Transparent Newsletter Issue

Read time: 3 min

👋🏾 Hey! I’m Sid and this is The Philanthropy Futurist, a weekly advice column preparing you for the future of the nonprofit sector. Each Friday, I tackle reader questions about measuring impact, driving growth, and managing your nonprofit.

This Week’s Newsletter at a glance:

• Transparent Newsletter Issue

• Philanthropy News From This Week

• Sid’s Book Recommendation

Transparent Newsletter Issue

Last year stretched me in ways I didn’t fully anticipate...

When I launched The Philanthropy Futurist on February 7, 2025, my intention was simple: publish consistently, think boldly about where philanthropy is headed, and create a space where nonprofit leaders and creators could sharpen their vision for the future.

Across 2025, I published 39 newsletters— but I also missed 7 issues.

That wasn’t because I stopped caring about this work. If anything, it’s the opposite.

During the 2nd half of the year I experienced shifts in my personal life, an increased workload, and the quiet weight of responsibilities that don’t always show up on social timelines. And at the same time, I’ve been investing energy into a project I haven’t talked much about publicly yet— one designed to make it easier for nonprofit organizations to collaborate with businesses and creators in more meaningful, transparent ways.

To everyone who noticed when a Friday newsletter didn’t hit your inbox… who sent a DM, a quick email, a text, or pulled me aside in passing— thank you. Your care didn’t feel like pressure, if anything it felt like genuine support. It reminded me why this community matters.

My intention for this newsletter has always been excellence— by way of thoughtful analysis, honest reflection, and a forward-looking perspective on the future of philanthropy. And that commitment remains— both in how I launched this work in 2025, and in how I’m stepping into 2026. Going forward, I am recommitting to absolute excellence in how I show up here.

As we plan for the year ahead, I’d love your input on what you want to learn more about: emerging tech, funding models, collaboration, leadership, or maybe something else entirely.

Share your questions and ideas: HERE

Next Friday, January 9th, I’ll be sharing my 2026 Predictions for the Nonprofit Sector and what’s next for The Philanthropy Futurist newsletter. I’m grateful you’re still on this journey with me, and I will never take that for granted. Until next week y’all! ✌🏾

Have questions you want answered? Submit questions using this form and I’ll work hard to get you the answers by way of this newsletter.

Philanthropy News From This Week

• 2025 Roundup: Artificial Intelligence

• 2025 Roundup: Poverty and Food Insecurity

• 2025 Roundup: International Aid

• 2025 Roundup: Support for the Global South

Sid’s Book Recommendation

Each week, I recommend a book or film that has impacted my life in a positive way. My recommendation this week is:

The Discipline of Getting Things Done by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan

This book argues that most companies fail not because of bad strategy, but instead because they lack a disciplined approach to turning plans into tangible results, making execution the primary job of leadership. It defines execution as a set of specific behaviors and techniques built into 3 core, tightly linked processes: people, strategy, and operations. Learn more.

How You Can Help