What is a Fractional Chief Impact Officer?

If leading a nonprofit or social enterprise feels like constantly putting out fires, you are far from alone. The stakes are high—your team is passionate, your mission matters, and the expectations from board, funders, and partners keep stacking up. But with shrinking budgets, ambitious goals, and even layoffs or funding cuts on the rise, small teams are being asked to do more than ever.

It’s easy to feel stretched thin, wishing for expert support but knowing a full-time executive just isn’t feasible right now.

Here’s the hopeful pivot—your organization doesn’t have to settle for staying overwhelmed. Imagine what’s possible if, instead of constantly juggling, you finally had clarity, credible strategy, and the bandwidth to deliver measurable results.

That’s where the Fractional Chief Impact Officer comes in—a flexible, approachable, and proven way to amplify your impact, even when resources and time are tight.

What Does “Fractional” Mean?

Executive Leadership, On Terms That Fit YOU

The concept of “fractional” leadership is about bringing in experienced executives—like a Chief Impact Officer—on a part-time, hourly, or project basis.

This approach allows growing organizations to access high-level strategy and support, without the weight, risk, or commitment of a full-time hire. Engagements may range from a few hours each week to time-bound projects focused on solving specific challenges, like launching a new reporting system or securing B Corp certification.

Other terms you may have heard for this model include:

• Interim executive

• Part-time executive

• Embedded advisor

• Contract leadership

While “fractional” is most current, outdated terms like “advisor” (or sadly even “board member”) usually point to roles with less influence—fractional leaders are integrated and accountable, not just giving advice now and again. And while freelancers typically tackle tasks or deliverables from the sidelines, fractional executives join leadership, shape direction, and guide implementation hand-in-hand with your team.

Why Choose Fractional CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER Services?

When resources are limited but the need for credible, strategic leadership is pressing, fractional services stand out because they are:

• Project-based or hourly: Customized to capacity.

• Scalable: Flexible engagement, ramping up or down as priorities shift.

• Mission-aligned: Tailored to the organization’s culture, growth stage, and values.

• Quickly actionable: Expert guidance starts fast, and adapts as you learn.

a Chief Impact Officer: Where Mission Meets Measurable Results

A Chief Impact Officer (CIO) is more than a champion for your purpose—they’re the architect of your mission’s outcomes. This role ensures your work leads to proven, communicable social and environmental results, empowering every department to pull in the same direction.

In practical terms, CIOs:

• Set strategy for measurable, sustainable impact

• Align staff, systems, and stories with your biggest goals

• Lead the design and implementation of evaluation tools

• Build trust by making impact data visible and honest

From Vision to Data—And Beyond

Fractional CIOs work alongside your leadership, filling gaps and tackling the priorities that matter most in your context.

Popular Fractional CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER Projects

• Impact Reporting: Create “stakeholder-ready” reports, translating mission work into clear, funder-friendly results and narratives.

• Strategy Design: Develop frameworks for social/environmental impact, identifying short- and long-term markers of success.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Build or refine outreach and transparency tools to boost credibility and support.

• Organizational Alignment: Make sure goals, departments, and programs work together, not in silos.

• Funding Support: Strengthen proposals with transparent data, helping you win more grants and opportunities.

• Measurement and Evaluation: Pinpoint which data is meaningful, make it easier to collect, and free your team from endless spreadsheets.

• Impact Storytelling: Convert numbers into compelling, jargon-free stories your community and partners care about.

• ESG and Sustainability Integration: Weave social/environmental impact throughout your business model, supporting certifications like B Corp.

• Capacity Coaching: Guide staff in strategic, sustainable thinking, building a stronger, impact-literate culture.

Projects may be structured hourly, by retainer, or as one-time strategy sprints—so support meets your needs, not the other way around.

Why Now? Small Teams Are Asked to Do More

The last few years have made one thing clear: Nonprofits and social enterprises face ever-growing expectations with fewer resources each quarter. Layoffs, budget cuts, and evolving goals mean organizations are relying on small, agile teams—and those teams are pressed to deliver transparency, results, and growth without burning out.

That’s exactly why Fractional Chief Impact Officers matter now. They offer hands-on partnership in systems, data, and culture—so your staff is set up to succeed, your mission gets the attention it deserves, and your community can see real change.

Who Needs a Fractional Chief Impact Officer?

Fractional leadership is perfect for:

• Small teams with powerful missions trying to scale without overextending staff

• Founders and EDs juggling strategy, reporting, and daily operations

• Social enterprises and nonprofits pursuing grants, certifications, or impact recognition

• Boards recognizing that their impact story is scattered and unclear

If measuring, reporting, or scaling impact are real challenges—or if your staff is burning out covering too many bases—fractional leadership is a great option for you.

The Benefits of Fractional Impact Leadership

Immediate Value, Ongoing Flexibility

With fractional CIO services, mission-driven organizations receive:

• Targeted expertise right when it’s needed: No complex hiring processes or long-term contracts

• External perspective with insider accountability: Best practices and fresh ideas, without disrupting culture

• Strategic clarity that reduces overwhelm—systems, frameworks, and alignment so every hour is well spent

• Personalized guidance: Support is tailored to your goals, whether helping with a report deadline, capacity building, or stakeholder communication

How It Works: Your Fractional CIO in Action

A typical engagement with me unfolds like this:

• Discovery: Free 30-minute consult to get to know your challenges, goals, and context. This also allows us to make sure we’re a good fit for each other.

• Proposal and Planning: Right-sized project or strategic retainer mapped around needs and capacity.

  Then, depending on the project, it may include:

• Systems and Reporting Build: Design measurement tools, streamline data collection, and turn insights into usable, actionable knowledge.

• Frameworks and Coaching: From impact strategy to storytelling tools, every solution is co-created for your top priorities.

• Ongoing Leadership: Regular check-ins, accountability, and continuous improvement—on your terms, in your preferred mode (remote, onsite, hybrid).

Everything is collaborative, transparent, and tailored. As your partner, I am your executive extension, leveling up—not overwhelming—your mission.

How Can a Fractional Chief Impact Officer Help You?

If reporting deadlines cause stress, strategic priorities seem endlessly shifting, or the weight of demonstrating impact is slowing your mission’s growth, fractional CIO services can clear the fog.

Choose from hourly, project, or recurring support, and get help that lifts you—never overburdens.

• Measure progress in ways that motivate and inspire

• Communicate outcomes that build trust

• Coach teams for lasting, positive change

• Move from “overwhelmed” to “outcomes” with help that fits you

Next Steps: Ready to Transform Your Impact?

Your mission deserves to be seen, measured, and celebrated. All it takes is a willing partner, proven systems, and a commitment to clarity—so your impact can speak for itself.

Ready to discover if fractional leadership is right for you? Book a free consult and move from scattered effort to strategic growth—no pressure, just possibilities.

There’s never been a better time to get the help you need—on your terms, so everyone in your organization can do good, even better.

---

---

PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

---

I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations move from scattered efforts to strategic growth. As your Fractional Chief Impact Officer, I’m here to help you measure what matters, communicate results, and maximize your mission—all on your terms and budget. When you go from overwhelm to outcomes, you can do good even better.

---

Nonprofit Leaders Share Their Secrets to Success

Success is a word heavy with implications. It means something different to each person and each organization. It’s relative; success for one could look like reaching a million followers on a social media platform, while to another it could be finally hitting a high donation goal or meeting someone with needed resources. 

Success could be a number, a feeling, a noticed impact, or influence. Whatever it looks like to you, big or small, we can all agree that success is something we strive for in creating impact. And just as there is no one correct answer for what success is, there’s no one way to achieve it. 

In my opinion, success is anything that leads to a meaningful win for your organization. As a nonprofit leader, the road to success can often look longer and steeper than most. Creating lasting impact and changing the world for the better will do that! Your efforts are needed and important, but it can be challenging to know what to do to get yourself where you want to be and achieve the success you envision. 

I spoke with a few nonprofit leaders who I admire about what success means to them, what helped them achieve it—and where it led. Their feedback was unsurprisingly invaluable and inspiring, so read on to learn what these nonprofit leaders said were their secrets to success.

---

Irene Barton - Cobb Collaborative

Cobb Collaborative educates, engages, and empowers local people and organizations to improve outcomes for children and families in Cobb County, Georgia. 

---

What helped you achieve success?

Networking in the community - not just with other nonprofits, but also with funders, businesses, government agencies, and community members.

What success did it lead to?

I ended up being part of the conversation to address issues that aligned with our initiatives. The one initiative area where we really saw growth was mental health. It was a critical issue before the pandemic and now has really been heightened. Because I went to meetings, gatherings, and workshops hosted by a variety of leaders - public health, state agencies, K-12 educators, social services - and could bring information about what we were doing and how we could help address the problem, more opportunities kept popping up. It became, “Have you heard that the Cobb Collaborative is doing a lot around mental health” and, “You might want to reach out and see if the Collaborative has any ideas or resources around that issue.” That led to connections, being at the table, and ultimately - financial investment.  

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

​​Much like for-profit business owners, there is a difference between working "on" your business versus "in" your business. My advice is to get connected with others - subject matter experts, thought leaders, peers, and community leaders. You might go to a few meetings where you emerge without a specific connection, but sooner or later, you will build enough of a network that opportunities to grow your organization will start to emerge. 

---

Jeff Shaw - Frontline Response

Frontline Response is on the frontlines every day rescuing individuals out of the darkness of sex trafficking and homelessness while preventing children and other vulnerable individuals from falling victim.

---

What helped you achieve success?

We have recently undergone a shift from focusing on outputs to focusing on outcomes. Rather than measuring what we do or how many people we do it for, we're looking at how what we do moves the needle in the lives of the people we're doing it for. Being able to take an honest look at impact allows us to better invite partners and donors into the story, evaluate our programs and their effectiveness, and test new things.

What success did it lead to?

We have only just begun, but by next year we'll be able to look at a year's worth of initial outcomes and begin the process of evaluating and updating our programs and services to be most effective. Additionally, we're already seeing the increase in confidence and support from our partners!

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

First, bring in someone who understands outcomes and logic models to teach you and to facilitate the process of determining your outcomes. Second, be sure to teach your team about outcomes and bring them on the journey with you. This is a cultural shift and it's important for everyone to be bought in! Lastly, identify a platform that can help you manage your data and monitor outcomes. We went with SureImpact. So far, so good!

---

Kayla Stagnaro - Plywood People

Plywood People is a nonprofit in Atlanta leading a community of startups doing good.

---

What helped you achieve success?

Time blocking

What success did it lead to?

Time blocking allows me to get things done more efficiently. It also helps me set boundaries, so I can make sure to prioritize the work I need to get done. 

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

If you haven't tried time blocking before, I recommend picking one or two tasks to time block for the next two weeks. For example, try blocking off time when you answer emails, so it doesn't consume every down minute (30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon). After that two weeks, evaluate what worked and what didn't. 

---

Rima Patel - Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion

Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a trailblazing legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing.

---

What helped you achieve success?

Building a strong brand and getting the entire team on the same page. A brand can't reach its potential unless the team behind it internalizes the brand values, represents the mission, and understands what makes them unique. If these are not clear to your team, it's probably not clear to anyone else.

What success did it lead to?

Aligning our team and brand has led to a more intentional communications approach, forced us to consider critical questions about our organization, including how we are keeping up with industry trends, and helps us deliver our message to potential partners and donors more succinctly and eloquently. We already knew who we were, but now we can talk about it to others in a consistent way.

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

Taking the time to sit down, brainstorm, and have the hard conversations (because there will always be disagreements) will align everyone, their work, and how your organization positions itself to the world. If these internal processes and perspectives are aligned, your brand values and attributes will be better represented to everyone else.

---

Rebecca Rothney - Pack for a Purpose

Pack for a Purpose positively impacts communities around the world by assisting travelers who want to take meaningful contributions to the destinations they visit.

---

What helped you achieve success?

My success was achieved with the talents of my incredible friends, their willingness to donate their time and skills, and their belief in the mission. This, of course, was ensured by providing them with my hot, out-of-the-oven, homemade, mint chocolate chip cookies. In addition, we have many outstanding universities in the area, which have been a source of excellent interns. 

What success did it lead to?

Our success has allowed us to grow in the last 14 years from 29 participants (accommodations and tour companies) in 15 countries to more than 400 participants in over 50 countries. Each one of these participants supports local community projects that enhance the welfare of the community. 

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

Know how to bake a great cookie! Have generous and talented friends. Be persistent. If someone answers no, ask someone else until you find the person willing to say yes. Work as a meritocracy. The best ideas, no matter the source, are the ones that will lead to success.

---

Derreck Kayongo - Africa Mbele

Africa Mbele is a movement that aims to educate, mobilize and activate the Diaspora community in order to end extreme corruption in Africa.

---

What helped you achieve success?

"Investors" are people who participated in my formation from the day I was born to the day I built my first company. They include my parents, a missionary woman from Pittsburgh who helped raise me, a believing investor who donated money for me to go to college in Boston, an excellent formal VP at Hilton hotels who joined my board at my company and helped me get $1.3 million from Hilton to build my first factory, and the hotel industry that believed in my idea to recycle and repurpose partially used soap from the hotels. Without these investors and more, I would have never been successful!

What success did it lead to?

My organization was then able to provide soap to people all over the world that faced natural and human-made disasters. For example, the Haiti earthquake and the Ebola epidemic in Liberia. But perhaps an even better outcome is that because of our work at the Global Soap Project, the hotel industry has responded to the waste by mounting liquid canisters in bathrooms. I'm proud of that shift and that is my legacy.

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

Don't wait for all the ducks to be in a row. Start and learn the art of improvising along the way, because if Mike Tyson taught us anything, it was that everyone has a plan until they are punched in the face, then everything goes out the window. Plans are good, but improvising with cleverness is even better.

---

Ashley Jones - Love Not Lost

Love Not Lost is on a mission to revolutionize the way we heal in grief. They photograph people facing a terminal diagnosis to celebrate life and preserve memories together with their families and those they love.

---

What helped you achieve success?

As I was learning how to run a business over a decade ago, I kept hearing mentors say the phrase, “innovate or die.” It’s been some of the best advice that I have taken with me as I have started a nonprofit, too. The reminder of death in the business sense keeps me from getting complacent, and actually in life too.

It’s kind of ironic that the nonprofit I started is focused on helping people with death and healing. Keeping the end in mind can be so inspiring and fuel creativity as well. Why go through life being bored?!

What success did it lead to?

It’s led me to create fun and successful events - our most recent one coming up is our UN-gala with another new concept in the works for this fall/winter.

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

Take the same advice I did: Innovate or die.

---

Luiza Raposo - The Georgia Center for Nonprofits

The Georgia Center for Nonprofits is Georgia’s largest association of nonprofits. A hub for social innovation, GCN creates thriving communities by helping nonprofits succeed.

---

What helped you achieve success?

Not trying to do everything for everyone but being strategic about goals, which helped clarify what to focus on.

What success did it lead to?

Each year on Giving Tuesday, GA Gives raises millions of dollars for Georgia nonprofits and raises awareness of the sector.

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

Don't skip planning and go straight into tactics/executions.

---

Emily Laney - Girl Talk, Inc.

Girl Talk inspires all girls to be confident leaders through peer-to-peer mentoring programs.

---

What helped you achieve success?

Building relationships has led me to success at Girl Talk. Two examples come to mind. One, I applied to join a nonprofit leadership program through Chick-fil-A and Plywood People. Being accepted to that program gave me an instant community of fellow nonprofit leaders. Their expertise and support has meant so much. Additionally, the connection with Plywood People has led to operational success for Girl Talk, as we learned about the opportunity to become Plywood Place members, saving us money each month on office space and giving us more opportunities for networking.

Secondly, I have tried to be brave and reach out to people on LinkedIn, asking to connect to get their advice or talk about our organization. I've been honest and reciprocal in those conversations, which has led to event sponsorships, board members, and new relationships. It's been amazing to see how willing people are to grab a cup of coffee and chat.

What success did it lead to?

It's led to more relationships, cost saving, sponsorships, and increased fundraising revenue.

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

Do not be afraid to ask someone to connect. Most people are happy to grab a cup of coffee and chat. Be clear in your intentions but focus on relationship building. Have an agenda in mind and talking points but allow the conversation to flow and be natural. And try to not make conversations one-sided—ask if you can help that person with anything or make connections for them as well.

---

Simon Doble - SolarBuddy

SolarBuddy is an impact organization uniting a global community to illuminate the futures of all children by gifting solar lights to children living in energy poverty.

---

What helped you achieve success?

Perseverance, persistence, passion, purpose.

What success did it lead to?

We had triple digit year-on-year growth in our first four years, and we were operational in 54 countries within six years.

What is your advice for others to achieve similar success?

You really do have to love what you do to keep going through all the adversity and challenges, and do it all for the right reasons that are true to your ethics and morals. Otherwise, don't bother.

Whether it’s networking to form new relationships with investors, donors, or supporters, time blocking to achieve tasks, or building a strong brand with your team to get clear on your mission and communicate it to the world, all of this advice can help your organization make a bigger impact. How can you incorporate these tips into your success plan? 

---

---

PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

---

I'm Kristi Porter, and I started Signify to help small nonprofits and for-profits with a social mission get noticed and grow through effective marketing and communications. I also teach solopreneurs and small businesses how to incorporate philanthropy and giving strategies. I believe that cause-focused organizations like yours are the future of business. You're proof that companies can both make money and do good. And I'm here to make sure you focus and shine. When you succeed, we all win.

The Most Difficult Business Decision I Made in 2020

2020. What can I say?

My word for the year was TRUST, and good gracious, that was certainly put to the test.

There has been so much fear, anxiety, heartbreak, and unknown over the past 12 months, and though we are more well-informed today and a vaccine has arrived, we still don’t know what the long-term ramifications will be.

At times it feels like a constant free fall, doesn’t it?

Yet, we each also found some bright spots. There were signs of hope all around us—if we dared to look for them.

People working together.
Kindness being shown.
Justice taking hold.
Smiles behind the masks.

But I have to admit, I found myself struggling on a lot of days. From forced isolation to losing clients to my own chronic health issues to, you know, general pandemic junk like wiping down my groceries for months, I went through a lot of dilemmas last year.

However, there was one decision in particular that changed the course of my business and life.

Let me take you through a general timeline of 2020 from my perspective.

January

Remember when we all started 2020 with hope and fresh eyes? So many business plans and capital campaigns were built around the start of this new decade.

Themes were created.
Events were planned.
Anticipation was all around us.

I was right there with you. I had made progress in my business and health the previous year, but 2020 was going to be my best year yet! In fact, that sentiment is what I kept writing over and over in my planner: 2020 is my year!

And then . . .

March

It’s like our calendar re-started, isn’t it? Everything is “before the pandemic” or after.

As someone with chronic health issues for almost nine years now, I was safely tucked away in my apartment. Honestly, things weren’t much different. I already lived alone, as a solopreneur, I worked alone.

So, other than having to move a few of my meetings online and my amazing friend delivering my groceries to me, my routine didn’t change all that much. I actually thought I was kind of built for this, and as long as I was careful, I’d be fine.

BUT around this time I also started feeling bad. Not COVID bad, but I knew I had another kidney infection. They weren’t new to me, sadly. This one, though, wouldn’t go away.

Remember: I’m also running my own business during this time.

Not only did I have to work while dealing with this issue (which was super hard), but the world was just learning about what the pandemic could mean for us—and freaking out as a result.

During March I lost most of my clients, at least for the short-term.

The projects I’d mostly been working on in January and February were travel-related or for nonprofits . . . so, yeah. Gone. And even those that were in the works got put on hold, sometimes indefinitely.

Though I’ve been there before, I was truly looking into the future and unsure where money was going to come from. Frankly, it was scary, and you probably know at least some of how I felt from your own experience.

April - May

Over these two months, I had to rebuild my client base, keep in contact with past clients that might have future projects, and of course, stay inside.

Oh, and I still had the kidney infection.

I’ve never had one this bad. I went through four rounds of antibiotics, got treatment from both of my naturopaths, tried tons of homeopathic remedies, and slept a lot. It just wouldn’t go away!

(Side note: Having a kidney infection during a TP scarcity is not recommended. :)

I was extremely grateful to have work, but struggling to get it done because I just felt bad all the time.

My anxiety was also growing—and my hair was falling out from the illness and stress!

It was time to do something that I really didn’t want to do: see a specialist.

June - July

Two things were working in my favor at this point. First, my biggest client was actually having a great year because of the industry they’re in. So, that meant more work for me, yay! Second, I had a new retainer client that would be steady work for at least the rest of the year.

To be honest, I prefer project work to retainer work. But I’ll be the first to admit that I needed the stability these two clients gave me, both for my business and for my health.

At the same time, I was seeing more doctors and getting tests because they didn’t really know what was wrong with me. An x-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, blood work, and more. It wasn’t just a hassle, it was getting expensive! I didn’t have great insurance as an entrepreneur, and I was certainly paying for it.

Additionally, I’d formally started implementing my self-care plan: weekly trips to the Starbucks drive-thru! (And episodes of The West Wing Weekly.) With social distancing and oodles of Zoom calls, my baristas and a Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte were a welcome sight to my routine.

August would also bring a couple of big turning points.

August

Still not knowing what was wrong with me, I had a procedure done to help the docs suss it out. Guess what? They still didn’t know. I got yet another, “If it gets worse, let us know.”

I’d actually started feeling better since July, though. That was a good sign, but I was growing more frustrated by paying doctor fees and getting no answers, my anxiety was getting out of control, and my hair had gotten pretty thin.

I was not okay.

I was at a crossroads, and it was time to make my most difficult business decision yet:

I decided to get a “regular” job.

Oh, and I went on anti-anxiety meds. I needed a clearer and calmer mind to work, sleep, and live life. That was a very good decision, and I hope to go back off of them very soon.

Besides needing better benefits and additional stability, I also have to admit that the forced isolation was getting to me. Like I said, I was primarily by myself a lot anyway, and it actually doesn’t bother me. It is very rare that I feel lonely. But having the decision taken away from me was difficult. As was not traveling, which is really important to me.

For my mental health, I also knew I would benefit from working with a team again. It would be nice to have the support and regularly work with people toward a common cause. Even I couldn’t deny that additional benefit.

Let me also stop and clarify two things before moving on. First, I had no intention to close Signify. My mission, work, and clients matter a great deal to me and I wanted to continue growing my business in some way. I still know how much it’s needed, and I would find a way to continue.

Second, there was a lot of ugly crying involved. For my fellow entrepreneurs out there, you know what I gut-wrenching decision this was.

I felt like a failure.
Like I couldn’t hack it as a business owner.
Like I wasn’t fit to be an entrepreneur.

Now, I know that isn’t true. Part of this was my perfectionism talking and part of it was the anxiety. But it felt horrible and very, very real.

But I pressed forward and did what I need to do: I started looking for a job.

September - October

My body had healed itself by this time. I still don’t know what was wrong, and am praying it doesn’t come back.

But the financial damage was done at this point, and reinforced my decision to find a job. Between all the different healing avenues I’d taken, I’m guessing the costs totaled about $10,000. And, as a reminder, I’d been dealing with chronic health issues for almost nine years, so this was just additional debt to stress me out.

So, during the fall I networked, applied for a couple of jobs, had a promising interview, and continued my client work. However, the meds had kicked in at this point, so at least I felt more clear-headed, which was a huge blessing.

Oh, and of course, a vaccine was just around the corner!

November: THE BIG CHANGE

The first person I reached out to about a job had been a client for about a year, Vector Global Logistics. The founder, Enrique Alvarez, and I got along swimmingly. We had very similar business philosophies and believed in the power of business for social impact.

We were always trying to find ways to work together, and I thought this might be the next step. Luckily, he thought so, too.

It took us a while to work out the details, but I officially started working part-time for them—with benefits—in November!

I’m happy to announce that I’m the VP of Sales and Marketing for Vector Global Logistics.

Basically, Vector gets the products people care about from Point A to Point B. They provide commercial shipping and logistics services. So, they don’t ship you the new shoes you bought off of Amazon, but they do ship the containers of shoes just like them that came from far off places. Well, they do a lot more, but that’s the gist.

Plus, the reason they exist is to change the world. Because the supply chain affects so many aspects of our lives, they see it as a terrific opportunity to do good. They love giving back and do it every chance they get. Obviously, I can get behind that.

And this still allows me to work part-time on Signify as well. I’m deeply grateful, and have really enjoyed working with them over the past two months. They are an incredible and talented team, and I have to admit, it is nice to be working with a team again!

(I will take a moment to give a huge shout-out to all my previous interns, though, who have really helped shape Signify over the past few years. Plus, they have been a blast to work with!)

December

The most difficult aspect of joining the Vector team has been figuring out how to juggle my new responsibilities with my client work while still growing Signify. (And writing content like this!)

I’m a pretty organized person, but I’m definitely still figuring things out. I imagine it’ll be months of working through this process.

I love starting and building things, though, so working with Vector is a really fun and unique opportunity. It is an amazing company.

I’m excited for the future of what we can do together, and how it will effect Signify (and vice versa.) They are very supportive of my work for both companies, and I’ve got big ideas for both!

Overall, the end of 2020 worked out pretty well for me. It was certainly rough at times, but I clung to my word of the year, TRUST, and came through okay.

The Moral of My Story

Here’s the paradox of 2020 for me: I actually made more money than in any other year, whether as an entrepreneur or a full-time employee. But with the stress of the year, my ongoing (and new) health issues, the new debt, the forced isolation, and another uncertain year ahead, I decided to get a job.

Weird—the watchword of 2020.

I tell you my story not just to say “woe is me” or get your sympathy. I’m sharing what happened to me because it’s probably not all that uncommon and I wanted you to know that you’re not alone.

As the founder or leader of a nonprofit or social impact company, you’re always in a battle for better.

You want to do good and by working on behalf of a cause, you’re always sacrificing something of yourself. It could be your time, money, resources, or any number of things. It’s not easy, but you know it’s worth it. I do, too.

While I strive to be a genuine and authentic person, I admit that I’m not always an open book. I do keep things close to my chest because that’s just the way I operate and internally process. But I wanted to share my difficult decision with you because I know you get it.

You may not have been in the same situation as me, but you know how hard it is to run an organization and what you might have to do or give up as a result, both personally and professionally, to see your mission move forward.

Let me remind you, though, just like in 2020—and just like in your work—there are always bright spots in dark times.

How to Find the Right Social Impact Job for You

There are lots of websites, blogs, podcasts, and more that tell you how to find a great job you’ll love. But let me share two pieces of advice that really helped me last year.

• Create a great network. When you find yourself with some sort of need, you need a great network to turn to. Cultivate relationships with lots of amazing people, in life and in work. Be generous with your time and resources because it’s the right thing to do, but also because those wonderful people will return the favor. When I was looking for a job, I wasn’t doing it in a vacuum. There were a few amazing friends and peers who were looking out for me, too.

• Make a list of what you want. I didn’t want just any job. I knew exactly what I was looking for and I went in search of it. I made a list of all the tangibles and intangibles that wouldn’t just give me a paycheck, but a career, and some place I could really contribute to. Near the very tippy top of that list was a strong culture. I wanted to go somewhere that I would feel encouraged and supported, and everyone else felt the same. Vector checks almost every box on my list (and it’s a long list!). Of course, I’d also had the privilege of working with them for a year, so I knew they walked the walk. I was fortunate in that way, but a good network will also know other good people, so that reinforces the first point as well.

So, there you go! That’s my story of 2020. Now you know the most difficult decision I had to make last year—and know that I’m here for you in your difficult decisions as well.

---

---

PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

---

I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

---

How To Overcome Scarcity Mindset As A Social Impact Leader

The last time Daron Dickens appeared on this blog, it was to talk about how to make self-care regular and intentional. Today, I’m calling on his expertise as a marriage and family counselor to talk to us (me included!) about how to overcome scarcity mindset as a social impact leader.

I was chatting with a friend the other day about the fact that entrepreneurship, and leadership in general, magnifies our strengths and weaknesses, confidence and insecurities, gifts and shortcomings. It can be the highest of highs and lowest of lows. And it’s hard enough for an individual, but then throw a team into the mix, and you’ve got a constant mirror for self-reflection.

And here’s the reality: Your scarcity mindset affects your social impact.

There’s a direct correlation because our organizations reflect us as leaders.

Hopefully, you’re constantly trying to improve yourself as you improve your nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business. That includes sharpening your skills and your thinking patterns. As you evolve, so does your organization.

So, if you also struggle with a scarcity mindset, but strive for a growth mindset, I think you can learn something from Daron’s advice. I know you probably feel like there’s never enough time, money, and resources, but if that’s where you focus your thinking, that may always be the case.

There are already enough challenges in your work. Don’t let your mindset be one of them.

What is a Scarcity Mindset?

“Only two left.”

“Act now—supplies are limited!”

“You don’t want to miss out! This opportunity won’t last long.”

These are just a few common messages we hear every day in the world of sales; a world that is perfectly designed to elicit thoughts and feelings of scarcity.

Scarcity is the idea that there’s a limited amount of resources. If we don’t act quickly, we will be on the outside looking in, unable to access valuable resources, money, deals, or opportunities.

In short, we will miss out.

These are a few common (and sometimes silly) examples, but they can still cause us to have real feelings of anxiety. They can cause us to spend money that we don’t have, and buy things that we don’t need. If you’re like most people, you’ve experienced this sometime in your life—and have some object in your house as a reminder.

As harmless as these situations may often be, they are just small examples of a greater mindset that can cause a much larger struggle when it comes to trying to live a healthy, connected life. And isn’t that what we’re all striving for?

Forms of these messages can show up, not only at Walmart, Amazon, or on eBay, but in our politics, our global economy, our societal interactions, or even in our social impact organizations. Certainly in us as leaders.

The scarcity mindset can erode the very things that we hold so dear, and keep us from living out who we really are.

our brains in a Scarcity Mindset

The mindset of scarcity, or the feeling that there’s not enough, especially when it comes to resources, registers in the brain as a threat.

Often when our brain identifies a threat, we slide from the frontal lobe to the lizard brain. The frontal lobe is the area that allows us to problem solve, to access creativity, to connect relationally, and to see things from many different sides.

The lizard brain, as you probably know, is only concerned with eliminating the threat, usually through flight, fight, or freezing. Most of the time, this comes in the form of a ”us versus THEM” mentality.

Essentially, the lizard brain skews data and causes perception to overtake reality.

Meaning, it may have you thinking things that simply aren’t true. (But they feel true.)

Abundance and Scarcity: A Complicated Relationship

Here’s the truth; the reality of things, if you will: In the United States, we live in a time where abundance is at an all-time high.

We live in a time where you can buy almost anything you could ever imagine cheaply, and with a click of a button. If that weren’t enough, strolling through the aisles of your neighborhood megamart can satisfy almost any whim you might ever experience. Not only that, but the things that we have are bigger, faster, and more sophisticated than ever before.

So what’s the problem?

Why aren’t we satisfied? And worse, why do we seem to be struggling with accumulating more and more because we feel that we have less and less?

You can blame it on marketing, or the need to create a market for things that should last much longer in a quickly-changing technological society, or a political scheme to get people more malleable, or even an overarching alien conspiracy.

The truth is more complex, though. A mix of many things from many sources. We may never find out for sure, and we certainly don’t have control over a lot of these areas.

One thing we do have control over is what we do despite the messages.

When we give in to the scarcity mindset, we tend to become more suspicious, less likely to share the resources that we have, and more likely to live a life of discontent.

• Being aware that this mindset doesn’t align with our reality can help.

• Making decisions based on your values rather than the emotional reaction of these messages you hear every day will allow you to live out who you are.

• Focusing less on where the messages are coming from, and more how to live according to your values regardless of the messages will, in turn, erode the credibility and effectiveness of the messages.

3 Tips for Beating the Scarcity Mindset as a Social Impact Leader

Here are a few helpful suggestions for living out your values rather than through the fear and anxiety of scarcity mindset.

1. Work from a realistic budget.

By using a budget you can see what you actually have and don’t have. You will be able to see what is coming in and out so that you don’t get caught up in fear and anxiety. Likewise, it will allow you to know what spending is frivolous and what spending is necessary.

Make a plan for how to scale and save when times are good, and how to cut back when times are tough. Having a plan also allows you to feel more in control, and having a budget allows you to deal with facts rather than feelings.

Also consider your money mindset. How do you feel about money? Is it good, bad, just a tool to continue your work? The thoughts, emotions, and “power” you give to money will show up in many ways, both personally and professionally, and if you don’t start building a better relationship with money, it will always seem beyond your control.

2. Work with other nonprofits and social enterprises in the same area you are serving.

Scarcity mentality will cause you to see them as the enemy. However, if you’re really working towards a common cause, they are your allies not your enemies. There shouldn’t be a market share on goodness.

Find ways to collaborate so that each of you plays to your strengths and continues to serve the community as a whole. You probably do it a little bit differently anyway, and those differences may complement one another more than you realize.

Just like there’s room for more than one Mexican restaurant in your town, there’s room for multiple people serving the same cause!

3. Generosity begets generosity.

In a world where giving or buying is essential for the survival of your nonprofit or social impact company, a scarcity mentality has no place. Generosity isn’t just for the people that you’re asking to support you, or for the people you support, but also in the way you live out your mission as a leader.

You’ll find that your work is more fulfilling, both as an individual and as a team, because you feel more aligned with your purpose. (And increased satisfaction is a remedy for burnout.) It’s also quite possible that those who benefit from your work will notice a difference, and that your reputation in the community may become more positive as well.

Live intentionally. Live with value. Be aware. Act according to who you are inside regardless of what is happening outside. Remember, we are always better together than we are in isolation.

From KP: If you’d like to continue learning, here are a two resources on scarcity mindset that I’ve come across recently:

• How to Poverty Mindset Sabotages Your Fundraising

• Why the Scarcity Mindset is Hurting Our Financial Sustainability and Social Impact

---

Daron Dickens is a Marriage and Family Therapist who has practiced for 18 years. He also previously served as a pastor for 20 years. He lives in Clarksville, Tennessee, with his wife, Margaret, and his sons, Truman and Carter. He loves pie, reading, coffee, and everything baseball.

You can find him on:

• Facebook

• Twitter

• Instagram

---

---

PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:

---

I’m Kristi Porter, and I help cause-focused organizations understand and execute effective marketing campaigns so they can move from stressed to strategic. Your resources may be limited, but your potential isn’t. Whether you’re a nonprofit, social enterprise, or small business who wants to give back, I’ll show you how to have a bigger impact.

---