The Consultant Ilir Zherka, founder of Civica, specializes in public policy, strategy, capacity building, and advocacy. Drawing on decades of experience as a nonprofit leader and executive director, he now leads projects with a flexible network model — pulling in subject-matter experts as needed. The SIAN Format That Converted: Demonstrate Thinking, Don’t Just Present Rather than a standard presentation at a SIAN Read More

Executive Summary (TL;DR) Leadership coach Grainger Marburg grew his consulting practice through SIAN by building trust in small-group settings, earning a warm, right-fit referral from a longtime member, and delivering a tailored training series that delighted the client.  Result: qualified business, stronger reputation, ongoing community support.  The Consultant A former nonprofit CEO turned executive Read More

Nonprofits are facing skyrocketing healthcare costs, shifting regulations, and tough choices. Here’s what three experts say about navigating this storm without losing sight of your values. If you work in the nonprofit sector, you’ve probably felt the squeeze between rising healthcare costs, shifting rules, and ever-tightening budgets. At the January Social Impact Advisor Network meeting, three experts shared candid Read More

At the November meeting of the Social Impact Advisor Network (SIAN), members explored a transformative approach to international development. The discussion centered on a recent trip to Kenya and the collaborative efforts of US-Africa Initiatives (USAFI), TuiFUND, and The Giving Exchange (TGE)—organizations committed to bypassing traditional aid bureaucracy and empowering grassroots communities.This wasn’t just a Read More

Considering recent federal budget cuts, threats to nonprofits, and general fears about the future of medical research and higher education, Fairlight reminds us that we are not voiceless, and we can do something. That something, for Fairlight Co-Founder Maya Tussing, was a meeting with Representative Susan DelBene of District 1 in Washington to consider the state of the country.  They discussed the threat of the One Read More

What happens when mission-driven organizations face an uncertain policy landscape? The answer might surprise you. The room was buzzing with nervous energy on May 8th as the Social Impact Advisory Network (SIAN) convened its monthly meeting. Organized by Fairlight Advisors with advocacy expert and speaker, Brian Rawson, this wasn’t your typical networking event—it was a strategic war room where business and nonprofit Read More

What if I told you there’s a medium where one-third of listeners actually change their behavior based on what they hear? Welcome to the untapped potential of nonprofit podcasting. Picture this: 135 million Americans tune into podcasts every month—that’s more people than voted in the last presidential election. Yet most nonprofits are sitting on the sidelines of this audio revolution, watching for-profit brands Read More

From 2 Days to 4 Hours: How One Nonprofit Leader Secured $2.5 Million Using AI At Fairlight, we’re passionate about staying ahead of transformative trends that can empower nonprofits to achieve their missions more effectively. When our Social Impact Advisor Network (SIAN) gathered last month, we witnessed something remarkable: a nonprofit executive revealing how artificial intelligence helped her secure $2.5 million Read More

Social Impact Advisory Meeting, October 2024 At our monthly Social Impact Advisory Group meeting, we wanted to learn more how strategic planning could be more inclusive. We invited panelists Dr. Renee Rubin Ross, Dr. Joseph Griffin, and Dr. Benisa Berry, to discuss how Youth ALIVE! built a bold, game-changing strategic plan for their nonprofit. The following panel presentation was edited for length and Read More

Social Impact Advisory Meeting, May 2024 At our monthly Social Impact Advisory Group Meeting, we wanted to explore how to use data to advance fundraising. We invited moderator Solomon Belette, and panelists, Kelley McGeehan and Donalda Watson-Walkinshaw to discuss how data is used in philanthropic efforts. The following panel presentation was edited for length and clarity in printed format.  Kelley Read More