As the year draws to a close, I find myself returning to the rituals that sustain me—pausing, breathing, and reflecting. When I turned the calendar to December 1st, I was struck by how much has unfolded this year, both personally and across the philanthropic landscape. The colder temperatures and shorter days seem to invite a deeper kind of reflection, one that asks us not just what we accomplished, but how we showed up.
I was reminded of a session I led at October’s Grantmakers for Education conference, Transformative Philanthropy: Courageous and Visionary Leadership for Education and Civil Rights, in Memphis. I had the privilege of facilitating a conversation on Inner Resilience for Philanthropic Leaders, where we explored how the Enneagram can support leaders who are navigating today’s landscape of volatility, uncertainty, chaos, and ambiguity (VUCA).
The challenges facing philanthropy have never been more complex. As Richard Besser and Carmen Rojas recently noted in Nonprofit Quarterly, the current administration’s attacks on hard-won freedoms pose significant threats to independent institutions, due process, and the social safety net.¹ Mounting legal uncertainty and political divisiveness strain the sector’s ability to protect equity and advance long-term change. This tension is felt not only in the work itself, but within organizations and across the communities they serve.
Nonprofit leaders are being asked to defend democracy, advance equity, and drive meaningful impact—all while managing scarce resources and navigating increasingly polarized environments. As Besser and Rojas emphasize, this moment demands that philanthropy “speak up—loudly, boldly, and often” and “act with the full weight of institutional resources.”¹ Yet bold action is only sustainable when leaders can remain grounded, values-aligned, and purpose-driven amid chaos.
In this context, philanthropy requires more than strategic thinking—it requires inner resilience. Besser and Rojas remind us that this moment is “not about preserving philanthropy, but about fighting for a common future.”¹ To meet that call, leaders need support not only for organizational strategy and outcomes but for their own capacity to lead with clarity, courage, and steadiness.
That’s where Wit and Wisdom Collaborative comes in. We partner with nonprofit and philanthropic leaders to strengthen teamwork, strategy, and organizational development in ways that honor both mission impact and leadership sustainability. Our work is grounded in the belief that courageous, long-term action begins with an inner foundation of resilience, clarity, and purpose.
If you’re preparing to deepen your leadership and organizational capacity in 2026, we would be honored to support you. Reach out to Wit and Wisdom Collaborative to get started. Together, we can build the steadiness, alignment, and resilience this moment—and your work—demands.