

With the end of the year very quickly approaching, the Next Stage team spent a few minutes imagining what 2023 will look like in the world of social good. And like the last few years, we’re predicting continuing change, a greater focus on impact measurement and a...

The Other F-Word: Focus
Written by Haley Rafferty Focus is my 28th strength on StrengthsFinder – out of 34. It feels ironic to me, as Team Success Manager, that something you’d think would be so crucial to my job is the one thing that frustrates me the most about myself. I battle with...

What Nonprofits Really Want for the Holidays (and all the days)
By: Susan Arrington, Digital Content & Community Manager In my 4+ months as a member of the Next Stage team, I’ve been able to get a glimpse of the inner workings of Charlotte’s emerging nonprofits: the joys, the struggles, the grind, the aspirations, the needs...

What the Next Stage Team Is Grateful For This Year
The Next Stage team is filled with respect and gratitude for the hard work of every person in this community who is striving to build impact through their companies, nonprofits and neighborhood organizations. The work that you do truly does make the world a better...

Backstage with Next Stage: What does the Workforce Shortage Mean For All Of Us?
85 million. That’s how many jobs will be unfilled by the year 2030 if we continue at the current pace. As Josh noted in last week’s blog, the disruption this will cause is nightmare fuel for every business across the country. That’s the bad news....

Halloween Hangover: The Scary Realities of the Workforce Shortage
Every day is something new at Next Stage. We are in such a unique position to be proximate to the leaders and institutions wrestling with all aspects of social impact across issues like healthcare, housing, education, workforce and the environment. As a lifelong...

What’s Next? Roundup: How these partnerships are fueling community change
What’s Next? is a roundtable series dedicated to exploring the intersection of social good. In each episode, Next Stage talks to the nonprofit and corporate changemakers who are forming innovative partnerships and fueling real community change. We love exploring these...

Second Chances and Removing Labels
Written By Helen Hope Kimbrough “The Power to label is the power to destroy.” -Allen Frances As the Director of Community Engagement at Next Stage, I frequently have the opportunity to sit down with people from a variety of backgrounds across our community. A...

The Path Ahead for Next Stage
Where has the year gone? Can you believe it’s already mid-October? After a couple of years that felt like time stood still as we struggled through the pandemic and remote working, 2022 has flown by for the Next Stage team. We have had our sleeves rolled up working...

The Next Chapter: Why I am Joining Impact for Health
When my career path from pharmacist to legislative analyst to lawyer to nonprofit leader comes up in conversation, I’m often asked why so many different directions? My reply is that each career decision represents to me a step in the same direction. That’s...

The Next Stage Team Welcomes Randy Jordan!
The Next Stage team is thrilled to announce that community health thought leader Randy Jordan is joining our team as Chief Advisor, Impact for Health. Randy is a nationally known community health expert and a passionate and thoughtful leader, committed to...

Why Every Collaboration Needs Controversy
“It’s not polite to talk about politics, money or religion.” Like most Americans, this was the advice I was given growing up. It was meant as advice to help avoid awkward conflict and it sent a clear message – some topics are too personal to discuss openly. For many...