As I See It: Keep Impact in Motion
Photo: Canva
As the Presenting Sponsor of this year's DFW Philanthropy In Action Conference, our team chose Impact In Motion as our firm's conference theme. It showed up in our booth, our flyers and even in our 360 photo experience. But as I drove home Wednesday afternoon, I realized our theme had actually taken on a whole new meaning for me.
In conversations with nonprofit leaders across the sector, I kept hearing the same thing: their organizations are moving forward. They're adapting, growing, solving problems and finding new ways to serve, even when the path ahead isn't simple.
That's what Impact in Motion came to mean for me. It isn't simply staying busy. It's what happens when leadership, strategy, relationships and execution all move together toward a mission. It's the steady work of building organizations that can continue creating meaningful impact for years to come.
Every organization I spoke with had a different mission and a different set of challenges. Yet despite differences, the conversations kept circling back to the same reality: the work isn't standing still, and neither are the leaders carrying it forward. In fact, many of the leaders I met are balancing growing demand, limited capacity, funding pressures and long-term planning needs, all while continuing to serve their communities every day. That's no small responsibility.
One leader shared how their organization has experienced significant growth. The question is no longer whether they can grow, but how they can serve twice as many young people without creating disruption inside the organization. This leader isn't talking merely about scaling programs. They are talking about building the leadership, the systems and the internal capacity needed to support their next chapter well.
Another conversation centered on a large initiative to expand services in a rural community. As one leader described the process of managing an RFP for what will become one of the organization's most significant projects, something stood out to me. This leader is looking for more than someone to complete a scope of work. They are looking for a partner who is willing to listen first, learn, understand where they are and come alongside them in a way that can help move the mission forward. Like many of our clients, they don't want an advisor to simply check a box or deliver a project; they want a partner who can build trust and maintain it.
That was an important reminder for me. Expertise matters. Experience matters. But the best partnerships begin with listening. Before offering solutions, we – as consultants – must understand an organization's mission, its people and the realities they're navigating. That's where meaningful work starts. And that’s the work I love. Helping nonprofit organizations think through what's next, especially during seasons of growth and change, is one of the most rewarding parts of what I get to do.
I left the conference incredibly encouraged. The relationships that were strengthened, the new connections that were made and the willingness of all to openly share ideas, challenges and lessons learned reminded me how collaborative this sector truly is. Impact isn't a single moment or milestone. It's something we build together over time, and it's always in motion.
Thank you to AFP for creating the space for those conversations, and thank you to the nonprofit leaders, board members, partners and practitioners who showed up ready to listen, learn and invest in one another. Those conversations matter, and I am grateful to have been part of them.
If your organization is thinking about what's next (whether that's growth, strategic planning, leadership transitions or building the capacity to support a bigger vision), I would genuinely enjoy hearing your story. These conversations are some of the most meaningful parts of this work, and I'd always welcome the opportunity to grab coffee and talk about how we can keep impact in motion together.
Driving Impact Forward,
Marcus Hicks, Marcus.Hicks@mgale.co
As a seasoned management professional, Marcus Hicks has extensive experience in driving organizational growth and operational excellence across diverse sectors, including retail and non-profit. His expertise spans strategic planning, project management and team leadership, consistently exceeding expectations in delivering complex projects on time and within budget.