April 5, 2010

2009 National Board Governance Survey for Not-for-Profit Organizations

In 2009, declining revenues in not-for-profit sector due to a lingering recession, growing governance and disclosure expectations, and closer scrutiny from regulators and donors sounded a jarring wake-up call. The vast majority of organizations responded accordingly, cutting costs, seeking new revenue streams, reducing endowment spending, enhancing governance practices and reassessing their strategic plans. In the face of declining revenues from donors, granting agencies, federal and state governments, and underwater endowments, nearly all organizations felt the squeeze. Savvy organizations also increased fundraising efforts to make up for diminished revenues. Now, even organizations with well-thought-out strategic plans are finding that in today's environment, their plans may no longer match their situation. More than half of survey respondents revised their strategic plans in light of the economic downturn.