About BGC

Why BGC exists: Nonprofit work leans into our better nature as humans, to look out for and take care of others. It can represent the best of us. However, intention does not always equate to impact; and the social sector isn’t exempt from upholding harmful systems (including racist, classist, sexist, and ableist structures).

My name is Bithika ‘Misha’ Schmidt, and I am the founder of the Better Good Collective (BGC), a boutique consulting practice. I partner with nonprofits and philanthropy to achieve their goals, meeting organizations where they are and supporting them in service of greater and more meaningful impact i.e. better good. 

My Mission: Working towards justice, joy, and abundance for all.

Ethos: No single organization can solve complex problems alone. My work is rooted in collaboration, guiding organizations to understand their role within a broader ecosystem of actors to drive long-term systemic change.

Core Services:

  • Strategy: I work alongside organizations to co-develop impact strategies that align their purpose, capabilities, and community need.

  • Learning & Innovation: I help organizations learn, adapt, and navigate modern challenges to maximize impact. This includes building ‘lean’ testing skills and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

  • Implementation & Governance: Strategy is only as effective as its execution. I work to build the capacity of leadership, staff, and partners to ensure every strategic plan translates into action, learning, and results. This includes playing organizing, managing, and consensus- building roles within collective efforts.

Bithika Misha Schmidt (she/her)
Founder and CEO

About Me

I’m Bithika ‘Misha’ Schmidt (she/her), a social impact strategist based in Atlanta, Georgia, where I live with my husband, dog, and senior cat. I grew up in Snellville, Georgia - “where everybody is somebody” - in an extra-large family of Muslim Bengali immigrants. My life has been a blend of American and Bangladeshi cultures, Muslim and Christian traditions, and soul food and curry dinners—sometimes chaotic, always delicious.

This mix of cultures gave me a unique lens on America, one shaped by both opportunity and inequity. Holding the tension of all that America is and is not, and with a global awareness of my privilege, I’ve learned to navigate complexity and see many truths. I’ve witnessed firsthand how power, resources, and opportunity are unevenly distributed—and how philanthropy and social change often fall short of their best intentions. This fuels my commitment to making the social sector more effective, equitable, and transformative.

With over a decade of experience partnering with nonprofits and philanthropy, I specialize in strategy, scale, and impact.

  • Founder, The Better Good Collective (2022–present): Advising nonprofits and funders, I’ve supported the deployment of $100M+ toward social good to date.

  • Engagement Manager, Open Impact (2022–2024): Partnered with Open Impact to advise funders with B+ in philanthropic assets. Through strategy, governance, and implementation support, I advised on the strategic deployment of $880M in philanthropic funds over the next five years.

  • Managing Consultant, Spring Impact (2017–2022): Led 25+ domestic and international projects to scale their impact. I’ve worked in the U.S., Canada, India, Senegal, Zambia, Kenya, the UK, and beyond.

Want to learn more? [Check out my resume →]

Why Me?

Bridging the Gap Between Communities, Nonprofits, and Philanthropy

With firsthand experience spanning the entire spectrum—from being a beneficiary of public assistance programs, to working on the ground in nonprofits, to advising nonprofits to scale, to overseeing multimillion-dollar grantmaking efforts— I help teams connect the dots and effectively drive meaningful change.

A Tailored, Collaborative Approach

As a relational change manager, I engage trustees, leadership, staff, and grantees to design processes, deliverables, and analyses that lead to the right solutions. Just as importantly, I ensure that all stakeholders are engaged and fully invested in the outcomes.

Data-Driven, Equity-Oriented Strategies

I use data to inform smart decisions and maximize impact. My approach to data collection prioritizes diverse perspectives and sources, recognizing how research and data can either reinforce inequities or help close disparities.

Bangladesh Tea Plantation; 2015; Misha Schmidt