Government funding can be transformative for nonprofits. Federal, state, and local grants help organizations provide shelter, food, transportation, childcare, workforce development, victim services, healthcare, and countless other services communities depend upon. But government funding also carries a risk that nonprofit leaders and Boards should understand: The more dependent an organization becomes on a small number of government funding sources, the more vulnerable it becomes to decisions outside its control. A nonprofit can be well managed, produce excellent outcomes, meet every grant requirement - and still lose funding. Funding Can Change Faster Than Your Mission Government funding is influenced by appropriations,...... Read The Rest

“How many people do you serve?” It’s one of the most common questions funders ask—and an important one. But for rural nonprofits, the answer doesn’t always tell the whole story. Imagine an urban nonprofit serving 5,000 people within a relatively compact area. Now imagine a rural nonprofit serving 500 people across several counties. The first number is bigger. But what if the rural organization is the only provider of a critical service for those 500 people? What if its staff drive for hours to reach clients? What if the nearest alternative is 50 miles away? The headcount doesn’t tell the...... Read The Rest

We talk a lot about funding gaps in rural communities. But there is one gap that doesn't always get enough attention: Rural animal welfare. When we hear “animal welfare,” the conversation often centers on dogs and cats. And they absolutely need advocates, care, and resources. But rural communities have a much broader animal welfare landscape. Horses. Cattle. Sheep. Goats. Poultry. Livestock. Working animals. For many rural families, animals aren't simply pets. They can be companions, working partners, a source of income, part of a farm or ranch operation, or a significant financial investment. And that creates an interesting problem for...... Read The Rest

Federal funding can make a nonprofit's eyes light up. $250,000. $500,000. $1 million. Those numbers can look like the answer to a lot of problems. But here's the part that doesn't always get talked about: Federal dollars are not easy dollars. Before a nonprofit ever receives that money, there may be significant work involved in finding the right opportunity, determining eligibility, registering, developing the application, building the budget, gathering required documentation, and competing for the award.[1] And if you win? That's when the work really begins. Federal Funding Has a Lifecycle Federal grants move through several stages: finding and preparing...... Read The Rest

Dear Funders, Let's talk about something rural communities have in abundance: Talent. It may be in a small town, on a farm, in a rural school, at a community college, or in a nonprofit serving a rural community. And it is here. Some of it is extraordinary. Geography Is a Terrible Proxy for Potential Rural communities are sometimes viewed through a lens that assumes smaller population means smaller possibility. America's history tells us otherwise. Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky and raised in rural Indiana. He had very little formal education before becoming one of America's most consequential presidents.[1] George...... Read The Rest