As 2025 comes to a close, the final episode of Untapped Philanthropy offers a clear-eyed reflection on the shifts shaping the social sector. In this year-end wrap-up, Kerrin Mitchell, Co-founder and Chief Development Officer at Fluxx, and Tim Sarrantonio, Founder of The Generosity Spectrum, step into the conversation as co-hosts, setting aside the usual guest format to reflect together on the year.
Rather than forecasting trends, the discussion draws on what they observed across nonprofits, funders, and partners throughout 2025. The focus is on how expectations evolved, where pressure increased, and what those changes suggest for the work ahead.
Artificial intelligence remained a defining force in 2025, but the central challenge was not adoption. It was intention.
As expectations shaped by consumer technology continue to rise, the social sector is being asked to modernize while maintaining trust, privacy, and accountability. The opportunity lies in using AI to reduce friction and improve decision-making, rather than automating outdated processes. That requires governance, clear safeguards, and alignment with mission.
Used intentionally, technology can create real capacity. Without that discipline, it risks adding complexity without value.
Another clear shift in 2025 was the growing expectation for organizations to demonstrate alignment between mission, operations, and outcomes.
Data plays an important role, but only when it supports clarity and action. The focus is moving away from collecting information for its own sake and toward shared standards that help nonprofits and funders communicate impact consistently and credibly. This shift is reshaping how leaders think about governance, transparency, and long-term resilience.
The conversation also points to a widening gap between online debate and day-to-day nonprofit reality.
Most organizations operate with limited resources and lean teams, focused on delivering services and sustaining their work. At the same time, broader indicators show continued engagement through giving, volunteerism, and advocacy. Much of the sector’s momentum remains practical and grounded, even when it is not highly visible.
A recurring theme throughout the episode is fatigue with surface-level guidance. Toolkits and templates often fall short when leaders are navigating complex strategic decisions.
What is increasingly valuable are opportunities for applied learning, peer exchange, and reflection. Rather than responding to every new idea, organizations benefit from narrowing focus, recognizing patterns, and committing to a small number of viable paths.
As the conversation turns to 2026, two guiding ideas stand out.
Value means prioritizing work that meaningfully advances mission and outcomes, while letting go of activity that adds noise without benefit.
Agency reflects a growing recognition that leaders and communities have more influence than they are often encouraged to claim. Rebuilding, reevaluating, and repurposing existing systems can be just as impactful as adopting new ones.
Together, these ideas point toward a more intentional approach to progress and investment in the year ahead.
Why This Conversation Matters
This year-end reflection offers a grounded snapshot of where the social sector stands at the close of 2025. It highlights how technology, accountability, and leadership expectations are converging, and why clarity, focus, and shared responsibility will matter more than scale or speed in the year ahead.
The full episode provides additional context and examples for those interested in exploring these themes in more depth.
Download transcript here.
Tim Sarrantonio has launched The Generosity Spectrum, an educational gaming company focused on helping nonprofit leaders explore generosity, identity, and motivation through hands-on learning. The work blends research, play, and systems thinking to create practice spaces where people can learn together in more human ways. To learn more about the thinking behind the company and where it’s headed, listeners can subscribe to Tim’s LinkedIn newsletter.
Episodes of Untapped Philanthropy are edited, mixed, and mastered by Rocket Skates Recording.
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