The Most Undervalued Tool in the Nonprofit Sector

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👋🏾 Hey! I’m Sid and this is The Philanthropy Futurist, a weekly advice column preparing you for the future of the nonprofit sector. Each Friday, I tackle reader questions about measuring impact, driving growth, and managing your nonprofit.

This Week’s Newsletter at a glance:

• The Most Undervalued Tool in the Nonprofit Sector

• Philanthropy News From This Week

• Sid’s Book Recommendation

The Most Undervalued Tool in the Nonprofit Sector

If we want to build a more effective, equitable, and future-ready Nonprofit Sector, we need better feedback loops.

And as we get closer to 2026, that means designing feedback loops that don’t just collect opinions… but encourage actual change.

Having real conversations with your community… conversations meant to learn, iterate, and improve is one of the most direct paths toward a world where social challenges actually get solved.

That said… many Nonprofit teams are stretched thin, and 1:1 conversations aren’t always possible at scale. But thankfully… that’s where surveys can come into play. Because when used well… they allow orgs to gather honest and actionable input from many voices at once.

And yet, surveys remain one of the most undervalued tools in philanthropy.

Most organizations still use them as a polite suggestion box or an end-of-program form to check a reporting box.

When done right, a survey becomes something much more powerful: a direct connection to the voices we serve, the donors who fund us, and the frontline team members who often see problems before leadership does.

So now, you’re probably thinking… what does a survey that drives real change even look like?

• First… it asks questions that go beyond satisfaction, questions like “What’s not working? What would make this 10x better? Where did we fall short? etc etc” Nonprofits should be courageous enough to ask the questions they may be afraid to hear the answers to

• Second… the survey must be simple. That means: no 20-minute interrogation, no confusing scales, none of that. The survey should be short, clear, and mobile-friendly because people are busy and your goal should be to minimize friction

• Third… the results should not sit in a shared drive until next quarter, or next year. Your organization needs to prioritize the review and iteration loops based on survey results. Then share those results back with your community, decide on next steps, assign ownership, and tell people what changed because of their answers. This last part is everything, because when people see that their input led to tangible action, trust will only grow

The future of philanthropy will belong to organizations that listen continuously… not just periodically. Because community expectations are evolving, and transparency is becoming a major differentiator. And data-driven decision making is no longer something only the biggest, best-funded organizations can afford. We all can do it!

Surveys aren’t just a diagnostic tool, they have the ability to shape culture and reconfigure our future. And when Nonprofits listen well, they serve better. And as a whole, the sector becomes stronger for everyone.

Until next week y’all! ✌🏾

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Philanthropy News From This Week

• Simple Tips to Design Surveys That Drive Real Change

• The Trick to Effective AI Use? Slow Down

• In Time for GivingTuesday: How to ‘Light Up’ the Brain for Generosity

• Warren Buffett directs over $1.3 billion to family foundations

Sid’s Book Recommendation

Each week, I recommend a book or film that has impacted my life in a positive way. My recommendation this week is:

Surveys That Work by Caroline Jarrett

This book provides a very practical, step-by-step guide to designing and running surveys that deliver reliable, actionable results. It is geared toward anyone seeking to improve the quality and usefulness of survey data, especially business strategists, researchers, and UX professionals. Learn more.

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