We Are For Good Podcast, Episode 655

Title: We Are For Good + Givebutter: Locking Arms for Impact
Date: October 29, 2025
Hosts: Jon McCoy & Becky Endicott (We Are For Good)
Guest: Max Friedman (Co-founder & CEO, Givebutter)

Episode Overview

This episode marks a milestone for the We Are For Good community: the announcement of an official partnership and “merger” with Givebutter, a platform renowned for democratizing nonprofit fundraising. Host Jon and Becky, joined by Givebutter co-founder and CEO Max Friedman, unpack the story and heart behind this alignment. Together, they reflect on community-driven change, the evolution of both organizations, and their shared vision to supercharge resources, tools, and connection for changemakers everywhere.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Announcing the Partnership: Locking Arms for Impact

• [00:34] Jon and Becky introduce the day’s big news: We Are For Good is officially joining the Givebutter family, with the goal to build the largest community for changemakers, providing accessible tools, resources, and community.
  • Becky: “We are going to democratize it together and we're doing it for you...”
  • The notion of "locking arms for impact" forms the core philosophy: value-aligned organizations collaborating to go further together.
  • A behind-the-scenes story of how this partnership came about, rooted in mutual admiration and years of connection.

2. The Story Behind Givebutter & We Are For Good Connections

• [02:19] Max joins and shares the origins of Givebutter:
  • Started in a college dorm, inspired by Jewish values of tikkun olam (repair the world).
  • Built as a free platform because, “we had been nickeled and dimed as so many in nonprofit have experienced.” – Becky [07:37]
  • The shared missions and unique DM story that ignited the relationship between Jon, Becky, and Max.
  • Jon [06:39]: “The why behind what you're doing around democratizing access is exactly why we started Givebutter.”

3. Community, Joy, and Accessibility as Strategies

• Conversations about making philanthropy “fun”—webinars turning into dance parties, giving as positive, not just contractual.
  • Max [09:31]: “When something is fun, you want to do it again...giving feels good, and giving is fun.”
  • Focus on building joyful community experiences and accessible, people-centric technology.
  • The importance of mental health advocacy and the sectorwide challenge of burnout. Givebutter’s and We Are For Good’s investment in mental health programming as an example of responsive leadership.

4. The “Rogue Email” & Moments of Alignment

• [13:47] Becky introduces the story of the “rogue email” Max sent that sparked the merger.
  • No grand strategy—just authentic admiration and a belief in deeper collaboration.
  • Community-driven strategies: listening, activating, and leading from the front.
  • Addressing nonprofit burnout and the importance of having strong community support.

5. The Power of Merger & Value Alignment

• [15:35] Honest talk about nonprofit mergers; reframing them as superpowers, not “dirty words.”
  • Deep conviction that merger is only valuable with total value alignment.
  • Becky: “Locking arms for impact is opening these avenues for new growth...the person who benefits is the changemaker.”
  • Examples of Givebutter powering organizations like She's The First and Girl Rising—already part of both families.

6. Visions of Community & Growth

• [18:04] Jon shares hope that this partnership allows for true democratization of resources and “delivering on our outsized vision.”
  • Both teams emphasize expanded accessibility, support, and ability for changemakers to leap and take action.
  • Plans for new community-building events, local in-person meetups, and broader reach.
  • Max: “Whether you use Givebutter or not today, it’s not really the point… this is an opportunity to join forces and do something about the opportunities we see.”

7. Core Values at Work

• Discussions about living organizational values, not just writing them on placards.
  • Givebutter's values: Be Awesome, Be Butter, Be Changemakers.
  • We Are For Good's values: Community is Everything, Cultivate and Mobilize Rabid Fans.
  • Max: “People first is one of our values as well… It’s this crazy concept. We listened.”

8. Stories of Community Impact

• Each host and Max chooses a community member whose journey exemplifies the “ripple effect” of these organizations:
  • Becky: Crystal Clark of Stop Soldier Suicide, who shared knowledge learned from the podcast and catalyzed culture at her organization.
  • Max: Daphne at Humans for Education, the very first Givebutter .org signup; her feedback helped shape the platform for tens of thousands.
  • Jon: Simon from Jinja, Uganda—early Zoom meetups led to massive community building across Africa, inspiring leadership and belief.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Max Friedman [03:24]:
  “Hearing about in the last episode, you’re starting with your list of your friends and your family, and I can relate to that so deeply… all it would take just to pull up your website and look at your values, to know that we’re family...and I just can’t wait to see what it looks like at an even greater scale.”

• Jon McCoy [10:18]:
  “Joy is a vibe. It's not a strategy. It's like a sustainability thing. It's how we actually find purpose and how we have better connections in our workplaces and with our donors.”

• Max Friedman [12:13]:
  “Burnout is so prevalent. And I think Covid also really accelerated this in a unique way...it’s not just about the work being hard and under greater pressure and fewer resources, but it’s also like we’re more lonely than ever.”

• Becky Endicott [21:13]:
  “What happens when you get in Value Aligned Community is...you come alive.”

• Becky Endicott [25:32]:
  “We’re not just about to unlock giving. We're unlocking generosity, and we're unlocking the people in it.”

• Max Friedman [29:29]:
  "You never forget your first supporters, your early adopters and rabid fans."

• Jon McCoy [31:56]:
  “You know, Simon is representative of everyone who's in this community. And people ask us, how did you build this movement? And I want to tell you the secret formula. And it is one person, one conversation, one-on-one. Start there.”

• Becky Endicott [36:31]:
  “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that. The world needs you to do what you do best.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:34 | Announcement: The We Are For Good + Givebutter partnership unveiled.
• 02:19 | Max’s Introduction: Personal story and vision behind Givebutter.
• 06:03 | The DM that Sparked It All: Jon and Max connect over mission.
• 09:31 | Making Giving Fun: Dance parties and joyful community.
• 12:13 | Mental Health and Wellbeing: Investing in the sector’s people.
• 13:47 | The Rogue Email: How the partnership proposal happened.
• 15:35 | The Power of Merger: Value alignment and changemaker focus.
• 18:04 | Expanded Vision: Democratizing access and global reach.
• 20:26 | Core Values: Living, not just stating values; the heart of execution.
• 25:32 | Unlocking Generosity: Going beyond fundraising.
• 29:29 | Community Stories: Lifting individual impact and ripple effects.
• 33:53 | One Good Thing: Each shares their core “one good thing” for listeners.
• 36:31 | Words to Live By: Howard Thurman quote that encapsulates this journey.
• 40:10 | What’s Next: Assurance that the community, podcast, and core mission continue—now with more capacity and reach.

Final Takeaways & Call to Action

• This partnership is about scaling impact while reinforcing core values—accessibility, community, and joy.
• The heart of We Are For Good + Givebutter is not about assimilation; it’s about each entity (and each changemaker) becoming “more of who they are.”
• Listeners are invited: “This is your invitation…tell the truth and build a new era of generosity and philanthropy.”
• The movement continues; the resources grow; and every community member is both the engine and aim of what’s coming next.

Tone & Style

Enthusiastic, authentic, and deeply communal. The hosts blend vulnerability, humor, and actionable optimism, inviting listeners to step in and step up as changemakers—together.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This richly detailed episode provides not only the why and how behind a major nonprofit merger, but also models what sector-leading collaboration, authenticity, and joy can look like. Grounded in personal stories and organizational transparency, it's both a celebration and a call to action for every changemaker.