As anyone unfortunate enough to have shared space with me over the past week can tell you, I've been reading Malcolm Gladwell's The American Way of Killing. It has consumed me in a way I didn't expect, and one of the ideas that has stayed with me is how the statistics we use to understand a problem don't always tell the whole story.
In looking at gun violence in America, Gladwell points to an interesting disconnect between what the statistics show and what they might actually mean. A declining homicide rate would seem to suggest that fewer people are experiencing deadly violence. But what if there's more to it than the raw numbers? Could it be that advances in emergency medicine and interventions have made it possible for more people to survive injuries that even just a few years ago might have been fatal? In other words, a decline in deaths doesn't necessarily mean a corresponding decline in violence.
It's a good reminder that what we measure (and what we don't) shapes how we understand a problem. And this got me thinking about the nonprofit sector.
We spend a lot of time measuring our work. We count the number of people served, programs delivered, dollars raised, and volunteers engaged. We track outcomes, report progress, and share our results. These numbers matter. But how often do we stop to ask whether what we're collecting is telling us what we really want to know?
An organization might celebrate serving more people this year than last. Does that mean that the need is growing? That the organization is reaching more people who need help? Or maybe both?
A fundraising campaign might exceed its goal. But does that success reflect a growing donor base, or was it driven by a few unusually large gifts? Are more people investing in the mission, or is the organization becoming increasingly reliant on a smaller group of donors? What might those answers tell us about the long-term sustainability of the organization?
The numbers matter, but so does our willingness to look beyond them, to question our assumptions, and to remain curious about what they tell us. And what they don't.
Sarah Plumb, MA, is a consultant at The Rome Group, specializing in grant writing and communications.
Mission-driven boards are navigating an increasingly complex governance environment, shaped by financial pressures, rising stakeholder expectations and the growing role of AI, according to the inaugural Governance Outlook 2027 for Mission-Driven Organizations report from Diligent Institute. Boards recognize the need to strengthen strategic oversight but face constraints in time, structures and tools that can make it difficult to turn priorities into action.
Why Nonprofit CEOs Need A Different Strategy for the Changing Donor Landscape
For years, nonprofit fundraising has been built around a familiar assumption: A healthy organization should continually expand its base of donors.
More donors meant greater stability. A broad base reduced dependence on any one contributor, created a pipeline for future major gifts and demonstrated community support.
That logic still has value. But nonprofit leaders also need to recognize an important change taking place in American philanthropy: More charitable dollars are coming from fewer donors.
The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) recently announced its 2027-2030 grants and funding opportunities, which are restructured into two programs: Artist Investment Grants (up to $25,000 for mid-career/established artists) and Artist and Artist Collective Project Grants (up to $5,000–$10,000 for project-based work). While RAC didn't launch a new grant cycle in fiscal year 2026, it continues using the year to fund roughly the next 135 highest-scoring applicants from the 2025 cycle while preparing the new program structure for 2027–2030.
All timelines and deadlines will be published on the RAC website in Fall 2026.
AFP St. Louis National Philanthropy Day Celebration
Join us for the AFP St. Louis Chapter's National Philanthropy Day Celebration, where we are proud to recognize the outstanding achievements by individuals, families, corporations, foundations, organizations, and other groups. These awards are given recognition of lifetime or long-term achievements that have had a major impact in the
From Italy to the United States: Applied Research in Partnership
What can researchers and practitioners in Italy and the United States learn from one another to better address today's social challenges? Bringing together leading scholars from Italy and the United States, this panel will explore how researchers and practitioners work across borders to share knowledge, compare approaches, and connect research ideas to real-world social policy challenges. Registration is free.
AI, Economic Opportunity, & the Future of Work: Insights from Early Adopters in Education and Training
As artificial intelligence transforms how we learn, work, and navigate everyday life, what does it mean for economic opportunity and social mobility? Join the Clark-Fox Policy Institute and the Center for Education Research, Practice, and Policy Partnerships (CERP3) for a presentation of new research findings and a panel discussion exploring local responses that expand access to economic opportunity, while also highlighting the risks of reinforcing existing inequalities. Bringing together leaders from LaunchCode Labs, Per Scholas St. Louis, and the City of St. Louis, the conversation will examine the strategies that education institutions and skill providers use to create an AI-adaptive workforce, as well as how research, policy, and practice can help ensure AI creates opportunities for all.
Advocacy does not end or begin with an election. With November's elections behind us: now what?
Join civic strategist Caitie Whelan for an energetic, practical introduction to building relationships with elected officials and making asks that are clear, strategic, and more likely to be taken seriously.
A former Congressional staffer and current Practitioner-in-Residence at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Caitie will demystify how advocacy works and share approachable tools for understanding who holds influence, building relationships before you need them, and communicating effectively with decision-makers.
Whether you are an experienced advocate or wondering where to begin, you'll find practical ways to participate and plenty of room to ask questions.
Bring your questions, curiosity, and the issues you care about. You don't need to be an advocacy expert to have a role in shaping what's next.
Rise & Run 4 Women is a nonpartisan leadership program that provides women with the knowledge, skills, confidence and network to run for office, support a campaign or to significantly impact their community.
The social sector is often mischaracterized as "behind the curve" in the adoption of AI, but social sector organizations bring unique strengths in approaching new technology, their commitment to mission, ethics, and community grounding adoption of AI and other innovations. The Data for Social Impact initiative has developed a free online short course designed for social sector organizations seeking strategies and frameworks for integrating AI in a responsible manner.
Participants in this self-paced online course will:
* Explore foundational concepts of AI and its applications in the social sector
* Identify biases in AI systems and strategies for risk mitigation and responsible implementation
* Apply AI to real-world scenarios through hands-on activies and ethical AI tools and frameworks
Everyone is a data person, and we all have a role to play. No matter where you are on your AI journey, there is something in this short course for you.
Data for Social Impact is an initiative of the Center for Social Development at Washington University in St. Louis. This course is made possible by support from the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.
As a team, we came together to discuss what The Atlantic has called "The single most compelling, lucid, and lyrical contemporary account of the absurdity of U.S. border policy."
In May 2001, a group of men attempted to cross the Mexican border into the desert of southern Arizona, through the deadliest region of the continent, the "Devil's Highway." Three years later, Luis Alberto Urrea wrote about what happened to them.
Congratulations to the following individuals who are beginning new roles or celebrating well-earned promotions in the St. Louis nonprofit community, including both new hires and those recently promoted.
Crystal Brown, Donor Engagement Manager, Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Brittany Campbell, MPA, CFRE, Development Director, St. Joseph Hearing + Speech
Erin Eberhard, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of St. Charles County
India Gibbs- Harris, Director of Workforce Programs and Operations, STL Youth Jobs
Felice McClendon, Program Director, Delmar DivINe
Maya Pierce, Family Enrichment & Volunteers Manager, Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
Kevin Poe, Executive Director, Delmar DivINe
Emily Rinehart, Executive Director, St. Louis Area Diaper Bank
Linda Robinson, Gift Officer, Business Development, Beyond Housing
Christy Schult, Executive Director, Riverbend Family Ministries
Heather Sims, Director of Philanthropy, FOCUS St. Louis
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