22/04/2026
What does financial resilience actually look like in a climate nonprofit?
This week I had the pleasure of delivering a session for Resilient Organisations Programme, exploring the financial pressure points I see time and time again across nonprofits.
👉 Funding the work, but not the organisation
Programmes get funded.
Impact gets funded.
But the infrastructure that makes it all possible?
That’s where things get squeezed.
Here are 3 shifts that really matter:
✏️ Ask better funding questions
Does this funding build organisational capacity, or just delivery? Sustainable organisations need both.
✏️ Reframe governance
It’s not just compliance, it’s protection. Better decisions, clearer oversight, stronger confidence.
✏️ Rethink value for money
It’s not about spending less, it’s about spending well, on things that improve visibility, decision-making and long-term growth.
One of my favourite questions from the session:
“How do we build unrestricted reserves?”
My answer:
Start having honest conversations with funders about sustainability.
Show your monthly runway.
Be clear on what it actually takes to keep the organisation running.
And align with donors who get that.
Because resilience isn’t just about surviving.
It’s about having the foundations to keep doing the work that matters.