Dear Friends —
It is a tough time to be a leader in many, many corners of the nonprofit sector — to be a “for-purpose” leader.
Let me count the ways.
First and foremost, you’re worried about the people you’re trying to serve. Whether directly through food banks and domestic violence shelters, or indirectly through research and advocacy, nonprofit organizations are established to serve the public good. Many are seeing a combination of political and market forces strip away support and opportunities from large numbers of people who deserve much more from society; in some cases, the harms seem irreversible.
You’re also seeing threats to your organization and your staff. You’re worried about ongoing funding you get from the government. Sure, you’re always worried about funding because that’s what living on “soft money” is like. But this time you’ve experienced (or you fear you will soon experience) an abrupt termination of government support for the community services you provide, the research you do, or the expert technical assistance you offer.
You’re also worried about whether the philanthropic funders you’ve counted on are still on your side. They don’t seem to be returning calls and emails as quickly, and some seem to be in a defensive crouch of their own. Maybe it’s that proposed tax bill Congress is debating that might reduce their resources; or the Executive Order attacking lots of private organizations seen as promoting “illegal DEI.”
Once you start thinking about the money, you start to fret about your investments. If you’ve been fortunate enough to build up enough of a reserve to invest, you’re watching the wild swings in stocks and bonds with concern.
Then there are the words on your website and in social media. You’re always attentive to your reputation and your digital messaging, for fear of getting on the wrong side of a fault line with your choices of messages. But this time you feel like you have to think about whether and how to scrub the “woke” without sending a signal that you’re shifting your work.
And for some nonprofits, there are the effects of on-line trolling and even threats to physical safety.
In short, for leaders of organizations that constitute close to 6 percent of U.S. GDP and employ 13 million people — for those who are running museums and after-school programs, organizing legal aid services and civil rights advocacy, holding public officials to account and creating better policy solutions — it is a moment for fortitude, solidarity, and a whole lot of hard work.
I’m not sure whether it helps to know that you are seen, fighting a good fight that seems to get harder every day — but if it does, know that you are. You have friends.
Highly recommended listening (and reading) from my brother-in-law, David Goodman: “A Walk in the Woods with Mohsen Mahdawi.”
Some readers (not all) will appreciate — and immediately join — Melani Sanders’s “We Do Not Care Club” on Instagram.
Have a good weekend, whether you care or not,
-Ruth