These Leaders Proved You Can Play Defense And Offense At The Same Time
By Paul Clolery
The nonprofit sector was on the edge of its proverbial seat at this point in 2025 waiting for the implementation of elements of “Mandate For Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise,” also known as “Project 2025, Presidential Transition Project.”
It started with the federal government freezing or blocking grants and then gone was international aid. Many federally funded food programs ceased even though the funding had been approved by Congress, and attacks on diversity in employment and service provision when 2025 rolled in.
It was the worst-case scenario for many organizations.
These 50 executives (actually 51, explanation below) were leaders not just at their organizations but trailblaze with their voices and actions to blunt some of the attacks on the sector and people serviced by it. This year’s The NonProfit Times’ Power & Influence Top 50 honorees, resisted, fought and built coalitions to continue to serve their communities, constituents and the nonprofit sector as a whole.
Some actions against the sector seemed deliberately designed to provoke panic, such as labeling some organizations that do international work as terror organizations.
Back to the 51 versus 50. One organization has co-founders and fairness compelled us to include both. You’ll have to turn the page to find out about who we are writing.
The unforeseen, ground-breaking work is why there are 21 individuals emerged this year who had previously not been included in The NPT Power & Influence Top 50. Four of this year’s honorees had previously been on the list but not recently. Women outnumber men among the honorees, 27 to 23 for the second consecutive year.
The honorees will gather at the National Press Club this fall for the 20th Power & Influence Top 50 Gala. This is the 29th annual list. The event was launched because many of the honorees’ paths had never crossed and several suggested the group be pulled together for a night.
The honorees will receive their awards at the event, and one honoree will receive the Influencer of the Year award.
Gala sponsors renew year after year, although their corporate names have evolved over time. The sponsors for this year’s gala include Bloomerang, Data Axle Nonprofit, Dataro, GoFundMe Pro, JMT Consulting, Momentive Software and Moore.
The honorees will receive their awards at the event and one honoree will receive the Influencer of the Year award.
Click here to discover the 2026 NPT Power & Influence Top 50 honorees…..
