As an Indiana University alum, I was thrilled to attend the 2025 Rose Bowl and watch the IU Hoosiers achieve a historic 38-3 victory over Alabama – even after Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza was sacked twice in the first three plays.

Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, is being celebrated for a remarkable season on the field. But what makes his leadership especially instructive for nonprofit leaders is what consistently shows up off the field: Gratitude before ego. Team before self. Steady, sincere actions that reinforce trust.

There’s a story that captures this perfectly. After winning college football’s highest individual honor, Mendoza didn’t rush to a media tour or a victory lap. He took the trophy to show his pastor. No cameras. No announcement. Just a quiet expression of thanks to the people and values that shaped him.

That moment says more about leadership than any highlight reel ever could.

Here are five lessons nonprofit leaders would do well to borrow.

1. Learn people before you ask people

For Mendoza, leadership starts with recognizing the importance of personal connection. Upon joining Indiana, he made it a point to memorize the name of every player on the team from the offensive linemen to the scout team – names, backgrounds, stories.

That instinct matters.

In fundraising, the strongest relationships are built long before the ask. Donors don’t give generously because an organization’s mission is urgent. They give because they feel known, respected and valued.

Best fundraising practice parallels

• Know the person, not just the giving history.
• Track motivations, family context and passions, not just capacity.
• Enter conversations prepared to listen, not pitch.
• Respect precedes results.

2. Make your confidence quiet and your gratitude loud

Mendoza speaks with confidence, but it’s never self-centered. In interviews and remarks, he consistently redirects attention to teammates, coaches and family. His gratitude is specific and public – his ego is not.

That balance is essential in nonprofit leadership. Donors are drawn to leaders who are steady and assured, but they stay committed to leaders who openly acknowledge that success is shared.

Best practice parallels

• Thank often and specifically.
• Share credit with staff and volunteers by name.
• Let results speak louder than self-promotion.
• Quiet confidence builds credibility. Loud gratitude builds loyalty.

3. Culture is shaped by what leaders do when no one is watching

Mendoza bringing the Heisman Trophy to his pastor wasn’t strategic. It didn’t raise his profile. It didn’t advance his career.

And that’s exactly why it mattered.

Healthy nonprofit cultures aren’t created by slogans or retreats. They’re shaped by consistent, sincere actions that reinforce values over time. People watch how leaders behave when there’s nothing to gain.

Best practice parallels

• Follow up after milestones, not just before asks.
• Thank people privately, not only publicly.
• Honor the relationships that existed before success.
• Culture is built in the margins. Trust grows in quiet moments.

4. Keep the story bigger than the star

At the height of national attention, Mendoza repeatedly emphasized that the award belonged to others – to his mother, to his teammates, to the coaches, to the program.

That instinct reflects a deep truth in fundraising. Donors are not investing in personalities. They are investing in outcomes that endure.

When the story centers too heavily on one leader, campaigns become fragile. When the story centers on mission and impact, people commit for the long haul.

Best practice parallels

• Frame campaigns as movements, not projects.
• Keep beneficiaries and outcomes at the center.
• Use “we” more than “I” in leadership communications.
• Strong leaders make themselves visible. Great leaders make the mission unforgettable.

5. Lead with steadiness, not urgency theater

Observers consistently describe Mendoza as poised and positive – not artificially upbeat, but emotionally steady under pressure. In fundraising, that steadiness is a competitive advantage.

Urgency has its place; anxiety does not. Donors and boards take cues from leadership. When leaders project calm confidence, even in challenging moments, others lean in rather than pull back.

Best practice parallels

• Model composure during campaign pressure points.
• Pair hard truths with clear paths forward.
• Replace last-minute urgency with disciplined momentum.
• Steady leadership makes bold commitments feel possible.

Mendoza’s Heisman season reminds us that leadership is rarely defined by a single moment. It’s defined by hundreds of small, intentional choices that signal respect, gratitude and shared purpose.

That is also the heart of effective fundraising – not flash, not force, not theatrics.

Just sincere steps, taken consistently, that build culture, strengthen relationships and invite people into something bigger than themselves.