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You’ve heard from some of my colleagues these last weeks with insights — directly from the mouths of donors and foundation staff — that we hoped would inspire reflection (and even guide action) among grantmakers. But this snapshot of qualitative data wouldn’t be complete without the perspective of a key foundation audience: grantees.
For CEP, high quality feedback is as good as gold, and we’re lucky to have access to a veritable treasure trove of insights from nonprofit organizations through our Grantee Perception Report. Participating grantees offer meaningful, timely, and often galvanizing input about what’s working well and where there might be room for improvement for their funder partners — not to mention the sector as a whole.
This was particularly crucial in 2025, when nonprofits faced mounting pressures in response to the current political context (tomorrow, CEP will be publishing an expanded report on the impact of these unprecedented changes in 2025).
Both in our research and in the candid perspectives that grantees share with us via the GPR, we get a glimpse into not only how the past year has affected the nonprofit sector, but also, crucially, what action is needed in the coming year.
NB: these quotes have been edited for clarity and to maintain the confidentiality of grantees who responded to CEP’s survey.
Late last year, we reflected on the progress made in our field, and we found much has changed. This quote reflects some of the progress created through deeper partnerships:
“A decade ago, there were a few one-off partnerships between educational programs and industry leaders, and now those conversations are happening in the same room, allowing for broader coalitions, collaboration, and cross-pollination of ideas.”
And grantees also offer insights on how these meaningful partnerships are built:
“[The Foundation] is a model for the nation. They have gone through significant and strategic transformation of leadership and focus over the past decade, and the proof is in their impact. On any given day you will find them at the public library, in the schools, clinics, and at small and large community events to help ensure meaningful change and systems transformation takes place. [Our contact] creates a safe space to truly talk about the work and be authentic, honest, realistic and bold, and responds without judgement and with a willingness to lean in and support.”
That’s not to discount the serious challenges facing our sector. One grantee noted:
“This is a dark moment for our organization. While our members need our services now more than ever, the political landscape has meant that we are not as fiscally strong as we used to be. I have had to reduce our budget, reduce our staff, and more.”
While another summed it up like this:
“There is too much to describe here. I think the best way to frame it is that it is coming from all sides and at extremely high rates. We are spending a lot of time trying to respond and/or anticipate what may happen so we can support [our community].”
Grantees illustrate major tensions we saw last year, and which continue to affect the sector in 2026:
“Recent political and policy shifts have directly increased the strain on both our staff and the families we serve. At the same time, reductions in state and federal welfare-related programs have led to a surge in demand for our services, stretching our capacity to respond.”
“There are limited resources available now competing for all very just and needed causes. This in turn will mean that each nonprofit seeking support from foundations, the state, and donors will be competing in a bigger pool with less funding to go around.”
“As an organization, we had a difficult conversation about funding and the potential loss of staff and vital services to youth and families. Our staff also have to come up with emergency plans in case of deportation of themselves or family members. And because of the political times, people are more reluctant to speak freely.”
As one grantee humorously sums up:
“Working in the nonprofit sector right now is like walking on eggshells — actually like tiptoeing around a floor full of Legos!”
Grantees also share insight into the roles they want funders to play in this moment.
Multi-year funding:
“I feel that multiyear grants are essential when dealing with the current political climate. Having the ability to budget forecast for a particular scope of work thus removing the burden of worrying about how to keep the work moving forward from year to year is vital.”
General operating support:
“Restricted funding is a bit like getting hand-me-downs as opposed to getting to buy yourself something new. I think sometimes [being able] to get the thing that is exactly the thing that you need … is great and critically important.”
Lowering process requirements:
“While accountability is important, the time and resources spent on reporting can sometimes pull us away from direct service. Simplifying the process — or providing templates and examples — would help smaller organizations like ours stay focused on the work itself.”
Finally, grantees emphasized that support comes in many forms, and showing up matters:
“[The Foundation] is the only funder who reached out offering assistance or support given the volatile political climate in the US. It’s things like this and [the Foundation’s] trust-based approach that the Foundation does SO well. It would be awesome to see other foundations following in their footsteps.”
Nina Groleger is a senior analyst on the assessment and advisory services team at CEP.
Editor’s Note: CEP publishes a range of perspectives. The views expressed here are those of the authors, not necessarily those of CEP.
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