Fearing Better: Making Courageous Decisions in Uncertain Times

This moment demands courage. 

Federal funding cuts are reshaping what’s possible in your communities. Legal challenges are putting your foundation’s mission and commitments under scrutiny. The communities you serve are under attack—and your board may be pulling back just when doubling down matters most. 

This is exactly the moment when fear most distorts our judgment. And it’s exactly the moment when lean funders have the most power to act boldly. 

• Has your foundation backed away from equity language to avoid controversy?

• Are your or is your board afraid to fund powerful work because of political visibility?

• How do you align the board during moments of fear and uncertainty?

• What fear is actually driving your hesitation, and what would it look like to move forward anyway?  

A recording of the presentation portion will be available to those who register.  

About This Workshop

Fearing Better is a hands-on workshop that helps funders understand how fear shapes decisions—and how to move through it with intention. You’ll identify the survival patterns that narrow what feels possible during periods of uncertainty, and practice shifting those reflexes so you can lead from purpose rather than instinct. 

This workshop is especially designed for lean funders navigating this political moment: the smaller your staff and budget, the more critical it is that your relationship to fear is clear, grounded, and workable. 

What You’ll Take Away

Participants will leave with: 

• A clear framework for identifying which type of fear is operating and how each distorts decision-making differently 

• Practice naming and working through the four fear mechanisms (cost, risk, consequence, and probability) when facing real equity and funding decisions 

• Tools to pause, check your instincts, and choose intention over reaction – even in fast-moving moments 

• Strategies to lead your board, staff, and/or community partners through fear toward bold action – including how to reframe equity commitments under pressure 

• A concrete behavior change you can put into practice immediately 

• A peer community of funders navigating the same landscape 

Speaker

Issachar Curbeon 
Founder & Director of IfWeThen Studio 

With 10 years of experience facilitating and designing curriculum for paradigm-shifting work, Issachar integrates systems thinking, nervous system literacy, and complexity science into a practice that helps teams make stress patterns visible and rehearse new relational possibilities: not just in conflict, but in creative and programmatic work. She assists high-conviction teams in moving from reactive cycles to intentional design, and from short bursts of connection to long-arc collaboration. 

Fees

What to Expect

This is a participatory, practice-oriented workshop—not a lecture. You’ll engage in individual reflection, small group breakouts, and large group discussion. The session is grounded in a practical fear framework and designed to connect theory directly to your real-world decisions. 

Who Should Attend

This workshop is designed for philanthropists and program staff at small foundations who are: 

• Grappling with how to sustain equity-centered grantmaking amid legal or political pressure 

• Working to align boards that have grown risk-averse in the current climate 

• Navigating federal funding cuts that are compounding the burden on grantee partners and communities 

• Looking for a peer space to think through how to lead with courage – not just manage risk 

Registration and Other Policies

Before the webinar, you will receive your unique webinar access information. By registering for this program, participants agree to Exponent Philanthropy’s Participant Guidelines. Please contact us by email or at 202-580-6560 if you have any questions.

Platform and Accessibility

This program uses Zoom; automated closed captioning is available. We can provide additional accommodations upon request (e.g., live captioner, ASL interpreter). Please contact info@exponentphilanthropy.org or call 202-580-6560 by April 20 to discuss your accommodations.