Indentifying trends in the nonprofit world is an essential piece of social change puzzle. NFF spends alot of time examining the way nonprofits operate, adapt, and grow, from the individual organization to broad sub-groups. With support from funders, we explore emerging issues, write papers and conduct field research analyzing the way money is both given and used in the sector. This knowledge informs NFF’s lending, consulting, and advocacy practices, which all aim to make our sector more adaptable and stable, in both good and bad economic times.

To learn more, visit Resources & Articles section for a selection of resources for nonprofits, reports, and thought pieces that illuminate NFF's core concepts on nonprofit finace.

Portfolio Scans and Cohort Analyses

• How its grantees compare with similar organizations;
• The diverse capital needs of grantees based on program strategy, risks inherent
• in a sector or revenue type;
• The challenges and implications of growth.

Analysis can help answer questions such as: Do organizations’ financial conditions suggest a threat to the quality or availability of services? Is a given cohort relatively robust or frail? Why? What are the common financial trends in the group and how might funders respond to them? What are policy action opportunities suggested by data? Do most organizations cover the full cost of delivering services? How reliable is revenue?

Research and Thought Leadership

NFF does customized research to connect market conditions and mission needs in a sector, region, and/or grantee portfolio. We speak and publish widely with the goal of improving knowledge about social sector finance nationwide. Funders commission studies and presentations on topics of specific interest.