Nick Martin’s Post

🌍 Social Impact & Service Professionals—this workshop is for you! Join us on Tuesday, October 1st at 12pm CT for a FREE workshop tailored for nonprofit executives, community organizers, activists, fellowship leaders, NGOs, and other social impact professionals. This session will help you connect deeply with your communities, understand diverse needs, and drive greater impact in your mission. Together, we’ll sharpen your skills as a listener and collaborator, working to identify the unique needs, values, and strengths of the communities you serve. Why join us? 1️⃣ Build Resilience Amidst Global Crises: Learn strategies to keep your mission and values intact in the face of adversity. 2️⃣ Enjoy a Healing Space for Collective Humanity: Reconnect with your purpose, reflect, and renew in a supportive environment. Let’s build smarter, stronger pathways for both personal and organizational growth. 📅 Register now and invite a colleague: https://lnkd.in/gXtJmd7f Together, we can transform communities and create real change.

Highlights from our October Nonprofit CEO and Executive Director Peer Group Meet-Up - we covered a lot of ground! What’s resonating with you? Please share any relevant resources or thoughts! 💬 Storytelling is key to building trust with boards, especially after periods of instability. We talked about ways to foster engagement early and set the stage for lasting relationships. ⏳ Proper planning takes time, but board members often push for faster results. We shared strategies for advocating for leadership approaches and the value of early advocacy. 🔄 If you’re leading an initiative controlled by another nonprofit entity, and navigating layers of control and responsibility, you're not alone! Interested in joining a spinoff conversation? Ping me! 💡 Asks: Know of any grant opportunities for tech infrastructure upgrades for a social service org? Drop a note! Are you a nonprofit CEO or Executive Director looking for free support from a remarkable community of peers? Please join us! https://lnkd.in/ekPxj6cm

Nonprofit Leaders, knowing what to say right now is difficult. You’re navigating your own thoughts and emotions, while also facing a community that’s looking to you for direction. Here are three questions to consider asking yourself: 1️⃣ What do our stakeholders need most from us right now, and how can we be responsive to their needs? Understanding their immediate needs can help shape a compassionate, relevant message. 2️⃣ How can I create a sense of stability without promising certainty? Offering transparency and realistic optimism can help maintain trust, even amid unpredictability. 3️⃣ What actions can we take to demonstrate our mission beyond words? Sometimes, showing up through specific actions or initiatives can be as powerful as the messages you share. This week, I’m hosting a conversation for nonprofit CEOs to explore these questions and more. If you’d like to join, send me a DM to reserve your spot. And if a one-on-one chat is a better fit, reach out to connect. It’s okay not to have all the answers right now. Leading with empathy, purpose, and courage can be the best message of all.

Did you know Pitt Business has been helping nonprofits for over 20 years? Connecting students with nonprofits that can benefit from their research and insights supports our purpose of preparing and inspiring leaders to shape a better future through business. Read this story to learn how undergraduate business students are helping The Hear Foundation (THF). https://bit.ly/4c4ZJ8b

[CASE STUDY | THE IMPACT OF PLACE-BASED #GRANTMAKING] One of the best parts of the International Corporate Citizenship Conference: the CASE STUDIES. For #BCConf24, that includes this can't-miss MassMutual session, ideal for anyone working in #giving, #philanthropy, corporate #foundations, etc. Oh and btw... It's not too late to register for the Conference! Meet us in Memphis and get ready for: Unlocking Community Transformation: Exploring the Impact of Place-Based Grantmaking This session introduces the concept of place-based grantmaking, explores its significance, and identifies key elements for success, as well as potential pitfalls. Hear directly from the MassMutual Foundation and #community representatives leading Frayser Connect, gaining insight into what it takes to drive meaningful community #impact. Join us to become inspired and equipped with key learnings that can inform your own investment strategies. Hear from Alison Mathias, Vice President, MassMutual Foundation; Meredith Hennessy, MUP, Principal and Practice Leader, Consilience Group LLC; Dr. Nicole Gates, Director, Frayser Connect, Frayser Community Development Corporation; and Fayre Crossley, MBA, GPC, SHRM-CP, Chief Grants and Compliance Officer, Epicenter. https://lnkd.in/e-_hKSSU #corporategiving #communityinvestment #communitypartners #socialimpact #corporate #foundation #giving #philanthropy #corporatesocialresponsibility #corporatecitizenship

Happy Holidays! Highlighted below are events and opportunities for the Month of December: 1. Bain & Company ADvantage Experience: A Webinar for Advanced Degrees Date: Wednesday, December 11th, 2024 Time: 8pm-9pm EST Location: Zoom, register here for link: https://lnkd.in/e3Fpdgp5 Are you interested in learning more about Bain's ADvantage program? If so, join this webinar to learn more about ADvantage, a week-long spring program hosted by most of Bain’s North American offices and open exclusively to Advanced Degree candidates. 2. Portal Holiday Event (Portal Innovations, LLC) Date: Wednesday, December 18th, 2024 Time: 4:30pm - 7:00pm Location: Portal Innovations, 101 Nerem St NW, 5th floor, Atlanta, GA, 30313 Gather with fellow innovators, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders for an evening of food, drinks, and festive fun. Let’s toast to the year’s achievements and exciting possibilities ahead in 2025! Whether you’re here to connect, celebrate, or simply relax, this is the perfect night to unwind with the brightest in biotech and life sciences. Register here: https://lnkd.in/edhS8AjW 3. Georgia Bio Survey Date: ASAP Location: The comfort of your own home. Fill out this ~2 min survey: https://lnkd.in/ebhfrmEA Georgia Bio is a non-profit organization that connects innovators, policy makers, and business professionals to help grow the life science ecosystem in Georgia. They are actively running programs for young professionals and would love to hear your thoughts. We want to hear from you: What challenges have you faced in preparing for your career? What resources, opportunities, or programs would you find most valuable? Your feedback will directly influence the design of new initiatives tailored to support students and professionals like you. 4. CCT Atlanta - Community Consulting Teams Atlanta Application Date: Tuesday, December 31st, 2024 Volunteer as a Consultant! Any new applications will be considered for the Spring 2025 cycle. Project duration's are typically 10 weeks, and volunteers usually spend 4 to 6 hours per week on a project. Please fill out the survey here, and we will reach out in the spring to identify your project preferences. Click here to learn more about CCT: www.cctatlanta.org Wishing everyone a great holiday season!

New Substack post on a topic that has been on my heart lately- Rest. These reflections are as much a note to self as they are to share. I am actively disentangling myself from the pressure to live in a state of doing and re-learning the power of being (shout out to Leslie Avant-Brown, MPA, MCC for your timeless wisdom on this). I invite others to share what they are learning about rest for themselves as well. This is a story we rewrite together. https://lnkd.in/eC7GSGMK Here are a few additional resources for continued reflection as we navigate the weeks ahead. What else is inspiring you lately? Centering Restorative Principles for BIPOC Leaders in Nonprofits by Ain Bailey, MPA: https://lnkd.in/e2tqMv8t Seven Types of Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith: https://lnkd.in/eXfh69it Why Rest is an Act of Resistance, an interview with Tricia Hersey: https://lnkd.in/eYZ8VuC8 Take care everyone 💙

I recently talked to an impact leader who is scaling her social organization. I asked her what was missing in her work. She said, “A clear Theory of Change.” Her organization had significant success, but growth was a challenge. You need a structured approach to running your impact business or nonprofit to achieve long-term success and scalable impact. You need to align your mission, vision, and actions through a clear Theory of Change. When pitching to funders or partners, the question always came up: “How do you know your work is making a difference?” Having a Theory of Change is the answer. It maps out the exact steps between what you do and the outcomes you want to achieve. It shows: • What problem you’re solving • How your activities lead to change • What success looks like • How you can measure your effectiveness But it’s not just about measuring impact for funders. It’s also about bringing clarity to the entire team and keeping everyone aligned with the long-term vision. You can be more confident making decisions because you can see how each step aligns with the broader mission.

Exciting news! We're launching our first Orlando-based Mastermind group for nonprofit CEOs. 🎉 At SImpact, we help nonprofit leaders scale their organizations, tackle challenges, and find new opportunities through peer learning and growth. Join us for a "Test Drive a Mastermind" session on November 13th, 12-1:30 PM, and see how this community can help you thrive. Interested? Comment below or email elizabeth@simpact.it to learn more!

As an alumni, reflecting on our impact is both humbling and inspiring. After years of diving into our evaluation data, what stood out this year wasn’t just the resilience and connections we’ve built, but our consistency across all programs. What I love most about this process is how our evaluations tell a story of growth - not just in numbers, but in the confidence, well-being, and sense of belonging young people experience. For me, its a chance to pause, reflect, celebrate, and keep building! For anyone looking to deepen their impact, here’s what I’ve learned: 1) Focus on relationships – Real impact comes from investing in people. 2) Embrace adaptability – Be open to feedback and be flexible in your approach. 3) Learn as you go – Progress over perfection. 4) Stay curious – Use data as a starting point for reflection, learning and innovation, not as the final answer. You can check out Unity Charity's Impact Report here! https://lnkd.in/geHQS6FU