701. 93% of Funding Gone Overnight: A Case Study in Crisis Leadership - Jennifer Rupp
Listen to this episode
At 4am on April 3, 2025, Jennifer Rupp's phone wouldn't stop buzzing. 93% of Michigan Humanities' budget. Gone overnight. What happened next is a story about crisis leadership, radical transparency, and why connection isn't a soft strategy. It's the only strategy. 🙏
In this episode, you'll hear:
What Jennifer did in the first 24 hours after losing 93% of her budget, and why transparency was her most important tool
How she decided which programs to cut and which were non-negotiable (and the framework you can use to make those calls)
Why "when division is the crisis, connection is the strategy" isn't just a philosophy at Michigan Humanities, it's their entire operating model
Jennifer’s One Good Thing: flip the funding triangle. 85% of your money comes from individuals. Are you spending 85% of your time there?
This one's going to stay with you. 🩵
“When division is the crisis, connection is the strategy.”
Episode Transcript
Download Full Episode Transcript Here
Episode Highlights:
Meet Jennifer Rupp (00:48)
The 4 am email that changed everything (09:44)
How federal humanities funding actually works (10:46)
The pivot: transparency, triage, and staying mission-aligned (13:55)
What programs fell and which were non-negotiable (17:09)
Crisis leadership lessons you can only learn by walking through it (22:28)
From front porches to back decks: why we've lost the art of gathering (25:15)
The Great Michigan Gathering: a three-year plan to rebuild community (26:43)
A powerful story of generosity in Jennifer's life (33:10)
Jennifer's One Good Thing: flip the funding triangle (35:05)
Powerful Quotes:
"Everything in the world says if you lose 93% of your funding, you're not going to be here in December of 2025. But hope is the antidote to all of this." - Jennifer
"When division is the crisis, connection is the strategy." -Jennifer
"You have to stay true to your mission and your values. That is the guiding light through everything. If you try to shove your circle programs through a square hole, it's just not going to work." - Jennifer
"We've gone from front porches to back decks and fenced-in backyards. We've built a world where fence-row conversations aren't a thing anymore. We've isolated ourselves, and so we're automatically not in community like we used to be." -Jennifer
"Chase the people. Don't chase the money. That will always lead to more success, and sustainable success." -Jennifer
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