690. A Case Study in Building Trust and Authentic Partnerships - jacob adams, Inner Spark

In today's episode, Jon and Becky sit down with jacob adams, founder of Inner Spark Learning Lab, to talk about what it looks like to challenge the nonprofit status quo. Instead of chasing scale and perfect metrics, Jacob is focused on something different: authentic partnerships, radical transparency, and building trust.

Together, they explore why nonprofits can’t always control outcomes—but we can own the learning, tell the truth about what’s working (and what isn’t), and how to build stronger relationships with funders and partners along the way.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why going deep instead of wide can lead to more meaningful impact
• How jacob builds trust with funders
• What authentic partnerships really look like in practice at Inner Spark
• And why focusing on learning, not just outcomes, can transform the way we lead

If you’re a nonprofit leader navigating pressure to scale, prove impact, and get everything “right,” this conversation will feel both grounding and energizing. 🩵

Episode Highlights:

• jacob’s Origin Story + Questioning the System (02:49)
• Why Kids Don’t Want to Be in School (04:35)
• Why Depth Beats Scale in Nonprofit Impact (06:24)
• How Inner Spark’s Learning Labs Center Student Voice (07:08)
• Why Radical Transparency Builds Trust in Fundraising (12:08)
• How Feedback Loops Replace Rigid Outcomes (17:33)
• jacob’s One Good Thing: Own the Learnings (26:45)

Resources:

Tune into Inner Sparks Podcast: innersparklab.org/podcast

jacob adams LI Post: We Didn't Hit Our EOY Campaign Goal

Episode Shownotes: www.weareforgood.com/episode/690

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