1. Funding is changing and new players are stepping up quietly

The USAID shutdown is old news. But it’s not just aid funding that’s shrinking – corporate philanthropy is decreasing too. According to Sam Stephens of AB InBev Foundation, 80% of corporate funders in the US reduced their giving compared to last year, often only funding when it’s directly aligned with their business goals.

The bright spot: Family and individual philanthropists are stepping up quietly, often giving flexibly and without fanfare.

What this calls for: We know funding diversification matters, but if you are aspiring to raise philanthropy from corporates, be wary. And while competition for philanthropic funding from individuals and Foundations is tougher than ever, there is still money moving, and new actors are emerging. It’s not about finding a big number of funders, but a group of strategic ones whose priorities align with your scale plans.

2. Capacity building is key, and there a clear steps to support this

Everyone agrees capacity-building and organisational development are essential, yet the ecosystem feels fragmented. Funders and nonprofits alike struggle to navigate the field of providers.

The bright spot: Initiatives like Civic Strength Partners are helping consolidate and coordinate this space.

What this calls for: Funders need to back capacity-building that’s contextual and flexible and genuinely responsive to organisational realities. Nonprofits need to be made aware that this kind of support does exist and advocate for more of it, not settle for less.

3. Collaboration and power-shifting is going to unlock big impact

Collaboration isn’t an empty buzzword, it’s survival. Funders are demanding it. And most nonprofits can’t deliver business as usual – let alone scale – without it.

But real collaboration demands time, trust, and shared power. People are wrestling with how to move from token participation to genuine co-creation, and how to balance ‘scaling deep’ with scaling up and out.

What this calls for: Deep partnerships are not easy to build, but they’re the only proportionate response to problems that have outgrown what any single organisation can do. Build ones that don’t just share logos, but share decisions, and multiply impact, not fragment it.

The final takeaway: The nonprofit sector is in a period of profound flux. Everyone knows we can’t rely on old structures, and in some cases, the change means shifting those structures for the better.

What shifts are you seeing in your corner of the sector, and what are you doing differently?