Across our region, neighbors quietly care for one another every day through volunteerism and generosity, and their commitment sustains our nonprofits and communities. Yet the challenges we all face increase daily.
Federal policy changes and current and impending funding cuts are already exerting extraordinary pressure on food security, health, human services, and other local safety nets. And we expect that hardship will increase in the coming year. Thanks to the Urban Institute’s October release of its Nonprofit Trends and Impacts Study, which determined that one third of nonprofits in the nation report a government funding disruption in the first half of 2025 we know that things are progressively difficult in the nonprofit arena. Add to that the 2025 survey finding by Philanthropy Massachusetts that 54 percent of nonprofit leaders in the commonwealth reported federal policy changes as unfavorably impacting their daily operations, and the prospect for their immediate futures dim.
Our hard-working nonprofit sector is diverse and essential, and their programs offer sustenance to both bodies and minds. They provide thousands of meals to families and deliver educational and after-school programs to our youngest residents. They offer literacy support, arts and culture, and quality health care. They are asking of our communities the most important question: “How can we do better?”
Most nonprofit organizations operate on narrow margins and limited reserves, relying on community support to sustain their work. Many of our local groups are very small, with fewer than 10 employees, shouldering heavy work for the rest of us. Every gift helps ensure their continued ability to provide essential services that strengthen our civic fabric and build shared resilience.
When you give locally, you see the benefits and feel the connection locally—in our schools and senior centers, in our food pantries and libraries. A gift to a community health clinic, an arts nonprofit, or a neighborhood support center directly strengthens the people and places around you.
As the season of giving approaches, we encourage everyone to start locally.
Reach out to the nonprofits you care about and ask what they need – most will tell you that an unrestricted operating gift is the smartest, most efficient way to support their work, and some might be seeking resources for emergency relief or an investment to fuel innovation.
Philanthropy is a collective act of stewardship, rooted in the belief that the well-being of our neighbors is tied to our own. Now is the time to build resilience for tomorrow.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.
