been missing.

Episode Highlights:

[02:15] Why narrative change is the most powerful lever for social change 

[05:00] The s...

Everyone claims to be strategic. But what does that word even mean anymore?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into a question that comes up constantly: what actually separates strategy from tactics, and why do so many strategic plans end up collecting dust? Eric makes a bold claim — that strategy, at its core, comes down to one word: conviction. Not frameworks. Not 200-page documents. Conviction about who you are, and more importantly, who you are not.

The conversation gets personal when Eric admits he lost that conviction at Cosmic, drifting toward service expansion before re...

There's $1.5 trillion sitting in American foundations right now. Add in donor-advised funds and the total climbs past $1.7 trillion. Most of it isn't moving. Meanwhile, the organizations on the front lines of housing, health, democracy, and climate are being told to do more with less.

In this episode, three leaders behind the Level Up campaign make the case that the 5% minimum payout rate — meant to be a floor — has become a ceiling. And they're doing something about it.

Aaron Dorfman (NCRP), Jodeen Olguín-Tayler (CHANGE Philanthropy), and Amanda Andere (Neighborhood Funders Group) break down the campaign askin...

AI slop is flooding every channel. Here's what changes, what doesn't, and how to cut through the noise.

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into the great content reset — the collision of AI, shifting media formats, and a growing hunger for real human connection. They unpack where AI actually helps (and where it creates "AI slop"), why Derek Thompson argues everything is becoming television, and the timeless communication truths that hold no matter the technology.

Episode Highlights

[00:00] The Great Content Reset

[01:03] The Google Ads Nightmare

[03:05] AI as Content Ac...

If solving the world's hardest problems requires the world's best people, why do we pay social impact professionals like they should be grateful just to have a job? The sector still treats its workforce as a cost to be minimized rather than the most important element to its success. So what would it look like to invest in people with the same urgency we bring to our missions?

Rusty Stahl is the founder of Fund the People and a former Ford Foundation program associate. He's spent over a decade pushing back against the structural barriers that keep...

Every organization has a “someday” list.

The rebrand that never quite gets prioritized. The content strategy that’s been “in the works” for three years. The bold idea that came up in a board meeting, got tabled for further discussion — and was never discussed again.

But what if the right time already came and went?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan go behind the scenes on a project that almost didn’t happen: building Seymour Studios, a turnkey media space designed to make storytelling fast, simple, and accessible for the social impact community in Santa Cruz...

In the social impact sector, we talk a lot about systems. Structural barriers. Root causes. Power structures. But I've watched systems-focused thinking become its own kind of trap: top-down, abstract, and alienating the very people it aims to serve.

Because systems aren't just structures and policies. They're people. And you can't change a system by imposing solutions from above. You have to build with the people living inside it.

My guest today calls herself a practical radical. After her father died when she was eleven, basketball saved her. For eight years, she coached high school...

After months away, Jonathan Hicken returns to Designing Tomorrow — and this time, we're recording from the brand new Seymour Studios at the Seymour Center in Santa Cruz.

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan take a real look back at 2025: a year that felt like a grind but delivered surprising wins across the sector. They dig into what the data actually says about giving (spoiler: it's not all doom), why the story you tell yourself shapes your reality, what it means to actually invest in storytelling instead of just talking about it, and the personal lessons they're carrying in...

What if the biggest barrier to your mission isn't funding, or talent, or market conditions — but the people sitting in your boardroom?

Not because they're bad people. But because they don't have clear expectations about their role. They weren't trained on the very real skills required for governance. And they're shoved into systems that don't allow them to bring their best strengths to the table.

In this episode, I sit down with Rob Acton, founder of Cause Strategy Partners, to explore what separates boards that multiply impact from boards that drain resources. After serving as a...

What happens when organizations can't dream?

Not because they lack vision. But because they're too busy scrambling to make payroll, chasing emergency grants, firefighting the latest crisis. Scarcity doesn't just drain bank accounts — it steals the capacity to imagine what's possible.

In this episode, I sit down with Jamye Wooten, founder of CLLCTIVLY in Baltimore, to explore what he calls "reactivism" and how the social impact sector got trapped in a cycle of moving from crisis to crisis, hashtag to hashtag, never building the institutions we actually need.

After years on the front li...

We break down the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy with the researchers who created it — exploring what this concentration means for nonprofit sustainability and the future of philanthropy. 

There’s a number that keeps showing up in conversations about American philanthropy. And it tells two completely different stories depending on how you read it.

Over the past decade, charitable giving from affluent households increased more than 30%. That’s remarkable. That suggests a sector that’s thriving. Resilient. Responding to need.

But here’s the other story that same data tells.

Donor parti...

The biggest barrier to your next stage isn’t lack of vision or resources. It’s the moment you stop imagining what could be and start protecting what already is.

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We love hearing feedback from our community, so please em...

In this episode, we're joined by Drew Dumsch, President and CEO of the Ecology School at River Bend Farm in Maine. Drew co-founded the organization 26 years ago with a premise that felt radical then and feels essential now: that ecological literacy — learning to read the landscape the way you learn to read a book — is foundational to creating engaged, compassionate citizens capable of understanding complex systems.

This conversation challenges the assumption that more information will save us. Instead, it offers a different path: one grounded in systems thinking, regenerative principles, and the radical act of kindness in a mo...

Once you see the pattern, you can't unsee it.

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We love hearing feedback from our community, so please email us with your questions or comments — including topics you’d like us to cover in future episodes — at podcast@design...

Mike Nellis has raised over $1 billion for progressive campaigns and causes. As the founder of Authentic and former Senior Advisor to Vice President Kamala Harris, he's seen what work — and what doesn't — in digital fundraising. In this conversation, we explore what nonprofits can learn from campaign strategy, the dangers of volume-driven marketing, and why authenticity might be the only sustainable advantage left.

Notable Quotes
"The biggest thing that moves the needle is volume. It matters a lot more how many times you're posting than the quality of the content." — Mike Nellis [6:25]

"Running an eth...

The dominant narrative this year has been that everything’s falling apart. But what if we're manifesting a social impact doom loop? Why I have a newfound resurgence of hope and optimism for this work.

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We love hearing fe...

What if philanthropy, as we know it, is a flawed system?

In this episode, we're joined by Jen Nguyen, a director at the Stupski Foundation, a unique "spend-down" organization designed to close its doors after giving away all of its assets by 2029. Jen, a former college counselor, provides an unapologetically candid look at a sector she may soon leave, revealing a rare freedom to challenge the status quo from within.

We'll discuss how a "wait and see" approach to philanthropy falls short in moments of crisis, why foundations often prioritize their own survival over the...

Reflections on fear, control, and what you can actually do about it. 

As we head into year-end — often the most high-stakes season in our sector — this episode will help you develop the right mindset to navigate it skillfully. 

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We...

What if everything you’ve been taught about economic progress is wrong?

In this episode, Stacey Edgar — social worker turned social entrepreneur and now executive director of the International Folk Art Market — shares her journey through the “career jungle gym” of the social impact sector. We unpack her concept of artisan economics, a radically human approach to commerce rooted in care, dignity, and connection.

From surviving U.S. customs mishaps to rewriting economic theory from a feminist perspective, Stacey challenges the status quo and shows what a purpose-driven economy really looks like — on the ground, in the marke...

How to recognize and act on the rare moments when transformation is possible.

Join the conversation on substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/eressler/p/the-vision-window-is-openfor-now?r=8rkfl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.

*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to social media, “follow” or “subscribe” in your podcast app, or write a review on Apple Podcasts. We could not do this without you!

We lov...

What if real change doesn't begin with institutions, campaigns, or capital — but with the people we invite into our lives?

In this episode, Eric sits down with Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something and author of When We’re In Charge, to explore how small, human-scale actions can spark transformational impact — from politics to parenting to how we rebuild our social lives post-pandemic.

Amanda has helped 225,000+ people raise their hands to run for office — and she’s just getting started. In this candid conversation, she breaks down how we show up, lead, connect, and fundraise...

In this episode, I’m exploring a question that’s been showing up in a lot of our recent work — and in my own thinking:

What is your truth?

Links:
📝 Read the full essay version on our new Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/eressler/p/what-is-your-truth?r=8rkfl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=podcast&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Listeners, now you can text us your comments or questions by clicking this link.

*** If you liked this episode, please help spread the word. Share with your friends or co-workers, post it to soc...

Everyone loves the idea of collaboration — but real partnership? That’s harder.

From mismatched visions to unclear roles, even the most well-intentioned alliances can go sideways fast. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan break down what makes partnerships work — and what to watch out for before saying yes.

➔ The five elements every partnership needs to succeed (straight from the Collective Impact framework).
 ➔ The one conversation to have before committing to collaborate.
➔ How to recognize when you’re serving the mission — and when you’re just serving the relationship.
➔ Why a shared measurement system matters more t...

Too many social impact leaders step into donor meetings with a bold vision — but an unclear case for why anyone should support it.

Your case for support isn’t just a fundraising tool — it’s a strategic asset that can align your messaging, mobilize your team, and inspire serious investment in your mission. But only if you get it right.

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan walk through a 5-part framework to help you build a clear, compelling case that connects with hearts and minds — and opens doors.

➔ Why most cases for support skip the one...

We’re constantly told to “do more with less” — but what if that’s the wrong goal altogether?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan challenge the traditional definition of efficiency and unpack why it can be a trap for social impact organizations. From donor pressure to staff burnout, they explore how the pursuit of efficiency often undermines effectiveness — and what to prioritize instead if you're serious about sustainable, meaningful impact.

➔ Why efficiency and innovation often live at opposite ends of the spectrum.
 ➔ How serving the process can slowly kill your mission.
 ➔ What to say when funders fix...

Too many social impact organizations are stuck trying to explain everything they do — and in the process, end up saying nothing that sticks. When your mission is complex, how do you distill it into a clear, compelling story that actually resonates?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dig into the storytelling struggles that come with multifaceted missions — and offer a practical framework to help you cut through the noise, focus your narrative, and connect more powerfully with your audiences.

➔ The one question every leader should ask before blaming the messaging.
 ➔ How to tell an emotional...

Major donor funding can feel like the holy grail of nonprofit growth — big checks, deep relationships, and potentially game-changing support. But what’s often left out of the conversation? The risk.

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dive into the real tradeoffs of major donor programs — the power dynamics, the mission drift moments, and the long runway it takes to build trust at scale. Whether you're building from scratch or recalibrating your fundraising strategy, this candid conversation will help you weigh the potential upside and the pitfalls.

➔ When a major gift is actually too costly to accep...

Annual reports shouldn’t feel like an obligation — they should feel like a gift. But for too many nonprofits, impact reporting is still stuck in the past: flat, uninspired, and quickly forgotten.

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan unpack how to rethink your approach to reporting — and turn your annual impact story into one of your organization’s most powerful strategic tools.

➔ The secret ingredient of high-performing reports.
 ➔ The real ROI of a well-designed impact report — and how to measure success beyond the PDF.
 ➔ A simple way to start small: what a minimum viable impact repo...

Social impact leaders are visionaries — but getting others to see what you see isn’t easy. When your work hasn’t caught up to your ambitions, how do you win over funders, staff, and partners who need proof before they commit?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan explore what it really takes to sell a bold new vision — even when the work is still taking shape.

➔ Why internal conviction is the first — and most underrated — step to building external trust.
 ➔ How to frame your future vision when your current reality doesn’t match it (yet).
 ➔ The po...

Nonprofit leaders know storytelling matters — but many are missing a critical opportunity to move hearts, shift narratives, and deepen support. In this episode, Eric and Jonathan pull back the curtain on why so much nonprofit content falls flat — and how a simple three-step framework can radically transform the way you communicate your mission.

➔ Why "naming the problem" is more powerful — and more complicated — than you think.
➔ The common trap organizations fall into when showcasing impact (and how to avoid it).
➔ How to frame your future vision in a way that rallies donors, staff, and community — even if your mis...

Not all “no’s” are equal—and if you’re in fundraising, you know that firsthand.

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan unpack the three types of objections every social impact leader will face: the silent no, the vague no, and the hard no. They explore why each shows up, what it’s really signaling, and how to respond in a way that transforms rejection into relationship. Whether you're navigating donor hesitancy or partner pushback, you'll walk away with practical tools to shift conversations from confusion and avoidance to clarity, trust, and—yes—sometimes even a yes.

Social impact leaders are scaling back, funding streams are evaporating, and public trust is eroding. In this candid kickoff to Season 4, Eric and Jonathan hold space for what’s really happening in the field—and why this moment demands courageous communication, community resilience, and reimagined leadership. This isn’t a time to shrink. It’s a time to show up.

To wrap Season 3, Eric and Jonathan are doing something different — and a little vulnerable.

In this raw and unfiltered finale, they look back on the leadership decisions, strategic misfires, hiring blunders, and marketing missteps that didn’t go according to plan. No spin. No gloss. Just two founders owning their hardest lessons out loud.

Why end the season like this? Because mistakes aren’t just part of leadership — they are leadership. If we want a social impact sector that embraces failure as fuel for growth, we have to start by telling the truth about what we've go...

What do you do when your mission is evolving… but your brand, programs, and funding strategy haven’t caught up yet?

In this episode, Jonathan brings a live challenge to the table: a bold new vision for the Seymour Center that could reposition it as a hub for climate solutions and STEM leadership — but it comes with branding risks, potential backlash, and major funding implications.

Eric coaches him through the decision-making, exploring when to stay quiet, when to go big, and how to avoid mission creep without losing momentum. This is real-time strategy, storytelling, and nonpro...

The funding landscape is shifting, and relying on the same revenue strategies that got you here may not be enough to take your organization to the next level. Many nonprofits and social enterprises struggle to generate enough revenue—not just to sustain their work, but to fully fund their missions and reinvest in long-term growth.

So how do you build a revenue model that works? One that’s not just about survival, but about impact at scale?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan dive into how funding models are evolving, why earned revenue is becoming a bi...

We are living through the biggest shift in media and marketing of our lifetimes. Misinformation spreads faster than ever, trust in institutions is crumbling, and social impact leaders are left navigating a fractured, chaotic digital landscape.

So how do you build credibility, mobilize communities, and create real impact when attention is scattered and trust is eroding?

In this episode, Eric and Jonathan break down the new realities of marketing and media—the rise of digital tribalism, the fine line between authenticity and performance, and why the old marketing playbook no longer works.

Ep...