A Glimmer of Hope for Nonprofit Leaders
My year did not begin gently.
I spent it in bed, feverish and exhausted, wondering how the flu that had been chasing me for weeks had caught me just after the new year began. I had not been that sick in years.
I cancelled meetings and ignored emails. I fell behind on everything — laundry, groceries, working out, and all the normal routines that keep the wheels turning and keep me balanced.
When I finally came back to life, while the causes may have been different, I was quickly reminded by my clients and the national news of how ungently the year had begun for nonprofit leaders as well.
January arrived carrying the continued weight of disruption — political uncertainty, funding anxiety, staff fatigue, and community needs that continued to outpace resources. Non-profit work didn’t pause for reflection; the emails kept coming, and the decisions still had to be made.
In moments like this, leadership can feel less like vision-setting and more like endurance.
Koorsoo to the Rescue
If there was a bright spot in my bedridden week, it was something I came across while reading the always-inspiring Creative Mornings newsletter: Koorsoo (pronounced Core-so), a Farsi word meaning “a glimmer of hope.”
Not triumph. Not clarity. Not a bold plan neatly laid out. Just a small light that survives when everything else feels dim.
Koorsoo is the fragile yet unwavering spark that keeps people going in dark times — a glance, a memory, a word. Small things that prevent collapse.
Leadership Is About Holding the Light
In the nonprofit sector, leadership is often framed as inspiration, confidence, and certainty. But anyone doing this work knows that sometimes, there is a need for something quieter.
There are moments when…
… the mission still matters, but the path feels unclear
… the needs are overwhelming, but the resources are finite
… the team looks to you for steadiness, while you are still finding your footing
Koorsoo reminds us that leadership is not always about having answers. Sometimes it’s about holding the light long enough for others to keep going.
Hope as a Leadership Practice
In a world that increasingly normalizes burnout and despair, choosing hope can feel almost subversive.
But hope is a practical, real-world-tested practice: Of noticing what is still working, protecting what still matters, and continuing without a clear map or guarantees.
This kind of hope doesn’t demand certainty; it asks for presence.
What Sustains You Sustains the Work
Nonprofit leaders are often taught to sacrifice first and reflect later. But Koorsoo asks a different question, one that feels especially important right now:
What is giving you hope in this work — right now, today?
an intern, client, or community member whose story reminds you why you stay
a staff member who shows up with integrity and care
a board conversation that feels honest rather than performative
a small win that didn’t make the annual report but mattered deeply
Koorsoo also comes with a responsibility: to protect the light without smothering it.
To allow yourself rest without guilt
To name uncertainty without shame
To share hope without pretending everything is fine
These moments are sustaining forces that need to be protected and shared with others. So when you can, pass the light on to your team, your peers, and your community. Not as false reassurance, but as proof we are still here, and this still matters.
January doesn’t require a grand reset. It asks for care, clarity of values, and enough steadiness to move forward.
Sometimes, in nonprofit leadership, keeping the light on is the work.