The Pulse of Technology: Meeting Donors Where They Live

whitePaper | February 11, 2020

It’s the turn of a new decade, and several social, technological, economic and political forces promise to shape the future of the nonprofit sector. Some are already in play – or have been for some time – and are already challenging nonprofit organizations. They have the potential to fundamentally transform the sector. I’ve outlined eight predictions here; a convergence of these factors will alter the landscape, necessitating a major shift in the way nonprofit organizations operate.

whitePaper | May 5, 2022

There is no doubt you have noticed the evolution of accelerated technology over the last two years. With that evolution, technology has morphed into every single field of work. With new work models, technology and innovation are essential for every organization to grow and thrive. The benefits of technology are endless, including social connectivity, streamlined communication, and remote collaboration.

whitePaper | February 2, 2023

A year ago, the phrase “the new normal,” was commonly used to describe expectations for 2022. This year, the word “normal” is largely absent. Nearly every risk report looking ahead to 2023 begins with a litany of disruptions and challenges organizations are facing: COVID-19 variants, inflation, higher interest rates, staffing shortages, cyberthreats, war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions, increase in energy prices, political and social change, and more.

whitePaper | April 6, 2020

Philanthropy has always been centered on individuals giving back to causes that ignite an emotional response. In recent years, this emotional connection to important causes combined with controversial political events has produced a new type of giving that many have dubbed “rage philanthropy” or “rage giving.” Americans today are making more political donations than they were two decades ago, highlighting the fact that they are engaged in political issues now more than ever before (Hughes, 2017). Political events and changes to major legislation can influence the way donors engage with your nonprofit—and understanding rage philanthropy can help your organization increase giving opportunities.

whitePaper | February 21, 2020

The nonprofit sector is experiencing a racial leadership gap. Studies show the percentage of people of color in the executive director/CEO role has remained under 20% for the last 15 years1 even as the country becomes more diverse. To understand the causes of this disparity, the Building Movement Project conducted the Nonprofits, Leadership, and Race survey with over 4,000 respondents. The study found few differences between white and people of color (POC) respondents in their aspirations or preparation for leadership roles—in fact people of color are more likely to be interested in becoming a nonprofit leader than whites. Survey respondents identified Boards of Directors and executive recruiters as key barriers to the hiring of more people of color executive directors/CEOs.

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.