Third Space Studio

12/17/2025

As many of you who follow our work know, we’re big believers in small moments of joy — especially in seasons marked by overwhelm and upheaval. As we considered what to share as our final post of this chaotic and heartbreaking year, we kept returning to the necessity of choosing joy.

Robin Wall Kimmerer writes, "Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift."

Her words, written in the chapter of Braiding Sweetgrass that recounts the devastation and healing of Onondaga Lake, remind us that even amid destruction — in our communities, in our planet, in our nonprofits — we can choose joy because we continually receive it.

As we close out 2025, we’re sharing a few of our own moments of joy from this past year, and hoping you discover plenty of your own in these final weeks.

Heather: One of the places that gives me the most joy is Ocracoke Island on the coast of North Carolina. This fall, I was able to spend a week there with one of the things that sparks the most joy - my goofy and adorable puppy, Frank. Seeing him run, swim, and play with his sister in a gorgeous landscape fueled me for the work ahead.

Meredith: My garden is my daily source of joy. I look for new blossoms on my comings and goings. In October as I peeked into the garden on my way into the house, a flutter of orange caught my eye. There among the orange blossoms of the flame vine was a monarch butterfly resting and refueling on its epic migration journey. I’ve now sent this photo to numerous friends in the midst of their own long journeys.

Wishing you moments of wonder, grounding, and joy as we wrap up the year. We look forward to reconnecting with you in 2026.

09/24/2025

We’ve had the delight of facilitating meetings in some unusual places lately — glamping in the Catskills, hanging out with goats in Missouri, on a farm during sunset, and gathering in an art gallery & artist co-op.

Changing up where we meet keeps things fresh:

✨ It’s inspiring to visit the work you’re doing
✨ A new setting helps participants relax and connect
✨ Creative spaces spark fresh thinking
✨ And let’s be honest — the meeting place matters!

Where have your meetings taken you this month? We’d love to hear.

09/17/2025

In these turbulent political times, you know what nonprofit work looks like on the ground.

If you work at a nonprofit, Building Movement Project's Race to Lead survey turns your lived experience into data that drives change.

📊 Share your story. Shape what comes next. https://bit.ly/RTL2025-ThirdSpaceStudio

08/20/2025

Nonprofits everywhere are facing tough budget decisions. Cut staff? Cut programs? Merge? Find partners?

Leaders are asking us: “How do you decide what stays and what goes?”

One tool we return to again and again is the MacMillan Matrix, developed by Ian MacMillan of the Wharton School of Business. It’s a systematic way to assess programs and determine whether they’re strong strategic investments.

We’ve used it with social service providers, conservation groups, and other nonprofits navigating scarcity. What we like most is its rigor—and the way it points to clear options: from compete and grow, to divest or find a partner, to maintain as the soul of the organization.

👉 You can find a guide to walk you through the tool here: http://bit.ly/45oQA9k

Hard choices will never be easy. But the right tool can help your team make thoughtful, strategic decisions.

08/07/2025

The Race to Lead Survey, launched by the Building Movement Project in 2016, tracks how race, leadership, and power show up in nonprofit workplaces. It is one of the largest and most widely used datasets on equity and leadership in the sector. The survey aims to inform and inspire change by uplifting the real experiences of nonprofit staff.

If you work at a nonprofit, your insights can help reshape leadership pipelines, expose systemic inequities, and ensure your voice is part of the national conversation.

🗳 Take the survey now: https://bit.ly/RTL2025-ThirdSpaceStudio

07/30/2025

As we close out our summer series, we’re sharing a couple more things that have helped us slow down, stay curious, and reconnect with ourselves. Women who have redefined their fields inspire us.

🎧 Heather’s Pick
If you want a shot of inspiration, listen to Suzy Wolff talk about women in Formula One on The Deal podcast (https://bit.ly/475gRdQ). Suzy’s a rock star—one of the few women to race in a male-dominated sport, and now a leader creating a pipeline for others to follow. Bonus: the new Formula One movie is Top Gun–level escapist fun.

📖 Meredith’s Pick
I recently picked up a copy of Ninth Street Women (https://bit.ly/3ITfipo), the story of five artists who helped shape Abstract Expressionism in the 1940s and ’50s. I just finished the chapters on World War II and was reminded of the horror of that period—and the powerful ways art countered fascism.

Thanks for following along with us this month. We hope something we shared helped you exhale, even for a moment.

07/24/2025

Last week, we shared a few things that have been helping us feel more grounded lately.

This week, we're back with more of what’s been replenishing us this summer—the small moments, reminders, and resources that are helping us come back to ourselves.

🌿 Heather’s Pick
If you need to reset your mind, I highly recommend this guided meditation (https://bit.ly/4lLgNEN) on the InsightTimer app: Reimagining Strength by Dora Kamau. Her soothing voice and powerful message offer a gentle but transformative 12 minutes of reflection and restoration.

🎨 Meredith’s Pick
A couple of weeks ago, a friend and I wandered through the North Carolina Museum of Art. The images of power—and of the Black body—reset some of my assumptions. The story of Grace Hartigan and her collaborations with poets reminded me that no one creates alone. The colors and shapes settled my spirit in a way I didn’t know I needed.

What’s been bringing you peace or perspective lately? We’re always glad to swap ideas.

07/18/2025

We've officially entered the swampy season in North Carolina. Temps in the 90s, humidity to match, and at least two showers a day. Even after 40+ summers here, I still forget how much the heat takes out of me—until a few nights of leg cramps remind me: I need more water and electrolytes to feel like myself.

But it’s not just our bodies that need replenishing.
How often do we pause to ask: What does my spirit need right now?

Meredith and I pulled together a few things that have given us joy, perspective, or just a moment of peace in the current chaos:

🌟 Heather’s Pick
If you need a dose of pure delight, I highly recommend Love on the Spectrum (Netflix). Watching people speak so openly and sincerely about love—and seeing the warmth and humor of their families—feels like an antidote to the headlines.

🍓 Meredith’s Pick (literally)
Summer is berry season at our house. We have 20+ year-old blueberry bushes, and my partner forages blackberries around the neighborhood. This spring, we also found mulberries—and turned some of them into shrub, a tangy-sweet fruit syrup that’s perfect with sparkling water on a hot day.

Here’s our go-to cold-infused recipe:

DIY Berry Shrub (Small Batch)

1½ cups berries (any mix)
½ cup sugar
Optional: herbs (mint, thyme, basil)
→ Macerate berries + sugar in a quart jar; add herbs if using. Refrigerate overnight.
Add 1 cup apple cider vinegar + 1 cup water
→ Steep in fridge overnight (or up to a week). Strain and chill. Keeps for months!
Serve with seltzer and lime, or however you like.

What’s filling your cup these days? We'd love to hear and stay tuned for more of our favorites!

06/27/2025

Summer is the time to step out of our usual routines. These puffins nesting on a cliff along the Shetland coastline reminded Meredith that sometimes you have to step off the edge to get a bird’s eye perspective. And guess what? It can be exhilarating.

06/17/2025

Meredith and Heather joined the John Rex Endowment to celebrate 25 years of partnership with kid-focused nonprofits working to make our community better. We especially appreciated the format of their impact report - a coloring book created by Forthright Advising.

05/29/2025

Lately, we’ve been working with lots of teams struggling to engage in the right conversations. Important conversations about managing risk, planning for the future, or responding to threats are being avoided or not given enough attention. The tumult and tenderness of these times call for intention in both how leaders frame the conversation to be had and how they engage their teams productively.

Heather put together a set of guidelines and tools to help you and your team dive into the tough conversations needed in a way that feels right. Check them out in our latest blog.

https://bit.ly/3HuzQnj

05/15/2025

Our colleague, Shannon Moretz, often reminds us of what it means to be a true community leader.

Her recent reflections on how she can shortchange her own work by assuming responsibility for the work of others rang true for us. We see this pattern in ourselves and in the leaders we coach.

Even in the midst of multiple crises, we benefit ourselves and our partners when we step back to ask, “Is this my work?” Thanks for the reminder, Shannon.

The author reflects on the challenges of servant leadership, emphasizing the difficulty of saying “no” and the risk of burnout. They encourage leaders to assess their responsibilities, …