01
Protect
See the pressure early and protect mission-critical work.
Use the evidence in front of you to distinguish a manageable concern from a program or revenue risk that needs leadership attention now.
A public field kit for nonprofit leaders
Funding during uncertainty.
When conditions change quickly, the work is to move from urgency to disciplined action: understand exposure, protect cash, communicate clearly, and build the relationships that will carry your mission forward.
01Protect what matters
02Expand credible options
03Partner for shared strength
A practical response framework
Protect what matters. Expand what is possible. Partner where shared strength creates more value.
Start with the decision in front of you. These pathways help leadership teams move from funding uncertainty to a focused next conversation, not pursue every option at once.
02
Expand
Activate credible assets and test opportunities with discipline.
Look first at the expertise, relationships, intelligence, connections, advocacy, and funding potential already close to the organization—then evaluate opportunities before pursuing them.
03
Partner
Assess collaboration before the proposal requires it.
When the right response involves another organization, make strategic fit, roles, trust, operating capacity, and the post-grant plan visible before committing.
Start here
Stabilize the facts before you choose a pathway.
Begin with a shared picture of revenue exposure, cash, commitments, and mission-critical work. The goal is not false certainty; it is better information, a measured response, and a clear next conversation.
Stabilize the facts.
Map material revenue, current cash, obligations, and the work that cannot be left to chance. Separate confirmed funding from assumptions.
Test the assumptions.
Speak with priority funders and partners, refresh the near-term cash view, and name the information that should trigger action.
Choose and activate a response.
Use Protect, Expand, or Partner to focus the next decision. Keep the board, staff, and partners informed at a measured cadence.
15-minute leadership diagnostic
What do we know today?
Use these questions to open your leadership or board conversation. Assign an owner and a date to every item you cannot answer with confidence.
1
What portion of this year's revenue is delayed, at risk, or unknown — and when will we know more?
2
What is our current unrestricted cash position, and what is our projected cash position each month for the next 90 days?
3
Which contracts, grants, or restricted funds have commitments we must meet, and what questions must we resolve with funders?
4
Which programs and capabilities are most essential to mission, community trust, and long-term resilience?
5
What decisions can wait, what decisions cannot, and who has authority to make each decision?
!
Do not plan from a rumor.
Assign an owner and a date to every question the leadership team cannot answer with confidence. Revisit the same facts weekly until conditions stabilize.
Public learning sources. This field kit is an educational synthesis of nonprofit financial-management and fundraising practices. Adapt every tool to your organization’s actual funding agreements, operating realities, and community commitments.
Recommended references: Nonprofit Finance Fund, “Building Resilience in Uncertain Times”; Association of Fundraising Professionals, “Fundraising in Uncertain Times”; and Firespring, “Navigating Funding Uncertainty”.
Educational notice. This public field kit is a planning resource, not legal, financial, accounting, employment, or tax advice. Use it alongside counsel from qualified professionals who understand your organization, funding agreements, and local requirements.