Nonprofit burnout is real — and rising. In this episode, Rusty Stahl welcomes back Dr. Elisha Smith Arrillaga, Vice President of Research at the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP). They discuss new data revealing how stress, vacancies, and limited funding flexibility are affecting nonprofit leaders and staff across the country.
They dig into CEP’s State of Nonprofits 2025 and Voices That Matter reports, exploring:
What’s driving staff burnout and morale loss
The disconnect between funder intent and nonprofit experience
How funders can actually help
Ways to use data to advocate for equity, sustainability, and smarter philanthropy
Elisha also shares a preview of CEP’s upcoming research on how the current administration’s “war on charity” is impacting the sector — and what innovations and risks are emerging in response.
The episode ends with a call for funders and nonprofits alike to use the research data on The State of Nonprofits to advocate for change and collaboration.
Related Episodes:
Resources & Links Mentioned:
CEP Conference 2025 — Opening plenary to feature new research on the impact of the “war on charity”
