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 never been needed more, yet they simultaneously have never been more criticized. They want to help, but they are exhausted, beaten down, their powers diminished. And still the cries for help stir them to keep going, keep walking straight into the line of fire.
Well folks, art has always imitated life.
In our country, local superheroes don’t wear capes. They run nonprofits. They may not have a bat phone that lights up the sky, but their emails chime incessantly and their phones ring off the hook. They don’t swoop in from afar; they are rooted in the same communities they serve, often on the ground and in living rooms with neighbors, tackling problems head-on.
The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s latest State of Nonprofits report confirms what so many nonprofit leaders are already living every day: demand for services is rising, burnout is worsening, and funding instability is making it harder for organizations to sustain their work. Nearly three quarters of nonprofit leaders report increased demand for services, while 46% now say burnout is a major concern.
And yet, nonprofits continue to show up.
Who are these local superheroes? They are the food pantry and the Kiwanis clubs. The kids’ museums and the student organization pushing toward a better future. It is your block club, the history museum, the policy advocates driven not by money but by data, the student-run organization, the space that gathers clothes for those heading out for job interviews, the mentorship space, and the job training programs for people of all ages. They are the organizations delivering meals for our seniors, preserving culture, supporting families, and creating opportunity where systems too often fall short.
Nonprofits do what no company or government agency can do alone. They are people-powered entities built around what communities value most. They are never partisan, never political. They deliver for people daily on a dime, and the return on that investment is nothing less than changed lives.
They respond quickly when disaster strikes, create belonging across generations, and help communities hold together during moments that might otherwise pull them apart.
But heroism should not be the operating model.
Too often, nonprofit leaders and staff are asked to carry impossible burdens with too little stability and too few resources. Many work long hours for modest pay because the mission matters deeply to them. They absorb the stress and trauma communities are experiencing while trying to keep their organizations afloat.
At the same time, organizations are navigating rising costs, reduced funding, and growing uncertainty about the future. Many are fundraising more aggressively, building new partnerships, sharing resources, and finding creative ways to keep serving our communities. What we are witnessing is not a lack of resilience, but rather a sector stretching itself to protect all people in the face of compounding pressures.
This moment should challenge philanthropy to think differently about what nonprofits truly need — not just to survive, but to lead.
That means providing stability instead of volatility. It means investing in long-term capacity, not only short-term crisis response. And it means trusting community-rooted organizations enough to provide flexible support and recognizing that the people closest to the challenges are often closest to the solutions as well.
At The Skillman Foundation, we see every day what becomes possible when communities are trusted, connected, and supported over the long haul. We know that nonprofits are necessary community infrastructure. They are relationship builders, problem solvers, advocates, protectors, and spaces for hope.
And right now, they need us to show up for them the way they have always shown up for others.
CEP’s latest study illuminates not only how beleaguered nonprofit heroes are, but also how urgently they need us to step up and support the helpers.
That support can take on many forms:
- Be wary of broad, unsubstantiated attacks on nonprofits. Accused of fraud? Where’s the proof? Labeled a domestic terrorist? Yikes, sounds awful, but how is that defined, and where is the evidence? Remember, nonprofits are not abstract institutions. They are our neighbors, our community partners, and often, the first place people turn to in moments of crisis. We must keep nonprofits safe from politics and partisanship.
- Recognize that philanthropy alone cannot carry this moment. Foundations should continue providing flexible, unrestricted support and invest in long-term community-rooted strength, while public leaders must ensure budgets and policies reflect the real needs of communities. Give what you can. If you work at a foundation or company, consider how your institution can increase support for nonprofits doing essential work.
- Support organizations directly with your own dollars when possible and let them know to use your contribution as they need.
- Volunteer your time, serve on boards, and share nonprofit work publicly to showcase their contributions to our communities.
- And perhaps most importantly, tell the real story of who nonprofits are and what they do.
In those hero movies, there is always a turning point when someone steps in to help the heroes recover their strength.
This is that moment.
And that someone can be all of us. Dust off those capes.
Angelique Power is president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation.
