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The Fire We Walk Through: Why Nonprofit Leaders Are More Vital Than Ever
- John Bost
- Apr 23
- 3 min read
“It is not easy to keep silent when silence is a lie.” ― Victor Hugo
Dear Nonprofit Leaders,
There’s no sugar-coating it: leading a nonprofit right now feels like trying to build a bridge while you’re still standing in the river.
The current is swift. The waters are rising. And the materials in your hands often feel too few, too fragile.
Economic uncertainty. Political dysfunction. A fraying social contract. Burnout that creeps in like fog at dawn.
And yet—here you are. Hammer in hand. Heart on fire. Still showing up.
Bravo. You are the ones running toward the fire, not away from it.
Guess what? This isn’t business as usual. Don’t try to make sense of it. It’s mission-critical in the truest, rawest sense. And nonprofit leaders? You are the keepers of that mission, the ones who stand between collapse and compassion.
A Season of Strain—and Significance
Look around. The signs of strain are everywhere.
Food insecurity is no longer an edge case—it’s a rising tide. Affordable housing feels more like a dream than a policy. Basic needs—clean water, childcare, safety—have become luxury items for too many.
The systems we were told would catch us are buckling. And in that vacuum, nonprofits have become more than helpers—we’ve become the infrastructure of hope.
But here’s the twist that doesn’t get enough airtime: This is when leadership matters most.
Not the kind of leadership stamped on a business card. But the kind born from clarity, grit, and radical compassion.
The kind that says, “We're still here. We still care. We still believe that dignity belongs to every human being.”
The Weight We Carry—and Why We Carry It
Let’s be honest: if it feels like the burden is heavier than ever before, that’s because it is.
You’re doing more with less. Stretching every dollar. Balancing on the edge of burnout while trying to be a steady hand for everyone else. But don’t confuse weight with weakness.
Because this weight you carry? It’s not just logistics. It’s legacy. It’s the heavy, holy burden of caring when the world tells you not to.
You're not just delivering services. You're defending the soul of society.
You’re not just coordinating volunteers. You’re rebuilding what institutions forgot.
You’re not just fundraising. You're future-making. System-shaking. Barrier-breaking.
And yes, it’s exhausting. But it’s also revolutionary! Viva La Nonprofits!
Building Resilience (Not Just for Your Org, But for You)
As a friend recently reminded me - It’s okay to not be okay.
Let’s say the quiet part louder: You are allowed to be tired. You are allowed to feel the edges of your limits. You are allowed to step back and say, “This is hard.”
Because resilience isn't about gritting your teeth and pushing through. It's about listening to the voice inside you that says, “This matters too much to burn out.”
As my friend, Tim, reminded me last week: ““For nonprofit leaders, these times are both the most demanding and the most defining. The work has never been harder—nor more essential.”
So take a breath. Return to your “why.” Revisit your mission like it’s a sacred text. Say no to what numbs you, and yes to what fuels you. You don’t have to do it all—just do what only you can do.
This Isn’t Just the Hardest Time. It’s the Defining One.
The truth is, history won’t remember your best (or worst) mid-year grant report or your kick-ass marketing strategy. But it will remember the leaders who showed up. Who stood in the breach. Who held the line. Who refused to let compassion die quietly.
So if you feel like you're carrying the weight of the world—it's because in many ways, you are.
But you’re not carrying it alone.
We acknowledge you. We believe in you. And the world you’re fighting for? It’s already beginning to take shape—because of you.
This fire you walk through isn’t just heat—it’s a forge.
And what’s coming out the other side is stronger. Braver. And more essential than ever.
Cover image photo by Ben Moreland on Unsplash.
