Resources for the Nonprofit Apocalypse

Dear FutureGood Community,

I know these past ten days have been incredibly stressful for those who dedicate their lives to doing good. The causes and communities you care about have been attacked from all angles. ICE has been emboldened to conduct raids in schools, churches, and hospitals. The values you hold—diversity, equity, and inclusion—have been labeled “illegal” and “discriminatory.” Threats of funding cuts have put our organizations in a tailspin. And for some of us (myself included), our neighborhoods have literally been on fire. As optimistic as I am, I have to admit—this is not the ideal way to start 2025.

I ask that we all stop and breathe. When we are in crisis, our lizard brains don’t make the best decisions for us. That part of our brain puts us in survival mode, forcing us to focus only on the immediate danger in front of us. Right now, there’s a large, angry dog barking in our faces. But just around the corner, there’s a lion we can’t yet see—a much bigger problem.

This is where future thinking and building our ideal future become critically important.

I say this carefully because I don’t believe this is how systems change should happen, but Trump is backed by a wrecking crew that is rapidly dismantling many of our systems before our eyes. Nonprofits engaged in systems change and social justice work now find themselves in the unenviable position of defending these systems—systems they have long worked to transform.

What if, instead of exhausting our limited time and energy trying to hold these systems together in the midst of chaos, we redirected our efforts toward imagining and creating the new? What if we used this moment—not just to react, but to envision our boldest hopes for the future of democracy, housing, climate, immigration, and healthcare—and leveraged this volatility to accelerate progress toward that vision? I think if we did that, the future could be better than our wildest dreams.

With best wishes for the future,

 Trista

FutureGood has a variety of tools that will be helpful as you navigate this turbulence.

FutureProof- a new asynchronous learning program designed to enhance your team’s resilience and internal strategic capacity as you manage volatility.

Future-Proofing Your Organization for the Volatility of a Trump Presidency

Now is the Time to Double Down on DEI

There are Black People in the Future 

Special note for Foundation Program Officers terrified about what the future might hold for your grantees:

I’m inviting a small group of brave, justice-driven foundations to join an underground initiative to equip grantees with the tools to rise up and lead through these turbulent times.

With attacks on DEI, equity, and social justice work mounting—and uncertainty looming as we navigate what might come next from the Trump Presidency—this initiative is about more than just technical assistance. It’s about giving grantees the power to imagine and build a future where they don’t just survive these times but they use this volatility to accelerate their work.

Here’s what we’re creating together:

- A movement to help grantees break free from reactive cycles and instead envision and execute bold, justice-centered strategies that transform their communities.

- A chance to provide your grantees with access to a transformative futurism-based planning process at a fraction of the usual cost—helping them chart a transformative path forward for the causes and communities you care about, no matter their size or resources.

- A powerful opportunity for nonprofits to dream big, build collective power, and drive toward a more equitable and just future, even in the face of unprecedented obstacles.

Who we’re looking for:

- Foundations that refuse to practice anticipatory obedience as their grantees’ work is being threatened and are ready to invest in their grantees’ ability to adapt, resist, and thrive.

- Grantees with the courage to challenge the status quo, collaborate deeply, and embrace visionary change.

- Program officers who want to be part of an underground initiative that ensures grantees don’t just survive the chaos—they lead through it with boldness and clarity.

- Partners ready to move quickly and decisively to make 2025 a year of resilience and resistance.

If you’re ready to learn more, send me an email at [email protected] and I’ll share the next steps. Know a foundation aligned with this mission? Share this with them and encourage them to reach out.

This is about more than technical assistance and planning. This is about ensuring the organizations fighting for equity and justice have what they need to win, no matter what’s thrown their way. Let’s build this future together.