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This post is based on Changemaker Conversations, Episode 11: “How Should Nonprofit Leaders Show Up in Times of Moral Crisis?“
Prefer to read? You’re in the right place — this article summarizes and expands on the full conversation between Alyssa Conrardy and Lindsay Mullen.
Moments of moral crisis force nonprofit leaders to confront difficult questions about how they show up.
When communities are grieving, afraid or under threat, the choice of whether to stay silent, speak out boldly, or somewhere in between is a loaded one. Every option carries risk. Beyond words, leaders must also decide whether and how to adapt their work to meet rapidly changing needs on the ground or in nearby communities.
The recent violent ICE raids in Minneapolis and the killings of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by U.S. ICE agents in have brought these questions into sharp focus. In Minnesota and beyond, nonprofit leaders are grappling with how they can show up and lead when fear, misinformation, and community needs collide—and when silence itself becomes a signal.
This is not just about communications. It’s about leadership, responsibility, and aligning mission, values, and service delivery in moments that demand clarity and courage. It is also about the question of whether nonprofits have a unique moral imperative to speak up in the face of injustice, and whether that moral imperative can be answered while also protecting an organization’s mission and operations. We’re unpacking the all the layers of this difficult dynamic in the latest episode of Changemaker Conversations.
Why This Moment Feels Different—and Why It Doesn’t
For many nonprofit leaders, this moment feels familiar.
In 2020 and 2021, following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers and the racial justice uprising that surrounded it, organizations across the country wrestled with similar questions. What should we say? How public should we be? What does our mission require of us? That period was marked by a surge of public statements, new DEI commitments, and a sense—at least initially—that momentum was building toward meaningful change.
Today feels different in important ways.
Where 2020/2021 brought urgency and, for some, optimism, the current moment is defined more by fear. Nonprofits are navigating funding instability, political backlash, heightened scrutiny, and real concerns about retaliation—from donors, boards or government agencies. Many leaders are asking not just what is right, but what can we afford to risk? 2020/2021 felt like a bandwagon moment (for better or for worse). Now, it feels like many nonprofits are jumping off the bandwagon, or hanging onto it with as many seatbelts and airbags as they can possibly find.
And yet, the core question remains the same:
What does our mission require of us when people are being harmed?
Silence Is Not Neutral
Silence is often treated as the “safe” option. But in times of moral crisis, silence is rarely neutral.
When nonprofits choose not to respond, staff, clients, donors, and partners fill in the gaps themselves. Silence can be interpreted as indifference, avoidance, or quiet alignment with harm—especially by those most directly affected.
This doesn’t mean every organization must comment on every crisis. But it does mean leaders should be intentional about silence, not default to it out of fear or inertia. Choosing not to speak is still a decision—and it carries consequences.
Speaking Out Carries Risk and Responsibility
Of course, speaking out is not without risk either.
Nonprofit leaders are weighing donor backlash, funding implications, board discomfort, and legal and political exposure. These concerns are real, particularly in today’s polarized environment. But avoiding risk entirely is rarely possible.
Leadership in a moral crisis is not about eliminating risk. It’s about understanding it, preparing for it, and deciding what cost is acceptable in service of your mission.
The question isn’t simply “Should we speak?”
It’s “How do we speak—and act—in a way that is grounded, strategic, and mission-aligned?”
Mission and Values Are Not Branding, They’re Decision Tools
Nonprofits have a unique advantage in moments like this: mission and values are not just aspirational statements. They are meant to guide real decisions.
Two questions can help clarify whether and how to engage:
- Are our staff, clients or communities directly affected?
- Is this crisis connected to our mission or area of expertise?
If the answer to either is yes, there is a strong case for action.
If the answer is no, let your mission and values guide you, along with a balanced assessment of the risks of both staying silent and speaking out. Your mission and values can help you decide:
- whether to speak publicly
- how explicit or direct to be
- what language to use
- what actions to prioritize
This is not about crafting a perfect statement. It’s about aligning leadership choices with the reason the organization exists.
What Mission-Aligned Statements and Action Look Like in Practice
Strong responses to moral crises like the one taking place in Minnesota right now don’t stop at words. They show up in how organizations adapt their work to meet urgent needs. This is true for organizations both local to the area the crisis is taking place, and those far away.
In the days following Alex Pretti’s killing, United Way of the Twin Cities. a local organization, issued a statement that clearly named community grief and loss—but they didn’t stop there. They detailed exactly how they were responding: issuing emergency grants to frontline nonprofits, supporting housing and food access, mobilizing volunteers, expanding 2-1-1 services, and highlighting mental health resources like the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
This is what mission alignment looks like in practice. United Way didn’t invent a new role for themselves—they leaned into the one they already play, and made their actions visible in their community
Save the Children, an organization without significant local roots in Minneapolis, responded through the lens of child wellbeing and trauma. Their message centered on the emotional toll fear and violence take on children—and pointed families and caregivers to concrete resources for helping kids process traumatic events. Rather than issuing a generic statement, they connected the crisis directly to their long-standing work supporting children’s mental and emotional health.
In both cases, credibility came from consistency: what these organizations said matched what they were already positioned to do.
Words Matter, but Action Matters More
In moments of urgency, saying what you believe is critical. Nonprofits have long been looked to as a moral compass, and now is a more important time to uphold that role than ever. But what nonprofits DO is even more important than what they SAY.
Nonprofits in Minnesota are answering the call to align their service delivery, programs and partnerships with what communities need now with impressive agility. For many, that means expanding existing services, adapting operations, or supporting organizations doing the frontline work most needed in this time of crisis.
Nonprofits outside of Minnesota are taking action, too. They’re helping their neighbor organizations who are dealing with ICE raids in the ground, and as in the example from Save the Children mentioned previously, they’re elevating their services that are most needed right now, in the face of this specific crisis.
This must continue, and the organizations doing this work must continue to talk about it so that Minnesotans and people across the country know not just what nonprofits stand for, but also how they can help during htis difficult time.
This isn’t about optics, it is about impact.
Prepare Now for the Next Crisis
One of the hardest parts of responding to moral crisis is making decisions under pressure, without a clear process.
Having a rapid response framework in place helps organizations:
- monitor emerging issues
- escalate decisions appropriately
- clarify organizational positions
- involve the right people quickly
- align communication and action
Preparation doesn’t make these moments easy—but it does make them navigable.
Back in 2020, we laid out a Nonprofit Rapid Response Communications Framework that can help in moments like these.
Showing Up—Wherever You Are
Whether your nonprofit is in Minnesota or not, I hope you’ll weigh the decision about whether to speak out and take action in this time of crisis carefully, and I hope you’ll do whatever you can, while still protecting your nonprofit’s mission and operations.
Nonprofits have long served as moral anchors in uncertain times. Communities look to our organizations not only for services, but for signals about what matters and how to move forward. Showing up in times of moral crisis is never simple. But when mission, values, communication, and action are aligned, nonprofit leaders can meet these moments with integrity—even when the risks are real and the path forward is unclear.
More Resources for Nonprofits In and Outside of Minnesota
- Resources for Supporting Communities During ICE Operations
https://minnesotanonprofits.org/ice-resources - Acts of Solidarity for Friends and Allies Outside of Minnesota
https://minnesotanonprofits.org/ally-solidarity
Quick Summary
How Should Nonprofit Leaders Show Up in Times of Crisis?
Key Questions to Ask First
- Are your staff, clients, or communities directly affected?
- Is the crisis connected to your mission or area of expertise?
Core Leadership Decisions
- Silence is not neutral; it sends a message whether intended or not
- Speaking out carries real risk—but so does saying nothing
- Mission and values should guide both what you say and what you do
What Effective Responses Include
- Clear, mission-aligned communication
- Tangible action and service delivery that meets emerging needs
- Support for staff and frontline partners
- Transparency about how your organization is showing up
How to Prepare for the Next Crisis
- Establish a rapid response decision-making process in advance
- Clarify who monitors, escalates, decides, and communicates
- Align leadership, communications, and operations before pressure hits
Why It Matters
Moral crises test nonprofit leadership in ways strategy plans alone can’t. Organizations that align mission, values, communication, and action are better positioned to support their communities, maintain trust, and lead with integrity—even when the risks are real.
🎙️ From the Podcast
This post was inspired by Changemaker Conversations, our podcast for nonprofit leaders navigating change, uncertainty, and strategy.
Listen to the full episode:
🎧 Apple Podcasts
🎧 Spotify
🎧 ChangemakerConversations.com
About the Authors
Alyssa Conrardy
Alyssa is the Co-Founder of Prosper Strategies and a national expert in nonprofit strategy, stakeholder engagement, and the Shared Power Strategy™ approach. She leads nonprofits through complex strategic planning and crisis response with a focus on alignment, equity, and impact.
Lindsay Mullen
Lindsay is the Co-Founder of Prosper Strategies and a seasoned advisor to nonprofits navigating change, culture, and strategic decision-making. She brings deep expertise in board engagement, communications, and the Nonprofit Strategy System™.
About Prosper Strategies
Alyssa Conrardy and Lindsay Mullen are the co-founders of Prosper Strategies, a strategic consulting firm that helps nonprofits align mission, strategy, and culture through the Nonprofit Strategy System™ and Shared Power™ philosophy.
About Changemaker Conversations
Changemaker Conversations is a podcast for nonprofit leaders who are ready to build smarter, more strategic organizations with less friction and more joy. Join hosts Alyssa Conrardy and Lindsay Mullen every other week for candid conversations that pull you out of the day-to-day grind and refocus attention on the big picture.
