Nonprofit Leadership

Leading with Purpose. Innovating with Equity.

[link removed]


** No, It Wasn’t a Dream…
------------------------------------------------------------

January 6, 2026

Dear Readers,

At severe risk of being outed as a great fan of the 19th-century novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville, I’d like to ring in the new year with this choice scene in the book, in Chapter 35, “The Mast-Head,” in which we find our narrator, Ishmael, taking the lookout position, high on the mast, and reflecting:


With the problem of the universe revolving in me, how could I—being left completely to myself at such a thought-engendering altitude—how could I but lightly hold my obligations to observe all whale-ships’ standing orders, “Keep your weather eye open, and sing out every time.”


How do we keep at our daily obligations while reckoning with the grim, sometimes soul-wrenching view before us? After all, 2025 marked the most significant attack on civil society since McCarthyism. Nonprofits are still under attack, and it is not likely to let up anytime soon. And yet, nonprofits are fighting back. (We at NPQ are doing our best to chronicle ([link removed]) both currents.)


But back to Ishmael’s question. If my ol’ bachelor’s in English is worth anything, you can take it from me that Ishmael didn’t come to any simple answer. And I’m hardly qualified to attempt one, beyond the obvious, which is that at least, unlike Ishmael, we’re not hunting whales. We’re trying to make the United States a more just, equitable, healthy, and happy country!


This week’s Nonprofit Leadership newsletter offers an exciting New Year’s dose of bold and buoyant ideas. We kick it off with NPQ contributor Ted Siefer, who explores the growing frontier of labor movements and AI. Next, Saqib Bhatti presents a timely action plan for nonprofits to “block” authoritarianism.


Finally, I am honored to present a select handful of pieces edited ([link removed]) and authored ([link removed]) by the inimitable Steve Dubb, senior editor emeritus for Economic Justice, who leaves NPQ after some eight years of service to the organization. Steve has been a pillar of NPQ, leaving behind a powerful, intelligent, and prescient corpus of work to which he’s dedicated much heartfelt energy and care over the years. We’ll miss his smart insights and moral clarity.


As always, I love to hear back from you—even if it’s just to say hello. Email me at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .


Cheers, and a fortuitous 2026 to us all.


Isaiah Thompson

Editor

Leadership

Sponsored Content

Reimagine How Nonprofits Work Together ([link removed])

Join nonprofit peers January through March for FREE expert sessions, podcast-style conversations, and collective learning. Explore healthier ways of working and build workplaces where nonprofit humans thrive.

Register Free ([link removed])


** Must-Read Articles
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]

Can the Fight Against AI Revitalize the US Labor Movement?

by Ted Siefer

“An enthusiastic and largely unregulated embrace of AI on the part of employers, on the one hand, and a weak labor movement on the other.”
Read Article ([link removed])
[link removed]

Blocking Authoritarianism: Steps Nonprofits and Foundations Must Take

by Saqib Bhatti

“Social justice organizations must build…a two-pronged strategy that both opposes billionaire oligarchs and divides them from Trump.”
Read Article ([link removed])
[link removed]

Economic Justice: Why We Must Build a New Common Sense

by Steve Dubb

“A community-based economics, backed by public policy, but neither corporate- nor government-dominated, offers a compelling vision.”
Read Article ([link removed])
[link removed]

On Boycotts and Blackouts, Mobilizing and Organizing: Understanding the Basics

by Steve Dubb

“It is often the case that boycotts are most effective when connected to a broader movement, such as an alliance with unions.”
Read Article ([link removed])

Sponsored Content

The 2025 Nonprofit Trends Report ([link removed])

Get your report on the challenges facing global nonprofits, and what they’re doing to overcome them.

Get the report ([link removed])


** Check out our upcoming webinars.
------------------------------------------------------------


**
------------------------------------------------------------

As a Leading Edge member, you get exclusive access to all our upcoming webinars—deep dives into the issues that matter, led by movement leaders and experts.
[link removed]
[link removed]
Become a Member ([link removed])
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]

Sponsored Content

Build a Nonprofit Board that Leads ([link removed])

Nonprofit success requires strategy, foresight, and strong governance beyond mission alignment. We’ve outlined five actionable ways your board can lead with impact.

Read the Article ([link removed])

Nonprofit Leadership offers timely civic news, equity-centered insights, and innovative frameworks for leaders building a just and thriving civil society. This newsletter delivers field wisdom, leadership strategies, and practical tools to help you lead with intention and create sustainable impact in your organization and community.

Copyright (C) 2025. All rights reserved.

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences ([link removed]) or unsubscribe ([link removed])