It’s perhaps the understatement of the year — or, maybe more fittingly, the semiquincentennial — to say that it’s a challenging moment for the nonprofit sector. As CEP has shared in some of its latest research as well as other public forums, burnout is spiking, foundation funding is more unpredictable than ever, and many nonprofits are having to pivot and make the most difficult of decisions just to stay afloat.
But let’s set that aside, at least for now, as we approach this notable — and notably disharmonious — Fourth of July. At a time when celebrating our nation’s birth and its complicated history can feel especially fraught — and in a political era when our faith in the state of civil society might seem tempered — let’s do what CEP does best and turn to the data so that we can talk about our values.
CEP’s grantee survey in particular unlocks a wealth and a range of perspectives, including one theme in particular that’s cause for fireworks: connection.
The foundations who many grantees say are meeting this moment in the most powerful ways are the ones who are serving as connectors and convenors, who understand that, especially in a crisis, the sector is better as a whole when funders are bringing partners together. After all, the most intractable problems become a little bit smaller when organizations and leaders stand alongside each other.
With this in mind, below are examples from grantees of how funders have nurtured connection and, in the process, reaffirmed the centrality of the sector not only to a strong, robust civil society, but to our national identity. (I’m sure at this point you are waiting for me to quote here everyone’s favorite observer of American society and culture, Alexis de Tocqueville — you’ll have to wait till the end of this post.)
NB: these quotes have been edited for clarity and to maintain the confidentiality of grantees who responded to CEP’s survey.
[The Funder] creates an entire ecosystem of support beyond the grant itself. They offer strategic advice, invite me to speak on panels to other funders, and introduce us to other nonprofits in their portfolio to help expand our reach. They’re not just writing checks — they’re actively opening doors and building connections that amplify our work. It’s the best of all worlds.
Beyond the direct grant support we have received, the Foundation has fundamentally shaped how [we think] about our work and place in the broader development landscape. Their commitment to trust-based, locally-led philanthropy has affirmed our belief that communities [in our area] are not problems to be solved by outside expertise, but wellsprings of solutions that need catalytic investment and the freedom to lead. The Foundation’s … peer networks and active championing of [local] organizations has challenged us to think beyond project-by-project survival and invest in our own institutional strength and long-term vision.
[This funding partner] influences the field [by] bringing together other, comparable providers who work in the same field and/or in other fields that are related, [creating] a value multiplier effect to ensure that brightest and best [organizations] are serving the communities, especially the immigrant community, and strengthening the organizations providing the services and resources to the communities that we serve.
The Foundation serves as a convener, bringing together practitioners and partners from around the state to learn and work together on big picture problems. Through Foundation convenings and meetings, our organization has received practical training and in-depth analysis of statewide policy and [systems] changes. Through Foundation activities and networks, we have also made connections with other organizations and experts that have helped us stay connected, involved, and updated on progress throughout the state beyond our specific grant activities.
The Foundation’s convening power and voicehelp elevate important development conversations, encourage collaboration among actors, and model values-driven leadership within the sector. This influence extends beyond individual grants, contributing to stronger institutions, more confident leadership, and a deeper commitment to sustainable, community-rooted change.
Within our field, [the Foundation] models a form of partnership that values [grantees] as thought partners, not just implementers. That example influences how other funders and collaborators engage with us and with locally-led organizations more broadly. The Foundation’s convenings and peer connections further strengthen the ecosystem by reducing isolation and fostering shared learning among community-based leaders. Overall, [the Foundation’s] influence extends well beyond the grant itself — it strengthens our resilience, credibility, and leadership within the communities we serve.
[This foundation] has the ability to bring together related organizations from across the sector into open, collaborative dialogue and thought partnership, and all in a way I don’t necessarily experience uniformly across the philanthropy sector. By having such a wide view and perspective of the sector, [the Foundation] has a laser focus on the needs, strengths, and roadblocks we experience. The collaborative nature of this process has been transformative for our work in this space.
Fingers crossed reading these makes you feel a little bit more hopeful, and that these reflections from grantees serve as a reminder of how much we’re able to do when we’re in community: sharing stories, collaborating, and helping and celebrating one another.
Or in the words of our friend Mr. de Toqueville, we might be using this Independence Day to relocate a shared sense that our, “Feelings and ideas are renewed, the heart enlarged, and the understanding developed only by the reciprocal action of men one upon another.” Happy Fourth of July, indeed.
Joseph Lee is a senior manager on the Assessment and Advisory Services team at CEP. Find him on LinkedIn.
