About 15 years ago, I was invited to speak on a panel at a conference run by a large, well-funded national organization whose mission was to represent the entire nonprofit sector. The entry fee for this 3-day conference was $2200, which my org with a budget of $500K couldn’t afford. The panel organizer asked me to apply for a scholarship, which I did, but it wasn’t successful. “Sorry,” I said, “I can’t speak on the panel because my scholarship application got rejected.” She was able to convince the organization to let me in.
Those were three surreal days. I felt like an unwashed peasant who had sneaked into the royal ball. But that dissonance tapered off, and I was disappointed at how a space full of the most powerful nonprofit organizations and leaders were focused on some of the most banal topics possible (“Legal compliance for foundations” “How to lower overhead costs” “The art of keeping donors happy” “Signs someone from a small organization has crashed your conference”). I stuffed my tote bag with as many free swag items and snacks as I could get, consolation prizes for the disillusionment I felt at our sector’s leadership.
It’s been a decade and a half since that conference, and it seems things have not changed very much. These large national organizations are supposed to be the voice for our entire sector but often tend to focus on larger organizations, leaving the smaller, most vulnerable organizations behind. As one colleague puts it:
“If smaller nonprofits and nonprofit associations aren’t invited to the table and given a voice, you will see a deeper divide between the haves and the have nots […] big, well-oiled nonprofit machines and the smaller grassroots orgs who are barely getting by. And impact begins and ends in communities. Those organizations who are embedded in communities already, who have gained the trust of those communities and advocate for those communities every day, are the ones who are and will suffer the most.”
Meanwhile, with everything being on fire right now with nonprofits being attacked by Trump, Republicans, and fascist tech bros, I am hearing a lot of frustration from nonprofits on the frontlines regarding the inactions of these orgs. With a few exceptions—notably the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN), who has been decisive and effective, working with Democracy Forward to immediately sue to stop the executive order that would have frozen federal funds for thousands of organizations, and filing several more lawsuits against the administration since then—most people in our sector have no idea what our handful of national organizations are doing to fight against this regime and advance our sector. As another colleague says:
“[T]hese organizations seem more focused on self-preservation, driven and influenced by the priorities of the most privileged institutions. At a time when courageous leadership is desperately needed, where are they? What are they doing? How are they demonstrating their commitment to equity when they fail to listen to our most under-resourced and vulnerable nonprofits? We don’t need performative solidarity or clueless statements. We need bold action—yesterday. Once again, those with the most to lose are taking the greatest risks—not by choice, but because lives literally depend on it.”
This is not to say most national organizations aren’t doing anything useful. But the time for research, listening sessions, milquetoast conferences and gatherings, and statements with gentle requests to those with power and resources are over. Considering the existential threats nonprofits and our communities are facing, we need those representing the entire sector or entire wings of it to be bolder, adopt some new strategies, kick some hornets’ nests, burn some bridges, stir some shit up.
Push for foundations to increase payout rates: We’ve been having civil conversations about the need for foundations to give out more money than their 5% legal minimum. The increase to 6% or even 10% is not enough. We need 15% or 25% or 50% or whatever is needed to stop the US from turning into a dictatorship. National organizations should be leading this push, and by whatever means necessary, including organizing nonprofits and funders to get it done voluntarily, but also leading efforts to change laws to mandate foundations to do it.
Support protests and other forms of resistance: Millions of people marched in protests on April 5th. Another day of protests is taking place on April 19th. Boycotts have been ongoing. I have seen very little communication from national orgs encouraging these acts of resistance. National organizations can support these efforts by signal boosting urgent calls to action, providing information and training, and getting funders to provide money to these efforts.
Rally funding for legal defense and litigation: As NCN’s efforts show, one of the most potent tools in our arsenal is the court system. The administration has been coming after the entire sector. From what we learn of other autocratic governments, it will also target specific organizations and individuals. We will need to shore up legal defense as well as sue everyone and everything standing in the way of equity and justice if we hope to protect our communities. This costs a lot of money. National organizations should be working with funders to significantly increase these funds.
Encourage political engagement: Being terrified of politics has been bad for nonprofits and our communities. We can push for 501c3s to continue to be apolitical, but that doesn’t mean the whole sector should be. There are mechanisms in place that we should be using, such as 501c4s, to endorse political candidates and take other vital actions. National organizations should be encouraging organizations to get political, provide training and other forms of support, and encourage funders to fund 501c4 and other politically focused organizations and efforts.
Invest in grassroots leadership development: Leaders are not OK right now. Everyone is burning out. National organizations can do a lot to support these leaders by encouraging funding to their orgs as well as to them as individuals. Help create spaces and opportunities for these leaders to be at the table (or form their own tables) to share policy and advocacy agendas—not just get quoted in reports and have token seats on panels.
Hold philanthropy accountable publicly: As I mentioned above, national orgs should be pushing funders to increase their payout rates. But it goes beyond that. I know there’s the power dynamics where you also rely on financial support from funders, but you need to start taking the gloves off. Release report cards on crappy and cowardly funder practices, hold town halls, and otherwise call out the foundations who have been hoarding resources or continuing to have ridiculous requirements that waste nonprofits’ time and energy when we need everyone to focus.
Foster solidarity across movements and sectors: The issues we’re facing—the dismantling of democracy, rise of fascism, gutting of abortion rights, attacks on trans people, environmental destruction, and so on—require cross-sector solidarity to address. National organizations can help be bridges fostering collaboration between various movements and sectors.
Champion mutual aid and nontraditional models: As vital as the nonprofit sector is, we need to be creative about how we help people. I appreciate this article by Thaddeus Squire that dives into alternative models for getting good work done, including mutual aid, forming for-profits, being fiscally sponsored, and even starting religious organizations. National organizations should help bring awareness of these models, amplify ones that are doing good work, provide infrastructure and other support as needed, and convince funders to fund them.
As the crises worsen in the coming years, we all need to snap out of the way we’ve always done things and be bolder and more courageous. This includes national organizations, who, if they can be the voice for all nonprofits (and not just the big, influential ones), get out of toxic intellectualizing and survivalism, and be willing to take serious risks, can play a significant role in protecting and advancing our sector during the biggest challenge it’s ever faced.
