Nonprofit and philanthropy summary
Nonprofits and philanthropic organizations fill a unique role in society, bridging the gap in social, economic, and environmental needs where the public and private sectors don’t. Yet, mission-driven organizations are expected to do critical, often life-saving work with little funding invested in their organizational growth.
In 2023 in particular, nonprofits had the Herculean task of driving mission impact in a world with increasingly complex challenges, from rising food insecurity and rates of homelessness to systemic inequities and a declining rate of civility in our communities. In the year ahead, our nonprofit and philanthropic organizations will fill these gaps in society for those who most need their support, while concurrently managing reductions in giving, growing staffing shortages, and a rapidly evolving technical landscape.
As consultants, our primary job is to listen. So, as we enter a new year, we’re sharing what we’ve heard from Slalom’s nonprofit customers and offering some perspectives on where organizational investment can be most impactful. When reflecting on trends we saw with nonprofit customers, we observed four key themes, and given the prevalence of GenAI, we’re offering ideas along the way for where we think this tool can be applied:
Donations have dropped year-over-year, requiring an even smarter approach to prospecting
Drive donor engagement and mission outcomes by leveraging your data as a strategic asset
Put beneficiaries at the center of your data in a landscape of increasing trust-based philanthropy
Reduce staffing shortages and fatigue by putting your people first
