Open Intelligence Stories is a place for reflection.
These posts are written for nonprofit and civic leaders navigating moments of growth, tension, or transition. Leaders who are often expected to have answers before they have time to ask questions.
The ideas shared here come from lived experience across fundraising, organizational development, community work, and technology. They are not meant to be definitive. They are meant to be useful.
Some posts explore leadership readiness. Others examine funding dynamics, strategy breakdowns, or the role of AI in decision‑making. All of them share a common belief: clarity is a strategic asset.
If you are reading this while feeling stretched, uncertain, or quietly questioning whether your organization is ready for what comes next, you are not alone.
This space exists to slow things down just enough to think clearly again.
I recently used the Civic IQ Grant / Funding Scout to home in on a set of funding opportunities that appeared to align with our work. One opportunity stood out in part because we had been previously funded by the same organization. On paper, it felt familiar. Right geography. Right thematic focus. Right moment. So…
Continue Reading When the Tool Says “No” but Human Judgment Says “Not Yet”
Urgency is often treated as a virtue in nonprofit and civic work. Deadlines loom. Funding cycles close. Communities need action now. Leaders respond by moving faster, compressing decisions, and pushing reflection aside in the name of momentum. Over time, urgency stops being a moment and becomes a posture. That shift carries a cost. When urgency…
Continue Reading The Hidden Cost of Urgency
Most leadership bottlenecks are unintentional. They form when organizations grow faster than decision‑making structures. Leaders step in to help, to maintain quality, and to keep things moving. Over time, they become the point through which everything must pass. A common pattern looks like this: a leader reviews every decision to stay close to the work.…
Continue Reading Where You Are the Bottleneck
Leadership readiness is often addressed only after a transition is underway. By then, options are limited and pressure is high. Executive readiness is not about title. It is about preparedness for increased authority, visibility, and consequence. It applies whether a leader is stepping into a formal executive role, becoming the public face of an organization,…
Continue Reading Executive Readiness Is a Strategic Asset
Open Intelligence Stories is a place for reflection. These posts are written for nonprofit and civic leaders navigating moments of growth, tension, or transition. Leaders who are often expected to have answers before they have time to ask questions. The ideas shared here come from lived experience across fundraising, organizational development, community work, and technology.…
Continue Reading Open Intelligence Stories – Author’s Note
Not all leadership reflection serves the same purpose. Some tools are designed to ground leaders in their current role. Others prepare them for what comes next. Confusing these moments leads to misalignment. A leadership role and capacity reflection focuses on the present. It asks how responsibilities, limits, and risks align with current conditions. It supports…
Continue Reading Leadership Role & Capacity vs Executive Readiness
One of the most difficult moments for nonprofit and civic leaders is realizing that being effective is not the same as being ready. Organizations can demonstrate deep community need, strong programs, and compelling impact while still being unprepared for growth‑level funding. This gap is rarely about ambition. It is about alignment. As funding increases, scrutiny…
Continue Reading Funding Readiness Is Not the Same as Need
The social sector is full of smart, committed people doing hard work under constant pressure. What is often missing is not talent or dedication, but space. Space to reflect. Space to question assumptions. Space to think beyond the next deadline. Decisions are made quickly. Funding timelines compress strategy. Leadership responsibilities expand faster than organizational systems.…
Continue Reading Why Open Intelligence Matters Now
