by Karen Houghton
Infinite Giving

Nonprofits are doing some of the most essential, life-changing work in our communities. And yet, far too many are operating in survival mode.

I’ve seen this from every angle: running my own nonprofit, supporting hundreds of organizations during the pandemic, and now watching leaders navigate today’s reality of budget cuts, increased demand, and declining donations. One truth has become clear:

Passion alone can’t fund sustainability. Money fuels the mission.

Nonprofit financial leadership looks different in today’s market than it did just two years ago. Funding cuts, drops in donations, and dwindling grant opportunities have all left many organizations in a scarcity mindset.

For nonprofit leaders, this raises an important question: is your money working as hard as your mission?

To help organizations think more holistically about financial resilience, Infinite Giving developed the RISE Framework, a practical approach to strengthening your funding model in any economic climate.

RISE stands for Raise, Invest, Steward, Endow.

Below, we provide you with a self-assessment of this new financial framework to see where your nonprofit may have potential to better fund your mission for the long-term.

R - Raise
Sustainable funding starts with how you raise capital.

Modern donors don’t just give cash. They give appreciated stock, crypto, and grants from donor-advised funds (DAFs). In fact, non-cash gifts are often some of the most tax-efficient and generous gifts donors can make.

Sustainable funding starts with how you raise capital.

Modern donors don’t just give cash. They give appreciated stock, crypto, and grants from donor-advised funds (DAFs). In fact, https://www.infinitegiving.com/state-of-nonprofit-asset-gifts-report non-cash gifts are often some of the most tax-efficient and generous gives donors can make.

you aren’t equipped to accept them, you may be unintentionally limiting generosity.

Self-assessment question: Do you currently have the technology and internal processes in place to easily accept non-cash gifts like stock, crypto, and DAF grants?

Raising well means removing friction and meeting donors where they are financially.

I - Invest

Once funds are raised, what happens next?

For many nonprofits, excess cash sits in a checking or savings account earning minimal interest. In a falling-rate environment, that approach becomes even less strategic.

Thoughtful investing doesn’t mean taking unnecessary risk. It means aligning portions of your reserves with time horizon, liquidity needs, and return objectives.

Idle cash slowly loses opportunity. Invested cash can support future programming, growth initiatives, or strategic stability.

Self-assessment question: Are your cash reserves segmented by time horizon (short-, mid-, and long-term), or is most of your capital sitting in low-yield bank accounts?

Investment strategy should reflect intention, not inertia.

S - Steward

Stewardship is more than thanking donors. It includes how you manage and protect the resources entrusted to you.

Strong stewardship requires clarity around liquidity needs, board oversight, and an Investment Policy Statement (IPS) that guides decision-making.

When markets shift, organizations without a framework often react emotionally. Organizations with a policy respond strategically.

Self-assessment question: Do you have a board-approved Investment Policy Statement that clearly defines liquidity needs, risk tolerance, and oversight responsibilities?

Financial stewardship is leadership in action.

E - Endow

Finally, resilient organizations think beyond the next campaign.

Endowment structures, whether true endowments, board-designated (quasi) endowments, or term funds, create long-term sustainability. They allow your mission to generate funding from invested capital, not just annual fundraising cycles.

Endowment strategy is no longer reserved for billion-dollar institutions. Smaller and mid-sized nonprofits now have more accessible tools to build sustainable funding engines.

Self-assessment question: Have you explored whether an endowment or board-designated reserve could strengthen your long-term financial resilience?

Endowment thinking shifts your organization from surviving year to year to building generational impact.

Rise With Intention

The RISE Framework isn’t about chasing returns. It’s about aligning financial strategy with mission sustainability.

In today’s rate environment, leaving capital idle may feel safe, but it can quietly limit future impact. Our team at Infinite Giving is here to help your nonprofit:

Raise strategically
Invest intentionally
Steward responsibly
Endow sustainably

Because fundraising keeps you going, but funding, done well, helps your mission last.

A Final Word to Nonprofit Leaders

You are the bridge to a better financial future, not only for your organization but also for the communities you serve. And you don’t have to navigate this alone.

My mission is to give nonprofits the tools, encouragement, and perspective to build something stable, scalable, and truly sustainable so your mission can thrive for generations.

Infinite Giving is here to help. Download a sample chapter of Funding Your Mission. This is a practical financial guide for nonprofit leaders who are ready to stop surviving and start building lasting impact. We offer a fresh, mission-aligned framework for how nonprofits can steward resources with strategy, confidence, and clarity.

Or if you’d like to set up a time to dig into your fundraising and financial strategy, get started here.

Thank you for all the amazing work you do each and every day to help build better communities, and ultimately, a better world.