In this episode of The Responsive Lab, Carly Berna and Scott Holthaus sit down with Sonja Schappert Howden, Chief Impact Officer at Seed Impact, to unpack what meaningful impact really looks like and how fundraisers can communicate it in ways donors understand and trust.
Drawing from more than two decades of experience in faith-based nonprofits, Sonja explains why outputs are only the starting point, how outcomes reveal personal change, and why true impact often happens outside your organization’s walls. She introduces the SEED Competency Ladders, a framework grounded in being, doing, and relating, and shows how this approach helps fundraisers tell more human, donor-centered impact stories.
You’ll also hear why impact is not linear, why collaborative measurement matters more than ever, and how removing jargon can help donors connect emotionally before they ever engage intellectually.
Links from the episode:
- Learn more about Seed Impact
- Email Sonja at sonja@seedimpact.org
- Free impact report reviews available for a limited time here
Learn more about Virtuous at virtuous.org/learnmore and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist
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The Responsive Lab is brought to you by Virtuous.
Virtuous is a software company committed to helping nonprofits grow generosity. Virtuous believes that generosity has the power to create profound change in the world and in the heart of the giver. With that in mind, it’s their mission to move the needle on global generosity by helping nonprofits better connect with and inspire their givers. Learn more about Virtuous and download your free Nonprofit CRM Checklist at virtuous.org/crmchecklist.
