Tag: cep
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When Federal Policy Retreats, Local Action Must LeadRip Rapson President and CEO, The Kresge FoundationShamar Bibbins Managing Director, Environment Program, The Kresge Foundation
When the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced earlier this year that it was reversing the Endangerment Finding — the long-standing federal policy establishing that greenhouse gases pose a clear and present danger […] The post When Federal Policy Retreats, Local Action Must LeadRip Rapson President and CEO, The Kresge FoundationShamar Bibbins Managing Director, Environment Program, The Kresge…
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Shifting Out of Neutral Phil Buchanan President, CEP
Institutional neutrality has been all the rage these past few years, but it is time to recognize that it is a fallacy. Let me start with some background. Since the […] The post Shifting Out of Neutral Phil Buchanan President, CEP appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post >>
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Philanthropy in Prose: Why Better Grantmaking Matters Now More Than EverDaniel Stid Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute
The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) has recently shared some sobering survey data in “State of Nonprofits 2026: What Funders Need to Know.” The proportion of nonprofit CEOs who report […] The post Philanthropy in Prose: Why Better Grantmaking Matters Now More Than EverDaniel Stid Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute appeared first on The Center…
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A ‘Perfect Storm’: One Nonprofit Leader on Fear, Funding, and Finding a Way ThroughCaroline Gasparini Coordinator, Research, CEPElizabeth Lindsey Executive Director, Genesys Works National Capital Region
“We have had to be agile, flexible, and optimistic in ways that I haven’t experienced before.” Elizabeth Lindsey, who leads the Washington, DC area location of the youth-empowerment nonprofit Genesys Works, has spent most of […] The post A ‘Perfect Storm’: One Nonprofit Leader on Fear, Funding, and Finding a Way ThroughCaroline Gasparini Coordinator, Research, CEPElizabeth Lindsey Executive Director, Genesys…
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An Urgent ‘Passing Gear’ Call to Action: Leveraging Foundation Grantmaking in a Landscape of RetrenchmentJon Pratt Senior Research Fellow, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Nonprofit Financial CommonsRuth McCambridge Director of Content, Nonprofit Financial Commons
In CEP’s latest research report, “The State of Nonprofits 2026,” one of its three major findings is that “despite ongoing financial challenges, many nonprofits are making strategic adaptations to their […] The post An Urgent ‘Passing Gear’ Call to Action: Leveraging Foundation Grantmaking in a Landscape of RetrenchmentJon Pratt Senior Research Fellow, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits,…
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Nonprofits Keep Showing Up — Now We Must Show Up for ThemAngelique Power President and CEO, The Skillman Foundation
There is always that part in the superhero movie when the superheroes themselves are beleaguered. Emergencies are burning all around them, while the rhetoric has been manipulated against them. They’ve […] The post Nonprofits Keep Showing Up — Now We Must Show Up for ThemAngelique Power President and CEO, The Skillman Foundation appeared first on…
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What If Philanthropy Hoarded Uncertainty, Not Money?Katya Fels Smyth Senior Fellow, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University
“Our biggest challenge is higher volatility in giving. More foundations than we would expect in a typical year have reduced or dropped their support.” – A nonprofit leader This statement, […] The post What If Philanthropy Hoarded Uncertainty, Not Money?Katya Fels Smyth Senior Fellow, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University appeared first on The…
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Six Questions About ‘State of Nonprofits 2026’CEP Staff
When we presented CEP’s new report, “State of Nonprofits 2026: What Funders Need to Know” in a webinar last week, our attendees came prepared: We brought the data and you […] The post Six Questions About ‘State of Nonprofits 2026’CEP Staff appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post >>
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In Light of New ‘State of Nonprofits’ Data, Philanthropy Must Harness the ‘Power of Possible’Alfonso Tomás Wenker Senior Vice President of Community Impact, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
Amid burnout, fear of being targeted and funding cuts, our grantee partners are clear that things are not sustainable. Funders, our response cannot be silence, self-protection, or simply falling back […] The post In Light of New ‘State of Nonprofits’ Data, Philanthropy Must Harness the ‘Power of Possible’Alfonso Tomás Wenker Senior Vice President of Community…
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Responding to the State of Nonprofits in 2026: What Funders Can DoJoanne Florino Adam Meyerson Distinguished Fellow in Philanthropic Excellence, Philanthropy Roundtable
Reading CEP’s latest report on the current state of nonprofits took me back to the Great Recession and the challenges brought on by COVID-19. The combination of CEO and staff […] The post Responding to the State of Nonprofits in 2026: What Funders Can DoJoanne Florino Adam Meyerson Distinguished Fellow in Philanthropic Excellence, Philanthropy Roundtable…
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‘Too Many Nonprofits’ Is Not Our Biggest ProblemPhil Buchanan President, CEP
“There are too many nonprofits.” “Yes,” someone else will chime in. “There are too many nonprofits.” It’s a comment I hear frequently in gatherings of funders, and when it’s said, […] The post ‘Too Many Nonprofits’ Is Not Our Biggest ProblemPhil Buchanan President, CEP appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy. Goto full post…
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A Decade of Listening: How Houston Endowment Turned Staff Survey Data into a Stronger CultureSherry Fultz Director of People and Culture, Houston Endowment
At Houston Endowment, we’ve used the Center for Effective Philanthropy Staff Perception Report since 2012, and one thing has become clear: the data points us in the right direction, but deciding […] The post A Decade of Listening: How Houston Endowment Turned Staff Survey Data into a Stronger CultureSherry Fultz Director of People and Culture, Houston…
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A Fond Farewell to a Catalyst of CEP’s Growth and EvolutionPhil Buchanan President, CEP
When Grace Chiang Nicolette joined the Center for Effective Philanthropy in 2011, our staff numbered 32. Our audience was overwhelmingly foundations. Our media profile was relatively modest — and it […] The post A Fond Farewell to a Catalyst of CEP’s Growth and EvolutionPhil Buchanan President, CEP appeared first on The Center for Effective Philanthropy.…
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Funding What You Can’t See: The Vital, Invisible Work of Disaster PreparednessPatricia McIlreavy President and CEO, Center for Disaster Philanthropy
Across the United States and around the world, communities are preparing for disasters that have not yet occurred. Emergency response teams are reviewing and refining their playbooks. Public works crews […] The post Funding What You Can’t See: The Vital, Invisible Work of Disaster PreparednessPatricia McIlreavy President and CEO, Center for Disaster Philanthropy appeared first…
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Why Philanthropy Needs a New Language for Digital RiskJean Westrick Executive Director, Technology Association of Grantmakers
Ask most foundation leaders what “cybersecurity” means, and they’ll describe firewalls, phishing simulations, and password policies. They’re not wrong, but what they describe is a much smaller problem than the […] The post Why Philanthropy Needs a New Language for Digital RiskJean Westrick Executive Director, Technology Association of Grantmakers appeared first on The Center for…
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When Shift Happens, What Does It Mean for Philanthropy to Leave Well?Laila Bell, M.P.A. Vice President, Learning and Impact, The Skillman FoundationStephanie Teleki, Ph.D. Director of Learning and Impact, The California Health Care FoundationJaime Vazquez, M.A. Senior Associate, Planning and Evaluation, The Pew Charitable Trusts
When a foundation shifts course or steps away, what happens to the work — and to the people who depend on it? Few funders will support a single strategy or […] The post When Shift Happens, What Does It Mean for Philanthropy to Leave Well?Laila Bell, M.P.A. Vice President, Learning and Impact, The Skillman FoundationStephanie…
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Funders Want Impact, Strong Coalitions Can Deliver It Monica Martinez Program Director, College Success, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. FundRia Sengupta Bhatt Founder and Principal Consultant, Mandala Strategies
As California lawmakers were assembling the most recent state budget, a coalition of nonprofits played a leading role in securing emergency aid for undocumented students facing unexpected costs that could derail their journey to a life-changing […] The post Funders Want Impact, Strong Coalitions Can Deliver It Monica Martinez Program Director, College Success, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. FundRia Sengupta Bhatt Founder and…
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From Belief to Practice: Why Multiyear Flexible Funding Still Lags Behind ConsensusHannah Smith Manager, Editorial and Publications, Exponent Philanthropy
Most funders agree on what nonprofits need to thrive: flexibility, trust, and sustained support. These principles are widely endorsed, reflected in conference panels and board conversations alike. Yet multiyear general […] The post From Belief to Practice: Why Multiyear Flexible Funding Still Lags Behind ConsensusHannah Smith Manager, Editorial and Publications, Exponent Philanthropy appeared first on…
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Rethinking Payout: The Hidden Costs of Undervaluing Social ReturnKendall Pettygrove Senior Financial Analyst, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
What We Miss When We Measure Foundations typically make payout decisions using logic borrowed from finance. The underlying assumption is straightforward: over the long term, endowment assets generate reliable financial […] The post Rethinking Payout: The Hidden Costs of Undervaluing Social ReturnKendall Pettygrove Senior Financial Analyst, David and Lucile Packard Foundation appeared first on The…
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Governing Through Nonprofit Instability: A Purpose-Driven FrameworkDanielle Gilmore, Ph.D., MPP, CHES Director of Learning and Research, BoardSource
The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s recent research tells a clear story: Nonprofits are carrying more demand with fewer resources. Foundations have responded, yet many still believe the response does not […] The post Governing Through Nonprofit Instability: A Purpose-Driven FrameworkDanielle Gilmore, Ph.D., MPP, CHES Director of Learning and Research, BoardSource appeared first on The Center…