Survey

NFF’s 2025 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey explores how nonprofits are faring in today’s changing environment and the investments needed to secure their long-term futures. There has never been a more critical time to share what’s going on for nonprofits and how we all can support the organizations that are a vital part of our community infrastructure. 

Download our free report for an in-depth analysis of financial and operational data from 2,206 nonprofits across the country. The report is designed to guide funding and advocacy decisions at this crucial time and includes overall findings and recommendations for nonprofits, government, and philanthropic funders. 

Key Findings from the 2025 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey

In our 2025 survey, 2,206 organizations shared what 2024 looked like, and what they’re bracing for in the future. Some of what we heard echoes long-standing challenges, like rising demand and the toll of doing underfunded work year after year. But we also heard new and urgent concerns: costs are climbing faster than funding, and many are worried about what happens if government support continues to decline. 

Most nonprofits are rooted in the communities they serve. When crises hit, they step up. 

"When a colleague’s nonprofit organization became insolvent and ceased operations after 102 years of existence, our organization quickly filled the void left in their community by moving to expand and open a new center in its place. This saved jobs and avoided displacing children and families from their early care and education environment."
-Early childhood education survey respondent in Ohio 

Results show tension between the rising demand for services and growing financial constraints:  

• 85% of survey respondents expect service demand to increase in 2025.  
• 36% ended 2024 with an operating deficit, the highest in 10 years of NFF’s survey data.  
• 86% said high costs due to inflation have impacted their organizations and clients.  
• Over half of survey respondents (52%) have 3 months or less cash on hand, and 18% have one month or less cash on hand. 
• 84% of respondents with government funding expect cuts to that funding. 

"We’ve been in the community for a full century, and the level of trust we receive from our clients is unprecedented. Generations of their family members have come to us at times when they needed assistance, community, and a place to organize and fight for equality. Our history is incredibly storied, and we continue to do our work until equity and equality are the norm in our city."
-Human services survey respondent in Minnesota

Nonprofits are economic engines for the people they serve and the communities they’re rooted in. 

"Every dollar invested in our organization results in $10 in economic impact on multiple fronts. Our impact on an international level is 10x times the size of our budget."
-Arts/culture survey respondent in California

Nonprofits employ about 10 percent of the US private workforce. They contribute $1.4 trillion to the economy each year. While they are essential to everything from disaster recovery to affordable childcare, many operate under strict financial constraints.   

• Only 41% of survey respondents are able to pay all full-time staff a living wage. 
• Only two-thirds offer health insurance; this drops to 12% for organizations with annual budgets of less than $250,000. 

Despite significant financial pressures, nonprofits are deeply rooted in the communities they serve and are expanding programs and addressing shifting community needs.  

• 62% of survey respondents said building community wealth and well-being is a major focus of their work; 54% said addressing economic inequality is a major focus. 
• 63% expanded their programs or services in 2024.  
• One third (32%) of surveyed nonprofits said their leader has lived experience representative of the communities their organization serves.   
• Half (51%) said they solicited and acted on community feedback in 2024 to shape their programs and services.  

"We organize community-led campaigns to move more public money to address community-identified needs, from the local to the national scale. We work to educate and engage members of our community in the government …and work together to find resources and solutions."
-Social justice/civil rights/community organizing survey respondent in Colorado

Stay tuned for more! 

More data, detailed analysis, and recommendations for action steps can be found in the full report. Download it here.

In the coming months, NFF will offer additional survey resources, including an analysis of specific geographies to understand regional nuances, a publicly accessible online data analyzer, and blogs and other analyses focused on areas of interest. Lookout for these in early fall!  

Help us spread the word. 

Our goal is to put this collective dataset in front of as many social sector leaders as possible. Please help us share results, findings, and recommendations with your networks.