Inside Nonprofits: Realities and Challenges

BY Riposte Team

Broad Economic Repercussions

Economic pressure is widespread. Over 60% of respondents report a significant or critical economic impact on their organizations. This is true across all organization sizes, including those with more than 50 employees.

Where it becomes more alarming: over 45% say this impact directly affects their operations. Some organizations have had to adapt by reducing activities, revising programming, or putting new projects on hold.

This is true for both small and medium nonprofits. However, organizations with fewer than 10 employees are particularly affected by these challenges.

Digital Readiness: Still a Long Road Ahead

Many say that their digital presence is not meeting its goals: fewer than 30% of nonprofits rate their online communication as effective. The community, cultural, and social sectors report the largest gaps.

Our analysis shows nonprofits with stronger digital effectiveness also feel more economically resilient. Digital capabilities have become a vital strategic survival factor.

Internal Processes Are Often Inefficient or Fragmented

Regarding organizational processes, nearly half of respondents consider their processes inefficient or fragmented.

This affects:

• Volunteer and member management
• Team coordination
• Communication delivery
• Donation and registration processing

Good news: nearly 70% of nonprofits identify at least one process they could automate, such as registration follow-ups, sending emails or reminders, online donations, and reporting or data collection.

However, many say they lack

• Time
• Training
• Simple and accessible tools

Automation has great potential but remains underutilized. 

Another interesting finding: nonprofits that report efficient processes also feel better equipped to face economic challenges.

Size ≠ Efficiency

Larger nonprofits are not always more efficient.

• Organizations with 10 to 49 employees report as many structural challenges as smaller ones.
• Several small nonprofits (fewer than 10 people) manage to stand out with agile methods.

But the general trend is clear: the smaller the organization, the more challenges it faces (resources, time, internal skills, efficiency).

Key Takeaways

1. Digital effectiveness drives resilience 
   The link between digital presence, effectiveness, and resilience is clear. Digital transformation is essential but still out of reach for many. Without targeted support, many nonprofits struggle to make the leap.
2. Organizational efficiency supports digital performance
   Structured processes enable better digital integration, automation, and crisis response.
3. Internal processes are both the problem and the solution
   Rethinking workflows is often more impactful (and affordable) than building a new website. True automation starts with a strong foundation.
4. There is a gap between potential and capacity
   Le sondage révèle une volonté de transformation. Ce qui manque? Du temps, de l'encadrement, des formats simples, et du concret.

Thank you to everyone and all the nonprofits who participated in the survey. Your experiences fuel our mission: to help you take action with concrete, reality-based tools.

The Riposte Team