Disaster Preparedness Manual for Nonprofit Organizations

whitePaper | August 8, 2021

Recent years have seen a rise in anti-democratic extremism, hate speech and violence in the U.S. As concern about these problems has grown, the search for solutions has led to questions about how hate groups are funded. Many in the philanthropic sector have echoed these concerns, and have taken steps to prevent the funding of hate and extremism, while others are interested in doing so. Values-Aligned Philanthropy is a Council on Foundations project that digs into the issue of funding hate and extremism, documenting the problem and the response of the sector to date. This first phase report was created to support foundations concerned about this issue.

whitePaper | January 6, 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing our world on a daily basis. The world of medicine is being industrialized by artificial intelligence, the data you thought you owned is being used to manipulate elections, and everyone is connected, everywhere. Much research has been done on the State of Artificial Intelligence in the world, but less research has been completed in the nonprofit sector. The SAINS report will add to the body of nonprofit literature and accelerate artificial intelligence advancements for nonprofits.

whitePaper | May 1, 2023

The second part of the annual Grow Together Report surveyed 120 decision makers in nonprofits in April 2023 to understand the current state of nonprofit organizations in Canada. The survey reveals that financial pressures for nonprofits have eased somewhat in the last 12 months, although organizations continue to struggle with rising costs and with securing skilled talent to help drive strategic initiatives, including digital transformation.

whitePaper | December 19, 2019

Our complex, changing world continually challenges leaders to be flexible and innovative. At the heart of efforts to create change, nonprofits, agencies, communities, and funders are working to uncover the roots of some of our greatest social issues, so-called “wicked problems.” At the Center for Creative Leadership, we have had the privilege to work alongside many social sector partners as they invest in improving the health of entire populations, transforming education to serve all, and alleviating persistent, intergenerational poverty. These experiences have led us to an increased understanding of the aspects of leadership that propel these efforts to greater success.

whitePaper | March 25, 2020

In their seminal article, "Nonprofit Starvation Cycle", Ann Goggins Gregory and Dan Howard exhort nonprofit finance professionals to report to funders the real costs of running nonprofit organizations. The authors explain that the popular trend to restrict funding to specific programs without accounting for infrastructure expenses leads to an unintended consequence, a "nonprofit starvation cycle", where charities cease to function because they can't pay for overhead costs, such as administrative employees, computers and electric bills. To break this unhealthy cycle, the article encourages nonprofits to recalibrate funder expectations by providing accurate financial reports and other supporting information to reflect the true costs of nonprofit operations.

whitePaper | February 12, 2020

As technology and innovation continue to be in the forefront of the nonprofit sector, 2020 will be about learning more about what these technologies and solutions have to offer and tying them back in with traditional fundraising strategies. New bright and shiny technologies are offering what seems like limitless ways to connect with donors. But it’s important to remember that donors still need human interaction, personalization and relationships, so the tried-and-true fundraising strategies shouldn’t just be tossed out the door.