For many organizations, leaders and institutions, these are unprecedented times. We have seen many philanthropists and foundations suddenly change the focus of their funding portfolio or stop funding causes and organizations altogether. Some have done so publicly, while others have quietly withdrawn funding from organizations they were long committed to, deeply affecting the sustainability of on-going work in vulnerable areas and compromising the ability and capacity of organizations to continue to meet on-going – and even more critical – needs by many. In addition, the climate of fear of political targeting, persecution, or vengeance has led to many institutions to reassess their work – how they do it, how public they are about doing it, who they do it with, and even if they will do it at all.
In this unstable funding climate, having steady leaders, internal and external thought partners, and a group of trusted advisers is gold. Organizations that are mission-driven have a moral and legal duty to honor that mission, even when (particularly when) that mission is politically unpopular or under attack. Being able to take the long view of the organizational arc may help leaders to see more clearly and think differently about what appears to be an existential threat; instead, it could actually be an opportunity. Unabashedly leading with mission and integrity in tumultuous climates may mean, 1) potentially growing your support and base; 2) appealing to a new and different group of funders; and 3) forcing the organization to reassess how and why it has been doing its work, and what it could – or should – be doing instead.
Building out a support team of trusted advisers should include mediators, strategists and consultants – in addition to the Board of Directors – who can provide risk assessments based on legal and financial outlooks. There are now several firms who specialize in advising non-profit clients and they do so with a deep understanding and appreciation of the social and economic changes they seek to bring about with their work. One in particular, The Build Up Companies, provides critical advice and support as part of their commitment to on-going justice work by organizations and funders in historically marginalized groups. When organizations engaged in social justice work – of the foundations funding them – increasingly face threats of removal of their charitable status or invasive audits and accounting, it’s critical for organizations to have legal and strategic counsel to assist them in navigating the attack.
In addition, incorporating into strategic planning processes short and long-term planning for unexpected and substantial changes to the funding and programmatic landscape will only leave institutions on more solid footing and help avoid perpetual crisis management. Understanding what can be “waited out” and is severable versus what the organization must stand its ground on can be clarifying for organizational leadership, staff and supporters. It’s important to communicate what the organization is gravitating towards if imminent and significant changes are on the rise, and how and why they are in furtherance of the mission, particularly if they imply embarking on new areas of work.
Ultimately, in the face of unstable or sudden shifts in funding and regulatory climate, organizations can prepare themselves both before and in the middle of the crisis by building ahead of time their support team and having honest conversations about who they are and what they’re willing to withstand. When seen as an invitation to repurpose or rethink its mission, attacks or challenges to an organization’s stability can leave it stronger still, with a clearer and more consistent message, increased support and appreciation for its integrity and a widened base of funders.
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