Philanthropy Review SPRING 2018

whitePaper | March 30, 2020

Like the rate of failure seen in new business ventures, nonprofits often fail because they cannot secure the funding to be sustainable. This is because many nonprofits focus on their outputs rather than outcomes. Fundraising strategies should emphasize the value of the result expected to be delivered, then emphasize the downstream impact (outcomes) not just focus on the activities (or outputs) of the nonprofit itself.

whitePaper | June 7, 2022

We saw a leveling off in email incidents such as spam and spear phishing, probably related to the use of more tools to protect email. Successful malware attacks declined significantly; whether from protective tools or from a shift in the attack landscape remains to be seen. However, our report shows the blanket risk of cyber fraud attacks on our sector, as in the for-profit and government sectors, is unabated and rising.

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 | February 28, 2022

As we look forward to 2022, we can celebrate the resiliency and brilliance of the nonprofit sector. In this report, we share not just encouraging numbers from over 900 nonprofit finance leaders, but examples of creativity that allowed nonprofits to not just survive but thrive in 2021.

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 | March 9, 2021

Nonprofits have adapted to the challenges of 2020 and pivoted from charity galas to virtual events, while ramping up digital outreach and direct mail campaigns. To help nonprofits continuously connect with donors Data Axle surveyed 1,200+ charitable donors and gleaned insights into their behaviors and preferences – including how they like to give, why they remain loyal, their legacy giving plans, and much more.