Introducing “Confessions of a Nonprofit Leader”
Nonprofit leadership is rewarding, meaningful, and, let’s be honest, often chaotic. The work behind mission-driven organizations rarely fits into neat success stories. It’s late-night board meetings, budget shortfalls, program pivots, last-minute fundraising pushes, and moments of doubt mixed with breakthrough wins.
That’s why we’re launching a new blog series: Confessions of a Nonprofit Leader, a candid space for honest conversations about what it really takes to lead in the nonprofit world, especially in these uncertain times.
This series is about pulling back the curtain. Expect stories of near-misses and big lessons learned, leadership habits that help teams thrive, and reflections on the challenges and victories we don’t always talk about openly. If you’ve ever wrestled with:
Board dynamics that test your patience
Fundraising plateaus that keep you up at night
Burnout or the struggle to build equitable practices
The gray areas of measuring impact or navigating a program pivot
…then you’ll find yourself at home here.
Have a Confession to Share?
This series will only be as powerful as the voices in it—and that’s where you come in. We want to hear from nonprofit executives, fundraisers, program directors, board members, and emerging leaders.
Your experiences, messy, bold, or full of moxie, can help others feel less alone and provide roadmaps for navigating the challenges of this work. Whether it’s a hard-earned lesson, a story of resilience, or a moment that shifted your perspective, your story might be exactly what another leader needs to hear.
Here’s what we’re looking for:
Format: First-person essays (500–1,000 words maximum).
Tone: Honest, reflective, and practical. Share what happened and what you learned. Let’s normalize failing forward.
Anonymity: Optional. Submissions can be published anonymously if that helps you share more freely.
Support: We’ll provide editing to help your story shine or transcription if you use voice-to-text or voice memos.
Interested? Pitch your idea (just 2–3 sentences is fine) or submit a draft to Kristen@KMCStrat.com with the subject line: Confessions of a Nonprofit Leader Idea – [Your Topic].
Let’s Tell the Truth About Leading for Change
Nonprofit work isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. By sharing our real stories, we can help each other navigate the messy middle of impact and leadership.
We can’t wait to hear your confession. Are you ready? We are!
📩 us at KMCSocialImpactStrat@gmail.com.