262: Beyond Inclusion: Creating Safety, Power & Space to Lead with Sarah Ali

Leadership is framed around performance and results too often, ignoring the more profound needs of inclusivity, safety, and authentic expression. True leadership is something that is beyond token inclusion; it's about creating spaces where people feel empowered, valued, and feel free to bring their whole selves forward. Joy, curiosity, and play allow leaders to reframe challenges, nurture resilience, and cultivate strong connections. 

This week, Mallory is joined by Sarah Ali, founder & CEO of Sarah Ali Philanthropy Inc., a Toronto-based but globally operating full-service agency supporting nonprofits in scaling their revenue engines. With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, she has worked across digital-first giving, institutional fundraising, and funder engagement. She joined Mallory to explore how rediscovering joy and clarity of purpose can transform the way diverse leaders show up, making the workplace not only functional but also thriving with authenticity and shared human experience. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

- Understand why token inclusion is not true inclusivity.

- Discover how stress and burnout hinder our thinking.

- Learn about the role of Play in building safe, supportive spaces for diverse teams.

- Figure out how reconnecting with joy and purpose can strengthen fundraising, leadership, and organizational culture. 

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Zeffy is a game-changing fundraising platform built exclusively for nonprofits. Unlike other platforms that take a cut of your hard work through credit card and transaction fees, Zeffy is 100% free from transaction and platform fees. That means every dollar you raise goes directly toward fueling your mission.

Trusted by more than 50,000 nonprofits, Zeffy empowers organizations of every size to streamline their fundraising with tools to collect donations, sell tickets, and manage donors all in one place. Getting started takes less than 15 minutes, and once you’re set up, you’ll have more resources to put toward what really matters: your cause.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_malloryerickson/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthefundraising

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-fundraising/id1575421652

If you haven’t already, please visit our new What the Fundraising community forum. Check it out and join the conversation at this link.

If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point