On Standing Your Ground: Lessons from a Recalcitrant Goat and the Nonprofit Fight for Equity
- Christine Lauren
- Sep 24
- 3 min read
This might be an odd confession for a fundraising blog, but I have a love affair with a goat.
Her name is Winter. She’s not mine, although I’m part of a community that cares for her herd. She has a magnificent beard and wears a red bandana as a warning because unlike the other, more docile goats she can be feisty.
I didn’t notice her at first. Then one day, during a volunteer event where everyone named their favorite goat, no one mentioned Winter. That made me curious. So, I set out to get to know her better.
What I found was a highly intelligent creature who answers to no one. Winter’s got me wrapped around her little hoof. She’ll lounge under a tree while watching me scour the pasture for flowers and berries. She’ll accept painstakingly gathered treats from my hand, then toss her horns at me and walk away.
So, why do I love her so much? Because she’s entirely and unapologetically herself. She can’t be pushed around or made to do anything she doesn’t want to. She doesn’t curry favor, not even for treats. She’s independent and unyielding. Even against larger, stronger male goats, she stands her ground.
How does Winter tie in with this blog post?
She comes into play because we’re in a moment when standing your ground is harder, scarier, and more essential than ever.
Across BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and allied spaces, the nonprofit sector is reeling from years of progress followed by backlash. Corporations have abandoned their DEI commitments. Foundations largely remain silent. The federal administration is demanding that universities pay to restore federal funding.
In a time when so many institutions are bending, the nonprofit sector is a beacon of resistance. Organizations like the ACLU, National Council of Nonprofits, and many others are boldly using every avenue possible to speak truth to power.
Perhaps because of this resistance, the nonprofit sector remains under attack. In response to these very real threats, I’ve seen organizations react by fighting, freezing, or fawning.
It’s not my place to tell any organization how to respond. That’s a uniquely personal decision that must be weighed against potential consequences and implications. But here are some practical ways to be the goat in your nonprofit work.
Consider Your Words
Review your mission statement, program descriptions, and outward-facing materials. Have conversations with your board of directors about whether the language that’s used reflects your values and how you want to communicate them. In these conversations, figure out where you stand on DEI and equity issues. Remember your mission and who you’re there to serve. If someone who needed your services were to read your website, would they see themselves reflected? Would they feel safe reaching out? Then make decisions. Will you boldly assert yourself? Will you soften your language? Or will you fly under the radar?
Strengthen Your Donor Base
If you take a stance, not everyone will like what you stand for. This is actually a good thing. You don’t need everyone; you need mission-aligned supporters who share your values and will stand by you. Seek them out. Broaden your base so no one can pressure you to compromise your values.
Take care of your people
Holding the line can be exhausting, so watch out for your staff. Build in time to rest and spaces for them to share openly. Celebrate wins, even small ones, to keep morale high.
Remember your allies
We are stronger together. Join or deepen ties with coalitions. Coordinate joint statements, advocacy, or even legal action, so you’re not standing alone.
Many of us joined the nonprofit sector because we were called to help others. As healers, helpers, and visionaries, it is distressing to see so much being dismantled and destroyed.
It is not easy to keep going. But if we don’t uphold our values when the going gets rough, what’s the point of having them at all?
The fight for equity is here. So, be like a goat. Dig your hooves in and stand your ground. Remain close to your herd - the nonprofit sector and its allies. The world is quite literally counting on you.
