---
title: "From Feedback to Action: Reimagining Philanthropy Through Nonprofit Voices"
description: Understanding the challenges nonprofits face and identify ways to alleviate some of the burdens nonprofits carry every day.
image: https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/hubfs/Reimagining_Philanthropy_3.png
---
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October 21st, 2026 | [philanthropy](https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/tag/philanthropy)
# From Feedback to Action: Reimagining Philanthropy Through Nonprofit Voices
**by [Kelly Fliller](https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/author/kelly-fliller)**
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*Thank you to Jessamyn Shams-Lau and Jocelyn Curran of [Unicorn Philanthropy](https://www.philanthropyunicorns.com/) for guiding this work. You can learn more about [their process, here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/13F60dzNg5oYIqTzwgbrTd8FHqyFjQbkr/view?pli=1). And a special thanks to all of the nonprofit leaders who provided their candid feedback and experiences.*
Those of us in philanthropy have a unique opportunity to help drive meaningful social change, center community voices, and plan for long-term impact. This work goes far beyond the dollar. Many nonprofits continue to face barriers created by the process of *how* funding is provided. As communities grapple with increasingly complex challenges, effective philanthropy requires true partnership and trust. It also calls on us to reimagine what philanthropy can be, moving beyond conventional approaches to better support the people and organizations working closest to community needs.
As a relational funder committed to trust-based philanthropy, the Grunin Foundation is continually striving to be a better partner to the nonprofit organizations and communities we serve. We believe the most effective way to do that is by listening deeply to community voices, learning from their experiences, and using those insights to inform our funding practices, strategic priorities, and future direction.
To better understand where we can improve, we connected with consulting partners who have extensive experience across the nonprofit, philanthropic, and social change sectors, to facilitate interactive feedback sessions. Insights from 15 organizations that have participated in the Grunin Foundation’s funding process, including long-standing partners, newly funded organizations, and those who applied for a grant but were not selected for funding
The project generated honest and thoughtful insights from nonprofit partners about what has been valuable, where barriers remain, and how we can continue evolving to better meet their needs and the needs of the communities they serve. The data we received also highlighted participants' perspectives on how funding organizations can address existing challenges in the funding system as a whole, as well as their broader visions for the future possibilities of philanthropy.
**The Greater Philanthropic Context**
It is important for all of us in philanthropy to understand the challenges nonprofits face, which is why we did not want to keep this information to ourselves. We know there is always room for improvement, including at the Grunin Foundation, and we hope this data helps all of us identify ways to alleviate some of the burdens nonprofits carry every day.
Here’s what we heard from the interviewees about the reality nonprofit leaders are currently navigating from a broader perspective. *The following section is summarized from the Common Knowledge Report created by Jessamyn Shams-Lau and Jocelyn Curran of Unicorn Philanthropy.*
**Funder demands with applications, reporting, and more**
Many experiences were shared about the time and effort needed to address funder demands from grant applications to reporting requirements. At times, the staff time required to meet these demands can cost nonprofits more than the funding itself. Specific experiences were:
- Arduous application processes with “hidden” instructions/unclear criteria that were not made clear until the nonprofit was declined
- Having to fit into funder “buckets” to get grants
- Nonprofit being asked to shift away from their mission in order to be funded
- Reporting requirements that feel like punishment and reflect a lack of trust
- Funding with the expectation of getting something in return – photo ops, event appearances, etc.
**Lacking connection with community**
A disconnect between funders and the communities they serve was repeatedly identified as a persistent challenge that adds stress to nonprofits. Participants noted that many funders are perceived as insufficiently present in the community and rarely conduct site visits to the organizations and programs they support. This lack of engagement can prevent funders from developing a comprehensive understanding of a nonprofit's mission, operations, and impact. As a result, funding decisions may be made without the necessary context, increasing the risk of reduced or withdrawn support for organizations that are effectively serving community needs.
**Value and respect**
Another recurring challenge nonprofit leaders mentioned is the assumption that their work is not their full-time commitment, despite the significant time and effort required to lead and sustain their organizations. The gap in compensation in the nonprofit sector, coupled with perceptions of lower professional esteem, can result in nonprofit professionals being undervalued and underestimated compared to their peers in the for-profit sector. Nonprofit leaders feel that the complexity of their work and their achievements are rarely recognized.
**Accessibility and transparency**
Nonprofits noted that gatekeeping, whether purposefully or not, has gotten more difficult. Having to dig to find people, criteria, and contact information takes time away from their work. They often struggle to find clear information on funders' websites or even find the websites at all. Other experiences mentioned were:
- Getting in the door to have an introductory conversation is becoming more difficult
- Receiving a rejection or no response at all is becoming increasingly common
- The lack of feedback on how nonprofits can improve or what they could do differently leaves them without a clear understanding of how to strengthen future applications, making it harder to decide which opportunities are worth pursuing.
**Uncertainty for nonprofits, community, and belonging**
The most critical message that emerged from this feedback project was that government services are being reduced, causing demand for nonprofit services to rise. As nonprofits are asked to meet growing community needs, many are simultaneously facing decreases in funding, cash flow challenges, and heightened financial uncertainty. Participants emphasized that this widening gap between community demand and available resources is placing significant strain on organizations. Nonprofits are becoming increasingly concerned about whether they will be able to keep their doors open while continuing to meet rising levels of need.
Nonprofits also expressed a desire for funders to take a bold and visible stand in support of their communities and the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Participants noted that this leadership is especially important at a time when many programs, policies, and initiatives that advance equity and inclusion are being scaled back or eliminated at the federal level. They emphasized the need for philanthropy to help fill these gaps, advocate for vulnerable communities, and remain steadfast in the commitment to equity.
The future is becoming increasingly uncertain and scary for *all* nonprofits. Trends resulting from federal decisions, rising cost (insurance, gas, utilities, etc.), demand for nonprofit services, funders pausing decisions, event fundraising difficulty – all of this is leading to incapacitating stress and anxiety.
Another noted change was decreasing on-site participation in nonprofit programs due to fear of ICE. This has forced nonprofits to identify alternative ways to support families with urgent needs while helping ensure their safety and well-being.
This section was summed up with the request – *“advocate for us, have our backs, make sure everyone knows how important our work is.”*
**Imaging Ideal Philanthropy**
The nonprofits who were interviewed had a chance to talk about their ideal version of philanthropy. This discussion went far beyond thinking about the dollars. Here is how it would look from the nonprofit’s perspective:
**Funders show they respect our work**
- Show up, learn, and understand the nuances of how different nonprofits and communities work and what’s important to them
- Be humble and recognize funders’ limitations in the role of social change
- Communicate proactively on timelines, updates, processes, and decision making
- Listen and learn about underlying issues in our places and spaces
- Let us be who we are instead of trying to fit us into one of your buckets
**The attitude nonprofits want philanthropy to cultivate**
- Be more like MacKenzie Scott
- Provide more seven-figure per year, **m**ulti-**y**ear **g**eneral **o**perating **d**ollars (MYGOD) over 3 to 5 years
- Help us figure out our 5-year plan when your funding is over
- Trust us, our knowledge, and our experience to use our money effectively
- Be our connector to other funders
- Help us with our challenges when solicited - bringing expertise, finding board members, etc.
- Bring a joyful mindset
**Fund us and trust us with our work**
- Hold yourselves to the same reporting and transparency standards you expect from us
- Be a convener across the state and help unite funders, government, businesses and communities
- Find ways to fund or change policies/systems that will help us do our work
- Stand up and defend us when we are dismissed by others
- Come together around ICE, make a statement about the impact on communities, commit to funding for the next 5 years to fill gaps government is leaving in social services
- Help us to plan far into the future, especially in uncertain times, so we can serve our community
- Fund our visions and creative projects
- Help us pay our staff for the genius and experience they bring
- Invest in developing and strengthening Black & Brown leaders from the communities we serve
- Have a proactive and adaptive plan to help nonprofits when a crisis hits
- Believe and act like we are truly *in this together* for the long-term, as colleagues, community, and humans
**Future-oriented philanthropy**
**From listening to action**
We are deeply grateful to the nonprofit leaders and organizations who generously shared their time, experiences, and candid feedback throughout this process. Their insights offered a powerful reminder that philanthropy is not only about providing resources, but also about cultivating relationships grounded in trust, respect, transparency, and shared purpose.
The feedback we received reinforces that while funding is essential, how philanthropy shows up matters just as much. Nonprofits are navigating unprecedented challenges while continuing to meet the evolving needs of their communities. They are asking funders to listen more deeply, communicate more openly, reduce unnecessary burdens, and stand alongside them as long-term partners in creating change.
At the Grunin Foundation, we view this feedback as a call to action. We remain committed to learning, evolving, and strengthening our practices so that we can better support the organizations doing this critical work. We also hope that by sharing these reflections, we can contribute to a broader conversation across philanthropy about what it means to be a responsive, trust-based, and community-centered funder.
**Continuing the work**
For the Grunin Foundation, this is a living, ongoing process that will serve as a guide to help shape our approach to the work. After the report was created, we met with the nonprofits who provided feedback to keep the conversation going, deepen our understanding, and begin identifying meaningful next steps. We will continue meeting with them in the new year and beyond to help hold ourselves accountable to making funding systems and processes less burdensome and more of a catalyst for change.
Throughout 2027, we will turn what we learned into action. The perspectives shared by our nonprofit partners will guide how we strengthen relationships, reduce burdens, and improve our funding practices. We will continue seeking candid feedback from nonprofit partners and use it to adjust our approach. Accountability means not only sharing our intentions, but also being transparent about our progress, acknowledging where we fall short, and following through on the changes our partners have identified are needed.
## Related Blogs
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### [From Feedback to Action: Reimagining Philanthropy Through Nonprofit Voices](https://blog.gruninfoundation.org/reimagining-philanthropy)
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