Nonprofits continued to be under enormous stress in 2021 as the pandemic continued and national and global crises — from attacks on democracy to climate change — only deepened. The dawn of a New Year has been accompanied by yet more challenge, as the Omicron variant wreaks havoc across the country.

Yet, amid what has seemed at times like unrelenting bleakness, there are signs of change that will position nonprofits and the broader philanthropic sector for deeper impact in the years ahead. Philanthropy, and especially foundation philanthropy, which has often been seen as impervious to calls to reform, has changed for the better.

I am not qualified to make predictions, but these developments are within reach if leaders in philanthropy and the nonprofit sector make the commitment.

Hope Number One: Building on the shifts that have already taken place since 2020, unrestricted support becomes the default.

Hope Number Two: The role of systemic racism in disparate outcomes in the U.S. is finally recognized and acted on in a way that is embedded in strategies at both foundation and nonprofits.

Hope Number Three: There is, finally, a broad societal recognition of the role nonprofits play in this country — and the imperative to give in support of these organizations. 

Hope Number Four: Governance at nonprofits and foundations is reimagined.

Hope Number Five: Foundation leaders prioritize the climate crisis as the existential threat that it is.

Read the full article about hopes for philanthropy and nonprofits by Phil Buchanan at The Center for Effective Philanthropy.