Scott Konrad

As with all nonprofits, associations are facing more challenges than ever before. The donor base continues to decline and worries around government funding have affected the giving landscape across the board, adding additional strain. With less funding to rely on, associations and other nonprofits have turned to volunteers to get the job done. Yet an increase in volunteers often means an increase in exposures.

Business leaders are apprehensive. Amid ongoing economic uncertainty and growing reputational challenges, nonprofit organizations have no choice but to focus on protecting themselves from emerging and existing exposures. Americans are giving less. Just  two of three Americans  made individual donations in 2023, down from eight in 10 back in 1983.

With social media and minute-by-minute news everywhere, even a small misstep can be blown out of proportion—leaving an organization with a reputation to recover. Given the steady drumbeat of bad news, it's no surprise that only half of Americans trust nonprofits as an industry, down 7% from 2020.