Investment Deficit By the Numbers
At a Glance
Type
Case Making Tool
Date
January 2017
There’s a gap between the type of talent-investments that nonprofit leaders want and the type of support they’re able to obtain. Executive directors say they value funding that helps them bake people-systems into their organizations, but can rarely secure such investments:
While 49% say they value overhead funding for internal capacity for talent management, only 7% say they’re able to obtain that type of funding.
35% say they want technical assistance to help build their organization’s talent management processes. But only 5% obtain such support.
Meanwhile, the likelihood of receiving support that is more individualistic, one-off, and external actually outweighs the value nonprofits place on such support:
- 13% say they value external one-off trainings, while 15% say they obtain it
- 22% say they value support to attend conferences/networking events, but 24% are likely to obtain it
Less than 1% of foundation grant dollars are invested in developing the nonprofit workforce
(Foundation Center grant data during 1992 to 2011)
Businesses spend at least four times more than nonprofits per person per year on talent development.
About Fund the People
Fund the People is the national campaign to maximize investment in the nonprofit workforce. To achieve this goal, we make the case, equip for action, and build a movement to change the attitudes and behaviors of funders, fundraising nonprofits, and the intermediaries that support them. There is a long-standing, sector-wide deficit of investment in the nonprofit workforce. Nonprofit professionals work in environments typified by high burnout and stretched resources. So there is a real demand for equitable salaries and benefits, more and better professional development, improved human resources functions, and healthy organizational culture. Together, we can address these challenges by reshaping existing resources to prioritize nonprofit people as the central asset of nonprofit performance. Now more than ever, we can ensure that America’s civic leadership is diverse, well-supported, high-performing, and sustainable for the long haul. Launched in 2014 and headquartered in Beacon, NY, Fund the People (originally known as Talent Philanthropy Project) is a project of Community Partners. Our work is informed by an Advisory Council of diverse leaders and a team of skilled staff and consultants, and is supported by a coalition of regional and national foundations.
To learn more about Fund the People visit: fundthepeople.org
Acknowledgments
Fund the People is appreciative of the following individuals for reviewing, editing, and providing helpful input on content throughout the Fund the People Toolkit: Jessica Bearman, Yolanda Caldera- Durant, Biz Gormley, Rebecca Schumer, Mark Sedway, and Rusty Stahl. We’re also grateful to the following Fund the People Advisory Council members who provided informative feedback and guidance on the Toolkit: Caroline Altman-Smith, Kelly Brown, Cynthia Chavez, Gali Cooks, Amber Cruz-Mohring, Ann Goggins- Gregory, Lupita Gonzalez, Sonia Ospina, Pratichi Shah, James Shepard, and Sean Thomas-Breitfeld.
Financial support for Fund the People’s Toolkit has been generously provided by American Express, Annie E. Casey Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Durfee Foundation, Ford Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.