Five Issues Nonprofits Face

At JK Executive Strategies, we are privileged to work with some of the most dedicated and passionate individuals and organizations in the nonprofit sector. Over the years, our team has had the opportunity to collaborate with remarkable nonprofits, and through these experiences, we've identified the top five challenges that many nonprofits face in 2023 and beyond. I'm excited to share these insights with you, along with quotes from a recent interview with our exceptional nonprofit consultants:? Kim Brumber, Mary Whittier, and Alyssa Whitfield.

Fundraising and Financial Sustainability:?

Nonprofits often struggle with financial sustainability, making it challenging to achieve their missions fully. Alyssa Whitfield, our experienced consultant, highlights this concern:

"Fundraising is the number one issue that nonprofits struggle with. From running campaigns, to assessing if they are ready to do a campaign and ultimately the follow up, requires massive attention and teamwork.”

Resource Allocation:?

Mary Whittier, another dedicated consultant, underscores the issue of resource allocation:

"There are over 1,500 nonprofits in our region alone and many of them have been dependent on government funding that is no longer available. Money coming in may not change, but it is imperative that we are telling our available funds where to go - especially in the nonprofit sector.”

Impact Measurement:?

Measuring and demonstrating the impact of their programs and initiatives is a vital concern for nonprofits. Kim Brumber emphasizes the significance of impact measurement:

"In the non-profit realm, what many people don’t realize is that the entire model is built in a constrained environment. There’s regulation, limitations by funders, etc. You must have team members or trusted advisors that understand how to grow within these parameters.”

Stakeholder Engagement:?

Engaging stakeholders effectively is a continuous challenge for nonprofits. Alyssa Whitfield shares from personal experience:?

"When you’re just starting a nonprofit with one or two people, you have to build everything - including a board. Building a board of stakeholders is no light work! Finding like-minded, mission-centered people is key for all non-profits.”

Talent Acquisition and Retention:?

Recruiting and retaining skilled and dedicated staff is a consistent challenge for nonprofits. Mary Whittier shares her insights:

"In many ways starting a nonprofit is like starting and running a business. In some ways you felt like you needed to be the jack of all trades and masters of none. I wish there was a team like JK Executive Strategies that could have helped me 20 years ago. It’s ok to ask for help and we are truly better together!”

Concluding Thoughts:

At JK Executive Strategies, we remain committed to partnering with nonprofits and supporting them in their mission-driven work. We are grateful to our consultants, Kim Brumber, Mary Whittier, and Alyssa Whitfield, for their dedication and expertise in addressing these challenges.

We believe that by raising awareness about these issues, we can collaborate as a community to create a brighter future for nonprofits and the causes they serve. If you have insights or experiences to share on these challenges or solutions to offer, please feel free to join the conversation.

Together, we can make a difference.

Warm regards,

Jill Knittel

Owner/CEO, JK Executive Strategies