Third Space Studio

Nonprofits everywhere are facing tough budget decisions. Cut staff? Cut programs? Merge? Find partners?

Leaders are asking us: “How do you decide what stays and what goes?”

One tool we return to again and again is the MacMillan Matrix, developed by Ian MacMillan of the Wharton School of Business. It’s a systematic way to assess programs and determine whether they’re strong strategic investments.

We’ve used it with social service providers, conservation groups, and other nonprofits navigating scarcity. What we like most is its rigor—and the way it points to clear options: from compete and grow, to divest or find a partner, to maintain as the soul of the organization.

👉 You can find a guide to walk you through the tool here: http://bit.ly/45oQA9k

Hard choices will never be easy. But the right tool can help your team make thoughtful, strategic decisions.

The Race to Lead Survey, launched by the Building Movement Project in 2016, tracks how race, leadership, and power show up in nonprofit workplaces. It is one of the largest and most widely used datasets on equity and leadership in the sector. The survey aims to inform and inspire change by uplifting the real experiences of nonprofit staff.

If you work at a nonprofit, your insights can help reshape leadership pipelines, expose systemic inequities, and ensure your voice is part of the national conversation.

🗳 Take the survey now: https://bit.ly/RTL2025-ThirdSpaceStudio

As we close out our summer series, we’re sharing a couple more things that have helped us slow down, stay curious, and reconnect with ourselves. Women who have redefined their fields inspire us.

🎧 Heather’s Pick
If you want a shot of inspiration, listen to Suzy Wolff talk about women in Formula One on The Deal podcast (https://bit.ly/475gRdQ). Suzy’s a rock star—one of the few women to race in a male-dominated sport, and now a leader creating a pipeline for others to follow. Bonus: the new Formula One movie is Top Gun–level escapist fun.

📖 Meredith’s Pick
I recently picked up a copy of Ninth Street Women (https://bit.ly/3ITfipo), the story of five artists who helped shape Abstract Expressionism in the 1940s and ’50s. I just finished the chapters on World War II and was reminded of the horror of that period—and the powerful ways art countered fascism.

Thanks for following along with us this month. We hope something we shared helped you exhale, even for a moment.

Last week, we shared a few things that have been helping us feel more grounded lately.

This week, we're back with more of what’s been replenishing us this summer—the small moments, reminders, and resources that are helping us come back to ourselves.

🌿 Heather’s Pick
If you need to reset your mind, I highly recommend this guided meditation (https://bit.ly/4lLgNEN) on the InsightTimer app: Reimagining Strength by Dora Kamau. Her soothing voice and powerful message offer a gentle but transformative 12 minutes of reflection and restoration.

🎨 Meredith’s Pick
A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I wandered through the North Carolina Museum of Art. The images of power—and of the Black body—reset some of my assumptions. The story of Grace Hartigan and her collaborations with poets reminded me that no one creates alone. The colors and shapes settled my spirit in a way I didn’t know I needed.

What’s been bringing you peace or perspective lately? We’re always glad to swap ideas.