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July 17, 2025

Masterclass Series

Nonprofit and social sector leaders are increasingly being called to navigate complex opportunities—like sudden influxes of funding— often with limited guidance on how to respond. To support leaders at different stages of their journey, we’ve created a suite of tools, including Navigating Game-Changing Grants: A Playbook for Nonprofit Leaders and Social Purpose Action Resource Kit (SPARK), which helps early-stage social entrepreneurs prepare for large-scale impact.  

This Masterclass Series is the newest addition to this collection. The first sessions in this series focus on a specific challenge: how to approach windfall gifts with clarity, strategy, and purpose.  

Whether you’re preparing for a potential windfall, advising others, or looking to build more resilient systems, these expert-led videos offer practical insights and real-world examples on how to lead with clarity, plan strategically, and turn moments of opportunity into lasting impact.  

These sessions are designed for:  

  • Nonprofit and philanthropic leaders
  • Social entrepreneurs
  • Strategic advisors and consultants
  • Funders and board members
  • Anyone seeking to navigate or support windfall moments with purpose

Session 1: Designing for Organizational Strength

In today’s shifting landscape, resilience is a strategic imperative. Whether managing an unexpected windfall gift or navigating a sudden funding loss, nonprofit leaders need the tools to adapt and thrive. Gain practical tools to help your organization pivot with purpose and stay ready for whatever comes next.

You’ll learn about:

  • Strengthening infrastructure to weather disruption
  • Staying aligned with your mission amid financial shifts
  • Adapting staffing and systems for resilience and reinvention

Learning Leaders

  • Rebecca Firth

    Rebecca Firth

    Executive Director, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
  • Caroline Harper

    Caroline Harper

    CEO, Sightsavers
  • Ashif Shaikh

    Ashif Shaikh

    CEO, People’s Courage International

Session 2: Navigating Financial Planning

Sound financial planning is essential at every stage of an organization’s journey. This session offers tools to make thoughtful, impactful financial decisions—whether you’re actively managing a windfall, preparing for the possibility of one, or advising others on how to plan for future funding.

You'll learn about:

  • Aligning financial strategy with organizational goals and values
  • Building long-term sustainability
  • Making thoughtful, flexible financial decisions

Learning Leaders

  • Julie Cordua

    Julie Cordua

    CEO, Thorn
  • Vivek Rathi

    Vivek Rathi

    Global Vice President of Finance, VisionSpring

Session 3: Building Donor Trust and Engagement

Effectively communicating the value of a gift is just as important as managing it. This session explores how to tell stories that inspire, demonstrate trust, and deepen relationships with new and existing supporters.

You'll learn about:

  • Sharing the story of windfall or major gifts
  • Building transparency and accountability
  • Fostering engagement from new and existing supporters

Learning Leaders

  • Chitra Hanstad

    Chitra Hanstad

    Senior Ambassador, Landesa
  • Isabelle Kamariza

    Isabelle Kamariza

    Founder & President, Solid’Africa

Session 4: Planning for Scale

This session focuses on strategies for scaling impact with intention. Scaling isn’t just about doing more; it’s about doing more of what matters sustainably.

You'll learn about:

  • Scaling operations or programs
  • Avoiding mission drift during growth
  • Building internal capacity to support expansion

Learning Leaders

  • Rebecca Firth

    Rebecca Firth

    Executive Director, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team
  • Caroline Harper

    Caroline Harper

    CEO, Sightsavers
  • Ashif Shaikh

    Ashif Shaikh

    CEO, People’s Courage International

Learn More

Learn more about our resource, Navigating Game-Changing Grants: A Playbook for Nonprofit Leaders. A tool for nonprofit leaders, boards, and staff to gain insights and lessons learned from others who have navigated the journey of receiving a large, unrestricted gift.

Explore the Playbook
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