PHOENIX (STN) – In a volatile policy landscape, with uncertainty rising across sectors, nonprofit leaders are facing some of their toughest tests yet. That reality took center stage during the first ‘Leading in the Moment’ panel of the new season of ‘It Happens at STN.’ UMOM CEO Jackson Fonder and Deputy CEO Monique Lopez delivered a powerful message: don’t wait, lead anyway!
Fonder described The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 better known as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” as a sweeping, 900+ page legislative shakeup that’s reshaping everything from energy and defense to healthcare and housing.
“It’s not business as usual,” he said, likening the legislation to a “runaway bus” full of surprise executive orders and policy shifts. For nonprofits working in housing, like UMOM, that means programs providing permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing could now be at risk.
His advice? “Board that bus, grab the wheel, and steer your organization toward success. If you’re waiting for clarity, you’ll be buried.”
UMOM leaders urge bold action in the face of instability:
Lopez built on that urgency, challenging leaders to stop chasing certainty and instead take action.
“We have no idea what’s going to happen in 12 months, but we can focus on what we can do this week, this month, or this quarter,” she said. “Being stuck or not moving forward is unacceptable.”
Both leaders emphasized the importance of deep collaboration between nonprofits, longtime supporters, and the corporate sector. “Safe-distance leadership isn’t good enough right now,” Fonder said. “Nonprofits are holding the line on healthcare and human services, but we can’t do it alone.”
Lopez echoed the call, encouraging organizations to reach out, ask “How can I help?” and stop treating funding like a competition. “Nobody can do great impact in isolation. We have to create stability within our own walls.”
Whether it’s partnering across sectors, aligning teams, or staying mission-focused in the mess, the message was clear: this is not the time to wait, it’s the time to lead.
