Subscriber First Name, what would you do with $100,000 to support your nonprofit staff?

This question stumbled out of my mouth during a happy hour with nonprofit friends this week. My prompt was first met with silence and some wide-eyed, thoughtful reflection. There were a few giggles of disbelief. I could tell the question nudged my friends to dig deep and dream big. This is what came up:

“I would create space for my staff to reconnect with their purpose.”

“Everyone would get a raise.”

“We would plan the most amazing staff retreat and getaway!”

“I would immediately hire back the person we laid off earlier this year. She is so brilliant and we need her.”

I really loved their answers—each one glittered with care, imagination, and a deep love for the people who do the work. I loved the dialogue so much, I even posted it as a LinkedIn poll (you can participate for a few more days!). These responses remind me of something that is so abundantly clear in this sector: nonprofit leaders are ready to design solutions that center wellbeing and endurance.

But the data also reminds me of this nagging, persistent gap: the space between nonprofits articulating what they need to support their people… and actually getting the resources to do so.

We know this: the data is clear that nonprofit wellbeing is not just a “nice-to-have.” It’s a viable and proven path to organizational effectiveness and resilience. Case studies, like Fund the People’s Long-Haul Grantmaking report, has showed us that another way is possible. And even if a $100K grant for staff support is not available today, that doesn’t mean we’re not on track to making them available tomorrow. The narrative is already shifting.

And to keep this momentum going, we need more stories that elevate both the lives of nonprofit leaders and the innovation that’s already brewing around what could be possible with real investments in real people.

That’s why we’re launching a new storytelling effort at Do Good Leadership Collective. We want to fill that gap with an understanding of what is possible when wellbeing is at the center of organizational strategy. We’re looking for 10–15, San Diego-based nonprofit executive leaders to participate in a 30-minute interview. Every question will revolve around these simple, but powerful prompts:

If you had $100,000 in unrestricted funds to support your staff, what would you do with it?

What problem would it solve?

What outcomes would you anticipate?

If it all went well, what would be different for you, your organization, and the communities you serve?

We know why wellbeing matters. We have an idea of what could work, and who needs the most support. Lifting these stories can point us in the direction of HOW to bring more attention and resources to our extraordinary nonprofit workforce.

All selected participants will receive a coffee on us (either in person, or via a virtual gift card). If you’re ready to share your story, or know a nonprofit leader who would be a perfect fit for this project, then please fill out this short form to participate.