What 2024 holds for Nonprofits and NGOs

With over two decades of experience working alongside Nonprofits and NGOs, at Liquid Light we have witnessed firsthand the sector's evolution. In 2024, Nonprofits and NGOs are navigating a particularly complex and rapidly changing environment. Below I delve into some of the key issues that I feel will be shaping the Nonprofit and NGO sector in 2024.

Funding constraints, transparency, and proving your worth

In 2024, the landscape of funding is increasingly challenging. The ongoing war in Ukraine, the escalating impacts of climate change, and the uncertain political climate in the United States, have all put a strain on traditional funding sources such as government grants and private donations.

Donor fatigue was a theme in 2023, and with so many people and governments under continued financial pressure, it's not going away. Additionally, there is a heightened demand for transparency and accountability in fund allocation and utilisation, giving a need for improved and more transparent financial reporting and governance. As well as this need for improved reporting and governance, the emphasis on impact and worth has also never been greater. 

We have always evangelised the importance of illustrating impact, and stakeholders now demand evidence of effectiveness, making robust impact measurement and evaluation frameworks crucial. This not only proves an organisation's efficacy but also provides insights for program refinement and improvement. More importantly, Nonprofits and NGOs need to prove their reason for existing, and actively illustrate the impact they have, both to the public at large and their stakeholders and funders.

The exponential rise of the robots

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly transforming the Nonprofit sector, as it is across all of everyday life. AI offers smaller organisations new opportunities by democratising access to advanced data analysis and donor engagement tools. These organisations can now improve efficiency across their ogranisation and develop more impactful programs using AI.

However, navigating the ethical issues and successfully integrating AI requires a strategic approach to blend it effectively with existing systems and workflows. Use-cases need to be defined, the appropriate tech selected and significant cultural change needs to be implemented. For those organisations who have not yet tried out the myriad of AI tools out there, although the opportunities might appear clear, onbording the use of AI can appear very daunting.

Telling your story: expanding your digital outreach

This ever-evolving technological landscape presents both challenges and opportunities. As reliance on digital platforms for fundraising and engagement continues to grow, a robust online presence is becoming more and more essential.

Organisations must adapt to the digital preferences of their audiences, utilising social media, content marketing, digital storytelling, and more dynamic ways of presenting their content and messages. However, this ongoing shift to digital necessitates skills and resources that may be particularly challenging for smaller organisations to acquire and onboard.

Collaborations and partnerships 

The growing importance of collaborations and partnerships will be another trend in 2024. Facing mounting challenges and limited resources, Nonprofits and NGOs are increasingly valuing strategic alliances. These collaborations, ranging from joint ventures with other Nonprofits to partnerships with the private sector, help amplify impact and extend reach by pooling resources and expertise.

With the private sector being much more involved in 'purpose' there's a bigger cross-over and desire in the private sector to tackle the issues that NGO's are traditionally set up for. There is an increased opportunity for NGOs and Nonprofits to find funding in the private sector, offer consultancy services and get their message out to a different audience.

Adapting to a changing donor base

Nonprofits and NGOs must also adapt to changes in their donor base. The emergence of younger donors requires a reevaluation of fundraising strategies. Engaging these donors effectively involves embracing new communication channels and developing more interactive, dynamic and engaging fundraising campaigns that demonstrate impact in ways that resonate with this younger demographic.

In conclusion, If 2023 was seen as turbulent, 2024 is going to be much of the same. While this year presents numerous challenges, it also offers opportunities for innovation and growth.

And to finish on a positive note:

“I hold a vision of this blue green planet, safe and in balance. At the end of the Fossil Fuel Era, we are emerging to a new reality. We are ready to make the next leap – as momentous as abolishing slavery or giving women the vote.”

This article was posted in Nonprofit

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  Owen Priestley

  Strategy Director