Research and recommendations for effective, day-to-day nonprofit practice from ASU faculty, staff, students, and the nonprofit and philanthropic community.
That we need to remind ourselves to involve the communities we hope to empower in our nonprofit work is telling. Who better to lead the way? Someone who has worked in nonprofit boardrooms for years, arguably doing much good and understanding the nuances of bureaucracy that can make or break mission-driven initiatives? Or someone on the front lines of the community, holding embedded history and the intergenerational relationships unlearnable to an outsider?
Truthfully, both are needed.
This shift toward embracing community strengths rather than focusing on deficits as a noble outsider is known as Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). ABCD is about recognizing the talents, relationships, and resources already present within communities and building collaboratively to leverage them.
In my current work, I’m honored to support formerly incarcerated individuals on a pathway to sustainable employment. I’ve worked in nonprofits for nearly 20 years, but I have zero personal experience being incarcerated.
So when it comes time to create programming and write funding proposals, our greatest assets are the nearly half of my teammates who have lived experience with incarceration. Those who have left prison with nothing more than a prison ID, somewhere south of $100, and are expected to thrive in a society they may barely recognize.
My colleagues with lived experience are the ones who create the real connections…
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While the most common and well-known method of income for nonprofits is from donations, there is also a percentage of nonprofits that receive some or even most of their income from federal grants. The types of nonprofits most likely receiving federal funding are organizations in healthcare, education, research or environmental services. These organizations provide important work for the government for continuation of societal programs that otherwise would not be offered to the full extent that they are.
Current events
In late January of 2025 the White House Administration put out a memo of an executive order calling for a pause on all federal funding. This was a major concern for nonprofits who rely heavily on federal funding, with many having to cut programs and lay off staff. As of most recently the federal funding cuts are being aimed at higher education institutions. Funding for these institutions goes towards a variety of programs including student aid, faculty salary, overhead costs and research projects making advancements in science and medicine.
An example of this currently happening is at Harvard University. Harvard is being denied $2.3 billion in federal funding, which will greatly affect their ability to continue educational programs and conduct critical scientific research.
What to do next
Review grant language:
If organizations feel…
In the nonprofit sector, integrated communication and fundraising strategies are essential for maximizing organizational impact and achieving mission-driven goals. By aligning messaging, outreach, and resource allocation across all channels, nonprofits can overcome challenges such as fragmented communication, inconsistent messaging, and inefficient use of resources. An integrated approach enhances donor engagement, strengthens organizational identity, and improves overall effectiveness, positioning nonprofits for sustained success.
The importance of integrated strategies
External Factors: In today’s competitive nonprofit landscape, transparency and trust are paramount to donor engagement. A 2020 study by Gose found that 70% of donors list trust as the most important factor when deciding to contribute, while fewer than 20% of Americans express high levels of trust in charitable organizations. To build trust, nonprofits must ensure that their messaging is consistent and cohesive across all communication channels, whether through social media, email, or direct mail. Research supports the notion that unified messaging helps foster donor trust, increases retention, and improves overall fundraising success.
Internal Factors: Within nonprofit organizations, communication and fundraising efforts are often siloed, leading to inefficiencies. When departments such as…
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Properly fulfilling a nonprofit’s mission and providing quality services to the community hinges on the staff hired to perform that work. However, Nonprofits can have unique challenges leading to difficulty in recruitment and retention amongst qualified staff, leading to a workforce crisis in the nonprofit sector.
Contributing factors leading to crisis
Being able to provide a competitive compensation package is a leading challenge for nonprofit organizations. The recent phenomenon of the “Great Resignation” has led to a choosier labor pool, with for-profit companies being able to offer higher salaries and strong benefit packages to prospective employees. Nonprofits are left unable to compete with for profit counterparts due to their reliance on outside funding for their operation costs.
Nonprofit workers, specifically those in client facing roles, also have a higher risk factor for burnout and compassion fatigue. Feelings of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and the inability to accomplish goals are characteristics of burnout caused by chronic workplace stress. Nonprofit workers are also more likely to experience compassion fatigue, which is related specifically to a reduction in empathy, due to the repeated exposure to hard client stories. When staff experience compassion fatigue or burnout, their work ability can be impacted, ultimately leading to lower level of care or resignation from…
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Whether a school filled with teachers and coaches, a theater company with actors and set designers, or a research organization providing critical information and analysis, the people who provide services, raise funds, and keep the mission going are the single most important component of our organizations. Our people are our programs.
Why talent development is important
Staff turnover and vacancy can have negative impacts on program delivery and on the quality of those programs. According to a 2019 Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN) survey of nonprofit professionals, nearly 90% of respondents felt they were better able to succeed at work because of professional development opportunities, and a similar number reported professional development as a factor in their job search.
“Funds spent on leadership training provide high returns on investment (ROI).” noted Beth Black in a recent Nonprofit Times article. “And this ROI isn’t just fiscal. It’s a great way to increase your mission impact, bring in higher revenues, control costs and provide for greater stability as you build employee loyalty.” Turnover and attrition will take place in any organization. Mitigating that risk by planning for succession at all levels, and creating pathways to grow the skills and leadership capabilities of top performers will have a direct benefit…
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