Last week, we gathered in Dallas at On Rotation Brewery for something we have been building toward for a long time.

Connect Dallas was our first nonprofit event outside of Atlanta.

The goal was simple. Bring nonprofit leaders into the same space and create room for more grounded, useful conversations about how organizations are actually operating right now.

And once the room filled, you could feel it.

There was no pressure to perform. No need to have everything figured out. Just people doing meaningful work, finally having space to connect with others who understand what that work really looks like.

What We’re Seeing Across Nonprofit Leaders

Across the organizations we work with, one theme continues to come up.

How do you grow in a way that is actually sustainable?

That question showed up throughout the night in a few key areas.

Visibility. How organizations communicate their mission clearly.

Relationships. How they build and maintain trust with donors and partners.

Operations. How internal systems support or slow down growth.

These are not new challenges.

They continue to surface because most teams are still navigating them in real time, often without the space to step back and think through them clearly.

Voices That Helped Shape the Conversation

We invited a group of leaders to bring different perspectives into the room.

Sammantha Megaw, Executive Director at SocialWorx Advocacy Group, shared insight around building programs that create long-term community impact.

Jena Lynch from Donorbox brought perspective on donor engagement, fundraising systems, and how organizations manage giving over time.

Nichole Masters-Henry of East Texas Crisis Center grounded the conversation in real community response and grassroots fundraising.

Dr. Whitney W. Strauss of AdvoCare Foundation spoke to building partnerships that support sustained impact across organizations.

Each of them helped anchor the conversation in lived experience, not theory.

Donorbox as a Partner in the Room

Connect Dallas was presented in partnership with Donorbox.

Their presence connected directly to one of the biggest challenges nonprofit leaders are navigating right now. Creating consistency in how their work is funded.

Recurring giving, donor management, and the systems behind both continue to shape how organizations grow.

Having that perspective in the room helped ground conversations in what sustainable funding can actually look like in practice.

Why Spaces Like This Matter

There is no shortage of content available to nonprofit leaders.

What is harder to find is space.

Space to talk through challenges with peers.
Space to hear how others are approaching similar problems.
Space to step back from day-to-day pressure and think more clearly.

That is what Connect is designed to create.

A space where leaders can see themselves reflected in other people, other missions, and other experiences.

And realize they are not building alone.

A Moment to Reflect

What stood out most about Connect Dallas was not just the conversations.

It was the reminder that nonprofit leadership does not have to feel isolating.

When the right people are in the room, something shifts.

Clarity becomes easier. Conversations become more honest. And the work starts to feel more sustainable.

What Comes Next

Connect Dallas was one step.

What we are building is something that continues beyond a single night.

A community that grows through repeated conversations, shared challenges, and ongoing relationships.

Next up is Connect ATL, where we will continue creating this same kind of space with the same intention.

STAY CONNECTED

If you are doing meaningful work and looking for a space where you can connect with others who understand the weight and responsibility that comes with it, we would love for you to be part of what we are building.

Explore upcoming events and stay connected as Connect continues to expand into new cities.

If you are looking for more clarity in how your organization is showing up digitally, you can start with our Digital First Steps resource or book a Digital Clarity Session.