Grassi Unveils Findings of 2021 Nonprofit Leadership Survey
New York, N.Y. – September 22, 2021 – Grassi, a leading provider of advisory, tax and accounting services for nonprofit organizations, has revealed the findings of its latest survey of nonprofit leaders. The survey results were unveiled in the 2021 Nonprofit Leadership Survey Report at the firm’s virtual Nonprofit Symposium today.
The survey was conducted this summer to gauge current conditions and outlooks for nonprofits and gather meaningful benchmarking data to help nonprofits recover from COVID-19 losses. The survey questions were developed by members of Grassi’s Nonprofit Practice and fielded by an independent research company.
Highlights of the survey findings point to a challenging environment exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and longstanding industry issues:
- Demand for services increased for more than half of the nonprofits surveyed.
- Nearly half of respondents reported a decline in funding.
- Only 26 percent of respondents feel their boards represent the populations they serve.
- One in three nonprofits surveyed do not have access to a working capital line of credit.
Despite these challenges, the survey findings also reflect a resilient sector as nonprofits adapt to change and reimagine their futures:
- Seventy-one percent of nonprofits surveyed implemented new technology, and forty-two percent created new programs and services.
- Forty-three percent of respondents are considering a collaboration in the next year.
- Half of the nonprofits surveyed have a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policy.
- Fifty-eight percent of nonprofits feel their board members are engaged or highly engaged with the organization.
The findings also include nonprofit leaders’ insights into mergers, business continuity plans, liquidity, financial reporting and more. A full copy of the comprehensive benchmarking report can be downloaded here.
If you would like to discuss the survey findings with one of Grassi’s nonprofit professionals, please contact us here.
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