The United States is undergoing an unprecedented demographic shift. Americans are living longer and having fewer children, pushing the median age of the population to nearly 39 – the oldest it has ever been. Within the next decade, this trend will culminate in a historic milestone: by 2034, the number of U.S. adults aged 65 […]
Nonprofits have never talked more about impact — or felt more pressure to prove it. Donors want dashboards, companies want clean metrics for CSR reports, and foundations want outcomes that justify every dollar. Yet the sector is operating in a paradox: expectations for proof keep rising while public trust remains shaky and evaluation resources remain […]
In the years since COVID-19, the volunteer landscape in the United States has been quietly transformed. Nonprofits say the same thing again and again: we have more people in need – and fewer people to help run our programs. That’s partly true. But it’s also incomplete. According to AmeriCorps’ Volunteering and Civic Life in America […]
How to protect your mission from the risks no one talks about. Every year brings new nonprofit risks — some obvious, some hidden. If you work at a nonprofit, you already know about familiar worries: funding cuts, staff burnout, donor fatigue. But some of the most serious risks are not the ones people talk about […]
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) were once a tool for the wealthy: put assets into an account, take the tax deduction, and recommend grants over time. That’s still true – but something bigger is happening. Entry barriers are falling, consumer-style platforms are emerging, and one-click DAF checkout now lets donors give directly on a nonprofit’s donate page. […]
Strategic planning for nonprofits has never been more complex. Nonprofits are planning in a paradox: on the one hand, donations in the U.S. just hit a record high, buoyed by strong markets. On the other, leaders report thinner cash cushions, rising demand, and growing anxiety about government funding. The picture is bright and stormy at […]
When people talk about philanthropy, the conversation often stops at the U.S. border. Look a little farther south and a richer picture comes into focus: neighborhood mutual aid living alongside modern foundations, city funds working with mayors, and coalitions that bring volunteer time and in-kind help into the same picture as cash. Mexico is a […]
Charitable giving in the U.S. reached $592.5 billion in 2024, according to Giving USA 2025. Individuals and corporations gave more, several sectors hit record highs, and overall giving rose even after adjusting for inflation. It sounds like good news across the board – but what does it really mean for small nonprofits? Audio: ~7 minutes […]
Audio: ~10 minutes Reading time: 5 minutes TL;DR Who signs: In Model A (Comprehensive), the fiscal sponsor signs. In Model C (Pre-approved Grant Relationship), the sponsor is grantee of record and then regrants under a written subgrant. Money flow: Awards are received as the sponsor’s revenue and tracked as restricted funds for the project’s charitable […]
In our previous article, we explored why nonprofits are turning to consultants – and the risks that come with overreliance. But knowing when to hire a consultant is only part of the equation. Equally important is understanding how power, influence, and expectations shape the consulting relationship. Who really sets the agenda — the nonprofit, the […]