Theory of Change

1,000+ leaders, creators, and social entrepreneurs read it every other Thursday. Most say the same thing:
I've never felt more seen.

Give yourself permission.

The pressure to develop ourselves and optimise our work is exhausting. Life is so full, we've no time for the important questions. We know what success is supposed to look like, we're just not sure it's what we actually want.

Written by me, Adam Thomas - a writer, creator, and coach who has raised €30m for nonprofits and coached executives for 700+ hours - each edition of Theory of Change gives you a concept to name what you're feeling and a framework to figure out what you actually want.

Most newsletters tell you what to do. This one gives you permission to develop your legitimate weirdness and carve out your space in this *waves hands at everything* unpredictable world.

Previous editions

031: Antilibrary 📚 (your unread books are more valuable than you think)
066: Dark Forest 🌲 (the case for going quiet online)
069: Introverts 😶‍🌫️ (the workplace design mistake nobody talks about)

(Photo above by Mihai Ciobanu. Thanks, Mihai!)

Clothilde Redfern

"Like leadership without the admin. A secular sermon where meaning beats spreadsheets."

Yasir Khan

"Theory of Change is hands down one of my most useful and actionable regular reads."

Rhiannon Davies

"One of the few emails I genuinely look forward to. I always end up sharing or using something from it."

Tom Rowley

"Get perspective on the tired patterns of busy work, and focus on changing them today."

Jessica Edwards

"Such an act of generosity - thoughtful, insightful, & genuinely helpful, professionally and personally."

Alan Soon

"I love this newsletter. It has me checking my inbox every five minutes until it lands."

What makes Theory of Change worth your inbox?

60%+ open rate. Every edition.

More than 1,000 readers trust their time to Theory of Change every other Thursday. Most of them read every single one, many of them archive them and come back to them months later.

Concepts you've probably never heard of.

This ain't repackaged LinkedIn wisdom, nor recycled productivity thinking. Dark Forest. Antilibrary. Optical Allyship. Luck Surface Area. I offer new perspectives on old problems.

Built for busy, purposeful people.

Short enough to read in five minutes. Structured so you can scan, save, and apply. It’s a strategy newsletter for people with actual work to do.

I made mistakes so you don't have to.

This isn’t theory from a textbook. It’s what I’ve learned (and am still learning) from years of coaching, creating, leading (and getting things wrong).

No AI slop

Written by a human who cares. No generic prompts, no ChatGPT emoji lists, no content farming. Just thoughtful writing, shaped by real experience and a sense of humour.

Always practical, never prescriptive.

Every edition ends with specific experiments - things completable in an hour, producing a tangible output.

Who am I?

Hello, I'm Adam. I work with leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives in nonprofits and philanthropy who are trying to change things - rebuilding broken systems, launching ambitious ideas, or steering organisations through challenging transitions.

If you’re reimagining your community, your organisation, or your purpose, you deserve more than encouragement. You need strategic support, sharp tools, and space to think. That’s where Evenly Distributed comes in.

I’ve started, scaled, and sold organisations across start-up, nonprofit, and corporate sectors. I’ve raised over €30m in philanthropic funding, won awards for technological innovation, and coached people through over 700 hours of high-stakes decisions, on everything from product launches and mission rewrites to impact investment strategies and organisational design.

I offer:

  • Advisory services for foundations and nonprofits designing programmes, launching funds, or leading complex change.

  • Coaching for founders and multi-hyphenates who need clarity, momentum, and a calm voice in the storm.

  • Tools and a weekly newsletter, Theory of Change, for changemakers who want frameworks, language, and insight to go further.

Despite everything that's happening right now, I’m oddly hopeful. A better future is possible and I’d love to help you build it.

Free tools for changemakers.

Access free. No charge, no upsells, no hidden fees.

  • Free

Future Perfect

Most mission and vision statements are too long, too vague, or too full of jargon to be useful. Yet when you get them right, they become a compass for your team, a magnet for funders, and a story your community can believe in. Future Perfect is a simple method for rewriting mission and vision statements so they’re clear, human and fit for purpose. This 15-page playbook helps you apply it to any project.

  • Free

Purpose & Profit Matrix

The Purpose & Profit Matrix is a simple strategic tool that maps out your revenue streams across four categories based on their stability and growth potential. It helps you pinpoint where to focus your energy—whether that’s doubling down on success, exploring new opportunities, or moving away from declining models. Free PDF download.

  • Free

Funder Match AI

An experimental AI assistant for nonprofit fundraisers. Enter your mission statement or project concept and the GPT will try to match you with aligned funders. Save time, focus efforts, and kickstart your fundraising efforts in seconds with access to structured data and intelligence on hundreds of funders.

My clients

Jim Mintz

SEEK Initiative

"Since Adam has been advising our team, we’ve set up a new European headquarters, hired our first team member, and developed a full-fledged fundraising strategy. An invaluable asset."

Ariadne Papagapitos

Lighthouse Reports

"Adam synthesises complex information & delivers concrete & practical advice, identifying opportunities & challenges well before they arise. His coaching was indispensable."

David Schraven

CORRECTIV

"Adam’s support went above and beyond what we could have hoped for. He provided deeply insightful revenue and market analyses that changed the way we saw our own organisation."

How do I support people like you directly?