By Ann Marie McGee
Philanos Board Co-Chair and Member, Impact 100 Redwood Circle 

Brave, Bold, Collaborative Leadership for Today’s Nonprofit World

In times of great challenge, the most powerful leadership doesn’t come from one voice at the top — it rises from many voices working together.

Across the nonprofit and philanthropic landscape, we’re seeing a call for brave, bold, and collaborative leadership — the kind that asks not, “What can I do alone?” but rather, “What can we achieve together if we lead with courage and trust?”

Brave Leadership

To lead bravely today means standing firm in values, even when the path forward isn’t clear. Brave leaders speak truth to power, center equity in every decision, and hold steady when their choices disrupt the status quo.

As Diane Yentel, President & CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits and the PowerUP! Texas opening keynote speaker, reminds us, "Courageous nonprofit leadership is about showing up when it's uncomfortable - when it matters most. At this moment, our voices are more important than ever, and we all share a responsibility to tell the story of nonprofits serving families and neighbors in communities across the country." 

Bravery in the nonprofit sector has many looks. Nonprofit boards addressing systemic inequities within their own structures. Funders acknowledging when their models need to evolve. Communities working together to collaboratively create real and sustainable partnerships. Leaders humbly listening - deeply.

Bold Leadership

Boldness is about action and imagination. The problems we face — housing insecurity, climate justice, racial and gender inequity — are too complex for incremental change. Nonprofit leaders who boldly push beyond fear of failure to test new models and pilot fresh approaches are the catalysts driving meaningful, scalable change in their communities.

At Philanos, we see boldness every day in our Philanos Affiliates — women pooling resources to fund community change, launching new circles in underrepresented regions, and re-imagining philanthropy as something everyone can participate in. Bold leadership asks us to move from thinking “we can’t” to “we must.”

That same spirit is at the heart of Tracey Greene-Washington’s work with coThinkk, a collaborative giving and systems-change model rooted in racial equity and shared power. As a Tuesday-morning breakout speaker at PowerUP! Texas, Tracey will share what it means to lead collectively, disrupt inequitable systems, and build trust at every level. Her work reminds us that bold leadership requires both conviction and curiosity — the courage to act and the humility to learn and dream big.

Collaborative Leadership

If bravery grounds us and boldness propels us, collaboration sustains us. Collaboration is the heartbeat of today’s philanthropic world. It is where learning, experimentation, and shared power take root.

Collaborative leaders understand that the best ideas often come in unexpected moments, emerging when lived experience meets shared purpose. True collaboration means shifting from command to connection — from being experts to being partners in change.

The Call Ahead

Nonprofit leadership in 2025 demands all three: the bravery to speak truth, the boldness to act decisively, and the collaboration to lead collectively. Together, these qualities build trust, foster innovation, and create the conditions for lasting impact.

At Philanos, we’re celebrating this kind of leadership every day — through our Philanos Affiliates, our board members, and the countless women leading nonprofits with courage in their communities. As we gather in Austin for PowerUP! Texas, we’ll hear from leaders like Diane Yentel and Tracey Greene-Washington, and we’ll amplify the many voices shaping the future of philanthropy.

Because the future of our sector won’t be led by the loudest or the largest — it will be built by those brave enough to lead together.