Our Mission
We stand beside the people who make good things happen in the world – nonprofit professionals, founders, and mission-driven teams working every day toward a more just, compassionate, and connected future. We know that behind every bold cause is a small group of people doing a lot with a little – and that even the most committed teams need support to thrive.
We help build strong internal structures, nurture a culture of philanthropy, and strengthen operations so that organizations can focus on what they were formed to do. We offer guidance, tools, and hands-on support to help teams demonstrate their impact, engage stakeholders, and share the stories that matter most – the ones that show how meaningful change is happening, one step at a time.
We do this work because we believe in yours.
we’re honored to play a part in helping you bring your mission to life.
We can help
We know that making a difference takes more than strategy it takes execution. While big-picture planning, operational insight, and stakeholder engagement are essential, they’re only part of the story. The day-to-day reality of social impact work happens both in the office and on the ground, and that’s where we come in.
We’re uniquely equipped to support both sides of the equation. With firsthand experience leading and producing within nonprofits large and small, we bring a dual lens: strategic guidance paired with the creative and technical know-how to get things done. Whether it’s a new website, social media campaign, video or audio production, print materials, or community outreach assets, we help you move from idea to action – without losing sight of your mission.
Our toolkit is built with sustainability and scalability in mind, grounded in practices that work for real teams with real constraints. Because we’ve been there – and we’re here to help you do your best work, every step of the way.
Our LEADERSHIP team
Meet James DykemaN
Managing Director
With deep roots in community-centered work and a heart for service, James brings a uniquely grounded, strategic, and human approach to supporting organizations that are working to make the world a better place.
His affinity for nonprofits and social impact work comes from a deeply personal place. James’s early life was marked by instability – a broken family, homelessness, and the day-to-day uncertainty of economic hardship. But at critical junctures, it was the support of community organizations and dedicated individuals that helped him persevere. Those experiences shaped not only his trajectory, but his belief in the power of mission-driven work to change lives.
Guided by that belief, James built a successful career in nonprofit leadership, strategic communications, and organizational development. He’s led high-performing business teams, managed crisis shelter operations, taught strategic communication at the university level, and helped nonprofits grow stronger from the inside out. Along the way, he’s traveled to more than 30 countries, driven by a lifelong commitment to understanding people, cultures, and the systems that bring us together.
James now helps mission-driven teams build strong internal structures, cultivate a culture of philanthropy, and tell powerful stories about the impact they make. With a practical mindset and an empathetic spirit, he offers not just advice, but real partnership – because even the most dedicated teams need someone in their corner.
James holds a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Philanthropy from the University of Iowa, graduating summa cum laude, where he also served as an adjunct instructor in strategic communication. He’s been honored with multiple service and leadership awards and continues to stay active in Iowa’s vibrant nonprofit and educational communities.
For James, this work is more than a profession – it’s a calling. Every step forward in his life has been made possible by people and organizations who believed in service, dignity, and opportunity. Through Inspiring Acumen, he’s dedicated to returning that investment – helping others do the kind of work that changes lives, just like his own.
Meet Jolie Baskett
Design Director
Jolie Baskett has built a career – and a life – around the belief that design, storytelling, and access can create real and lasting change. With a deep commitment to nonprofit missions, educational opportunity, and cultural connection, she brings over a decade of leadership in creative strategy and visual communication to organizations that are changing the world.
Her passion for nonprofit work is rooted in lived experience – years spent in arts centers, community spaces, and national parks, witnessing the quiet, powerful ways these organizations serve people. As someone who grew up valuing empathy, learning, and connection, Jolie found her place helping mission-driven teams communicate more clearly, creatively, and inclusively.
That mission has taken her far – literally. Jolie has traveled to nearly 50 countries, deepening her understanding of global cultures, systems, and the shared hopes that unite us. These experiences continue to shape her design sensibility, her curiosity, and her commitment to amplifying voices across boundaries.
As a Director of Design, she’s led award-winning campaigns for hundreds of nonprofits, blending data-driven strategy with heart-centered storytelling. She has taught Web Design Principles at the college level, supported climate action with the United Nations Development Programme, and designed educational outreach and signage for world-renowned arts and cultural organizations. Through it all, she has remained focused on access, learning, and human-centered design.
Jolie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Multimedia Design from California State University, East Bay, graduating summa cum laude. Her work has earned her dozens of national awards for creative excellence, but what drives her most is seeing organizations thrive – reaching new audiences, raising critical funds, and telling stories that matter.
For Jolie, design is not just about aesthetics – it’s about purpose. And through every collaboration, she’s committed to making sure the causes she supports have the tools they need to engage, inspire, and make their mark on the world.
Catherine,
program director
Hands down James is the best! He has taken the Center to a new level through his knowledge of non-profit management, his ability to accomplish 150% (or more!) of the multitude of the responsibilities and tasks for which he is responsible, and his kind but effective wrangling of the many people involved in the work of the Center.
He has worked hard to not only understand and support the mission and values of the organization but has helped us to clarify it for ourselves. He is loyal, hard-working, conscientious, and multi-talented. I highly recommend him.
THAIS,
VICE PRESIDENT
James has an incredible skill set that can be leveraged by non-profit organizations and for-profit companies alike.
He has created a strategic plan around communications which helped us engage new audiences and build a fundraising plan around that communication.
He is organized and logical in his work/approach, he follows through on each and every initiative, he has the experience to make suggestions that have moved our organization forward, and he works well independently or in collaboration with the board and volunteers.
Katharine, Development chair
I quickly came to know James as a tremendous nonprofit leader and development professional. Any organization would be fortunate to have James working on their behalf.
James posses the unique combination that nonprofits need - a deep and abiding passion for the organizations he serves, and the knowledge, skills, and abilities to consistently deliver results.
I feel deeply fortunate to have James working on behalf of an organization that means a great deal to me, and I cannot recommend him as a colleague enough.