// gametheory Common Good VT · Nonprofit Summit 2026

Collective Sparks 2026 · Designing the future of our sector

Vermont's nonprofit sector is calling for a future where we invest in our people, guarantee the basics, and coordinate, not compete.

Authored by Shannon Mitchell, GameTheory

At Common Good Vermont's 2026 Nonprofit Summit on November 10, a room of Vermont nonprofit leaders, working in groups of 3–7, named the pathways that could lead to the best possible future for the sector.

1
Shared question
39
Pathways named
6
Futures formed
167
Endorsements
8
Next steps identified
01 / The goal

Designing the future of our sector

The session asked the room to imagine the best possible future for Vermont's nonprofit sector, and then to name the concrete pathways and initiatives that could get us there.

Step 01

Imagine futures

Each table finished the sentence on paper, then chose the future it most wanted to build toward.

Step 02

Name pathways

Working in groups of 3–7, and sometimes on their own, people added the pathways and initiatives that could lead there, one per card.

Step 03

Pathways Endorsements

Attendees identified and endorsed the pathways they strongly supported.

Step 04

Next steps

People shared a first version of a pathway, or how they or their organization could help.

How to read this

Where different visions of the future of Vermont's nonprofit sector converge.

This is a snapshot of the people in the room on November 10, 2026, not a survey of the whole sector. Pathways were written in small groups, and 26 people then endorsed as many as they liked, so the numbers show where energy gathered, not a ranked vote. The facilitation team grouped similar pathways into futures, combined a few duplicates, and lightly edited some wording for clarity.

02 / The futures · 2026

The Futures We Want for Vermont's Nonprofit Sector

The shared question

The best possible future for our sector is one where we  .

Each team used the shared question to find where their preferred futures overlap. Together with the pathways the room named, that overlap shows the future Vermont's nonprofit sector wants.

In this future, nonprofit work is a career people can build a life on. Staff are paid fairly, funding is steady, and talent stays in the sector.

The pathways · endorsements · % of endorsers

  • Competitive wages1558%
  • Make nonprofits permanently, regularly funded by the government. We do the work on the ground that fills the gaps of public good. Fund it.1558%
  • Subsidies for nonprofit salaries at each level of the organization, not just entry-level jobs727%
  • Incentives for funders to include admin and salary expenses in their grants415%
  • Clear and recognizable career paths in the nonprofit sector312%
  • Storytelling to disrupt gender roles in the nonprofit sector312%
  • Helping staff find places like Working Bridges to get support28%
  • Cross-gender mentoring14%

In this future, every Vermonter has health care, child care, housing, and a way to get around. Nonprofits are free to build community instead of filling gaps.

The pathways · endorsements · % of endorsers

  • Universal health and child care1558%
  • Undermining corporate interest and uplifting voices from across Vermont's life and economy to achieve universal, quality health care for all1038%
  • Incentives for surrendering unoccupied homes to housing developers for affordable housing623%
  • Public transportation that takes people to services, outdoor spaces, and places that make us healthy519%
  • Federal investment in housing28%
  • Education for kids, and continuing training for adults, on safely getting around our communities by active means28%
  • Universal education28%

In this future, Vermont's nonprofits act as one sector. They share data, services, and a language of collective impact instead of competing for the same funding.

The pathways · endorsements · % of endorsers

  • Collective impact language vs. scarcity language, as a sector623%
  • Networking events that bring together businesses and nonprofits, collaborating across sectors519%
  • Prioritize the greater collective and coordination of specialized services312%
  • Problem-solving sessions and collaboration workshops for organizations in the same field415%
  • Statewide data system to better coordinate and track services28%
  • Create metrics of well-being as a state28%
  • Consolidated and streamlined administration processes14%
  • Host events like the Common Good VT summit14%

In this future, nonprofits and local businesses grow together. A thriving local economy keeps the sector strong.

The pathways · endorsements · % of endorsers

  • Support small and growing businesses, including young people starting businesses here727%
  • Investments in local food systems623%
  • A state encouragement for for-profits to transition into nonprofit business practices28%
  • Increased for-profit support for nonprofit work that connects new customers to better life experiences28%

In this future, the people nonprofits serve shape the work. Community voice guides how the sector decides and leads.

The pathways · endorsements · % of endorsers

  • Advisory boards composed of the folks we're serving727%
  • Healthy governance312%
  • Listening tours, hyper-local and at events where people already gather312%
  • Advocacy training, school outreach, Australian ballot everywhere, and listening tours that meet people where they already convene28%
  • Community members vote on allocations of a pooled fund00%

In this future, every Vermonter gives something back. Service is a shared expectation, and nonprofits have the volunteers and donors they need.

The pathways · endorsements · % of endorsers

  • Statewide youth service project, either required or optional519%
  • Mandatory volunteering for individuals over a certain income, or a donation to a community fund for nonprofits519%
  • Educational events on Vermont's data about single parents and low-income families, recruiting volunteers from businesses and schools415%
Explore the map →See every pathway and future the room built, as it appeared live.
03 / Where the energy went

Preferred Pathways

Out of 39 pathways, these drew the most support from the room. Many pathways lead to more than one future. Each is shown with every future it helps build.

#1Tied for first
15 endorsements58% of endorsers

Competitive wages

Leads to a future where weinvest in our people&grow local economies
15 endorsements58% of endorsers

Make nonprofits permanently, regularly funded by the government. We do the work on the ground that fills the gaps of public good. Fund it.

Leads to a future where weinvest in our people&guarantee the basics
15 endorsements58% of endorsers

Universal health and child care

Leads to a future where weguarantee the basics&invest in our people
#210 endorsements38% of endorsers

Undermining corporate interest and uplifting voices from across Vermont's life and economy to achieve universal, quality health care for all

Leads to a future where weguarantee the basics&listen, then lead
#3Tied for third
7 endorsements27% of endorsers

Subsidies for nonprofit salaries at each level of the organization, not just entry-level jobs

Leads to a future where weinvest in our people
7 endorsements27% of endorsers

Support small and growing businesses, including young people starting businesses here

Leads to a future where wegrow local economies
7 endorsements27% of endorsers

Advisory boards composed of the folks we're serving

Leads to a future where welisten, then lead
See all pathways, ranked
  1. #1Competitive wages invest in our people1558%
  2. #1Make nonprofits permanently, regularly funded by the government. We do the work on the ground that fills the gaps of public good. Fund it. invest in our people1558%
  3. #1Universal health and child care guarantee the basics1558%
  4. #2Undermining corporate interest and uplifting voices from across Vermont's life and economy to achieve universal, quality health care for all guarantee the basics1038%
  5. #3Subsidies for nonprofit salaries at each level of the organization, not just entry-level jobs invest in our people727%
  6. #3Support small and growing businesses, including young people starting businesses here grow local economies727%
  7. #3Advisory boards composed of the folks we're serving listen, then lead727%
  8. #4Incentives for surrendering unoccupied homes to housing developers for affordable housing guarantee the basics623%
  9. #4Collective impact language vs. scarcity language, as a sector coordinate, not compete623%
  10. #4Investments in local food systems grow local economies623%
  11. #5Public transportation that takes people to services, outdoor spaces, and places that make us healthy guarantee the basics519%
  12. #5Networking events that bring together businesses and nonprofits, collaborating across sectors coordinate, not compete519%
  13. #5Statewide youth service project, either required or optional all serve519%
  14. #5Mandatory volunteering for individuals over a certain income, or a donation to a community fund for nonprofits all serve519%
  15. #6Incentives for funders to include admin and salary expenses in their grants invest in our people415%
  16. #6Problem-solving sessions and collaboration workshops for organizations in the same field coordinate, not compete415%
  17. #6Educational events on Vermont's data about single parents and low-income families, recruiting volunteers from businesses and schools all serve415%
  18. #7Clear and recognizable career paths in the nonprofit sector invest in our people312%
  19. #7Storytelling to disrupt gender roles in the nonprofit sector invest in our people312%
  20. #7Prioritize the greater collective and coordination of specialized services coordinate, not compete312%
  21. #7Healthy governance listen, then lead312%
  22. #7Listening tours, hyper-local and at events where people already gather listen, then lead312%
  23. #8Helping staff find places like Working Bridges to get support invest in our people28%
  24. #8Federal investment in housing guarantee the basics28%
  25. #8Education for kids, and continuing training for adults, on safely getting around our communities by active means guarantee the basics28%
  26. #8Universal education guarantee the basics28%
  27. #8Statewide data system to better coordinate and track services coordinate, not compete28%
  28. #8Create metrics of well-being as a state coordinate, not compete28%
  29. #8A state encouragement for for-profits to transition into nonprofit business practices grow local economies28%
  30. #8Increased for-profit support for nonprofit work that connects new customers to better life experiences grow local economies28%
  31. #8Advocacy training, school outreach, Australian ballot everywhere, and listening tours that meet people where they already convene listen, then lead28%
  32. #9Cross-gender mentoring invest in our people14%
  33. #9Consolidated and streamlined administration processes coordinate, not compete14%
  34. #9Host events like the Common Good VT summit coordinate, not compete14%
  35. #10Community members vote on allocations of a pooled fund listen, then lead00%
04 / Start today

How We Can Start Today

In the last round, people shared ways to prototype pathways, and actions they can take right away to move us closer to our preferred future.

Ideation on mechanisms to redirect existing workforce development funds toward 10-year sustaining funding for nonprofits, given that 20% of Vermont's workers are in the nonprofit sector.

invest in our peoplePermanent, regular government funding for nonprofits

“Look at collective nonprofit-agency, self-funded health care.”

guarantee the basicsUplifting voices to achieve universal, quality health care

“Reach your community through events, and follow-up surveys.”

listen, then leadAdvisory boards composed of the folks we're serving

“With my own clients I work to develop impact language. I can work with them on that.”

coordinate, not competeCollective impact language vs. scarcity language

“I can help nonprofits and foundations measure their impact!”

coordinate, not competeCollective impact language vs. scarcity language

“Green Mountain Club has meeting space!”

coordinate, not competeNetworking events across businesses and nonprofits

“I could help with doing these and synthesize the learnings.”

listen, then leadListening tours, hyper-local and at events where people already gather

“I would like to collaborate in my role at the Network and through membership at the Vermont Women's Fund.”

invest in our peopleStorytelling to disrupt gender roles in the nonprofit sector
05 / Takeaways

What We Uncovered

01

Funding the people is the thread through everything.

Competitive wages and permanent government funding for nonprofits were tied as the most-endorsed pathways in the room, at 15 endorsements each. Add salary subsidies at every level and funders covering admin and salaries, and pay and funding pathways drew 41 endorsements, making "invest in our people" the most-endorsed future.

02

Health care is the widest disconnect between our present and our future.

21 of the 26 participants who endorsed (81%) backed at least one health care pathway, and one offer proposed exploring collective, self-funded health care across nonprofit agencies. It matters for the communities nonprofits serve and for the people who work in them.

03

The sector is ready for deeper knowledge sharing and message alignment.

Half of the offers of help were about sharing what we know and speaking with one voice: hearing from communities through events and follow-up surveys, synthesizing what's learned, developing shared impact language, and measuring impact. There's capacity in the room to start here.

Now it's on all of us

Let's build the futures this room called for.

Use this report to keep the work moving. Bring it to your board, your team, and your partners. Pick a pathway, take one of the first steps above, and share what you learn, so together we move closer to a sector where we invest in our people, guarantee the basics, and coordinate, not compete.

Thank you to everyone at the 2026 Nonprofit Summit who named a pathway, endorsed an idea, or offered to help. Want support bringing a pathway to life? Let's talk.

Get in touch with Shannon

For more inspiration on how we're achieving shared futures, visit gametheoryco.com.